My reviews for the Novel Travel Quest will combine travel & reading so there is a focus on the country the book is set in as well as the story itself.
π Date Completed: 1 May, 2021
π This is my first book by the author
Random Tidbit: I attended a show a couple of years ago that featured songs and dances from Polynesian culture which sparked my interest in this unique culture
THE COUNTRY
πΊπΈ USA | Hawaii
At a glance
(Source: CIA The World Factbook)
- Country Size: 9,833,517 sq km
- Population Size: 334,998,398 (July 2021 est)
- Capital: Washington, DC
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THE STORY
Hawaiian Masquerade by Rachelle Christensen
AKA the book that inspired me to try something new
Story Rating | 4 β
Travel Rating | 5 βοΈ (Ready to fly!)
- Summary in 3 words/phrases: Charming | Thought-provoking | Tropical π΄
- Sentence Summary: The characters in this story are all unique & interesting and come together in a variety of scenarios that can challenge the reader to examine his/her real mindsets and attitudes
- One Thing I Liked on the Cover: The gorgeous mask
- I Now Want to Visit: Hanahapi’ai Beach
- I’m Encouraged to: try new hobbies (& ponder on some questions)
More Highlights
May include spoilers
- My favorite character: Lexi- although she’s extremely wealthy, she’s also incredibly down to earth. In addition, she has a big heart as evidenced in how she used her wealth to help others in need and those she cares about. There were so many examples of this in the story from flying her best friend to Hawaii, replacing Derek’s camera to helping Jefe and his family. Her caring and selflessness is what stayed with me long after I completed the story
- My favorite funny moment: The interaction between Pika and Gracie were lighthearted and especially funny with the sea turtle reference when Pika & Gracie were introduced
- One Thing that Stood Out: The amount of money you have has very little to do with who you are as a person in terms of your values
- Something New I Learnt: Cadmium red is a paint color π
- One Thing I Found Unique: Having a female billionaire as the main character was definitely unusual as it’s more common to read about male millionaires and billionaires.
- Favorite Quote: I’m living now, and life is beautiful. I never noticed before how simple things can bring such joy.
- Favorite Scene: Although the overall scene was sad as Derek lost his camera, the initial portion of the date was heartwarming. Also, I loved how proactive Lexi was in trying to help Derek recover his camera, by begging the random divers she saw to search for the camera
- Aww Moment: When Lexi saved Derek at the auction by bidding 1 million dollars. It truly shows her attitude towards money- Lexi has money, it certainly doesn’t have her
- Special Mention: Although Shawn is a minor character, his attitude towards Lexi as he continued to support her despite his personal disappointment really stood out for me
Virtual Visit | Hawaii, USA
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Lastly, what are some of your favorite stories that are based in the USA?.