Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

A truly odd woman navigates modern life, awkwardly. It's also a wonderfully weird book about the power of friendship!

Eleanor goes to work, does her job, and then goes home. Her wardrobe and meal plan - actually her whole existence - are designed for simplicity and hardiness. Except for the vodka, which gets her through the weekend.

We don't know much about Eleanor at the start, but throughout the story more information is dosed out in drips and drabs. Some truly startling pieces are laid down almost casually when you least expect it. She's a tough nut on the outside, but that protective shell hides the true core of her story - and things she's been trying to protect herself from, too.

Eleanor almost accidentally makes a friend one day when her work computer goes on the fritz and the IT guy pays a visit. Through that friendship, Eleanor also gains lots of perspective on human interactions, common pleasantries, and social mores. She goes to a party! She attends a funeral! She orders a drink in a pub!

This blossoming throughout the book is funny and inspiring (don't we all feel a bit socially awkward at times?) and offers hope that no one is ever too damaged to move forward.

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley

Just a book about a lonely guy and his dog with a brain tumor - a little light reading for your enjoyment!

Actually, it's a fantastic book and not as depressing as I thought it might be. Ted's a guy who loves his dog a whole lot. One day he notices something different about Lily (with whom he has entire 2-way conversations) - there seems to be an octopus on Lily's head. Eventually the "octopus" gets bigger, talks to Ted also, and impairs Lily's quality of life.

So Ted does what any sane guy would do: He goes on an octopus hunt! First he tortures the octopus with a visit to the fishmonger, then he rents a boat and goes on an epic Moby Dick quest for revenge. It can't save Lily, but maybe it will help Ted deal with his inevitable loss.

This novel is actually quite funny, and has moments of magical realism (Can the octopus really talk? Can Lily really talk?) I did cry at the end, but it wasn't the big ugly cry I'd expected - more a sweet sad cry about the end of a true friendship.