CAUTION: don’t read this book while hungry because you will find yourself craving a warm bowl of pho, savory egg rolls, crispy banh xeo, and so much mCAUTION: don’t read this book while hungry because you will find yourself craving a warm bowl of pho, savory egg rolls, crispy banh xeo, and so much more.
Filled with the most delicious food descriptions and a sweet romance, A Pho Love Story explores the complexities of family expectations and forming your own identity. Through our main protagonists, Linh and Bao, we learn about the families’ rivalry in food and shared pasts, shaped by the Vietnam War.
A Pho Love Story follows the dual perspectives of highschoolers Linh Mai and Bao Ngyuen whose parents own competing pho restaurants in Little Saigon. While Linh dreams of becoming an artist despite her parents’ wishes, Bao struggles with the uncertainty of future career plans as the deadline of college looms closer.
The relationship between our protagonists and their families felt achingly familiar from expressing love through quiet actions and accidentally misunderstanding one another due to generational differences. Throughout the story, Linh and Bao learn of their parents’ escape as refugees of the Vietnam war, and this message of a parent’s sacrifice in hopes of a better life for their children is one that many diaspora kids can understand.
My biggest struggle with this book was that it felt WAY. TOO. LOOOONNGG. I honestly don’t think any YA contemporary book needs to be over 400 pages, especially since it doesn’t need extra room for world-building in comparison to fantasy books…but that might just be a personal preference.
While the writing itself was easy to read, the length of the book made certain scenes feel unnecessary. I’ve also grown personally tired of the “protagonist wants to pursue an arts career against their Asian American parents’ wishes” plotline since I’m basic and pursued a YAPPIE (young asian professional) career, but I can understand why it’s significant and meaningful to other readers.
While Linh and Bao’s romance does play a major role in this story, I found myself more invested in their parents’ interconnected past and the mouthwatering food descriptions and busy restaurant life. It might be because Linh and Bao get together very early on in the story so the conflict in their relationship was more due to their parents’ forbidding it versus a personal rivalry.
All in all, I loved seeing how proudly Vietnamese this book was from the casual way the characters spoke a mix of Vietnamese and English with their family to the hustle and bustle of loving Vietnamese aunties. At the same time, the story thoughtfully reflects on the shared trauma that many refugees of the Vietnam War experienced and how those events had lasting effects on generations.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Dear Netflix, I am sincerely begging you to adapt this book into a movie because it is just pure goodness, and I loved listening to the audiobook. FilDear Netflix, I am sincerely begging you to adapt this book into a movie because it is just pure goodness, and I loved listening to the audiobook. Filled with adorable moments of romance and friendship, Happily Ever Afters had me squealing and swooning at every page.
If you’re a fan of loveable rom-coms like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, or any Disney Channel Original Movie, this is the perfect book for you. Through Tessa, we explore finding first love, reconciling between new and old friendships, and learning to find confidence in yourself.
Happily Ever Afters follows Tessa, a loveable heroine who spends her free time writing romance stories. After transferring to a prestigious arts academy, she finds imposter syndrome hitting her hard. How can she compete against the future Picassos, Vera Wangs, and Gordan Ramseys?
Words that used to flow out of Tessa like water run dry, and her writer’s block only intensifies as she listens to her classmates share their version of the next great American novel during class. In order to find inspiration for her writing, Tessa decides to make her own happily ever after by mimicking the cliches of every romance story.
Nico, the popular and gorgeous guy in her writing class, seems like the perfect target except…he already has a girlfriend. At the same time, Tessa finds herself growing closer to Sam, the boy next door who’s constantly offering Tessa sweets during their carpool rides to school.
There are moments where Tessa makes frustrating choices as a main character, but truthfully, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. If anything, I found the story even more realistic as it explores the insecurities and inner thoughts of a high school girl. Beyond the wonderful fluff and cuteness, Elise Bryant also thoughtfully examines Tessa’s relationship with her disabled older brother, Miles.
All in all, this book has definitely made my list of favorite YA contemporaries, and I cannot wait to see what Elise Bryant writes next. From the wonderful baked dessert descriptions to the fun setting of an arts academy, this would make a wonderful movie…someone please adapt this~!
Buckle up kiddos because this book was SO. MUCH. FUN.
From boarding school adventures to secret romances with celebrities, XOXO is a book that is pureBuckle up kiddos because this book was SO. MUCH. FUN.
From boarding school adventures to secret romances with celebrities, XOXO is a book that is pure trashy (yet heartwarming) goodness. If you need a pick-me-up, are a K-Pop fan, or simply looking to marathon a K-Drama but don’t have time, this is the book for you!
XOXO follows Jenny and Jaewoo who meet unexpectedly in Los Angeles at Jenny’s uncle noraebang, or karaoke bar. They have a magical night of dancing, singing, and exploring the city before Jaewoo suddenly leaves. Three months later, Jenny and her mother move to South Korea to care for her ailing grandmother, and while she’s there, she’s enrolled in Seoul’s most prestigious arts academy.
When she arrives at the school, she unexpectedly runs into Jaewoo who turns out to be the most popular idol in Korea’s most popular boy band, XOXO. You can think of the plotline as True Beauty meets Dream High plus any cheesy and fun pop-star Wattpad story.
All the side characters in this book were also a joy to meet. We have Sori, Jenny’s roommate who’s cold at first but slowly opens up throughout the book. There’s Nathaniel, Jaewoo’s Korean American bandmate and Angela and Gi Taek, Jenny’s first friends at Seoul Arts Academy (Angela’s also Taiwanese American...my heart!!). Angela and Gi Taek honestly remind me of Soo Ah and Tae Hoon from True Beauty.
The reason why I have to dock a star is because the pacing is SOOO rushed to the point where it hinders the reading experience. The book essentially tries to cram an entire season of a K-Drama into a mere 300 pages, but while a Korean drama would have the flexibility and at least 16 episodes to give the viewer time to breathe and absorb what's going on, that's not the case here.
Since there’s so much content and ~iconic scenes~ for the plot to cover, a lot of the writing feels more “tell” than “show.” We gloss over important events, and scenes begin to blend together. Truthfully, it was often an information overload because one important event would happen right after another without any time for rest.
However, XOXO was still an incredibly fun read with wonderful girl power friendships and heartwarming family moments between daughter, mother, and grandmother. We also have an honest discussion of mental health and idol life in the Korean entertainment industry as well as carving out one’s identity in the country your family is from.
All in all, XOXO was the book I needed to get me out of a reading slump. A lot of the events aren’t realistic, but sometimes, you just want a story that will make you smile. This book is perfect for any K-Pop/K-Drama fan or if you just need something to brighten your day. Now...how do I contact the author to write a second book to wrap up the storylines of the side characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
tiffany (readbytiffany)
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