Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration, #2) by Lia Habel

Oct 11, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

The dead are now out to the living and it seemed like things were going rather well. Until it came out that the Laz has mutated into a new strain that the vaccine does not protect against. The zombie infected with the new strain has been caught but that hasn't eased any minds. New fights and riots break out including a secret society of masked killers. Nora and Bram continue to help zombies while Nora's father continues with his research.

There are several, six to be exact, POVs in this book whic...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Sam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic, fantasy-or-paranormal, romance, paranormal, post-apocalyptic

If you ask to me describe Dearly, Beloved in a word, the first to spring to mind is dull. Ask for another and it would be disappointing. As a fan of Dearly, Departed, the first book in this series, the sequel could not have been any more of a let-down. The life and energy, the thrilling romance and the roaring action that was present in the first book was notably absent from the second. It was a struggle to remain engaged, to even focus on who was who and what was what. It was a struggle not to...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Marielle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This and other reviews on Book Thoughts by Marielle!

I absolutely loved the first book by Lia Habel Dearly, Departed and I really liked her second book in the Gone with the Respiration series, Dearly, Beloved as well! This series (and book) is extremely complicated, so I will try my best on this synopsis…

Nora and Bram know that everything is stacked against them: one is living, one is dead, the entire city hates the dead, and hates those who sympathize with them even more, plus there’s a group o...more This and other reviews on Book Thoughts by Marielle!

I absolutely loved the first book by Lia Habel Dearly, Departed and I really liked her second book in the Gone with the Respiration series, Dearly, Beloved as well! This series (and book) is extremely complicated, so I will try my best on this synopsis…

Nora and Bram know that everything is stacked against them: one is living, one is dead, the entire city hates the dead, and hates those who sympathize with them even more, plus there’s a group of zombies called the Changed that is producing a whole bunch of chaos for our favorite characters. Now a new bird-mask-wearing group, they call themselves the Murder, is out for blood, both zombie and human. When Nora, Bram, Pamela, and her family are attacked by this mysterious Murder, they can no longer ignore it. Nor can Michael Allister, considering he’s in it. He wants more than anything to kill Bram, who took Nora, whom Michael thought was rightfully his. He wanted to teach Nora a lesson and ultimately win her over. Only one other person knows: Vespertine Mink. She doesn’t like Nora, but their squabble was solely verbal, nothing as fatal as guns and knives. She needs to decide whether to help Michael and destroy Nora once and for all or to save Nora’s life, as well as that of countless others. Oh, and there’s a new strain of the Lazarus that can’t be prevented from the vaccine.
There’s SO MUCH MORE to this story, it’s not even funny. I just glossed over some of the huge concepts, but this book is over 520 pages and none of them are filler pages, so if you really want to know what happens, you have to read the book!

Now, for our female heroine: Nora. I loved Nora in the last book and she stays true in this one. She is filled with fire and she never plays the damsel in distress; she’s more like the knight in shining armor. She’s really smart; she’s actually the one that comes up with all of the plans and all the other people just follow her lead. Even when she is forced to hide from the world, she still finds useful things to do; she doesn’t just sit there and mope. She always puts herself in harm’s way to protect the ones she loves, but I don’t think she’s appreciated enough for it. Nora is one of my favorite heroines of all time and it actually makes sense that two guys are in love with her; she actually has a personality to fall in love with and she’s just awesome overall.

Bram, the hero, is also amazing. He’s really sweet and I feel like he understands his life well and without illusion; he knows that he doesn’t have long to live, so he’s living like every day is his last. That’s not to say that he does stupid things or acts impulsively, but he never lets an opportunity slip out of his fingers. He also doesn’t push Nora away even though he knows he won’t last forever. Traditionally, in YA, that would be seen as selfish, but that’s just stupid. It’s not selfish if the other person agrees and understands it too, okay YA? You hear me?? Anyway, I said before that Nora was more like a knight in shining armor, but I did not mean to infer that Bram was the princess (that’s Pam’s job, I think); they are both like knights in shining armor and they protect each other, which is the way it should be.

Now a sentence or two on each of the other narrators:
1. Michael: I couldn’t decide if he was sweet in a twisted way or just a creepy stalker. I opted for the second.
2. Pamela: She was kind of wimpy and annoying and I didn’t really like her that much; she was pretty drab. She was also stiff and not very likable (hence why I didn’t like her…).
3. Vespertine: She was just kind of there. She didn’t really play that big of a role in this story and I am indifferent about her. I don’t really understand why she was even a narrator…
4. Laura: A new narrator is introduced! I could see that her point of view was important, but she was really wimpy until the end, at which point I actually liked her.

Finally, the plot! I loved this book from beginning to end, except there was a bit of a lull in the middle of the book, but I got over that quite quickly. As I said before, this book is SO COMPLICATED. It’s really easy to keep everything straight while you’re reading it, but it’s really hard to tell someone what it’s about. There are so many facets to the story; it would be impossible to explain it all, or if you did, it would take until next Tuesday and no one wants to listen to someone ramble on for that long. Trust me. It is awesome in its complexity, though. It makes the story so interesting and I loved it! The only thing I didn’t love was the number of points of views and some of the narrators (*cough* PAM *cough*). There were six different points of views; that seems a little excessive, don’t you think? And it was a tad confusing at times, but mostly it was okay. I loved Bram and Nora’s points of views the best because they were awesome, but the other people were just okay.

THAT ENDING! I LOVED the ending of this book. It was the most adorable and sweetest thing I have ever seen/read (how should I word that?) and it was a slight cliffhanger, but it still left me satisfied… for now. But I still really want the next one to come out soon. It has not yet been announced that there will even be a next book, but with the ending, I think there will be. At least I hope so.
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Oct 22, 2012 Jess marked it as to-read

Shelves: on-hold, netgalley, arc, advanced-reviews

OMG!!! WE HAVE A COVER!!! The back is awesome too!

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Sep 14, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-anticipating-2012, arc-2012, are-you-kidding-me, multiple-povs, netgalley, steampunk, ya, zombies-zombies-everywhere, reviewed-in-2012

This summer has been full sequels that outshined their predecessors. Dearly, Beloved is one of them. Not only is it funnier, better thought-out and better written than Dearly, Departed, it also affected me more strongly. The plot is well-planned and well-executed and it finally gave this series a much needed direction it lacked in the first book.

Strangely enough, I originally gave Dearly, Beloved three starts, but, upon further consideration, I decided it deserved more. Lia Habel has enormous ta...more This summer has been full sequels that outshined their predecessors. Dearly, Beloved is one of them. Not only is it funnier, better thought-out and better written than Dearly, Departed, it also affected me more strongly. The plot is well-planned and well-executed and it finally gave this series a much needed direction it lacked in the first book.

Strangely enough, I originally gave Dearly, Beloved three starts, but, upon further consideration, I decided it deserved more. Lia Habel has enormous talent for worldbuilding, and she is quite good at creating vivid imagery and leaving a strong impression on her readers. The secondary and even tertiary characters she introduced aren’t lacking in detail or in color – from the zombie girl who grows flowers in her rotting body to our dear, headless doctor Samedi, they are all both interesting and entirely unforgettable. As for the main characters, they all changed significantly, some for the better, and some (like Pamma) not. Once again, Habel doesn’t shy away from gory details. Some of the descriptions in Dearly, Beloved are utterly disgusting (and infinitely thrilling, of course). It is through blood and rotten body parts that she breathed life into her world and made it stand apart.

The only thing I can’t seem to get used to is the number of perspectives. There are even more this time: Nora and Bram of course, Pamela, but also Michael, Vespertine, Coalhouse and a newly introduced character, Laura (the zombie flower girl). All of them undoubtedly contributed something significant and as hard as I try, I honestly can’t come up with another way to tell the same story, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t feel disjointed at times.

Romance, however, is what really brought me to my knees. I expected it to be lovely after Dearly, Departed, but I didn’t expect such sweetness and maturity. Nora and Bram face everything together, they understand each other perfectly. Nothing can keep these two apart, they love each other as openly and honestly as they can, aware that time is quickly running out for Bram. And yet, even with time in mind, they (mostly) uphold the rules of propriety, they are both bold and respectful at the same time and this balance they constantly maintain is quite beautiful.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Dearly, Departed, but everything changed with this book. I can’t wait to read more.

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May 21, 2012 Giselle marked it as to-read

Shelves: ebook, arc

Found this on Amazon:
*drool*

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Jun 25, 2012 Isamlq marked it as to-read

Shelves: on-hold

Barely 20% in 8 hours and NOTHING was sinking in! AT. ALL. :( Truth be told, it was just so friggin' SLOW!

Is it me? Maybe, it is just me... going to give it a real go later....

....much later.

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Jun 10, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-whole-new-level-of-boring, arc, recieved-through-netgalley, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it, shit-or-get-off-the-pot, just-not-good-enough-to-stick-with

I tried. For a week and a half, I tried to read this book, but I couldn't get into it no matter what I did. I've had nothing but free time to read it, but every time I sit down to read it, I wanted to stop after a chapter or two and not go back to it. Forcing myself to read a book like this isn't right, so I'm calling it quits.

Dearly, Departed was divided into five points of view, but Dearly, Beloved is divided into six: Nora, Bram, Pamela, Michael, Vespertine, and a new zombie named Laura. Laur...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars

It took me almost three weeks, and I fell asleep every day (sometimes two or three times) that I attempted to read it, but I FINALLY finished it! It wasn't that the book was boring because it definitely had potential and there was a lot going on. It just wasn't compelling enough to keep my attention.

My biggest complaint with the first book was there were WAY too many points of view with five different narrators. With this book, try six. Yes, you read that right, SIX different points of view.

My s...more It took me almost three weeks, and I fell asleep every day (sometimes two or three times) that I attempted to read it, but I FINALLY finished it! It wasn't that the book was boring because it definitely had potential and there was a lot going on. It just wasn't compelling enough to keep my attention.

My biggest complaint with the first book was there were WAY too many points of view with five different narrators. With this book, try six. Yes, you read that right, SIX different points of view.

My second biggest complaint with the first book was it started out really slow, but it did pick up about halfway through for me to end up liking it. With this book, slow pacing was not a complaint at all - quite the opposite really. In fact, I felt that there was TOO MUCH going on. There were too many different parties involved that it was so chaotic. It wasn't just the living vs. the zombies. It was Company Z, the living army, the Punks, the Change, the bird raiders (yes, I forgot the name), all the different gangs - ugh, my head is going to explode, and to be honest, I can't even remember everything that happened.

But despite everything that was going on, somehow or another, I just couldn't get into the book. I can't really explain why other than I just couldn't keep my focus. Now whether the scenes were just not interesting enough or there was so much going on that Habel didn't do justice to each part or that snippets here and there was just disruptive and disorienting - I don't know. All I know is I couldn't get into it.

And a good deal of what made the first book decent was the romance. With the exception of two passionate scene, I didn't feel the attraction between Bram and Nora. Their relationship was just flat, and even though I know it's because they're in the middle of wartime, the chemistry just wasn't there as Rhett and Scarlett in Gone with the Wind (yes, I did notice that Habel renamed the series, which I got a good kick out of).

Pamela was just a foolish character. Vesperatine, despite her intelligence, was almost as foolish. And Laura wasn't intriguing enough. I could have done without all of their points of view - perhaps even traded Laura's POV for Coalhouse. And for someone who was so badass in Book 1, Coalhouse's pathetic attitude was really grating on my nerves. I didn't really care for Allister's POV either, but I guess you have to have the villan in there somewhere.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book. Like at all. But I just had so many problems with it that it really ruined the reading experience for me. I really hope that Habel considers some of the complaints from critics (especially the abundance of POVs) in future books.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Kara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, for-review, net-galley, post-apocalyptic, romance, sequel-wasnt-necessary, didn-t-live-up-to-expectations, steampunk, zzzzzzzzz, zombies, young-adult

So, heads up. This is probably going to be a pretty short review. It's just that I was so damn disappointed by this book and I don't really have a lot to say. You'd think I would, but I'm feeling very ho-hum about this and I just don't really care to go on and on about the reasons Dearly, Beloved didn't work for me. It's simple really. The plot was all over the place, boring, and really just overcooked.

What it comes down to is this: I just wasn't interested enough in the storyline. Throughout 9...more So, heads up. This is probably going to be a pretty short review. It's just that I was so damn disappointed by this book and I don't really have a lot to say. You'd think I would, but I'm feeling very ho-hum about this and I just don't really care to go on and on about the reasons Dearly, Beloved didn't work for me. It's simple really. The plot was all over the place, boring, and really just overcooked.

What it comes down to is this: I just wasn't interested enough in the storyline. Throughout 90% of the book, I was just bored. So why did I keep reading it and not DNF it? Well, several of my blogging friends had already DNFed it, and I wanted to be the one to see if it got any better. Unfortunately, it did not. And there is no one more disappointed about this than I am.

I know Dearly, Departed didn't work for everyone that read it, but it worked for me. I LOVED that book. Maybe it was a case of me reading the right book at the right time, I don't know, but I was seriously impressed by the author and her writing. I loved her characters and the individual voices they all had. I didn't even mind the multiple POVs. I loved the world-building too, even if it didn't always make sense. So, going into book two, my expectations were pretty high.

And they were let down. Bigtime. The different POVs didn't work so well for me this time. It really disrupted the pacing of the book, and the thing is, all the characters sounded the same! If there wasn't a character heading at the beginning of each chapter, I would have thought they were all Nora until some other character pointed out otherwise. I was really in love with the writing in D,D but I really feel as if the characters lost their spark in this book. For me to find out whether it was me or the author that has changed, I would have to go back and read the first book again, and I just don't have the time to do that.

Also, the plot and pacing? Hot mess. I mean, HOT. MESS. The story didn't get going until the book was more than halfway over. That's why I was so tempted to DNF but I didn't. I persevered, and I'm sorta sorry I did. It wasn't worth it. The plot of D,D was fantastic and So suspenseful. This book barely had a plot and like I said earlier, it really felt overcooked. Like the plot was tacked on and an afterthought. Like the publisher said, "This cannot be a standalone. You have to come up with an idea for a second book because that is what is selling right now." And then the author was forced to go back to the drawing board and make some crap up that really didn't work at all. It felt almost cartoonish and corny to me. In my status updates I mentioned that I think this series would have worked better as a standalone and I stand by that statement. I just didn't give a crap about this plot. It did nothing for me. The two warring factions, patient one, and then you had Nora and Bram acting lovesick over each other which really kind of nauseated me to be completely honest. I just didn't like any of it.

I gave it two stars because I still appreciate the setting and atmosphere that the author has created. I wish there had been more of New Victoria in this book instead of a bunch of characters I didn't care about running around and doing things that made no sense. Half the time I didn't even understand what was going on and that was probably because I lost focus somewhere and skipped over some minor detail that would matter later on. But that's the thing. It's not my fault that the writing made me glaze over in the eyes.

Oh. And Nora did some STUPID shit in this book. I don't remember if she behaved the same way in book one, but I wanted to slap her more than once.

So there you have it. There are some mixed reviews for Dearly, Beloved out there right now. Some reviewers say this one was better than Dearly, Departed. Phooey. I completely disagree. Read this one if you MUST continue this series. I will probably be reading book three, although it does depend on the blurb. I will not torture myself with inane plotting again. Won't do it. That being said, I would still read something else this author wrote. I like her writing style.(less)

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Mar 02, 2012 GrimTheGirl marked it as to-read

Shelves: i-need-this-book, awesome-characters

Omg. I just finish the first book. It was AMAZING, I haven't read a book like this ever before, its so funny and witty xD plus the hero is just so sweet and yet badass and funny and BRAM <3 YOU CAN BE MY NEXT JACE IF YOU WANT. I can't wait for this book to come out, i never thought I'd love this book as much as I did. Zombie-dystopian-comedy-horror-apocalypse-romance is my new favorite genre :D any recommendations??
Oh yah on a random side note, I sort of thought of Samedi and Beryl as Stein a...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, booooorrrrring-zzzzzz, i-just-can-t-finish-these-books, maybe-some-other-time, not-finished, read-september-2012, zombies

I can't do this anymore, I have been reading this book for 13 days. 13 incredibly long fucking days, and I'm only 41% done!

I tried, I really did but I have to dnf at least for now.

EDIT:

Let me start by saying that I did not finish this book and that I only got through 41% before I waved the dreaded white flag. So with saying that, THIS REVIEW IS ONLY BASED ON THE 41% THAT I READ, and is not to be taken as a reflection of the entire book. It is impossible for me to review it entirely since I didn'...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really, really hoped (& wanted) to love this one but the pacing was so slow and I didn't feel any of the wonder that I felt in the first book. The whimsical descriptions of New Victoria and exploration of the zombies was mostly absent.

The multiple POV's are continued here and while I wasn't a huge fan of them in book #1, I felt that they at least overlapped and added to the overall story arc. In Dearly Beloved the characters all have such similar voices that I had problems telling them apa...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Jessie Potts rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, steampunk, young-adult-for-adults, zombie

I loved Dearly Departed... I don't know what was wrong with me that it took me getting Dearly Beloved in the mail to finally read Dearly Departed.

Dearly Beloved was a little slower in pace than the first book, it also took place for the most part in the town or more specifically in Nora's house. This was a different feel from the first book where Nora was kidnapped, Bram and Chas were in the jungle etc. I felt like it was a solid installment, but wished for a little faster pacing. That didn't me...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Michelle (In Libris Veritas) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, netgalley, young-adult, zombies, steampunk

Oh how good it feels to back in Habels’s world of neo-Victorian and zombie goodness. This picks up shortly after the first book finishes and immediately pulls you back into the word of New Victoria…which is having a bit of a internal melt down. Like the first one it raises some rather interesting questions about the state and position of the sentient zombies in a normal society, and also like the first one it handles it with a good amount of realistic cause and effect. The plot focuses on things...more Oh how good it feels to back in Habels’s world of neo-Victorian and zombie goodness. This picks up shortly after the first book finishes and immediately pulls you back into the word of New Victoria…which is having a bit of a internal melt down. Like the first one it raises some rather interesting questions about the state and position of the sentient zombies in a normal society, and also like the first one it handles it with a good amount of realistic cause and effect. The plot focuses on things a little closer to home for Nora and she finds herself in the center of another conflict. It was pretty clear from the way the last book ended that things were going to be very tense for the citizens of New Victoria, so this focuses on what all that tension gives rise too. The POV changes were numerous but since the first book is the same way it didn’t bother me as much this time around, though I still had problems with some of the characters.

Nora is still strong willed and independent and Bram is still the swoon worthy zombie he was in the first book, though he might be a tad more protective. Then there is Pamela…who i wasn’t fond of in the first book and she continues to be my least favorite. She’s a nervous wreck and most things that Nora does in this are met with her disapproval, no matter what they are. I felt bad for her because I know she’s been through a lot but I kind of wanted someone to shove her in a closet and leave her there until it was all over. Alister was just as much a creep as before, more so actually. His character has actually taken a turn for the worst and he’s even a bit disturbing now. Vespertine is the one character that I want to see more of in the next one, she’s strong and assertive and despite her need to remain aloof and kind of rude she’s rather reliable. She has to deal with issues no one really understands and I’d love to see more of her in the third novel. All of the other characters from the first book return and some even get a bit of light shined on their history, which does end up a bit heartbreaking. There is one character, Laura, that I absolutely loved because of her flowers. She reminded me a bit of a sweeter and more zombified version of Poison Ivy, and I couldn’t help but think she probably looks amazing with flowers growing from her.

I’d definitely say this one was a bit of a roller-coaster in terms of speed and directions. It slows down a bit to give you time to breathe before sending you over the edge, and while you’re barreling along you get glimpses of upcoming twists but they don’t really register until you are experiencing it first hand. I’ll be buying an actual copy of this when I get the chance.

I received this from Del Rey and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Tabitha the Pabkins rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: part-of-series, romance, sci-fi-or-futuristic, steampunk, young-adult, zombie-goodness, 2012, requested

Too much that doesn't quite do enough.

Dearly, Beloved simply didn't do it for me. A book that should have taken me no more than two days ended up dragging on for a week! It tried for too much and for me missed the mark on almost everything.

To start, we have to read at least SIX different perspectives! Not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it was. The flow of the story suffered because of it, and each new bit of information wasn't able to grab my interest. The only interesting part for me...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-read, read-in-2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

*This review may contain spoilers for Dearly, Departed!*

Dearly, Beloved picks up a few months after Dearly, Departed. Z-Comp has split up, the vaccine for The Laz didn't take, and Bram & Nora are happily in a relationship; a relationship that is frowned upon by most of New Victoria, including Nora's father.

Many old characters return in this novel. Pamela is dealing with anxiety after everything that happened in book one. Michael Al...more

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May 15, 2013 Slee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, science-fiction, steampunk, para, ya

Yes. Lia Habel's high tech with a Victorian twist world, rife with holographic edifices reminiscent of the world before the second ice age, took on a broader life in Dearly, Beloved that left me smiling for hours. The Characters from Dearly, Departed are here given the freedom to interact in new environments and blossom into themselves. Because the plot in the second book of the Gone with the Respiration series is less immediately catastrophic than the kidnapping plus zombie apocalypse scenario...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Jen*The Geeky Book Gal* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombie, steampunk

Exerpt on the Goodreads summary:
Can the living coexist with the living dead?
That's the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as "The Laz" hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.
Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Kate McMurry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, ya-dystopian, ya-fantasy, ya-paranormal, ya-paranormal-romance, ya-steampunk, young-adult-dystopian, young-adult-fantasy, young-adult-paranormal, young-adult-paranormal-romance, young-adult-steampunk, young-adult-male-protagonist, young-adult-male-point-of-view, ya-male-point-of-view, ya-male-protagonist

Exciting book 2 in a steampunk, dystopian trilogy

This book is the sequel to Dearly Departed (Gone with the Respiration #1) by Lia Habel. It is book 2 in a dystopian trilogy, pitched by the publisher as "steampunk romance meets zombie thriller." The publishers also bill this book as a story of "star-crossed lovers," which it certainly is. You don't get a much bigger romantic conflict than that the male lead is suffering from "the Laz," a disease that is slowly turning him into a zombie, one of th...more Exciting book 2 in a steampunk, dystopian trilogy

This book is the sequel to Dearly Departed (Gone with the Respiration #1) by Lia Habel. It is book 2 in a dystopian trilogy, pitched by the publisher as "steampunk romance meets zombie thriller." The publishers also bill this book as a story of "star-crossed lovers," which it certainly is. You don't get a much bigger romantic conflict than that the male lead is suffering from "the Laz," a disease that is slowly turning him into a zombie, one of the "walking dead." I myself view this series as "Beauty and the Beast" meets steampunk meets zombie apocalypse.

This story takes place in 2195. A hundred and fifty years prior, the Americas endured a civilization-crushing convergence of man-made and natural disasters, including plagues, volcanic eruptions, rising seas and a civil war in the U.S. in which both sides nuked each other. The small fraction of survivors in North and Central America surged as displaced refugees far into South America and warred with its inhabitants for control of their land and natural resources. Years later, the victors, many of whom were presumably native speakers of Spanish and Portuguese, decided along with their English-speaking compatriots that the most desirable society to form out of the rubble of a destroyed world would be an English-speaking one that reinstated the customs of Victorian England of the late nineteenth century, including hot, cumbersome clothing worn in a tropical climate and a highly stratified social order. They chose to emulate this time and place in history because they admired its "conservative" values--with the notable exceptions that lesbianism (and presumably male homosexuality) were not frowned upon, and little girls were allowed to play, unchaperoned, with little boys who were not members of their family.

In book 1, Nora Dearly, who is somehow immune to the Laz, the infection that creates zombies, was kidnapped by non-evil zombies, led by her father, whom she had thought was dead but is alive and leading the zombies. She also fell in love with a young zombie, Bram (Abraham) Griswold, a captain in a zombie company called, naturally enough, company Z. This book continues a couple of months after the previous book. New London has endured a zombie plague and been forced to realize that people can survive the disease and retain their intelligence and moral compass. A vaccine against the Laz seems to work, but unfortunately a new strain has emerged. In addition, Nora is threatened by a rejected suitor; her best friend is in danger, and she is dealing with the social reality of dating a zombie.

There is no sexual activity in this story (much as in Twilight) because it is dangerous to Nora to exchange bodily fluids (much like AIDS) with Bram. This forces the author to create a strong romance entirely based on unconsummated sexual tension--not a bad thing at all.

This story is told from multiple points of view, but there is no confusion because chapter headings make clear whose head we are in. I personally enjoy having various perspectives to broaden the story. There is mystery, action, and strong romance--something for readers of all ages.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 4 stars
Hero (Bram): 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Fantasy World-Building: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Plot: 4 stars
Romantic Subplot: 3 stars
Overall: 4 stars (less)

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Nov 08, 2012 K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

When it comes together, the story is a lot of fun. I just had to slog through some stuff to get there.

Nora and the rest are back. Unfortunately, so is a new strain of the Laz that Doc Dearly’s miracle drug does not vaccinate against. Z Comp has disbanded following the Army’s betrayal at the end of the last book. They’re not hunted anymore but Bram et al are forced to return to being just regular folk, helping out where they can from their new home base at the Dearly residence in the Elysian Fiel...more When it comes together, the story is a lot of fun. I just had to slog through some stuff to get there.

Nora and the rest are back. Unfortunately, so is a new strain of the Laz that Doc Dearly’s miracle drug does not vaccinate against. Z Comp has disbanded following the Army’s betrayal at the end of the last book. They’re not hunted anymore but Bram et al are forced to return to being just regular folk, helping out where they can from their new home base at the Dearly residence in the Elysian Fields. Pamela is trying to recapture her proper New Vic affectations after kicking ass during the Siege, but anxiety attacks make that hard to do. New threats comes in the form of pro-zombie protests that lean a little too anti-living, and attacks on the walking dead by a group of people hiding behind bird masks. Something needs to be done about the new strain and everybody’s trying to do their part to keep mass-panic at bay until that happens.

Put that way, it sounds like there was a lot going on. Maybe there was but it had little to do with the people I was interested in. There are six(?) narratives and almost five hundred pages in this book and I really only cared about a small portion. I was stuck hanging out with idiot characters planning their idiot machinations that of course messed with the Big Issues of the story. Meanwhile, the people I wanted to hear from had nothing to add except fruitless speculation about the idiot goings-on around them. They were shoved into a passive role. I didn’t give up but since I was uninterested for big chunks of time, I’d lose track of individual storylines. There were a few times that I wondered if a hint was being dropped or if I should have actually understood what someone had just said.

I was excited to get into this book, so maybe that had something to do with it. I did enjoy the last ¼ of the story. It flew by and was the kind of undead good times I loved in the first book. I’m actually really looking forward to a conclusion and am hoping there’s a third book. Dearly, Beloved lagged after book one and is a lot of set up for a book three. But, whatever. I still want to know how it will all work out and I’m still invested in these characters. Cos, seriously? A corseted Twenty-second century girl fighting for zombie equality in a post-second ice age re-constructed Victorian era? I’m going to want to read that.(less)

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Oct 24, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, young-adult, zombies, distophia, dystopia, dystopian, scifi, steampunk

The human population in New Victoria is now fully aware of the living dead. Society is divided between accepting the living dead and wanting to exterminate them and the living associates of the living dead.

The Lazarus virus has created thousands of walking corpses. Some of them are mindless, human flesh eating zombies, while a small portion can speak with intelligence they held in life, think rationally, and control their appetites.

The catalyst to the paranoia starts when a new strand of Lazaru...more The human population in New Victoria is now fully aware of the living dead. Society is divided between accepting the living dead and wanting to exterminate them and the living associates of the living dead.

The Lazarus virus has created thousands of walking corpses. Some of them are mindless, human flesh eating zombies, while a small portion can speak with intelligence they held in life, think rationally, and control their appetites.

The catalyst to the paranoia starts when a new strand of Lazarus is discovered when living humans are infected after receiving the vaccination to prevent infection. Tensions are rising, war seems to be unavoidable. Radical groups on both sides are taking extreme measures.

Bram Griswold, a member of the New Victorian army prior to his Laz infection, and his other ex-military friends are trying to keep the peace. The woman Bram treasures most, Nora Dearly, is a main objective for the radical anti-zombie groups.

Sides are chosen, lines are drawn and the race to medically save both living and living dead is on.

This is the first book I have read in this series. I might be missing some back ground information but was able to follow this story quite easily.

At times, the storyline seemed a little slow going. I feel this was due to the point of view being shared by Bram, Nora, Pamela, Vespertine, Laura and Michael. Just when you got into one character you were whisked off to another. I know this is a popular writing style to some readers but for me I would rather have less characters POV.

In the end, Lia Habel works her magic and weaves an incredible new and original world. Dearly, Beloved is fascinating, intriguing, funny and at times nail biting inducing. Habel’s imagination is amazing. She created a zombie with flowers growing right from her body. . . a true and pure love match between a living dead and the living. . . family units with both living and living dead members and the effects this has on the family. . . a villain that you could even kind of feel sorry for . . . and in the end Habel makes us want to come back for more. I'm giving Dearly, Beloved 4 stars, definitely a wonderful series to continue following.

You can find more reviews at Tome Tender

This copy of Dearly, Beloved was given to me by Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Bissfan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Bissfan by: Shiku

Die Rezension enthält Spoiler zum ersten Band.
___________________________

Wolfe wurde als Verräter entlarvt, die Situation in der Stadt unter Kontrolle gebracht. Nun weiß die gesamte Bevölkerung von den Zombies und nicht wenige haben nun einen untoten Verwandten. So auch Pamela, deren Bruder gebissen wurde und glücklicherweise nach seinem Tod schnell wieder erwachte. Wie alle anderen auch, hat sie mit den neuen Erkenntnissen zu kämpfen, doch längst nicht alle sind dabei so tolerant wie ihre Famil...more Die Rezension enthält Spoiler zum ersten Band.
___________________________

Wolfe wurde als Verräter entlarvt, die Situation in der Stadt unter Kontrolle gebracht. Nun weiß die gesamte Bevölkerung von den Zombies und nicht wenige haben nun einen untoten Verwandten. So auch Pamela, deren Bruder gebissen wurde und glücklicherweise nach seinem Tod schnell wieder erwachte. Wie alle anderen auch, hat sie mit den neuen Erkenntnissen zu kämpfen, doch längst nicht alle sind dabei so tolerant wie ihre Familie. Während auf der einen Seite Familien, die mit den neuen Umständen klarkommen wollen, und neue Zombies stehen, bildet sich auf der andere Seite eine stetig wachsende Gruppe von Gegnern, die notfalls auch mit Gewalt gegen die Zombies vorgehen will. Mitten in der Nacht springen sie aus den Schatten hervor und töten Zombies – bis irgendwann auch lebende Menschen angegriffen werden.
Auch für Nora und Bram wird das Leben nicht leichter und obwohl sie nichts lieber tun würden, als ihre gemeinsame Zeit zu genießen, ist ihnen genau das – nicht nur durch gesellschaftliche Normen – vergönnt. Bram versucht so gut es geht, beide Seiten zu beschützen: einerseits die Zombies, die für etwas bestraft werden, für das sie nichts können, andererseits die Menschen, die sich bisweilen mit Zombieattacken konfrontiert sehen. Es ist ein zweischneidiges Schwert; das weiß auch Nora, die alles in ihrer Macht stehende tut, um ihre Liebsten in Sicherheit zu wissen und den Zombies zu helfen.
Doch trotz aller Anstrengungen ist ein gewaltsamer Ausbruch des Konflikts kaum zu verhindern – lediglich der Ausgang ist ungewiss.

Gefahr erkannt, Gefahr gebannt? So einfach ist es leider nicht, zumal unsere Protagonisten oftmals die Gefahr gar nicht erkennen oder etwas Falsches für eben jene halten. Erzählt wird die Geschichte auch dieses Mal aus der Perspektive von Nora, Bram und Pamela, hinzu kommen außerdem Vespertine Mink und Michael Allister, die wir bereits aus Band 1 kennen, und Laura, ein Zombiemädchen, das Pflanzen an seinem Körper wachsen lässt. Es ist also mal wieder eine bunte Truppe, die viele Perspektiven zu Wort kommen lässt. Wir als Leser erhalten dadurch auch wesentlich mehr Informationen als die Charaktere selbst und müssen zusehen, wie sie ihre Fehlschlüsse ziehen. Das ist zum einen wahnsinnig frustrierend, zum anderen erhöht es die Spannung. Wann werden sie wohl ihren Irrtum bemerken und die wahren Schuldigen finden? Welche Probleme bringt die Verzögerung mit sich, welche Fehler werden sie in der Zwischenzeit machen?

Richtig spannend ist es dabei zugegebenermaßen nicht sofort. Die Handlung steigt, wie schon bei Band 1, langsam ein und erst nach und nach offenbaren sich die Konflikte, mit denen sich die Charaktere auseinandersetzen werden müssen. Aber erst, als die Charaktere langsam darauf zu reagieren beginnen, geht die Handlung ein wenig voran – bis dann immer wieder Überraschungsgäste auftauchen und manch einer sich so verhält, wie ich es nicht erwartet hätte. Nicht bei allen ist das etwas Positives, von einigen Charakteren war ich sehr enttäuscht. Aber auch das spricht für das Buch, denn so wie sie alle einen anderen Hintergrund haben, so haben sie unterschiedliche Arten und Weisen mit der Situation umzugehen. Nicht jeder kann ein Held sein und so schade das teilweise ist, es ist sehr gut nachvollziehbar.
Natürlich fehlt dem Buch der Umfang, um wirklich allen der unzähligen Charaktere Tiefe zu geben, aber bei Nebencharakteren ist das auch gar nicht verlangt und bei den Hauptcharakteren bleibt da nichts zu wünschen übrig, auch wenn am Ende sehr deutlich wird, dass da noch einiges ist, von dem wir nichts wissen.

Und doch mochte ich „Dearly, Beloved“ weniger als „Dearly, Departed“. Das liegt nicht am Ende, das mich ein wenig geschockt zurückgelassen hat, auch wenn ich die Idee und Noras Wunsch sehen und nachempfinden kann. Mir fehlte vor allem der Humor als Ausgleich zur zunächst etwas langsameren Handlung. Er ist nicht komplett verschwunden, aber die Situation ist eine vollkommen andere. Bram & Co. sind aus der Army ausgetreten, wohnen jetzt bei Nora und auch wenn sie noch viel auf den Straßen bewirken, so ist ihr Miteinander zu einem gewissen Grad auch ein anderes. Hinzu kommt, dass sie gar nicht mehr so viele Szenen zusammen haben. Abgesehen davon war zwar auch im ersten Band die Situation keine allzu gute, doch hier wird es bisweilen richtig drückend. Alles befindet sich in der Schwebe und man wartet geradezu auf den großen Knall, bis das Drama langsam beginnt, sich zu entfalten. Da ist gar nicht mehr so viel Platz für den Humor, doch er ist da, wenn er hinpasst.

Das Ende weist eigentlich auf einen Neuanfang hin, ohne dass alles Bisherige vergessen werden würde. Viele Fragen sind offen geblieben, manche stammen noch vom Anfang des Buches oder gar dem Ende des ersten Buches, wenn man es genau nimmt. Manche haben sich mit der Zeit ergeben, andere wiederum kommen wirklich erst in den letzten Kapiteln auf und bleiben. Nora und Brams Geschichte, dieser Konflikt zwischen Zombies und Menschen, zwischen Befürwortern und Gegnern ist also noch lange nicht abgeschlossen, vielleicht werden im nächsten Buch auch die Punks weiter eingebunden – vollkommen abwegig ist diese Hoffnung nicht.

In einigen Dingen ähnelt „Dearly, Beloved“ seinem Vorgänger, besonders was Charaktervielfalt und den Spannungsaufbau angeht. Trotzdem ist die Ausgangssituation eine völlig andere, und auch der Humor kommt in diesem Band ein bisschen kürzer. So blieb mir das erste Buch ein bisschen besser in Erinnerung, was aus dem zweiten Band aber noch lange kein schlechtes Buch macht.
(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 The Library Mouse rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this twisting and gripping sequel to Dearly Departed, Lia Habel picks up a mere few weeks after we last left our beloved New Victorians, Punks and their zombies.

This time not one but two different sets of dangers threaten Nora and Bram’s new and fragile world that is tentatively trying to accept the living dead.
No longer facing mindless flesh eating zombies these threats increase in organization and danger. Using the correct coloured umbrella to signal one’s intentions is disregarded, chapero...more In this twisting and gripping sequel to Dearly Departed, Lia Habel picks up a mere few weeks after we last left our beloved New Victorians, Punks and their zombies.

This time not one but two different sets of dangers threaten Nora and Bram’s new and fragile world that is tentatively trying to accept the living dead.
No longer facing mindless flesh eating zombies these threats increase in organization and danger. Using the correct coloured umbrella to signal one’s intentions is disregarded, chaperones are forgotten and overall manners begin to slip as the true severity of the situation shines through the cracks of the sophisticated society.

Insane zombies no longer being the main target, Lia Habel plunged me into a New London where the living are divided as to whether sane zombies should be allowed to live, and the latter argue as to whether the former should be forgiven or reminded of their fragility through fear.
Knowing what is the just course of action in these times is hard and carrying it out even more so, regardless of the physiological and social state of the individual.
In this challenging sequel filled of secrets, divided loyalties and hope Lia Habel effectively opened a whole new set of themes, ideals and complicated situations for Nora, Bran and the remaining ex members of Company Z, to extricate themselves from.

And yet despite the emotional turmoil and the dangers and threats that zombies and living present to each other and to themselves, Nora and Bram fight to remain together against all odds. Striving to remain together when their duties, and occasionally loyalties, would separate them; they fought and remained together. Relying upon each other as the only true and solid but yet intangible thing in a world where all is changing, even the very laws of life and death of nature.

As a human being with a pulse I could understand the fear that raked the minds of the living, but the humility, compassion and soppy romantic in me also sided with the zombies. Lia Habel very cleverly delivered the emotion of each character through situations, thoughts, opinions and actions, covering a broad spectrum that I thoroughly enjoyed and which made me stop and reflect.
This was beautifully achieved through the narration from different points of view of several characters. Old points of view of characters I had already met, meshed with new ones to create a new and gripping storyline; and despite the multiple views from both sides of enemy lines Lia Habel still managed to conceal some interesting turn of events.

I look very much forward to walking again along the streets of New London and observing the developments of this retro-dystopian world where having the right coloured umbrella is the height of fashion, and standing by your moral standards may sink you to the ground; but regardless of either a love can still beat true even in an undead flesh of a Punk that has captured the heart of a living New Victorian.
(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance, ya

Dearly, Beloved is a sequel to Dearly, Departed (see my full review of Dearly Departed).

Both are set in 2195. Disasters have reduced the Earth’s population to various settlements in Central and South America. One settlement, a wealthy one, has chosen the Victorian era as the perfect time period in the past, and the inhabitants follow Victorian protocols. The Victorians are in a running war with a poorer group of people called Punks. Into this mix comes the Laz, a disease that reanimates a dead...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Jaylia3 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dearly, Beloved picks up shortly after the end of Dearly, Departed, so if you haven’t read the first installment of this amazingly well constructed post-ice age apocalypse, neo-Victorian, steampunk, zombie series start with the predecessor. I read the two books back to back and this second novel is just as strong and engaging as the first. Both are fast-paced with lots of intricate sub-plots, numerous quirky characters, and multiple points of view.

Zombies aren’t bad here, or at least they don’t...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kayla

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Zombies fight for independence, while characters hash out revenge from Dearly, Departed.

Opening Sentence: When I got to the top of the hill, the zombie caught me.

The Review:

Phew. This is such a busy book. There are so many character arcs and details that somehow blend together that it keeps your mind reeling (and it’s pretty ingenious how it all plays out).

Dearly, Beloved picks up a few months after where Departed left us. As a refresher (...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Jaclyn rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, steampunk-gaslight, futuristic, victorian, teen-fiction, zombies, did-not-finish, arc

This is the second book in Habel’s YA series, Gone with Respiration. When I requested this book via NetGalley, I was not aware that it was a series; I had been intrigued by the idea of a futuristic Victorian society and of course, the zombies. I should therefore be clear that I am missing the set up and world building of the first novel, which may have affected my understanding of the zombie apocalypse in New London.

Dearly, Beloved picks up after the main characters, Nora and Bram, have had som...more This is the second book in Habel’s YA series, Gone with Respiration. When I requested this book via NetGalley, I was not aware that it was a series; I had been intrigued by the idea of a futuristic Victorian society and of course, the zombies. I should therefore be clear that I am missing the set up and world building of the first novel, which may have affected my understanding of the zombie apocalypse in New London.

Dearly, Beloved picks up after the main characters, Nora and Bram, have had some kind of crazy adventure in the jungle. Nora is a scientist’s daughter and Bram is a zombie. They of course fall in love… Yup, a sixteen year old and a decaying corpse are in love. Habel does a fairly good job of showing why this relationship is plausible with her explanation of how some zombies are not the slow walking, flesh-eating monsters that we generally encounter. Instead these zombies have retained their human personality and instead of eating people they eat tofu. Yes, tofu.

Due to the huge changes (ie. the tofu) in zombie lore, I felt that this series was a little bit of a Twilight-ification of the zombie genre, and the ending of the book solidified that opinion for me.That said, there are a lot of people that enjoy Meyer's vampire book, so I think this book will also appeal to a similar fanbase that enjoy a bit of the paranormal and a romance.

In terms of this futuristic Victorian society, I had a really hard time with the narrator complaining about her boring textbook, “Deportment and You: A Text for Young Ladies of Refinement” and her using her cell phone to contact her zombie boyfriend in the same book. The bringing together of both an antiquated society and modern technology was a little bizarre for me and I'm not really sure that I bought it. The inclusion of Victorian society made me think of this book as steampunk, and I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it were actually set in the Victorian period as steampunk books generally are. This mash-up was awkward in my opinion and I think a zombie romance could have been made to be a little less gross (see Stephen Harper’s The Doomsday Vault – but it’s not YA).

I also found the pacing to be a little slow. It took a while for the action and adventure to actually start taking place. However, I did like how Habel shifted between points of view of characters; this style doesn’t usually appeal to me, but I liked the other characters like Pamela and Laura and how their perspectives lent a different impression to what was happening. Habel wrote engaging secondary characters in this novel and I enjoyed the parts that they played.

Overall, this wasn’t my favourite book, but I think it had promise as a fun, light read. If you don’t obsess over the oddness of the book's setting and zombie-human romance, I think teens would like the novel with its light romance and mystery.(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 PointyEars42 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hero-isnt-an-alpha-dickhead, strong-smart-heroine, will-read-the-sequels

Not as exciting as the original since it's now all familiar territory, but it's a seamless fit when read immediately after Dearly, Departed as if they were two parts of a single novel. I suspect it would be an entertaining read in its own right.

The multiple POVs are even better than before: the insight into the workings of each character's mind versus what little of that other characters see draws you in so strongly. You can empathise with someone who does the wrong things for the right reason,...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story continues the adventures of Nora Dearly and her beloved zombie Bram Griswold. Tensions are very high between the normal humans and the intelligent zombies. We see the story from a variety of viewpoints. Nora and Bram take the lead as does Nora's friend Pamela, Michael the aristocrat boy who is obsessed with Nora, and Laura who is a young woman who is part of the new zombie packs. Vespertine, Nora's school rival and reluctant aristocrat, also takes the lead for a few chapters.

Dr. Dear...more This story continues the adventures of Nora Dearly and her beloved zombie Bram Griswold. Tensions are very high between the normal humans and the intelligent zombies. We see the story from a variety of viewpoints. Nora and Bram take the lead as does Nora's friend Pamela, Michael the aristocrat boy who is obsessed with Nora, and Laura who is a young woman who is part of the new zombie packs. Vespertine, Nora's school rival and reluctant aristocrat, also takes the lead for a few chapters.

Dr. Dearly is still trying to find a cure for "the Laz" and is working almost non-stop to do it. This is complicated by the recent discovery of a zombie with a new strain of the disease. The vaccinations that were supposed to make the human population more tolerant of the zombie population are not effective against the new strain. Then there are the roving bands of young aristocrats who are targeting zombies and zombie sympathizers while wearing bird masks to ratchet up the tension even more.

Smoke, the zombie with the new strain of "the Laz," quickly becomes the target for all sides of this conflict. Dr. Dearly wants him for research, the army wants him dead, the pro-zombie forces want to save him just because he is a zombie, and some other shadowy entity wants him for unknown reasons. Needless to say, Nora and Bram are soon neck deep in protecting Smoke.

This story is also a romance. While Nora and Bram are the most unlikely lovers, their love for each other is strong. Nora is a high class young lady who happens to be immune to "the Laz." Bram is lower class and from a Punk background. Then there is the whole zombie thing. Even the most cared for zombies have a limited time before the disease destroys them. Bram and Nora are looking at being able to be together for three years or less.

The story is a complex one that is woven together by the various narrators. I thought it was fascinating. I love the combination of Victorian morals, fantastic devices, and zombies. The writing is compelling and engaging. The characters are all distinct individuals who have their own realistic motivations for their actions. I still don't know if I really understand Lord Allistair's role in the whole story. What is he really doing in his genetics laboratory? Did he create "the Laz"and, if so, why?

I think young readers will enjoy this story. I can't wait to share it with them. (less)

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Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration #2)

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