This was such an interesting reading experience for me, as although I enjoyed myself decently throughout the first part of this book, I loved the last third of it so much more. The pacing picked up, and the characters became so much more engaging with great payoff. The emotional attachment to this story felt distant at times, but would also suddenly hit so acutely that I would feel near tears. Overall, beautiful writing, engaging storylines, and loveable characters with a very satisfying ending that makes the slower bits so worth it.

In Shane's world some of her Lipan Apache people can raise the ghosts of animals. Shane and her mother share a special connection with their family dogs, calling upon them to help rescue lost people. When Shane's mother doesn't come back from a rescue mission it's up to Shane to find her mother, even if that means journeying outside her own realm.

This beautiful story brings readers back to the world of "Elatsoe" as the story of Ellie's grandmother, Sheine Lende, is revealed. In a world of dreams, monsters, faeries, other worlds and different realms, this captivating story is a fantastic follow-up to Little Badger's best-selling novel.

Absolutely LOVED this one! It's cozy and whimsical while still dealing with real life issues. Elatsoe was fantastic and Sheine Lende is just as fantastic if not more so. I loved being able to dive deeper into this magical world and hope we'll get to revisit it in a third book at some point.

I was a huge fan of Elatsoe and the idea of a prequel sounded great, but I did not expect this book to become one of my favorites from 2024 and to make Darcie Little Badger an auto-buy author of mine.
The book, set decades before Elatsoe, starts with Shane (Ellie's grandmother) and her mother on a mission to look for two local kids that went missing. When her mother also disappears, Shane will do everything in order to find her.

I loved the focus that this book has on friendship and family (just like with Elatsoe) and I also loved to see how the author expanded the world created with the other book and how it perfectly ties with the mystery we're following. The characters are lovely just like in the sequel and it's still great in terms of representation and themes.
About the writing, I loved what Darcie Little Badger does in this book, especially in the second half which truly highlights the main themes of the book in the best way possible. That's going to stick with me for a while.

Even if it's a prequel, you can still read it as a standalone even though I recommend following the pubblication order since it will give you a way better experience in my opinion and honestly Elatsoe is such a great book that it will be a shame to miss it.

(thanks to the publisher levine querido for the e-arc)

3.75 Stars

I really enjoyed this prequel to Elatsoe, where we get to know more about Ellie's family and their story. I am also Apache so I loved reading and learning more about their culture and language.

However, the reason why I am rating it 3.75 stars is because at some parts in the story I was bored and I felt it was dragging a little bit. The last 30% were action-packed and I was locked in. But in the middle, I found myself not being that excited to pick the book back up, because it was a lot of the same happening, which was basically nothing. I don't feel like a lot happened and it felt as if the author had a word count that they had to reach and just plopped in some filler stories and plotlines. Some parts and lines I am a little confused to why it was added it, because it didn't add anything to the story.

But anyways, I did enjoy this book over all. I would say it was a runner up to the favorite books I've read this month, but due to some of the writing my star writing is a bit lower than a 4. I would still recommend you to read this, because I did have a fun time reading this.

Thank you so much to Levine Querido and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

It had been a little while since I had picked up Elotsoe but I was super excited to read this one when I saw it on NetGalley. I adored Elatsoe and I felt the same way when I picked up Sheine Lende.

This was so well written and I adored the characters so much. The plot had me hooked and there was so much nuance and and character dynamics that fully immersed me in the story.

I super recommend this book for anyone! It might be more middle grade but honestly it really is suitable for any age group to enjoy. Definitely a great urban-fantasy-esque read.

Excellent follow-up to Elatsoe...in fact, I may have enjoyed it more just for the experience of returning to the world which is very believable and immersive. I related to the characters and enjoyed their uniqueness. I loved the quest and how the American Indian history was woven throughout.

"Sheine Lende" by Darcie Little Badger is a beautifully crafted tale that intertwines elements of Indigenous culture with contemporary themes of identity and belonging. Little Badger’s writing is both lyrical and engaging, drawing readers into a world rich with tradition and emotion. The protagonist’s journey is relatable and heartfelt, exploring the complexities of navigating personal and cultural challenges. The narrative is infused with a sense of magic and connection to the land, making it a poignant read. Overall, "Sheine Lende" is a compelling exploration of heritage and self-discovery that will resonate with many. A must-read for those seeking meaningful storytelling!

There hasn't been a Darcie Little Badger that didn't work for me, this one is no exception. Little Badger has mastered the art of tugging at your heartstrings in the most bittersweet of ways. The relationships between the characters blend so well with the tension of 'what on earth is about to happen now' as we trudge along, hoping that Shane and her mother return home safely.

I'm going to be honest, I was so nervous towards the end that I would be left heartbroken. I should have more faith in Darcie.

This book is an absolutely incredible fairytale--and a cautionary tale. I had the pleasure of speaking to Darcie about it for Bookpage and it was such a joy to hear about its journey.

I read this as an audiobook after it was released but oh my god!! Darcie Little Badger is 100% a favourite author of mine. This was so good, just like Elatsoe!

Sheine Lende was another great book in this series. While it didn't hook me as much as Elatsoe did, there were still many elements of magical realism that I enjoyed greatly. It was fun to see the similarities between Elatsoe and her grandmother. Overall a great read! I love Darcie Little Badger's writing style.

This was such an incredible prequel, though definitely best read after Elatsoe for the epilogue. I loved Shane’s story, the friendships, the family (including a complex relationship with Grandpa Louie), and the whole themes of helping people and community and the ways an ending is a new beginning. Darcie Little Badger is a truly phenomenal story teller and each book is an elevation of her skill. I kinda hope there’ll be more in the world of Elatsoe because I love this family and their magic, but also can see their stories being complete for the time being. This was excellent, and my only regret is it took me so long to have enough focus for it.

I genuinely just loved this book, and didn’t find anything concrete I could critique. I loved Elatsoe and the fictional world created in that book, and was absolutely hoping for another book set in the same world, so I was incredibly excited when I heard about this book.

4.75 stars rounded up. This prequel to Elatsoe follows Ellie's grandmother Shane as a teenager in the 1970s when she embarks on a quest to rescue her mother and two local children from the underworld. Just like the first book, this one is beautifully written, extremely clever, magical, and captivating. The pace is unhurried but never lags as it weaves together a cast of interesting and well-developed characters and expands upon the magic system and world details that were introduced in the original. It features lovely and nuanced friendships and family relationships, and explores themes related to Lipan Apache history and heritage. The story comes to life from the very first page, and I didn't want to put it down. Its themes are mature enough to interest older teen / young adult readers while still being appropriate and accessible for younger teens. My only issue was that I would have liked the 1970s setting to be a bit more immersive, as it sometimes felt a bit more like the 1980s, but this is a very minor quibble.

If you enjoyed Elatsoe, you are sure to have a great time with this amazing prequel. I loved it.

I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Darcie Little Badger is becoming a favorite. While this is a separate story from Elatsoe, I recommend reading it before this one as this ties in. Ghost dogs, stolen land, mammoths, a girl’s journey—well, of course it makes a great story when this author tells it.

I didn't think it was possible but I think I loved Sheine Lende more than I did Elatsoe and I REALLY loved Elatsoe! Sheine Lende is a prequel (Ellie's grandmother) and I loved all the little references to Elatsoe sprinkled throughout but if you haven't read Elatsoe, you could still read this one first.

Another stellar outing by Darcie Little Badger. I will read everything this woman writes. This one follows Ellie (from Elatsoe)'s grandmother as a young woman and includes strange situations, ghosts, and more Lipan Apache stories. I love Little Badger's characters, especially the animal ones! This time we follow Shane, Ellie's grandma, on a cross-country adventure to find her mother and a missing child. It moves a little more slowly than Elatsoe, but is not at all missing the heart or strong sense of place of the first novel. As always Kinsale Hueston's narration is impeccable. I can't wait to pick up my hard copy to add to my Darcie Little Badger collection.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in return for a fair and honest review.

I was happy to return to the world of Elatsoe. The story follows Shane. I loved her determination and the way she was never exactly overwhelmed by all the turmoil. I think it is a really healthy read for younger teens to have a protagonist like this who is dealing with her mother being missing and keeping a clear head. This does toe the line between YA and Middle Grade. Although the world building is probably too complex for the average middle grade age reader. Overall, it was a nice book and I will be recommending it.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was so good!! I actually think I liked this one even more than Elatsoe (though A Snake Falls to Earth is still my favourite). I loved being back in this world, and learning more about things from Elatsoe, such as why Ellie's grandmother (who's the MC in Sheine Lende) has a ghost mammoth. Also we get to meet another ghost dog!!

Friendships are so important to me in books, and this one had such amazing friendships, both old and new. There is also a big focus on family, and on what's it like being Native American. Shane has such a heartbreaking story. I'm really glad the book has a happy ending though (well as happy as it can be).

Finally, Sheine Lende is a prequel to Elatsoe, but having read both of them I can say that the order they're read in doesn't really matter. I definitely recommend both of them, and I will be reading anything Darcie Little Badger publishes in the future!

Rep: Lipan-Apache MC and SCs, sapphic SCs