Welcome to Litsy!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Asexual Indigenous main character?

A female/male friendship that isn't centered around romance?

A ghost dog sidekick?

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badge was such a joy to read! It's a YA novel (but reads more like Middle Grade) that centers around Ellie using her family's generational secret to solve her cousin's murder.

Image by layaart on Tumblr :)

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.

#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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Making progress on my #bookspinbingo. #currentlyreading Maya and the Rising Dark 📖 , Howl 📱 , & Firekeeper‘s Daughter 🎧.

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

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. 😂

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

Fantastic audiobook!

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

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.

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.

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.

#ReadHarder challenge 24: a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author.

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. 👇🏻

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

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

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 !

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

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

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

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

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.

Having a little self care saturday night and starting the tagged book which is on kindle for only $2.99

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...

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

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.

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.

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.

“History is intrinsically malleable. Even without magic. It's carried in our minds, our records. Enchanted tongues spin convincing lies.“

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)!

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

May #bookspinbingo board, first two filled out 👍
- Elatsoe (10.) is a genre novel by an Indigenous author (#ReadHarder #diversereads) and was my SFFBC book club May pick. 🐕
- Double Indemnity is my first free space pick for the month ☺️

Very much enjoyed this YA specfic/urban fantasy/mystery with Lipan Apache #ownvoices rep and an asexual main character which is all about privilege and family and how gooddogs never really leave us. The main character is 17years old and can raise animal ghosts, and she ends up investigating a cousin's death. Parts of this book are pretty spooky and/or sad, but the tone was otherwise a little younger than expected.

I enjoyed this YA novel, which combines urban fantasy with Lipan Apache myth. It has terrific characters, including an affectionate and loyal ghost dog.

I finished the #20in4 readathon with 12 hours and 20 minutes of reading time. Thanks for hosting, @Andrew65!

#ShutdownRound3 @DieAReader

This was such a fascinating world where the supernatural run rampant and the world is shaped by ancestral magics. Ellie (Elatsoe) has the ability to raise the spirit of dead animals, the most important one is her ghost dog Kirby.
Ellie is Lipan Apache, identifies as asexual and is the coolest character ever. She‘s smart and clever. The illustrations at the top of each chapter are beautiful.
Part mystery, fantasy and horror this is an amazing book.

This felt very much like a middle grade novel which I don't generally read, but I did enjoy. I think it's a great book for the audience that it is aimed at. I felt that the storyline was quite quirky and original and it was a nice feel good book that left you with a sense of faith in family and those we make family.
⬇️

There is a blending of time, reality, traditions, and cultures. There is a mingling between the dead and the living. Vengeance recognizes no barriers. Darcie Little Badger tells a story of intense grief and crazy adventure with a dry humor.

Reading in the sun with my guard dog on the ready! I love Elatsoe‘s ghost dog companion and the Other realm elements so far. Fun spring time read!