Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Alek is a prince to the Austrian-Hungarian throne and on the run for his life. His parents were murdered by their government, to start a war. Alek flees across Austria with two loyal masters and two commoners devoted to saving his life.

Deryn is a British commoner determined to join the air force and fly. Problem--she's a girl. So she disguises herself as a boy and manages board the airship Leviathan, a hybrid animal controlled by hydrogen and some machines.

Alek and Deryn have common enemies and when forced together, they become allies and friends. But neither knows where that will take them. Or the dangers they'll face.

A steampunk novel with a lot of action and suspense. The first in a series--and the action starts off the story and never quits. Notes at the end explain where Westerfeld got his ideas. I can't wait for the next in the series!

Bloodline by Kate Cary

Told in journal entries by various characters.

John is a young soldier in the British army during WWI when he meets Captain Harker. Little does John know what will happen when he goes out on a night raid with his CO, but the consequences land him in a hospital back home with Mary Seward as his nurse. The two fall in love, but when Captain Harker follows John back and sweeps John's sister Lily off her feet, John and Mary are determined to save each other and Lilly. Which means following Harker and Lily back to Transylvania.

I liked the format of the book very much, and enjoyed a different take on the Dracula story.