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.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I first heard about the Tulsa Race Massacre some years ago while watching a documentary featuring Henry Louis Gates, who talked to a survivor. It started because a young Black man rode an elevator with a white woman, and she told someone he had touched her backside. That got the white men in a lather and the Black community of Greenwood, a suburb of Tulsa, had no chance.

The Filling Station tells the story of Margaret and Evelyn, two sisters who react differently to what they experienced. When their home was burned to the ground and when they found out that their father was shot in the back, the young women suddenly find themselves with nothing. They find compassion at a filling station on Route 66 run by the Threatt family, who were a beacon of light to many Blacks who suffered at the hands of white men.

Vanessa Miller does an excellent job showing how Margaret and Evelyn behave before, during and after the massacre. She treats the ladies’ PTSD sensitively and does a good job of moving the story forward while they try to get back on their feet. Miller shows how strong and proud the young women are, in fact, almost all the characters are given some grace for what they went through.

This is the type of historical fiction that I love to read: it’s based on a true story, it creates a narrative that makes the book hard to put down, and after the story concludes, the author includes other resources for further reading about a topic. These types of stories need to be brought to the forefront and talked about more, because we never learned about this, nor the Wilmington massacre of 1898, while we were in school. It’s important to bring more books like this to light so things like this don’t happen again.

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller was excellent. I love when historical fiction either teaches me about a time or incident that I do not know about or prompts me to go read more about the real event and this book did both. Even though I went to college at the University of Tulsa I don’t recall ever learning about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. My daughter said that she learned about it in both high school and college but it wasn’t taught during my time in school. The story and characters were great; in addition to the main characters I love that the author creates memorable supporting characters as well. I hope I travel to Tulsa soon because I want to visit the Greenwood Rising Historical Center and see what Archer and Greenwood streets look like today.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for an early copy to read and review. This book is expected to be released on March 11, 2025 so will be available soon. I see the pre-order for the paperback is 40% off at Baker Book House online.

I have read other books about the Tulsa Race Massacre that have dwelt more on the riot versus the emotional fallout the occurs in the book. Written as fiction it still contains facts and the people that suffered through this tragedy. I think it should be note their is really two filling stations, the Threatt Filling Station and the filling of God's word which Elijah talked about. The story contains how the two sisters handled the situation. Margaret wanted to rebuild for her father's legacy and Evelyn who just thought of herself and finally took off for designer school. The characters have depth and are well written into the story. God is working on the hearts of these people.

A creative story about two young women as they move forward and find themselves in the wake of white supremacist violence destroying the Black community in Tulsa. The race riots are rarely covered in historical fiction, thus this is an important subject matter, albeit the writing is less descriptive as other novels.

I had barely started this book when it gripped me. And, not just in a good way but a compelling way. This is a historical novel of an actual incident in 1921 where white people burned down a Black town, Greenwood, just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma. It was horrific. Over a thousand homes and businesses were destroyed. Countless deaths. Totally horrifying!

Tulsa Race Massacre | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

Two of the victims of this senseless destruction were two teenage sisters, Evelyn and Margaret. They lost their father and his business (a grocery store) along with their home. A kindly family just outside of town gave them shelter and kindness.

We follow the two young ladies as they suffer through the aftermath with their grief, despair and what we now know as PTSD. It was heartbreaking, my heart went out to these two along with the other victims who struggled with the loss of so many friends, family and everything they possessed. The description of the event may be a trigger for some readers. It is quite detailed.

I had never heard of this horrible event. I'm shocked that the this was buried in history until recent years.

The survivors of the Massacre were strong and resilient. The was rebuilt, house by house, business by business. Evelyn and Margaret had their issues but remained loyal to each other. It was heartwarming to watch them become stronger than they ever imagined they could be.

The Afterword by the author is important to read. She explains her research, including a visit to the town. She also explains how some of the characters came to be. Kudos to Ms. Miller for all the research and hard work to recreate this historic event that memorializes and pays tribute to a town and its people.

It wasn't planned but I am glad that I read it during Black History Month. This book truly opened my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy.

I was thrilled when I got this book! I’ve heard about the Tulsa Massacre and its history, but this book really brought it to life. What I loved most was how it starts right after the riot. Evelyn and Margaret Justice are sisters who were raised by their amazing, hardworking father. He taught them important values and beliefs.

Margaret was my absolute favorite of the two. She was so strong, smart, and determined. She also went through some tough times and had questions about God and her faith.

The story was a heavy read, but it was beautifully told. I was also deeply angered by the treatment of black people during and after the massacre. The insurance companies exploited them, preventing them from rebuilding their lives. Even the Red Cross treated them horribly, forcing them to work for basic necessities like food and clothes.

Some parts of the book felt a bit disjointed. The flow wasn’t consistent at times, and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter seemed to be randomly inserted. Despite these issues, it’s still a good read. It explores themes of black history, community, romance, and sisterhood. The residents of Greenwood were incredibly resilient people.

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher, and of course, the author, for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Filling Station" by Vanessa Miller is a very powerful book set during the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1924. There is some very difficult historical detail portrayed in this novel based on the real life events. The Threatt Filling Station, one of the real life parts of the story was one of the only safe gas stations along Route 66 for Black Americans during this time. The sisters Evelyn and Margaret brought to life the emotions and difficulties survivors of the massacre dealt with. This was not an easy story to read but I couldn't put it down and read it all in one evening because the story is very compelling.

This book is a very heavy and difficult to read book in many parts, but also an important book to learn more about this dark part of American history. The events of the night of the massacre, PTSD for survivors, the rebuilding challenges that were faced and so many other things brought up in the story make us understand better the realities of what happened in Tulsa back in 1924.

The author did her research and used real life people along with her characters. Miller is an incredible storyteller and this is my second historical fiction read by her (The American Queen was the other). She does an excellent job with these sensitive parts of Black American History to help people understand what happened. She also leaves the reader with the hope that can only be found in perseverance through tragedy and a strong faith in God to bring them through these challenges.

This is a Christian faith-filled story and the author does a great job of walking the reader through what many people struggle with when it comes to faith - "How can a great God let such bad things happen? " Anyone reading this should be prepared for these strong faith themes which enhance the story immensely in my eyes. I loved seeing those bits of hope woven into the story, because without hope, I don't think the people of Greenwood could have ever built their part of the city back together with all of the challenges they faced.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Margaret Justice was just out college and her sister Evelyn was about to graduate college the night of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

The sisters lost everything that night, and spent years afterwards trying to recover and rebuild from the awful events that changed their communities lives forever.

I was really looking forward to this book as a fan of historical fiction. I don’t know much about the Tulsa Race Massacre and while I did learn a lot from The Filling Station, I hoped for a little more history.

It also got very religious at points that I wasn’t sure expecting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All views and opinions in this review are my own.

"The Filling Station" was an eye-opening and dramatic historical fiction work about the survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. As someone who is not American, I am not really familiar with what really happened in this historical event, so it was good to read something that showed what the survivors had to go through, and the aftermath of such a horrific occurrence in American history. I was really rooting for the main characters, Margaret and Evelyn Justice, to overcome their trauma,to find hope, and continue to fight for their community and reach their dreams. The book had the right amount of drama, romance, and inspirational scenes, but also the author does not shy away from describing the fear of violence, and the aggression that the residents of Greenwood experienced at the time. Thank you for this important work that highlights the continuous struggle against racism. Very timely.

Vanessa Miller delivers a powerful, character-driven story that blends Black history, faith, and resilience. Set in the 1960s, The Filling Station follows Hale and Lillian as they fight to keep their family-run gas station alive while navigating racial tensions and the lasting trauma of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Their business becomes more than just a gas station—it’s a symbol of survival and empowerment.

Miller doesn’t just tell a story; she honors our history—from the generational impact of Tulsa to the ongoing fight for Black economic independence. If you love Black historical fiction that’s deeply moving and rich with history, this is a must-read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I had never heard of the of the Greenwood Oklahoma massacre until reading this. It's a tragic story of mans inhumanity to man and the prejudice Black Americans lived through. The story of the survivors and the story of Maggie and her younger sister Evelyn is very touching. The ending was very satisfying and I'm glad to have read this book. This is my honest opinion of this book.

Title: The Filling Station  
Author: Vanessa Miller         
Genre: Historical fiction       
Rating: 4 out of 5 

During Jim Crow America, there was only one place Black Americans could safely refuel their vehicles along what would eventually become iconic Route 66. But more than just a place to refuel, it was a place to fill up the soul, build community, and find strength. For two sisters, the Threatt Filling Station became the safe haven they needed after escaping the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

After looking in the face of evil and leaving her whole world behind, Margaret Justice wants nothing more than to feel safe and hold tight to what she has left. Her sister, Evelyn, meanwhile, is a dreamer who longs for adventure and to follow her heart, even though she's been told repeatedly to not dream too big.

As they both grapple with love, loss, and racism, Margaret and Evelyn realize that they can't hide out at the filling station when Greenwood and their father's legacy needs to be rebuilt. Going back will take strength they're not sure they have. But for the love of Greenwood, they will risk it all and just may be the catalyst to bring Black Wall Street back to its former glory.

This was not a light and fluffy read. I found it horrifying and sad—but the ending was full of hope and uplifting. For some reason, I had trouble keeping the two sisters straight in my mind. I kept getting their names mixed up. The book blurb was a little misleading, as Evelyn did not want to go back to Greenwood after the traumatic events and instead wanted to stay as far away as possible. Margaret was very strong, sometimes to her own detriment, but her strength got her through the hard times.

Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author. The Filling Station is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)

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