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mmccombs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
A bit slow and long, I didn’t enjoy this as much as Elatsoe, but I still thought it was well done. I love the way this book connected with itself, lots of circular bits to the story that made the resolution satisfying. The audio book narration felt a bit flat to me, I had a hard time following who was talking just because the tone was so consistent. I enjoyed Shane as a character and the last third was probably the most interesting. I don’t think this will stick with me in the same way book 1 did, but I’m still glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death
littlelizzieborden's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Abandonment, Death, Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Classism, and Colonisation
language_loving_amateur's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Some very big picture stuff in here, but Little Badger makes it so personal to this family.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, and Colonisation
Minor: Abandonment, Grief, Racism, Gaslighting, and Dementia
booklore_forevemore's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This is the first book I’ve read by Darcie Little Badger and I absolutely loved it! It’s also the prequel to Elatsoe, which I can’t wait to read now.
Quick synopsis: It’s the 1970s and Shane, a Lipan Apache high school senior, has been assisting her mother on missions to rescue missing children. When her mother mysteriously vanishes on a mission, Shane is determined to find her and the missing kids…with the help of friends, family, and a semi-invisible ghost dog.
The plot:
I was hooked from chapter one and honestly never wanted to set this book down! The pacing was consistent and the mystery slowly unfolded until the very end. The various mythology and paranormal elements also made this a fun read!
The characters:
I was immediately drawn to the MC, Shane; she’s strong-willed, but also kind, empathetic, and loyal. There isn’t a central romance, so there was an emphasis on family (including found family), which I really loved. Often, characters in YA novels will make a lot of cringey/infuriating decisions, but that wasn’t the case here! The relationships, though sometimes imperfect, were smooth and there was no unnecessary drama. We love women supporting women!
The feels:
Although there is a mystery, this is primarily a book about family, friendships, and what happens when you lose the people you care about most. It’s mostly a light book, but there are a few heavier, more emotional moments that really made this book shine. I loved the ending and I teared up a bit during the last paragraph of the epilogue.
Quick synopsis: It’s the 1970s and Shane, a Lipan Apache high school senior, has been assisting her mother on missions to rescue missing children. When her mother mysteriously vanishes on a mission, Shane is determined to find her and the missing kids…with the help of friends, family, and a semi-invisible ghost dog.
The plot:
I was hooked from chapter one and honestly never wanted to set this book down! The pacing was consistent and the mystery slowly unfolded until the very end. The various mythology and paranormal elements also made this a fun read!
The characters:
I was immediately drawn to the MC, Shane; she’s strong-willed, but also kind, empathetic, and loyal. There isn’t a central romance, so there was an emphasis on family (including found family), which I really loved. Often, characters in YA novels will make a lot of cringey/infuriating decisions, but that wasn’t the case here! The relationships, though sometimes imperfect, were smooth and there was no unnecessary drama. We love women supporting women!
The feels:
Although there is a mystery, this is primarily a book about family, friendships, and what happens when you lose the people you care about most. It’s mostly a light book, but there are a few heavier, more emotional moments that really made this book shine. I loved the ending and I teared up a bit during the last paragraph of the epilogue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
sarahbythebook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Getting to return to the world of Elatsoe was a real treat! In Sheine Lende, we follow Elatsoe's grandmother, Shane, as she works in search and rescue with their dogs-- ghostly and real. While the magic isn't nearly as present in Sheine Lende, Darcie Little Badger still does an amazing job of exploring the way this power shapes the lives of her characters, and I have a deep appreciation for the way she writes teenage girls. They are both serious and frivolous, courageous and frightened, and they are forced to deal with some of the real traumas of life in believable ways.
This story is gripping from the beginning, and the story is told well enough that readers don't have to read Elatsoe before diving into this one (but they definitely should read it!). Little Badger pulls on her family's stories, especially those of her mother, to create a realistic portrayal of the experiences of an indigenous family in the 1970s. The distrust of the government, the loss of culture due to time and more nefarious efforts, and the pervasive nature of memories are all there in Shane's stories. That this book mirrors Elatsoe in its progression I think is a nice touch, and the epilogue connecting the two title characters brings everything full circle. I would love to see more stories set in this world, but I also think that with these two books, it stands as complete and fulfilling.
My one negative for Sheine Lende is the pacing. In the middle it felt like there was never time to catch our breath. It made the reading experience a bit exhausting as we're jumping from state to state and crisis to crisis. It mellows out once they get back to Texas and the rescue mission resumes, but then the ending seems a bit rushed. None of that takes away from my overall enjoyment of this book, and I would highly recommend it for anyone from middle school through adult!
Getting to return to the world of Elatsoe was a real treat! In Sheine Lende, we follow Elatsoe's grandmother, Shane, as she works in search and rescue with their dogs-- ghostly and real. While the magic isn't nearly as present in Sheine Lende, Darcie Little Badger still does an amazing job of exploring the way this power shapes the lives of her characters, and I have a deep appreciation for the way she writes teenage girls. They are both serious and frivolous, courageous and frightened, and they are forced to deal with some of the real traumas of life in believable ways.
This story is gripping from the beginning, and the story is told well enough that readers don't have to read Elatsoe before diving into this one (but they definitely should read it!). Little Badger pulls on her family's stories, especially those of her mother, to create a realistic portrayal of the experiences of an indigenous family in the 1970s. The distrust of the government, the loss of culture due to time and more nefarious efforts, and the pervasive nature of memories are all there in Shane's stories. That this book mirrors Elatsoe in its progression I think is a nice touch, and the epilogue connecting the two title characters brings everything full circle. I would love to see more stories set in this world, but I also think that with these two books, it stands as complete and fulfilling.
My one negative for Sheine Lende is the pacing. In the middle it felt like there was never time to catch our breath. It made the reading experience a bit exhausting as we're jumping from state to state and crisis to crisis. It mellows out once they get back to Texas and the rescue mission resumes, but then the ending seems a bit rushed. None of that takes away from my overall enjoyment of this book, and I would highly recommend it for anyone from middle school through adult!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Car accident, Murder, Colonisation, Dementia, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Hate crime, Violence, Vomit, and War
Hurricane, flood.catamongstthepages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Colonisation
jazzyjbox's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A beautiful addition to the Elatsoe series!
Shane and her mother Lorenza rescue lost people. When Lorenza disappears while searching for a missing teen and child, it's up to Shane and her mother's ghost dog to find out where a fairy ring sent them.
I loved the way this adventure was told, and I always appreciate Sapphic representation, even if it was in side characters. The writing was gorgeous, steeped in storytelling, and I wholly identified with Shane's loss of her father. I hope to see more from this universe!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
Shane and her mother Lorenza rescue lost people. When Lorenza disappears while searching for a missing teen and child, it's up to Shane and her mother's ghost dog to find out where a fairy ring sent them.
I loved the way this adventure was told, and I always appreciate Sapphic representation, even if it was in side characters. The writing was gorgeous, steeped in storytelling, and I wholly identified with Shane's loss of her father. I hope to see more from this universe!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
rainbowbrarian's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Grief
A child goes missing
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