Blog Tour: Venturess by Betsy Cornwell

Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours for allowing me to participate in the Venturess Blog Tour! I am happy to showcase Venturess by Betsy Cornwell, which is a companion novel to Mechanica. If you are looking for a fairytale retelling of Cinderella merged with steampunk, check out both novels.

Title: Venturess
Author: Betsy Cornwell
Pub. Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 320
Source/format: ARC from Emma from Miss Print
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis:

Young inventor Nicolette Lampton is living her own fairy tale happy ending. She's free of her horrible step-family, running a successful business, and is uninterested in marrying the handsome prince, Fin. Instead, she, Fin, and their friend Caro venture to the lush land of Faerie, where they seek to put an end to the bloody war their kingdom is waging. Mechanical armies and dark magic await them as they uncover devastating secrets about the past and fight for a real, lasting happily-ever-after for two troubled countries—and for themselves.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Nicolette Lampton finally moves away from her stepmother and her stepsisters to open up her own workshop. While everything seems like a happily ever after for Nicolette, everything doesn't seem how it looks. King Corsin is not faring well as his health declines. Fin ends up getting injured while Fitz plots a plan for the people of Esting to fight against the Fey in Faerie. Nicolette ends up embarking on a journey to Faerie with Caro and Fin in order to safe both worlds from rampage and war.

The friendship between Nicolette, Caro and Fin is perfect. They are three peas in a pod. Betsy Cornwell extends Mechanica, which is a retelling of Cinderella, into something more! She transports readers to a magical world of Faerie. However, I wish readers explore the world of Faerie more before the war broke out. Just like Mechanica, Cornwell focuses on the friendship between the trio instead of focusing on romantic relationships. Jules, the mechanical horse, makes an reappearance and readers are introduced to new characters such as Captain Wheelock and Talis, the Fey leader.

Nicolette is a strong woman and doesn't follow the norms. She is independent and doesn't need anyone to help her be who she is. She finds the value of pants while other fashionable ladies would not be caught dead in something so pratical. Two thirds into the novel, readers will run into a plot twist which definitely caught me off guard. Also, Venturess answered my question from Mechanica about what the Ashes are. Readers get a better understanding of the Faerie world even if it's slightly unpleasant.

Venturess is a dazzling story fusing steampunk and fairytales. If you haven't read Mechanica yet, pick it up as soon as you can. Dive into Venturess right after and enjoy the magic!

ALSO BY BETSY CORNWELL

Title: Mechanica
Author: Betsy Cornwell
Pub. Date: August 25, 2015
Publisher: Clarion Books (HMH)
Pages: 320
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Synopsis:

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.

ABOUT BETSY CORNWELL


Hi! I'm Betsy Cornwell, an American writer and teacher living in a stove-heated cottage in west Ireland, together with my horse trainer spouse, a small herd of dairy goats, and an increasing number of other animals. I write fiction and nonfiction and blog about Irish folklore, travel, wild food, goats (of course!), homesteading, and growing up.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

GIVEAWAY

3 winners will receive a finished copy of VENTURESS. US Only. Nicole's Novel Reads is not responsible for books lost or damaged in the mail. Good Luck!

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BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE

7/24/2017 - Two Chicks on Books - Interview
7/25/2017 - Here's to Happy Endings - Review
7/26/2017 - BookHounds YA - Guest Post
7/27/2017 - The Book Nut - Interview
7/28/2017 - jrsbookreviews - Review

WEEK TWO

7/31/2017 - Nicole's Novel Reads - Review
8/1/2017 - Novel Novice - Guest Post
8/2/2017 - History from a Woman's Perspective - Review
8/3/2017 - YA Book Madness - Interview
8/4/2017 - Sarcasm & Lemons - Review

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Title: Mechanica 
Author: Betsy Cornwell
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication date: August 25, 2015
Pages: 320
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆1/2

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

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

"Love between friends could create life." - ARC of Mechanica

Betsy Cornwell incorporates a classic fairytale about Cinderella with steampunk elements creating a wonderful and enchanting story about Nicolette Delacourt Lampton the inventor. The Faerie world and the humans once lived together peacefully but humans banned anything Fey related because some relationship complications.

After Nicolette's mother passes away with a Faerie disease, Nicolette's father remarries Lady Halving. However, Nicolette's dad dies on New Year's Eve when she was only 10-years-old leaving Nicolette an orphan. Machines that she hide from Stepmother are the only things left she has from her mother besides her memories. Piety and Chastity, Mechanica's stepsisters are unfriendly even though Nicolette befriends them with kindness. On Nicolette's 16th birthday, her mother unveils how to find the secret workshop which is hidden from Stepmother, Piety and Chastity.

Cornwell focuses on friendships and independence. I love reading about an independent girl who is strong. Nicolette thinks about what is best for her and will not have others pity her. She does not require a man to take care of her because she is capable of taking care of herself. She is fierce and a good role model for girls. I also enjoy reading about women who love science. Not many females dabble into science and especially more on the engineering side of the field. It's inspiring to see Nicolette and her mother embracing their love for tinkering with mechanisms and creating beautiful yet useful contraptions. Friendships throughout the novel are important. Building strong and healthy relationships are important. Nicolette meets Caro and Fin at the Marketplace and become good friends. Her greatest friend of all is Jules who keeps her company everyday at home.

I absolutely fell in love with the cover when it was revealed. It's gorgeous and perfect for the book. What bothered me was when Piety and Chastity, also known as the Steps, rip pages out of the leather-bound books. It definitely made me cringe. The pacing of the story can be slow at time and is drawn out but I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. Overall, Mechanica is intricate Cinderella retelling full of magic and inspiration. However, there are certain areas I wish Cornwell went into more detail. I want to know more about the Fey magic that is used in the workshop, what happened to the orders that Nicolette has to fulfill and what are the Ashes. I also want to know more about the outcome of the Cultural Exposition Gala. Mechanica may not be a fast paced book but it is a novel to savor slowly.

If you plan to be around Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, August 8th, Cornwell will be making an appearance at The Way Station. She will also be at the Brookline Booksmith on Sunday, August 9th. Check out more information about the two events here.