PROLOGUE
Somehow, it’s May? It’s no longer my birth month, but I did have a particularly fantastic birth month. I saw a lot of people I love, I spent time with my family, I bought so many books, and I started some new WIPs. I probably shouldn’t have done the latter, but it’s not stopped me from working on the main Adult Fantasy Retelling, so I think I’m fine.
In the meantime, Heartstopper has consumed my life. Before April 22, I had no idea what Heartstopper even was. I don’t watch videos, so I hadn’t seen the trailers or anything. Then I woke up to see it trending on Twitter, googled it to find out it was a webtoon, and I read the entire webtoon in one sitting (A guy on the rugby team deadpanning “Wow, imagine not being single” as they all watch Nick and Charlie flirt on the field still makes me cackle, so I named my newsletter after that moment). Then I watched the entire Netflix series. Then I ordered all the books (Volume 1 and Volume 4 have arrived so far). Then I bought a poster of Nick and Charlie (it’s currently hanging on the wall next to my desk).
Since then, I have read the webtoon seven times and watched the series three times.
I just love how wholesome Nick and Charlie’s relationship is. How it becomes the seat of their strength as they deal with everything that life has to throw at them. How it’s never in doubt, no matter what doubts are clouding their mind. It’s just really, really sweet and adorably young adult, and I’m glad I got on the Heartstopper train even if I’m late. It’s exactly the kind of joy I needed.
As for current music, I fell down a rabbit hole back into my early ‘00s emo/pop punk phase, so it’s all Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, Paramore, Hey Monday, and My Chemical Romance over here. Hands down, this is the best day I can ever remember…!
CHAPTER 1: POP CULTURE MOMENT OF THE MONTH
Honestly, there were a lot of good moments this month, but the one I am dying to talk about involves Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I am a shameless fan of the two, their decision to step back from the royal family, their interview with Oprah, all of it. I saw the abuses being heaped on Meghan by the British tabloids, and how it contrasted with how Kate Middleton was praised for doing the same or similar things. Honestly, a Black woman in the royal family felt like a personal victory for me, that’s how happy I was when it was announced they were getting married. Parasocial relationships are so weird, am I right?
So you have to imagine how delighted I was to hear that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle managed to visit the Queen in Windsor without the British tabloids finding out until they were already long gone. Like, can we take a moment to talk about how funny that is? Harry and Meghan have taken the tabloids to court. They talk about Harry and Meghan like they’re Satan. Harry and Meghan managed to skip into Windsor and then skip right back out and the papers knew nothing. NOTHING.
I am still laughing, sorry. Good for them. And good for how cute they looked at the Invictus Games afterwards, knowing they got away with it.
CHAPTER 2: FACES JEN HAS MADE AT ME
It was requested, by Jen, that I make a section for faces that she’s made at me. Honestly, I should ruin her life by using actual pictures of her for this, but I won’t. Instead, I will say that the Sad Chicken Meme is an almost identical approximation of an actual face Jen has made at me. Because Jen hates compliments, but when I love someone, all I do is endlessly compliment them, and I love both Jen and her writing. “You’re my hero, Jen,” I will say, with all the love in my heart, “Your writing and just, like, your personality, I’m so glad we’re friends, and I think you’re so great.”
And Jen will be like:
You can imagine how hard I’m suffering.
CHAPTER 3: ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
May is AAPI Heritage Month, so instead of talking about myself or my writing I want to devote this potion of my newsletter to calling out some of my favorite titles by AAPI authors.
ADULT
PORTRAIT OF A THIEF by Grace D. Li — Ocean’s Eleven meets The Farewell in Portrait of a Thief, a lush, lyrical heist novel inspired by the true story of Chinese art vanishing from Western museums; about diaspora, the colonization of art, and the complexity of the Chinese American identity.
THE CITY OF DUSK by Tara Sim — This dark epic fantasy follows the heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.
THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER by Andrea Stewart — The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable debut from a major new voice in epic fantasy — a stunning tale of magic, mystery, and revolution in which the former heir to the emperor will fight to reclaim her power and her place on the throne.
ARSENIC AND ADOBO by Mia P. Manansala — The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer….
THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL by Nghi Vo — Nghi Vo’s debut novel, The Chosen and the Beautiful, reinvents The Great Gatsby through a queer Asian lens as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess, and introduces a major new literary voice.
DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan — A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.
YOUNG ADULT
YEAR OF THE REAPER by Makiia Lucier — A rich and captivating YA standalone fantasy following a young lord in the aftermath of a devastating plague, who is determined to discover the truth behind a mysterious attempt to assassinate the young queen.
A SHOW FOR TWO by Tashie Bhuiyan — New from the author of Counting Down with You comes a sparkling YA romance about an aspiring screenwriter who falls for the indie film star who goes undercover at her school.
ONLY A MONSTER by Vanessa Len — The sweeping romance of Passenger meets the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song in this stunning contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, where the line between monster and hero is razor thin.
THE IVORY KEY by Akshaya Raman — In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces.
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE by Sandhya Menon — The irresistible companion novel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and a confident, self-proclaimed fat athlete named Sweetie as they both discover what love means to them.
I’LL BE THE ONE by Lyla Lee — The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity—perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Julie Murphy.
UPCOMING
IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN by Ann Liang — In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates’ most scandalous secrets.
STRIKE THE ZITHER by Joan He — An epic YA fantasy about found family, rivals, and identity, from New York Times and Indie bestselling author Joan He, inspired by Three Kingdoms, the first of the Four Classics of Chinese Literature.
LAST OF THE TALONS by Sophie Kim — In this thrilling and unique fantasy based on Korean legend, a teen assassin has to save her gang’s leader when he gets abducted by a cunning immortal goblin emperor.
CHAPTER 4: LOOK AT MY CAT!!!
As you may know, I adopted a shelter cat in December 2021, who I named Sora Mittens. She turned three years old in March, according to her adoption papers, and so I got her a flopping clownfish toy with catnip in it. When I tell you this cat went absolutely wild for the toy. Look at this picture. She’s literally in some kind of trance. I can’t stop laughing.
EPILOGUE
Whoa, I never meant to brag, but I’ve got you where I want you now. (No, but truly, the fact that I named this newsletter after a Panic! at the Disco song and am now back in my pop punk era seems prophetic to me.) I hope you like rambles, shenanigans, and nonsense, because that’s truly all this is going to be. Live. Laugh. Watch Heartstopper. Until next time!