287 episodes

Books & Boba is a book club dedicated to books written by Asian and Asian American authors. We cover a wide range of genres including contemporary, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, YA, nonfiction, thrillers, graphic novels, and memoirs.

Books and Boba Potluck Podcast Collective

    • Arts
    • 4.4 • 117 Ratings

Books & Boba is a book club dedicated to books written by Asian and Asian American authors. We cover a wide range of genres including contemporary, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, YA, nonfiction, thrillers, graphic novels, and memoirs.

    Author Chat w/ Amber Chen

    Author Chat w/ Amber Chen

    On this episode, we chat with author Amber Chen about her debut novel, Of Jade and Dragons, a fantasy adventure and murder mystery set in a Silkpunk world, about a girl who loves engineering as she pretends to be her brother to infiltrate a prestigious academy in order to uncover the conspiracy that killed her father. We chat with Amber about her journey as a writer as well as the real life inspirations behind her debut.
    Follow Amber on Instagram at @amberwrites88 and check out her novel Of Jade and Dragons, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba July 2024 pick is The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses
    This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
    "Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting.

    New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on your app of choice
    Listen...

    • 54 min
    July 2024 Book News

    July 2024 Book News

    On our mid-month check in for July 2024, we recap some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, as well as get some updates on the latest Books & Boba pick to get picked up for TV and which books by Asian authors made it into the New York Time's best 100 books of the century!
    Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:
    Seen: The Story of Corky Lee and His Photographs of Asian America by Julie LeungThe Big Jump by Marie Tang; illust by Gillian Eilidh O'MaraAppetite by P. ParamitaBlack Bird by Sonny LiewA Riddle of Thorns by Sarena & Sasha NanuaA Village Made of Rainbows by Jo Wu; illust by Alina ChauThe Never-Ending Goodbye by Leila Boukarim; illust Afsaneh SaneiUpside Down Iftar by Maysa Odeh; illust by Nadine Issa
    News stories covered on this episode:
    The Fortunes of Jaded Women optioned for a TV seriesThe Shortlist for the 2024 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for FictionNYT’s best 100 books of the century
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba July 2024 pick is The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses
    This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
    "Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply...

    • 33 min
    Author Chat w/ K. X. Song

    Author Chat w/ K. X. Song

    On this episode, we sit down with author K. X. Song to talk about her newest novel, The Night Ends with Fire, an epic adult fantasy inspired by the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Legend of Mulan, and Chinese folklore, following the adventures of a young woman, touched by the Azure Dragon, who enters the army as a man to escape her fate as a woman in a patriarchal society. We chat with K. X. about her journey to becoming a writer as well as her inspirations for the themes in her adult fantasy debut.
    Follow K.X. on Instagram at @ksongwrites and check out her novel The Night Ends with Fire, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba July 2024 pick is The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses
    This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
    "Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting.

    New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on...

    • 54 min
    Author Chat w/ Tara Sim

    Author Chat w/ Tara Sim

    On this episode, we welcome author Tara Sim to chat about her latest novel, We Shall Be Monsters, a YA dark Indian-inspired fantasy take on the Frankenstein story following a girl on a quest to resurrect her sister (who's accidental death she may also be responsible for) who gets drawn into a web of political intrigue by people who want her knowledge and powers. We chat with Tara about her journey as an author, as well as the inspirations behind her book (especially the very good zombie pup).
    Follow Tara on Instagram at @tarasimauthor and check out her novel We Shall Be Monsters, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba July 2024 pick is The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses
    This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
    "Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting.

    New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on your app of...

    • 54 min
    Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly

    Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly

    On this episode, we discuss our June 2024 book club pick Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly, following the story of two adult siblings from Auckland as they each try to escape from their arrested development and overcome their messy professional and romantic issues, while also dealing with their chaotic but close knit Maori-Russian family. We had a lot of fun discussing this very funny story with a surprisingly sincere heart.
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba July 2024 pick is The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses
    This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Listen to Inheriting from LAist & NPR
    "Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting.

    New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on your app of choice
    Listen to Inheriting now!

    • 1 hr 11 min
    June 2024 Book News

    June 2024 Book News

    On our mid-month check in for June 2024, we recap some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, as well as catch up on some awards news and check in on the latest book tea!
    Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:
    Chasing Sunspots by Victoria YingMendell Station by J.B. HwangRings of Fate by Melissa de la CruzInvitation Only by Alexandra Brown ChangRage Will Be Your Savior by K-Ming Chang Exhausted Monsters by K-Ming ChangFaraway Family by Padma Venkatraman; illust. by Nicole WongFoodie Fest written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Flo Leung Coldwire by Chloe GongScribble by Gavin Aung Than
    News stories covered on this episode:
    E.J. Koh has won the 24th annual NYPL Young Lions FictionAwardCostco will stop selling books year-round starting inJanuary 2025Kim Crisci, who went by the pen name “Kim Chi,” pretendedto be Korean American to promote her alleged Own Voices stories.
    Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
    Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
    Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merch
    Follow our hosts:
    Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)
    Follow us:
    InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebook
    The Books & Boba June 2024 pick is Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K....

    • 59 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
117 Ratings

117 Ratings

Fobgirl12 ,

Like the concept

I like the concept of the show and the publishing news mixed with author chats and book club. However, I find Reera’s tone a little condescending at times and judgmental. Love Marvin though, seems like a person I would like to hang out with.

SquidInkyDink ,

They are the Boba!

Reera and Marvin are the Boba! They give me all the same feels as a delightful Bubble Tea and they are cultivating more delectable and diverse reading experiences.

Podcast Critic/ Boba Lover 🧋 ,

Boba?

I was looking through Apple podcast and saw this and I was so excited because I love books and boba 🧋🧋🧋and then found found out there was no boba involved, i listened a bit and though5 it was a decent podcast but I am still very disappointed that there is no boba involved in this podcast because I really like boba and I think it’s good, I just don’t want other people who love boba to get scammed out of a boba podcast. Thank you for your consideration,

A disappointed listener,

The Boba Queen

Top Podcasts In Arts

Fresh Air
NPR
Pop Culture Debate Club with Aminatou Sow
Lemonada Media and BBC
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
The Moth
The Moth
The Book Review
The New York Times
Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin

You Might Also Like

Reading Glasses
Brea Grant and Mallory O'Meara
NPR's Book of the Day
NPR
Book Talk, etc.
Tina @tbretc and Hannah @hanpickedbooks
Literally Reading
Literally Reading
All the Books!
Book Riot
The Book Review
The New York Times