Originally reviewed at Hooked on Books 
 I love zombie novels. I love them almost as much as I love fairy and dragon novels. But I would have never discovered how much I loved this genre if it wasn't for Lia Habel's Dearly Departed. Intrigued at the idea of a zombie love story in a steampunk setting, I reviewed the title last winter. I was instantly in love. And after that I began seeking out other zombie novels, and much to my delight I loved them too. So when I saw the follow up novel Dearly Beloved on NetGalley I knew I had to give it a read. And I'm happy to say it was just as enjoyable as the first! 
 Lia Habel once again juggles an incredible and gigantic cast of characters. Each central character is given a few chapters in their own point-of-view and Habel makes every individual come alive on the page. They each have such distinct personalities and even though you only get a little time with each one, you really get to know them. I particularly liked the newly introduced, Laura. She is an example of great character development. At the beginning of Dearly Beloved she is a scared little girl, who does what she's told and let's other people boss her around. But as the story goes on she becomes more independent and develops some of the characteristics of a great leader. I hope we get to see more of her in the next book. 
 One of the reasons this series is so unique is the love story. Nora and Bram are one of the most amazing YA couples out there. They care deeply for one another and there's no question they're in love. But they also respect each other and their independence. They don't have to be around each other every moment and they don't neglect the rest of the people in their life now that they're together. That being said I love reading about the two of them together because they're just so adorable! I was really happy that the romance didn't take over this story - since there was more important things going on - but I would have liked these two to have a little more time together. 
 My one complaint when it comes to Dearly Beloved is that I found the plot a little harder to follow. There was a lot more going on in this novel and you're receiving information from a lot of different angles and perspectives. At times it was difficult to keep straight how everyone/everything was connected. This wasn't a huge problem over all but it made for a few confusing moments while reading. 
 Dearly Departed was everything I could have wanted from a sequel. It captured all the imagination and action of the first book, brought back my favourite characters and introduced some new story lines that kept everything fresh. I can't wait to see where Lia Habel takes this series next!