Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Release Day! Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten and a Giveaway!

Happy Release Day!!


29020850

Walking Sam

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Kindle Edition
Published: March 29th 2016 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

From the author of the heartwarming romances, Sara's Promise and Memories comes this new delightful, heartfelt romance.

Love isn’t always a walk in the park…

Ryan Collier has lived a quiet life with his golden retriever, Sam, and two orange tabbies since the death of his wife nearly three years ago. His friends and family are encouraging him to move on and find someone to share his life with, but Ryan feels he’ll never find anyone he’ll love as much as his wife. Ryan reluctantly starts going out on weekends, and soon finds that not only have women changed, but also the rules of dating. He’s longing for a fulfilling relationship but everyone he meets only want one-night stands. Then, Kristen moves in next door and he finds they have a lot in common. There’s only one problem—she’s not available.

Kristen Foster craves a peaceful place to call home. With her stressful job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse and a failed marriage behind her, she doesn’t want any more drama in her life. Then her casual boyfriend—a surgeon—proposes to her. And she finds that the widower next door is a thirty-something, handsome man who seems to have his choice of young women every weekend. His only redeeming quality is his beautiful dog, Sam. But as she gets to know Ryan, Kristen is drawn to him. She finds herself struggling to choose between the dependable surgeon or the man she believes is the neighborhood playboy.

Can Sam’s furry charm bring Ryan and Kristen together?

Walking Sam is a heartwarming story of two people who have to let go of the past in order to see what’s right in front of them.


I read Walking Sam and I fell in love with Sam, Ryan, and Kristen. I have read all of Deanna's books and I think this one is one of her best. I loved watching the beautiful relationship grow between these 2 people and Sam, the dog.

You can read the rest of my thoughts here.

About the author


Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna discovered the world of self-publishing and published three novels she'd written over the years. After that, she was hooked.

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soulmates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter


Deanna is offering a $25 Amazon gift card to the winner.
Thank you so much, Deanna!
And happy release day to Walking Sam!



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Monday, March 28, 2016

Book Blast: EDGE, Limited Edition Paranormal Boxed Set, Only $.99, and a Giveaway!

Edge cover

Limited Edition Paranormal Boxed Set

20 New York Times, USA Today, and 
International Bestselling Authors.

20 of today’s most magical, sought-after titles.

Yours for only $0.99.

Twenty Edgy Young Adult 
& New Adult Paranormal Tales

Twenty of today's favorite young adult and new adult authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!

But reader beware: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afraid to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.


Pre-Order it today to save over fifty dollars from the cost of purchasing each book individually!

Last Chance to Pre-order!

Edge 99 cents

What's Inside?

Edge Covers


New York Times Bestselling Author

Riley J Ford, INTO YOU - What if you could know exactly what your friends are thinking? High school student Winter Reynolds can, but there's a catch... She can only read people's thoughts when she's kissing them.

USA Today Bestselling Authors

Rebecca Hamilton, THE FOREVER GIRL - When a spell Sophia casts goes wrong, her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

JC Andrijeski, THE CULLING - Jet grew up free, hiding out on Earth after it was conquered by an alien species, but now she might learn about her alien overlords the hard way.

Apryl Baker, THE PROMISE - Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ save the town from a maniacal coven leader, still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous, and somehow survive the darkness?

Angela Fristoe, WAKEN - If Janie hopes to survive the people of Everod, she'll need to confront who and what she really is.

April Aasheim, THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A DEMON - What's a nice girl to do when she develops horns...and a hunger?

Angel Lawson, WRAITH - Classmates think Jane Watt's is a freak, but she knows her best friend, Evan is real and needs her, even if he's dead.

Katie Salidas, PRETTY LITTLE WEREWOLF - This little werewolf is looking for her fur-ever home.

International Bestselling Authors

Sarah Dalton, MARY HADES - Mary has a special relationship with the spirit world -- a connection that brings her face to face with her worst nightmares...

Debbie Herbert, CHANGELING - A wannabe witch who sucks at spells must find her inner magic to nab a pixie serial killer.

Shalini Boland, HIDDEN - When Maddy inherits a mansion, she also inherits something sinister in the basement. Falling in love has never been so dangerous.

Eva Chase, CAUGHT IN THE GLOW - Assigned to protect a hot indie rocker from demons, the secret he's keeping puts Avery's heart and his soul on the line.

Rachel McClellan, FRACTURED LIGHT - Discovering the strength of her power may cost Llona her life.

Kimberly Loth, KISSED - Three Boys. Two Kisses. One Devastating Choice.

Shannon Eckrich, OTHER SIDE OF FOREVER - Forever is only a portal away.

H.D. Gordon, SHOOTING STARS - A tale of star-crossed lovers and magic.

Stacy Claflin, SAVED BY A VAMPIRE - A new vampire must face something more ancient, powerful, and deadly than she ever imagined...

Marissa Farrar, TWISTED DREAMS - Upon starting college, half-vampire Elizabeth hadn't expected to happen upon a travelling carnival, or sexy, dare-devil biker.

Cindy Thomas, BECKON ME - Her heart...and her soul are on the line.

Award Winning Author

Laxmi Hariharan, THE MANY LIVES OF RUBY IYER - To become herself, Ruby must turn her back on everything she ever knew.

Amazon Pre-order

add to goodreads

50_Amazon_Paypal

Blog Tour Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/5/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



It's Monday! What Are You Reading? March 28, 2016


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Click on the book image to read more on Goodreads.

What I'm currently reading/listening to

15808372
The Wisdom of Hair
by Kim Boykin
This is my next book club pick. It should be a fun read.

17267191
Better Off Dead in Deadwood (Deadwood #4)
by Ann Charles
(audiobook)
Love this Deadwood series!

What I recently finished

Mimi Plus Two 
by Whitney Dineen
Hilarious and entertaining! My thoughts will be posted soon.

Gracie's Song
Gracie's Song
by Michelle Schlicher
Wonderful! My thoughts will be posted soon.

What I am going to read next

25457240
The Word Game
by Steena Holmes

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?


Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Any Star Trek fans out there? I've got a question for you.

So, if you follow The Book Bag at all, you know I post a Book Spotlight Giveaway every week. Some of the books are mine that I have admitted I will never get read or that I might have duplicate copies of. I also have some that were given to me by my daughter, after she admitted that she will never get them read.

Well -- our tastes in books are somewhat different. She reads more mystery, Sci-fi, etc. She is also a huge Star Trek fan but she has given up 3 of her Star Trek books.

My question to you is, are you guys interested in these books? They are totally different from what I read or review here and not at all what you would typically find on The Book Bag. Should I do a Book Spotlight Giveaway for them, or just find something else to do with them? Like I said, they don't interest me and I am just not sure what you, my followers, think of Star Trek.

What do you think? Here they are. 

217714
The Ashes of Eden (Star Trek: Odyssey #1)
by William Shatner

Mosaic (Star Trek: Voyager)
Mosaic (Star Trek: Voyager)
by Jeri Taylor

422952
The Secrets of Star Trek: Insurrection
by Terry J. Erdmann

I was thinking of giving all 3 books away as one deal. 3 books/1 winner. 

Leave a comment - Yes or No


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Saturday, March 26, 2016

Book Spotlight Giveaway! Winter Street (Winter #1) by Elin Hilderbrand


The book I am offering this week is one that I discovered I had two copies. I have read one of Elin's books, Barefoot and loved it. I have quite a few others of her's on my TBR list. Someday! This one I am giving away is hardcover, ex-library book so it does have library markings on it but it is great condition.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Winter Street

Winter Street

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
Series: (Winter #1)
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published October 14th 2014 by Little, Brown and Company

In bestseller Elin Hilderbrand's first Christmas novel, a family gathers on Nantucket for a holiday filled with surprises.

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. Patrick, the eldest, is a hedge fund manager with a guilty conscience. Kevin, a bartender, is secretly sleeping with a French housekeeper named Isabelle. Ava, a school teacher, is finally dating the perfect guy but can't get him to commit. And Bart, the youngest and only child of Kelley's second marriage to Mitzi, has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines.

As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn.

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.


About the author

elin hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.

Connect with Elin


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Friday, March 25, 2016

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten: My Thoughts

29020850
Walking Sam

Walking Sam by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Kindle Edition
Expected publication: March 29th 2016 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

From the author of the heartwarming romances, Sara's Promise and Memories comes this new delightful, heartfelt romance.

Love isn’t always a walk in the park…

Ryan Collier has lived a quiet life with his golden retriever, Sam, and two orange tabbies since the death of his wife nearly three years ago. His friends and family are encouraging him to move on and find someone to share his life with, but Ryan feels he’ll never find anyone he’ll love as much as his wife. Ryan reluctantly starts going out on weekends, and soon finds that not only have women changed, but also the rules of dating. He’s longing for a fulfilling relationship but everyone he meets only want one-night stands. Then, Kristen moves in next door and he finds they have a lot in common. There’s only one problem—she’s not available.

Kristen Foster craves a peaceful place to call home. With her stressful job as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse and a failed marriage behind her, she doesn’t want any more drama in her life. Then her casual boyfriend—a surgeon—proposes to her. And she finds that the widower next door is a thirty-something, handsome man who seems to have his choice of young women every weekend. His only redeeming quality is his beautiful dog, Sam. But as she gets to know Ryan, Kristen is drawn to him. She finds herself struggling to choose between the dependable surgeon or the man she believes is the neighborhood playboy.

Can Sam’s furry charm bring Ryan and Kristen together?

Walking Sam is a heartwarming story of two people who have to let go of the past in order to see what’s right in front of them.


Pre-order now!

My thoughts about Walking Sam ~~

(I am going to start noting here the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their great first line.)

First line—"Ryan Collier awoke in the darkened bedroom to feel the warm breath hitting his face."

Oh my, I don't know where to start, other than to say that I should have started this book on the weekend. Once I got started reading it, I didn't want to stop! I loved it! I felt so very comfortable with the characters in this wonderful book that I never wanted to leave them. Ryan and Kristen are people that I wish I knew in my life.

They are both such caring, down to earth, loving people but they are both dealing with loss. Ryan's wife passed away very suddenly 3 years ago and he's having a really hard time letting go of her memory. Kristen was divorced 2 years ago and is currently in a relationship ... when it's convenient for him. Kristen moves in next door to Ryan and they forge a very comfortable, easy friendship, largely due to Ryan's dog Sam, who take an immediate liking to Kristen. See, even the dog knows a nice person when she meets one.

Deanna writes very descriptively throughout the book and because of her descriptions of the people, places and events, I was able to feel like I was a part of the story. Their emotions, love, and friendship became just as important to me as they did to Ryan and Kristen themselves.

I have read quite a few of Deanna's books but this one may be right up there as one of my favorites and it's because of Kristen and Ryan. They both are such good people and I felt very comfortable (there's that word again) with them. I really cared about them and I knew I would be happy for them, no matter how things turned out. They were there as good friends to each other and what more can someone want but to have a good friend in your life?

Walking Sam is a beautiful, warm, loving story of two mature adults who discover that true happiness comes when you can find someone who can be yourself with. Read Walking Sam and fall in love with Ryan and Kristen just like I did.

About the author


Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna discovered the world of self-publishing and published three novels she'd written over the years. After that, she was hooked.

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soulmates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna



Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Book Blitz: Relevance by Sonya Loveday, an Excerpt, and a Giveaway!

Relevance


Relevance by Sonya Loveday
Series: The Six #2.5
Publication date: March 21st 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult


Relevance

The noun form of the adjective “relevant”.

Meaning “important to the matter at hand”.

Secretly located in the tunnels under Chicago’s city streets, Cole Enterprise is home to a group of trained soldiers. Jake Aceton is their newest acquisition. Recruited from boot camp before graduation after being handpicked by Grant Jackson, Jake is plunged into the mysterious underground world, forever changing his life.

Regardless of his relevance to Cole Enterprise, Jake has a hard time looking past all he has to give up. Can he learn to live in his own shadow in order to protect those he loves?


relevance promo teaser 2

Excerpt

Nothing fit right anymore, but it didn’t matter. I could close my eyes and see myself standing at the cabin watching the Six banter back and forth over fishing or swimming. Home. I smelled like home.

The serenity of the moment shattered when Riley burst through the door, swearing a blue streak until she realized she wasn’t alone. “Ace. What are you doing in here?”

She didn’t even bat an eye at what I was wearing. Had she been anyone else, I’d have had my ass ripped for being in civilian clothing. “Oliver just took me to get my clothes.”

She noticed then. “Oh!”

I put my hand out, and she stepped into my arms with a heavy sigh. “What’s wrong, Riley?” I asked, gathering her close and kissing the top of her head. Dread ran through me. I had a feeling I already knew.

She tucked her head under my chin and slid her hands down my back until her thumbs found my belt loops. “Nothing.”

I snorted at her lame-ass attempt to cover up how she felt. “You can’t bullshit a bullshitter, Riles. I know you’re not happy with any of this.”

She dropped her hands and took a step back, squaring her shoulders. “I’m fine. It’s just been an adjustment. Nothing I can’t handle.” She pulled out all the stops and managed a smile.

I caught her face in my hands and leaned down to place a kiss between her brows. Right on the spot that pulled together, telling me she was anything but happy. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m gonna prove it every day for the rest of my life. I know you’re miserable. I know this isn’t what you wanted.”

“Once we find the leak and figure out what Nicco is up to, we’ll talk with Nadia and Grant and come up with something. Maybe they’ll even want us to transfer to Scotland.”

A real smile broke through that time. “Okay.”

One word was all it took to make the knot in my chest unravel.

I didn’t want to leave Riley, but Oliver was waiting for me in the cafeteria. “I have to go meet with Oliver. Are you staying in here for a little while?”

She shook her head. “I need to meet with Oliver too. I guess we better get going then.”

Riley made it to the door and had it open before I could cross the room.

“Why do you have to meet with Oliver?” I asked, closing the door behind us.

Her hair spilled over her shoulder, hiding her face from me. It wasn’t often Riley had her hair down, so the missing presence of her ponytail seemed odd. Truth be told, seeing Riley with her hair down was like seeing her naked, as weird as that sounded. Maybe it was because the only way I really saw her hair down was when we were… “Oof.” My side ached and my hand went to the offended spot immediately. “What the hell?”

Riley scowled. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

“Um…” She’d been talking to me and I’d tuned her out as I fantasized about her hair being down. 

“Sorry, I was uh…” Mentally stripping you and watching the way your hair falls over your…

She snapped her fingers in front of my face. “My eyes are up here, Ace.”

I jerked my gaze up to hers, feeling my cheeks blaze. “I know.”

She rolled her eyes and pushed past me into the cafeteria where Oliver waited at one of the tables.

He looked up from the file he had opened in front of him. When he looked between the two of us, he swore. “Please tell me you two aren’t in the middle of some sort of lover’s quarrel.”

Riley flipped him off and then sat opposite of him. I kept the urge to say something smart-ass back at him locked up tight, choosing to sit down instead.

Oliver looked between us again and then back to the file. “Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do.”

My spine snapped ramrod straight. “We? What we? Because I know you don’t mean Riley too.”

Oliver leaned his elbows on the table as he crossed his arms and looked directly at Riley. “You didn’t tell him?”

“Yes, I did. He wasn’t listening though.”

“What do you mean he wasn’t listening?”

I forced myself to listen instead of drift off as I’d done earlier. Damn her hair. She needed to pull it up and get it out of my thoughts!

“…just like that,” she said, waving her hand in front of my face. “Do you think it’s a flashback?” The fear in her voice startled me.

“I’m not having a flashback,” I answered, shifting myself on the bench seat so I straddled it.

“Then what the hell is wrong with you?” Oliver demanded.

My lip curled as I swung my gaze to him. “I’m dead, so, technically, it could either be classified as everything or nothing.”

Oliver shook his head, tapping the folder in front of him. “Do you think you can keep your corporeal form focused for a minute while we go over tonight’s recon mission?”

Relevance promo img 1

About the author


Sonya Loveday, first and foremost is a reader, an avid one. It is of that love that brought her to the realization that this was the answer to the nagging persistent feeling that ‘there’s got to be something more’.

The dream came alive in 2009 when she purchased her laptop and began the tedious step of becoming a published author.

When she’s not reading, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not doing either of those things she’s sleeping, shuttling her children back and forth to school, letting the dogs and cats in and out of the house for the umpteenth time in the last hour and dreaming of a clean house.

 Connect with Sonya

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Release Day! No One Knows by J.T. Ellison and My Thoughts

Happy Release Day!


25814204
No One Knows

No One Knows by J.T. Ellison
Print and e-book, 368 pages
Published: March 22nd 2016 by Gallery Books

In an obsessive mystery as thrilling as The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison will make you question every twist in her page-turning novel—and wonder which of her vividly drawn characters you should trust.

The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on; she wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious yet strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?

In No One Knows, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series expertly peels back the layers of a complex woman who is hiding dark secrets beneath her unassuming exterior. This masterful thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins will pull readers into a you’ll-never-guess merry-go-round of danger and deception. Round and round and round it goes, where it stops…no one knows.


My thoughts about No One Knows ~~

First line—"One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five days after Josh Hamilton went missing, the State Of Tennessee declared him legally dead."

No One Knows is definitely a page turner with twists and turns that left me wanting more. Aubrey has been mourning her husband since he disappeared five years ago. She knows he wouldn't just up and leave her and the wonderful life that they had together. And because of that fact, she knows something terrible must have happened to him.

And then she starts to hear things about her husband, things she can't believe. Bad things start happening to her and suddenly her life is in danger. After all this time, did she really know her husband at all? And is Aubrey really the women we think she is? It's hard to tell who and what is real anymore.

I thoroughly enjoyed No One Knows and loved being engrossed in the twisted and dangerous plot, and the ending I did not see coming.

I received a copy of No One Knows from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the author


New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison writes dark psychological thrillers starring Nashville Homicide Lt. Taylor Jackson and medical examiner Dr. Samantha Owens, and pens the Nicholas Drummond series with #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter. Cohost of the premier literary television show, A Word on Words , Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.

Visit JTEllison.com for more insight into her wicked imagination, or follow her on Facebook and Twitter @thrillerchick.

Connect with Lisa



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Monday, March 21, 2016

Book Blitz: In the Hope of Memories by Olivia Rivers, an Excerpt, an Interview, and a Giveaway!



In the Hope of Memories

In the Hope of Memories by Olivia Rivers
Publication date: March 21st 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Hope is dying.

Hope Jackson has lived her short life to the fullest, but her four closest friends are dangling on the brink of disaster. Right before dying of a rare heart condition, Hope sets up a scavenger hunt across New York City using her graffiti art. The directions she leaves her friends are simple: Solve the clues hidden in her art, and they’ll solve the problems haunting their lives.

Hope is dead.

Two days after her heart fails, Hope’s friends are thrown together:

Aiden, her best friend, whose plans to attend college have been scattered by his OCD.

Kali, her foster sister, whose last ties to sanity are as razor-thin as her anorexic waistline.

Erik, her high school crush, whose success as an athlete is based on a lie with no end in sight.

And Sam, her online pen-pal, whose perfect life exploded into chaos in the aftermath of a school bombing.

Together, the four teens take to the streets of New York to complete Hope’s scavenger hunt and fulfill her dying wishes. But in order to unravel the clues hidden in Hope’s graffiti, her friends will need to confront their personal demons head on.

Hope is within reach.


Purchase Links


Excerpt

“Wait!” I slam my hand against the door to stop it from clicking shut, wincing as the splintered wood digs into me. “I’m looking for Hope. Hope Jackson. She said she’d be here.”

The dude shakes his head. “She’s dead.”

My heart stutters a fast and hard beat, like it does right when I get tackled on the field. “No. No, she’s not. She’s the exact opposite of dead. Today is her eighteenth birthday. Her birthday party is about to start right now.”

Official Reason Number Infinity it Sucks to Be Going Blind: When you can’t see right, you can’t stop a fist from colliding with your face. The dude’s knuckles crash into my jaw, and I yelp, more out of shock than pain. I’m about to pound my own fist into the freak when he starts talking again, this time in a tone that’s actually kind of pissed.

“She’s dead, you jerk! You really think it’s funny to joke about that?”

“I’m not joking!” I rub at my jaw with the back of my clenched hand. Part of me is itching to mess up this guy’s face, but a larger part is starting to panic. “You’re the one with the wrong info,” I say, silently praying I’m right. “Hope isn’t dead.”

The dude stares down at his hand and slowly curls and uncurls his fingers, like he can’t quite believe he just threw a punch. Then he whispers, “You’re not messing with me?”

“No! What kind of sick joke would that be? Like I said, I’m just trying to find her birthday party. I got an invite from her, I swear. It said to come here.”

“Oh.”

Apparently, this conversation isn’t weird enough for him, so he has to add in some awkward silence. Fan-freaking-tastic. Just when I’m starting to think he’s slipped into a coma, he says, “Sorry I punched your face.”

I take a deep breath. “Just tell me where her birthday party is, okay?”

“I told you, there is no party. Hope is dead.”

“Christ, are you seriously going to make me explain this again? She’s not dead. It’s her birthday today. As in the day when you celebrate a person being alive.”

“It would have been her birthday,” the dude says, slipping back into his strange monotone. “But now she’s dead.”

The seriousness in his voice makes my gut twist, and for a moment, I wonder if maybe he hurt Hope. My hand edges toward my pocket, but just as I’m considering grabbing my cell phone and dialing 9-1-1, I see a tear trickle down his cheek. It looks strange on his expressionless face, but another tear quickly follows, and then a third. He sniffs and turns away, wiping his right eye on the battered sleeve of his hoodie.

“What happened?” I ask, my voice a cracked whisper. All sorts of scenarios rush through my head—Hope’s plane crashing on vacation, a car accident, getting caught in a wrong-place-wrong-time shooting…

“You don’t know?” the dude asks.

“No. Was it in the news?”

The smallest beginning of a frown tugs at his lips. “Of course not. Why would the news report about a stroke victim?”

“Stroke?” I repeat. “She had a stroke? What…why? What triggered it? She’s a health freak.”

He blinks slowly and then says again, “You don’t know?”

Interview

1. Can you tell us a little about your new book?
Absolutely! In the Hope of Memories tells the story of Hope, a young, eccentric graffiti artist who’s stuck in the foster system. When Hope gets diagnosed with a terminal heart condition, she realizes that her four best friends are on the brink of ruining their lives, and that they might fall apart once she dies and isn’t there to support them anymore. So Hope uses her graffiti art to create an elaborate scavenger hunt that’s meant to “fix” her friends so she can die in peace and know they’ll be alright without her.

2. Do you have a favorite character?
Asking authors this question is like asking a parent who their favorite child is. So my answer is Aiden, because I am terrible enough to actually pick favorites. Aiden is intensely logical, loyal, and moral. He’s a total sweetheart, and I see him as being everything that’s right with the world. But since he has OCD and an autism spectrum disorder, the world sees him as being “wrong,” just because no one else understands him. As an author, writing Aiden’s character was both a heart-warming and gut-wrenching experience, and he’ll always be a favorite of mine.

3. What genre is In the Hope of Memories?
That’s a very good question, and since the book stretches across lots of different YA genres, everyone from my agent to my author friends can’t quite figure out the answer. However, I think my critique partner managed to sum it up pretty well: “It’s like if a Colleen Hoover book had a baby with The Breakfast Club, and that baby was given a huge dose of shitty luck and LSD.”

4. Are any of the characters from In the Hope of Memories based off yourself?
Nope, definitely not! I’m a very reserved person, so the thought of sticking myself in a book for all the world to see is… horrifying. That being said, my characters ended up with a few of my own quirks. I can’t tell the difference between right and left, just like my character Erik, and this causes all sorts of shenanigans when someone has to give me driving directions. And like my character Sam, I also enjoy wearing The Flash t-shirts when I use my wheelchair, because irony really is the best medicine. Also, my laptop named Vladimir makes a cameo appearance in In the Hope of Memories. (R.I.P. Vladimir.) But, aside from tiny quirks like that, none of the characters or events in the book are based on my real life.

5. Is In the Hope of Memories connected to any of your other books?
Yes, in some ways, it definitely is! While the plots don’t directly intertwine, if readers look carefully, they’ll find references to my other books within the pages of In the Hope of Memories.

About the author


Olivia Rivers is a hybrid author of Young Adult fiction. Her works include the independently published novels Frost Fire and In the Hope of Memories, along with the traditionally published novel Tone Deaf (Skyhorse 2016.) As a certified geek, she enjoys experimenting with new publishing technologies, and her online serials have received over 1,000,000 hits on Wattpad.com.

When Olivia isn’t working as a writer, she’s a typical teen attending college in Northern California. Olivia is represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary, and nothing thrills her more than hearing from readers.

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