Happy Halloween

For Halloween I give you a silly little video I made in honor of Laini Taylor's book Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I got to see her on her book tour and left with a bunch of cool stuff you'll see in the video! You should really check the book out if you've not read it. See my review here!

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

Author: Joe Schreiber
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: Oct. 25, 2011
Pages: 192
Source: ARC from Publisher


About the Book:Perry Stormaire is a normal high school senior– he is busy applying to college and rehearsing with his band –until he agrees to go to the prom with the Lithuanian exchange student who is staying with his family. It turns out that Gobi Zaksauskas is not the mousy teenager that she seems but rather an attractive, confident trained assassin. Instead of going to the prom, Perry finds himself on a wild ride through the streets of New York City as Gobi commandeers the Jaguar his father lent him for the prom in order to take out her targets. Perry learns a lot about himself – and ends up with some amazing material for his college application essays. (goodreads)


My Thoughts: This book was crazy fun! It has it all! New York City! Prom! Car Chases! Hit men! Guns! Kissing! Band gigs! A frumpy foreign exchange student turned hot girl who also happens to be a killer! Wait. What?!?! Seriously... how often can you say that about a book? I loved the way all of these elements worked together to create a fast paced action/adventure/comedy with a bit of romance!


The prologue accomplished two things that had me hooked: it made me laugh within the first page and it really got me wondering about the characters and the story. The book kept me laughing and wondering throughout. I liked that the story jumped from important scene to importnat scene. There wasn't any "filler." Had it been a movie there would have been rough cuts from one action scene to the next. This enhanced the fast pace and made the Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick hard to put down. 


This book will take you on a crazy trip like no other book you've read before. If you're looking for something different this is the book for you! Au Revoir, predictable frumpy to hottie/zero to hero stories! Hello, crazy/random/wild fun! 


Random Things I loved:
*The use of college essay questions as chapter titles
*"Social Darwinism Under the Stars" to describe prom :)
*The frumpy girl to trained assassin conversion
*Perry's inability to grasp what is happening and Gobi's idea that he should just go along with it.
*The pace.

In My Mailbox 37 + bookcase tours!

In My Mailbox

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs. 

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

Audiobooks:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

YA Saves button from my incredibly amazingly awesome and generous Twitter friend Dizneeee 


And now for the bookcase tours...

This one is almost 10 minutes! Sorry!!

Anticipating NCTE/ALAN 2011

Last year I attended the Assembly for Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) annual conference for the first time. It's a workshop after the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention. It was amazing. I met so many fabulous people... authors, bloggers, teachers, librarians. It was so much fun! I literally bumped in to Gary Paulsen. I got to have dinner with some people from Abrams books. During the dinner I sat next to Lauren Myracle. We all got ARCs of her book Shine. Maybe you've heard of it recently ;) I also met Holly Black (one of my all time favorite authors!) You can read about some of my fangirl moments here. Basically I was starstruck the entire time AND they gave me book! It was the best! 

This year I am attending both NCTE and ALAN since they are in Chicago! I've never been to NCTE before so I am super excited. Check out their conference pages! 

NCTE page 

ALAN page

It is going to be great! Just look at some of the authors who will be there:

M.T. Anderson

Jacqueline Woodson

Angela Johnson

Walter Dean Myers

Janet Tashijan

Sean Beaudoin

John Green (OHMYSTARSJOHNGREEN!!!!!!)

Matt de la Pena

Leslie Margolis

Andrew Peters

Sarah Weeks

Rita Williams-Garcia

Sarah Dessen

Lauren Myracle

Cheryl Rainfield

Andrew Smith

Paul Yee

Kazu Kibuishi

Elizabeth Scott

Abby McDonald

Laurie Halse Anderson

Chris Crutcher (!!!!!!!!!!!)

Cara Chow

Sharon Draper

J.L. Powers

Matthew Quick

Kenneth Oppel

Jennifer Donnelly

Neal Schusterman

Coe Booth

B.A.Binns

Simone Elkeles

Stephanie Perkins (My life is complete!)

Sara Zarr

Jay Asher

Carolyn Mackler

James Dashner

Megan McCafferty (!!!!!)

Veronica Roth

Dom Testa

Katie Alender

Beth Fantaskey

Michelle Hodkin

Thabhha Lai

David Leviathan

James Patterson

Anthony Horowitz

Gordon Korman

I cannot even express the awesome! There are also some really great workshops and events going on. It will be epic! Can I just say thanks ahead of time to all the organizers, publishers, presenters, and authors who make these conventions possible? You rock! If you're going to NCTE and/or ALAN let me know! I have no plans as of right now and would love to make some :)

Deadly Cool Blog Tour

Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post from Gemma Halliday for her Deadly Cool blog tour! Each stop features an exclusive guest post from Gemma offering a special look at her own teen years. Make sure to stop by Word for Teens on Friday October 28 for the next stop! 

About the Book: 
First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?

As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.

I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.

From Gemma:

Thanks so much for having me here!  On this leg of my DEADLY COOL blog tour I’m talking about my life as a teen.  Music played a huge role in my life as a teen.  I was always involved in music lesson as a child, but it wasn’t until I reached those high school years that I really relied on music as an outlet, both as a musician and as a listener.  And I was lucky to grow up in a time where there was a ton going on in the music scene!  Hair metal versus grunge versus hip hop versus the underground alternative scene.  I loved it all, but I’ll admit to having a few favorites.  And those were…

1. Poison

Yes, I had a thing for guys that wore more make-up and hair products than I did.  In my defense, Brett Michaels has now resurfaced as cool anew, so they must not have been *that* bad.

2. Nirvana

Smells Like Teen Spirit was the ultimate teen anthem!  And their videos were just as awesome.  I had never seen a cheerleader with that many tattoos before in my life.

3. Extreme

I know they were a one hit wonder with the acoustic More Than Words, but I swear that just the other day I heard it being pumped into the muzak system while I waited in line at the bank, so it must still be good.  

4. Alanis Morisette

She burst onto the scene when I was in my late teen years, but her Jagged Little Pill was the 90s answer to Pink – totally hot girl with a totally fierce attitude.  I loved it!

5. Guns N Roses

I’ll admit that when I moved from northern California to Los Angeles by myself at age 19, I drove the entire way down the coast listening to Welcome to the Jungle.  It was just too fitting not to.   

So what was some of your favorite music as a teen?   Any bands that left a lasting impression?  

~Gemma

www.gemmahalliday

About the Author: Gemma Halliday is the award winning author of the bestselling High Heels mysteries and Hollywood Headlines mysteries.  Her first young adult book, DEADLY COOL debuts Oct 11^th from HarperTeen.  She started writing fiction in 2002 and after winning several awards as an unpublished writer, her career kicked into high gear in 2005 when she won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award. One month later she was offered her first book contract, saving her from adding another dead-end to her eclectic employment history. After stints in Portland and Los Angeles, Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay Area where she is hard at work on her next book. 

Waiting on Wednesday (34)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

.

Waiting on Wednesday

October 26, 2011

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

Release Date: January 10, 2012

Published by: Dutton Juvenile

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

You guys. John Green. JOHN GREEN. JohnGreenJohnGreenJohnGreenJohnGreen. Bah! JOHN GREEN!!!!!! If you don't know how I feel about his books you can see me make a fool of myself in a video here. I cannot wait for this book. I have loved every one of his previous books. So much awesome! I cannot even be coherent! I am drunk on my excitement!

On another note... I love the cover. It's simple and ageless and timeless. It reminds me of the recently redone covers on classic books. I'm not sure how I feel about the Jodi Picoult quotation on the front. She is great and all but... I don't know. I guess it just wasn't expected. If I didn't already adore his books it wouldn't make me pick it up. Perhaps it will grab a new audience for Green's books which is never bad :)   

Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars

Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars

Author: Nick James
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: Sept. 8, 2011 
Pages: 384
Series: Skyship Academy, book one
Source: ARC from BEA (Thanks Kristi!)

About the Book: A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls. (goodreads)

My Thoughts: I am always hesitant to pick up sci-fi books. I think I must have had a bad experience early on! Thankfully this anti-sci-fi book deal I have didn't deter me from The Pearl Wars. I would have missed out! 


This book draws you in right away. The event that is the beginning scene is already underway. There is no info dump of history, facts, etc... The reader is introduced to the unique aspects of the world little by little as the information is needed. I liked this because I felt like I was always learning new things and it keeps the pacing from getting bogged down. Also, I appreciated that the slang isn't overdone. Sometimes when reading books set in the future I spend so much time trying to figure out what the character is trying to say that it loses impact. There are slang words and world-specific terms but it is clear what they mean. Well done! 


I also really loved all the twists and turns the story takes. Clearly I don't want to go in to to much detail as it would spoil the story! I will say that I loved all the different connections that are revealed as the story progresses. Both the Skyship dwellers and the Surface folk come from the same place. Their history is shared. The events that caused them to be where they are now are the same. I am always interested in knowing how different people react/view to the same event. 


The Pearl Wars has totally convinced me to give more sci-fi a chance. Also I can pretty much guarantee that I'll be reading everything Nick James gets published!  He is mass awesome ;)

Top Ten Books To Read During Halloween

Top Ten Books to Read During Halloween

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by

The Broke and the Bookish

I will be the first to admit that I am a HUGE baby when it comes to scary stuff. I mean, Ernest Scared Stupid gave me nightmares! I tend to stay away from creepy books but sometimes I just can't help it! Here are a few of my favs.

1. The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson: As I said in my review, creepy Maureen is Creepy! This was one of my top books of the year (even if I did have to sleep with the lights on!)

2. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender: I almost had to stop reading this book. I was that creeped out. Thankfully (or unfortunately?) the storyline was just too addictive and I had to know what happened. DO NOT read at night! (my review)

3. The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting: This titles alone let you know that creepiness will ensue. I loved both of these SO MUCH! It was more a watch your back creepy unlike the first too which are paranormal creepy! (The Body Finder review, Desires of the Dead review)

4. The Forest of Hands and Teeth books by Carrie Ryan: Zombie hoard! Enough said. Also, Carrie Ryan is delightful so you should always read her books! (The Dead-Tossed Waves review, The Dark and Hollow Places review)

5. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare: I love the world created in this book and think it's great to read around Halloween because it will give you great costume ideas! Also, there are some really creeptastic characters! (my review)

6. Ruined by Paula Morris: New Orleans, old cemetery, secrets, ghosts... deliciously creepy but not going to keep you up at night! I loved the setting of this one! 

7. Shade and Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready: So it's not really creepy but there are ghosts and I will use any excuse to talk about these books! So much love! I am dying to read Shine! (Shade review, Shift review)

8. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot: I cannot have a top ten with out Meg! The main character can see ghosts and needs to give them that "extra push" to cross over... except for the hot ghost that lives in her room. He can stay! 

9. The Midnighters trilogy by Scott Westerfeld: Creepy paranormal creatures abound. Great for others like me who get scared easily!

10. Any of Darren Shan's books. I admit, I haven't read them. The covers scare me too much! My students love them though :)

Wherever You Go Tour Stop

Character Interview: Holly

For my stop on the Wherever You Go blog tour I interviewed the main character Holly. See what she had to say!

If you could have a day all to yourself with no demands on your time what would you do?  

I would read cookbooks all day and then make something amazing for dinner.  I have never made Baked Alaska -- so maybe I'd try that.  I'm sure Grandpa and Lena would love it.

Most people have some sort of comfort food. What is yours (to eat or prepare?)

In my family, it's always something Italian.  My grandma taught me some of my grandpa's family's recipes and I love making them when times are tough.

What is your fondest memory... the one that you'd never want to forget?

I loved being in my grandma's kitchen.  I learned so much from her, and while she was around I could actually feel like a kid.  That all changed when she passed.

Everything happened so fast with Rob. If you could go back and have a conversation with him one more time what would you want to talk about?

I would ask him what was really going on.  I would want him to tell me the truth about everything, even if it was hard or it hurt to say things.

Having come through all you did this past year where do you hope to go from here?

I want to learn to have fun again.  I want to follow my dreams for once.  I want to feel what it's like to love without being afraid it will all dissolve suddenly.  I know that's a lot to ask.

Thanks so much to Holly (and Heather!) for stopping by. I really enjoyed this book. Be sure to stop by the Teen Book Scene site for the tour to see where else it will go!

In My Mailbox (36)

In My Mailbox

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs. 

No video this week since I did the readathon all day yesterday! I only got two books so it's not really worth the time to get ready, film, edit, and upload! STILL, they are preety great books so I wanted to mention them. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for both of these audiobooks!

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson. I've already read and reviewed this one so this is for a giveaway!

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. I'm listening to this one in my car right now. Interesting and a bit odd!

Readathon Time!

For the first time ever I'm participating in Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-Thon. I have asked for advice from Dewey veterans so I have some yummy snacks, a brand new case of Diet Coke and more books than I could read in a week within reach. Here is the pile I'll be drawing from:

Sorry for the glare. Too lazy to try again! 

I'll be updating this post all day... at least as long as I make it! I had to work until midnight last night so I'm a bit beat!

7:00 AM: I'm here. I'm awake. It ain't pretty. I'll spare you the photo. Starting off with Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber. It's only 190 pages and sounds funny. That should catch my interest and wake me up!

Status: What was I thinking?!?!? Saturday is  my sleep in day. I'm so tired. Hold me. **whimpers***


9:15 AM: Finished Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick. They sure got the crazy part right! Next up: finish Starship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James. I'm aout 85 pages in to this one. That means I have about 300 to go. 
Status: Time for my breakfast treat... Lucky Charms! Magically delicious and hopefully containing speed reading marshmallows! 

12:30 PM: Finished Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars. Really interesting. Also made fancy schmancy dark chocolate mint hot cocoa. Too bad it was disgusting. Oh well. The Anne of Green Gables mug I used made it better :) Just made a quick lunch which I will eat while reading some short stories either from Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce or the Enthralled anthology from last year's Smart Chicks Kick It tour. After that I'm thinking I'll read Daisy Whirney's The Mockingbirds! I want to get some books of my TBR list that have been there forever!
Status: So hungry. I did not but enough yummy snacks! 

5:00 PM: Clearly I have finished lunch by now! I also read the first three stories in Tamora Pierce's Tortall and Other Lands as well as The Mockingbirds. That book was amazing! I am so glad I have an ARC of the next one The Rivals. I think I need something a little more light hearted so I'm moving on to a book that wasn't in my original pile Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler. I really liked her book How Not to be Popular and this one is a Jane Austen spin-off. Total win!!
Status: Yeah, showering just isn't going to happen today! 


8:50 PM: Almost on 14 hours and I just finished book four... Sass & Serendipity. It wasn't what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it. I'm starting to lose energy here. I think I may need to do a bit of walking around to wake up :) Not really sure what to read next. I'm thinking I'll finish The Unwanteds (I'm only about 50 pages in) or maybe Fateful by Claudia Gray. 
Status: Still in my pajamas... not really worth changing now, is it?!?


The day after: I didn't post my last update. I ended sometime after midnight but before 3 AM when I fell asleep on the couch reading short stories. I did finish The Unwanteds though! I was just so out of it! Apparently I left the water on while brushing my teeth and didn't notice until I was in bed! Yeah, that was smooth. 
Status: Overall pretty fun for my first readathon. It was a great way to stay focused on reading. Now I just have to write the reviews!

Fangirl Friday: Holly Black

Holly Black is one of my all time favorite authors ever! I love her so much that I rambled on WAY too long in this video and had to cut out part of it. I cut the three minutes I spent talking about her short stories. They are amazing (the stories, not the three minutes!) so be sure to check them out as well!

Holly on the web:
Website
livejournal
Twitter

The Iron Thorn

The Iron Thorn

Author: Caitlin Kittredge

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: Feb. 22, 2011

Pages: 492

Series: Iron Codex, book one

Source: purchased book and audiobook

About the Book: In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day. 

Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different. (goodreads)

My Thoughts: I bought this book because Holly Black and Richelle Mead blurbed it. I don't typically buy books based on blurbs but as I've said before... any book with Holly Black's name on it is one I'll buy! That was back in February. I went on a bit of a book buying bender and ended up with WAY more books than time so I just never got around to it. Then I rediscovered audiobooks. Listening Library did a fabulous job with this one! Listen to an excerpt here!


Side note: Tamora Pierce recently gave this book four stars on goodreads and said she loved it. TAMORA PIERCE!!!! If that doesn't tell you to pick it up I don't know what will!


I was really impressed with this book. I loved the world, the characters, the action... everything! As a bonus, I am still a newbie steampunk reader and The Iron Thorn just reinforced my love for it!


The world Aoife lives in interested me. I could just tell that all was not what it seemed. I loved the ways that we learned how things work. There was so much going on. Just when I would think I had it all down some new piece of information would come to light and I'd be blown away again!


And the characters! Oh the characters. Aoife, Cal, Dean... DEAN! I loved their interactions. My heart just broke for Aoife. She was a character I wanted to read about. I liked her and was interested in the mystery surrounding her and her family. There is so much on her plate. Add to that the whole "may be about to go mad" thing and you can see why I just wanted at least one thing to go right for her. Plus she is a strong and courageous female lead. You have to love that!


I highly recommend this to fans of fantasy or those looking to try out steampunk. Mystery, adventure, magic, romance... The Iron Thorn has it all!

Sisters Red

Sisters Red

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publisher: Little Brown

Publication Date: June 7, 2010

Pages: 324

Series: Fairy Tale Retellings, book one

Source: Bought

About the Book: Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

My Thoughts: Before I go one... the cover. How amazing is that?!?! I love it so much! I love the color and the design and just everything about it. It had a huge impact on me picking up the book. I originally started reading it because I was going to the Smart Chicks Kick It tour LAST YEAR!! I just picked it back up to finish a couple of weeks ago. 


Aside from the cover this book has two things I really love: multiple narrators and fairy tale retellings. Those were definitely my two favorite parts of this book. Who doesn't want a love interest who can handle an axe? There were many scenes where I really admired the writing and the way Pearce portrayed a character or n event. I was interested in learning more about the Fenris and the history of the main characters. 


While I liked all the things I mentioned above the book as a whole didn't really do it for me. As I said, I started it last year and just couldn't really get in to it. It was a bit slow for me and I started to get fed up (mostly with Scarlett.) When I picked it back up a couple of weeks ago I enjoyed it much more. I had stopped reading just as it was really ramping up. The end redeemed many of the issues I had with the beginning and overall I found it an interesting read. I would consider it something to check out if you have the time and enjoy modern day fairy tale retellings. 

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

.

Waiting on Wednesday

October 19, 2011

Black Heart

by Holly Black

Release Date: April 2, 2012

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

I adore this series something fierce! White Cat is an all time favorite of mine and Red Glove was fabulous. I love the crime noir feel. The world Holly Black created is amazing. I cannot wait to see where the story goes! You can pretty much guarantee that if Holly Black is the author I am waiting on the book!

Goliath

Goliath

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: Sept. 20, 2011
Pages: 543
Source: Audiobook received 
from Simon Audio
Series: Leviathan, book three


About the Book: Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies. 

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy. (goodreads)



My Thoughts: I have so much love for this trilogy. So. Much. Love!! If you would have described these books to me even two years ago I would have politely said, "No thanks." I had no interest in whatever this steampunk genre was. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare and a last minute road trip changed my mind. I was headed out of town and had quite a drive so I wanted something to listen to. I stopped by my local library and browsed their audiobook collection. There wasn't much there. Then I saw it. Leviathan. I had not so long ago listened to Clockwork Angel (another phenomenal audiobook!) because it was narrated by Jennifer Ehle (a.k.a. Lizzie freaking Bennet in the BBC Pride & Prejudice.) It showed me that I might just like steampunk. Having that introduction and knowing that I have loved many of Scott Westerfeld's other books I decided to pick it up. When I saw that Alan Cumming narrated it I was sold. From the first word I was hooked. The trilogy has it all... action, adventure, daring, intrigue, exotic locations, beasties, machines, a girl disguised as a boy, a noble disguised as a commoner... even romance! The books are wonderfully paced and work so well together. Goliath is a fabulous end to the trilogy and wonderful beginning to what could possibly happen next. I love it when there is room for the reader to imagine what comes next!


One of my favorite things about Goliath is the way Scott Westerfeld brought together different characters and events from the previous books. I liked that we got to revisit them and see what happened. They were previously wrapped up enough that he could have just left them. It was a bonus to know more. 


Since this is the third and final book I don't want to say too much about the events. I would hate to spoil the surprises for those who haven't read them. All I'll say is that Goliath really impressed me. Deryn and Alek are engaging characters that I would love to spend more time with. I loved watching them grow and adapt to the ways their world was changing. Also, I want a perspicatious loris. 


Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the audiobook! Use the rafflecopter widget at the end of this post to win it! If you are an audiobook fan these books cannot be missed!


I listened to book one as an audiobook, read book two and then listened to book three. The artwork in the books is amazing but I highly recommend listening to them. Alan Cumming does such an incredible job narrating. Check out this video of him and Scott Westerfeld talking about Goliath:

Hear an excerpt of book three here!

There are all kinds of fun "extras" like artwork from the books and links to samples of the audiobooks on Scott Westerfeld's website for the series. There are even some chapter samples. I highly recommend checking it out!