The Speaker (Sea of Ink and Gold #2)

by Traci Chee

Hardcover, 512 pages

Expected publication: November 7th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

ISBN13: 9780399176784

Series: Sea of Ink and Gold #2

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

4.5/5 books

* I received a finished copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

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Having barely escaped the clutches of the Guard, Sefia and Archer are back on the run, slipping into the safety of the forest to tend to their wounds and plan their next move. Haunted by painful memories, Archer struggles to overcome the trauma of his past with the impressors, whose cruelty plagues him whenever he closes his eyes. But when Sefia and Archer happen upon a crew of impressors in the wilderness, Archer finally finds a way to combat his nightmares: by hunting impressors and freeing the boys they hold captive.

With Sefia’s help, Archer travels across the kingdom of Deliene rescuing boys while she continues to investigate the mysterious Book and secrets it contains. But the more battles they fight, the more fights Archer craves, until his thirst for violence threatens to transform him from the gentle boy Sefia knows to a grim warrior with a cruel destiny. As Sefia begins to unravel the threads that connect Archer’s fate to her parents’ betrayal of the Guard so long ago, she and Archer must figure out a way to subvert the Guard’s plans before they are ensnared in a war that will pit kingdom against kingdom, leaving their future and the safety of the entire world hanging in the balance.

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Promises were made, Promises were broken, Secrets are revealed and more truths are discovered

The Speaker picks up 5 days after The Reader ends, Sefia and Archer were able to escape just to be on the run again. This book focuses more on Archer and we find out about his past and his real name (SHOCK!) Sefia is becoming more focused on reading and using the book, while Archer is rescuing others and starting his own small band of fighters to fight the Impressors.

Sefia is a bit too over cautious with the book in the sequel. She wants to know more about her past, but at the same time Sefia isn’t sure if she really wants to know that much. I assume that when you find yourself as a character in the book it puts your perspective on a whole different level. The things Sefia finds out makes her doubt herself, her family, Archer, and the book itself. The secrets that Sefia discovers that her parents left behind and why they left The Guard were surprising.

Captain Reed and the crew of the Current of Faith are once again on the seas in search of treasure and

adventure. You find out more about Captain Reeds past like how he came to be on the Current, along with his ties to Sefia. I’m looking forward to finding out exactly what is was that Lon and Mareah left with Reed. I’m sure is will be a major key to this whole story.

You also get to see what’s going on with The Guard, as well as Lon, Mareah, and Tanin. We get a better sense as to why Lon and Mareah betrayed the Guard in the first book and delve into the complex views of Tanin’s loyalties to the Guard, but also to the child of her former friends.

I’m not sure which part of this was my favorite since the threads of fate are still coming together, but I do sense that there is a very intricate pattern being woven in this story. I will say that there is one part that I did not see coming and it was such an amazing find in the book, and that’s about the book itself and how it came to be.

I am already looking forward to the third book in the series despite having to wait a full year.

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Blog Tour Stops

October 30 – Ex Libris

October 31 – Bette’s Pages

November 1 – Never2Many2Read

November 2 – ButtermyBooks

November 3 – YA Wednesdays

November 6 – FlyLeaf Chronicles

November 7 – The Fox’s Hideaway

November 8 – In Wonderland

November 9 – Book Reviews Express