The Reader Campaign + Giveaway

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I'm part of a promotional campaign for The Reader, the first book in the Sea of Ink and Gold series by Traci Chee. In this world society as a whole is illiterate and there are no books to be had – GASP!–, so as part of the campaign I've been asked to list for you a few of the books that I just couldn't survive or imagine life without.

As I'm sure is the case for so many of you, that list is a long one, but I've managed to narrow it down to three. If you don't count the fact that some are series, which I don't. Series = one book using Jenny Logic.

THE FEVER SERIES

I am a huge fan of antihero characters, and Jericho Barrons might just be the antihero to end all antiheroes (to me anyway). He's absolutely infuriating, a complete a-hole, and a sadist, but damn if he's not attractive as all get out too. I've never loved, hated, and then loved a character again as much as I did Barrons throughout this series, and even just mentioning his name brings a smile to my face. Though this series went off the rails a bit for me after Iced and Mac in general could be trying at times, the first five books will forever have a special place in my heart. A place that likes to be tortured by enigmatic bastards named Barrons ;-)

THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES

Like Twilight, this series tends to have a pretty polarizing effect - readers either love it or loathe it. This was one of the first series I read when I started really getting back into reading after a long, long break during which I only read class-required books, and it truly made me see how much fun reading could be. It's not going to find its way onto the classics shelf anytime soon, but it's a series that changed my life as it, along with Twilight, was the catalyst for me starting this blog.

THE THRONE OF GLASS SERIES

I remember the exact moment Throne of Glass hit my radar: BEA 2013. I added it to my "if I have time" list knowing very little about the author or series, and when the Moms and I showed up to stand in line about an hour ahead of time – we thought we'd be first – we found ourselves a solid hundred plus people back. We actually ended up being the last three people who were allowed to get our books signed as Sarah's signing hour was up, and seeing that reaction had me absurdly excited to dive in as soon as I got home.

To say I was underwhelmed by this book would be putting it politely. I had expected magic. A captivating world. A heroine made of wit and badassery. What I found instead was a young woman who did a lot of talking about how epic an assassin she was, but did very little to back it up. It wasn't until Bloomsbury published all five prequels in a single installment (which I devoured) that I truly fell in love with this series, and it's been a source of joy and tears for me ever since.

So there you have it, the books that have made a huge impact on me in one way or another, and those select few that find themselves with spines nearly worn through from re-reading:)

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THE READER

Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

With overlapping stories of swashbuckling pirates and merciless assassins, The Reader is a brilliantly told adventure from an extraordinary new talent.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

You can read the first two chapters HERE!

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TRACI CHEE

Traci Chee is an author of speculative fiction for teens. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at piano playing, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog. The Reader is her YA debut. 

Website • Facebook • Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

In partnership with Penguin Random House, I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today! One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Reader as well as a snazzy branded "I Am The Reader" tote bag. Win. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only, and all prizing is provided by Penguin Random House.

a Rafflecopter giveaway