Shelterwood

Oklahoma, 1909

Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley’s stepfather is not a good man. She knows that his intentions toward the two Choctaw girls staying in their home are not good. When the older of the girls disappears, Ollie flees with six-year-old Nessa. Together they brave the wild, surrounded by outlaws, nature, crooks, and dangerous individuals.

Oklahoma, 1990

Valerie Boren O’dell, a law enforcement Ranger, has arrived at Horsethief Trail National Park to begin a new job. She is hoping for a quiet, laid-back job, but when a teenage hiker goes missing and the skeletal bodies of three young children are found in a hidden burial site, things get interesting fast.

This book is told through the past and present storylines. The past story line was my favorite. This book depicts the harsh realities of life that children have had to endure. In both times there are issues over land, land rights, and ownership. Shelterwood showcases how power corrupted(corrupts) individuals and how they are willing to do whatever it takes, no matter who gets hurt, in the pursuit of wealth and power.

I enjoyed Ollie’s gumption and drive to protect Nessa. She was determined, brave, strong and had a strong desire to survive. She was young when she took on the role of protector and provider. I admired her character for that. I enjoy books that not only entertain me but teach me something new and evoke feelings. I did not know about this time in my country’s history. How Native children were robbed of their land, their basic rights and were often put out, orphaned, or worse.

I can’t imagine having to survive in the wild and that is just what many of these children had to do. I can’t imagine how scary and hard this must have been, hoping for help from strangers yet not knowing who to trust. The injustice of it all is hard to stomach.

I found this book to be gripping, well written, well thought out and evoking emotions. The author’s note at the end is a must read as well.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.