The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Publication Date: March 14th 2006
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N Goodreads Summary: It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. 

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

My Rating: 5/5 stars

My Review: The Book Thief is the most perfect book I have ever read. 

Death narrates the life of Liesel Meminger in 1939 Germany. Liesel is young girl, who in her short life has been abandoned by her mother, has seen her brother die and has stolen her first book. She is sent to live with new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann on Himmel street and that is where her adventures start. 

Why hasn't anyone told me to read this book before? I've seen it many times before, and its always managed to speak to me somehow, but I've never actually took it out and fully read it. 
I have never experienced so many emotions throughout a book. They were all there, love, hate, fear. 
I fell in love with all the characters so fast, especially Rudy. I love that crazy boy!
And oddly, i was actually afraid to read the ending of this book. I knew something bad was going to happen, thanks to Death's spoilers. But I had to man up and finish it, and when I did. I cried so much that my dog spent about 30 minutes licking up the tears on my face (don't worry I thanked him after).

This book is definitely something amazing. I always read fantasy books, where I know that the events have never happened and will probably never happen, and that the characters have never existed. But as for this book, while I know that there was never a Liesel Meminger, there was no Himmel Street, and Molching has never existed, events like this happened all the time in World War II. That time is such a touchy subject to most people. So many people died, so many innocent people were thrown in camps, or given guns and told to fight. Many innocent people suffered during those times, which in my opinion makes the book more believable and so much sadder.

This is a book everyone should read, well I guess most people will just watch the movie now instead. But like always books are much better (then again Geoffrey Rush plays Hans so that will be amazing). But then again when I think about it, I really don't want anyone else to go though the emotional pain that this book causes. So the choice is up to you, if you think you can handle it, definitely read the book. But if you're a softy, then stay happy and stay out of the Book Thief's way.

I am so excited/scared to watch the movie.
If I do have the guts to watch it, I'll bring a box of tissues.

Happy Reading to all the book thieves out there.
I love you all :)