The Forger by Watkins, Paul An American painter in Paris during WWII finds a way to use his talents to help the Allied cause: forging masterpieces to dupe the Nazis and save the originals. Doing so means posing as a Nazi sympathizer and putting aside his own artistic ambitions for the greater good. A compelling and well-written narrative, as well as one of the best depictions of what it's like inside an artist's studio - the day-to-day, working side of things - that I've read. (I also think this would make a great movie.)

The God of War by Silver, Marisa Marisa Silver's story of 12-year-old Ares Ramirez, living with his mother and younger brother in a trailer at the edge of the Salton Sea, tells us unvarnished truths about those who are different, whether physically, emotionally, or by virtue of circumstance. The result is a novel that is as true to life as it is unforgettable.--Betsy Burton, The King's English Bookshop (Salt Lake City, UT)