Sunday, July 6, 2025
Summer Book Bash! 35 Free books!
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld concludes the exciting story of Deryn Sharp and Prince Alexander, son of the assassinated Arch Duke Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie. Despite wanting to be instrumental in ending the war, Alek finds the Leviathan constantly detouring because of orders. 
First to rescue Nikola Tesla and his crew from the wilds of Siberia, and then to America, and then to Mexico. Deryn Sharp, a girl posing as a boy named Dylan so that she can serve in the British Air Service, is starting to develop feelings for Alek. But that's complicated by a whole mess of things. First of all, he thinks she's a boy. Second, even if he knew she was a girl, he is destined to be the Arch Duke of Austria, and Deryn knows that royalty can't marry commoners. And to make things even more complicated, when Alek finally finds out she's a girl, he doesn't know what to think. Will this revelation destroy their friendship, or will Alek be able to forgive her for deceiving him for so long? And what dastardly plans does the brilliant but deluded Mr. Tesla have up his sleeve? This is an exciting book for anyone who enjoys a great story full of action, danger, and adventure. It is especially exciting for fans of steampunk. I recommend this delightful book to adults and kids alike!
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld continues the exciting story of Deryn Sharp, the girl posing as a boy named Dylan Sharp a midshipman aboard the Leviathan, a living whale airship during World War 1 (called The Great War pre-World War II). She is friends with Prince Alex, the son of the assassinated Arch Duke Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.
This part of their journey takes them to Constantinople/Istanbul where Doctor Nora Darwin Barlow is trying to sooth the ruffled feathers of the Sultan with a fabricated beastie still in the egg after Winston Churchill decided not to give Istanbul a ship they had already paid for, fearing that Istanbul would use it against them during the coming war. But things get bent out pretty quickly. Germans are in Istanbul and want Istanbul to join their side in the war, and as a result cause a lot of trouble for Deryn, Alex, and their shipmates. Deryn has some difficulties when one of Alex's men guesses that she's a girl and threatens to rat her out. And then Deryn and Alex are recruited by some revolutionaries to help them gain independence and hope to save the Leviathan at the same time from being shot down by a Tesla cannon. But will they be successful? This book is absolutely delightful for anyone who enjoys a great adventure story. It's especially enjoyable for fans of steampunk. I highly recommend it for adults and kids alike.
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld is a delightful alternate universe steampunk/biopunk story that fans of steampunk will enjoy! Deryn Sharp wants to serve in the British Air Service.
The only problem, is that she is a girl and this is the early 1900s when girls were expected to stay home and knit while the men went out to do the fighting of The Great War. So what does she do? She convinces her brother to lend her some clothes, dresses up as a boy, changes her name to Dylan Sharp, and goes to join. By an unfortunate weather condition, she is separated from the first group she was about to join as she is testing out a Huxley (a flying jellyfish type creature) and is blown away over London. Fortunately, she is rescued by the Leviathan, a giant flying whale and its crew, and joins them. As they embark on a quest to try to smooth some ruffled feathers in Istanbul/Constantinople, they have more mishaps as they're attacked by German clanker machines and crashland in the Alps where it just so happens that Prince Alexander, the son of Arch Duke Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie is hiding out after his parents are assasinated. Alex, being a decent sort goes to help the injured airship and its crew, and he and his men are recruited/compelled to join the Darwinists even though they are technically Clankers as the other Clankers, the Germans are after both groups. Alex and Daryn become friends. But will their friendship last or will the dangers of war and messy politics end their friendship and/or their lives? This is an excellent book that I recommend to anyone who enjoys steampunk, or just a really great adventure! It is clean and appropriate for youngsters.
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Roosevelt Library Summer Reading Kickoff!
Yesterday, I had a great time at the Summer Reading Kickoff at the Roosevelt Library in Roosevelt, Utah.
I was able to spend time with Heather Moore, Jewel Adams, Karen Hoover, and got to meet Daniel Lowe, an author of several books, including The Forbidden Histories of the Americas. There were a lot of families that participated in the fun activities the library offered, including making dream catchers, a scavenger hunt, and talking to us authors! I had a great time, and I hope everyone else did, too!
The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is an exciting story about a boy named Ranofer in ancient Egypt. 
Despite a setting that took place long in the past, Ranofer manages to be relatable to people today, especially kids in their early teens and pre-teens. He has a dilemma in that while he has a job he likes (working for a goldsmith) his guardian, (his abusive half brother) won't allow him to be an apprentice to his kind and considerate boss. Things would be different if his parents were still alive. But his mom died having him, and his dad died a few months before of some undisclosed illness. Still, Ranofer at least likes his job, and the few friends he makes, even though he doesn't like the strange, unnaturally polite man who gives him wine skins every few days and tells him to take them home to his brother. He starts suspecting that there are stolen bits of gold in the wine skins and that his brother and the man are working together. But before he gets brave enough to tell anyone who can help him, things get worse when his brother forces him to quit his job and come work for the stone cutters. Ranofer doesn't want to be a stone cutter! He wants to be a goldsmith like his father was, and the nice man he had worked for. And what is Ranofer to do when he begins to see evidence that his brother is not only stealing bits of gold from goldsmiths, but stealing from graves as well? Will Ranofer find the courage to do what is right and will people believe him when he does?
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the 2nd book in the Divergent series. It continues where book 1 ends, following Tris (Beatrice) Prior, her boyfriend, Four (Tobias) and others as they escape the Erudite faction that is trying to kill them, and go to the Amity compound, hoping for help.
Tris is still struggling with the guilt of having to shoot Will, one of her friends, while he was under the mind control of the Erudite and trying to kill her. As a result of this guilt, she makes things harder for her friends who don't know what to do for her. Will she be able to cope, and do what she needs to do to bring peace and stability to her people? Readers who enjoy dystopian novels with heroes and heroines who have believable weaknesses and still work to overcome them would enjoy this book.
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