How to Repair a Mechanical Heart

Brandon and Abel are two high school seniors who run a popular vlog about Castaway Planet, their favorite sci-fi TV show. During summer break, they embark on a six-week road trip in Brandon's RV to attend fan conventions across the country. The journey forces Brandon to confront his Catholic upbringing and his feelings about his sexuality, while Abel deals with his own personal struggles. Their relationship evolves as they navigate the enthusiastic fandom community, film content for their channel, and face unexpected challenges on the road. The story takes place against the backdrop of the Castaway Planet fandom, featuring passionate shippers, fan fiction writers, and the intense world of convention culture. The narrative incorporates blog posts, fan fiction excerpts, and online comments that reflect the digital landscape of modern fandom. This coming-of-age story explores themes of identity, faith, and self-acceptance within online fan communities. The novel examines how fictional stories can help young people understand themselves and find their place in the world.

Readers describe this as a sweet, funny romance focused on fandom culture, road trips, and coming-of-age themes. The book maintains a 4.1/5 rating on Goodreads from over 2,000 ratings. Readers appreciated: - Authentic portrayal of fan communities and convention culture - Natural development of the central relationship - Strong humor throughout - Representation of religious conflict and identity - Well-written secondary characters Common criticisms: - Religious themes can feel heavy-handed - Some found the pacing slow in the middle - A few readers wanted more resolution to certain plot threads Ratings breakdown: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (200+ ratings) Reader quote: "The way fandom and shipping is written feels incredibly authentic to anyone who's ever been in that world." - Goodreads reviewer "Perfect balance of humor and serious themes without getting preachy." - Amazon reviewer

Fan Art by Sarah Tregay A teenage artist navigates first love with a male classmate while creating fan comics and finding acceptance in the art and fanfiction community.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde Three friends attend a fan convention where they confront their feelings for each other amid cosplay competitions and celebrity encounters.

Ship It by Britta Lundin A fanfiction writer joins a TV show's publicity tour and works to make her favorite character's same-sex relationship canon while discovering her own identity.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Two teens bond over their shared love of a fiction podcast and create fan content together while dealing with academic pressure and family expectations.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell A college freshman continues writing fanfiction about her favorite book series while experiencing romance and learning to write her own original stories.

🔧 The book's plot revolves around "Castaway Planet," a fictional sci-fi TV show that mirrors real fandoms like "Supernatural" and their passionate fan communities. 💕 Author J.C. Lillis wrote this novel as her debut work after years of being active in various online fandoms and writing fan fiction. 🚐 The cross-country road trip in the story was inspired by real-life fan conventions and the culture of traveling "con circuits" popular among devoted fans. 🌈 When published in 2012, the book was among the early wave of YA novels featuring LGBTQ+ main characters in a rom-com setting rather than focusing on coming-out stories. 🎬 The story incorporates multiple forms of fan creativity, including fanfiction, fan videos, and cosplay, authentically representing modern fandom culture.