Aloha! Today is the 7th anniversary of my blog! I created SOS Aloha six months after moving to Pearl Harbor - it became a means for me to remain connected to Romance Land! I thank Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer, for encouraging me then - and now - to find my own voice. I also appreciate the endless support offered by romance authors Anne Elizabeth and Cathy Maxwell. I was honored that Pamela Clare asked me to review BREAKING POINT - my first full length review on SOS Aloha (link).
I would not be here without the readers, too! I still correspond with some of my first followers - Dani, Jane, Debby, Gale, and many more.
To celebrate my blog anniversary, I recommend books and films from my beloved Hawaii ...
Kauai, the Garden Isle, is home of romance author Jill Marie Landis, who gives readers a taste of Kauai life in MAI TAI ONE ON, Book 1 (of 4) in the Tiki Goddess Mystery series. Read my review here. Also check out her novella, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, at this link.
When cocky, young surfing champion David Monroe wipes out on a big wave, he slips back in time to 1911 Hawai`i. Washing up on Waikiki beach, he discovers the true spirit of surfing when he is befriended by a young Hawaiian beachboy not yet known to the world - the future Olympic and surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
THE RIDE is a nostalgic escape into surfing, a coming of age for a cocky surfer, and a romance across time. Rent it from Netflix at this link. I also recommend THE DESCENDANTS with George Clooney and PRINCESS KAIULANI with Q'orianka Kilcher - both are set on Oahu and refer to Hawaiian royalty.
UH Professor Chip Hughes launched the Surfing Detective mystery series with MURDER ON MOLOKA'I - read my review at this link. I've enjoyed the other books in the series - WIPEOUT (Oahu), KULA (Maui), and MURDER AT VOLCANO HOUSE (Big Island of Hawaii).
Dee DeTarsio takes readers on a wild ride when a weather girl returns home to Maui, the Valley Isle, in HAOLE WOOD. No sooner does Jaswinder bail out her grandmother for pakalolo (marijuana) than she finds herself becoming a suspect in an island murder. Aided by oversized guardian angel who loves ketchup, Jaswinder soon learns that home was always in her heart. Check out my review at this link.
On the other side of Maui, Gina Robinson exploits every tourist trap and spy stereotype in THE SPY WHO LEFT ME. Check out my review at this link.
The Big Island of Hawaii offers a diverse landscape, from snowy mountain top to black sand beaches. In between are the ranches where paniolo - cowboys - are kings. Enter Shana Gray with COWBOY IN PARADISE, released earlier this week. It is next in my TBR pile - review to come!
Hawaii's ninth island is ... Las Vegas! Sin City is the No. 1 vacation destination for Hawaiians ... and home of a mini statue of King Kamehameha along the Strip. Lori Wilde rolls the dice in LICENSED TO THRILL,
Wilde's fast-paced, steamy, and humorous novel follows beautiful, wisecracking Las Vegas P.I. Charlee Champagne, hired by uptight banker Mason Gentry to find his grandfather, who's on the lam with the family fortune.
I read LICENSED TO THRILL long before I posted reviews on my blog ... so I will have to reread to share my thoughts on this laugh out loud romantic comedy with you!
I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,
1. What were you doing seven years ago? Can you recommend any books or films from Hawaii or Las Vegas?
2. Comments are open through Sunday, March 5, 10 pm in Baltimore.
3. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 6.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU!!!
ReplyDelete7 years ago I was still working, now I just do relief work when I feel like it. Yay!!
RIDE THE WILD SURF was a great favorite. They used to play it on TV at least once a year.
Congratulations on meeting another milestone for this blog!
ReplyDeleteI was still going to school seven years ago
Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!! Seven years ago I was working at an used bookstore which closed 3 years ago.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo!! Congrats on seven awesome years! I adore finding new books through you and hearing your thoughts on tv shows/movies, etc. Don't stop! :) Seven years ago I had moved into a new house and just had my 4th kid. Wow, time flies!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Kim on 7 great years. I had just moved seven years ago into my apt. I became a grandma twice when my daughter and DIL gave birth within a couple of months. Thanks for having one of the most interesting and informative blogs around.
ReplyDeleteCarol Luciano
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
loops, forgot. I think of Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii and Viva Las Vegas when thinking of Hawaii & Las Vegas. 😊
DeleteCarol L
Big congratulations on 7 years. Us readers are the lucky ones! My first thoughts were Hawaii by Michener and for movies Blue Hawaii and Viva Las Vegas. I wasn't doing much 7 years ago lol. Now I work part-time. Sadly, I did get to read a lot more then.
ReplyDeleteI was just retired and starting to read a lot more! And taking care of my mom whose health was in decline.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogoversary, Kim. Can't think of anything about 7 years ago at the top of my head. One of my favorite movies Forgetting Sarah Marshall is set in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteGot you have really gotten old while I stayed young what is with that?
ReplyDeleteYou and I have inspired each other and seen one another through the best and worst of times but I will never forget us meeting in line at RT in Daytona Beach. We became instant friends and I always enjoy your blog, books, and reviews.
I don't even remember 7 years ago. LOL. I love the movie Honeymoon in Vegas! Flying Elvis'!
ReplyDeleteSeven years ago I was in the midst of putting an addition with a new kitchen on my house - quite an experience!
ReplyDeleteLicense to Thrill! There's a blast from the past. I remember liking that one too. I think it's in my "old reviews" folder which I have slowly (very slowly) been reposting to my blog.
ReplyDeleteHawaii books - HelenKay Dimon had a series for Kensington Brava, Men of Hawaii. I haven't read all of them, but I really enjoyed Holding Out for a Hero and Impulsive.
Congratulations on 7 years!!!
Congrats on 7 years!! That's awesome :-) And thanks for mentioning The Spy Who Left Me!
ReplyDeleteDecendants with Mr. Clooney. and congrats on 7 years. I was here in NY 7 years ago.
ReplyDeleteJust working , reading books
ReplyDeleteKimh
Congrats on 7
Congrats. I was still teaching seven years ago and I had my youngest in Virginia Tech. I do remember Thirty Days to Win His Wife.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Kim. It's a pleasure reading with you. Seven years is a long time to look back, so I'll go with the book recs. Deborah Coonts has a fun mystery-with- romance series set in Las Vegas, featuring heroine (and casino honcho) Lucky O'Toole.
ReplyDeleteHappy 7th Anniversary Kim!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any amazing Hawaii or Vegas books off the top of my head. Seven years ago, I had a horrible job scoring the essay portion of one of the required state exams. We had to ignore errors in spelling and grammar and look at the 'holistic' essay.
7 years ago, I was getting over the loss of a job I loved. When the director retired, she warned me that a couple of board members were going to take over and they did.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 7. Heres to 7 more and 7 more and 7 more.
ReplyDeleteWorking at same job, raising our daughter, reading. Same ole Same ole. LOL. Went to Hawaii on our honeymoon, TV show called Vegas years ago with Josh Dumael. Cannot remember a book I read Hawaii themed. Descendants - movie in Hawaii.
Karen T.
I have no idea what I was doing 7 years ago. LOL. But I wish you a very happy 7th Anniversay and here is to many many more.
ReplyDeletepattyb43coral@gmail.com