Steel Lily takes place in a steampunk/dystopian (but not THAT far into the future)world where people live under Domes instead of the sky. After WWIII, the Earth was badly damaged and the air polluted, making everyone have to live under a metal-like dome. How does it operate? Steam. Enter Avery, a uniquely talented girl whose parents are missing. Avery is an Elementist, meaning at least in her case, that she can produce steam. While it may sound like claim-to-fame ability, she is often shunned by her peers for her gift. When she is taken to a new school to further develop her powers, she discoveries much more than she bargained for including mystery, hidden agendas, and romance.

I signed up to receive a free ARC ebook (in exchange for an honest review), because I thought this story sounded unique, and it wonderfully, wonderfully was. From the first few chapters, I felt really engrossed in Avery's world. It was easy to imagine this tough, lonely girl trying to deal with being different, having powers, and protecting those she loves. Avery might actually be one of my favorite protagonists, not because she is any of the above, but because of her reactions to things. So many times when I'm reading a book, I wonder why the main character went along with something, with little or no question. They might have the most stubborn side and a fierce backbone, but when something happens, they just kind of go along with it. Avery is not like this. She questions everything in an intelligent, firm way, showing that she doesn't trust easily. Given the world she lives in, that is a very good thing. She had a great way of describing the world around her without it feeling too explanation-y. The best world-building is often the one that happens gradually and without being obvious, and I think that's what this book had.

The plot was very reasonably paced, and I loved the characters more and more after every twist and turn. The character development was so smooth. Every time one of the characters had a break through, I felt like grabbing some confetti and throwing them a party for gaining such a new insight. While Avery was my favorite character, I loved the personalities the secondary characters brought. Alice, Avery's best friend, is very sweet and her friendship with Avery is natural and logical. I can easily picture them being best friends in real life. Sari was also a character I liked getting to know.

But we all know this a young adult story, and usually the best of those have a great romance. Hello, Jaxon. Jaxon is moody, sarcastic, sweet, unpredictable, and surprisingly heartwarming at times. The relationship between him and Avery is something readers will have to uncover for themselves, but I loved every second of it. It was unique, and not like a lot of YA relationships I've read. Jaxon and Avery are so similar, and they have a connection that left me teary at times (no shame!).

Other things I loved: the wit, the title (and the moment when I found out why the title was that, ALL THE FEELS), the cover, and the way the plot transitions were handled.

No book is perfect, so the thing I will say I would have liked more in this book is the Elementalist powers. We see Avery's frequently, but I would have enjoyed learning more about them in other people. I'm assuming/hoping/begging that there will be a sequel, so there's plenty of room to find out more about them, so it's not a big minus by any means, just a notable one.

5/5 steam-powered stars.