The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

I've been drawn lately to young adult fiction, most likely because when I take the boys to the library this section neighbors the children's, so I can keep an eye on my little tornadoes as I browse. This pick came recommended by friend and fellow-reader, Kris. It's kind of in the science fiction category which, in general, would not be my first choice of genres to kick back with. However I can say without hesitation that this read was well worth the risk I took on sci-fi. The protagonist of the story is a young boy, Matt, who is living in a no-mans-land called Opium, whose founder and leader is an elderly man who goes by the title El Patron. Matt learns he is actually a clone of this patriarch of the House of the Scorpion (El Patron's "sign"), which turns out to bring him some measure of both prestige and misery and ultimately warrants a fight for his very life. The story, as riveting as it is far-fetched, actually plays on some very relevant topics: prejudice, life, death, love, perseverance, friendship. And, victoriously, it boasts a happy ending. We all know how I love those.
BOTTOM LINE: Even if you don't feel so much in the "young" portion of the young adult category, give this book a chance. It tackles some heavy, present-day topics while giving us a hero to root for.

Not Lost Forever by Carmina Salcido

Oh my. So ridiculously behind in writing about what I've been reading. I'll just jump in here then....
I struggle with appropriate adjectives to describe how this book affected me. "Heart-wrenching" and "haunting" are at the top of the list though. This true story spans the author's life from birth to present day. She recounts the horror that marked her at the innocent age of three by a murderous father and changed, rather drastically, the course of her life. There were many times when I had to put down this book just to have a good cry. And so far this "review" is probably not compelling you to read the book is it? I will say that I finished it in about two days simply because I had to keep moving through the tragedy to get to the other side. It is truly amazing what Carmina Salcido endured, and the fact that she is the functioning young woman she is today is nothing short of a miracle.
BOTTOM LINE: If this was a work of fiction I probably wouldn't have read it through to the end. But the fact that Ms. Salcido, through no choice of her own, lived through these events led me to believe that I needed to see the book through to the end so that her voice could be heard and her story shared.