Another brilliant tale from a gifted storyteller. Boulley pulls her readers in by making her characters both relatable and mysterious. Plot points and pacing are consistent and create a very fast read. Already looking forward to her next book.

This book is EXCELLENT. Like Perry, I wanted to punch something a lot of the time, but never felt hopeless. Having not read FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER, I didn't realize the characters were intertwined - may have to go back and read that one now!

When I read Firekeeper's Daughter as an ARC back in 2021, I knew Angeline's writing and story was special. She opened my eyes to realities that I hardly knew anything about, and I feel in love with her characters like the leading lady Daunis. Almost a decade and a half later, Warrior Girl Unearthed begins, and we get to meet the new generation of teens within the Ojibwe community and to see what happened in adulthood to FD characters.

Now it's hard to not compare this title to FD. I really tried hard not to, but the stories follow different people within the same family, so it's hard not to think of Daunis/ her story when she's chastising our new lead Perry Birch-Firekeeper in this new book. The distinction in Perry as a lead was VERY apparent. She's three years younger than Daunis was in her own book, and Perry's immaturity is never-ending. I had to keep reminding myself that, of course, Perry would not be as mature as Daunis because three years in teenager years is basically a century and a half, but I found myself disconnected from Perry's feelings. She's impulsive, head-strong, and blunt. She's not afraid to communicate her feelings to people even when it may not be in her, or her community's, best interest, but all of those reasons are why she is a great lead. It's the reason why she concocts this plan to save her ancestors bodies/ ancestor's sacred items from museum archives/ inhumane "collectors."

The heist is an interesting element to the plot. There's a lot of talking and no action until the final 100 pages when Perry and her crew actually commit the heist. While I'm not going to go into the specifics of the heist due to spoilers, the outcome was incredibly surprising to me. I did not think the outcome was hinted at or even foreshadowed much. It felt out of left field, and then, the subsequent events felt rectified in a very quick fashion. There just didn't feel like much time was allotted to this situation, and when contrasted with all the research/ conversation scenes, I felt like more time could've been given to Perry and this moment, so we could've guessed the "big reveal." The whiplash within that climactic scene would've been less intense too. Also, a significant murder happens in this book. I'm not going to detail who or why because spoilers, but it felt easily rectified too. Daunis is thrown into jail as soon as this happens, and I think more time could've been given to this plot point besides the scene where the actual murderer confesses. That plot alone could've been this entire book because Daunis was seemingly an easy scapegoat, and it would wrap up her loose ends from the first book. But then this wouldn't really be Perry's book. It would be Daunis Part II. Overall, the missing Indigenous women, surprise murder, and reclaiming ancestors/ ancestor artifacts was a lot to put into this 400 page book. It muddled the pacing and impact of these imperative moments. FD was so impactful because Angeline paid attention to the details and wrote those scenes raw. That feeling wasn't here as much.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is a must-read contemporary for everyone—just like Firekeeper's Daughter. I don't think people should read this one before FD because spoilers for the first book are rampant. Plus, it flows with the time period better from the early 2000s to mid 2010s. I'm so excited to see what else Angeline has up her writing sleeve because she writes so beautifully about her Ojibwe community. It's a treat to feel the love for her people and her culture with every new book.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is intriguing and kept my attention. It was fascinating to learn more about the Indigenous culture. I can’t wait to share it with my students!

Perry had planned to spend the summer fishing, but her Auntie Daunis strong-arms her into joining an internship program. Working at the tribal museum is a total drag, until she learns that a local university is hoarding Anishinaabe artifacts and the literal bones of her ancestors. Coupled with the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women, it is too much to bear. She and her fellow misfit interns are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to bring their people home. Perry is a fiery protagonist kept grounded by her strong sense of community and cultural tradition. Boulley’s sophomore novel is a little less traumatic but just as intense.

I especially enjoy reading when I can learn from a book. In this one I enjoyed learning more about indigenous culture and traditions. It was entertaining and I highly recommend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved Angeline Boulley's debut, Firekeeper's Daughter which was easily a five star read, but honestly I love this one even more. Warrior Girl Unearthed has just as much intrigue and is a master class in story tension, but it's also just so beautiful. I liked Perry immediately, her brutal honesty, her need to learn boundaries, and her childish exuberance. She's a completely believable sixteen year old. Sometimes thinking as an adult, sometimes a child, and often led by impulses that are noble but her stubbornness and impatience get in the way of clear thinking. She grows in this book in a realistic way, by making mistakes and reflecting on them. Luckily, she has a supportive family and community and shame is not a part of her upbringing. There's a light romance arc in the book that is really sweet too.

There are two main plot lines that include a mystery -- one is about MMIWG2S, missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and 2spirits. The other is about returning the bones of ancestors and handmade objects home and out of museums, universities, and private collections. We learn about the laws and see book quotes taken from a list that Perry is reading for her internship with the tribal museum. However, this story is so rich and complex, so intriguing that you never feel like you're just learning a lot of history. I.e. it is never boring. Boulley has a gift for balancing many characters in a story line with just the right amount of description and character traits to keep the readers from getting confused. I mean, they're all intriguing characters too.

Strong family connections, a found family relationship with misfit friends, finding meaningful work, developing identity separate from a twin, and contributing to community in a meaningful way are all explored in this beautiful story. I hope to see this one as a streaming series in time as well as Firekeeper's Daughter.

Angeline Boulley is a master of the written word. I didn't think anything could compare to Firekeeper's Daughter, but this books is right up there with it on quality. I was entranced by the characters again and the storyline was stunning. I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be recommending this book to others.

This. book was extremely well-written. There were some plot gaps for me, but it worked as a sequel or as a stand alone book. The culture of the book was strong, and I appreciated the character development.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley is an amazing book. Lush world building and amazing writing, what an excellent story.

I didn't enjoy this as much as AB's debut, but there's still a lot to like about this!

It's very clear that AB cares deeply about her people and culture. You can feel it on every page as you learn about the Ojibwe, their tribe, and their ancestors. What is important to them feels important to the reader because of the passion in the writing. I also really enjoyed learning more about the NAGPRA through both the story and the little real life excerpts sprinkled throughout the book.

But the reason I didn't enjoy this as much as ‘Firekeeper's Daughter’ is because of how juvenile the story feels in comparison. ‘Firekeeper's Daughter’ was honest, raw, and didn't shy away from difficult topics. And while this explores heavy themes as well, it's lacking the maturity I'm used to when it comes to AB's characters and dialogue.

But overall, this is a very timely novel about honouring native ancestral rights and ensuring sacred items are returned to where they belong.

3.5 stars

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always felt comfortable in her identity. She knows she is the more laidback twin, and probably the best fisher on Sugar Island. Now, she's ready for her Summer of Slack. However, after a fender bender takes her jeep out of commission, she now has to work to pay back her Auntie Daunis for the repairs.

So, she's interning at the museum for the summer. That's where she meets Team Misfit Toys, the other outcasts of the intern program. With them, maybe the summer won't be so bad after all. However, when Perry goes to a meeting and learns about "Warrior Girl," an ancestor whose bones are stored in the museum archive, she becomes determined to return her to her tribe.

Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for an advaced copy of Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley to review! Of course, Firekeeper's Daughter was such a success last year, I was curious to see Boulley's follow up. This is a companion novel of sorts, though I think you can read it without reading Firekeeper's Daughter. You'll just miss some background information from the first book.

First of all, this book is packed full of information about Native American artifacts being in museums, the laws behind them, etc. There's a lot of interesting stuff there, and a lot of it I didn't know. However, I do think it makes the plot drag a bit, and I'm not sure how much it will attract teens overall to this story. Though if slow burn mysteries are your thing, this might just hit the spot.

I found myself not as drawn into this story as I was for Firekeeper's Daughter, and part of me wonders if that's because I listened to that one instead. But I wasn't invested in the characters or in the story. The story didn't seem to flow as well, and it felt like overall, the book was slightly too long.

However, I'm loving that more Native authors are getting published and that these kinds of stories exist in the world. Especially when they show a perspective that not a lot of people know about. Always appreciate learning new things when I read, honestly!

Overall, I'm not sure this will get the hype that Firekeeper's Daughter did, but still a good sophomore novel either way.

Another brilliant outing from the author of Firekeeper's Daughter! Loved Perry and her heist team of misfits...didn't want it to end!

I could not contain my excitement about getting to go back to Sugar Island.

Perry and Pauline are the twin nieces of Daunis, the main character in The Firekeepers Daughter. Pauline is the “smart one” so that must make Perry something else, right? The girls work in an internship for the tribe in various locations. Perry discovers that their ancestors are being sold for profit instead of being returned to the tribe to be buried according to their customs. I absolutely love how Boulley took the time to explain the laws regarding Indigenous artifacts and their being returned to the ancestors. I don’t want to say too much to give away spoilers. If you liked Boulleys debut novel, you will not be disappointed in other Warrior Girl Unearthed.

Boulley is truly a gifted storyteller. I love that we got another glimpse into the everyday life of the Ojibwe on Sugar Island.

Thank you SO much to McMillan and NetGalley for the ARC. I have been more excited about getting a chance to read this than any other novel that is being released their year.

A true page turner. I loved Fire Keeper's Daughter but it was more of a slow burn for me. Warrior Girl Unearthed captivated me from the very beginning. The characters. The story. Every part.

"Warrior Girl" is the shining star in this year's crop of YA Fiction. Stunning and impactful are the first words that come to mind. This story will stay with me and remind me that we can all do better. This is the primer on Native American history that should be taught to everyone. The story and characters take you on a memorable trip through the unthinkable history of the treatment of Native Americans and how the Repatriation Act sought to right so many wrongs. Great respect to Angeline Boulley for tackling this subject and bringing it to life through her richly developed characters.

Vividly written and set in the real world "Warrior Girl" will make a brilliant movie adaptation. Can't wait to see it!

I want to start this out by saying if Angeline Boulley writes it, I will read it! She has an amazing way of writing keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat action that also centers Ojibwe culture, history, and community.

Taking place about 10 years after Firekeeper’s Daughter, this story focuses on Daunis’s younger cousins and the ins and outs of reclamation. As with Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed interweaves a thrilling story and nuanced characters with Anishinaabe language, customs, and the many loopholes that people use to take advantage of federal laws pertaining to Tribal land, bodies, and artifacts.

I love when novels give me a starting place to research and learn more about the world we live in, and the book does an amazing job of highlighting important issues like MMIWG2S (missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals) and various museums and colleges dragging their feet to comply with NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act).

As of the writing of this review, I could see this book being my favorite 2023 release.

** Note: While this book can be read as a standalone, I do recommend reading Firekeeper’s Daughter first if you plan to read both, since there are events in that book that are referenced in this one.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan for this advanced readers copy!

I loved The Firekeeper's Daughter and couldn't wait to get my hands on this new one. The first half was a bit slow and exposition heavy, but when it kicked into gear I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I was happy to be back in the world of the Fire Keeper's Daughter. This book did not disappoint. It was exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. I felt like I was right there with Perry and her friends. The characters were well developed. The plot was exciting and twisty-turny. It was very interesting to learn about the reclamation laws/acts. I love learning about the Native American history, culture, and traditions. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to purchase it for our students.

This book is powerful and beautiful. Read it. Share it. Read it again. Boulley has written something I feel I've never read before. History and present and characters and culture and tradition and fight and righting wrongs. I love each of these characters. Please have a next book with another character's story. I was brought to happy tears by the beauty of Perry and her story. It was an honor to read and experience.