Elatsoe

 

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger    YA Paranormal Mystery

(from Amazon)  Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.   There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.   Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family. 

(My Review) 

This was such an adorable, unique story.  I loved Ellie's character, and her ability to raise the ghost of dead of animals (I would love to do that).  Such a wonderful story of family and tradition.  I listened to this on audiobook, and I could not stop saying Elatsoe in my head - such a beautiful name.  Such a great book!