Jim (Iowa) -- High Heat by Carl Deuker. One of the best books I read last year was a book that initially, I didn't think I care for at all. Sports books just aren't my genre, but "High Heat" turned-out to be an excellent read! The story centers around 16 year-old Shane Hunter who enjoys a very comfortable lifestyle in a gated community in the suburbs. But everything in Shane's life comes crashing down--even his great passion for baseball--after his father is indicted for money laundering. Deuker deals with great themes: loss, shame, guilt, and redemption. I highly recommend the book to sports and non-sports readers alike.