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Sisters in the Wind: A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick!
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 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 at safety she had. Will the secrets she's hiding swallow her whole and take away any hope for the future she always dreamed of?
When the past comes for revenge, it’s fight or flight.
Angeline Boulley's award-winning canon of books puts compelling characters and fast-paced action at the center of narratives rich in historical context. Read Firekeeper's Daughter; Warrior Girl Unearthed; and the soon-to-be-released Sisters of the Wind in any order; but like the world itself, there are echoes within each for the other stories.
Pick this up if you
- quiet girls with dark pasts
- explosive opening scenes
- wolves in sheeps’ clothing
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 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 at safety she had. Will the secrets she's hiding swallow her whole and take away any hope for the future she always dreamed of?
When the past comes for revenge, it’s fight or flight.
Angeline Boulley's award-winning canon of books puts compelling characters and fast-paced action at the center of narratives rich in historical context. Read Firekeeper's Daughter; Warrior Girl Unearthed; and the soon-to-be-released Sisters of the Wind in any order; but like the world itself, there are echoes within each for the other stories.
Pick this up if you
- quiet girls with dark pasts
- explosive opening scenes
- wolves in sheeps’ clothing
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2025
185 people are currently reading
27660 people want to read
About the author
Angeline Boulley
6 books5,567 followersAngeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She gained attention from the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program. Angeline was the former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Her agent is Faye Bender at The Book Group. Firekeeper's Daughter has been optioned for a Netflix series by the Obamas' Higher Ground production company.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
July 26, 2025
I will never recover from this
August 9, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a copy of the ALC in exchange for a review. As always, my honest thoughts and opinions are directly below.
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This book follows our FMC, named Lucy Smith, who doesn't know at first that she is part of the Ojibwe. She was always told, growing up, that she is Italian. After her place of employment, a diner, is bombed, she realizes she may be targeted by whoever planted the bomb.
It is now a race against time for her to get away from those who wish her harm so she can prevent anyone else from being harmed. However, her plans of escaping are dashed by an attorney and his friend, who wish to help her reacquaint herself with her birth mother's family.
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I requested this book through NetGalley just for the Native American representation. I have Native American ancestors so I was hoping to learn more about that part of my history. I was really pleased with what I got out of this book.
I'll admit, however, that I was really sad with the end of the book. I went into a bit of slump after I finished the book because of how it ended. I originally didn't want to go into detail but there was one death that I couldn't leave out of the book.
I was really sad over Jamie's death in particular. I felt really bad for the mother of his child that he will now never meet because of the actions of Lucy's former foster parents. I was just shocked at the lengths the former foster parents went to just to make Lucy miserable.
I was questioning their motives for quite a while and I still couldn't figure out what they wanted at the end of the book. I honestly couldn't figure out if they wanted revenge for their son that Lucy's former foster sister killed or if they were helping her other foster family get their stuff back.
I'm glad that we got a happy ending at the end of the book since I will always believe Lucy deserves that. I'm glad she doesn't have to worry about someone coming after her since both foster families were killed.
I feel bad for the foster children that were at the farm house when it was burned down. They didn't deserve to be placed in the middle of that. Stressful and traumatic, much? I can understand why they were using Lucy's baby to get to her but it was all a bit much just to get revenge against her.
I was also shocked at the end when we find out that the Sterling family was behind the bombing but I shouldn't have been shocked when I looked back at it all. I should have seen that coming a mile away.
I also noticed we didn't get a resolution for the case against Lucy. Lucy had been accused of being behind the bombing and even admitted to it. Were the charges against her dropped? I guess we'll never really know, will we?
Yes, I'd recommend this book. I liked the narrator for the audio version, which is how I consumed the book. This is my first book by Angeline and I have a feeling in my gut that I'll be reading other books by her as well.
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This book follows our FMC, named Lucy Smith, who doesn't know at first that she is part of the Ojibwe. She was always told, growing up, that she is Italian. After her place of employment, a diner, is bombed, she realizes she may be targeted by whoever planted the bomb.
It is now a race against time for her to get away from those who wish her harm so she can prevent anyone else from being harmed. However, her plans of escaping are dashed by an attorney and his friend, who wish to help her reacquaint herself with her birth mother's family.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I requested this book through NetGalley just for the Native American representation. I have Native American ancestors so I was hoping to learn more about that part of my history. I was really pleased with what I got out of this book.
I'll admit, however, that I was really sad with the end of the book. I went into a bit of slump after I finished the book because of how it ended. I originally didn't want to go into detail but there was one death that I couldn't leave out of the book.
I was really sad over Jamie's death in particular. I felt really bad for the mother of his child that he will now never meet because of the actions of Lucy's former foster parents. I was just shocked at the lengths the former foster parents went to just to make Lucy miserable.
I was questioning their motives for quite a while and I still couldn't figure out what they wanted at the end of the book. I honestly couldn't figure out if they wanted revenge for their son that Lucy's former foster sister killed or if they were helping her other foster family get their stuff back.
I'm glad that we got a happy ending at the end of the book since I will always believe Lucy deserves that. I'm glad she doesn't have to worry about someone coming after her since both foster families were killed.
I feel bad for the foster children that were at the farm house when it was burned down. They didn't deserve to be placed in the middle of that. Stressful and traumatic, much? I can understand why they were using Lucy's baby to get to her but it was all a bit much just to get revenge against her.
I was also shocked at the end when we find out that the Sterling family was behind the bombing but I shouldn't have been shocked when I looked back at it all. I should have seen that coming a mile away.
I also noticed we didn't get a resolution for the case against Lucy. Lucy had been accused of being behind the bombing and even admitted to it. Were the charges against her dropped? I guess we'll never really know, will we?
Yes, I'd recommend this book. I liked the narrator for the audio version, which is how I consumed the book. This is my first book by Angeline and I have a feeling in my gut that I'll be reading other books by her as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2025
I am an emotional wreck, can’t breathe through all these tears and snot. My chest hurts and I’m gutted.
The book was really freaking good. You should read it if you like a little mystery and feeeling all the feelings. And I do mean ALL the feelings. Sad, happy, angry, stressed af, heartbroken, & hopeful.
This was a very compelling mystery that had me binging the book in less 24 hours. Plenty of shocking reveals and twists!
I also really enjoyed how much care went into including Ojibwe traditions as our FMC learned more about her heritage. Not to mention the information about the Indian Child Welfare Act. I leave this book with more knowledge than I started, and in my humble opinion, one of the best ways to leave a book.
I am fairly familiar with the foster care system and how poorly it functions in general but especially when it comes to indigenous children. This book is a gut wrenching, raw, and unfortunately accurate portrayal on a system that fails far too often.
I am not built for traumatic or overly sad stories - so this will need to be my one allotment for a while, but for those readers who enjoy reading real, raw stories, and whose mental health can handle a little gut wrenching, this is an absolute must read!
All that said, despite the emotional rollercoaster this book puts you through the book ends on a hopeful and joyful note!
Audio Narration: 4/5 I loved the voice, inflection, and pacing of the narrator but the pauses at the end of each sentence were excessively long. Even at 2x speed the pauses felt excessively long, which made the sentence structure and prose feel overly punctuated, which for me, makes it sound dry.
5⭐️| TikTok | IG |
Thank you publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
The book was really freaking good. You should read it if you like a little mystery and feeeling all the feelings. And I do mean ALL the feelings. Sad, happy, angry, stressed af, heartbroken, & hopeful.
This was a very compelling mystery that had me binging the book in less 24 hours. Plenty of shocking reveals and twists!
I also really enjoyed how much care went into including Ojibwe traditions as our FMC learned more about her heritage. Not to mention the information about the Indian Child Welfare Act. I leave this book with more knowledge than I started, and in my humble opinion, one of the best ways to leave a book.
I am fairly familiar with the foster care system and how poorly it functions in general but especially when it comes to indigenous children. This book is a gut wrenching, raw, and unfortunately accurate portrayal on a system that fails far too often.
I am not built for traumatic or overly sad stories - so this will need to be my one allotment for a while, but for those readers who enjoy reading real, raw stories, and whose mental health can handle a little gut wrenching, this is an absolute must read!
All that said, despite the emotional rollercoaster this book puts you through the book ends on a hopeful and joyful note!
Audio Narration: 4/5 I loved the voice, inflection, and pacing of the narrator but the pauses at the end of each sentence were excessively long. Even at 2x speed the pauses felt excessively long, which made the sentence structure and prose feel overly punctuated, which for me, makes it sound dry.
5⭐️| TikTok | IG |
Thank you publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
June 1, 2025
“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!
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!
Want to read
April 15, 2025new boulley! i could not be more excited
August 29, 2025
my heart broke for so many characters in this story who were victims of a flawed system SUCH a compelling book
August 22, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up / i am actually devastated 😭😭😭😭😭 Angeline Boulley breaks my heart with every book she writes and i come back for more each time omg i need a hug
September 2, 2025
This is a story of a young Ojibwe woman's coming of age where she is forced to fight against many things:
● Her ancestry as a partially Indian woman.
● The foster care system
● Her past aggressions she committed when trying to right wrongs done to her as well as those she loved and cared about
● Males treatment of her…gawking at her as she develops early is only one thing she has to deal with
● Knowing who will tell her the truth and protect her
● Adults wielding power over her
It is such a sad thing to be a put into the foster care system, a place where children without parents to take care of them should have a second chance of being cared for properly. Many instead including our protagonist Lucy, were put in situations where they had no protection. They were placed where the foster parents had all the power and were believed over children being abused.
Lucy's woes were increased by the prejudice of many individuals against “Indian” people.
The pace of this book was fast and both of the dual time lines were action packed as they converged to meet.
Lucy and several other key characters were so well written. That included the black, the white and the morally grey characters.
There were so many other extremely interesting characters including the other teens in foster care along with Lucy, the foster care officials as well as relatives.
Books like Sisters In the Wind are so important. A magnifying lamp should be held up to spotlight works like Boulley's that bring attention to the prejudicial words and actions that our indigenous peoples must endure.
Having read both her first book The Firekeepers Daughter and her sophomore novel Warrior Girl Unearthed I am so grateful for the work she continues to do. She is certainly a writer I will continue to follow.
I highly recommend this well written and heart felt novel.
A huge thank you to one of my very favorite authors Angeline Boulley and her publishing house, Henry Holt and Company for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Sisters In The Wind. As always a thank you to NetGalley for facilitating the reading of advance reader copies.
Publication day is September 2.
● Her ancestry as a partially Indian woman.
● The foster care system
● Her past aggressions she committed when trying to right wrongs done to her as well as those she loved and cared about
● Males treatment of her…gawking at her as she develops early is only one thing she has to deal with
● Knowing who will tell her the truth and protect her
● Adults wielding power over her
It is such a sad thing to be a put into the foster care system, a place where children without parents to take care of them should have a second chance of being cared for properly. Many instead including our protagonist Lucy, were put in situations where they had no protection. They were placed where the foster parents had all the power and were believed over children being abused.
Lucy's woes were increased by the prejudice of many individuals against “Indian” people.
The pace of this book was fast and both of the dual time lines were action packed as they converged to meet.
Lucy and several other key characters were so well written. That included the black, the white and the morally grey characters.
There were so many other extremely interesting characters including the other teens in foster care along with Lucy, the foster care officials as well as relatives.
Books like Sisters In the Wind are so important. A magnifying lamp should be held up to spotlight works like Boulley's that bring attention to the prejudicial words and actions that our indigenous peoples must endure.
Having read both her first book The Firekeepers Daughter and her sophomore novel Warrior Girl Unearthed I am so grateful for the work she continues to do. She is certainly a writer I will continue to follow.
I highly recommend this well written and heart felt novel.
A huge thank you to one of my very favorite authors Angeline Boulley and her publishing house, Henry Holt and Company for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Sisters In The Wind. As always a thank you to NetGalley for facilitating the reading of advance reader copies.
Publication day is September 2.
September 4, 2025
This would make such a great drama/slowburn crime thriller film or TV series. I'm thinking a moody atmosphere and a gray palette to match the Michigan fall/winter. Definitely a Native led production with a compelling teen actress at the forefront of the movie. Film gods, hear my plea. (It's difficult to turn off my hyperphantasia.)
This was a really slow read for me due to the heavy topics (foster care, child abuse, etc.) and the fact that I didn't want it to end. This is one of those stories where you have to be in the right mindset (I wasn't), so it took me a while to finish this audiobook.
I wish this was a 4.5 or higher star read for me. The middle was pretty bogged down by middling details so it was sort of difficult to parse out what was important and what wasn't. The FMC was also an unreliable narrator at times. Combine that with a lot of flashbacks and I was a bit confused with some of the subplots and relationships.
Other than that, Isabella Star LaBlanc was a wonderful narrator who really made me feel like I was listening to a friend telling me her life story. Props to her for pronouncing the names of Michigan places correctly! It added another layer of immersion and relatability.
And of course, we always stan an ownvoices audiobook narrator.
Thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners and NetGalley for this arc.
This was a really slow read for me due to the heavy topics (foster care, child abuse, etc.) and the fact that I didn't want it to end. This is one of those stories where you have to be in the right mindset (I wasn't), so it took me a while to finish this audiobook.
I wish this was a 4.5 or higher star read for me. The middle was pretty bogged down by middling details so it was sort of difficult to parse out what was important and what wasn't. The FMC was also an unreliable narrator at times. Combine that with a lot of flashbacks and I was a bit confused with some of the subplots and relationships.
Other than that, Isabella Star LaBlanc was a wonderful narrator who really made me feel like I was listening to a friend telling me her life story. Props to her for pronouncing the names of Michigan places correctly! It added another layer of immersion and relatability.
And of course, we always stan an ownvoices audiobook narrator.
Thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners and NetGalley for this arc.
May 11, 2025
From the world of The Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed comes a new YA mystery by @angelineboulley
🪶
Lucy has been a part of the foster care system for the last five years, ever since her father died and her stepmom turned out to be someone very different than she led them to believe. One day when she’s waitressing a man and woman show up to say they want to look after Lucy. They also share that Lucy’s father was Ojibwe and she has siblings and a grandmother who wants her live with her. In addition to this revolutionary bombshell Lucy also realizes someone is following her and she wonders if it’s all connected somehow.
🪶
Boulley does an amazing job, as always, highlighting past and current atrocities and history of Indigenous Peoples’. This book specifically discusses the foster care system and stolen Native children, something that is still such a shock for me to have learned about not that long ago. We need more books like this to bring light to issues we don’t hear enough about. This novel releases September 2!
CW: sexual harassment, religious bigotry, misogyny, sexism, death, generational trauma, stalking, foster care, missing people, kidnapping
I just can't love these like others do and it really bothers me! 3.5 stars
🪶
Lucy has been a part of the foster care system for the last five years, ever since her father died and her stepmom turned out to be someone very different than she led them to believe. One day when she’s waitressing a man and woman show up to say they want to look after Lucy. They also share that Lucy’s father was Ojibwe and she has siblings and a grandmother who wants her live with her. In addition to this revolutionary bombshell Lucy also realizes someone is following her and she wonders if it’s all connected somehow.
🪶
Boulley does an amazing job, as always, highlighting past and current atrocities and history of Indigenous Peoples’. This book specifically discusses the foster care system and stolen Native children, something that is still such a shock for me to have learned about not that long ago. We need more books like this to bring light to issues we don’t hear enough about. This novel releases September 2!
CW: sexual harassment, religious bigotry, misogyny, sexism, death, generational trauma, stalking, foster care, missing people, kidnapping
I just can't love these like others do and it really bothers me! 3.5 stars
July 7, 2025
This is my new favorite of the three Boulley books! Wow! I loved the use of flashbacks, former characters from the first two books, and exposure to the foster care system as well as corrupt adoptions. Lucy is a strong protagonist with a motif of fire and ash surrounding her, which is such a powerful symbol and use of plot development. The use of Michigan history, allusions, and settings is so well done. I loved it from the first page to the last, and definitely got emotional reading it. The message that we all carry good and bad with us, and should never shame others into thinking you can only be good or bad, is so well done and acknowledges the way that some Christians do that in a toxic manner. I definitely recommend reading this book, as a true finale to The Firekeepers Daughter.
August 27, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
This is Boulley’s most mysterious and thrilling book yet! I was on the edge of my seat, trying to piece together the clues I was being given.
This book is told in dual timelines. We start following Lucy when she's 18, but we also flashback to her in her childhood and move forward. These dual timelines really worked for me because we couldn't know all of Lucy's backstory right away. The information from Lucy's past was given to us when we needed to understand something about her in the future. I liked both timelines equally because of the mystery.
I truly loved our main character, Lucy, and felt sooo much for her throughout the story. The way generational trauma had a huge impact on her life, but she didn’t even KNOW that for a long time, was heartbreaking. This book skillfully balances heartbreak and hope.
I liked the way this tied in with Boulley’s previous books, but almost liked the new family Lucy creates for herself more. If you haven’t read any of these books yet, do yourself a favor and pick one up soon!
Boulley's books have standalone plots, but certain characters overlap. If you read this before book 1, I do think you will be spoiled for book 1. Also, book 2 takes place AFTER this book (book 3), so my recommended reading order is 1) Firekeeper's Daughter, 2) Sisters in the Wind (this book), and 3) Warrior Girl Unearthed (which came out 2nd). You, of course, can read them in publication order, or any order you choose, but after having read all three books, I think this third book reveals relationships you'd be more surprised about if you read the books chronologically (the way I have it outlined above).
All in all, an amazing third story. Boulley keeps writing hit after hit, and I can't wait to read what she has next!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
This is Boulley’s most mysterious and thrilling book yet! I was on the edge of my seat, trying to piece together the clues I was being given.
This book is told in dual timelines. We start following Lucy when she's 18, but we also flashback to her in her childhood and move forward. These dual timelines really worked for me because we couldn't know all of Lucy's backstory right away. The information from Lucy's past was given to us when we needed to understand something about her in the future. I liked both timelines equally because of the mystery.
I truly loved our main character, Lucy, and felt sooo much for her throughout the story. The way generational trauma had a huge impact on her life, but she didn’t even KNOW that for a long time, was heartbreaking. This book skillfully balances heartbreak and hope.
I liked the way this tied in with Boulley’s previous books, but almost liked the new family Lucy creates for herself more. If you haven’t read any of these books yet, do yourself a favor and pick one up soon!
Boulley's books have standalone plots, but certain characters overlap. If you read this before book 1, I do think you will be spoiled for book 1. Also, book 2 takes place AFTER this book (book 3), so my recommended reading order is 1) Firekeeper's Daughter, 2) Sisters in the Wind (this book), and 3) Warrior Girl Unearthed (which came out 2nd). You, of course, can read them in publication order, or any order you choose, but after having read all three books, I think this third book reveals relationships you'd be more surprised about if you read the books chronologically (the way I have it outlined above).
All in all, an amazing third story. Boulley keeps writing hit after hit, and I can't wait to read what she has next!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
August 2, 2025
I'd give this one a 3.75 rounded up to 4. This book is aimed at a YA audience but is a good read and very informative about its topic for all ages. The story involves a young girl who is raised by her single dad and told her mother left them. She is told she is of Dutch and Italian ethnicity. Her father then dies of cancer at a young age leaving her to be raised by a step mother who is less than concerned about her. She ends up in Foster Care.
Cutting to the chase, she learns that her mother is actually Native American and we, the readers, learn the ins and outs of the ICWA (Indian Children's Welfare Act). As a genealogist who has helped adoptees find birth parents/families through DNA I have run into the ICWA which is what interested me in this book. I can see both sides of the issues. The act is designed to ensure that Indigenous children are not robbed of their culture and heritage like they were in the days of the infamous Indian Boarding Schools. On the other hand placing Tribal Law above the laws of the US means that even children who were adopted by loving parents and raised by them successfully can be ripped from their care and turned over to the tribe if/when it is learned they are Native Americans. The goal of course would be to identify these children early on before any damage is done. This story shows what harm can be done to a young NA girl in her developing years.
Disclaimer: I won this ARC in a GoodReads Giveaway but that in no way influenced my review. I believe the book will be published in Sept. 2025.
Cutting to the chase, she learns that her mother is actually Native American and we, the readers, learn the ins and outs of the ICWA (Indian Children's Welfare Act). As a genealogist who has helped adoptees find birth parents/families through DNA I have run into the ICWA which is what interested me in this book. I can see both sides of the issues. The act is designed to ensure that Indigenous children are not robbed of their culture and heritage like they were in the days of the infamous Indian Boarding Schools. On the other hand placing Tribal Law above the laws of the US means that even children who were adopted by loving parents and raised by them successfully can be ripped from their care and turned over to the tribe if/when it is learned they are Native Americans. The goal of course would be to identify these children early on before any damage is done. This story shows what harm can be done to a young NA girl in her developing years.
Disclaimer: I won this ARC in a GoodReads Giveaway but that in no way influenced my review. I believe the book will be published in Sept. 2025.
August 31, 2025
ANGELINE BOULLEY NEVER MISSES 💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻
Thank you so much to @henryholtbooks for the advanced copy to review!
Y’all. @angelineboulley never misses. Her books are ALWAYS incredible, full of rich and flawed and wonderful characters, packed with emotional punches, and full of Indigenous life. I have been obsessed since reading Firekeeper’s Daughter. In case you were wondering, these books can be read as standalones BUT I would recommend reading them in pub order.
Sisters In the Wind had me completely captivated from page one. I wanted to fly through it but also savor the journey Lucy went on. The dual timelines in this story were *so* effective. My heart raced each time we went back and forth. The mystery was fantastic. I loved seeing Daunis and Jamie again. I LOVED the twists and turns this story took. Watching Lucy grow was a privilege. That ending!!! Had me shook!!!
I would return to this world again and again, because how can I not? No spoilers - but let me tell you, this book is NOT to be missed. It is so fresh and interesting and heartbreaking and there are also beautiful moments of levity.
Absolutely recommend. I preordered and will patiently wait for my opportunity to see Angeline in person again because she is AMAZING and I have to add this one to my signed collection
Thank you so much to @henryholtbooks for the advanced copy to review!
Y’all. @angelineboulley never misses. Her books are ALWAYS incredible, full of rich and flawed and wonderful characters, packed with emotional punches, and full of Indigenous life. I have been obsessed since reading Firekeeper’s Daughter. In case you were wondering, these books can be read as standalones BUT I would recommend reading them in pub order.
Sisters In the Wind had me completely captivated from page one. I wanted to fly through it but also savor the journey Lucy went on. The dual timelines in this story were *so* effective. My heart raced each time we went back and forth. The mystery was fantastic. I loved seeing Daunis and Jamie again. I LOVED the twists and turns this story took. Watching Lucy grow was a privilege. That ending!!! Had me shook!!!
I would return to this world again and again, because how can I not? No spoilers - but let me tell you, this book is NOT to be missed. It is so fresh and interesting and heartbreaking and there are also beautiful moments of levity.
Absolutely recommend. I preordered and will patiently wait for my opportunity to see Angeline in person again because she is AMAZING and I have to add this one to my signed collection
August 21, 2025
Oh my god that was heartbreaking.
June 5, 2025
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. Thanks to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book, which I highly recommend.
August 30, 2025
Having never known her mother and losing her father to colon cancer, Lucy finds her way into the foster care system. While some placements result in strong relationships and a new sense of home, others reveal the insidiousness of humanity. Lucy learns its best to keep to yourself, to not get attached, and to move quickly without notice. But when her past catches up to her in violent and dangerous ways, she must rely on her newfound friends, and possibly family, to protect her.
This book has all the classic Boulley staples. The reader can look forward to learning more about the systemic issues that impact indigenous communities. The majority of this novel focuses on the foster care system and ICWA, as well as violence against girls and women. The central mystery is thrilling, complex, and not entirely predictable. I particularly liked that we got to return to Daunis and Jamie from "The Firekeeper's Daughter", although I do wish I had done a reread before turning to this one. And I'll give Boulley a pass on that ending (she did us dirty...) because it made sense to me for the storyline and characters, but I really wanted it not to.
What I disliked about this book were the same aspects I've disliked in Boulley's previous work. The foreshadowing tends to be a bit heavy handed, and parts of the advocacy for social issues feel forced. There were times when I felt the author wanted me to dislike Lucy because of her unexplained past, as she alluded to doing awful things during her time in foster care. I think this was supposed to make readers suspect her of actually having perpetrated events in the story, but ultimately, it didn't work for me. Suspending disbelief became tricky in a few places as a result.
Readers of Boulley's earlier work will love this newest book. I can see this being enjoyable for teen readers, but probably for an older teen as the topics are a bit more mature than the previous two.
This book has all the classic Boulley staples. The reader can look forward to learning more about the systemic issues that impact indigenous communities. The majority of this novel focuses on the foster care system and ICWA, as well as violence against girls and women. The central mystery is thrilling, complex, and not entirely predictable. I particularly liked that we got to return to Daunis and Jamie from "The Firekeeper's Daughter", although I do wish I had done a reread before turning to this one. And I'll give Boulley a pass on that ending (she did us dirty...) because it made sense to me for the storyline and characters, but I really wanted it not to.
What I disliked about this book were the same aspects I've disliked in Boulley's previous work. The foreshadowing tends to be a bit heavy handed, and parts of the advocacy for social issues feel forced. There were times when I felt the author wanted me to dislike Lucy because of her unexplained past, as she alluded to doing awful things during her time in foster care. I think this was supposed to make readers suspect her of actually having perpetrated events in the story, but ultimately, it didn't work for me. Suspending disbelief became tricky in a few places as a result.
Readers of Boulley's earlier work will love this newest book. I can see this being enjoyable for teen readers, but probably for an older teen as the topics are a bit more mature than the previous two.
July 23, 2025
I found the first half of the book to be a bit slow, but enjoyed how previous characters were brought in and rounded out the storyline. I look forward to book 4 and wonder what this author has left to tell. I love learning more about the Indigenous people of Northern Michigan and am familiar with many of the places she talks about in her book.
June 12, 2025
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.
Want to read
February 12, 2025dropping the cover teaser with the lucy dacus cover of in the air tonight- I got GOOSEbumps
August 3, 2025
5 stars
Angeline Boulley is a star in the YA world, and this most recent effort reveals many reasons why. Boulley is remarkably consistent when it comes to generating compelling and informative narratives.
This time readers follow Lucy, who has experienced a great deal of loss and upheaval in her life. Lucy is extremely close to her single father, who instills a love of learning but not really her identity in Lucy. Lucy's mother, who is indigenous, is not the in picture at all (except as a repeated cautionary tale that not everyone is cut out to be a mother), and Lucy's dad's plan is to raise his daughter on his own. This lone wolf approach begins to really fall apart when he is diagnosed with cancer and in an effort to guarantee some ongoing stability for Lucy makes even more unfortunate choices that land her in foster care.
Anyone who knows anything about foster care will appreciate the realism with which that is depicted here and will not be surprised to know that many of the folks Lucy encounters are not just questionable. They are certifiably monstrous. Though Lucy manages to survive way too much trauma, she is put to the test repeatedly, and she appears to often be on the brink of ruin.
Readers should not come into this experience expecting a sweet, breezy, sanitized version of reality. Boulley tends to write lengthy works that detail horrors committed against indigenous women and girls, and that is a critical part of the action here (though the horrors are shared by women in other identity groups here, too). Readers who are sensitive to issues around sexual assault, exploitation, incest, and child abuse should review the content warnings for more specific detail. Those who can manage that and more will be rewarded with a compelling account of Lucy's experience, growth, and relationships.
Boulley is absolutely one of my favorite YA authors at this time, and it's a real pleasure to have gotten to engage with another excellent effort from her. I strongly recommend this, especially the audio version when and where accessible.
*Special thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Fierce Reads for this alc and widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Angeline Boulley is a star in the YA world, and this most recent effort reveals many reasons why. Boulley is remarkably consistent when it comes to generating compelling and informative narratives.
This time readers follow Lucy, who has experienced a great deal of loss and upheaval in her life. Lucy is extremely close to her single father, who instills a love of learning but not really her identity in Lucy. Lucy's mother, who is indigenous, is not the in picture at all (except as a repeated cautionary tale that not everyone is cut out to be a mother), and Lucy's dad's plan is to raise his daughter on his own. This lone wolf approach begins to really fall apart when he is diagnosed with cancer and in an effort to guarantee some ongoing stability for Lucy makes even more unfortunate choices that land her in foster care.
Anyone who knows anything about foster care will appreciate the realism with which that is depicted here and will not be surprised to know that many of the folks Lucy encounters are not just questionable. They are certifiably monstrous. Though Lucy manages to survive way too much trauma, she is put to the test repeatedly, and she appears to often be on the brink of ruin.
Readers should not come into this experience expecting a sweet, breezy, sanitized version of reality. Boulley tends to write lengthy works that detail horrors committed against indigenous women and girls, and that is a critical part of the action here (though the horrors are shared by women in other identity groups here, too). Readers who are sensitive to issues around sexual assault, exploitation, incest, and child abuse should review the content warnings for more specific detail. Those who can manage that and more will be rewarded with a compelling account of Lucy's experience, growth, and relationships.
Boulley is absolutely one of my favorite YA authors at this time, and it's a real pleasure to have gotten to engage with another excellent effort from her. I strongly recommend this, especially the audio version when and where accessible.
*Special thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Fierce Reads for this alc and widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
September 3, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ simply put, this is a mystery about Lucy who has a dark past that’s catching up to her. We don’t know who or why, but it’s intense. On a deeper level, Lucy grew up with just her dad unaware that she was Native American. Her dad passed away, she found out her heritage, and she was put into foster care. We’re getting past and present timelines in which she’s coming to terms with her heritage and history of the Native American people. This book is heavy (check your trigger warnings!), emotional, mysterious, and informative- a little bit of everything!
I liked Lucy and felt for her. She was dealt a tough hand and was constantly in survival mode. The relationships she builds throughout the story are heartwarming. And the mystery kept me guessing! I couldn’t have guessed what was going to happen. I also learned a lot! Specifically about history, legislation, and some of culture of a couple Native Americans tribes.
Only two things lowering my rating, the first being just that this book was a little out of my comfort zone. I don’t typically pursue topics this heavy or books with lists of trigger warnings, but this felt important and I do love mystery. I’m still glad I read it! Second, the way information was presented was a bit simple and repetitive. A majority of the time if there was a new word, history, background, etc, Lucy would simply as what it was and someone would kinda monologue the explanation. Those moments felt a bit like reading out of a text book, and I would’ve loved some variety in the presentation.
Thank you to Macmillan for sending me a copy to review!
I liked Lucy and felt for her. She was dealt a tough hand and was constantly in survival mode. The relationships she builds throughout the story are heartwarming. And the mystery kept me guessing! I couldn’t have guessed what was going to happen. I also learned a lot! Specifically about history, legislation, and some of culture of a couple Native Americans tribes.
Only two things lowering my rating, the first being just that this book was a little out of my comfort zone. I don’t typically pursue topics this heavy or books with lists of trigger warnings, but this felt important and I do love mystery. I’m still glad I read it! Second, the way information was presented was a bit simple and repetitive. A majority of the time if there was a new word, history, background, etc, Lucy would simply as what it was and someone would kinda monologue the explanation. Those moments felt a bit like reading out of a text book, and I would’ve loved some variety in the presentation.
Thank you to Macmillan for sending me a copy to review!
August 21, 2025
Set timeline-wise between Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed, Sisters in the Wind follows Lucy who has never known her birth mother and has been placed into foster care after the death of her father and indifference of her stepmother. After a bomb goes off in her place of work, Lucy reconnects (unwillingly) with Jamie (yay!), who is now a lawyer, and Daunis, who knows her birth mother. They watch over her as she recovers from a broken leg due to the blast as well as help with the investigation into what happened. We learn a lot about Lucy's life and choices in flashbacks. Present day, in my opinion, she takes way too long to open up enough for Jamie and Daunis to really help. I understand why and her thought processes, but it was getting a little aggravating to me. I really liked that this book also focuses on a different important aspect of Native life, namely ICWA. I believe the way it is presented is digestible to the teens who will read this book and will hopefully incite them to learn more.
3.5 stars rounded to 4 for this review.
**Thank you to Henry Holt & Co, Macmillian, and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading with me!**
3.5 stars rounded to 4 for this review.
**Thank you to Henry Holt & Co, Macmillian, and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading with me!**
August 21, 2025
Overall, this was a solid addition to the world of Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unleashed! Lucy adds a different perspective, and like the other two, the best part of the book was the ties to the real-world research, policy, and the historical context of Indigenous treatment by the US government and church. This book takes a focus on the ICWA (Indigenous Children Welfare Act), and the tragic history as to why the ICWA is so important and relevant to this day. I definitely recommend if you've read the other two books; as it will fill in some gaps between Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unleashed. It takes a similar somber tone as the other two books, but it's an important and powerful read all around.
Some Content notes to be aware of (also listed at the front of the book): child trafficking, child abuse, teen pregnancy, explosions/bombings, ableism, anti-Indigenous racism and colorism, hospitalization, gun violence, mentions of death by police brutality, genocide, colonialism
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the review opportunity and Colleen for buddy reading this with me!
Some Content notes to be aware of (also listed at the front of the book): child trafficking, child abuse, teen pregnancy, explosions/bombings, ableism, anti-Indigenous racism and colorism, hospitalization, gun violence, mentions of death by police brutality, genocide, colonialism
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the review opportunity and Colleen for buddy reading this with me!
August 5, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC.
This was a great book, although a bit slow at the beginning. The timeline switches were done well and I liked the foster care perspective and issues depicted here. This book felt like it was less about finding and accepting her identity and more about the foster care system in general, at least compared to the first book. I understand the connection but I suppose it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was much darker than I thought. I did like reading about Lucy's journey and the writing was great and honestly unputdownable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a book about the dark sides of the foster care system, especially for Native American kids.
The narrator did a great job of bringing the emotions to life and made the reading experience significantly more enjoyable.
This was a great book, although a bit slow at the beginning. The timeline switches were done well and I liked the foster care perspective and issues depicted here. This book felt like it was less about finding and accepting her identity and more about the foster care system in general, at least compared to the first book. I understand the connection but I suppose it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was much darker than I thought. I did like reading about Lucy's journey and the writing was great and honestly unputdownable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a book about the dark sides of the foster care system, especially for Native American kids.
The narrator did a great job of bringing the emotions to life and made the reading experience significantly more enjoyable.
August 7, 2025
Thank you to @libro.fm for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this book. Michaela and I started listening to this book together on our way to the Menominee Powwow and I just couldn't wait to be able to finish it. As in the other books by Angeline Boulley, this book introduces readers to important topics in Indigenous culture such as ICWA and residental boarding school. I loved the creative way she brought the main characters from Firekeeper's Daughter into this story while weaving in many new characters. The number of characters did become a bit overwhelming for me at times, but I still really loved the book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Firekeeper's Daughter even if they have not read Warrior Girl Unearthed yet since it takes place in-between the two stories.
August 13, 2025
A fascinating companion novel to Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed. Protagonist Lucy ends up in the foster system after her father's death. A series of events results in her path crossing with Daunis and Jamie, who both play a major role in the story. Jamie is now a lawyer trying to reconnect foster children who may not realize they are Native with their relatives. Through his work and Lucy's story, readers learn about ICWA, the Indian Child Welfare Act, how its passage in 1978 has made a difference, and why it is currently under attack.
Thanks to Macmillan Young Listeners and Libro.fm for the complimentary e-audiobook.
Thanks to Macmillan Young Listeners and Libro.fm for the complimentary e-audiobook.
September 2, 2025
This was a great read with plenty of twist and turns that leaves you wondering how everything ties together. Lucy’s struggle with understanding her heritage, familial loss, and experience in the foster care system shapes a complex relationship between her and the world around her. I really enjoyed this story, and learning a bit more about the Indian Child Welfare Act that was passed in 1978. This fictional story weaves a narrative that many real children in America have experienced, and the cruelty persists in 2025. This book has mystery, suspense, love, loss, and family. Highly recommend!
June 24, 2025
OBSESSED with Angeline Boulley’s writing. I was so excited to get to read more about the characters and community from Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed.
I could not put this book down. I sat down to read a bit before bed, and next thing I knew it was 3am and I finished the book. I love Angeline Boulley’s writing. I don’t see pictures in my head when I read but her writing makes it almost feel possible. I was glued to the page.
I also love that it takes place in Michigan!
I could not put this book down. I sat down to read a bit before bed, and next thing I knew it was 3am and I finished the book. I love Angeline Boulley’s writing. I don’t see pictures in my head when I read but her writing makes it almost feel possible. I was glued to the page.
I also love that it takes place in Michigan!
August 2, 2025
Oh Angeline, you have done it again.
This book wrecked me. And I think it should wreck you too. I feel like whatever review I leave here will not be able to do this book justice. Just know that it is beautiful, heartbreaking, and important. This book speaks for itself better than I ever could.
I can’t say I know a lot about ICWA but after reading Lucy’s story, I am reminded of why it is so important to read diversely. While her story is fictional, it is no less impactful.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. And thank you Angeline for writing these powerful stories.
This book wrecked me. And I think it should wreck you too. I feel like whatever review I leave here will not be able to do this book justice. Just know that it is beautiful, heartbreaking, and important. This book speaks for itself better than I ever could.
I can’t say I know a lot about ICWA but after reading Lucy’s story, I am reminded of why it is so important to read diversely. While her story is fictional, it is no less impactful.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. And thank you Angeline for writing these powerful stories.
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