sexual identity | The Fegins Report

LaShanda Michelle is an author and a playwright. In her free time she enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her family. She is a native of Huntsville, Texas.

Kamilah Wright has a lot on her shoulders for someone entering their senior year of high school. Not only does her mom expect her to raise the other seven children in their home, but she’s also required to turn a blind eye to her father’s infidelity, as well as maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA in order to get the academic scholarship she desperately needs to attend college. To complicate matters even more, she’s also a rape victim. The only person she’s told is her best friend, Eric, whom she’s secretly in love with. Through all of this Kamilah convinces herself that she has everything under control.

That is until she meets Summer Freeman. The beautiful new girl at school, Summer introduces Kamilah to a lifestyle that she’s never known, including fashion, luxury, and alternative viewpoints that conflict with her Christian upbringing. Pretty soon the love she has for her new friend evolves into something more, and Kamilah has to prove which love she will devote herself to. Will she stay in the same sex relationship that feels so right, or will she embrace the faith she didn’t know meant so much to her.

Book Reviewed by Linda Fegins

In Sweeter Than the Honey by LaShanda Michelle Kamilah Wright, is an excellent high school senior, a rape victim with low self-esteem and serves as the housekeeper and surrogate mother for her seven brothers and sisters while her mother works and father comes and goes as he pleases. She holds a long-time crush on her best friend, Eric, and can’t bring herself to tell him her true feelings. Summer Freeman ,is the new girl in school, who turns heads the minute she steps in the door. Eric turns his attention to Summer.

Summer is a free spirit who opens up a whole new world to Kamilah. She opens up Kamilah’s eyes to fashion, make-up and sexuality. Kamilah’s friendship with Summer grows to more than what is acceptable in the church, God’s eyes, Kamilah’s mother and society. She has to make a decision between what the Word of God states according to her Christian upbringing and alternative viewpoints that say that this is an acceptable relationship. Will Summer come to believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ?

LaShanda Michelle with compassion, yet honesty deals with this controversial subject, of young women struggling with their sexual identity. The church, for the most part, does not always, lovingly but firmly, confront the subject of homosexuality in a way where true healing and deliverance can occur. This story should encourage those of us who are ministry leaders and believers to think about how we can address this issue in our churches. LaShanda’s style of writing keeps the readers intrigued.

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