Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

A sixteen-year-old governess becomes a spy in this alternative U.S. history where the British control with magic and the colonists rebel by inventing.

It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family—but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister—but it seems like the children's young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause—but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.

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I love steampunk novels. They're always so atmospheric and interesting to me, so Rebel Mechanics had me very excited. I really liked all the main characters in this book, except for Verity. She was just an odd choice for a spy character for me. She doesn't have a lot of street smarts, and her development was lacking for me. I wasn't on the edge of my seat or thrilled by the suspense of her "spying" journey. She didn't have to put forth any real effort, and everything felt dull to me. The romance is very understated, and I would have liked more on that front but perhaps it's going to happen further down the road. I'm not sure it's worth it to me to continue the series, but I will admit that the promise of romance and the ending have left me a bit curious about the next one.

An alternate history story with a dash of fantasy. I really enjoyed it. Now, I need to get the second book to read.. B+ rating.

For the absurdity of the plot, this sits on a surprisingly solid foundation: British nobility has magic and thus quashed the American rebellion, delaying the development of many technologies. It sets very clear rules early on and follows them for the most part. The occasional deviation from or stretching of those rules is forgiven due to the charm and ingenuity of the plot. I think my favorite part of the book, though, is the lack of absolutes. No one side is absolutely right. The protagonist agrees with the aim of the mechanics but objects to their methods. Her employer is trying to do good but has no clear direction. Its a fun, adventurous read.

Will not be providing a review for this novel, sorry for the inconvenience, but thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.