I was planning on saving this post until May, which is Asian and Pacific Islander Month in the United States. But with everything currently going on in the world and especially the rise in awareness of Asian hate crimes, I thought I would post some of my favorite reads by Asian American authors a little early.
I’ve been very interested in Asian culture since college and spent some time in both India and China. I found that I really enjoy Asian folklore because they tend to encompass a little bit of history mixed with a bit of magic, so you’ll find that most of my recommendations are in the historical fiction genre.
Anna K, based on the class Anna Karenina is a YA novel set in modern day New York City. This is a great YA read for the summer. See my review HERE.
Angie Kim, has created a wonderfully written mystery that includes the special needs community and how far you’ll go for your kids. See my full review HERE.
The Night Tiger is the perfect mixture of historical fiction with just a hint of magical realism. Based heavily upon Chinese folklore, this one had me hooked from the beginning. See my full review HERE.
This book, gah what can I say other than it’s wonderfully written and tackles hard topics such as human trafficking, domestic above, and immigration. See my full review HERE.
My favorite book on this list. I found it extremely interesting to learn more about Korea post World War II. While this is a historical fiction story, it pulls from Korean folklore and has such a magical atmosphere to it. See my full review HERE.
Once again, while this is a historical fiction set during World War II China, the amount of magical realism makes this story a favorite of mine. See my full review HERE.
I hope you found something excellent to read from this list. Do you have other great reads by AAPI authors? Let me know what are some of your favorites in the comments.
HAPPY READING!
Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and recommendation. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.