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May is Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate by checking out these Staff Picks for our favorite AAPI scifi and fantasy authors!

Transcript

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi News stations across the country are reporting mysterious messages that Earth has been receiving from a planet—Alma—claiming to be its creator. If they're being interpreted correctly, in seven days Alma will hit the kill switch on their "colony" Earth. True or not, for teenagers Jesse Hewitt, Cate Collins, and Adeem Khan, the prospect of this ticking time bomb will change their lives forever. Jesse, who has been dealt one bad blow after another, wonders if it even matters what happens to the world. Cate, on the other hand, is desperate to use this time to find the father she never met. And Adeem, who hasn't spoken to his estranged sister in years, must find out if he has it in him to forgive her for leaving. With only a week to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem's paths collide as their worlds are pulled apart. Check it out:

  • Physical copy at RPL.
  • eBook from Libby/Overdrive.
  • eBook or audiobook from Hoopla

The Poppy War (Poppy War #1) by R. F. Kuang When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn't believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin's guardians, who believed they'd finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren't always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin's shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late. Check it out:

  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • eBook or audiobook from Libby/Overdrive.
  • eBook or audiobook from Hoopla Digital.
Other books in this series:
  1. The Poppy War
  2. The Dragon Republic
  3. The Burning God

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon—until one sister's betrayal split their world in two. A Great Abyss now divides two realms: one cloaked in eternal night, the other scorched beneath an ever-burning sun. While one sister rules the frozen fortress of Aranth, her twin rules the sand-locked Golden City—each with a daughter by their side. Now those young goddesses must set out on separate, equally dangerous journeys in hopes of healing their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands. Check it out:

  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • eBook from Libby/Overdrive.
  • eBook or audiobook from Hoopla Digital.
Other books in this series:
  1. The Never Tilting World
  2. The Ever Cruel Kingdom

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen Jamie woke up in an empty apartment with no memory and only a few clues to his identity, but with the ability to read and erase other people's memories - a power he uses to hold up banks to buy coffee, cat food and books. Zoe is also searching for her past, and using her abilities of speed and strength...to deliver fast food. And she'll occasionally put on a cool suit and beat up bad guys, if she feels like it. When the archrivals meet in a memory-loss support group, they realize the only way to reveal their hidden pasts might be through each other. As they uncover an ongoing threat, suddenly much more is at stake than their fragile friendship. With countless people at risk, Zoe and Jamie will have to recognize that sometimes being a hero starts with trusting someone else - and yourself. Check it out:

  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • Audiobook from Hoopla Digital.
  • Audiobook from Libby/Overdrive.

Jade City (Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for — and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion. Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon's bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation. When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone — even foreigners — wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones — and of Kekon itself.

  • Named one of TIME's Top 100 Fantasy Book Of All Time
  • World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, winner
  • Aurora Award for Best Novel, winner
  • Nebula Award for Best Novel, nominee
  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, finalist
Check it out:
  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • Audiobook from Libby/Overdrive.
Other books in this series:
  1. Jade City
  2. Jade War
  3. Jade Legacy

Skyhunter (Skyhunter #1) by Marie Lu Talin is a Striker, a member of an elite fighting force that stands as the last defense for the only free nation in the world: Mara. A refugee, Talin knows firsthand the horrors of the Federation, a world-dominating war machine responsible for destroying nation after nation with its terrifying army of mutant beasts known only as Ghosts. But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara's capital, Talin senses there's more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? What secrets is he hiding? Only one thing is clear: Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers for the only homeland she has left . . . with or without the boy who might just be the weapon to save—or destroy—them all. Loyalty is life. Check it out:

  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • eBook or audiobook from Libby/Overdrive.
  • Audiobook from Hoopla Digital.
Other books in this series:
  1. Skyhunter
  2. Steelstriker (September 2021)

We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Set in the coastal town of Danvers, Massachusetts, where the accusations began that led to the 1692 witch trials, We Ride Upon Sticks follows the 1989 Danvers High School Falcons field hockey team, who will do anything to make it to the state finals—even if it means tapping into some devilishly dark powers. In chapters dense with 1980s iconography—from Heathers to "big hair"—Barry expertly weaves together the individual and collective progress of this enchanted team as they storm their way through an unforgettable season. Helmed by good-girl captain Abby Putnam (a descendant of the infamous Salem accuser Ann Putnam) and her co-captain Jen Fiorenza (whose bleached blond “Claw” sees and knows all), the Falcons prove to be wily, original, and bold, flaunting society's stale notions of femininity in order to find their glorious true selves through the crucible of team sport and, more importantly, friendship. Check it out:

  • Physical copy from RPL.
  • eBook or audiobook from Libby/Overdrive.

Heroine Complex (Heroine Complex #1) by Sarah Kuhn Being a superheroine is hard. Working for one is even harder. Evie Tanaka is the put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, her childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved superheroine. She's great at her job—blending into the background, handling her boss's epic diva tantrums, and getting demon blood out of leather pants. Unfortunately, she's not nearly as together when it comes to running her own life, standing up for herself, or raising her tempestuous teenage sister, Bea. But everything changes when Evie's forced to pose as her glamorous boss for one night, and her darkest secret comes out: she has powers, too. Now it's up to her to contend with murderous cupcakes, nosy gossip bloggers, and supernatural karaoke battles—all while juggling unexpected romance and Aveda's increasingly outrageous demands. And when a larger threat emerges, Evie must finally take charge and become a superheroine in her own right...or see her city fall to a full-on demonic invasion. Check it out:

  • eBook from Libby/Overdrive.
  • Audiobook from Hoopla Digital.
Other books in this series:
  1. Heroine Complex
  2. Heroine Worship
  3. Heroine's Journey
  4. Haunted Heroine
  5. Hollywood Heroine