4.5 stars

I finished reading The Filling Station a couple of weeks ago but haven’t been able to come up with adequate words to describe how I feel about what I read. It feels wrong on some level to say ‘I enjoyed it’ because the not-so-distant history it recounts was deeply sobering. It feels incomplete to say ‘it moved me’ and disingenuous to say ‘it opened my eyes’… for the same reason. But the truth is that I DID enjoy it – the story is well-written and engaging, the characters are layered, and the exploration of home and faith is thoughtfully done. And it DID move me and open my eyes by putting me in the shoes of people who lived through this horrible massacre. And yes, the historical event around which it revolves is appalling and wicked and grievous and please, Lord, let it never happen again. But Hope is always there if you know where to look, and as such I was inspired and uplifted by the resiliency of the survivors who were determined to not let those responsible for the Tulsa Race Massacre get the final word.

Margaret and Evelyn Justice are vibrant young ladies who live in Tulsa’s prosperous Greenwood District (also known as Black Wall Street) with their father. These very different sisters do share at least one thing in common – they both have big dreams for the future. My heart broke for them as those dreams shattered overnight, as they instead literally ran for their lives amid the sea of chaos and horrified disbelief of their home burning, their father missing, and evil raging around them for no reason other than that they were Black. The author’s vivid writing really put me in those scenes, feeling the fear and confusion and grief on their behalf and on behalf of the people who really lived it. Because, through the snippets she includes at the beginning of each chapter, Miller also exposes us to accounts from real-life survivors whose lives were irrevocably altered by those two days of terror in 1921. Reading these testimonies made me want to spend some time studying more about the Tulsa Race Massacre after I finished the novel, and I applaud the author for writing a story which compels us to continue learning from the history it recounts in hopes of making sure it never repeats itself.

The Filling Station also emphasized to me anew the importance of being available as the hands and feet of Jesus at a moment’s notice, irrespective of any inconvenience or danger it may pose for you. God bless people like the Threatts who were already known as a safe haven and were able to offer the sisters protection and a temporary home (because sadly – which is too mild a word – Black people couldn’t trust just any house or business to provide aid, even during such a depraved attack). This is when glimmers of hope began to shine through the darkness of hate, and it provided readers a breath of relief even as it did the same for the characters. Peace is understandably a little harder to come by, and the sisters each had very different ways of searching for it, adding further layers to their plot arcs and to the story itself. The author’s exploration of trauma and shaken faith – and how we all react individually based on our personalities and experiences – really resonated with me, and I appreciated her particular approach here.

Bottom Line: One of the reasons I love story is how it helps me see life from someone else’s perspective, how it enables me to walk a mile alongside people whose experiences or culture or history is different from mine, and how, in so doing, it also teaches me lessons that forever mark my heart. The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller expanded my awareness of the Tulsa Race Massacre by letting me see it through the eyes of those who survived it, not only in the fictional characters she created for this novel but in the real-life testimonies she included too. It’s an emotional story and a tough one to read sometimes, but there are many lessons to take away from its telling for those whose hearts are willing to listen. Hate is exposed on these pages, yes, but so is hope, and so is the kind of Love that makes hope possible. The Filling Station should be on everyone’s must-read list.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a historical fiction novel that explores the tragedy and aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. It is a story of resilience and faith and Ms. Miller did a vast amount of research to tell the story of a time in history that has only had mass media exposure in recent years. The novel spans the time immediately preceding the massacre and the years following as the residents work to rebuild Greenwood. Sisters, Margaret and Evelyn, struggle to rebuild and move forward after losing their father the night of the massacre. Eventually, they make a tumultuous peace within themselves and go on to live lives clouded by tragedy; but, hopeful of a future. The novel also focuses on the Threatt Filling Station which was a haven of refuge for Black travelers along Route 66. This book is emotional and heartbreaking with a glimmer of faith that continues to shine even on the darkest days. Thank you to #NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for an advance copy of this book.

Once again, Vanessa Miller sheds light on another story every American should know. In The Filling Station, Miller goes beyond telling the story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. She digs deeper and takes us to Threatt Filling Station, Black-owned gas station right outside of Tulsa, where victims find a safe space to process the devastation they experienced rebuild their lives. A great blend of history and fiction.

A beautiful character-driven novel that both informs about the Tulsa Race Massacre and provides a deep and powerful story about sisters, hope, and community.

Set following the events of the Tulsa Race Massacre, The Filling Station follows two sisters as they escaped those events and worked to restart their lives afterwards. The filling station itself is a real location that was around during those events. I thought Vanessa Miller did a good job of describing the racism present in the area, which is still present today. Each chapter starts with either a quote from someone or an organization that dealt with the Tulsa Race Massacre. I liked that she added that extra little bit to the novel.

Although I did find the book a little too heavy-handed with its preaching, literally, towards the later part of the novel, it didn't feel overall religious. I know the author is a Christians Fiction author. I'm not one to gravitate towards Christian Fiction in any way and I'm glad this one wasn't marketed as such. If it was I definitely would have stayed away. My past experiences with Christian Fiction have been really heavy handed in the religious overtones of the novels, which isn't my jam.

Overall The Filling Station was an enlightening reading experience. I knew about the Tulsa Race Massacre prior to reading this, but not really the events afterwards. It was nice to see how the Black community came back to Greenwood after those events, even in a historical fiction setting. I partially listened to this book and would also recommend the audiobook.

DNF’s at 19%.

In about 2016, I read a YA book about the Tulsa Race Massacre that I absolutely loved. Since then, I’ve been impatiently waiting for an adult telling. When I saw The Filling Station, I was so excited!

It does not live up to expectations. The massacre happens in the first 50 pages— before I have time to care about the characters.

Secondly, the characters are both too mature and too naive for their ages.

Thirdly, the didactic inclusion of God is too much. It seems like every other page, Jesus/God/church is mentioned.

It’s a great concept of a story with poor execution.

I am new to the historical fiction genre and have been enjoying it so much lately. This novel speaking on the Tulsa Race Massacre and I feel like this story should be told me. I can't wait to read more by this author. Historical fiction can be super touchy and can go wrong when the stories are not accurately told. I did not find that to be the case with this novel. Thank you to netgalley for this e-ARC.

Vanessa Miller did her thing with this book! The Tulsa Race Massacre was one of the most horrific moments in American History. Ms. Miller gave us the fear, frustration, and determination of the people who lived through that experience.

Though historical fiction, there are many real facts weaved within the story. (Make sure to check out the author's note at the end). Margaret & Evelyn stole my heart. They expressed their grief in different ways, but these sisters were very much united in love.

Margaret's struggle with her faith in God was very real (IYKYK). Who hasn't doubted God at some point? Elijah was a breath of fresh air. His patience and prayers were just what they needed. When he compared the filling station fueling cars to the way the Bible fuels his spirit...👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾

I didn't know much about this time period, but you can bet I've been researching alot since opening this book. Run to get this book immediately!

I first learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 during lockdown. My daughter showed me a TikTok video about the two-day white supremacist terrorist attack that devastated the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma—an area once nicknamed "Black Wall Street" by Booker T. Washington. Mobs of white residents brutally attacked Black residents, burning down their homes and businesses.

Fast forward to today, and I can’t help but feel that history—especially the history of marginalized people—is being erased in so many places. That’s why I jumped at the chance to read Vanessa Miller’s new historical novel, The Filling Station (@authorvanessamiller).

The story follows two sisters, Margaret and Evelyn, who survive the Tulsa Race Massacre and show incredible strength as they try to rebuild their lives while coping with grief and trauma.

While Margaret and Evelyn are fictional, many of the characters in the book are based on real people, and the events of the massacre are rooted in historical fact. Shockingly, it was even more horrific than just two days of destruction—the deeper I read, the angrier and sadder I became for the families who lived through it.

There’s also a spiritual thread woven through the story, especially as one of the sisters grapples with her faith and wonders how anyone could find comfort in God after enduring so much pain.

I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of historical fiction. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC.

I really appreciated and was moved by this fictional story about this historical event that I had never heard of before. This book gives a good idea of the terrible massacre of 1921 and what for impacts it had on the lives of the people of Tulsa/Greenwood/United States. It's so important to read this kind of books to understand better history and the consequences of such past for all of us. Those stories are essentials for everyone to learn about the discriminations that African American faces and to work toward a society where this kind of story become unimaginable. Thank you to the author for teaching us (through this amazing work of fiction) about this important history. Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

You can’t change the past. You can, however, forget it. Or bury it so that it is barely spoken of. The Filling Station speaks of a critical ‘lost’ moment in American history with courage, integrity, and grace.

Greenwood, 1921: Just outside Tulsa is Greenwood, a thriving community known as Black Wall Street, where folks not welcomed in the white-owned stores of the city can spend their money at movie theaters and entertainment venues, beauty shops, and clothing stores. It’s a haven for the maids, cooks, laundresses, and other working-class people who help keep Tulsa going. The families there have all prospered, and their children go to college or take over the enterprises left to them by their parents. Margaret and Evelyn Justice are two such young ladies. Margaret has just finished getting a university degree and plans to teach, while her younger sister Evelyn is graduating from Booker T. Washington High School that weekend. Evelyn plans to head to New York to get a fashion design degree after spending a lazy summer having fun with her sister. Both girls are determinedly ignoring all the whispers and agitation around town being caused by the possible lynching of Dick Rowland, a young man arrested for allegedly accosting a white woman in an elevator over in Tulsa.

Pretending the problem doesn’t exist becomes much more complicated when graduation practice is canceled and Evelyn is forced to go home while Margaret, at the movies with her dad, is surprised when the film is turned off midway, and they are forced to leave. Margaret heads back to the house, but her father joins other men on the street who are arming themselves in an effort to protect their families. A white mob descends on the city, and it isn’t long before bullets are flying and buildings are burning. Rather than putting an end to the massacre taking place, police help the rioters, and the once prosperous residents of Greenwood find themselves fleeing with little more than the clothes on their backs, Margaret and Evenlyn among them. The two barely make it out of their home after an incendiary device sets it ablaze.

Their escape from the city is horrifying. They watch the local doctor, unarmed, be shot in front of his home. Old women are yanked off the streets and shoved into cattle cars by the National Guard. After a long night’s walk down what will eventually be called Route 66, hiding whenever they hear a car coming, they make it to Threatt Filling Station, where the kindly owner and his wife take them in. Evelyn, her dreams shattered and her soul traumatized, stays behind as Margaret, after a brief rest, heads back to Greenwood to search for her father and help rebuild the community where she was raised. What she finds when she arrives will force her to question all she knows about herself, her family, and her faith.

When we first meet Margaret, she doesn’t seem very strong, but that impression quickly changes once the riot begins. With her father missing in action, she takes on the role of parent and promptly gathers the courage and drive to get herself and Evelyn out alive. As the novel progresses, we see her intelligence and will to thrive rise to the forefront over and over as she faces incredible odds to try to rebuild Greenwood. Margaret refuses to cower, even when it becomes clear that the white citizens of Tulsa do not intend to let their Black neighbors rebuild without a fight. The author carefully folds real history into everything happening around and to Margaret so that her tale reads like that of a genuine survivor.

Evelyn is just eighteen when the story begins. The baby of her family, with artistic leanings rather than the sharp intellectual/entrepreneurial pursuits that are the hallmark of Margaret’s character, she takes what happened a lot harder than her sister. Rather than fight, like Margaret, she wants to choose flight. The fact they no longer have the money for her to attend college is a devastating blow, and that she lost her sewing machine, beautiful dresses, and loving father all on the same night adds to her anguish. Throughout the book, we watch her struggle to regain her footing and discover the path she is meant to be on.

I actually loved that neither sister bounces back perfectly from their terrible experience. Evelyn makes bad decision after bad decision as she tries to figure out how she can turn back time and take the steps she’s always wanted to take, while Margaret becomes rather cold-hearted and loses her faith. Neither has an insta-healing, and neither ever stops mourning the horrible night (and awful days that followed) that they lived through.

The titular filling station is the Threatt Filling Station, a historic landmark in Oklahoma where many of the Black residents of Greenwood went when they fled their homes. One of the few Black-owned businesses along what is now Route 66, it served as a safe-haven for travelers and an entertainment destination for locals. It turns into a second home for Margaret and Evelyn, with Allen and Alberta Threatt treating them like members of their own family.

The story’s only flaw is that the romance between Elijah, the Threatt family’s farmhand, and Margaret doesn’t get enough exploration. We see it slowly unfold as he helps her rebuild her home, her life, and then her faith, but I would have enjoyed a more in-depth look at their courtship.

This is an Inspirational, so the examination of where God is when things on earth strongly resemble hell is explored, and the author does an absolutely fantastic job of handling this complex subject with grace, compassion, and wisdom. Margaret is never judged for her doubts nor fed platitudes to heal the anger and hate in her heart. Easy answers aren’t given because they don’t exist. This subject is woven naturally throughout the text and is both historically and culturally accurate.

There isn’t enough space in this review for all the trigger warnings I would need to give. The Tulsa Race Riot was a horrific event, and the first chapters of this novel are filled with violence and terror. The author’s detailed account of the aftermath is also chilling and heartbreaking.

Very rarely would I say that absolutely everyone should read a book, but The Filling Station is one such novel. The rich and vital American history contained in its pages should be known by all, and the story it tells is one that will stay with you long after you have finished it.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. This was an incredibly good book. It's a historical fiction that tells about the Tulsa race massacre and the filling station through the lens of 2 young women. It was a great way to learn a lot more in detail about those important parts of history. But I also got completely invested in the characters and their stories. Cannot recommend it enough.

Rounded up from 2.5. I have been in my historical fiction bag for a minute but unfortunately this fell flat for me. I just didn’t connect with the sisters at all and I wished there was more information around the Tulsa Massacre. I was happy to get an arc but after reading Queen Sugar and Harlem Rhapsody this was a little weaker.

Emotional and gripping.
Informative of a real time and place in history.

It does have a pretty prominent religious component, keep that in mind if it is or isn't for you.

Would definitely recommend to those who love historical fiction.

The author has done a wonderful job of researching this tragic time and made me truly feel like I was there during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The story and characters were brought to life in this fast paced novel by an author that truly loves telling us stories that matter. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can’t change the past. You can, however, forget it. Or bury it so that it is barely spoken of. The Filling Station speaks of a critical ‘lost’ moment in American history with courage, integrity, and grace.

Greenwood, 1921: Just outside Tulsa is Greenwood, a thriving community known as Black Wall Street, where folks not welcomed in the white-owned stores of the city can spend their money at movie theaters and entertainment venues, beauty shops, and clothing stores. It’s a haven for the maids, cooks, laundresses, and other working-class people who help keep Tulsa going. The families there have all prospered, and their children go to college or take over the enterprises left to them by their parents. Margaret and Evelyn Justice are two such young ladies. Margaret has just finished getting a university degree and plans to teach, while her younger sister Evelyn is graduating from Booker T. Washington High School that weekend. Evelyn plans to head to New York to get a fashion design degree after spending a lazy summer having fun with her sister. Both girls are determinedly ignoring all the whispers and agitation around town being caused by the possible lynching of Dick Rowland, a young man arrested for allegedly accosting a white woman in an elevator over in Tulsa.

Pretending the problem doesn’t exist becomes much more complicated when graduation practice is canceled and Evelyn is forced to go home while Margaret, at the movies with her dad, is surprised when the film is turned off midway, and they are forced to leave. Margaret heads back to the house, but her father joins other men on the street who are arming themselves in an effort to protect their families. A white mob descends on the city, and it isn’t long before bullets are flying and buildings are burning. Rather than putting an end to the massacre taking place, police help the rioters, and the once prosperous residents of Greenwood find themselves fleeing with little more than the clothes on their backs, Margaret and Evenlyn among them. The two barely make it out of their home after an incendiary device sets it ablaze.

Their escape from the city is horrifying. They watch the local doctor, unarmed, be shot in front of his home. Old women are yanked off the streets and shoved into cattle cars by the National Guard. After a long night's walk down what will eventually be called Route 66, hiding whenever they hear a car coming, they make it to Threatt Filling Station, where the kindly owner and his wife take them in. Evelyn, her dreams shattered and her soul traumatized, stays behind as Margaret, after a brief rest, heads back to Greenwood to search for her father and help rebuild the community where she was raised. What she finds when she arrives will force her to question all she knows about herself, her family, and her faith.

When we first meet Margaret, she doesn’t seem very strong, but that impression quickly changes once the riot begins. With her father missing in action, she takes on the role of parent and promptly gathers the courage and drive to get herself and Evelyn out alive. As the novel progresses, we see her intelligence and will to thrive rise to the forefront over and over as she faces incredible odds to try to rebuild Greenwood. Margaret refuses to cower, even when it becomes clear that the white citizens of Tulsa do not intend to let their Black neighbors rebuild without a fight. The author carefully folds real history into everything happening around and to Margaret so that her tale reads like that of a genuine survivor.

Evelyn is just eighteen when the story begins. The baby of her family, with artistic leanings rather than the sharp intellectual/entrepreneurial pursuits that are the hallmark of Margaret’s character, she takes what happened a lot harder than her sister. Rather than fight, like Margaret, she wants to choose flight. The fact they no longer have the money for her to attend college is a devastating blow, and that she lost her sewing machine, beautiful dresses, and loving father all on the same night adds to her anguish. Throughout the book, we watch her struggle to regain her footing and discover the path she is meant to be on.

I actually loved that neither sister bounces back perfectly from their terrible experience. Evelyn makes bad decision after bad decision as she tries to figure out how she can turn back time and take the steps she’s always wanted to take, while Margaret becomes rather cold-hearted and loses her faith. Neither has an insta-healing, and neither ever stops mourning the horrible night (and awful days that followed) that they lived through.

The titular filling station is the Threatt Filling Station, a historic landmark in Oklahoma where many of the Black residents of Greenwood went when they fled their homes. One of the few Black-owned businesses along what is now Route 66, it served as a safe-haven for travelers and an entertainment destination for locals. It turns into a second home for Margaret and Evelyn, with Allen and Alberta Threatt treating them like members of their own family.

The story's only flaw is that the romance between Elijah, the Threatt family’s farmhand, and Margaret doesn’t get enough exploration. We see it slowly unfold as he helps her rebuild her home, her life, and then her faith, but I would have enjoyed a more in-depth look at their courtship.

This is an Inspirational, so the examination of where God is when things on earth strongly resemble hell is explored, and the author does an absolutely fantastic job of handling this complex subject with grace, compassion, and wisdom. Margaret is never judged for her doubts nor fed platitudes to heal the anger and hate in her heart. Easy answers aren’t given because they don’t exist. This subject is woven naturally throughout the text and is both historically and culturally accurate.

There isn’t enough space in this review for all the trigger warnings I would need to give. The Tulsa Race Riot was a horrific event, and the first chapters of this novel are filled with violence and terror. The author’s detailed account of the aftermath is also chilling and heartbreaking.

Very rarely would I say that absolutely everyone should read a book, but The Filling Station is one such novel. The rich and vital American history contained in its pages should be known by all, and the story it tells is one that will stay with you long after you have finished it.

First of all, the Tulsa Race Massacre was an absolutely horrible thing for people to have inflicted on their neighbors, merely because of jealousy, hate, and blatant racism. As someone who frequently reads historical fiction and nonfiction and attempts to educate herself about the raw facts of things that happened in our country, as well as how those things affected the people who experienced them, I acknowledge that there is still a lot I need to learn about and recognize. I was truly hoping that this would be a read that further educated me about the impacts of a shameful, racist attack on innocent people that needs to be better recognized in this country.
Unfortunately, “The Filling Station” is simply not that book. There are several reasons why.
I found the characters written to shallow stereotypes of people who lived long ago. The author does not seem to have taken the time to truly understand how people lived and spoke in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. She has merely imprinted them with modern voices and filled the pages with visual references and actions that might have been typical. Evelyn is a talented dress designer and seamstress, who makes beautiful clothes for herself and her sister. We never see her even thinking about her creative process, or what goes on inside her head, Instead, she is a flat, shallow character who frequently demands attention from her sister Margaret, never seems to know what is going on, can’t seem to do anything right, and makes a lot of noise. The reader never knows what’s going on with Evelyn, other than she wants to flee to New York, is generally unhelpful, and doesn’t seem to understand anything about the real world. I wanted to sympathize with her, but she’s a paper doll with no actual character development.
The action in the book focuses around the older sister Margaret, but similarly, we don’t really know much about her either. She moves through the story and most of her character is illustrated through dialogue. What thoughts she has are about what’s happening right in front of her, and when she speaks it is often in trite, predictable platitudes or pleadings. Margaret is buffeted and blown by circumstances, and although the writer attempts to paint her with a stronger brush and seems to want us to see Margaret as the strong, capable one - she is no Elinor Dashwood. And I bring up this comparison because it does seem as if the author is following a similar plot and character types as Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Shockingly, once I realized this I could not I could not unsee it. Evelyn has much of Marianne’s flighty, simplistic and dreamy behavior without her deep sense of feeling. Margaret, as the supposedly more sensible older sister, takes on the role, as did Elinor, of steering the family out of disaster. And in the background hovers the sense that marriage is the way out for both of these characters.
The most frustrating about the book is the fact that we never get any sort of sense of what really happened in Greenwood, either before or after. The terrible night and the experiences of the sisters and their neighbors is described in an almost cartoonish fashion. The confusing and terrifying hours pass quickly, There are incidents that are described without the least understanding of the science of how a building actually burns, the author tells rather than shows constantly, and it throws me out of the story.
Two and three-quarters stars, rounded to three.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before reading THE FILLING STATION by Vanessa Miller, I knew very little about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, but this account of the tumultuous event and its aftermath left me with a vivid and unsettling knowledge of one of the most devastating periods for black people in America’s history. I know that some individuals refuse to read stories that highlight our forefathers’ struggle, and I understand. Stories like these are painful to read, but, for me, these stories highlight the strength and resilience of a race which even, in 2025, is still fighting for a place in America.
Ms. Miller weaves a story which is powerful and heartbreaking at the same time. At the centre of the narrative are sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice who grow up in Greenwood, a prosperous district in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Life is almost perfect, until the night their lives and the lives of the other residents of Greenwood are changed forever. The race massacre which takes place is a wake-up call for the residents who discover that despite the abolition of slavery, attitudes towards blacks have not really changed. The two sisters are as different as day and night and their response to what takes place that night demonstrates those differences. While Margaret is not perfect, she is the mature responsible one while Evelyn comes across as immature, irresponsible and at times selfish. These characteristics guide their individual journey, and neither of their journeys is smooth.
There are several other interesting characters who contribute significantly to the story’s overall message of resilience and faith. Elijah, Margaret’s beau and eventual husband, is a man of faith and provides strong support for a disillusioned Margaret. Miss Pearl, for a part of the story, is the caring mother figure, who helps to offer stability and comfort to the sisters. There are several others who stand out, but I’ll let you discover them when you read the book. Ms Miller creates real, flawed characters, but characters with whom we can identify and empathise.
In the story, the filling station is a safe place and a symbol of the hope where the survivors are able to come to terms with their pain and suffering. It is also a place where they can fill up with the strength needed to fight for a future, despite the struggle with their faith in a god who seems to have abandoned them.
There is so much more I could say about this book. There are moments of heartbreak and sadness, but there is also joy and accomplishment. I listened to the audio version of this story and totally enjoyed the narration by Angel Pean. THE FILLING STATION is a story with a powerful message and one that I definitely recommend.

Henry Justice is a grocery store owner in the Greenwood District, Tulsa, Oklahoma and he has two daughters Evelyn who’s about to finish high school and Margaret a college graduate and she's applied to be a teacher. When a group of white men enter “Little Africa” and the situation quickly gets out of control, they set fire to houses and businesses and hundreds of innocent people are threatened, and try to flee.

Margaret and Evelyn manage to escape and they assume their father went to check his shop and have no idea what happened to him. The sisters stumble upon The Filling Station owned by Fred and Alberta Threatt and here they find a safe place to stay, and Margaret worries about her dad and elderly neighbour and she assumes there will be help and answers to her many questions, an insurance payout and a fair inquiry and more.

The narrative is about what the sisters experienced, during and after the attack and the toll it took on them physically, emotionally, financially, and psychologically and especially Evelyn the youngest who didn't always make the right choices and how Margaret had to be strong for her siblings sake and she loses her faith in God.

I received a copy of The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. A historical fiction story based on true facts about the Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood District, Oklahoma which took place over two days and from the 31st of May to the 1st of June 1921.

It’s very obvious while reading the book the author has done extensive research into the tragedy, and it’s a tale about the resilience, determination and perseverance and struggles of the victims and survivors, and hate and racism and the way some white people thought and treated those of colour at the time and were they made accountable and punished for their inhumane actions.

I really admired Margaret and her neighbour Pearl characters, the Threatt’s and Elijah Porter and five stars for this faith based book and I’m keen to read other novels by Vanessa Miller and I highly recommend.

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a historic fiction novel which is centered around the tragedy of Greenwood, OK in the 1920. We see events unfold from the eyes of the Justice sisters. The events are portrayed vividly and brutally, as both girls suffer the loss of not only their home, but their father as well. Margaret and Evelyn must put their dreams on hold as they help rebuild their community. This novel is sad, but yet hopeful. The title refers to the famous Threatt Filling Station that sheltered many who lost everything during the riots, but also has a religious meaning. Although the book has a definite Christian overtone, it is not overwhelming to the plot line. I found myself captivated by both the sisters' lives and the story of the rebirth of Greenwood.