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    Dearly, Departed
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    Dearly, Departed
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    Dearly, Departed
    Audiobook16 hours

    Dearly, Departed

    Written by Lia Habel

    Narrated by Kim Mai Guest

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Love can never die.

    Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid's arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead-or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

    The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria-a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country's political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible-until she's nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

    But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she's suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting "The Laz," a fatal virus that raises the dead-and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there's no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

    In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 18, 2011
    ISBN9780307876065
    Unavailable
    Dearly, Departed

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    Reviews for Dearly, Departed

    4/5

    204 ratings52 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Super-interesting worldbuilding in a post-apocalyptic steampunk-gaslamp world. (Provided by publisher)

      After some sort of world-ending event, society gathered near the equator and reformed. The book takes place in and around New London, a city in a post-apocalyptic society that is Victorian in style and mores, but modern in some of its technology, with a gaslamp twist. Nearby is the Punk society that seems to have rejected the New Victorian technology. The Lazarus virus was developed, causing people to reanimate after death; only some of them with their faculties intact.
    • 3/5
      Now we’ve really seen it all, haven’t we? Girls falling for the undead isn’t new (vampires anyone?) but when I heard about Dearly, Departed, I was sceptical about how the author would go about writing a romance between a young, healthy girl and a dead guy. Fear not, Dearly, Departed is actually quite engaging, with its mix of modern and antique ways of life, colourful characters and a brilliant new world to immerse oneself in.The world Habel has created is unique – a future in which Victorian values, manners and dress are prized because of the destruction caused by the wantonness of previous generations. It’s really interesting: cool technology like digi-diaries, mobile phones and holograms mixed in with travel by carriage, full length dresses and strict social etiquette. The first part of the book, centred on Nora’s life before she finds out that zombies exist, is a little boring and clichéd, but I love how realistic it seems. Unlike many other Post Apocalyptic stories, I recognised today’s society in Habel’s one: it wasn’t as alienating as some books tend to be.Nora is a perplexing character whom I initially disliked. She seemed aloof and disinterested in her best friend, and I didn’t really like how she regarded an interest in anything feminine as a weakness (although I understand how, with her upbringing, she might think like that). But once she was taken out of her familiar environment, she really shone. I love her tenacity and bravery, and that she thinks about her actions and their consequences. No silly mistakes here! In contrast, I liked Bram from the very first chapter – he’s so sweet and caring, even if he’s dead. He and Nora are the principle narrating protagonists, but there are three other points of view in the novel, each telling a different but vital part of the story. I’ve seen other reviewers express dissatisfaction at the large number of narrating characters, but I enjoyed it.Dearly, Departed is certainly a surprising read! Somehow it’s made me think of zombies as humans as well, capable of love, affection and kissing. I think this book will be enjoyed by those who like romances with a twist! However, if you are looking for a scary zombie book, then you’re better off trying Rhiannon Frater’s The First Days. I am very excited about the sequel, Dearly Beloved: I’m expecting to be just as good.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
    • 5/5
      I caught him stealing glances at me from across the room, and the sight of him took my breathe away. He slowly began to limp toward me and the way his right knee dipped a little every time he landed on that side was so gangsta. And then his nose hit the ground, and I was like "Guuuuuurrrrrl, that's gone be my baby daddy!" YES I judged this book long before I read it. NO need to worry, this IS NOT that kind of book. I was given a copy of this book from Net Galley via the generous folks at Random House Publishing Group. Throughout and by the end of this book I had so many emotions volleying for my attention, my most difficult challenge proved to be reiming it all in and forming my review in coherent sentences. I was excited by the action. The fight scenes definitly had my upmost attention to the point where I've missed my stop on the train more than once and was late for work, hence giving me more time to read this awesome book. (Not complaining here....just stating a fact.) The settings and reforming of society in this Dystopia novel had me in awe. I heart Steampunk. There's something uniquely fasinating about it and the culture and lifestyle of this tale definitely put me in the mind of Steampunk. I appreciated the fact that this has not one, but two kick ass heroines! And the one you'ld least expect is the boldest. Nora was a little diappointing in that aspect. I wanted her to be more hard core bad-ass-ness. (Um, you know what I mean right?) I was horrified of this author's audasity to try and make a zombie the leading male in this romance. I'm so not completely sold. It was super sweet how it all played out. I'm embarrased to say, I found myself sighing alot and a tad bit jelious of Nora. If you're old enough to remember Family Matter, you'll understand when I say, Nora and Bram had a Laura/Steve Urkel kind of love. (At first he was so undesirable to the point of "EWWW", then he grows on you.) The villians were surprising when revealed and infuriating none the less. I was disappointed when it ended. I'm excited and impaitent to see what happens next. If you're afraid to pick this up because of the ZOMBIE content, you're going to regret it. This is a very well written and darn almost believeable book. Well, it is, if you can get pass the whole walking dead thing.) There are decaying gross parts, but there's nothing too terrifying to give you nightmares. I rate this 4.5! Katrina Kindred Dreamheart
    • 5/5
      This review originally posted at Christa's Hooked on BooksDearly Departed was one of those books that completely blew me away and exceeded all my expectations. At first I read the plot synopsis and honest to god my first reaction was “oh...It's about zombies.” The cover was nice and I liked the New Victorian idea but zombies? I've never been that into zombies. But then a couple bloggers I know and whom I trust completely when they recommend me a book, started raving about this book. I figured I'd give it a shot, started to read and much to my surprise I found myself more and more in love with the plot, the setting, the characters. Everything.First of all, the zombies in this book aren't your average stumble around, brain eating, moaning beasts. They're real people who have had a really horrible thing happen to them. They still talk and feel and believe etc. The lead male – Bram, is potentially one of the sweetest guys ever. Before long you find yourself not caring that he's dead or a zombie. He's just Bram. I love that this book doesn't just use zombies, it makes them real characters you can connect with.Beyond the well written zombies (never thought I'd say that!) Lia Habel has written this book with an incredible amount of detail. She's thought of everything! I've always wondered when reading Neo-Victorian novels why exactly people in the future would revert back to the Victorian age. Lia Habel has an answer for that. What about the environment and global warming? Yup that gets accounted for too. And the zombies themselves, why aren't they falling apart and rotting (they are dead after all)? Lia Habel has thought of all that too. Things make sense in this book. It didn't require me to make any leaps of faith or leave me wondering about some serious loose ends.Last but not least I have to talk about the romance. There was no love triangle! I do like the occasional love triangle, but lately it seems like every book has one. I loved that this one only involved Bram and Nora. They also had to work at their relationship. They come from different worlds. Trust needed to built, and then friendship. They needed that foundation if they were ever going to become a believable couple and thankfully that's just what happened. You got to see the evolution of their relationship and I loved that about them. Finally, the love story didn't overwhelm the plot. Yes, it was wonderful and sweet but the main storyline still shone through and kept you on the edge of you seat, waiting to see what happened next.All in all this was a great book. If you're not a fan of zombies don't let that deter you from reading it. I wasn't really a zombie person either and I loved this book. It's so well written and a lot of fun to read. You're going to fall in love with Bram, zombie or not, he's just that great of a guy. I can't wait to see where Lia Habel takes this series next and what adventures are still in store for the star crossed lovers.
    • 3/5
      Interesting read. A few issues with it (slow to start, underdeveloped characters) but something I would definitely say to read if you like zombies, Victoriana or steampunk.

      And Bram...totally adorable even if he is dead.

      I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

      Full review on my blog HERE
    • 4/5

      Dearly, Departed started off with a bang and kept my attention right up until the end. I felt that Bram and Nora were well developed characters: Nora being a proper Victorian lady with a little stubborn streak thrown in and Bram, a gentleman...zombie. I didn't care very much for Nora's sidekick friend, Pamma until closer to the end of the story. Habel's many points of view left me sometimes confused and though I did not, I found myself wanting to skip whole chapters of characters I didn't like. The many POV's however, is my only complaint.



      I really enjoyed Dearly, Departed. I felt that Lia Habel did a great job on this title overall, and she has created an intricate, well developed world to play with in her work. I am excited to read the sequel, Dearly, Beloved due out this year.
    • 2/5
      Dearly Departed.
      hmmm. I couldnt even finish this book. I read 3 chapters and just couldnt go any further.

      1. This book is WAY out of my norm. I don't like sci-fi. I don't even watch Sci-fi movies. But I had liked twilight so I figured maybe I would try another sci-fi and this one was recommended.

      2. I don't understand this 'steampunk' and I don't like it. it frustrated me ( please don't be offended if you do. This is just my opinion.) I don't like how they're in 2195 yet the world has digressed from technology YET they have flat screens in their carriages. I don't like it.

      3. It is wayyyy tooooo slow a start for me. I was bored and complaining to my husband by page 10.

      4. I didn't like the manner they spoke. Sometimes it was very proper and Victorian like others it wasn't like that at all.

      Like I said this book is outside my norm. So someone else who reads sci-fi and zombies might like this book. Don't go on my opinion alone
      :)



      EDIT*******

      I have started reading more paranormal, steampunk, zombie apocalypse sort of books. I hadn't read a new adult book other than twilight when I tried this one. I think now that I have an open mind and understand everything a bit better, I will go back and re-read this book!
      (I shouldn't have made the rash decision to give it away)
    • 1/5
      This one just did not work for me I managed 250 pages before deciding to give up and DNF. Started off interesting enough, but the plot was slow and too many different view points got annoying.

      Also a lot of info dumping which got irritating. I was not impressed by the idea of a futuristic society embracing the ideas of modern technology and slang words and then adopting Victorian ideas of etiquette and rules. This and the zombies was got my attention about the book in the first place, the execution just didn't do anything for me. There didn't seem to be much happening plot wise other than in one POV but that wasn't really enough to keep me interested.

      Not for me.
    • 2/5
      *received ARC via NetGalley*

      I'm starting to feel the same way towards zombies that I do about vampires. It's becoming the next way overdone part of the YA repertoire. This book didn't really do it for me, though it had the potential to.

      What I liked: Bram and Nora. They were cool. Also liked Pamela sometimes. Didn't like her other times. The characters are very well-written here, and I think that's the strong point of the book. Habel has a talent for characters.

      What I didn't like: changing POV. Too many of those just confuses things and makes it hard to get involved in a book. I didn't feel like I could ever truly connect with the characters because just when I thought I would, BAM. POV change. So that doesn't really do it for me.

      I'd probably go 2.5 stars here.
    • 4/5
      4 ½ Stars

      Dearly, Departed is book one in the new Dearly series by Lia Habel.

      The blurb is very explanatory, I won’t give you a synopsis but I’ll add some details throughout my review.

      Dearly, Departed was a very nice surprise for me, if I’m been honest I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did nor I was expecting it to be as good as it was.

      One of the things I loved the most about this book was the world Mrs. Habel created. The year is 2195, a new ice age has happened. Many of the northern countries have disappeared under a heavy coat of ice forcing their habitants to migrate close to the tropics, where now they live in tribes (nations). One of those tribes is the New Victoria. A tribe that decided to follow the behaviors and customs of the Victorian Era, an era they consider was the golden age of humanity. So now we are in the year 2195 with Victorian customs and advances in technology corresponding to the current times. The technology is modern but with a touch of Steampunk, there are microchips, cell phones, tablets, flat screens, holograms and more. What I liked was that many of these contractions work with steam. Also the aethernet is use for communications. All in all a very creative, complex and well developed world.

      To add to this new world and lifestyle a new virus called Lazarus virus is spreading with the dire consequences of creating zombies. When the infected die in some cases they wake up with all their faculties intact (good zombie) and in other cases… let’s just say I would not like to encounter one of those. This situation has been kept secret by the government for years. They are trying to find a vaccine and while Scientifics are looking for it, the government has created a small army with good zombies called Company Z. This group specializes in the elimination of the bad, mindless, flesh eaters zombies also known as Greys.

      Dearly, Departed is the love story about Nora and Bram. Nora is a normal human girl and Bram is one of the good zombies, he is also the Captain of Company Z. I was a bit skeptical about the story, I couldn’t imagine a normal person falling for a zombie, but Mrs. Habel does an awesome job with Bram’s character. The more you know Bram the less you think about his “handicaps” and soon after you are rooting for him and fervently wishing for a cure, a solution or something to will help him with that little detail of gray skin and falling and rotting parts. Not that anything is falling or rotting at the moment but with time it will start to happen.

      Nora is a different girl from the norm of her times, where all the girls are expected to have ladylike behaviors and should never worry with anything discomforting. But since an early age Nora has been curious and has always wanted to learn and know more about their past wars and social and political differences with other tribes.
      I liked how Nora reactions were real and didn’t feel forced. She is a smart young girl, she analyses things before acting and when she is wrong about something she accepts it. She is also strong for her age, I’m not talking about physical strength but emotional strength. She freaked out when it was normal to do so but she never disappointed me. She learned to look inside the persons and not to judge them by their appearances, not just with Bram but also with other members of Company Z.

      As I said before Bram and Nora relationship should be a NO-NO but the more you see their interaction and the more they spend time together you realized they are good for each other regardless of their differences.

      The secondary characters are all nice and they all bring something to the story. The one I could say evolved the most was Pamela, Nora’s best friend since childhood. Pamela starts as a perfect daughter and lady but when circumstances changes and her old self is not enough she changes too and becomes what is needed from her.
      Bram’s friends from Company Z were all nice characters that added something to the story, characters you learn to love and as with Bram you wish for a happy ending for them too. They are all characters you would love to learn more about them and hope to see more of them in the future.
      Dearly, Departed is told from five different points of view. Yes, you read right, five! But as with character development Mrs. Habel does a great job and differentiates each chapter by speaker so it was very easy to follow up and didn’t get confusing.

      The end of Dearly, Departed is not a cliffhanger but is one that will leave you wanting to get your hands on the next installment, Dearly, Beloved as soon as it’s released next year.
      In general I really liked and enjoyed Dearly, Departed. I think it was a great surprise and a really good debut novel by Lia Habel. Dearly, Departed is a book I recommend to all YA, distopyan and steampunk fans.
    • 4/5
      This was a fun read - she teetered on the edge of being farcical, but for me it didn't fall over. The main characters were interesting and believable in unbelievable circumstances. The switches from narrator to narrator - always in first person - were confusing at first, but I got used to it. There were a few LOL moments, but surprisingly enough, I was able to take the plight of the zombies seriously most of the time. A very different aspect of the walking dead story...
    • 3/5
      I'm not a big zombie fan but really liked this book and felt it had a good sense of place with great details. I do think it should have been limited to 3 POV and had an issue with the ending but will be reading the next book.
    • 4/5
      From the beginning, Dearly, Departed was a fascinating read. There is just so much going on in here, most of which I approve of. For example, this book, the start of a new series, manages to be both set in a future society and steampunk, which is, traditionally, historical in nature. So, while not technically steampunk, it reads that way entirely. Given that and the zombies, I bet Cherie Priest loved this book (or will love it...I have no idea if she's read it or not).

      Above that, Dearly, Departed is also a dystopia, or at least has enough dystopian elements to keep me happy, er, unhappy. Actually, it has pretty much every kind of dystopia possible. Habel explains that the society in which Nora lives came about in reaction to a series of calamities that befell the human race in entirety (and Americans especially) 150 years previously. These include an ice age (didn't see that one coming), catastrophic storms taking out island countries, disease, famine, nuclear war, and the explosion of the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone. While I do think it's awesome that Habel included that stuff, I also feel like it may just be, focus on the pun, overkill.

      That's one of my two concerns about the book: Habel seems to have tried to do a bit too much. While this didn't distract from my enjoyment of the novel too much, I did sometimes shake my head in response to the sheer number of crazy things, some of which were markedly unnecessary.

      My other concern, in case you were curious, is zombies being hot. That's right, folks. Now, all paranormals are hot, even zombies. Of course, I have seen zombies that had relationships before, but they only dated other zombies (Breathers); this is my first run in with a couple composed of one living person and one dead person. That said, I really do like Bram, and, all things considered, this has been done as well as is possible. However, I cannot ship this or think it will end in anything but tears and/or nomming.

      What I really loved about the book were the strong female heroines, Nora and Pamela. They are vibrant and really rise to difficult occasions. Despite being raised to be proper New Victorian girls (think Victorian social mores and customs), they refuse to be put into a box or onto a pedestal. Their chapters are definitely the best ones; I think I would have liked the book even more had it been told exclusively from their perspectives and could definitely have done without Wolfe's and Victor's sections (the POV switches). Examples of how cool these girls are: one of them climbed up rose bushes with bare hands while also firing at zombie attackers and the other killed a zombie with a parasol. Yeah, with a parasol.

      To sum up, who doesn't want to read a good zombie novel where the living dead get taken out by a deadly parasol?

      P.S. Is anyone else tired of every single paranormal book having a cheesy tag line on the front, such as this one "Love can never die." That's so melodramatic...and I'm pretty sure I've seen virtually the same thing on at least ten other books.
    • 4/5
      This is an impressive first novel! It's well-written, without purple prose, and while a few of the minor characters are two-dimensional, the main characters are not. The pacing is good, and the plot is engaging. Ms. Habel does an exceptional job of making it seem as if there is always something exciting happening, even in the calmer parts. The romance is sweet and believable. The story of the world is intriguing and not too difficult to picture. While I have a soft spot for the character who shares my name, I wasn't thrilled with the multi-character viewpoints. The transitions between viewpoints didn't seem quite as seamless as the rest of the book. I do appreciate the fact that while the door is left open for a sequel, the book doesn't end with a cliff-hanger.

      Well-done and highly recommended.

      This book was sent to me for review.
    • 4/5
      I first heard of Dearly, Departed - probably on Goodreads – in a context of absolutely aghast disgust. A story telling about a girl who falls in love with a zombie?! Horrors – and not in a good way. And it's true, on surface it's another one of those ideas which Should Not Work (I should create a shelf for those). Although it does occur to me that there's a fine, fine line between all those "I Loved a Vampire" PNR's and this – undead is undead. Still, undead but whole and able to heal is rather different from undead but possibly missing bits that won't grow back and liable to rot without maintenance. But Lia Habel and her zombie hero Bram recognize this. And heaven knows her living heroine, Nora, recognizes this. That makes a difference. The well-written and interesting description combined with the gorgeous cover art made me put it on my wishlist despite any qualms (are you listening, self-published authors?), and when it became available on Netgalley I requested it with fingers crossed. With most books I request from there it's a click-and-forget proposition; I'll request almost anything that sounds interesting, and if I get I get it, if I don't I don't. But this one I wanted. So – thank you very much, Netgalley and Lia Habel. Out of the books I've read through the site there are a handful whose authors I will follow from now on, and maybe two whose digital galleys I enjoyed enough that I'll seek them out and buy them. Dearly, Departed fits both of those categories. The world where this book (this series) takes place is beautifully built. It's our future, 2195, and there has been an ice age; needing to rebuild their society, they decided to take the best parts of the Victorian age (and, inevitably, some of the not-best) and pattern themselves on it. There has been terraforming, and mass migration and lots of adjustment – and fighting. In fact, one of my favorite things about the beginning of the book was that zombie attacks caught on film by the press are passed off as simply more brutal fighting between the Victorians (called, derisively, the royals) and the Punks – those who prefer to carry on an almost Luddite tradition as opposed to the New Victorians' new gaslit digital age. Lia Habel created a believable, enjoyable steampunk fusion of parasols and laptops, high-power weapons and crinolines. Bram Griswold is – was – a Punk. That is, they were his people; he did not join the military until after he was dead. No one knows quite how or when or where the Laz – the zombie infection – began, but it's as is usual in zombie invasions: if you're bitten, you will die of it before long, but you might not stay dead. And in an attack on the mines where he worked Bram was bitten. Most of the victims wind up mindless and ravening: grays. Through luck, and early intervention, and (usually) not having eaten human flesh despite the body's craving, some few manage to keep their minds and their humanity intact and learn to function as if still human. And Bram did have intervention – he was saved by someone very important to the "good" zombies, as well as to Nora Dearly. Now Nora herself is immensely valuable to all of them, both sides of this hidden zombie war. And she's also very important to the people she left behind – well, if not particularly her remaining family, a chilly aunt, then to her best friend, Pamela, who is a terrific character (and an even better friend). I don't do horror. I tried to watch AMC's "The Walking Dead" when it premiered, having heard great things. I didn't even make it to the first zombie; the tension got me. I'm a wimp. I can't manage zombies. Which makes this all the more fascinating, in a way. I think I can handle this denomination of zombie, though. There is a healthy dose of classic zombie horror here – not all the zombies have personalities, and in fact not all of them have working limbs, leading to what they call "Worms", which … *shudder*. The descriptions of the zombie hordes are terrifying – it's obvious why zombies are such a horror staple. But a lot of the element of horror comes from the insight into Bram, and through him his comrades: he is a formerly healthy young man, good-looking and smart and funny, trapped in a body he himself finds appalling and which he knows will fail him in just a few years at most. The psychology of it is impressive, and fascinating, and honestly moving. I like this character; even apart from the deadness he's not the usual PNR Hero. He's a fairly ordinary kid (yes, attractive, but not devastatingly so) who has landed in a situation that would break most people. And I like Nora. Again, attractive without making men swoon, trying to adapt to horrific circumstances. She's terrified, but neither stupid about it nor ridiculously courageous; uncomfortable and afraid of becoming comfortable among zombies; longing to be anywhere but where she is, yet strangely happy. And it's perfectly plausible. Pamela, Nora's good friend from school, is another wonderful character. She knows Nora has gone missing, but not what the circumstances are, and meanwhile she has problems of her own as the zombies come to her neighborhood. As the zombies become her neighborhood. Like her friend, she is a clever and resourceful young woman; she is fighting the strictures, sometimes completely unreasonable given the circumstances, of her extremely proper and conventional family (and annoying brother), and is longing to fall in love herself, whatever the circumstances. So – another book on the "This should NOT work" shelf. It does work. It really, really works. And I want more.
    • 4/5
      This novel started out a bit slow, but I enjoyed Dearly, Departed after I got through the first few chapters. Habel's unique world drew me in, and the dynamic characters kept me intrigued. I had a hard time putting this book down. The one thing I didn't like was the fact that there were five narrators. If it wasn't for that, then this book would have gotten an A from me!The multiple narrators really annoyed me. I don't feel that we needed a chapter with Wolfe's POV, nor did we need Pamela's POV. I think we could have learned about what was going on in New London from Bram's POV, when he spoke to Wolfe or heard something new. Victor's POV was necessary, I think, as were Bram's and Nora's. I liked all of the characters fine (even the villains were interesting), but the multiple POVs just annoyed me. Everything was first person, too, so the multiple POVs could have also been eliminated with a third person omniscient POV. Nora was a pretty awesome heroine. She was strong, stubborn, and an all around good person. I really liked the fact that she thought Bram was attractive even though he was dead (and in some ways looked dead). She seemed to love him because of his imperfections, not in spite of them. That within itself was a beautiful thing. Also, her loyalty and bravery made me like her even more. I am really looking forward to reading what happens to her next. Bram was super sweet and amazing. He was never angsty or emo, and he had reason to be. He treated Nora like a person, too. He stood up for what he thought was right, and I admired him for that. He was also pretty funny. I liked his sarcastic, snarky sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed reading from his perspective, and he completely won me over. Team Bram all the way!I wasn't Pamela's hugest fan, but she was all right. I usually get annoyed with the best friends, so the fact that she was all right in my book says a lot. She really cared about Nora, and she was selfless. She was just clueless at some points, and the way she threw herself at Michael irritated me. As flawed as she was, I was rooting for her, and I hope the next book brings her happiness.Victor was an interesting character, and I'd like to know more about him. I'm not going to spoil this for those who haven't read it, but he was very intriguing. The first few chapters were world-building chapters, and Habel did a terrific job of describing the futuristic society that she created. I particularly liked the hologram movies, and how when they used modern colloquial words, they said "as our ancestors used to say..." before it. That really made me feel like I was in New Victoria. I also liked the small touches, such as the parasols with the lights on top that indicated if the girls were practicing the "antiquated ritual" of dating, if they had been betrothed, or if they were gay. Items like that showed that this was a futuristic society and not historical Victorian society. Another thing that really stood out to me was the punks and how they were like futuristic steampunks. I enjoyed reading about them and hope to learn more about them in the sequel. Overall, I'd recommend this book to steampunk, dystopian, and zombie fans. Dearly, Departed is a unique and touching love story that you don't want to miss.
    • 4/5
      Dearly, Departed is a novel about zombies in a post-apocalyptic world resembling Victorian London with steampunk tendencies. Which explains why I was disoriented when I first started reading. It was a bit like the novel was struggling to find it's identity and I worried that Habel wouldn't succeed in tying the multiple personalities of Dearly, Departed together. But then the characters grew on me, the Victorian manners, dress, and customs started to feel normal, and the sudden appearance of high-tech gadgets stopped being quite so surprising... then I started to feel at home in the curious world Habel had created.I think it was Bram Griswold, one of the narrators and Nora's love interest, that kept me reading even when I was feeling overwhelmed at the start of the novel. I really enjoyed his character's personality and attitude. I actually felt like I had a better understanding of Bram than Nora at some points... and I definitely understood why Nora found herself falling for him. Despite being one of the living dead, Bram is a complete gentleman.Along with Nora and Bram, Pamela, Nora's best friend, also narrates sections of Dearly, Beloved. I'll admit that I wasn't a huge fan of Pamela at first, but she quickly grew on me. At the beginning of the story, when the girls are leaving boarding school for home, Pamela seems a bit silly, but, as soon as things get tough, her claws come out. I'm very interested to see what Pamela accomplishes in the next novel, since information regarding "The Laz" is now public knowledge... she definitely isn't one to lay around idly when so much change is occurring. It will be interesting to see how Habel decides to continue Nora's story... and whether Bram and Nora's story will have a happy ending. At this point, I'm not seeing how it would be possible, but I have to hope Habel has a few tricks up her sleeve!
    • 2/5
      2.5 starsThis may well be one of the oddest books I've ever read. It is an antiquated futuristic story...What?? Yep, it takes place in the future but with all the social protocol of the Victorian Era. I could not get a handle on that, at all. Then add zombies to the mix and what do you have? Dearly Departed.The mixture of well developed futuristic technology with old Victorian styling just did not mesh for me. You have corset and parasol wearing girls carrying cell phones and digi-diaries. I can't imagine such an advanced society sticking women back into the dark ages of 'don't bare your ankles' and 'no un-chaperoned visits with boys'. Add to that the idea of girls being married off for societal gain and I just get annoyed.It was not only the world that confused me, it was the point of view as well. It is written in first person but each chapter you switch to one of, I think, five characters. If I got interrupted in the middle of a chapter, I often had to look back at who I was reading. At times, I wondered why the chapter was even there to begin with, some seemed pointless. It isn't all bad though. The characters are developed quite nicely and I liked several of them. Unfortunately, Nora really wasn't a favorite of mine. I never fully connected with her. I did really enjoy Bram and Nora's best friend Pam, who is entirely entertaining and had a couple of great scenes in this story. If not for these two characters, I think I would have given up on this read entirely. Alas, I don't think I will be picking up the sequel.
    • 5/5
      Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel5 stars Product Details ISBN-13: 9780345523310 Publisher: Random House Publishing Group Publication date: 10/18/2011 Pages: 480 Sales rank: 72,993 Product dimensions: 8.48 (w) x 5.78 (h) x 1.48 (d)Summary: The world has ended and been rebuilt fashioned after Victorian England. This new Victorian world includes the same manners and sense of class that the old one did. The wealthy have above ground houses, but the majority of the populace lives underground, the more wealthy or important, the closer to the outside. Not everyone agrees with the New Victorian lifestyle, so a group called the “punks” is battling for land and rights. These “punks” are along the outskirts of New Victoria and live within fields and mines. The novel is told from multiple points of view. Nora is a teenage girl who is slightly wealthy. She goes to a boarding school and is being raised by her aunt after her father had passed away. Her best friend, Pam, is a poorer student that also attends the boarding school and represents another point of view in the story. Then Bram, a good zombie that wants to save the world, and the girl, represents another point of view. And finally, Wolf, a deranged power-hungry military captain, and Nora’s father, you guessed it, another zombie, round out the other point of views within the story. Each person tells their part of the story as it moves forward. So, the story is extremely complex.Here is the basic storyline:Nora is kidnapped by good zombies because she is immune to the zombie virus. She builds up a friendship/relationship with Bram, who is one of the zombies that rescues her. Meanwhile, the zombie virus has broken out in New Victoria. Pam kills a zombie, is arrested, gets out, and then figures out what is going on with the dead coming back to life. Nora’s father was also kidnapped by a crazy man who wants him to make the vaccine for him. When Nora and Bram find out that her father is kidnapped and that New Victoria is being overrun with zombies, they make plans to save everyone. Of course, there are other details, but that basically sums things up.My thoughts:I really love Bram! He is the saving grace of this novel. Oh my god, his character is just the most adorable thing in the world. I could give or take everyone else, but rave about Bram for years to come. He almost replaces Valek from Poison Study in my heart, which is saying a ton, because Valek stole my heart years ago and no one has even come close until now. Dearly, Departed as a novel is long and hard to keep track of. I almost wish that I could have skipped some of the side stories so that I could have focused more on the relationship between Bram and Nora. There were several times in the story that I had to go back to figure out which character was leading the dialogue. Sometimes there is such a slight change in perspective because the same action is going on, so you have to really pay attention to the pronouns. This is a flaw because it pulls you out of the story; however, as I have mentioned several times, Bram is well worth some confusion. I look forward to book number 2.Rating: 5 stars
    • 5/5
      This book is what would happen if Doctor Who, Gone With The Wind and the complete novels of Charles Dickens were all blitzed together in a blender and served up with a hot zombie on the front. Seriously. After a fairly slow start, it gradually picked up pace until by the end, I couldn't have stopped reading if I'd tried...The first in Habel's Gone With The Respiration series, Dearly Departed is about the kidnap of Nora Dearly, a young lady in a post-apocalyptic New Victorian society. Still reeling from the death of her father a year ago, Miss Dearly is attacked in her home by a band of zombies - only to be rescued from her own rooftop by another. Before she knows it she is having to come to terms with life in a zombie army camp, and finds herself caught up in a war that is fast becoming far more personal than she could ever have dreamed. As the icing on this new and bizarre cake, she might just be falling for the handsome Bram, the young (dead) captain of the 'Z-Comp'...There is much to recommend Habel's debut novel. There are some wonderful characters at the centre of the story: Bram and Nora are deeply appealing, and the supporting cast are, without exception, utterly engaging. I particularly liked Bram's witty friend Chas (who reminded me very much of Arriane in Lauren Kate's Fallen series) and one of the zombie doctors, Doctor Samedi (great name!) who both lit up the page every time they appeared! The slow-burning romance, with its emphasis on genuine old-fashioned courting and mutual understanding, is a far cry from the much-maligned insta-attraction of some modern YA and paranormal novels. The political backdrop tying the characters and plot threads together is satisfyingly complicated, with wars erupting between the living and the dead, between the Punk and New Victorian societies, and between 'good' zombies and 'bad' zombies. This paves the way for the exploration of plenty of ethical and moral grey areas, led by complex characters with both glorious virtues and horrendous flaws. There are some gory moments, but equally there is always a dose of humour to lighten the most intense chapters. The zombie-creating 'Lazarus' virus is well thought out (and again, wonderfully named!), and the 'coping mechanisms' Habel has created for her zombie army are quite fascinating. The multiple narrative works well, allowing several important subplots to play out side by side in the build-up to the explosive climax.There were, however, a few things I didn't like so much. Occasionally I felt like I'd missed a step and had to go back and read a section again to untangle a dodgy paragraph or unclear plot point. The book had a very slow start that I initially found ominously offputting, taking far too long to establish the New Victorian technology and attitudes. The 'teen angst' during this opening section didn't really sit well with the rest of the novel either. The futuristic Victorian-based society definitely allows Habel her creative freedom, but occasionally felt like an excuse for accidental slips of language and modern idiom. A few bad typos didn't help matters ('pouring' over a map?) and got quite jarring at times. Happily, despite these small (and easily fixable) issues, I found myself utterly immersed in Habel's world, with its horrors and delights, romances and friendships, political unrest and old-fashioned manners. It was quite an addictive read in the end, and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster, rooting for Bram and Nora and the triumph of the good guys over the bad guys. Habel left the book on a bit of a cliffhanger ready for the next in the series, so I'm now chomping at the bit waiting for Dearly, Beloved to hit our shelves! Highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick and Dirty: A girl is kidnapped and involved in a zombie war. It switches between view points of several different characters.Opening Sentence: I was buried alive.The Review:In a world where everyone is ignorant to a war that’s out their back door, propaganda is fierce and everyone has secrets. In New Victoria, this post-apocalyptic society is trying to recreate the supposedly perfect Victoria Era. But something other than the Punks — the rebels that hate technology, are on the loose and Nora Dearly is thrown right in the middle. Before her aunt can marry her off for money, Nora is rescued/kidnapped by the supposed good guys. As she unravels her dead father’s secrets, she discovers something that could save everyone from the zombie disease.Lia Habel’s originality in the plot had me wondering what could possibly come next, unlike other overused plot lines of young adult Fiction. Then she lands a twist that had me (almost) skipping to the end of the book. Although the switching between character perspectives for each chapter took away from the main story, it kept me reading, wanting to know how they all connected in the end.I will always be a fan of historical fiction, but the plots can be pretty boring. Habel’s world of historical England with futuristic technology satisfies anyone’s taste for history and action. Her creation of an engine-powered carriage with something like a TV inside is perfect for this world.Then there is Nora Dearly, daughter of a dead scientist. Nora’s different from other New Victorian girls. She shared her father’s interest in the war and government. And when she’s thrown into the zombie-filled war, her personality fits right in (after she got used to speaking to the undead of course). Her brave yet wary (who wouldn’t be when you realize zombies are real?) personality is refreshing from other insecure heroines. Plus, she’s smart and sees the hints of zombies before she actually realizes what they’re pointing to.Of course there is also Nora’s crush, Bram Griswold. There are two types of zombies in this world — the mindless and the not-quite-but-soon-could-be zombies. Bram and his entire army of zombies still have their minds intact and are fighting to destroy those who don’t. Bram is the first zombie she meets and the first one she learns to trust. Bram’s game when she first comes to camp is one of the clever ways Habel explains “the Laz” and the actual war surrounding New Victoria.I absolutely love the allusion Habel used in naming the zombie disease. “The Laz” raises the dead, just like Lazarus from the Bible. She explains the disease scientifically, instead of brushing it off as “that’s the way it is,” but she doesn’t overwhelm on details. Her ingenious way of keeping you absorbed in the book made this a stellar read. Plus, it ends with a cliffhanger! So as we wait for Dearly, Beloved to come out later this year, be sure to read this book!Notable Scene:Just as I figured out how to shoot video, the lantern died, plunging me into perfect darkness. I swallowed back a sob and spoke aloud, my throat raw, my voice the voice of a ghost in its tomb.“If this thing is working… my name is Bram Griswold. I’m sixteen. It’s… July fourth, 2193. I live at the Griswold Farm, Long Road, West Gould, Plata Ombre, Punk-controlled Brazil. I work here to help support my mom and sisters… in the Celestino Mine. And these things, these–these people… they were eating… eating Jack…”That did it. I started crying. I dug my nails into the wounds in my own arms, the places where the monsters had bitten me, seeking desperately to use the pain to pin myself to reality, to coax my mind back from the edge.It didn’t work.I said it.“I’m pretty sure I’m going to… to die here. Emily, Addy… I’m sorry.” Tears ran into my mouth, a strange relief after the taste of vomit. “I’m so sorry.”The Gone With the Respiration Series:1. Dearly, Departed2. Dearly, Beloved (September 25, 2012)FTC Advisory: Random House/Del Rey Books provided me with a copy of Dearly, Departed. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      It took me awhile longer than I originally thought it would to pick up this novel and read it. I got about 4 or 5 chapters in and stopped for the night- something I don't often do. I am usually so hooked that I cannot put the book down immediately. It did not grab my full attention immediately; however I was intrigued. Two nights later I got the urge to read more and I devoured the rest of the book in my usual fashion- one night. I am not a big fan of steampunk or post apocalyptic written YA novels... but this one.. changed my mind! I LOVED this book. The characters are entertaining, interesting, and a bit unpredicatble. What I really enjoyed was Habel gave the story such depth and imagination that I could easily visualize the world, and characters, as well as understand the explanation for zombies! I LOVED it, very insightful! The part I enjoyed most was Habel gave me the parts I longed for within a timely fashion. I didn't have to wonder or wait to see things progress with Bram and Nora (especially the bite scene!! FABULOUS)and thoughts of what I was expecting to happen in the story actually happened all in one book! I enjoyed not having to wait two or three novels for the storyline to progress, such as finding out about the zombies, Nora's father, the antogonist's purposes etc... The action was there and there were no parts of the story that I felt slowed it down or rushed it forward. It took a little getting used to with the change of first person perspectives but in the end I enjoyed the change up on this, too. It is not too often I am impressed with YA novels as of late, but this one left me more than satisfied and yearning for the sequel immediately! GREAT BOOK!
    • 4/5
      Sexy teenage zombies? Yeah, I was skeptical too. But in Dearly, Departed Lia Habel just about made me believe it.This is a fun adventure/romance with an intriguingly unusual take on the zombie theme. Yes, there's a zombie plague, with hordes of ravening flesh-eaters--but some zombies wake up with their minds intact and are able to refrain from gobbling flesh. Of course they require a lot of medical and mechanical intervention by sympathetic living people to keep them from, well, rotting away--Habel comes up with some ingenious steampunkish scenarios for zombie maintenance--but otherwise they can live pretty much like normal people.This YA debut novel is well-plotted and paced, with exciting action scenes and a host of appealing characters (and, of course, some pretty horrible bad guys). The romance between the living heroine and the zombie hero develops believably, even if it sidesteps a number of important questions (um, sex? He's dead, after all). The story is told from multiple first-person points of view--and that's my only major quibble, because the narrative voices really aren't distinct from one another (always a danger with this sort of narrative structure). If I stopped reading in the middle of a chapter, I often had to check the chapter heading to see whose head I was in.Overall, an extremely promising start to a cool new series. I can't wait for the next installment.
    • 5/5
      My thoughts:A zombie story unlike any other. A dystopian, steampunk world where the walking dead are just as likely to save your life as they are to eat you. I was captivated from page one and found it extremely heard to put this book down for even a minute. The futuristic Victorian setting, the unconventional romance, the secrets and mystery - I loved it all!Dearly, Departed takes place in the year 2195 in New Victoria, somewhere in the southern hemisphere. Society is both high tech and rooted in the past. Young girls like Nora are expected to listen, smile and find a suitable husband that will do her family proud. Nora has other ideas. Especially after she discovers 'The Laz' - a deadly virus that has the nasty habit of bringing people back from the dead.I really loved the zombies in this story. They are both typical and wholly original. When you die from The Laz you either return as a mindless drone attacking everything living in site, or...you don't. Some zombies are actually (almost) fully functioning people. Their nature and their upkeep was fascinating. So very different from other zombies books I have read.Final verdict:There was so much of this book to love but I think my favorite part was it's characters. They hold secrets and they surprised me a couple of times and I could relate to them. Love when that happens!There's a little something for a lot of different people here. The dystopian environment could stand on it's own, the steampunk aspect was just fun and really worked with the story and the zombies top everything off perfectly!For fans of YA that are looking for something a bit different, a bit odd. Dearly, Departed was an excellent read for me and I absolutely can't wait for book 2!
    • 3/5
      A Steampunk - Zombie - YA novel?! Be still my heart. I was thrilled to see three genres that I enjoy all rolled up into one. Even more interesting than the genre mix, I also found it surprising that although the year is 2195, society is living in a Victorian society while using technology that we can only dream of having.There were many things I liked about Dearly, Departed.... the earlier paragraph for instance. I enjoyed the world building, the zombies, the characters, etc. I liked Nora and Bram - and their unique romance. You know, it is a first for me to find a girl in love with a zombie. I even enjoyed reading of the war with the Punks. But it took me almost 200 pages to actually get into the story. The first chapter was awesome but I had a hard time fully getting immersed in the story... I'm not really sure why, I just felt that I had to try to hard. I think the main problem might have been the oh-so-many points-of-view. Even more disconcerting was the fact that they are told in the first person. And although the characters differ in age and sex, I still found myself wondering several times whose chapter it was that I was reading. While I do enjoy a book told using various perspectives, I found that five different narrators (Bram, Nora, Pam, Wolfe, and Victor) may have been a bit much. The Wolfe and Victor chapters quite frankly felt unnecessary. I found that those story lines could have been told using other methods and cutting down on the constant character changes and possibly in my confusion. All in all, I found Dearly, Departed to be a good start to the series. While I didn't love it and most likely will not run out to immediately buy the next installment in the series, I will undoubtedly get around to reading it.
    • 5/5
      Think you've read one Zombie book you've read them all? Well guess again, Lia Habel has created a completely new world full of Zombies!Months ago I seen this book in the book store, I thought to my self, Wow I love the cover of that book! I had never heard of Lia Habel before and I ended up buying the book without reading what it was even about. I do that a lot, am I the only one? Anyway, the book has been on my bookshelf while I got caught up on other books on my pile and the other day I was looking on my shelf for the next book to read and I thought YES I can finally read this one. I dove right in and was immediately transported into a Victorian futuristic world. The main Character's Nora and Pamela are best friends, Nora is just coming out of mourning for the death of her Father and the girls are on their way home for break at school. Nora has a run in with a strange man that says he new her Father and that he was there to help her. Avoiding that situation she heads home where she lives with her Aunt. Days later Nora is ambushed by Zombies, she fights her way to the roof where she fights for her life until these men in black uniforms show up and kidnap her. She later finds out that one of her kidnappers is Bram, a zombie that hasn't lost his humanity.This is a fast paced book, being 467 pages that will literally fly by. I love Nora and Pamela, as well as Bram and his crew. This in my opinion is the best book I've read yet this year! Anxiously awaiting book 2 in the series called Dearly Beloved which will be released later this year.
    • 4/5
      Well I certainly wasn't sure what to expect when I received "Dearly Departed" by Lisa Babel. I just knew I loved its gorgeous cover! The story ended up being a very unique tale that combines Steampunk and zombies. I do enjoy both so this book should have been just my thing. Especially since it is also a young adult book.The story takes place in an alternative future where the world has gone back to the Victorian way of living. Citizens keep to that way of dress and etiquette although modern day technology is prominently at play as well. Once I became accustomed to this strange world, the tale became more appealing to me. The first several chapters were confusing though and I wondered whether I would like the book.Nora Dearly is a teenager living in New Victoria. She believes her father Victor is dead. She ends up being the target of an attempted kidnapping by "bad" zombies who wish to use her as a threat to get undead father to create a vaccine against the Lazy (the infection that causes zombies to rise from death). Sweeping in to save her is another group of zombies. She isn't sure she trusts them either and locks herself away from them. Gradually she begins to get to know them and hears their stories. They find her father to be a hero, a champion of the undead but Nora is in no hurry to forgive him for allowing her to believe him truly dead.Bram captains the good zombies and leads the quest to find and save Nora's father. Meanwhile the entire town of New Victoria is under a massive Zombie invasion and Nora's dear friend Pamela is out there fighting her own battles.I liked Nora and Bram well enough but I found the entire plotline about her father and who was after him and why was far too complicated. I also thought we were introduced to too many characters for a first novel and some of them started becoming interchangeable after awhile. I actually enjoyed Pamela and her storyline much better. She really was a kick booty heroine and I hope we see a lot of her in the sequel.This book gets huge kudos for its uniqueness and enjoyability. I thought it was longer and more complicated then it needed to be. It lost my interest in the middle for some time before coming to a riveting conclusion. I do think iwould read a sequel.
    • 5/5
      I quite like zombie novels, but I wasn't sure what to expect with Dearly, Departed. What I found was a truly fantastic mix of steampunk, dystopia, and zombies, along with one of the most compelling YA supernatural love stories I've read in a long time. I absolutely adored this book, the characters (with all their flaws) and the story itself. Zombies have been portrayed sympathetically before (Handling the Undead and the Generation Dead series), but there's something about Habel's zombies that makes them far more interesting. I found myself caring quite deeply for Bram, his friends and his relationship with Nora. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
    • 3/5
      It took me a while to get into this book I must say. The cover is gorgeous and it has a very interesting and original premise, but every time I took it out to read, I just found myself reading the same sentence over and over and just wanting to read something else. But I kept at it, and I'm pretty happy that I did. It ended up not taking too long for me to get into the book once I got started.The whole human and zombie romance is very new to me, actually, the whole zombie thing is new. (I haven't been able to get into the zombie books out there, for some reason they don't appeal to me that much) But this zombie book had more of a storyline to it, instead of just fighting, blood, guts, and gore so that maybe helped keep things lively for me. Who knows, this may be the start of a whole new genre for me to read! The year is 2195, and the way that Lia Habel describes it is very unique. Her future world, called New Victoria is basically just as it sounds, a Victorian, antique era mixed with crazy new technology and cell phones. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, I think it was very intruiging and had me wondering what it would be like to live like that. (The only thing I couldn’t wrap my head around was the fact that in Dearly, Departed women were just objects basically. They were married into money and status and told to sit and look pretty and don’t say a word unless invited. I think (we) women would have a hard time going back to those ways again in the future.)The main characters in Lia Habels Dearly, Departed are Bram and Nora. Nora being the human girl and Bram being the zombie. I instantly connected with Nora, she a strong character who perseveres through so much and she doesn't give a hoot about what people say in the long run. With her being a "young lady" in the New Victorian age, she has rules to follow and standards to live up to. But she follows the beat of her own drum, and she is witty! She had me laughing out loud a few times while reading. And Bram, whodathunk!? A zombie who is respectful, charming and good-looking? He was the point of view that I enjoyed reading the most. The way he tells the story was to me what made the book as good as it was. Dearly, Departed is read through five different narratives, and at first that was challenging but proved to be fine later on. I really enjoyed reading Nora and Bram's POV's. I couldn't get into Victor's point of view, but that was just a minor detail in the grand scheme of things in my opinion. Habel's writing is enjoyable and descriptive. I was able to paint the story in my head which to me is a huge deal. Habel is able to take this zombie love story and make it work somehow. You may even forget that Bram is a zombie and not some laid back alive human!Dearly, Departed was a good read, after I was able to really get into it, it was worth it. I cannot wait to see what’s instore for Nora and Bram in Dearly, Beloved
    • 5/5
      It is 2195 in New Victoria. New Victoria is a post-apocalyptic nation that has modeled itself on the manners and fashions of the “original” Victorian era.Nora Dearly is just through her year of mourning her father’s passing. She lives with her aunt, whom she isn’t terribly fond of, goes to school with her best friend, and scholarship student, Pamela Roe. And has an obsession with watching war documentaries.One day, a stranger approaches her and tells her she is in danger. Unbeknownst to Nora, she’s been targeted for kidnapping. But the good guys get her first. So who are the good guys? They are a military group that has been infected by the Lazarus virus and who hold Nora’s father in the highest esteem and will do anything to protect her.This was a fantastically fun roller coaster ride!I absolutely LOVED the juxtaposition of the New Victorian era based on the original Victorian era. How the writer eschewed the more “modern” options for just about everything in favor of a slightly modernized version of the antique. Futuristic Steam-Punk! It was great! I have to say I was cringing at the possibility of “Zombie-Love”…wasn’t sure if I could deal with it and all it implied…thankfully, the author handled that with gentility and grace! I loved when Bram knocked on Chas’s door and found Tom in bed with her and Bram explained that love between zombies equated to snuggling and basically being there for each other. Bram and Nora were rather chaste which really helped keep my skeeve level down. And having been skeeved out by many a zombie book, this one was refreshing in comparison! Having said that though, Bram was definitely swoon-worthy!I loved all the characters! I had such high hopes for Pamma and Alister, but she put him right where he belonged! The banter between the characters was so witty and laugh-out-loud funny! Lots of action scenes here which I think would translate to the “big screen” beautifully. Overall, I can’t praise this book enough! And I can’t wait to see what Lia Habel does in the next installment. I hope she can maintain bar she has set for herself!