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.

This was my first experience with Vanessa Miller’s writing, and it felt like she was **personally telling me this story. I’ve read both fiction and nonfiction books about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, but none have felt as **personal and immersive** as this.

✨ We open with a bang! ✨ The story begins with a lush, vibrant look into the Greenwood District, a thriving Black utopia. We meet sisters Margaret and Evelyn, preparing for Evelyn’s high school graduation (I absolutely loved the scene at the hairdresser—it was such a great touch!). While Evelyn is practicing with her classmates, Margaret is spending time with their father at the famed Dreamland Theater.

But the celebration is short-lived. Rumblings of a white protest begin to spread through Greenwood, and soon, we’re thrust into the terrifying whirlwind of the massacre. The fear Margaret and Evelyn experience—from the burning of their home to the brutal loss of their neighbors and loved ones—is gut-wrenching. Their only hope for escape comes through the kindness and bravery of their own community, who lead them to a filling station that becomes their refuge.

From there, we witness two powerful journeys as Margaret and Evelyn fight to rebuild their lives and seek justice for Greenwood.

💜 Let’s talk romance! I’m usually not a big romance reader, but the love story in this book was excellent! It was a slow burn, and there were moments when I wanted to shake Margaret because of her stubbornness—but that made it all the more rewarding.

What I appreciated most was the depth of research that went into this book. Every aspect—the testimonies, the cover-ups, the resilience of Greenwood’s residents—felt raw, real, and deeply affecting.

📚 Pick this one up if you:
✅ Want to learn about erased African American history
✅ Love rooting for the underdogs
✅ Enjoy books that grab your attention from page one and never let go

I can’t wait to read more from Vanessa Miller!

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

BOOK: THE FILLING STATION
AUTHOR: VANESSA MILLER
PUB DATE: 11TH MARCH, 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I loved reading this book, it's an important part of history and I learned a lot. But, I have a problem with what the author wrote in the first chapter, a character said he didn't feel that bad for the Native Americans because they used to own slaves. But, there's no culture or tribe in this world that didn't have slaves, even African ones. If we all had that mindset, then slavery would be excused since 'everyone' did it.
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That being said, i loved the storyline, setting and part of the characters. I liked that the author didn't start off with the riot and massacre. I was able to read about the FMC's lives, their family, Tulsa and Greenwood. It provided an important background. I admire the real life people who had built a dead land to a promising city filled with African Americans. I was also able to see the success in the city and I liked it.
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Our FMCs are the Justice sisters, Margaret and Evelyn. Margaret is my favorite. I admired her strength to go back to Greenwood and rebuild what her father had especially when he went missing during the riot. She was also a very good sister, even acting mother as their mother is dead. She even grew to be a respected leader in the newly built Greebwood. Amazing!
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Evelyn was a character that i had mixed feelings about. Sometime, she was okay and then she acted like an idiot. I tried to be empathetic considering what she had gone through, but the girl made a lot of bad decisions just because she didn't think. I liked that she was able to find herself again and follow her dream
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I liked reading about the aftermath of the riot, people who lost their houses and businesses in a night and how they lived in a tent, getting sick, not getting enough to eat. The resilience of the people was amazing. But, it was heartbreaking to see what they were going through. And the people who committed these acts were not punished until recently.
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Of course, the Threatt's Filling Station. The Threatt family was bery nice and giving. They opened their house to the victims of the riot and provided a safe havens for our FMCs. They did a lot for their neighbors and they're remembered in history.
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This book was amazing and I loved it. It was filled with black excellence, surviving spirit, Christian fiction and love for community.
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The way this author told this story was outstanding. I couldn’t stop reading the story of Evelyn and Margaret and what they endured during the fallout of the Tulsa riot. This story definitely gave me mixed emotions from sadness all the way to anger with how these sisters cope with the destruction of their town. Then to hear of the Filling Station that was used as a safe haven for the victims of the riot was an eye opener and then to know it still stands 👏🏿.

I received The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller as an ARC from Netgalley. This will be published on March 11, 2025 by Thomas Nelson Fiction so keep an eye out for it.

In my recent book club, we talked about what makes good literature: evoking emotion, immersing readers in the world of its characters, challenging a reader’s perspective. The Filling Station did all of these things.

Set in 1920s Oklahoma, we get to see a brief, shining moment of the Greenwood District of Tulsa. We’re introduced to Margaret and Evelyn Justice, two sisters ready to start their lives and careers. If you know anything about history, the time period and place should ring a bell. If no bells are rung, you need to read this book to learn history that really should be taught in schools.

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre starts very quickly and Black Wall Street and its residents are all but destroyed when whites came out to hunt down and kill whomever they found for absolutely no reason at all except jealousy (imo). Residents tried to run, most were shot on the spot or caught by the National Guard and placed in what were essentially internment camps. The residents. Who were attacked. Were the ones placed in a camp and not allowed out until a white person vouched for them. In their own city. (Emphasis is mine on how incredible it was that this even happened)

The Filling Station follows Margaret and Evelyn as they flee, as they find refuge at the filling station (a safe station owned by Blacks to give other Black folks a safe spot out of sundown towns), and as they are determined to rebuild what they lost, in spite of more white people standing in their way.

I wholeheartedly believe reading is for fun and I’m pretty serious about my reading fun. I also believe you need to read books that are out of your comfort zone, that can put you in someone’s shoes that you will never live in, and challenge your beliefs and perspectives you have.

I highly recommend The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller. It is historical fiction but Miller has built a compelling story around facts that will hit at your heart.

I think I would really like this book, but the formatting of this book was weird on my Kindle, and so I was unable to read it. I will be looking into this book after it is published and will update my review at that time.

After recently finishing Miller's The American Queen, I was eager to get my hands on her latest historical fiction book based on real events. This time the story features two sisters living in the African American town of "Dreamland" in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Set in the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa race riots, this is a moving look at the resilience of a community of African Americans determined to rebuild despite great obstacles. There's some romance, lots of loss and grief and at its core this is a hopeful, education read that was great on audio read by Angela Pean. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. It was a great book to read during Black History Month.