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.

Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story (a musical novel) by David Levithan

This musical-on-paper is presented as a companion piece to the teen novel Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green. You don't have to have read that book to understand this one, but seriously: GO READ THAT BOOK!

Tiny Cooper is a gay, larger-than-life high school student. He loves musical theater, screwball romantic comedy, and football. In telling his life's love story as musical theater, Tiny gets to analyze, satirize, and then pulverize every guy who's ever stomped on his heart (intentionally or not).

The book is written as a play, although Tiny gets more voice in the "stage directions" than would be strictly necessary for a production piece. Additionally, there are lyrics and stage directions but no music provided - I read in an article that Levithan was excited to see the crowd-sourcing fans would do with the parameters provided.

It's funny - really funny. But you probably have to already have loved Tiny to truly love this. Have I mentioned you really NEED to go read "Will Grayson, Will Grayson"?!

The Best Man

by Kristin Higgins

The only thing that could have made this a sweeter love story is chocolate.  Faith could be viewed by those around her as a sad character.  She's epileptic, and lost her mother at a young age.  To top that off, she was left at the altar by the man who had claimed to love her since high school.  How was she supposed to know he was gay?  She has always blamed his best friend, Levi for the whole incident, because he appeared to be the only person on the planet who noticed.

After fleeing home for years, Faith has returned to find everyone is just as she left them, except for one.  Levi is now home from the Army, and chief of police.  She can handle the pity, and probably even regain the friendship she's held so dear with her ex.  The real question is, can she forgive the man who was always on the sidelines of her life?

Higgins is one of my favorite authors.  Her tender stories bring a smile, and often a few tears as they are savored like a glass of wine from the Blue Heron winery run by Faith's family.