Blog Tour: First & Then by Emma Mills | “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby”

Welcome to the blog tour for FIRST & THEN by Emma Mills! I can’t tell you how excited I am to be on the blog tour for FIRST & THEN! Macmillan and Fierce Reads have put together a really fun and creative blog tour and I’m totally thrilled to be partaking! Each blogger on the tour has been assigned a different senior superlative as the theme for their post and along with recommending some books to go with the theme, Emma Mills will be appearing on some of the blogs as well with her own post! My senior superlative theme is “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” — people/characters who have changed and grown the most. I have all of that and more for you today so thanks for joining me for the FIRST & THEN blog tour and I hope you have a lot of fun!

Before we jump into the tour, let’s take a second to talk a little about the book! I had a really fun time reading this one. I’m *whispers: actually not a Jane Austen fan* but I did see that there was a very strong influence in FIRST & THEN! I also loved how it really reminded my of my own high school experiences and that of many others: not sure what to do about college, feeling a bit lost about a major, and of course friendship and relationship complications. I ended up really connecting with the book and I think it’s one that many will enjoy!

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.

GUEST POST FROM EMMA MILLS

For the tour today, Emma Mills wrote a little post for us all about how much she has personally changed since high school to fit with the designated theme of this blog tour stop! 

1. I am much less terrified of public speaking! Back in the day, even talking on the phone made me nervous. But I’ve grown much more comfortable with communicating! 
2. Admittedly, I’m a much better driver. I didn’t learn to drive on the highway until I was twenty, because the idea of it just stressed me out! One time in high school I accidentally got on the freeway, and it was like that scene in Clueless.  
3. My palate has definitely broadened—back in the day, I was not terribly adventurous, food-wise!

I can totally relate to #2 and #3! Highway driving was scary in high school (but I finally convinced my parents that I could handle it) and I have a much more diverse palate now than I did when I was younger! Thanks to Emma for sharing some fun details for us to get to know her a bit better! 

BOOK RECS!

I also get to done one of my most favorite things ever in this post and that’s hand-select some books to go with the “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” theme! Today I’m sharing my favorite books/series for character growth. I was really excited to get this topic because character growth is something that’s really important to me and something that I appreciate. I feel like I’ve come a long way since high school —  no wait, since college — no wait, since even after college — and I feel like such a different person. Anyway, here are my favorites if you’re looking for some great character development and growth!

CONTEMPORARY

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland
• Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
• Roomies by Tara Altebrando & Sara Zarr
• Just One Day by Gayle Forman
• The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
• The Summer I Became a Nerd  by Leah Rae Carson
• Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
• The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
• Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

DYSTOPIAN & FANTASY

• The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
• The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
• Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Giver by Lois Lowry

I feel like every single one of these authors excels at character development and growth. If you’re looking for a book where a character really comes to terms with who they are and changes themself for the better, you can’t miss with one of these books. Of course, each of these is really well done overall but the characters in them are just amazing and some of the characters I’ve connected most with throughout my entire lifetime as a reader. I’ve really come to cherish them and care for them along the way!

OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the blogs on the tour! You won’t want to miss this one. Each blog has their own superlative theme and I know I’m personally going to check out each and everyone one of them because I’m so excited for this unique blog tour!

GIVEAWAY

Of course we can’t let you go without a giveaway! Macmillan is offering one finished, hardcover copy for one lucky winner! All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter form below! US residents only, please! Must be 13 years of age or older to win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway