(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Graphic—meaning illustrated, not explicit—memoirs are all the rage at my daughter's elementary school.  She's not a big reader, but she does get really into these comic book-ish volumes, as do hordes of her classmates.  A raging Raina Telgemeier fan, she's already devoured that author's middle grade offerings, so she decided to give The Dumbest Idea Ever! by cartoonist Jimmy Gownley a try.  So into the book was my girl that I had to tell her—repeatedly—to put it down so that she could eat dinner, do her homework, and go to sleep at a decent hour.  While I didn't find myself quite as enraptured by it, I still very much enjoyed Gownley's story about how he found his true calling in life.

Gownley's tale starts in junior high with him trying to convince the nuns at his Catholic school that his beloved comic books are legitimate reading material.  Largely unsuccessful, he nonetheless continues with his own quest to become a comic book writer/artist.  He'd rather draw than do almost anything else, but he can't seem to come up with an original story idea that everyone likes.  In the meantime, he's struggling with his grades, his friends, and getting girls to notice him.  When a friend suggests a radical idea that just might change everything, Gownley decides to take a chance.  As he experiences the ups and downs of pursuing a dream not everyone understands, he comes to understand the power of perseverance and of being true to oneself in the face of doubt, rejection, and fear.

The Dumbest Idea Ever! offers a funny, engaging story with colorful illustrations that make it come alive.  It's an encouraging, empowering tale that teaches valuable lessons about not giving up in spite of repeated failures and staying humble in spite of success.  Misunderstood artists and reluctant readers will especially appreciate this book, but really, it's the kind of read anyone can pick up and enjoy.  My 9-year-old gives it two thumbs way up! 

(Readalikes:  I'm guessing Gownley's Amelia Rules! series is similar, although I haven't read it.  I'm also reminded of books by Rainia Telgemeier; Real Friends by Shannon Hale; and Janet Tashjian's [fictional] Cartoonist series)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

To the FTC, with love:  I borrowed a copy of The Dumbest Idea Ever! from my daughter's elementary school library as part of my volunteer work with the school's reading program.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Shuffled from place to place as a foster kid, Sloan never felt at home anywhere—until she met the Krauses.  When she married Mac fifteen years ago, his parents and brother welcomed her with open arms into their lives, their family, and their beer-making business.  As one of the few who "has the nose" for beer, she's made a name for herself as the first female brewmaster in the region.  Her ingenuity is partly responsible for the continuing success of the Krause's renowned brewery in Leavenworth, Washington. 

When Sloan finds Mac in a compromising position with a young barmaid, she's furious and hurt.  Although she's pretty sure her marriage is over, she can't stand the thought of any awkwardness between her and her loving adopted family.  To create some distance, Sloan takes a job at Nitro, a hip nano-brewery that's just opened up in town.  Its owner, a handsome software engineer from Seattle, is thrilled to have Sloan's help, but it's not long before the pub's successful start turns sour.  Sloan discovers the dead body of a rival brewmaster floating in Nitro's fermenting tank.  Temperamental Eddie Deluga wouldn't have won any popularity contests in Leavenworth, but who hated him enough to kill him?  The police suspect Mac.  Sloan's still raging over her husband's betrayal, but she knows he's not a killer.  To clear his name, she'll have to find the real murderer.  With no end of possible suspects—including her new boss—it won't be an easy job.

I'm not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but when I need a break from dark, gory police procedurals, I often find myself hunting for a lighter, less depressing alternative.  Someone mentioned Ellie Alexander as a possibility, so I picked up Death on Tap, the first installment in her new cozy series.  The jacket art spoke right to my PNW-loving soul and, indeed, the setting is probably my favorite part of Death on Tap.  Alexander does an admirable job of bringing Leavenworth to life in all its quaint, charming glory.  She also seems very knowledgeable about the beer business, of which I know absolutely zilch.  I found the details fascinating.  Unfortunately, the main characters—Sloan, Mac, Garrett, etc.—aren't nearly as developed.  Without a lot of personality, most of them are likable but not memorable.  The plot of Death on Tap is fairly straightforward, with a killer who's pretty obvious from the get-go.  Still, this is a quick, enjoyable read.  It's just not as well executed as I wanted it to be.  I'll continue reading the series because it's clean, fun, and atmospheric, but I really hope it gets better as it goes.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of books by Joanne Fluke, M.C. Beaton, and Karen MacInerney)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, and brief/mild language and innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When Ruairidh Macfarlane proposes investing in a small, Hebridean tweed company, his wife balks.  Niamh has business and marketing experience, but still, sinking their life's savings into her husband's dream seems more than a little risky.  Still, the duo manage to make a successful go of it.  When their unique version of Harris tweed catches the attention of some bigwigs in the fashion industry, it seems like everything's finally coming up roses.

Although the business is taking off, Niamh's relationship with her childhood friend turned husband, has gotten a bit rocky.  While on an important business trip in Paris, she accuses Ruairidh of having an affair with Irina Vetrov, a married fashion designer.  Furious, he stomps out of their hotel room.  Moments later, Niamh spies him climbing into Irina's car.  Minutes after that, the vehicle explodes, killing Ruairdh and Irina instantly.  A shocked Niamh soon finds herself the prime suspect in her husband's murder.  Even when she's released and allowed to return to Scotland, she's hounded by police and regarded with suspicion.

While Niamh grapples to come to terms with her husband's violent death, she also searches for answers.  The more she discovers, the more she begins to suspect that the reason for Ruairdh's murder has more to do with local politics than international ones.  When someone makes an attempt on her life, she knows the killer isn't satisfied yet ...

I'm a big fan of Peter May's thrillers, especially those that take place in the moody, broody Hebrides.  May has a keen way of making the locale come alive for me in all its stark, striking glory.  His newest, I'll Keep You Safe, is set mostly off-island, which might explain why I didn't love it as much as some of his others.  Like a true Hebridean, I'm leery of outlanders and prefer an all-local cast.  This novel also seems more graphic to me.  May uses a different format for this novel, which provides an interesting contrast.  Still and all, I'll Keep You Safe remains a tense page turner that kept me riveted from start to finish.  I saw the killer coming, but a couple of the story's twists did catch me by surprise.  So, while this isn't my favorite of May's, I'll still read anything of his, especially if it's set in the always-fascinating Hebrides.

(Readalikes:  Other Hebridean thrillers by Peter May; also books by Ann Cleeves)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, depictions of illegal drug use, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of I'll Keep You Safe from the generous folks at Quercus.  Thank you!