The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles, #1) by Kady Cross

Finley Jayne is about to lose another job and this time she ends up running for her life after she beats the son of her employer nearly to death. But instead of finding a safe place she ends up getting hit by a young duke that takes her to his home and makes it his mission to protect her and finally welcome her to the weird company he keeps. Griffin King never thought that he would find Finley, a girl so different but who belong with him and his friends, in the middle of the Hyde park, but once he sees what she can do he is sure that she is unique and exactly like them. With her help and the help of his friends, Sam the huge, half-machine he knows ever since he was a kid, Emily, the smartest girl or even human he knows and Jasper, an American cowboy, they will try to solve the mystery behind the Machinist and the items he seems to be stealing. What remains is for them to figure out his master plan and stop him before it's too late.

I loved this book. Really really loved it. I loved the world that Kady Cross has created, with the old England and steampunk technology merged together. Also a big pro of this book are the characters. Each one so unique and adorable. Finley, fitting to fit in when she doesn't even except her own self. Griffin, protective and a great leader. Sam, trying to accept his new body all the while not being sure if we can forgive his friends for what they've done to him and surely not trusting Finley. Jack Dandy, oh Jack...he was a favorite. So dark and mysterious yet so sweet and protective. I could swoon over him for hours.

I really enjoyed the story behind each character and the promise of more stories to come. How everyone's past was somehow connected. The one thing that I didn't really go crazy about was the villain, for me the Machinist wasn't anything special. And I had his plan and his identity figured out from the early chapters so it wasn't much of a surprise. I would love a bigger mystery surrounding him and maybe if he was more vicious or something, more of a mad mastermind villain.

Still, I loved this book and now I am off to read the next one!

★★★★★

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