Rephonic
Artwork for Books and Boba
Asian American Literature
Asian American Identity
Cultural Identity
Mental Health
Social Media
Family Dynamics
Asian American Authors
Generational Trauma
Cultural Representation
Publishing Industry
Identity
Colonialism
Cultural Expectations
Jane Wong
Sister Snake
After Parties
Bingsu For Two
New York City
The Midnight Taxi
Patriarchy

Books & Boba is a book club dedicated to books written by Asian and Asian American authors. We cover a wide range of genres including contemporary, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, YA, nonfiction, thrillers, graphic novels, and memoirs.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes376Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Books and Boba

Latest Episodes

On this episode, we welcome author Julie Abe back to the show to talk about her newest middle grade fantasy novel, The Magic Library of Waterfall Way, a story about an unremarkable girl in a magical world of remarkable people, and her one chance at f... more

On this episode,we discuss our August 2026 book club pick, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, following Klara, an android "artificial friend," and her quest to bring happiness to her teen Josie as she grows up in a dystopic future. Join us as we di... more

YouTube

On this episode, we chat with author Momo Yamaguchi about her debut novel, Hello, Limerence, an ode to bad decisions made in our mid-twenties following a young Japanese woman, dealing with a soul-sucking corporate job and a stagnant love-life, who le... more

YouTube

On this episode, we're excited to welcome author Susan Lee back to the podcast to catch up on BTS news as well as chat about her latest novel, See You at the Sunset, an adult romantic comedy about a young woman, who is staying with her grandmother in... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Momo Yamaguchi
Author of Hello, Limerence
Author
Episode: #367 - Author Chat w/ Momo Yamaguchi
Erin Baldwin
Author of Wish You Weren't Here and Good Luck, Babe
Author
Episode: #365 - Author Chat w/ Erin Baldwin
Tania Tay
Debut author of The Other Woman; writes as Lily Chen and Crystal Sung
Author, The Matcha Maker Café
Episode: #363 - Author Chat w/ Tania Tay (aka Lily Chen)
Yejin Suh
Korean American author based in New Jersey; debut YA fantasy The Last Soldier of Nava
HarperCollins (UK then US)
Episode: #361 - Author Chat w/ Yejin Suh
Yu-Mei Balasingamchow
Author of Names Have Been Changed
Author, Names Have Been Changed
Episode: #359 - Author Chat w/ Yu-Mei Balasingamchow
Kim Cooper
Co-host of Asians in Baseball
Asians in Baseball (Potluck Podcast Collective)
Episode: #358 - June 2026 Book News
Naomi Ko
Co-host of Asians in Baseball
Asians in Baseball (Potluck Podcast Collective)
Episode: #358 - June 2026 Book News
Scott Okamoto
Co-host of Asians in Baseball
Asians in Baseball (Potluck Podcast Collective)
Episode: #358 - June 2026 Book News
Phil Yu
Co-host of They Call Us Bruce
They Call Us Bruce (Potluck Podcast Collective)
Episode: #358 - June 2026 Book News

Hosts

Marvin Yueh
Host of Books and Boba; focuses on Asian American literature, book discussions, and publishing news.
Reera Yoo
Co-host focused on author interviews, book club discussions, and publishing industry news.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 231 ratings
  • Change the tone

    Would like to hear more about the authors, book background, and plots and characters.

    And less of the condescending opinions and tones of the hosts. The older woman host is especially insufferable and annoying with her personal grievances and insulting opinions and inserting her experiences into the conversation. Which takes away from the main focus of the podcast, which should be about the books being covered and the writers.

    The condescending and judgmental tones of the hosts seem to be gettin... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    1BLens
    United Statesa month ago
  • Yes!!

    Thank you for the representation! I love the focus on Asian/Asian American authors. I actively seek AANHPI authors and my TBR is fuller bc of this podcast. Also so pleased to see favorite authors featured here. Very happy to have this in my ears! Mahalo nui ❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KalenaMed
    United States10 months ago
  • Love this pod

    I love the idea of an AAPI podcast related to books. I listened to a handful so far and I love the book review ones the best. Most podcasts have only glowing reviews about every book so it’s nice to hear both the positive and negatives about a book before deciding to read it. Keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SeraphinaS100
    United Statesa year ago
  • They are the Boba!

    Reera and Marvin are the Boba! They give me all the same feels as a delightful Bubble Tea and they are cultivating more delectable and diverse reading experiences.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SquidInkyDink
    United States3 years ago
  • Boba?

    I was looking through Apple podcast and saw this and I was so excited because I love books and boba 🧋🧋🧋and then found found out there was no boba involved, i listened a bit and though5 it was a decent podcast but I am still very disappointed that there is no boba involved in this podcast because I really like boba and I think it’s good, I just don’t want other people who love boba to get scammed out of a boba podcast. Thank you for your consideration,

    A disappointed listener,

    The Boba Que... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Podcast Critic/ Boba Lover 🧋
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners note the show's strong book recommendations and community around book clubs.
Listeners praise diverse AAPI representation and the authors featured.
Fans love the warm, conversational banter between hosts and guests.
Audiences appreciate timely publishing news and cross-promotions within the network.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#37
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#84
Ireland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#175
South Korea/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#200
South Africa/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#200
Hong Kong/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#367 - Author Chat w/ Momo Yamaguchi
Q: How did Mika's internalized male gaze come to be depicted in the story?
I wanted to portray how a young woman absorbing the male gaze from media and culture can internalize it, shaping how she views herself and others, and I used Mika's voice and different narrative formats to show this tension and growth.
#367 - Author Chat w/ Momo Yamaguchi
Q: So for our listeners who aren't familiar with Hello, Limerence, can you give us a brief description of what your book is about?
The book follows a 24-year-old woman named Mika as she navigates her first experiences with love, a dead-end office life, and a chaotic social scene, using intrusive fantasies and a mix of formats (like scripts and documents) to reveal different aspects of her inner life and the world around her.
#366 - Author Chat w/ Susan Lee
Q: How did your background in HR influence the development of the central romance and its tensions?
The premise of the termination paper and the HR environment provided a natural backdrop for tension between characters who must navigate power dynamics, rules, and empathy in a relationship that grows from a professional to a personal bond.
#366 - Author Chat w/ Susan Lee
Q: What inspired you to set the book in a senior living community and to explore aging with care?
Lee drew from personal experiences with her mother's move into a senior living community and aimed to honor the elderly as nuanced, capable individuals, focusing on community, caregiving, and meaningful aging rather than stereotypes.
#366 - Author Chat w/ Susan Lee
Q: So what is See You at Sunset about, in a nutshell?
The story centers on Jia Cheng, a twenty-something who flees to Palm Springs after being fired and ends up in a senior living community where she meets Henry Shin; their grumpy-sunshine dynamic, plus their past and families, drive the romance and explore themes of aging, identity, and intergenerational relationships.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Books and Boba

What is Books and Boba about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A book-club oriented show centered on books by Asian and Asian American authors, blending author chats, book club-style discussions, and mid-month industry news. Episodes frequently pair in-depth conversations with publishing updates, coverage of trends in Asian American literature, and cross-promotion with other shows in the same network. Notable strengths include candid author interviews, a vibrant community ecosystem (Patreon/Discord/book club), and a warm, informal banter between hosts that keeps book conversations accessible while surfacing thoughtful insights about representation, publishing dynamics, and diaspora voices.

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How many listeners does Books and Boba get?

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How many subscribers and views does Books and Boba have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Books and Boba has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Books and Boba?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Books and Boba:

1. NPR's Book of the Day
2. Zero to Well-Read
3. The Stacks
4. Book Riot - The Podcast
5. Bad On Paper

How many episodes of Books and Boba are there?

Books and Boba launched 10 years ago and published 376 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Books and Boba?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Books and Boba?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Books and Boba from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Books and Boba?

Recent guests on Books and Boba include:

1. Momo Yamaguchi
2. Erin Baldwin
3. Tania Tay
4. Yejin Suh
5. Yu-Mei Balasingamchow
6. Kim Cooper
7. Naomi Ko
8. Scott Okamoto

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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