"Alex" by S.M. Shade

There was a lot going on in this book.  Alex is an MMA fighter dealing the sudden death of his lover, the impending execution of his father for killing his mother, homophobic fight opponents, hovering older brothers and their wives, a Hawaiian vacation, unwanted attraction to his straight roommate, roommate's major health scare, and more.  The story was told in the alternating POV of Alex and his roommate, Ian.  The author gave readers lots of angst and partial side stories that could have been pared down a bit.  151 pages (Kindle edition).

"Changing Plans" by L.A. Witt

This well told story deals with a man being left at the altar but taking the honeymoon by himself and finding true happiness.  The book opens with Elliott Chandler stranded in Seattle's snowbound airport waiting to take a solo honeymoon to Hawaii.  While waiting, he meets Derek Windsor, also on the same flight to return to his home after visiting family in Seattle.  Derek has made millions in the tech world and lives in a large house on one of the smaller islands.  He invites Elliott to let him show him around the non-tourist areas, and he agrees.  I can't say much more due to spoilers, but Elliott has the time of his life.  Two-thirds of the story is told from his point of view, while the final third is seen through Derek's eyes.  The author is a great storyteller; I really enjoyed this book.  237 pages (Kindle edition).

Kalaupapa and the Legacy of Father Damien

While in Honolulu for a conference, Scott and I decided to take a little extra time and see some of the sights.One of the most interesting and breathtaking was our stop at Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka'i. Here we learned a little bit about the history of leprosy in Hawaii. Leprosy, along with epidemics including smallpox, cholera, influenza and whooping cough, brought a population change in Hawaii from about 300,000 in 1778 to only 31,000 in 1896. People with leprosy were taken from their homes to Moloka'i in hopes that the spread of the disease could be contained. This book, written by Anwei V. Skinsnes and Richard A. Wisniewski, provides a short history of the disease, its effect on the people, and the hope brought to the Kalaupapa and Kalawao settlements by Father Damien, Mother Marianne Cope, the Sisters of St. Francis, and Brother Joseph Dutton. 72 p.