Bloom, Ira
WORK TITLE: Hearts and Other Body Parts
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.irabloomauthorized.com/
CITY: West Sonoma County
STATE: CA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/ira-bloom/ * https://www.irabloomauthorized.com/about/ * http://blog.mugglenet.com/2017/04/book-review-hearts-other-body-parts-by-ira-bloom/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2016117994
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2016117994
HEADING: Bloom, Ira (Ira Mitchell), 1959-
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010 __ |a no2016117994
035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca10568515
040 __ |a NJQ |b eng |e rda |c NJQ
046 __ |f 1959-03-27 |2 edtf
100 1_ |a Bloom, Ira |q (Ira Mitchell), |d 1959-
374 __ |a Authors |2 lcsh
375 __ |a male
377 __ |a eng
378 __ |q Ira Mitchell
670 __ |a Bloom, Ira. Hearts & other body parts, 2017: |b ecip galley title page (Ira Bloom)
670 __ |a Email from publisher, September 1, 2016: |b (full name Ira Mitchell Bloom; born March 27, 1959)
PERSONAL
Married; wife’s name Yasuko.
EDUCATION:University of Maryland College Park (graduated).
ADDRESS
- Home - West Sonoma County, CA.
CAREER
Writer, novelist, entrepreneur, and educator. Works in the fashion industry and in a vintage kimono business with his wife Yasuko. Worked as an English as a Second Language instructor in Japan and as a junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
WRITINGS
- Hearts & Other Body Parts (novel), Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2017
Contributor to periodicals, including Funny Times.
SIDELIGHTS
Ira Bloom is a writer, novelist, and educator based in West Sonoma County, California. The son of an artist (his mother) and a judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (his father), Bloom has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Japan and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. In Los Angeles, he also taught high school English and Japanese. He currently works with his wife, Yasuko, in the fashion industry. The couple also own and operate a vintage kimono business. “I probably know more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to encounter,” he remarked on the Ira Bloom Website. He is also a humor writer for the website Funny Times.
Bloom’s debut novel, Hearts & Other Body Parts, “is a wickedly addictive novel about love, monsters, and loyalty. And oh yeah, a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat,” commented a reviewer on the website Adventures of a Book Junkie. The story is set in Middleton, a modern high school where Esme, Katy, and Veronica Silver, three sisters, are part of the student population. Esme is the oldest, and is known for her intelligence. Katy, the middle sister, is talented, while Veronica, the youngest, is a beauty. The sisters have a secret that goes well beyond their superficial characteristics: they are also witches, descended from a long line of magic users.
Everything is going well for the sisters until the arrival of two new students at their school. The first is Franklin Norman Stein, aka Norman, a gentle giant with a kind heart and intellectual ways. Physically, however, Norman is frightful: seven feet tall, with the disfiguring disease acromegaly and multiple scars from many medical procedures. He looks much like he has been assembled with spare parts and bolts. The second new student is Zack Kallas, an incredibly handsome and appealing young man who immediately captivates all the females in the school.
At first, Esme is attracted to Norman for his keen intelligence, but over time, a sort of romance begins to develop between them, despite Norman’s appearance. With the arrival of Zack, however, Esme and her sisters forget any other attractions and begin competing for the sleek foreign student’s attention. Their sibling closeness fractures as they begin pelting each other with spells and other magic, vying for an advantage in the fight for Zack’s affections.
On the sidelines, Esme’s familiar, Kasha, the Japanese corpse-eating demon in the form of a cat, waits to collect any souls that end up damned in the process. In the middle of all the turmoil, Norman “struggles to reach Esme, to convince her that her infatuation with Zack is blinding her to important things—things like the disappearances of young girls all around town lately,” which appear to happen when Zack decides to return an infatuated female’s attentions, noted Critical Black reviewer R. J. Carter.
A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked that the “story picks up as tongue-in-cheek humor and sharp-edged dialogue create spiky interactions among Bloom’s supernatural teenage cast.” Booklist reviewer Stacy Comfort called Hearts & Other Body Parts the “fun kind of scary with a little bit of romance and a healthy dose of humor.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, January 1, 2017, Stacey Comfort, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts, p. 78.
Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2016, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Publishers Weekly, January 9, 2017, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts, p. 71.
ONLINE
Adventures in YA Publishing, http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/ (April 1, 2017), “Ira Bloom, Author of Hearts & Other Body Parts, on Cutting off a Limb,” interview with Ira Bloom.
Adventures of a Book Junkie, http://www.toofondofbooks.com/ (March 20, 2017), “The Time It Was about Hearts & Other Body Parts,” interview with Ira Bloom.
Buried under Books Blog, https://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/ (April 22, 2017), review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Critical Black, http://www.criticalblast.com/ (February 15, 2017), R.J. Carter, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Funny Times, http://www.funnytimes.com/ (October 16, 2017).
Granite Media, http://www.granitemedia.org/ (August 16, 2017), Sharon Viall, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Here’s To Happy Endings, http://www.herestohappyendings.com/ (March 21, 2017), review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Ira Bloom Website, http://www.irabloomauthorized.com (October 14, 2017).
Mugglenet Blog, http://blog.mugglenet.com/ (April 6, 2017), review of Hearts & Other Parts.
My Book, The Movie Blog, http://mybookthemovie.blogspot.com/ (April 3, 2017), Marshal Zeringue, review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.
YA Books Central, http://www.yabookscentral.com/ (October 14, 2017), review of Hearts & Other Body Parts.*
- Hearts & Other Body Parts ( novel) Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2017
- Ira Bloom - https://www.irabloomauthorized.com/about/
Be the first to know. Get Ira's Newsletter here.
Home The Book Fake Press
IRA BLOOM
Writer, Cat Owner
The Blog About Contact
About“Ira Bloom is a rare talent, thank god.”
-Scott Russell, some kind of professor or janitor, University of Michigan, Flint
Ira BloomI grew up in Annapolis Maryland. My mother is an artist and my father was a judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
I studied English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. I also have some background in Eastern religions. After college I moved to Japan, where I taught ESL. I married a beautiful Japanese woman named Yasuko, moved to LA and taught junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School district. I am conversational in Japanese, but by no means consider myself fluent. After serving my debt to society in LA Unified, I went into the fashion business with my wife, who is a very talented fashion designer and is likely to read this, so I can’t say enough good things about her. We eventually branched into the vintage kimono business. I probably know more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to encounter. I’ve been writing humor for FUNNY TIMES since 2010. I currently live in West Sonoma County with my family and an assortment of furry beasts.
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO, AND ABOUT IRA BLOOM
“Don’t quit your day job.”
— Raymond Lessor, editor of Funny Times
“You’re no Erma Bombeck.”
— Mary Lou Bloom, Mother
“You’re a kook.”
— Dr. Jessica Bloom-Foster, family medicine and part-time cousin. - My Book, The Movie - http://mybookthemovie.blogspot.com/2017/04/ira-blooms-hearts-other-body-parts.html
MY BOOK, THE MOVIE
They would ask me what actors I saw in the roles. I would tell them, and they’d say “Oh that’s interesting.” And that would be the end of it. --Elmore Leonard, in 2000, on the extent of his input for Hollywood's adaptation of his novelsMonday, April 3, 2017
Ira Bloom's "Hearts & Other Body Parts"
Ira Bloom used to be a teacher of junior high English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School District. He and his wife currently operate a fashion and vintage kimono business, and he is something of an expert on Japanese textiles. Bloom lives in Northern California with his family and an assortment of furry beasts.Here he dreamcasts an adaptation of his debut novel, Hearts & Other Body Parts:
If Hearts & Other Body Parts were to be made into a movie, who would I pick to play the lead characters? This is a pure fantasy: as unlikely as it is that someone would make my book into a movie, it’s a lot more unlikely anyone would allow me to be the casting director. Fortunately, I write fantasy. I’m going to set the ground rule here that the actor for each role has to be alive and of suitable age now. Though if the film industry moves as slowly as the publishing industry, the younger actors here will likely age out of consideration. No matter. We’ll just freeze time.There are five principal roles, all teens: witch sisters Esme Silver (oldest, the protagonist, AKA the brains), Katy (middle sister, the talent) Veronica, the youngest (beauty and tenacity), Franklin Norman Stein (Frankenstein’s monster type), and Zack Kallas (sexy vampire).
Saoirse Ronan has the looks, range and talent to play any of the three sisters, but I’m going to play my trump ace and cast her as Esme, because she occupies the most screen time. I’m a huge fan of Chloë Grace Moretz, and she’s already had her chance as a vampire, so we’ll cast her as Katy, a witch who falls in love with a vampire. She has this great face that the director can photograph from all different angles to get completely different moods, which suits Katy, a bit of a kook. For Veronica, billed as a great beauty, I’m thinking Mackenzie Foy, who also has a history of vampirism (Renesmee Cullen). Miles Teller will be Norman, with a lot of CGI. These days, you can’t make a movie about teenagers without Miles. I think they passed a law. And I let my daughter pick Douglas Booth to play Zack. I’m not familiar with his work, but he’s British like Zack, and smoking hot, which is our go-to description.
Of the other major characters, the most important is Kasha, the corpse-eating Japanese demon cat who slums as Esme’s familiar. This is pure CGI, so we only need a voice, and I pick Kevin Spacey. He’s an extremely versatile and inexplicably under-utilized voice talent, and he can be scary as hell. For Shikker, Kasha’s Yiddish-speaking demonic lawyer, we’re going with the CGI again. I usually think Mel Brooks or Billy Crystal for Yiddish, but I’ve never heard either of them do anything as angry or menacing as Shikker. Lewis Black could pull it off.
The one role that’s set in stone is Carol Kane (Valerie in The Princess Bride) as Aunt Becky, the raspy-throated ghost. Julianne Moore will play Melinda Silver, mom to the three sisters. She can do tough and tender and conflicted at the same time; she would nail this. Louis C.K. will play Barry Silver, the dad: best look of exasperation in the business. And for Norman’s dad, the mad scientist Dr. Frederick Stein, I’m casting myself, and buying a jumbo bottle of anti-depressants for the director, because his life will be hell trying to get a performance out of me.
That leaves only Drake Kallas, the evil vampire antagonist. We need someone who can be charming with underlying menace, and scary as hell. Another budget buster here, but what the hell, it isn’t my money: Christoph Waltz.
This is the most fun I’ve ever had talking about Hearts & Other Body Parts.
Visit Ira Bloom's website.--Marshal Zeringue
Posted by Marshal Zeringue at 12:05 AM
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The time it was about Hearts & Other Body Parts
POSTED MARCH 20, 2017 BY STACEE IN BLOG TOURS AND HOPS, GIVEAWAYS, INTERVIEWS / 6 COMMENTSWhen I got the email for the blog tour for Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom, I was intrigued. I hadn’t had a chance to read the book, but I loved the synopsis and the cover, so I signed up.
Before we get to Ira’s interview, let’s check out the book!
Title: Hearts & Other Body Parts
Author: Ira Bloom
Pub. Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 352
Find it: Indiebound | B&N |Amazon | GoodreadsA novel of love and monsters.
Sisters Esme, Katy, and Ronnie are smart, talented, and gorgeous, and better yet . . . all three are witches. They have high school wired until the arrival of two new students. The first is Norman, who is almost eight feet tall and appears to be constructed of bolts and mismatched body parts. Despite his intimidating looks, Esme finds herself strangely — almost romantically — drawn to both his oversized brain and oversized heart.
The second new arrival is Zack, an impossibly handsome late transfer from the UK who has the girls at school instantly mesmerized. Soon even sensible Esme has forgotten Norman, and all three sisters are in a flat-out hex war to win Zack. But while the magic is flying, only Norman seems to notice that students who wander off alone with Zack end up with crushed bones and memory loss. Or worse, missing entirely.
Hearts & Other Body Parts is a wickedly addictive novel about love, monsters, and loyalty. And oh yeah, a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat.
Sounds good, right?1. Please give the elevator pitch for Hearts & Other Body Parts.
I get into the elevator and push all the buttons so the elevator has to stop at every floor and I have time to make this ridiculously long pitch (it’s called chutzpa):
Esme Silver is so busy with her full load of AP classes and her 4.5 GPA, she never has time for any silliness like shopping or social media or studying up on her witchcraft or trying to figure out why the hell her cat can talk. She doesn’t even have time for friends, except for her younger sisters, Veronica and Katy. But when a new boy named Norman arrives on campus, she’s intrigued. He’s funny and smart and sweet, and it hardly bothers her at all that he’s almost eight feet tall and hideously mutilated. The fact that she isn’t attracted to him is almost a plus, for a girl who has no time for any nonsense like romance.
That’s why it comes as a surprise to Esme when she meets another new student, a handsome lad from England named Zack, and infatuation knocks every lick of sense out of her love-addled head. Problem is, her sisters like him too. And it’s hard to compete for a boy against the most beautiful girl in the county, or the most talented witch east of the Mississippi.
The girls even resort to hexes and curses, to undermine each other for the boy they all love, while Norman watches helplessly from the sidelines. But the girls would be well advised to be careful what they wish for, because they are competing for a very dangerous prize, and the winner will be the first to die.
2. Where did the idea for Hearts & Other Body Parts come from?
That’s an easy one. It all started with Norman. I had an idea for a modern day Frankenstein’s monster, a brilliant, gentle giant. I’m glad you didn’t ask where the rest of the story came from, because I haven’t a clue.
3. Why do you love Esme and Norman and why should we root for them?
You have to root for Esme and Norman because he’s a really good guy, but more importantly, he’s the right guy for her. Her sisters know it; even her cat is rooting for Norm. Esme even knows it. She just can’t get over her physical revulsion.
4. There’s a pretty interesting cast of characters in Hearts & Other Body Parts. Who was the easiest and hardest to work with and why?
Esme was easy to work with because I know her so well. My daughter Isabella is a total Esme. The one who was a pain in the butt from the get-go was Kasha, the Japanese corpse-eating demon cat. I don’t even know how he got into the story. I was exploring some issues I was having with my cat, and things got out of hand. Kasha had his own agenda from the start, and I was as surprised as anyone when I found out what he was really up to.
5. Without spoilers, what was your favorite scene in Hearts & Other Body Parts to write?
Another great question. I don’t even have to think about this: the big conflict scene in the cellar at the end. It’s flat out farce, with some of the funniest lines in the book, but at the same time full-blown horror. It was also the most miserable scene to revise. Thank god for a brilliant, patient editor.
Speed [ish] round:
1. You get the call/email/letter that says you’re being published for the first time. Describe the next 5 minutes.
Two minutes of weeping like a little girl followed by three minutes hunting around for the hidden camera that was filming an obvious hoax.
2. What three things would you take to a desert island?
Sunscreen, so I don’t crisp into a dark purple/red (there’s nothing worse than getting maroon on a desert island), a giant bottle of Tabasco for choking down grubs and such, and a sailboat.
3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?
Not Paul Rudnick’s GORGEOUS which I’ve read a dozen times and could never get tired of; probably Stephan Hawking’s A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, because it would take me the rest of my life to get through it.
4. What book character would you want to be your BFF?
Zaphod Beeblebrox from Douglas Adams’ THE HITCHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY because there would never be a dull moment and also because he has two heads, so I’d get two-for-one.
5. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
I wish I’d known how long everything takes. I’d have started earlier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grew up in Annapolis Maryland. My mother is an artist and my father was a judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
I studied English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. I also have some background in Eastern religions. After college I moved to Japan, where I taught ESL. I married a beautiful Japanese woman named Yasuko, moved to LA and taught junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School district. I am conversational in Japanese, but by no means consider myself fluent. After serving my debt to society in LA Unified, I went into the fashion business with my wife, who is a very talented fashion designer and is likely to read this, so I can’t say enough good things about her. We eventually branched into the vintage kimono business. I probably know more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to encounter. I’ve been writing humor for FUNNY TIMES since 2010. I currently live in West Sonoma County with my family and an assortment of furry beasts.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Huge thanks to Rockstar Book Tours for the invite and to Ira for taking the time. Make sure you’re checking out the rest of the blog tour for extra goodies and keep scrolling for a giveaway!!
**Good Luck!!**
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TAGS: AUTHOR INTERVIEW, BLOG TOUR, GIVEAWAYS, IRA BLOOM, ROCKSTAR BOOK TOURS, SCHOLASTIC PRESS, SUCH A GORGEOUS COVER« The time it was about Ontario Teen Book Fest {4} The time I talked about real pants »
6 Responses to “The time it was about Hearts & Other Body Parts”chelsea hunter
This book sounds really interesting!20th mar, 2017 at 5:31am Reply
jenn
This book is fabulous and quirky and smart. Highly recommend.20th mar, 2017 at 12:25pm Reply
anita yancey
It sounds like a fantastic book, and I love the cover.21st mar, 2017 at 7:23am Reply
denita
I love books about witches so I now have another book added to my tbr.21st mar, 2017 at 10:57am Reply
carina olsen
Ohh, I like this cover too :D As always, stunning interview Stacee. <3 Thank you for sharing about this :D Unsure if it is a book for me, but looks interesting. Hope you love it if you read it :D Carina Olsen recently posted: Review: Shadow Run by AdriAnne Strickland & Michael Miller 29th mar, 2017 at 9:26am Reply samantha d Ooh the publishing answer was a good one! :D Definitely going to read this! 3rd apr, 2017 at 7:19am Reply Leave a Reply Your Comment Here... Name * Your Name Email * Your Email Website Your Website Post Comment subscribe by email E-Mail Address E-Mail Address gimme! current giveaways upcoming blog tours upcoming events September 22, 2017 Marie Lu September 26, 2017 Kristen Cashore October 1, 2017 Stephanie Perkins October 15, 2017 Maggie Stiefvater currently reading Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle GeorgeGodsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle, #2) by Jay Kristoff visit my shelf on goodreads the latest on instagram looking for something? type & press enter to search blog archive Blog Archive please note All content and event photos on this blog belong to me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not copy or repost without permission. Thank you! DMCA.com Protection Status spread the love Adventures of a Book Junkie
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Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Spotlight, and Giveaway: Hearts & Other Body Parts (Ira Bloom)
Thursday, 23 March 2017 Beth Edwards, Assistant Blog Manager Giveaways News & Updates Blog Tours 586 Hits 0 Comment
Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Spotlight, and Giveaway: Hearts & Other Body Parts (Ira Bloom)Title: HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS
Author: Ira Bloom
Pub. Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 352
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, GoodreadsA novel of love and monsters.
Sisters Esme, Katy, and Ronnie are smart, talented, and gorgeous, and better yet . . . all three are witches. They have high school wired until the arrival of two new students. The first is Norman, who is almost eight feet tall and appears to be constructed of bolts and mismatched body parts. Despite his intimidating looks, Esme finds herself strangely -- almost romantically -- drawn to both his oversized brain and oversized heart.
The second new arrival is Zack, an impossibly handsome late transfer from the UK who has the girls at school instantly mesmerized. Soon even sensible Esme has forgotten Norman, and all three sisters are in a flat-out hex war to win Zack. But while the magic is flying, only Norman seems to notice that students who wander off alone with Zack end up with crushed bones and memory loss. Or worse, missing entirely.
Hearts & Other Body Parts is a wickedly addictive novel about love, monsters, and loyalty. And oh yeah, a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat.
About Ira:
I grew up in Annapolis Maryland. My mother is an artist and my father was a judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
I studied English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. I also have some background in Eastern religions. After college I moved to Japan, where I taught ESL. I married a beautiful Japanese woman named Yasuko, moved to LA and taught junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School district. I am conversational in Japanese, but by no means consider myself fluent. After serving my debt to society in LA Unified, I went into the fashion business with my wife, who is a very talented fashion designer and is likely to read this, so I can’t say enough good things about her. We eventually branched into the vintage kimono business. I probably know more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to encounter. I’ve been writing humor for FUNNY TIMES since 2010. I currently live in West Sonoma County with my family and an assortment of furry beasts.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
3/20/2017- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview
3/21/2017- Here's to Happy Endings- Review
3/22/2017- BookHounds YA- Guest Post
3/23/2017- YA Books Central- Review
3/24/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
Week Two:
3/27/2017- Beauty and the Bookshelf- Review
3/28/2017- Novel Novice- Guest Post
3/29/2017- Eli to the nth- Review
3/30/2017- The Cover Contessa- Interview
3/31/2017- Emily Reads Everything- ReviewTweet
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Adventures in YA Publishing
Young Adult Fiction, YA Book Giveaways, Advice from Young Adult Authors, Plus Writing Tips, Publishing Information, and Insider TidbitsHomeAbout UsQuotes On WritingBeautiful WritingContests & WorkshopsAuthor PromotionYA Fiction Giveaways
Saturday, April 1, 2017
0Ira Bloom, author of HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS, on cutting off a limbWe are thrilled to chat with Ira Bloom about his debut novel HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS.
Ira, what scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?
The hardest scene to write was the scene where Esme, the main character, consults the tarot in order to get an edge over her sisters in the competition for Zack, the hot new boy at school who is the object of their obsessions. I originally wrote the scene with a rather passive-aggressive magic eight ball. It was eight pages long and I was very pleased with it. I couldn’t believe nobody else had ever written anything like it. It seemed so familiar, somehow. Then I happened to reread the book I’d stolen the idea from. No, it wasn’t plagiarism, just bad long-term memory. So I rewrote the scene, this time with Esme logging onto a demonic website where she trades little bits of her immortal soul for info. That scene was twelve pages. Unfortunately, when the first draft was finished, the book was 537 pages long, and I had to cut almost a third, so those twelve pages had to go. They were dragging the action. Finally I rewrote the scene with the tarot deck and got it down to a page and a half.
The scene I loved the most was the prologue. We cut it out entirely, and I’m glad we did, but I can’t say it wasn’t a little like cutting off a limb.
What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?
About writing, this book was the master course, because it’s my debut novel so I got to see the inner workings of the publishing industry. I got to observe the contracting process, and the book design, and the revision process from beginning to end. I’d done revisions before with my first agent, but it was nothing like working with a real editor. I guess the most important thing I learned from this book is to TRUST YOUR EDITOR!
What do you hope readers will take away from HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS?
I really just hope the readers will enjoy the book. I’d always wanted to be a writer, and I have a degree in literature and creative writing. I studied Chaucer, Shakespeare, and all the “literary” writers. But I was first inspired to get off my butt and actually start writing by the Harry Potter series. James Joyce is brilliant, don’t get me wrong, but nobody ever lined up at midnight to buy THE DUBLINERS. And I doubt anyone ever got halfway through MOBY DICK and started counting the pages to the end with dread, savoring every word because there wouldn’t be another book for two more years. I write YA because high school was a time of great discovery for me, and a time when I failed at the simplest things on a daily basis. It was a time when I made mistakes that I still cringe over whenever they come to mind, and a time when I made friends who will always be my closest. It’s so easy to lose your head in high school, because your world-view opens up so much, so fast, and at the same time there are all these hormones. Everything is so fresh and new and invested with such meaning or passion, it’s very difficult to find balance. HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS is full of information that the readers will doubtless find useful in every aspect of their lives, such as how to keep one’s head while negotiating a contract with a demon, or why one shouldn’t put a triple whammy on one’s little sister. Also, never date a cad, especially if he’s a vampire.
How long or hard was your road to publication? How many books did you write before this one, and how many never got published?
It took me fifteen years. HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS was my third book. The first one took six years to write, and I couldn’t get an agent, despite two years of tinkering and rejections. The second one took six months, and got me an agent but no sale. HEARTS took about a year and a half to write, another six months in revision before we sent it out, three months to sell, and there was another twenty months to the pub date. When HEARTS was out on submission, I was in Japan, and on the way to the airport to return to the USA, I got an email from my agent that he was leaving the biz, and since I hadn’t sold a book yet, my contract would not necessarily be picked up by Writers House. I’d been a client for almost three years. I stewed and fretted all the way across the Pacific. Years and years of work, to get to that point, and I had to start all over from scratch to get another agent. That may have been the absolute hardest six hours of the whole fifteen years.
When we landed for a layover in Honolulu, I found wi-fi again and opened another email from my agent. My dream editor at Scholastic LOVED the book.
Another agent at Writers House agreed to read the book and took me on as a client. So things worked out eventually, but it took a lot longer than I’d ever imagined it would.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
The Japanese are fond of the expression “Jinsei nana korobi, ya oki,” which means, roughly “If life knocks you down seven times, get up eight.” That’s great advice for a writer, because writing can be an exercise in futility sometimes. Writing a book will knock you down a lot more than eight times, and you have to get back up every time and get back to work. And writing the book isn’t the end of the struggle, by any means.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sci-fi multiverse romance with a first person female protagonist, the two sequels to HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS, a book about a high school freshman who doesn’t realize that he’s an incarnate tulka (living Buddha), a book with a farcical twist about a girl possessed by a demon, and a revision of a previous book which I couldn’t sell and the two sequels. This is undeniably the stupidest way to make progress on anything, because if I know one thing about writing, it’s that it takes focus. It would be cool if I continued nibbling away at all of them at the same time and eventually finished all eight books all at once, but I very much doubt it’s going to go down like that. Must. Focus.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Hearts & Other Body Parts
by Ira Bloom
Hardcover
Scholastic Press
Released 3/28/2017A novel of love and monsters.
Sisters Esme, Katy, and Ronnie are smart, talented, and gorgeous, and better yet . . . all three are witches. They have high school wired until the arrival of two new students. The first is Norman, who is almost eight feet tall and appears to be constructed of bolts and mismatched body parts. Despite his intimidating looks, Esme finds herself strangely -- almost romantically -- drawn to both his oversized brain and oversized heart.
The second new arrival is Zack, an impossibly handsome late transfer from the UK who has the girls at school instantly mesmerized. Soon even sensible Esme has forgotten Norman, and all three sisters are in a flat-out hex war to win Zack. But while the magic is flying, only Norman seems to notice that students who wander off alone with Zack end up with crushed bones and memory loss. Or worse, missing entirely.
Hearts & Other Body Parts is a wickedly addictive novel about love, monsters, and loyalty. And oh yeah, a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat.
Purchase Hearts & Other Body Parts at Amazon
Purchase Hearts & Other Body Parts at IndieBound
View Hearts & Other Body Parts on GoodreadsABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ira Bloom grew up in Annapolis Maryland. He studied English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. He also has some background in Eastern religions. After college Bloom moved to Japan, where he taught ESL. He married a beautiful Japanese woman named Yasuko, moved to LA and taught junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School district. After serving his debt to society in LA Unified, Bloom went into the fashion business with his wife, who is a very talented fashion designer. They eventually branched into the vintage kimono business. Bloom claims he probably knows more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to encounter. He has been writing humor for FUNNY TIMES since 2010. Bloom currently lives in West Sonoma County with his family and an assortment of furry beasts.---
Have you had a chance to read HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS yet? Do you agree with Ira and the special affect YA has on you? What was the book that made you want to start writing?Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!
Happy reading,
Emily, Jocelyn, Anisaa, Sam, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, and Lori Ann
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Hearts & Other Body Parts
Publishers Weekly.
264.2 (Jan. 9, 2017): p71.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Hearts & Other Body Parts
Ira Bloom. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (352p)
ISBN 978-1-338-03073-0
Debut novelist Bloom combines classic monster story tropes and characters with a modern high school setting in this
clever if uneven comedy. Esme, Katy, and Ronnie Silver hail from a long line of witches, but their sisterly bond is
broken when two very different boys enter their lives. The first is Franklin Norman Stein (yes, Frank N. Stein), who
goes by Norm; a highly intelligent boy with acromegaly and various cancers, Norm has been reassembled in true
Frankensteinian fashion after being cryogenically frozen by his genius father. The second boy is Zack Kallas, a
vampire in search of new blood. All three Silver sisters fall for Zack, jealousy overtakes them, and they set about
sabotaging each other's chances with him via hexes and spells. Little do they realize that winning Zack's heart means
becoming lunch for Zack and his master, the Ancient One. Though the setup in this monster mashup is as slow as
Norm's shuffling gait, the story picks up as tongue-in-cheek humor and sharp-edged dialogue create spiky interactions
among Bloom's supernatural teenage cast. Ages 14-up. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Hearts & Other Body Parts." Publishers Weekly, 9 Jan. 2017, p. 71. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA477339403&it=r&asid=6c372237a517cc05e81d8ae9248df617.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A477339403
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Hearts & Other Body Parts
Stacey Comfort
Booklist.
113.9-10 (Jan. 1, 2017): p78.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Hearts & Other Body Parts. By Ira Bloom. Mar. 2017.352p. Scholastic, $17.99 (9781338030730); e-book, $17.99
(9781338030754). Gr. 9-12.
The influence of classic gothic horror novels is clear in this modern-day first novel, which gathers three witch sisters, a
Frankenstein's monster, and vampires in an American high-school setting. Witch sisters Esmeralda, Veronica, and Katy
befriend gentle, ugly giant Norman, whose Frankensteinian origins are definitely weird and a wonder of modern
science and medicine. Complicating their simple, everyday lives is the arrival of vampire Zack, caretaker for the
mysterious Ancient One. The undead boy stirs up unrest between the sisters, who begin using their powers for the first
time in many years, hexing and spelling themselves and one another in various wild ways. Even worse is the enmity
between Norman and Zack, who find themselves immediately at odds. This is Monster High for the YA set: the fun
kind of scary with a little bit of romance and a healthy dose of humor mixed in. It may not sound like it should work,
but it does and is sure to hook readers with ease.--Stacey Comfort
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Comfort, Stacey. "Hearts & Other Body Parts." Booklist, 1 Jan. 2017, p. 78. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA479078091&it=r&asid=94283b7bfe655bc5d67b97aa49abc693.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A479078091
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Bloom, Ira: HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Dec. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Bloom, Ira HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS Scholastic (Children's Fiction) $17.99 3, 28 ISBN: 978-1-338-03073-
0
Franklin N. "Norm" Stein, a scarred teen with acromegaly, starts at a new school where he meets a trio of sisters who
are witches and helps them escape the thrall of two vampires. Tongue-in-cheek humor abounds in this clash of
monsters set at a modern high school. Bright, diligent Esme initially falls for hulking Norm despite his outlandish
appearance, until preternaturally handsome Zack Kallas arrives with his father and claims the affections of not just
Esme, but also her sisters, Katy and Veronica, causing a rift. At the same time, girls begin to go missing, and Esme
learns more and more about Kasha, a talking cat who has been a familiar in her family for ages. Teens with a bent
toward silliness will be best poised to appreciate the campy humor and fun wordplay of this novel. At times its
cleverness overshadows character development, though Norm and Esme are a likable pair. A secondary character who
eventually comes out as gay feels stereotypical with his proclamations of "girlfriend" and "fabulous." All of the main
characters seem to be white; Norm is Jewish, as is the arch villain, who spouts "Yiddish invective" in the final face-off.
A reworking of some classic stories that will entertain its readers even if it doesn't stay with them very long. (Fantasy.
13-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Bloom, Ira: HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2016. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA471901978&it=r&asid=ae2616b50603205c6d95ef4bcc772ea5.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A471901978
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Book Review: “Hearts & Other Body Parts” by Ira Bloom
APRIL 6, 2017
Esme, Katy, and Veronica are sisters who just happen to be witches. Surprisingly, this causes relatively few problems for them in high school, where their classmates have collectively agreed to think of them as Wiccans instead. Still, being witches doesn’t really prepare them for the arrival of two new and unusual boys – Norman, whose giant body seems to be held together with bolts, and Zack, who has a sun allergy and seems to be flirting with every girl in school. When women around town start disappearing, things start getting really weird.The conceit of Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom is a fun one – it’s basically a YA Monster High extravaganza. Throw in a little Sabrina, a little Charmed, and a little Twilight (the bloody parts), and you’ve got a good idea of how this book works. I most enjoyed the dynamic between the three sisters, and Bloom has set up a world that seems rich for serialization, maybe because most of his influences are also series. Kasha, Esme’s talking cat familiar, was another favorite – he’s delightfully demonic. Overall, Hearts & Other Body Parts is a breezy read that fans of teen monster romances should gobble up.
But the book was disappointing in a few ways, too. First, as I already said, the sisters were my favorite part, and they spend most of the book out of their minds for Zack. The reader knows from the beginning that he’s bad news, so there’s no element of suspense about it – we just spend a couple of hundred pages watching them jinx each other and act out-of-character. We spend way more time with them when they’re “not themselves” than when they are, and that’s a little frustrating.
Hearts & Other Body Parts also flubs with some bad jokes and plot twists. After one character admits that he is gay (not a major plot point, just a minor incident in the text), his next line is “Honey, you’re not going to wear those shoes, are you?” This character has never expressed interest in fashion before, nor called anyone “honey,” but now that he’s gay, of course he must be interested in both. It’s a cheap shot, and it feels out of place – another similar joke comes later in the novel.
My second side-eye moment does contain spoilers, so STOP READING if you don’t want to be spoiled on Hearts & Other Body Parts!
Turn back now!
There’s still time!
If you’re sure…
It’s pretty clear throughout the book that the eldest sister, Esme, is meant to have a thing for Norman, who is smart, funny, and nice, but horrifically ugly (as Bloom tells us over and over again). When they finally kiss at the end of the book, Esme feels nothing for him because he’s just too darn unattractive. While maybe narratively unsatisfying, it would have been pretty interesting if Esme had taken this time to examine her needs in a relationship; though it may seem shallow, it’s important to acknowledge what does and doesn’t attract you. Hearts & Other Body Parts almost goes there but veers off to left field when Esme gives Norman a potion to make him more attractive instead. Suddenly, she has no problem falling in love with him. It definitely felt like a weird way to end the book.
As always, these kinds of flaws always stand out more when the book has a lot of potential. Bloom gave himself a lot of openings for more stories set in this world, and I hope that if those books appear, they pull off all the fun with a little more grace than this one did.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
Tags: Hearts & Other Body Parts, Ira Bloom, Scholastic
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21
MAR
2017
Blog Tour: Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom – Review and Giveaway!Posted in Blog Tour, Giveaways |
Book Tour
Hearts & Other Body PartsAuthor: Ira Bloom
Publication Date: March 28th, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 352
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Synopsis: A novel of love and monsters.
Sisters Esme, Katy, and Ronnie are smart, talented, and gorgeous, and better yet . . . all three are witches. They have high school wired until the arrival of two new students. The first is Norman, who is almost eight feet tall and appears to be constructed of bolts and mismatched body parts. Despite his intimidating looks, Esme finds herself strangely — almost romantically — drawn to both his oversized brain and oversized heart.
The second new arrival is Zack, an impossibly handsome late transfer from the UK who has the girls at school instantly mesmerized. Soon even sensible Esme has forgotten Norman, and all three sisters are in a flat-out hex war to win Zack. But while the magic is flying, only Norman seems to notice that students who wander off alone with Zack end up with crushed bones and memory loss. Or worse, missing entirely.
Hearts & Other Body Parts is a wickedly addictive novel about love, monsters, and loyalty. And oh yeah, a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat.
Some Nifty Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble
My Review
When I first read the synopsis for Hearts & Bother Body Parts by Ira Bloom, for whatever reason I kind of expected to get this really serious, science fiction-ish story, but after reading the first few chapters, I got something totally different and unexpected.What I got when I read this was a delightful little novel that was not all that serious but more light-hearted in nature and fun. I love fun books – sometimes I feel like I don’t read enough of them, especially when I keep reading contemporaries all the time. This definitely isn’t a contemporary, but it really falls into the fantasy and magic genres. This book was incredibly different from anything else that I’ve read, and oh so much fun. I guess the hint should have been “Japanese corpse-eating demon cat” from the synopsis (not to mention that the cat also kind of talks – like I said, this is a fun book).
While I was a little bit worried about how the Wiccan religion was going to be portrayed in this book (most books I’ve read that feature other religions, especially Pagan religions, do so in an uninformed manner (or just as bad, use Wicca, witchcraft, and Paganism in a mocking way to entertain others without knowing a darn thing about the actual religions, which I always find kind of a bummer), but I was pretty impressed. Every now and again it was a little cringe worthy, as Wiccans tend to frown upon things such as “hexing,” but I got over it because the overall story was fun, and I’m not the kind of person who is going to hate on a book because of small issues. I mean, don’t get me wrong, some of the things that happen in this book had me smiling and shaking my head, but it’s a fun book meant to entertain, so hey, no complaints from me in that department.
The characters in this book were also super fun – at first I was a little overwhelmed by how fast they were introduced, and I kind of felt like I’d never be able to tell the three sisters apart, but after a while of reading I really got to pick up on their individual personalities and found myself truly enjoying reading about them, as well as Norman, who was…well…Frankenstein’s monster in teenage high school boy form.
Honestly, if you are looking for something that’s both fun and entertaining, and a little light (great for a read after all the heavier books you’ve been reading!), this is a great one to choose. It’s interesting and you won’t want to put it down while reading.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
I grew up in Annapolis Maryland. My mother is an artist and my father was a judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
I studied English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. I also have some background in Eastern religions. After college I moved to Japan, where I taught ESL. I married a beautiful Japanese woman named Yasuko, moved to LA and taught junior high school English, ESL, and Japanese for the Los Angeles Unified School district. I am conversational in Japanese, but by no means consider myself fluent. After serving my debt to society in LA Unified, I went into the fashion business with my wife, who is a very talented fashion designer and is likely to read this, so I can’t say enough good things about her. We eventually branched into the vintage kimono business. I probably know more about Japanese textiles than any straight white man you’re likely to
encounter. I’ve been writing humor for FUNNY TIMES since 2010. I currently live in West Sonoma County with my family and an assortment of furry beasts.
Some Nifty Author Links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway!
3 winners will receive a finished copy of HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS, US Only.Tour Schedule
Week One:
3/20/2017- Adventures of a Book Junkie– Interview
3/21/2017- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review
3/22/2017- BookHounds YA– Guest Post
3/23/2017- YA Books Central– Review
3/24/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader– InterviewWeek Two:
3/27/2017- Beauty and the Bookshelf– Review
3/28/2017- Novel Novice– Guest Post
3/29/2017- Eli to the nth– Review
3/30/2017- The Cover Contessa– Interview
3/31/2017- Emily Reads Everything– ReviewTagged Blog Tour, giveaways |
This entry was posted in Blog Tour, Giveaways and tagged Blog Tour, giveaways. Bookmark the permalink.
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6 Responses to Blog Tour: Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom – Review and Giveaway!
John Smith says:
March 21, 2017 at 11:17 am
A novel with love and monsters sounds like a top novel! Thank you for the contest!Reply
Kelly says:
March 21, 2017 at 4:52 pm
You’re welcome! Good luck! =]Reply
danielle hammelef says:
March 21, 2017 at 4:23 pm
This book sounds so much fun! I love that you didn’t want to stop reading this book. I’m also interested in Japanese culture and want to know more about this cat demon.Reply
Kelly says:
March 21, 2017 at 4:57 pm
I hope that you read it if you get the chance! It’s definitely an interesting book!Reply
Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense says:
March 21, 2017 at 10:53 pm
I’m always intrigued by books about witches. Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the review!Reply
Kelly says:
March 22, 2017 at 4:21 pm
It definitely is an interesting book – there are a lot of elements in this one that make it one heck of a fun fantasy!Reply
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You are hereHome › Books › Ira Bloom Crafts YA Must-Read: Hearts & Other Body Parts ›
Ira Bloom Crafts YA Must-Read: Hearts & Other Body Parts
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Submitted by RJ Carter on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 14:13
Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom
Ira Bloom's HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS reads with such fluidity and magnetism that it's difficult to believe this is a debut novel. It's a YA romance novel that blends urban fantasy with modern reality to the point that it is neither one and better than both.Esme, Katy and Ronnie Silver are sisters attending the same high school. Esme is an intellectual overachiever, Ronnie is a natural beauty and knows it, and Katy is an everygirl whose fun to have around. They're also witches. Real spell-casting, potion-brewing, hex-tossing witches. And, no, they're not attending Monster High, tempting though it might be to draw the comparison. Middleton is an average high school filled with everyday kids -- and three witches.
But things are getting weirder in Middleton, beginning with the arrival of the new kid. Norman Stein is ugly. He's huge. He's also been dead a while. A victim of acromegaly, Norman is over seven foot tall, and has been through more medical procedures than he can count, leaving him scarred all over and with bolts in his neck that support his skeletal brace. Despite his appearance, he is peaceful, erudite, and smart enough to give Esme a run for her money in the grades department. Esme is instantly attracted to him on a mental level, and is the first to break from the crowd of repulsed students to become his friend, with her sisters following suit. It's an example not everybody follows, however, and we are on hand for the pacifist Norm to take the abuses from the popular kids and jocks.
Things take a turn for the dangerous, however, when another new student comes to town. Zack Kallas is charmingly British and brutally handsome. Almost instantly every female is smitten with him, including teachers. Everyone loves Zack -- and the Silver sisters are no exception. Suddenly, the sisters who were once so close find themselves plotting against each other, casting hexes and charms to help or hinder, so long as they get to be the one close to Zack.
But spells come at a cost, and some of them, if used for the wrong purposes, could damn your soul to hell -- which is just fine and dandy with Esme's familiar, a talking demon cat named Kasha. He's behind quota on soul delivery, and getting Esme to throw away her soul serves his self-interests just fine.
Norm struggles to reach Esme, to convince her that her infatuation with Zack is blinding her to important things -- things like the disappearances of young girls all around town lately. Can he get through to Esme in time to break the spell on her, and get her to see clearly the evil that has come to Middleton?
HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS is a fantastic blending of magic and science. Bloom has done an admirable job crafting believable explanations to give plausibility to a Frankenstein monster and a vampire in high school. It's humorous, not because of a silly setting but through cerebral conversation. It's romantic, but not in the traditional gothic vampire vein. And it's scary AF, because Bloom finally shows YA readers that vampires aren't sparkly hardbodies you can have a relationship with, but bloodthirsty murdering monsters. It's a literary black hole that will suck you in from the first chapter and hold you in its gravity until you've finished it. And just when you think you've seen every novel twist coming, Bloom throws another at you. (Three words: Yiddish Demon Lawyer.)
Clever chapter headings, engaging dialogue, real turmoil, supernatural threats, and a harrowing life-or-death struggle all come together to make HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS something that absolutely must be on your reading list this March.
Grade:
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Hearts & Other Body Parts By Ira Bloom (Hardcover - Mar 28, 2017) $2.76$17.99
Rated 4 out of 5 by 9 reviewers on Amazon.com
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Book Reviews: Hearts & Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom and P. S. I Like You by Kasie West
APRIL 22, 2017 BY LELIA T
2
Hearts & Other Body Parts
Ira Bloom
Scholastic Press, April 2017
ISBN 978-1-338-03073-0
HardcoverFast-paced and fabulously fun, Hearts & Other Body Parts is a freaky fusion of folklore that completely rocks my socks. Fantasy, science-fiction and a bit of magic combine to capture, then carry you along the remarkable ride. With the emphasis on “science”, some of this fiction feels frighteningly plausible.
The three sisters that center the story are quintessential siblings in the best ways possible. Unique enough for interesting exchanges, their common ground allows them to create a formidable front when needed. Norman, the new kid (whose full name is spectacularly perfect) is a gentle giant—in the most literal sense—but, his size is the least shocking attribute of his appearance.
Generally, students in small town schools divide into two groups when a new kid arrives: instant fans seeking something different or rowdy ruffians refusing change. Not so when Norman enters the picture. All eyes focus on him, the same expression on every face. Mouths hang open in wonder, revulsion and fear. When Esme joins Norman at the lunch table on his first day, he knew things would be different here; but even his peculiar past could not have prepared him for what was coming.
Zack erases Norman’s new-kid status and creates a fandom in the student body. Girls surround Zack like fog, floating on his every word. Intelligent as well as wise, Norman is not captivated by Zack’s charms; instead he is suspicious. Reports of missing girls convince Norman that Esme and her sisters, who have absolutely abandoned him to hover around Zack, are in imminent danger. Norman can’t face Zack alone, but the bullies that once taunted him may not be much back-up…..even with the reluctant aid of a demon cat.
Reviewed by jv poore, March 2017.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S. I Like You
Kasie West
Point, August 2016
ISBN 978-0-545-85097-1
HardcoverThis is such a sweet story—not so your teeth hurt–it’s perfectly sweet. First and foremost: I love the Abbott family. I want to dive into their home and be submersed in the fresh, awesome, oddness. Each quirky, yet quintessential, sibling provides poignant texture, interacting individually and collectively with Lily. Her competition-loving, compassionate parents are perfectly embarrassing and absolutely adorable. Also, there is a rescued “pet” rabbit.
I adore Lily. She’s who I wanted to be as a teenager. Her most awkward teen-aged moment is exponentially cooler than any of mine. It is effortless to relate to, empathize with and understand her. She is “learning lessons” that I learned, but sometimes forget. The reminders are welcome and appreciated.
There is also the something-different-that-I-totally-dig-aspect: putting a pencil to your desktop, jotting a note or song lyric to maintain sanity and/or a state of semi-awareness during class, only to be stunned when another student responds in kind. I remember trading notes via the top of my desk with an anonymous person in my 8th grade Literature class (sorry, Mr. Leach). So, no surprise, I’m stupidly delighted and charmed to find a book basing a pretty groovy relationship on such a simple start. Particularly impressive, Ms. West presents a spot-on, classic-yet-credible, way of communicating without feeling the need to mute or explain away today’s textmania.
This was a one-sitting-read that I really enjoyed. The mini-mystery to determine who Lily’s pen pal is warranted a close look and careful consideration of the characters. Although cute and quick, this isn’t the cotton candy of reading—there is a Mean Girl and her role is not gratuitous and the importance of being a good friend cannot be overstated. My copy is going to my 13-year-old niece and I’m sure I’ll donate another copy to my Middle Grader’s classroom library. I really like this book for the Middle-Grade reader looking for a love story.
Reviewed by jv poore, October 2016.
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This entry was posted in Full Reviews and tagged crossgenre, dark fantasy, family, friendships, giant, humor, magic, middle grade/young adult, monsters, mystery, pen pal, romantic comedy, Scholastic Press, science fiction, siblings, supernatural, witches, young adult. Bookmark the permalink.
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2 THOUGHTS ON “BOOK REVIEWS: HEARTS & OTHER BODY PARTS BY IRA BLOOM AND P. S. I LIKE YOU BY KASIE WEST”skyecaitlin April 24, 2017 at 10:01 am
Thanks for two fabulous reviews, JV!Like
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jvpoore April 24, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Great to hear from you!
You are most welcome.Like
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Hearts & Other Body Parts
Posted by Granite Media on August 16, 2017 in Best New Books, Best YA Fiction, Book Reviews, Jr. High Fiction, Sr. High Fiction · 0 Comments
Written by Ira BloomNorman is a big kid, almost 8 feet tall. He is not a very good looking boy and has bolts out the side of his head and has a limp. Esme, Katy, and Ronni are witches. They keep that to themselves. Then a Vampire named Zake comes into play. They all go to to high school together. All the girls fall in love with Zake and no one knows he’s a Vampire. Norman tries to keep the three sisters safe, but they will not listen to him. Girls start to disappear and there is a murder and a fire is set. The sisters are always trying to one-up each other so they can be the one that Zake will love. They put spells and hexs on each other. There is also a Japanese corpse-eating demon cat. It’s a cute book. If you want an entertaining book this is one you will love to read.
Review by Sharon Viall, Jefferson Jr. High Media Center
Rating: ★★★✩✩ (3 stars)
Interest Level: 5th to 10th gradeHearts & Other Body Parts
Written by Ira Bloom
Scholastic Press
342 pages
Release Date: March 28, 2017
A review copy was provided by the publisher.Tags: 2017 YA Fiction, Dating Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore Fiction, Frankenstein, Friendship Fiction, Hearts & Other Body Parts, High Schools Fiction, Horror Fiction, Ira Bloom, Magic Fiction, Monsters Fiction, Mystery Fiction, Paranormal Fiction, Romance Fiction, Sharon Viall, Vampires Fiction, Witches Fiction
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