Written with women in mind, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle talks about the big and little stressors we experience daily – from the patriarchy (ugh) to the "second shift" most women have after work at home (house chores, caregiving). Compared to what it's like to be a woman, what's expected of women creates burnout without even realizing it.

I read Madeline Miller’s Circe in 2020, and while it did start slow, I enjoyed the story. I gushed over the way Miller wrote Circe in the first person and unraveled her beautiful and complicated story. I’d highly recommend Circe. I wanted a similar experience with The Song of Achilles and, sadly, didn’t get it.

Having read a fair few books on companies, teams, and organizational culture, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I appreciate the punchiness of the book. Too many books on team culture highlight tired stories of achievement in the 1950s or focus on one particular success story that is unlikely to be repeatable at another company.

October went by in a blur and with holidays and house projects, I didn’t read as much. I am still hoping to read more through the end of the year!

100 Book Challenge: 122/100

Stretch Goal: 122/150

The Once and Future Witches tells the story of the Eastwood sisters who grew up with “the words and ways” once spoken by witches and now handed down through generations of women in secret. These words and ways are spells and charms meant to help women get through their days in the patriarchal societies designed to keep women from wanting what they shouldn’t and keep them from fighting for what’s fair.

It's pretty clear why people like and enjoy working with Hiatt. You sense from her writing that she's a ball of positive energy and radiates enthusiasm and a can-do attitude. However, this book was not a story at all. Read this short post for more.

From a scientific and technical perspective, this book was great. That said, it was deeply scientific and technical. I would not describe Forgetting as an easy read. I appreciated this book’s understanding of the connections and similarities between computer science and neuroscience with new studies and science.

This book has many interesting yet common stories, and they are all woven together with the Latinx thread. What does Latinx mean to every individual within these communities? What does it mean to the world? And perhaps most importantly, what does it mean for our nation going forward?

I don’t actively seek out memoirs. But Dave Grohl has always seemed like a genuinely awesome guy, and his music makes its way onto every playlist I’ve ever made. A good bit of Dave Grohl’s music makes up the soundtrack to my life – so naturally, I wanted to learn about his.

How to Be Sad is Russell’s best work to date. She started this book in 2019, and given the pandemic and its (gestures vaguely) fallout, How to be Sad arrived at just the right time.

I enjoyed this series immensely, and I hope to see more of the Londons and worlds in the future. Theres’ something in each of the characters we can connect with.

I hit the 100 Book mark in September. Happily cruising along and reading obsessively. Here are my favorite books I read in September 2021, and what I look forward to reading in October 2021.

100 Book Challenge: 113/100

Stretch Goal: 113/150

As Holiday discusses, fear isn’t the opposite of courage – it’s apathy. Doing nothing, being cynical, assuming your actions don’t matter – that’s the opposite of courage. Courage is a choice. You might make the right choice. You might make the wrong one. Regardless, choosing something holds power and takes courage.

I loved this book. Nichols talks about everything from the merits of colleges, the good and bad of social media (spoiler: there’s very little that’s good), and the concept that while experts are occasionally wrong, they are consistently less wrong than you and I.

Breath was one of my favorite books I read in 2020. Recently, I’ve seen more about this book on social media as new people discover this treasure.

In the book, Kate Murphy endeavors to help readers become better listeners through curiosity and empathy. However, right off the bat, this book irritated me. Read more to learn why.

I truly appreciated how this book didn’t reference and rehash every self-help book published in the past five years but drew from relevant, present-day people and scenarios to illustrate the points.

Emotionally immature people are everywhere, and seeing these behaviors in others, and yourself, is invaluable for growth and improvement. It’s never too late to be a better version of yourself.

The Near Witch tells the tale of Lexi Harris in her small community called Near. Everyone knows everyone, so when a mysterious stranger enters their town, and unexplainable things happen, the best – and the worst – is brought out within the community.

Book challenge: 100/100

Stretch goal: 150/100

Can I do it? Drop a note in the comments!