10 Asian Books to Watch Out For in 2024

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Team P3 curates a list of Asian Books to watch out for in 2024

All stories are similar, but some stories are more similar to each other than others.

And while the original Animal Farm quote was ironic, this one isn’t. You can find several common themes and stories in the larger Asian culture and literature. To celebrate and highlight Asian stories, we’ll be promoting and discussing books and literature from these regions in the near future.

We encourage you to buy books from a local bookstore. If that is not possible, please use the links on the page and support us. Thank you.

First on that journey is a selection of anticipated Asian books in 2024. From romcoms to fantasy titles to memoirs, we have it all! Create your perfect reading list for the year ahead with us. Since lists are, by nature, rarely comprehensive, if you don’t find an anticipated title in the list below, tell us in the comments and we’ll add it. Let’s get started then!

List of Recommended Asian Books

How to End a Love Story

Title: How to End a Love Story

Author: Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Price: 493

Pages: 374

Blurb:

Topping our list of Asian Books is this brilliant title which is also a debut work!

The contemporary romance novel is about Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard, about to embark on a journey of rediscovery. This journey will span over a decade of missed chances and buried emotions.

As a bestselling author, Helen throws herself into her career, hoping to find solace in her success. Meanwhile, Grant carves a new life across the country, determined to leave the past behind. But when fate brings them together again on the set of a TV adaptation, old feelings resurface, and they must confront the truth about their shared history.

As secrets open and emotions run high, Helen and Grant must navigate the messy terrain of their past while struggling with the possibility of a future together. How to End a Love Story is perfect for fans of contemporary romances.

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The Emperor and the Endless Palace

Title: The Emperor and the Endless Palace

Author: Justinian Huang

Publisher: MIRA

Price: 2407

Pages: 320

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this fantastical romances.

Does the idea of love transcending boundaries, not just of societal structures, but of physical constructs, excite you? This book is for you! Another debut work in our collection, Justinian Huang’s novel,

The Emperor and the Endless Palace, traces the lives of two men destined to be together across multiple lifetimes. From the intriguing courts of ancient China to the streets of modern-day Los Angeles, you undertake a journey of love, betrayal, and the bond that ties souls together.

As the characters shift through each era, they discover their connection goes beyond mere coincidence—it’s a force that defies logic and challenges the very fabric of reality. With its unique amalgamation of romance, fantasy, and suspense, The Emperor and the Endless Palace promises to be one heck of a read!

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The Girl With No Reflection

Title: The Girl With No Reflection

Author: Keshe Chow

Publisher: Hodderscape

Price: 1098

Pages: 496

Blurb:

A fantasy debut next! The Girl With No Reflection follows Princess Ying Yue’s journey to the royal palace. It all takes a chilling turn when she finds out the sinister secrets lurking within its walls.

Trapped in a loveless marriage with the cold and distant crown prince, Ying finds comfort in the mysterious world of sentient reflections, where she encounters the compassionate Mirror Prince.

As Ying navigates this parallel world, she discovers her role in shaping the fate of both realms. With echoes of fairy tale romance and dark intrigue, this novel of love, betrayal, and self-discovery is perfect for lovers of fairy tale retellings.

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To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

Title: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

Author: Molly X. Chang

Publisher: Penguin

Price: 1030

Pages: 346

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

Power and deception fight each other in a high-stakes battle in Molly X. Chang’s To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. Ruying, blessed with the chilling ability to wield death, is at the mercy of foreign invaders who hold dominion over her conquered world.

Faced with an impossible choice, she must navigate a treacherous path fraught with moral ambiguity and dangerous alliances. When an enemy prince offers her a Faustian bargain to serve as his private assassin, promising safety for her family in exchange for her deadly talents, Ruying struggles between duty and desire.

Can she trust the mysterious prince’s promises of salvation, or will she betray everything she holds dear in a bid to protect her loved ones? With twists and heart-pounding suspense, the novel brings forth themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and redemption in a world where gods and mortals clash.

 

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The Monstrous Misses Mai

Title: The Monstrous Misses Mai

Author: Van Hoang

Publisher: 47North

Price: 129

Pages: 346

Blurb:

A historical fiction for our next title! Step into the world of 1950s Los Angeles with Van Hoang’s novel, The Monstrous Misses Mai. Meet Cordelia Mai Yin, a determined young woman whose dreams of success are overshadowed by the harsh realities of immigrant life. In a city teeming with promise but indifferent to outsiders, Cordi finds her home in the unlikely friendship of Tessa, Audrey, and Silly, people bound by shared struggles and shared dreams.

But when a charming stranger offers them a solution to their woes, Cordi and her friends soon find themselves amidst a web of magic and sacrifice.

As they trade small favors for big dreams, Cordi must confront the true cost of her desires while discovering the power within herself to break free. The Monstrous Misses Mai is a story of ambition, friendship, and the price of chasing your dreams in an apathetic world.

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Such Lovely Skin

Title: Such Lovely Skin

Author: Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Publisher: Page Street YA

Price: 1577

Pages: 304

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

In the chilling world of Tatiana Schlote-Bonne’s Such Lovely Skin, lines between reality and virtuality blur, and with terrifying consequences at that. Meet Vivian, a 17-year-old Twitch streamer whose confession to an NPC in a video game creates a demonic mimic into her life. This malevolent entity, capable of mimicking anyone flawlessly, poses a threat to Vivian and everyone she holds dear. As the mimic wreaks havoc and spreads misery, Vivian must confront her darkest fears and set on a quest to confront its only surviving victim. But with each act of cruelty, the demon grows stronger, challenging Vivian to summon the courage to confront it before it devours everything she loves. With its suspense, horror, and psychological depth, Such Lovely Skin promises you a nail-biting ride.

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Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine

Title: Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine

Author: Thao Votang

Publisher: Alcove Press

Price: 784

Pages: 272

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

Welcome to the darkly humorous world of Thao Votang’s debut novel! Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine has Linh Ly, a twenty-seven-year-old Vietnamese American fighting with the ghosts of her past and the uncertainties of her present.

As her recently divorced mother navigates dating again, Linh faces a whirlwind of emotions, from genuine concern to obsessive surveillance. Faced with the echoes of her troubled childhood and the aftermath of a traumatic event at work, Linh struggles to find her footing in an increasingly chaotic world.

With deadpan humor and unflinching honesty, the book promises a raw and insightful exploration of family, identity, and the complexities of adulthood. Through Linh’s journey of self-discovery, you will see your own life’s messy and beautiful contradictions reflected.

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Here After: A Memoir

Title: Here After: A Memoir

Author: Amy Lin

Publisher: Zibby Books

Price: 1306

Pages: 265

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

Here After is the powerful memoir of the debut Canadian author Amy Lin. With lyrical prose and raw emotion, Lin’s book promises to take you on a journey through the depths of love and loss.

Amy never anticipated the profound connection she would share with her husband, Kurtis, a brilliant architect who brought joy and adventure into her life. But when tragedy strikes on a fateful August morning, Amy’s world is shattered as she fights with the devastating loss of her beloved husband.

Here After is more than just a memoir: it’s an exploration of grief, love, and the long, long journey toward healing. Lin’s storytelling is for anyone who has experienced the overwhelming weight of loss, leaving a mark on your heart long after the final page.

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Daughters of Shandong

Title: Daughters of Shandong

Author: Eve J. Chung

Publisher: Berkley

Price: 2157

Pages: 400

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

Set against the backdrop of civil war-torn 1948 China, Eve J. Chung’s extraordinary debut novel, Daughters of Shandong, follows the Ang family’s journey to survival and freedom. Hai, the eldest of four daughters, is thrust into the role of protector as the Communist revolution sweeps through their rural home in Shandong.

With her headstrong sister Di and their mother by her side, Hai must navigate the treacherous landscape of a nation in turmoil. From their desperate escape from persecution to their courageous journey across a thousand miles to confront the family that abandoned them, the Ang women’s story is one of resilience, love, and unbreakable familial bonds.

Through evocative prose and nuanced character sketches, Daughters of Shandong shows the strength and endurance of women in the face of adversity, and a reminder of the sacrifices for a better future.

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Their Divine Fires

Title: Their Divine Fires

Author: Wendy Chen

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Price: 2157

Pages: 288

Blurb:

Next on our list of Asian Books is this interesting title.

The tumultuous landscape of Chinese history is laid open by Wendy Chen’s debut novel, Their Divine Fires. This gorgeously poetic family saga tells the story of four generations of Chinese and Chinese American women, each with their own desires, obligations, and betrayals amidst the sweeping changes of revolution.

From the dawn of the Chinese Revolution in 1949 to contemporary America, Chen weaves a story spanning a century. Yunhong, Yuexin, Hongxing, and Yonghong face the complexities of their times, their lives threaded together by secrets and sorrows passed down through generations. As Emily delves into her family’s past, she finds the threads of history to uncover the truth behind the legacies of her ancestors.

Through folktale, myth, and personal narrative, Their Divine Fires is an exploration of identity, heritage, and the power of love. With prose that is as lyrical as it is powerful, Chen transports readers to pivotal moments in history with the untold stories of resilience and survival.

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Picture of Amritesh Mukherjee

Amritesh Mukherjee

Amritesh doesn't know what to do with his life, so he writes. He also doesn't know what to write, so he reads. Gift him a book if you chance upon him and he'll love you forever.

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