Category Archives: 8Books

8Books Review: The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu

How can you say no to a story set in a donut shop? You can’t. You shouldn’t. Julie Tieu’s debut novel The Donut Trap is a delightful story about finding your way, about family and love and all that good … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan

Tashie Bhuiyan’s debut novel Counting Down with You is a heartwarming YA novel about Bengali teen Karina Ahmed and 28 life-changing days. When Karina’s parents go back to Bangladesh for a month, she starts tutoring bad boy Ace Clyde. Before … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Simplicity at Home by Yumiko Sekine

Simplicity at Home: Japanese Rituals, Recipes, and Arrangements for Thoughtful Living is a wonderfully calming experience. Written by Yumiko Sekine, founder of Fog Linen Work, with gorgeous photos from Nao Shimizu, this is a guide to making a simple and … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “We Could Be Heroes” by Mike Chen

Curling up with Mike Chen’s recent novel, We Could Be Heroes, turned out to be the perfect snow day activity. Regardless of whether you were also deluged in snow over the past couple days, reading We Could Be Heroes is … Continue reading

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8Books Review: Chinatown Pretty by Andria Lo and Valerie Luu

Chinatown Pretty by photographer Andria Lo and Valerie Luu is a beautiful tribute to our popos and gunggungs. The book celebrates the street styles of Chinatown’s elders in six major cities: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and … Continue reading

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8Books Review: The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s first novel The Last Story of Mina Lee is a thoughtful, heart-wrenching dive into the story of a mother and daughter. When Margot Lee’s mother–the eponymous Mina Lee–stops answering her phone, Margot wonders what could have happened. … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “Year of the Rabbit” by Tian Veasna

Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna is a stunning graphic novel detailing the true story of one family’s struggle to survive under the Khmer Rouge. Veasna himself was born in 1975, three days after the Khmer Rouge came to … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “Dear Girls” by Ali Wong

Ali Wong’s Dear Girls will make you laugh, cry, and will also make you hungry. But overall you will be happier, and it seems like maybe in 2020, we’re going to want some more happy. I had every honest and … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “Grass” by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim

Grass is a breathtaking graphic novel about Korean comfort women by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim and translated by Janet Hong. I know, I had the same thought you just had, a graphic novel? About comfort women? Why? But Gendry-Kim has told … Continue reading

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8Books: “A Team of Their Own” by Seth Berkman

A Team of Their Own: How an International Sisterhood Made Olympic History is a feel-good sports book–okay, a feel-good hockey book to be more precise. But it’s also a story about a group of young women learning who they are and … Continue reading

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8Books Review: ‘SWIM’ by Eric C. Wat

There’s a column series on 8Asians, called “How to Be a Bad Asian”.  I myself wrote one in the series, called “How to Be a Bad Asian: Turning Out Gay”.  But, if there’s one way you can be a worse … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “Pangs of Love and Other Writings” by David Wong Louie

David Wong Louie’s short story collection Pangs of Love first came out in 1991. It’s now being re-released by the University of Washington Press with two additional pieces. Louie’s stories are captivating and deep, insightful yet puzzling. It’s a bit … Continue reading

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