megreads613's reviews
377 reviews

Not How I Pictured It by Robin Lefler

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.25

This book was fine, but it wasn’t a romance novel IMO. It needed to pick a lane but instead straddled far too many lines. There were too many characters. 

Also…there’s no way they’d survive on that island. How did the cameras get set up? How did no one get sun poisoning? And MOST IMPORTANTLY: how did they not get an INSANE payout for going through that??????

Oh, and it was so obvious Tyler was behind everything. Maybe not the reasoning. But obviously the odd one out would be it.  

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I can’t give this 5 stars because I found it started slow….but then I fell in love with it and didn’t want to stop reading!!

Grumpy Little Christmas by Marika Ray
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.

I’m 20 pages in and the main girl is so annoying. She’s entitled and bratty already, and if I have to read the word “ass” one more time im gonna scream. 

The Not So Secret Santa by Olivia Hayle

funny inspiring fast-paced

4.0

Not perfect but THESE are christmas novellas and short stories!!!! Not rushed, not trying to cram a full novel into 50 pages. Olivia Hayle is fast becoming a favourite. 

Boyfriend by Sarina Bowen

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

A solid three stars. Forgettable, but fine. The dialogue was a bit odd at times, and I felt like the author was trying too hard to make things overly emotional and dramatic. 

We didn’t get a lot of build up for how much these character like each other. They were just IN IT. Also, Abbi picking a fight because Weston asked about a job interview was incredibly forced.

My December Darling by Lauren Asher
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.

I couldn’t care for the main girl. There’s so much inner monologue, and I frankly don’t understand why Luke likes her. She makes insane assumptions.

The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

This book started off so strong for me, at least 4.5 stars. But it really started to shift once

Duke offered her the internship. I found the power dynamics really unsettling. He was too fast and loose with trying to flirt while she needed the job. Also paying off her student loans without telling her was insane. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them, and I found it all pretty troubling. It also went on WAY too long and had too many random plot points. This would have been better served as a novella.

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

4.0

O Goalie Night by K.M. Gillis

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Probably closer to a 3.75 but being from Ottawa, I’m rounding to a 4! This was a great holiday hockey read. Just the right amount of cheese. A couple irrelevant plot points, a couple things wrapped up too quickly, and definitely more of an instalove story. But overall I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed

how the third-act breakup wasn’t really a breakup. I always love when characters are mature enough to say “I need time, but I’m not giving up on us”.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria

fast-paced

3.0