Book Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

US ARC

Title:
Dearly, Departed
Series:
Gone with the Respiration #1
Author:
Lia Habel
Source:
Publisher via netGalley
Publication History:
UK Paperback September 29th 2011 by Doubleday Children's
US Hardcover October 18th 2011 by Del Ray
GER Paperback November 2011 by Piper
US Paperback September 25th 2012 by Del Ray
Genre:
YA Supernatural/ Zombies, reversed Steampunk, Romance

Review:
I picked this book up off netGalley on chance because I liked the cover and summary. I hadn't heard about it before and couldn't find many reviews either. What I liked in the summary was the description of the premises: A story set in the future, yet with a society that resurrected Victorian times and lives by its behavioural codes. On top of that you get a zombie invasion. That sounded so hilarious to me that I had to give it a try.

And disappointed I was not! The world was as hilarious and great as I had imagined it. And so was its heroine. Nora Dearly is anything but a Victorian princess. Instead of sitting around in her pretty house or attending high society balls she immerses herself in history and politics and knows how to fire a gun.
That however doesn't save her from being kidnapped by a bunch of masked zombies. And so we meet Bram.

Yes, he is undead, and as yuck as a love story between a zombie and a living person sounds on first try, this one works perfectly. Not least because it's hard to picture Bram as anything but human. He is brave and sweet, insecure and frustrated with the situation between him and Nora. I love the way their trust in each other slowly builds and I had a good laugh when Nora actually hides behind his back when she gets scared of the other zombies.

The love story is rounded by a fast paced, action-packed plot and a host of well crafted secondary characters, that will make you laugh tears. Pamela, Nora's best friend, has quite a few moments that make her shine in her own light when she takes her family to safety during the zombie invasion.

Next up in the series is "Dearly, Beloved" which is expected to be published Spetember 25th 2012.

Shelfability: Acquire.