A New York Times Bestseller

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, Mechanica seeks to wow the prince and eager entrepreneurs alike.

But with her cruel stepsisters determined to stand in her way, can one brilliant inventor change her own fate?

• YA Fantasy Novel: Perfect for young adult readers who love smart heroines, dazzling inventions, and a fairy tale with a steampunk twist.
• Inventor Protagonist: Meet Nicolette—known as Mechanica to her stepsisters—a girl who plans to trade her life of servitude for a future built from gears, gadgets, and her own two hands.
• Magical Creatures: When Nicolette discovers her mother's secret workshop, she also finds an unexpected friend: Jules, a tiny, sentient metal horse with a clockwork heart.
• Magic vs. Technology: In a world that has quarantined magic, Nicolette must rely on her mechanical skills to impress the prince at the upcoming royal ball and technological exposition.