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Elatsoe
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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review
cottagelantern
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
Pickpick

4 ⭐️ s
Weaving together a futuristic United States with Native American folklore and mythology Elatsoe is a tale of legacy and survival that conveys both the perseverance of indigenous peoples and the ways in which they have been exploited. YA dystopian isn‘t generally my vibe, but I really enjoyed this book! I hope the author writes a sequel.

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steph_phanie
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️½/Rounding up to "Pick"

I loved how Darcie Little Badger wove Elatsoe's "secret" family skill and other Lipan Apache legends into the everyday fabric of our world. This is where her skill as an author shone brightest, and where I felt most convinced as a reader.

However, I struggled with some of the other magic/magical beings. Their presence was less believable and sometimes rather incongruous with the story.

(Cont'd in comments)

steph_phanie (Continued 1/2) I also kept forgetting the protagonist was 17 years old. Her character read like more of a kid, despite the fact that she could drive and was talking about college and starting a business. I did, however, really enjoy the friendship she had with Jay. 10mo
steph_phanie (Continued 2/2) I was hoping to rate this book higher, but I often found myself distracted by certain elements of the story. I still recommend it, particularly to younger readers, because the incorporation of Indigenous legends and knowledge is beautiful. And, as a bonus, Kirby is one loveable ghost dog companion! The book presents opportunities to reflect on questions of identity, privilege, discrimination, and colonization, among other topics. 10mo
steph_phanie Almost forgot to mention the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter! They are lovely and come together to depict a story of their own. 🩷 10mo
10 likes3 comments
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HeyT
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

This was a fun kind of fantasy mystery. I liked following Ellie on her journey to prove her cousin's murder. The world was fascinating with magic use paralleling climate change. But the mystery definitely had YA vibe all over it. It just felt a little too easy. There is a nice bonus story told through the chapter head illustrations which was fun.

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HeyT
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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I‘m kind of engrossed in my current read but Callie thinks I need to take a break. Good news is I can multitask and give pets AND read at the same time!
#CatsOfLitsy

peanutnine This is the cutest thing ever 😻😻😻 12mo
30 likes1 comment
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Sydneypaige
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Love this cover, glad by the end of the book it makes sense. There are moments where this feels very YA but the premise is very intriguing no matter your age I think. It‘s about an America slightly different than of current, with vampires and animal ghosts and powers passed on to the natives of the land. The commentary is clear while not overwhelming the plot points or the characters. Asexual MC which is written in without making it a major part.

7 likes2 stack adds
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amma-keep-reading
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
Pickpick

I am glad I finally had a chance to read this book. If you enjoy audiobooks, this has has a good narrator.

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Nessavamusic
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

This was an enchanting YA speculative mystery with fantastical elements. The story of Elatsoe, who goes by Ellie and also her ancestors. She lives in an alternate world where magic and paranormal creatures exist. Ellie has the ability to raise ghosts, animals to be specific-never humans. Her cousin dies in a very suspicious accident and Ellie, her best friend, family and a very special dog investigate his death and uncover a big mystery. 5⭐️

Nessavamusic #FabulousFebruary #Roll100 #NoShameReadathon23 - LGBTQA+ Speculative (edited) 13mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 13mo
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Karisimo
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

This hit a lot of marks for me- a YA Murder mystery with indigenous characters and some magical realism, actually a lot of magic, so much that it became a downside to me because it cluttered the story. But overall thankful for the rec from @BarbaraJean thru #AuldLangSpine

@monalyisha

BarbaraJean I can see how too much magic could be an issue with this one—there were definitely a LOT of magical threads woven in all over the place! Isn‘t it such a beautiful book? The illustrations are wonderful. 1y
28 likes1 comment
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Chittavrtti
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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2 likes1 stack add
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Tea_and_Starstuff
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Meet my kitty Ohno, and one of my favorite books! We meet our main character playing fetch with her dog of seventeen years - twelve of them alive. In this slightly more magical America, Ellie is Lipan Apache, and can raise animal ghosts. Animals, never humans. So when her cousin shows up in her dreams and says he was murdered, something has clearly gone terribly wrong. Engaging plot, excellent characters with excellent relationships. #catsoflitsy

Tea_and_Starstuff (1/2) Things I loved: I knew I'd adore this book from the moment Ellie went to her family and they said, "Well of course we must solve this mystery but you won't be doing it alone!" This is a story of community, wrapped up in a fun YA mystery. The world building is clever, the family is fantastic, the best friend is adorable, the mystery is satisfying. 1y
Tea_and_Starstuff (2/2) Also, while I listened first on audiobook (excellent narration, kept it fun and engaging), I had to buy it to lend it out. And this is such a satisfying physical book! There's chapter cover art, and a beautiful surprise if you take the slipcover off. 1y
Karisimo I have both the audio and physical book on my queue! Maybe I‘ll switch back and forth? 1y
Tea_and_Starstuff @Karisimo - I could see it! Read it however you want to would be my rec, but definitely take some time to appreciate the beautiful book and the illustrations at the top of each chapter! 1y
7 likes4 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Inventive and interesting. Our world but tweaked. I was a bit distracted and did not sink into this as much as I would have liked. But that is definitely a me problem. The storytelling was well done and the mystery was twisty but believable in the world that was built.

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Addison_Reads
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

With rich characters, a mystery to unravel, and Indigenous culture and traditions, this book has so much to love.

The MC, Ellie, is 17, but at times she reads younger. She has a unique ability to raise the dead, and her ghost dog companion is wonderful.

This book has great world building and it even has a few surprises as well.

Great read that I highly recommend.

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NicoleCeBallos
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Elatsoe can raise the ghosts of animals, which she learned from her Lipan Apache ancestors. When her cousin was murdered, she must use her talents to stop her cousin's killer before he murders someone else. In this America, magic and monsters are real and have consequences for the Earth.

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Clare-Dragonfly
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Such a fun, sweet book! I love Ellie, Jay, Kirby, and all the other characters in this book (even the bad guys). The worldbuilding is delightful and I love the way Little Badger uses Lipan Apache folklore and experiences without shying away from the hard stuff, as much as feasible in an MG/YA book. This did feel a little younger than my preference for books, and there is a chapter near the end in another character‘s POV that really jarred me.

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CBee
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

#Bookspin complete!! I really enjoyed this one. The only word that keeps popping into my head to describe the book is: weird 😂😂 Lots of cool supernatural stuff, amazing Lipan Apache folklore (I learned a lot and want to learn more), and a super rockstar protagonist 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
65 likes1 comment
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alecia3dixie
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

I really liked this one, it was written beautifully and was so whimsical. 4/5

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SpeculativeFemale
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

This was a great audiobook pick for some of my travel last month. I absolutely loved the main character and the way the story was woven together.

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SanjanaGhosh
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Such a quirky read. The book is full of ghosts, but in the best way possible. Although it's not scary, it did give me the creeps though.

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Soubhiville
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Mehso-so

There were aspects of Elatsoe I liked- the ghost dog, an asexual main character, a decent mystery, and satisfying conclusion. But there was also a good deal of repetition and some questionable decisions (even for a teenager in a YA novel) that bugged me. Overall it was just ok for me. I liked A Snake Falls to Earth better.

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BarbaraJean
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Elatsoe was my book club‘s January pick. Two good friends had been telling me for months I should read it, and they were spot on with their recommendation. Drawing on Lipan Apache folklore & including many other traditional fantasy/folklore elements, this is both a murder mystery & an indigenous urban fantasy—or maybe make that suburban fantasy? I loved the MC & her best friend, and the positive involvement of older family members was refreshing.

BarbaraJean Also—this is just such a gorgeous book. Take a look at the wonderful illustrations that opened each chapter, as well as the tiny dog illustration that was used to break up sections within each chapter!😍 (edited) 2y
Branwen It's so beautiful! 2y
47 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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GirlNamedJesse
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Making progress on my #bookspinbingo. #currentlyreading Maya and the Rising Dark 📖 , Howl 📱 , & Firekeeper‘s Daughter 🎧.

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GirlNamedJesse
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

This is such an original, creative, immersive world! Darcie Little Badger‘s writing is delicious; I can‘t wait to read more! I 💙 Kirby.

Lucy_Anywhere I read this last month - an unexpected delight! 2y
14 likes1 comment
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GirlNamedJesse
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Finally got around to making the pretty version of my #bookspinbingo board. #bookspin title this month is Outbound Flight; tagged book I‘m currently 70% through the audio of and I love it! Bribing myself to finish a couple by splitting them into halves or thirds. 😂

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks great!! 2y
8 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jen_hayes7
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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I‘m really enjoying this book!! There‘s mystery, history, adventure, ghosts, vampires, so much and more! I‘m also happy to be finding out a little bit about the Lipan Apache Tribe. A beautifully written tale! And if there‘s a more gorgeous cover, I haven‘t seen it (this is what‘s beneath the dust jacket). Oh, and there are incredible illustrations throughout the book too. #readharder2022 #lennox #catsoflitsy

24 likes1 stack add
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Jen2
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Fantastic audiobook!

72 likes2 stack adds
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Kenyazero
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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I'm joining @Andrew65 in #12Booksof2021, sharing the remaining months all at once! This YA book is a ton of fun! I love the ghosts, and Elli‘s ghost dog companion. I especially enjoyed seeing her exploration of what she can do with prehistoric ghosts. This magical realist book is playful and never takes itself too seriously, and has wonderful representation throughout. #LGBTQ #NativeAmerican #Ghost #2021WrapUp

Andrew65 Looks great. 2y
24 likes1 comment
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TracyReadsBooks
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Definitely worthy of all the accolades it‘s received, this story about a teen who meets her cousin‘s ghost and learns that he was murdered, & didn‘t just die in a car accident as everyone believes, is rich in magic, the supernatural, Lipan Apache lore & culture (the author is an enrolled member in the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas), & is a very satisfying mystery. Great illustrations throughout. A fantastic YA book. Highly recommended.

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arlenefinnigan
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Can I interest you in a YA fantasy book about a young woman who can raise the dead and her adventures with her ghost dog? Thought so. This is a fascinating book, beautifully written, about injustice against Native and marginalised peoples, vengeance and coming of age. With a ghost dog.

26 likes1 stack add
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Jolynne
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Awesome middle grade/YA storytelling based on ancestorial and secret knowledge with a bit of fantasy thrown in. I especially liked the truths of American history from an Indigenous person's view.

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arlenefinnigan
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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#ReadHarder challenge 24: a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author.

27 likes1 stack add
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monalyisha
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

At one point, Little Badger writes “Don‘t rush stories. That‘s sacrilegious.” I think this may have been a bit of meta-commentary, getting ahead of the criticism that her book is too long — because it is…but just a little! Her story of an asexual, 17-year-old Lipan Apache girl (with OCD) trying to solve the mystery of her cousin‘s murder with the help of her ghost dog & her cheerleader bff, Jay, is enchanting. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: The mix of her family‘s folk legends & oral stories along with some monster lore readers may be more familiar with “sucked” me right in (pun intended). I didn‘t expect the story to be so focused on vampires but I was into it! It‘s been awhile since I‘ve indulged my latent vampire obsession (thanks Buffy) so I was delighted. Commentary about racism, dispossession, & monoculture abounds but it never detracts from the narrative, only adds to it. (edited) 2y
monalyisha **After reading some other reviews, I do want to comment on a popular criticism. Like others, I also felt that Ellie reads younger than her 17 years. I couldn‘t tell, though, if it was because of my cultural biases (is it because she‘s so close with her family — or because she‘s disinterested in romantic relationships?) or if it was something more intrinsic to the writing. So, I left it out of my review. But it did give me lots to ponder. 2y
monalyisha Oh, and thanks to @kellyann28 for gifting me this book in the #hauntedhollowswap! @wanderinglynn 2y
kellyann28 I'm glad you enjoyed it! I actually read this recently also and I felt the same about Ellie's age. She felt VERY young to me. 2y
77 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Kenyazero
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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I finally finished putting away my Halloween decorations this week (I had a good reason to leave them up at first, then I just didn't get around to taking them down). In October, I added googly eyes to this plastic skull for a book photo of Elatsoe, and decided to leave it for Halloween because it was so creepy! #Halloween

monalyisha Love this! 😅😍👀💀 2y
21 likes1 comment
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alysonimagines
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Set in the author‘s home state of Texas, this is the story of asexual Lipan Apache teen Elatsoe, whose best friend is a ghost dog, using her paranormal abilities to solve the murder of her cousin before his vengeful spirit causes irreversible destruction.🔸#octoberreads2021

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MegCaldwell
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

5/5 absolutely adored and would recommend. It gave me the same feeling Gilda Joyce psychic detective did when I was growing up. I really hope we get to see more of Ellie in future books !

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Kenyazero
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

So fun! The world building is wonderful, and I really enjoyed getting to know Elatsoe and her powers. The legends of Six Great and the glimpses into stories from Lipan Apache folklore added a lot to the story, but there was a long period where it felt like we hadn't had one in too long (it felt a little unevenly mixed). Overall, I really enjoyed this read. #Ghost #Asexual #Vampire #NativeAmerican #Dinosaur

Kenyazero Also, after adding googly eyes to this skull, I absolutely don't blame Toby for being afraid of that skull toy. 2y
20 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Kenyazero
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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I'm picking one of my recent reads for the poltergeist prompt of #Haunted. There's some excellent enraged ghost action later in the book. I highly recommend this book (it's YA, so if you don't like YA it might not be the recommendation for you). I'll be posting a review shortly now that my WiFi is fixed (once I catch up on a few other reviews...)! #Ghost #NativeAmerican #Legends #Dinosaurs #Vampires #MagicalRealism @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs I love Elatsoe ❣️❣️ 2y
Kenyazero @Eggs Glad you've had a chance to read it! 2y
15 likes2 comments
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shanaqui
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
Pickpick

I read this in big chunks and quite enjoyed it, but it didn't quite feel “for me“.

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SaunteringVaguelyDownwards
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

I liked this alternate America where the supernatural and natural worlds blend, including Indigenous spirituality and customs. Elatsoe is a great teen protagonist, excited to figure out her powers to raise the dead and at the same time blind to how much danger she could actually be in. The values of family and friendship run strong, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

#PopSugar Reading Challenge 2021: a book by an Indigenous author

SaunteringVaguelyDownwards I really loved the illustrations by Rovina Cai in each chapter as well, and would love to see how they look in a print book vs the ebook. 3y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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shanaqui
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger

I'm having trouble getting a handle on who this is aimed at/Ellie's age in the story. It feels really young, and then she says things that make me realise she's meant to be older. Ooops.

kellyann28 I just finished this and feel the same! She feels like she should be 13. 2y
monalyisha I felt similarly. I didn‘t include it in my review because I couldn‘t tell if it was really a flaw or if it was me projecting cultural biases. Did she feel young because she was so close with her family? Because she was disinterested in a romantic relationship? I still don‘t have answers! It gave me plenty to think about! 2y
shanaqui @monalyisha It kept tripping me up! I don't think it's her being ace, for me, since I am as well. I think it's something about the narrative voice. "Simple" is the wrong word -- maybe "straightforward"? Blunt, almost? I usually associate that type of voice with significantly younger protagonists. 2y
6 likes3 comments
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HeathHof
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Having a little self care saturday night and starting the tagged book which is on kindle for only $2.99

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shanaqui
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger

This is my book club choice for my Habitica challenge this month, so I hope to start today... I don't actually know much about it, though! I did see Darcie Little Badger on a panel about asexuality, at Worldcon in Dublin, but I kind of hated that panel (can't quite remember why, but IIRC it felt like there was a rather stereotypical view of asexuality being promulgated) so I actually don't remember much about what she said...

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Booksbymybed
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

It was a bit slow, but I enjoyed it! Kids will read it next.

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ke1lbe1l
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Delayed May wrap-up: Elatsoe was definitely my favorite - a not-too-overly magical murder mystery with a strong theme of family and a subplot of displacement. Searcher was for a book club, and was OK. I should have bailed on Obsidian Tower 10x but was too proud to DNF it, because it had all the elements of a book I‘d like but just did not execute well. The rest (which I‘m sure you‘ve seen hyped), I would definitely also recommend.

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esurient
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Quote from a recommendations essay.
https://www.tor.com/2021/06/09/five-young-adult-sff-books-with-asexual-leads

I want to read this like whoa.

Clare-Dragonfly Wow, that sounds really cool. 3y
esurient @Clare-Dragonfly I just bought it! I'll see how it goes! 3y
9 likes2 comments
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BekaReid
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

Elatsoe is a contemporary urban fantasy/mystery full of ghosts, fairies, and vampires and Lipan Apache history and culture. Darcie Little Badger has created an enjoyable MG/YA novel with a balanced mix of humor and horror. I loved Ellie's relationships with both her friends and her parents, and it is wonderful to see asexual representation in a MC that is handled beautifully.

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BekaReid
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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“History is intrinsically malleable. Even without magic. It's carried in our minds, our records. Enchanted tongues spin convincing lies.“

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underground_bks
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Pickpick

I loved the world-building, aesthetic, and Halloween vibes of this spooky and beautiful young adult fantasy book. But I didn‘t feel very compelled by the plot and the audiobook detracted from the story—a little monotone and no differentiation between voices. Still, I enjoyed spending time in Elatsoe‘s world (and underworld)!

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Eggs
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Elatsoe is a #mighty and fearless warrior amid the ghosts and shadows of the underworld, with the help of her spirit dog. #maycharacters @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

MayJasper Sounds good 3y
46 likes2 comments