Bill

This series is starting to lose me in some ways. It feels like every additional book is yet another twist and yet another “50% through before you understand what is going on†… I loved that about the first book, appreciated it in the second book because of the payoff, but this one tested my willingness to invest the time … again.

It wasn’t bad. Many parts were good. It’s just becoming less and less my cup of tea.

This was a fun exploration of alternate history fiction based on what I can hardly believe is an actual historical idea that was considered ... importing hippos. My main critique is that some of the more progressive(?) ideas felt forced sometimes. I wasn't offended by them, but there were moments that felt “token” ... this scene is here to prove a point or make a statement, not because it necessarily helps the story. At the same time, there were plenty of scenes that DID move the story along, so I wouldn't let it through you off. All that being said, it was a REALLY fun read and I'm glad I picked it up.

There is plenty to sift through in this book. Like a typical business/self-help book, it is full of stories of people turning their lives around 765%! Many of the examples center around sales. For a lot of us, it is a snapshot of a world we don't live in.

That being said, there are plenty of things to potentially adopt in here that actually boil down to a straight-forward and simple system, which gives me hope.

Truly enjoyed this book as it handled so many different social issues well and accurately. That said, I find the American history on social issues to be overwhelming and utterly depressing these days. I am glad for a book like this that hopes for and strives for better.

I was delighted to re-enter the Firefly universe again and I got what I went in for: another adventure with Mal and the crew. Was it my favorite adventure? No. Was it awful? No.

In some ways it seemed a little bit too much like a lost episode ... a novelization of one, maybe two episodes of the show. It went far enough, but had plenty of room to go farther.

You get what it says on the tin.

For me, this was a good book that read fairly easily and had some good reminders for me about goal-setting. Was it revolutionary? No. If you are familiar with self-help literature, this is just another organized view into concepts you will already be familiar with. Is it a well-organized and motivational presentation of those ideas? Absolutely. This is a good “kick in the pants” or “where do I start” read, but don't expect it to revolutionize your worldview.

My favorite bits/takeaways:
- concept of a military After Action Review, and how that can be implemented
- distinction between Achievement Goals and Habit Goals. How to consider them differently.
- Recommendations for managing a collection of goals - # of goals, # of concurrent goals, review process

Bullet Journaling has recently been the “new hotness” and with that comes a multitude of remixes, recaps, and spin-offs. I really appreciated this view into the “WHY”s of bullet journaling, more than the “How”.

That isn't to say that the book is not an excellent primer/tutorial on setting up a BuJo, but, for me, the gold in this book comes with the reminders why bullet journaling could work for you as a system, reminders about the modular nature of the system, including the welcome reminder that art and creative inking can be considered a module.

My bullet journal is simple - the pen color I am using that day (frequently black, blue, or the occasional blue/black) and a “wall of text” ... and I liked the reminder that this approach is as legitimate as the pinterest/tumblr driven layouts that are gorgeous, but that i have neither the time nor inclination to implement.

Like any productivity book, this may or may not fit into your life and mindset, but if you find yourself pulled toward analog solutions, I highly recommend this book for its thoughtful look at why analog is still a viable option today.

An excellent blend of cinematic sequences (action and otherwise) and “hard science” science fiction. There is absolutely some hand-wavy technology and science, but there is respect for the scale of space and the realities of inter-planetary travel and that makes my nerd heart happy.

Great series so far.

Solid, entertaining read. Would continue the series.

My Star Ranks:
â˜... - I didn't even finish it
â˜...â˜... - I finished it. Would not recommend
â˜...â˜...â˜... - It was good. Would not necessarily re-read, but would continue the series. May recommend.
â˜...â˜...â˜...â˜... - I really like this book. Would recommend. Would reread.
â˜...â˜...â˜...â˜...â˜... - I adore this book. Will actively recommend, re-read multiple times, and frequently quote.

Good page turner

This is an action, detective novel in space. And for that genre, it is a good read. Kept me turning pages. There were twists I saw coming, and a few I didn't.

Just don't misinterpret 4 stars as putting it into “essential reading”

Someone pitched this series to me as “sci-fi Game of Thrones.”

Eh. Maybe. And that is a good thing. It is a rich, well-built world that is consistent with its own rules. The story is solid.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, plan to read the rest of the series.

This was one of those books I am supposed to love, as a geek. “You didn't read this in high school?!?”

It's decent. Got a little hand-wavy at the end when it came time to resolve some plot pieces, but it's good enough. I suspect that the next book will either lock me in, or be my excuse to walk away

It's a decent enough book, but the tropes run deep. (The wacky original characters really weren't ) And, honestly, this period was imagined better in the books that were “disavowed”. Still, it kept me turning pages and reads like a Star Wars novel.

I need to start with the fact that I have had trouble putting down both books in this series. They are “page turners” for me.

But ...

I am finding myself more fascinated by plot and action than characters. It feels like I am reading a novelization of a sci-fi action flick. I want to care about these characters more or understand them better and I just don't.

I was nervous about this book. Quitter was such a great practical handbook to follow your passion without starving and Start ... Start lacked the authenticity that made me want to read Acuff in the first place.

Do Over is a lot like Quitter, which was a very, very good thing. Most valuable when you aren't in a career transition, most relatable when you are. Totally worth the read.

For some readers, like me, this will be old hat. I've felt like the either/or view of right-/left-brained thinking has ben insufficient for years. That being said, this has some great reinforcement of ideas that I held in soft focus previously, and some decent application ideas for become more “whole-brained” (along with a few stinkers. Well worth the read, especially if you are just getting started with these ideas.

If you've been living these ideas, it will still be a good read, but won't necessarily challenge or revolutionize your thinking.

The ideas and practices are 5 star. The book written by a software engineer makes it a very sterile read, to my mind.

It was a good enough book, but I personally need to get some space from dystopian future where children/young adults need to overthrow/reform a corrupt system. This wasn't a copy cat, at all, but it wasn't earth shattering either.

Good read, fun read ... I'd read this before Divergent, after Hunger Games, instead of Maze Runner ...

Good enough to be an enjoyable read. Lacks the social commentary that made Hunger Games compelling.

Much better than I hoped. My first Scalzi. Not my last.

I may not fully understand why this has me so hooked, but it truly does. Only 4 stars because even though I enjoyed it, I'm not sure I'll reread it.

This was an very entertaining read with enough plot twists to keep it interesting, but many of the “punches” were telegraphed, so the plot twists were not always surprises. That being said, it was an entertaining read I would recommend to anyone who finds the idea of “gifted” people intriguing. (The Mutants in X-Men, Ender in Ender's Game, etc.)

Lives up to the hype. Still have no desire to watch the show.

Entertaining and certainly has a certain Douglas Adams flair, but gets a little bogged down with pop culture and music industry references. 2.5 decades after I first read Hitchhiker's, I could recommend it to my son, knowing that he would find it funny. In 25 years, this book will be far less funny to someone not familiar with the current music scene.

Picked this up to distract myself and succeeded. Read it cover to cover in one sitting.

If I were rating this on pure enjoyment, this would have been a 4/4.5. It kept me turning pages and kept me engaged. That being said, as dystopian fiction/science-fiction, it doesn't bring many new ideas to the table - a little bit Hunger Games (the government is trying to control you by dividing you) meets Harry Potter (you're special & different, but didn't know until now). There are opportunities to explore deeper ideas that are missed (or saved for future books). People who are completely unfamiliar with a certain way of life are trained in a matter of weeks.

Still, it's a good read, and as long as you aren't looking for the deeper things that drive books like Ender's Game, or the Hunger Games, you should enjoy this just fine. Can't help but root for the heroine.