Leviathan

All you need to know about the plot is that it is WWI where the Allies have genetically engineered beasts and the Axis has AT-ATs and zeppelins, it's the very beginning of the war, and there is a young protagonist of moderate interest on either side.

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I'll admit that I had an idea of steampunk (a terrible misnomer I still believe) that involved a lot of airships. Which is not to say that this book doesn't contain a lot of airships, just that airships have consistently been a subject that makes me yawn. Apparently, if you make them airbeasts that are entire ecosystems on their own, they are fascinating though.

The story and characters are not deep, but both are enjoyable. If I was trying to convince a teenager or YA reader to look into steampunk and maybe get their foot in the door for more robust books (both steampunk and otherwise), this would be a good one.