Special thanks to @hearourvoicestours & @tnzfiction for my gifted copy and to @thomasnelson for my gifted ALC‼️

The Filling Station follows two sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice both with future plans in fashion and the other in teaching. When the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre occurs the sisters suffer from a devastating loss as well as the entire Black community of Greenwood. Left with nothing but each other, the sisters flee along what would eventually become iconic Route 66 and stumble upon the Threatt Filling Station, a safe haven and the only place where they can find a shred of hope in oppressive Jim Crow America. At the filling station, they are able to process their pain, fill up their souls, and find strength as they wrestle with a faith in God that has left them feeling abandoned.

The narrative was so captivating yet unsettling the way Miller explored the struggles faced by the community of Greenwood. After destroying everything they worked hard for the community did not let it break them, they didn’t give up, and they refused to leave. Many people would’ve packed up and never looked back but to remain and rebuild was the truest definition of standing on business.

Miller flawlessly portrayed Margaret and Evelyn’s devastating reality and their commitment to survive. Margaret was a very strong character who often questioned God a lot only to marry a man of faith. I loved Elijah for her and the fact he experienced just as much hardship and still stood strong. What they did to his grandmother was unimaginable. I think Evelyn’s character might’ve made me grow a few grey hairs the way that girl had me stressed. The Threatt family was everything those girls and that community needed.

Overall, this book was AMAZING Vanessa Miller does not disappoint. There is so much depth and authenticity in the character development and tension within their personal encounters if I didn’t know it was fiction I’d believe every word. The book was a perfect blend of history, drama, and life-altering decisions that make this story both fascinating and emotionally gripping.

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller was an amazing historical fiction book. This book was very emotional read especially with everything that is happening now! I have learned so much about Black Wall Street that I never knew. The author also has resources for the reader to learn more about this travesty that happened. I will be traveling to Greenwood to see this town. Thanks for this incredible book !!!

I am honestly and voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Vanessa Miller did an amazing job of telling the story of Greenville, North Carolina. Having actual accounts mixed in with created additions made this a good time! Anytime I read stories about the mistreatment of African Americans, I finish the book drained and angry. I was angered greatly by the subject matter, and I had to process all that I had read upon completion. However, I could see the story of hope, perseverance, love, and power.

I had the opportunity to have both the ARC and the ALC of this book, which allowed me to completely immerse myself in it. I really enjoy a good tandem read, especially when the narrator and author are both top-notch!

Angel Pean did an awesome job of bringing each individual character to life, preserving their independence and personal conflicts. I will absolutely look for more books she narrates.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson, and Vanessa Miller for the ALC of this important moment in the history of African Americans!

The Filling Station is a historical fiction account based on the true events of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, and the aftermath that this devastating hate fuelled event had on fictional sisters, Margaret and Evelyn Justice, their family, friends and the entire community of Greenwood Oklaholma.

Margaret and Evelyn were two young black women who were raised in the thriving and bustling 'Black Wall Street' community of Greenwood when one night of racially charged violence destroys their community. Buildings are torched and burned to the ground, and residents are gunned down while attempting to flee the carnage.

Survivors of the massacre band together to rebuild, not only their homes, but their entire community and rebuild their lives, dreams, and sense of security.  While devastating, Vanessa Miller masterfully weaves this tragic event with themes of hope, resilience and love. And while Margaret and Evelyn are fictional characters, Miller introduces us to the Threatt family, a real life family who owned one of the only black filling stations in the Tulsa area during this period of time. The Threatt filling station became a haven for many residents fleeing the aftermath of the Massacre.

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

The Filling Station is the story of an often-overlooked piece of American history – the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Vanessa Miller has woven this disgraceful and horrifying event into a novel that revolves around two of the survivors, sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice. The story begins with the massacre itself and then the subsequent years of rebuilding and redemption. Only recently have I become aware of this event, so this book sounded particularly interesting. However, it wasn’t really what I expected.

The writing style and superficial approach seems to be more appropriate for late middle school audience. There’s a lot of redundant material and hardly a page goes by that someone isn’t crying – usually one of the sisters – and right up until the end of the book.

And, speaking of the sisters, I thought Margaret, in particular was a brat and quite unlikable, and Elijah displayed the patience of Job. How he put up with Margaret is a mystery to me. She was consistently ungrateful, illogical, and inconsiderate. It got old fast.

Finally, this book is quite preachy and has a decided religious theme. I don’t really mind that approach but it definitely was unexpected. And, in this case, it was overused and suffered from redundancy as well. Time would have been better spent on more background information about the massacre and the history of Greenwood.

While I’d give The Filling Station five stars for tackling this horrific subject and providing references as well, it’s just one star for its execution and focus. It was disappointing and, in the end, it’s a 2 stars book for me. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

The Filling Station is an emotionally charged story set in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We watch as the Justice sisters endure the horrific events of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the aftermath in this historical fiction novel. The Justice sisters are fictional but there are many historical facts that make up the meat of this story. We know that The Tulsa Race Massacre is a true event and it up ended the lives of many that just wanted something that was their own. However, lies, hate, jealousy and fear destroyed everything they worked to build. We watch as the Justice sister’s slowly heal and rebuild their lives in the mist of everything that was lost. I enjoyed this read it made me shed tears, it made me angry and it made my heart smile. This is a must read.

A compelling, beautiful, eye-opening account of two sisters and how they were affected (emotionally and economically) by the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921.

This author skillfully swept me up in the story, and didn’t give easy spiritual answers, but showed a real struggle for the characters to find faith, healing, and attempt to recover from unfair and unjust traumatic events that happened to them.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hey, hey, my favorites 😁

Filling Station by Vanessa Miller

Publication Date: 3/11/25 #happyreleaseday
⭐ Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

A huge thank you to @hearourvoicestours and Vanessa Miller for the gifted copy! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read and review this inspiring novel. @TNZFiction

Vanessa Miller’s Filling Station is a powerful and uplifting story that beautifully captures faith, resilience, and the transformative power of second chances. From the very first page, I was drawn into the lives of the characters, each carrying their own burdens yet finding hope in the most unexpected places. Miller’s storytelling is both heartfelt and engaging, weaving a narrative that reminds us how faith and perseverance can guide us through life’s toughest challenges.

I truly enjoyed this book—it was inspiring, emotionally rich, and had just the right balance of realism and redemption. If you’re looking for a novel that speaks to the soul while delivering a compelling story, Filling Station is a must-read!

This was almost a 5 star read for me: 4.5 stars. The cover is gorgeous. I learned a great deal about the Tulsa Race Massacre. What a shameful even in our nation's history. A White mob invaded and burned down the town of Greenwood after a Black teenager was accused of raping a white woman, and he was later acquitted. Each chapter of the book started off with a little factual detail to focus the reader. This book follows two sisters, Margaret and Evelyn as they try to recover both emotionally and economically from this tragic event.
I think that the only thing that kept it from being five star from me is that there were lapses into what can best be described as soap operaish events in the womens' lives. The story was strongest when it was rooted in the history of what happened. I do understand that when one is focusing on two characters, the author has to give personal anecdotes about them but for me it was the history that was most interesting. That said, I enjoyed the book and will definitely look for other things written by this author.
I listened to part of the book on audio and the narrator was well suited to the tenor of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio and to Thomas Nelson fiction for providing me with copies of the text and audio in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This book was a heavy read, but I loved the exploration into such a horrific and under-taught moment in this nation’s history. The Tulsa Massacre decimated Greenwood, Oklahoma, and the US has YET to pay reparations for that crime. Experiencing these events through the eyes of Margaret and Evie provided a humanizing perspective that put names and faces on those directly impacted. Miller also allows the characters to feel their rage at seemingly being abandoned by God. Sometimes, “just pray about it” and “God don’t make mistakes” ain’t what you want to hear. But,The Threatt Filling Station provided a much needed life raft during this storm for so many people as they worked together as a community to rebuild. Definitely recommend this book!

If you’re looking for a powerful, thought-provoking read, let me put you on to The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller. This book is an absolute must-read, especially if you love historical fiction that brings real, overlooked stories to life.

Miller’s storytelling is immersive and emotional, pulling you right into the lives of two sisters whose world is turned upside down. The writing is beautiful, the characters are so well-developed, and the way she explores resilience, faith, and community is just chef’s kiss.

One thing I love about this book is how it sheds light on an important piece of history that isn’t talked about enough. It’s heartbreaking, but also deeply inspiring. I promise you’ll walk away feeling something.

If you’re building your 2025 reading list, add The Filling Station ASAP. I highly recommend it, and I know it’s going to stick with me for a long time.

This is a story of historical events that I have not heard much about. I have since finishing it read some of the info that this author left at the end. The links that is. This is a very emotionally charged story. It keeps the reader engaged and wanting to know why throughout. At least it did for me. I wish I could say that this country has come a long way and maybe in some ways it has. But in so many ways it certainly has not. So much hatred and bigotry still seems to run this country.

This is the story of what happened in 1921 in a town in Oklahoma. What happened to a group of people who were doing nothing to warrant such hostility and hatred. Simply because of the color of their skin. That is a fact. A very sad fact.

There were many black families living in an area called Greenwood. It was an all black area. All the businesses and homes belonged to these citizens. They were very successful and happy with their lives. But white people didn't like it. They didn't want these black people to be happy and successful. They used an excuse based on a black kid touching a white girl to invade this area and burn them to the ground. To terrorize and hurt these law abiding citizens because they were black and did not deserve to own anything.

In this story you meet two young women who lived in Greenwood District. Sisters. Best of friends. They lived with their father. Their mother had died and he raised his girls. He taught them to respect people. To work hard. To get an education. Then one night they were attacked. A whole district turned upside down and people left with nothing. All they had worked for gone up in smoke. How can people truly be that cruel? I don't understand and never will. Reading this was heartbreaking but also I believe necessary. It's history. It happened. We don't need things like this to keep happening.

These people were given very little help to rebuild their community. And they had to work for that. The Red Cross didn't want to help it seems. They did but the cost was the people's dignity. Not one white man was arrested or reprimanded for this heinous crime. Not one.

The people in Greenwood District did build back. They worked hard. They excelled again. The story is mostly about these two young women but also what happened in 1921 in the Greenwood District to the black people by white people. Isn't it sad that it happened at all?

You meet several families and get to know another family. The Threatt family. They helped people out when they came to them. What this family did for Evelyn and Margaret was beyond what they ever expected. They were two young women alone when they happened upon the Threatt Filling Station. What a perfect name for this book....

Read this one. It's so worth it. It's history that you may not have heard about. It's sad and uplifting both.

Thank you #NetGalley, #ThomasNelsonFiction, for this ARC.

Thank you to @hearourvoicestours , @tnzfiction , and @authorvanessamiller for the beautiful gifted box and book.

📖This is my second novel by this author, and it's clear that she is truly skilled at bringing life to historical stories. This novel centers the race massacre that occurred in 1921, Tulsa. We follow two sisters as their beautiful and prosperous lives are upended, and all the dreams and aspirations of their townspeople are violently destroyed.

This book took me on an emotional journey. I was captivated from the very beginning to the end by the characters and the events they endured. I was moved to tears by the gut-wrenching reality that even though some of these characters were fictional, the basis of this story were real-life events and situations. There was pain, heartache, anger, grief, despair, sorrow, and so much love contained within these pages. I can't fathom the kind of fortitude the real-life residents of this town had to possess to even want to continue, much less the strength and ability to rebuild after such brutality.

There is another part of this story that centers on the relationship with God, love, and sisterhood that truly resonated. The questions some of the characters have are very relatable and are things I've even asked myself. I loved the two sisters and equally related to the elder more responsible Magarate as well as the younger Evie, just trying to figure things out. Elijah, the man that he is, has found a place in my heart. If you haven't read this novel yet, please go add it to your tbr!

Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy of the "The Filling Station." The content was difficult to process at times, but Vanessa Miller does a beautiful job of showing the resilience and tenacity of survivors. This historical fiction was an eye-opener for sure. I am grateful that I embarked upon this learning opportunity. I'd rate this novel as high as possible. I am forever changed by this book.

This one will keep you turning the pages!
The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 is a historical event that I knew little about, before I read this novel. The Oklahoma town of Greenwood, a thriving place of businesses and home to thousands of Blacks, was destroyed when protests over a proposed lynching caused White men to retaliate. Over much time, despite many setbacks and refusals of aid, the brave citizens of Greenwood managed to restore and rebuild much of which was lost.
A historical novel like this makes me want to read more on the subject! The author’s notes and extensive bibliography at the end will be very helpful.

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

This was not an easy read. It was filled with a community who had to survive a horrific night, but not only that isolated night, months of rising up and moving forward even though no assistance was provided and the true guilty party placed blame at their feet.

But it was filled with strong people who did survive, did move forward and through taking it day by day and kept on fighting, were able to heal and come out stronger.

I LOVED all the scripture and the rawness and struggle to trust God. It made this book honest and real.

I was beyond thrilled to read Vanessa Millers new book that is based off the Tulsa Massacre even though it was a a difficult read at times. The heartbreak and struggles that so many successful black families endured was terribly sad, we then get a front row seat following the Justice sisters. It starts off showing the beautiful side of living in Greenwood aka Black Wall St, & how so many black families were thriving until a mob of white people come to destroy& burn the city down. We see the aftermath with the sisters Margaret & Evelyn trying to escape the dangers of that night, finding their father, & rebuilding their home & life. This author did a beautiful job telling this story even though you could feel the terror that the characters faced throughout the story. Very grateful to have read this anticipated read for my complimentary copy.

I don’t believe these are words to truly express how much I just could not put this story down. I absolutely enjoyed the journey that Miller worked soo hard to put together for us. This story was raw, perfect and just what we need to teach students about the terrible Tulsa Massacre and how much the business district in Greenwood that they destroyed. I felt like I was watching this on a big screen. The writing was perfect and the research completed was phenomenal. Completing this novel, you can honestly see that this was well thought and written with her heart. I was introduced to Vanessa Miller through the Woman Evolve book club and have made it a requirement to purchase her other novels. I thought the American Queen was my favorite, no, I think The Filling Station is my favorite as well as my favorite read of the year so far.
My heart will forever keep Evie and Margaret near and their stories as the world deserves to hear about the painful past we’ve endured that has shaped Black History.
Thanks NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read this novel as an Advance Reader Copy.

Although the subject matter is important and the synopsis is intriguing, I found the writing style very difficult to stay engaged in.

Filling Station by @authorvanessamiller was an easy 5 ⭐️ read! This book is about more than the erasure of Black Wall Street. This book is about learning to keep the faith in your God when all else is lost. It’s about grief and how dealing with it is a challenge to everyone but it’s still too important to ignore. It’s about allowing yourself to trust again once you’ve lost faith in the world. This book has earned every single star!