All Is Fair in Love and Revolution (Rebel Mechanics Series #1)

by Shanna Swendson

Overview

What if British magic kept the American Revolution from ever occurring?

It's 1888, and seventeen-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.

Rebel Mechanics: All Is Fair in Love and Revolution by Shanna Swendson is a fast-paced, romantic young adult novel full of intrigue and starring a strong, spunky heroine.

"Steampunk fans will enjoy this gadget-filled costume drama." -Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250079947
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	07/12/2016
Series:	Rebel Mechanics Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	587,332
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	880L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Shanna Swendson is the author of the popular adult romantic fantasy series, Enchanted, Inc. Rebel Mechanics is her first novel for young adults. She lives in Irving, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

Verity, a spunky, highly believable, well rounded character . . . keeps the reader turning the pages.” —VOYA

"It is 1888, and the Magisters, the magical British upper-class, rule the American colonies after their devastating victory in the American Revolution. The rebels now look elsewhere—to science and engineering—for the power to help them overthrow British rule. Seventeen-year-old Verity Newton comes to New York City looking for work and is quickly swept up in the revolutionary fervor of the young mechanics, engineers, and scientists who befriend her. . . . Recommend to fans of Gail Carriger's "The Finishing School" series. . . . a whole lot of fun." -School Library Journal

"Steampunk fans will enjoy this gadget-filled costume drama." -Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

06/01/2015
Gr 7–10—It is 1888, and the Magisters, the magical British upper-class, rule the American colonies after their devastating victory in the American Revolution. The rebels now look elsewhere—to science and engineering—for the power to help them overthrow British rule. Seventeen-year-old Verity Newton comes to New York City looking for work and is quickly swept up in the revolutionary fervor of the young mechanics, engineers, and scientists who befriend her. Even the handsome, young magister who has hired her as a nanny for his nieces and nephew seems suspiciously sympathetic to the cause. So when Verity's rebel friends and developing love-interest ask her to become a spy among the magisters, she takes up the task. But in so doing, she puts her own secrets at risk of exposure. Verity, although only a professor's daughter, has magical abilities. Steam-powered and magic vehicles, electric dynamos, and other interesting inventions pepper the exciting steampunk setting of this rollicking, campy adventure that moves along at the pace of a charging train. New secrets unfold every chapter, speeding toward the action-packed ending that easily sets the scene (and the love triangle) for a follow-up novel. Recommend to fans of Gail Carriger's "The Finishing School" series (Little, Brown). VERDICT Overall, a predictable story that's a whole lot of fun.—Mariah Manley, Salt Lake City Public Library

School Library Journal

2015-04-15
Plucky Miss Verity Newton intends to become a governess in the British colony of New York, circa 1888. In a world where the nobility has magic, there's never been any hope for Britain's rebellious colonies. Magisters live in wealth and glory, never intermarrying with the poor, the military, or even the nouveau riche. Seventeen-year-old Verity arrives in New York nigh-penniless, determined to make her own way. Though she wants to be acceptable to the potential employers of New York's best families, she befriends some friendly scoundrels: the Rebel Mechanics. These rascally engineers are determined to overthrow their colonial overlords through the power of machines. Verity's torn between her dangerous new friends (with a cute guy among them) and her kindly employers (with a different cute guy). With the author's note and opening scenes spoon-feeding the alternate-history premise, readers won't be confused about why the rebels are angry. They may be confused, however, about the so-sneaky Mechanics' predilections for wearing corsets over blouses and waistcoats over union suits, as no justification is given for Victorian characters dressing more like modern cosplayers than like their nonrebellious compatriots. Still, there is no denying the novel's got verve, and there's an undeniable appeal to plucky, would-be governesses. Despite lackluster worldbuilding, steampunk fans will enjoy this gadget-filled costume drama. (Steampunk. 12-14)

Kirkus Reviews