How to Repair a Mechanical Heart by JC Lillis

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (21 Sept. 2012)

The summer after high school graduation, two cute and snarky boys hit the road in an RV. Their mission: follow the traveling fan convention for Castaway Planet, the cult sci-fi show they’re both obsessed with. (Excerpt from Publishers' Blurb)

I knew I was going to love this book because it was recommended by Dahlia Adler (@MissDahlWLama), founder of LGBTQ Reads. After racing through 'The Art of Being Normal' and 'Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe', Dahlia suggested this as a follow-up. I'm so glad she did because it was incredible!

This book gained a perfect balance between being very sincere about difficult issues such as identity and self-acceptance, at the same time as being light, romantic and hilarious! It's very accessible and at the same time gave me a lot to think about.

Another thing I really loved was how well it captured that feeling of being part of a fandom. Following a travelling fan convention is the ultimate in escapism and I loved the element of the boys chronicling their journey as part of a fan vlog. I ended up feeling quite sad that Castaway Planet isn't real - it sounds like a fandom I'd be part of!

The characters became some of my favourites that I've recently encountered. Brandon and Abel both came across as very realistic, different characters who complimented each other well. I really enjoyed their friendship and developing romance.

At this point I usually like to balance out my review by saying something I didn't like. For once, I genuinely can't think of anything! This book utterly captivated me and I can't wait to read more by JC Lillis.