Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors

Nyssa Glass #1

by H.L. Burke

Nyssa Glass is a reformed cat burglar turned electrician's apprentice, settled into a life repairing videophones and radio-sets. However, when her past comes calling, she finds herself forced into one last job. No one has entered Professor Dalhart's secluded mansion in almost a decade, at least not and returned to tell the tale. If Nyssa wants to ensure her freedom, she'll brave the booby trapped halls and mechanized maids. Nyssa has skills, but this house has more than its share of secrets. As she steps into the cobwebbed halls lined with dusty mirrors, she has to wonder. Is the House of Mirrors really abandoned?

Genres: Steampunk, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction, Audiobook

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2016

About the author

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .

Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com

http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...

Reviews

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow... this was just awesome. Not only is the world the author created interesting and richly detailed her characters are so very complex and full of surprises. I loved Hart/Ellis from the start and although I figured out they were one and the same before Nyssa did in the story, it was totally cool because I am pretty sure the auther intended it that way. This story was full of action, puzzles and tension. The whole creepy house with scary robots thing was tense enough add crazed killer/burglers and went through the roof. If the rest of this series is as good as this story I am gonnabecome a big fan of Ms. Burke!

[L.R.W. Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars! Creative. Engaging. Well written. These adjectives summarize well the fun steampunk novel, Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors by H. L. Burke.

I’ve never read anything by H. L. Burke before but when she offered her latest release to me for an honest review, I thought I’d check it out and I’m glad I did, for this fun adventure did not disappoint.

I love steampunk for the creativity authors show re: inventions in the Victorian era that could have been. This novel captured Burke’s vivid imagination as we find...Read full review on my blog at
http://blog.lrwlee.com/2016/03/10/rev...

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining paranormal listening 🎶🔰

What a wonderful will written paranormal fantasy world 🌎 Steampunk adventure thriller short story by H. L. Burke (Nyssa Glass Steampunk Series book 1 of 5). Nyssa is at work when this man 🚹 comes in and wants her too break in too a house. Nyssa refuses and is on the run. She is rescued by a woman 🚺 who gets Nyssa to take a look at the house and the fun begins. A house that has computer to run it with robots doing the chores. She finds the son of the owner on a table tied to a computer. They escape from the house and their adventure begins. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of paranormal fantasy mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 👒😀😡🏡

A really great book looking forward to the next one. Happy reading and have fun 🌙😀
I picked up ☝two more authors while being nosy looking at books On My. What fun

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was different then what I was expecting it to be but in a good way. Steampunk is a genre I find fascinating and the worldbuilding for this book with all the old style tech blended with more “modernish” tech without it being actually modern was great and immersive without being too much and overriding the story.

And while not a straight up horror there are horrorish elements that are both awful yet not overly detailed as this genre tends to go, so if you’re like me and avoid horror for the most part I don’t think those mild elements would be too much.

I liked both Nyssa and Hart and their relationship as human and computer was fun and surprisingly heartwarming since, ya know, one’s a computer, haha. I like stories that incorporate sentient objects/computers with personality as when done well I think it’s a lot of fun and gets you thinking more deeply about humanity and such in some cases. The only quibble I have is that I think Nyssa kind of got over the death of her mentor pretty fast which didn’t seem very realistic, but she was also thrown into a “do this or die” situation right afterwords so that might alter the grieving process some.

This was a fun, slightly spooky story and I’m curious to see where Nyssa goes next!


‼️Content‼️

Language: darn; jackass; hussy; what the heck; dang; damn; hellish; dammit

Violence: a man is electrocuted in the chest (not detailed); a robot attacks/fights a character

Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)

Alcohol/Drugs: poisoned gas

Other: death and grief; a human heart and bones are found inside robots (not detailed); dead bodies (not detailed)

[Kellyn Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay ... that was amazing! I had no idea it would be so good. (Although, I adore steampunk. I've read like half a dozen steampunk books now ... okay, mostly just this series ...)

Nyssa was beyond a doubt the most amazing character I've read in a long time! I really adored her. I actually *coughs* doubted the author's ability to write this character. ;P I know, I know, that's a mean thing to say, but I did! As I saw Heidi talk about Nyssa's personality, I was just like, "There is no way on heaven or earth that she can pull off a female character that acts like that." Isn't that the worst presumption ever? But I did assume! (I didn't know the author's internet personality yet. *is saying a lot of weird things* *shrugs and refuses to explain*)

Annnndddd ... now, I don't doubt it at all, of course. xP Because Nyssa was so amazing. I want to be Nyssa. And marry Ellis, because HE IS SO AMAZING.

Another character who was really amazing was Hart. Hart was just ... just ... <3 <3 <3 I mean, seriously, has a more awesome, hilarious, funny character ever existed? I guessed the twist with Ellis early on, but that made it no less amazing!

Okay, so, I don't know if y'all know this, but I love seeing the way things work together - especially cars and clocks and those kind of things. So all the tech stuff made me happy. <3 I understand that it's not for everyone, though. But y'know ... for me, it was just loads of fun!

The storyline was very interesting and intriguing. Like I said in the spoiler space, I guessed one of the major plot twists early on, but I'm not too worried about that. I think I'd seen spoilers online or something like that, though I don't know it. At the very least, I knew there was an Ellis going in, haha.

Generally, a book I would recommend to any lovers of steampunk, sci-fi, exciting adventures, sarcasm, computers, or amazing characters.

~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews

[mary liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was not what I was expecting. Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected--a steampunk story with mystery and excitement and creepy mansions, maybe?

Well, this is kind of like that...but really, it just felt like a rather boring sci-fi book.

The whole plot seemed to revolve around technology and computers and I'm just over here like, "Um, can we not talk about technical stuff PLEASE AND THANK YOU." In case any of you didn't know, I'm not a very techy person. Maybe if I had known this story revolved around robots and computers, I would have steered clear. All the technological stuff was, quite frankly, boring and confusing. I felt really disoriented the entire story. (Like I said, I FAIL AT TECHNOLOGY. :P)

Also, the action? Yeahhhh, it was pretty much nonexistent. The only really exciting part was the first chapter.

So yes, this honestly didn't feel anything like steampunk. It mostly felt like sci-fi to me--with some top hats and goggles thrown in to make it "steampunk."

Another thing: I think I was supposed to have an emotional attachment to the characters but I honestly didn't. Although I enjoyed Nyssa and Hart's banter, that was the extent of my concern for them. SORRY. They just...didn't stand out to me?? I DON'T KNOW. My thoughts are very confused right now.

There was also the instance of two swear words. I was under the impression that this was written by a Christian author--especially since some of the characters seem to have faith in God--so that rather shocked me. I just typically don't want to worry about language when I pick up a Christian book. *shrugs*

ANYWAY. This review probably makes it sound like I hated the story, but I didn't. It was just okay. Rather boring, rather too confusing, and rather too much like sci-fi for my tastes. (But hey, it earns some points because HART AND NYSSA'S BANTER. That was pretty great. *nods*)

2.5 stars

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this story was very charming. A great intro to steampunk also if someone hasn't delved into it before. The main character Nyssa is a reformed thief with very redeeming qualities. The flow of the story pulls you along the current and draws you towards the end of the book. It was hard to put down. Good job by the author in making this shorter story not feel rushed.

[Kate Willis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kate needs to read more steampunk.
So she did.

I really loved the worldbuilding in this. Everything felt properly steampunky, and, even though a lot of it was foreign to me, I was never confused. Also, now I need to play some dressup… XD

The characters in this really shone. The more I learned about Mr. C, the more I loved him. His influence on Nyssa was subtle but so real, and it was exciting to see her faint knowledge of God strengthen as the story went on. Nyssa was a very cool character--fiercely loyal, smart, and trying to do the right thing. It was also fun how she stayed very feminine while doing all the epic things. ;) And I love her goggles.

The riddles of the house, secret trapdoors, codes, etc, and the very smart and playful AI were quite a treat. I would seriously read an entire book of just Nyssa and Hart solving things together. XD

Unfortunately, this book was much too dark for my taste with human experimentation akin to Cybermen from Doctor Who or that one episode with the clockwork robots and the super creepy spaceship. *shudders* It was really quite disturbing to read.

Just a note, there were a couple of off-color jokes and some of the “d” swear word. I was also uncomfortable with one character being referred to as “Creator” since that’s a word that when capitalized I associate with God.

Best quote: Her face warmed. “Yes, just not fond of spiders.” “Neither am I. Get in my circuits and foul things up with their sticky webs. There’s one on your arm.” Nyssa yelped and slapped at herself. A series of snickering chimes radiated from a mirror across the hall. “That’s for saying my humor program was malfunctioning.”

Altogether, while I was attached enough to the characters to finish reading, I have regrets about reading this book because it spooked me so much. I won’t be continuing this series, but I may try something from this author again someday. ;)

[A. Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-deserved 5+ stars!
I’ve never read a steampunk novel before, so I really had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. But I’ve read other books by H.L. Burke (including fairy tales, dragon tales, and one of my all-time favorites, Beggar Magic) and love her writing style in general, so I figured that it would be a nice introduction to the genre for me. It’s no surprise that I was not disappointed at all.

Nyssa Glass is a reformed cat burglar who has obtained a good education, thanks to her caring employer. But when he is attacked and Nyssa is framed, she has no choice but to help out the assailant’s competitor in order to make a clean getaway. She’s brought to the abandoned home of the famous electronics designer, Professor Dalhart, with a mission to retrieve data about his inventions. With the help of the house computer, Nyssa begins to uncover a lot more secrets about the professor and his inventions.

To put it mildly, I did not want to put this book down! I loved Nyssa right from the beginning, and I can’t wait to read about more of her adventures. The computer, also known as Hart, was also such a fun character, and it’s killing me not to be able to talk about him more without giving away spoilers. With such an amazing cast, a fast-paced story, and thrills and suspense around every corner, I couldn’t come up with a single thing about this book that I didn’t like.

One more comment: this might be a rather strange thing to point out in a review, but I also really liked how the majority of the story takes place within a very brief period of time. The biggest chunk of the story (I would guess around 95%, if not more) happens over the course of a single day. I LOVE that, and not nearly enough writers are willing to take a chance with writing what I like to call “short-term stories” – even more extra points go out to Burke for that one!

[deborah o'carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! It's like a steampunk/sci-fi mystery with heist elements, a spunky heroine, and a mysterious creepy old mansion with technology and traps, and a Doctor-Who-type feeling going on (Cybermen or Daleks, anyone? o.o Not quite, but really.), not to mention a TOTALLY AWESOME COMPUTER NAMED HART. (Hart is the best and I love his character so much. Ahem.) I guessed the twist but it was super cool, so. :P Plus it's a novella, so I read it in a sitting, which is handy! And it was FUNNY. Like, seriously, Nyssa and Hart have the absolute BEST dialog. <3 I kept highlighting it in my kindle reader. XD A mite creepy for my usual taste, plus a couple quibbles on my part, hence the not-quite-5 rating, but overall very very fun. :D Looking forward to reading the rest of the series! (I won an e-collection of the entire series in a giveaway, and I'm SO glad I have them all! I need to read the rest soooon.)

[E. Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun and rollicking puzzle-style adventure with traps and dangers to avoid, plus a rewarding twist at the end for a surprise reveal! You'll be slightly scared this plot won't turn out well... and perhaps I shouldn't spoil the suspense... but suffice it to say that Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors is a great book with a super fun over all result.

I received a Review Copy for my honest opinion... and I'm glad I did, because this was one fun read!

[Laurie Lucking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Nyssa was such a fun character, and I was so intrigued as she delved into the mysteries within Dalhart's mansion. Some aspects were pretty dark, but Nyssa's witty banter with Hart kept it from feeling too dreary. If you're looking for a steampunk adventure with mystery and a strong heroine, I would highly recommend Nyssa Glass!

[Savannah Jezowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read anything yet by Ms. Burke that I haven’t enjoyed. This book was no exception. In turn, it makes you laugh, makes you shiver, makes you sniff, makes you sigh, and makes you want more at the end. Looking forward to the other books in this series!

[Mike Billington · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her fast-moving tale "Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors" author H.L. Burke has combined elements of Steampunk, science fiction, horror, and romance to fashion an interesting read with a winsome heroine.
Nyssa has a shady past, which is not entirely her fault. Orphaned at a young age, she is shoved into a life of crime by circumstance more than desire. That doesn't prevent her from becoming very, very good at her "job" as a cat burglar, however. Caught one night while breaking into a store, she is taken under the wing of the man she was attempting to rob. He clears her name with the justice system, obtaining a pardon for her past crimes, and sees that she receives a top-flight education in things mechanical and electrical. Now, at 16, she has a "straight" job and a future she can look forward to with some pride.
Then things go wrong.
Bad wrong.
It's not my intention to delve into the plot to spoil it for those who have not yet read this book, but I will say that the bulk of the action takes place in - as the title suggests - a very strange mansion. There is danger afoot in the mansion, literally and figuratively, and Nyssa will need all her skills as a burglar to survive.
Even with them there is a very good chance that she will not.
Nyssa is an appealing character. She's smart, seems to have her head on straight, and she is determined to "do the right thing." The system, however, may not be inclined to allow that. "Once a criminal, always a criminal" seems to be the prevailing attitude of the police.
This short novel has a lot of elements: Examples of courage, loyalty, betrayal, and pure evil are woven into the narrative with great skill. If I have a quibble with this very entertaining book it is simply that I would have liked the characters of the villains to be developed a little more because, to my way of thinking, they were pretty interesting in their own right.
That said, this is a solid 4.5-star novel with a smoothly written narrative, a well-plotted storyline and an intriguing heroine. I have no trouble recommending it.

[Sarah White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors held me riveted from the start and delivered one of the most beautiful and satisfying endings I’ve read in a long time.

The characters are gems. Nyssa’s past and her determination to escape it are compelling, and her intelligence and heart make her easy to root for. Hart is fun and intriguing from the start, and while I guessed the truth about him early on, it was still very satisfying to see how his story played out. The human antagonists get surprisingly little page time and I would have liked to have seen a bit more of them, but the true antagonist is the house itself. Professor Dalhart’s mansion provides one terrifying obstacle after another, each leading to deeper mysteries and a tragic truth.

I’m fairly new to steampunk, so the world-building was particularly fun to explore. Not only does Burke create an intricate world full of interesting tech, but the technology also plays into the plot in ways that create a unique and riveting story. It’s a short book, so many aspects of the world are left unexplored, but I’m looking forward to seeing more of it in the upcoming sequels.

The book’s heart lies in the questions it asks. I was startled by the depth of the ethical issues the story explored and how these played into the characters’ journeys. Characters face unsettling dangers and not everyone makes it out alive. However, the resolution makes the dark journey every bit worthwhile, just as it should. Highly recommended for readers teenage and above who like interesting worlds, thought-provoking questions, and quirky, memorable characters.

[Abby Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take lots of adventure, mix in a robots, a haunted house, plenty of steampunk-ness, a snarky computer, and a reformed pickpocket and what do you get? Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors!

Following her normal pattern Burke again provides a fun, enjoyable, quick adventure that is perfect for a Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday morning. Grab a bowl of popcorn and some chocolate and snuggle in for a grand time.

I loved this book because the adventure had a nice mix of horror which wasn’t overwhelming, but gave just a bit of spine-tingling. Nyssa is a fun heroine with plenty of moxie but also heart. And the computer is by far my favorite character. The interaction between it and Nyssa are hilarious and heart-felt.

I highly recommend this story and any other Nyssa Glass stories that are sure to follow!

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I haven't read this series before! It is right up my alley! Reformed cat burglar and mechanic Nyssa Glass is drawn into a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a reclusive inventor. What she finds is far beyond anything she could have imagined. I loved Hart! There were nail biting moments and a few mechanical monsters I'm glad aren't real! This steampunk world is more futuristic than others with videophones and other tech which would be spoilers. It feels like H.L. Burke imagined what today would be like with steampunk tech.

[S.M. Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first "steam-punk" book, so I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the genre, or just the author, but I absolutely LOVED this book! Fast paced, action packed, flawless writing and such an amazing imagination! I loved all the characters, particularly Nyssa & Hart ... Can't wait 'til someone makes this into a film as it would be a good one, and I can claim to be one of the early readers.

Five stars without a doubt.

[Mariel Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

So full of twists and unexpected surprises. I literally did not want to put this book down. The imagery was great and plot was excellent.

[Valery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right off the bat I fell in love with this book, despite the fact that it is NOT Science Fiction. It has all the right qualities; exciting, great plot line, and memorable characters. Plus, it was simply a fun read! And no major grammar errors,  which was quite refreshing!

There are a couple of gruesome scenes, but they are necessary to the story and the scene is not depicted in detail.

I do have one complaint, however.
It wasn't quite clear, but at one point it seems that Nyssa gets shocked by a locking mechanism and then decides to use a wire to try and pick the lock. Which leads me to the confusing part. Wouldn't she still get shocked through the wire? Wires arr meant to conduct electricity, so logically, this was a stupid thing to do and should not have worked. But, as I said, it wasn't entirely clear.

Lately, I think I am becoming more and more a fan of steampunk. Looking for science and excitement that is fairly clean and you can let your teens read? This book fits the bill, even if there is a tiny bit of romance meshed in!

For my clean readers:
Includes minor swearing(1 or 2), insanity, light violence(though there is murder), and vague descriptions of human remains.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prequel story for this series was so short that I still wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this first full-length installment, but I definitely ended up enjoying it. Nyssa is a fun protagonist and I enjoyed how the story was set up with her having to go through the house and solve different puzzles [it kind of reminded me of a video game, which I'm sure isn't everyone's cup of tea in book format but I thought it worked nicely here]. Hart/Ellis was a great addition as well and I'm definitely excited to see where this series goes next.

[Also MILD SPOILERS but this was the second book I read in a week that featured some kind of plot where people were being turned into machines in some way ...actually third kind of if you count listening to The Adventure Zone ...not that I mind, all of them were still very unique in their own ways, but I just always find it interesting when I unintentionally read patterns like that.]

[Jason Joyner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story. It had twists that I did not see coming. I've been wanting to check out HL Burke for a while and I'm glad I jumped in with this steampunk story. I'm interested in checking out more by her.

[Katie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fun. It took me a couple chapters to get into the story, but it was so worth it. I loved all the details and sciencey bits. Super fun book!

[Tamara Grantham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun story. A different take on a steampunk world. I really enjoyed it. Never dragged. Highly recommended!

[N.W. Moors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors by H.L. Burke is a YA Steampunk story full of twists and turns. Nyssa is an electrical apprentice working in a shop on Clockwork Row that repairs videophones, radios, and signal sending devices. It's a step up from the cat burglar that she once was.
The book starts with a mysterious man who comes into the shop to procure Nyssa's services, but not as a repair person. He's looking for a burglar. When Nyssa doesn't agree, she is forced to escape where she falls into the hands of his rival. She agrees, since she has no choice at this point, to break into Dalhart Mansion, a deserted estate that belonged to Professor Dalhart, the famous inventor of the videophone, computers, and robotics. She's to obtain his papers that detail his inventions - the only problem is that the mansion is booby-trapped. Numerous people have tried to break in and no one has come out alive.
Nyssa does manage to get in far enough that she can activate the house computer which she calls 'Hart'. Hart has huge chunks of memory missing and his circuits have been cut off, but he tries to help Nyssa navigate the huge house which is filled with special mirrors. I don't want to give away any more of the story, but there are many surprises. There is also some violence as the stakes get higher and higher.
H.L. Burke does a wonderful job portraying the world Nyssa inhabits. There are steam engines and corsets along with the older technology (to us) that is so new to the people in the book. Nyssa is an engaging heroine, spunky and brash, and she makes a fine team with Hart. This is a well-written and enjoyable adventure story and I look forward to the next book about Nyssa's adventures.

[Camilla Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took little coaxing to get me to dive into this story. Between the cover art, the title, and the steampunk premise, I was thrilled when I was able to get it and dive in. From the first words of the first chapter, I was riveted. There is nothing tacky or uninteresting about it. Action, adventure, mystery, with a great dose of humor and the minutest smidge of romance, it all works like getting men, dragons, automatons, and unicorns to coexist together in a steampunk world.

Nyssa Glass is such a remarkably endearing youth, and Mr. C. and, dare I say, the computer (?) melted my heart. I certainly did not know where the story was leading, and was left aghast and startled many times along the way.

To me there is underlying symbolism that completely relates to contemporary times. H. L. Burke did a fantastic job at keeping the flow and intrigue going, and with the world building and gadget creations. The characters, I felt, were solid, and unique. The plot was constantly tilted and twirled, so boredom was out of the question.

There were some creepy, but fascinating moments. Between some very difficult plot twists, which I would characterize as darker steampunk, I noticed two swear words used by a character that had every right to be frustrated.

I was pleased with the unusual use of verses to encourage a soul fighting temptation and the call of a past life of crime. I especially enjoyed how one was used as a clue to open a door. Very fun details!

One of my favorite quotes: "I think I'd rather be frightened but informed than blissfully ignorant." (said by Nyssa)

And I loved the dedication!!! "to the self-taught and the determined"

[Kristen Kooistra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third Burke book, and so far it’s my favorite! Nyssa Glass is sixteen, but she had this “old” feel to her that made her really easy to relate too. The story takes place over one day, but wow is it the craziest day.

I’m still sad about the first death! I didn’t see that coming at all and even though the story had just started I really liked that character! There’s a lot of death(most of it referencing people that had died before the story started) and if you stop to think about some of the darker elements, it definitely was creepy, but Burke did a good job of showing the darkness without going into extreme detail and grossing the reader out.

I loved trying to solve the mystery along with Nyssa and Hart. I always get annoyed when I solve the mystery way before the characters do, and fortunately that didn’t happen here! A few lines after things clicked into place for me, Nyssa figures it out too. Perfect. I didn’t have to fume about how stupid a character is for not getting the obvious, and I didn’t have the mystery solved before I figured it out.

I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, waiting to see what happened next, what trap lay ahead, what was around the next corner, in the next room, etc. A very fast-paced book that kept me up way too late so that I read it all in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down.

[Heather Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear 5 stars! I've loved every book I've read by Burke so far and her latest one didn't disappoint! In fact, it's become my favorite (next to Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon, of course, because who can resist an adorable fluffy kitten?)

Nyssa, the main protagonist, puts the spunk in steampunk, and her courage and intelligence keeps her going as the plot begins to heat up...starting with the murder of her mentor, a kindly electrician who took in a young thief and taught her his trade.

Her own life threatened, Nyssa's given a chance to escape...at the cost of returning to her old ways. Unfortunately, the job isn't a simple one. She must infiltrate the mansion of an eccentric old inventor. With her life on the line, she doesn't have much choice, so in she goes. There are traps, surprises, and help from a very surprising source along the way.

There is humor in this story, as well as sadness and joy, and many, many thrills and hold-your-breath moments. I don't want to spoil things, but one of the characters Nyssa meets in the mansion is definitely my favorite. I can't wait for the next book so I can read more about her adventures!

[K.M. Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read--maybe too fast

This is a quick read, about 150 pages. My biggest complaint is that it moves TOO fast–I wanted more background detail, more worldbuilding, that kind of thing. But if you’re in the mood for a speedy read, this book suits the bill.

It’s supposed to be steampunk, but there’s computers, and I just couldn’t buy steampunk computers. Maybe I just haven’t read enough of the genre or something, but it felt more 1960s than 1860s to me.

Those issues aside, I enjoyed the various traps and horrors that Nyssa meets as she prowls around this giant mechanized mansion. A bunch of other burglars had tried to break in before her, and she finds their remains in satisfyingly macabre ways. She befriends the security system (who I kept thinking of as Wheatley from Portal 2), who tries to help her around the traps … mostly.

There are a few unanswered questions left at the end, but this is going to be a series, so that’s to be expected. I’m curious to see where this series will go, especially as Nyssa gains a sidekick at the end. Their relationship will carry the series, I think.

[Julieann Couture · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! Nyssa stole my heart from page one, the antagonists were perfectly dislikable, and I adored the banter between the Nyssa and the other protagonist(shhh, not telling, because spoilers!).

The story kept me sucked in, laughing, 'aww!'ing, and flipping pages long after I should have been asleep. I really enjoyed the style. It was an interesting twist on what I'm used to seeing in 'traditional' steam punk stories, incorporating elements of both steam punk and gear punk/clockworks. It was a thoroughly enjoyable story with a greatly satisfying ending.

I would recommend this book to anyone older teen and up who is looking for a fun, sweet read(the reason I don't recommend for younger teens is because of a comment about a character's derriere and some kissing, but those were brief and not what I'd call graphic) with plenty of action and mystery! I'm personally looking forward to reading more by this author!

*I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.