Jeremiah Goodbye could be described as a lucky guy. Jeremiah himself, however, would say that it’s fate. It’s clear from the beginning of James Markert’s What Blooms from Dust that something is looking out for Jeremiah. The novel opens just after Jeremiah escaped from prison (thanks for a tornado) after being electrocuted for five seconds at his execution. He’s got a job to do. The problem is that he doesn’t quite know what that job is.

Jeremiah is called the Coin-Flip Killer. He was caught burying bodies at the Nowhere, Oklahoma silo, but there is some question about whether or not Jeremiah actually killed four men. At the beginning of What Blooms from Dust, though, Jeremiah seems like a hardbitten man—not surprising considering it was a miracle that he escaped from his own execution in the spring of 1935. Our first hint that Jeremiah might just be misunderstood comes when he rescues a boy (described as “not right” by his parents) from being sold to a stranger. The stranger gives off a bad vibe and Jeremiah just can’t walk past. So, after intimidating the stranger, Jeremiah and the boy, Peter, walk to Nowhere.

Even after Jeremiah and Peter arrive in Nowhere, Jeremiah has no idea what he’s supposed to do. He can’t hide. Everyone knows who he is and his own twin brother was the one who turned him in. He’s not really trying to exonerate himself. He doesn’t have a lot of time to figure out what to do with himself when a series of dust storms, including the terrible Black Sunday storm, hits the town and strange things start to happen. The storm catches most of the town outside and the dust does weird things to almost everyone who breathed it in. It’s only in the worst days after the storm that Jeremiah and Peter learn what they’re supposed to do.

The Dust Bowl becomes a malevolent force in What Blooms from Dust. It wasn’t much different in reality, I suspect. The constant dust storms on top of a decade of drought and economic depression must have broken people. No wonder that so many people from Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas packed up and took to the roads just to get away with it. This book is full of references to digging out from yet another storm that I got tired and I was just laying on the couch.

Readers who don’t like essential coincidences might not like What Blooms from Dust. Readers like me who love watching seemingly disparate events and clues come together to create a marvelous ending or who enjoy atmospheric novels that put you right in the setting will enjoy this book. There is so much to enjoy about this unsettling tale of fate and good and evil.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration. It will be released 26 June 2018.

The Grapes of Wrath is the only book I’ve ever read about the dust bowl, so when I picked up this newest book by James Markert, I was prepared to read about a difficult time in history. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in spite of that, the story was uplifting and delivered a powerful message that we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

Josiah and Jeremiah Goodbye are twin brothers who were born and raised in Nowhere, Oklahoma. As they reached adulthood, the brothers had grown apart. Jeremiah was in prison for murder and by a quirk of fate, escaped the electric chair and went back home to Nowhere.

The story follows what happens when Jeremiah returns home and shows how the townspeople handle the struggles of the dust storms and learn to mend their broken relationships.

The message in the story is easy to uncover. Kindness. Kindness breeds kindness. One simple word or deed that all too often people forget when life gets too stressful.

Readers who are looking for an enjoyable story, a mix of historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will enjoy this book. It’s a clean read, with no profanity, sex or violence although some is referenced vaguely.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-FICTION for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

The Goodbye family lived in Nowhere, Oklahoma. Jeremiah and Josiah Goodbye were born and grew up in Nowhere but their lives were just different enough that Jeremiah’s gift of calling out someone through a flip of a coin, and always getting the flip right, was countered with his nightmares. The nightmares plagued him his whole life and lasted exactly one minute and fifty two seconds. Josiah held his hand through them everytime.
We meet Jeremiah in the electric chair. Exactly at the moment the switch is flipped, a tornado tears down the jail, killing everyone in the jail but Jeremiah. The force of the storm releases him from the chair and he walks away toward home. On the way he buys a child, who was being sold by his mother, for twenty five cents. Peter is, as we would know now, autistic. His mother just thinks he’s weird. Peter gladly comes away with Jeremiah, carrying his typewriter, which he types on constantly, even though he doesn’t have any paper. Coming home to Nowhere is risky. It was the sheriff there who sent Jeremiah to jail.
The story of the Goodbye family is told through the backdrop of the dust storms which come daily, sometimes more than once a day and finally, the biggest, baddest storm of them all, black, fierce, long and hard sucks what is left of the life and will of the people of Nowhere. Black Sunday does them in. They give up. They become like zombies, hiding in their homes, not cleaning out their homes as storm after storm continues, they begin to starve and don’t care. We find out what it’s like to live with dust in your nose, lungs, between your teeth, in your clothes, beds, breaking windows, coming in through any tiny way. And it’s scary. It’s scary to read about but the author puts us there living it.
After Black Sunday Peter has the answer.
The Great Depression of the 1930’s has always fascinated me. Not being mathematically gifted, I could never wrap my head around the economics of it but I could understand drought and land abuse and desperation. My interest in the Depression was centered mostly on the Dust Bowl, the area of our country that was devastated by drought and because the land had been laid bare, the ensuing dust storms. The magnitude is hard to imagine. Not everyone left their farms for the promise of what California offered. This story is about hope, stamina, strength, fortitude and stubbornness. I couldn’t put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jeremiah, known as the coin-flip-killer, went to the electric chair for four murders. But Jeremiah didn’t die. Saved by a storm that destroyed the prison five seconds into his execution, he flees and makes his way back to his home town to confront his twin brother, who handed him to the authorities in the first place.

The town, called Nowhere, is a desolate town. The drought has taken everything from its people and left them with devastating dust storms they struggle to survive on a daily basis.

Along the way, Jeremiah picks up a young boy, Peter, he feels compelled to save when he sees his mother trying to sell him, to a man Jeremiah knows is bad news. Knows, because all his life he’s been able to sense flashes of things people have done, whether those people are good people, or not.

Once Jeremiah is back in his home town, a strange dust storm makes its way through, and it’s people start to act in odd ways. Will Peter, the strange boy who has no words, only repeats what others say, and Jeremiah be able to unravel the mystery of what is happening? Can they bring the townspeople back from the brink and discover unanswered questions about Jeremiah’s guilt or innocence before it’s too late?

I really really enjoyed this book. Parts of it got a little strange, but the story was mesmerizing. The descriptions of the dust storms had me holding my own breath, and the hopelessness the people felt just seeped through the pages. A book where ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ are mingled and not clear cut, it gave me Stephen King vibes, without the long winded descriptions I associate with him as an author. I much preferred James Markert’s style of writing, where we get the same haunting chills and strange happenings, without 12 pages dedicated to describing the contents of a cupboard (no disrespect to Mr King, I love his books, but I do prefer things to move along).

This story was creepy in an almost drifting way. The characters lives were well intertwined and I loved the way the story came together. I had frequent goosebumps and although it did get a little strange toward the end, the mysteries were revealed and didn’t leave us hanging!

I’d classify this book as historical adult magical realism and highly recommend it for fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

Magical Realism is possibly my favorite genre, and What Blooms from Dust moves right near the top of my favorites list. Markert takes a challenging, historic time, and sets a terrific, mystic story right in the midst of it. This story will stay with you, long after you turn the last page, and set the book down. Four and a half stars.

What Blooms from Dust

A Novel

by James Markert

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Magical Realism

Expected publication: June 26th 2018

4/5 Stars: Highly recommended for book clubs

I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley.com.

#NetGalley #JamesMarkert # ThomasNelson #HistoricalFiction #Oklahoma #DustBowl

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Jeremiah Goodbye has been tried and set to meet “Old Sparky” after being convicted of the murder of four men. But in the first of mystical events peppering the novel, a tornado hits the Oklahoma prison as the warden flips the switch on the electric chair, freeing Goodbye and setting him on the road to an uncertain future.

In the Dust Bowl of the 1935 Oklahoma plains, that road is made even more hazardous by thieves, suffocating windstorms, and the law chasing Goodbye, determined to return him to prison. Yet Goodbye makes each decision as he always has, based on the flip of a coin. This trait is so familiar he’s called “Coin Flip Killer.”

His habit of coin flipping stems from his early childhood though, and folks from his hometown of Nowhere no not to tempt fate on the toss of his coin. When Goodbye’s luck returns him to Nowhere, he will find out if it is good or bad, and if his future holds a chance for reconciliation with his past, his family, and his town. And what will the future for all entail.

Alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming tale, sold with sensitivity and compassion.

A few years ago I read Timothy Egan’s excellent The Worst Hard Time, a nonfiction book about the Dust Bowl. When I saw a NetGalley book of historical fiction set during the Dust Bowl, I quickly requested it.

I love historical fiction because it puts me in someone else’s head in another time. This novel did not disappoint.

In short, settlers came west to the land that had been taken from the American Indians. They settled there, ensured hardships, and eventually prospered. However, the land had been used unwisely - native grasses were stripped for crops. It was the recipe for ecological disaster.

A drought hit during the Great Depression of the thirties. Great windstorms picked up dust with such strength that it destroyed crops, animals, shelters, and people. Storms were so massive that even New York and Washington D. C. felt the effects.

This story is about a family who came to Oklahoma during the early settlement and stayed to prosper - and then the hard times hit. Through the eyes of the residents of Nowhere, Oklahoma I experienced the Dust Bowl firsthand.

I’m so glad I read this - interesting and informative. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me an early read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be seeking out other titles by this author!

This is the first novel I read by this author...hopefully not the last. This novel captivated my attention from it's unique cover art...however the story pulled me in from page one....and did not let go until the final chapter. Find out for yourself.

Despair, desolation, and doom in the gloom. That is what comes to mind during the Dust Bowl era of our nation. However, the people who survived during this time were so much more! Enduring, perseverant, and durable. Thankfully James Markert did his research and was able to catch all these elements, both sides of the coin, the rights and the wrongs of the era. Bravo!
This tale brings us the story of Jeremiah aka the “Coin-flip Killer” and how he has to adapt to the harsh world outside of prison. A Tornado saves him in the last moments before he was to ride “old sparky” the electric chair. The “dusters” are ravaging the countryside and far more dangerous than a newly freed murder… unless you are Josiah, Jeremiah’s brother, who he has decided to enact his revenge on!
The characters are diverse and vibrant. Both good and bad depending on your outlook and the situation. I really loved Peter and the influence that he had over the rest of the characters. They underestimated him, and it was heart warning to see his character growth. Just as I liked how Jeremiah struggles to keep his urges to flip the coin in check.

This book is a wickedly addictive tale spun to give facts and fiction light in one of the hardest times our county has ever known. I applaud the author for doing his research and making the story completely believable! I would recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction and adept mysteries.
Thank you for allowing me access to this title! The thoughts are expressly my own.

Jeremiah is the “Coin-flip Killer.” He flips a coin to make his important decisions. When the coin sends him home, the people there are wary of his presence. They have bigger problems though when the “dusters” come every day and seem to be getting worse. A boy, Peter, appears with Jeremiah and just may be the one who sees things most clearly. He’s a beautiful character. I loved his heart and his determination to make a difference. “Brick by brick, Ellen, stone by stone. That’s the way anything worthwhile gets finished…Every stone adds to the strength of the castle. It fortifies it” (location 2685). Peter lives this out.
This is an unusual, interesting book. It has elements of mystery that reminded me of the tv series “Lost.” There was a section that I could barely stand to read….the circumstances were so awful. But I had to keep reading to see that good would triumph. I’m glad I did. This is a story of the power of kindness and hope as well as the dangers of despair. It’s a horrible thing to lose hope.
While the strange or mysterious elements may not appeal to everyone, this is a good read with a powerful message. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Dust Bowl was a terrible time in our history; when I read that this book takes place in the heart of that era, this became a must-read. The author, James Markert, does a fantastic job bringing the characters and hopelessness of those years to life.
Josiah and Jeremiah Goodbye grew up in Nowhere, Oklahoma, a town established and built by his father and a group of families who were swindled into thinking they were buying homes in an established town, only to arrive and find absolutely nothing but prairies. Their childhood was healthy and normal but Jeremiah soon realized he understood more about peoples’ hearts by simply being around them. This knowledge and his difficulty handling the ugly truth led Josiah to turn his brother in for murder. Sentenced to die in “Old Sparky”, the state’s electric chair, Jeremiah was saved by a twister that came thru just as the electricity started. He escaped, shaken, confused and angry at his brother, and set out for his hometown to settle the score. The town and people he returned to was in a final downward spiral, tired of fighting the dust, lack of food, money, business, and ready to simply sit down and give up.
So sets the stage for this story. Colorful characters, some good, some bad, enter for various reasons. Peter, a little boy whose mother is willing to practically give him away to get rid of one more mouth to feed, is quiet and considered “touched”. Still waters run deep, though, and Peter is able to touch these desperate souls in a way no one expected. Rose, the journalist who followed Jeremiah to town, has the knowledge to either make or break him. Ellen, Josiah’s wife, who once loved Jeremiah dearly, is torn between the two men, until she realizes she may be the cause for many of the family’s troubles. Jeremiah can’t control his urge to “flip the coin”, which tends to have grave consequences for those who lose. Josiah, who’s proud, jealous and so tired of struggling, doesn’t appreciate Jeremiah’s cavalier attitude about his criminal history. The entire town is tired, broken, hungry and ready to give up.
Is Jeremiah’s arrival going to make or break what’s left of this little, sad town? With clear descriptive details of the effects of the dust storms, particularly Black Sunday, this story is a mix of facts, fiction with a dash of hopeful events.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for making it available.)

What Blooms from Dust by James Markert
Jeremiah Goodbye walks away from prison and his penalty for murder when the electric chair malfunctions and a tornado blows down the building. Along the way he ends up adopting an unusual young boy, and with the flip of a coin, he heads home to settle a score with his twin brother. Meanwhile, his hometown is being devastated by the dust bowl. Neither the townspeople nor his brother are happy to see him. Jeremiah and the boy seem to be the only ones who can rescue the town from its fate. But will the town let him?
Fans of Billy Coffey will enjoy this book, which struck me as being a bit unusual. The author paints a surreal picture of the unfolding events. Although some of the book was rooted in history, much of it seemed like a nightmare.
The characters, especially Jeremiah, were fascinating. I kept reading, hoping to understand his motivation better. Peter was another one who kept me wondering. I also found Jeremiah’s father unusual.
The plot was fast-paced and even a bit confusing at times, adding to the nightmare-like quality of the book. It was unpredictable and surprised me at every turn.
There was a lot of symbolism in the book, and it should foster lively book club discussions. The book’s message was different than I had expected.
Even though this was an unusual book, it hooked me from the beginning to try and understand it. Readers who want something different should try it. I received a copy from the publisher for my honest review.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC.

What are the chances of a tornado blowing away the electric chair just as they pull the handle and send sparks flying? Weird right? Well, that's what happens to Jeremiah. His brain freshly cleared, he finds his way home to Nowhere, Oklahoma, ready to deal with his twin brother who put him in the chair in the first place. But the town is suffering its own drama. Daily dark dusters cover all beauty that once was until eventually people start loosing their filters and things get really ugly.
This book is exquisite. I am right in the middle of Nowhere, amidst the desolation, the desperation, the dirt. The only sound coming from a typewriter. Will there ever be a blue sky again? Full stop here, while my filter is still intact.
What Blooms From Dust is an amazing fast paced must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and James Markert for allowing me to read and review What Blooms From Dust. I thought that this book was very enjoyable. 4 stars!

I admit I was sold the minute I saw that beautiful cover and read the blurb. What Blooms From Dust promised magic and mystery in a historical setting, and what more can I wish for? This story is set in the United States of the 1930s, a time I’ve always been interested in but haven’t read all that much about. Both the setting in Nowhere, Oklahoma and the timeframe are interesting, although the emphasis of this story isn’t on the year (1935) everything took place in Nowhere. You get that feel of the past, but the focus of What Blooms From Dust is more on the town Nowhere itself and the main character Jeremiah. I must confess that I was feeling mighty confused in the beginning, and I wasn’t sure what to make of this story. It was definitely a slowburner for me, but once the dust that had blown in had settled down a bit, I suddenly found myself hooked. This initial feeling of being lost probably has to do with the magical realism of the story, which I always need some time with before I’m used to it, but in the case of What Blooms From Dust these magical realism elements really worked. From the coin-flipping to Jeremiah himself and the aftermath of the Black Sunday… All less than credible elements on its own, but together they create that magical and mythical atmosphere that simply makes this story work. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but please don’t let the mention of magical realism dissuade you! The writing, like the magical elements, may take some time to get used to, but once you do it is fantastic. It sets just the right tone and atmosphere for this story, and definitely helped make this story into what it is. The plot is quite interesting, but what truly stands out is the deeper message of What Blooms From Dust, a message of finding hope in the darkness and the power of kindness. Without doubt a wonderful story!