I was very interested in Looking for Smoke, as it doesn't shy away from the topic of MMIW2SQ+, which is garnering more attention in mainstream media right now. This is an Indigenous writer, writing a novel with strong Indigenous themes.

Though the missing girl, and then the murder, are main beats within the plot, it doesn't fall into the trap of just being a trauma story. It does explore grief and seeking closure, but I would consider it more reflective than wholely tragic.

I started this for the mystery and the awareness around Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women but I stayed for the characters and their relationships.

This is a strong debut - well written, characters I love, a compelling mystery. I liked that we had so many POV that really balanced out the story - gave us all the sides and kept me, the reader, wondering how this would all conclude.

I loved how they worked together, were torn apart, some were distrustful but then leaned on some of the longer relationships and connections they had. I loved the feel of community but also of the isolation of that community, the way the police and others weren't really helping or willing to listen.

The audiobook with multiple narrators really pulled me in and the well-written plot kept me guessing until the end. I'm so glad I gave this one a try, it was so good!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

One is missing and another is murdered. The only clues lie among a group of friends and an outsider who start to turn on each other as each of their secrets get revealed.

I freaking love this story. Now, I’m not a fan of the origin of this story because it is based in truth. A fact that is not talked about enough. Investigated enough. Or had enough outrage made because more isn’t being done. This is why, for me, Looking for Smoke is so impactful.

K.A. Cobell brings her heritage and memories to Mara’s character and the rest of the book. I learned more about the Blackfeet people in this one story than I have in any other Blackfeet book I have read. I love how history, tradition, and family is embedded in this tale. Heritage breathes as a secondary character as much as the rest of the cast.

The mystery is good. There are so many twists and turns. I will say I guessed who killed someone before it was revealed. I think that’s just because of how the story was playing out. I did not see Mara rising to the fore and friend code when the story began. Go Mara.

There are also other deeper issues dealt with when the secrets are revealed. Cobell brings real-life and the struggles that a lot of families have as well as young adults. I nodded my head a lot because I could so relate.

I love this story. Looking for Smoke is a page-turner that will keep you guessing.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the advance copy of this book! I really enjoyed it!

This was a fantastic mystery and look into a very important issue. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women need to be covered more in the media and my hope is that with books like this, reader's eyes can be opened and justice can be brought to the victims and their families.

It's rare for me to find a mystery or thriller that really engages me and makes me try to solve it along with the main characters. This book did that. I read it in one day and could not put it down. The characters are compelling, as are their emotions and relationships. The only thing I didn't love about it was all the POV switches. I understand why they were necessary but it did throw me at times.

This was a very engaging mystery. The pace was good, I liked the characters (especially Eli First Kill), I kept changing my mind about what the end result would be, and it shared important cultural messages. I didn’t LOVE the ending, so I could only give it 4.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of Looking for Smoke.

Mara is an outsider on the Blackfeet reservation, despite being Blackfeet herself. She didn’t grow up there, she’s not like them, she doesn’t get *it* according to her peers that did grow up there. But when she is included in a giveaway to honor an acquaintance’s missing sister, she thinks she may be starting to fit in. However, bigger issues arise when one of the girls from the giveaway is found murdered.

Being the last ones to see Samantha White Tail alive, everyone who was included in the giveaway is now under scrutiny. What’s worse, everyone involved has a history with Samantha that could pin the motive on them.

This was a heavy read. The themes are deep and complicated, and whether you can directly relate or not, there are moments that most people can take from this story and apply to their own experiences. Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin, imposter syndrome, addiction, and missing persons issues are some difficult topics you can expect to find.

It’s rare that I read a YA novel and actually enjoy every character. Mara had all of the normal teenage angst and emotions that I typically find annoying in books but with her, I just didn’t. I felt myself empathizing with her through everything and really enjoyed taking the journey with her.

I truly can’t wait to see what else K.A. Cobell comes up with after this. An incredibly strong debut that can resonate with a variety of readers and open their eyes to things they may have been previously unaware of.


*MMIW is a great resource to learn more about the missing and murdered indigenous women in the US and Canada. There are also tons of podcasts that discuss some of these cases. I encourage people to look into this important, yet very overlooked, topic.

**3.5 Stars**
This was an interesting read with some important messages about missing girls always needing a voice. I will admit that the ending of the book was a big surprise and I appreciated the twist. Overall this was a very emotional, angsty YA mystery about a missing girl who should never have been overlooked

Looking for Smoke is a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking novel that will appeal to readers interested in stories of personal growth, cultural identity, and the emotional depth of family dynamics. K.A. Cobell’s debut is a compelling and moving work, and it establishes her as an author to watch in the years to come. Highly recommended for anyone interested in narratives that bridge the personal with the cultural, and the traditional with the contemporary.

However, while Looking for Smoke is an emotionally rich novel, some readers may find the pacing a bit slow at times. The introspective nature of the story, combined with the novel's occasional shifts in perspective, might challenge readers who prefer a faster-moving plot. That said, the slower pace allows for a deeper, more reflective exploration of the themes at play and a more intimate connection with the characters. I would recommend it for fans of There There by Tommy Orange or Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Heartdrum for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I did enjoy this book, but it did feel a little slow to me. I still would recommend this book.

This book was an immersive experience into indigenous culture on a Blackfeet Nation reservation during an Indian Days celebration, while a close-knit community is dealing with the loss of missing and murdered indigenous women. The timely book expresses current concerns through the lens of a high school friend group struggling to figure out their places in their native culture, in their community and their futures as they deal with drug addiction, poverty, abandonment, hopelessness, betrayals, and grief. The friend group reminds me of the teens in the TV series Reservation Dogs (which I absolutely LOVED!), but without the humor. They test each other, challenge their circumstances and eventually come together to support each other and their community. The book is beautifully descriptive, heartbreaking and hopeful. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading future works by this author.

This YA mystery/thriller was very engaging. Though definitely written in a YA style that would make it very accessible to younger readers, I still enjoyed it a lot as an adult reader. It takes place on a Blackfeet reservation in Montana and initially focuses on bi-cultural teen Mara, who has recently moved to the reservation and is trying to find a place to belong. At the beginning of the book, a young Native woman, Rayanne, is missing. Her family has a traditional giveaway at a pow wow to honor her, and Mara and several other people are included. As the book progresses, more tragedy strikes, and everyone seems to qualify as a suspect, including each of the giveaway recipients. Despite an escalating situation, Rayanne's family feels like law enforcement is not doing enough to solve her disappearance and other crimes that have occurred. As Mara, Rayanne's sister Loren, and other classmates try to find answers on their own, they get too close to the truth and put themselves in danger. The journey to the resolution has lots of twists and turns and kept me guessing, which was a definite plus. I know it's somewhat common for a thriller to end with a confession monologue, as this one did, but I don't love that device- so that was a negative for me. I appreciate the author's impactful way of bringing attention to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, which unquestionably needs more recognition and resources. I really enjoyed the rich cultural representation. Reading this book during National Native American Heritage Month made it even more special. I'd love to see more books by Native authors with similar cultural aspects included in the story - it's really welcome and impactful. Thanks to NetGalley and Heartdrum Publishing for an e-arc.

3.75 stars out of 5

This pulled me in and was an easy read. I was interested in the mystery; however, I easily guessed part of the mystery from almost the beginning of the book. It also felt like they just kept throwing everyone around as suspects.

The author shone a light on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement through podcast excerpts in the book and the book’s mystery that the friend group tries to solve. The police investigation and a lot of the character actions felt unrealistic and crazy. More of the author’s focus seems to have been spent on character growth and the portrayal of life on the reservation, which I found interesting.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend to someone wanting to read a YA mystery and willing to overlook some issues with the story line.

I was so excited for this one - it feels like novels regarding the MMIW issues are few and far between. Unfortunately, this one just fell flat for me. There were some great descriptors regarding the culture but the overlying storyline of the missing girls just wasn’t great.

Reese's choices are always really strong so I was looking forward to this one and it delivered! tysm for the arc, 4 stars.

So so good. Going into this one and knowing that one of the main four POVs could be the killer, I didn’t expect one of them to be the killer. The romance owner was sweet and loved how the characters and community came together in the end.

The last chapter also had me open-mouthed in shock.

A gripping story of a group of four teens trying to solve two mysteries, the disappearance of Loren's sister and the murder of Samantha. As they each become the focus of the investigation, secrets come out as they try to clear their names and ultimately find out what happened to their friends. Overall, an emotional story as each of the teens is dealing with their own family situations and their pursuit for the truth leads them close to home. Although this is a work of fiction, it raises awareness for the very real crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Looking for Smoke by K. A. Cobell is a gripping and atmospheric mystery that delves into themes of loss, survival, and secrets buried in a small town. The story follows the protagonist’s search for truth after a loved one disappears, leading them into a world of unexpected dangers and revelations. Cobell’s writing is tense and evocative, keeping readers on edge as the mystery unfolds. With its sharp character work and suspenseful plot, this is a must-read for fans of emotionally charged thrillers.

This was absolutely incredible! I felt connected to this one because it was set in my home state. MMIW is an important topic and I found the author did an amazing job of centering this in the story while also creating well developed characters.