EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Evoke
(Lake Haven Book 1)
(Lake Haven Book 1)
by Danielle Simmons
Evoke by Danielle Simmons is currently on tour with YA Bound Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
When five friends return home from college for the summer, it feels as if the friendship that has bound them together since childhood is stronger than ever. But when Laney Thomas wakes up nearly two months later and discovers she is the sole survivor of an accident that has claimed the lives of three friends, Laney quickly realizes the world she awakened to, is not the one she remembers.
With her memory of the accident and week leading up to it seemingly lost, Laney must rely on Evan Davies, the only one not in the car that night, to help her remember what happened. The two have always been close, sharing a rare and inextricable bond. With him by her side, she can get through the nightmare she is living.
But when Evan disappears from her life without explanation, Laney is left to navigate her new world on her own, nearly losing herself, and all she loves in the process.
With memories of the past as her guide, Laney starts to remember the truths of the friendships she cherished, and love coveted, and the role her heart played in the accident that fateful night.
Excerpt
I was trapped in the dark, no light to guide, and did not recognize the sounds of the world around me. I couldn’t hear water lapping against the shore, or wind in the trees, just the ticking of a clock overhead and hurried footsteps in the distance. While the arrival of cautious breathing told me someone was near, my head felt as if it were trapped under sand and I could not open my eyes to determine the source.
“Hello,” I called out, my voice barely a whisper. While I should have known it as my own, it was more fragile than I remembered, and despite the word’s simplicity, felt it dangling at the edge of my tongue.
“Alaina,” an unfamiliar voice answered, reaching for my hand, holding it carefully. “Can you hear me?”
I nodded in relief, grateful I was not alone, and with each intake of air, my body awakened, nerves coming to life. The numbness that had rooted in me began to lift, rousing synapses that brought feeling to my finger and toes. A low fire ignited in my shoulders and spread down my arms, and my pulse began to accelerate in response to the pain that now filled me. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, carving tracks like rain on the desert floor, as heavy sobs built in my chest.
“Are you in pain?” the voice asked.
“Yes,” I cried out, my words finding new power.
A cool hand pressed down on my arm, and in seconds, the discomfort subsided. “Is that better?”
I moved my head in acknowledgement, throat too thick with tears to respond.
“Good,” it responded, pleased. “Alaina, do you think you can open your eyes for me?”
I tried to do as it asked, but my lids were heavy and fought me.
“Come on baby, open your eyes,” a new voice encouraged. Unlike the first, it was familiar, and I turned to it instinctively. “Please,” it begged, and I tried again, wanting to do as it asked. This time, I succeeded, my eyes opening slowly, but light sliced through the darkness, and I closed them quickly in response.
“Could we close the blinds, please?” the commanding voice ordered. Footsteps crossed the room quickly.
“It’s okay,” the familiar voice soothed. “Try again sweetheart.”
I did as it asked and opened my eyes again. It was darker than before, and my vision a bit blurry at first, but with each cautious blink, the room came into view.
“Mom?” I asked, finding the worried eyes of my mother on me. They were red, her face tired; she looked as if she hadn’t slept in months.
“Hi baby,” she reached for my hand, pulling it close, wiping away the tears from my cheek with the other. The warmth of her touch matched that of her voice.
“Hi sweetheart,” my father said, standing behind her.
“Dad?”
“That’s me,” he smiled.
“Look…terrible,” I licked my lips, the salt of my tears burning their cracked skin.
“Do I?” he asked. “Well, I’ve never felt better,” he squeezed my mother’s shoulder, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“Alaina, do you know where you are?” the commanding voice asked, pulling my attention from my parents.
“No,” I looked up, finding a man in a white coat standing next to me.
“You’re in the hospital.”
“Hospital?”
“Yes.”
I looked at him, confused. “Who are you?”
“My name is Dr. Roberts.”
“Doctor?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “I have been in charge of your care since you arrived. Do you remember coming to the hospital?”
“No,” I responded, my confusion beginning to grow.
“Alaina, you were in an accident.”
“Accident?”
“Do you remember being in an accident?”
Accident. I repeated the word in my mind, knowing its meaning, but unable to understand the connection.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“Atmospheric, deeply moving, and emotionally intense.” ~ Reader’s Favorite
“Evoke is the first in a new series. The book is in the young adult category, but I think it would be enjoyable for any age. The main character, Laney, undergoes a memory loss after an accident and it was hard to put this down as we slowly start to learn more and more about what happened. I can’t wait for the sequel!” ~ MrsMiller
“Sat down and read the whole book in a few hours! Couldn’t put it down! Danielle does a great job keeping you interested and leaves you wanting more!! Can’t wait for the next book!!!” ~ Sarah Perry
“This book is amazing! From the first day I received Evoke, I was just going to glance through it, but then I started reading. I could not put the book down! It captivated my curiosity from the beginning. A must read for all who are into a wonderful adventure of a college age girl who tries to go on with her life after a horrendous tragedy. I hope to see more books from this author in the near future.” ~ Joanne Godfrey
“Loved this book from cover to cover. Rich insight into the characters' personalities and foibles, accompanied by great story telling and unexpected twists and turns. Can't wait for the next installment in this series.” ~ jl
About the Author
Danielle grew up in a small town in California's Sierra Nevada Foothills. A voracious reader from an early age, she began writing poetry and short stories in elementary school and continued that passion throughout high school and college. She studied literature, creative writing, and communications at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, sons, and two cats, where she is a PR executive by day and writer by night.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
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