Thank you to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel in return for my honest opinion. This story is written in 2 timeslines-1909 and 1990. In Oklahoma, 1909, the children were being used by foster homes for labor, while some were abused. Some escaped their homes, set up camp in the mountains and hid out, trying to figure out how to see that justice be served. These were Choctaw tribe children. In 1990, A park ranger is on a mission to find a missing teen, as well as the burial site of missing children. It is interesting to read how these two come together.

Lisa Wingate does an amazing job writing about little historic tales that may not be known to most. This book started off slow, due to the timelines, but as I got into it, I quickly became engaged. If you enjoyed Before We Were Yours, you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Thank you to Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and the author, Lisa Wingate, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It pains me to say that I did not love it. Before We Were Yours is one of my favorite books, so I had high hopes for this one. Maybe it was because I read it over a long period of time. Her writing is beautiful and her research is on point. I just felt like the book dragged in spots.

This is dual story line set in 1909 and 1990. In 1909, Ollie and her two “sisters”, both of whom are really Choctaw girls her mom and dad took in are in a bad situation. After her father dies, she sees the way her stepfather is looking at her younger sister. Ollie takes six year old Nessa and runs away.

1990, Ranger Valerie Borden Odell arrives in Oklahoma with her young son in tow. She is immediately met with a case of a missing young man along with a burial site for three young victims discovered in a cave. No one seems to want her to investigate, but she is drawn in to the case.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate.
This is a mix of historical fiction with a present day portion as well. It takes place in
Oklahoma in 1909, and follows several young girls who have run away from a bad
home situation and are fending for themselves. A few of them are Choctaw girls, and
the situation for the Choctaw people is bad as land is being returned to the native
Americans, but they are being taken advantage of. In 1990, a park ranger goes to work
in this area, and finds the grave of three young girls from many years before, and tries
to uncover the source of present day crimes. The history in the book is interesting and
something I knew nothing about. But I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of
what was happening. #shelterwood #lisawingate #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #arc
#tbr #lovetoread #bookstagram #historicalfiction #readersofinstagram📚📚❤️

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate is a novel about a unique time in history. Set in dual time, this novel explores a part of Oklahoma. What I enjoyed most about this book was that it was set during a time period I was not as familiar with. Ms Wingate did a remarkable job researching the story thoroughly. The story did lag at times. Overall, it was interesting but not my favorite book by this author. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

"Shelterwood" by Lisa Wingate is a captivating work of historical fiction that transports the reader to the rugged Winding Stair Mountains of early 20th century Oklahoma. Wingate's meticulous research and vivid storytelling bring to life a complex and often overlooked chapter of American history, offering a poignant exploration of the ongoing struggle for Native American rights and the enduring legacy of injustice.

I thought Lisa did a good job of comparing the region's struggles in the early 20th century and today through the dual storylines. She did a lot of research for this book and it showed in the story. This was a heartbreaking read, but I learned so much about the Winding Stair Mountain region.I enjoyed reading this book! 4 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I’m a bit conflicted on what to say about this book.

I really enjoyed the first half and I think the book has potential. It’s an interesting premise and I was excited to read it. The second half? It just didn’t grab my attention. I’m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t in the right head space or in an environment where I couldn’t give it my full attention. It just fell a bit flat. And felt really long.

Maybe if it was a different time, I would have a different experience with this book. I’ve liked what I’ve read from this author before.

Not sure if I’d recommend this to others given I’m not entirely sure what I think.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Definitely an interesting historical fiction book set in a time and place I didn’t know as much about. I was more invested in the current storyline than the historic one but the historic one was needed to give context. I really appreciated the setting in the NPS and learning about the history particularly of the Choctaw people. You can tell Wingate did a lot of thorough research. Always enjoy reading her books! Absolutely would recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great story. It is a historical fiction and it had me in my feels. I loved the dual timeline and how it came together in the end. I absolutely fell in love with the characters.

My favorite Lisa Wingate to date. I loved learning more about the culture as well. The main characters were incredibly likable and I also appreciated the mystery aspects of the book. It was an excellent ending.

Shelterwood presents an atmospheric and immersive story that delves into themes of loss, healing, and the quest for belonging. The author’s evocative prose beautifully captures the haunting beauty of the forest setting, creating a rich backdrop for the protagonist's journey. However, while the emotional depth is commendable, the pacing can feel slow at times, causing some plot points to linger longer than necessary. The characters are intriguing but could benefit from more development to fully engage readers. Overall, Shelterwood is a thoughtful read that offers moments of beauty and reflection, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking a faster-paced narrative.

Lisa Wingate does a marvelous job in Shelterwood intertwining the history of Oklahoma, 1909 and the opening of a new National Park into this fictional novel. Moving between the Olive Agusta Radley's life as an 11 year old girl running from an abusive stepfather and Valerie O'Dell who is the new park ranger at the new park, Horsethief Trail National Park. Wingate tells the story of heartache, survival and resilience.

This book was a DNF for me. I got to 30% and decided it was not for me. Hopefully it will be a good fit for someone else!

"Shelterwood" takes place in SE OK. in 1909 and 1990. First is the story of the "elf children" living in the forest. They are orphaned Native Amerians who are sent to "guardians" for care but really are fleeced of their land for oil or timber. The second story is about a NPS lady ranger new to a ew park who investigates a cave where 3 childrens' bones are found and then a girl whose brother and grandmother are missing. It also tells of Kate Braden the first woman elected to Congress from OK. before wome even had the vote.

I was glad I knew this story was going to jump from the early 1900s to the 1990s, from chapter to chapter. We follow Ollie and Nessa, two young girls who set out on their own in the 1900s to escape their abusive, controlling step-father. They live in the mountains of Oklahoma, scraping by with a ragtag community of other children. Some of those Native American Choctaw children are the wards of ill-meaning guardians who adopt and neglect the children in pursuit of the land and mineral rights of the children. The reader would do well to dig into the history of that time period to better understand what is going on in the story.
In the modern day (1990s) story we meet a female National Park Ranger who is at a new assignment as she struggles to make a life for herself and her young son, after the untimely death of her husband. She's a law enforcement ranger and quite good at her job. But, she finds herself in a perplexing region where one many, Mr. Parker, seems to control everything.

I am struggling to write this review. I really enjoyed The Book of Lost Friends and Before We Were Yours but this one just did not grab me the way those ones did. I didn’t love or hate it. I actually ended up being pretty indifferent to it. It was very educational and the topic was an interesting one that I wasn’t familiar with. It just didn’t read like a novel for me for most of the book. It didn’t captivate me and make me want to keep reading.

For most of the story I couldn’t really find the connection between the 2 stories. The long hidden burial site uncovered by Valerie was likely related to Olive’s story from 1909 but where does the missing teen hiker from 1990 come into play? The dual POV normally works well for these types of stories but the connection was so loose that I found it difficult to jump between storylines and keep them both straight. When they finally did merge, I felt like it was a little too late. I did like how everything was wrapped up and figuring out who everyone was or related to.

The book itself is very well written. There is no arguing that. It was clearly well researched, too. There is a lot of history here and I enjoyed learning about it but it just didn’t grab me or hold me in the way I need for a 5 star review. I felt detached from the characters. I feel like technically they were well written but they lacked something that prevented me from forming that emotional connection. I wanted to feel less like a voyeur and more like a part of the story and I just didn’t.

Lisa Wingate is an amazing author and she writes such unique historical fiction novels. She pulls some of the most hidden stories from history and creates novels that make you want to know more. This one just didn’t do it for me but if she is an author that you love and these are topics that interest you, then go grab it and give it a try.

A beautifully written story based on events that occurred in Oklahoma in 1909. Lisa Wingate has created a compelling tale of Ollie and Val. In alternating chapters one learns a great deal about 1909 Oklahoma as well as the life of a woman federal park ranger in 1990.
Ollie is a strong 12 year old girl who runs away with her 'sister' Nessie to escape a menacing stepfather. She is the leader of the 'elf children' as they try to survive in the forest.
Val is the federal park ranger and only female in her group of rangers. There is a mystery death, an injury, missing people which brings a merdging of the two tales to the conclusion
Read to learn more, much more about the events of Indian children and their so called guardians and land grab plus find the answer to the disappearnace of a few people..

Shelterwood tackled the tough issues faced by Native Americans, focusing on their land rights and the treatment of children. Lisa Wingate shared heartbreaking stories and taught me about history I knew nothing about. In the 1909 timeline, Olive Radley flees her abusive stepfather with six-year-old Nessa, joins up with some Native American children, and together, they all struggle to survive. In 1990, Valerie Boren-O'Dell, a young widow and park ranger, mirrors their strength as she investigates a mystery about discovered bones.

I enjoyed learning more about this topic. The pacing was inconsistent and a bit slow at times, especially in the 1990 timeline, but the powerful storytelling and thorough research made it all worth it. I’m grateful for the chance to dive into this vital history, even if the overall read was a bit more challenging than I expected.

This book earns a 3.5 from me, rounded up to 4.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Lisa Wingate for an ARC in exchange for my review.

This is the second book in a row of Lisa Wingate's that I have decided to DNF. I was a third of the way through the book when I realized that I was not invested in the characters or story. There is something about her writing that leaves me not drawing a strong connection.

I love reading Lisa Wingate's books, so I really feel bad for not liking this book. I got through the whole thing but somewhere before the big reveal I got turned around and didn't care enough to go back and straighten myself out.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up!!

Beautifully written tale about Oklahoma history that I didn’t know I needed but will stick with me for years to come!

Dual timelines, 1909 with “elf children” orphans who live in the woods mainly Choctaw children who’ve been taken advantage of in some way.

1990 a female park ranger who moves and takes a new job while going through her own struggles and ends up being a better mystery solver than she knew.

Both timelines are full of characters you will fall in love with and some you can’t believe are that rotten. Very easy to follow and just loved it!

Thanks to netgalley and random house for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.