7 Must-Read Books Releasing in December 2023 By Asian Authors
As we close out another year, December brings not only festive cheer but also an incredible set of new releases! These captivating books promise to transport you to new worlds, ignite your imagination, and leave you pondering long after the last page is turned. So, cozy into your favorite reading nook, grab a steaming mug of your preferred beverage, and get ready to embark on a literary journey that will stay with you long after the holidays have passed.
Songs on Endless Repeat: Essays and Outtakes by Anthony Veasna So
A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 from: LA Times * Boston Globe * The Millions * LitHub
By the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning AFTERPARTIES comes a collection like none other: sharply funny, emotionally expansive essays and linked short fiction exploring family, queer desire, pop culture, and race
The late Anthony Veasna So’s debut story collection, Afterparties, was a landmark publication, hailed as a “bittersweet triumph for a fresh voice silenced too soon” (Fresh Air). And he was equally known for his comic, soulful essays, published in n+1, The New Yorker, and The Millions.
Songs on Endless Repeat gathers those essays together, along with previously unpublished fiction. Written with razor-sharp wit and an unflinching eye, the essays examine his youth in California, the lives of his refugee parents, his intimate friendships, loss, pop culture, and more. And in linked fiction following three Cambodian American cousins who stand to inherit their late aunt’s illegitimate loan-sharking business, So explores community, grief, and longing with inimitable humor and depth.
Following “one of the most exciting contributions to Asian American literature in recent years” (Vulture), Songs on Endless Repeat is an astonishing final expression by a writer of “extraordinary achievement and immense promise” (The New Yorker).
Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Short Stories, Memoir, LGBT
Why should you read it? "Songs on Endless Repeat," the highly anticipated book of 2023 by the late Anthony Veasna So, the bestselling author of "Afterparties," offers a unique and powerful collection of essays and linked short fiction that delve into the intersections of family, queer desire, pop culture, and race. The essays explore his California upbringing, the experiences of his refugee parents, intimate friendships, loss, and more. Additionally, the linked fiction follows three Cambodian American cousins navigating their late aunt's illegitimate loan-sharking business, providing a poignant exploration of community, grief, and longing. With extraordinary humor and depth, "Songs on Endless Repeat" is a final testament to So's exceptional literary talent, hailed as a landmark in Asian American literature and an astonishing achievement by a writer of immense promise
Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe
Julie Abe's OUR CURSED LOVE is a magical 50 FIRST DATES meets LOVE AND GELATO set in Tokyo, Japan―about destiny, the impact of the choices we make, and the magic of true love.
Six days to remember.
Love or lose him forever.
Remy Kobata has always wished she was destined to be with her best friend, Cam Yasuda. All the way from being neighbors from birth to mixing up magical prank potions together to their “just friends” homecoming date during their senior year in high school, nothing’s a secret between Remy and Cam―except for how much she is in love with him.
Remy is trying to work up the courage to confess her feelings during their winter break trip to Japan, when she gets selected for a mystical tea leaves reading and it reveals that they’re not meant to be together. After they stumble upon a secret magical apothecary in the back alleys of Tokyo, Remy and Cam are offered an ancient soulmate elixir, created before all love potions were banned by the magical government. They each have their reasons for wanting to take it, but what could go wrong with finding your soulmate a little earlier?
Except, after they drink up, their senior year trip flips into the worst vacation Cam has forgotten who Remy is. If she can't help Cam remember her by midnight New Year’s Eve, they’ll both be cursed to forget each other. To unravel their past and rewrite the future, Remy and Cam must travel through Tokyo to rediscover Cam’s memories and make new ones―and maybe even fall in love all over again.
Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Why should you read it? Julie Abe's "Our Cursed Love" is a captivating blend of magic and romance set against the enchanting backdrop of Tokyo, Japan. The story revolves around Remy Kobata and her lifelong best friend, Cam Yasuda, as they navigate a series of magical events that challenge their destiny and the choices they make. With the revelation that they're not meant to be together during a mystical tea leaves reading, the duo stumbles upon a secret magical apothecary offering an ancient soulmate elixir. As they decide to take it, a twist of fate erases Cam's memories of Remy. To break the curse, they embark on a journey through Tokyo, unraveling their past, creating new memories, and perhaps rediscovering love. Abe's novel weaves a tale of destiny, choice, and the enchantment of true love, making "Our Cursed Love" a must-read adventure.
Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib
A playful personal and cultural history of travel from a postcolonial, person-of-color perspective, Airplane Mode asks: what does it mean to be a joyous traveler when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change?
For Shahnaz Habib, an Indian Muslim woman, travel has always been a complicated pleasure. Yet, journeys at home and abroad have profoundly shaped her life. In this inquiring and surprising debut, Habib traces a history of travel from pilgrimages to empires to safaris, taking on colonialist modes of thinking about travel and asking who gets to travel and who gets to write about it.
Threaded through the book are inviting and playful analyses of obvious and not-so-obvious travel artifacts: passports, carousels, bougainvilleas, guidebooks, expressways, the idea of wanderlust. Together, they tell a subversive history of travel as a Euro-American mode of consumerism—but as any traveler knows, travel is more than that. As an immigrant whose loved ones live across continents, Habib takes a deeply curious and joyful look at a troubled and beloved activity.
Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir
Why should you read it? Shahnaz Habib explores the complexities of travel through a postcolonial, person-of-color lens. She examines how travel has been shaped by colonialism, capitalism, and climate change, while also acknowledging its profound impact on her own life. Habib takes on traditional narratives about travel, questioning who gets to travel and who gets to write about it. Through playful analyses of everyday travel artifacts like passports and carousels, she reveals a hidden history of travel as a Euro-American consumerist practice. However, Habib ultimately views travel as more than just consumption, exploring its capacity for deep joy and connection despite the challenges it presents.
Never Meant to Stay by Trisha Das
A bighearted romantic comedy about family and finding the perfect match set against the exuberant backdrop of contemporary Delhi.
Home has always been a temporary arrangement for Samara Mansingh, a wayfaring wedding photographer and the daughter of a diplomat. When her father is uprooted once again, Samara needs a place to stay in Delhi. Next the Khanna family. Samara’s memories of the Khannas are vague at best, but she doesn’t remember their home feeling so much like a war zone. And the last thing their surly eldest son, Sharav, wants is a houseguest eavesdropping on the chaos.
Sharav has a melodramatic sister pushing back on an arranged marriage, a withdrawn lead-singer brother who won’t sing, and a widowed mother hiding her grief in the garden. Sweeping into the household like a tornado, irrepressible Samara is a practically perfect distraction. She has a mind to help a girl find true love, push a young man to find his voice, and bring a lonely and loving widow out of mourning. Maybe Samara can even get on Sharav’s ruggedly handsome good side.
The only sure thing is that the Khanna family will never be the same again. Neither will Samara, who may finally find what she’s been missing her entire a home.
Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance
Why should you read it? A whirlwind of chaos and warmth arrives in Delhi when Samara, a free-spirited photographer, crashes into the chaotic Khanna household. Determined to mend family wounds, she tackles matchmaking, rekindles lost passions, and brings joy back to their lives. But amidst the laughter and shared secrets, a love story may blossom between Samara and the broodingly handsome Sharav, changing both their lives forever.
The Ruined (The Beautiful #4) by Renée Ahdieh
The stunning conclusion to the instant New York Times bestselling quartet that began with The Beautiful.
The Sylvan Vale and the Sylvan Wyld are at war. Now that the unsteady truce between them has been broken, lines must be drawn. In an effort to protect the weakened Winter Court, Bastien rallies powerful allies and friends in New Orleans to come to their aid.
Meanwhile, under protection alongside her injured mother in the Summer Court, Celine is uncertain of whom to trust. She cannot get word to Bastien, and does not understand why he has not returned. When she realizes war between the fey courts is imminent, she journeys with Ali in an effort to find the time traveling mirror and change their fate.
But when Celine's rivals realize Bastien has rallied his allies in the mortal world, they decide to take the fight to him.
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Why should you read it? In the explosive conclusion to the bestselling "The Beautiful" quartet, war erupts between the Sylvan courts as Bastien rallies allies in New Orleans to defend the Winter Court. Celine, separated from Bastien and unsure of whom to trust, embarks on a perilous quest with Ali to find the time-traveling mirror and rewrite their destiny. As war approaches, Celine's rivals escalate the conflict by striking directly at Bastien and his allies, setting the stage for a climactic showdown that will determine the fate of all fey.
Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal
The secret to productivity isn’t discipline. It’s joy.
We think that productivity is all about hard work. That the road to success is lined with endless frustration and toil. But what if there’s another way?
Dr Ali Abdaal – the world's most-followed productivity expert – has uncovered an easier and happier path to success. Drawing on decades of psychological research, he has found that the secret to productivity and success isn't grind – it's feeling good. If you can make your work feel good, then productivity takes care of itself.
In this revolutionary book, Ali reveals how the science of feel-good productivity can transform your life. He introduces the three hidden 'energisers' that underpin enjoyable productivity, the three 'blockers' we must overcome to beat procrastination, and the three 'sustainers' that prevent burnout and help us achieve lasting fulfillment. He recounts the inspiring stories of founders, Olympians, and Nobel-winning scientists who embody the principles of Feel-Good Productivity. And he introduces the simple, actionable changes that you can use to achieve more and live better, starting today.
Armed with Ali’s insights, you won’t just accomplish more. You’ll feel happier and more fulfilled along the way.
Genres: Productivity, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development
Why should you read it? Renowned productivity expert Dr. Ali Abdaal challenges the traditional notion of hard work and discipline as the key to success. He introduces "Feel-Good Productivity," a science-backed approach that emphasizes finding joy in your work. Abdaal identifies three key energizers, three blockers, and three sustainers to overcome procrastination, achieve lasting fulfillment, and learn from real-life examples of individuals who embody these principles. Ultimately, this book promises not just increased productivity, but a happier and more fulfilling life.
Rich AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life by Vivian Tu
From TikTok star and Your (favorite) Rich BFF Vivian Tu, the definitive book on personal finance for a new generation
When Vivian Tu started working on Wall Street fresh from undergrad, all she knew was that she was making more money than she had ever seen in her life. But it wasn’t until she found a mentor of her own on the trading floor that she began to understand what wealthy people knew intuitively—the secrets to beating the proverbial financial game that has, for too long, been male, pale, and stale.
Building on the lessons she learned on Wall Street about money and the markets, Vivian now offers her best personal finance tips and tricks to readers of all ages and demographics, so that anyone can get rich, whether you grew up knowing the rules to the game or not. Vivian will be your mentor, dispensing fresh, no-BS advice on how to think like a rich person and create smart money habits. Throughout the pages of Rich AF , Vivian will break down her best recommendations to help
And much more!
Rich AF will equip readers with the tools and knowledge to not only understand the financial landscape, but to build a financial strategy of their own. And with Your Rich BFF at your side, you’ll be able to start your financial journey already in an affluent mindset, making the most of your money and growing your wealth for years to come.
Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Finance
Why should you read it? In "Rich AF," financial guru and TikTok star Vivian Tu empowers readers to take control of their finances with her fresh and no-nonsense approach. Drawing on her experience on Wall Street, she offers practical tips and tricks on building wealth regardless of your background. From setting smart money habits to developing a wealth-building mindset, Tu equips you with the tools and knowledge you need to understand the financial landscape and chart your own path to prosperity. By embracing Tu's guidance, you'll discover the secrets to financial success and learn to think and act like a rich person, paving the way for a secure and affluent future.
