October Reads Wrap Up

October was light on the spooky horror but don’t worry, those books are in the works right now and so far I am enjoying myself. This month was a mix of work-related topics (I got promoted!) and a couple of horror books for good measure.

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Brand Yourself for Success by Octavia Goredema

A concise, actionable guide for professionals who feel overlooked. Goredema provides a clear blueprint for defining your authentic personal brand based on your unique skills and accomplishments. It’s an essential read for anyone looking to stop being their organization’s “best-kept secret” and start taking control of their career narrative.

Your First 90 Days Managing People by CK Bray

This was a great introduction on how to prepare for being a manager. It gives you actionable steps to guide you into that leadership role and how to prepare for managerial duties. I wouldn’t say it’s a must-read, but it’s great for those who are shaky on those skills.

Blindsight (Firefall, #1) by Peter Watts

I picked up this book because it was listed at #2 by Gemini when I asked for the top ten science fiction horror books. I was hooked on the premise, but there was a lot going on in this book, and it was hard for me to keep track of what was happening. For example, Vampires were real, went extinct, and were brought back through cloning. (Ok?!?) Multiple personalities is a normal human state. And the aliens were truly alien.

I wouldn’t even know how to start a review. There was a profound metaphor on the nature of life in this book, but I just found it too overwhelming.

The 10X Mentor by Grant Cardone

Grant Cardone wants to be your 10X mentor and push you to create an outsized impact in your life. Cardone goes through his formula that has made him and hundreds of people a success. There are very inspirational lessons that can be valuable. Read my full review here.

Psycho by Robert Bloch

I decided to read the book that inspired the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie. Love the movie, love the book. I am very interested in reading the next book in the Psycho trilogy and maybe continuing the movies as well. Read my full review here.

Hold On to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld

My wife escalated this book to the top of my reading list. The premise is that parental roles are being replaced by peer groups through “peer orientation,” which has detrimental effects on how we are raising kids. Honestly, I got some “boomer” vibes from this book and I felt Neufeld bucketed all issues faced by kids as a result of “peer orientation.” Besides those critiques, the book has valuable wisdom and reminds parents to have a strong bond with their kids.

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

A refreshing philosophical look at time management and how we try to manage to do everything in a single day. It breaks down the myths and emotions around trying to achieve everything on your to-do list. Read my full review here.

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Final Thoughts

It was a heavy non-fiction month, but my favorite read was definitely the classic, Psycho.

What was the best book you read in October? Let me know in the comments!