About the book:
Title: Shelterwood
Author: Lisa Wingate
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Dual-Time
Oklahoma, 1909. Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley knows that her stepfather doesn’t have good intentions toward the two Choctaw girls boarded in their home as wards. When the older girl disappears, Ollie flees to the woods, taking six-year-old Nessa with her. Together they begin a perilous journey to the rugged Winding Stair Mountains, the notorious territory of outlaws, treasure hunters, and desperate men. Along the way, Ollie and Nessa form an unlikely band with others like themselves, struggling to stay one step ahead of those who seek to exploit them . . . or worse.Oklahoma, 1990. Law Enforcement Ranger Valerie Boren O’dell arrives at Horsethief Trail National Park seeking a quiet place to balance a career and single parenthood. But no sooner has Valerie reported for duty than she’s faced with local controversy over the park’s opening, a teenage hiker gone missing from one of the trails, and the long-hidden burial site of three children deep in a cave. Val’s quest to uncover the truth wins an ally among the neighboring Choctaw Tribal Police but soon collides with old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land itself.
In this emotional and enveloping novel, Lisa Wingate traces the story of children abandoned by the law and the battle to see justice done. Amid times of deep conflict over who owns the land and its riches, Ollie and Val traverse the wild and beautiful terrain, each leaving behind one life in search of another.
My Thoughts
I have been drawn to Lisa Wingate's books since I read Tending Roses years ago. Her book Before We Were Yours is especially dear to me as I'm adopted. In Shelterwood we are introduced once again to children in trouble and the Choctaw nation which added an interesting aspect to the story.
As we meet Olive and Nessa in 1909 my heart is immediately drawn to them. Olive is doing all she can to save her little sister Nessa from the scum of a stepfather they have; then as we move to 1990 we meet Valerie, a park ranger who is as loving and protective as Olive. This book is set in Oklahoma, a place I lived for a short period, and Ms. Wingate uses the history of the Choctaw nation to create a story that will both wreck your heart and encourage your spirit as you learn things in history that should never be forgotten. I loved the historical part which is typical.
Lisa Wingate has a unique ability to tell compelling and heartwrenching stories involving children in danger wrapped in historical timelines, which has made her a go-to author for me. I love learning things while reading, which is probably why historicals are some of my favorite reads; and dual-time lines are the best in my opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lisa Wingate is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Before We Were Yours, which remained on the NYT Bestseller List for over two years, has been translated into over forty languages worldwide, and has sold more than three million copies. She has penned over thirty novels and coauthored a nonfiction book, Before and After with Judy Christie. Her work has garnered or been nominated for many awards, including the Southern Book Prize, the Oklahoma Book Award, and the Goodreads Choice Award. Her blockbuster hit, Before We Were Yours was Publishers Weekly’s #3 longest-running bestseller of 2017, and was voted by readers as the 2017 Goodreads Choice Award winner for historical fiction.
Lisa lives with her husband in North Texas and Central Colorado.
You can find and interact with Ms. Wingate on the following social media platforms.
1 comment:
Her books are good. I haven't read this one, and I am not sure if I can. It sounds like a difficult read. Great review, Andi!
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