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janelle // bookstagram

@janandthings

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📚 avid reader, library lover, reel-maker
📖: Taiwan Travelogue / Their Eyes Were Watching God
🎧: The Making of Asian America
💌 [email protected]

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happy Asian, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander (ANHPI) heritage month!

You know, it never really occurred to me until now, but the fact that this particular heritage month has donned so many different names over the years feels quite indicative of how the US feels about the ANHPI communities – it’s never quite sure where to put us or how to see us, often putting us into whatever categories suit the needs of the powers that be.

The idea for this post stemmed from a recent conversation I had with @valandthegianttbr where I lovingly called a main character of a book as unlikeable and boring. Funny how a boring MC might not necessarily equate to a boring book. It got me thinking about my tolerance for character-driven literary fiction. The Janelle of yesteryear definitely would’ve said it was not her thing; however, I have been enjoying this subgenre of litfic more over the years and giving these characters more grace. Perhaps it’s because I’ve started identifying more with their listlessness, but also, I thought about how many books about self-sabotaging white men and women neck deep in ennui I’ve read over the years and thought – hey, it’s about time Asians (and other BIPOC folks) got to be seen in this genre too! To Val I even said something like, “I’m all in the camp of letting Asians be just as unlikeable as yt girls” lol. Hence the theme of this carousel.

I want to make it clear that I am not asking for permission with the use of “let” here. I’m simply using the word as a device to showcase the breadth of Asian literature. I’m all about us taking up space and being all of these things and more!

Shout out to all the labour and creativity everyone participating in the #anhpibookstatour has been putting in - from sharing personal experiences to curating detailed and nuanced book recommendations, I am inspired by you. Check out @theritareads who is also posting today!

P.S. if you’re looking for more Native Hawaiian & Pacific Island authored books, I suggest following @pacificislanderbooks and spending some time scrolling through the #pasifikareadingchallenge hashtag! by @janandthings

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a year ago

I may have turned 31 today, but I’m still just a girl! A girl with a massive unread physical TBR!!

In an effort to read more from my shelves (which house over 100 unread books 🙃), I compiled a list of 31 books on my TBR that I’d like to read before my next birthday, made up of a mix of new and long-standing books in my collection.

I think it could be fun to start a vlog series to track my progress on this list but I'm making no promises... I might need your help keeping me accountable 😅

Let me know which books I should move the top of the list ✨

📖 Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark
📖 All About Love by Bell Hooks
📖 Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
📖 The Vegetarian by Han Kang
📖 Interesting Facts About Sapce by Emily Austin
📖 The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee
📖 Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
📖 Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
📖 The Unfortunates by JK Chukwu
📖 Yolk by Mary H. Choi
📖 Unassimilable by Bianca Mabute-Louie
📖 America is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo
📖 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
📖 If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga
📖 East of Eden by John Steinbeck (a reread)
📖 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
📖 A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang
📖 Women, Seated by Zhang Yueran
📖 Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
📖 When We Were Sisters by Fatima Asghar
📖 Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
📖 Victim by Andrew Boryga
📖 Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-Zi
📖 Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
📖 Woodworking by Emily St. James
📖 Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
📖 The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
📖 Where Are You Really From by Elaine Hsieh Chou
📖 A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen
📖 Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
📖 This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour by @janandthings

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a year ago

Let’s talk about unhinged women in fiction.

When written well, they are nuanced characters struggling with the complexity of life in a way that is relatable, but just slightly more chaotic than you. However, the genre is flooded with, as @stephgetslit said, “selfish, exhausting white women who take up so much space there’s hardly any room for anyone else.”

Not only that, but it seems like some of these books also tend to be littered with microaggressions, which are indirect or subtle discriminatory statements or actions against members of a marginalized group. They are harmful because they are not only offensive, but also because they perpetuate negative stereotypes. And it is dangerous and alarming to see them in widespread books and media.

It can be easy to dismiss microaggressive behaviour and language in these novels because the characters are often meant to be unlikable. But they’re usually unlikable in their own right without needing to also paint them as racist, ableist, homophobic, or fatphobic. These statements are often written as if they’re meant to be jokes, but it is never funny to mock someone’s personhood.

I’m reminded of Elaine Castillo’s HOW TO READ NOW, which encourages us to examine our media with a more critical lens. We need to be cautious of the stereotypes our media may be consciously or unconsciously perpetuating.

And it’s okay if you miss something the first time around. Unconscious bias and internalized racism are things we all need to work through and unlearn. Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know and that’s okay. It’s what we do once we gain that knowledge that matters. Microaggressions can be hard to pick up on if you’ve never experienced them, but I think it is our responsibility as readers (and human beings in general) to talk about them once they’re made known. And it is the responsibility of publishers to employ more diverse editors and sensitivity readers of all backgrounds to hold authors more accountable. And to catch this stuff before the books go to market.

I know this is a lot of food for thought. I just encourage us all to be a little more critical of the media we consume and share. by @janandthings

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4 years ago

SEE YOU SATURDAY OCTOBER 3!!!

check out the full line up of activities at @endlesswondersbooks, with some highlights below.

Event details:
Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 12-6pm at Social Good
Place (4511 SE Main St, 97215)

There will be:
📖 Maker market with 40+ indie authors, bookish creators, and food vendors.
📖 Author signings + panels, including a ticketed event with @ijeomaoluo and @evelynrcarter (only $12!!)
📖 Diverse book swap
📖 Zine folding station
📖 Workshop on combatting book bans taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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7 days ago

🙃🫣😮‍💨🤪😇🤓

I technically juuust finished East of Eden and Fruit Fly this past weekend, but I also started The Vegetarian and think I might pick up The Unfortunates next so we’ll be back at 6 in no time baby 👀🤡🫪 taken in My Mind by @janandthings

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7 days ago

a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do… 🙏🏼📚😜 taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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11 days ago

What better way to kick off fall in Portland than with a round up of cozy bookish events? Here’s what’s happening September 25-October 3:

Sept. 25 | @beavertonlib + @bookcorner_beaverton’s Fall Book & Media Sale, running through Oct. 4
Sept. 26 | @sahaptinstories grand opening!
Sept. 26 | @silentbookclubportland + @openinvitepdx’s Silent Book Club at @thesocialspoonpdx @ 2pm
ept. 26 | @bringyourownbookpdx meet up at Laurelhurst Park @ 3pm

Oct. 3 | endlesswonders + @socialgoodplace Endless Wonders Book Fest from 12-6pm
Oct. 3 | @novelpdx + @reesesbookclub Book & Wine Happy Hour from 5-7pm (ticketed event)

And if you want to stay in the loop on all the latest bookish events in Portland, join the Reese’s Book Club City Chapter in WhatsApp! Find the link in my bio :) taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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13 days ago

so, I blinked and somehow now it’s almost October? somehow both August AND September have slipped away to a moment in time…

as the summer draws to a close (RIP), I’m glad to be able to reflect on August, which was a beautiful month that was chock full of sunshine, friendship, and ACTIVITIES!

Highlights:
✨Magical sunsets while camping on the Oregon Coast with my girls
✨ Incredible outdoor concerts (@sukiwaterhouse and @joyoladokun)
✨ Gorgeous golden hour dinner parties
✨ Finally getting to see the @pdxsoapboxderby
✨ Lots of park hangs and summer reading
✨ Playing a ton of pool (some of my best AND worst games ever lol)
✨ Four whole @reesesbookclub meetups at @anniebloomsbooks, @rose_city_book_pub, @smithteamaker, and @spokeandwordbooks
✨ and on top of all that, I somehow finished nine books?!

My top reads in August were:
📖 THE MISSED CONNECTION by Tia Williams — oh how I love her writing!
📖 GIRL’S GIRL by Sonia Feldman — felt so nostalgic, but also made me so thankful I am no longer a teenage girl.
📖 BAD FRUIT by Ella King — a buddy read with @titalindascorner. A wild ride of a book that in some ways reminded me of LITTLE ROT by Akwaeke Emezi. Not in substance, but in how it made me feel. Buckle up!

☀️❤️ taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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14 days ago

rich because we have such a beautiful and thriving bookish community here in Portland! 😍📖 here are some upcoming bookish events from Sept 19-24:

Sept 19 | @pdx.books pancake breakfast
Sept 19| @wallacebooks’ anniversary sale
Sept 19-20 | grand opening of @hiddenworldsbookstore

Sept 22 | @reesesbookclub x @pairingspdx wine flights
Sept 22 | @literaryarts book trivia

Sept 24 | @endlesswondersbooks park reading hours

I’ll post part 2 next week, covering Sept 25-Oct 4. In the meantime, let me know what events you’re excited about or if there were any I missed! taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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18 days ago

I’ve been feeling a little creatively uninspired and overwhelmed lately, but I saw this cutie trend and it awoke something in me haha.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of books I’ve loved and love to recommend. Let me know if you see any of your faves!

💛 HOW TO READ NOW by Elaine Castillo
💛 SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams
💛 AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE by Tayari Jones
💛 WHERE ARE YOU REALLY FROM by Elaine Hsieh Chou
💛 HIJAB BUTCH BLUES by Lamya H.
💛 WOODWORKING by Emily St. James
💛 THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett
💛 THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS by Jessamine Chan
💛 PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING by Melissa Fu
💛 LEGENDBORN by Tracy Dean
💛 HOW TO END A LOVE STORY by Yulin Kuang
💛 BETTY by Tiffany McDaniel
💛 IF AN EGYPTIAN CANNOT SPEAK ENGLISH by Noor Naga
💛 JAMES by Percival Everett
💛 OLD ENOUGH by Haley Jakobson
💛 SKY DADDY by Kate Folk
💛 CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
💛 NATURAL BEAUTY by Ling Ling Huang
💛 FIRST TIME CALLER by B.K. Borison
💛 HOW TO STOP TIME by Matt Haig
💛 LITTLE ROT by Akwaeke Emery
💛 AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD by Susan Abulhawa
💛 MARTYR! by Kaveh Akbar
💛 HELL FOLLOWED WITH US by Andrew Joseph White
💛 Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
💛 THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan

P.S. I selected this song not only bc it’s been on heavy rotation all summer, but also bc I want to honour queen Celine’s return to the stage this week!!! What an inspiring story of resilience, strength, grace, and power. ❤️‍🔥 taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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20 days ago

‘twas such a lovely week, but I promptly went into a heavy reading slump after this, but that’s just how it goes 🙃

I’m now barely managing to keep up with my daily East of Eden goal of 15 pages a day and am still occasionally popping into The Making of Asian America. But once I get over this slump, I’m hoping to jump back into these two books I started but haven’t touched in a week:

🤍 Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
🤍 Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang Zi

I’m also considering picking up all about love by bell hooks or Fruit Fly by Josh Silver as potential palate cleansers/slump breakers. Wish me luck! taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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23 days ago

I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed lately, but I’m grateful for books and stories that ground me.

My current reads all explore the complexities of humanity on both macro and micro levels, from war and imperialism, to family and identity, love and sacrifice, good and evil:

🎧 THE MAKING OF ASIAN AMERICA by Erika Lee
📖 EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck
📕 PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING by Melissa Fu

+ a secret fourth book that I will only reveal once I finish it 👀

What are you currently reading? taken in Portland, Oregon by @janandthings

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a month ago