The Wrinkled Crown by Anne Nesbet

She's not to touch or play a lourka before she's twelve.  If she does, she'll get taken "away".  The voices come and claim you.  She's not like the other girls.  She escapes off her tether to go play in the forest.  (She's tethered to another girl so she won't be tempted, you see.)  After doing this for some time, she's managed to make her own lourka.  And when she plays it right before her twelfth birthday, something awful happens.  Her friend she was tethered to was taken away...

HarperCollins and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published November 10th.

This is a great adventure story.  It has all the elements you need to make a fantastic tale.  There's magic, a steampunk cat, a loving friendship between two girls, a boy who hangs about because he has a crush on one of the girls, and a world that is very different.  Once you come to the town of Lourka, you can't leave.  The hills won't let you.  But Linny has to leave so she can find medicine to help her friend.  At least the lummox (boy) comes along with her.  He wants to save his love, too.

Linny unfortunately looks like a woman who was important in the past.  As she tries to sneak through town, she finds out that there is a festival going on.  Everyone there thinks she's come for that.  No...

The Magician wants her to lead his faction against the other side.  The Regent wants her to go the other way.  Her grandfather just wants to use her as means to own ends.  She has to find her mother's sister, get the medicine and get out of town.

There are a lot of villains in these two small cities and there are a lot of power plays going on.   Linny has to try to keep moving.  Her worst enemy was one I couldn't see coming.  Maybe you'll pick up on it sooner.

You won't be bored if you read this book.