My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

 My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones-416 pages

Jennifer "Jade" Daniels is seventeen and the half-Indian weird slasher chick in the small town of Proofrock, Idaho. Her childhood was traumatic and she lives with her Blackfoot dad, who contributed to that trauma. Her father is a drunk and lives out his high school days with his old high school buddies. Jade really, really wants a slasher cycle to come to Proofrock (or so she thinks, at least). Jade wrote papers on slasher history for her history teacher, Mr. Holmes, all throughout high school. Jade attempts suicide in Indian Lake, where local legend says Stacey Graves, the Lake Witch, resides. Stacey Graves died decades ago, but supposedly still haunts Indian Lake, where she died as an 8-year-old. When people start turning up dead, Jade thinks a slasher cycle is finally happening in Proofrock. She meets a new girl from Terra Nova, the new rich town on the other side of Indian Lake, named Letha Mondragon. Jade thinks Letha is the final girl of this supposed slasher. However, when more and more bodies start to pile up and Jade and Letha are in the middle of it, Jade realizes real life is starkly different from a slasher film. She realizes maybe she didn't want a slasher in Proofrock, after all. Will Jade survive the slasher and what about Letha? Is she really the final girl as Jade believes? Who is the killer? Is it really the Lake Witch or is it someone like Theo Mondragon (or someone else)? This one starts out slow, but the last 100 or so pages kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked this one, overall, and would recommend it to horror enthusiasts. 

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, 464 p.

"Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa Council member who is trying to understand the consequences of a new “emancipation” bill on its way to the floor of the United States Congress. It is 1953 and he and the other council members know the bill isn’t about freedom; Congress is fed up with Indians. The bill is a “termination” that threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land and their very identity. How can the government abandon treaties made in good faith with Native Americans “for as long as the grasses shall grow, and the rivers run”?

Since graduating high school, Pixie Paranteau has insisted that everyone call her Patrice. Unlike most of the girls on the reservation, Patrice, the class valedictorian, has no desire to wear herself down with a husband and kids. She makes jewel bearings at the plant, a job that barely pays her enough to support her mother and brother. Patrice’s shameful alcoholic father returns home sporadically to terrorize his wife and children and bully her for money. But Patrice needs every penny to follow her beloved older sister, Vera, who moved to the big city of Minneapolis. Vera may have disappeared; she hasn’t been in touch in months, and is rumored to have had a baby. Determined to find Vera and her child, Patrice makes a fateful trip to Minnesota that introduces her to unexpected forms of exploitation and violence, and endangers her life.

Thomas and Patrice live in this impoverished reservation community along with young Chippewa boxer Wood Mountain and his mother Juggie Blue, her niece and Patrice’s best friend Valentine, and Stack Barnes, the white high school math teacher and boxing coach who is hopelessly in love with Patrice."--Goodreads blurb

When this won the Pulitzer earlier this month, I thought I'd give it a try. Wonderful writing, storytelling, and character voices. A unique story about family, community, and culture. Worth the read on many levels.
 

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
352 pages / 9 hrs, 4 mins

"In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.

"Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances...

"Eventually the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history."     --from the publisher

This is heavy subject matter. I am stunned by the number of people who participated in and covered up this insidious attack on innocent people. It is disturbing to me that human nature can be persuaded to participate in multiple, horrible acts of violence for money. The story is well written and definitely one that should never be forgotten, but it leaves the reader with a sense of despair.

Pilgrims by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce

Pilgrims by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce-120 pages

This is the companion nonfiction book to Thanksgiving on Thursday. I enjoy reading both nonfiction and historical fiction and it's cool that Osborne has written both in association with her Magic Tree House series. An interesting tidbit from the book is that Plymouth Rock is now (at the time of the book) 1/3 its original size and 800,000 people visit each year. The pilgrims may not have stepped foot on the rock, however. It is a fun legend, though. It is cool learning about what the original pilgrims endured, especially the first winter, and how they lived. It is also cool to read about some of the more famous pilgrims, such as William Bradford, Miles Standish (which is a pretty cool name), and Priscilla. I have distant ancestors who came over on the Mayflower, which is pretty cool.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
192 pages

I thought I'd read this one, but when I looked at it on the shelf I realized I missed it during my elementary years.

This is a fascinating survival story of historical fiction.  It is a Newbery Medal winner that is based on the true story of Juana Maria, a Native American who lived alone on San Nicolas Island for 18 years in the 19th century.

The descriptions of Juana struggling to create a home and then a life for herself are honest and raw.  Finding food, making weapons, starting a fire, and defending herself against wild dogs are some of the biggest obstacles to her survival.  Her loneliness is palpable, but friendship with some of the animals alleviates some of that pain.

Dances with Wolves - Michael Blake

Dances with Wolves - Michael Blake - 304 pages

SPOILER ALERT: Kevin Costner's butt is not in this book.

If you're still in, this Western is actually pretty great.  Blake tells the story of a post-Civil War soldier sent into the far reaches of the Western frontier.  When he arrives at his new post, he finds the fort deserted.  He's alone on the prairie, aside from his trusty horse Cisco (who, spoiler alert, DIES, so if you're sensitive about awesome fictional animals dying, here's a friendly heads up) and a lone wolf he names Two Socks.  But despite the initial isolation, something about the prairie calls to this sensitive soldier, and meeting the people who live there only deepens his resolve to become the man he believes himself to be.

There's more to this story than just what you saw in the movie.  Stands with a Fist in particular gets significantly more backstory and so do her adopted brethren.  A different end makes this a familiar read with refreshing changes.

Blasphemy- Sherman Alexie

Blasphemy by Sherman Alexie–465 pages

This is a collection of short stories by Sherman Alexie, dealing with various issues faced by Native Americans in modern American society. A Spokane himself, Alexie mixes personal experiences with fiction throughout the works. Narrators range from a homeless alcoholic trying to reclaim personal effects to a young man dealing the impending death of his father. Alexie is one of the strongest voices representing Native Americans in contemporary literature, and the stark disconnect between being "American" and "Native American" can be felt in each story. 

The Heart of Everything That Is -by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

The Heart of Everything That Is by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin --414 pages

On December 21, 1866 a force of eighty-one U.S. soldiers were entrapped and wiped out by over 2,000 Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors in the bloodiest episode of what became known as "Red Cloud's War."  The subtitle of the book is "The Untold Story of Red Cloud, an American Legend," and it graphically recounts a war that has been overshadowed by the Battle on the Little Bighorn in 1876. Red Cloud managed to organize a multi-tribal alliance and (briefly) achieve a strategic victory in forcing the U.S. to close the Bozeman Trail along the tribes' last hunting grounds on the Wyoming/Montana border. Other historic figures such as Crazy Horse, and Jim Bridger played roles in this conflict between two cultures that were completely alien to one another. To today's reader, it is difficult to sympathize with either side because of their level of cruelty. (The title refers to the Lakota Sioux name for the Black Hills of South Dakota.)

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson, 319 pages

This is the 10th installment in Johnson's bestselling Walt Longmire series, which is now also a television series. Walt's daughter Cady is having Walt's first grandbaby any minute now, and all Cady wants is for her Daddy to get his rear to Philadelphia for its birth. Walt's old mentor and former Sherriff Lucian Connally has other ideas. He's asked for Walt's help with a missing persons case related to an old friend of his. This missing persons case ends up leading to a trail of missing women, and a whole lot of trouble for Walt. Halfway through the book, Walt's sidekicks Vic Moretti and Henry Standing Bear simply want to get Walt to Cady, but they're having trouble getting him to wrap things up in Wyoming. Will Walt make it? And how many times will he get shot at, or shot, in the meantime? Craig Johnson hasn't lost his knack for keeping us absorbed in Walt's life. Great read.

The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

The Heart of Everything That Is:  The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin - 432 pages

The Heart of Everything That Is tells the story of a lesser known, but very important, Native American chief. Red Cloud was a Oglala Sioux chief and warrior leader. In his youth, Red Cloud participated in raids against the Americans. As a middle-aged man, he planned and led full-scale military actions against settlers and army posts, most notably in the Power River Country against Fort Phil Kearney and it's commander. As part of these roles, we see how Red Cloud rose to his position and worked with other chiefs and warriors, including the more famous Crazy Horse. In his later life, Red Cloud sued for peace. As a counterpoint, we see how the Americans responded to Red Cloud's actions. These included building additional forts to protect the Bozeman Trail that ran through the Powder River Valley; sending soldiers inexperienced with Indian fighting Westward; generals who did not fully comprehend the situation and left local commanders with little room to act as situations arose; and settlers who took their changes, often to ill-fated results. 

Overall, I found the book to be well-researched and a good overview of the Native American situation in general in addition to its aim. The first few chapters recount the early United States responses to the situation and their effects, including how the tribes were pushed further west causing conflict inter-tribal conflicts. This is then used to springboard into Red Cloud's life as it was also conflict filled. 

The Frontiersman: a Narrative by Alan W. Eckert 626 pages published 2001

The Frontiersman: a Narrative by Alan W. Eckert 626 pages published 2001

This narrative is the first of the “Winning of America” series. The first book follows Simon Kenton a contemporary and friend of Daniel Boone. The book follows Simon Kenton from his birth in 1755 until his death in 1836.

The book also follows Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief who tries in vain to stem the flood of white men into the lands claimed by the Shawnees.

This conflict covers one quarter of what was then the United States. The cast of characters includes presidents and common men, heros and villans. Yet the author paints each as human beings in difficult situations trying to do, to the best of their ability, what was right.

The history is correct, the characters are believable, and the story telling is compelling. Alan W. Eckert has done the homework to not only fill over 600 pages of good story, but there are a total of six books in the series. Wow

Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 384 pages
Dark-Hunter Novels #16

The latest in the long running Dark Hunter series adds a Native American twist to the standard narrative of guy loses soul in servitude to a higher power then guy meets girl who may be able to redeem him through love.  It sounds sappy but the Dark Hunter novels are anything but sappy.  The humor is dark and the snark level is high.  It's possible to enter the series at any book because the basic plot is a standalone but it is part of a larger story arc and the relationships make a lot more sense when you start the series from the beginning.  This wasn't my favorite entry but it was good and kept the spirit of what I liked from the previous books.

Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson

Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson - 352 pages

In this 7th installment of the Longmire series, Sheriff Walt Longmire has been thirty years on the job and is feeling every one of those years.  This story pushes Walt to his limits both mentally and physically as he attempts to apprehend wanted fugitives in a blizzard in high mountain terrain.  The spiritual element is present in Walt's quest to reunite a native boy's remains with his people.  As always the setting is a character in and of itself and the novel reads like an action movie.

As the Crow Flies - 308 p.

  In the 7th adventure with Walt Longmire, the sheriff has more on his mind than crime and justice. His daughter Cady is getting married to his under-sherrif's little brother. He doesn't quite know how he feels about the whole situation, and he may be avoiding the whole thing - just maybe. Walt and The Bear have been roped into being wedding planners, and since she wants to be married on the Rez, Walt is more than happy to let Henry shoulder most of the responsibility.
   While scouting out wedding venues, Walt and Henry witness the horrific fall to death of a young Crow woman. With the help of newly-appointed tribal police chief and Iraq war vet Lolo Long, justice must be found for this poor young woman. Little does Walt know that Lolo has no idea what she's doing, so he is stretched thin between the detective mentoring, the wedding plans, and the overall weight that is on him from sheriffing for more than 30 years. Oh, and don't forget the 10-hour long acid trip he goes on.
   Johnson outdoes himself in this newest installment in the series. Walt's wit and ever-present ability to see parallels between life and classic literature, make this book a must-read.
   

Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson - 320 p.

   Wyoming Sherriff Walt Longmire is pretty tired after more 30 years of maintaining justice in Absaroka County. In this 7th book in the Walt Longmire series, Walt comes closer than ever to death's door.
   Psychopath and extremely dangerous criminal Raynaud Shade has confessed to killing a young boy 10 years before. While transporting Shade and a company of other criminals to the Feds, all hell breaks loose in the snowy high-country of Wyoming.
   With the words from Dante's Inferno running through his mind, Walt does all he can to try to bring in his criminal. He must bring justice - both civil and spiritual - to this case. Has he gone too far this time? Will his mind break before his body in those high mountains? Find out in this impossible-to-put-down book.

Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson - 320 p.

   In Johnson's 6th installment of the Walt Longmire series, Walt, Vic, Henry, Sancho, and Dog team up to find the owner of a severed thumb found by the local dump owners. Along the way, they find themselves deep in million-dollar developments, industrial-sized drug cultivation, and murder. While Sancho tries to face his demons and Walt and Vic try to come to terms with their undeniable attraction to one another, the case unfolds and we are along for the ride.
   Written with Johnson's trademark wit and Wyoming justice, the plot-twists and laughs will keep you turning the pages.