Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan, Behemoth, and Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
The first of this trilogy is nominated for the 2011-2012 VSBA. I LOVED these books. I listened to them on tape; they are read by the incomparable Alan Cumming! If you choose to read them, listen to them on tape because his Scottish and Austrian accents make it so much more amazing. Since I was listening to them on tape, however, it took me a while to discover the amazing artwork in these books. If you do listen to them on tape, pick up a paper copy when you're finished so you can see what you missed. Also, SW's blog is also a very enjoyable place for fan-fic artwork.
These are just the kind of story that always possessed my imagination as a child: girl does boy things and people are amazed to discover that she is really just an amazing girl. Dylan (Deryn) Sharpe disguises herself as a boy to enter the British Royal Air Service in an alternative pre-WWI 1914. At the same time, Alek, the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (whose death really did start WWI), must flee his palace after his father's murder. The story unfolds in alternating chapters from both protagonists' points of view.
If you read it: Which character did you view as the protagonist?
General Question: What are some great books for listening to (because of accents or readers)? I liked The Help for the strong Southern accents and Tom Sawyer for the dialect. I like listening to books read by Alan Cumming, Juliet Stevenson, Donada Peters, and Davina Porter (all from the UK...go figure!)

Books on Tape

It's been a while...but I've been reading and listening.
I have listened to:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt

I read this book for the December VSBA Book Club meeting. I was worried after my experience with A Curse Dark as Gold that I had lost the joy of reading. I have not! I LOVED this book in the way I loved Black Box last year. I can't wait for the next meeting so I can lead a discussion about this title!
Harper Evans, a 17-year-old California gal, is trying to flee her family problems by going on a service trip to rebuild a home destroyed by a tornado in TENNESSEE! (I LOVE TN books!). The rebuilding of the house is a metaphor for the rebuilding of herself after her own family has been destroyed.
What is your favorite book related to Tennessee (author, setting, etc.)?

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

This is a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin story set in the Industrial Revolution in England. Honestly, I did not finish this book. There was a lot going on in my life (big-boy beds, Fall Break, surgery, Mom's relapse), so I didn't get the book finished in time for the November VSBA Book Club meeting. I tried to finish the book after the meeting, but I just couldn't. This title didn't hold my interest.

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows by Diana Gabaldon

This short story can be found in George R.R. Martin's Songs of Love and Death, an anthology of short stories by modern masters.
I LOVED this story. It is the story of Jerry and Dolly MacKenzie, Roger's parents who are briefly mentioned in the Outlander series. This story is apparently referenced in An Echo in the Bone. I have not yet listened to this Outlander book because I am waiting for Susan to finish A Breath of Snow and Ashes...but I'm not sure how much longer I can wait after reading this short story!

Lord John and the Hand of Death by Diana Gabaldon

I went to Indiana last week to visit my brother and had surgery on Thursday after my return. With these breaks in my schedule, I knew I wanted to find something to read that would not need a big commitment. So, I decided to read some of DG's short (i.e. not 1500 pages) works of fiction. This books is one short story and two novellas regarding Lord John Grey, a minor, though influential, character in DG's Outlander series.
I enjoyed these stories, though not as much as the Outlander books. Interestingly, all tree of these read like mysteries, my favorite genre. I would recommend reading these once you have exhausted the Outlander books.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

This is Book Three in The Mortal Instruments series.
This book feels like the culmination of a trilogy. It contains a mortal war of Shadowhunters, Downworlders, and Demons. Various romantic problems are solved. All is right with the world...but there is Book Four waiting at home for me to start. I don't know how I feel about this. I like my YA to end happily and my series to max out at 3 books (with the exceptions of Harry Potter and Outlander, which could go on forever, in my opinion).
I really do like this series, so I'm afraid I'm just going to have to keep reading...no matter how many books she writes...but I don't think I'll read the prequel series because I just can't get attached to another series.