One of my favorite reads last year was Firekeeper’s Daughter so I was so excited to receive this gifted copy.

16 year old Perry Firekeeper-Birch is the niece of Daunis (Firekeeper’s Daughter) and the fiery counterpart to her twin Pauline. We are back on Sugar Island where the teens are about to start their summer internships. Pauline is beyond excited but Perry would rather just be fishing. As the sisters get involved in their internships, Perry learns about the artifacts and ancestors whose remains have been collected and housed in museums and she is determined to return them to their rightful tribes. But Perry doesn’t do things by the book and doesn’t have the patience to follow protocols that often leave their tribes empty handed.

So she plans a heist. But can she pull it off amidst the recent kidnappings of local tribal women?

This one took a minute for me to get into as I tried to keep track of all the characters and remember a few key characters from the previous novel. You don’t need to read Firekeeper’s Daughter to enjoy this one. Perry is a flawed teen (aren’t they all?) who you will fall in love with as she makes questionable decisions but has a heart of gold. I don’t read YA novels as much as I used to but this one was great and I enjoyed the story and learned more about how challenging it is to preserve the Native American lifestyle here as well as the unfair laws that deprive them of their safety and their heritage.

Thank you to @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for this early review copy.

Another great read by Angeline Boulley! I thoroughly enjoyed this story of Perry and Pauline - the twin nieces of Daunis, the beloved character in "Firekeeper's Daughter". While Daunis does not play a main role in this book, she is woven throughout the story as well as her son and husband and I loved the connection made between their close-knit family.

The main plot follows Perry and Pauline as they spend their summer in an internship program for Native teens. Perry is also working at a local museum where she learns about the Ojibwa Tribe and the realities of what it takes to reclaim and repatriate their ancestral remains and sacred objects from museums and collectors. While I didn't find this book as much of a page-turner as "Firekeeper's Daughter", I was very engaged in the characters. The author's love and pride in her culture and people is very evident and, as a reader, that was my favorite part.

Thank you to Angeline Boulley, NetGalley, and Henry Holt and Co. for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Another informative yet entertaining book by Ms. Boulley. Written with both new and familiar characters Warrior Girl Unearthed delves into ancestral pride and customs while drawing the reader into the native world.
I highly recommend this to people from all walks iof life, from varying geographic areas, and both YA and adults.

3.75 Stars

I adored Firekeeper’s Daughter. ADORED it. So when I got the chance to read this eARC, I couldn’t believe my luck. When I started the novel, I immediately found myself comparing it to Angeline Boulley’s first novel, in part because they take place in the same world—it’s not a sequel, but more like a loose follow-up book? I wasn’t hooked to begin with, even though the storyline about stolen artifacts and Indigenous people’s remains is alarming and important and relevant and Boulley packs in the details and the history. Although I did get totally sucked into the story at about the 70% mark, I ultimately had significant frustrations with it that left me confused and underwhelmed by the time I finished it.

First, the pacing was all over the place. I remember that Firekeeper’s Daughter had a lot of intense action and chaos in the final few chapters, and Boulley mimicked that approach here, but because SO much of the story was building up to that point, the ending felt rushed and like she was trying to tie up approximately 1000 loose ends. She was also juggling multiple side plots throughout that she brought together at the end, but again, in what felt like a very rushed manner.

Second, the character development frustrated me. Perry’s actions made sense for how Boulley developed her as a person, but everyone else? Not so much. The explanations for many characters’ behaviors confused me more than anything, which maybe would not have been the case if Boulley had spent more time with them.

I recognize I’m going to be in the minority of readers with my feelings toward Warrior Girl Unearthed, and I think it’s possible a lot of people won’t have issues with the frustrations I mentioned above. And I do want to say that I learned a great deal from the book, and I’m grateful for that. Overall, though, I just expected so much more from a narrative standpoint.

If you’ve read Warrior Girl Unearthed, what did you think of it?

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always been the laid-back twin and is currently looking forward to what she is calling her “Summer of Slack.” But as the evens of the summer unfold, Perry finds herself caught up in a murder investigation and tensions rise as Indigenous women continue to go missing and a grave robber tries to turn the Anishinaab culture into profit.

The Fire Keepers Daughter firmly solidified Angelline Boulley’s place on my list of auto-buy authors so I jumped at the chance to snag an advanced copy of her new novel! There are so many things I loved about this book!

I loved Perry’s adventurous spirit and love for her tribe and their culture. She is the type of strong female character that you want to stand up and cheer for by the end of the book. The other members of The Misfit Toys were likable and endearing. I also loved getting to see Daunis again. I felt like her story was unfinished in The Fire Keeper’s Daughter and was happy to get that closure from this novel.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is a YA thriller but it is also very informative. It deals with issues of racism, cultural appropriation, and violence against Indigenous women.

The chapters range from short to medium length. The plot has a medium pace with a several twists and reveals. The ending and events leading up to it were not what I saw coming and very unexpected.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is an adventurous and emotional YA thriller that you won’t want to miss!

Another winner from Angeline Boulley, Warrior Girl Unearthed is as educational as it is entertaining. Like Firekeeper's Daughter, this story is set in the Sault Ste. Marie area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, in the Native American Ojibwe community. We meet teenager Perry Firekeeper-Birch right out of the gate and are quickly drawn into her story.

Perry is a bit rudderless at first - her twin sister Pauline is the brilliant, overachiever, while Perry is just waiting for her Summer of Slack. 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. If you read Firekeeper's Daughter, you'll love seeing adult Daunis throughout the story!

During her internship, Perry learns about the federal reclamation laws/acts (NAGPRA) that allow indigenous remains and artifacts to be returned to their native tribe - and how the laws are often skirted or ignored and rarely enforced. When she learns that the "Warrior Girl" remains at a local university have not been returned to her tribe, she begins to her mission to make it happen.

Along the way, she is haunted by the disappearance of several young native girls. And then she stumbles onto the disturbing mystery of a secret vault of remains. Why are they there and for what purpose? Along with her sister and friends, a plot is hatched to return the remains for proper burial.

I have to say I do think I enjoyed Firekeeper's Daughter a bit more than this one. Perry is younger and not as mature, but she is also 16 and you'd expect a few poor decisions. The story didn't have the same dangerous, propulsive feel either. I still thought it was a great story and Boulley's love and admiration for her Ojibwe community and heritage continue to shine.

- WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED is set roughly ten years after the events of FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER, with Daunis' niece as the protagonist. I think you can read this one as a standalone, but certainly more context would be clear to you if you've already read Daunis' story.
- Boulley is so great at writing girls and women who are full of emotions, and their love and rage spills right off the page. And not only are the characters great, but they're set within a tense and compelling mystery built out of real life stories.
- I don't think I've ever read a YA novel (or maybe even adult novel?) that faces the multitude of damages caused by the theft of cultural artifacts and of their repatriation head on like this book. I think it's really going to be eye-opening and perhaps even radicalizing for many readers.

Even though 10 years have passed, the Firekeeper-Birch family still remains strong and united as it follows Perry, one of the twins. Perry’s summer was hoping to be that of slacking and fun, until she falls indebted to her Auntie Daunis, who is not to be messed with.
Daunis gets her into a youth program and she quickly falls into friendship with “Team Misfit Toys” consisting of Erik, Shense, Lucas, and later her sister Pauline. During the summer women are going missing, the town is ‘working on it’ and then Perry learns of artifacts that belong to the families of Sugar Island and more.

How far will you go?

I love the way Perry’s called to action in the same way Daunis had been, something happened and she knew it wasn’t right. Not to stop until every stone is unturned, every angle has been explored. Knowing this was Boulley’s work, I paid much closer detail to details this time, noting when something panned out. I was never expecting the twist!

Characters were deep and beautiful as always, my personal favorite was Shense. It felt like I was talking to my best friend, the way she responded to certain situations and her support for Perry even when it could be dangerous or chaotic.

I always love the way female characters are written by Boulley, strong, brave, and protective. Every time I read Teddy I think of my auntie and how she keeps me safe.

Overall, you need to read this book. Let the words speak from themselves.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch is 16 years old and hoping to have the most laid back summer possible filled with fishing, but finds herself placed as an intern at the tribal museum. At first she wants to quit, but after visiting a nearby college who has ancestral remains and cultural objects affiliated with the Anishinaabe, she's determined to see them repatriated to Sugar Island. Perry gets frustrated with how slow the process takes and decides to plan a heist, despite the fact that it could get her friends and family in trouble. Meanwhile, more and more women are going missing and Perry gets involved with finding them, particularly when her own friend disappears. This book touches on a lot of themes, especially highlighting the stolen history of Indigenous nations and the MMIW movement. Overall, a compelling story about a girl who wants to do right by her family but is figuring out that sometimes you have to consider the means and not just the ends.

4 1/2 stars. Unlike her twin Pauline, Perry Firekeeper-Birch doesn’t have any desire to work over the summer. She just wants to fish off her island and enjoy her break. But after a car accident, Perry is forced to work as a summer intern so she can pay for the damage. She is assigned to work in the tribal museum where she learns how difficult it is to repatriate Native American remains, sacred items, and other items of cultural importance. Perry is angry that the process is slow and cumbersome with museums and universities using legal loopholes to delay repatriation, so she decides to act on her own to obtain remains and items related to her Ojibwe tribe. When her friend becomes one of the missing indigenous women in the area, Perry realizes that there is even more at stake. Her actions have unexpected consequences which endanger the people she cares about, including a cute fellow intern. Like Firekeeper’s Daughter (which is one of my favorite books from 2021), Warrior Girl Unearthed is a fascinating window into the lives of Native Americans. I learned so much about the Ojibwe culture from each book without feeling like the writing is too didactic. Penny is an engaging character - feisty and fearless with a deep love for her family and tribe. My only quibble with Warrior Girl Unearthed is that there are some pacing issues if the book is a thriller, because the first part of the book is slower and reads more like realistic fiction until the action heats up in the middle. That said, I really enjoyed Warrior Girl Unearthed and I will never look at a museum collection of Native American artifacts, or any other artifacts for that matter, in the same way.

My thanks to NetGalley, Libro.fm, and Henry Holt & Co. for an advanced galley and audiobook of this novel.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is the sequel to The Firekeeper's Daughter, and more than lives up to it, once again bringing light to practices that deprive indigenous people of their culture, heritage, and rights.

Perry is an unconventional teen, attending an alterative high school while her twin, Pauline, excels at the high school they both started at. Forced into an internship by her aunt, when she'd rather spend the summer fishing, Perry learns about yet another way laws and common practices strip historical artifacts from indigenous people, with the law supporting them. As part of her internship, Perry seeks ways to return such artifacts to the Ojibwe, her tribe, while discovering that the "how" is as important as the "why". Recommended for high school and adult readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

I loved this standalone novel that takes place in the same tribe as the author's first book. However, if, after reading this book, you're not even a little bit angry about what our country (and not just our country) has done to the indigenous people, then you must be a big believer in the whitewashed history I was fed when I was growing up. Thankfully, my children are growing up in a different world and our schools are making an effort (at least in our state) to give them a much more objective and factual account of how the indigenous people were treated in our country.

Unlike her first book, the main protagonist is a 16-year-old girl who has a great love for her people and her traditions, but she is impulsive and considers rules to be merely suggestions. She rarely takes anything seriously and would much rather go fishing than go to school. Her best friends are her twin sister and a boy they grew up with, Lucas. Her twin sister is her opposite in personality and excels in school and wants to go to college. Because the characters are young, this book had more of a YA feel than the first book, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I feel that in some ways, it makes the book more accessible to younger readers. For example, as Perry learns about the laws and regulations that govern the repatriation of native funerary objects (including the skeletons), we learn alongside her.

I liked that the author demonstrated different styles of repatriation, and as much as Turtle's style frustrated her, Perry was able to learn why he did things the way he did. This was a good lesson not just for Perry but for anyone wanting to become involved in this issue. Also included was the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women, who were at greater risk because of the laws that allowed them to fall through the cracks and be abducted and murdered without repercussion. I don't know what the current laws are, but from the news, I know this is still an issue.

While Daunis was much more peripheral in this story, I loved getting updates about her. The author did a great job of incorporating her past into the current story. I particularly loved Perry's relationship with Daunis' son.

Overall, I loved this story and read it in a single day. I hope the author continues to write stories in this setting so we can get updates on our beloved characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So many of the things that I loved about Firekeeper’s Daughter carried over here: strong, engaging writing; a main character who is so clearly herself in all the complexities that entails; a really deep interest and investment in, knowledge of, and respect for her indigenous culture; and a direct discussion of the ways that people outside of the native community have, regardless of intention, failed in supporting and protecting those within it. I loved reading about Daunis as an adult, and the way Perry’s narration brought in the aspect of being biracial and even touched on anti-Black racism in native communities. I did think that the mystery element kicked off a little slow, the plot got a bit muddled in the last third or so with all the different crimes being brought in, and I would have appreciated a bit of a stronger ending and more examinations of motives and aftermath, but overall it’s a great read read whether or not you already enjoyed Firekeeper’s Daughter.

Another brilliant YA novel from one of my favorite storytellers of our time. Boulley’s books are rich in Ojibwe culture and read like a love letter to the traditions of her people and her land.

Angeline Boulley proves she’s not a one hit wonder with Warrior Girl Unearthed!

The main character is a niece of Daunis Firekeeper. I loved returning to the island, and learning more about the Ojibwe culture. Her writing is educational in an engaging way, while demonstrating a mastery of storytelling.

If you enjoyed Firekeeper’s Daughter, you’ll enjoy Warrior Girl Unearthed. While categorized as a YA novel, it will be enjoyable for YAs and Adults alike.

Another fantastic read from Boulley, who is quicky becoming one of my favourite authors. She has such a gift of crafting a story to make you feel like you're there. I can't wait to read more from her in the hopefully near future!

3.5 stars

After a rave, 5-star review of her Firekeeper’s Daughter, I had high hopes for this follow-up novel. Unfortunately, it didn’t hit the same high notes for me.

I think the #1 issue I had with this book was the pacing. It was a slow, slow burn story with many convoluted storylines and plot points that I found difficult to follow. The main character was also extremely impulsive and, at times, hard to root for. It’s complicated, because while I understood her motivations, her actions often read as childish and immature. I know she was only 16, but some of the decisions she made really grounded me squarely in the “young adult” nature of this book. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not a personal preference.

But, where this book really shines is the conversations around NAGPRA and MMIW. I learned so much and felt the anger and grief that Perry was experiencing for her people throughout the story. I am obsessed with the way Boulley incorporates her deep love of her culture into her books and is so unapologetic about centering Native American experiences. I will continue to read everything she writes, because I just love and appreciate learning from her.

I was thrilled to see that Angeline Boulley had a new YA novel coming out, and when I learned that the main character was the niece of Daunis Firekeeper, the MC of Firekeeper's Daughter, I could hardly contain my excitement! Returning to the UP of Michigan, Warrior Girl Unearthed cements Ms. Boulley in my list of authors I recommend to just about every reader, particularly those who, like me, enjoy reading books that take place in my home state.

Warrior Girl Unearthed, like Firekeeper's Daughter, is as educational as it is entertaining. I finished this book with a greater understanding of Ojibwe culture, especially with respect to honoring the deceased ancestors. While I was not comfortable with some of Perry's 'repatriation' efforts that skirted the law (I would side with Cooper on this one), I could appreciate the strong emotions that were involved, and also her final goal. Layered in with the story is the mysterious disappearance of several young women, which I felt could have been eliminated from the story entirely with little change to the outcome.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is technically a YA book, but will be enjoyed by readers of adult fiction, as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the digital ARC of Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley. The opinions in this review are my own.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch is comfortable with life as it is and eager for a quiet summer spent fishing with her dog, Elvis Jr. Perry’s twin, Pauline, has different summer plans, with an ambitious schedule that centers around college and her internship with the tribal council. Before summer can even start, Perry crashes her car and Aunt Daunis (Yes! THAT Daunis) agrees to repair the car if Perry agrees to join her sister as an intern too. Slowly, Perry’s outlook begins to change as she learns more about her tribe, herself, and how her story is inextricably linked with narratives and laws that affect native people and their history in the United States. Boulley again blends genres, combining a coming of age story (with a touch of romance) with a thriller. Perry’s journey is wrapped around questions of cultural appropriation, the repatriation of human remains and objects that are sacred to native cultures, two-spirit people, and missing indigenous women. The language of Ojibwe is central to the rhythm of Boulley’s writing and by highlighting Perry’s connections to her culture, from the pull that she feels from her ancestor’s baskets to the solace that she finds when fishing, Boulley guides her readers to a better understanding of the culture and values of the Anishinaabe people. Perry’s story takes place ten years after Firekeeper’s Daughter and readers of Firekeeper’s Daughter will be relieved to learn that Daunis’s story get an update here. Slow to get started, yet impossible to put down, I find myself thinking of Perry and her Band of Misfit Toys often. This is a story that will stick with readers long after its mysteries are solved. Like Perry, once we learn about our connections to the injustices of the past and their relevance to our present, we must act.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for an advanced reader copy supplied for review

*special thank you to netgalley, angeline boulley & henry holt books for an ARC of this book inexhcange for an honest review

WOW. Angeline Boulley delivers an amazing story AGAIN. I absolutely loved Firekeepers Daughter. I actually still think about that book to this day. With that being said, I had such high hopes for this one and boy did she deliver. Perry is probably one of my favorite characters I've read (just like Daunis was). She's young, yet so brave & so determined. Not only are the characters great, but so are all of the important lessons. We learn so much about the importance of bringing back ancestorial artifacts and remains and I loved how Perry was willing to go to any length to do just that. I highly recommend reading Firekeeper's Daughter first. While not necessary to the story, it helps you understand the other characters - particularly Daunis. It also gives you a greater understanding of the Ojibwe Tribe.

5 shiny bright starts from me!