Mechanical by Betsy Cornwell

**I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It will be released on August 4, 2015.** 

Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 304
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.

My Thoughts:
I wanted to read this because it had a Cinder feel to it. But I read that so many people were turned off by this book because it sounded so much like Cinder by Marissa Meyer. 

However I can honestly say this is NOTHING like Cinder and it is it's own unique retelling of Cinderella. Such a classic that retellings will never get old. 

Nicolette has become the servant of the house but on her sixteenth birthday she discovers a secret workshop in the cellar of her home that once belonged to her mother. Nicolette's mother was a mechanic or tinker. She created mechanical creatures to do things and Nicolette decides to carry on with her mother's work. Nicolette loves to create things and she's very good at it. 

In order to one day leave her current situation, Nicolette decides  to make things and sell them at the market. Well her inventions become a hit and soon she has several orders. At the market she meets two people and they become really good friends.

The story itself was cute and unique but I had a hard time staying focused. I wanted to see how the story would progress especially with the epic ball and prince scene we are all familiar with and what this author would take the story.

Sadly it couldn't really keep my interest. I finished it but I really had to push through it. There wasn't anything content-wise wrong with the book, I just didn't enjoy the story.

The romance was lame and I was disappointed with it all. I saw it all coming and knew right off the bat what was going on and that was a little disappointing. 

Overall if you want another retelling then check it out. I think younger audiences would appreciate it and possibly enjoy it more than I did.

Sexual Content: none
Language: none
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: none