The Book Thief

I read this book thinking that one of you had posted it here to read, but I guess I got this recommendation from somewhere else.

This book is amazing! You'll need a bit of time, and most likely a box of Kleenex.

Liesel Meminger is only nine years old when she is taken to live with the Hubermanns, a foster family, on Himmel Street in Molching, Germany, in the late 1930s. She arrives with few possessions, but among them is a book she stole from her brother's burial place. During the years that Liesel lives with the Hubbermans, Hitler becomes more powerful, life on Himmel Street becomes more fearful, and Liesel becomes a full fledged book thief. Hans Hubermann teaches her to read, from which Liesel uses the power of words to befriend many unlikely characters, including Max, the Jew the Hubermanns are hiding in their basement.

What's interesting about this book (and it took me a few pages to realize it), is that the narrator of the story is Death. You can sense that Death is trying to prove that somehow humans don't deserve him. Very beautiful story.

A Winter Dream

Don't be fooled by the title or cover picture -- you can read it in any season.
It is a modern-day telling of the Bible story of Joseph, son of Israel (Jacob).  Even though you know what's going to happen (if you are familiar with the Bible story), you can find yourself surprised with how the events in this story occur and the timing with which it occurs. 

It's a quick read.  This fiction book, unfortunately, represent unkindness that could happen many years beyond the time of the Bible.  However, (since you all know it ends well) I loved reading something that lifted me up and showed the goodness of the soul of men.