What Blooms From Dust was a quite beautiful story that takes place in the dust bowl. The people of Nowhere Oklahoma and slowly begun to give up hope. The dust storms were massive and everything was covered in black thick dust that they had to dig out of after every storm.

Jeremiah and Josiah, twin brothers, born in Nowhere, were fighting their own personal demons, along with the dust. Jeremiah was on death row, but got a reprieve from the electric chair, when a storm blew through and he was able to escape.

My favorite character was Peter, the boy Jeremiah saved on the road back to Nowhere. He was non verbal and carried only a typewriter with him.

Sad and sweet, I loved this tale. The narration was fantastic.

What a lovely Americana, folk-tale inspired story. I listened to this over the course of a day while I visited antique shops, and it felt very appropriate and cozy. The narration made me feel like my grandfather was telling me a tale that had been passed down to him through the years.

Jeremiah Goodbye returns home with an unlikely companion, and they bring a whole new meaning to "kill it with kindness" as they try to save the town from the clutches of the Dustbowl.

This book unintentionally fit into my love of community, friendship, and family stories. If you're looking for a book that feels like a folktale focused on what's truly important in life, this is the book for you.

They brought tickets to move to Majestic, but ended up in a town called Nowhere.

Set during the 1930s Dust Bowl, Jeremiah Goodbye, aka The Coin Flip Killer, escapes the electric chair and sets out on the road to Nowhere, seeking revenge on his twin brother Josiah.

It’s historical magical realism, with a feel of the old Wild West. The town of Nowhere is dominated by the regular ‘dusters’, huge dust storms that are gradually killing off the town, the people’s hope and their will to live.

It’s bleak but involving, there are some interesting characters and the magical realism isn’t overpowering.

The narration by David Bendena is very good, with a Clint Eastwood coolness to it that suits the dusky bleakness.

Highly recommended if you want to try something a little different.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media

1908 Wilmington Goodbye moves himself and his pregnant wife to Majestic Oklahoma during the Great Depression, only to find that the brochure was a lie and ended up in Nowhere, Oklahoma. What awaits their future is The Dust Bowl and all the hurdles life has thrown at them that they must overcome through acceptance and forgiveness.

With the help of two unlikely heroes they find their way.

I have to admit I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and a new found love for historical fiction. Add in the element of magic, and a battle between good and evil …well now I’m intrigued.
This book was narrated by David Bendena, who has a beautiful deep almost country voice that pairs well with the setting of the book. The emotions the characters were going through felt like he was going through them too. I would love to hear other books he narrates.

What I took away from the book-

Faith and perseverance help forgiveness grow.
3.5 rating
Thank you to Net Galley, James Markert, and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book started like gangbusters bud I feel the book could’ve been cut down to only be about three hours because it’s mostly made up of dust storms OK, Jeremiah lives through his date with the electrical chair and escapes prison. when he is on his Way home he sees a lady selling her son and he buys it for a quarter because if not him a pedophile looking guy name “boo” was going to buy the boy. Jeremiah Goodbye flips a coin for everything and when deciding weather to go wandering or back home to nowhere Oklahoma he flips his coin and heads back to Nowhere, with Little Peter Cotton In tow. We learned his twin brother turned him in and also married the love of his life Ellen. Giuseppe is the good twin or at least supposedly he is. When he returns home his dad is over the moon to see him when the Sheryff comes to arrest him his father please with the sheriff and tells him how Jeremiah has changed but between the dust storms and the strange happenings in the town eventually arresting Jeremiah falls by the wayside. There was a big dust storm that caused everyone in town to act differently the doctor is cruel and tells Ellen things her mother told him as her dying confession that Ellen really didn’t want to know but now cannot stop thinking about. I gorgeous reporter comes into town name rose and her and Jeremiah seem to get on quite well something Ellen is at first disturb the boat but once the dust storm disease gets into her she barely cares… About anything. This was a strange book and when things were happening it was very good but I did get so tired of the dust storms the lagging moments and sitting under tables. I also thought Rose was bad ass as well as Ellen although in different ways and I thought the whole thing with Peter Cotton with his connection to Ellen and him playing with the typewriter was such a genius touch. there’s a lot to be said for the book if only they could cut some of it down it would’ve made for a brilliant read but I read it in intervals because as I said I just got tired of hearing about the dust. What a horrible time in our history those poor people. I felt as bad for the real victims as I did for these poor people living in nowhere Oklahoma and the trauma that must’ve been. I know it is fiction but when a book makes you feel real emotions for characters it’s obviously due to the good writing it so again I want to save this book came with lots of potential and a great plot I just think maybe it was drawn out too long as I said just like this review. I want to thank the author the publisher and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

First of all, this cover is BEAUTIFUL! I need a physical copy to display ASAP! It's what initially drew me into this delightful read. Upon starting this audiobook, I was taken by suprise as this was not at all what I thought it was going to be. Historal fiction with a bit of magical realism intertwined, I found myself a bit skeptical yet also captivated. I am not a magic/fantasy reader but this was done very well and I did not mind the supernatural aspects. As the story went on I became invested in the characters lives and even moved to tears at multiple points. This was a good, clean and touching read. I enjoyed the authors writing style, and the characters were very likable with good development throughout the story. The narration was also phenomenal and made for an engaging listening experience. Thank you NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

I have to admit, when I initially read the synopsis of the story, I was really excited to listen to What Blooms in Dust, but when I saw the fantasy tag, I hesitated a little. I am not a fantasy girl at all, but I decided to trust the author and see what this was about.. and I was not disappointed. I’d say it’s a little more magic realism than fantasy though.
The story itself is beautiful and fascinating and the narrator did such an incredible job of bringing to the audiobook what I was describe as the perfect Great Depression/Dust Bowl voice that it almost felt like a recounting from someone who’d directly experienced the story.

Jeremiah Goodbye (a.k.a. the coin flip killer) is saved from the electric chair when a tornado tears down the prison. He then makes his way to his hometown of Nowhere, Oklahoma. On the way to Nowhere, he rescues a young boy by the name of Peter Cotton. When they arrive in Nowhere, they are met with mistrust and fear. Nowhere, Oklahoma is a place that has seen better days. The Dust Bowl wreaked havoc and then the Black Sunday storm hits...

This was an odd and quirky book. It's a blend of fantasy, historical fiction, and magical realism. I wasn't too sure about it when I began listening to the audiobook, but the wonderful narration sucked me in and didn't let go. I thought the author did a fabulous job with the descriptions of the dust, the oppressiveness of it, how it weighed down the town and the townspeople, the effect it had on their lives and health. It is an unforgiving environment that feels bleak and grey. But the book shows that with hope, love, kindness, things can bloom.

I enjoyed the take on relationships and the human spirit. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions and atmospheric feel of this book. There is a little bit of magic/magical realism in this book. If you are looking for something a little different, then this book might be the book for you!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

If I have to choose something about this book I am completely divided. The whole writing, the narration in the audiobook, the story in general, the characters development, is such a brilliant story with a touch of magic realism. I like how the POV get develop and I really got connected with the characters. For me is definitely a solid four stars review this year. Big thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook.

I loved this book! "What Blooms From Dust" by James Markert is historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. It's set in the 1930s in Nowhere, Oklahoma, during the Dustbowl time.

Characters 5/5
Writing 5/5
Plot 4/5
Pacing 4/5 medium, some parts were slow as necessitated for the plot
Unputdownability 4/5
Enjoyment 4/5
Narration 5/5 - David Bendena was great.
Cover 5/5
Realism 5/5 - started coughing during the big dust storms and needed big cough drops

Likability of characters - most are likable, esp. Ellen and Peter and even Jeremiah

With thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

🎧4.25⭐️

I had the audiobook read by David Bendena who has a deep gruff voice. I feel the narrator added interest to the slower paced story keeping my interest.

Historical fiction set in the era of the dust bowl.
Jeremiah escaped the electric chair when a tornado tore down the prison walls, he decides to return to his hometown Nowhere Oklahoma, only it doesn’t resemble the place that he remembers, with it turned to desert dust. He rescues Peter a young boy who follows him on his journey, with them striking up a bond. Even the towns name adds to the despondency vibe

The fantasy/ magical realism is mostly Jeremiah having abilities that I easily accepted. There is one event that I would regard as magical realism, I would have preferred for it not to have been included, but don’t let it put you off, it’s not prominent.

It’s told in 2 time frames, after Jeremiah’s escape, and several years before in 1924 that examines the brother’s relationship and their place in the community.

It’s one you need to be interested in the era to read, the writing conjures up the atmosphere of the times, the struggle of the townsfolk and the accompanying depression of years of drought and deprivation. Along with the struggle and lethargy it’s brings out the ill feeling between people and bickering is rife. Not only can the reader taste that dust, but you fight the urge to cough it up off your chest from the power of the writing.
There are common themes with other books about the dust bowl, I felt this goes into more depth of surviving the constant dust storms, and the blame the farmers took for destroying the land along with years of drought than the others I’ve read. This does make it a slower sprawling story, with long chapters. This is usually my kryptonite, but I was engaged with Jeremiah’s journey after his escape, along with the family dynamics.

I haven’t read Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, but this is the bleakest book I’ve read about that era, but amongst it we are left with hope and healing. OMG at one point I was in tears 😢 get your tissues ready. Although it doesn’t have the emotional dynamics of Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds.

For me I definitely think it’s best suited for the audiobook format as it’s slower, the focus is far more character driven than plot. It might not be for everyone, as it’s very bleak throughout.

The importance of the flip of a coin couldn't be portrayed better than the life of Jeremiah who managed to escape the fate of an electric chair. Set in the middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma this weird tale is an amalgamation of reality and magic. The mystery builds up with a static replay from his childhood to the present state of his home city. Life at Nowhere is getting darker and while the townspeople manage to tackle the dust, the gloominess inside them is the toughest to battle.

While listening to the audiobook I was deeply invested with its plot lines and magical aspects. This experience could have been improved further with some added sound effects(like the blowing wind, and shattering glasses) and probably a wider narrator cast, as it was difficult to distinguish the characters without one paying close attention to it. I would like to give this book another try, probably with a physical copy as the storyline is surely worth it.

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @jamesmarkert74 for the Audio ARC.
Genre: #crimefiction #adult #literaryfiction
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

This is a hard review to write. This book is pretty hard to describe. On the surface, it tells the story of convicted murderer, Jeremiah Goodbye, escaping the electric chair and returning home to seek revenge on his twin brother. His twin, Josiah, turned him into the police. BUT- that isn't really what this book is about. Set in the Dust Bowl, the story takes place mainly in 1935- including Black Sunday. The story is really about what despair does to you and overcoming it.

While, historical fiction- it doesn't feel like historical fiction. The setting is historical, sure. But the dialogue does not feel historical- especially due to the presence of more modern colloquialisms.

Some of the genre tags made me nervous- I was intrigued by the synopsis, setting, and time period- but the magic/fantasy tags nearly ran me off. For the most part, I am not a fan. I've come to trust some authors (like Nora Roberts), but for the most part, I avoid any relation to the fantasy genre. However, I was intrigued enough to read this. And I do not regret it. It isn't fantastical in the sense that there are magical creatures or anything of the sort. It is more similar to having a psychic character than it is to having vampires.

I enjoyed this. It is an uplifting story. If fantasy or historical fiction typically turns you away, don't let it scare you off of this one. Neither aspect is overwhelming.

The audiobook is narrated by David Bendena, and he does a fabulous job.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The writing, the narration, the story, the characters, absolutely flawless!

Set in an era I don't usually read, in a place I don't usually read about, What Blooms From Dust is about a group of people who are swindled into buying homes in what they think is their dream town, but, they find nothing but dust. This was the dust bowl, the Oklahoma Panhandle, April 1935, in the midst of the great Depression that hit the the USA from 1929 to 1941, where people were seeking any escape from the crushing poverty they were under

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established a number of measures to help alleviate the plight of poor and displaced farmers like these. He also addressed the environmental degradation that had contributed to the Dust Bowl and a Roosevelt quote is included at the beginning of the book that sets the tone beautifully;

"The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself"

The writing is simply stunning and David Bendena is the ideal narrator for this audiobook, He has a wonderful symbiosis with the narrative and is well suited to J H Markerts flow

I was right there, immersed in the mire and the hopelessness these people were feeling, the fortitude of Jeremiah Goodbye starting over, the bright, hopefful nature of Peter Cotton

The book has some incredibly skillful anchor points and I will leave you to discover thosee for yourself

This is a novel that has it all, when you feel utterly exhausted at the end, knowing you have experienced every emotion possible to the point of physical exertion

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this incredible literary work, for this will be a great in historical fiction. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own