Review: Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 400

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected.

When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.

Kritters Thoughts:  Lana Hitchcock left her home to go to the Big Island when she finds out her dad's health has taken a turn for the worse.  As she lands, she finds out she is too late and he has left clues for her that she finds as Pearl Harbor is taking place and these clues will help her with her future.  

Lana was an amazing character to follow.  She was true and honest and not perfect which I appreciated.  I loved her natural flaws and the ups and downs she took in this book.  She really leapt from only caring for herself to really caring for three children and an older gentleman and in extreme circumstances.  

I have said this often on this blog, but my favorite thing about historical fiction is the ability to learn something new but in a fun and enjoyable way.  I have read a few books and seen a movie or two about the events of Pearl Harbor, but I didn't know about the time in Hawaii specifically after the events.  And I didn't know about the Japanese population specifically in Hawaii.  I know there are stories about that population and the affects of these events on them in California and other states, but to hear about them in this particular state was really interesting as Pearl Harbor happened in their backyard and I also wasn't aware of the size of the population that lived in that state.  

This book was one of those historical fiction books that a reader can get swept up in character, time and place and get transported and forget everything for a few hours.  I honestly read this book in one day in a few increments and I couldn't believe how quickly I read it completely.  

This was my first Sara Ackerman read and I am excited to see she has a bit of a backlist for me to dive into while I wait for her next release!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

  Ebook 2020 Challenge: 48 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.