This was a fantastic read! I loved Elatsoe, so having her grandmother's story? That was just wonderful! Shane is trained in survival, in search and rescue, and she needed it in this book. And oh, the adventures she went on!

The fact that their home, and others homes, were basically stolen away after a flood under the pretext that they'd be fixed up, and then the guy tore the houses down, having paid pennies for the land...was infuriating, that should not be legal. So the ending was really satisfying to read!

We didn't really spend much time on the fairy rings in the first book, because Elatsoe can't use them because she's not descended from fairies. But it's a big part of this book, given that it's why the siblings, and Shane's mother, disappear. So I loved learning more about them, and what things were like as they were expanding and becoming more popular.

Shane really went to a few different places throughout the course of this book. I had such a fantastic time, watching her slowly start to recover those that were lost, finding out where they went and why, and getting them back.

This was such a great read and I can't wait to read more by Darcie Little Badger!

The narrator was a little slow but I usually speed up narration anyway. It was great narration, though, and drew me into the story. Even after reading the description, I was surprised how much adventure is in this story. After the first section, I spent the rest of the book worried about what was going to happen next. Great suspense!
But what I liked most was how the world was woven together. Family and magic were huge parts of life and you could see how they impacted Shane's life constantly. One of my favorite things in the world is when you can become convinced that magic really exists in the world we live in -- it's hopeful somehow.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I am so incredible sad I didn't have time to finish this on Netgalley before it was archived. It took me a little to get into but after I did, I LOVED it. I foudn the characters cute and very likeable. The story was engaging and I liked the magical elements of the world the characters found themselves in.
My only critique is that I was very confused about the world building for the first 10% of the audiobook. As someone who hasn't read any of the other stories in this world, I was confused as to how magical the world was, what the rules were and if only magical people knew about magic or if it was a common thing to know about. I felt like that could have been handled better. But beside from that, I had a great time listening to it and I will 100p find it on my library when it comes out, in order to finish it.

Thank you NetGalley, RB Media, and Recorded Books for this arc!

4.5/5 stars

I read and enjoued Elatsoe last year, and I really loved becoming once again immersed in this world. The whole storyline was really imaginative, and everything in this more magical world was just so interesting! I would love more books in this world, so many little things are casually mentioned that bring so many more layers to things it just leaves me wanting to know more and hear more stories! Beautiful story 💖

I enjoyed the narration, but found her to be a pretty slow speaker and sped it up super fast (faster than i normally do lol)

I read Elatsoe earlier this month after randomly spotting it when I was in the library, and then when I saw a prequel was coming out? It was fate! Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this audiobook ARC!

In this book we stay within Elatsoe's family, but travel back to her Grandmother's youth. We see her tracking down missing people with their two real, and one ghost, dog alongside her mother. We also see the impact that having their land taken from them has had on Shane and her family.

Whilst I did really enjoy this book, I didn't love it as much as Elatsoe. This book didn't have the same charm as the first, and the worldbuilding wasn't as well done. We would be introduced to a new element, such as a Grandfather who seems to have a secret life and who keeps running off, but we would never get any conclusion to this. Why is Grandpa so flakey? No clue! Whilst Elatsoe had extraneous worldbuilding, it felt better woven into the story, whereas it all felt a little more forced within this book. I wish that we had more development of the fae characters we are (very briefly) introduced to, and one of the aspects of this novel (which I won't specify because spoilers) is just...brushed over? Other magical aspects are seemingly introduced to resolve issues in the plot but are then discarded rather than being interwoven, leaving them feeling like a plot-device at a loose end. I want more!

Despite the worldbuilding being subpar to book one, I did really enjoy this novel. The stories of oppression, magic, and family are all interwoven well, and give a good view at the struggles indigenous peoples went through during this time. We get to explore Shane's identity both as Lipan Apache but also as a young woman entering the world on her own for the first time. I loved that elders played a big role in solving the mystery present in the novel, and the importance of listening to their stories. And I need more friendly woolly mammoths thank you.

Absolutely lives up to the masterpiece that was Elatsoe. I loved the characters, loved the nuance that they each embraced, loved the story and worldbuilding. Just a complete joy to read.

A beautifully written story of being lost and found, grieving for those taken before their time, the deep love of friendships, learning to trust people when you’ve been betrayed, family traditions, and being open about who you are. Oh, and there’s a pretty awesome journey into and rescue from the underworld/afterlife, complete with the ghosts of woolly mammoths and long dead stars and the assistance of generations of her Lipan Apache ancestors.

I read Elatsoe a few years ago and loved Darcy Little Badger’s writing style, world-building, and thoughtful analysis and symbolism. The work she does in this prequel about Ellie’s grandma, Shane, is just as lovely and thoughtful, and also contains the deep sadness of grief and generational trauma. Shane has spent her whole life hiding her abilities for fear of persecution, even from her closest friends. When you have been betrayed by friends and family in the past, tricked and abandoned, it’s hard to trust people again.

This book is also filled with much hope. Despite the challenges they are facing, Shane never gives up on finding Bobby and her mom. When she’s in the underworld, drinking the tea her grandma used to make and hearing their ancestral language, she is inspired to keep their traditions alive for the next generation. And when Shane figures out how to bring her mom back, she doesn’t stop until she has made it happen: she confronts the man who stole their land and reclaims their ancestral homeland, the place her mother most wished to be in that moment she was magically transported away.

While this is technically a prequel for Elatsoe, it also stands alone as a wonderful story. I would still read Elatsoe first, because that was how they were written, but they are both beautiful books well worth your time. The audiobooks are especially well-narrated by Kinsale Drake.

Thank you to the author, publishing company, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book for review purposes. It just came out this week, so check out your local bookstore or library for a copy!

A young adult book that follows a teen on her journey to save her mother after she mysteriously disappears. This was a slow read, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The author has such a beautiful skill with words, and her authorial voice just oozed kindness in the best way. I am, so incredibly envious that books like this exist for today's youths, as it is just written with compassion and care. It was written for adolescents, but it is done so in such a great way. Highly recommend.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

While Elatsoe didn’t live up to my high expectations (everyone said I’d love it), Sheine Lende certainly made up for it.

Shane is a wonderful confident main character I couldn’t help but like. She cares for her friends and family deeply and it shows. Shane’s mother goes missing and is left to care for her younger brother who isn’t quite in school yet. She doesn’t complain about it at all or let him feel like a burden. She’s patient with him and encourages his curiosity.

This book celebrates Indigenous storytelling. Shane is Lipan Apache and cares for her culture by sharing her family's history with those around her. While there isn't a lot of world building, the tiny snippets we get of a world like ours (but with magic and paranormal creatures) worked.

A beautiful and charming read.

The narrator Kinsale Hueston was amazing and did a wonderful job at giving this book a voice.

Rating: Loved = 4.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media | Recorded Books for an audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

Perfect. No notes.

Seriously though, another amazing story by Darcie Little Badger. I loved the setting, the magic system, the characters and the plot. It drew me in from the very start to the very end and I wanted more more more. I could not recommend this more. It is simply great and I cannot wait for more books by Darcie Little Badger.

Action packed and a great mix of mystery, fantasy, family and adventure, this prequel to the bestselling Elatsoe is sure to delight fans of books like The firekeeper's daughter, David Robertson's The Misewa Saga or The Floraverse series by Wab Kinew. Great on audio too! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

"Sheine Lende" is the prequel to "Elatsoe" though published years afterward. Both are by Darcie Little Badger. I haven't read "Elatsoe", but I loved "Sheine Lende" so much that I'll definitely be buying the other. This one definitely can be read and appreciated as a stand-alone; however, I can't guarantee you won't want the next one, too!!

This book is fiction with magical realism. It's set in Texas in the 1960s or 70s. Some paranormal things exist there, like fairies and fairy rings used for teleporting. Sheine has a ghost dog, a bloodhound named Nelly. She is from the Lipan Apache tribe of Native Americans. She can magically bring animal spirits to her.

Sheine and her mother, Lorenza, help find missing people. One day, a teenage girl and her younger brother go missing. Lorenza doesn't return. So then Sheine Linde goes searching. The journey is very interesting. The characters are well developed and mostly all likable, except perhaps Grandpa Louie. This book has Native American lore and righteous anger about the loss of land. There are a few slower parts telling family history that I chose to speed listen to.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 5/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5 Kinsale Hueston
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 5/5

This is written for Young adults, but both children and older adults would probably like this as well. It is really a charming story, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, and Darcy Little Badger for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

My heart was so happy to return to the world of Elatsoe in this stunning prequel by Darcie Little Badger. Sheine Lende weaves Indigenous storytelling and fantastical world building into one of the most beautiful duologies I have ever read. Sheine Lende seamlessly blends history and fantasy while shining light on Lipan Apache culture while uplifting the resilience and community of Tribal Nations. Full of mystery, magic, ghost dogs, supernatural creatures, alternate realms, found family, friendship and a beautiful message that reminds me of my Great-Grandmother. She always said, "In this life, you do not walk alone. When you walk, you are walking in the footsteps of your ancestors”. This series holds a special place in my heart and is 100% a must read!

Thank you so much Levine & RB Media for the gifted copies!

A prequel to Little Badger’s first novel, Elatsoe, this story is set in a fictional 1970s and chronicles a chapter in the life of our beloved Elatsoe’s grandmother, Sheine Lende, that can easily be read as a stand alone novel. Darcie’s writing and characters bring so many things to the surface: an acknowledgement and respect for traditional knowledge and oral histories, acceptance of various ways of knowing and interacting with the world, and an open, thoughtful kindness throughout.

I love that my children are growing up in a world that has more stories like this on bookshelves, of young characters who are strong, confident, kind, and connected.

For the young and the young at heart, seeking adventure,
Tokšá aké, book friends 📚☕️🪴

Pidámaya @dr.littlebadger for sharing these stories that leave me feeling hopeful, @levinequeridoand @netgalley for the advance copy and advance audio, and @kinsalehues for the beautiful narration.

I'm loving the mystical mysteries of both Elatsoe and Sheine Lende. It was a delight to see Ellie's grandmother, Shane, in her own coming-of-age story. And the epilogue was *chefs kiss*.

Sheine Lende is set in the same magical realistic version of the US that Elatsoe is. Sheine Lende follows Shane as she searches for a young boy who has gone missing as well as her mother who disappeared while searching for the boy.

Darcie Little Badger does a fantastic job at writing this accessible fantasy mystery. I am not a huge fantasy reader so I love when things are set in a fairly modern/familiar setting, this makes it so much easier to follow along. If you’ve read Elatsoe, this story was a lot less direct action but I felt this fit the story much better. We had more questions that needed to be solved and a bit more of a journey that was made rather than fight scenes and subterfuge.

I was fortunate enough to receive the audiobook for this and I thought Kinsale Hueston did spectacularly. I love listening to Fantasy on audio (it really helps me visualize the world), and I especially appreciate books featuring language and culture not my own in audio format as well. Hueston really brings some of the indigenous language and stories to life with their narration.

I also really appreciated where and how this book stands in the Elatsoe universe. Sheine Lende could probably be read before Elatsoe if someone was interested in reading chronologically, only the end/epilogue mentions Ellie, the main character of Elatsoe. Reading these in publication order though allows the reader to make little connections while Sheine Lende unfolds. Darcie Little Badger still uses the epilogue to bring things full circle though if you happened to miss some of the connections yourself.


Things that (especially) worked for me:
- the world building! I love learning more about this universe and the various types of magic within it
- during Shane’s journey, there are some POV changes from the third person that is used throughout the story and then some first person POV. I loved this and thought the first person really brought an extra layer to this part of the story

This is a solid sequel/prequel. It feels like a new story while still feeling very true to the original world building that was set up, and this is truly one of my favorite speculative worlds of all time. This book is just as stunning as Elatsoe, but it feels a little more hopeful and a little less sinister that I think Elatsoe does. I would probably be comfortable giving this to a little bit younger readers.

My only real complaint was that it was a little hard to place the story in time. I understand the story in comparison to Elatsoe, but for a world based on our own I wasn't quite sure what decade it was supposed to be and kind of kept waiting to find out. This is a super trivial thing and doesn't matter for the book, but I was personal curious.

I hope she continues to write books in this world!

5/5 stars with a warming ghostly glow... (I would've given 6 stars if I had them...)

"For us, it’s easy to mistake The Below for home..."

In my very first review of Elatsoe back in 2021, I named it “one of those magical books I wish had been around when I was a child”, as it would’ve been a foundational book for me. Luckily, that never stopped me from adoring it all the same as an adult, and joyfully adding it to my all-time favourite list. Since then, I’ve reread it a number of times and have been well on my way to considering Darcie Little Badger a favourite author, sheerly based on my love for this one book.
Then came the announcement I didn’t see coming; a new book in the same world, functioning as a prequel to Elatsoe. After finishing Sheine Lende, I can confidently say that I’m no longer “considering Darcie Little Badger might become a favourite author”; she is an all-time favourite for sure!

The Story:
Sheine Lende is set in the same world as Elatsoe, and functions as a prequel to Ellie’s story. Although there are references to the first book throughout, the story follows a completely new cast of characters and can be read as a standalone as well.
We follow Shane, Ellie’s grandmother, whom we already know has lead an interesting life, and shared the same talents of communicating with (animal) spirits. Shane works with her mother and their ghost dogs, tracking down missing persons even when their families can't afford to pay and authorities don’t seem to care. When her mother, alongside a local boy, is next in line to disappear after a strange interaction with a fairy ring, Shane takes it upon herself and her ghost dogs to return her home safely. Together with her brother, her friends, and her lone, surviving grandparent - who isn't to be trusted - set off on a journey to find them. But they may not be anywhere in this world - or this place in time.

What I loved:
I’ve mentioned before that Elatsoe is one of those quintessential comfort books for me. There is an almost indescribable quality to the writing that radiates comfort, warmth and whimsy, despite not shying away from heavier subject matter. Sheine Lende, carries forward that same atmosphere through its shared themes. Both stories are essentially about family and generational-love (covering both biological family and found-family alike), and how these connections to our supporting networks can carry us through the darkest of times. The worldbuilding is rooted in Lipan mythology, from an own-voice perspective of the author. I deeply admire how the author manages to honour her culture and history by intertwining threads of generational- and cultural trauma specific to the native America experience, whilst also writing about themes universal enough to be relatable for readers from a variety of backgrounds.
None of this was a surprise of course; I knew full well that Darcie Little Badger was capable of this kind of writing from reading Elatsoe. What díd surprise me was how invested I got in the new cast of characters from page one. I didn’t think Shane would be able to hold a candle to my love and investment in Ellie and Kirby, yet I think I loved both protagonist equally in the end. Ellie and Shane are distinctly different, strong characters, but share a very important quality. They both are strong as individuals because their community allows them to be. They stand on the shoulders of giant and know themselves to be backed by the ghost of the generations that proceeded them. That powerful sense of connection is the backbone to anchor of the story and the beating heart of my love for it.
This is where I’d usually include my “what I didn’t love”-section, but I honestly have no points of critique to give here… Elatsoe did something truly special for me: it’s the kind of book that feels like a strengthening and encouraging hug from a loved one. I didn’t think Sheine Lende, would be able to match that, but it absolutely did, maybe at times even surpassing it! This is a gem of a novel, that I cannot recommend highly enough.

A note on the audio:
This is one of those books where I can't decide whether to recommend the physical book over the audio, or the other way around. I read both, and adored both for different reasons. On the one hand, the physical copy has the benefit of the stunning cover and illustrations by Rovina Cai. On the other hand, the audiobook reflects the nature of spoken-word legacies and storytelling, and Kinsale Drake's exceptional narration and pronounciation of the original Lipan language makes for a truly special experience.

Many thanks to the author and Levine Querido for providing me with (yes, I’ve said it!) my most anticipated ARC of the year. All opinions are my own.

This book was the prequel to Elatsoe that I didn’t know I needed. Following Shane, Elatsoe’s grandmother, who is on a mission to find her missing mother and the two kids that went missing with her. With a great cast of characters, beautiful integration of Lipan Apache culture and history and of course a ghost dog this book is perfect for any age. This was a slower book focusing on building characters and their backgrounds. I loved the seamless, unexplained existence of magic that is in this world that felt so real and all the friendships and family bonds that were shown on page. The ending was perfect in my opinion and very satisfying tying a lot of the elements of the book together.

I didn't even know we were getting an Elatsoe prequel until I saw this pop up on netgalley and thank goodness I did because I think I might have liked this even more than Elatsoe, and I LOVED Elatsoe.

So this follows Ellie's grandma Shane as she searches for her mom and a missing boy in the underworld. It does feel a little bit long but in the best way like you get excited every time a new plot development happens because you know you're getting more story if that makes sense. I loved the characters and the representation and the setting. I feel like we get more of an insight into the magic system of both Ellie and Shane's ability to resurrect ghost animals as well as the magic system regarding the mushrooms and fairy rings.

This is technically a prequel but it's listed as number two in a series and I think I can genuinely say it doesn't matter if you read this before or after Elatsoe. You get enough information in this book to understand everything that's going on without having read the first but it also provides really great contacts and information for Elatsoe.

If you can't tell, I loved it and am here for it. Please give me more from Darcie Little Badgers.

Lipan-Apache MC, queer secondary characters.