May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and we here at Read Riordan are thrilled to highlight some the most recent additions to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint from AAPI authors. Each of these new and upcoming titles offers a fresh perspective on the rich cultural heritage and diverse mythologies derived from Asian countries.
Between the release of a few dazzling debuts, a highly-anticipated follow-up, and a couple of heart-stopping conclusions to long-running series, there’s something new for every kind of reader. Catch up on what you’ve missed and be sure to get your pre-orders in for these new releases from Rick Riordan Presents throughout 2023 and beyond!
Winston Chu vs. The Whimsies – On Sale Now!
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling author Stacey Lee’s modern reimagining of a classic Chinese folktale—replete with magic, boba, and lots of trash talking. Twelve-year-old Winston Chu is supposed to learn impulse control at the cooking academy his mom enrolled him in. But learning to think before he acts won’t happen overnight. While skateboarding home with a pie in hand, Winston inadvertently stops a robbery at Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, an oddities shop in Chinatown.
As a reward, Mr. Pang invites Winston to choose any item in the store. But the strange old man warns Winston to browse carefully, for the first thing Winston touches will be the thing he gets. Before Winston can decide, a magpie flies under a shelf, and he impulsively grabs an old broom to sweep it out. Mr. Pang hands him the broom, along with a dustpan. “Two for one. Congratulations.”
Deflated, Winston returns home, determined to put the broom incident behind him. Or at least in the closet. But when some of his most beloved possessions go missing, all Winston can think about are the broom and dustpan. Did they somehow take his stuff? And what—or who—will they dispose of next? It’s time to break into Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, where clearly there’s more going on than meets the far-seeing eyeball. It’s time to fight magic with magic. And this time, Winston better have a plan.
Stay tuned for more info coming soon for the next installment in Stacy Lee’s Winston Chu duology!
The Last Fallen Realm, A Gifted Clans Novel – On Sale 6/6
Riley Oh wasn’t born into her family. Instead, as she recently discovered, she tumbled down to the earth many years ago as the last fallen star. Riley Oh also wasn’t born to be a witch. Like, at all—even her status as a divine celestial being comes with zilch in the magical powers department. And Riley Oh definitely wasn’t born to be a leader. But now the entire magical community thinks she and her soul twin, Dahl, are meant to lead the world into the Age of the Final Eclipse (or whatever it is that the Haetae keeps saying they’re “destined” to do). Greeeat.
But ever since Riley killed the Cave Bear Goddess, she’s been a bit preoccupied with one thing: waiting for the goddess’s sisters to get their revenge. And it looks like her wait is finally over—because as witches from around the world prepare for war, it seems as though the goddesses are preparing for something much worse. Something that will lure Riley and her friends deep into the realm of the gods. Into a world of humongous talking moon bunnies; life-or-death mini golf competitions; and . . . magical gummy candies? And in order to save the world, Riley must do the one thing she was born to do: believe in herself.
Betrayals, boba, and the beyond await in this heartfelt and thrilling conclusion to the adventure that began with an ordinary girl, her extraordinary sister, and a simple wish to belong.
See how it all began and pick up the other titles in Graci Kim’s Gifted Clans Series:
Fury of the Dragon Goddess – On Sale 8/1
What would you do if you could change the past? What mistakes would you correct? What injustices would you prevent from ever happening? What do you want more than anything? There’s only one thing Sikander Aziz wants: to have his brother, Mo, back.
When Sik gets his hands on the mythic tablet of destinies, his wish is granted. Sik is overjoyed . . . until he learns that it’s not only his brother’s destiny he changed, but everyone’s.
The more Sik tries to fix things, the more things fall apart, leading to a confrontation with Lugal, the god of insanity. Lugal wants to use the tablet to avenge the betrayal he suffered at the hands of the other gods long, long ago. He intends to resurrect his mother, Tiamat, the primordial dragon goddess and unleash destruction on a cosmic scale.
It’s up to Sik, Belet, and their new demonic bestie, Rabisu, to save not just the day but existence itself and prove once and for all that the pen is far mightier than the sword.
Not yet caught up with Sarwat Chadda’s critically-acclaimed series? Check out the first installment right here:
The Spirit Glass – On Sale 9/6/23
Corazon yearns to finally start training as a babaylan (a mystical healer and spirit guide) under her powerful guardian, Aunt Tina. As soon as her magic awakens, Corazon plans to bring her parents back from the dead and no longer have to rely on a soul key to allow visits with her their ghosts for a few hours every Saturday night.
But when a vengeful ghost steals Corazon’s precious key, the fragile balance between the human world and the spirit world is thrown out of whack. Aunt Tina reveals that if Corazon wants her magic to awaken, then she just lay the ghost to rest by fashioning a new soul key.
With her rather bloodthirsty gecko companion, Saso, Corazon embarks on a quest through the spirit realms. But they must move quickly, for if the ghost gets through the spirit glass, all hope will be lost.
Roshani Chokshi pays tribute to her Filipino heritage in this book that has all the magic, sparkle, and heart that made her Aru Shah series a fantasy classic.
Can’t wait for the release of The Spirit Glass? Now’s the perfect time to finally read (or re-read) the series that initially kicked off the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, Roshani Chokshi’s Pandava Quintet:
Aru Shah and the Song of Death
Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes
Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality
Fox Snare – On Sale 10/17
While on a mission to cement peace between the Sun Clans and the Thousand Worlds, Min the fox spirit and her ghost brother Jun get stranded on a death planet with Haneul the dragon spirit and Sebin the tiger spirit.
To survive, the young cadets will have to rely on all their wits, training, and supernatural abilities. And let’s not forget the Dragon Pearl . . .
This thrilling conclusion of the Thousand Worlds trilogy, told in alternating points of view, will put you under a delightful spell as it transports you to worlds full of both danger and wonder.
Want to learn more about the Thousand Worlds? Behold the first two installments in Yoon Ha Lee’s epic sci-fi fantasy:
A Drop of Venom – On Sale 1/16
Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.
When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.
Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.
Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”
Check back here for more information on Sajni Patel’s YA debut with Rick Riordan Presents coming your way very soon!
Which of these titles are you most excited to pick up? Be sure to let us know!