Back of Book: 

Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi's hockey team. 

Yet even as Duanis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FMI investigation of a lethal new drug. 

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims. 

Now, as the deceptions—and deaths—keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she's ever known. 

Firekeeper's Daughter is an electrifying thriller layered with rich exploration of the modern Native experience, a reckoning of current and historical injustices, and a powerful celebration of community. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Romance | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I first read "Firekeeper's Daughter" as a personal goal for a college class. Boy, was it one of my favorite books I've ever read for school! Funny enough, I told my teacher how much I loved it and she decided to transition the book into another one of her classes curriculum. And then I had to read it again for another college class. :)

Despite having to read it twice in one year, I loved every part of "Firekeeper's Daughter" by Angeline Boulley. Daunis is a protagonist full of fire who is willing to dive headfirst into any circumstance and never gives up, especially when its to help out her family. Jamie is a great love interest (though my class was convinced that he was just a meat shield), who cares for Daunis immensely. He has many secrets, which makes Jamie a bit suspicious but I loved him anyway.

My favorite thing about Boulley's debut, is how much one can learn about the Ojibwe culture. It dived into tribal enrollment, per capita payments, traditional methods of grieving, and so much more. A major portion of the story was inspired by Boulley's real life, which was cool to hear and made the story that much more authentic.The best part? It didn't feel like reading a history book. All of these elements were woven into the story masterfully, both strengthening the plot and/or Daunis as a character.

"Firekeeper's Daughter" is a thriller/mystery that can be a bit obvious at times, but that didn't take away the joy I had reading the novel. If anything, the predictability in this one made it feel more real because Daunis was having so many doubts about the case she was working on.

Overall, "Firekeeper's Daughter" is a masterful book that I hope to add to my personal collection of books one day. I would recommend it to anyone who loves learning about different cultures, is of Native American descent, or is someone who loves a suspenseful read!

P.S. I cannot wait to get my hands on the standalone add-on "Warrior Girl Unearthed."

Back of Book: 

Perry Firekeeper-Birch was ready for her Summer of Slack but instead, after a fender bender that was entirely not her fault, she’s stuck working to pay back her Auntie Daunis for repairs to the Jeep.

Thankfully she has the other outcasts of the summer program, Team Misfit Toys, and even her twin sister Pauline. Together they ace obstacle courses, plan vigils for missing women in the community, and make sure summer doesn’t feel so lost after all.

But when she attends a meeting at a local university, Perry learns about the “Warrior Girl”, an ancestor whose bones and knife are stored in the museum archives, and everything changes. Perry has to return Warrior Girl to her tribe. Determined to help, she learns all she can about NAGPRA, the federal law that allows tribes to request the return of ancestral remains and sacred items. The university has been using legal loopholes to hold onto Warrior Girl and twelve other Anishinaabe ancestors’ remains, and Perry and the Misfits won’t let it go on any longer.

Using all of their skills and resources, the Misfits realize a heist is the only way to bring back the stolen artifacts and remains for good. But there is more to this repatriation than meets the eye as more women disappear and Pauline’s perfectionism takes a turn for the worse. As secrets and mysteries unfurl, Perry and the Misfits must fight to find a way to make things right—for the ancestors and for their community.

Book Number: Two 

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A thrilling story full of emotion and heart that dives into heavy topics surrounding the mistreatment of Native American's bodies both living and deceased.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always thrived in her identity. She's the carefree twin who is always willing to speak her mind as well as a proud inhabitant of Sugar Island. She knows that she is going to spend her summer spending her time fishing and relaxing with her family. That is, until she crashes her Auntie Daunis' Jeep and is forced to work as an intern at the local museum in order to pay for the damages. Her new employer, Cooper "Kooky" Turtle, introduces her to NAGPRA, the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act. Perry had never stopped to consider how many of her relatives are stuck behind glass across the globe, but now that she knows, her perspective will never be the same. Being the daredevil and troublemaker that she is, Perry comes up with a plan to take some repatriations into her own hands.

I really ended up loving this book. Right away, I couldn't help comparing it to "Firekeeper's Daughter." I love Daunis and Jamie, and the plot of the first one was just so compelling. With a bit of time though, I came to appreciate Perry in her own right and the topics in this book really ended up tugging at my heartstrings. I'd say this is a sequel that stands up to the first one, and the inclusion of characters from the first novel really made reading this book feel like coming home.

I think the thing I liked most about "Warrior Girl Unearthed" was the themes that were touched on. Boulley is super passionate about her people, and you can feel this through the topic matter that is explored. As I alluded to earlier, NAGPRA, or the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act is a huge part of this story. There are so many native remains and burial items that have still yet to be returned to their tribes so that they can be properly reburied. It was hard to read about Perry learning about this tragedy in real time and my heart goes out to all those whose loved ones are being held by museums, private collectors, and grave robbers.

The other way that Boulley tackles how Native American's are mistreated is through investigating the MMIWG2S, or the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. A heartbreaking amount of Native women, girls, and two-spirit people disappear and remain missing often due to the lack of government authorities searching for them. It was eye-opening to read about Perry having to deal with some people she knew personally going missing. Boulley also talks about how IWG2S people are physically abused through rape, sexual grooming, and being fetishized by creepers. These issues are running rampant all over, and I'm so glad that Boulley is using her literary voice to bring awareness to these things.

It is very difficult to read about Native Americans being dehumanized, but it only makes it more important to talk about. There is a point in the book in which I felt like throwing up due to how dehumanizing it got, but I feel that this really highlights how horrible this can get. I read "Firekeeper's Daughter" as a class readalong, and I feel that "Warrior Girl Unearthed" has just as many prevalent things to discuss and I would totally recommend reading it with a buddy, a book club, or even with an entire class.

I talked about a bunch of heavy things, but there are a bunch of great lighthearted things about this book, too. Perry's attitude is phenomenal, which leads to a bunch of chaotic banter with her twin sister, her friends, and even her colleagues. She also has a brilliant mind (though hers is not nearly as scientific as Daunis'), which made it fun to follow her train of thought as she planned her nefarious schemes and tried to string together the mysteries that were occurring throughout this book.

Though I didn't love the romance in this one as much as I did in "Firekeeper's Daughter," I still found it to be a cute element that added to the story. Perry's relationship with Erik is super complicated and felt authentic (though it isn't nearly as messy as Daunis' thing with Jamie; oof). I liked the awkward conversations between the two, and I have hope that something more could develop between the two despite all that goes down in this book.

Overall, "Warrior Girl Unearthed" is a super solid book that really tugged at my heartstrings and made me feel for all of the characters. Boulley conquers some really difficult topics with this one, which I feel makes it perfect for discussion. I think after reading this one, I can say that Boulley is a master at her craft and that I am willing to read any book she decides to write. I would love to see more installments in this fictionalized version of Sugar Island. I cannot recommend these books enough!

Back of Book: 

From the internationally bestselling author of Firekeeper's Daughter comes an explosive story about seeking justice for a past that won't let you go.

Seventeen-year-old Lucy Smith is on the run. Years of hell as an Ojibwe child in foster care have taught her to be smart, cautious. But when the kind-eyed Mr. Jameson tracks her down and shows interest in her case, Lucy begins to wonder if things could be different.

Still, you can’t escape the past, no matter how fast you are. Soon Lucy is under investigation with the police. She knows she can clear her name from the chaos that has followed her everywhere, but saving the people she loves could cost Lucy her life. 

Book Number: Three

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Thriller 

Review: ?