A Bitch for God

Tyler George, a struggling scriptwriter, stumbles on an odd bunch of people in an organization called Manna from Heaven. Then, it is a non-profit organization committed to providing food for AIDS patients. With lots of experience cooking, Tyler soon becomes the chef for the organization. However, the foundation is on shaky ground. It is constantly on the verge of going broke, and workers like Tyler are overworked and underpaid at the job.

The organization is headed by Lakshmi Steinmetz, a deceitful and scheming woman desperate for fame in Hollywood. She manages to keep the organization together by building a religious following, to whom she preaches love and forgiveness. She sees the vulnerability of the AIDS victims and poses as their link to God. The community of Manna from Heaven reeks of corruption and power struggles; no one can be trusted. Along with navigating his role at the organization, Tyler hopes for a successful career as a scriptwriter someday. There is also his tumultuous relationship with Kyle. Will Manna from Heaven survive despite the revolt brewing among members? And will the world finally see Lakshmi for who she is?

Lakshmi Steinmetz, the main antagonist, understood the human need to feel loved and have a connection with God, and she exploited it well. Her character is narcissistic and egocentric. People who are desperate for fame will do anything for fame. In the book, readers would see the selfishness of the characters, such as Jacob, who only cared about their pockets and status and would do anything to stay on top. Then, some characters are dedicated to the success of Manna from Heaven, such as Tyler and Bryce.

There were a bit too many characters in this book, which I didn’t like as I had to keep track of each name. And I felt there were too many things going on in the story—too many other stories apart from the major one—which made it easy to lose focus. Also, I didn’t quite agree with their stance on religion and spirituality, but since it is a work of fiction, it doesn’t matter much. I did like the humor infused into the story with a bit of romance. Somehow, I feel the book shouldn’t have been this long, as some parts weren’t really necessary and only slowed the story.

There are quite a lot of cult groups in the book, so if you like topics like that, you’ll like the book. I recommend A Bitch for God by Clark T. Carlton to fans of fiction with themes of LGBTQ, cultism, spirituality, and celebrity culture.