We’d apologize for ruining your TBR plans with this list, but these books are too good not to share. Make room for these 20 books by Asian authors on your 2025 reading list. Twenty books may be a TBR-toppler, but it’s only a small sampling of the incredible works coming out by Asian authors this year! Some of these are even available to request on NetGalley. Whether you prefer romance, YA, mystery, literary fiction, or fantasy, there’s a book here for you.
House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
Get transported to 1986 Philippines in this gothic horror. Josephine answers a childhood friend’s invitation and finds herself in a strange and unsettling house that won’t let her escape alive.
Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta
Tashan Mehta explores themes of desire, sisterhood, and the power of stories in this work of folklore and fantasy about sisters Myung and Laleh, who live within the body of a whale.
The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye
Perfect for readers who like their novels with just a touch of magic, this story shows the way a yellow origami rose brings childhood pen pals Chloe and Oliver back together after over 20 years apart.
Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin
Cozy mystery fans won’t want to miss this hunt for a killer. Widow Kausar Khan is on the case to find a murderer before her daughter is framed for the death of her clothing boutique’s landlord.
Illusions of Fire by Nisha Sharma
Nisha Sharma is making her YA fantasy debut this fall, and fans of her other works will want to make sure this tale of a monster-slayer trained by Hindu demons is at the top of their TBR!
The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch
This novel weaves together two timelines to tell the tale of a séance in 1953 Hong Kong that became an urban legend and what happens when one of the witnesses returns decades later.
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas
When two of their patrons are murdered, a group of Texas librarians must decide if they can trust each other with their own secrets in order to find a killer before they strike again.
Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja
After one rejection too many, aspiring novelist Ziya Khan decides to toss her manuscript in the trash. But the next morning, she’s visited by a surprising guest: the personification of her muse.
Local Heavens by K.M. Fajardo
K.M. Fajardo reimagines The Great Gatsby through the lens of a Filipino American Nick Carraway who is living in New York City in 2075 and tasked with investigating Jay Gatsby.
This Is Where We Die by Cindy R. X. He
In this YA thriller, six friends gather to celebrate their graduation on a private island and soon realize they’re trapped with a killer prepared to make them pay for sins committed two years earlier.
The Other Lata by Kirthana Ramisetti
Lata Murthy’s inbox holds glamorous invites to NYC events—too bad they’re meant for someone who happens to share her name. Tired of her own life, Lata decides to try on the other Lata’s.
A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao
You may have spotted this book on our must-read historical fiction list. In 1915 Fiji, Sergeant Akal Singh is sent to the island of Ovalau and discovers that a murder may have been committed.
Honey and Heat by Aurora Palit
Fans of workplace rivalry romances, this one’s for you! What happens when your father chooses your one-night stand as his successor instead of you? Find ways to one-up him, of course!
Acts of God by Kanan Gill
Comedian Kanan Gill’s debut is a satirical sci-fi novel about private detective P. Manjunath, whose work disrupts the plans of Dr. Krishna—a scientist in a utopian future and the God of his world.
Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai
In this YA novel, the discovery of a 100-year-old diary drives Adam to uncover a mystery in Nagasaki, Japan after he begins to be haunted by the angry spirit of the young woman who wrote it.
Which of these books is at the top of your reading list?
This page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through those links (at no additional cost to you).
Stuff Your Shelves
