7 Must-Read Books Releasing in September 2024 by Asian Authors
The start of a new season also means the abundance of new book releases! We hope you discover a new favorite amongst our exciting list of September 2024 stories written by Asian authors:
We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, E. Madison Shimoda (Translator)
A cat a day keeps the doctor away…
Discover the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation in this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats.
Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can only be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
Throughout the pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a hardened bag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha finds herself unable to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.
Genres: Fiction, Translated, Literary Fiction
Publication date: September 3, 2024
Pages: 304
Why should you read it? This heartwarming Japanese novel set in Kyoto highlights the healing power of the human-animal bond. The mysterious Kokoro Clinic for the Soul prescribes cats as therapy to struggling individuals, leading to profound personal transformations. Through various patient stories, the novel explores themes of self-discovery, emotional healing, and hope, with cats playing a central role in their journeys toward inner peace and renewal.
A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah
An immersive, provocative, and heartfelt novel that follows a disgraced Indian American divorcée who spends a summer in Italy, reconnecting with her love of cooking and reckoning with cultural expectations to make the choice of a lifetime.
Jyoti was always the ideal Indian daughter. She stayed out of trouble, looked after her siblings, and agreed to an arranged marriage with Ashok. So when she is pressured to quit her dream job as head chef of her husband's family restaurant to focus on conceiving, she obliges.But despite her tireless efforts, she cannot carry a baby to term, and Ashok leaves her for a younger woman. Now unemployed and divorced, a disgrace to her Gujarati family, she flees New York for the summer to visit her best friend in Tuscany.
Sumptuous meals and la bella vita reawaken what Jyoti has lost, leading to a serendipitous opportunity that could help her buy Ashok’s restaurant. But when Jyoti unexpectedly goes viral for her culinary prowess in Indian Italian fusion meals, her aunties find out and gossip ensues, estranging her even further from her family back home.And when a shocking reveal comes to light, Jyoti must decide what she truly desires—family approval, career growth, or even motherhood—all before the summer ends…
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
Publication date: September 3, 2024
Pages: 336
Why should you read it? Follow Jyoti, a disgraced Indian American divorcée, as she spends a transformative summer in Italy, rediscovering her passion for cooking and grappling with cultural expectations. After losing her job and marriage due to infertility, Jyoti seeks solace in Tuscany, where she reconnects with her culinary dreams and faces a life-changing decision between family approval, career success, and personal fulfillment. “A Good Indian Girl” explores themes of identity, cultural pressure, and self-discovery, with food and Italian culture as a backdrop for Jyoti's emotional journey.
Vilest Things (Flesh & False Gods #2) by Chloe Gong
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the thrilling sequel to Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra.
Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She serves now as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.
Only Calla knows it isn’t really August.
Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive, and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a years-long coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to prevent anarchy… even if their empire might be better off burning.
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Retelling
Publication date: September 10, 2024
Pages: 416
Why should you read it? This thrilling sequel to Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra, follows Calla Tuoleimi, who has won San-Er’s deadly games and overthrown her tyrant uncle, but now faces new challenges as royal advisor. Unbeknownst to others, August Shenzhi, the new ruler, is controlled by Anton Makusa, who seeks to maintain his power after Calla’s betrayal. As an explosive secret from Anton’s first love threatens the monarchy’s control, Calla and Anton must unite to stop impending chaos, even if it means risking the empire’s destruction.
The Most Famous Girl in the World by Iman Hariri-Kia
Stars―they're just like us! Except much, much worse.
Rose Aslani is mid-bikini wax when her phone lights up with a notification: Famed scam artist Poppy Hastings will be released from prison today.
It's been two years since Rose―a first-generation Middle Eastern American, functional trainwreck, and reporter for online journal The Shred―wrote the investigative article that exposed Poppy as a socialite grifter. Normally, one of her articles going viral would be cause for celebration, but the highly publicized trial that followed turned Poppy into the internet's favorite celebrity. And Rose has been reeling from the aftermath ever since. Although Poppy served her time for defrauding some of the richest, most powerful men in the world, Rose knows this is only the tip of the iceberg for Poppy's crimes. She just can't prove it yet… At least not without the help of a devilishly handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
As Poppy's star rises as an influencer and pop-culture icon, Rose quickly descends into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. Her article created Poppy's fame, so Rose needs to right her wrong by exposing Poppy for the monster that she is. But it's not going to be easy taking down the most famous girl in the world.
Campy, satirical, and utterly hilarious, The Most Famous Girl in the World is both a scathing indictment of modern celebrity and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of unhinged hijinks that will keep you gasping at every turn of the page.
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary
Publication date: September 17, 2024
Pages: 384
Why should you read it? This campy, satirical novel follows Rose Aslani, a journalist whose viral exposé turned scam artist Poppy Hastings into a pop-culture sensation. As Poppy rises to internet fame, Rose spirals into guilt and obsession, determined to expose the full extent of Poppy's crimes with the help of a rogue FBI agent. “The Most Famous Girl in the World” is a hilarious and sharp critique of modern celebrity culture, filled with thrilling twists and chaotic humor that will keep readers captivated.
Di An: The Salty, Sour, Sweet and Spicy Flavors of Vietnamese Cooking with TwayDaBae
Discover and enjoy the delicious, vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine with these authentic and modern recipes perfect for every home cook from social media star and acclaimed chef Tue Nguyen a.k.a. @TwayDaBae.
Popular social media super-chef Tue Nguyen (better known to many as @TwayDaBae) moved to the US with her family from Vietnam at the age of eight. When she realized she wanted to pursue a career in food, her parents didn’t support her choice, despite her mother being a wonderful cook and the inspiration behind many of Tue’s recipes. Still, Tue went to culinary school to pursue her dreams. Since then, she’s been featured in major publications like People, and her new restaurant, Didi in West Hollywood, has been covered by the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, The Infatuation, Eater, and more.
Tue honors food and culture in everything she does, and Di An exemplifies that with its authentic salty, sour, sweet, and spicy recipes, many of which have been simplified for modern cooks. You’ll still find the bold flavors of lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chili peppers, and of course, fish sauce, but presented in a way that even beginner home cooks will be able to cook and enjoy at home. Just like Tue’s content for her growing legions of Instagram and TikTok fans, her cookbook is an invitation to share the love she has for her recipes.In addition to delicious recipes, you’ll find tips and tricks on entertaining, making the perfect essential sauces and condiments, and so much more to elevate even the most beginner home chef’s cooking.
Genres: Cookbook
Publication date: September 17, 2024
Pages: 256
Why should you read it? Chef Tue Nguyen, a.k.a. @TwayDaBae, offers a blend of authentic and modern Vietnamese recipes, making the vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine accessible to home cooks of all levels. Tue, inspired by her mother’s cooking, simplifies traditional dishes using ingredients like lemongrass, fish sauce, and chili peppers while maintaining bold, authentic flavors. With tips on essential sauces and entertaining, this cookbook is perfect for those looking to explore Vietnamese cuisine or elevate their home cooking with flavorful, easy-to-follow recipes.
Radio Free Afghanistan: A Twenty-Year Odyssey for an Independent Voice in Kabul by Saad Mohseni, Jenna Krajeski
From Time 100 honoree Saad Mohseni, the deeply moving and surprising story of the attempt to build a truly independent media company in contemporary Afghanistan.
Saad Mohseni, chairman and CEO of Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest media company, charts a twenty-year effort to bring a free press to his country after years of Taliban rule, and how that effort persists even after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
In the heady early days of the American occupation, Mohseni returns to Kabul which he had last seen as a child before the Soviet invasion. Casting about for ways to be involved in the dawn of a new Afghanistan, Mohseni makes what seems like a quixotic decision to leave the comforts of a career in international banking to start a Kabul radio station with his three siblings. This unlikely venture quickly blossoms into a burgeoning television empire, bringing Mohseni and his family and employees into sometimes uncomfortable contact with everyone who has a stake in the country—from the government of Hamid Karzai to White House officials. Moreover, their radio and television networks soon become a necessary beacon for millions of Afghans, who rely on them not just for independent news but for joyful pleasures like soap operas and Afghan Star, a beloved national singing competition in a country whose previous rulers had banned (and would again ban) music.
Mohseni’s position at Moby affords him unique insights into this extraordinary yet troubled country, the youngest in the world outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, and his powerful account captures the spirit and resilience of the Afghan people—notably the hundreds of men and women still working in Moby's Kabul office today, who, once again under Taliban rule, create programs, report the news, and educate the public.
Radio Free Afghanistan is a stunning, vibrant portrait of a nation in turmoil, poised between despair and hope.
Genres: History, Nonfiction
Publication date: September 24, 2024
Pages: 320
Why should you read it? Radio Free Afghanistan tells the inspiring story of his two-decade-long effort to build an independent media company in Afghanistan, navigating through the challenges of Taliban rule, U.S. occupation, and the Taliban’s return in 2021. As the founder of Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest media company, Mohseni shares his journey from international banking to creating a media empire that became a vital source of news, entertainment, and hope for millions of Afghans. This powerful memoir offers a unique perspective on Afghanistan's resilience and the enduring spirit of its people amid ongoing turmoil.
Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
A rollicking, unforgettable romance about two strangers finding love despite their best efforts as they embark on a sweeping matchmaking tour through Việt Nam, perfect for readers of Carley Fortune and Abby Jimenez.
What’s a few weeks to a lifetime of promise?
Evie Lang’s life is in shambles. On the heels of losing her beloved aunt, she's unceremoniously fired from her poetry professorship by her secret boyfriend. Lacking income and inspiration, she's stuck in Ohio with no idea how to move forward—until hope arrives in a surprising letter.
Auntie Hảo left Evie the deed to her San Francisco row house, a place full of Evie’s happiest memories. The catch? To inherit, she must go on a pre-arranged matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. The last thing Evie wants is to spend time with a group of strangers looking for love. But she can't resist the chance to finally visit her family’s native home.
A world away, Adam Quyền has a chip on his shoulder. He’s working around the clock as CMO for his sister’s elite matchmaking business, a job complicated by her insistence that he knows nothing about love. He’s desperate to prove himself, so when she challenges him to join the inaugural tour, he reluctantly agrees.
Adam thinks Evie is chaotic and unpredictable. Evie thinks Adam is grumpy and uptight. But from the bustling streets of Hồ Chí Minh City to the soaring waterfalls in Đà Lạt, they keep getting thrown together, their animosity charged with attraction…and they discover that true love may be out there, if they are willing to take a leap.
Two stubborn hearts, one whirlwind adventure, Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour is a story of how loving (and living) bravely can lead you to the most unexpected places—and the most imperfectly perfect loves.
Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary
Publication date: September 24, 2024
Pages: 304
Why should you read it? This heartwarming romance follows Evie Lang, who, after losing her job and inspiration, is thrust into a matchmaking tour in Vietnam to inherit her late aunt’s house. Reluctantly joining the tour, she meets Adam Quyền, a grumpy CMO with something to prove. Despite their differences, they are repeatedly drawn together as they explore Vietnam, discovering that love can blossom in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Carley Fortune and Abby Jimenez, this novel is a charming journey of self-discovery, adventure, and finding love when you least expect it.
