I don't read a ton of YA, but I couldn't resist this book. I really am a sucker for a gorgeous cover, and this one is outrageously beautiful. I'm so glad I read the book.

Things I loved:
1. Daunis was an excellent character, and I kept coming back for more from her. She was irresistible.
2. The community around Daunis. I love stories that include families of different kids- biological, somewhat biological, and people we choose to be in our family. I also love that this book also makes it known that it's okay to have complicated feelings about your family members. It isn't always black and white.
3. The book touches on some real stuff that young people face, and isn't shy about it. Drugs, consent, etc. are all here but it doesn't feel heavy-handed.
4. ALL THE NERDY SCIENCE TALK IT MADE ME SOOOO HAPPY!!! YES TO GIRL NERDS!

One thing I didn't love:
I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a clue early on that was a dead giveaway for me, and I have to admit I kind of saw the ending coming. BUT the journey to get there was so worth it, and there was still.a lot of the "resolution" that I did not see coming, and I thought it was handled pretty realistically, as frustrating as it was.

Would definitely recommend this book!

Daunis, the 18 year old protagonist, has a lot on her plate. While trying to cope and understand the death of her uncle, she witnesses the murder of a dear friend. Now she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation that involves many members of her tight-knit Native community.

This story is such a wild ride! During the exposition you get a lot of background knowledge about the main characters multi-racial origins; this is interesting because you learn a lot about the characters Native and French cultures. Afterwards, you are in for an action-packed mystery, suspense, thriller that will definitely leave you satisfied.

Many of the students at our school, here in Oklahoma, will find the setting and customs of the characters surprisingly familiar. The diversity in this piece is AMAZING as it included bi-racial natives throughout the entire story. I also appreciated how this book covered a whole gamut of issues that specifically effect tribal communities across the nation.

Identity. Family. Intrigue. Author Angeline Boulley brings her characters to life against the beautiful backdrop of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Contemporary coming-of-age mystery focused on the bonds and breaks of community, and what it’s like to be part of two worlds yet also neither. Daunis is hardworking and down to earth, explaining her daily struggle to live up to personal, family, and societal expectations in a way that drew me in despite my aversion to this particular style of POV. It’s funny, heart-warming, heart-breaking, and full of details about modern Native cultures. A word of caution, this story does not shy away from the subjects of death, drugs, assault, or abuse.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC**

It’s a powerful YA thriller set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The twisty ending kept me flipping pages. The thing I loved most was the careful attention to setting and details. There’s so much attention paid to law enforcement, the manufacturing of meth, being a girl ice-hockey player, scientific reasoning, and—my favorite—the ways of the Ojibwe. I loved loved the way Boulley approached that piece. I also appreciated the way this book takes an unflinching look at the treatment of women through the lens of intersectional feminism.

Daunis Fontaine is an 18-year-old half-Anishinaabe woman living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP). Her mother is a rich white woman who fell for an Anishinaabe and got pregnant at 16.

Daunis grows up with one foot in each world. Never quite fitting into either.

After a shocking death, Daunis finds herself part of an undercover FBI investigation trying to find the source of the meth that is hurting her community. She uncovers more than she bargained for.

I loved, loved, loved this book. It realistically portrays Native life and life in Michigan's UP. I loved reading about familiar places and being taken back to the early 2000's.

Full of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations the story is epic, suspenseful, and heartbreaking.

This book is beautifully written and kept me up late several nights because I did not want to put it down.

I admit, the first reason that I picked up this book was the beautiful cover, but that was not the reason that I could not put it down. Firekeeper’s Daughter draws you into Daunis’ world of the Ojibwe community and hockey. Soon, we realize that not everything is as it seems as meth begins to devastate this community.
This book absolutely wrecked me, in a good way. I was wrapped up in Daunis’ world and was blind to what was coming (just like our beloved main character). I cannot wait to see what else this author comes out with!

The cover is stunning. The story is amazing. But, anything I say about this will not share quite what this book does.

This is the story of Daunis, whose father was native, but whose mother was not, and so although she should be part of her people, legally, she is not, because her mother's family left her father's name off her birth certificate.

That is one of her problems. The other is that meth is in her community, and killing people, people close to her.

And then the FBI decide to come in and ask her to help them solve the case.

And what does the name have to do with any of this? Well, she is the daughter of her father, whose last name was Firekeeper, but it is keeper than that. There are legends of the firekeeper's daughter, that as she says, never say her name, the way other stories do.

This whole story plunges you into the Ojibwe life, using words that are only explained in context. But it also hits you with all sorts of white people who want to take advantage of the community.

There are even little people that show up to warn the users of meth against doing bad drugs.

Really, really good. The voice of Daunis is so self aware, it is amazing. There is humor as well as sadness. As well as good advice:<em> Real love honors your spirit. If you need a medicine to create it, that's possession and control, not love.</em>

And while there is a little bit of love interest, it is dealt with well.

<em> Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This book was fantastic. Loved the representation and the strong female lead. You don’t always see this in YA

What I loved about this book was that there are words and phrases from the Ojibwe language embedded in the story. There is no glossary bur you really don't need it to understand their meaning. There are so many facts about the history and culture of the Native people of North America I didn't know. The story is not a happy one. There is a lot of grief and trauma in many different ways in it. But it is an incredibly important story. And it's a story of hope. The characters are really well done as well. They are layered and have depth to them. I loved Daunis: she is brave and smart and loyal.
Firekeepers Daughter is an amazing book I absolutely recommend. In case you are interested, please be aware of several triggers: drug use, addiction, off page rape, abduction, murder, loss of loved ones, injury and racism.

I was blown away by this! It was fantastic! I loved the plot, the thrills were interesting, and the mystery was amazing! It was a really fast paced novel once you got going into the book. I liked the mystery aspect, and I liked that the author really surprised us, and I never even suspected any of it. I was shocked! I loved that about this book! The author did a great job bringing these characters to life, and showcasing a person many people could relate to. I loved that about this book, and I am so interested to see what this author does in the future. I highly recommend you check this book out! It was fantastic, one of the best books I've read this year, alongside being one of my favorites of all time. Highly recommend you read this!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #netgalley. I loved this book so much! One of the best that I've read so far this year (2021). Daunis wants to be a doctor, however, due to her mom being fragile and needed Daunis' help, she puts her future on hold. When she meets Jamie, the new guy on her brother's soccer team, there is an instant attraction. However, when she witnesses a brutal murder, she discovers that Jamie is an undercover cop who is investigating a drug ring on the reservation. Daunis becomes involved with the investigation, and tries to avoid Jamie, however, the attraction is too great. Excellent YA! #ownvoices #FirekeepersDaughter #AngelineBoulley #2021FAV

I loved this book! The influence from the Native American culture was fascinating I look forward to seeing more novels like these in the future.
I loved the main character and the supporting characters, especially the elders! This book has murder, mystery, meth, and family. I recommend this for all teens.

Title: Firekeeper's Daughter
Author: Angeline Boulley
Genre: YA
Rating: 5 out of 5

As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother.

The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, but secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home.

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

This is an incredible book! From the very first page, I was invested in Daunis and her story. The cultural details come to shimmering life on the page, and though I’m unfamiliar with the culture, the details made me feel like part of everything—even the hockey, which is a big part of the storyline. Daunis herself is an extraordinary character: a strong woman surrounded by strong women who frequently have their strength stolen or attacked by men. You should definitely read this!

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan/Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) in exchange for an honest review.)

A recent high-school graduate, Daunis Fountaine thinks she knows what her future holds. College, and an opportunity to move away from the place she’s never seemed to fit in. But the summer changes everything. Her grandmother has a stroke, and Daunis decides to stay home for her freshman year to help her fragile mother and ailing grandmother.

Growing up the illegitimate daughter of a dead Ojibwe hockey star and the ‘whitest girl in town,’ Daunis lives between two worlds. White World, where her parentage marks her as different but her light skin helps her fit in, and Native World, where her skin tone makes her stand out.

To complicate matters, she struggles to keep Real World from clashing with Hockey World. A world inhabited by her half-brother, Levi, and all his friends. When a new hockey player comes to town and joins Levi’s hockey team, the Sault Ste. Marie Superiors, her brother convinces her to act as the new guy’s mentor.

And the new guy intrigues her—even her best friend Lily thinks he’s cool. Jamie seems more mature than the average high school senior, and his skating skills hint at more than he lets on. Despite her vows to stay out of Hockey World, Jamie just might make Daunis change her mind.

When Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, she gets sucked into an FBI investigation of a new and deadly drug wreaking havoc on both sides of the border. Her search for answers leads her into danger she never imagined and makes her question everything she ever thought she knew about her world.

Why I Love This Book

I love tightly-written suspense or crime thriller novels, and Firekeeper’s Daughter fits the bill. But this book isn’t just a crime thriller. It introduces readers to the gritty, heartbreaking reality of growing up an Indigenous woman. Although Daunis looks White, her heart yearns for acceptance from her father’s people, too. Her whiteness will only protect her so much in a society that disdains Native girls and women.

A hockey star in her own right, she’s tough, tender, curious, and smart. You’ll laugh, cry, and hold your breath for chapters at a time as Daunis plays a vital role in a Federal investigation to save the people she loves.

As an educator working with Native American students, I’m thrilled to have this novel with a kick-ass Native protagonist to share with my students. Due to mature themes (murder, birth-control, pre-marital sex, rape), I’ll reserve it for upper-grade students.

This book is emotional, powerful and had me messaging two of my friends (who turned out to be reading this book at the same time) for emotional support.

This book ends in a way that feels sudden, and doesn't wrap everything up with a pretty bow at the end. But it feels real. It feels authentic. I learned a lot when I was reading this book and the narration was INCREDIBLE.

Thank you to Angeline Boulley, Netgalley, Libro.fm for our advanced listening & e-copy of Firekeeper's Daughter in exchange for an honest review📚

Wow, what a gut-punch of a book. Daunis's voice shown throughout this. I loved the mix of scientific and traditional medicinal practices discussed, and the nods to when the book takes place in the early 2000s. There are so few YA books with Native American characters by Native American authors, so I'm glad this one is getting the buzz it deserves.

Daunis is a hockey-loving biracial young woman struggling to fit in with her Ojibwe family and community due to privilege from her French family and the shadow of the scandal of her birth. As she tries to find her path after high school, contending with loss in her family and new romantic feelings for a new hockey player, tragedy strikes. She is soon consumed with a secret investigation, hoping to protect and honor her community and find justice.

There is so much going on in this book, and honestly, I loved it. It felt like a person's life that had a thriller scenario superimposed onto their life. It's visceral and real. I think that the murder mystery component is interesting and essentially provides a reason to step into this story, but at its core this is a book about an Ojibwe community and the struggles that this community faces, from the question of identity and who gets to be part of the community, learning about and reclaiming and celebrating history, language, culture, and religion that was erased, a true sense of community ties and respect of elders, and also vicious and pervasive violence against Indigenous women and the infiltration of drugs.

Not only is this a great mystery and encompassing story, it is also a story that is not often told. I especially loved the choice to use Anishinaabe language throughout. Definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to @macmillanusa and @netgalley for an advanced e-arc!

A wonderful story that I couldn't put down. I can't wait for the Obama's production company to tell this story.

This book was totally immersive, and though I read it on Netgalley and therefore had to deal with the tiny print and uncontrollable brightness of my phone, I still read it in two days once I got started. I don't read that many thrillers but I am glad I tried this one. The characters were enthralling and real, the themes of community and identity belonged to another culture and yet were very relatable, and the plot twisted and turned in ways I found engrossing. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy either thrillers or contemporaries, and it even has a little romance.