Steel Lily by Megan Curd

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Publisher: Self
Release: August 20th 2013
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Avery Pike is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.
She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.
Or so she thinks.
That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued.
But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better...which means digging deeper.
When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, it may make her wonder if she was better off being a government tool than searching for freedom.
Some secrets are better left concealed, but humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

I read the Steel Lily synopsis and fell in love. So when the author approached me about it in exchange for an honest review, how could I resist? Steampunk is a genre I've wanted to try in a while, and I have to say that Steel Lily was the best introduction book I could have ever imagined.

The book is set in the not-too-distant future, where the Earth is in ruin down to the horror that was World War III. Left to live in Domes with barely enough oxygen to survive, Elementalists - people that can control the elements - are sought out in order to restore the world to what it originally was. Avery Pike is one of them. However, life in her Dome isn't good, so when she is approached by the charismatic Riggs with the promise of a brighter, better Dome with a sea of others like her, she and her best friend Alice accept. Unfortunately, the girls' new home isn't as nice as it first seemed; underneath the fake scenery are dark secrets poking at the edges, just waiting to be found.

Can I just start off by saying what an amazing, amazing read this was? From the first chapter I was hooked. Curd's language completely enveloped me and transported me into this dystopian world of cogs and metal, and for most of the story it felt as if I was actually there, myself. I have one steampunk book on my shelf that I have yet to read, but if this is the standard for the entire genre, then I'd better read it pretty sharpish! The genre itself is very unique, and alike dystopia, there are a lot of different avenues you can take with it. Personally, I thought Curd's take on it was perfect - despite the gloomy setting, her words brought the place beautifully to life, and I found myself falling in love with this imaginary world.

I'm quite mature for my age, so I tend to find that books where the protagonist is older than myself suit me best. Avery was fifteen, and she completely shot through my doubts - she was amazing! Everything you want a heroine to be, really; she was pretty, determined, feisty, and above all else, Curd stuck to her character. At first, Avery was portrayed as someone who held her trust very closely, and Curd carried that through the entire book, unwavering unlike many other authors. Avery didn't break down for a boy, and for that I think the reader finds her more realistic despite her almost magical abilities, and can therefore relate to her better.

Jaxon...you know, I really need to stop developing book crushes on fictional characters! My expectations of men are completely shot, and Jaxon did not help one bit! He was perfect - very arrogant, very  persistent, very annoying, and yet I loved him. His sarcasm at every turn made me laugh, and despite what I thought, I didn't grow tired of it! And the description of his looks - phew, is it just me, or is it getting hot in here? I don't even like dreadlocks, and now I bet I've developed some kind of fetish for them - Curd, I completely and utterly blame you! Damn these sexy love interests.

I've already touched upon the beauty of Curd's writing, but now onto the plot. It was thick at every turn, right from the beginning, and I loved that I never knew what was going to happen next - the reader is always on the edge of their seat with anticipation, and the plot twist at the end...I never saw it coming in a million years!

Overall, Steel Lily was the kind of book you dream to find - it had everything I could ever ask for and so much more. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, please go and add it to your TBR lists asap! Curd is an author to look out for, for sure.
Rating: 5/5