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.