Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1323356526         5 STARS

 I totally loved the book. I must say when I first saw it, I had one of those, choose a book by it's cover moments. I read the blurb and promptly put it on pre-order, got it today and read the whole thing.

This is an awesome rendition of a Cinderella steampunk novel. But this isn't the fairy-tale ending you are used to so if your going for that, it's not going to happen.

You have Nicolette, Nick for short, who is learning to make mechanical animals, bugs etc from her mom who is an excellent mechanic with the help of Fey magic. A few things go wrong and the Fey are banished from the land and their magic.

We all know the story that Nick's mom passes away, I'm just not telling you from what :) Her dad marries the evil Stepmonster and the jerk sisters that are a package deal. They are the ones that eventually name her Mechanica which is cute and I love it. It's her name mixed with her being a mechanic.

I love all of her little mechanical friends, but Jules is my favorite, he is her little horse. That changes a bit toward the end but I won't say how.

This is a book that you are going to just love or not like at all, I'm in the love category. I thought it was brilliant and magical.

 FYI: If there are any mechanics out there that can make me some steampunk animals and bugs... send me a message :)