First & Then Book Superlative Blog Tour: A Pair of Love Letters

Today I'm beyond thrilled to be a part of a very unique blog tour for First & Then, a contemporary young adult debut from Emma Mills (LOVED IT!). Since this novel deals with life in high school, the amazingly creative team at Fierce Reads decided to put together a superlative-themed blog tour, one where each blogger is assigned a yearbook-style superlative to address along with Emma. What superlative was I given you ask? Well, I'll tell you:

BOOK MOST LIKELY TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Instead of simply listing a few reasons as to how our book of choice impacted our lives, I thought it might be fun to write love letters to the character(s) of those books instead. I asked Emma to let protagonist Devon take the reins though, so she's here to share a love letter to one Mr. Sam-I-Am. Take it away Devon!

Dear Sam-I-Am (Mr. Am?),

Thank you for so faithfully shepherding the events of Green Eggs and Ham, which is the first book I remember reading all by myself. I’m a pretty serious reader now— Jane Austen books are my favorite, but I like YA and mysteries and fantasy as well—and you, Sam, kicked it all off with your culinary adventures and your rhymes. Thanks for paving the way for me to read everything else that I enjoy. I couldn’t delight in Sense and Sensibility had I not hashed out that reading thing way back in the day with the help of your unapologetically green breakfast.

Fondest regards,
Devon Tennyson

Like Devon, I wanted to write to one of my firsts as well, so here I go baring my fictional soul:

Dear Cast of Twilight,

There are many who would read this letter and scoff at my choice of book for this particular superlative, but I've never been one to be embarrassed or ashamed of my reading preferences, so it seems silly to have any hesitation in writing this letter now. You all have been mocked mercilessly over the years, your character flaws dissected and posted for ridicule on every corner of the internet, and while you are undoubtedly imperfect and your poor movie adaptation laughable at best, you are single-handedly responsible for both this blog and my current employment.

Before you came along reading for me was a chore. You see, I was traumatized in high school by a pair of classics by the name of Moby Dick and Crime and Punishment. These books were painful for me. My soul died a little with each page I forced myself to flip (I DON'T WANT TO CALL YOU ISHMAEL DAMMIT!), but I persevered because in the end I would be tested. I would have to recall names. Quotes. I would have to wax poetic on symbolism, metaphor and character motivation. And though I read both cover to cover, I met with near failure in the from of a D grade on both tests. Those grades haunt the overachiever in me still.

In the aftermath of that academic tragedy I could not be persuaded to pick up a piece of fiction for any other reason than it was required of me for class, but then, years after college, a friend told me of you. Read this, she said. Fangirl with me, she said. And so I did. What followed was me seeking out every paranormal young adult story I could get my hands on, and I became a proud stalker of the YA shelves at my local bookstore. I started a blog to share my newfound love of reading. And, as of this moment five plus years later, I have a new career designing book covers, something that would never have been possible without you.

So, while some may snort at the idea of you having a profound impact on anyone's life, please know that you forever changed mine for the better. As I wrap up this letter to go work on a new cover, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Warmly,

Jenny

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FIRST & THEN

(releases October 13th from Henry Holt & Co)

Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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BOOK SUPERLATIVE TOUR

Don't miss out on all the amazing stops on this tour as each has its own special superlative. I also hope you guys add this one to your lists as I absolutely adored it (full review to come next week!)