In this steampunk world, the British have won the Revolutionary War, and they are not making it easy on the losers. Deep in the forest lives 16-year-old Charlotte and her older brother, Ash, who is the leader of a group of young people, children of revolutionaries, who will move to the front at age 18. Coming in and out of their hiding place is handsome Jack, from the upper echelon of society, but who is a revolutionary at heart, and newcomer Grave, saved from the steel Rotpots by Charlotte, but with no memory of his past. Cremer does most everything right here: her fantastical colonial setting is well imagined, the characters have depth, and the adventures are heart-stopping. The romance d potential entanglements predictable fare, but Charlotte is a lively enough heroine to keep the interest of several fellows, and readers, too. Happily, the ending, which mixes machinery and magic, and forces some characters into assuming new roles, will have readers eager to find out what happens next. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Cremer is the author of the international blockbuster Nightshade series. Her legion of fans will be waiting for this one.

In an alternate-nineteenth-century America (in which England won the Revolutionary War), sixteen-year-old Charlotte lives in hiding with other Resistance children. Seeking rebel allies, she and her friends infiltrate Empire high society, where they uncover life- and potentially world-changing secrets. Charlotte is a likable, realistic protagonist; snappy dialogue, imaginative world-building, and romance will spark readers' interest. An unresolved ending hints at (welcome) future installments.

Setting her self-described steampunk novel in an alternate 1816 in which the American Revolution failed and an insurgent war against a brutal British regime persists, Cremer (the Nightshade series) subverts the genre-s typical Victorian conventions with varying degrees of success. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte lives with her brother and other exiled children of Resistance fighters in the Wildlands outside the Floating City of New York. The appearance of an amnesiac boy with apparent ties to the city provides a reason for Charlotte to join an expedition to the glittering metropolis, affording Cremer opportunities to dress her heroine in silken finery and nurture a love triangle. Though a few inventions (e.g. the Floating City-s Great Wheel) inspire wonder, much of the technology feels too advanced a mere 40 years post-Declaration of Independence, distracting from the more intriguing political ramifications and cultural developments of this divergent timeline. Cremer handles the fantastical elements far better, hinting at rather than telegraphing the -secret- of the title. In revealing it, she sets herself up for a sequel that could be more cohesive than the series opener. Ages 12-up. Agent: InkWell Management. (Apr.)

Gr 7 Up-Cremer, author of the "Nightshade" books (Philomel), has veered into a new world with this, the first title in an alternate-history series. She combines elements of steampunk and Victoriana to create an America in which the British won the Revolutionary War, descendants of the rebels are forced to labor in indentured servitude to atone for their forefathers' errors, and the children of those descendants are up to their eyeballs in plots against the government. Although the premise is promising, the execution is a bit of a miss. Character development is superficial, and a lack of historical context will exasperate readers. Most distressing of all is the female lead, Charlotte, who spends more time dithering over potential love interests than she does infiltrating the enemy and marshaling her troops. Teens who have come to expect strong female characters such as Katniss of "The Hunger Games" (Scholastic) and Alexia Tarabotti in the "Parasol Protectorate" series (Orbit) by Gail Carriger will be disappointed. Snappy dialogue and proficient world-building won't be enough to draw in kids. Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

The Inventor's Secret introduces a nineteenth-century America where Britannia rules the population, which is broken into a caste system. The poor, controlled by the elite society, are forced to work, while the elite reside in the Floating City. Meanwhile, Revolutionaries are hiding and building up forces to create a defense against the British Empire. A group of children and teens of the Revolutionaries is hiding in the underground world of the Catacombs. Led by Ash and Charlotte, a brother and sister, the group is busy creating inventions for the resistance. Charlotte has just turned sixteen and is eager to become more active in the resistance movement, while Ash is hesitant about his sister assuming a dangerous role in the war. A new member with a murky past has entered the group and caught the attention of Charlotte. Jack is a daring and handsome young man, who has secrets that will help the resistance but will endanger him as well. While scouting in the woods, Charlotte saves a scared and odd young man from the Rotpots, metal apparatuses used by the Imperial Labor Gatherers to capture Revolutionaries to take them to labor camps. The boy has no memory of his past, so the group nicknames him Grave due to quirky behavior. Charlotte, Ash, Jack, Meg, and Grave embark on a clandestine mission to the Floating City to aid the Revolutionaries' cause. During the mission, characters' secrets are revealed, and Charlotte and Jack's relationship is tested by the introduction Jack's dashing older brother, Coe.Cremer, best known for the Nightshade series and Invisibility (with David Levithan [Penguin, 2013/VOYA June 2013]), creates an inventive blend of steampunk and alternative history in this new series. She gives readers a fantastical world with mechanical wonders and an opulent vintage setting. The characters are interesting and well developed. Readers will be drawn to future installments.Adrienne Amborski.The Inventor's Secret is an excellent addition to steampunk young adult novels. It combines debutante balls of society with aircraft and artificial humans. Romance and mystery keep the reader intrigued till the end of the novel. Charlotte is a strong and brave. Her support of the resistance along with the group of "misfit" children is well crafted. Readers who enjoy steampunk with hints of romance, mystery, and political turmoil will appreciate this first book in a new series. 4Q, 4P.Gwen Amborski, Teen Reviewer.