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Two sisters. Sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice have grown up in the prosperous Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma--also known as Black Wall Street. While Evelyn aspires to head off to the East Coast to study fashion design, recent college grad Margaret plans to settle in Greenwood, teaching at the local high school and eventually raising a family. Then the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre upends everything they know and brings them unspeakable loss. 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. But they eventually realize that they can't hide out at the filling station when Greenwood needs to be rebuilt. The search for their father and their former life may not give them easy answers, but it can propel them--and their community--to a place where their voices are stronger . . . strong enough to build a future that honors the legacy of those who were lost.

Let me just say, this description of the story is everything you need to know about it, and I highly recommend this book.

The audiobook was amazing! The narrator did a phenomenal job... omg! Five stars across the board.

Thank you, Netgellay, and Thomas Nelson for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

THE FILLING STATION by Vanessa Miller

Angela Pean does a terrific reading of this book, as well as, her reading in Vanessa Miller’s previous book, The American Queen

Where was the justice system when hateful humans destroyed the lives and community of the black residents of Greenwood District?

This is a fictional account of actual events that occurred in Oklahoma between 1921 and 1926. Margaret and her sister, Evelyn, learn how to navigate life after the Tulsa race massacre along with others from the decimated Greenwood District. Threatt Filling Station became the safe haven and place of compassion that Margaret and Evelyn needed to recharge and gather the strength in rebuilding their lives.

This is a beautifully told story of a resilient group of people who would not be destroyed in another dark time of American history. A powerful story of continuing to rise in the face of adversity. A story of survival, faith, strength, redemption, and a never-give-up attitude. This is my second read by this skilled writer and look forward to what she does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the audiobook of The Filling Station. Pub Date: March 11, 2025.

'The Filling Station' is a beautifully written story around the real Tulsa Race Massacre. It is heartbreaking what the Greenwood community faced. Though the subject matter is rightfully heavy, Vanessa Miller adds sweet moments of restoration, romance, and new life. In fact, my favorite aspect of this story is how the characters bring all their deep emotions to God for Him to bring healing and comfort. It makes historical fiction much more inspiring to see how Christians depend on God and show the love and grace of Jesus to others.

If you like to read well-researched historical women's fiction, then I recommend this audiobook to you! Vanessa Miller expertly writes the scope of this story to acknowledge many facets of the tragedy while focusing on a few characters with a clear timeline. Angel Pean does a fantastic job with the narration.

Special thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Audiobook Review: The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

I’ll be honest—I struggled to even start this book. As an African American woman, there are parts of history that feel too heavy to revisit, stories so painful that I hesitate to step into them again. But Vanessa Miller does something special here. She doesn’t just tell the story—she walks with you through the heartbreak, holding your hand through the darkest moments and then smiling with you when joy breaks through. Much like our Heavenly Father, she reminds us that even in devastation, hope and resilience remain.

The balance in this book is powerful. The weight of the Tulsa tragedy is undeniable, but there’s also the beauty of community—dances, barbecues, baseball games—that remind us of the joy Black Wall Street once held. The inclusion of real eyewitness accounts at the start of each chapter adds another layer, grounding the novel in history.

And the audiobook? Incredible. The narrator brings every character to life, making you feel like you’re right there in Greenwood, experiencing it all firsthand.

Miller’s research and storytelling make The Filling Station both emotional and enlightening. If you’ve been hesitant to read about this part of history, I get it. But this book is worth it. Highly recommend.

Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Angel Pean can do no wrong bringing a story to life!! Absolutely loved the audiobook and it made me feel like I was in Oklahoma with Margaret and Evelyn!

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is so well written, and an amazing story. It follows two sisters, Margaret and Evelyn as they learn what life is and how to navigate it after the Tulsa Race Massacre which took place in Tulsa Greenwood which was also known as “Black Wall Street”. I remember learning about this in school but the way that Miller writes it, you truly feel all the emotions that all the characters feel. This book extremely well researched which really took me back in time and place when this all happened. I really enjoyed the quotes at the start of each chapter it helps in providing context since its from the time when massacre happened. I plan to read more books by Vanessa Miller because the way she writes her novels is beautiful and attention grabbing, it flows and really makes you feel the emotions the characters have.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advance listener copy. Special thanks to Vanessa Miller for making this possible. This review was written voluntarily and using my own words.

The Filling Station is a historical fiction novel exploring the Tulsa race massacre and its lasting effects on a fictional family, The Justices, their friends and neighbors, and on the broader community. The author started each chapter with a real life blurb, for example part of a news story, interview, or the Red Cross Disaster Report. This format was very powerful when combined with the heartbreaking and terrifying scenes of the massacre, and the story of the strong community fighting tooth and nail in an uphill battle to rebuild the Greenwood District. I hope many schools incorporate this book into their American history curriculum.

The audiobook narrator was phenomenal. Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC.

The story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was new to me but not surprising at all. Margaret and Evelyn Justice grew up in Greenwood during Jim Crow America in an area known as Black Wallstreet.

Tragedy and events so horrifying chase them away one night and their life changes forever. This is an important book for so many reasons about love, hate, and facing an evil that has never truly died. While hard to consume I enjoyed this book because there is still good in the midst of evil and evil does not always win.

If you love historical fiction, this is the book for you.

Such a sad, true story of the Tulsa Race Massacre and a look at the aftermath and what it would have been like to live thru it. It's one of those events that no matter how many times I hear and learn about similar events and attitudes in our country's history, feels incomprehensible that we as human beings ever allowed it to happen to other human beings. As much as I wish it was entirely fictional, I'm glad to have learned a new aspect of history and what black people in Tulsa went thru, that is only recently been talked about and taught. The bravery and endurance that the people in that town had to not just lose everything in a horrific way, but to have to rebuild with obstacle after obstacle in their path, as well as no acknowledgment of the injustice.

It was also inspiring to learn about the town and Black Wall Street and how it thrived at the time despite all the discrimination and everything that came against it - that the men and women had enough courage to push the imposed boundaries and live their dreams rather than be intimidated by the white people around them.

I thought the book honored the emotional toll an event like that would take on those living thru it, show the justifiable anger following, but also added such purpose to it as people decided to stay and rebuild. I don't know that I could have done it, to be honest, so that's even more commendable. I liked that there was a clear and realistic battle with not just the helplessness and anger at the situation, but the struggle with understanding God's role in it. I liked the wrestle of that and that the characters weren't afraid to ask questions but still seek God in the midst of immensely painful things. The way the community banded together was inspiring.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.

Wow....
Amazing story I loved everything about this book. The audiobook was amazing.
I appreciate this story for showing you the emotions and not just telling you. Listening to audiobook, I can visualize the Tragedy and every emotion Margaret and Evelyn had. I cried at parts smile and felt proud of what the black people of Tulsa overcame. I think everyone should read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for ALC.

This novel is based on the Tulsa Greenwood district also known as black Wall Street. After the riot a.k.a. massacre, Evelyn and Margaret flee to safer grounds. And then follows a sister on Route 66 at a gas station. They deal with life’s ups and downs, grief and conflicting views about returning to Greenwood. The narrator was excellent, and I really enjoyed her voice. Her voice and sound were perfect for the era. She was portrayed. This is also a Christian novel, so there are elements in mentioning of God and prayer.

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.

The narrator was also great and fit perfectly with the story. I definitely recommend you check out The Filling Station!

Thank you Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC!

What a moving story about a tragic time in US history. The narrator brought to life the fear and hope felt by these characters. This is a great pick for book clubs and women's groups.

Both Justice sisters are at a precipice. Margaret just graduated college and is about to start a teaching career in her home of Greenwood. Evelyn is graduating high school and is about to move to NYC to attend design school. Then their community is attacked and nothing is ever the same.

I was disappointed overall with the book, which saddens me. However, I will say that this is completely because of me and my reading preferences. Most people will enjoy this. I enjoyed the first portion a lot.

The first two-thirds of the book is at least 4 star worthy. Possibly higher. Then there was a complete shift in the tone. In the beginning, there were questions about how God would allow such things to happen. In the latter part of the book, it came much more focused on religious beliefs. This is where it lost me. Thankfully it never got super preachy- just more of a struggle with their own faith and beliefs. For the most part, I do not typically enjoy Christian Fiction for the same reasons I don't like Hallmark movies- they end up too perfect at the end. It is just not reality. This was not tagged as Christian Fiction when it was provided to me as an ARC. I would have passed.

Prior to the shift, I really enjoyed the story of Margaret's resilience and Evelyn's struggle to cope with the massacre. I love history and have watched documentaries about the Tulsa Race Massacre in the past. I enjoyed this peak into that time period.

Angel Pean narrates the audiobook.

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

This narrator just fits with this author work perfectly that you just can’t help but to be sucked in from beginning to end.

The history and characters, real or fictional; were described so well I felt I was there. I learned another part of history that was never taught to me. The author wrote fabulous novel about this historic vent.

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.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this beautifully written story. The audio narration definitely brought this story to life.
I truly enjoyed this and learning additional facts that I did not know. The authors note in the beginning captured my attention and it was an emotional ride from there.

This story was well written. This story is definitely one that I will have my toddler to read as part of her learning about her history as she grows. This story should be a recommend story of literature.

I will complete a more thorough review once I am able to have the physical copy in my hands. I need to annotate and read again.