Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Imprint: Del Ray
Date Published: 18th October 2011
ISBN: 9780345523334


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book is just amazing, fantastic, awesome, brilliant....you get the gist. I could not stop reading it and yet I didn't want to come to the end.


It is the year 2195 and the world as we know it has changed. It has taken on the manners and fashions of Victorian times and is now known as New Victoria.


Nora Dearly's father has been dead a year and the time for mourning is over. School is finished for the Christmas and she is returning home to her aunt who is now taking care of her. On returning, she discovers that her aunt has got them into debt and now plans to marry Nora off to money. Until the night that Nora is kidnapped by zombies and everything changes.


Nora discovers that there are "good" zombies, who have managed to keep their mental health and with the help of medical assistance, are managing to maintain their bodies. They work with the army and help to protect against the "bad" zombies whose only interest is eating human flesh. They have been kept a secret to society.


Nora meets a young, handsome, dead soldier named Bram and discovers that her world will never be the same again.


I absolutely loved this. The characters were so well written, even though there was a lot of them, I felt I got to know them all. Nora was a brilliant character who showed strength and courage throughout the book. Bram was amazing, I loved him. He will definitely be added to my book boyfriend list. He was brave and caring but tough when he needed to be.


This was fast paced and action packed throughout. I felt sadness at the situation that these characters are in and what is to become of them but also at times really happy for things that were happening for them in the moment. I was on the edge of my seat at times and hitting myself in the head with my kindle at others. There was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster close to the end where I could not believe what I had just read.


I would have no hesitation in recommending this book and I cannot wait for the next in the series.

This is the UK cover which I love.




















I received a copy of this from Netgalley for review.