To be blunt, there has been an increasing number of anti-Asian American/Pacific Islander hates crimes in the U.S. Not to mention a reckoning with in the book community about authors who have disparaged Asian authors and/or profited off of Asian themes in their books while not supporting the Asian community.
So I thought it was a good time to share some Asian authors I love and others I want to try! I realized that several of my all-time favorite authors are Asian, so this is basically just an excuse to fangirl.
A quick note – I’m using the term “Asian” as a very big catch-all – some of these authors are Asian American, some are Asian British (is that a term?) and some are straight-up Asian.
FYI – I’m a Bookshop.org affiliate, which means that if you buy some of these books using the links I provide, I make a small commission and you support independent bookstores, at no extra cost to you! Thanks!
Joan He
I read Joan He’s debut novel Descendant of the Crane right when it came out and absolutely fell in love with it. The world, the plot, the characters all captivated me and the writing was beautiful. Although I’m eagerly awaiting a DotC sequel, I was equally excited to hear about her second novel The Ones We’re Meant To Find, about two sisters trying to find their way to each other in a sci-fi, climate-ravaged world. The cover is GORGEOUS and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
P.S. – The original publisher of DotC screwed over Joan and ultimately lost the right to the book, so make sure you by a copy published by Titan Books (paperback and has a tagline from Foreword at the top of the cover.)
Mary H.K. Choi
Mary H.K. Choi is one of my all-time favorite writers. Her debut Emergency Contact was such a sweet and creative romance, and it made a splash in the online book community. Her books tend to be “love them or hate them” type of works–nothing really happens in them? But (to me) they’re also so gripping because of the characters and how flawed they are but you still root for them. But I’ve read lots of reviews that don’t like them for that reason, so it really just depends on your taste. Her third novel Yolk came out earlier this year and is a searing story about estranged sisters brought back together when one of them is diagnosed with cancer. But it’s not a “cancer book,” if you know what I mean? Choi’s writing has grown so much with each book, and Yolk just ripped my heart out of my chest (in the best way possible!).
Her books tend to deal with some heavy themes, so be sure to read content warnings for them!
Rin Chupeco
So this author has been on my TBR for awhile, but I’ve heard amazing things about their work. They’re prolific, with a ton of amazing fantasy stories to choose from–and stunning covers to go with them! The Ever Cruel Kingdom is their most recent release and the sequel to The Never Tilting World, which is described as “Frozen meets Mad Max” and if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will.
Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro’s books are so varied, it’s actually sort of hard to just say “pick any Ishiguro, you’ll like them all” because each book defies genre and feels so distinct from the rest of his works. The one throughline is that his writing is absolutely stunning, and his creativity is unparalleled. Obviously I’m not the first to think so–he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017. Most people recommend his book Remains of the Day, but that’s actually towards the bottom of my favorites that I’ve read of his works. My favorite novel of his (and one of my Top 5 of all time) is Never Let Me Go. Don’t read too much about it–any more than what the blurb says and you might spoil the story (another common theme in Ishiguro’s work). But it’s a beautiful story that explores childhood and art and what it means to be human, but in a very grounded and authentic way.
Uzma Jalaluddin
It’s not a secret I love Jane Austen, so when Ayesha At Last was pitched as a modern day Muslim Pride & Prejudice, I knew I needed to read it immediately. Although it differed quite a bit from Pride & Prejudice, I still loved it. The characters are fun and the antics had me giggling. Her second book Hana Khan Carries On is pitched as You’ve Got Mail (another favorite) but with halal restaurants, and I can’t wait to read it.
Katie Zhao
Katie Zhao is another author on my TBR. I’ve been wanting to read more middle grade, so her Dragon Warrior series is at the top of my list–inspired by Chinese mythology, it sounds like a super fun and engaging read. The book that first got me interested in Zhao, though, is her upcoming YA novel, How We Fall Apart. In this dark academia/thriller, a group of ex-best friends have to face each other and their secrets when one of them is murdered–and the rest are prime suspects. DOESN’T IT SOUND SO GOOD?!
Roshani Chokshi
I’m a sucker for heist novels. Add in some found family and a super creative magic system? You’ve got me, hook, line, and sinker. So it’s no surprise that Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves is a favorite. It’s a little convoluted–you definitely have to pay attention while reading it, but it’s well worth it. The characters are fantastic, the romances are *chef’s kiss* and that cover is to die for. She also has a middle grade series Aru Shah that looks like a blast and I definitely want to check it out!
Have you read any of these? Who are your favorite Asian authors? Let me know in the comments!
