Again, a 5 star read from Boulley. Once one falls into this world you want to stay there, her prose, character development, setting, timing, all make for an unforgettable read that makes you feel as if you are there. A true talent.

This was a tough one for me. I appreciate the return to characters from past books. This book had a weird pace and I felt like a lot of time was wasted on Lucy in the hotel room healing, Jamie being perfect all the time in a fake exhausting way, and tidbits about nutrition to avoid colon cancer. Colon cancer was just.. a much larger part of this story than I could have anticipated. This is fine and it's good to bring awareness and all but like, what?? A lot of the plot felt far fetched, while it was interesting, everything just lined up in such a way that I couldn't believe the story. The whole foster care baby farm thing was insane, also why on Earth did Lucy suddenly desperately want to keep her baby, like none of these girls made any kind of choice about pregnancy and it was bizarre to me. I like that Boulley uses her stories to highlight real issues that Indigenous populations face, however this one was just like, being hit over the head with the issues again and again, it wasn't as seamlessly buried in the story as in her previous books. For example, in Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed, the social justice framed plotlines fit so well with the motivations and stories of the characters. This book felt like Boulley just wanted to talk about ICWA (which is so important!!) and came up with a rushed story to fit her narrative. Just felt a little forced throughout. I'll still recommend this title, especially to those who have already enjoyed her books, but it was definitely my least favorite of hers.

I am realizing that I, tragically, like each Angeline Boulley book less than the last. Some of what was discussed here I think was incredibly important (e.g. ICWA, failures of social services, sexual harassment/assault, etc.), but there was also a lot I found weird and done poorly, for lack of a better word. Lucy's character went through a lot over the course of the story. I was reading Parable of the Talents simultaneously and sometimes I forgot what book I was reading since both were incredibly bleak. This story is more of a true thriller than the other two and I honestly didn't find it all that effective. There was supposed to be this veil of mysteriousness over the plot since Lucy knew more than she told us, but all it did was make me frustrated. I get, as an author, keeping some things hidden up until a certain point, but it dragged on to an extent that I quit caring. I also barely cared about Lucy in current time. She seemed to be at times just a way for Boulley to convey information through an uninformed character. The book was still incredibly engaging! I legit could barely put it down, but, again, my laundry list of issues is 100x longer for this book than her previous two. I do appreciate how she has created almost a universe within her books without making any of them direct sequels/prequels to each other. Worth a read, but easily my least favorite thing she has written.

Lucy has a mysterious secret and she reveals her story in the unfurling narrative by Angeline Boulley. This novel explores Indigenous children and their experiences with the adoption process and foster care systems in indigenous communities. Following Lucy’s stories, the reader learns about relationships and characters that link to the previous Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed books. The characters are central to this new story.
I recommend readers start with Firekeeper’s Daughter before reading this book.
Boulley has a phenomenal captivating writing style and I was spellbound by Lucy’s journey.

Daunis and Jamie are vital characters and they help Lucy find a way to make her own family.

I love the way characters talk and become real to the reader in their personalities that Boulley develops with spectacular storytelling.
I know a book is extra fabulous when I skip watching tv or streaming and solely read at night for several days.

4.5!!!! yet another banger from angeline boulley 🔥

set sometime between FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER & WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED, the 3rd book in the universe has all of the qualities that made boulley an auto-read author for me. it was thrilling, emotional, &, most valuably, so so educational regarding contemporary Indigenous issues

SISTERS IN THE WIND is a devastating story of how the foster system fails & even endangers already at-risk youth, specifically Indigenous girls like our mc Lucy. through a nonlinear narrative jumping between past & present, readers see time after time when Lucy’s agency is stripped away & she is forced into impossible choices in order to survive

this sequel has far more connections to FIREKEEPER than WARRIOR GIRL does, with Daunis & Jamie playing huge roles. the first 1/3 of the book does a lot of telling not showing to catch readers up on their history, which i felt was a bit of a slog as someone who read FIREKEEPER (even tho it was years ago). i had mixed feelings on their prominent roles, considering the events of the other 2 books, & thought it often felt like fan service — but ultimately was able to move past it

after the background info is established though, the latter 2/3 of the book FLIES BY. the plot is full of boulley’s signature twists & turns, making it absolutely unputdownable. the shifting timelines were so good at building up the suspense. i went from thinking the book was a middle-of-the-road 3 star read to almost giving it a perfect 5 because of how enthralled i was!!

overall, this had absolutely all of the great things about angeline boulley’s work. i learned so much more about ICWA, the foster care system, & its impacts on Indigenous youth specifically, all while falling in love with imperfect characters (new & old) & trying to solve a super saucy mystery 🕵🏻‍♀️

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Ms. Boulley. The first two books were informative and emotional, as was this one. Much was learned about the Native American culture. As a native Michigander, the local references were helpful and appreciated.

First. I will read anything by Angeline Boulley. I love the way her worlds collied in her writing. That said, this book's plot was a little more far-fetched in its execution than the her other two, but I still loved it for its powerful women characters and rich Indigenous culture.

I do not know how Angeline Boulley does it, but from page one, I was caught up in the story, the characters, and her beautiful prose. While once again exploring topics that may be difficult to read, Boulley never strays from the truth that her characters deserve.

My least favorite of her books. It felt like the issues she was bringing light to overrode the plot. The mystery/thriller aspect was confusing to me, even once the villain is clear, and I never really connected with Lucy. I did like the connections with her other two books.

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC! Read it! And then read Firekeeper's daughter again. And then Warrior Girl Unearthed. And MAYBE she'll have a new book out. If not, read this one again.

Heart-wrenching, gorgeous, anger-inducing, heart-breaking AND inspiring. Amazing returning and new characters. Gah. I'm so glad everyone I know loves this author too.

Just like her previous books this is a remarkable narrative of a Native American teen dealing with situations no young adult should have to handle, and doing it with grit, determination and courage. As you read this text you will come to admire and champion Lucy Smith and her need to right wrongs.

The author has a personal grip on this indigenous culture and is quite evident in her story as she brings in characters from two previous novels and has them join forces with this impressive teen, bring evil to justice and bring her home where she truly beings.

Don’t pass this one up. September publication.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Henry Holt and Co. for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Lucy Smith was raised by a single father and knew very little about her birth mom. When her dad died five years ago, she ends up in the foster care system. So much happens in the book and you are kept guessing. There are also several characters from prior books. Lucy has gone through so much in her short life. I got completely wrapped up in the story and couldn't put it down. It is heart breaking, heart lifting and suspenseful.

While the blub says read the three books in any order I would not suggest that. Sisters of the Wind talks a lot about characters in Firekeepers Daughter.

“The ultimate survival game is for girls to survive into adulthood. For the prey to avoid the predators. It’s a wry thought that turns somber when I remember my sister. Some girls don’t survive.”

Angeline Boulley has done it again, writing a book that is equal parts thrilling, emotional, educational, and important. Sisters in the Wind takes place between the time periods in Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed. Daunis continues to play a large role in the book as she tries to be a mentor and friend to our main character, Lucy. Consistent with the others in this series, the book centers around relevant topics that include Ojibwe culture, the importance of one’s people, generational trauma, and how the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) can be implemented in a restorative way for native families. Additionally, foster care and adoption play a huge role in this installment.

Weaving together Lucy’s past and present, Boulley builds tension to the point where I just couldn’t put the book down. In the past timeline we watch Lucy growing a thick shield around herself as people and systems fail her over and over again, while in the present, we see bits of that armor start to fall away. While utterly heartbreaking at points and nail-bitingly gripping at others, there are some beautifully quiet moments that make the reader feel hope for the future. The importance of community and family (whether biological or chosen) rang through every chapter, and the line about loving imperfect people (including oneself) was incredibly relatable. Boulley’s characters are so multi-dimensional and real feeling, and this is a huge reason why all of her books have made me cry at some point while reading.

If you decide to pick this one up when it comes out in September (and I think you should), I’d definitely recommend you read Firekeeper’s Daughter first. Thank you so much to Fierce Reads for sending me this book!

This epic story is full of tragic loss, betrayal, and abuse. It is, also, a story of redemption, hope, and love. Lucy grew up not knowing much about her mother, but her father was a loving man who adored his daughter. When he passes away from colon cancer, Lucy ends up in foster care after she discovers her step-mother Bridget's, deceit, and burns down the storage unit she kept with all the purchase from Lucy's inheritance. Some of Lucy's foster care placements were good, but some were not. At her last home, she uncovers a dark secret and has to flee for her life. When she is severely injured in a bombing of her place of employment, Jamie and Daunis sweep in to help, knowing that Lucy has a personal connection to them and Daunis' tribe.

Boulley has outdone herself with this story. So full of twists and turns, you'll not want to put it down until the end. Suspenseful and gut-wrenching, but so worth it! Through all of the tragedy and trauma, there is hope and love to keep you from despair. My favorite read of the year!

Why did this book have to end?! I might have to just start Sisters in the Wind all over again, because I’m really not quite ready to let go of it.

I’m not sure I can find adequate words to describe my thoughts and feelings about Angeline Boulley’s latest novel, but, suffice it to say, she’s done it again. I literally couldn’t put Sisters in the Wind down, and I was not prepared for it to be over, but the story was so beautifully complete that I can’t help but just be in awe of Boulley and these incredible characters and tales that she creates.

As the third book in the Firekeeper series, this book follows Lucy, a child who ends up in the foster system as a teen after the death of her father. We as the reader oscillate between the past and present (2009) with Lucy as she weaves through her childhood, her adolescent years in foster care, and her present situation. We meet, or re-meet, some of the vibrant characters from some of Boulley’s past books, and the author does an expert job of grounding us in the relationships between these characters and those in her previous works. I think it really is true that it doesn’t matter what order you read these books in, and that in and of itself is pretty remarkable for an author to succeed at.

I don’t really know how to describe the feeling I had when I read the last page of Sisters in the Wind. I’d become completely engrossed and invested in Lucy, Daunis, Jamie, and the mysteries that shrouded Lucy’s past and present, that closing the book felt like I was leaving some good friends in the past. I know that I audibly sighed at the end because I woke my toddler up from her nap! :) this won’t be a cast of characters I forget easily.

There is also the presence of some incredibly important and relevant topics, like ICWA, boarding schools, intergenerational trauma, identity - and who the gatekeepers of our identities and communities are. Those also serve as some trigger warnings, as well as sexual assault, physical assault, and adoption trauma.

I will continue to sing the praises of Angeline Boulley and Sisters in the Wind until I have gifted it to everyone I can think of! I also will probably circle back to the first two novels, Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed, as well as re-reading Sisters in the Wind soon. It’s too good to fully let go of these characters quite yet!

I will say, there were a few strands left hanging that I am just crossing my fingers are being left open for Boulley’s next installment. Maybe?! We can hope.

Thank you endlessly to Henry Holt/Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-arc. I clearly have unapologetically little chill about this one!

Throughout her childhood, Lucy and her father lived in complete harmony. Despite knowing very little about her Italian mother who had walked away from her, Lucy thrived in her small, Catholic world. When her father became ill and remarried her peace and self-identity went up in flames upon her father's death. Not only was her home gone, but she discovered her mother was actually Indian. Lucy's sheltered life ill-prepared her for the selfishness, abuse and cruelty of the wider world and the foster care system she became a ward of. She soon learned how to hide behind appearances, trust no one and to keep moving. However, when she meets Mr. Jameson and his friend who seem to want to help her and connect her with her mother and Ojibwe family, can she trust them with her secrets and the danger stalking her?

Every Boulley book changes my perspective and this was no exception. Not only did I learn more about what the foster care system is like, but more impactfully what it is like for Indian minors. The themes of loving imperfect people and of community were threaded throughout Lucy's journey. This book is filled with multidimensional, complicated characters with a host of motivations for their actions. It was told with alternating timelines as Lucy remembers her past, but this did not slow down the pacing. I will admit to sobbing at the end due to saying goodbye to my favorite character. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the climax of the story didn't ring as entirely plausible, which diminished its impact. Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

Wow! This is Angeline Boulley's best book yet! I am a big fan of her previous two books, which are also geared toward a young adult audience, but this is the first one that I felt I could hand to most kids. The others are so very important and well written, but also so large. This one is a manageable length yet does not lose any of the important historical and modern connections to Indigenous people. It follows a young girl Lucy whose father dies when she is in high school; she enters the foster system, and you read--out of order--some of her experiences in the present and in different foster settings. Lucy learns she is Ojibwe and encounters people who are trying to help her through some events that have been ongoing in her life tied to events throughout her whole life. The story is told out of order in a way that lets you follow along but also gives just enough details to keep you hooked. It is a true mystery book, but also a coming of age story, and one in which readers will continue to learn more about many of the issues that indigenous families--especially women--have been dealing with in US history. I highly recommend this for all high school libraries! Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC.

Five stars as always. Angeline Boulley can actually do no wrong. This is my new favorite of her works. 🖤

Thanks for the review copy. I have pre-ordered a copy as well. This is another must-read book. I learned a lot about the foster care system. This one is hard to read at times because of the subject matter.

4. I will read everything this author writes. The writing here is so good! It makes it easy to fall into the story, which is multidimensional and rich. I love the way hope and harsh reality work together in all of these books, but especially this one. The technique of moving forward and backwards in time could be confusing to some, but it makes the experience more real. We don’t discover things in sequential order in life, and this story has so many layers. I love our main character. She’s fierce and smart, I rooted for her right away. I’m still reeling from the ending though. I’m really not sure how I feel about it, but SO surprising. You have to read this one.