This book is one you can't miss. I'm already dying to know what happens in books 2 and 3!

Jessica Spotswood is an enormously talented author whose prose is gorgeous and full and lush and makes me want to live in the world she's created, an alternate history of America in the 1890s. The author's style reminds me of Kristin Cashore's -- the imagery made me want to attend the tea parties and wear the dresses and hang out in the gardens. I seriously loved this book, and had a hard time putting it down, constantly wanting to return to it. And did I mention there's kissing? There's lots of it! And it's yummy!

The main character, Cate, is a strong YA heroine who I loved rooting for. So many people depend on her and I can't see how Cate doesn't buckle under the pressure, but she shines through it all because she's so strong and loving. She cares deeply about her family. It's easy to relate to Cate because she has such strong desires that she wants to pursue, but has to juggle taking care of her family at the same time. She knows how to look at situations from all angles. The characters are all wonderfully drawn, especially Cate's younger sisters, Maura and Tess, and the bookshop owner, Mrs. Belastra.

I'm not saying anything about the plot except for that it's super engaging.

I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!