I finished reading LOOKING FOR SMOKE at least a month ago, if not more. It has stayed with me; in fact, I probably think about it every day. Author K.A. Cobell does an exquisite job of mixing mystery, unreliable narrators, love, community, and emotion. LOOKING FOR SMOKE does not seem like a debut novel at all--from page one, I knew I was in a confident writer's hands and I was impressed by the lyrical writing as well as the well developed characters. I was especially taken by the distinctive voices of the four characters--Loren, Mara, Brody, and Eli. They all had specific ways of viewing and interpreting their world as well as their own actions. I was invested in the story throughout and found myself holding out hope for several things even though I had a feeling things might not go the way I wanted.

The most moving section and the images that still haunt me are Loren's jingle dance as she is surrounded by the headlights of her friends' and family's cars. This is the only book of 2024 that's made me cry, which is one of the (many!) reasons I'm declaring this one of my favorite books of 2024, period.

This is a poignant story revolving around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the Indigenous experience (in this case, Blackfeet) as a whole. While it's not all encompassing - experiences will vary, and the story itself is fictional - I felt like it highlighted the crisis in an important and respectful way.

I also felt highly immersed in the "Indian Days" festival and the experiences each of the teens have living on the reservation.

I loved the story from the mystery and the twists to the sense of connection and sense of self. However, I found four points-of-view to be a bit much to manage at times, five if you include the "unknown" and podcast sections. For me, it caused some confusion, information overlapping that led to lagging, and pacing issues in a few spots.

Overall, I highly recommend. This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2024.

CWs: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), drug addiction, death, death of an animal, violence

This book was incredibly written. The topic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) was handled really well, and the author did an excellent job of conveying the characters emotions.
The story is told through 4 first-person POVs, Mara, Brody, Loren, and Eli, along with an occasional Unknown POV. I liked the mystery of the unknown POV and the inclusion of the podcast during those pages. The other 4 POVs switched seemingly at random, but it worked really well. I didn’t have any trouble keeping the characters straight, and I liked the time being included to help figure out when things were happening.
I thought the 4 characters were well written, and they were interesting and flawed. Loren is already struggling with the disappearance of her sister when her best friend is found murdered. Her rage at the world was understandable, and her drive to find the truth about Rayanne and Samantha was pushed by her own fears for herself and the girls and women around her. Eli was my favourite, and I liked how he had his walls up but he allowed himself to be vulnerable in certain situations. He was stubborn, but also loyal and his love for his sister was amazing. Brody’s loyalty to his brother was admirable, but he annoyed me at times with his jokes. He was a good character to contrast with the heaviness that Eli and Loren carried around. Mara was fantastic, and as an outsider to this friend group she saw things that the others missed in some of the dynamics.
I thought the pacing was really good, and the story was balanced really well. There were lots of moments of sadness and grief, but also moments of joy, culture, love and laughter. I flew through it and didn’t want to put it down. Overall I thought it was an amazing story, and it’s one that will stick with me for a while.

4.5 stars, rounded up
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What. A. DEBUT. Looking for Smoke is a YA thriller that incorporates the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis. Tagged for fans of Angeline Boulley, I had a feeling I would enjoy this one and I was not disappointed.

The concept of the book was really good and the execution was even better. Across four POVs, we follow the connected murders of two indigenous girls and the race to find their killer. This plot really highlights the epidemic of MMIW and incorporates important statistics about the movement in the ideal way. The stats are so important and really highlight the issue without taking away from the plot. They were such a vital part of the book. The author’s note further highlights these facts and I learned so much more than I knew already.

I found myself attached to this story. I was constantly on my toes, trying to figure out the killer before the end. There are twists and turns all along the way and just when you think you know what’s going on, you figure out you were so wrong. There were a few plot points I would have loved to see elaborated, but that was just a me thing. Everything important is fully wrapped up by the ending. There was great world building in this, too. Despite it being a contemporary novel, the establishment of life on the reservation was so helpful in grasping aspects of the book that otherwise could have been foreign to the reader.

As I am not indigenous, I cannot and will not comment on the portrayal of culture in the book.

The characters were so well written. They were relatable, their grief was so real. I found myself easily knowing who was narrating each character by tone and motivation, which is so important in a book with so many POVs. I found each narrator important to the overall story, and the use of all the narrators really helped get all angles of the plot.

This is the first book in a long time that has actually brought tears to my eyes by the end. It’s raw, emotional and gripping. This is absolutely a must read.

Looking for Smoke was quite an enjoyable book. It’s a YA thriller/murder mystery about indigenous friends part of the Blackfeet tribe. One girl goes missing and the other is murdered, and there is no trace of who did it. So the teens end up looking for clues themselves, but get caught up in the mess themselves.

As I read through the book, I couldn’t help but want to know more. The murderer literally could have been anyone, and I wouldn’t have been surprised. Of course I had my favorites though, and I really hoped it wouldn’t be them. The characters were relatable. I especially liked Eli First Kill and Mara Racette. This was also an interesting read for the reason that the story had some information in it that I didn’t know anything about. The author talked about the cases of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement, and how they don’t get justice they deserve.

This was the second thriller I’ve ever read, and I’m starting to wonder if I should read more now. Overall, the story was really great and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. There was this one part where I was sitting next to my husband reading and I gripped onto his arm without even knowing. 😭 The intensity was real.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc!

<i>Looking For Smoke</i> by K.A Cobell is a young adult thriller that follows four Indigenous teenagers as they try to uncover who is behind the abduction and murder for two Indigenous girls on the reservation. It’s a fast paced, twisty, heartbreaking novel that keeps readers on their toes while educating them on Indigenous culture and the importance of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.

I had so much fun reading this book! It kept me on my toes, always trying to figure out the next plot twist I was going to be thrown. While the beginning took me a little bit to get into, once I was immersed in the story and our characters I flew through this!

Every character was well developed and had their own personality. As a reader I was able to feel the bond between all the characters, seeing their long histories together play out before my eyes. A special shoutout to Eli and his relationship with his sister Cherie, it was so moving.

While the story is fictional, the harsh reality is that Indigenous women are more likely to be victims of violent crimes and its much less likely for these crimes to be reported and investigated. For more information on MMIW please visit https://mmiwusa.org

Content Warnings: addiction, murder, panic attacks, child abandonment, trafficking, death of a parent, violence, grief

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of <i>Looking for Smoke</i> by K.A. Cobell.

K.A. Cobell’s novel, <i>Looking for Smoke</i>, was a read I could not put down! I loved the Indigenous representation and look into their lives as well as educating about the real problem of Missing and Endangered Indigenous Women. The mystery kept me engaged and curious the whole way through and I was constantly wondering about the culprit. The reveal at the end was not one I saw coming, as I had the culprit pegged as a different character. I also loved the switching view points and the “unknown” point of view reveal at the end was very cool and a bit unexpected. I think this is a novel that many ages will enjoy and I will definitely be adding it to my recommendations.

“Looking for Smoke” is a story that is unique, enlightening, as well as riveting in so many ways! First, its characters are Native American, which is wonderful and refreshing on its own. As someone who has grown up with, loved and taught many in the Native American tribes, I found the characters, situations and the world described to be surprisingly accurate and realistic. Plus, it deals with the abhorrent fact that a horrifically large number of Native American girls and women are murdered each year and either the cases are never solved and/or the women are never found. This problem has been known and talked about for as long as I can remember but it never seems to get better! It is most often just blamed on the loopholes in the law between the U.S. and the reservations, then forgotten.

That is why this story is so important. If FINALLY shines at least a little light on the plight of NA women while weaving a fictional murder mystery within the world of the Blackfeet reservation. The author focuses on a group of teenagers, giving each their own point of view as they first deal with a missing older sibling, and then the death of one of their own. While continually switching between four different POVS does slow the reading down considerably, it allows for much added depth of understanding, as well. It also keeps one on their toes as each becomes a suspect in their own way.

There are twists and turns that are completely surprising and lead in so many different directions that even the best sleuth might be surprised! Admittedly, there are still a few threads left hanging (what happened to all the paraphernalia in the storage barn?) and the ending could have been given a bit more time to answer questions such as where the rifle and/or all the fingerprints went and if the actual truth was ever told, etc. But even so, it is a reading ride that is definitely worth taking. Kudos to Ms. Cobell for tackling such difficult subject matter in such a compelling way!

I honestly didn't expect the ending of this one. This multiple POV book follows a group of Blackfeet teenagers trying to uncover the truth following the murder of two girls from their reservation.

While it felt a bit slow in the beginning, this story really picked up around the halfway mark.

Wow. That is the feeling I have about Looking For Smoke. Firstly, a wow because this is K.A. Cobell’s debut novel. She did an awe-inspiring job of writing a mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the book’s end. She did an incredible job presenting the Blackfeet culture to readers who likely know little about it. The book dynamically depicts their culture – the beautiful ceremonies that are so significant for the Blackfeet, the immediacy and fidelity of their kinship, and the bleak lack of hopefulness about their future. And her characterization! A huge wow. The characters became well-known and understood, and I felt great compassion for each. She was also phenomenal at bringing a critical issue to light; it is so often ignored. The underlying theme of the novel is the horrifying number of Indigenous women and girls who go missing or are murdered each year. Eighty-four percent of Native women have experienced violence. The murder rate of Native women is three times that of white women. The MMIW, or Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement, is attempting to draw attention to these shocking statistics. The issue is something everyone should investigate; even young people should be aware of the problem. This is a breathtaking debut novel; its message is not just for young people. Thank you to Harper Collins for creating Heartdrum, an imprint for Native American writers, and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

This book has such a great build up. From the characters to the storyline. I was hooked trying to figure out who could be the killer. Also, why were Ray Bear and Sam killed.

However, the end was so abrupt, I had to go back and see if I had just suddenly missed a chapter. I was let down that the author spent so much time on character development and then the last chapter is the ties up loose ends.

Further, the ending really didn't make sense. I felt that there needed to be more substance, more power behind the ending then the one the author gave.

I think that the author has a good work of fiction here, however, that ending needs A TON OF work.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This was an incredible read about the disappearance of an indigenous teen followed by the murder of another. The tale is fictional but highlights the danger and indifference facing indigenous women, The story is intricate and follows the lives of the youth on the reservation. The social problems on the reservation mirror the rest of the world but are magnified due to the limited options for advancement and growth. Many of the challenges facing the res come into play in this mystery. Having the podcast run in the background to highlight the statistics was an innovative means to relay this information. I was quickly drawn into the story and couldn't put it down once I started it. The author has masterfully woven fact into a fictional mystery, crafting a compelling read that will motivate you to follow up on MMIW and the No More Stolen Sisters movement.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

I really enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would.

I found it educational, entertaining and fast moving.

I think the author did an excellent job building the characters and with the setting and story telling. I could picture the place in my mind and see the characters.

I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend.

Looking for Smoke is a fast-paced debut novel that starts out pretty quickly with the murder of an Indigenous teenage girl during the first day of the North American Indian Days celebration.

It changes perspectives between four of the murdered girl's classmates and one unknown narrator. One of the perspectives is Loren, whose sister has been missing for three months and is best friends with Samantha, who was the girl murdered at the celebration.

Mara is another narrator. She just recently moved to the reservation with her parents. The last two narrators, Brody and Eli First Kill, are cousins and each others' best friends. These three all have secrets they need to keep hidden.

The four narrators somewhat band together to try to find out who the killer is. I thought I had the mystery solved several times throughout the book, but I'm not very good at that.

Overall, I really enjoyed how fast-paced it was. I would recommend it.

You will never guess this is a debut novel. K.A. Cobell weaves mystery, culture, loss, and addiction into a young adult book that is impossible to put down.

Set near Browning and Glacier Park in Montana, high schoolers are determined to find the killer of their Indigenous friends.

This book addresses important and powerful themes, and is appropriate for readers in high school and up.

I've been interested in K.A. Cobell's debut after it received such glowing attention during PitchWars--and it absolutely lived up to my expectations.

A thriller with a pounding heart, LOOKING FOR SMOKE encapsulates and elevates what makes this genre so exciting: it weaves poignant social commentary and aching character relationships into its twists. Cobell is a powerful writer with tight control over her craft.

Looking for Smoke is the gripping tale of what happens when a girl goes missing in plain sight. The story follows four students who were the last to see her alive. Eli, Mara, Loren, and Brody are all brought into the spotlight when their classmate Samantha is found murdered. They all have connections, some more binding than others. As clues unravel, another death is linked to Samantha’s murder. Can the four of them figure out who the real killer is?

I was blown away by Looking for Smoke and couldn’t put it down! This book does an important job of raising awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women. Important questions are raised, such as why these disappearances are not reported on the news. The story flips to different POVs and I really enjoyed Mara and Loren. Mara feels an attraction to Eli, despite him not being kind to her at school. I loved the moments of connection they had amidst all the danger. Mara also struggles with feeling Blackfeet “enough,” since she was raised off the reservation. Meanwhile, Loren’s sister is missing and presumed dead. This fills her with uncontrollable rage and anguish, which I thought was very realistically portrayed.

Looking for Smoke is a heartfelt and emotional book that deals with important real-life topics. The characters feel vivid and realistic. They all have their own secrets and battles to fight, which makes the story very compelling. The mystery of who the real killer was kept me guessing to the end! Readers who enjoy Angeline Boulley, enthralling characters, and complex mysteries will love this book. I can’t wait to see what K.A. Cobell writes next!

Thank you to K.A. Cobell, Heartdrum, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

K. A. Cobell has written an important novel on the topic of Native American women called Looking for Smoke, a name or maybe something that people sometimes do when trying to locate their missing relative. Native American women go missing at a very high rate especially on reservations. The novel Looking for Smoke addresses the issue by writing a story about young women going missing. It is a subject dealt with sensitively yet realistically.

Looking for Smoke shows the strength of women, as well as men. It deals with misogyny and generations who have suffered from it. It shows how people can try to do the right thing, but perhaps come short. And it shows people who try to do the right thing and are impressively successful. It shows people doing things that endanger their own lives to make a difference in the lives of others. The story shows how it is impossible to predict how someone will act or react under duress.

It is a look at life for native people on a reservation, with views of both negative and positive aspects. It is well written and brings a perspective that is difficult to dispute, also giving important information for those who want to help.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy to read and review, it is well worth the investment of time to read.

This is both an important book and one that I think my students will really like. It raises important issues about Missing and Murdered Native women and how big a problem this in. Lots of other issues are raised in this story about Blackfeet teenagers dealing with abandonment, poverty, violence and cultural traditions It is a mystery, who killed and abducted two missing girls and the characters will be relatable to my students