Does anyone else think this story was hard to follow? It jumped all over the place. The illustrations were nice and colorful though. I don’t know why, but I didn’t realize this was a steampunk or else I wouldn’t have read it.

Genre: steampunk
Age: young adult
Series/Standalone: first in a series of two
Tropes: girl disguised as boy
Content: clean
Rating: 2/5 Stars ( )

Blue is a newsboy for the Bugle, who stumbles into a discovery and befriends a stranger called Crow. Blue and Crow both have secrets: Blue is actually a girl named Lavender Blue, and Crow is actually part of a war machine created by Jack Jingle, an inventor for whom Blue works part-time. When Blue's mentor and big-brother figure Hector returns to town wanting to pursue a story, Crow's identity is discovered and their cover is blown; while the adults are arguing, Blue and Crow escape - literally taking flight - but are shot down. Blue takes a stand, revealing her true identity, and vows to find Crow again.

Action-packed and atmospheric. See also: A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat, The Expeditioners by SS Taylor, Eva Evergreen by Julie Abe

Quotes

"And people don't like change, especially on top of everything that's already different because of the war. Even if you're the best at what you do...people will ruin you if they don't think you have any right doing it." (Hector, 100)

"Jack is not my dad. He will not protect me. He is only a grown-up.
And grown-ups don't like me because I don't do what they say." (Crow, 142)

"You made a choice, and I'm gonna protect it." (Blue to Crow, 171)

"Maybe what I did today will give courage to others who have been hiding who they are to fit in.
I finally feel like I can live on my own terms. I want everyone to have that freedom." (Blue, 191) ( )

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2017. ( )

The story was cute. The artwork was fantastic. ( )

Complex fantasy that really incorporates the images into the storytelling. ( )