I've been looking forward to starting this series ever since a fellow blogger friend, Aylee at the Recovering Potter Addict, put up her review on the first book. So, when netgalley.com made the first installment a "Read Now" book, of course I couldn't resist their generous offer. This is a fantastic kickoff to a humorous, light, adventure filled historical fiction/steampunk type series. Its very unique in many of its cutting edge concepts. For starters, this book is about an all girls boarding school, a finishing academy to be more precise. Its not just your run of the mill finishing school, this one is markedly different. The girls at this school not only learn to be ladies, but they also learn to be nefarious! When the main character Sophronia gets banished to the boarding school for punishment, she's totally taken aback by the situation she finds herself in. This book is about all of the crazy schemes, adventures and mysteries Sophronia and her newly made friends partake. This book is set at a boarding school, one that actually floats in the air, suspended by balloons. Writing is absolutely fun. The young women are conniving, illustrious and interested in furthering their education. Its an extremely fast paced story, with always some crazy scheme taking place. Told in a third person narrative through the eyes of our bold narrator, Sophronia, an entrancing story unfold. 
 Sophronia and I hit it off right from the start. She's the youngest of a family full of girls. Her mother can't seem to get her to act like a lady and she's always in some form of trouble. I loved her personality, her big heart and especially the way her mind works. She's a gifted problem solver and is always able to come up with solutions to complex situations at the drop of a hat. Its also wonderful to see she welcomes any type of friend. 
 Dimity is far more of a "girly girl". She's a great contrast to Sophronia's rambunctiousness. I laughed over how easily she passes out at the sight of blood. It was also nice to see she was a very welcoming girl. She and Sophronia became quick and fast friends. They each had each other's backs. 
 Soap, one of the sooties, ( a group of boys working in the boiler room of the boarding school "ship" shockingly was an African American boy. I adored his humbleness and his gentlemen-like ways. He always treated Sophronia and her friend kindly and was very genuine about it. 
 Monique, an older student forced to repeat her classes a second time because of failure to "finish" ends up being the villainous character and Sophronia's arch-nemesis. They play some pretty fierce mind games. Her character revealed a bit of forshadowing about what's to come in the next school years for our young heroines. 
 What I loved about this story was all the quirkiness and inventivness. This book blends: historical fiction, humor, steampunk and fantasy into one entertaining story. The mechanicals were some of my favorite additions to the story. Sophronia's pet dog, Bumbersnoot was quite the character. The writing though whimsical and fun did seem more middle grade than young adult, which I appreciated but others may not. The romance in this story for me was barley brushed on, which was perfect for me. This book kept me entertained from start to finish. The ending was entirely complete, no cliffhangers or any crazy stuff like that. It totally could be read as a standalone. I don't know how anyone would want to stop with book one and not desire to read the entire series. What an adorable book!