13+ – Judefire33 – The Book Blog

A Big Gay Rom-Zom-Com with Heart

Jesse Spark has a broken heart and in a few short weeks he’ll require major surgery to repair it – which means he only has a month to accomplish two almost-impossible tasks.

1) Shoot his epic zombie movie on a shoestring budget if he has any hope of getting into film school. 2) Fall in love before this surgery lands him with a huge scar – because how will anyone ever fancy him after that?

Sex Education meets Love, Simon – with fake zombies – in this savagely funny gay YA romance about body image, self-acceptance and falling in love, all while shooting a low-budget zombie flick!

Fun, fresh and authentic, this is the feel-good hit of #hotboysummer, perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Ciara Smyth and Adam Silvera.

Hugest of thanks to William Hussey for sending me a copy of Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts, it is treasured.

So Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts is a “Big Gay Rom-Com” that’s aimed at teenagers (13+) , and I know its been 40 years since I’ve been a teenager but my body may be failing but my mind is still young! I can vividly remember being a teenager and realising I was “different” because I didn’t like boys, and the struggles I had coming to terms with that and eventually coming out in my early 30’s. In the 80’s we had very little in the way of role models or indeed books to help those of us from middle class, Christian households. BUT how I wish I had had a book like Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts, to give me confidence to express who I wanted to be. Of course nowadays I’d like to think the majority of children and young adults do HAVE that opportunity as times have thankfully changed.

William Hussey has managed to write and utterly fantastic, hilarious, touching, and excellently plotted novel. Our main character Jesse Sparks has just been diagnosed with a heart issue after collapsing at the Ferrivale High School Prom (embarrassing!) and he has just 4 weeks to make an epic zombie movie Zombie Honeymoon, on a budget of zero, if he has any chance of getting in to film school. He also wants to find a boyfreind before his body is hideously disfigured, becuase then noone will want him!

His 2 best friends Casper Loomis and Morgan Adeyemi-Perera, have agreed to help in this quest as always. I must say the way William Hussey has written the scenes at the Hospital for Jesse’s treatments are absolutely stunning, I know this is because He himself had a life saving operation, but to be able to write this into the plot as a 17 year old boy and in a language anyone can understand is superb.

The characters are written with love and care and i instantly fell in love with Jesse and his quirky ways, but all the main characters are just so vividly written and loveable, Mr Hussey is a real Pro at this!

The novels plot is fast moving and gripping, at no point did i feel bored, in fact i couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next, and have i mentioned how utterly hilarious it is? I was laughing out loud at so much, which is a rare talent that not all authors can achieve!

William Hussey has managed to write a marvellous book with issues that affect teenagers everywhere, in a comedic and knowledgeable way, issues such as body image, sexuality, bullying, life threatening medical procedures, friendships, dementia and dysfunctional families, oh and of course Zombies!

This is a magical novel, its touching, its funny, its heartfelt and its above all REAL! if I was a teenager today I’d be getting all my mates to read it! Fans of Alice Osman’s Heartstopper series will love Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts. This book is a bookbanger and will surely become a best seller, and it so deserves it.

A Big Gay 5 Stars from me!