From one book lover to another: I'm back!

Chloe here, and yes, I'm back! You might remember me from my four-year stint with Epigram back in 2017. I left in 2021 to explore other opportunities (they weren't greener pastures, trust me!). While I was away, I found myself missing the Epigram "family" more than I expected. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. I would be eating tiramisu and wishing it was Edmund Wee's. I'd recall the delicious raspberry chocolate tart he made for Christmas. And I'd even find myself recommending local books to my husband, trying to remember Wangjoo's (his wife) insightful little introductions from those pop-ups. It's all in the past now, but those memories did become a part of me.

Blowing off the dust: the newsletter is back!

It's been two years since our last newsletter, and I'm here to change that. Did you miss it? I bet you did. Maybe not all the sales messages, but I have a feeling you missed knowing about the latest Singaporean titles.

So, instead of a "must-read" or "must-buy" list, I'm going to share what I'm currently reading and what's on my "to-read" list. Like any other Singaporean, I'm easily distracted by all the entertainment options out there (hello, Squid Game on Netflix!) and figuring out the next steps for my matcha side hustle.

What I'm currently reading

The Original Daughter

This book found its way to me through the Casual Poet Library. I was volunteering there, and there was just one browsing copy which had been gifted. I read a few pages, got completely hooked, and left a sticky note with my name on it. A few days later, another librarian did the same, and a friendly little reading race began during our shifts! When I rejoined Epigram, Wangjoo raved about it and happily lent me her copy. Definitely a company benefit I appreciate!

What's on my to-read list:

The Formidable Miss Cassidy

This book is the Co-Winner of the 2021 Epigram Books Fiction Prize, right around the time I was leaving the company. So, my FOMO kicked in, and I need to know why it won! This is the first book in a series, with the second, The Enigmatic Madam Ingram, being a finalist for the 2023 Epigram Books Fiction Prize, and the third, The Mystical Mister Kay, winning the 2025 Epigram Books Fiction Prize. My husband's reading the first one right now – actually, "glued to it" is more accurate. He says there's so much happening!

Superworm to The Rescue

Have you seen the illustrations?! This delightful story was originally published in French. It is about a pig's missing eye, and honestly, in our sometimes-too-serious society, we need more charming little stories like this.

Eternal Summer of My Homeland

Fans of The Original Daughter, this is for you. Agnes Chew's Eternal Summer of My Homeland is a collection of stories which spend a lot of time poking around in family dynamics. Think of a daughter figuring out life after her mum passes, a husband trying to decode his wife's pregnancy reactions (good luck, fellas!), or just the complicated dance between parents and kids when illness or grief steps in. It's all very real, very Singaporean, and very much the kind of drama that makes you think, "Yep, been there, or seen that."

That's all for this week's newsletter!

And I'll leave you with my gif of the week:

Warmly,
Chloe