Pages

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The Cash Flow Quadrant - Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2: Cash Flow Quadrant - Rich Dad's Guide to Financial FreedomThe Cash Flow Quadrant - Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom by Robert T. Kiyosaki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I listened to an abridged version, but I decided to count it anyway. It was a great reminder of content I heard over a decade ago, and it was different hearing it this time. I've always thought of Kiyosaki as kind if an anti-Dave Ramsey, but really they teach 90% of the sane stuff. Don't get in debt, be financial wise, invest. Kiyosaki just focuses more on the invest part where Ramsey focuses more on the get out of debt part. Also Ramsey is anti-debt, where Kiyosaki is ok with debt as a form of leverage when investing wisely. Overall, a great read.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3)The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book had both an exhaustive treatment of the characters at the end of the story AND at the same time it was too short. Weird. From the wrap up of detailed explanations at the end, to the path that was laid so carefully throughout the first books, all of it was carefully crafted. This was my 2nd reading, and the details were really apparent on this trip through the Final Empire. I wanted it to go on and on, as I found it so immersive that I should have taken notes as I read.

Did I find a few holes in the story? Yes, I think I did (usually around laws of physics), but they don't matter compared to the larger work. One or two brush strokes out of place does not ruin a masterpiece.

Well done and thank you.

Friday, August 10, 2018

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval (Caraval, #1)Caraval by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I tried to like this book. There were certainly reasons, or at least excuses, to like it, even though there were strong romance themes that generally had me rolling my eyes. But it wasn't to be. Why? The characters were too frustrating. They did dumb stuff, starting with Scarlet, and ending with everyone else. She lived in abusive situation, yet believed she could negotiate with every antagonist. Threatening to hurt herself, promising to obey, trying to sacrifice herself to help someone else when she obviously had no leverage. Did she learn nothing from her youth with her father? She was so annoying I could barely stand to read it. I found the setting interesting, and was willing to overlook the shudders that overtook Scarlet every time Julian sneezed in her direction, but she still made no sense. One minute a villain was murdering the love of her life, the next minute she was having a calm conversation with him, and the next thing you know she is trying to negotiate with him, willing to do anything if he promises to be nice. He's the bad guy. That never works. Frustrating.

So I still would have been tempted to give the book up to 4 stars based on all the twists and turns, but then I finished it. Well I didn't really finish it, it just ended on me. No wrap up, just a totally dissatisfying lack of resolution. In the end you don't know who anyone is or what really just happened. I know this is supposed to be a series, but you still owe it to your readers to provide closure to the conflict of this book before setting up the next one. I don't know if anything was resolved here. At the very least it was dissatisfying. So this is now in the 2-3 star range for me, and I don't know if I will be reading the next book. Usually I can't help but read any series I start, but I could see this being an exception. I don't know that I trust the author to wrap up details at the end to provide a real satisfying read, and if I have to endure any more sappy, hollow teenage romance my eyes won't be able to roll my far enough back into my head.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn 2) by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)The Well of Ascension (Mistborn 2) by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm short on time, so I'll keep my thoughts from my 2nd reading short. I didn't like the Zane story line the first time I read this book, and I didn't like it this time either. Yes, I suppose he helped Vin grow, and he provided key opposition, but he is just so annoying. But any angst I had for Zane is countered by my appreciation for Sazed. He is a great character. A man of special abilities, but humble and unassuming. His people are kept in slavery and yet maintain a resistance and rise above it. He is likable, and yet still surprising when he takes the lead to be a hero.