10 Things I Loved About The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Finley has known for a while that she's different. She's stronger than she should be and sometimes she can sense something dark and almost sinister taking over when she feels threatened. When she's attacked by her new employer's ne'er do well son and almost kills him, she knows she has no choice but to run. Griffin King has a lot of things on his mind so he almost doesn't see Finley when she runs out into the street in front of him. He feels responsible, but his friends fear that Finley's not what she appears to be. As Finley gets sucked into a world of power and intrigue she finds herself trying to master the darkness growing inside her.

Here's 10 things I loved about The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross:

1. Steampunk: I think this is my first real foray into steampunk and I absolutely loved it. I loved the way these pieces were all woven together.
2. Finley: She's not proper, but she's not a total rebel either. She's strong physically, but in other ways as well. And she's not afraid to admit to her weaknesses either. She knows when to rely on other people and when she needs to handle things herself. And she's snarky as all get out, which I loved.
3. Finley's parents: I really really really liked that Finley had a good relationship with her mother and step-father. They weren't clueless or stupid or cruel or indifferent. They care about Finley, but don't smother her. And she knows she can turn to them, though she cares about them and doesn't want to be a burden on their limited resources.
4. The genre blending: I know that this goes along with the steampunk, but in addition to the mix of history and science fiction, there are also elements of fantasy and mystery. And it's all mashed together into one interesting tale.
5. Emily: Mega brains - like brilliant - but also feminine and friendly. I loved her character.
6. Evil robots: I can't say more without spoiling, but EVIL ROBOTS.
7. Jack Dandy: You really shouldn't like him, but you just can't help it.
8. The clothes: Oh, the clothes. I loved the descriptions of the clothes (including the titular steel corset), yet it wasn't overwhelming or onerous. Just enough to make it interesting and really ground you in the world.
9. Sam: I found his character to be so interestingly conflicted. I really liked his character arc.
10. There's more! This is the first in a series and I already own the second one, so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next :D

Happy Reading!