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Crow's Rest
Avery Flynn arrives for a visit at her Uncle Tam's, eager to rekindle her summertime romance with her crush-next-door, Daniel. But Daniel’s not the sweet, neurotic guy she remembers--and she wonders if this is her Daniel at all. Or if someone--or something--has taken his place. Her quest to find the real Daniel--and get him back--plunges Avery into a world of Fae and changelings, where creatures swap bodies like humans change their socks, and magic lives much closer to home than she ever imagined.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2015
7 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
Angelica R. Jackson
7 books49 followersAngelica R. Jackson, in keeping with her scattered Gemini nature, has published articles on gardening, natural history, web design, travel, hiking, and local history. Other interests include pets, reading, green living, and cooking for food allergies (the latter not necessarily by choice, but she’s come to terms with it). Ongoing projects include short fiction, poetry, novels, art photography, and children’s picture books.
She’s also been involved with capturing the restoration efforts for Preston Castle (formerly the Preston School of Industry) in photographs and can sometimes be found haunting its hallways. An incurable joiner, she is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (where she previously served as her region's Illustrator Coordinator and Social Media Coordinator), and several other writing organizations.
She shares a home in California's Gold Country with a husband and far too many books (if that's even possible). She is the author of the award-winning Faerie Crossed young adult urban fantasy series, and her photos are collected in Capturing The Castle: Images of Preston Castle (2006-2016). Stay, Girl is the latest release as of 2025
She’s also been involved with capturing the restoration efforts for Preston Castle (formerly the Preston School of Industry) in photographs and can sometimes be found haunting its hallways. An incurable joiner, she is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (where she previously served as her region's Illustrator Coordinator and Social Media Coordinator), and several other writing organizations.
She shares a home in California's Gold Country with a husband and far too many books (if that's even possible). She is the author of the award-winning Faerie Crossed young adult urban fantasy series, and her photos are collected in Capturing The Castle: Images of Preston Castle (2006-2016). Stay, Girl is the latest release as of 2025
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 13, 2015
More reviews and bookish stuff on Deadly Darlings!
So I just came back from attempting to pump life back into my brain after this book fried it. I'm afraid it can no longer return to the way it was before. Some of the things in this book just can't be unseen.
This book was basically a paranormal romantic movie gone awry. It has all the cliche aspects down perfectly, but done in a more gag-worthy manner. Such as:
the heroine who is The One. And is, unfortunately, literally referred to as "The One."
a failed harem of "hot guys." You don't know how much Avery pined for each of the three guys. It was painful to watch, especially since each of the guys had crappy personalities.
a villain who spills out his entire plan upon the heroine's request.
More on the heroine. See, Avery's a complete nut-job. And she acts so immaturely: announcing every time she "defeated" an enemy, demanding "stories with lots of drama" when her love interest clearly doesn't want to talk about it, being obsessed with all the hot guys, healing her love interest before her dad... Also these quotes such as the one below which made me want to shove a fork up her ass:
And then we have the romance. You're probably going to need a trash can near you to puke on for this. You see, it's just a love triangle... with Avery swooning for other guys on the side. Each of the love interests made me want to hurt someone, as such:
Love interest A: The moody-as-shit friend. I don't understand this guy. First he gets all jealous when love interest B starts flirting with Avery, and then the next minute he's telling her that he's never been into her.
Love interest B: Your typical YA love interest. He's the kind of guy who likes to flirt but you know you shouldn't trust.
Love interest C: Random hot guy. Basically this guy isn't really a love interest, but Avery thinks about his "wide shoulders and etched pecs." Also describing him like this:
But really, it was the main romance that made me want to throw a fit. At first, Avery was pretty much head over heels with her friend, and then love interest B comes along and bam! What pains me the most is that she even mentioned in the book that what they had wasn't insta-love:
*cue gagging noises*
Oh, and we also have some pretty shitty parenting in this book. Avery's mom was okay and pretty supportive, but she was only there for the first quarter of the book. Sure, she had things to attend to, but doesn't she check on her daughter every now and then? She won't even know if her little girl's suddenly frolicking in the grass with her new lover. And don't even get my started on Avery's dad, who, by the way, puts his lover (who is not Avery's mom) before his daughter.
The gist of this review? Crow's Rest made me want to hurl, gag, and stick a fork in my eyeball. Normally this is the part where I recommend the book to people who I think will love it, but I honestly can't think of anyone right now.
So I just came back from attempting to pump life back into my brain after this book fried it. I'm afraid it can no longer return to the way it was before. Some of the things in this book just can't be unseen.
This book was basically a paranormal romantic movie gone awry. It has all the cliche aspects down perfectly, but done in a more gag-worthy manner. Such as:
the heroine who is The One. And is, unfortunately, literally referred to as "The One."
a failed harem of "hot guys." You don't know how much Avery pined for each of the three guys. It was painful to watch, especially since each of the guys had crappy personalities.
a villain who spills out his entire plan upon the heroine's request.
More on the heroine. See, Avery's a complete nut-job. And she acts so immaturely: announcing every time she "defeated" an enemy, demanding "stories with lots of drama" when her love interest clearly doesn't want to talk about it, being obsessed with all the hot guys, healing her love interest before her dad... Also these quotes such as the one below which made me want to shove a fork up her ass:
"My knee jiggled in a pee-pee dance." -- is this how we teenagers are supposed to think when we need to take a piss? What even?!
And then we have the romance. You're probably going to need a trash can near you to puke on for this. You see, it's just a love triangle... with Avery swooning for other guys on the side. Each of the love interests made me want to hurt someone, as such:
Love interest A: The moody-as-shit friend. I don't understand this guy. First he gets all jealous when love interest B starts flirting with Avery, and then the next minute he's telling her that he's never been into her.
Love interest B: Your typical YA love interest. He's the kind of guy who likes to flirt but you know you shouldn't trust.
Love interest C: Random hot guy. Basically this guy isn't really a love interest, but Avery thinks about his "wide shoulders and etched pecs." Also describing him like this:
"Makes all those Hollywood hotties and boy bands look like orcs."
But really, it was the main romance that made me want to throw a fit. At first, Avery was pretty much head over heels with her friend, and then love interest B comes along and bam! What pains me the most is that she even mentioned in the book that what they had wasn't insta-love:
"I don't believe in insta-love, like in books and movies--but there's something here. Something in you that speaks to a part of me that I didn't even know was there."
*cue gagging noises*
Oh, and we also have some pretty shitty parenting in this book. Avery's mom was okay and pretty supportive, but she was only there for the first quarter of the book. Sure, she had things to attend to, but doesn't she check on her daughter every now and then? She won't even know if her little girl's suddenly frolicking in the grass with her new lover. And don't even get my started on Avery's dad, who, by the way, puts his lover (who is not Avery's mom) before his daughter.
The gist of this review? Crow's Rest made me want to hurl, gag, and stick a fork in my eyeball. Normally this is the part where I recommend the book to people who I think will love it, but I honestly can't think of anyone right now.
April 26, 2015
Same Review In My Blog:Dreamy Addictions
Fairies are one of my favorite mythical beings and I’d love to explore myself with the fae world. I’d really like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this wonderful book. It’s a great YA debut from the author Angelica R. Jackson, it was really an awesome book that made me feel happy and sad after I finished reading it.
When Avery visits her uncle Tam she was really eager to meet her crush Daniel, who lives in the same neighborhood. Last time Avery left Daniel with a kiss who is still confused about their relationship and they always sent text messages with each other. Avery Was very determined to make Daniel her boyfriend. Even after arriving at her Uncle's house, she gets no visit from him, except his dog Bobbin who acts strange. She observes something wrong with Daniel's dog and she gets really freaked out when the dog understands everything she says.When Avery learns about the condition of Daniel she feels totally devastated. After when Daniel wakes from his death bed, he seems totally different like he is a perfect opposite to the Daniel she knew who was always shy.
What I most liked about Avery is she is a funny, realistic person who doesn't have a censor in her mouth and says whatever she has in her mind. Even though she is scared she was always brave and also funny in scary situations. Well, coming to the new Daniel he got a totally hot bod and expresses no shyness in physical intimacy. There was no lack in the Chemistry between the two main protagonists, it was pretty much intense and scorching. Another thing I really liked is the Car "Nykur" which was beyond cool and it would be every body's dream car.
Everything in this book is perfect with all the plot, characters and story building. Even though it was a fresh debut from the author you don't find any flaws in it, her writing skills are perfect and it was pretty easy to understand. From the start till the end, I wasn't bored at anywhere and I just completed it in one sitting. I'd really like to thank the author for writing such an amazing and hilarious book. It was really sad that it was a stand alone book, but I'll be looking forward to the author's next work and I'd highly recommend everyone to read it because it's a damn good book.
Fairies are one of my favorite mythical beings and I’d love to explore myself with the fae world. I’d really like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this wonderful book. It’s a great YA debut from the author Angelica R. Jackson, it was really an awesome book that made me feel happy and sad after I finished reading it.
When Avery visits her uncle Tam she was really eager to meet her crush Daniel, who lives in the same neighborhood. Last time Avery left Daniel with a kiss who is still confused about their relationship and they always sent text messages with each other. Avery Was very determined to make Daniel her boyfriend. Even after arriving at her Uncle's house, she gets no visit from him, except his dog Bobbin who acts strange. She observes something wrong with Daniel's dog and she gets really freaked out when the dog understands everything she says.When Avery learns about the condition of Daniel she feels totally devastated. After when Daniel wakes from his death bed, he seems totally different like he is a perfect opposite to the Daniel she knew who was always shy.
What I most liked about Avery is she is a funny, realistic person who doesn't have a censor in her mouth and says whatever she has in her mind. Even though she is scared she was always brave and also funny in scary situations. Well, coming to the new Daniel he got a totally hot bod and expresses no shyness in physical intimacy. There was no lack in the Chemistry between the two main protagonists, it was pretty much intense and scorching. Another thing I really liked is the Car "Nykur" which was beyond cool and it would be every body's dream car.
Everything in this book is perfect with all the plot, characters and story building. Even though it was a fresh debut from the author you don't find any flaws in it, her writing skills are perfect and it was pretty easy to understand. From the start till the end, I wasn't bored at anywhere and I just completed it in one sitting. I'd really like to thank the author for writing such an amazing and hilarious book. It was really sad that it was a stand alone book, but I'll be looking forward to the author's next work and I'd highly recommend everyone to read it because it's a damn good book.
June 28, 2014
I'm one of the lucky few who got to read an early version of this novel. Trust me, you're going to want to get your hands on a copy of CROW'S REST. I've never been fond of perfect-from-the-start heroines, so Avery is my kind of main character. She's sharp-tongued, she's funny, she even lets her hormones control her on occasion--she's just very real. I don't want to give out too many details (because spoilers), but the dog, the car and the Very Cute guys kept me turning pages late into the night.
May 11, 2018
*this review contains minor spoilers*
Y'know, I've been reading books a long time. True, fantasy usually isn't my preferred genre, but I don't think I've ever read or heard of a book involving fantasy with *crows* before. That was definitely, I think, the most interesting thing about this book - well, that and the opening chapters/introduction. With that being said, let's get started, shall we?
Crow's Rest starts off with a BANG and I think the very first chapter is one of the most engaging/interesting hooks I've read in a long time. The novel starts off with the main character - Avery - finding out that one of her best friends has landed himself in the hospital. I won't go into the how or why, but by the time he gets out, Avery realizes that, hey - Daniel isn't quite the same boy that he had been when she saw him last summer.
I thoroughly liked the plot of the book up until this point, but the turn in which Avery realizes that something's up with Daniel read like something straight up out of Twilight, when Bella confronts Edward about being a vampire (this book doesn't have anything to do with vampires, I'm just saying that the revelation itself feels very similar). And when Daniel/Lonan (that name split will be made clear once you read the book, aha) realizes that she's found out his 'secret,' he... doesn't really do much about it. The scene with the crows was cool, but the actual face-to-face confrontation is just sort of like "oh, yeah, this is what I am and, uh, hey, I kind of need your help with a Very Important Thing. You chill with that?" And after that, there were definitely plot points here and there that didn't really...click together very well? Just, like, every once in awhile there would be a plot point that came up that didn't seem to connect very well. Think like a puzzle piece that fit into the RIGHT puzzle, but in the WRONG location, but it was being forced in anyway. That's what some parts of this book felt like - another word I can think of to describe it is sort of "patchy."
As for Avery herself, I... don't really know how to feel about her character. Her first person narration flows VERY easily and this was a quick read (less than 24 hours I think?) because of how well her narration flowed. However, while there were some parts that Avery was a funny, even relatable, character, other parts read very... oddly. I think the author was trying a little *too* hard to fit in with the teenage narration and "modern lingo." It kind of read like when you tell a joke in front of a roomful of people, but nobody laughs and you're just left feeling very... awkward and uncomfortable.
Speaking of Avery, though, there's another situation in this book that I want to talk about and that is: the romance. The summary of this book is a little deceiving because it makes it sound like Avery is pining after one guy, Daniel. But really, there are TWO guys she likes - three if you count the third person, Nykur, that she briefly expresses some, uh, desire for:
“...Nykur still had a direct line to my thoughts. Even the naughty ones.”
In fact, Avery expresses, uh, 'naughty thoughts' for three guys. Which wouldn't be so bad, I don't think (*waves in asexual*), except for the fact that besides her old, old great-uncle and her briefly-mentioned father, there are literally only *four* members of the male species mentioned in this novel. And, including Nykur, she wants to screw three of them:
"We could sort it out face to face—or lips to lips, hips to hips...” (referencing Daniel)
“I shrieked as he pulled me down beside him, and for the next couple of hours, showed me exactly how up for the challenge he was.” (referencing Lonan)
And I KNOW that sex is not a bad thing and I'm not trying to "slut shame" the main character (don't come for me, Goodreads), but it just... seems like... a lot. Especially when there are basically only four characters (excluding family members) with the XY chromosomes and you've got more important things - like, say, trying to get your best friend back into his own body? - to worry about. And overall, the love triangle was just handled... kind of lazily, I think? I won't say how that all turned out, but it was pretty anticlimactic. I've said in other reviews that love triangles typically aren't my favorite thing in the world in general, but this one just sort of felt particularly dull.
So, overall, I don't know how I feel about Avery. However, I DO like Lonan - he was easily my favorite character - and I like the concept of being able to "trade places," essentially, with the faeries and experience their world. That, and the plot with "running out of time" with the moon, and the crows, were my favorite bits of this novel.
Overall, my thoughts and feelings are very back and forth with one another. This novel was not at all bad - like I said, the hook was GREAT, the inclusion of the crows was very unique, Avery's narration read very quickly and naturally, and Lonan is my favorite character. I just wish there was... more. A lot of things felt very forced trying to connect together and the ending, I feel, was the weakest part of the book - it's the first in a series, but didn't really have an ending impactful enough to lead into a second book. However, if you like fantasy and faeries (and crows!), I think it's still worth giving this book a go. I think the concept behind the plot is very unique, I just think it could have been... developed a bit better.
Y'know, I've been reading books a long time. True, fantasy usually isn't my preferred genre, but I don't think I've ever read or heard of a book involving fantasy with *crows* before. That was definitely, I think, the most interesting thing about this book - well, that and the opening chapters/introduction. With that being said, let's get started, shall we?
Crow's Rest starts off with a BANG and I think the very first chapter is one of the most engaging/interesting hooks I've read in a long time. The novel starts off with the main character - Avery - finding out that one of her best friends has landed himself in the hospital. I won't go into the how or why, but by the time he gets out, Avery realizes that, hey - Daniel isn't quite the same boy that he had been when she saw him last summer.
I thoroughly liked the plot of the book up until this point, but the turn in which Avery realizes that something's up with Daniel read like something straight up out of Twilight, when Bella confronts Edward about being a vampire (this book doesn't have anything to do with vampires, I'm just saying that the revelation itself feels very similar). And when Daniel/Lonan (that name split will be made clear once you read the book, aha) realizes that she's found out his 'secret,' he... doesn't really do much about it. The scene with the crows was cool, but the actual face-to-face confrontation is just sort of like "oh, yeah, this is what I am and, uh, hey, I kind of need your help with a Very Important Thing. You chill with that?" And after that, there were definitely plot points here and there that didn't really...click together very well? Just, like, every once in awhile there would be a plot point that came up that didn't seem to connect very well. Think like a puzzle piece that fit into the RIGHT puzzle, but in the WRONG location, but it was being forced in anyway. That's what some parts of this book felt like - another word I can think of to describe it is sort of "patchy."
As for Avery herself, I... don't really know how to feel about her character. Her first person narration flows VERY easily and this was a quick read (less than 24 hours I think?) because of how well her narration flowed. However, while there were some parts that Avery was a funny, even relatable, character, other parts read very... oddly. I think the author was trying a little *too* hard to fit in with the teenage narration and "modern lingo." It kind of read like when you tell a joke in front of a roomful of people, but nobody laughs and you're just left feeling very... awkward and uncomfortable.
Speaking of Avery, though, there's another situation in this book that I want to talk about and that is: the romance. The summary of this book is a little deceiving because it makes it sound like Avery is pining after one guy, Daniel. But really, there are TWO guys she likes - three if you count the third person, Nykur, that she briefly expresses some, uh, desire for:
“...Nykur still had a direct line to my thoughts. Even the naughty ones.”
In fact, Avery expresses, uh, 'naughty thoughts' for three guys. Which wouldn't be so bad, I don't think (*waves in asexual*), except for the fact that besides her old, old great-uncle and her briefly-mentioned father, there are literally only *four* members of the male species mentioned in this novel. And, including Nykur, she wants to screw three of them:
"We could sort it out face to face—or lips to lips, hips to hips...” (referencing Daniel)
“I shrieked as he pulled me down beside him, and for the next couple of hours, showed me exactly how up for the challenge he was.” (referencing Lonan)
And I KNOW that sex is not a bad thing and I'm not trying to "slut shame" the main character (don't come for me, Goodreads), but it just... seems like... a lot. Especially when there are basically only four characters (excluding family members) with the XY chromosomes and you've got more important things - like, say, trying to get your best friend back into his own body? - to worry about. And overall, the love triangle was just handled... kind of lazily, I think? I won't say how that all turned out, but it was pretty anticlimactic. I've said in other reviews that love triangles typically aren't my favorite thing in the world in general, but this one just sort of felt particularly dull.
So, overall, I don't know how I feel about Avery. However, I DO like Lonan - he was easily my favorite character - and I like the concept of being able to "trade places," essentially, with the faeries and experience their world. That, and the plot with "running out of time" with the moon, and the crows, were my favorite bits of this novel.
Overall, my thoughts and feelings are very back and forth with one another. This novel was not at all bad - like I said, the hook was GREAT, the inclusion of the crows was very unique, Avery's narration read very quickly and naturally, and Lonan is my favorite character. I just wish there was... more. A lot of things felt very forced trying to connect together and the ending, I feel, was the weakest part of the book - it's the first in a series, but didn't really have an ending impactful enough to lead into a second book. However, if you like fantasy and faeries (and crows!), I think it's still worth giving this book a go. I think the concept behind the plot is very unique, I just think it could have been... developed a bit better.
February 5, 2020
Avery Flynn arrives at her Uncle Tam's house, for the long summer visit that has been part of her life since she was a young girl. She's now in her late teens, and late last summer, she and her old friend, Daniel, took the first hesitant steps toward romance. She's hoping they can pick up where they left off.
But strange things have happened, and Daniel isn't Daniel anymore. At first she just thinks he's changed. Then she thinks--this really isn't Daniel. It's someone else in his body, and she needs to get him back.
Even once she's reached that conclusion, what's really going on is stranger and more frightening that she thinks. She's about to discover that the world of the Fae is real, and dangerous.
In her quest to rescue Daniel, Avery learns startling things about her father, her uncle, her own mental health conditions for which she's been treated and medicated most of her life. Her background isn't what she thinks it is, and her father and uncle aren't who she thinks they are.
Avery learns to understand herself, and learns a lot about judging character--of both humans and Fae.
Most of all, she faces a dangerous test, when she finds abilities she didn't know she possessed, and has to decide how to use that power to deal with those who have helped or harmed her.
I don't think I'm doing this book justice. I found it much deeper and stronger than I expected. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook via Authors XP Elite Readers, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
But strange things have happened, and Daniel isn't Daniel anymore. At first she just thinks he's changed. Then she thinks--this really isn't Daniel. It's someone else in his body, and she needs to get him back.
Even once she's reached that conclusion, what's really going on is stranger and more frightening that she thinks. She's about to discover that the world of the Fae is real, and dangerous.
In her quest to rescue Daniel, Avery learns startling things about her father, her uncle, her own mental health conditions for which she's been treated and medicated most of her life. Her background isn't what she thinks it is, and her father and uncle aren't who she thinks they are.
Avery learns to understand herself, and learns a lot about judging character--of both humans and Fae.
Most of all, she faces a dangerous test, when she finds abilities she didn't know she possessed, and has to decide how to use that power to deal with those who have helped or harmed her.
I don't think I'm doing this book justice. I found it much deeper and stronger than I expected. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook via Authors XP Elite Readers, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
August 11, 2015
This review is also featured on my blog Novels and Necklaces
If you're looking for a quick read that's a little fun and nothing to take too seriously, this is the book for you. It's not that I didn't enjoy this novel, but it wasn't anything exciting. I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but didn't quite get there. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me on this, but there was just something missing, something that would have given the extra oomph it needed to make this a great story.
The book moves quickly, and the world building, while done well, I still wanted more. It felt like things weren't fleshed out enough. It was interesting, but also kind of run-of-the-mill. There was nothing special with the paranormal aspects of the story. Don't get me wrong, it was entertaining to read though. I just wish that the faerie world would have played a bit more of a role in the story. The beginning did feel slow, but by about half way through the story picked up. But with this book being so short, I do wish that the story would have gotten moving sooner.
Our main character, Avery, was interesting, but she did get on my nerves at times. There were times while I was reading where she seemed much younger than her age. A couple choices she made were childish, and she did seem all over the place. However, I did like how independent she was. She knew what her priorities were, and she stuck to that. She did have me cracking up while reading with her witty humor and commentary. I think my main problem with her character, as well as the other characters in this novel, was that they weren't fully developed. I wanted to know more about them, but I felt that by the time we were just starting to get to know the characters, the book was done. Again...I just wanted more.
There are 2 love interests in this book, Lonan and Daniel. Let me just say that I was rooting for Lonan right away. Daniel was really annoying to me, and I never could get into his character. He honestly got on my nerves while reading, and I couldn't wait for Lonan to come onto the scene. And as much as I love Lonan, I do feel that he didn't really get to shine like the author intended, mainly because Avery is basically the person that always "saves the day."
I did like this book (I know it doesn't seem that way, but I did). It just wasn't anything fantastic. It didn't blow me away like I expected, and I just felt incomplete after finishing. I said it multiple times in this review, but once more, I just wanted more. I don't know if this is going to be a series (it doesn't look like it is but who knows?), but there is definitely potential for another book. I probably wouldn't check it out, but I might depending on reviews. Overall, I just don't think this book was my cup of tea.
Happy reading :)
If you're looking for a quick read that's a little fun and nothing to take too seriously, this is the book for you. It's not that I didn't enjoy this novel, but it wasn't anything exciting. I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but didn't quite get there. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me on this, but there was just something missing, something that would have given the extra oomph it needed to make this a great story.
The book moves quickly, and the world building, while done well, I still wanted more. It felt like things weren't fleshed out enough. It was interesting, but also kind of run-of-the-mill. There was nothing special with the paranormal aspects of the story. Don't get me wrong, it was entertaining to read though. I just wish that the faerie world would have played a bit more of a role in the story. The beginning did feel slow, but by about half way through the story picked up. But with this book being so short, I do wish that the story would have gotten moving sooner.
Our main character, Avery, was interesting, but she did get on my nerves at times. There were times while I was reading where she seemed much younger than her age. A couple choices she made were childish, and she did seem all over the place. However, I did like how independent she was. She knew what her priorities were, and she stuck to that. She did have me cracking up while reading with her witty humor and commentary. I think my main problem with her character, as well as the other characters in this novel, was that they weren't fully developed. I wanted to know more about them, but I felt that by the time we were just starting to get to know the characters, the book was done. Again...I just wanted more.
There are 2 love interests in this book, Lonan and Daniel. Let me just say that I was rooting for Lonan right away. Daniel was really annoying to me, and I never could get into his character. He honestly got on my nerves while reading, and I couldn't wait for Lonan to come onto the scene. And as much as I love Lonan, I do feel that he didn't really get to shine like the author intended, mainly because Avery is basically the person that always "saves the day."
I did like this book (I know it doesn't seem that way, but I did). It just wasn't anything fantastic. It didn't blow me away like I expected, and I just felt incomplete after finishing. I said it multiple times in this review, but once more, I just wanted more. I don't know if this is going to be a series (it doesn't look like it is but who knows?), but there is definitely potential for another book. I probably wouldn't check it out, but I might depending on reviews. Overall, I just don't think this book was my cup of tea.
Happy reading :)
April 21, 2015
*NETGALLEY ARC*
MY REVIEW
Avery has always had a crush on Daniel. After leaving her uncle's house, she gets a text from Daniel saying he wanted to be friends. But now Avery is back to Tam's house and is determined to win Daniel back. But all she finds when she gets there is Daniel's over excited dog that seems to understand every single thing she says. Daniel is at the hospital and about to die. But somehow Avery and the dog manage to cure him but when Daniel wakes up, he is nothing like the sweet, shy boy she left behind. He's funny, arrogant and a pro at kissing. Avery can't help but think that this person is not Daniel. But who could he be? why was he here? where was Daniel? What role does Avery have in the world of the fae?
Avery was probably one of the funniest and most realistic characters i've ever read about! She has absolutely NO filter whatsoever for her mouth-she says really inappropriate stuff without realizing. She was also flawed and i liked that she didn't deny them when they were brought up. She was mature about the confession and really saw herself through someone else's perspective. She was brave and determined to get Daniel back.
Without ruining the whole plot, i will say i loved the romance between Avery and the Daniel (or is it!!??) They were really made for each other and you could feel the chemistry between them! I loved the little touches like the dog and the fae car!!! That was so cool!
I liked the plot a lot. It was original and steadily paced but at times i still found myself skipping over a few paragraphs so i could get to the parts i liked! So yeah it did drag on sometimes,,.One other thing, i wish we had more stuff on the land of the fae. The little parts we've seen of it were amazing but not enough, I wish there was more world building on that side even though the story takes place on Earth. More about the queen and setting and so on..
Other than that i can't say anything else bad about this book. If you're looking for a new, original and intriguing read then definitely check out this one! I'm curious to see what this author releases next!
MY REVIEW
Avery has always had a crush on Daniel. After leaving her uncle's house, she gets a text from Daniel saying he wanted to be friends. But now Avery is back to Tam's house and is determined to win Daniel back. But all she finds when she gets there is Daniel's over excited dog that seems to understand every single thing she says. Daniel is at the hospital and about to die. But somehow Avery and the dog manage to cure him but when Daniel wakes up, he is nothing like the sweet, shy boy she left behind. He's funny, arrogant and a pro at kissing. Avery can't help but think that this person is not Daniel. But who could he be? why was he here? where was Daniel? What role does Avery have in the world of the fae?
Avery was probably one of the funniest and most realistic characters i've ever read about! She has absolutely NO filter whatsoever for her mouth-she says really inappropriate stuff without realizing. She was also flawed and i liked that she didn't deny them when they were brought up. She was mature about the confession and really saw herself through someone else's perspective. She was brave and determined to get Daniel back.
Without ruining the whole plot, i will say i loved the romance between Avery and the Daniel (or is it!!??) They were really made for each other and you could feel the chemistry between them! I loved the little touches like the dog and the fae car!!! That was so cool!
I liked the plot a lot. It was original and steadily paced but at times i still found myself skipping over a few paragraphs so i could get to the parts i liked! So yeah it did drag on sometimes,,.One other thing, i wish we had more stuff on the land of the fae. The little parts we've seen of it were amazing but not enough, I wish there was more world building on that side even though the story takes place on Earth. More about the queen and setting and so on..
Other than that i can't say anything else bad about this book. If you're looking for a new, original and intriguing read then definitely check out this one! I'm curious to see what this author releases next!
March 11, 2015
Paranormal/Urban Fantasy is not my typical read--I'm more of a Realistic Contemporary girl myself-- but CROW'S REST was enjoyable. Avery is smart, funny, and not overly perfect, which made for a great heroine. It was a fast paced, fun read with just the right amount of humor for my taste. Well done!
February 4, 2016
I acquired this book from winning a raffle at Bookitcon, and I actually really enjoyed it! Crow's Rest was a slightly weird, paranormal, romance. I really loved the humor in this. It kept me interested the entire time, and I loved the characters, although the MC was slightly annoying at times.
May 7, 2015
I loved it! Not my usual genre, but I had it on good authority that it was worth the read and I must agree!
July 9, 2014
Very excited about this book!
February 7, 2020
Well, I just finished the book and audio. I enjoyed meeting Avery and Lonan! I thought the story well told it kept me involved in their journey by continuing to pique my interest of what will be happening on the next page.
There were some things, however, that didn't sit right for me. Daniel, Avery's childhood friend and first love interest seemed more a sullen, petulant moody child. I truly couldn't see what she saw in him - or was this the author's way of making us prefer Lonan?
And Avery's mother? She seemed all loving and caring at the beginning of the story, then suddenly goes off to the library to work and forgets her daughter.?
I would have liked to see more of Fairy and the Fae side..but maybe the next installment?
The epilogue is a perfect end/insight into their next endeavor and the continuation of their blooming relationship.
As far as the audio version....I thought the narrator did well overall, but...I didn't care for her Lonan voice, if I'm being honest. In my mind, I heard him deeper? more confident? Especially if he is a war chief in Fairy. Not hesitant and sullen as Daniel's voice seemed to me. I couldn't tell much difference between him and Daniel. (or could his voice not be much different than Daniel's while using his body?). But that is just my take.
Overall, a pretty good start to reel you in for book two.
I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving a review
There were some things, however, that didn't sit right for me. Daniel, Avery's childhood friend and first love interest seemed more a sullen, petulant moody child. I truly couldn't see what she saw in him - or was this the author's way of making us prefer Lonan?
And Avery's mother? She seemed all loving and caring at the beginning of the story, then suddenly goes off to the library to work and forgets her daughter.?
I would have liked to see more of Fairy and the Fae side..but maybe the next installment?
The epilogue is a perfect end/insight into their next endeavor and the continuation of their blooming relationship.
As far as the audio version....I thought the narrator did well overall, but...I didn't care for her Lonan voice, if I'm being honest. In my mind, I heard him deeper? more confident? Especially if he is a war chief in Fairy. Not hesitant and sullen as Daniel's voice seemed to me. I couldn't tell much difference between him and Daniel. (or could his voice not be much different than Daniel's while using his body?). But that is just my take.
Overall, a pretty good start to reel you in for book two.
I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving a review
December 20, 2016
3.5 stars (Thank you to the author -I won a review copy on Twitter.)
I love YA paranormal stories so I was intrigued to read this one since it was about the fae. It was fun and a little quirky with bits of humor throughout the story. I didn't know what to think of Avery at first, but she's a strong character and very smart and determined-not a cliche damsel in distress. Sometimes I loved Daniel and other times he frustrated me. I don't want to give spoilers, so I need to avoid specifics but there is a love triangle of sorts. I know some readers try to avoid books like that so I just wanted to mention it for those who don't care for those.
I stopped reading several times and had a little difficulty maintaining my interest, (it was probably just me, and not the book to be honest.;) but it was entertaining overall. It's not my favorite YA paranormal, but if you want a unique and fun story with good world building and teen romance, you might like this one. It's not too dark and full of angst like some fantasy books can be, but it has just enough drama to keep you entertained. If the premise of the book appeals to you, you will probably enjoy it.:)
I love YA paranormal stories so I was intrigued to read this one since it was about the fae. It was fun and a little quirky with bits of humor throughout the story. I didn't know what to think of Avery at first, but she's a strong character and very smart and determined-not a cliche damsel in distress. Sometimes I loved Daniel and other times he frustrated me. I don't want to give spoilers, so I need to avoid specifics but there is a love triangle of sorts. I know some readers try to avoid books like that so I just wanted to mention it for those who don't care for those.
I stopped reading several times and had a little difficulty maintaining my interest, (it was probably just me, and not the book to be honest.;) but it was entertaining overall. It's not my favorite YA paranormal, but if you want a unique and fun story with good world building and teen romance, you might like this one. It's not too dark and full of angst like some fantasy books can be, but it has just enough drama to keep you entertained. If the premise of the book appeals to you, you will probably enjoy it.:)
January 9, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Ms. Jackson developed a creative and unique way of bringing the human and Fae worlds together. Avery’s mother, a nurse, believed Avery had mental health episodes, like her father, and had her on medication to address this issue. However, Avery found out there was much more going on than “mental health” when she returned to her Uncle Tam’s to spend the summer as she did every year.
Avery began to wonder about her own mental health when she began to notice changes in her long time friend and new crush, not to mention that his dog seemed able to actually communicate with her. However, she soon began to wonder if the stories her Dad told her about Faerie may be more than just tales?
Ms. Jackson’s imaginative approach to the human / Faerie tale kept me listening - I enjoyed the audiobook version. Brenda Scott Wlazlo did a fantastic job narrating Crow’s Nest. Her voice characterizations were excellent and it was easy to identify which character was which. My favourite dialect was Uncle Tam’s strong Irish lilt. I often find one gender trying to give another gender voice often comes across “wrong” somehow. But, Wlazlo did a great job.
I enjoyed this Young Adult Fantasy and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about Fae, magic, and intrigue. I was given a complimentary copy of this audiobook, at my request, and I am providing this review voluntarily.
Avery began to wonder about her own mental health when she began to notice changes in her long time friend and new crush, not to mention that his dog seemed able to actually communicate with her. However, she soon began to wonder if the stories her Dad told her about Faerie may be more than just tales?
Ms. Jackson’s imaginative approach to the human / Faerie tale kept me listening - I enjoyed the audiobook version. Brenda Scott Wlazlo did a fantastic job narrating Crow’s Nest. Her voice characterizations were excellent and it was easy to identify which character was which. My favourite dialect was Uncle Tam’s strong Irish lilt. I often find one gender trying to give another gender voice often comes across “wrong” somehow. But, Wlazlo did a great job.
I enjoyed this Young Adult Fantasy and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about Fae, magic, and intrigue. I was given a complimentary copy of this audiobook, at my request, and I am providing this review voluntarily.
December 2, 2020
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be straight with you, I threw this book across the room (figuratively) somewhere amidst the third chapter. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended, but the narrative style of Crow's Rest by Angelica R. Jackson was trying too hard to be quirky and charming. The main character, whose name I've already forgotten, is a tangled mess of poor writing. She's ADD and Bipolar, and okay, sure, that can happen - but it has zero relevancy to the plot outside of an attempt at making her… what? Relatable? A special snowflake?
What catapulted everything off for me though, was the author's need to word-vomit the most inappropriate asides and verbal tangents I've ever seen in a Young Adult book. I can't even begin to repeat some of what was written for fear my review would get flagged.
This book is a mess, and honestly, you could do better.
I'll be straight with you, I threw this book across the room (figuratively) somewhere amidst the third chapter. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended, but the narrative style of Crow's Rest by Angelica R. Jackson was trying too hard to be quirky and charming. The main character, whose name I've already forgotten, is a tangled mess of poor writing. She's ADD and Bipolar, and okay, sure, that can happen - but it has zero relevancy to the plot outside of an attempt at making her… what? Relatable? A special snowflake?
What catapulted everything off for me though, was the author's need to word-vomit the most inappropriate asides and verbal tangents I've ever seen in a Young Adult book. I can't even begin to repeat some of what was written for fear my review would get flagged.
This book is a mess, and honestly, you could do better.
October 21, 2018
Avery is not your perfect, fairy tale or fantasy heroine.
Who can blame her? It seems the boy she has a major crush on has changed. It is quite the predicament. It seems to upset her more than him.
However, this particular boy is not the only one who has Avery's hormones racing.
Perhaps that is why she never comes across as quite solid or well formed to me.
On the positive side, she has her humorous moments.
Not a bad attempt for a first book. I am also reading the second installment.
Who can blame her? It seems the boy she has a major crush on has changed. It is quite the predicament. It seems to upset her more than him.
However, this particular boy is not the only one who has Avery's hormones racing.
Perhaps that is why she never comes across as quite solid or well formed to me.
On the positive side, she has her humorous moments.
Not a bad attempt for a first book. I am also reading the second installment.
June 14, 2017
I liked this book a lot. It never went the way I was expecting it to. Two-thirds of it was great, only in need of a little polishing. The last act, however, seems to become a different book. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was okay, but it just didn't seem to fit the rest of the book. Verdict: I haven't read many Fae stories, but I thought this was pretty good.
February 27, 2020
I listened to this as an audiobook and loved every minute of it! The characters were well done and you don’t have to understand anything about the fae to enjoy this adventure. Avery is young and learning about her life and the worlds. This was a great book one and makes me excited to pick up the next one!
March 7, 2020
It took me a little while to actually get into reading this book (which I received as an ARC), but once we began to see that something unusual was going on the story became much more interesting. I liked how they used some traditional get myths while also giving it a fresh twist. I'm quite interested to see how they story goes in the following books.
April 1, 2020
What a story! At first I was wondering if I had picked up the wrong book because it was too sad and tragic, then the twist and turns came in. I am glad that I stuck it out and keep reading as I really enjoyed reading this book. I have received a free copy of this book.
March 25, 2020
I received a arc and volunteer to review this audiobook and book. Great read and really liked it. Highly recommend this and the series.
June 23, 2015
Originally posted on May 13 2015 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books:
In a Flutter: Overall a fun, easy read.
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: The setting of Crow’s Rest had a lot of charm, and the fantasy elements were interesting as well – fey, magic -.
Characters: Avery was an interesting MC. I sort of liked the idea of her, the concept, but I wasn’t that taken with her manifestation, if that makes any sense. The concept of her was fun, but she sometimes read unconvincing, somewhat childish maybe at times. I liked her loyalty, her sense of right and wrong and the nuances in between. I loved that wild streak about her, the fact she was quite independent. That strikes me as authentic teenager, so kudos for that!
I found Daniel highly irritating, and Lonan was pretty fun and could have been sort of kick-ass, but then again we have our heroine doing most of the saving so the fey studmuffin didn’t get a chance to go all alpha, macho goodness. He was sort of like the fey boy next door. If you like that in your reads, then I think you’ll like him. I’m not much into it myself, I admit. Maybe that’s why I found Daniel annoying, he literally was the boy next door.
I kind of loved Nykur :D And also I liked the rather irreverent air the fey in this story had. Of course, they couldn’t go too mischievous because age-appropriate, but they had a lot of potential. Big kudos for that too!
Plot: The paranormal (because fantasy creatures running around regular human world) action was sort of fun, but not overly exciting imo. It was entertaining enough, and I often found myself wishing the fantasy world had gotten more air-time, because it was really cool. The teen romance angle was pretty hormonal and of course, there was a triangle happening, with the two contenders somewhat renting the same body for a while… kind of disturbing, a bit twisted – which is why I found it interesting and fun, as opposed to irritating which is my general view of triangles and especially in YA. All in all, the read felt somewhat slow in the beginning, but overall it had a good pace. It’s not a roller-coaster kind of read, though. If you’re into agitated action, it might be a bit too slow for you.
Writing: First person, past tense narrative. Avery’s voice had moments when it was hilarious and quite charming with her bits of snark, but sometimes things felt a little… I’m not sure how to describe it, light? But that’s a common occurrence for me with YA, so it might be just your thing.
Curb Appeal: Cool cover, hooking blurb – a good pitch.
All in all, this was a fun kind of twisted (but only kind of, keep in mind, it’s quite tame) fairy-tale like story, fact that I enjoyed. I liked the portrayal of fey, the magic to real ratio. The story was somewhat hard to get into at times, especially in the beginning, but things progressed further on. I definitely recommend it to lovers of teen romance, of paranormal elements that include some fey and magic, and if you’re into romantic triangles then this one should be a fun read as well. Also it’s a standalone novel so no cliffies or anything, which is also very cool :D
In a Flutter: Overall a fun, easy read.
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: The setting of Crow’s Rest had a lot of charm, and the fantasy elements were interesting as well – fey, magic -.
Characters: Avery was an interesting MC. I sort of liked the idea of her, the concept, but I wasn’t that taken with her manifestation, if that makes any sense. The concept of her was fun, but she sometimes read unconvincing, somewhat childish maybe at times. I liked her loyalty, her sense of right and wrong and the nuances in between. I loved that wild streak about her, the fact she was quite independent. That strikes me as authentic teenager, so kudos for that!
I found Daniel highly irritating, and Lonan was pretty fun and could have been sort of kick-ass, but then again we have our heroine doing most of the saving so the fey studmuffin didn’t get a chance to go all alpha, macho goodness. He was sort of like the fey boy next door. If you like that in your reads, then I think you’ll like him. I’m not much into it myself, I admit. Maybe that’s why I found Daniel annoying, he literally was the boy next door.
I kind of loved Nykur :D And also I liked the rather irreverent air the fey in this story had. Of course, they couldn’t go too mischievous because age-appropriate, but they had a lot of potential. Big kudos for that too!
Plot: The paranormal (because fantasy creatures running around regular human world) action was sort of fun, but not overly exciting imo. It was entertaining enough, and I often found myself wishing the fantasy world had gotten more air-time, because it was really cool. The teen romance angle was pretty hormonal and of course, there was a triangle happening, with the two contenders somewhat renting the same body for a while… kind of disturbing, a bit twisted – which is why I found it interesting and fun, as opposed to irritating which is my general view of triangles and especially in YA. All in all, the read felt somewhat slow in the beginning, but overall it had a good pace. It’s not a roller-coaster kind of read, though. If you’re into agitated action, it might be a bit too slow for you.
Writing: First person, past tense narrative. Avery’s voice had moments when it was hilarious and quite charming with her bits of snark, but sometimes things felt a little… I’m not sure how to describe it, light? But that’s a common occurrence for me with YA, so it might be just your thing.
Curb Appeal: Cool cover, hooking blurb – a good pitch.
All in all, this was a fun kind of twisted (but only kind of, keep in mind, it’s quite tame) fairy-tale like story, fact that I enjoyed. I liked the portrayal of fey, the magic to real ratio. The story was somewhat hard to get into at times, especially in the beginning, but things progressed further on. I definitely recommend it to lovers of teen romance, of paranormal elements that include some fey and magic, and if you’re into romantic triangles then this one should be a fun read as well. Also it’s a standalone novel so no cliffies or anything, which is also very cool :D
June 25, 2015
Crow's Rest
Avery and Daniel have been friends for a very long time, spending summers together when Avery would visit her Uncle Tam. Summer has once again arrived and Avery is anxious to see Daniel to find out if he still loves her since they had spent the day kissing last time they were together. When Avery arrives, Daniel is nowhere to be found, not even her Uncle knows where he is. This is the beginning of this great story with twists and turns, and a few surprises along the way!
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel! Definitely a five-star book!
Avery and Daniel have been friends for a very long time, spending summers together when Avery would visit her Uncle Tam. Summer has once again arrived and Avery is anxious to see Daniel to find out if he still loves her since they had spent the day kissing last time they were together. When Avery arrives, Daniel is nowhere to be found, not even her Uncle knows where he is. This is the beginning of this great story with twists and turns, and a few surprises along the way!
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel! Definitely a five-star book!
August 11, 2015
This book opens well, with the mystery of an abandoned castle, complete with turkey vultures and ravens “sinisterizing the turrets.” Definitely some great lines/descriptions in this novel. The dialogue is snappy and clever, the characters interesting, the pacing great as Avery navigates the weirdnesses of inhabited dogs and switched souls in guy-friend bodies. If you don’t mind lots of sexual innuendo and steamy-type scenes, and if you like hott supernatural fae guys, then check out this book.
June 4, 2017
Overall a really great read! I loved the main character, Avery's, quick wit and no-nonsense personality. I also really like the fact that she isn't the typical weakling looking for love--she's a strong personality in all the right ways! Just the right amount of magic and romance to make for a real page turner and the Crow's Rest setting really added a perfect element of mystery. I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of paranormal romance and adventure!
February 5, 2020
I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook coming out soon. I loved this first story in the series and look forward to more. The whole story grabbed me from the start and I couldn’t stop listening. Angelica Jackson does and excellent job of weaving the Fae and the Earth worlds together in an easy to understand manner. I don’t want to give anything away but I enjoyed the whole book. There’s a lot of sass and spunk in Avery and it creates some really humorous situations.
January 14, 2021
I really liked this book. It was my introduction to Fae type of creatures and I want to read more about them. I felt like the story flowed really well and there wasn’t any lame of boring parts. I understood the magic system and I liked how everything fit together. I liked the mental health side of it and it made me feel even more connected to the character. Will be reading book 2!
June 6, 2015
A genre-savvy and funny young adult paranormal thriller; I couldn't put it down.
March 13, 2016
This was a fast read, and I enjoyed especially the connection with the very mysterious Preston Castle. Great main character, great light romance!
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