We at THP love diverse roundups more than anything! And every May marks the celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month. To the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander diaspora all across the States, we have the perfect book recommendations.
From a contemporary drama to a fantasy debut inspired by Malaysian folklore, these must-read books deserve a place on your TBR. Here are six diverse books with AANHPI characters and authors to properly celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month!
Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful reading and checking the author’s website for content warnings.
Lucky Seed By Justinian Huang
We’re starting our AANHPI book roundup with a contemporary drama that we can’t stop recommending to others. It was one of our top 12 favorite 2025 books for a reason! Lucky Seed by Justinian Huang follows the wealthy Sun Clan as the family tries to produce a male heir who would inherit the multi-billion dollar trust. Because what wouldn’t you do to get that kind of money? It’s as dramatic as it is surprising, and we absolutely live for the chaos!
Release date: November 11, 2025
Order Lucky Seed here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JUSTINIAN HUANG:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
A Year Without Home By V. T. Bidania
If you’re looking for a novel written in verse this AANHPI Heritage Month, then we’d recommend A Year Without Home by V. T. Bidania. This book follows an 11-year-old Hmong girl in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Gao Sheng and her family must leave their home in the highlands of Laos or risk being caught by the communist government. They trek across mountains and rivers to a refugee camp in Thailand, where Gao Sheng must learn how to rebuild her home.
Release date: January 13
Order A Year Without Home here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT V. T. BIDANIA:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
Prodigal Tiger By Samantha Chong
Will we ever stop talking about Prodigal Tiger by Samantha Chong? You’ll have to stick around and find out! This contemporary fantasy debut is inspired by Malaysian folklore and the annual Hungry Ghost Festival. Back from five years of exile, Caroline Chua returns to her home in Penang in search of her older brother Aaron. Caroline must reconcile with her old friends and first love if she wants any hope of getting Aaron back and saving the island from angry, vengeful ghosts.
Release date: March 17
Order Prodigal Tiger here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SAMANTHA CHONG:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
That Which Feeds Us By Keala Kendall
Keala Kendall’s That Which Feeds Us comes out just in time for AANHPI Heritage Month. This Hawaiian Gothic thriller tells the story of 19-year-old Lehua as she looks for her missing twin sister on a luxury resort. She soon uncovers the island’s long-buried secrets and must find a way to uproot the evil plaguing it. That Which Feeds Us draws from Hawaiian folklore and highlights the violent horrors of colonialism in Hawai’i. It’s up to us not to let it be erased.
Release date: May 5
Order That Which Feeds Us here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KEALA KENDALL:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
The Young Will Remember By Eve J. Chung
We’re racing across time and continents for our AANHPI book roundup. We especially look forward to Eve J. Chung’s new historical fiction novel, The Young Will Remember. Set in 1950 during the Korean War, Chinese-American journalist Ellie Chang becomes stranded behind enemy lines. She’s rescued by a woman, Emma, who claims Ellie as her long-lost daughter. The Young Will Remember explores survival, identity, and the costs of war for women.
Release date: May 5
Order The Young Will Remember here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EVE J. CHUNG:
INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
When Mikan Road Was Ours By D.K. Furutani
Wrapping up our roundup for AANHPI month is D.K. Furutani’s When Mikan Road Was Ours. This debut novel is set across four generations of a Japanese-American family. Murano is a high school English teacher who’s grieving his father, counting down the days to summer, and letting life pass him by. That is, until he inherits his great-uncle Benjiro’s unpublished memoir. Murano thus learns about the side of his family he’s never known and the Japanese identity he’s never embraced.
Release date: July 28
Order When Mikan Road Was Ours here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT D.K. FURUTANI:
WEBSITE
What do you think of our AANHPI book roundup? Are you planning to add A Year Without Home by V. T. Bidania to your reading list? What about That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall?
How else are you celebrating AANHPI heritage month? We want to know all about it on Twitter! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Need some more book recs? We got them!
