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!

I started The Filling Station and could not put it down. PUT IT IN YOUR FACE.

This book grabbed me from page one and didn't let go until the end. The story of sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice surviving the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 hit me right in the feels. Miller does an outstanding job bringing this painful chapter of history to life. I felt like I was right there with the sisters as they fled their burning neighborhood and found refuge at the Threatt Filling Station. The fear, grief, and determination jumped off the page and smacked me in the face.
What struck me most was how Miller doesn't sugarcoat the brutality and injustice, but she also shows the strength and resilience of the Greenwood community without making it feel like a history lecture.
The audio version deserves special praise. The narrator's performance was spot on, giving each character a distinct personality and handling the emotional scenes perfectly.
I've enjoyed Vanessa Miller's work before, but this novel takes her storytelling to a new level. Her research shines through in every detail, from the vibrant pre-massacre Greenwood to the painful process of rebuilding. I'm already looking forward to her next historical fiction release.

If you want a powerful story that teaches history while touching your heart, The Filling Station is a must-read. It's a painful reminder of our past but also shows how people pick themselves up and rebuild when everything is taken away.

This is a historical fiction story based on the racial riots of 1929 that destroyed Greenville, Oklahoma. It's definitely not an easy read and not for the sensitive reader, as it deals with a heavy subject.
The story is based around two fictional sisters who were late teens, early 20s, and live in Greenville when the riots occurred, experiencing the devastating trauma and tragedy. As they rebuild their lives, they deal with love, the loss of dreams, the loss of freedom, the loss of friends & family, racism, and the loss of trust (in others and God). Well written story and at times felt like I was in the middle of the action.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

"When you're white, you are right, and if you are black, you get arrested for what the white folks did."

"The white man throws rocks and hides his hand while black men get scapegoated for their crimes."

"The Filling Station" is incredibly sad, but it is filled with pockets of hope. When I look on our history in this nation I'm always filled with disgust and horrified by white people's actions. Just because you have the power to do something doesn't mean you should. The heart of these folks is wicked. Vanessa Miller shares the true story of the Tulsa Massacre in a way that makes each character feel real. Margaret and Evelyn's pain felt like it was my pain. I may not agree with the direction these sisters took but I understand that life happens. Especially when your whole life as you knew it is snatched away from you. I absolutely loved Elijah. He was so sweet, encouraging, and a faithful man.

This is an important book that exposes the history that was pretty much buried for a century. Crazy right? I will always look back at my people and admire the strength and resilience it took to survive in this abhorrent environment. Looking on America today, you cannot tell me there isn't a correction or judgement coming. You can't spill that much blood and not expect a reckoning. I highly recommend "The Filling Station". It may make you uncomfortable, but the truth doesn't care about your comfortability.

This is a story of survival, love and faith in God! I only learned about the Tulsa massacre when I was an adult and only minimal facts. This story dives into the persia point of view of two sisters who go through this ordeal, losing everything they have. After they flee the city on foot, they take shelter at a nearby gas station, or filling station that is owned by a black family and safe for black people to use. The sisters have to build their life up again and find the strength to rebuild and carry on. I really enjoyed this book, for the historical content but mostly for the content on finding your faith again. Beautifully written!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Books for an Arc copy of this book.

Forced to flee from their home and separated from their father, Margaret & Evelyn seek refuge at a filling station.
In the aftermath of the Tulsa Massacre, the young ladies see & face tragedies that affects the way they now interact with the world.
This was a really good and interesting story. Even though I know what the Tulsa Massacre is, it's heartening to hear of the aftermath and how some weren't able to recover. And the continued disregard shown to survivors.

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a captivating novel!
I absolutely loved it. It's a rare thing to get a historical fiction that is wonderfully researched, pitch-perfectly voiced and unputdownable, but this is the real deal. A perfectly formed masterpiece. I raced through it
With riveting prose the pages fly and the heart beats for the astonishing heroine. Well-developed character pulls you into the story immediately and stirs emotions within you. This book was masterfully narrated.
This really was historical fiction at its finest, this book made me feel things I haven't felt in some time.

Story is set in the horror of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. I hadn't heard much about this part of history until last summer when some of the lawsuits were revisited.

This story is so moving and really a part of history I didn't know about and was interested in learning more about. Margaret and Evelyn are sisters that run on the night of the riots and lost everything - their father, their home and their business. They end up at The Filling Station and the family there takes them in as they work to rebuild their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Clearly 2025 is the year of Black Historical Fiction because these authors have been putting out nothing but heat with more to come! The Filling Station followed sisters Margaret and Evelyn as they dealt with the devastating effects of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The greenwood neigboread was a Black Mecca filled with thriving Black owned businesses. Residents of the neighborhood created their own slice of heaven where they were able to live freely and in peace without having to worry about discrimination. All of that changed when an angry White mob descended upon the town and burned businesses, homes, and killed and seriously injured many. After escaping unharmed Margaret and Evelyn found solace at The Filling Station. They were taken in by the Threatt family whilst dealing with the loss of the only life they had ever known. This story is a very important read as we saw the disproportionate treatment of Black people during a disaster. Insurance wouldn’t pay and a grand jury refused to indict the mob who caused the massacre.

It’s also a story of resilience, faith, and fighting for your rights. Margaret and Evelyn faced many uphill battles and even when they were both of the verge of giving up, they still pushed through. I enjoyed all of the side characters who contributed to the story and how they also helped the girls. This story will bring out the emotions definitely but the grace of God shined upon these residents and their will to survive and prosper helped them to rebuild their thriving community once more. Add this one to you list if you haven’t! Happy reading!

I think the more Vanessa writes HF books, the better she gets!! This was amazing! I love that I learned while reading and this should be read by all!! I loved the characters she created and hurt for them while they mourned. I loved Elijah and his strong faith— it was so refreshing!

On the night of May 31, 1921 Margaret Justice heads to a movie with her father at the Dreamland. Her sister Evelyn is at graduation practice at Booker T. Washington High School, before heading to design school in New York City. That night the Justice’s family is changed forever. Margaret and Evelyn escape Greenwood and find refuge at the Threatt Filling Station (on what would become Route 66) and try to find ways to carry on after surviving the Tulsa Race Massacre. They debate to go back and try to rebuild Greenwood.

I couldn’t put down “The Filling Station”. I felt panic and anger and also love of community. This is a fantastic book to introduce yourself to the Tulsa Race Massacre if you have not heard of it. I am so glad that Vanessa Miller wrote such a gripping book that takes place during the massacre.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC. #TheFillingStation #NetGalley

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is amazing and so well written! It follows sisters Margaret and Evelyn as they learn to navigate life after the Tulsa Race Massacre.

This book will have you feeling so many emotions because of the horrific attack on the Greenwood community. I loved seeing the community come together to rebuild itself not letting the many obstacles they faced get in get in their way.

I definitely recommend you check out The Filling Station!

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC!

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

It is unfortunate that books like The Filling Station have to be written, but I am thankful that Vanessa Miller put the time, effort, and care needed to bring this story to life. The Filling Station is a moving glimpse into the aftermath of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

3.5 stars

This book takes place primarily in the aftermath after the Tulsa Race Massacre. It follows two sisters from the beginning of the riot to the Threatt Filling Station (a real place where the Threatt family that lived there really helped people who lost their homes and had to flee during the massacre.)

The beginning of the book is the sisters' experience running from their community as people are brutally murdered around them. When they get to the Threatt family, the family's generosity and empathy is contrasted with the constant looming threat of hate crimes and murders. The sisters go through a lot of grief and challenges but their relationships with each other and the Threatt family remain general bright spots. Much of the book feels really brutal, which is appropriate given the topic. I got a weird Little Women vibe (not derogatory at all, just kind of surprising) from some of how they interacted over time. Maybe that's just my association with sisters.

The reason I am not giving this book a higher score is that it was extremely focused on God and Christianity and their relationships with God for the second half of the book. I'm not Christian and didn't think I was reading a religious book, and that was kind of jarring and isolating for me. I'm very glad to have read a book on this subject matter and recommend it for anyone who would like to learn more about this period. I'd love recommendations for any other books on the subject that are less religion-forward.

There are some books that are written that aren’t meant for sheer entertainment, but provoke insight, reflection, and contemplation. The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a riveting story that encourages the reader to do all three. This novel is appropriately considered Christian historical fiction, as it is based upon the often-overlooked incident of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, with the inclusion of a hopeful Christian message of redemption. This horrific event exposes a dark time in American history where a person’s worth was established merely based upon the color of their skin. In this modern day, the recollection of this egregious incident shows the exceptional progress this country has made regarding race relations. Although the racial progression is imperfect, I can only attribute the advancement made thus far to the Lord’s grace and mercy upon us.

The Filling Station follows two sisters, Margaret Justice and her younger sister Evelyn “Evie” Justice, the daughters of the respected Henry Justice, a successful entrepreneur in the affluent black community of Greenwood, Oklahoma. Also regarded as the “Black Wall Street” due to the prosperous Black American residents in the community, the novel opens as racial tensions are increasing due to rumors of a possible lynching following the unjust arrest of a young man who was accused of assaulting a white woman, are swarming the community. Unexpectedly, on May 31, 1921, until June 1, 1921, a mob of white men charged into Greenwood and attacked and killed many of the residents of the community. The mob also destroyed the town, leaving in its wake, a community devastated with burned down homes and businesses. Upon witnessing the attack, Margaret and Evelyn miraculously escape the invasion. During their escape they stumble upon the Threatt Filling Station, which is actually located on the former Route 66 road, where their father previously informed them is a safe rest stop for Black Americans traveling. Upon arriving, they are graciously taken in by the Threatt family who were providing a safe place for escapees of the massacre. The novel is set in the span of four years, where readers follow the Justice sisters as they experience grief, heartache, love, and racism that threaten to destroy their determination and hope. The trauma they faced during the massacre, as well as the challenging experiences they face in the aftermath will alter their faith in God and leave them questioning the purpose of their existence.

The Filling Station is a plot and character driven story that is well paced with themes of survival, restoration, and hope. The novel depicts the fight for restoration through the portrayal of the community’s determination to rebuild after the destruction, and the sister’s fight to regain a sense of purpose and dignity despite the corruption of racism during the Jim Crow era. The inclusion of Christian content is shown, as the Justice sisters are seen struggling with their faith and gradual growth in their personal relationship with Christ. Secondary characters are depicted with unwavering faith and encourage the sisters with their evolving connection with Christ Jesus. I appreciated the way in which the author depicted the historical events of the massacre, which was detailed and accurately portrayed. The author was also able to adequately capture the culture during the 1920’s, including incorporating notable songs by Black Americans during the era as well as the style of dancing and attires.

My only disappointment with the plot is the time frame it is set in. The story spans a total of four years. With the novel broken into three parts, I would have enjoyed reading how things turned out for the characters within a time frame of ten years or more. However, I greatly enjoyed this story. The congenial characters, intriguing storyline, and great writing made for a successful novel. This is not the first book that I have read by Vanessa Miller, and it will not be the last. If you enjoy a well written historical fiction novel that incites hope, I implore you to read this story.