Top Books Set in Hawaii

 

I'm finally taking part in another Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where I am also a contributor. It's been a while, and I'm pretty sure I've done a similar list of books set in Hawaii for The Broke and the Bookish, but whatever! It's really the only type of book I seek out. Without further ado, here are my top ten picks of books set in Hawaii, in no particular order.

1. Distant Echoes by Colleen Coble. This is the most recent of my Hawaii books, read just a couple weeks ago. Well-rounded characters and a thrilling mystery make for a great read.

2. Mai Tai One On by Jill Marie Landis. I loved this first book in the Tiki Goddess mysteries. These mysteries are funny and set on the beautiful island of Kauai. Plus it has a hilarious group of characters, including the Hula Maidens, a slightly elderly and very mouthy group of hula dancers. The mystery aspect just adds to the fun, even though some people die.

3. Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport. This is the real deal stuff, if you want to learn about the less than idyllic side of paradise. This novel is a look at the most recent history of Hawaii told over seven generations of women. It's a hefty book, but well worth reading.

4. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell. Narrative nonfiction at its best. This is about Hawaii's history, going back to Kamehameha I, up to its current state (pun intended). I learned so much about Hawaiian history and culture from this book, and Vowell's wry humor won me over right away.

5. The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. I found this audiobook at my library and checked it out on a whim. I'm really glad I did. From my perspective, I thought Chiaverini did a great job with showing the tensions between native Hawaiians and the United States, but in a gentle story of healing for one of the Elm Creek quilters spending a few months with a friend on the island of Maui. I learned a lot about the Hawaiian style of quilting too, not that I know anything about regular quilting. I now want to check out the rest of the series, mostly because Christina Moore did such a wonderful job narrating.

6. Calvin Coconut series by Graham Salisbury. Salisbury, as someone who grew up in Hawaii, knows how to express the contemporary Hawaiian culture and the vernacular speech. This series is a great way for kids and adults to see what living on the islands is about, how everyday things are different from the mainland, and the differences and similarities between growing up in Hawaii and wherever the reader is from.

7. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings. This book was good, but I'm actually going to go ahead and say this is one instance where the movie is better. George Clooney was more likable as the character in the movie, since we didn't hear his inner monologue as we did in the book, and really, he is kind of a jerk. But the movie is lovely, and the visuals are stunning.

That's pretty much all I have right now. These aren't all the books I've read set in Hawaii, but I didn't bother putting ones on here that I didn't really like. Plus I know I have a lot of ground to cover! If anyone can think of others they've loved set in Hawaii let me know! I'm all for adding good books to my TBR list.

Book review: "Aloha Rose" by Lisa Cox Carter

Title: Aloha Rose
Author: Lisa Cox Carter
Publisher: Abingdon Press, due out November 2013


One of the latest books in the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Press, we travel to the Big Island, all because of a quilt.

After finally finding her birth family thanks to them recognizing the photograph of a quilt she was found in when she was a baby, Laney flies to the Big Island of Hawaii to meet them, hoping to find a place she can call her forever home. What she doesn't expect is the news that her birth mother is dead, nor the attraction she feels for Kai, adopted into the family after a turbulent childhood of his own. Laney looks for family and acceptance, all while trying to ignore her growing feelings for Kai, who is doing his best to ignore his own feelings for Laney.

This was not the best written book I've ever read, for sure, but if you like the Love Inspired series from Harlequin, this would be a good series to try. It's Christian fiction so there is a lot of that, which I like, but I know not everyone does.

The romance was a bit unbelievable for me; it felt like they fell for each other way too fast, and I would have liked less of the internal monologue of sappiness from both main characters.

Toward the end we got a few nice twists and some action, which were much needed, so all in all it wasn't too bad. I wish there had been a bit more action or exploration of the island, or more development earlier in the book in Laney's relationships with the other newfound members of her family. I don't think I'll be reading other books in this series, but that's just because they're not really my thing.




This book would be completely appropriate for teen readers, considering there is minimal physical romance, just emotional.

Recommended to fans of Christian fiction, romance, and the Love Inspired series from Harlequin.

Disclaimer: I got a copy of this e-galley via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book review: "In Too Deep" by Coert Voorhees

Title: In Too Deep
Author: Coert Voorhees
Publisher: Disney Book Group; July 9, 2013

This is a good old-fashioned treasure-hunting adventure. Well, maybe not exactly old-fashioned. Annie is an expert scuba diver, seeing as how her mother owns a dive shop in Los Angeles, and she is way into the historical treasures that have been lost over the centuries, thanks to her history teacher and treasure loving father. These two things lead Annie to an adventure she never dreamed she could be a part of. During a spring break trip to Mexico, her teacher who also happens to be a part-time treasure hunter enlists her help in finding the Golden Jaguar, a mythical golden statue that was said to have been lost centuries ago and was purportedly hidden by Cortes. Annie eventually finds herself on a secret treasure hunt with her super huge (and super rich) crush, Josh, son of an Oscar-winning actress—and trying to stay one step ahead of dangerous men who want the jaguar even more than they do.

While I was reading this book, I eventually came to the conclusion that I felt like I was reading a book version of a Disney original movie. It had that playfulness I associate with those cheesy movies, and the dialogue was pretty similar as well, though it might have been a bit funnier and wittier. I found myself chuckling a few times at some of the things Annie or her friends say.

If you like traveling through literature, this is a nice choice to take a quick vacation. They hit Mexico, Hawaii, and go up and down the coast of California, all while looking for clues to this treasure. I could have used more description of setting, but I'm greedy like that when it comes to Hawaii. Side note: I am kind of upset that they went to Molokai and there is only a passing reference to the fact that the island was a leper colony for years. Voorhees had the opportunity to talk about real history and decided to forgo it for "history" that is most likely largely fabricated.

This is pretty fast-paced with a cute little romance, helped along by enormous amounts of money. Annie is not rich herself, but her friends are all either in show business or related to someone in show business. Funds eventually become unlimited, leaving plenty of room for the action to progress without a financial hitch. Not exactly believable in most circumstances, but after all we're reading about treasure hunters and what I guess you could call pirates, so I'm already fine with suspending my disbelief.

If you want a cute, action-adventure rom-com, especially one set in sunny and exotic locales, give this one a shot.

Disclosure: I got this e-book via NetGalley.

Audiobook Review: "Unfamiliar Fishes" by Sarah Vowell

Title: Unfamiliar Fishes
Author: Sarah Vowell
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, 2011 (print available from Riverhead Trade)
Narrator: Sarah Vowell

Have you ever wondered how the United States came to acquire Hawaii? Do you know anything about the history of the last state to join the country? Sarah Vowell, in her typical sarcastically funny and intelligent fashion, takes us through the history of this chain of islands that have been through so much. From the ancient Hawaiians, to the missionaries that first stepped on the shores, to President McKinley making Hawaii officially part of the United States, Vowell tells us all about the dynamic history of Hawaii.

How have I made it this far in my life without reading one of Sarah Vowell's books? This book is fantastic. I loved Vowell's voice; she puts herself into the story as much as all of the historical figures and events, and the story is richer for it. We start with her contemplating her plate lunch, and how all these different cultures are together on one plate in Hawaii. She launches into the history and culture, both past and present. Her biting comments, quirky choice of words, and funny asides kept me listening and eager to hear more.

I picked up this audiobook because my fiance and I are going to Hawaii for our honeymoon, and I wanted to know more about it. Plus, I've heard great things about Vowell. I wasn't disappointed. Not only did I learn a great deal about the history and culture, but I was entertained throughout it with Vowell's unique style of writing. I was kind of surprised at how much I didn't know about the islands, though I suppose I shouldn't have been. We don't learn this stuff in school, and I had no reason to learn about it before this. Not that that's an excuse, but my interest was piqued when I learned I'd actually be going there.

A note on the audio edition: At first I was completely turned off by Vowell's voice. It was whinier than I was expecting. But I got used to it, and eventually started to really like how she narrated her writing in deadpan and in a conversational way. I would definitely listen to another one of her audiobooks, and most likely will. I can't wait to get my hands on Vowell's other work.

Disclosure: I got this from the library.