The firekeeper's daughter was on my top 5 most anticipated of 2021, and for a very good reason. In just a few chapters, Boulley has captured my attention and managed to pull me in to her story. Being Ojibwe myself, I already feel a connection to Daunis. Some of the themes in this book are hard to read about, especially registration law and drug addiction in the indigenous community, but I truly cannot wait for the release of this book so that I can keep reading it.

Thank you so much for the sneak peek.

The start to a really gripping story! While this was just a sample, it immediately hooked me and I so look forward to finishing it. This is the story of Daunis, a young Ojibwe girl and her relatives, friends and classmates living on the reservation in Sault Ste Marie. Daunis has a complex relationship with her family,who have suffered some recent tragedies. These incidents have led Daunis to change college plans to remain closer to home. Jaime, a new classmate enters her life, a hockey player like she is, so she starts showing him around the town and finds herself very attracted to him. While attending a party, things change in the flash of a gunshot. A fantastic start and I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the story. Vibrant characters, descriptions of tribal life and a very realistic look at the challenges Natives face both off and within the reservation. An outstanding and important work.

This sneak peak was so good I am dying for more. I cannot wait until the full book comes out in March.
I'm invested in Daunis Fontaine and whatever it is that life is about to throw at her.
The story has a strong, distinctive, narrative voice, and the writing style is compelling and addictive.
I also just want to throw in that Granny June is hilarious.
Unfortunately, it's hard to say a lot more without reading the whole book. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it.

*sampler obtained from NetGalley*

Wow, talk about a book you cannot put down! Seriously, March cannot come soon enough! I didn't intend to fit this sampler in so far from the release date, but I made the mistake of reading the introductory section and then I was just hooked. I think that the writing style is compulsively readable, while also not being overly simplistic. I loved all of the additions of Indigenous culture, especially since it was done in a way that would have additional meaning for Indigenous readers. It made me curious enough to go look into some more of these topics, so in addition to being a thrilling start, it also gave me the push to educate myself. Daunis is such a complex and interesting character and I cannot wait to see where the story goes in the rest of the novel! There are also some really powerful quotes, so you know I will be annotating the heck out of my finished copy.

This book opens with some great prose and a quickly engaging plot. Boulley's writing is superb! Native American folklore is something we need much more of in books and this one looks to be a fantastic read!

This book drew me in from it's first lines and I was sad when I reached the end of the preview. I definitely want to read more of this Own Voices story and can't wait to finish Firekeeper's Daughter when it publishes.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co and NetGalley for the early preview of this title.

I was approved for the full-length version of this book, so I'm returning the sampler. Excited to read the entire thing!

The short sample of this book makes me excited to read it come March. The story revolves around a Native teen who seemingly doesn't fit in on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. The sample and synopsis hint at this book becoming a crime thriller where our MC must uncover a conspiracy harming her people.

Other full reviews for this story make me think this book touches on crime, racism, identity, and other key topics still present affecting Indigenous peoples today.

This book just wasn't for me. It felt like young teen but with older teen concepts, and I just couldn't keep reading it unfortunately. I loved that it is indigenous, as there really aren't that many books like it out there though. It just wasn't for me sadly.

PLEASE give me the rest of this book! This is a terrific novel about young Native people in and around an Ojibwe reservation, touching on tribal registration laws, how traditions are kept or abandoned, and the poverty and drug use among all ages. Narrator Daunis is an athlete, a caregiver, a sister, and daughter whose goals and hoped-for future are continually shifted because of illness and violence. Her voice is compelling and her narration conveys information about tribal life and local practices without being pedantic, and I can't wait to read the rest of this book.

Awesome preview! I'm looking forward to reading the entire book once it's released. From the sampler, we get a preview of how Daunis' life is going. She just derailed her college plans to stay home after a family tragedy. She meets her brother's new teammate, Levi and the two of them quickly become friends. The sampler leaves off on a cliff hanger and left me wanting more.

Since this was just the sampler it is difficult to give a full review however, from what I have read, I am hooked. Would really like the read the book in its entirety. Great characters and awesome cover.

Firekeeper's Daughter is a brilliant and fresh YA story with a compelling biracial 18 year old protagonist named Daunis who is an unenrolled tribal member. As such, Daunis has a complicated relationship to her family and community. This is unlike any YA book that I have read before. The friendship between Daunis and her friend Lily feels wholly relatable and contemporary. In this sampler, we are introduced to many of Daunis' family and friends, and I feel connected and curious to keep reading and learning more about each of them. Be warned though, this sampler leaves off an incredible cliffhanger!

This sampler is so good. I just went to download the full arc to continue. The sampler ends at a very serious part and I needed more. Loving the writing so far.

This book is one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2021. As soon as I read the description, I knew I had to read it. So, I of course jumped at the opportunity to read the chapter sampler offered by NetGalley and I am so glad I did!

Firekeeper's Daughter follows 18-year-old Daunis as she navigates grief, family tragedy, fitting in with her Native community, and preparation for her freshman year of college. Her quest for family acceptance and the acceptance of her community is heartfelt and relatable, and her relationships with other characters are intriguing.

Boulley has created a narrative that sucks the reader in. While it is a bit slow at the beginning, the characters make the story interesting. I cannot wait to read how Daunis navigates through the story after the cliffhanger this sampler left me with. I am so excited to read more!

I've heard great things about this book from others in the book community, and knew that I wanted to read it at the first opportunity, so jumped on the chance to read this sample. I almost regret that now, because I'm completely hooked on this book after reading these first 9 chapters and have to wait to read the rest! It's definitely shaping up to be a 5 star read for me, and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR.

I'll be finishing this book as soon as I can get a full copy, and will update my review then!

Content warnings so far: grief, drug use & addiction, alcohol, guns, violence, blood, mentions of infidelity, mentions of a minor having sex

While I only read a sampler of the Firekeeper's Daughter, I immediately fell in love with the book. As an Indigenous woman, I saw myself represented in Angeline Boulley's writing. Daunis felt real and I witnessed her struggle between her Native and non-Native identity. Daunis carries the shame of being Native and not being Native enough. Boulley explores the colonial trauma of removal in Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan. Even with her identity politics, Daunis remains a young teenage girl who is moving into adulthood and faces the similar issues as non-Native girls. She experiences the tough decision of staying or leaving home, meeting new boys, and maintaining friendships. Boulley utilizes Anishinaabe language and for Indigenous young adults, this is such a critical move. Our Indigenous languages are intertwined with our histories, worldview, and futures. Firekeeper's Daughter is beautifully written and I look forward to reading the rest of the book. Boulley illuminates the struggle of addiction in Indigenous communities and for that, this book is timely and poignant.

Samplers are always difficult to review but this one definitely piques my interest. I can't wait to see where the rest of the book goes!

Brilliant! I cannot wait to read the full book. This is steeped in Anishinaabeg tradition, and feels like it’s going to be the perfect thriller.

I stopped after the first chapter of this sneak peak because I would really like to wait until I have the entire book in front of me to keep reading. What I can tell already is that I am VERY interested in reading this book. The writing is beautiful, it worked the characterization and background to the story seamlessly into what the protagonist is experiencing. There are already so many questions I want to have answered in this book, so I'm avoiding being left at a cliffhanger with this sneak peek.