Book of The Month discussion

A sweeping novel inspired by the untold history of women pioneers who fought to protect children caught in the storm of land barons hungry for power and oil wealth.

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.

Through Ch. 8 / pg. 82 / 25%

I really like this one so far.

(view spoiler)[First, I have to say what a creep Tesco is. Why is their mother allowing him to treat the girls the way he does? She's sleeping all the time, addicted? We haven't seen Tesco for a while so I wonder if he'll resurface.

My heart was racing when Olive took Nessa into the woods and those men and Tesco were hunting them down. And the river crossing...so scary! I hated that they lost Skedee and so much of their supplies as well as their matches and that blanket. Olive is beyond her years and pretty smart.

Valerie seems to be taken without sincerity in her new job. I was wondering why Kenneth and her split and why Gram wants her to pack up Charlie and come back. Does she just have that 1990's (and earlier) mentality of women's and men's roles, or is Kenneth really a good catch?

Will Sydney and Braden be in the storyline again? And whose bones did Valerie discover? I hope it's not Olivia's and Nessa's but if it is. whose bones would the third person be. And I think Roy knows something since he kept calling saying the bones were girls' bones. Hmm... (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 16 / pg. 157 / 48%

(view spoiler)[I kept thinking that the bones would be Olive and Nessa but then who would the third set belong to? The time frame fits, but I'm not so sure they belong to them. So now I'm thinking they might belong to Tula and Pinti and one of the other kids. If not, I'm rather clueless at this point.

I agree about the townspeople. They're weird and Olive taking on Hazel's name seems to be serving her well as of now. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 25 / pg. 246 / 75%

(view spoiler)[I don't quite get what is going on with Sydney and if she's really telling the truth about everything. Wambles seems like a B! Why is she so afraid to let Valerie talk to Sydney? Where is Braden? And I am still wondering about Hazel.

I love little Charlie. :) (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[I'm glad for the most part it turned out well for them. I really liked this one. (hide spoiler)]

8 chapters

(view spoiler)[ I'm super curious about the bones and the girls too! are the bones the same girls - Ollie and Nessa - that we are learning about
or are the different?

it sounds like there is a bigger story here, so Roy keeping up calling them little girls doesn't sound like he knows more than Valerie, just that he knows the history of the area more. I can't wait to find out what the town historian sends her about the women. (hide spoiler)]

17 chapters / 168 pages / about 50%

(view spoiler)[ Yeah, now I'm wondering if it's different kids - like the ones in town stealing or the other kids they keep running around with. I think these 2 girls - or at least one of them - will survive. I wonder who their ancestors might be in the story

the story about Braden and his sister right now is very sad. I can't tell if Braden is really still out there searching for treasure or if he's met a bad end. and it sounds like the grandma died, right? I can't tell, everyone seems like they know something different

and Valerie - I like her but this town sure is giving her a lot of crap (hide spoiler)]

through 25 chapters / pg 246

(view spoiler)[ I'm definitely not liking Olive's chapters as much anymore.

I'm much more interested what's going on with blasting caps and threats to Valerie.

and yes, Sydney has definitely messed this all up. if she could just tell the truth about something - without convoluting it or making anything up

I do believe that he took her and that he locked her up - but I don't know how all the dots connect yet (hide spoiler)]

and done

(view spoiler)[ wow, I was really surprised how deep this corruption went
all to steal the wood from the forest and steal the land from the grandma

I loved knowing the land belonged to Hazel.
and wow, the story about Hazel actually running because she'd become pregnant. just awful what happened to them. the abuse these kids suffered, people acting like they weren't little people

and I was glad Valerie and Curtis uncovered it all. when they first bumped into masked people, I was worried but glad it was the brother and Rachel. (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad you liked it. :)

Nice. I liked it too. Rural mystery stories are so fascinating.