Daunis has graduated from high school and is looking forward to college in the Fall with her best friend Lily. A new boy named Jamie arrives in town for his senior year and makes the select hockey team, the "Supes", which Daunis's brother Levi plays on. The arrival of Jamie, and his uncle Ron, brings changes both good and bad into Daunis's life. After Daunis witnesses a brutal murder, she begins to question everything she knows as she learns more about her tribe, her family, her elders, and her friends.

The depth of this novel is incredible. It's a novel about family, life on an Ojibwe reservation, racist issues, drugs, and how the main character juggles learning about it all as she struggles with uncovering many truths. You will fall in love with this strong female protagonist and root for her the entire time.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanPublishers for the opportunity to enjoy an ARC of #Firekeeper'sDaughter by #AngelineBoulley. It is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

While this has not become a new favourite like I thought it might, I highly encourage all readers to consider picking up this book. I know we all feel differently about what a three star rating means but please know that I did really enjoy reading this. But what's more I just think this book deals with so many important things.

The best way I can pitch this story is something along the lines of an Indigenous Veronica Mars. But unlike Neptune, this world balances more than just the haves and the have-nots, but also the dynamics of the Ojibwe community and those outside; of which Daunis, our biracial protagonist, knows well. The complexities of the Native community are explored beautifully (at least from this reader's perspective!) and while I never felt like I was being lectured to, I nonetheless wanted to know more. However, much like Neptune, there are some dark depths both in this setting and this community, so bear that in mind and seek out content warnings if you require them.

I don't want to get too into the details of the plot itself as this unraveled in ways I wasn't expecting but I will say that what brought this down, and kept it from a higher rating, was I felt some weakness in the romance and maybe some of the layers of the whole mystery felt a little.. overblown? Too much? There is a lot going on in this debut. I think had a few off-shoot plotlines not been included it would've felt a little stronger, a little more contained, but I still enjoyed what this was at its core. That said, if you can suspend a little extra disbelief, which most of us do anyway when it comes to fiction, you might be okay. Additionally, there were also plenty of lovely passages and turns of phrases that absolutely have me keen to read whatever comes next for this author.

If you've made it to the end of this review, and if you haven't already done so, I would highly recommend you also search out some #ownvoices reviews.

3.5 stars

“It’s hard to explain what it’s like being so connected to everyone and everything here...yet feeling that no one ever sees the whole me.”

Rating: Really Enjoyed It, Translates to 4 Stars

Firekeeper’s Daughter is an Own Voices YA Thriller by debut author Angeline Boulley. It follows the story of Daunis, an unenrolled, biracial member of the local tribe who is putting her big dreams for the future on hold to be at home for her mother as they go through a difficult time.

Daunis soon finds herself in the center of a federal investigation after she witnesses a murder that turns her life upside down. She must choose how to proceed in order to protect both herself and her community as she gets closer and closer to the truth of what is really going on.

Since this is a mystery/thriller, I don’t want to say much more than that as far as synopsis, but I absolutely loved Daunis. I was rooting for her from the very beginning and felt like the author really succeeded at bringing her to life. I cared about what she cared about and felt her triumph and her anguish.

Boulley’s depiction of the community was incredible as well. I entered an all-new culture through this story and really felt like I could visualize the world she depicted. I felt like she did an excellent job in giving words to her depiction of life as a biracial teenager, growing up never fully belonging to either community. The several Own Voices reviews that I have seen were full of praise for this book as well, so I feel confident in saying that the author did an excellent job portraying that experience as well. My heart broke for Daunis and all the struggles that she and her family and friends endured, especially the casually cruelty she documented with Bigotry Bingo.

Overall, I had no complaints with this book. It was rather heavy at times due to the material that it covered, but I think that the drugs, addiction, and the violence against women was dealt with in a way that was not overdone. It is something that is present but not self-gratifying. I feel like this is a necessary book to be circulating in the YA contemporary world and is something that is long overdue. I hope to see more books like this in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advance copy in return for an honest review. This did not influence my opinion.

Firekeeper’s Daughter releases on March 16, 2021. Review to be posted in the upcoming week on my instagram account, @jemofabook

She is an athlete, an elite hockey player for the Sault Ste Marie Supes. Her half brother is also a star hockey player. When Jamie Johnson joins the team his mysterious background alerts her to view her Indian community through a different lens. Her coming-of-age story is flavored by her half white/half Indian life on and off Sugar Island. To read this book is to be offered a rare opportunity to live inside Native American rituals and seasons. kind of Louise Erdrich-style. Told with good humor and love, the story jogs and sprints along with a first-class crime story. I want more from this author soon. Miigwetch, thank you.

Wow. This is the book I have been waiting for. Not only does it provide in-depth background and understanding of Ojibwe culture, it discusses issues such as the proliferation of meth in Native tribes, and in the country. Daunis' love of her people really shines in this book, and you get to know everyone as a real person, and not just a stereotype. You see ceremonies, and come to understand traditions such as powwows at a deep level. At the same time, the portrayal of 18-25 year olds rings true in their actions and dialogue. There's hockey. There's a car chase. There's a ton of plot twisting at the end. I was on the edge of my seat, and surprised a few times. You really rooted for these characters. I will say that there is violence and sexual violence in this book, but it wasn't gratuitous. I just mention it so that you know it's for high school and older. Overall, a really engrossing look at contemporary issues in the United States, especially with Native and Western communities.

It's been a minute since I absolutely loved a book so thank a deity or the Seven Grandfathers for Firekeeper's Daughter. The titular character, Daunis, whose father was the Firekeeper and whose mother is white woman from a wealthy background, grows up half-in and half-out of the reservation community. She is unable to enroll in the tribe because her father's name wasn't on her birth certificate, due to her grandparents' racism. Her mom was a minor when Daunis was born, so she didn't get to say. She might have also been a little pissed at Daunis's dad, whom she found in bed with another woman. Even so, Daunis is close to people on both sides of her family, including Levi, her three-months young half-brother.

Daunis spends a lot of time with family, including her elders. She even decides to stay local to Michigan's UP for college, to be near everyone, instead of attending the University of Michigan, which is what she had planned. There's also the fact that an injury keeps her from playing D1 hockey. She had played varsity on her school's male hockey team. There's also a traveling hockey team, the Supes (for Superiors) and meth deaths that may or may not be connected. Then a hot new guy, Jamie Johnson, joins the team and immediately begins to play for Daunis, as well as the team.

Having been burned before. Daunis isn't the most trusting person, but she finds herself deep into something unexpected. FK is a mystery or thriller--I'm not sure what the difference is--which is not normally a genre I'm that into, but I loved Daunis's story, and that of her clan. Her Native practices are central to her being. The characters and their stories felt genuine. Everyone is flawed, and many, but not all, are lovable.

I loved how unapologetically this used culture, language, community, and tradition of the Anishinaabe people. It forced me to research a lot of things for myself, which I really appreciated.
It’s labeled as YA, but it definitely has a lot of disturbing imagery including racism, physical and sexual assault, and addiction.
It very much questions the treatment of Indigenous people, particularly women.
It also is about finding your place in this world and where you belong.
The representation within this book is very important as well as the themes of family and identity.

I read this one and absolutely loved it the focus on family as well as learning more about the Ashinaabe people was amazing. They did a very nice job with this book

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a breathtaking and important book about seventeen-year-old Daunis Fontaine. She is half-white and half Native American. As a result, she doesn’t fit in with her community or the Ojibwe tribe where she spends much of her time.

Daunis plans to leave to play collegiate hockey and study medicine. However, a series of family tragedies force her to put these plans on hold. Ice hockey provides a diversion from caring for her emotionally fragile mother and her grandmother (a recent stroke victim). She meets a new player, Jamie, at her brother Levi’s game and is immediately attracted to him. There is something “off” about Jamie, but she doesn’t find out what it is until she sees her best friend killed in a drug-related murder/ suicide. It turns out that Jamie is part of an FBI operation investigating a dangerous variety of Meth showing up on reservations. Soon, Daunis becomes part of the operation because of her scientific knowledge and her familiarity with tribal customs.

This novel is an engrossing crime story and an honest depiction of Native American culture. Some of the twists and turns are truly unexpected. There are also a lot of brutalities associated with reservation life. Drugs and addiction are commonplace. Native Americans experience racism at every turn. Violence, especially sexual violence, is a part of everyday life. This novel is strengthened, though, by including the positive and the negative. This being said, this was a very difficult book for me to read. I had to put it down from time to time and take time off from reading.

As a school library media specialist, I would only recommend this book for older teens and adults. This book NEEDS to be in high school and public libraries. It has something very important to say about the female Native American experience, and Daunis Fontaine is the perfect character to do this.

Read. This. Book.

I am almost at a loss for words. I absolutely devoured Firekeeper’s Daughter. It consumed me in all the best ways. I was immediately invested in Daunis and her family. The characters were beautifully complex, and Boulley did a remarkable job of developing them.

The most stunning, powerful elements of this book were the way the stories, the characters, were so tied to their Anishinaabe culture and place. I am not a Native reviewer, and I have so valued and appreciated the insights from Native, particularly Anishinaabe, folx who have conveyed their level of love and respect for this text. The culture and history is inextricably woven into the characters, the narrative, the plot. It’s a way of keeping language and thus ideas and values alive and I was just honored to have gotten to be a part of it for the hours when I was immersed in this book.

The plot twists and turns in unexpected and really fulfilling ways, and I was on the edge of my seat. I love that there’s an almost fake-dating situation tucked into this - the relationship that blooms between Daunis and Jamie was fascinating and had me rooting for them by the end.

I loved this book with all of my heart. I can only imagine how much connective tissue it provides for Anishinaabe folx and Native folx. It’s heartbreaking and enraging at times, funny at times, inspiring at times, and ultimately the story of strong, vulnerable, wonderfully human people who navigate dreams, culture, ties to family, individual identities, family and generational histories, and finding themselves amidst forces beyond their control.

I’ll read this again and again. Thank you thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance e-copy!

Daunis Fontaine is the product of a teen pregnancy in a scandalous relationship between a wealthy white female and a tribal member on the Ojibwe reservation. She has never felt she fits in to either world though both sides of her family love her fiercely.

Her plan to play hockey and study medicine has gone off track after losing her uncle in what appears to be a drug related death and her grandmother’s recent stroke. Daunis thinks tragedy comes in threes and is bracing for the final, though nothing can prepare her to witness a shocking murder-suicide that catapults her into an FBI investigation.

As a confidential informant for the FBI, Daunis investigates possible tribal members involved in a meth operation and seeks answers about her uncle’s death… but is she willing to accept what she finds within her own community?

Firekeeper’s Daughter is an ambitious contemporary YA novel and I cannot rave enough about the immersion into indigenous culture with the language and traditions always at the forefront. This is a mix of crime fiction and coming of age with a romance and tackles heavy subject matter including racism, sexual violence, violence against women, addiction, and grief.

I struggled at times with the pace and often felt it was trying to encompass too many topics at once (though I understand the relevance and the need to do so), and could’ve done without the romance that felt too forced and convenient. Overall, Firekeeper’s Daughter is intense, complex, and most importantly told in an authentic voice. I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate contemporary YA, crime fiction/mystery, and diversity.

My Native American heart is so glad for this story. I felt like I was taken back in time and transported to living near the reservation and in the north near the Canadian border. Even though this story takes place on the west coast and I lived on the east. This story is relevant to so many. I have also had to see the devastation of meth on someone first hand and this story really felt like it shed so much truth but also kept the plot and story moving. This book was more a mystery crime thriller than I was expecting. The writing was fantastic and the genre just did not matter. Once you started you did not want to put it down.

Mystery. Thriller. Marketed as YA but I would say it edges towards New Adult. Indigenous author. Drugs, romance, hockey. Great book.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

I really expected to love this one, since it has gotten so many amazing reviews, and I generally love YA thrillers, especially ones with non-white protagonists. The premise sounds fantastic: Native American girl sees her best friend murdered in front of her and agrees to help with an investigation into a meth ring that is devastating her community. Unfortunately, it just totally didn't work for me. The storytelling is truly terrible, as the author is constantly telling instead of showing. The main character, Daunis, will mention something about her culture, and then go on to just explain what it is, rather than allowing the reader to experience her culture and learn about it through her actions and conversations. I also felt that it read like it was written by an older person trying to write teenagers, and the writing felt extremely stilted to me. I didn't love Daunis or any of the supporting characters either, and I felt like the development of the plot was not paced well. The first half of the book moves so slowly, and it isn't until the last fifth of the book that it feels like anything exciting really happens.

Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me, but I appreciate having the opportunity to read it.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a new genre and new author for me. I liked the main character immediately. Her family has experienced losses and although she’s eager to flee her small community she postponed her academic plans to look after her family. She feels very conflicted about her roles within the community and culture. I liked how she formed a fast bond with Jamie because she needs confidence and the assurance she received from him. There is a fair amount of native words used that I had no clue what their meaning was, which while remaining true to the story, left me hanging with lack of definition. The ending was a cliff hanger.

I requested this book because we started a student-teacher book club where we focus on diverse voices.
I think that the students would enjoy this, and I plan on adding it to our “future reads” list.

The summer after high school graduation, Daunis's life shatters when her best friend Lily is shot by Lily's meth-addicted boyfriend Travis. But Travis and Lily aren't the only ones in Daunis's Ojibwe tribe who have been affected by illegal drugs. Daunis is then recruited by two undercover FBI agents to help them solve the mystery surrounding the increased influx and group-hallucinogenic variation of meth that has turned up in several Yooper communities. Will Daunis be able to help her community without betraying them to the federal government-- which has /not/ always treated indigenous peoples well?

The authenticity in Firekeeper's Daughter was FANTASTIC! Boulley poured her soul into this story, and it's obvious on the page. It is slow to get going-- I had a difficult time sitting down and making myself read it until I was 50-60% of the way in. Additionally, the 2003-2004 time period feels like it won't settle well with current teen readers, not like contemporary settings or trendy 1980's stories. Plus, the fact that Daunis is 18 and had graduated from high school makes me leery to call it YA. Like, I understand why she has to be 18 (thank you for not making Jamie a pedophile!), but YA skews toward older teens now so much, that I don't like it when it has protagonists who are out of high school. There is a lot of indigenous language used (like Anaya does in Bless Me, Ultima). But for any naysayers out there, this inclusion is super important! So yes! Please continue to include indigenous words in stories!

The mystery is very twisty. I did NOT see it coming who is involved in the drug dealing, and I definitely did not see it coming when [redacted] dies. I almost through my ipad across the room when that happened!

Diverse reads:
- Daunis is half Ojibwe (dad) and half Caucasian (mom).
- Many, many characters are tribal members.
- At the very end of the story, there is a reference to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The story takes place in 2003-2004, but the emphasis of the story was more on the negative effects of drugs in tribal communities rather than MMW.

This was a fun YA mystery thriller that tied in the identity of being Anishinaabe kwe.

I think that YA mysteries aren’t totally for me, and found some of the plot points to be too convenient. There is also a fake dating trope in here that I didn’t love, so for those reasons this wasn’t a new favorite. That being said, the characters were interesting, especially allll the grandmas and aunties! The hockey element will excite my Canadian friends for sure, and this was generally a good time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was such a powerful, emotional, beautiful, strong debut from Boulder.

I fell in love with the cover of this book and I went into it without any knowledge of what it was about. I was blown away by the thriller aspect of the story woven with the culture of the Anishinaabe tribe.

I love learning about cultures I know little about and Boulley beautifully entwined aspects of this tribe and their modern day difficulties and struggles with a captivating story of murders and meth dealings within the tribe.

The main character Daniss has dealt with so much loss and struggle in her life. She is half white and half Ojibwe. She has to deal with prejudices on both sides, even some that come directly from her family. Her grandmother's look at the world very differently. I loved that even though Daniss was an unenrolled member of the tribe, she still felt such community with them and importance of that community.

It was sad to see how much violence - domestic and sexual exists in the tribes and how there is not much justice for those who have suffered.

Daniss ends up helping the FBI in investigating the meth problem in some of the tribes after her best friend is murdered. I love how smart Daniss is. I love how she uses her culture along with her brain to figure things out and keep on track. I love that even while helping them, her focus was not just on solving the case but in healing her community from the wounds.

I love that as she helps to solve the investigation, she learns much about herself and those she loves along the way. She really has to do some growing and the progression of her character was very well thought out and written.

I don't want to say more about the story because it is a crime story and I dont want to give anything away. It was very hard to put down.

This is a story about a girl fighting for the souls of her loved ones.

This was such a special book. I mistakenly thought it was a fantasy read (I think bc the cover is so beautiful?), but found it to be an excellent crime drama. This was a multilayered story about both protagonist and her personal relationships .. and the macro issues impacting her community. The exploration of her intersectionality is beautifully done.

I think the less readers know going in, the better for something like this, so I don’t want to say too much.. but everyone should pick this up!

4.5/5

Thank you Libro.fm & Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley & Henry Holt books for the e-ARC!