Leviathan

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

from amazon.com

Beth says 4 Stars...

I thought that I would like this book more than I did. I thought that it would rock my world, and it didn't. It was really good, and I enjoyed it, but that was it. The plot was really fun and different, which I found thoroughly delightful. I really loved how Westerfield wove mechanical possibilities with advanced genetic engineering in a believable (ish) version of the past. I was particularly intrigued by the Darwinist because I'm a huge science person. The problem that I had was with the main characters. I couldn't connect with them very well at all. It wasn't that they were annoying, or had some other blatantly obvious flaw. The issue resided not with the writing either, for Westerfield was on point with the prose. There was just some disconnect somewhere that left me feeling a little cold. I had begun to warm by the very end of the book to both of them, I think in part due to their relationship with one another. Together they were much more compelling than they were separately. Overall this was a fun start to an interesting new series. It wasn't quite as amazing as I had expected, but it wasn't bad. This might also resonate better with younger teen boys, as it has lots of action without lots of romance.

Love Is Hell

Sure, love is hell. But it,s totally worth it.

In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers—Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Scott Westerfeld (Specials), Justine Larbalestier (Magic or Madness), Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares)—love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all.

From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good-looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your heart, then leave you believing in love more than ever.

from harpercollins.com

Beth says 4 Stars...

I was really excited about this book because it has 4 of my favorite authors in it. Overall this book lived up to my expectations, but not entirely. The one story that I felt really didn't rise to the occasion was the one by Gabrielle Zevin. It was written in a very choppy style, and the plot was hard to follow despite its brevity. At the end of the story I still had no idea what had happened. I was confuzzled, which is worse than confused. My favorite story was probably the one by Justine Larbalestier, but Melissa Marr's was a very close second. They were both original, and captured my attention. A rustic and magical village and the modern seaside provide settings for these tales. Marr's take on the selkie skin was just brilliant, and very different than what I had expected. Larbalestier created a hauntingly compelling story that I couldn't stop thinking about. Even while I was trying to sleep it crept into my thoughts. It wasn't that the book was bad, it was just that I expected more. Overall, it was very enjoyable, but I suffered from a case of extreme expectations. It's still good to pick up if you love these

Midnighters: The Secret Hour

Nobody is safe in the secret hour.

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma.

Time freezes.

Nobody moves.

For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour -- only they are free to move about the midnight time.

These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.

Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

from amazon.com

Nathan says 5 stars...

Scott Westerfield has a knack for the original. The world of the Midnighters is highly unique, and yet totally believable. I'm sure most of us have occasionally wished for another hour during the day-well now we learn what would happen if we did. In Bixby a world full of dark creatures and strange powers opens itself to those few born at the stroke of midnight. This is the world that Jessica comes into from the realms of the normal. Then she discovers the Secret Hour, and her life is changed forever. She now must face the dark creatures, and find her place within this enchanted and dangerous hour. My favorite part of this book is definitely the originality of the characters. They are interesting and fresh, without feeling forced. The characters fit perfectly into Westerfield's engaging story seamlessly. Overall, The Secret Hour is a work of realistic fantasy that should be read by everyone.

P.S.-Hey everyone! Beth and I are pretty well-settled at this point, and we're going to get back into some posting schedule. If you'll bear with us, we'd so appreciated us. Thanks for being awesome!

So Yesterday

We are all around you.
You don’t think about us much, because we are invisible. Well, not exactly invisible. A lot of us have hair dyed in four colors, or wear five-inch platform sneakers, or carry enough metal in our skin that it’s a hassle getting on an airplane. Quite visible, actually, come to think of it.
But we don’t wear signs saying what we are. After all, if you knew what we were up to, we couldn’t work our magic. We have to observe carefully, and push and prompt you in ways you don’t notice. Like good teachers, we let you think you’ve discovered the truth on your own.
And you need us. Someone has to guide you, to mold you, to make sure that today turns into yesterday on schedule. Because frankly, without us to monitor the situation, who knows what would get crammed down your throats?
It’s not like you can just start making your own decisions, after all.

Ever wonder who was the first kid to keep a wallet on a big chunky chain, or wear way-too-big-pants on purpose? What about the mythical first guy who wore his baseball cap backwards? These are the Innovators, the people at the peak of the cool pyramid.
Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque is a Trendsetter, on the second level of the pyramid. His job: find the newest, coolest thing for the retail market. His MO: observe, don’t get involved. But from the moment he meets Innovator Jen James, he can’t help getting involved in a big way.
Part love story, part mystery, part stinging satire, Scott Westerfeld’s spellbinding new novel will make you question everything you’ve ever believed about how to be cool.

from bn.com

Nathan says 4.5 stars...

If you've never read a Scott Westerfield book...you really need to. This is actually a fairly good place to start. It's one of his only stand-alone novels and it serves as a good introduction to Westerfield's writing. The book's premise is fairly unique, but isn't so far out as to lose the reader. The characters are what make this book worthwhile. Hunter and Jen are realistic and likable characters, while the supporting cast are well-conceived and unique. The other major character in the novel is New York City. The reader can tell that Westerfield feels that NYC is home (well for half the year). The plot is pretty well-paced. Something that doesn't really matter, but I still loved about the book was the design. The fonts and layout are superb. Anyway, the point is, check this one out, you won't be disappointed.