LOVE & RESISTANCE

• Finalist for the 2024 Ohioana Book Award (Middle Grade/Young Adult Literature).

• Included on the 2024 “Recommended Literature List” for Grades 9-12 by the California Department of Education

Moxie meets Mary H.K. Choi in this funny, whip-smart YA debut about love, resistance, and the enduring friendships that make it all worthwhile.

“The narrative’s quick pace and creative turns should keep readers’ interest all the way to the thoughtful ending. Entertaining." — Kirkus Reviews

ASKING FOR A FRIEND

• Finalist for the Ohio Book Award (formerly the Ohioana Book Award) 2025 (Young Adult Literature)

• Included in the 2026 Choose to Read Ohio booklist by the State Library of Ohio, the Ohioana Library, the Ohio Center for the Book and the CTRO Advisory Council

This charming YA rom-com follows a strong-willed, ambitious teen as she teams up with her childhood frenemy to start a dating-advice column, perfect for fans of Emma Lord and Gloria Chao.

“The challenges [the main characters] face from being “raised by one culture but living in another” will ring true for readers who share their identity, while the sweetness of their romance will win over everyone else.

A swoonworthy, heart-wrenching view into the trials of growing up second generation in an immigrant community.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Chen deftly and sensitively portrays the varied experiences of teens and adults, first- and second-generation immigrants… the romance that blossoms [between the main characters] is sweet and compelling, all factors that make this book hard to put down. Teen readers will root for Juliana to figure out what she wants—and who she wants to be—in time to have a shot at the happiness she’s spent so long denying herself.” - Booklist