ARC Review: The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer

Title: The Inventor's Secret
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publication: April 22nd 2014 by Philomel
Genre: YA Steampunk
Source: For review

Sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape from the coastal cities or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

The Inventor’s Secret is the first book of a YA steampunk series set in an alternate nineteenth-century North America where the Revolutionary War never took place and the British Empire has expanded into a global juggernaut propelled by marvelous and horrible machinery.

-- My Rating --

5/5 Oscars: LOVED it

-- My Thoughts --

     I have heard a lot about the author. But the genre is totally new to me. This is my first venture into the world of steam-punk and what a delight it was. I fell in love with everything in it and I am waiting on the edge for the next book in this new, amazing series! And plus, this book came out on my birthday! So that makes me love it even more!
     Charlotte and her brother, Ashley, live in the Catacombs, hidden from the Empire's forces and Rotpots (huge machines who are like the police). They supervise the lives of the children while their parents fight in the Resistance. But all that changes when Charlotte finds a boy in the woods who doesn't remember who he is or where he came from. Now, Charlotte has to venture into the Floating City, and disguise as a lady, and hardest of all, fight her growing feelings for Ash's friend, Jack.
+ The world-building and plot: The author took the world-building into a completely new level with her fascinating plot. This is a future when the Americans haven't won the Independence war and the USA has never been declared and the British still control Northern America and their huge empire. It's also a place for all kinds of strange machines and clockwork. It was amazing , all those details the author managed to pull into the story and alternative history thing was executed perfectly.
+ The Characters: This book's strongest point is the characters. Specially the main ones. The author pulled off Charlotte as three-dimensional as a real person. She was not perfect, was not raised into a society with manners, so she didn't know how to deal with being a lady in the city with all those eyes on her. It was fun and adorable watching her grow accustomed to all those changes. Then, there's her brother Ash who is also a character to behold, although he is a bit annoying at times. The sibling relationship between them was beautiful and believable.
+ Character development: There is character development in this book but it's not that evident. OF course, I didn't mind that since this is the first book in the series and it was mainly only introducing us to the complicated world. I am hoping that the author will do the character building later in the other sequels.
+ Romance: My favorite part of this book was the blossoming romance. There was not a love triangle but the hints of one were there. Jack is the most swoon-worthy guy you could ever dream of but he is also not flawless. The relationship between Charlotte and Jack starts from a somehow-mutual-hate so it was much more fun watching them get to know each other in a different light. There's also Jack's brother, Coe, who appears in the middle of the book, he also took a great place in my heart, but he was a little pushy, so I prefer Jack all the way!
This book is perfect in every aspect possible and the author definitely knows how to capture the allure of steam-punk and turn it into a masterpiece. I loved every single moment I spent reading about this world and I'm waiting not-very-patiently for the next book in the series, which will be even more wonderful than this, I'm sure.