reibureibu's reviews
75 reviews

Deleuze and Guattari's Anti-Oedipus: Introduction to Schizoanalysis by Eugene W. Holland

challenging informative slow-paced

4.5

Through a glass, darkly.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Men loving men.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Subjectively, its dialogue beyond insufferable beyond often. But the author understands beyond most others the power that is the flow of relations between two peoples. Gideon the Ninth, and really the series ontologically, is founded on this dynamic; so too is my worldview. With a heavy sigh, I suffer through – but like your best friend's incessant dick jokes you can't help but love in spite.

The Year One Challenge for Men: Bigger, Leaner, and Stronger Than Ever in 12 Months by Michael Matthews

informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

A simple training program outlined for a whole year, not particularly insightful but in being organized does it make it much easier to plan a progression and in being ready-made does it make it much easier to actually undertake.

As a side note I always love how encouraging Michael is in his books. His advice always comes down to basic, unsexy truths, but it keeps things accountable and reinforces actual lifestyle changes and personal growth which is potentially the greatest result of it all; that he also roots for you along the way is a vitalizing thing.

To Michael: I wouldn't have made my first real steps without you and I certainly wouldn't have buckled down without your grounded approach. I look forward to what the next year brings, and then, after looking back on where all that hard work has taken me, the steps after.

The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Josh Waitzkin

informative fast-paced

2.0

The Art of Learning: or, How I Tricked You Into Reading My Totally Awesome Memoir About How Totally Awesome I Am

Snarky joke review aside, I see great parallels between him and I when it comes to our competitive philosophy and whenever he touches on the process of self-improvement between all the self-fellating chronicles I can't help but corroborate. It's almost scary how applicable his advice is to the realm of fighting games, and how much my own journey there mirrors his in his pursuits. Given the over-abundance of low-confidence players within the fighting game community who regularly self-sabotage their progress with unproductive dooming, I almost feel this (for them) is required reading.

A read that most people naturally inclined towards this likely do not need, but essential for those to whom this is recommended.

Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body by Michael Matthews

informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

 

 Occasional eye-rolling prose aside, a phenomenal resource for understanding how to change one's body composition that benefits specifically in being an all-in-one guidebook that explains nearly everything accessibly and never *not* keeps it real.

Particularly important given the entrenched and myriad untruths of health and fitness born from capitalist exploitation of women and neoliberal standards of femininity. Strength = Empowerment. 

Watership Down by Richard Adams

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

One of the most life-affirming works I've ever encountered – and reinforces that while life is harsh and uncaring and indifferent to our being and there is no great savior out there to, when we can no longer, tend to our ordeals, that we are to others what others are to us: including savior.

Compassion and community, such are the lifeblood of humanity. How tremendous that is embodied in rabbits.

The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Is this really 3-stars good? Unsure, but it does understand the quintessence of (platonic) male love. For that, I love back.

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

adventurous emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Catharsis.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Logging this separately from THGWSWLS for its two short stories. Unfortunately they are also terrible.