I have thoroughly enjoyed past books by Lisa Wingate, so I was extremely excited when I got my hands on Shelterwood. Shelterwood is told in 2 different time periods-1909 and 1990 in Oklahoma. The story in 1909 follows a child, Olive Augusta Radley. Olive is an 11 year old girl trying to escape from an abusive step-father and drug-addict mother, while also trying to save a Choctaw girl that is living in their house. They run to the Winding Stair Mountains, where they meet characters that help them, those who hurt them, and those that help change history.

In 1999, Female Ranger Valerie Boren O'Dell begins a new job in a federal park. As soon as she begins, she's immediately seen as an outsider since she is a woman. During her time there, she uncovers a missing teenager, a dead body, and nefarious activities.

The two stories tie together beautifully at the end.

I really enjoyed this story. There's just something about Lisa's writing that sucks you in. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books for the ARC of Shelter wood by Lisa Wingate in exchange for an honest review.

This is a two timeline book telling about Oklahoma in 1909 and 1990. In 1909. Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley knows that her stepfather doesn’t have good intentions toward the two Choctaw girls boarded in their home as wards. When the older girl disappears, Ollie flees to the woods, taking six-year-old Nessa with her. Together they begin a perilous journey to the remote Winding Stair Mountains, the notorious territory of outlaws, treasure hunters, and desperate men. Along the way, Ollie and Nessa form an unlikely band with others like themselves, struggling to stay one step ahead of those who seek to exploit them. In 1990, law enforcement ranger Valerie Boren-Odell arrives at newly minted Horse Thief Trail National Park seeking a quiet place to balance a career and single parenthood.. No sooner has Valerie reported for duty than she’s faced with controversy over the park’s opening, a teenage hiker gone missing from one of the trails, and the long-hidden burial site of three children unearthed in a cave. Val’s quest for the truth wins an ally among the neighboring Choctaw Tribal Police but soon collides with old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land itself.

Lisa Wingate tell another emotional tale as she traces the story of children abandoned by the law and the battle to see justice done. Amid times of deep conflict over who owns the land and its riches, Ollie and Val travel the rugged and beautiful terrain, each leaving behind one life in search of another. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for the newest book by one of my favorite authors.

Two women in two timelines in the Winding Stair region of Southeast Oklahoma. In 1909 Ollie is a young girl who escapes a horrible stepfather and lives with other children in the wild. In 1990 Valerie is a park ranger and they find bones in cave and evidence of wrongdoing that stretches back to the first timeline. Based on actual events that happened with the Five Nations land allotments.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reader's copy of this publication.

Lisa Wingate does her research and writes each of her books with precise accurate information. She weaves a a wonder fiction story within the historical information. Her characters and her storylines keep the reader's interest.

Wingate skillfully takes us on a journey in two timeframes, weaving everything together flawlessly. With her impeccable research, she once again shows us a piece of history that many were not aware of. Wingate leaves us hanging at the end of each chapter as she alternates between 1909 and 1990, as we breathlessly move between timeframes. With characters that we love to hate and those that we love and root for, Wingate proves that she is a true storyteller and her books are complete treasures. Thank you to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

You can tell that Ms. Wingate always does meticulous research for her books and Shelterwood is no different. The characters push this story along and make the history come alive. I did feel that the story was a bit longer in some places.

Dual storylines of a young girl running from a bad home environment in 1909 Oklahoma.and a female park ranger investigating some odd happenings in the same area in 1990. Ollie's storyline had a good build-up of stress/suspense as you are hoping for her to succeed and not fall into any of the potential pitfalls a runaway child could experience. I was a little less into the storyline of Valerie, the park ranger, but was still curious about the unidentified bones and the missing teens she's trying to find. I felt like I didn't know Valerie as well as Ollie since her background was a bit more glossed over. The descriptions of what life in Oklahoma was like for women and Indian children in 1909 were interesting (and sad) to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This dual-timeline story is amazing; it will capture your heart and keep you up at night wondering how it will all turn out. Don’t miss this historical novel. It's an engaging read you'll want to read for book club.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN: Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog: https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

As per usual, Ms. Wingate has taken a lesser known time period from America's history and made it into a story the reader can relate to. I had never heard of Kate Barnard or the elf children of Oklahoma but following the conclusion of this book I definitely want to know more. Feisty little Ollie has seen way more than an 11-year-old should and knows enough to be leery of her stepfather.. She makes a run for it with her 6-year-old stepsister, but sometimes the devil you know if easier to bear..

-Told in dual timelines
-11-year-old girl trying to save herself and her stepsister from the evils of the world and is trying to get back to the place she felt safest.
-Newly arrived forest ranger with her 6-year-old son in tow and problems of their own; get swept into some not so innocuous dealings and missing persons cases with a lot of resistance from her own department.
-Hard to find someone to trust in both timelines
-Good vs evil and sometimes the blurry lines between the two

The story definitely intrigued me and kept me guessing throughout. There were a lot of characters to keep straight and how one relates to the other, but I did find that all of the loose ends were tied up at the end...in a great big knot, but they were all dealt with. :)

Lisa Wingate has written a beautiful book. It's full of history, mystery and unfortunately, sadness. There were twists and turns in the story that made it hard to follow at times. but I'm glad I read it and look forward to her next release.

Meticulously researched and immersive Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate is a heart-wrenching and immensely thought-provoking read.

Set in and around the Winding Stairs Mountains region, the story is rooted in the history of Oklahoma and the division of natural resource-rich Native American lands into allotment parcels assigned to individual members in the late 1800s. Orphaned Indigenous children were exploited and cheated of their rights, abandoned and forced to fend for themselves by “guardians” who were responsible for their welfare. The story also sheds light on the efforts of women pioneers who fought for the rights of these children - namely the Oklahoma Federation of Women’s Clubs and Kate Barnard, the first woman to be elected as a state official in Oklahoma.

The narrative is presented in dual timelines in alternating chapters. In 1990 Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, we meet eleven-year-old Olive “Ollie” Augusta Peele, who flees from her abusive stepfather. With her is Nessa, a Choctaw child whom her deceased father had sheltered in their home along with Nessa's older sister Hazel. Olive is sure that her stepfather was responsible for Hazel’s disappearance and running is the only way she believes she can protect them both from meeting the same fate. Along her way to her family’s old home in the mountains, she meets other runaways and orphans who inhabit the woods and form their own community – a community she names “Shelterwood”. The narrative follows Ollie, Nessa and their friends as they fight for survival amid much adversity.

The current timeline (Talihina, Oklahoma, 1990) is presented from the perspective of Valerie Boren-Odell, the new park law enforcement Ranger at Horsethief Trail National Park who has only recently moved to the area with her young son. On her first day on the job, she is informed of the recent discovery of the remains of three children in a cave. However, before Valerie can pursue her investigation, her superiors see to it that the bones are removed and the crime scene is closed off. Valerie is also approached by twelve-year-old Sydney for help locating her missing older brother Braden and her ailing grandmother, former state representative Budgie Blackwell. Sydney often frustrates Valerie, withholding information and manipulating the truth, but Valerie can’t deny that there is more to the disappearances than meets the eye.

As the narrative progresses we follow Valerie’s investigation which takes into the dark history of the area a story of exploitation, greed and corruption that is far from over.

Both timelines are well-developed and the narrative flows well. The pacing is slightly uneven but I liked how the author brings all the threads of the story together. Ollie is a memorable character and I admire her courage and resourcefulness. The rich historical context, vivid settings and well-thought-out characters render this novel a compelling read.

Please read the informative Author’s Note where she discusses the history, people and events that inspired this novel.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed Lisa Wingate's previous book so I was excited to read this. One point of view is Olive Augusta Peele in 1909. Ollie's father has died leaving her alone with a mother who is mostly drunk and remarried to a cruel man. It gets to the point where she decides she has to leave with her young foster sister, Nessa. The second point of view is Valerie Boren-Odell. She is a young widow and with her son, Charlie, moves to Oklahoma to take a position as a ranger in a new park. What should have been a quiet job turns out to be something else with a missing teenage boy and a dead body that has to be identified. The book is well written and I found both stories equally interesting which doesn't happen often. But as I got really invested in the one POV the chapter would end on a cliffhanger of sorts and then go back to the other story. Now I have to remember how that chapter ended and get caught up in the story only to be sent back to another time and other characters. I felt like the back and forth breaks the flow of the narrative. It took a long time for the stories to come together and then wrapped up neatly.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

5 stars for this compelling story. "Shelterwood" shines a light on the human impact of the fallout from the US government's Dawes Act, a misguided attempt to assimilate indigenous Americans by parceling up their land. I have read two other Lisa Wingate books ("Before We Were Yours" and "The Book of Lost Friends"), and Shelterwood's story is similar- strong women and children navigating harsh living and social circumstances, told through a dual timeline that intersects at a gripping end. "Shelterwood" hops between 1909 to 1990, telling the story of two sisters trying to survive the Oklahoma frontier after escaping from their awful home life, and a modern day park ranger who's trying to find her way socially, emotionally, and in her career after moving to the same area. Sometimes in a dual timeline story, I'll find that one story seems to drag for me and I resent being pulled from one character to another, but that wasn't the case in this book. Both stories were intense, and the pacing felt just right.

A final note- the setting in "Shelterwood" really stood out, and even before reading the author's note, I could tell the author was deeply familiar with the ecology of this area in Oklahoma. I really didn't know much (or anything) about the geography or politics of early statehood in Oklahoma, and this book is a fantastic example of how historical fiction provides a captivating window into different times and places.

I loved Lisa Wingate's book [book:Before We Were Yours|32148570] so I was excited to get my hands on this one to see what she had come up with.

Description:
Oklahoma, 1909. Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley knows that her stepfather doesn’t have good intentions toward the two Choctaw girls boarded in their home as wards. When the older girl disappears, Ollie flees to the woods, taking six-year-old Nessa with her. Together they begin a perilous journey to the rugged Winding Stair Mountains, the notorious territory of outlaws, treasure hunters, and desperate men. Along the way, Ollie and Nessa form an unlikely band with others like themselves, struggling to stay one step ahead of those who seek to exploit them . . . or worse.

Oklahoma, 1990. Law Enforcement Ranger Valerie Boren O’dell arrives at Horsethief Trail National Park seeking a quiet place to balance a career and single parenthood. But no sooner has Valerie reported for duty than she’s faced with local controversy over the park’s opening, a teenage hiker gone missing from one of the trails, and the long-hidden burial site of three children deep in a cave. Val’s quest to uncover the truth wins an ally among the neighboring Choctaw Tribal Police but soon collides with old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land itself.

In this emotional and enveloping novel, Lisa Wingate traces the story of children abandoned by the law and the battle to see justice done. Amid times of deep conflict over who owns the land and its riches, Ollie and Val traverse the wild and beautiful terrain, each leaving behind one life in search of another.

My Thoughts:
Really liked the plot with the two storylines which intertwined to provide a good picture of what happened before and what was happening in the 1990 story. The 1909 storyline was most emotional and my heart went out to Ollie and Nessa with the difficulties and trials they faced. Just the thought of the two children making their own way and trying to survive broke my heart. The 1990 storyline was good too and I liked the involvement of the National Park and admired Ranger Valerie Boren for her courage and determination. The characters in the book came alive on the page. I think anyone who likes adventure and mystery will enjoy the book.

Thanks to Ballantine Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was published June 4, 2024.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I gave five stars to the very popular book Before We Were Yours.

Sadly this book didn’t compare. While I did learn about the Choctaw tribe in Oklahoma and the “elves” (children left to survive) it just never grabbed my attention. I did like how the two girls created Shelterwood for others like them. I liked the role of Valerie the park ranger but the story just seemed to drag. It was all summed up nicely in the last 10%. Ultimately justice was served thanks to real life Kate Barnard who put a stop to the abuse of minors and orphans who owned land.

I would recommend for fans of historical fiction and Indian tribes.

Another beautifully written book by Lisa Wingate.
A wonderful story woven together and told through dual timelines, one in the early 1900's focusing on orphans/unwanted children, especially indigenous, making their way on their own, and the other in 1990 focusing on a female park ranger. The stories merge together about 75% of the way through the book and the reader learns why. There is a slow build up at the beginning of the book before the first sizable twist in the story, so it does start out slower but does pick up and is definitely worth reading.
Ms. Wingate does a wonderful job of educating the reader on the true history of abuse and taking advantage of young orphans and Choctaw children in Oklahoma through the fictional tale. It was very heartbreaking, and yet something I never knew of.

Shelterwood is the newest historical fiction novel by Lisa Wingate. In this tale, she delves into the history of Oklahoma. I learned a lot from reading this book and now want to go visit this state. The story alternates in time and character between Olive in 1909 and Val in 1990. Olive is a young child left to fend for herself and Val is a new ranger to the brand new park that has opened in OK. This book is about greed, poverty, addiction, and struggling to survive. Read and enjoy!

I'm only giving this 4 stars instead of 5 because of all the Lisa Wingate books, I felt that I didn't connect as well with all of the characters. The storyline was fascinating but I was much more interested in what was happening with Olive (aka Hazel) as opposed to Valerie. I did enjoy the book and was happy and surprised by the ending.

This is an interesting historical story about the women who protected children who were impacted by land grabs in Oklahoma in the early 1900's. The story has a dual timeline and begins in 1909 with Olive and Nessa who flee to the woods where they band together with other Choctaw children and other children who have escaped similar threats. The second timeline is focused on 1990 when Ranger Val begins a new job at Horsethief Trail National Park and begins to uncover many truths that were likely intended to be hidden forever.

Told from two different time periods; 1909 and 1990, this is a story of the family you are born into, the family you find along the way, and the sheer will to survive. Olive and her sister Nessa are on the run from their stepfather because they are fairly certain that he had something to do with the disappearance of their other sister, Hazel. Nessa and Hazel were brought home by Olive’s dad when he found them as Choctaw orphans. Once Hazel disappeared. Olive realized they couldn’t stay or they would also be in danger. They meet up with other orphan children and begin trying to plan Shelterwood, a place where they could be safe and grow up. Many year later Val starts a job as a ranger in the same area the girls grew up. She knows nothing about the history of the girls, but will soon find out how much the present collides with the past.

I loved Wingate’s book, Before We Were Yours and hoped that this one would be on that level. While it was enjoyable and interesting, it was also very slow. I liked seeing how the stories intertwined, but it was all just too slow moving for me.