donohoeashley's reviews
119 reviews

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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fast-paced

4.25

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.0

Fully not expecting to be as moved as I was by Paris’s story. She’s been through more than anyone should.
We Can Never Leave This Place by Eric LaRocca

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dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

There’s a twist at the ending that makes the surrealist plot very intriguing, but it also muddles a lot of what occurred. Definitely a mood piece, but difficult to grasp what fully happened throughout the story. May take a reread to completely comprehend, or maybe it is not designed to be fully comprehended.
Moonglow by Michael Chabon

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Did not finish book.
It’s a long book. Fairly interesting, but like not interesting enough for me. Might be better as an audiobook
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks

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Did not finish book.
It’s written super well sometimes philosophy about why love is difficult and society has made structured heavily preventing it kinda hurts to read xoxo I’ll return to this someday luv u bell hooks
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

I found this book fascinating, and it was so easy to work through. The beginning felt as if it leaned heavily into tropes, but the length of the story felt deserved in order to break through repetitive character types and storylines. Christopher and Kate became their own through expansive development and exploration of their relationship. Perhaps it is a byproduct of a similar upbringing, but the contradictory nature of the theology felt representative of practiced Catholicism during my reading experience. My only question is in regards to Mary Katherine and the final sentiment of the book. The conception of her child is impossible, so is this child a product of Hell? Heaven? It feels indiscernible through the text itself, so I’m going to choose to believe everything is fine for her. The pieces of the world building allowed me to fit them together through a spectacular journey, and this is a great book if you’re looking for a plot-heavy adventure. 
Chainsaw Man, Vol. 11: Go Get 'Em, Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto

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dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

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

1.75

Chainsaw Man, Vol. 10: A Dog's Feelings by Tatsuki Fujimoto

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Chainsaw Man continues to be a harrowing story, and volume 10 helps bring the story to a culmination of soul-destroying power dynamics. Makima reveals more insight into the tight web she's woven around Denji's life and why it happened. Denji's age shines through in this volume as well.
At the beginning chapters, his inability to understand and process his grief, instead trying to bury it within vices, showcases how he is only 16 with no real understanding of his emotions. Midway through the story, the reveal of Power's role in Denji's life and her inclusion in Makima's plans was solely to kill her makes her death come with an abundance of emotion. The reveal of Makima's motivations and plans feels well deserved, as retrospective analysis of prior volumes shows inklings of foreshadowing to who she is and how she is operating all along. This is a story that continues to grow and become all the more devastating the further it goes.
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