“Fire Keeper’s Daughter” needs to be on your YA “to read” list if it isn’t already. It’s the debut novel of Angeline Boulley and has recently come out this year. This book follows a recently graduated Daunis Fontaine as she’s caught between the world of her white mother and the world of her late Native American father. Despite growing up around her Ojibwe reservation, she’s never quite fit in. All this changes though when she’s given the opportunity to help her community by going undercover and assisting the FBI in a drug investigation. “Fire Keeper’s Daughter” possesses some of the best qualities a mystery novel could have–unexpected twists and exciting plot that leaves you reading for several hours straight (speaking from experience). Although the beginning starts slow, after a startling death, the story’s events quickly pick up into a thriller. The story doesn’t just unravel a compelling mystery, but also gives a glimpse into a Native American community and all the ceremonies, traditions, and expectations that come with it. The author herself is from the same tribe and she weaves her experiences into the main character. Daunis is a fairly interesting character, biracial and well versed in chemistry and traditional medicine. She’s also surrounded by family and friend characters that are equally engaging. This is a great book for young adults, but I would give a warning for sexual assault (chapter 41 in case you’d want to skip it) and drug abuse content which in the notes the author explains is part of the story to highlight real issues that Native Americans (especially women) face. The book itself is pretty large because it includes several subplots that’re nicely wrapped up in the end. If the story hasn’t convinced you to get the book, at least do it for the gorgeous, artistic cover art.