The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak--9/10

You miss a few things if you listen to this on audio, because I saw some illustrations and formatting when I picked up a hard copy--but the narrator is also fantastic and it's a lot of fun hearing it read in a German accent, so you'll have to just decide which you'd rather get; I can't say which is better. I can say, though, that I am currently in love with Markus Zusak's books. The first one I read, I Am the Messenger, was amazing, and The Book Thief was equally incredible: The story, characters, and writing are just beautiful and loveable, and if you don't find yourself in tears by the end, I will possibly question the functionality of your tear ducts. Or soul. (Okay, not really.)

This is a story about a German girl named Liesel, growing up outside Munich during World War II. She's best friends with Rudy, her neighbor; Hans, her foster father; and Max, the Jew who's hiding in their basement. She's a book thief, and her story is narrated by Death (a surprisingly compassionate character).