Dearly, Beloved

Dearly, Beloved
Author: Lia Habel
Page Count: 496
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Publisher: Del Ray
Series: Gone With the Respiration #2
Source: Purchased

Read the summary here on Goodreads.

My Review:

This was a good book and I enjoyed reading it; however, I did not enjoy it quite as much as I enjoyed Dearly, Departed. To me, there just wasn't as much action and suspense as the previous novel and it left it a bit lacking for me.

The pace is also a bit slow at times. There were some times throughout the book where I had to push through to be able to continue reading. The reader is given a lot of information in a short period of time and it becomes a tad bit overwhelming. The pace does eventually pick up and reading becomes more enjoyable.

Even with the flaws, there was plenty that I enjoyed about this novel. You get to read more about Nora and Bram and you learn more about the zombies. They are some new topics introduced that keep you on your toes.

The plot, while it was slow going at first, does draw you into the novel. Once the action begins in the novel, it does make up some for the slow start. While it is not as action packed as Dearly, Departed was, there is enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen to the characters next. The romantic factor of the novel was still there; however not as pronounced as in the previous novel.

Nora and Bram's relationship is still going strong in Dearly, Beloved. Being that their relationship is already established, it was a bit slow and uneventful at times. Even so, I enjoyed learning more about them. Bram is still his brave, heroic self. He'll do anything to protect Nora and his friends. Nora seems a just a bit different to me. While she is still a strong female character and willing to stand up for herself, she's different. In my opinion, in Dearly, Departed she came across as an innocent girl, even though she didn't exactly go along with the society's standards. In Dearly, Beloved most of that innocence is gone. She make some very rash decisions and shockingly enough, most of those decision have good outcomes. I appreciated how their relationship stayed strong throughout the novel. I have read so many sequels where the couples break up for the stupidest reasons, so I was extremely glad that did not happen in this one.

The supporting characters in this novel really help make the novel what it is. Pamela, Nora's best friend, is there for Nora, even though she doesn't agree with everything Nora is doing. I didn't particularly like Vespertine all that much, but in the end she was an important part of the story. As for Micheal, I wish I had been in the novel so I could have gotten rid of him myself. Laura, a new character who is introduced in this novel, made the story a bit more interesting. I enjoyed being able to read from another zombie's point-of-view.

I like the multiple POVs, but I felt as if the novel could have done with out a few of them. Some of them just didn't feel necessary.

The author does a wonderful job with world building. Her details really make you feel like you are there. The way the characters are written is amazing. You are able to get to know the characters so personally, even the one's you don't like.

The ending. WOW. I have to say the ending is what saved my rating on this novel. Originally, I was going to give Dearly, Beloved a 3/5 rating, but the ending helped to bump it up a notch. The ending was amazing! When I read it, I honestly didn't believe what I had just read, so I re-read it. I was so shocked and happy. I was just sitting there, hold the book in my hand and thinking "Did that really just happen?". It is not really much of a cliffhanger, but it does leave the door wide open for more. No word yet if there will be another book, but I am most certainly hoping for one. I need to know what happens next.

All-in-all, a good book. Even though I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, I still had a good time reading it. There were some flaws in the novel, but most of them are able to be overcome. I would definitely recommend it. 

Rating: 4/5

Review also posted on Goodreads.