Books and Boba

On this episode, we discuss our February 2026 book club pick, Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho, a romantic comedy about two Asian lawyers in London who share an (kinda?) adversarial relationship who end up sharing an office and perhaps become something more as they find themselves in a pseudo fake relationship to help with each other's personal troubles. We read Zen Cho's Regency era fantasy romance Sorcerer to the Crown almost a decade ago and were very excited to see what a contemporary Zen Cho romance looks like.
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 perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
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The Books & Boba May 2025 pick is Butter by Asako Yuzuki
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!

Happy New Year! On our first mid-month book news check-in episode for the year of the horse, we go over a hefty list of latest Asian American publishing news as the publishing industry revs back into gear after the holidays.
Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:
Blur the Lines by Kanitha P.
Paper Ghosts by Samantha Chong
Cold Blood by Aashna Avachat
Untitled Contemporary YA By Jesmeen Kaur Deo
The Strange Sketches of Luna Li by Gloria L. Huang
She Comes Out at Night by Michelle Jing Chan
If We Could Be Everywhere by Sarah Suk
The Sisterhood of Southern Peaches by Katrina Moore
Footprints in Snow by Keiko Hayner
Something Inside Me Knows by Malinda Lo
The Luckies by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat; illust. by Madi Wong
The Monster Inside by Cherry Mo
Jitty and the Machine by Mitali Banerjee Ruths; illust.by Iacopo Bruno
Wipe Out by Saadia Faruqi; illust. by Karen De la Vega
The Erhu Sings by Sally Deng
Blooming Behind Barbed Wire by Traci Huahn; illust. by Mayumi Sasage
House of Forgotten Souls by Kat Cho
Hello, DELA, by Kiku Hughes
Tae Lim Decks It Out by Angela Ahn
Izzy and Wolfi by Dane Liu; illust. by Maya Tatsukawa
The Light Garden by Joanna Ho; illust. by Minako Tomigahara

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 perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!

Happy New Year! We ring in the Year of the Horse with an exciting author chat with Lillian Li (author of past book club pick #1 Chinese Restaurant), who joins us to chat about her newest novel Bad Asians, a coming of age story following four childhood friends who all move home after graduating college in 2008 after their well laid plans were derailed by the great recession. They inadvertently become part of a viral Youtube documentary that will continue to haunt them throughout their adult lives as they drift apart and come back together again and again.
Follow Lillian on Instagram at @zillianzi and check out her new novel Bad Asians 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 perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!

On this episode, we sit down with Yosha Gunasekera to chat about her debut novel, The Midnight Taxi. A murder mystery following a true crime loving Sri Lankan American cab driver who ends up accused of murder when a passenger ends up mysteriously murdered in her cab. Yosha shares with us her personal journey to writing her novel as well as how she drew from her experience as an attorney for The Innocence Project to construct her mystery.
Follow Yosha on Instagram at @yosha.gunasekera and check out her debut novel The Midnight Taxi 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 perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!

On this episode, we discuss our January 2026 (and patron's choice) pick, Reef by Romesh Gunesekera, a historical fiction novel about a boy who grows up as the personal cook and housekeeper for a wealthy marine biology enthusiast in Sri Lanka, blissfully and willingly unaware that the world outside the walls of his residence is slowly descending into chaos in the years leading up to Sri Lanka's civil war.
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 perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!