★★★★☆ Book Review: Mr Tino (Volume 1) by Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria

An elderly shopkeeper becomes an unlikely superhero in this exciting debut. You know the old adage ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’? Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria’s brand new graphic novel Mr Tino blows that wide apart, with a 66-year old sundry store owner as its protagonist. Set in the Philippines, the titular Mr Tino isn’t just an ordinary senior citizen though; on … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: Mr Tino (Volume 1) by Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria

By The Book: New Epigram Releases – September 2020

The September school holidays are upon us, and whether you’re a student or not, there’s always time to hunker down with a good book and dive into some of the region’s best new writing. This month, from Epigram, look out for the last of the Epigram Fiction Prize nominees, a brand new multilingual series for children, and a new edition of one of the best … Continue reading By The Book: New Epigram Releases – September 2020

By The Book: 2020 Singapore Literature Prize goes to 17 writers and marks several firsts for the awards

  Livestreamed on 27th August 2020, the first ever Singapore Literature Prize (SLP) virtual awards ceremony announced a total of 17 winners across its 20 prize categories, marking several firsts for the country’s most prestigious literary awards ceremony. For the first time in its history, two writers shared the top prize in both the Chinese and English Fiction categories; a female writer won the Poetry … Continue reading By The Book: 2020 Singapore Literature Prize goes to 17 writers and marks several firsts for the awards

By The Book: Go from Wet Market to Table with new set meal at Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop

The wonderful thing about the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, beyond its impressive shelf of books, welcoming atmosphere and author meets, is the fact that they serve coffee. Perfect for spending a chill afternoon at tucked away in a corner with a newly purchased book, the bookshop is now making sure that you have a full meal to go along with it. Now that they’re open again … Continue reading By The Book: Go from Wet Market to Table with new set meal at Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop

★★★★☆ Book Review: How the Man in Green Saved Pahang, and Possibly the World by Joshua Kam

Queering Malaysian folklore in a fantastical modern day romp. As the youngest, and first non-Singaporean winner of the annual Epigram Books Fiction Prize, Malaysian writer Joshua Kam has a lot of expectations placed upon his debut novel. But as it turns out, How The Man In Green Saved Pahang, And Possibly The World, meets those expectations as one of the most wildly original and entertaining regional works … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: How the Man in Green Saved Pahang, and Possibly the World by Joshua Kam

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human – Tales from Many Muslim Worlds

Writers from around the world come together to showcase the diversity of the lived Muslim experience.  Scoured from just about every corner of the world over a period of over four years, The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human is a richly diverse collection of short non-fiction that illustrates what it means to be a modern Muslim. With most stories lasting no longer than 10 pages, each … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human – Tales from Many Muslim Worlds

★★★★☆ Book Review: Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

A freak incident blows open old wounds and dark secrets in this novel about the destruction wreaked by fear and racism. Throughout American history, Asians have always taken the backseat when it comes to discussions of race, with the Black or Latinx community always the minorities featured at the forefront, and their issues prioritised due to their urgency. As the ‘model minority’, Asians still bear … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

★★★★☆ Book Review: Ace Agent Spycat and the Flying Sidekick by Darren Lim

Anthropomorphic felines star in this action-packed adventure. If you ever wondered what cats get up to when you’re not looking, then let your imagination run wild with Darren Lim’s new Ace Agent Spycat book series, where cats from an international spy organisation save the world, one mission at a time. In the first book of the series, Ace Agent Spycat and the Flying Sidekick, we’re introduced to our … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: Ace Agent Spycat and the Flying Sidekick by Darren Lim

By The Book: New Epigram Releases – August 2020

It’s been a feverish few weeks, with the General Elections having just ended, and plenty of adjustments to Phase 2 of the circuit breaker. National Day is around the corner, and with the public holiday coming up, Epigram is releasing two brand new books perfect for adding to your collection and reading in one go. Check them out below: The Java Enigma by Erni Salleh … Continue reading By The Book: New Epigram Releases – August 2020

★★★☆☆ Book Review: Saturday’s Surprisingly Super-Duper Lesson by Jolene Tan and Isabella Tong

  Colourful tale about the joy of doodling with vibrant illustrations and a cute story.  The key to making a good children’s book often involves having both a good story and good illustrations. Bonus points if there’s a good life lesson thrown into the mix. In Jolene Tan and Isabella Tong’s Saturday’s Surprisingly Super-Duper Lesson (SSSDL), that comes in the form of a lesson on … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: Saturday’s Surprisingly Super-Duper Lesson by Jolene Tan and Isabella Tong