Author Archives: Lily

About Lily

East Coast Chinese American. I like thick-skinned dumplings and hard-covered books.

8Books Review: Korean American by Eric Kim

Eric Kim’s debut cookbook Korean American is an absolute joy to read and cook from. The essays are beautifully written (no surprise if you’ve ever perused Kim’s writing for the New York Times) and the recipes are wide-ranging with drool-inducing … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Troublemaker by John Cho

Yup, that’s right — actor extraordinaire John Cho is adding author to his impressive resume with his debut middle grade novel, Troublemaker. Set in LA on April 29, 1992 as riots are erupting, the book follows Jordan, a 12 year … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Seeking Fortune Elsewhere by Sindya Bhanoo

Seeking Fortune Elsewhere is a delectable debut short story collection from Sindya Bhanoo. It opens with the story that won her the O. Henry Prize, “Malliga Homes.” Each story centers South Asian women and their families. Many focus on later … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Let’s Do Everything and Nothing by Julia Kuo

Let’s Do Everything and Nothing is a lusciously illustrated children’s book by Julia Kuo about spending time with loved ones. It celebrates the big moments–like climbing a mountain–and the little ones–like quiet time at home. It features what I first … Continue reading

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8Books Review: New From Here by Kelly Yang

Kelly Yang’s latest book New From Here is a middle grade reader about a young boy and his family during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been at this pandemic so long that there … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu is a deeply engrossing, occasionally disturbing collection of 12 short stories. While they don’t build on each other, each shares a bit of strangeness that gets at some fraction of … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Muslim Picture Books by Hena Khan

One Sun and Countless Stars: A Muslim Book of Numbers and the board book version of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors, both by Hena Khan and illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini are bright, engaging books that … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now

Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now is a monster of a book — both in that it is chock full of excellent content and that it literally weighs a ton (okay not a literal … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Eyes that Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho

Eyes that Speak to the Stars, by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Dung Ho, is the brilliant follow-up to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners. The book opens with a scene all too familiar to anyone who has grown up … Continue reading

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8Books Review: The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu

How can you say no to a story set in a donut shop? You can’t. You shouldn’t. Julie Tieu’s debut novel The Donut Trap is a delightful story about finding your way, about family and love and all that good … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan

Tashie Bhuiyan’s debut novel Counting Down with You is a heartwarming YA novel about Bengali teen Karina Ahmed and 28 life-changing days. When Karina’s parents go back to Bangladesh for a month, she starts tutoring bad boy Ace Clyde. Before … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Simplicity at Home by Yumiko Sekine

Simplicity at Home: Japanese Rituals, Recipes, and Arrangements for Thoughtful Living is a wonderfully calming experience. Written by Yumiko Sekine, founder of Fog Linen Work, with gorgeous photos from Nao Shimizu, this is a guide to making a simple and … Continue reading

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