I'm a huge fan of The American Queen by Vaness so was excited for this one as well (though, I don't think this one lives up to the greatness that American Queen is!). I love how Vanessa brings these historical events to light and highlights important people from the past for us to learn from. This historical fiction, based on a true events in Tulsa was a hard but fascinating read as Vanessa describes real events and weaves stories to bring it to life. The descriptions of PTSD were accurate and brings the reader right into the story. As a white person, it was a hard read because of the racial and systemic injustices, and I appreciate the awareness to know better and do better as to not repeat the past. It helped me to further understand the roots of racial injustice that are unfortunately still present today. I also loved the "Filling Station" analogy spiritually and I wish there was more faith aspects throughout. I did love by the end there was finally some character growth., but it took a while to get there, which I suppose is understandable by all the traumas involved. Still, I wish there was more seeds of faith planted in the book and more talk of the filling station learning process and how the characters lived that out over the years. It seemed like a sudden shift at the very end for the main character simply to wrap it in a tidy bow.

As a reader I was a little frustrated at times with how the story jumps around days, weeks, sometimes months at a time without much talking about how long it's been very well. It also may have been ARC formating, but it wasn't well separated when time did pass, so my brain had a time time keeping up with the timeline. One paragraph to the next could be days or months apart rather a graphic division I've seen in other books. I also was so frustrated with Margaret's character at times and her decisions that affected others and rigidity that caused her sister to suffer in depression and trauma for years and it felt selfish. Again, I suppose that can be reality! As a birth mom myself, the adoption based scenes were tough, especially since it was outdated mentalities, but I understand that the times and social pressures were different back then. Still, it's unfortunate and sad that's how sociality has operated causing shame and secrecy.

Overall, I recommend this book but it wasn't a 5 star like American Queen was for me.

Based on a true story, I am blown away by what the Black community of Greenwood had to endure, all because of the colour of their skin. Vanessa Miller has a gift with words when it comes to retelling historical events. I had read American Queen before this & loved it. I expected the same enjoyment from The Filling Station & was not disappointed. I love learning when reading & this was another Black historical event I didn't know about & was shocked to learn. The Filling Station retells the experiences of the Tulsa race massacre, how the town was ruined & rebuilt against all odds. The characters Vanessa created are strong & proud. I loved how different the two sisters are, despite growing up with the same circumstances. The resilience demonstrated among the community is exemplary. A must read. My most favourite part of the book though was Elijah. ♥️

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy. I am so grateful.

What a powerful historical fiction novel centering around a horrible event that should be much more well known than it is. Heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time this feels like a book that should be required reading. The story of Margaret and Evelyn will stick with me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Such a powerful story! The strength and resilience of the people of Greenwood is remarkable, in fact, beyond words.

The author has the ability to tell the horror of the story but also reflect on the struggles and the strength of the characters in the story.

The honesty of Margaret and her questioning her faith was expressed well throughout the story. I loved how Elijah encourages her in her faith but doesn't shove it down here throat.

The Treatt family was great as they were the hands and feet of Jesus to Margaret and Evelyn.

The tragedy and heroism will stay with me for quite some time.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

Question: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" There is no answer and it's an age old question. This book about the burning of Greenwood, Oklahoma in 1921 will stay with me for a long long time. This, for me, was a little known piece of history, but should not ever be forgotten. This book about racism was more than sad, it was overwhelming. I have read many books where racism has been brought into a novel, but never like this one...and while this happened in 1921 let us not forget how rampant these prejudices are today,. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In addition to what I originally wrote, I went on to Google to learn more and while perusing Google I found this and I quote: "Therefore, it is the intention of the Oklahoma Legislature in enacting the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Reconciliation Act of 2001 to freely acknowledge its moral responsibility on behalf of the state of Oklahoma and its citizens that no race of citizens in Oklahoma has the right or power to subordinate another race today..."

A bit late in the day for this Reconciliation Act, especially when lives were lost, homes were set on fire and a whole town was destroyed, let alone the survivors had to live and be forever haunted as well as being fearful of this happening again.

After all is said and done I have to say how I admire Ms. Miller for writing this book. Not only was it strong and powerful, but while reading it I myself felt I was there. I am glad I read it!!!

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a poignant and heart-wrenching historical novel that brings to light the untold stories of the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. Focusing on two sisters, Evelyn and Margaret Justice, this book paints a powerful picture of their lives before and after the tragedy that tore apart their community.

The story begins with the promising future of the Justice sisters—Evelyn about to graduate from high school and Margaret having just completed her college education. However, in the blink of an eye, their world is shattered as the Greenwood district is burned to the ground. Through Miller’s vivid and compassionate storytelling, we are thrust into the trauma, loss, and emotional devastation experienced by the survivors.

What stands out in this novel is the raw portrayal of the psychological toll that such an atrocity takes on individuals. Miller does an incredible job of depicting PTSD and the ways in which trauma affects the characters differently. Evelyn struggles with self-destruction while Margaret wrestles with her faith in God and the cruelty they’ve endured. As they search for healing, they find refuge and compassion at The Filling Station, owned by the Threatt family. The Threatts become their sanctuary, offering them hope and a chance to rebuild both physically and emotionally.

Miller’s attention to historical accuracy is apparent throughout the novel, especially with the inclusion of real quotes from the era that start each chapter. The story is not just about the massacre but the resilience and determination of those who lived through it. The novel also delves into themes of faith, community, and the fight for justice, making it not only a compelling read but also an important one for understanding a pivotal moment in American history.

While the story is difficult to read at times due to its intense subject matter, the characters’ strength and perseverance are truly inspiring. It is a testament to the human spirit and the power of unity in the face of unspeakable loss.

I highly recommend The Filling Station to anyone looking for a thought-provoking, well-researched historical novel. It’s a difficult read but one that will stay with you long after the final page. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

All I can say about this book is wow! Reading factual accounts about the Tulsa Massacre is horrible enough but reading personal accounts, or in this case fictionalized personal accounts, really drives the point home. While the two main characters are fictional, the support characters and other historical events are accurate. This book is a great read for those who like historical fiction.

What a heart-wrenching story that needs to be told. I had never heard of the Tulsa Massacre before picking up Vanessa Miller's book. Having read some of her books before, I knew that it would be hard to read, but necessary. Starting each chapter with a direct quote from the court case that was just decided (shocking fact), the Red Cross, or survivors sets the tone for the novel.

Miller does a great job with the various view-points by having characters that go off the hinges (Evelyn), struggle with faith (Margaret), and see how God is still faithful (Elijah). She treats PTSD delicately. Her characters' journeys are realistic, which makes it all the more moving and heartbreaking.

I think this novel should be read by everyone because it is part of past racial tensions that needs to be known.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Although written a little simplistically at times, this is a good historical fiction featuring a pair of sisters who survive the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and work to rebuild their community. A good read for teens/young adults to give them a realistic sense of what actually happened to "Black Wall Street" in 1921. I particularly liked the author's juxtaposition of the official Red Cross Disaster Relief Report at the start of each chapter with the story told therein.

I would recommend this book for everyone to read. It takes place during a real event in American history - the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 - as well as the time following it. The heartbreak and resilience of the victims of such a hateful event are on full display as well as the struggle to understand why God allows bad things to happen.

Vanessa Miller once again delivers a captivating and heartfelt story in The Filling Station. True to her signature style, she drew my in from the very first page, weaving themes of faith, redemption, and second chances.

This book is a must read!

The Filling Station is an emotionally charged historical fiction about the burning of Greenwood, Oklahoma in 1921.
Evelyn and Margaret Justice are young women on the verge of beginning their adult lives. Evelyn is one day away from her high school graduation and Margaret has just graduated from college.
I was aware of the facts of the destruction. But Miller made me feel the experience. She does a wonderful job of making the trauma and PTSD real. They were at the mercy of the white mob, given that many in the police were involved in the destruction. Afterwards, they were the ones blamed and treated like criminals.
The book is mainly about what happened to the community after the destruction and the fight to rebuild and not get pushed out.
The two sisters are fully fleshed out characters. I felt their frustration, depression and anger. Margaret wrestling with the loss of her faith was so real and poignant. But I also was awed by their courage and resilience. It was also wonderful to learn that the Threatts were real people and just as good as this book makes them out to be.
Miller starts each chapter with a real quote from the time which works well to provide more context.
There is a strong religious component to the story. Miller uses Margaret to ask a lot of the questions about God in the vein of why do bad things happen to good people.
The book is well researched and truly took me to the time and place.
This should be required reading, yet I’m sure instead there will be states that ban this book.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

This was a very difficult book to read due to the subject matter. Although the Tulsa Massacre is a well known moment in history, Author Vanessa Miller brought it to the forefront with a reminder of the heartache and devastation that was felt by the community of Greenwood over 100 years ago.

I’m appreciative of the author for also showing the resilience of the survivors and their willingness to build again.

Prior to reading this book I had never heard of the Threatt family and their importance to blacks in Oklahoma during such a pivotal time in history.

In the end I’m glad I made the choice to push past the hurt and read this book all the way through.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. It mainly focuses on two sisters Evelyn and Margaret as they experience The Massacre of Tulsa in 1921 and then try to recover emotionally and financially when they have lost almost everything. The story is quite terrifying to imagine myself being in a war zone as this must've felt to the people who were attacked and swarmed simply due to the color of their skin. I had to choke back sobs several times. The author did such a good job of making me feel like I was there in that horrible nightmare. The book has a religious bent which I'm not really into, but the goodness of people did shine through the book's pages. It is horrific that this took place on American soil, but unfortunately believable.

You better believe this Okie was so excited to get her hands on an ARC copy of The Filling Station.

First and foremost, the history of Greenwood in Tulsa is one of the most devastating and often ignored pieces of US history. When I saw this novel was set in 1921 and during the massacre, I knew ARC or not, I’d be reading this one.

Now for the novel itself - this is such a wonderful example of historical fiction and a tale of perseverance. Our story begins May 31, 1921 with the residents of Greenwood just living their life. The Justice family is full of hope for the future as the youngest sibling is about to graduate HS while her older sister just graduated college and will be coming home to teach. The world is theirs for the taking. And then tragedy strikes.

As the events of May 31st into June 1st transpire, Evie and Margret flee their home and hope that everything will be ok and they’ll be reunited with their father. However, luck is not on their side. We follow the sisters as they struggle to deal with not only the destruction of their home and community but of their spirit. Each sister deals with the devastation in their own way. They are blessed though by landing at The Filling Station owned by the Threatt family. The Threatts take them in and under their wings while they not only begin to rebuild their home but also as they begin to heal the emotional wounds.

The depiction not only of the night of the massacre but the weeks, months and even years following are crafted in such a way that you really get a sense of the community throughout that time.

The entire novel is such a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and ultimately a story about love. Love for family, community and faith in God.

Vanessa Miller’s The Filling Station is an engaging, heartfelt novel about love, redemption, and the power of second chances. With vibrant characters and a compelling storyline, Miller crafts a story that blends community, personal growth, and unexpected connections. This book will resonate with readers who enjoy uplifting tales with emotional depth and a touch of warmth. A satisfying read from start to finish!

This is the deeply disturbing history we often shove under our country’s proverbial rug—which has grown so that it rivals Mt. Everest.

To read how the city thrived and then was decimated by hatred was difficult, but it was far more important that I stare it down. Make myself see the pain. In doing so, I saw hope and the determination to rise again.

I highly recommend this book. Know that it has disturbing scenes of senseless violence because that’s what racism causes, but stick with it. Witness the hurt and pain of another and be part of the change.

I remember first learning about the Tulsa Race Massacre in middle school. So many years later and I’m still disappointed by the fact that the event is rarely talked about along with the stories about those who were impacted by it. This book is necessary reading. While it tells the story from the perspective of two fictional sisters, many details and quotes cited in each chapter come from true historical events. The story is painful and a sad to read at times, but it is important to learn about what truly happened and seeing the unity and determination the characters had in helping others. You can tell that it is well researched. The author cites a long list of articles and resources at the end of the book. I may read other books from the author, Vanessa Miller. Her other books seem interesting as well.

I saw a quote once that "history tells us what happened, historical fiction tells us how it felt". That saying was certainly true in this book about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, as told through the eyes of two fictional sisters. The author convincing portrays the horror, anger and grief experienced by those that had their lives upended. I was especially saddened and angered to hear about the response from those leading the relief efforts. Overall, an excellent look at a very painful chapter in our country's history.

"The Filling Station" is a Christian historical set in 1921 in Oklahoma and continued for several years after the Tulsa Race Massacre. While well-written, it's not an easy story to read. The point-of-view characters, Margaret and Evelyn, go through the massacre and struggled through the aftermath of rebuilding, when it seemed like no one wanted to help or give them justice. For most of the story, Margaret was full of anger and bitterness while Evelyn just wanted to forget the trauma they'd experienced and seemed determined to self-destruct. Margaret was determined to make things right herself because she didn't believe that God cared or would do so. It's not really until the last 10% of the story that things started to turn around for them.

The main characters were complex and likable, and I cared about what happened to them. They felt like real people. The vivid historical details brought the time and place alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing. Margaret and Evelyn questioned why a good God would allow such injustice and evil to happen. There were no sex scenes. There was no written bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written historical novel.