Reading about Oklahoma and the Dust Bowl has always felt like coming home. These are stories I know well, my own family split in two during the dust bowl, with half staying in OK and the other half leaving for California.

What Blooms from Dust is the story of Nowhere, Oklahoma. From the first settlers to the Dust Bowl, we visit the town and it's residents. Jeremiah Goodbye returns to Nowhere to settle a score with his twin brother, but upon his return he doesn't recognize his hometown, now ravaged by the Dust Bowl.

What follows is the story of one town and one man who has to learn to forgive himself.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely adored this - devoured it in just a few hours! A tale of hope and despair, of good and evil, and of the changing power of kindness. Absolutely beautiful.
My heart raced when the big duster hit Nowhere - some truly excellent writing at play there!

“What do you think it is?”
“It’s a rose.”
“I know that, but…where’d it come from? Nothing blooms from dust.”

“Some things can’t be explained, so you don’t even try to.”

I knew nothing about Markert and the type of books he writes, but after reading the descriptions of his other books, two things are clear: he writes historical fiction, and they usually contain some element of the supernatural. I kind of wish I had known this coming in, because for a good portion of the story, I thought the main character was kind of nuts, and when you think the main character is nuts, it makes you not want to finish reading the story. But I pushed through, and if you’re a fan of historical fiction, especially the Dust Bowl era, and a bit of mystery, then you should too.

“It was real, Ellen, every secret day of it. So real I was willing to test it.”
“Test what?”
“Fate, I guess. I’d learned early on that the coin was never wrong with me. But with you I wanted to give it a go. I carried a torch for you, and I wanted to see how long it could burn.”

“You say you’ve seen me before. Well I think I’ve seen you too. Because sometimes angels fall to the earth and walk as normal people.”

This story is also one of family, of romance – two brothers in love with the same woman, one dating her secretly, the other not really dating her but openly adoring her. She wants to be with the one she’s dating in secret, but he knows it can’t be, so he tells her to marry his brother. Then he gets arrested, and things get complicated. But this is a story of redemption, not only for the brothers and their family, but also for the town in which they live.

“I wish you’d been my father from the get-go.”

“Without you there is no me…If I can call you Daddy then I’ll no longer be an orphan.”
Jeremiah couldn’t have hid his grin if he’d wanted to. “Reckon that’d be okay, son.”

The family dynamic was fun to read about, how each of the adults deal with the dusters and then how that permeates into their everyday lives and with each other. And then there is coin flip aspect – at first I thought it was kind of nuts, but mixed in with Jeremiah’s nightmares and the ‘feelings’ he gets around specific people, and I just accepted it after a while, hoping that Markert had a good explanation. (He totally did, by the way.) And the way the coin and fate are incorporated together is well done. As we all know, or should know, as Jeremiah did, that us mere mortals have no right to ever play God.

“I’m here only for the truth.”
“And the truth shall set us all free?”
“No, Jeremiah, the truth shall set you free.”

“Kindness had made roses bloom from dust.”

So what does bloom from dust? In this story, roses. In reality? Nothing. But sometimes something intangible. Courage. Strength. Acceptance. Truth. Kindness. And best of all - hope.

“I’m telling you, only the strongest of the strong could overcome what you did…You know what I think? I think life and death was wrestling over you, Jeremiah. Or maybe it was good and evil. Yes, that’s how I look upon it now. And you were just too darn stubborn to give in without a fight.”

Favorite Quotes:

Wilmington said he felt a duster coming every morning. He liked to hedge his bets and say he told you so.

Least when I talk I don’t look like a mouse nibblin’ on cheese…

Back when you had hair on your head and a stomach that fit in your pants. How do you continue gaining weight when the rest of us can’t seem to keep it?

Your mother died too young, Jeremiah. Death ain’t picky when it comes to things like that. It takes you when it takes you and then leaves you to cope without the least bit of instructions on how you’re supposed to do it.

There’s signs up everywhere in California… They say No Okies Allowed. They don’t want us. Nobody wants us. We’re no different from the Indians and the Blacks and the Mexicans… They put us on the same signs. The same signs.

My Review:

“Health, wealth, and opportunity,” were the promises on a brochure depicting a lovely town with paved roads and a wholesome and established community which had lured a train filled with hopeful new residents, all eager to see their new investment of homes and property, only to find themselves in the middle of nowhere, in a field in the Oklahoma panhandle in 1920s. Swindled and fleeced. They settled there anyway and ironically named their newly established town, Nowhere, Oklahoma. I love irony and Mr. Markert used it cleverly throughout his intricately woven storylines and brilliantly paced and engrossing tale.

Masterfully crafted are the words that kept turning over in my mind as I read this evocative and superbly written book. It was quite stunning. Mr. Markert’s cunning use of detail and striking descriptions plucked at all senses while sharp visuals danced through my gray matter. I became so engrossed in the story I grew hot and thirsty when they were parched; I could almost hear the wind and smell/taste/feel the grit of the relentless dust that permeated every scene. Their despair and exhaustion wafted across the pages. I also felt low-energy as they grew increasingly listless and despondent. But in addition to all that was the eeriness of the sixth sense and unexplainable good/evil type forces at play. I was fully invested in this startling and peculiar family drama from beginning to end and despite the arduousness of the tale; I was well pleased and fully satisfied with the journey.

I loved this book. Jeremiah Goodbye returns home after escaping the electric chair. He finds that his town is miserable, in a drought, and barely hanging on. On his way home, meets Peter. There is something special about Peter and through him this town slowly wakes up and succeeds.

I loved this book. The characters are amazing and I love the current story along with the backstory woven through it. It is almost magical.

I'll be honest like everybody else and say that the cover was magnetic and drew me to the book but it is the story the book tells that did the rest.

You would need to push through in the beginning because I didn't understand where the story might be going, but as soon as we meet another character early on (Peter) this immediately turns so much interesting that you can help but keep flipping the pages not even realizing that you are halfway through.

The book also switches POV to tell the story from all the sides and presents everyone so human, their struggles, their hopelessness and their determination. The book is also atmospheric and transformative in the way it captivates you with its narrative and pace. A story about the human spirit. What a lovely story to tell and what a lovely way to tell it.

I am so glad I pushed through the beginning because the story is unforgettable and special.

My favorite character in the whole book is Peter. He's magic. Quite literally.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written, yet mysterious novel of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl.

Just as the electricity was jolting into Jeremiah Goodbye in the electric chair, a tornado struck the prison freeing him and giving him a second chance at life. Penned as the coin flip killer after being convicted of the death of four men, Jeremiah spent three years in prison awaiting his turn to die. After being released, his Oklahoma no longer looks like it did when he went into prison. With the flip of his coin, he decides to return to his hometown of Nowhere to settle a score with his twin brother Josiah. On the way, he rescues a young boy, Peter, being sold to feed a family. Peter tags along with Jeremiah to Nowhere where the dusters have ravaged the town and the spirits of the people. When a huge duster that becomes known Black Sunday hits the town, people start to speak the truth in their hearts, however ugly it may be. Before long, it’s up to Jeremiah and Peter to become unlikely saviors for the town that cast him out three years ago.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m a huge fan of history of the dust bowl, which may be because I live in the Texas panhandle, so I always read up on it every chance I get. This book was beautifully written and carried a great message to all readers on kindness. The book description made me think that I would be reading more about a mystery, and it was mysterious, but not in the ways that I originally thought it would be. I really enjoyed getting to see the goodness come out of the main character and how it spread through an unlikely boy to all of the townsfolk. It would be easy to give away the secrets of this book, but I would rather have people read it and find them for themselves.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

What Blooms from Dust

A Novel

by James Markert

Thomas Nelson–FICTION

Thomas Nelson

General Fiction (Adult) , Historical Fiction

Pub Date 26 Jun 2018

I am reviewing a copy of What Blooms in the Dust through Thomas Nelson and Netgalley:

Jeremiah Goodbye is set to die by electrocution on the electric chair when he is given a second chance at life. He decides to return to his hometown of Nowhere Oklahoma by the flip of a coin, he wants to settle the score with his twin brother Josiah. But when he escapes he enters the world of the Dust Bowl. And the gift he once relied on to guide him is an unrecognizable as the path to nowhere.

On the journey home, Jeremiah Goodbye rescues a young boy by accident, and the two arrive to dark skies and townspeople who are fearful. These people have finally begun to let the past few years of hardship bury them under the weight of all that dust. Jeremiah and Peter Cotton become unlikely heroes, trying to protect the residents of nowhere from themselves. Jeremiah must also face his nightmares and free himself from guilt of his past and the secrets that destroyed his family.

What Blooms in the Dust is a beautiful tale of finding hope in the midst of the darkness.

I give What Blooms from Dust five out of five stars!

Happy Reading

This is the second book about the Dust Bowl I've read in the last 12 months. Honestly, it's the second book about the Dust Bowl that I've read in my entire life. You would think that this is something I would have read about more. I mean, I'm knowledgeable about this time period both from family stories as well as choosing to study the history, but I've not come across a lot of fiction that is specific to this era. I've talked before about my family history of this period in American history here. My Daddy is technically a dust bowl baby born in the summer of '39. I think, from a personal standpoint, this would be difficult time period to incorporate into fiction. I mean there are only so many ways you can describe dust ya know? Both books I've read have been well written and engaging but . . . dust.

There's something to be said for an author that can take layers of grit and dust and weave it into a memorable story. However, much like the layers of earth that peeled up to create the dust this story had layers that needed to be peeled up and sometimes I just didn't 'get' it. Some things became clearer over time, sorta like digging out after a duster, but some things remained buried just out of my grasp. Some of this I feel was intentional, because with a story like this there are certain things that I believe should be left to the reader. However, I think some of it was because I was in the middle of a week of chaos that limited reading time and so my take on this story was disjointed. Despite that the story did peel itself up and dust me with completeness. I feel like for a moment in time I lived the dust, felt it's grit on my skin and in my hair. I smelled it's earthiness and staleness. I felt it's despondency. For a brief period of time I was Nowhere, Oklahoma.

I really enjoyed this book. It gets into your head and onto your skin. Nowhere, Oklahoma brings out both the good and bad in people. And in life. It doesn't matter that it happened 80 years ago, or yesterday, hard times bring people together or tear them apart. Sometimes, they do both. The Goodbye twins are the perfect reminder that things aren't always as them seem. That second chances are sometimes first chances to make things right. That just because we believe the lies we tell ourselves doesn't make them truth. And through all of this, community is everything. This book has so many layers and you ultimately decide how deep you want to peel them back. The reader decides how much they want to truly invest. And investment is worth if. And reading it again is almost a requirement.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Jeremiah Goodbye is known as the Coin-Flip Killer in Oklahoma's Panhandle in 1935. Just as he was about to be executed by electric chair, a twister developed from a dust storm that knocked down the prison walls. Escaping with only a slight shock, Jeremiah makes his way back home to Nowhere, Oklahoma by the flip of a coin. The shock did something to Jeremiah, something for the better. Jeremiah no longer has such bad nightmares, nor can he see the darkness in men's souls so clearly as he did before. On his way to Nowhere, Jeremiah inadvertently picks up a boy, Peter, who has limited speech but understands everything happening around him. In Nowhere, barely anyone wants Jeremiah back, especially his twin brother, Josiah who turned him into the police to begin with. Nowhere has been ravaged by the dust bowl, turning the once prosperous town to dust. The people of Nowhere have been beaten down by the constant dust storms when a particularly bad duster rolls through, the town finds that Jeremiah and Peter may be just what they need in order to survive.

An amazing story of the Dust Bowl infused with magic and mystery. The town of Nowhere, Oklahoma grabbed me and was a character itself. Sold to people as Majestic, Oklahoma the town transformed, fought back and reemerged throughout the story. Jeremiah's characters is an enigma, but one that I really liked. Without learning his full story until near the end, I was continuously pulled into the many mysteries that surrounded his strange life. Jeremiah feels guilt for the death of the four men he was accused of killing, but swears he didn't actually kill them, he is able to see the bad and good in people and know their fate in life as well as being able to shield people from some of the bad that comes along. Peter was another favorite of mine, insightful and caring, bringing kindness even though he has not been shown much during his life. Even though the characters and the touches of magic engaged me the most, I did learn a lot about the dust bowl era. I had never heard of the Black Sunday dust storm and the devastation that it brought to an already ravaged area. I imagine that it would have had similar effects on the people attempting to live in the area as it did to the people of Nowhere as the residents became upset, mean and slowly lost their willpower. In Nowhere, several miracles occur after the Black Sunday dust storm that help breathe life back into a dying town. Overall, a unique historical fiction book incorporating magical realism and distinctive characters.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

3/5 stars

Beautiful cover, interesting concept, not too well executed story.

'Filled with mystery and magic, this exquisite novel from award-winning author James Markert is a story of finding hope in the midst of darkness and discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness.'

Mystery, there was but it's overblown.
Magic, not so much as the kind you find in Harry Potter. More along the lines of 'miracles'.
Exquisite, not really.
Finding hope, check.
Discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness, check.

Those last two came about quite late in to the book and by a sole event. This story fell short of my expectations and I didn't know it was set in a wild-west world. It started out mysterious but eventually ended with 3 rounds of corniness that felt like the story had gone off-kilter from its original noir tone. The attempt at a mixed-genre of wild-west and supernatural reminded me of 'Cowboys & Aliens' but the dark entity in this book was never fully explained and was not the focal point of the story.

What 'What Blooms from Dust' does right is the depiction of a wild-west community, life during the 'Dust Bowl' era and the thunderous fear it strikes during a particularly monstrous storm. I really liked the part about the strange trance that descended upon the townsfolk after a malefic dust storm.

Overall, the story failed to capture my full interest. Recommend for wild-west fans and readers who like a movie-style cheesy ending.

This story is set in the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma. Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his maker in prison via the electric chair, but there is a tornado that rips through the prison and Jeremiah goes free. He travels to his hometown of Nowhere (Oklahoma) to confront his twin brother, his family and ultimately his past.

The writing in this book is awesome. You can feel the dust in your eyes and between your teeth. And you can understand the desolation and lost hope that the characters feel. I mean, who wouldn’t. Basically you sweep up from one dust storm and another one comes right on in.

This story is about family and how complicated relationships are. The twin brothers need to find their way with each other to move towards some sort of reconciliation. There is jealousy, and mourning.

The story is also about hope. I think it’s about what can a person do to make someone’s life better/easier. I don’t want to spoil the plot. What I will say is that ultimately what we all want is to be seen and understood. That’s a basic human need. What can you do to make that happen for someone? And sometimes it’s the simplest thing that does the trick.

If you are looking for a story with a twist and that shows hope, this is your read.

I gave it a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads.

Full disclosure: I received this eARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. (Thanks NetGalley!)

"What Blooms from Dust" by James Markert has a lot of good aspects, but didn't quite fulfill all my expectations for it.
I liked the magical realism vibe and the fable-like atmosphere of 1930s Dust Bowl Oklahoma. The set up with runaway Jeremiah and his coin-flip and his twin who hates him and stole his girlfriend, his dad with the bullet lodged in his brain, little Peter with his typewriter--all that was super interesting. If anything, the setup for this story was really cool and got me hooked.
Then, if felt like somehow it didn't really go anywhere. First of all, it took forever for people to freaking give Peter some paper because it was obvious he was actually typing things on that typewriter and then they could actually talk to him. It was driving me nuts for a while. But beyond that, it just felt like the plot didn't really accomplish much, or at least it got there in a weird, rambling way that didn't have a lot of tension to it. Markert could write really beautifully, but the plot felt like it needed a lot of work to me.
Rose showed up kind of late in the game, it felt like, for me to buy her as a love interest and a really involved character in the plot. Also sometimes the magical realism confused me--I wasn't sure when to take things literally or not. Sometimes the world felt realistic and normal, and then all of a sudden something magical happened and I was thrown off.
In some ways this might have made a much better short story than a novel, or maybe a novella. It didn't seem to have enough story to justify the length. But I like Markert's concept and his writing, for sure.

I would like to thank netgalley for an ARC of What Blooms from Dust in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall reaction: 3 stars- I liked it.

I like the overall concept of the book. I currently teach U.S. History and find most subjects related to the Great Depression fascinating. For historical fiction, I found this book to be a little far fetched. I liked the premise, convict escapes death row because of a tornado. It sounds like the type of legend that might arise during the Dust Bowl. However, when the main character, Jeremiah, accidentally purchases a child who has autism for a quarter, I just found myself saying that is totally absurd.

I did however like the general landscape of the story. It really does give the reader a strong impression of how people suffered during the Dust Bowl.





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I would like to thank netgalley for an ARC of What Blooms from Dust in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overall reaction: 3 stars- I liked it. (on Goodreads)

I like the overall concept of the book. I currently teach U.S. History and find most subjects related to the Great Depression fascinating. For historical fiction, I found this book to be a little far fetched. I liked the premise, convict escapes death row because of a tornado. It sounds like the type of legend that might arise during the Dust Bowl. However, when the main character, Jeremiah, accidentally purchases a child who has autism for a quarter, I just found myself saying that is totally absurd. I did however like the general landscape of the story. It really does give readers an impression of how terrible the Dust Bowl was on the Great Plains.

While I was originally drawn to this book because of its striking cover, I am happy to report that the contents did not disappoint. Set in the American dust bowl of the 1930's this is the story of Jeremiah Goodbye, from the town of Nowhere. Sentenced to death for murder, he escapes from the electric chair when a tornado hits the prison, and heads for home, and maybe a second chance. Along the way he picks up a young boy, Peter , but the town he finds is very different from the one he left behind, and even his twin brother is reluctant to welcome him home.
This book very cleverly and successfully blends a magical element into a well realized historical setting, and while that combination does not always work, here the author has been incredibly clever. The magical aspect involves Jeremiah's strange ability to sense good and evil in others, an ability that has a secret origin, and which might be enough to save a town on the edge of despair.
The book switches perspective between past and present, as the crimes that led to Jeremiah's conviction are slowly revealed, as well as the complex family dynamics between the twin brothers and their widowed father.
As the book moves towards a potentially tragic finale, I found myself unwilling and unable to put it down, I was on the edge of my seat as I devoured the pages, desperate to find out the fate of these strange and wonderful people.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jeremiah Goodbye "The Coin-Flip Killer" was well into his excution on the electric chair when a tornado roars through town, setting him free. A flip of a coin sends him back to his hometown of Nowhere, Oklahoma to settle old scores. Along the way, he picks up a strange young boy, Petter Cotton who totes around an old typewritter and speaks in echos. Together, they arrive in Nowhere, a town ravaged by the Dust Bowl and the citizens greatly changed. It seems to be up to Jeremiah and Petter to save them.
I loved every second of this beautiful book. James Market paints a vivid picture of the Dust Bowl. It was bleak and terrible and when I looked up from my reading, I half expected to see a dust storm blowing in from the Panhandle. I love a story that has a hint of eery and a taste of the magical and What Blooms from Dust has the perfect combination. I stayed up long past my bedtime to finish it and the stroy and characters will stay with me long after I finished the last page.

I wanted to read this book because I was looking forward to the part where a tornado tears down the prison walls when Jeremiah is in the electric chair, but the story starts just after that part and I was a bit disappointed at first. I carried on reading it anyway and within a chapter or two, the prison part didn't even matter to me anymore. The second Peter entered the story, I couldn't stop reading. I was so intrigued by this strange little boy with his typewriter and ability to only repeat things and my affections towards him grew and grew as the book went on. He's such a unique character an I'm annoyed that I didn't think of him first. Expect the unexpected with this book. What you know from the blurb is just a small scratch on the surface of everything that happens within it. I also think that the cover is really beautiful. I actually thought the dust bowl was made up though until I read reviews for this book, so a slight history section at the beginning or the end would be much appreciated.

An interesting story set in Dust Bowl-era Oklahoma....it even reads like a period piece, very dismal, at times emotionless and just struggling to power through. The cast of characters is intriguing, especially the little boy and the story behind him; the magical elements of the coin-flipping lend an air of mystery; the typewriter element is ingenious for its time; and the setting is so well-developed that you feel as though you're right there breathing in the dust. Through all of the hardships, the characters keep their strength through their faith. I thought that the story of the roses, at the end, was especially beautiful!

This book was well written and very fun to read. The characters were great and I enjoyed the world building. The author does a great job at introducing the characters and moving the plot along. There were a few things that I didn't like, but it wasn't enough to really sway me one way or the other. It's definitely a story that I can get lost in and both feel for the characters. It is definitely a go-to novel that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a great read. Definitely a highly recommended read that I think everyone will enjoy.

This is sightly supernatural historical fiction, set in 1930s Oklahoma during the 'Dust Bowl' storms. Convicted of murder, Jeremiah Goodbye escapes the electric chair when the prison is badly hit by a tornado just as the switch is flipped. Nicknamed the Coin-Flip Killer, Jeremiah tosses a quarter to decide whether or not to return home and confront the brother who betrayed him. It's a yes, and during his journey back to Nowhere, Oklahoma, Jeremiah encounters an unusual 8 year old boy who tags along with him. The landscape has been changed by terrible dust storms in the three years Jeremiah has been away, leaving his home little more than a barren wasteland. His return is not welcomed by most of the townsfolk who still believe Jeremiah to be a murderer. But then a storm of black dust, dirtier and darker than anything previously seen hits the town and the inhabitants may have something even more serious to worry about than Jeremiah's return.

A wonderful story of hope and beauty, and maybe a touch of magic.