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Review: Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

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Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

Sisters in the Wind
Angeline Boulley
Henry Holt & Co.
Published September 2, 2025

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About Sisters in the Wind

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed comes a daring new mystery about a foster teen claiming her heritage on her own terms.

Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago, “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state.” But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her, Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe.

Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his “friend-not-friend,” a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her.

They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her: She is Ojibwe; she has – had – a sister, and more siblings; a grandmother who’d look after her and a home where she would be loved.

But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance of normal she has had, and now the secrets she’s hiding will swallow her whole and take away the future she always dreamed of.

My Review

I read a story collection recently that included a short story by Angeline Boulley. I recognized her writing immediately. She’s an amazing storyteller.

Sisters in the Wind is a standalone novel, but it has characters in it from Firekeeper’s Daughter. I loved getting to see those characters again. The only downside was that it pulled my attention away from what was happening to Lucy sometimes. (I don’t want to say anything that spoils Firekeeper’s Daughter for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. But I was on the edge of my seat watching the characters reappear in this book.)

The timeline jumps back and forth between Lucy’s past, showing scenes moving toward the present, and the present, in which Lucy knows she’s in danger but we don’t know why. As the story unfolds, the mystery of who’s following Lucy and how much danger she’s in slowly becomes clear, and the tension ratchets upward.

I liked Lucy as a character. Her relationship with her dad shows how young she is when he dies. It’s clear to the reader that her dad has some issues, but Lucy idolizes him in a way that kids do with their parents. Later in the story, she begins revisiting some of the things her dad said to her and some parts of his story that, upon reflection, don’t add up. Her growth there was nicely done and felt pretty realistic.

In terms of Boulley’s other books, this one takes place between Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl, Unearthed. Each book explores a cultural issue and how it affects Native communities. Sisters in the Wind discusses ICWA and how foster care has been used in the past to disrupt tribal connections and culture. That’s not what the story is truly about, but because of Lucy’s experience in care, it comes up and she gets involved in an organization trying to help.

Conclusion

I keep asking myself whether I liked this book as much as or better than Angeline Boulley’s earlier books, and I think that’s the wrong question. There are some similarities between the books, and I was hooked as I read all of them. The question, for me, is whether this book expands the conversation that I think this writer has with her readers about what it’s like to be Native today in America, and how history continues to impact that experience (as it does for us all).

I like how this book builds on her earlier work. I like that it explores a foster care experience, and not totally in a negative way. (Her first placement was wonderful, but subsequent placements were awful. Her caseworker made some huge mistakes.) It also celebrates building one’s own community and learning to hold love for imperfect people.

All in all, loved it. Read this if you were a fan of her other books. If you want to read Firekeeper’s Daughter but haven’t yet, I recommend you start there, since the plot of this one will include spoilers.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Lucy developed curves at a young age and feels creeped out by the unwelcome attention boys (and men) pay to her body. One boy tries to assault her. (She fights him off.) References to a child being molested (not shown on scene). A couple of scenes show kissing. Vague reference to Lucy picking up on clues that another couple is having sex. One scene includes a sexual encounter. Descriptions of pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Spiritual Content
Lucy was raised attending church with her dad and honoring the ten commandments. She begins learning about giving thanks and praying according to her Native spiritual beliefs.

Violent Content
An explosion injures several people. Mentions of fire destroying a home or building, sometimes causing death. A teen attempts to assault a girl. She fights him, landing him in the emergency room. References to child molestation (not shown on scene). A murderer confesses to killing someone. References to a drug overdose. A man threatens others with a gun, shooting someone.

Drug Content
In one scene, teens sit around a campfire with alcohol or marijuana. An adult smokes a cigarette.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Legendary Frybread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Anthology or Collection, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

The Legendary Frybread Drive-In
Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Heartdrum
Published August 26, 2025

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About The Legendary Frybread Drive-In

Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.

The road to Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout. The menu offers a rotating feast, including traditional eats and tasty snacks. But Sandy June’s serves up more than it hosts live music, movie nights, unexpected family reunions, love long lost, and love found again.

That big green-and-gold neon sign beckons to teens of every tribal Nation, often when they need it most.

Featuring stories and poems Kaua Mahoe Adams, Marcella Bell, Angeline Boulley, K. A. Cobell, A. J. Eversole, Jen Ferguson, Eric Gansworth, Byron Graves, Kate Hart, Christine Hartman Derr, Karina Iceberg, Cheryl Isaacs, Darcie Little Badger, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Brian Young.

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

My Review

This collection was so much fun to read. My favorite was the short story by Jen Ferguson. As soon as I saw that the main character’s name was Berlin, I got so excited. It’s a continuation of the story and characters from Those Pink Mountain Nights, which is my favorite of her books that I’ve read so far. I also loved Angeline Boulley’s short story– if I’d missed her name, I would have spotted her writing immediately.

I’m less familiar with the other authors in the collection, but I enjoyed getting to read their work. A couple of the stories are told in verse, and both were wonderful. I also loved that Darcy Little Badger used direct messages and a tabletop game to tell her story.

Gathering at Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In unites all the stories together. Sometimes characters from one story encounter characters from another story while they’re there. Sometimes they speak with an elder or grandparent who imparts wisdom.

The collection celebrates food, intergenerational relationships, and having a safe space to be oneself. It also highlights the unique experiences of different tribes while honoring the commonalities. This would be a great collection for a classroom or home library. Readers looking to find new Indigenous authors to read will easily find new favorites here, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
References to Creator and Indigenous traditions.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
One character’s brother used drugs (not shown in-scene).

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Woven from Clay by Jenny Birch

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Woven From Clay
Jenny Birch
Wednesday Books
Published August 12, 2025

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About Woven From Clay

In this fresh and imaginative contemporary fantasy, a golem must master the magic that binds her together and finds an unexpected ally in the mysterious boy sent to ensure her demise.

Terra Slater might not know anything about her birth family or where she comes from, but that’s never stopped her, and she fully intends her senior year to be her best yet. Until the dark and mysterious Thorne Wilder―a magical bounty hunter―moves to town, bringing revelations that wreck all of her plans.

When Terra learns she is a golem, not born but crafted from mud and magic by a warlock, her world is upended. Worse, Cyrus Quill, the warlock who made her, is a fugitive, on the run from the witches who want to hold him accountable for his past crimes. But Quill’s sentence is death, which would unravel the threads of magic that hold Terra―and all of the other golems that he crafted―together.

Desperate to save herself and her friends, Terra strikes a deal with Thorne and his coven to preserve the warlock’s life and his magic. If she can prove her worth to the coven by mastering the magic within her, the golems will survive. If she can’t, they’ll perish along with Cyrus. As Thorne helps her to see and manipulate the tapestry of magic that surrounds them, their unexpected alliance evolves into something more and Terra comes to understand the depths of her magic, her humanity, and her love for the people most important to her.

My Review

The book description makes it very clear that this is a contemporary fantasy, but I think I kept assuming from the cover that it was some kind of Greek myth retelling. I don’t know why. In any case, when I started reading the book, I was a little jolted by the present-day setting.

At first, it feels like a familiar tale. A girl facing an inexplicable problem meets a grouchy, emotionally-closed boy who’s new in town. There’s the inevitable tug of war over whether they’re on opposing sides or can trust a tentative alliance.

From there, we learn more about Thorne’s coven and the power dynamics at play. Terra experiments with her newfound ability, and Thorne becomes a lot more likeable.

The way the author uses names in the story is interesting. Once you know about Terra’s origin, it becomes easy to recognize the others who share a similar story. Some people might find that a bit heavy-handed, but I thought it was a neat idea.

The story definitely grew on me as I got into the history of Terra’s town and saw more of Thorne’s family. By the end, I was really invested in both Terra and Thorne.

If you enjoy paranormal romance or contemporary fantasy, I think this is a good one to pick up. It has a lot of similar vibes to the kinds of books coming out in the early 2000s, but without the problematic content.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of the f-bomb, and a sprinkling of other profanity. Not a huge amount.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Witches live apart from humans in underground compounds where they use their magic according to the rules of their guild. Creating a golem is considered “warlock magic”, which is against their rules.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. If Terra’s creator dies, she and the other golems will perish as well. Someone tries to harm Terra’s friends, tripping them, sapping their energy, etc.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Pretty Girl County by Lakita Wilson

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Pretty Girl County
Lakita Wilson
Publisher
Published July 1, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Pretty Girl County

The glitz of Gossip Girl meets the hustle of Leah Johnson’s You Should See Me in a Crown in this charming and hilarious story of ex-BFFs from PG County, Maryland, perfect for fans of Joya Goffney and Elise Bryant.

Girls like Reya Samuels always come from Prince George’s County. Reya is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap.

Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman.

Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t.

As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships push them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way?

My Review

This is such a great story of friendship. The story alternates between Sommer and Reya’s points of view. At the beginning of the story, their old friendship has ended, and Sommer isn’t interested in renewing it or connecting with any of Reya’s new friends. An opportunity associated with a schoolwide fashion show changes that, though.

The story has great pacing in terms of relationship development. The ways that Reya and Sommer’s friendship changes and each girl’s romantic opportunities develop feels natural and easy to follow. Each relationship faces challenges, and in both cases, the girls have to ask themselves hard questions about who they are and what they want their lives to look like.

It took me a minute to get into Reya’s character, but I ended up being really glad that the story was divided between both girls. I like the lessons that each of them learned.

Pretty Girl County is also a pretty lighthearted story. Sure, there’s some relationship drama and some family struggle. But this is the kind of book that anyone could read. It would make a great choice for a reader aging up into young adult books.

Also, bonus: there’s a fabulous reading list of books by Black authors in the back that’s worth checking out as well. The characters mention many of those titles as they work at the bookstore or talk about their own reading. I’ll definitely be adding some of those titles to my own reading list! The ones I’ve read already have all been well worth the time.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
References to church.

Violent Content
Some classist comments.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca

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An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic
Sarah J. Mendonca
Quill Tree Books
Published July 8, 2025

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About An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic

Encanto meets Oceans 8 in this middle-grade fantasy-adventure, set in a Portuguese-inspired world, following a tween girl who joins a notorious band of thieves to steal a priceless jewel and discovers corruption that must be stopped.

Rosa Coelho has spent her whole life hunting monstros, wandering the city streets with her best friend Tiago, and dreaming of a better life for herself and her grandmother. And in a society that favors the rich and educated, every piece of knowledge comes with a hefty price, even the most basic books Rosa’s family needs to trap monstros.

So when the powerful Ministério dos Monstros threatens her family’s struggling Encantadora shop, Rosa only has two weeks to scrape together the money for their debts. It seems like an impossible task… until Rosa tricks her way onto an infamous thief crew as their magical safecracker.

Thrust into the world of high class luxury and betrayal, Rosa is pulled into a scheme with the highest possible stakes: stealing from the Ministry itself. She must learn to trust her magical abilities and her crew—for if the heist goes wrong, everything she loves is forfeit.

My Review

This was such an easy book to read. I loved the cast of characters. The whole story is told from Rosa’s point of view, but she gets close to several others while on her mission with the thief crew. I liked that the crew members all had different personalities and secrets that made them assets and liabilities. As Rosa struggled to get to know the team and form friendships, oh, I just wanted to hug her! Her clumsy attempts made me cringe or laugh out loud. Her strong heart kept me believing she’d figure it out in the end, though.

Plot-wise, the story keeps a steady pace. The chapters are a nice length. They’re long enough that we get to dive into a scene or problem and short enough that they don’t overwhelm. I found myself leaping from one chapter to another, reading past my bedtime, because I was sure I could fit one more chapter in before it got too late.

Rosa has an interesting approach to her relationships with others. I’m not sure if there’s some neurodivergence at play, or if she’s meant to read as sheltered and inexperienced. The narrative doesn’t specify. At any rate, anyone who has struggled to form new friendships, especially in the middle-grade years, will likely empathize with Rosa.

An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic is the first book that I’ve read with some Portuguese words in it since I started learning a little bit of the language. It was cool to recognize some words as I read, though the author offers context or translation within the narrative, so even if you were unfamiliar, you wouldn’t be lost.

Conclusion

The story offers a satisfying ending to the heist, but raises plenty of new questions for a follow-up book. It looks like a sequel is expected next year, which I’m excited about.

If you liked Monsters and Marvels by Alysa Wishingrad, you’ll want to read this monster-chasing adventure.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Other characters use charms and chains that have special powers. Magical creatures like fire slugs (they burn whatever they touch) exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Spark by Chris Baron

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Spark
Chris Baron
Feiwel & Friends
Published July 15, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Spark

As a community recovers from a devastating wildfire, two friends find their way back to each other and their homes, by award-winning author Chris Baron.

Perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Lauren Tarshis.

Finn and his friend, nicknamed Rabbit, live in a rural area that’s been hit hard by wildfires. Families were displaced and school was interrupted. Moreover, their beloved forest is suffering — animals and plants haven’t been able to come back, and the two friends wonder if there’s anything they can do to help. Rabbit’s uncle, a science teacher, is part of a study that may help bring the forest back to life, but Finn and Rabbit wonder if the forest can wait. And what if another fire comes in the meantime? They believe a small part of the forest — the forest heart — that survived the wildfire may hold the key to regrowth, but first, they have to find it and then convince the adults around them to listen.

For any young person who’s ever felt powerless against the world, here is a story about two kids doing all they can to understand their natural world and preserve it.

My Review

This is the second novel by Chris Baron that I’ve read, but the first in verse, and what a treat! Like, it’s largely a serious story that bravely excavates some big feelings and mental health issues. I found it incredibly easy to get lost in this story, though. A couple times, I had to pause and just breathe.

In the story, Finn faces some scary situations. Afterward, he experiences some symptoms of PTSD. I remember experiencing some of the symptoms he described. Those lines took me back to those moments– it felt like the kind of observations that had to come from someone who’d been through what Finn felt.

It’s also such a hopeful story, and that’s so important. Wildfires and the threat of them is terrifying. What can one person do in the face of such a huge fire or a serious threat? Baron’s characters explore these questions themselves and look for ways they can help their families and community. They celebrate a connection with nature that others don’t always understand. As they continue sharing their hope and passion, others begin to listen and forge their own connections with the natural world.

I loved that the story faces hardship head-on but remains so focused on hope. I can’t think of anything we need more than stories that take our kids fears and experiences seriously and make space for those things but also remind us to be hopeful and remind us how powerful a little hope can be.

Expect to see Spark on end of the year favorites lists. It’s so worth reading.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Finn and his family celebrate the sabbath and attend services at a synogogue.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Finn’s family must evacuate when a fire gets too close to their home. Their escape is a bit harrowing, though the descriptions of the danger are brief. Finn learns about others who also had to hunker down (safely/with gear) and let the fire pass by. Some people lose homes. A girl searches for a missing dog. A man slides off the roof of his house (because he’s in a hurry to get his family to safety) and injures his leg.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.