Description

A New York Times Bestseller

In this steampunk Cinderella retelling, 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 pushed her into a life of dreary servitude. When she discovers a secret workshop in the cellar on her sixteenth birthday—and befriends Jules, a tiny magical metal horse—Nicolette starts to imagine a new life for herself. And the timing may be perfect: There’s a technological exposition and a royal ball on the horizon. Determined to invent her own happily-ever-after, this YA fantasy heroine seeks to wow the prince and eager entrepreneurs alike with her brilliant inventions.

But this fairytale is more than just glass slippers—it’s about gears, guts, and gumption.

A Fairytale Retelling with a Twist: Instead of a fairy godmother, Nicolette has her mother’s hidden workshop, a knack for invention, and a brilliant mind determined to forge her own future. Steampunk Inventions: In a world powered by imagination, follow Nicolette as she crafts everything from clockwork creatures to her own dazzling entrance to the royal ball. A Touch of Magic: Meet Jules, a tiny mechanical horse with a mind of his own, who becomes Nicolette’s most loyal friend and confidant in her dreary life of servitude. Beyond the Happily-Ever-After: In a world of glittering royalty and cutthroat entrepreneurs, Nicolette must decide if a prince is what she truly wants, or if her future lies in building her own empire.