50 books like Sojourn

By B D Messick,

Here are 50 books that Sojourn fans have personally recommended if you like Sojourn. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of The Hunger Games

Lyndi Alexander Author Of Windmills

From my list on fantasy with female underdogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to cheer for underdogs, and young women who are in this category have my special devotion. As a child of the 1960s, I remember a time when women didn’t have the same rights and opportunities as men, and we still seem to be fighting it today. Coming from a trauma-based childhood myself, I find myself comparing and contrasting coping mechanisms. Luckily, I haven’t found it necessary to kill anyone with dragon stone or jacked-up hornets so far. It delights me when these girls win, whether they game the system or fight their way with guns and knives.

Lyndi's book list on fantasy with female underdogs

Lyndi Alexander Why did Lyndi love this book?

I fell in love with Katniss from the very beginning. I was the oldest daughter in a single-parent family and had to take over and care for my younger sisters a lot of times because my father was dysfunctional. So I get it. The whole concept is horrifying to me—children forced to kill each other—but following along as Katniss manages to defeat the fate waiting for her inspired me.

I related to how she did most of it on her own, seeing as she had been let down by her mother, her country, and, later, those she thought were friends. Trust is so important and valuable for young people to have, and so easy to destroy.

By Suzanne Collins,

Why should I read it?

54 authors picked The Hunger Games as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...


Book cover of Dissolution: The Wyoming Chronicles

Kim McMahill Author Of Refuge from the World

From my list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a small community surrounded by mountains and vast public land. I learned to ride a horse before riding a bike, and my dad taught me about recreating in remote areas. I didn’t think of those lessons as survival training, but in my novels, the skills I learned as a kid often save the characters’ lives. All the books on this list feature ordinary people doing extraordinary things to survive and, in some cases, protecting those they love. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Kim's book list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe

Kim McMahill Why did Kim love this book?

This book is set in Wyoming, my home state. Wyoming is a perfect setting for survival stories since it’s sparsely populated and has millions of acres of undeveloped land and wilderness areas to recreate in or explore.

When a cyber-attack collapses the American banking system, society descends into chaos—a scenario that I believe could become a reality someday in the not-so-distant future. This action-packed novel follows a group of anthropology (another of my interests) students stranded in the lawless West as they fight to survive the dissolution of America. I found the what-if scenario to be exciting and frightening, and the setting was realistic and familiar. 

By W. Michael Gear,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dissolution as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Poster Girl

Kim McMahill Author Of Refuge from the World

From my list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a small community surrounded by mountains and vast public land. I learned to ride a horse before riding a bike, and my dad taught me about recreating in remote areas. I didn’t think of those lessons as survival training, but in my novels, the skills I learned as a kid often save the characters’ lives. All the books on this list feature ordinary people doing extraordinary things to survive and, in some cases, protecting those they love. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Kim's book list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe

Kim McMahill Why did Kim love this book?

I love to be surprised. Poster Girl started a bit slow, but as the story unfolded, the web of connections made this dystopian book much more interesting than I thought it would be.

The story began after a revolution. Many considered patriots by the former government were either killed or imprisoned. As the new government tries to paint itself as the liberator from oppression, similarities between the new and old regimes are exposed.

As with any good dystopian story, it shows what people will do to survive in a dangerous and unfamiliar world and how they navigate relationships within a new set of social rules.  

By Veronica Roth,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Poster Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A fallen regime. A missing child. A chance at freedom.

Ten years ago, Sonya was the face of an oppressive regime. Then it was toppled by rebels and she was thrown into prison - where she has been locked up ever since.

When an old enemy comes to her with a deal, it seems too good to be true: find a missing girl who was stolen from her parents, and earn her freedom.

But as Sonya hunts for the child, she is forced to dig deeper into the past - and her family's dark secrets - than she ever bargained…


Book cover of Screamcatcher: Web World

Kim McMahill Author Of Refuge from the World

From my list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a small community surrounded by mountains and vast public land. I learned to ride a horse before riding a bike, and my dad taught me about recreating in remote areas. I didn’t think of those lessons as survival training, but in my novels, the skills I learned as a kid often save the characters’ lives. All the books on this list feature ordinary people doing extraordinary things to survive and, in some cases, protecting those they love. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Kim's book list on surviving post-apocalyptic alternate universe

Kim McMahill Why did Kim love this book?

This novel has it all, ancient lore, nightmares, mysticism, self-discovery, friendship, a budding romance, and intense action and adventure.

When four friends are sucked into an alternate universe filled with danger, they must survive a host of nightmarish threats and find their way to the center of the web to escape.

I love stories of survival against the odds, but this was exceptionally interesting as the threats are not what anyone would expect. Much of the book takes place in the badlands of South Dakota, another place I’m familiar with. I’m a sucker for a story set in a place that would be difficult to survive under the best of circumstances.

By Christy J Breedlove,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Screamcatcher as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Indian lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane…


Book cover of Key Person of Influence

K.N. Kukoyi Author Of Don't Hire a Software Developer Until You Read this Book

From my list on developing an entrepreneurial "growth" mindset.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the founder of Purposeful Group, an author, and a multi-award-winning entrepreneur who has started multiple businesses from scratch. I believe that when you have the right mindset, positive things will flow from this. As the designer of programmes for entrepreneurs and digital learners, I have recommended books that I hope will give readers a great foundation to build on to achieve their entrepreneurial goals. From a personal perspective, they have kept me on track, and helped me build a framework of “success behaviours.”

K.N.'s book list on developing an entrepreneurial "growth" mindset

K.N. Kukoyi Why did K.N. love this book?

Key Person of Influence (KPI) is a system which helps entrepreneurs to develop their businesses through 5 key principles, or methods - Pitch, Publish, Product, Profile and Partner.

Priestley talks about the importance of a number of business activities, including developing your entrepreneurial pitch and refining the way that you position your business in order to make an impact. Visibility and credibility are also critical for building trust with prospective customers, and through partnering and building relationships with other business owners, an organisation can accelerate its results.

At Purposeful Group, we have our own system, the App Map 2.0 model designed to help aspiring tech startup founders to create digital products from scratch via our Tech Startup Academy programme.

By Daniel Priestley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Key Person of Influence as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every industry revolves around Key People of Influence. Their names come up in conversation. They attract opportunities. They earn more money. Many people think it takes decades of hard work, academic qualifications and a generous measure of good luck to become a Key Person of Influence.

This audiobook shows you that there is a five-step strategy for fast-tracking your way to the inner circle of the industry you love. Your ability to succeed depends on your ability to influence. Start now by listening to this audiobook.


Book cover of The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us about Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society

Lina Zeldovich Author Of The Other Dark Matter: The Science and Business of Turning Waste Into Wealth and Health

From my list on the wild and wacky science of human waste.

Why am I passionate about this?

Born and raised in Russia, I watched my grandfather fertilize our family’s organic orchard with composted sewage every fall. “You have to feed the earth the way you feed people,” he said, essentially describing what today we call a circular economy. I thought the whole world did the same—until I grew up and learned that most people flush their humanure down the toilet. That hurts the planet’s ecology in multiple ways. It depletes farmlands that must be replenished by syntenic fertilizers which are polluting to produce, and it overfertilizes rivers, lakes, and the ocean, causing toxic algae blooms. I wanted humans to know about People’s Own Organic Power aka POOP!

Lina's book list on the wild and wacky science of human waste

Lina Zeldovich Why did Lina love this book?

I love this book because it turns everything we think we know about poo on its head. If there was one definitive pathogen-laden substance your mother told you to never touch, poop is it! We’re all naturally disgusted by it. But feces, whether human or animal, are as natural as air, and are absolutely essential for thriving ecosystems, for soil health, and even for climate change. In nature, what’s one species trash is the other species treasure, and no one portrays this better than David Waltner-Toews, as he describes why dung beetles feast on doodies and why some animals eat their own droppings. The planet has a use for everybody’s poo, including ours, so you will have a newfound appreciation of excrement after reading this book. 

By David Waltner-Toews,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Origin of Feces as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Origin of Feces takes an important subject out of locker-rooms, potty-training manuals, and bio-solids management boardrooms into the fresh air of everyone’s lives. With insight and wit, David Waltner-Toews explores what has been too often ignored and makes a compelling argument for a deeper understanding of human and animal waste. Approaching the subject from a variety of perspectives ― evolutionary, ecological, and cultural ― The Origin of Feces shows us how integral excrement is to biodiversity, agriculture, public health, food production and distribution, and global ecosystems. From the primordial ooze to dung beetles, from bug frass, cat scats, and…


Book cover of Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider

Hayley Rocco Author Of Hello, I'm a Sloth

From my list on picture books about animals for young readers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been in love with animals my whole life. I loved them so much in fact, that I wished to become one, whether it was a sea otter, wild horse, or a dolphin. Today, I’m fortunate enough to not only write about animals, but I also advocate for their protection as an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow and Defenders of Wildlife. As co-founder of the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation, I help other children’s book writers and illustrators connect with conservation stories in the field. I hope you’re as inspired by these books as I am!

Hayley's book list on picture books about animals for young readers

Hayley Rocco Why did Hayley love this book?

I wish I could singlehandedly scrub away the fear humans have of spiders. Alas, that is not possible, but you’ll think twice about killing a spider after reading this book. This stunningly illustrated picture book invites readers into the fascinating world of (arguably) one of the cutest arachnids around, the jumping spider.

“What if you were very small?... What would your world be like?” Immediately, you are transported into the mind of a jumping spider, how they navigate their world, and what makes them so important to their ecosystem. This book is a must-read for anyone curious to learn more about these incredible little creatures and the smaller world right in our own backyard. 

By Jessica Lanan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jumper as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

What if you were small as a bean,
and could walk on the walls and ceiling,
sense vibrations through your elbows,
and jump five times your body length?

That is Jumper's world.

This beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book explores the tiny, secret world of backyard jumping spiders, with robust back matter sure to delight young readers and educators alike. Perfect for fans of Katherine Roy, Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman, and Jason Chin.


Book cover of Blessed Disillusionment: Letting Go of What Cannot Save Us, Turning to What Can

Molly Young Brown Author Of Growing Whole: Self-Realization for the Great Turning

From my list on building resilience in hard times.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a teacher, counselor, and author, I aspire to support people’s personal and spiritual unfolding for the benefit of all life. I studied psychosynthesis with its founder, Roberto Assagioli, and explored peace psychology and eco-psychology. During my Masters of Divinity studies in the 1990’s, I began working with Joanna Macy, which led to our co-authoring Coming Back to Life and focused my professional life on the Work That Reconnects. The challenges of climate disruption, systemic racism, and economic inequity and instability require us all to act from our most mature, creative, and loving dimensions, which I believe these books can help engender.

Molly's book list on building resilience in hard times

Molly Young Brown Why did Molly love this book?

This highly readable exploration of our global predicament and its underlying causes and dynamics is at once alarming and enlightening. Goldstein offers a way to radically change our economic and political systems for the benefit of everyone—including the ecosystems that support life. Local groups could use the book as a manual to study what needs to change and how to take effective and loving action in their communities as part of a larger movement of radical transformation.

By Michael Goldstein,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Blessed Disillusionment as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Are you tired of hoping that those beholden to the wrong people will do the right thing?

Decades of electoral work and activism have failed to bring us sustainability, peace, or a just society. Blessed Disillusionmentshows that there is a reason: the political system operates to absorb discontent while averting the fundamental change we urgently need.

This short book (140 pages before appendices) explains why the crises and upheaval we see in the U.S. will inevitably increase. The question is whether our country will fall to neofascism or ascend to true democracy and, in time, the beloved community.

Finally, the…


Book cover of Kafka: The Definitive Guide: Real-Time Data and Stream Processing at Scale

Tomasz Lelek Author Of Software Mistakes and Tradeoffs: How to make good programming decisions

From my list on big data processing ecosystem.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am motivated by working on products that many people use. I've been a part of companies that deliver products impacting millions of people. To achieve it, I am working in the Big Data ecosystem and striving to simplify it by contributing to Dremio's Data LakeHouse solution. I worked on projects using Spark, HDFS, Cassandra, and Kafka technologies. I have been working in the software engineering industry for ten years now, and I've tried to share my experience and lessons learned in the Software Mistakes and Tradeoffs book, hoping that it will allow current and the next generation of engineers to create better software, leading to more happy users.

Tomasz's book list on big data processing ecosystem

Tomasz Lelek Why did Tomasz love this book?

Apache Kafka is the backbone of almost every streaming-based system today.

The solutions created and implemented in Kafka are the key concepts in every streaming system that you will work with.

This book will allow you to fully understand the Kafka architecture, its internals, and APIs and allow you to become an expert in this technology.

By Neha Narkhede, Gwen Shapira, Todd Palino

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kafka as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every enterprise application creates data, whether it's log messages, metrics, user activity, outgoing messages, or something else. And how to move all of this data becomes nearly as important as the data itself. If you're an application architect, developer, or production engineer new to Apache Kafka, this practical guide shows you how to use this open source streaming platform to handle real-time data feeds.

Engineers from Confluent and LinkedIn who are responsible for developing Kafka explain how to deploy production Kafka clusters, write reliable event-driven microservices, and build scalable stream-processing applications with this platform. Through detailed examples, you'll learn Kafka's…


Book cover of Seashells: More Than a Home

Cindy Jenson-Elliott Author Of Weeds Find a Way

From my list on to get kids outside and exploring nature.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been getting kids out into nature as an environmental education professional for over 30 years, in the garden, in the mountains, at the seashore, and in nearby nature. My life’s work, whether I am writing or teaching, is to help people experience the wonder of the natural world. I believe that children and adults need access to nature to grow and thrive, to find peace in a busy world, and to connect with each other. I know that, just like weeds, we can find a way to navigate the challenges in our lives when we connect with nature’s sustaining goodness wherever we find it.

Cindy's book list on to get kids outside and exploring nature

Cindy Jenson-Elliott Why did Cindy love this book?

The seashore is a place to explore nature close to home for many children on coasts around the world, and seashells are a place to start that exploration, even for children who are land bound. This book uses lyrical and expository language to explore the ways creatures create and use shells, as well as the structure and function of shells. Use this book to begin an exploration of the ocean and seashore ecosystems.

By Melissa Stewart, Sarah S. Brannen (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seashells as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Award-winning nonfiction author Melissa Stewart reveals the surprising ways seashells provide more than shelter to the mollusks that inhabit them.

Young naturalists discover thirteen seashells in this elegant introduction to the remarkable versatility of shells. Dual-layered text highlights how shells provide more than a protective home in this expository nonfiction exploration. The informative secondary text underscores characteristics specific to each shell. Elegant watercolor illustrations create a scrapbook feel, depicting children from around the world observing and sketching seashells across shores.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the ecosystem, Dungeons & Dragons, and RPG?

The Ecosystem 20 books
RPG 30 books