Steeplejack by A. J. Hartley

It's rare when I read a book with no romance in it, so obviously I was sucked in by the synopsis. And wow, this was great! Ang is such a great heroine, and I just loved her. She loves her family and is so strong and smart. What a great character to introduce my teen readers to! The worldbuilding is stunning, and the mystery is intriguing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would have liked a little more magic/fantasy elements, but that's really my only complaint. I loved the city, the mystery, even the politics (which is rare for me). And I didn't miss the romance at all (also rare for me). I can't wait to shove this into the hands of everyone I can!

The first novel in the Steeplejack series.

STEEPLEJACK is an action-packed fantasy novel. From early on, we get a sense that this is going to be quite the ride -- a national treasure stolen, a compatriot of the protagonist murdered... Ang's life is turned upside down, and she ends up taking a job from an unexpected source. Hartley has done a great job with the world-building, and the city and setting feel fully formed and realized on the page. The characters are well-drawn, and the prose flows nicely.

An interesting and enticing start to a new fantasy series. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series. (FIREBRAND and GUARDIAN are also out now.)

I was fortunate to get this book a while back on netgalley and after a long period of putting it aside, I finally read it. I devoured it. The world-building, the characters, the mystery at the heart of this book all wove together seamlessly. i am so eager for the second book and to see how Anglet's story continues.