Flamer

 Flamer by Mike Curato, 366 pages.

I read this frequently banned graphic novel for banned books weeks, and have been extremely slow getting around to actually writing about it. Which wasn't a problem, because Byron wrote his review in a timely manner and I completely agree with pretty much everything he said! The graphic novel was sometimes a little crude for me (it seems boy scout camp has a very different atmosphere than girl scout camp), but I overall found it to be an extremely powerful story. I especially found Curato's use of bright pops of fiery color to be very effective. This is a powerful story of feeling othered in adolescence, and I definitely think it could do plenty of young people a lot of good.

Avery Colt is a Snake, a Thief, a Liar

 Avery Colt is a Snake, a Thief, a Liar by Ron A. Austin, 172 pages.

This semi-autobiographical collection of short stories is actually by a local author, and they all take place in North St. Louis. The collection follows young Avery Colt from when he's a kid afraid to kill a possum in his house through his teen years. Most of the stories are about his family, who are often both strict and dysfunctional. 

It is always extremely interesting to read a book set in places I'm very familiar with, so that itself makes this book interesting, especially because it is so deeply rooted in a sense of place. The prose sometimes felt a little bit elaborate, but woven throughout was some very visceral descriptions. I will also say that I had a hard time guessing what the intended age range of the audience was. I am glad I finally got around to reading this interesting collection.

Kinsey and Me: Stories

Kinsey and Me: Stories by Sue Grafton (2013) 280 pages

Kinsey and Me: Stories is split between short stories featuring Grafton's detective Kinsey Millhone (a person that Grafton says she might have been if she hadn't married young or had children) and short stories about Kit Blue (a person she calls a younger version of herself). The Kit Blue stories were written in the decade following her mother's death.

The Kinsey Millhone stories are crisp and sometimes great fun‒they include a story Grafton wrote for a Lands' End catalog contest. In the story, Kinsey wears a Lands' End Squall Parka (with a temp rating of -10/-30℉) as she tails suspected killers.

The intro to the second half of the book, and the Kit Blue stories which comprise it, are the dessert, though. The tales make up an often, but not always, heart-squeezing look into Grafton's early years, providing a window into her life with alcoholic parents. I felt trusted as a reader invited to look inside as Grafton processes the lives of her parents and herself.