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oliviaangelixx's review against another edition
DNF @ 34%
I went into this book with really high expectations. It looks so adorable, and I love books that feature women in STEM. Not to mention this is by the same author that wrote The Atlas Six (under the pen name Olivie Blake) which I really enjoyed. Sadly, what I read did not reach the bar that I placed for it and it just got to a point where I could not read anymore.
My Mechanical Romance is a dual POV book, told from the perspectives of our two main characters, Bel and Mateo. Bel is new to the school and is on the verge of graduating, but she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. All she knows is that she enjoys building and designing objects. Mateo (who also goes by Teo) is the school heartthrob who also happens to be one of the smartest in the school, captain of the soccer team, AND captain of the robotics team. When Bel is forced to join the robotics team, her and Teo don't get along, until they do.
It sounds promising right? And it was, for less than a split second. Right off the bat, I noticed that the writing style seemed a bit too dense for my tastes. It seemed like the author wanted to give us new information about the characters every time they spoke which got a bit tiresome in some spots. To be quite honest, it felt a lot like we were being info-dumped on and I wasn't the biggest fan (though I know some people would enjoy that).
The thing that really did me in for this book was the random sexist comments that were made. I know that's part of the point of this book, the whole "empowerment" thing, but it really didn't sit right with me. Every ten seconds Bel would think something along the lines of "Teo and the rest of the robotics team hate me because I'm a girl" and it would end up being almost true? Like I signed up for a romance, not to listen to Teo whine about how she showed him up a couple times. I was willing to push past it until he said this line: "...from the time I've spent watching her, I've noticed she only has two modes: super aggressive or super passive." He says this because she stands up for herself. No thank you. If I wanted an entitled, rich, sexist love interest, I'd read a dark romance.
Overall, I didn't absolutely hate this book, but I didn't like it enough to keep going. It had a good concept. Maybe if I kept going, it would've gotten better, but I couldn't stand to read another word out of it until it did.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book with really high expectations. It looks so adorable, and I love books that feature women in STEM. Not to mention this is by the same author that wrote The Atlas Six (under the pen name Olivie Blake) which I really enjoyed. Sadly, what I read did not reach the bar that I placed for it and it just got to a point where I could not read anymore.
My Mechanical Romance is a dual POV book, told from the perspectives of our two main characters, Bel and Mateo. Bel is new to the school and is on the verge of graduating, but she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. All she knows is that she enjoys building and designing objects. Mateo (who also goes by Teo) is the school heartthrob who also happens to be one of the smartest in the school, captain of the soccer team, AND captain of the robotics team. When Bel is forced to join the robotics team, her and Teo don't get along, until they do.
It sounds promising right? And it was, for less than a split second. Right off the bat, I noticed that the writing style seemed a bit too dense for my tastes. It seemed like the author wanted to give us new information about the characters every time they spoke which got a bit tiresome in some spots. To be quite honest, it felt a lot like we were being info-dumped on and I wasn't the biggest fan (though I know some people would enjoy that).
The thing that really did me in for this book was the random sexist comments that were made. I know that's part of the point of this book, the whole "empowerment" thing, but it really didn't sit right with me. Every ten seconds Bel would think something along the lines of "Teo and the rest of the robotics team hate me because I'm a girl" and it would end up being almost true? Like I signed up for a romance, not to listen to Teo whine about how she showed him up a couple times. I was willing to push past it until he said this line: "...from the time I've spent watching her, I've noticed she only has two modes: super aggressive or super passive." He says this because she stands up for herself. No thank you. If I wanted an entitled, rich, sexist love interest, I'd read a dark romance.
Overall, I didn't absolutely hate this book, but I didn't like it enough to keep going. It had a good concept. Maybe if I kept going, it would've gotten better, but I couldn't stand to read another word out of it until it did.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Women in stem. Need I explain more?
Firstly, I’d like to thank NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of My Mechanical Romance in exchange of an honest review.
The cover was the first thing that drew me into this book. Then there's the synopsis. See, I'm not a big fan of science. Actually, if I'm being completely honest, I despise science, especially physics. That being stated, I was undecided about whether or not to request this book. At the end of the day, I was fortunate to pick this up.
Teo Luna and Bel Maier are two "nerds" who are compelled to work together in My Mechanical Romance. Teo has been the robotics club's captain for several years. He has a reputation for being serious, studious, and a nerd. Not just any nerd, but a really attractive one. Bel, on the other hand, is a new student who is working hard to maintain her GPA in preparation for her future.
This book covers misogyny, sexism, and racism all at the same time, which are important topics. To be honest, it's rare to come across a romance book that tackles these issues without relying on preconceptions, so kudos to Follmuth for that.
The romance in this novel made me laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. To avoid spoilers, I'm not going to say much more— but academic rivals to lovers and forced proximity? Excellent tropes. Did I mention Teo memorized Taylor Swift's discography in order to make Bel laugh?
In terms of the characters, each one is relatable in their own manner. Bel is the character with whom I have the most in common. Her academic aspirations, her love for Taylor Swift, and her Filipino heritage? Yes, she is unquestionably one of the most relatable protagonist.
Overall, I love this book. Please don't mind if I start using it as my main personality right now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Classism and Cultural appropriation
akuatsu's review against another edition
4.25
big thanks to NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review.
I had so much fun reading this book, especially all those cute + funny moments, a dual perspective from the main characters, Bel and Teo. They're both struggling with their lives and I felt like I relate to Bel more because of her situation (stressing over applications, etc). Other than that, it brings a lot of topics about misogyny, and how people shame women for joining a "boy-thing" activity.
I loved Bel and Teo's moments before and after their relationship, it was so fun & cute to read when they're both helping each other out, how he kept reassuring her that everything will be fine, when they cuddle each other, etc.
I totally recommend this book.
I had so much fun reading this book, especially all those cute + funny moments, a dual perspective from the main characters, Bel and Teo. They're both struggling with their lives and I felt like I relate to Bel more because of her situation (stressing over applications, etc). Other than that, it brings a lot of topics about misogyny, and how people shame women for joining a "boy-thing" activity.
I loved Bel and Teo's moments before and after their relationship, it was so fun & cute to read when they're both helping each other out, how he kept reassuring her that everything will be fine, when they cuddle each other, etc.
I totally recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny
jadebear's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I would have liked the diversity of the two leads' backgrounds in terms of race and religion explored a bit more. It seemed more like costumes for the characters to wear, rather than something that informed their characters or how they act. Maybe Teo could wrestle with some Catholic guilt, and that's why he has trouble agreeing to do too much. Because of past guilt when he didn't. Maybe Bel could have been conflicted about siding with her white dad over her Philipino mom, not just who had infidelity and caused the marriage to end. It just seems like a wasted opportunity, when only a few lines here and there could have been added to make the book not just about misogyny and teen romance, but also racism. But maybe it was there and got edited out because it's a YA book and the editor(s) wanted to simplify it. I still found it funny, engaging and I learned a lot about competitive robotics clubs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Infidelity
viillanelle's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, and Classism
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