Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

From the Hardcover:
Sometimes it's the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal...

A murder...a tragic accident...or just parents behaving badly?
What's indisputable is that someone is dead.
But who did what?

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:
   Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She's funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beach-side community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline's youngest. (How is this possible?) And to top it all off, Madeline's teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline's ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?)
   Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn't be, with those rambunctious twins? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.
   New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.
   Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

   This book is fantastic! It was a little slow to begin for me, but once I sat down with it and was able to become immersed, I didn't want to put it down. You know someone is dead, but WHO? That was the question that teased me the entire time I was reading this. Speckled with answers, from other parents, to unasked questions piqued my curiosity even more. 

  I liked that this book addressed many current hot topics, bullying, "helicopter-moms," domestic abuse, and new family structure, just to name a few. I was amused by the "kindy moms" and their drama. 

   As with any book worth recommending, I felt for these characters. Madeline is tough and doesn't take any crap, she may be stubborn to a fault, but she is also loyal. Celeste is lost in daydreams and has a private social anxiety, she questions almost everything she says along with her actions. When most parents snub Jane and her sweet son these two women stand firm next to her, Madeline going into battle and Celeste's more quiet support. 

   This is a good mystery, what adds to that is the fact that you don't even know who's dead! And I believe this would be a good book club choice. There are so many issues brought up that are worth discussing.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

From the dust jacket:
"Eleanor...Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park...He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
   Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds - smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."

"She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but let's face it, certain cover art draws you in and entices you to read the teaser. A girl with frizzy, curly hair connected to a boy by music? Count me in. While reading Eleanor & Park I didn't think of much else. I felt so much sympathy for Eleanor, the oldest of 5 siblings, in a two bedroom house, with a controlling step-dad. And Park, with more privileges than he realizes. Park lets Eleanor sit by him on the bus by default her first day, no one else would scoot over, so begins their year of bus rides.
   This book brought back the feelings of first love. I adore how Park loves Eleanor, for herself, even though she doesn't seem to love herself. He tries to make her see her beauty especially when she can't. It was beautiful. This would be a fantastic book to take to the beach or on vacation. It's a simple story but it kept me enthralled until the end.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

From the book jacket:

"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school-until now. He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?"

"Here's what I think: the only reason I'm not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way."

 Wonder has an unforgettable cast of characters. It's told mostly from Auggie's viewpoint but other characters narrate too. I liked having the inside track to how Auggie was feeling. I also loved seeing how the other characters saw Auggie. I started this book while eating breakfast, good thing it was a Saturday, I didn't leave my seat until I finished. I felt every up and every down on this funny, sad, magnificent journey with Auggie. He burrowed into my soul very early into the story, and he's still here. This is a book I expect to stay with me, that will be read again and again. It was difficult to chose just one quote from this book. It is full of beautiful snippets of wisdom, that shouldn't need to be said, but unfortunately, they do need to be said, and so I leave you with just one more quote:

"Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed."

I think this book has something to offer everyone regardless of age. I believe it's meant for a younger audience but I never let that stop me.