Review: Single Sashimi by Camy Tang

Single Sashimi (Sushi Series #3)
By: Camy Tang
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 978-0-310-27400-1

About the book:

Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemisis, approaches Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the offer tempts Venus to think the unthinkable.

Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again...but then Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy family. With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer, Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful transformation...

Review:

Venus, the business-minded, career-driven "sushi" cousin, has a life most people would envy - she's drop-dead gorgeous, makes good money, and is brilliant to boot. As her close-as-sisters cousins begin to find love and settle down, her life on the career fast-track begins to feel as though it's lacking something. It doesn't help that her devotions time has become rote, just one more item to squeeze into a packed day. Venus has struggled for years to be taken seriously in the male-dominated gaming industry, since she's often overlooked for promotion or seen as only "eye" candy, particularly since her dramatic weight loss. When Drake, a charismatic former boss, offers her a high-profile, temporary job plus help starting her own gaming company, Venus is torn. If she can overcome her latent insecurities and give Drake a chance to prove himself, she might just discover that this God appointed chance at love is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she can't micro-manage or schedule...

Single Sashimi is chock-full of Camy Tang's trademark humor and spiritual insights that also made the first two novels in the Sushi Series such enjoyable reads. It's particularly fun watching the always proper Venus get taken entirely out of her comfort zone (like volunteering to work with a wild church youth group). As her life spirals out of control, Venus gradually rediscovers her identity in Christ and the joy of surrendering every aspect of her life to God. It's a hard call to make, but I think Drake is my favorite hero of the series - his reintroduction to Venus took my breath away. His transformation from driven, amoral exec to sensitive, growing believer is realistic and compelling. The tension between Venus and Drake practically crackles with electricity - she doesn't know what to make of him, and he's more than up to the task of overcoming her prickly armor.

Tang excels at creating very real characters. Over the course of three books, these four cousins are so real they've grown to feel like friends, and their journeys of faith and self-discovery are challenging and thought-provoking. The Sushi Series is smartly written and the characters are unforgettably real, the novels striking a delicate balance between thoroughly enjoyable escapism and life-changing, thought-provoking truths. I can't wait for Camy's next book!

******

My final review of Camy Tang's Sushi Series, originally published in September 2008.

Review: Only Uni by Camy Tang

Only Uni (Sushi Series #2)
By: Camy Tang
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 978-0-310-27399-8

About the book:

Senior biologist Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. So Trish creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men as possible dates, especially non-Christians. Second, tell others about Christ. And third, she will persevere in hardship by relying on God. And just to make sure she behaves, she enlists the help of her three cousins -- Lex, Venus, and Jennifer -- the only Christians in their large extended family.

But Trish's dangerously tempting ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, and her grandmother, who has her eye on his family money, keeps trying to push the two of them back together again. Then there's Spencer, the hunky colleague at work who keeps turning Trish's thoughts in the wrong direction.

It just isn't fair! She's trying so hard, but instead of being God's virtuous woman, she's going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Trish thought following her three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly those simple rules don't seem so simple at all.

Review:

Trish, next in line to inherit her family's title of "oldest single female cousin" now that Lex (from Sushi for One?) has a boyfriend, wants to take control of her life. Her wild, flirtatious behavior has left her unfulfilled and alienated her cousins and best friends, but most devasting of all has created a chasm between her and the Lord. Her desire for a turning point hits an all-time high when she discovers that her father's having an affair, her mother has a heart attack, and her control-freak Grandma keeps throwing Kazuo, her too-tempting (not to mention non-Christian) ex-boyfriend in her path. More than anything, Trish wants to feel pure before God again, but she doesn't know how He and her long-suffering cousins can possibly accept that her desire for change is real and genuine after witnessing so many failures. To prove her resolve, she creates three rules to follow from First and Second Corinthians - 1) no more looking at guys as potential date material, especially non-Christians, 2) witness to others about Christ, and 3) persevere and rely on God. However, her three simple rules turn out to be not so simple after all when Kazuo, bolstered by her grandmother's support, becomes temptingly considerate and attentive and handsome work colleague Spenser proves to be an irritatingly attractive distraction. With two temptingly handsome guys with vastly different motives pursuing her, can Trish ever hope to stick to her rules and transform her life?

I absolutely loved Lex's story in Sushi for One?, and couldn't imagine how Camy could possibly top that novel with a sequel - especially one that focused on cousin Trish, who I found to be rather self-centered and unlikable. However, Tang reveals that underneath Trish's bravado and occasionally flaky exterior is a heart full of hurt and confusion - having gone so far and given away so many pieces of herself, Trish doubts if she can ever be redeemed. Only Uni takes the strengths of its predecessor - the family dymanic, the snappy dialogue, the yummy food *wink*, and a sensitively handled spiritual thread - and deftly tackles the issue of a "backsliding" believer's journey into grace. Trish's desperate search for redemption and change, while liberally peppered with humorous episodes, is one of the most moving portrayals of God's grace that I've ever read. Tang's characters are so real they practically leap living and breathing from the page. Their emotions are so real you'll want to cry with them when they hurt, laugh out loud at their nutty escapades, and rejoice with their successes. Camy is one of the funniest authors I've ever read, but she balances humor like few can with healthy doses of real issues and emotional depth. I can't wait to read the prickly Venus's story in Single Sashimi, releasing in September. Bravo to Camy for delivering another winner!

******

This review is another one from the archives, originally written in March 2008.

Review: Sushi for One? by Camy Tang

Sushi for One? (Sushi Series #1)
By: Camy Tang
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 978-0-310-27398-1

About the book:

Lex Sakai's family is big, nosy, and marraige-minded. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the oldes single female cousin in the clan.

Lex has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn't seem to have a single quality on her list. It's only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

Review:

Just a heads up - the back cover copy for this novel doesn't even begin to do it justice.

Volleyball fanatic Lex Sakai is single and just fine with that until she inherits the infamous family title of "Oldest Single Female Cousin" and her Grandma issues an ultimatum. She threatens to pull funding for the beloved girls volleyball team Lex coaches unless she buckles down and finds a boyfriend in time for her cousin's wedding in four months. Armed with her "Ephesians list" - requirements a guy has to meet in order to be "dateable" - Lex embarks on her quest to find a boyfriend and satisfy Grandma. Then job-wise she takes a significant pay cut, Grandma sabotages her efforts to land outside team sponsors so she can avoid the whole "dating" thing, and Aiden, the one man she's sure she should write off as unsuitable, keeps intruding on her life in unexpected ways. When her carefully constructed life comes apart at the seams, Lex is forced to re-evaluate who she's really been trusting with her future - herself or the Lord?

Probably one of the best ways to describe Sushi for One? is to think My Big Fat Greek Wedding, change the "Greek" to "Asian-American," throw in a deftly handled spiritual thread, and voila! - you have the recipe for a great chick-lit novel. Camy Tang delivers all of the humor, outrageous mishaps, witty dialogue, romance, and great food fans of the chick lit genre could wish for in spades. Lex is a wonderfully prickly, sassy heroine with a take-no-prisoners attitude towards life that masks heartbreaking hurts and fears. It's a great stroke on Tang's part to write the novel in third person instead of the first person point of view generally found in chick lit novels. While most of the novel is told from Lex's view point, the use of third person allows Tang to pepper the novel with scenes from Aiden's perspective, which walk the delicate line of being incredibly sweet without being sappy - it's wonderful to watch him fight his attraction to Lex even as he longs to be the one to break through her emotional barriers. The family dynamic is also one of the novel's greatest strengths. Lex doesn't come from the typically Christian background found in most CBA fiction - she and her best friends, also her cousins, (Trish, Venus, and Jennifer) are the only Christians in a mostly Buddhist family. Tang does a fantastic job of showing Lex negotiate the line between living her faith and being a witness and respecting her heritage and a family that doesn't understand her beliefs.

Sushi for One? is the hilarious, often poignant story of a woman who learns to cede control of her life and allow herself to be held in the arms of the God who loves her, whose plans for her life, romantic and otherwise, are far greater and more fulfilling than she could have ever dreamed. Camy Tang's debut novel shines with life and energy. I can't wait to read more about the "Sushi" cousins and thankfully the wait won't be a long one - the second novel, Only Uni, releases in February 2008!

******

As you can probably guess from the last line of this review, it was written a couple of years ago. :) But since Camy Tang is debuting a new series with Zondervan, I thought it was the perfect time to re-post my review of her first series, starting with Sushi for One? which I originally reviewed in October 2007.

Review: Deadly Intent by Camy Tang

Deadly Intent
By: Camy Tang
Publisher: Steeple Hill
ISBN: 978-0-373-44347-5

About the book:

The Grant family’s exclusive Sonoma spa is a place for rest and relaxation – not murder! When Naomi Grant finds her client Jessica Ortiz bleeding to death in her massage room, everything falls apart. The salon’s reputation is at stake…and so is Naomi’s freedom when she discovers that she is one of the main suspects! Her only solace is found with the other suspect – Dr. Devon Knightley, the victim’s ex-husband. But Devon is hiding secrets of his own. When they come to light, where can Naomi turn…and whom can she trust?

Review:

Deadly Intent marks Camy Tang’s first foray into romantic suspense fiction, and she proves to be as adept at crafting an engaging suspense story as she is at making readers laugh with her “romance with a kick of wasabi” flavored Sushi Series. In Deadly Intent, Naomi Grant, massage therapist and acting manager of the exclusive Joy Luck Life Spa, finds herself trapped in a murderous web of danger and intrigue when one of her clients ends up dead, and suddenly she's a suspect. The victim just happens to be the ex-wife of the very handsome, brooding Dr. Devon Knightley – as the ex-spouse, Devon is the #1 suspect, until a series of subsequent events makes it clear that someone’s not just targeting the spa – they’re intent on framing Naomi for their crimes. Naomi and Devon join forces to clear their names, but can their fledgling attraction to each other survive the threat that surrounds them?

This is definitely one of the strongest Love Inspired Suspense novels that I’ve read. Camy’s skill for characterization and pacing help make this short and sweet read shine. She also shows a flair for building some real tension and threat into the storyline, an element that’s sometimes lacking in LI Suspense reads that focus too heavily on the “love” part of the brand and not enough on the promised “suspense” element. My one complaint about the book is that it's far too short - but that's the nature of the LI series. Camy gives Naomi and Devon wonderful character arcs - they have some real "baggage" to work through while seeking out the killer and falling in love. This is especially true for Devon, as he starts out as an unbeliever - and this is where I wish the novel had more room develop his character's journey. It seems a tad rushed. However, a strong suspenseful plot, engaging characters, and some sizzling romantic tension make this a fun way to while away a few hours. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more suspense from Camy Tang!