EPISODE · May 7, 2026 · 1H 7M
Your AAPI Month TBR Starts Here | Must-Read Books with Jananie K. Velu
from Book Lounge by Libby · host Book Lounge by Libby
In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu of thisstoryaintover to celebrate AAPI Month with a stack of incredible Asian lit you’ll want to add to your TBR immediately. Together, they dive into a wide range of must-read books highlighting stories that span genres, perspectives, and lived experiences. From deeply personal narratives to sweeping, unforgettable storytelling, this conversation is all about discovering books that stay with you and expanding your reading list to celebrate these voices all year long. Whether you’re looking to build out your AAPI Month reading list, discover new favorite authors, or simply find your next great read, this episode is packed with recommendations that bring heart, perspective, and unforgettable storytelling. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! Book recommendations: Jananie’s Picks: We Dance Upon Demons - Vaishnavi Patel Burn the Sea - Mona Tewari Capitalists Must Starve - Park Seolyeon Natural Beauty & Immaculate Conception - Ling Ling Huang Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead - Mai Nguyen A Kiss of Crimson Ash - Anuja Varghese Breasts and Eggs – Mieko Kawakami Tall Water – SJ Sindu Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - Hwang Bo-reum Joe’s Picks: Counterattacks at Thirty & Almond – Won-Pyung Sohn Séance Tea Party – Reimena Yee What You Are Looking For is in the Library – Michiko Aoyama The Midnight Taxi – Yosha Gunasekera Convenience Store Woman & Earthlings - Sayaka Murata Detective Aunty & Moonlight Murder - Uzma Jalaluddin Shoutout: Strange Pictures, Strange Houses & Strange Buildings - Uketsu Who’s in this episode: Jananie K. Velu - Links Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:06 Catching up with Jananie K. Velu! 00:02:20 What are Jananie’s guiding lights when choosing for her imprint 00:03:57 Starting the reading recs 01:03:46 Outro Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode! Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog! We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram! Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu of thisstoryaintover to celebrate AAPI Month with a stack of incredible Asian lit you’ll want to add to your TBR immediately. Together, they dive into a wide range of must-read books highlighting stories that span genres, perspectives, and lived experiences. From deeply personal narratives to sweeping, unforgettable storytelling, this conversation is all about discovering books that stay with you and expanding your reading list to celebrate these voices all year long. Whether you’re looking to build out your AAPI Month reading list, discover new favorite authors, or simply find your next great read, this episode is packed with recommendations that bring heart, perspective, and unforgettable storytelling. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! Book recommendations: Jananie’s Picks: We Dance Upon Demons - Vaishnavi Patel Burn the Sea - Mona Tewari Capitalists Must Starve - Park Seolyeon Natural Beauty & Immaculate Conception - Ling Ling Huang Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead - Mai Nguyen A Kiss of Crimson Ash - Anuja Varghese Breasts and Eggs – Mieko Kawakami Tall Water – SJ Sindu Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - Hwang Bo-reum Joe’s Picks: Counterattacks at Thirty & Almond – Won-Pyung Sohn Séance Tea Party – Reimena Yee What You Are Looking For is in the Library – Michiko Aoyama The Midnight Taxi – Yosha Gunasekera Convenience Store Woman & Earthlings - Sayaka Murata Detective Aunty & Moonlight Murder - Uzma Jalaluddin Shoutout: Strange Pictures, Strange Houses & Strange Buildings - Uketsu Who’s in this episode: Jananie K. Velu - Links Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:06 Catching up with Jananie K. Velu! 00:02:20 What are Jananie’s guiding lights when choosing for her imprint 00:03:57 Starting the reading recs 01:03:46 Outro Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode! Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog! We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram! Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Your AAPI Month TBR Starts Here | Must-Read Books with Jananie K. Velu
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