Lia Habel
Author of Dearly, Departed
Series
Works by Lia Habel
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Habel, Lia
- Birthdate
- 20th Century
- Gender
- female
- Short biography
- Lia Habel lives in western New York State. She is fascinated by zombie movies and Victoriana, interests that eventually led her to write Dearly, Departed and its sequel Dearly, Beloved.
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
Members
Reviews
Originally Reviewed at: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Me
Slight Spoilers If You Have NOT Read Dearly, Departed (which you should!)
I am deeply infatuated with Lia Habel’s ability to craft such a uniquely satisfying novel. Dearly, Beloved is just as, if not more, fantastic than the first novel Dearly, Departed. Similar to Gone With The Respiration #1, the second novel is full of futuristic Steampunky goodness and over-the-top zombie show more action. The stakes are higher; the love/romance is deeper, stronger, and more intense. And of course the action is nonstop. It’s a novel that will make you laugh, dance, scream, shed a tear, and most of all…fall in love with its beautifully bewitching story, zany characters, and fresh take on the Steampunk genre.
Picking up shortly after Dearly, Departed, we’re immediately thrust into New Victoria and the lives of our beloved characters. “Z Company” had dismantled, the vaccine no longer works, and the city is running rampant in lieu of a new revolution between zombies and humans. While everything seems to be crumbling around them, Bram and Nora’s love is stronger than ever and in the midst of it all, they still continue to comfort, respect, and remain strong for each other. While the action within the pages may keep you reading, its Habel’s characters that will endear you to her story forever.
Dearly, Beloved is told from MULTIPLE points of view just like its predecessor. There are 6 charming characters – and one slightly misguided though completely insane – whose minds you will invade: Bram, Nora, Pamela, Michael Allister, Laura, and Vespertine Mink. All of whom you’ve met before with the exception of Laura. Habel does a wonderful job of connecting each point of view and weaving her characters lives together. At first I was suspicious having Michael as one of the POV’s, but after reading his story in its entirety, I couldn’t help but scream… YES, YES, YES! And I wish I could let you all in one my giddy little secret, but then you will miss out on all the fun! :-D
One thing I must point out is that you really must (DO IT! DO IT!) read Dearly, Departed before picking up Dearly, Beloved. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe it could work as a standalone title however, the experience will be richer if you are already invested in the lives of our characters. Plus, why start an awesome series in the middle? You shouldn’t. You will just be angry with yourself if you do…so I’m warning you encouraging you to quickly grab book one.
Overall, my original notion was that Dearly, Beloved was going to be a 4.5 Controller novel because of the two characters whose heads I had to be inside and I wasn’t sure if I wanted or cared to be. However, after reading the last one hundred pages and the tear-jerking ending, which made me both tear up and laugh hysterically, it solidified what I already knew; Dearly, Beloved is a gem…a 5 Controller story. It was magical, exciting, thoroughly engrossing, and flowed as one well-oiled cohesive Steampunk machine.
Edible Quotes:
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Me
Slight Spoilers If You Have NOT Read Dearly, Departed (which you should!)
I am deeply infatuated with Lia Habel’s ability to craft such a uniquely satisfying novel. Dearly, Beloved is just as, if not more, fantastic than the first novel Dearly, Departed. Similar to Gone With The Respiration #1, the second novel is full of futuristic Steampunky goodness and over-the-top zombie show more action. The stakes are higher; the love/romance is deeper, stronger, and more intense. And of course the action is nonstop. It’s a novel that will make you laugh, dance, scream, shed a tear, and most of all…fall in love with its beautifully bewitching story, zany characters, and fresh take on the Steampunk genre.
Picking up shortly after Dearly, Departed, we’re immediately thrust into New Victoria and the lives of our beloved characters. “Z Company” had dismantled, the vaccine no longer works, and the city is running rampant in lieu of a new revolution between zombies and humans. While everything seems to be crumbling around them, Bram and Nora’s love is stronger than ever and in the midst of it all, they still continue to comfort, respect, and remain strong for each other. While the action within the pages may keep you reading, its Habel’s characters that will endear you to her story forever.
Dearly, Beloved is told from MULTIPLE points of view just like its predecessor. There are 6 charming characters – and one slightly misguided though completely insane – whose minds you will invade: Bram, Nora, Pamela, Michael Allister, Laura, and Vespertine Mink. All of whom you’ve met before with the exception of Laura. Habel does a wonderful job of connecting each point of view and weaving her characters lives together. At first I was suspicious having Michael as one of the POV’s, but after reading his story in its entirety, I couldn’t help but scream… YES, YES, YES! And I wish I could let you all in one my giddy little secret, but then you will miss out on all the fun! :-D
One thing I must point out is that you really must (DO IT! DO IT!) read Dearly, Departed before picking up Dearly, Beloved. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe it could work as a standalone title however, the experience will be richer if you are already invested in the lives of our characters. Plus, why start an awesome series in the middle? You shouldn’t. You will just be angry with yourself if you do…so I’m warning you encouraging you to quickly grab book one.
Overall, my original notion was that Dearly, Beloved was going to be a 4.5 Controller novel because of the two characters whose heads I had to be inside and I wasn’t sure if I wanted or cared to be. However, after reading the last one hundred pages and the tear-jerking ending, which made me both tear up and laugh hysterically, it solidified what I already knew; Dearly, Beloved is a gem…a 5 Controller story. It was magical, exciting, thoroughly engrossing, and flowed as one well-oiled cohesive Steampunk machine.
Edible Quotes:
Bram and Nora:
Nora was the only thing that made sense. She was the only unchanging thing in my universe. She was my lodestar. No matter which way my emotions and circumstances and the impulses of my dead, dying, trying, body pulled me, no matter how many mistakes I made, she was always true north. Sometimes I’d side with the dead, sometimes with the living but always with her.
“I love you,” I whispered in her ear.
“She kissed my Adam’s apple. “God, I love you.” (ARC page 350)
Bram: “I love you Nora. I will thin you beautiful when I have no eyes left to see. I will remember your voice when my ears go. You can’t hold onto me forever, but I will hold only your until I am nothing but dirt.” (ARC page 388)show less
After having far too much fun with the first book, I could not wait to read Dearly, Beloved, the second zombie novel by Lia Habel. Something about the book's quirky combination of neo-Victorian, steampunk, science fiction, romance and zombie horror was just so much fun to read. Thrown in an interesting plot and some imaginative writing, and Dearly, Departed was a winner for me, even in all of its oddities.
And Dearly, Beloved continued that quirky yet compelling blend.
Now in a relationship show more with zombie Bram, Nora faces the prejudice of the neo-Victoria society against zombies -and even worse, Nora's father. But now, a new war is brewing, one that could tear the nation of New Victoria apart. A war between a group of sentient and dangerous zombies and a group of terrorist-like guerrillas we are determined to take out every last one of the living dead. While Nora's father races to find a cure for the zombie "plague," it just may not be enough.
Basically everything I enjoyed about the vivid steampunk/science fiction/semi-historical setting from the first book was even stronger here. Even more than in the first book, I was able to dive deeper into this fascinating world and get a better understanding of how it ticks. But this time, Nora finds herself as more of an outsider to her country and her family because of her zombie boyfriend (even though there are intelligent zombies and other, brainless classic zombies that exist in this world).
While I didn't enjoy Beloved as much as Departed, it's still a great follow up that expands on the first novel instead of rehashing it. But be warned -if you haven't read the first book, you'll be a little confused here. There's really so much going on aside from just the main story and readers can easily get confused without the background. But don't let that concern you -just be sure to pick up Dearly, Departed first. You won't be disappointed. show less
And Dearly, Beloved continued that quirky yet compelling blend.
Now in a relationship show more with zombie Bram, Nora faces the prejudice of the neo-Victoria society against zombies -and even worse, Nora's father. But now, a new war is brewing, one that could tear the nation of New Victoria apart. A war between a group of sentient and dangerous zombies and a group of terrorist-like guerrillas we are determined to take out every last one of the living dead. While Nora's father races to find a cure for the zombie "plague," it just may not be enough.
Basically everything I enjoyed about the vivid steampunk/science fiction/semi-historical setting from the first book was even stronger here. Even more than in the first book, I was able to dive deeper into this fascinating world and get a better understanding of how it ticks. But this time, Nora finds herself as more of an outsider to her country and her family because of her zombie boyfriend (even though there are intelligent zombies and other, brainless classic zombies that exist in this world).
While I didn't enjoy Beloved as much as Departed, it's still a great follow up that expands on the first novel instead of rehashing it. But be warned -if you haven't read the first book, you'll be a little confused here. There's really so much going on aside from just the main story and readers can easily get confused without the background. But don't let that concern you -just be sure to pick up Dearly, Departed first. You won't be disappointed. show less
DEARLY DEPARTED, by Lia Habel, is a really fantastic mashup of steampunk and zombie horror. This book takes place in New Victoria where a zombie-like takeover is imminent. The general public has no idea what is to come, and our heroine is unwillingly thrust into the thick of it. Habel weaves a romantic and dystopic tale that will leave you dying for more.
At almost 500 pages this book is a little daunting at first, but once I started reading I flew right through it. Habel tells the story from show more multiple POV's that give a wide overlook of the bigger story. I obviously loved Nora and Bram's POV because I loved their relationship. I found myself scratching my head and wondering how I could like a living person (Nora) and dead-zombie (Bram) as a couple, but the technology in Habel's world that brought the consciousness back to some of the bitten made it always seem that they were both on the same level emotionally and physically. I'm interested to see where their relationship goes in the next book.
Habel created a pretty awesome supporting cast too. I loved the banter between the other zombies Chas, Ben, and Tom. They all took in Nora as if they'd been friends for life and I found that quite unique. Also, Nora's living friend, Pamela had the greatest character development leap of everyone. She strived to be everything Nora was but when the zombies attacked she stepped up in other ways that made her a really fantastic person and fighter for humanity. I cheered for her the whole time!!
Overall, this book was a great intro to the series. There was passion, horror, action, and nail-biting suspense that make this almost 500 page book seem like it was only 100 pages, it's that good! Can't wait for number two! show less
At almost 500 pages this book is a little daunting at first, but once I started reading I flew right through it. Habel tells the story from show more multiple POV's that give a wide overlook of the bigger story. I obviously loved Nora and Bram's POV because I loved their relationship. I found myself scratching my head and wondering how I could like a living person (Nora) and dead-zombie (Bram) as a couple, but the technology in Habel's world that brought the consciousness back to some of the bitten made it always seem that they were both on the same level emotionally and physically. I'm interested to see where their relationship goes in the next book.
Habel created a pretty awesome supporting cast too. I loved the banter between the other zombies Chas, Ben, and Tom. They all took in Nora as if they'd been friends for life and I found that quite unique. Also, Nora's living friend, Pamela had the greatest character development leap of everyone. She strived to be everything Nora was but when the zombies attacked she stepped up in other ways that made her a really fantastic person and fighter for humanity. I cheered for her the whole time!!
Overall, this book was a great intro to the series. There was passion, horror, action, and nail-biting suspense that make this almost 500 page book seem like it was only 100 pages, it's that good! Can't wait for number two! show less
Dearly, Departed was easily one of the strangest books I have read this year. Not because of the plot, characters, or setting. It was because of the romance between Nora and Bram. Bram's a little bit different than most people. It's because he's not human. He's a zombie and he's kind of falling apart. But somehow Nora falls for him and she's human. I'm not going to lie. The romance kind of squicked me out. But it also worked too. Because I also sort of fell for Bram myself. Yeah, he was a show more zombie. But he was also an awesome person with a great personality. And the bond between Nora and Bram is strong. And it's built on a great foundation of friendship. So yeah, there's that. Moving on.
The setting of this book was absolutely kickass. When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it would never work. It sounded ridiculous. Corny even. A steampunk setting in the year 2195? In Central America? With zombies? Surprisingly, it wasn't. I loved it so much. The imagery was fantastic and it blew me away. Not corny in the least. I cannot imagine the thought process that went into writing something like this. What a great imagination this author has. In these pages you will find underground cities, gas lamps, airships, zombie doctors and military, numerous electronic devices (it is the future after all), and all manner of steampunk gadgetry. Putting it simply, this was just a very cool book.
And then there were the characters. They were extremely well-written with differing personalities. Some of my favorite characters were zombies. I loved Chas (short for Chastity), the petite female zombie with a metal plate in her lower jaw because her teeth fell out. I also loved Renfield. He was the nerdy zombie boy with a penchant for chess and computers. Some of the things these two said made me laugh out loud. And then there was Doctor Sam, the zombie that somehow rigged his body so he could walk around headless. That's right. He kept his head on a hook in the lab and walked around and did his work without it. Bizarre? You betcha. Nora was the outspoken female protagonist that raised a ruckus everywhere she went. I like to think I have a little bit of Nora in me. She was fun, loud, and a fighter. The characters were amazing.
If I have one complaint about Dearly, Departed it's that I found the book a bit long for the plot line that we were given. I didn't have any issues with pacing, but somehow I would have liked to see the book cut down in a few places for length. I am afraid that it might deter some readers who are looking for a quick payoff with their reading material. I enjoyed the descriptions and world-building. I'm not so sure that everyone will. It might be a bit excessive for a young adult novel. I had no issues with this whatsoever, but I'm also in the business of recommending books to other readers, so I feel as if it's something I have to point out. But I LOVED it.
End result, I loved this book and I love this series. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. Steampunk is not for everyone, but it is a genre that is quickly moving up on my list of favorites. Extremely unique book from a debut author that I feel we will be seeing a lot of in the future. show less
The setting of this book was absolutely kickass. When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it would never work. It sounded ridiculous. Corny even. A steampunk setting in the year 2195? In Central America? With zombies? Surprisingly, it wasn't. I loved it so much. The imagery was fantastic and it blew me away. Not corny in the least. I cannot imagine the thought process that went into writing something like this. What a great imagination this author has. In these pages you will find underground cities, gas lamps, airships, zombie doctors and military, numerous electronic devices (it is the future after all), and all manner of steampunk gadgetry. Putting it simply, this was just a very cool book.
And then there were the characters. They were extremely well-written with differing personalities. Some of my favorite characters were zombies. I loved Chas (short for Chastity), the petite female zombie with a metal plate in her lower jaw because her teeth fell out. I also loved Renfield. He was the nerdy zombie boy with a penchant for chess and computers. Some of the things these two said made me laugh out loud. And then there was Doctor Sam, the zombie that somehow rigged his body so he could walk around headless. That's right. He kept his head on a hook in the lab and walked around and did his work without it. Bizarre? You betcha. Nora was the outspoken female protagonist that raised a ruckus everywhere she went. I like to think I have a little bit of Nora in me. She was fun, loud, and a fighter. The characters were amazing.
If I have one complaint about Dearly, Departed it's that I found the book a bit long for the plot line that we were given. I didn't have any issues with pacing, but somehow I would have liked to see the book cut down in a few places for length. I am afraid that it might deter some readers who are looking for a quick payoff with their reading material. I enjoyed the descriptions and world-building. I'm not so sure that everyone will. It might be a bit excessive for a young adult novel. I had no issues with this whatsoever, but I'm also in the business of recommending books to other readers, so I feel as if it's something I have to point out. But I LOVED it.
End result, I loved this book and I love this series. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. Steampunk is not for everyone, but it is a genre that is quickly moving up on my list of favorites. Extremely unique book from a debut author that I feel we will be seeing a lot of in the future. show less
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- Rating
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