When Lex Sakai's young relative gets married, Lex becomes the oldest single cousin left---and prime prey for her matchmaking grandmother. Lex is on the lookout herself, using guidelines from the Book of Ephesians---but the only guy who seems interested isn't athletic, employed, or even Christian! How could he be the one? 352 pages, softcover from Zondervan.
Lex Sakai never had time for dating until her crafty grandmother insisted she bring a date to her cousin’s wedding. The always-in-control Lex uses Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man … but God seems to have a much more unlikely candidate in mind.
This perky debut chick lit novel by Tang gently pokes fun at Asian culture and
the life of Christian singles. Lex Sakai is a 30-year-old single
Asian-American volleyball coach whose control-freak grandmother is determined
to fix her up with a man. Lex is more passionate about making a prestigious
volleyball team than dating one of her grandmother's candidates. Although a
secret in Lex's past makes romance difficult, she has a six-point list from
the biblical book of Ephesians detailing the "godly man" she wants. Disaster,
of course, is right around the corner. The sassy narrative is solid chick lit,
with all the requisite chatter about boobs, yummy food, body type, finding a
guy and loser dates. Amid the nice touches of humor are some trouble spots:
more food and drink are spilled in the first 100 pages than belong in a whole
novel, and Lex's ultimate leading man is a foregone conclusion. The idea that
her grandma would penalize Lex's young volleyball team because she doesn't
have a boyfriend is a weak plot element. Although some of the content would
feel stereotyped if written by a non-Asian (Lex refers to Asians as her
"yella-fellas"), it's still refreshing to have Tang's voice in Christian
fiction. (Sept.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
8 of 31 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by William Kelley (Olympia), March 24, 2009
This book is a must!! What a graceful witness. Through the honesty of feelings shared and humility of the characters testimony, evolving through the pages, this is a must read! It will be a balm to a hurting heart, and a lift to a sagging walk
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jolene (Malaysia), February 24, 2009
This book is very easy reading, extremely entertaining, so uplifting and totally hilarious!! There were many times when my husband would stop me and demand to know why I was laughing so hard.
I found myself rooting for the main character (Lex), silently cheering her on and encouraging her to trust in our Heavenly Father. The plot is great and the conversations very real (I'm Chinese, I understand and appreciate all the Chinese/Asian humour, and I'm a girl so I immediately felt connected to Lex).
Most of all this book leaves you wanting more!
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lainee (Dallas, TX), February 14, 2009
Sushi For One was a very good read! I was hooked right from the beginning, and read the whole book in about 2 hours. I really liked reading about Asian culture as it wasn't something I was familiar with. Camy Tang did a great job on this book and I can't wait to read the stories about the rest of the cousins!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Tarasview (Canada), February 02, 2009
I love Sushi for One! I found it to be a very enjoyable read. Camy Tang writes very well and the story drew me in right away. I am not very familiar with Asian culture so I also enjoyed learning more through the eyes of the main character.
I thoroughly enjoyed Camy's characters. I think she did an amazing job of helping the reader "get to know" them and their idiosyncrasies. If you are looking for a great read give Camy Tang's Sushi for One a try! You won't be sorry!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Tina (Philippines), February 01, 2009
I'm a big fan of chick lit, and I'm really glad to have picked up Camy's Sushi series. In Sushi for One?, there was so much happening in the story that I felt like I was watching a TV series. I couldn’t let the book go because of all the enjoyable characters and scenes — Lex’s very annoying grandmother, her silly brother who keeps on setting her up with every guy he meets, Aiden, the silent observer and her physical therapist, Mimi, the flirtier cousin and her three closest cousins and friends, Trish, Venus and Jenn. Even if there was a lot happening, everything went well together and was somehow significant as the story goes on.
Lex reminded me of myself, and consequently, my other character in my 2006 NaNoWriMo novel, Rain. She was such a control freak, and I knew that if I was thrown into her position (thank God for not having a grandmother like hers!), I would probably be doing the same thing. I felt sorry for her when she lost everything, and sympathized even more when the people she trusted to be there left her alone. As the praise on the back of the book said, I definitely started rooting for Lex until the very end, which was indeed very satisfying.
The faith issue in the novel is melded quite well. I loved the scene where Lex finally surrendered — it gave me tears when I re-read the part and realized what was really happening. And I’m definitely curious about how the Christ painting looked like. I bet I’d be crying like a baby once I saw it. The ending felt a bit rushed with all the events that happened one after the other, but it was still a nice wrap-up. Sushi for One? is such a fun book, and it inspired me to continue writing my own chick lit.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Sheri Boeyink (Peoria, AZ), September 18, 2008
I was entertained and challenged after the first few pages. Hooked right away. I read it in two days. It made me laugh, but yet warmed my heart with the emotion and faith.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Stacey (Las Vegas, NV), May 17, 2008
"Sushi For One?", Camy Tang's freshman "sushi series" novel, is amazing! Camy is witty and intelligent with a sparkling personality, and this comes through in her writing. I can almost see her character's quirky relatives at my own family reunions only with a more European appearance.
Lex has some issues. The least of which is certainly not her grandmother, who wants her to be married. When grandma tells her to have a boyfriend by the time her cousin gets married, Lex must find a man to bring to the wedding who will pass grandma's scrutinous inspection. If Lex fails, grandma will stop sponsoring the junior high girls volleyball team that Lex coaches.
This book made me laugh so hard! It also made me cry. The writing style is wonderful - I sat down and read over 100 pages in almost no time. I will definitely look for more books by Camy Tang!
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Stephanie (North Carolina), April 18, 2008
I hesitated to start this series because I had read several reviews that claimed it was shallow and all about yummy food, body type, and bad dates. But what can I say--this book tempted me like a good dose of chocolate, I gave in, and I'm glad I did. I'm not really a tomboy, so I didn't think Lex would be someone I could identify with, but she's a well-developed, sweet, sassy girl worth rooting for, and Aiden is, in many ways, her perfect match. I also found myself empathizing with Lex during the physical therapy scenes, having been through a lot of those for most of my life due to a disability--although thank goodness none of my therapists were as tough as Aiden! :) The family dynamics are great, also, and despite the whole "yummy food" criticism, I actually enjoyed hearing about the ins and outs of Asian-American cookery and culture. My only criticism is that Lex's Ephesians List seems to be quite a stretch when compared to what Ephesians actually says, but on the other hand, it does keep Lex from being a goody-goody or phony about her faith. When I finished this one, I was more than ready to go back for seconds!
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