It’s 1909 in Oklahoma, and Ollie finds herself stuck with an abusive stepfather. Along with her adopted Choctaw sister, Nessa, Ollie sets off on a journey to return to her former cabin in the mountains, the last place she felt safe. But in a time when unscrupulous individuals are grabbing up abandoned children to take control of their assets, Ollie and Nessa will have to be very careful about who they can trust.

In 1990, Valerie Boren-Odell and her son have relocated to Oklahoma to start a new life. After the tragic loss of her husband, Valerie takes a job as a ranger at a national park in the Winding Stairs Mountains. When a local young man disappears and his sister is put in foster care, Valerie suspects something strange is afoot.

The dual timeline intertwines in unexpected ways, beautifully telling stories of women looking for family and acceptance after heartache and pain. This author has been a favorite of mine for a few years, and this book is an excellent example of why. The injustice in the way Choctaw children were treated is awful, but it’s even more awful that I didn’t find it surprising. The mistreatment of children by those with money and influence seems to be a story that repeats itself in various iterations throughout time. But where there is evil, love and justice can always overcome.

4.0. A very moving historical fiction novel on the plight of children in Oklahoma in the early 20th century, most of whom were Native American, and were targeted for and/or swindled out of their lands by by outlaws, squatters, timber and oil man and other opportunists because of the rich resources on them. This story is similar to the plot in Flowers of the Killer Moon that focused on swindlers who stripped tribal adults of their lands in Oklahoma around the same time for the oil. There are dual plots: one involving the young “orphan” children whose parents were either killed or were abandoned and were forced to fend for themselves in the wild; the other involving a National Park Service young woman ranger in the 1990s who was recently assigned to the newly commemorated Horsethief National Park and discovers the remains of three young girls embedded in a cave which then prompts her to investigate the deaths. The story generally focuses on the plight of these vulnerable young “orphans”, the hardships, starvation, and discrimination, among other things that they faced in the early years of Oklahoma statehood and it’s impact many years later. But also the two stories within the novel exemplify the strength, resilience and power of women: the young girls in the story from the early 1900s and the 1990s; Kate Bernard, the woman who advocated for these young, poor children and amassed quite a following in the early 20th century; the Oklahoma women’s clubs which many advocated for children’s and Native Americans welfare and education; the woman park ranger, and other strong women, notwithstanding all the abuse, harassment and/or discrimination they faced in their lives and work. A captivating novel with a bit of a thriller thrown in. A little too contrived in the end but overall a good read, with very good character development. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

This book, like Lisa Wingate's previous novel, Before We Were Yours, is historical fiction about children mistreated by adults. The dual timelines are Oklahoma in 1909 and 1990. In 1909, orphaned Native American children are forced to fend for themselves after greedy land grabbers stole their oil-land inheritances. As I read, I was rooting for these plucky boys and girls. In 1990, a female National Park ranger tries to solve the mystery of a long-hidden burial site of three children discovered in a cave. She encounters resistance as she reveals long-held secrets. The stories are intertwined and come together nicely at the end. Be sure to read the authors note at the end of the book.

Thank you, Random House - Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this eye-opening historical novel. I look forward to reading Lisa Wingate's next book.

I am an unabashed fan of Lisa Wingate. She won me over with her earlier book, "Before We Were Yours". This one like the previous best seller is about children. It is set in a fictious park in Oklahoma, but parts of the story is based on true events, the expoitation of Native American children who were due the inheritance of their parents thru the relocation of their tribes to Oklahoma. Greedy land grabbers attempted to adopt and even create orphan children to rob them of their land. The story is set in part in the 1990s when a female ranger is transferred to the newly created National park. It goes back and forth in time to the early 1900s and the exploitation of children as women are gaining their rights and advocating for children. There are several young children that have banned together for their own survival that tell their side of the story. Ms. Wingate weaves the reader well in and out of the time periods as she gradually unvels the tragedies faced by the explointed youngsters. It is a great book, one worthy of prize winning aclaim and a story worth telling. Thanks to #NetGalley#Shelterwood#LisaWingate for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book.

I love this author and after reading this book. She is an automatic read for me. Great character development. Great story line. Kept my attention.

Shelterwood is a beautiful story about the resilience of children abandoned by the law and their desire to find a life for themselves. It also details the many women who helped these children along the way and attempted to protect children from the rich who attempted to steal the land that was inherited by them, as well as the hardships of a female park ranger who faces backlash when she tries to uncover the truth behind a graveyard discovered in a newly minted park. Wingate is a true storyteller, weaving multiple genres into a multi-generational story that comes together beautifully.

Something I love about Lisa Wingate’s books is that the story is often half told by children. It’s an interesting change to see history through the eyes of the children that witnessed it and who were the key actors in the narrative. This book is a dual POV focusing on Olive Radley, a young girl surviving in the forests of Oklahoma during the early 1900s, and Valerie Boren-Odell, a park ranger in the 90s. Even the POV that takes place in the 90s has Sydney, a 12-year-old girl who helps push this narrative along as she recruits Boren-Odell to help her find her 17-year-old brother. It’s just an interesting and eye-opening change to see these stories unfold through the eyes of children & teenagers.

5⭐️ Big thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Ballentine Books for the advanced e-copy! Lisa Wingate’s novels always impress me with her thorough historical research and captivating storytelling, making her an auto-buy author for me. Shelterwood did not disappoint! It comes out June 4 2024…read Before We Were Yours and/or The Book of Lost Friends to pass the time!

This is one of the best books I've read! Lisa Wingate introduced an issue from history that is not well known and spun it into a story that I couldn't put down. The story follows one from closer to present day and one from the past. In the past, we learn about orphans who are left to survive on their own with adults shunning them. The "guardians" of these orphans take control of their land and then throw the kids out on the street. In the present day story, we learn of a National Park ranger who is trying to be accepted as a woman at a new national park. She learns of bones being found in the woods, a missing man, and a suspicious rockslide. She tries to uncover what is happening, but it is clear that she is not welcome and things are being covered up. The two stories come together at the end for a satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! This one took me a bit to read, only because I wanted to slowly devour the story. I always enjoy Lisa Wingate's books because they are so well researched. I did not realize I had an interest in land disputes and oil and minerals and the like until she weaved it into this story. The story of the land and of the children along with that of the female park ranger all come together nicely in the end. I was left satisfied but not wowed.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author with books published in over forty languages: Lisa Wingate lives up to the hype! I’m late to the party reading this novelist, but now I’m a fan for life. Women’s History Month 2024 was a great time to read “Shelterwood,” her latest novel. The pub date, 04 June 2024, is still months away, but I snagged an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And I honestly love this novel.

Wingate has paid her dues researching Oklahoma history. She brings to life an amazing little woman name Kate Barnard, elected to public office before women had the right to vote, a champion of the underdog, an activist and reformer who should be well known to all American school kids studying U.S. history. Sadly, she is not.

As Jim Logan wrote in “Oklahoma Today” magazine (June 2019), Barnard is “a near-forgotten individual whom historian Joseph Thoburn called ‘the most remarkable woman in Oklahoma.’ From low beginnings and with little formal education, Catherine Ann ‘Kate’ Barnard became a savior to the state’s children, orphans, poor, mentally challenged, hungry, infirm, and imprisoned . . . She improved labor conditions for Oklahomans and brought national attention to orphaned Indian children defrauded of mineral and property rights by court-appointed guardians. Her work paved the way for Oklahoma women’s participation in social reform.”

Barnard is not a main character in this novel, but she has my full attention. So did the actual protagonists, a 1909 runaway named Olive whose chapters alternate with a 1990 park ranger named Valerie. The two storylines are compelling and haunting.

Olive is only eleven, but her widowed mother lives in a haze of whiskey and opium, leaving “Ollie” at the mercy of an evil stepfather. Her beloved daddy had taken in two Choctaw sisters, orphans with no family left. The stepfather has been preying on them. Hazel has disappeared, and Ollie resolves to run away before he makes little Nessa disappear as well. Their escape is fraught with peril. Taking refuge in a hollow tree, they encounter the legendary "elf" children, the homeless orphans who inspired the real-life Kate Barnard. Their story is heart-wrenching.

In the same area 80 years later, the skeletons of three girls are found in a cave. Oh no! Could it be Ollie, Hazel, and Nessa? That kept me turning pages, thinking no, no, surely not. The bones disappear from the cave. The park ranger, Valerie, finds things go from strange to stranger and more macabre as the plot thickens. A local boy has gone missing. His grandma, too. His little sister is in foster care, and her plight parallels that of the orphans in Ollie’s narrative.

Corruption, greed, exploitation, murder, and unidentified bodies keep us turning pages. Valerie, a widowed mother of an endearing seven-year-old boy, meets a handsome Choctaw sheriff. Add a litter of puppies for some levity, bring the two storylines together with a lovely twist, and Wingate draws the historical novel to a satisfying conclusion.

There is so much more substance to this novel than I find in other best sellers. I’d love to talk about the history and themes at length. Book club, anyone?

Lisa Wingate always knows how to get you right where it hurts. I requested this book immediately because I adored Before We Were Yours and this one did not disappoint. I love how when I read her books I learn something that I had zero previous knowledge of. I can honestly say Wingate does immense research and it shows. Great book, heartbreaking but we need these stories brought to light.

This book takes place from two POVs. The 1909 from Olive Augusta Radley, an eleven year old, and her Choctaw sister Nessa meet up with some children in there travels

The 1990 POV of ranger Valerie Boren O’Dell recently relocated from Yosemite with her son Charlie and her case for answers about the remains of three girls found in the park and investigating the disappearance of a teenager.

Through perseverance and a lot of help from compassionate people. The two stories are combined artfully bringing all the stories together.

Thank you Lisa Wingate, Balentine Books, and NetGalley for a copy and the journey it took me on.

I loved Before We Were Yours, so I had to jump on this next book. It did start very slow, and it took me awhile to get into it. But once things started coming together and making sense, I could not put it down! Definitely stick through until the end, you won't regret it!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Shelterwood is a fascinating historical fiction taking place in Oklahoma in 1909 and 1990. It weaves the two stories of Ollie and Ranger Valerie. Ollie, eleven years old flees her abusive home with Nessa, a young Choctaw girl who boards with her family. They seek shelter in the Wind Stair Mountains where they meet other exploited children, "elf children" living in the woods.
Ranger Val, recently assigned to Horsethief Trail National Park, is tasked with finding a missing teen hiker. Deep in a cave, a long-hidden burial site of three children is discovered. She learns old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land as she searches for the hiker.
In this novel, I learned about Kate Barnard, the first woman elected to a state office in 1907. She was the Commissioner of Charities and Correction and one of the few public officials who dared cry out against the abuse of Native American Children.
Thank you Lisa Wingate for another wonderful novel! Thanks also to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prerelease book!

This story is shared in two timelines in Oklahoma in 1909, as well as in 1990. This is a story of the women who were pioneers fighting for the lives and rights of the children, and the children whose lives were forever changed by those who took advantage of them. It is also a story of resilience, survival, hardship, heartbreak, but there are also moments of kindness and joy.

This is often a heartbreaking story of family, abuse, hardship, survival, but also kindness, resilience, and moments of joy.

In 1909, two young girls, Olive and Nessa leave their home in order to get away from their abusive stepfather. Theirs is a journey that takes them to the Winding Stairs Mountains on the Choctaw Reservation in Oklahoma.

In 1990, a relatively new hire, Valerie Boren-Odell, has just begun her job as a Horsethief National Park Ranger, and it is a somewhat shaky start, when she comes across bones, human bones, in a cave. She’d been sent out to look for a hiker who seems to have disappeared. As one of the few women, she is determined to prove that women are more than capable and her job is not too difficult for women.

A very moving and beautifully shared story, a glimpse into other times, this shares the lengths some went to in order to destroy lives vs. those who chose to offer assistance and friendship.


Pub Date: 04 Jun 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Love Lisa Wingate books but had a hard time following since it has two timelines in the book. Enjoyed that she wrote about native Americans we need more stories highlighting them.

I have enjoyed Lisa Wingate’s books in the past highlighting the plights of orphans throughout history. I enjoyed this one as well.
Shelterwood focuses on two timelines and goes back and forth between them. It is set in the wilderness of Oklahoma in 1909 and 1990. The recent timeline begins with a park ranger named Val attempting to find a missing person and uncover the mystery of a long hidden burial site of three children. The past story focuses on orphans surviving in the wilderness and the strong women who worked to change their circumstances. The author did a good on showing how history repeats itself. I also saw many similarities with the recent film, Flowers of The Killer Moon. All in all a good book highlighting an untold history of women pioneers who fought to protect children taken advantage of.

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate is another good book about the injustice shown to children.
She has written several books dealing with this issue.
This book has two timelines. The one in the present is about Valerie Boren-Odel, a forest ranger who investigates the discovery of the bones of three children. The one in the past, ninety years earlier, tells the story of the three children.
Each chapter alternates between the different times. It was a little difficult to follow – I read it a second time and it made it easier to understand and enjoy.
I love Lisa Wingate’s writing and this one was very good.

This is a great historical fiction book by Lisa Wingate. She tells a heartbreaking story of orphaned Native American children in Oklahoma in the early 20th century. I love how the author weaved in a story many decades later and in the end tied both stories together.

Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc!

Lisa Wingate has a heart for orphans and their untold stories. Once again she pursues a story of the forgotten as she presents a tale of orphaned children that will break your heart as it gives you insight into a shameful part of American history. As a huge fan of Killers of the Flower Moon, any novel that delves into the issues of ‘guardianship’ and land as it relates to indigenous peoples in the early 20th century is a must-read for me. This one doesn’t disappoint.

Wingate’s book is presented in dual POV/dual timeline format drawing you into two worlds--1909 and 1990 Oklahoma. The 1990 timeline follows ranger Valerie Boren-O’Dell as she navigates the world of the National Park Service as one of the few female rangers. She is intrigued by the mystery of bones found in the newly established park, but it is swiftly covered up and brushed aside. The 1909 timeline focuses on a set of orphans who must flee terrible circumstances, but their journey takes them into more danger. They soon realize there is no safe refuge for orphans.

The characters and the settings in both timelines were wonderful. Another fascinating subject and heartwrenching tale by Lisa Wingate.