Genre: AAPI

The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Hard Sci-fi, Speculative Fiction, AAPI, Noir Published by Orbit on May 4, 2026 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 514 Source: Starbright Get ready to be blown away by this searing standalone space opera where corporate samurai fight beneath merciless stars, and death is always a mere breath away. Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend has to come to an end. When her long-time client unexpectedly retires, she plans to follow–to walk out into the frozen wasteland of their planet with her head held high and her family enriched by her legacy. But when a competitor offers her a final mission, it’s one she can’t refuse. Soon, she’s thrust deep into a world of corporate espionage, duty-bound duels, and shadowy secrets. What she uncovers will change humanity’s existence in the stars forever. The Last Contract of Isako is the space opera you didn’t know you needed: corporate samurai… in space. This is the first adult science fiction novel from the award-winning author of Jade City. Mixing together politically motivated corporate strategizing, samurai code of conduct, rigid society resource management, all set on a frozen and desolate …

All That We See Or Seem by Ken Liu Series: Julia Z #1 Genres: Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, AAPI Published by Saga Press on October 13, 2025 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 419 Source: Owlcrate Award­ winning author Ken Liu returns with his first sci-fi thriller in a brand-new series following former “orphan hacker” Julia Z as she is thrust into a high-stakes adventure where she must use her cybersecurity and hacking skills to unravel a virtual reality mystery, rescue a kidnapped dream artist, and confront the blurred lines between technology, identity, and the power of shared dreams.&nbsp Julia Z, a young woman who gained notoriety at fourteen as the “orphan hacker,” is trying to live a life of digital obscurity in a Boston suburb.&nbsp But when a lawyer named Piers—whose famous artist wife, Elli, has been kidnapped by dangerous criminals—barges into her life, Julia decides to put the solitary life she has painstakingly created at risk as she can’t walk away from helping Piers and Elli, nor step away from the challenge of this digital puzzle. Elli is an onierofex, a dream artist, who can weave the dreams of an audience together through a shared virtual landscape, …

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao Genres: Adult, AAPI, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Magic Published by Gollancz on January 19, 2026 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 390 Source: Illumicrate In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.&nbsp Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.&nbsp Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.&nbsp But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center…at the side of a violent prince.&nbsp To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death…and love. This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence. A story of …

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker Genres: Adult, AAPI, Japanese Literature, Folklore, Gothic, Historical Fiction, Horror, Psychological Horror, Mystery Thriller, Thriller Published by Hanover Square Press on April 13, 2026 Format: Hardcover Pages: 352 Source: Aardvark Book Club In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.&nbsp October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.&nbsp October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will …

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai Genres: Adventure, AAPI, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Romantasy, Young Adult Published by Wednesday Books on April 14, 2026 Format: ARC, eBook Pages: 368 Source: Netgalley A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.  As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.  But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince’s head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying’s commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won’t stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.  In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the …