I received this ARC from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson Published by Macmillan on July 14th 2015
Pages: 320
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
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.
My Thoughts:
Oh yes. That summary caught my attention for sure! Alternate U.S. History? Magic? Governess? Espionage? Stempunk aspects? I am in, 100%! Once I started reading, I didn’t stop until it was done. I was having far too much fun.
Verity is the kind of girl I like to imagine I would have been had I lived in this world. When faced with a change in circumstances, she makes the best of it. She gets caught up in new and exciting times but also uses her brain. I loved that, when things didn’t go exactly how she had planned, Verity was able to step back and make decisions based on what she believed… not only emotion. She was such a cool character.
And the alternate U.S. history with magic!!! That’s what really sold me on this book. I loved the ways the author re-imagined everything. From the class divisions to the technological advances, it was all so interesting to read about. I was really impressed with the way the world was developed. Well done!
Rebel Mechanics is a promising start in a world I can’t wait to read more about!! Verity is a new favorite and I really want more of her employer, Lord Henry!
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