Hiding In God

Book Review: Sushi for One? by Camy Tang

I bought this book because it was free for kindle at the time.  I was not as careful then with what I read then but knew it was sold as a Christian romance book.  Reading it now was painful and made me cringe with distaste.

The story is about a woman, Lex Sakai, who is not looking for a relationship and living her life with the burden and guilt of being a rape victim.  No one knows about burden though.  Her unsaved grandmother just sees an unfeminine woman able to get a man.  So to encourage her granddaughter to get hitched up, she says she will cut funding to the girls’ volleyball team she coaches if she doesn’t have a boyfriend by her sister’s wedding.

Simple, harmless and very old fashion sounding plot.  The author, Camy Tang, chooses a more modern take on the tale with a modern style. Both fail. The style feels like she tried to use John Shepard’s exaggerated and sarcastic method of weaving her story.  It, however, feels like a soap opera without the estrogen removed and nothing really replaces it.

The plot has Lex trying, rather pathetically, to get a date or funding for the volleyball team.  She runs into other problems with housing, her job and her health.  But the message of the book is supposed to trust God for the out come instead of working in the flesh for it.  Good message but poorly executed.  Lex’s hardship does not build sympathy for the character.  It just makes her seem hopeless.

But to me the biggest failure of this book was its view of sexuality and Christianity; both are things that I think of as key for Christian romance.  There is no idea of submitting ones sexuality to God.  In fact Lex keeps trying to push herself into kissing or being touched by men to help herself overcome the the mental damage from the rape.  The book has more graphic than needed flashbacks to it too.

Than anyone that goes to church is considered to be a Christian, regardless of whether they love God or not.  One character even becomes a Christian without it ever being clearly explained what is means other than he started going to church.

Even though I could relate to Lex, I cannot recommend a book weak in the definitions of Christianity and strong in sexual content.

Cheyene Travels: Sister Finished Her Freshmen Year

As I got in the van mommy gave me a worried glance.  She knew that I was due for one of my sick fits and she knew I looked close to one.  I had packed my medication and lots of books (When the Touch of God Hurts by Dr. Thomas E. Bish, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, Es Personal: Diario Biblico por Steven B. Curington, Stronghold Study Course from RU, Nevertheless I Live by Steven B. Curington, The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, A Worthy Model by  Wendy Burks (in case I ran out of Art of War) and The Betrayal (Abram’s Daughters #2) by Beverly Lewis (in case I ran out of Sushi for One by Camy Tang on my kindle)) so I wouldn’t get board.

And I’m trying to write less.

I spent the whole trip very sick and relying on all the caffeine I could get my hands on to keep my blood presser up.  Meanwhile mommy is reading through When the Touch of God Hurts faster than me.

No one finishes a book before me.  I’m glad I read it too.  My health was perfect for the encouragement than it offered.

We got to the hotel and I go straight to bed as the room spun around me.  Grateful to be out of the van.  I soon had to go out to my sister’s college choir performance.

I sat there allowing the music therapy to sooth my pain and nausea.  Afterward we take my sister and her boyfriend out to Friendly’s. I had sorbet because I couldn’t handle ice cream with my upset stomach.

I didn’t sleep than night because my parents snored all night.  I set up my pillows the best I could to block the sound but nothing worked.  I spent the night praying for sleep and the salvation of Edward’s parents.

The next day I was better but still trying to be careful.  We went to my sister’s church took her and her boyfriend to a nice Italian place. The place had fresh bread before the meal and the dating couple was so cute as they broke bread together.  I finished When the Touch of God Hurts about this time before mommy.

I get a lot of book section of Savers.  I don’t buy a copy The Time Traveler’s Wife.  I know that there were scenes from them movie that were carefully shot.  I don’t mind reading “He took off his shirt.” I do mind reading “He took off his shirt showing…” so without someone checking the book before me I wasn’t going to read it.

We return to church that night and even though I had no sleep, I was awake during every sermon that day.

The next day I woke rested because the snoring wasn’t as bad.  We go shopping and while everyone else is buying clothes I bought more books. My total books bought when stacked on their side are taller than a foot.

We had the graduation of the senors from her school that night.  We went to Friendly’s again.

The next day the boys from the school lined up to say good bye to my sister.  As we drove home I had to keep my thoughts in check.  I finished my current play list before switching to my anti-addiction play list.  I don’t want to rely on music but I felt like it was a usable tool at the time.

Then we got home.