Daunis Fontaine is linked to the Ojibwe tribe, though has mixed race parenting which causes problems for her fitting in with either community. She is a fierce ice hockey player though and hangs out with this crowd, along with her half-brother, Levi, and this is where she meets new boy Jamie, Over the course of the book, it becomes clear that Jamie -and Levi - may not be all they claim to be and she is gradually drawn into the drug riddled side of her community, with devastating consequences for her and those around her.

It is told in first person which makes you feel you are really there with Daunis. Themes covered by the book include relationships, friendships, rivalries, families and love, which would appeal to all teens but due to frequent drugs references, I feel it is best suited to older teens onwards, There is now, thankfully, a good choice of BAME fiction for young adults and this sits really well with them, highlighting the prejudices faced by native Americans, as well as shedding light on some of their beliefs and traditions. I found the plot line and characters very engaging and really enjoyed some of the twists as the story unfolded.

I will be looking out for more titles by this author!

Many thanks to Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Firekeeper's Daughter contained a diverse mix of characters with both strong, redeeming qualities and flaws. This was the first book I had ever read set solely in and based around a Native American community and I was incredibly excited to educate myself further on the history and heritage that the writer offers a beautiful insight into.

Boulley does a fantastic job of integrating language, tradition, custom, belief, history and community into this novel in a way that educates readers without it seeming like education.

As this is focused towards a young adult or even new adult audience, when the main character, Daunis, goes through a period of self exploration and transition the opportunity for the reader to explore both culture and womanhood is there - part of the charm is that the reader can learn and embrace with her.

For around the first 20% of this story, I thought I knew roughly where it was going. I loved the writing style but was sure it would be a "same old" retelling. It is safe to say that I was completely incorrect, and was compelled from then onwards.

An exciting and compelling read.

I feel so privileged to have read this book. Firekeeper's Daughter is tells a heartbreaking yet beautiful story about community, identity, coming of age and how they all intertwine together.

Angeline Boully's amazing debut features 18 year old Daunis Fontaine is biracial, an unenrolled tribal member. Daunis was such a well-crafted and beautifully human character with a lot of depth which allowed insight to her as a person and main character. Boully's writing featured lots of Anishinaabe language, traditions, and culture which made this book so special as such an exciting and interesting read. As a white person, I feel so privileged to be given insight into such a Daunis's Ojibwe culture and how it impacts her life and those around her. As well as that, Boully's writing created a beautiful community and really well-developed relationships. This book was so complex, insightful and well-written, I would absolutely recommend it to everyone.

Firekeeper's Daughter also features a mix of crime and thriller themes along with coming of age and romance. It tackles heavy subjects (that some readers may find triggering) including racism, sexual assault, drugs, addiction and grief.

Big thanks to the NetGalley and publishers Henry, Holt and Co for providing an eARC this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I would given this book between 4.5 stars as it was extremely well-written and engaging (especially during the build up towards the end) but I sometimes struggled with the pace and felt like it took a while to get going.

This is a stunning debut from Angeline Boulley, set in Sault Ste. Marie, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, amongst the Native American Ojibwe community. 18 year old Daunis Fontaine is biracial, an unenrolled tribal member, the child of a scandal, who whilst never quite fitting in with her fragile and vulnerable white mother's family, nor the other half of her Indigenous family, and community, nevertheless lives her daily life immersed in both. She is weighed by down by the disappointing loss of her Uncle David, a teacher, a meth death, and the stroke suffered by GrandMary, they say bad luck comes in threes, Daunis is sincerely hoping not. A gifted scientist, Daunis has put off going to the University of Michigan, and is instead intending to attend college locally with her lifelong best friend, Lily Chippeway, so that she can be there for her mother. Hockey mad, Daunis agrees to act as ambassador and introduce new player, Jamie, to the area and community as he joins her on her early morning runs.

The first part of the book embeds the reader into Daunis's life and history, her close relationship with her protective hockey playing half brother, Levi, and the rest of her indigenous family, including her badass Aunt Teddie. We are immersed in the historical atrocities and racism that have marked the painful history of the tribes, along with a picture of the culture, structures, contemporary politics, traditional medicine, rituals, ceremonies, tribal elders, with everyday community and family interactions. There is a focus on the growing blight of lives lost to meths, with the rising numbers of 'lost' boys and girls, as can be seen with Travis, Lily's ex-boyfriend. There is prodigious use of and explanation of indigenous words and concepts, the teachings of the good way of life by the 7 grandfathers through love, humility, respect, honesty, bravery, wisdom, and truth, pillars that are to inform Daunis's harrowing investigation. As tragedy strikes, shattering Daunis, she finds herself agreeing to go undercover as a confidential agent, looking into meths production and distribution that is destroying the future of the community.

Boulley writes a utterly riveting, complex and multilayered novel, rooted in, insightful and informative of, the Ojiwbe community that the central protagonist, Daunis, belongs to and is committed to, as she tries to protect their interests and future, outside agencies like the FBI may not necessarily do that or even see this as important. This is a fascinating and thrilling read, tense and suspenseful, with a strong central protagonist facing the complications of hockey, community and family ties, corruption and murder, not to mention a personal relationship that is hard to trust and believe in. Given the sexism, misogyny and sexual assaults, I took comfort in the depiction of the strong independent women and the ritual of the 'blanket party'. Part of the joy of reading this is the educational elements of learning about indigenous communities, such as the traditions and rituals that lie behind the critical role of the Firekeeper. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.

I'm an avid reader and this book blew me away. It is on of the best books I have ever read.
The story follow Daunis, who has a native American father and a christian mother.
It follows Daunis just ending her high school and getting ready for college when disaster strikes. The book takes us into the beautiful heritage and ways of the Ojibwe. It is written beautifully and with the short chapters you cannot stop reading.
The onion that is Daunis is pealed slowly in the book set in the backdrop op Ice Hockey, the rez and drugs.
I hope to read more by Angeline in the future.
this review doesn't do the book full justice, but please buy and read it.

Firekeeper’s Daughter is Angeline Boulley’s spellbinding debut young adult thriller and a captivating coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine, a 6ft tall ice hockey ace and science whiz, lives her life balancing two worlds: her life with her white mother and wealthy grandparents where she has a hefty trust fund and her life where she carries on her strong family traditions as an Ojibwe woman. Being the product of a huge scandal between her mother and father, Daunis has spent her entire life feeling as though she doesn’t belong anywhere. She resides with her mother in the Sault Ste. Marie tribal community of Chippewa Indians near her hometown that she has always longed to officially join. (She lacks enrollment due to the complicated relationship between her late Ojibwe father and French-Canadian mother.) This has always made her feel like an outsider and she has never felt as though she truly fit in. Now, instead of spending the summer after high school anticipating her freshman year of college, and dreaming of playing hockey for the University of Michigan and a career as a doctor, she prepares for a different future: staying home to care for her emotionally fragile mother after back-to-back family tragedies. Daunis’ life changes drastically when her uncle David dies of a meth overdose under suspicious circumstances, followed by the sudden hospitalization of her maternal grandmother who has spent the last couple of months recovering from a serious stroke. While she tries to navigate through all of this and take back control she is struggling for a sense of purpose. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, her high school hockey superstar brother, Levis, newest teammate.

Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses the shocking murder of her best friend at the hands of her meth addict boyfriend, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of the lethal new drug. With crystal meth abuse on the rise in her community, Daunis uses her knowledge of science and traditional native medicine to go undercover as a confidential informant for the FBI to track down the source and reveal the seller. Everything becomes a whole lot more dangerous when Daunis realises what she's let herself in for and she is suddenly thrust into the thick of a drug ring investigation, learning of corruption, deception and betrayal from the people closest to her and those she’d least suspect. Daunis must decide what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) when she is forced to choose between saving those she loves, helping the FBI and protecting the tribal community. This is a scintillating and beguiling debut steeped in the traditions of the indigenous Ojibwe and is such a richly-described and exquisitely written tale that you cannot fail to be immersed and enchanted by its beauty and allure. There's mystery, intrigue and plenty of thrills, and I was amazed at how there was twist upon twist upon twist. Boulley’s authentic depictions of the complexities of Native communities and the trauma and strength of Native women, specifically, make this book a complete standout for YA and adult readers alike. It is a searingly powerful, fiercely compelling and mesmerizing read with a badass, intelligent protagonist who I became fully invested in. An enthralling and unforgettable novel from start to finish. Highly recommended.

"Firekeeper's Daughter" is a stunning debut from Angeline Boulley which draws beautifully on her own heritage. The book provides a valuable insight into Native American beliefs, culture and traditions. Protagonist Daunis is a strong Anishinaabe kwe who finds herself assisting an investigation into meth production in her community. But who can she trust? It's a strong YA thriller and I'm delighted to hear that it's being optioned for Netflix. Boulley handles a variety of themes with skill and sensitivity, including the devastating effects of drug abuse and sexual assault. I love the cover design of the book and also the authentic language and setting.

Angeline Boulley sold this, her first novel, at the age of 54 and if that's not inspirational then I don't know what is! "Firekeeper's Daughter" is now a No1 New York Times bestseller and I hope it does equally well in the UK. An excellent read!