Lisa Wingate shares yet another unknown story about children or young adults who are trying to find their way back to family.
Taking place in 1909 and 1990, "Shelterwood" tells the tale of Olive and her Choctaw "sister" and friends who are fleeing from abusive situations to try to make a home for themselves and other children who are mistreated by adults who are supposed to be taking care of them. In 1990, National Park law Enforcement ranger finds the skeletons of 3 young children in a cave in Horsethief trail National Park. She is determined to find out who they are while also trying to find a missing teen. These stories come together in an enlightening ending.
Each storyline in this novel is interesting and heartbreaking. The protagonists are strong females who are fighting for injustices done to others. The novel brings to light the exploitation children suffered at the hands of white land barons.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this egalley.

This was historical fiction at its finist. This takes place in Oklahoma with dual timelines. One timeline takes place in 1990 and follows a young female park ranger, Valerie. There is so much going on at the park she works at, between the politics, missing persons and a grizzly find, it's a page turner. The second timeline is 1909 and follow a bunch of ragtag orphans trying to survive.
This one had me reading late into the night to see how these stories would come together.
The author did a wonderful job with the history of Oklahoma in its early statehood.
If you are a historical fiction fan, I highly recommend this one.

Like Before We Were Yours, Lisa Wingate has written another moving title about a little known history this one from the early 1900s. Readers will fall in love with Ollie and Nessa and the mystery that surrounds their story in the Winding Stair Mountains of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Ranger Valerie Boren O’dell arrives at Horsethief Trail National Park in the 1990s seeking to heal her broken heart and forge a new path forward for her young son. Stumbling upon a a local mystery that no one seems interested in solving and fighting for respect as a female ranger, may be dangerous for Val. Did she make the right choice in fleeing her home? Alternating chapters will captivate readers and draw them in to the dual narratives.

Shelterwood is the heartbreaking story of orphaned indigenous children in the early 1900 Oklahoma. The story is told through two points of view in two timelines. In 1909, Olivia's stepfather is a ward to two Choctaw girls. After the oldest disappears, Olivia escapes with the youngest, Nessa. In 1990, Valerie is a ranger who discovers three bodies in a cave. When the bones are quickly disposed off and the case closed, Valerie looks for answers.

If you read Before We Were Yours or enjoy historical fiction, this is a must read. Wingate does a wonderful job of telling the story. The writing is very good. Combined with what had to be extensive research, the entire books gives readers a glimpse into that time and the atrocities. This is one of those books that can be difficult to read given the subject, but worth the time. The pages are filled with a lot of heartbreak, but leaves reader with a sense of hope and resilience. I highly recommend this book.

Lisa Wingate writes historical fiction usually involving the plight of children during trying times in the United States. Her books shine a light on eras past that we have forgotten, a light that often exposes a part of history people choose to forget.
Her newest novel, Shelterwood, is written about the early 1900’s Oklahoma. The Choctaws were being forced out, their children stolen to be raised with a Christian education. Oil was being discovered, often under land that the Indians or poor Americans owned. Through the stealing, kidnapping, and double-crossing, many children became orphans. And as orphans, they had less rights than a farmer’s mule.
The story focuses on Ollie and Nessa, forced to run to avoid a worse fate. Their path takes them through various obstacles and they cross paths with some colorful people, some good, some horrible.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book to read, even though some parts are difficult to be made aware of. But this story is based on factual history, which makes it so much more interesting to me.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lisa Wingate is one of those authors that I will read whatever she releases. So I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Wingate's newest release, Shelterwood.

Shelterwood is a dual timeline story told from two different POV.

Oklahoma, 1909. Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley: Olive known as Ollie, knows that her stepfather is not a good man. She has suspicions about his intentions towards the two Chocktaw girls who are in his care as wards. When the older girl, Hazel, suddenly disappears, Olie and and six-year-old Nessa start a journey that is hard to comprehend.

Oklahoma, 1990. Law Enforcement Ranger Valerie Boren O’dell. Valerie has arrived at Horsethief Trail National Park as a new park ranger. Valerie wants to try to start again after the tragic death of her husband. As a single mother, Valerie is attempting to balance her life and care for their young son.
Valerie is not sure if she is the new token female park ranger or what the other rangers think of her.

When the bones of three young children are discovered in Horsethief Trail National Park, a story unfolds that is hard to comprehend.

Wingate has a talent it weaving true little-known stories with fiction to make great stories. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars was that the end felt a little rushed and farfetched with Valerie's story.

All. thoughts and opinions are my own.

Emotional and riveting book. Though I expected nothing less from this author. Definitely add this to your summer reading list

I ended up listening to this book on Libro.FM and I enjoyed it! It wasn’t my favorite of her novels, but Wingate always tells well-researched and compelling stories. this one takes place in Oklahoma with a then and now story about the kids and orphans of Indian tribes and their struggles to survive. A worthwhile read.

Great story by Lisa Wingate. Every book i have read by her I have loved. Her books are the ones i always reccomend to my friends. Looking forward to whatever her next book is!

I am a big Lisa Wingate fan however this one was a chore for me.. I really struggled getting through this one. I put it down several times to read other books in between but really just felt forced to read due to receiving a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The historical fiction that this novel centers around was promising as I have no read much about the topic however I just was never captivated by the characters or the alternating timelines. I know many may love this as Lisa Wingate is a rockstar for historical fiction but this one didn't do it for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a digital ARC of Shelterwood.

helterwood is the type story that slowly envelopes you, so trust the author to take you on a great journey. If you enjoyed David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and The Birth of The FBI or Wingate’s Before We Were Yours, this is a book you want to read.

Set on a dual timeline in Oklahoma, this is a story of 3 young girls, one white and two Native American, who flee an abusive situation and try to survive on their own in the mountains. The year is 1909 when children, especially Native American children, had no rights and were often exploited.

In 1990, a female Law Enforcement Ranger stationed at a recently opened and controversial National Park in the same area of Oklahoma. She soon finds herself searching for a lost teenager and discovering 3 set of children’s bones found in a cave. Still battling a male-dominate environment, she begins the quest to discover the truth about these children.

Who were they? Why were they in the cave? Is there any connection between them and the lost teenager? This is a slow-build story that will teach you much about the history and treatment of young Native American children. It reminds of a time in our nation’s history for which we should all be ashamed.

It makes me wonder how greed can take man so far down a road of corruption and abuse, and it makes me wonder why we don’t stand up to the greed and abuse that occurred and still occurs today. The author’s research was extensive not only about the history of the area, time, and circumstances of these children, but of current day Rangers and how these conduct investigations, etc.

Let Wingate take you on the journey. She brings the story to a satisfying conclusion that will make you smile and reminds us of where we’ve been as a nation, where we now, and why advocating for children’s rights is imperative in our society.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book in exchange for my review. My opinion is my own.

#shelterwood #lisawingate #nativeamerica #oklahomahistory #netgalley #randomhousepublishing #ballantine #trusttheauthor

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Lisa Wingate is a master of historical fiction stories that are not mainstream topics (ie: WW1 and WW2). I appreciate that so much because there are so many periods of history that I'd love to read more about! Shelterwood takes place both during the early 1900's and 1990's and the stories are tied together so well.

In the early 1900's we read about Olive, who is running from her stepdad after she realized he didn't have good intentions toward one of the Choctaw girls living with them - and the other one had already disappeared. Olive and Nessa meet up with a band of Choctaw kids and make up their own little community they named Shelterwood.

In the 1990's, Val is a park ranger when the bones of 3 little girls are found in a cave. Who are they and what happened to them?

I flip flopped between which timeline I liked better as I was reading. They were both interesting, but they both got kind of drawn out in the middle. I think this book could have been a bit shorter, but overall it was well researched and well written. It made me research more about what happened to the Choctaw people during this time period, which is always a mark of a good historical fiction read, in my mind!

Not my favorite by this author, but still well done.

I enjoyed Shelterwood. It was a little slower read for me. Not the page turner of her other books. I really got engaged with the story and the characters. Lisa Wingate can really write a good book.

Shelterwood is a dual timeline story of forgotten children, set in both 1909 and 1990.
A roller coaster of emotions as we meet Olive and Nessa, the main characters of our story, who's journey is one that will grip your heart. A well researched tale of abandoned children that merges with more present day story of a widowed ranger.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc in return for my honest review.

Pub date: 04 June 2024

I really wanted to like this book, however, I made it to 40% and decided to call it. It was a DNF for me. I appreciate the opportunity to get a copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

Very interesting and engrossing book. It had me hooked from the very first chapter with the mystery. I was enthralled through the whole book and very much enjoyed both points of view. But as for the mystery part it seemed a little bit of a let down at the end of the book. And some of the details of what happened next to the children are not crystal clear to me. I want to know what happened next.

A heartbreaking story of a little known fact how children in Oklahoma in the year 1909 was victimized by greedy men for their land. It is a dual timeline when Oklahoma was in the beginnings of statehood and men took advantage of Indian orphans and no one was there to protect the children.
Also set in the year 1990 when the lands once owned by Indians is now a new state park. As the new ranger at the park, Valerie is the outsider, plus the only female in a male dominant world. She is called to investigate three small skeletons found in a cave, which is the beginnings of many usual circumstances surrounding the small town and park.
I always love learning something new in history and the research and story was intriguing. I was on vacation so didn’t have time, but definitely if I read it at home I would have devoured it. Will reread again! Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are mine own. #Shelterwood

Lisa Wingate does it again. This was the perfect book club read! I highly recommend to all. The cover is also beautiful which is always a bonus!

There seems to be a trend this year in historical novels of using dual timelines in 2024. No, it is not new, but I have been reading it more often lately. This one included. Shelterwood bounces back and forth over a hundred years. And the author doesn't dive into a well-known area. She takes us to the backwoods of Oklahoma where one decided the law by their own hands. It is also a time when no other race could stand against a white man who was seeking riches in the land of oil. Who was there to care if children went missing.
In the 1990s the bodies are discovered, leading to secrets being unearthed, cruel people exposed, and justice finally served.
This author once again has a bestseller on her hands from her well researched, emotional read, of children who have lost their places in history.

A fine example of historical fiction, Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate consists of two seemingly individual stories told in alternating chapters from two time periods. Both plots were strong enough to be written separately and both touched on important but not widely familiar topics and individuals from American history. Unfortunately, putting them together just didn’t work for me until late in the book. At times, the plot/pace seemed slow throughout much of the book due, in part, to passages that were seemingly repetitive and longer than necessary. I had to push to keep reading but was motivated to complete it by my interest in the developing mystery which came to a satisfactory ending.

One of the strengths of Wingate’s books is her extensive research. Shelterwood is no exception as evidenced by the author’s detailed list of primary sources. Often overlooked, but not to be missed, are the author’s notes. Not only does she reveal that she grew up in Oklahoma so has firsthand knowledge of the setting but also includes additional perspective and background to the origins and history of this novel.

My hands-down favorite by Lisa Wingate is The Book of Lost Friends which I would highly recommend to those readers new to this author.