Looking for the next epic fantasy to read? How about a Hawaiian epic fantasy? There aren’t very many books about Hawaii written by Hawaiians, and I want to change that. My debut novel, Aloha State of Mind, came out in September 2021, and I’m happy to now announce my first ever Hawaiian epic fantasy novel.
It’s finally here, with characters from an ancient Hawaiian island, Kaimana Island. If you love young adult literature, characters you relate with, Hawaii, and adventure, this is for you! This post will cover everything you need to know about my newest novel!
The Title
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, and there isn’t much behind the scenes about the title, but here it is!
Rise of the Manō
I definitely wanted (and needed) the word manō in there, which means “shark” in Hawaiian. You will learn more about why it’s called this when you read the book! 🙂
The Genre
Rise of the Manō is a young adult epic fantasy. It is inspired by Hawaiian legends, folklore, and mythology.
So if you love:
- HAWAII
- Flawed, young adult protagonists
- Mythology and folklore
- Themes of friendship, loyalty, and trust
- Convincing villains
- Magical creatures (yes, this includes mermaids!)
- Adventure
- The Hawaiian culture
- Sharks
Then you will enjoy this book!
The Actual Blurb
With that said, here is the blurb, the one that goes on the back of the book. 🙂
The alchemist, the messenger, and the true king must join together and destroy soran, the island’s ancient pools of long life and immunity. Will the three heroes put aside their differences to unify, or will they fall apart, along with the rest of the island?
Nohea will do anything to keep her loved ones from dying, but she is forced to watch as her fellow slaves succumb to illnesses and infections. Enraged by her inability to help, Nohea vows to find a cure, a remedy that could change the future of Kaimana island.
Little does she know that there is a cure… but it comes with a price, a heavy price. With a turn of the tides, Nohea finds herself wound up in politics, deceit, and betrayal. Rumors spread that a true ali‘i (king) of Kaimana Island is rising, one who will bring peace and balance to the island. Will Nohea listen to the promptings of her heart and follow him, losing all that she’s worked for, or pursue the course she vowed to follow?
Fans of young adult fantasy, magical folklore, and ancient mythology will be dazzled by the Kaimana Island Duology, a new epic fantasy set in an ancient Hawaiian world.
The Cover
I created a very simple cover and announced on my instagram about this book. But… I didn’t LOVE the first cover. It didn’t convey the genre I needed it to. So… I created a new cover and here it is (if you want to see the old one, check it out on instagram). I love it so much! What are your thoughts? I’d love to know in the comments! 🙂
When does the book come out?
The ebook is available now and the paperback is coming soon!
You can get the book here: Amazon or check out these other purchase options. 🙂
But wait, there’s more! Get some swag!
If you preorder the book, or order a paperback or ebook between January 19, 2022-January 29, 2022, you can get a cool swag pack! All you have to do is email me a screen shot of your order confirmation and an address that I can send the swag to. The swag pack includes:
- A signed bookplate by the author (me)
- A manō (shark) vinyl sticker
- “Rise of the Manō” Bookmark
- 4 x 7 Character art
- Map of Kaimana Island
To get your swag pack, either preorder the ebook before January 20, 2022, or order an ebook or paperback between January 19-29, 2022. Send me a screenshot of your order confirmation, along with your address, to naturallyaloha(at)gmail.com. And then I will send you the swag packet!
What are your thoughts?
Are you as excited as I am? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 🙂 I continue to learn things each time I launch a new book. While a Hawaiian epic fantasy might not be your thing, this is something I’m very excited about. I hope people will be inspired by this book and appreciate the representation, mythology, legends, and character growth. And, like all my other articles, I want to leave you with a little bit of my mana’o (thoughts).
Ho’ohana. Do meaningful work. Not everyone will like what you create or put out, and that’s ok. If it brings you joy, if you feel like you are fulfilling your life mission and purpose, something God has inspired you to do, then that’s what matters. People will judge either way. They’ll like you or not, and it’s OK. Because you are doing what you’re meant to do, and you’re enjoying every bit of it. That’s how I feel with this book and putting it into the world.
If you made it to the end of this article, we must be best friends. MAHALO NUI LOA for your aloha and support. I hope you’ll consider getting my new book and swim along the journey! 🦈
With aloha,
Lei
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I love reading about different cultures and their mythologies. I jumped at the chance to read this because i havent seen hawaiian fantasy and i love fantasy. So I ordered it. Read it. Enjoyed it. Now. The problem. Where is book 2 ? 😭😂.
I appreciate nohea. Did she drive me crazy? A bit. But understandably and realistically so. I dont think you go from being a slave with a complicated mother daughter relationship to an independent strong woman making out of the box choices- at least not quickly and smoothly. I thought the curse between the king and her was interesting but kinda confusing. Where was it in the first half of the book? Did it only take effect after her mom died? Or change in some way? Can she feel when he takes soran?
I totally though fire knives would make an appearance in that battle and have some surprising results. Now to give it to my artist children so they come up with some fan art. I am fascinated by Mo’o stories. Not a huge romance fan so we’ll see how that would go.
Definitely invested in the characters. Love Po. Think he’s my favorite. I love his appreciation for his family at the end.
I definitely want to know when book 2 comes out
Aloha Brit!
Mahalo for your thoughtful and thorough comment about “Rise of the Mano!” I smiled when I read your reaction to the book! Where is book 2? It is written but needs to be edited before I put it out. 😉 I truly appreciate your comment because when “Rise of the Mano” was first published, it took off very slowly and I wasn’t sure if people would be interested. But your comment, in addition to others who have reached out about the book, have encouraged me to get back to book 2! I can’t promise it will come out this year because I do have a very busy release schedule for another genre. However, I may do a cover reveal this year for “Wrath of the Mo’o.” We’ll see!
I’m so glad you liked the characters. And thanks for taking it easy on Nohea too. It didn’t seem realistic to me to make her a hero right away, but she matured and grew by the end of the book. I love Po too!
If you’d like to keep updated on my books, you can sign up for my newsletter! Mahalo again for taking the time to comment. I would so appreciate if you left a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased the book. Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Lei
I am also waiting for book two😍🥺
Alona Weronika!
Book 2 will come out sometime this year. You can follow me on social media (instagram @ladyleialoha) to stay updated, or sign up for my newsletter. I can’t wait! Thanks for your comment–I can’t wait for Book 2! 😀
Sincerely,
Leialoha