📚 Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley 📚

Thank you @henryholtbooks for the eARC on Netgalley. I loved Firekeeper's Daughter and was really excited for this book too.

It did not disappoint! We are back near Sugar Island and Sault Ste. Marie ten years after the events of Firekeeper's Daughter. Daunis' twin nieces are 16 years old and heading into summer. Perry is the one who just wants to have a great summer fishing and hanging out, while her type A twin is all about her internship with tribal council. Events unfold and Perry ends up fully mired in internships as well all summer long, getting a crash course in NAGPRA as well as politics and backstabbing.

I loved Perry's character, as I'll admit to being the type A high school student so it was fun to see the world through different eyes and get her perspective on her over eager sister. 😄

The book is fast-paced, full of interesting characters, some you will remember fondly from the first book, and then zooms to a very wild ending through the final 30% of the book. It seems a touch outrageous but then I reminded myself that it's fiction, YA, and purposefully meant to be a teen detective type thriller!

Definitely recommend!

#WarriorGirlUnearthed

Another excellent story, which features some of the people from Fire Keeper's Daughter. The main character is a bit younger than Daunis was, and is related to her.

The main character has a great growth arc, that is quite believable. The rest of the people portrayed are compelling as well.

A terrific story-line. I think all those who enjoyed the first will definitely enjoy this, but this might bring in younger readers too, perhaps students in middle school.

Angeline Boulley is just amazing. Her writing is beautiful and her stories immersive, I learned so much about the Native Americans in Northern Michigan. Her books have helped change my world view about artifacts and culture and what is right and wrong. I will recommend this book, and her first one, to everyone I know. I could not put this book down.

As with Firekeeper's Daughter, Boulley once again gives us an array of wonderfully fleshed out characters, deftly navigates sensitive topics, and provides a very informational and immersive background into the Ojibwe people of Upper Michigan.

Part of my blog post: In reading Perry’s voice, I had so many moments where I was like “Perry is me and I am Perry” or felt intense “dis me” energy, especially when she would bring up how much she rather be fishing (I’m vegan so clearly I wouldn’t be fishing) because I literally think that all the time about reading (if I didn’t have to adult & work to pay bills and buy books, I would just read all the time). She’s also super funny, lacks a filter and is direct in a way that is refreshing to me (I love a human who is no Bullsh*t, truly). I feel like we don’t get enough direct characters, where they aren’t afraid to mince words or water down who they are to make others more comfortable. Perry is also just as caring as she is calculating, which makes her the perfect person to plan & pull of a heist…yes, you read that right, a HEIST!

“Every war, holy or not, is a battle for control over land and other resources. The winners are due the spoils of war, including gold and silver, people enslaved and trafficked, and the cultural and religious relics of those considered less than human.”

Warrior Girl Unearthed takes place about 10 years after Firekeeper’s Daughter. Perry Firekeeper-Birch loves her life on Sugar Island, living among her Anishinaabe tribe, but her ambitious twin, Pauline, is looking forward to college off the island. Perry was looking forward to a summer of fishing but wrecking her car means she’s forced into the local internship program with Pauline. Perry is assigned to the tribal museum where she learns about the laws dictating how native artifacts and remains are to be returned to their tribes. When she discovers the local university and a private collector have sacred artifacts and remains of her ancestors she plans a heist with her fellow interns. But with local indigenous women going missing and a recent murder, artifacts aren’t the only things at risk of being lost.

I loved Firekeeper’s Daughter and was so excited to read this one, which did not disappoint. Angeline Boulley has an amazing ability to tell a story featuring important issues to the indigenous community with relatable characters and a thrilling plot. I personally learned a lot reading this book. I do wish there was a little more follow up with the previous book, I want to know what happened with all of the characters. There are little bits peppered into this one but I want more. I also feel like the wrap up at the end was a bit rushed, I feel like there are some unanswered questions, even after reading the last chapter twice. The ending is still satisfying and I hope there will be more stories from Sugar Island in the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co, Macmillan Children’s, and the author for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I was a bit nervous this would not live up to Boulley’s previous books. But it was so good. I loved the characters and story line. Being about to enter the mind of this amazing author and the world she created was a blessing.

What I love about Angeline Boulley's book is that every time I jump into one of her stories I feel immersed in the passion that this author has for her people and for her culture.

Warrior Girl unearthed tackles hard but important topics. A large majority of the plot revolves around The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which is the process for federal agencies and museums that receive federal funds to transfer Native American cultural items from their collections (artifacts, human remains, etc) back to Indigenous tribes.

I loved learning about tribal reclamation laws and how important the fight was for the rights of the tribes to lay their ancestors to rest. What is beautiful about this book is how even the youth honor their dead and find value in sacred handmade artifacts. The audio was excellent and I loved hearing the pronunciation correctly for Ojibwemowin language.

There is a bit of a mystery around missing girls a touch of romance and heist within the plot as well.

What didn't work for me is that I felt like this lacked a little bit of polish that the first book had in spades. There were a lot of characters, motives to keep track of and some of those loose ends never got tied up. I also felt disconnected to the romance and felt this book a tad more immature in motive/dialogue than Fire Keepers Daughter. *also just couldn't take the descriptions of dog farts.

That being said. I'm definitely not mad I read this and will continue to read and be educated by Boulleys books in the future.

I DNF’d this title at 23%. I truly loved Boulley’s first novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, so I was over the moon to receive early access to read her newest novel, Warrior Girl Unearthed.

I don’t have any key complaints other than finding Perry’s character development hard to invest in and relate to (also, why’d she get so attached to Warrior Girl so quickly?). I am still giving this book two stars, because I think it could work well for someone with greater investment in the storyline.

This is a story about bringing the warrior girl home.

I loved every page of this book. The protagonists is flawed in the most relatable, human ways. She makes impulsive choices, but they’re driven by a deep sense of anger at injustice… I loved her journey. Plus, if you enjoyed Firekeeper’s Daughter, this isn’t a sequel but does take place in the same world and you get updates about those characters!

Thank you so much @macmillan.audio & @henryholtbooks for the book & audio!

Boulley has welcomed her readers back to Sugar Island and the community that calls this island home. In this sophomore novel, Perry plans to spend her summer vacation lounging on a fishing boat, but finds herself enrolled in the community internship program. Shuttled across a few assignments, Perry and the reader gets to understand the overlapping complexities and barriers to reclaiming culturally significant artifacts and the lengths people on both sides of the argument go to retain when the view as rightfully theirs. The pace lags slightly in the third act, but the mystery heats up and Perry finds herself in real danger, leaving the reader continuing late into the night to reach the shocking climax.

WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley (author of award-winning Firekeeper's Daughter) is an exciting young adult novel which has elements of mystery and romance while also dealing with the serious issues surrounding return of artifacts to indigenous people and their tribes. Main character is Pearl Mary Firekeeper-Birch (call me Perry) who is generally laid back and relaxed, looking forward to a fun summer of fishing between high school years. However, she gets into some scrapes and ends up having to earn money through a local internship program. It's there that she becomes much more attuned to the legal situation involving indigenous artifacts and human remains. Perry has a twin sister, Pauline, a good friend Lucas, and fellow interns, like Erik, a possible boyfriend and Shense, a single Mom. Together, this group plans a heist, believing the ends justify the means. It is one of the lessons which Perry confronts as she and others grow throughout the story. With her rebel spirit, Perry is a brave warrior, but she also rarely hesitates to bend or break rules (e.g., supplying weed gummies or stealing heirloom seeds and traditional baskets because they should belong to the tribe) which will make her appealing (if not a great role model) for teen readers. Boulley, member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, looks beyond questions of repatriation to those involving discrimination and colorism, as well as law enforcement's mixed reaction to missing and murdered indigenous women. WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED received starred reviews from Kirkus ("compellingly readable .... a nuanced exploration of critical issues of cultural integrity"), Publishers Weekly ("a thrilling and empowering read"), and School Library Journal. Highly recommended.

If you asked me in 2021 for a book recommendation, chances are I would have told you all about Firekeeper's Daughter, which I still recommend as often as I can.

But with the release of her latest YA thriller, Angeline Boulley has given us another gift. And it is just as amazing.

From the publisher: "Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is - the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won't ever take her far from home, and she wouldn't have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.

In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot - will not - stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever."

With a continued focus on the right of Indigenous people both in the past and in the present, with it's powerful spotlight on the indifference so many have when yet another Indigenous woman goes missing, and with its emphasis on power, leadership, and community - this newest book is a must add to your collection, lit circles, and discussions.

Sure to suck even the most reluctant reader into its pages and leave us asking questions, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Angeline Boulley did it again! Warrior Girl Unearthed is a masterfully written story following Perry Firekeeper Birch, an impulsive and spirited 16-year-old indigenous woman of the Ojibwe community. Perry plans to spend the summer fishing, but her plans quickly change when she is in a car accident racking up a hefty mechanic bill. She is forced to join her Tribe’s summer internship program and ends up working at the Cultural Center Museum. Despite her initial disappointment, Perry learns about the Native Americans Protection and Repatriation Act and becomes determined to return her ancestors to their people. While planning a heist with other intern friends, the “Misfit Toys”, young Native women keep disappearing within the community. When one of Perry’s friends unexpectedly goes missing, she begins to fear the worst.

I went into this book knowing I would love it, and I was not disappointed. Boulley artfully incorporates important messages into a work of fiction. She exposes the reader to the injustices indigenous people continue to experience with their stolen history, the crimes against women, and the tedious process of reclaiming artifacts and remains of their people. Our main character, Perry, is a fiery teen that is in the midst of forging her own path while being forcefully passionate about her community and their traditions. She is a relatable character for many, a little misunderstood, a little bit of a troublemaker, but full of love and compassion for the people she holds close. Warrior Girl Unearthed is a standalone novel, but I recommend reading Firekeeper’s Daughter first to be able to enjoy some updates on characters you would be previously introduced to.

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this amazing book!

For a sophomore novel, this one did not disappoint. I did not love Warrior Girl Unearthed as much as Firekeepers' Daughter but it was an easy 4 star read for me. Warrior Girl Unearthed is set in the same universe as Firekeepers' and is about ten years later. We follow Perry who crashes her car right at the beginning of the novel, and her aunt, Daunis, (yes that Daunis), pays for it, while making Perry intern with other indigenous kids for the summer.

Initially, Perry is placed in a museum, where she learns about repatriation of their ancestors. As the plot unfolds, she moves around to various tribal entities but everything all comes down to repatriation of ancestors back to the tribe. I loved the educational component of this novel, as it should come as a shock to no one that much of Indigenous culture and history has been erased and not a focus in a typical Western education. Perry and her friends, embark on a heist to reclaim their ancestors. How Angeline Boulley writes such captivating novels, while packing emotional depth and education in a book has now blown me away twice. Definitely recommend and will encourage many to read this summer!

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanusa for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch is a bit of a rebel and a bit misunderstood. To payback the cost of fixing the car she shares with her twin sister, Perry is assigned to work an internship with Cooper Turtle, the curator of the local museum. He encourages her to learn about the reparation of tribal artifacts from universities and museums. In her mission to recover artifacts in her own way, she starts to uncover clues to help find missing Indigenous women.

I loved Firekeeper’s Daughter by @angelineboulley, so I knew I had to read her latest book Warrior Girl Unearthed. I just love how Boulley writes and the way she tells a story. She weaves together cultural history with modern day issues to make her YA novels relevant and informative.

5 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #macmillanusa #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #warriorgirlunearthed #angelineboulley

Angeline Boulley’s debut novel Firekeeper’s Daughter was my favorite book of 2021, so I absolutely could not wait to jump into another book featuring the Firekeeper family of Sugar Island, this time set in 2014. The protagonist of Firekeeper’s Daughter, Daunis Fontaine, has a smaller role in this novel, as her cousin Perry Firekeeper-Birch takes center stage in a tale of repatriation, heists and, ultimately, murder.

Perry is used to being known as the bad twin, in contrast with her sister Pauline’s usual labels of “smart” and “nice.” While the academically-focused Pauline is excited about padding her resume for college with a summer internship in the local Kinomaage program, Perry is looking forward to a summer of fishing and relaxing before knuckling under for another year at her alternative high school. A vehicular accident puts paid to this projected Summer Of Slack, as Perry’s livid Aunt Daunis signs Perry up for the last open internship spot so that Perry can earn money to repay her for car repairs.

Unlike her twin, Perry isn’t much of a book learner. While she respects her sister’s accomplishments, she also believes in honing her less mainstream skills, as she explains to her young cousin Waab:

QUOTE
[“]The water, wind, trees, birds, critters…they all speak if you pay attention. They leave clues for you to figure out.”

“Does Auntie Pauline listen too?”

“She listens, but she doesn’t hear everything,” I say.

“But she reads more books than you,” he points out.

I’m known for saying exactly what’s on my mind. But when I’m talking with my little cousin, I choose my words carefully. He’s a deep thinker, and I don’t want to warp him.

“Waab, books are wonderful. But so is learning directly from Gichimanidoo. Creator gave us helpers to teach us things even before books were invented. We learned from stories told from person to person. And we learned that we are helpers too. We are connected to every single creature, tree, and river.[“]
END QUOTE

As such, Perry is hoping for an outdoorsy assignment so she can at least have some semblance of her dream summer while interning. Her hopes are dashed when she’s assigned to the museum part of the Sugar Island Learning Center instead. It doesn’t help that her mentor is “Kooky” Cooper Turtle, whose eccentric nature is well known in their community. He has her doing so much manual labor indoors – polishing, dusting, vacuuming – that she becomes desperate enough to beg for a transfer to any other department. But when he brings her along with him to a meeting with the trustees of Mackinac State College – Pauline’s safety school and the local institution of higher learning – Perry discovers things that change her view of the museum’s work forever.

Mackinac State possesses a large collection of Indian artifacts, including the bones of many of the people once buried on the island. Perry is appalled and infuriated at this desecration of her ancestors’ remains, which are kept in display boxes at best instead of being allowed to rest in the earth as they should be. Cooper has been trying for some time to get the college to return the skeletons, including one known as Warrior Girl, so that their Ojibwe tribe may rebury them in accordance with their religion and traditions. While his efforts have been helped by federal legislation, the college has been dragging its feet about properly identifying and authenticating its inventory. After all, if there’s no official “proof” that the remains belong to a particular tribe, then they can’t be claimed by any tribe.

At first, Perry is happy to try things Cooper’s way. But as the levels of disrespect and stonewalling continue to rise, Perry decides to take matters into her own hands. With a group of other independently-minded interns, she begins to mastermind a heist to forcibly repatriate stolen remains. When murder enters the mix, however, will she be able to honor the dead while also protecting the lives of her nearest and dearest?

I loved this smart, moving Young Adult thriller that doesn’t hesitate to turn its critical eye on anyone acting foolishly in relation to American Indian rights and responsibilities. Ms Boulley has a gift for cutting through the noise and focusing on what’s important, thereby getting readers unfamiliar with the topics she raises to understand where she’s coming from. I hadn’t really understood or even thought about the repatriation movement myself until I read this book. Now I’m fully on board. She also clarifies her stance on a topic brought up in this novel’s predecessor concerning who gets to belong, via this description of a Tribal Council sponsored picnic:

QUOTE
[T]he picnic is just for tribal citizens and registered guests, mostly family members who aren’t enrolled citizens.

There used to be different colored wristbands for guests, until a council member said their unenrolled grandchildren were made to feel like freeloaders. Granny June says we just gotta wait until there’s enough council members with unenrolled relatives, and then Tribal Council will vote to lower the blood-quantum requirement. Pops says only three things still have pedigrees: dogs, horses, and Indians. His tribe avoids all that by using lineal descendancy, which still involves a family tree but without any colonizer blood-quantum nonsense.
END QUOTE

Ms Boulley does a wonderful job of reminding readers both that American Indians are not a monolith, and that their issues are very much issues other citizens of the United States should care about and work on with them together. Her fiction is always enlightening and entertaining, making for some of the best contemporary novels out there. Each book feels like a gift to us readers, and I’m eagerly looking forward to more.

This was one of my most anticipated releases this year. It unfortunately fell a bit short for me. The storyline was confusing at times, I was getting the characters confused multiple times. The references back to Daunis’s story also made me feel like I was missing aspects for the book I read two years ago. It was still great. It was still such a great insight into the Indigenous community and the hardships and unfair practices they still face to this day.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

400 Pages
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Henry Hold and Co. (BYR)
Release Date: May 9, 2023

Fiction, Multicultural, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Indigenous People, Teens, Young Adult

Perry Firekeeper-Birch is a twin to Pauline. Where Pauline is academic and outgoing, Perry is the complete opposite. She wants to be with the land and is known to be the best at fishing. She even kisses the worms. She was planning to have a slack summer but after a close call with a bear and the Jeep, she is the latest summer intern. Her assignment is working with Cooper Turtle, the curator of the local museum. He wants her to learn about reparation of Tribal artifacts and the laws involved. She does something to lose his trust and is reassigned to the Tribal Council. Now she is working with the MMIW (Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women) database to help find the women.

The book has a fast pace, the characters re developed and it is written first person point of view. The information about the MMIW is well researched. The statistics are staggering and needs to be addressed by the government. Things certainly need to be done to correct this miscarriage of justice. If you are interested in First Nation / Indigenous people, with a mysterious twist, you will enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC in exchange for review.

Firekeepers Daughter is one of my favorite books of all time. I hesitated with Boulley's 2nd novel because I knew it couldn't be as good as the first. I'm happy to say I was SO WRONG.

Perry is a bit of a rebel. When she's pulled in to do a summer intern program, she's not all that excited. Until she sees museum collectors and universities with her ancestors - ancestors that are sacred and supposed to be with their people. Why doesn't her tribe have rights to these ancestors? And who committed the murder that Perry stumbled upon.

I adored this book and recommend wholeheartedly for grades 9+