Firekeeper's Daughter served with Berry infused Vodka

 Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I heard about this one through Bookstagram and it kept showing up as a favorite from readers.   I picked it up and it was my first book to finish in the month of Oct which feels appropriate because i said i was going to read some mysteries for Halloween.   Not sure this a truly a mystery maybe more of a thriller but there is a murder and an investigation on who did it.    I really enjoyed this story.  I have not read much about the native american culture so it super interesting to learn about the language, rituals and issues facing them. 

Daunis is preparing for her first year of college.  She has had a tough year with the loss of her uncle and the stroke of her grandmother.  Early on in the book she witnesses a murder and from there she is tossed into an investigation with the FBI.  There is meth being sold and her community is greatly impacted.  Daunis falls for Jamie, a new guy on the scene but isn't sure she can trust him  and must try to figure out what role her half brother Levi  plays in the situation.   There are some pretty intense topics here- Murder, drug use, rape, bigotry.  

Really well written.  Just enough suspense that i had to know what was going on.  Daunis is a strong character who I cared about .  Boulley  did a nice job of educating us on the indigenous communities and incorporating it into the story.  Super glad I believed the hype around this book.  And I hear it going to be a Netflix movie! 

I would give this ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 Stars.   Highly recommend!  

I knew i wanted to pair it with some type of berries.  She talks about the ritual in her culture that when a young woman gets her first period, they must go a year without eating berries.  At the end of the year, a feast is held and berries are eaten.  I did a little research on this and it is still a custom with the Ojibwe tribe and they believe that during menstruation women are spiritually powerful.    Unfortunately with summer ending, berries aren't in season right now so i went around and around about what type of berries to use.   I ended up doing infused vodka.  I infuse vodka all the time.  It's kind of fun to try different types.  For this book I did Strawberry Basil and Cranberry Orange vodka.  I fill a mason jar with the chosen infusion and then pour vodka over it.  I typically leave it for at least a week shaking it daily.  At the end of the week, i strain it through a cheese cloth and it is ready to go.  The flavor is light but nice.  IF you want it to be a more intense flavor, let is sit for longer.  I have let it sit up to a month but the berries do start to fall apart.  Perfect for making a vodka mule or a martini.  Enjoy