Spying on your single mother while she goes on dates sounds like the premise of a wacky Disney movie, or some indie flick about a precocious preteen. Make the protagonist a neurotic Vietnamese American woman in her late 20s? The stakes take a turn for darker comedy. Votang’s debut novel tackles the intersection of anxiety, aging, and the immigrant experience. Add in a dash of “mother-daughter parentification bonds” and a hefty dose of “seeing your parent as a person,” and you’ve got a delicious read ahead of you. Votang’s book release features a conversation with her fellow Hyperallergic alum Lise Ragbir. It’s sure to be an illuminating and entertaining evening. – Cat McCarrey