Books Set in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas

Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge or simply found your way to our website researching books set in the South Central states, you’ve come to the right place!

Below, you’ll find a list of highly-rated books featuring the South Central states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. If you are looking for other books set in the South, you’ll find those on this booklist.

What Kind of Books Are Included On This List?

Our curated recommendations strike a good balance between historical fiction, contemporary novels, non-fiction, and memoirs. The list is broken down by state. You’ll also find a brief description of each state’s characteristics before the corresponding books.

Books Set in the South Central United States

BOOKS SET IN ARKANSAS

The area that is now Arkansas was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Quapaw, Osage, and Caddo. European exploration began in the 16th century when Spanish conquistadors arrived searching for gold. However, it wasn't until the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 that Arkansas came under American control. Arkansas became a territory in 1819 and achieved statehood in 1836.

The state played a significant role in the Civil War as a Confederate state, with many battles fought on its soil. After the war, Arkansas, like the rest of the South, experienced the challenges of Reconstruction as it transitioned back into the Union. A century later, the Civil Rights Movement had a profound impact on the state, with the Little Rock Nine's integration of Central High School in 1957 gaining national attention.

Arkansas is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, including the Ozark Mountains, Hot Springs National Park, and the Buffalo National River. The state is also recognized for its rich cultural heritage. It has a deep-rooted music tradition, particularly in genres such as blues, country, and folk.

Located near the state's center, Little Rock is the largest city in Arkansas. It offers a blend of urban amenities, including a vibrant downtown area and a bustling riverfront. Northwest Arkansas, comprising cities such as Fayetteville (home to the University of Arkansas) and Bentonville (the home of Walmart), has experienced rapid growth in recent years due to its economic prosperity, natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and thriving cultural scene.

In rural areas of the state, however, poverty remains a significant issue. The state consistently ranks among the highest in terms of poverty rates in the United States - 17.2%, higher than the national average according to the 2020 census. Factors contributing to this problem include the state's economy relying heavily on low-wage industries, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to quality education. It is a complex issue, but efforts are being made to address poverty in Arkansas through various initiatives.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

by Jenny Wingfield
Setting: ARKANSAS, 1956

Each June, the members of the Moses family gather for a family reunion at a hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. Young preacher Samuel Lake always brings his wife, Willadee Moses, and their children back for the celebration.

Just as the 1956 reunion is getting underway, tragedy strikes, setting the stage for a summer of crisis and change. Much of the story is told through the eyes of an 11-year-old girl named Swan.

The Book Girls Say... This book deals with child and animal abuse as well as other difficult topics. Many reviewers, however, say that the author strikes a good balance between good and evil, and darkness and joy. The tragic elements of the story are equally matched with gentle humor and hopefulness.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

Warriors Don't Cry

by Melba Beals
Setting: Little Rock, ARKANSAS, 1957

Three years after the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, nine black teenagers were chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The author of this memoir, Melba Beals, and her eight classmates were known as the Little Rock Nine. As they walked up the steps to the school flanked by the heavily armed Arkansas National Guard, surrounded by a rampaging mob, they became reluctant warriors on the battlefield of the civil rights movement.

The Book Girls' Say... If you enjoy this book, you may also want to pick up March Forward, Girl - another Beals memoir of her earlier years. It is written in language that's appropriate for younger readers, but is an important story that is just as captivating to adults.

Another YA option that gets a lot of praise from adults is The Lions of Little Rock. This historical fiction tells the story of the friendship between two girls during the tumultuous period surrounding school integration in Little Rock.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

The Vapors

by David Hill
Setting: Hot Springs, ARKANSAS

Did you know that the town of Hot Spring, Arkansas was a mob refuge specializing in all kinds of vice from the 1930s through the 1960s? Brothels, illegal casinos, and horse racing reigned, offset by the beauty of America’s first National Park, healing springs, and glam Art Deco architecture.

The Vapors is a true crime non-fiction history of the town, told through the lives of three unbelievable real people. Owney Madden was a legendary mobster who fled to Hot Springs after a crime spree in New York. Hazel was a young girl when Owney came to town, but eventually, she worked in his club and used his alcohol to drown her sorrows. Owney’s apprentice was Dane Harris, the son of a Cherokee bootlegger.

Dane’s dream was to build The Vapors, a sophisticated and glamorous palace of pleasure that would rival the best of Vegas. The book explores the hidden underbelly of the South, including how a town synonymous with white gangsters supported a burgeoning black middle class.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by Maya Angelou
Setting: Stamps, ARKANSAS and St. Louis, Missouri

Born in St. Louis in 1928, Maya Angelou grew up to become one of the most influential voices of the 20th century - a poet, educator, civil rights activist, historian, actress, filmmaker, and much more. In this memoir, first published in 1969, Maya recounts her childhood from the ages of three through sixteen.

As a young child, Maya and her brother are "shipped" to Stamps, Arkansas to live with their paternal grandmother, where they endure both the pain of abandonment and prejudice. At eight years old, the two return to live with their mother in St. Louis, where her mother's boyfriend rapes Maya.

After returning to Arkansas, Maya is so traumatized by the abuse she endured that she stops speaking for several years.

The Book Girls Say... We highly recommend the audiobook version, which is read in Maya's distinctive deep and lyrical voice. But no matter which format you choose, this memoir will transport you back to the Jim Crow South, where you'll feel like you're walking alongside Maya.

The Gods of Green County

by Mary Elizabeth Pope
Setting: Paradise, ARKANSAS, 1920s-1940s

In 1920s rural Arkansas, young Coralee dreams of a family of her own. Sadly, the trajectory of her life changes when her brother, Buddy, is murdered by a powerful sheriff. As Coralee tries to recover from the loss, she begins seeing her brother around town. Is she losing her mind or clairvoyant?

Twenty years later, Coralee’s husband, Earl, tries to balance the work necessary to put food on the table and the fight for his family. There are other forces at work through the town’s people. Leroy is a young, ambitious lawyer who lands a judgeship through a terrible mistake. An evangelical preacher rules a flock of snake-handling parishioners. Sheriff Wiley Slocum has plenty of dark secrets, but rules the town.

Eventually, Coralee is sent to a sanity hearing, but in judging Coralee, Leroy is also impacting his own future.

Dying for Dominoes

by Jane Elzey
Setting: Northwest ARKANSAS

Is there foul play when a fun game of dominos between four close friends turns deadly for Zack, the husband of Amy’s best friend, Zelda? It’s a bit suspicious, considering Zelda’s declaration that he’s making her crazy, and she wants him gone.

When he’s killed in a hit-in-run in a parking garage right before date night, the four friends who discussed his possible demise all suspect each other…and the police also suspect them. Amy has to go into amateur sleuth mode throughout the hills of Arkansas in her quest for the truth.

The Book Girls Say… Dying for Dominos is the first book of the Cardboard Cottage cozy mystery series. Book three, Poison Parcheesi and Wine, is also set in Arkansas and features Arkansas’s version of wine country.

During a little Book Girls road trip, we discovered this series at Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas! The author lives in the Ozark Mountains region of Arkansas, lending some extra authenticity to the setting of this entertaining read.

BOOKS SET IN LOUISIANA

Long before the arrival of Spanish and French explorers, Louisiana was home to the Chitimacha, Coushatta, Choctaw, and Tunica tribes. The 18th and 19th centuries were marked by territorial exchanges, culminating in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, wherein the US acquired a large part of North America from France, doubling its size overnight. Louisiana became a state in 1812 and later seceded from the Union in 1861 to join the Confederacy. Its location was strategically important during the Civil War, and it played an equally important role as a testing ground for many of Abraham Lincoln’s reconstruction policies.

Centuries after the French first settled in Louisiana, their influence remains palpable throughout the state. It is particularly evident in the state's unique blend of cultures, often termed "Creole" and "Cajun." Despite English being the official language, French and Louisiana Creole are spoken in many homes, particularly in the southern parishes. Louisiana's cuisine, renowned for its flavor and diversity, is also heavily French-inspired. Signature dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and etouffee all carry French names and cooking techniques. Even the legal system in Louisiana is based on the French Napoleonic Code, unlike the common law system followed in other US states.

New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana, is globally renowned for its vibrant jazz and zydeco music scene, diverse cuisine, and cultural events like Mardi Gras. The French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, showcases the city's French heritage through its distinctive architecture featuring cast-iron balconies and lush courtyards. Baton Rouge, the state capital, is home to many historic sites and educational institutions such as Louisiana State University. Shreveport, in the state's northwestern corner, is known for its riverfront casinos. At the same time, Lafayette, in the Acadiana region, celebrates Cajun and Creole cultures with a focus on music, food, and festivals.

The distinctive geography of Louisiana includes many swamps, marshes, and bayous. These slow-moving, marshy waterways are an iconic part of the state's landscape and culture. Louisiana hosts the largest area of coastal wetlands in the United States. The Atchafalaya Basin, which covers about 860,000 acres, is the largest swamp in the United States. The low-lying topography of the state makes it particularly susceptible to flooding during hurricanes, as was the case with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, significant efforts have been made to improve flood defenses and restore wetlands, but Louisiana remains vulnerable to powerful storms due to its geographic location and characteristics.

The Book of Lost Friends

by Lisa Wingate
Setting: LOUISIANA, 1875 & 1987

During the Civil War, freed slaves placed “Lost Friends” ads in Southern newspapers in hopes of being united with loved ones who had been sold. This historical fiction novel tells the story of three women looking for family in 1875 post-civil war Louisiana. Lavinia was set to inherit a wealthy plantation, but now it is destitute. Juneau Jane is her illegitimate Creole half-sister, and Hannie is Lavinia’s former slave. The unlikely trio sets out on a perilous journey, encountering those still fighting a war that ended ten years earlier.

Their story is intersected with a first-year teacher in 1987 Louisiana. Benedetta (Benny) has taken a job in a poor, rural district to help eliminate her college debt. It seems like the perfect opportunity, but when she arrives, she’s shocked by the level of poverty her students endure. But a hidden book that tells the lives of three women a century ago could change everything.

The Book Girls Say…This historical fiction from the author of Before We Were Yours was a Goodreads Nominee for Best Historical Fiction in 2020.

The Yellow House

by Sarah M. Broom
Setting: New Orleans, LOUISIANA

Set in East New Orleans, this memoir covers the author's family history and her relationships with the house her mother purchased in the 1960s. When the family purchased the home, it was in an up-and-coming new area, near a major NASA plant that exuded postwar optimism.

Over the years, the family, home, and neighborhood struggled, including the home being swept away by Hurricane Katrina. However, much had changed before Katrina as well.

This memoir explores class, race, inequality, and life in New Orleans outside the tourist district.

A Kind of Freedom

by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
Setting: New Orleans, LOUISIANA, WWII, 1980s, and Present Day

This novel traces the legacy of racial disparity in the South through the history of one Creole family. Evelyn’s family inhabits the upper echelon of Black society in New Orleans, but as she comes of age during WWII, she faces a choice between her life of privilege and her true love.

Forty years later, in the 1980s, Evelyn’s daughter, Jackie, is a frazzled single mother with an absent, drug-addicted husband. When he returns, she is forced to decide whether to take him back in hopes of regaining their old life. If she does that, will he just walk out again?

Fast forward again, and Jackie’s son, T.C., has reinvented himself after Hurricane Katrina. Following a short stint in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. For Evelyn, Jim Crow is an ongoing reality, and in its wake, new threats spring up to haunt her descendants.

Out of The Easy

by Ruta Sepetys
Setting: New Orleans, LOUISIANA, 1950

Despite her rough start to life as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, 17-year-old Josie has big dreams of escaping New Orleans to attend an elite university. However, her careful plans are turned upside down after a mysterious death in the French Quarter. She becomes tangled in the investigation, which will test her conscience, allegiance to her mother, and the madam of Conti Street.

The Book Girls Say... Like the author's other historical fiction, you’ll find a strong female character trying to make the best of a difficult situation and a great supporting cast. As you read, you’ll be transported to 1950s New Orleans.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
98% Would Recommend to a Friend

Zeitoun

by David Eggers
Setting: New Orleans, LOUISIANA, 2005

Caught between two of the major events of the early 21st century - the war on terror and Hurricane Katrina, this is the true story of one family trying to survive.

Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun operate a house painting business in New Orleans. As the storm approaches, Kathy evacuates with their young children, but her husband - a Syrian-born American citizen - stays to watch over the business. In the aftermath of the storm, he uses his canoe to rescue many neighbors and animals, until he is arrested by the police and National Guardsmen, who mistake him for a terrorism suspect.

The Book Girls Say... This is an extremely powerful book that paints a vivid portrait of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in the days during and after the storm.

For another perspective on Hurricane Katrina, consider the non-fiction Five Days at Memorial. This book takes you inside the chaos of Memorial Medical Center during the storm.

NOTE: Years after Hurricane Katrina, Abdulrahman Zeitoun was arrested for, and pleaded guilty to charges of domestic violence against his now ex-wife, which we do not condone. The veracity of David Eggers's portrayal of Zeitoun during Hurricane Katrina has not been called into question.

This book is included with an Audible membership as of 6/16/23.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

A Flicker in the Dark

by Stacy Willingham
Setting: Baton Rouge, LOUISIANA

Twenty years ago, when Chloe was just twelve years old, six teenage girls went missing in her small hometown in Louisiana throughout one summer. Chloe’s father was arrested - accused of being a serial killer - and imprisoned for the murders.

After spending years dealing with the aftermath, Chloe has finally pieced together a happy life for herself in Baton Rouge. She’s preparing for her wedding and has a fulfilling career as a psychologist.

In her psychology practice, she works with troubled teens. When first one local teen girl and then another goes missing, the memories from that terrifying summer in her childhood come crashing back. She sees parallels - but are they really there, or is she just being paranoid? Is she about to unmask a killer for the second time in her life?

BOOKS SET IN MISSISSIPPI

Originally inhabited by Native American tribes like the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw, Mississippi became a Spanish territory in the late 16th century, followed by French and British control. After the American Revolution, it was incorporated into the U.S. as part of the Mississippi Territory in 1798 and became a state in 1817. It played a key role in the Confederacy during the Civil War and endured significant conflict. Post-war, Mississippi struggled with racial tensions and segregation, yet it also influenced the civil rights movement.

Mississippi’s system of racial segregation and discrimination, particularly in voting rights, was a catalyst for the rise of powerful civil rights activism in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite the violence and oppression that activists faced, their courageous efforts resulted in monumental changes, notably in ending legal racial segregation and securing voting rights for Black Americans.

Boarded on the west by the Mississippi River, the waterway played a pivotal role in the state’s history and remains vital to Mississippi's socio-economic fabric. Historically, it served as a significant transportation route, paving the way for settlement and trade. The river's fertile plains became the backbone of Mississippi's agricultural economy, especially cotton production during the Antebellum era. Today, the river continues to support agriculture and is a popular tourist destination, especially among fishermen. It also continues to facilitate trade and transport, with goods moving domestically and internationally via numerous river ports.

Mississippi is recognized for its rich cultural heritage, particularly as the birthplace of blues music. Originating in the late 19th century among African American communities in the Mississippi Delta region, the blues communicated the hardships of rural life. Artists like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King, born in Mississippi, significantly shaped the genre. Today, the Mississippi Blues Trail honors this legacy, marking significant historical sites.

The state’s cuisine is deeply rooted in Southern culinary tradition, especially traditional comfort foods. Known for its farm-raised catfish, it leads the nation in catfish production. Other regional favorites include barbeque and Mississippi Mud Pie.

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas
Setting: Garden Heights, MISSISSIPPI

While 16 year old Starr attends a fancy suburban prep school, it’s a far cry from the poor neighborhood where she lives. When a police officer shoots her childhood best friend from the neighborhood, Khalil, her two worlds collide and are turned upside down.

Khalil’s death becomes national news, with everyone making assumptions about what really happened. Khalil was unarmed, but sides are drawn, with some calling him a thug and others protesting in his name. Starr is the only one who knows what happened that night, but what she says could endanger her life.

The Book Girls Say… This hit YA novel was the 2017 Goodreads winner for Best Debut Author and Best YA Fiction. Author Angie Thomas was born and raised in Mississippi. If you’ve already read The Hate You Give, try the prequel, Concrete Rose, which is also set in Mississippi.

The Girls in the Stilt House

by Kelly Mustian
Setting: MISSISSIPPI Bayou, 1920s

Ada comes from a hard life on the swamp, and Matilda is a sharecropper's daughter. So it wasn't likely for these teenage girls to end up connected through a murder.

Set in the 1920s Mississippi Bayou, you'll follow the teens deep into the world of bootleggers and corruption as they try to stay safe and come to terms with their complex past.

The Book Girls Say... Another historical fiction option set in Mississippi - this time during the Great Depression - is Promise by Minrose Gwin.

The Boys from Biloxi

by John Grisham
Setting: Biloxi, MISSISSIPPI

While many associate Biloxi with beach resorts and seafood, it has a darker past of mobsters running prostitution, illegal gambling, and bootleg alcohol. In this legal thriller, childhood friends Keith and Hugh grew up in Biloxi in the 1960s. The former Little League stars then drifted apart as teenagers.

Keith’s father was a prosecutor on a mission to “clean up the coast.” Meanwhile, Hugh’s father was high-ranking in the underground criminal world. Both boys followed their father’s footsteps, with Keith becoming a lawyer and Hugh running his father’s nightclubs. Eventually, their divergent paths will circle back together in the courtroom.

The Book Girls Say… This book won a 2023 Audie Award for narration, so if you enjoy audiobooks, it would be a great pick!

Many of John Grisham’s older books are set in states from this month’s challenge, so if you’ve already read The Boys from Biloxi, check the location of any of his other books on your TBR List. For example, A Time to Kill is also set in Mississippi. Angela read 20 years ago, and it’s always stuck with her.

Sing, Unburied, Sing

by Jesmyn Ward
Setting: Gulf Coast of MISSISSIPPI

In this 2017 National Book Award winner, you’ll be transported through Mississippi’s past and present. The story is told from two main perspectives - a 13 year old named Jojo and his mother, Leonie.

Jojo lives with his grandparents and toddler sister, with their drug-addicted mother making occassional appearances in their lives. Their grandmother, Mam, is dying of cancer, leaving grandfather Pop to run the household. When Jojo’s white father is released from prison, Leonie picks up the children and heads out on a dangerous road trip to Parchman Farm (a notorious, real Mississippi prison).

The Books Girls Say…While Jesmyn Ward’s novels are consistently praised for their poetic writing, she doesn’t shy away from hard topics and descriptive scenes some wish were less descriptive. Early in this book, the grandfather teaches Jojo how to slaughter a goat in detail, so be prepared.

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett
Setting: Jackson, MISSISSIPPI, 1962

Skeeter has returned home from college to her family’s cotton plantation where - despite trying to act like a proper Southern lady - she constantly disappoints her mother.

Her true ambition, however, is to be a writer. The only job she can find is one she is completely unqualified for - writing a housekeeping advice column for the local paper. Having virtually no experience of her own with housekeeping, Skeeter turns to her friend’s maid, the very poised Aibileen, for help.

As she gets to know Aibileen and Aibileen's friend, the very sassy Minny, more intimately, Skeeter is inspired to help tell their stories, and she pitches the idea to write the narratives of 12 Black maids – a perilous project for all of them.

The Book Girls Say… This is one of Angela’s favorite books of all time! It’s full of characters that are easy to love (and others not so much), and by the end, you’ll be so invested in their stories that you won’t want the book to end!

The good news is that, when you reach the final page, you can watch the movie to enjoy these women all over again.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi

by Richard Grant
Setting: Natchez, MISSISSIPPI

On the backs of slavery and cotton, Natchez, Mississippi, rose to have the most millionaires per capita before the Civil War. Today, it still has the most antebellum mansions in the South, but has also become a town of contradictions. For example, prominent white families still dress in Confederate uniforms for celebrations, yet the town elected a gay black man as mayor with an impressive 91% of the vote.

From a wealthy West African prince who was enslaved in Natchez to a brothel owner who took on the KKK, this non-fiction title explores the town’s past and present in a way that keeps the pages turning.

BOOKS SET IN OKLAHOMA

In 1889, the first "Oklahoma Land Run," in which the U.S. government opened up lands in the Indian Territory for settlement, led to an influx of non-native people into the region. In 1907, the territories of Oklahoma and Indian Territory were combined to form the 47th US state, Oklahoma.

Fueled by oil discoveries, the new state boomed in wealth and population in the 1910s & 1920s. Both newcomers and Indian tribal members in northeastern Oklahoma became extremely wealthy, almost overnight. However, it was also a period of tragedy. The new wealth led to crime and corruption, with rich Osage Indians targeted. Additionally, in 1921, the Tulsa Race Massacre resulted in the death of hundreds of African Americans and the burning of over 1200 homes and businesses. Before the Massacre, the Greenwood neighborhood was known as Black Wall Street because it was the home to many successful Black business owners.

Shortly after, the Dust Bowl of the 1930s hit western Oklahoma particularly hard, leading to mass unemployment and poverty when fertile plains became barren wastelands. It is estimated that approximately 440,000 residents, dubbed “Okies,” were forced to abandon their farms and migrate west in search of work.

Today, Oklahoma is home to 39 tribal nations, including those who were forcibly relocated from the eastern US in the 1800s, many as part of the tragic Trail of Tears. One of the relocated tribes, the Cherokee Nation, is now the largest Oklahoma tribe. Cherokee Nation businesses contribute $3.04 billion to the Oklahoma economy each year, while also providing important services like healthcare & education to their citizens.

Oklahoma is a leading agricultural and energy producer, including oil, natural gas, and wind power. The state is also a leader in country music, producing famed musicians like Woody Guthrie, Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and more.

Notable attractions include the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the iconic Route 66, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial, which is a tribute to the 168 lives lost in the 1995 Murrah Federal Building bombing. The $465 Million, 100-acre Gathering Place in Tulsa was imagined by local philanthropist George Kaiser and was the most significant private gift to a community park in U.S. history. It features free experiences for all ages and was voted USA Today's Best City Park in 2021.

Killers of the Flower Moon

by David Grann
Setting: Osage Indian Nation, OKLAHOMA, 1920s

This is a true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history.

In the 1920s, thanks to oil discovered beneath their land, the members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma were the richest people per capita in the world. The Osage rode in chauffeured cars, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe. But then, one by one, the Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances, and virtually anyone who dared to investigate the killings was murdered.

As the death toll continued to rise, the newly created FBI took up the case as their first major homicide investigation. But even the bureau was then notoriously corrupt and initially bungled the case. Finally, the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery with the help of an undercover team that included one of the only Native American agents in the bureau.

The Book Girls say... This is a non-fiction read. While many sections will have you turning pages like you're reading a best-selling novel, others are slower-paced. It's a perfect pick for those who love little-known US history. Martin Scorsese has adapted the book into an upcoming film set to be released in October 2023. He filmed on location in Osage County in close collaboration with the tribe.

After the screening, Chief Standing Bear told journalists in Cannes, "My people suffered greatly. To this very day, those effects go with us. But I can say on behalf of the Osage, Scorsese and his team have restored trust and we know that trust will not be betrayed."

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
92% Would Recommend to a Friend

Dreamland Burning

by Jennifer Latham
Setting: 1921 & Present Day, OKLAHOMA

This YA dual timeline read is a fictionalized account of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Rowan is a present-day 17-year-old about to start her important summer internship when workers discover a skeleton on her property while renovating a building.

Her story alternates with William Tillman, a 17-year-old in 1921, whose misguided attempt to "protect" a girl he had a crush on triggers more death, destruction, and division than he could have predicted.

The Book Girls Say... For decades, the story of what happened in Tulsa in 1921 was buried. Despite living 20 minutes from the site, Melissa was never taught about it in school. So she was horrified 13 years ago when she learned about what was then referred to by a less accurate name, the Tulsa Race Riot. She asked around at that time (~2010), and few locals knew about it.

So Melissa turned to books to learn more and highly recommends Hannibal B. Johnson's Black Wall Street if you'd like a well-researched non-fiction read, as well as the 2021 non-fiction Ground Breaking by Scott Ellsworth.

For a historical fiction look at these events, consider Fire In Beulah by Rilla Askew. And for YA readers, Black Birds in the Sky for a YA non-fiction option.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

I Will Send Rain

by Rae Meadows
Setting: OKLAHOMA, 1934

As the wheat crops dry out and the early storms of the Dust Bowl descend on Mulehead, Oklahoma, the Bell family faces many hardships. Matriarch Annie can’t escape the dust - it’s in her hair, covering the surfaces of her home, and coating the animals in the barn.

Her husband, Samuel, can’t escape his disturbing dreams about rain. Her young son, Fred, is suffering from dust pneumonia; and her daughter, Birdie, is in love for the first time and desperate for a path out of Mulehead. Annie, too, is desperate for an escape, and flirts with an unlikely admirer.

Set against the bleak backdrop of the Dust Bowl, the story of this family and their community facing challenges with grit and determination. This powerful historical fiction novel illustrates the hope and love that made the Bell family so resilient.

The Book Girls Say... You'll find lots more books set in 1930s Oklahoma on our list of Unforgettable Dust Bowl Books, including The Worst Hard Time and Dust Bowl Girls.

Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding... Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis

by Sam Anderson
Setting: Oklahoma City, OKLAHOMA

In 1889, Americans were invited to line up at the border of the Oklahoma Territory and literally race to stake claims to 160 acres per family in the first Land Run. This crazy race birthed Oklahoma City in the center of the state. The city grew exponentially on the back of the oil industry.

The author of this book went to OKC in 2012 to cover the Thunder NBA team and their superstars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. However, he was intrigued enough to stay in the city and begin researching the good and bad of how it transformed from a cattle town to the 20th largest city in the US. From Thunder basketball to destructive tornados and the tragic bombing of the Murray Federal Building, this book is a great primer on the region’s history.

The Book Girls Say…Since Melissa and her husband live in Oklahoma and he is also a big reader, we asked his opinion on our Oklahoma books. He highly recommended Boomtown, which was also a 2018 Goodreads Nominee for Best History & Biography. While the focus is on Oklahoma City, Corey reports that the book does a really great job telling much of the state’s history.

Where the Heart Is

by Billie Letts
Setting: Sequoyah, OKLAHOMA, 1990s

Seventeen-year-old Novalee Nation is seven months pregnant when her boyfriend - bound for California - leaves her stranded at a Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. With only $7.77 to her name and nowhere to go, Novalee begins secretly living in the Walmart.

But she soon discovers that this small town is filled with deeply caring people. An eclectic group of townsfolk adopts Novalee and her newborn as their own in this novel, which may make you both laugh and cry.

The Book Girls Say… Author Billie Letts was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and worked as a professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Where the Heart Is was her debut novel which also saw great success as a film in 2000, starring Natalie Portman and Asley Judd. But, as is often the case, many reviewers agree that the book is better than the movie. So even if you vaguely recall the movie from a couple of decades back, we recommend you pick up this book for a quick read that is heart-rending and heartwarming.

Heads Up: This book deals with some heavy and challenging topics, including sexual abuse of a minor and substance abuse.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story

by Ree Drummond
Setting: Pawhuska, OKLAHOMA

Food Network star and food blogger Ree Drummond lives and works on an enormous cattle ranch in northeastern Oklahoma. In this memoir, she tells the story of meeting her husband, Ladd, aka the Marlboro Man. She had a privileged upbringing and a country club lifestyle while he was a cowboy on his remote ranch.

Could she really handle moving to the middle of nowhere to start a life with him? While this book does contain some food talk, it’s more of a love and life story, filled with self-deprecating humor. Reviews say that you should expect a casual and entertaining feel to the book, like a chat with a friend vs a literary masterpiece.

The Book Girls Say…Unlike shows filmed on a soundstage, The Pioneer Woman cooking show really is filmed on her Pawhuska ranch. If you’re ever in the region, plan a meal at her restaurant and check to see if a Lodge tour is available. Melissa has visited, and it was fun to see where they film her cooking show and to get a sense of their vast property. Ree and Ladd Drummond own 433,000 acres (nearly 700 square miles) in Osage County.

If you’ve already enjoyed this memoir, there is a follow-up titled Frontier Follies: Adventures in Marriage & Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere.

BOOKS SET IN TEXAS

We’ve all heard the saying that everything is bigger in Texas. It’s the largest of the continental US states and the second largest overall (second only to Alaska). It also boasts the second largest population, behind only California. But beyond sheer size, this phrase captures the Texan spirit and cultural identity, reflecting a sense of pride, ambition, and grandiosity.

The Lone Star State was originally inhabited by the Caddo and Comanche tribes, among many others, and the Spanish were the first Europeans to occupy this land. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, American settlers were invited into Texas, leading to increased tensions. The Texas Revolution in 1835-36 resulted in Texas becoming an independent republic. Texas joined the United States as the 28th state, leading to the Mexican-American War, which began as a dispute over the border between Texas and Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 ended the war and secured US control of Texas as well as a vast portion of the American Southwest.

Almost as soon as Texas became a state, it seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy in the lead-up to the Civil War. And it was one of the last states to surrender following the conclusion of the war 1865.

Today, Texas celebrates a blend of Southern, Western, and Mexican influences, exemplified in its food, music, and festivals. Texas is famous for barbecue, Tex-Mex cuisine, and the iconic rodeo culture.

Each of Texas's major cities embodies a distinct cultural character, reflecting the state's vast geographic size and diverse population. The capital city of Austin is known for its vibrant music scene and robust tech industry. The city’s slogan, "Keep Austin Weird," encapsulates its eclectic and unconventional spirit. Houston, the state’s largest city, is a hub for the oil and gas industry and home to NASA's Johnson Space Center. Dallas is known for its strong business environment and has a vibrant arts district, boasting numerous museums and theaters. San Antonio, one of the oldest cities in Texas, is rich in Spanish colonial history. It's home to the Alamo and hosts the famous River Walk, a lively area full of restaurants and shops along the San Antonio River.

The First Emma

by Camille Di Maio
Setting: San Antonio, TEXAS, 1914 & 1943

When Emma marries Otto, she dreams of a simple and happy life. However, Otto’s obsession with his businesses, including beer, mining, and hospitality, makes them one of the wealthiest couples in the nation. Despite the wealth, Emma is lonely and unhappy. Then, an accident brings her an unexpected choice - should she choose loyalty or independence?

In 1943, a dying woman issues an ad for someone to write her life story. Mabel is fleeing her old life in Baltimore after the war and is eager to escape to San Antonio for this unique position. As she learns Emma’s story, she’s surprised to find a woman who experienced both devastation and astonishing success as she navigated a brewery through Texas prohibition.

The Book Girls Say… This book is based on the real life of Emma Koehler & history of Pearl Brewing. After reading, check out the Hotel Emma in San Antonio, which was formerly her Pearl Brewhouse.

This book is available with Kindle Unlimited as of 6/18/23.

The Bodyguard

by Katherine Center
Setting: Ranch west of Houston, TEXAS

Hannah may look like a kindergarten teacher who could only wrangle young children, but she's more dangerous than she seems. Her excellent skills as an Executive Protection Agent (aka bodyguard) just earned her a job protecting a superstar actor named Jack. He has some unlikely enemies - like a middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker and a brother who seems to hate him.

When Jack has to return to the family ranch in Texas during his mom's cancer treatment, he doesn't want her to find out about the stalker. This means she can't know he needs a bodyguard to be safe. What could go wrong when Hannah has to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his whole family?

The Book Girls Say… Author Katherine Center grew up in Texas, and she based the family ranch in this book on her grandparents' ranch along the Brazos River to the west of Houston.

This book made our list of Best Books of 2022. It's a bit lighter than Katherine Center's other novels because she wrote it as an escape for herself during the pandemic. This is a clean romance, with no open-door scenes.

Valentine

by Elizabeth Wetmore
Setting: Odessa, TEXAS, 1976

In 1976, Odessa, Texas, the next great oil boom was on the horizon. But then, the town is rocked by a brutal crime against a fourteen-year-old girl in one of the oil fields.

This novel explores the lasting effects of the crime on not only the girl but several of the town's women, each with their own unique backstory and circumstances. You'll read their intertwined story from each of their perspectives.

The Book Girls Say... Melissa was concerned going into this book based on other reviews stating there were too many disconnected characters. However, after reading, she thought the author made all the proper connections between them. The links were clear as long as you didn't rush through the pages. Much of the beauty and brilliance in the book was found in single sentences peppered in to pull things together.

Melissa enjoyed each woman's individual story and loved how they intertwined. She found it to be a story of survival in terrible circumstances and how we often have to rely on others. Each character was saved by others in different ways. While she understands why the tragic nature of the book was deemed depressing by many, it also felt it was very representative of real life.

Roses

by Leila Meacham
Setting: East TEXAS, spanning 20th century

This epic novel is set in a small town in eastern Texas, against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries controlled by the town’s founding families. Cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick should have married, but they did not. That choice leads to deceit, secrets, and tragedies for the generations to follow. This is an immersive family saga covering a hundred years and three generations.

The Book Girls Say… This book was first recommended to us by author Camille Di Maio when we were interviewing her about one of her historical fiction novels. She mentioned that she is from Texas, and one of our readers asked her to recommend her favorite books set there. She said that she first picked up Roses to support a fellow Texas author, but didn’t expect to like it. Instead, it became one of her all-time favorite novels.

Clocking in at over 600 pages, this book requires a major investment of time, but Camille and most reviewers assure us it’s well worth it. Meacham published Roses in 2010 and then wrote a prequel titled Somerset, in 2013.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Setting: El Paso, TEXAS, 1987

Dante and Ari are vastly different Mexican American teenagers living in El Paso. Ari has difficulty with words, struggles with self-doubt, and is overcome with thoughts of his brother in prison. He has built emotional walls to protect himself.

Dante is articulate and self-assured, loves poetry and art, and has an open and unique perspective on the world. He’s the last person Ari would ever think could break down his walls.
Against all odds, they form a special bond that will teach them the most important truths about their lives and who they want to become. But there will also be significant hurdles in their way.

The Book Girls Say… In this YA coming-of-age novel, Ari and Dante help each as they deal with struggles surrounding their racial and ethnic identities, sexuality, and family relationships. The film adaptation, starring Eva Longoria, Max Pelayo, and Reese Gonzales, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in early 2023 and is anticipated to be released in the US soon.

Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso, where he later become a professor in the bilingual MFA program.

Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage

by Jeff Guinn
Setting: Waco, TEXAS

In this true crime non-fiction, the author takes you alongside the ATF agents in Waco in 1993.

The Branch Davidians were a religious group living on a compound in Waco, Texas, under the leadership of David Koresh. The FBI and ATF believed that they were illegally stockpiling weapons. The government agencies obtained arrest warrants and raided the compound in February of 1993 in a siege that left four federal agents dead and dozens injured. Nearly 900 more law-enforcement officials descended on the compound and thus began a 51-day standoff. It ultimately came to a devastating end on April 19, 1993.

More than a dozen former ATF agents who participated in the initial raid spoke on the record for the first time in thirty years. Reporting their experiences, eyewitness reports, and other newly uncovered information, Guinn pens a narrative that allows you to understand this historical event like never before.

The Book Girls Say… Author Jeff Guinn lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. As a journalist, he won many awards for his investigative journalism. He is the bestselling author of numerous books about historical figures and events, including Bonnie and Clyde, the OK Corral, and Charles Manson.

We hope you enjoyed this book list and found several books to add to your TBR (to be read list). If you’re choosing a book for our reading challenge, you are also welcome to read any other book that meets the challenge prompt.

If you have a suggestion for a book that you think would be a great addition to this list, please fill out this form.

You can read all about the Read Around the USA Challenge and sign up for a free printable challenge book tracker here.

Book Recommendations for Other Regions of the USA

If you’re participating in our 2024 Read Around the USA Challenge and reading one book per region, you can find links to every region below. If you’re doing the Challenge and reading books from every state and territory, you can get an alphabetical index here.