Gao's Staff Recommendations

Welcome to Gao's recommendations! Like many who are going through adultolescence (it's a real thing), Gao is rediscovering her love for reading. She has a deep fondness for short stories, children's literature, and books probably found in a Middle School library. Rest assured, she is broadening her tastes and will probably, most likely, include some new genres and discoveries on her recommendations page.

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Women of Good Fortune By Sophie Wan Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9781525804304
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Graydon House - March 5th, 2024

This book has been nothing but pure delight. From the glamorous elites of Shanghai to the hole-in-the wall restaurants you frequent for a taste of home, Sophie Wan does a masterful job at weaving the lives of three different women into an exciting and heartfelt debut novel. It is a love letter to female friendships, dreams, and femininity.


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Food School By Jade Armstrong (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jade Armstrong (Illustrator)
$15.00
ISBN: 9781772620962
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Conundrum Press - April 23rd, 2024

Jade Armstrong creates a light-hearted atmosphere even when talking about more serious topics such as eating disorders. All of her characters, especially Olive, are relatable and feel like real people you know. Armstrong presents the narrative with easy-going comedy, charming illustrations, and dialogue that can be heard from young people today.


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The Fetishist By Katherine Min Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780593713655
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons - January 9th, 2024

It felt as though I was alongside Kathrine Min as she was writing. She felt real; like a childhood friend I once knew but lost ties with. Her voice permeates the book. A friend asked me if the book was "fun," and I don't think I would describe it as "fun." Rather, The Fetishist is comically cynical with its wit and blunt portrayal of its characters. The characters are the best part of the book. Each one is delightfully entertaining, and no matter what decisions they make, you cannot hate or judge them. You understand their flaws and egos, and as they grow, you as the reader also are forced into introspection. As an Asian American woman dating a white man, I related with Alma and Kyoko. With Alma, it was her self-awareness of how white men perceive Asian women, yet readily accepting that perception because there is some semblance of power that can be found. I empathized with Kyoko's rebellion and her passion for her mother. Her recklessness is her charm, and I found myself rooting for her. In every Asian American woman, I think there is both an Alma and a Kyoko living inside them (Kayla Min, Kathrine's daughter, talked a little about this too during the end notes).


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Pretty Boys Are Poisonous: Poems By Megan Fox Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781668050415
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Gallery Books - November 7th, 2023

Megan Fox's voice permeates her poems as she recounts her past relationships and experiences. Laced with venom, grief, and heartbreaking agony, Fox's writing places you in a toxic world of vicious love. I found her last two poems the strongest from the bunch and I applaud her use of imagery and emotion. 


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Elsewhere: Stories By Yan Ge Cover Image
By Yan Ge
$27.00
ISBN: 9781982198480
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scribner - July 11th, 2023

Yan Ge transports you somewhere not entirely unknown. There is a veil of familiarity with her words. What you’ll personally find within these stories, I do not know. But, there is something here for everyone to discover. Something elsewhere.


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I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki: A Memoir By Baek Sehee, Anton Hur (Translated by) Cover Image
By Baek Sehee, Anton Hur (Translated by)
$24.00
ISBN: 9781635579383
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - November 1st, 2022

A fascinating look into self-loathing and mental health. Baek Sehee recounts her therapy sessions in her memoir; laying it all bare for all to read. As an introspective view on self-worth, this memoir left me feeling as if everything will be okay.


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Tomb Sweeping: Stories By Alexandra Chang Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062951847
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ecco - August 8th, 2023

A beautiful collection of short stories that express the various emotional experiences between human beings. I found myself doing everything from reevaluating my own relationships (“A Visit”) to silently weeping in my car (“Li Fang”). It was as if all of my most inner thoughts were captured in this book, and while reading, those same thoughts were regurgitated onto the forefront of my mind. A little tip: when you finish reading the story “Li Fang,” go back and reread it, but this time, read it from the end to the beginning.


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Time Is a Mother By Ocean Vuong Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780593300251
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - June 6th, 2023

Grief really is just love with no place to go. Or yet, perhaps it is love that has everywhere to go. So many places that it spills out onto the parts of our lives where we don't always want it to inhabit. Vuong carries this somber yet empathetic tone throughout his new collection of poetry, and it had me in shambles. If there is one thing I made sure to do after reading this book, it was giving my mom a long and hard hug.