Month: December 2020

Woodwalker

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Mae was a Woodwalker – an elite guard, charged with protecting the Silverwood – until she was banished. If she ever returns to her homeland, she will be executed.

Mona is the rightful Queen of Lumen Lake. Her country was snatched from her in a hostile takeover, but she is desperate to get back home and reclaim her throne.

When Mae and Mona cross paths, Mona asks Mae to escort her back to Lumen Lake. The only problem is… Mae will have to lead Mona through the very lands she was exiled from. And if they’re caught, they’ll both face unimaginable consequences.

What I loved most:

This was one of those books you just sink into, finding yourself quickly immersed in the land. As I was reading it, I wanted to go wander in the woods like a Woodwalker, completely at peace with nature. It gave me Robin Hood meets cottagecore vibes (and that’s a sentence I never thought I would type). Plus, it’s the start of a completed series, so 1) you get to cruise through the entire series without cliffhangers, and 2) you get to immerse yourself in this world for an extended period of time. I’m in the third and final book right now, and Y’ALL, let me just tell you that this series will be one you will enjoy.

Read this book if you like:

Fantasy, books where romance isn’t the main point of the story, enemies-to-friends, personal growth, tales of rulers and kingdoms, strong female protagonists

Book details:

  • Author: Emily B. Martin
  • Series: Woodwalker #1
  • Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse
  • Date of Publication: May 17, 2016
  • Interest Level: Late high school to Adult

You Ought to Do A Story About Me

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Ted Jackson is a photojournalist. In 1990, he was working on a story about people experiencing homelessness. When he encountered a man sleeping under the bridge, that man said to him, “You ought to do a story about me.” Jackson had heard this statement a million times, but indulged the man by asking why he should have his story shared. The man responded by telling Jackson he had played in three Super Bowls.

You Ought to Do a Story About Me shares the story of Jackie Wallace, former star of the NFL. It explores his life, from his childhood through his football days, before going into the circumstances that led to his addictions and eventual homelessness. This would be a great book for people who are avid sports fans, as a lot of time is spent discussing Wallace’s football career. It would also be an interesting read for fans of psychology or sociology.

What I loved most:

One of my favorite things of all time is exploring why and how people become the people that they are. I’m fascinated by life circumstances, and how they impact cognitive patterns and the decisions people make. By the measures of our current society, Wallace had “made it”. He was a professional football player. He was living the dream. To go from the peak, the glory, to sleeping under a bridge, is a fascinating transition. I also appreciate that Jackson addressed some cultural/societal factors that impacted Wallace’s circumstances, in addition to discussing Wallace’s choices.

Read this book if you like:

Psychology, sociology, football/sports in general

Book details:

Thirst

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Scott Harrison was a successful nightclub promoter, living the high life in New York City. When he was 28 years old, he hit the metaphorical wall, turned his life over to Jesus, and eventually started a nonprofit organization aimed at meeting one of the most pressing issues across the world: lack of clean water. Thirst is Harrison’s memoir chronicling his journey to starting and running the amazing global nonprofit charity: water, which aims to provide access to clean and safe water to people in developing countries.

What I loved most:

Until I read Thirst, I hadn’t realized the magnitude of the problem of lack of access to clean water globally. This book does a great job of balancing out Harrison’s story of starting the nonprofit, and explaining why this organization is so necessary. An estimated 785 million people across the world don’t have access to clean water. They have to spend hours each day walking to collect water… which takes time away from school, earning income, raising a family, and all the other crucial tasks to thrive in life. This is the kind of book that fires you up as you read it, and makes you want to take action and make a real difference in people’s lives.

Read this book if you like:

Seeing a need and meeting it, changing the lives of people around the world, nonprofits, redemption stories, global worldview

Book details:

  • Author: Scott Harrison
  • Publisher: Currency
  • Date of Publication: October 18, 2018
  • Interest level: Adult
  • Look up Thirst on WorldCat to find it at a library near you!