#trinity nguyen

[lgbtqreads]

Gift Guide: Bookish Gifts for Foodies and/or Oenophiles

Picks for Kids Pasta Girls by Taylor Tracy Hot-headed and energetic Romea Marino is starting ninth grade with a full plate. Between confusing social dynamics of high school and juggling extracurriculars, Ro can only find peace in the reliable comfort of her kitchen, where she’s able to follow in her dad’s culinary footsteps, whipping up Italian-fusion recipes. Thoughtful and reserved Julianna…

Gift Guide: Bookish Gifts for Foodies and/or Oenophiles

[sapphic-b00ks]

A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen

4/5⭐️

Review:

A Bánh Mì for Two was a sweet read and exactly what I was looking for. The mcs, Lan and Vivi, both struggled with family issues and feeling like they couldn't talk to their mums. As the story progressed these issues were addressed and dealt with, and their relationships with their families changed for the better.

Meanwhile, the mcs relationship changed as well. As they were looking for Vivi's family and trying to overcome Lan's writer's block, they slowly fell in love. I absolutely loved their dynamic and how their relationship was written. The only part I didn't like was the rushed third-act breakup that was resolved within a few chapters. It wasn't the conflict that bothered me, but rather its execution.

Personally, I believe that the dual POV was very well used in this book, and I enjoyed seeing both of the mcs outlook on the world and their inner conflicts. Lengthwise, one might believe that this book feels rushed or features the insta-love trope, I, however, found that the length was well chosen. The character arcs, their relationship and the plot developed at a good pace. Obviously, there could've been a few more chapters to make the temporary breakup a bit more fleshed out, but it was a great read regardless.

Overall, this is a wonderful story that talks about grief, family & leaving home as well as doing what's best for others vs yourself. I recommend this to anyone who's in the mood for a sapphic romance with Vietnamese mcs that discusses very relevant topics while still delivering a heartfelt romance and self-discovery journey.

Rating:

Characters: 5/5

Relationships: 4.5/5

Romance: 4.5/5

Plot: 4/5

Writing: 4/5

[the-final-sentence]

'Have you eaten?'

Trinity Nguyen, from A Banh Mi for Two

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (August 20th, 2024)

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Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

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New Releases:

Something Like Right by H.D. Hunter

House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz

Helga by Catherine Yu

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield

Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters

Mighty Millie Novak by Elizabeth Holden

A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen

The Darkness of Dying in the Light by S.E. Reed

New Sequel:

My Salty Mary (Mary #3) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

Wisteria (Belladonna #3) by Adalyn Grace

Clown in a Cornfield: The Church of Frendo (Clown in a Cornfield #3) by Adam Cesare

Drown Me with Dreams (Sing Me To Sleep #2) by Gabi Burton

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Happy reading!

[mydarlinginej]

read my full review of a banh mi for two by trinity nguyen here.

In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families’ histories—and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn.

In Sài Gòn, Lan is always trying to be the perfect daughter, dependable and willing to care for her widowed mother and their bánh mì stall. Her secret passion, however, is A Bánh Mì for Two, the food blog she started with her father but has stopped updating since his passing.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese American Vivi Huynh, has never been to Việt Nam. Her parents rarely talk about the homeland that clearly haunts them. So Vivi secretly goes to Vietnam for a study abroad program her freshman year of college. She’s determined to figure out why her parents left, and to try everything she’s seen on her favorite food blog, A Bánh Mì for Two.

When Vivi and Lan meet in Sài Gòn, they strike a deal. Lan will show Vivi around the city, helping her piece together her mother’s story through crumbling photographs and old memories. Vivi will help Lan start writing again so she can enter a food blogging contest. And slowly, as they explore the city and their pasts, Vivi and Lan fall in love.

my review:

I’ve been mutuals with Trinity for years, and I’m so happy to be able to review her debut! I’ve been so excited to read this book for YEARS; it seemed tailor-made to be one of my favorite things and it did not disappoint. Gorgeously written, A Bánh Mì for Two is a sweet love story about two girls falling in love as they (re)discover the magic of Sài Gòn.

Lan has been working herself ragged caring for her mother and running their bánh mì stall in the bustling streets of Sài Gòn. Whenever she manages some free time for herself, she writes on her blog A Bánh Mì for Two although she hasn’t been feeling very inspired to write lately. Meanwhile, inspired by her favorite blog, Vivi has come to Sài Gòn on a study abroad trip, which would be against her mother’s wishes if she knew Vivi was there. She’s determined to find her mother’s family and learn the history that her mother won’t tell her. When she meets Lan and realizes she’s her favorite blogger, they agree to help each other, slowly growing closer.

A Bánh Mì for Two was such a gorgeously written story; I’m so excited to read more from this author! Both Lan and Vivi have their own respective character arcs that we follow, and I really liked both of their points-of-view. Lan has become a bit dispirited with her life with so many worries. When Vivi comes into her life, she learns to fall in love with her city again, as Vivi herself is discovering the magic of Sài Gòn for the first time.

read my full review here.

[signal-failure]

Adorable YA Romance in "A Bánh Mì for Two"

A Bánh Mì for Two, by Trinity Nguyen, is an adorable sapphic YA, set in Vietnam. Two foodies, Vietnamese-American Vivi and Saigon native Lan,  spend Vivi’s study-abroad semester eating delicious street food together and falling in love. This entire book is vibes and setting, not plot, and the vibes are great. Young love, an exciting city, and loads of delicious street food, all good. There are…

Adorable YA Romance in "A Bánh Mì for Two"

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer YA with Vietnamese MCs

Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

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[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer Romance Abroad

 A Bánh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen (f/f YA, Sài Gòn) The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (Historical m/m YA, all across Europe) Abroad by Liz Jacobs (m/m NA duology, London) The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (m/x, France, Italy, and Spain) An Island Princess Starts a Scandal  (Historical f/f, Paris) and Finding Joy (m/m, Addis Ababa) by Adriana Herrera Bonus: Coming in 2026,…

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