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Crow's Row #1
Crow's Row
For college student Emily Sheppard, the thought of spending a summer alone in New York is much more preferable than spending it in France with her parents. Just completing her freshman year at Callister University, Emily faces a quiet summer in the city slums, supporting herself by working at the campus library. During one of her jogs through the nearby cemetery while visiting her brother Bills grave, Emily witnesses a brutal killingand then she blacks out. When Emily regains consciousness, she realizes shes been kidnapped by a young crime boss and his gang. She is hurled into a secret underworld, wondering why she is still alive and for how long. Held captive in rural Vermont, she tries to make sense of her situation and what it means. While uncovering secrets about her brother and his untimely death, Emily falls in love with her very rich and very dangerous captor, twenty-six year- old Cameron. She understands its a forbidden love and one that wont allow her to return to her previous life. But love may not be enough to save Emily when no one even knows she is missing.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2011
395 people are currently reading
23177 people want to read
About the author
Julie Hockley
6 books2,226 followersJulie Hockley is a graduate of the University of Ottawa. She lives with her growing family in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. This is her debut novel. Visit Julie’s website at www.juliehockley.com
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May 24, 2012
Crow's Row : Uhhh...the storytelling was okay?
Yes, that's about as good as you're going to get from me. I had to find something positive to say.
What a difference a week makes, I guess. It's been several days since I left Crow's Row unfinished (see first half of review below). I finally decided to bite the bullet and finish up the last few pages today. The extreme frustration that I felt last week has since diminished, leaving me with a sense of apathy. Nothing about the book's glaring problems were resolved, but I can't say that this was a boring read either. Storytelling is not the issue here. If I were to rate the book simply on the story, I could easily go 3 or 4 stars. Unfortunately, the spotty world-building and extreme character deficiencies (because when killing wasn't bad enough, Cameron had to go extra-douchey by listening to Emmy's private phone messages) were inexcusable. I didn't like how we found out some of the reasons why Cameron did bad things near the end of the book. Great, so now I'm more sympathetic toward Cameron, while managing to be even more annoyed with Emmy for being okay with him doing this stuff without knowing the real reasons for his behavior.
Final thoughts : The mob world seemed silly. The names (Viper, Spider, Rocco, etc.) sounded like a t.v. show ripoff. I had a hard time believing that a 25 year old man-boy (really, he acted 16) was running this show. He was the boss of all of the bosses of this strange gang world that we really know nothing about, other than they "do bad stuff." There were plot holes aplenty in this story.
Emmy fell too hard, too fast, with no real reason to attach. There wasn't enough time for Stockholm Syndrome to develop. Period. She threw herself fully and completely onto a person who was doing things that would scare the shit out of most people, yet she overlooked it because he was nice to her. Does this happen in real life, where girls fall for bad guys that they have no business being with? Yes - all the time...but we don't call it Stockholm Syndrome in order to make it look somehow more excusable.
I'm screwed. That darn cliffhanger at the end makes me wonder if I won't pick up book 2 out of curiosity. I have been a curious cat in the past. It's a wonder I haven't used up all nine lives yet.
First half of review from last week :
Crow's Row : Otherwise known as - How I Sold My Soul For An Ipod or I Have Candy, Get In The Van
Help me. Help me. HELP me. Okay, I might need some serious hand-holding in order to finish this book. I'm about to do something that I've never done before and that's give out a premature rating before I've gotten to the end of a book. I reserve the right to raise my rating later if I decide to soldier on and finish, but something big is going to have to happen in the last 100 pages for me to change my mind because right now I am more pissed off at a book than I have ever been before. If you have known me for any length of time, you'd know that out of the 385ish reviews I've written, there have been maybe 3 or 4 books total which have made me go on a serious ranting tangent. So, we're talking rarity here. Hell, I've rated a book 1 star before and still found nice things to say about it. I just don't usually get that worked up over a book that I don't like. UNTIL quite possibly NOW.
So of course, you're going to ask what set me off...
I can not tell this without adding in some spoilers. It's just not possible to explain my level of frustration. So here's your warning :there are some spoilers ahead. I say go ahead and read it anyway because it's not like I can spoil the ending for you, obviously.
First off before anyone slaps me with the obvious : you did read the summary first? question...yes, I did. I like books about Stockholm Syndrome. This, however, is not a book about Stockholm Syndome, even though that's what I thought it would be. There was no TIME for SS to even develop.
Is there anything about this guy that would make you want to get close to him????
1. After your first meeting where his dog attacks you, this man stalks you just about everywhere you go.
2. You witness him KILLING someone.
3. After he kills someone, he KIDNAPS you and holds you hostage at his place.
4. You find out he's a major crime boss who used to have business with your now dead brother.
Oh yes...that's exactly the person I'd be falling in love with right off the bat. She was getting flushed and taken in by this guy before she knew anything about him other than the fact that he was a criminal!
This is the point of the book where I had to put my reader down before I threw it :
Emmy thinks this to herself - Cameron was everything and I was, not enough.
And what is up with this 19 year old girl calling a 25 year old a boy? Is he or isn't he a man? I agree that he acts like a boy but yeah...this is odd.
Yes, that's about as good as you're going to get from me. I had to find something positive to say.
What a difference a week makes, I guess. It's been several days since I left Crow's Row unfinished (see first half of review below). I finally decided to bite the bullet and finish up the last few pages today. The extreme frustration that I felt last week has since diminished, leaving me with a sense of apathy. Nothing about the book's glaring problems were resolved, but I can't say that this was a boring read either. Storytelling is not the issue here. If I were to rate the book simply on the story, I could easily go 3 or 4 stars. Unfortunately, the spotty world-building and extreme character deficiencies (because when killing wasn't bad enough, Cameron had to go extra-douchey by listening to Emmy's private phone messages) were inexcusable. I didn't like how we found out some of the reasons why Cameron did bad things near the end of the book. Great, so now I'm more sympathetic toward Cameron, while managing to be even more annoyed with Emmy for being okay with him doing this stuff without knowing the real reasons for his behavior.
Final thoughts : The mob world seemed silly. The names (Viper, Spider, Rocco, etc.) sounded like a t.v. show ripoff. I had a hard time believing that a 25 year old man-boy (really, he acted 16) was running this show. He was the boss of all of the bosses of this strange gang world that we really know nothing about, other than they "do bad stuff." There were plot holes aplenty in this story.
Emmy fell too hard, too fast, with no real reason to attach. There wasn't enough time for Stockholm Syndrome to develop. Period. She threw herself fully and completely onto a person who was doing things that would scare the shit out of most people, yet she overlooked it because he was nice to her. Does this happen in real life, where girls fall for bad guys that they have no business being with? Yes - all the time...but we don't call it Stockholm Syndrome in order to make it look somehow more excusable.
I'm screwed. That darn cliffhanger at the end makes me wonder if I won't pick up book 2 out of curiosity. I have been a curious cat in the past. It's a wonder I haven't used up all nine lives yet.
First half of review from last week :
Crow's Row : Otherwise known as - How I Sold My Soul For An Ipod or I Have Candy, Get In The Van
Help me. Help me. HELP me. Okay, I might need some serious hand-holding in order to finish this book. I'm about to do something that I've never done before and that's give out a premature rating before I've gotten to the end of a book. I reserve the right to raise my rating later if I decide to soldier on and finish, but something big is going to have to happen in the last 100 pages for me to change my mind because right now I am more pissed off at a book than I have ever been before. If you have known me for any length of time, you'd know that out of the 385ish reviews I've written, there have been maybe 3 or 4 books total which have made me go on a serious ranting tangent. So, we're talking rarity here. Hell, I've rated a book 1 star before and still found nice things to say about it. I just don't usually get that worked up over a book that I don't like. UNTIL quite possibly NOW.
So of course, you're going to ask what set me off...
I can not tell this without adding in some spoilers. It's just not possible to explain my level of frustration. So here's your warning :there are some spoilers ahead. I say go ahead and read it anyway because it's not like I can spoil the ending for you, obviously.
First off before anyone slaps me with the obvious : you did read the summary first? question...yes, I did. I like books about Stockholm Syndrome. This, however, is not a book about Stockholm Syndome, even though that's what I thought it would be. There was no TIME for SS to even develop.
Is there anything about this guy that would make you want to get close to him????
1. After your first meeting where his dog attacks you, this man stalks you just about everywhere you go.
2. You witness him KILLING someone.
3. After he kills someone, he KIDNAPS you and holds you hostage at his place.
4. You find out he's a major crime boss who used to have business with your now dead brother.
Oh yes...that's exactly the person I'd be falling in love with right off the bat. She was getting flushed and taken in by this guy before she knew anything about him other than the fact that he was a criminal!
This is the point of the book where I had to put my reader down before I threw it :
Emmy thinks this to herself - Cameron was everything and I was, not enough.
And what is up with this 19 year old girl calling a 25 year old a boy? Is he or isn't he a man? I agree that he acts like a boy but yeah...this is odd.
March 24, 2013
Crows everywhere are equally black
Crow’s Row is not a solid 4 stars book but I must say that I CANNOT wait for the sequel. The end was just GREAT but I had some issues with the story. Let’s start!
Emily is a lost soul. She’s 19 years old and she is in college. She lost her brother a few years ago and since then her life changed. She is not a conventional heroine, she is lost, she’s shy and she refuses all the money that comes from her rich family. She is living in a “horrible” place close to her college and to her brother’s cemetery so she runs every day there to visit him.
One of those days she cross paths with a mysterious guy who is apparently walking his dog. That lovely dog breaks Emily’s ancient Walkman (seriously, do they exist anymore?) and Emily’s life changes from that exact moment.
A few days later that same mysterious guy and his mates kidnap Emily and I couldn’t understand why she didn’t try to escape. I mean, she NEVER tried to escape from them, I just didn’t get it. As Jessica told me, that was probably because her life sucked.
Cameron, the mysterious guy, asks his kid brother, Rocco (one of my fave characters in the book) to take Emily to the ‘farm’ and Emily instantly thinks they are going to kill her so she tries to establish a relationship with Rocco and get some time before he kills her (I loved this part in the car).
”What’s your name?”
“You can call me Sexy Bull”
OMG, I love Rocco! That is all!
Somehow she discovers what Cameron and his mates do, they sell drugs and they kill people. And this was the biggest issue for me in this book. I mean, I wanted to love Cameron but OMG, what he does is SOOOOOOO FREAKING WRONG. I understand he had a complicated life but COME ON! I can’t never ever agree with that, I could never EVER fall in love with someone who sells drugs!
I would say Emily is kinda happy that she’s been kidnapped. She doesn’t like to be alone at home but she is always with Rocco or Griff, one of the guards of the farm. I also loved Griff. He was always taking care of Emily.
The rest of the members are just ok for her. Carly doesn’t seem to like Emily at the beginning but she is a great person. She didn’t have a good life tho and she’s just trying to save her family for the horrible world she is living in. And then, Spider… well I guess I cannot talk a lot about him without spoilers so I better shut up!
"Am I that much of a threat to you?"
"More than you know"
Days go by and Emily’s feelings for Cameron are growing. She likes him, there is something special about him and he cares for her but he also avoids her sometimes so she is confused.
He was sooooooo sweet sometimes but so hard another times but I guess I understand him now, he wanted to protect her over all things. I don’t want to spoil anything but let me tell you that his feelings for her started A LONG TIME AGO.
”Is this okay?”
Ok, at this point I must say that the author was building a GREAT chemistry between them but I missed my butterflies when they kissed, not to mention when they did the other thing. I mean, as my buddy Candace would say, you know when you are watching a movie and they kiss but the camera goes to the window and suddenly is the next day? Yeah, that’s how this felt for me and I didn’t like it. I know this is not erotica but come on! I needed a little bit of MAMBO between them.
And now that I’m bitching, let me say that I really don’t like most of these virgin heroines. I liked Emmy but why oh why do they need to be that innocent? That is just NOT real! She was asking him if he had had sex with other girls without being in love with them. Come on Emmy! He’s 26, of course he had had sex with random girls, he’s just a man! But then when he was explaining to her WHY he was having sex with other girls I just wanted to yell at my kindle. That’s BULLSHIT!
This is just a reflection but I need to say this. I want to read about REAL CHARACTERS, that’s why I don’t real PNR. And sometimes some heroes and heroines make me think I’m reading PNR. Ok, I want to read about perfect guys and all but I also want to read about REAL people.
Sorry for bitching, I just couldn’t help it!
”You and I are just too different”
Ok, I’ll just stop talking about the book now because I don’t want to spoil anything. I was very intrigued at the beginning, then I thought I couldn’t like someone like Cameron but then the end was just absolutely FANTASTIC. I would have deleted the epilogue, it could be more interesting but I guess the author had her reasons to give us some information about what was going to happen next. I knew it couldn’t end that way.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, BUT (and this is a big BUT) you should know what you are getting yourself into. Those guys sell drugs and kill people, no matter what their reason is, that’s wrong in soooooo many ways. Anyway I will read book 2, I want to know MORE about them, I need to know what happens, I need to know if they are going to be able to redeem their sins (and I find this pretty difficult).
Whoever said that love hurts was wrong. Love is excruciating, specially when you can fell it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it.
August 11, 2016
"Whoever said that love hurts was wrong. Love is excruciating, especially when you can feel it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it."
Why did the story have to end there?????? WHY??!?! OK, so this is all actually totally my fault. I knew what the ending was and that it was a horrible cliffhanger before I started reading this but it still punched me in the gut!! Dear. lord. *sniffle*
Frustrated by her shallow, controlling and uncaring filthy-rich parents, Emily just wants to be out on her own. Her brother died a few years ago (drug overdose) and so she leaves her family (refusing to take their money) to strike out on her own, living near the cemetery where he is buried. She keeps running into this guy near the cemetery who tried warning her to stay away, to move away, but of course she doesn't listen and at the same time is very intrigued by him.
"There was no doubt in my mind that this boy was odd and beautiful - a dangerous combination. Something about his guardedness, something about the way others in the projects had looked at his with fear, made me think I should probably run the other way next time and concentrate on not thinking about him."
One day, while out on a run, she gets caught in the rain and, while taking shelter in the cemetery witnesses a brutal murder committed by the guy she kept running into and passes out. When she wakes up, she is thrown into a world she never expected to know - filled with drug lords, gangs, hideouts, territory wars, and secrets about her brother and the life he was really involved in... She is held captive in a house in the country but finds herself falling in love with Cameron, the guy from the cemetery who had been watching her, who committed the brutal crime, who kidnapped her and is apparently just trying to keep her safe and also falling in love with her. But in that world, happily-ever-afters don't come too easily.
“How long are you going to keep me here?” I drowsily continued.
Cameron pulled the glass out of my numbed hands and set it on the table next to me. “For as long as it takes.”
“And what are you going to do with me?” This came out as a whisper. My eyes were barely slit open.
Cameron paused on this question. He scanned my face, like the answer was written somewhere between the freckles.
“I don’t know”
First off, I should say that I went into this book expecting it to be quite dark, but it really wasn't. I was pretty surprised by that. I mean, the subject matter is serious, but even though she is held captive, its in a fully furnished house, she is allowed a lot of freedom to go around the grounds as she pleases, talk to anyone, swim in the pool with everyone, make dinner etc... its not like its a dark and twisty kidnapping (not that I'm justifying it or anything, it just wasn't quite what I thought it would be) and the "bad guys" aren't evil or mean or cruel.. they are just involved in some shady business.
This book really blurs the line between right and wrong... What if a good person did something technically wrong but for the right reasons and in a situation where it was, in many ways, the only solution. Does that make them a bad person? Can you still fall in love with them? Can a relationship in a world where that life is necessary work?
From the start of the book, Cameron was a total mystery. He seemed to be always fighting against himself. On the outside, he seemed cold and harsh, but pieces of his softer, caring personality kept peeking through revealing his true nature and drawing the line between the person he wanted to be and the person his position made him have to be.
I'll admit it, I got Stockholm Syndrome. I totally fell in love with him... and despite their less-than-ideal circomstances, I could really see a solution where things worked out for them and then the ending!!!!! aaarrrgh!! WHY?? *grumbles about noble idiots*
"Everything was different between Cameron and me. What I felt wasn't just mind games or some fabricated syndrome. What I felt for him, I had seen him, felt him feel for me too. I was sure of this."
Emily and Cameron very much have a forbidden love. In his world, loved ones are liabilities and almost always get hurt or killed. And the more she learns about him, the more she begins to understand his world and why he is involved in it.
"You'll probably die if you stay with me," he told me.
"Then I'm dead either way, because I won't survive without you."
There were, however, several discrepancies in the book that make me squint at it skeptically but overall the story was good and so I was able to make myself accept them as part of the world. But don't read too deeply into the details. If you think about them too hard, a lot of the stuff that happens (especially in the first 60%) can be a little unbelievable or questionable. I had a lot of moments where I kind of just shook my head, put away my thoughts on the matter and just accepted what I read in order to not take myself away from the story line... Unfortunately though, I can't really talk about them without giving spoilers. And I kind of wavered back and forth on how much they bothered me... but then, I had to put the book down while I went to work and found myself thinking about it all day and realized that despite all that, I was really sucked into the story and the fact that it made me care about the characters like that was definitely a good sign. But I'd say that that was the primary reason for not rating the book higher. Well, that and also I would have wanted more steam. The love scenes were very tame, even for a YA book. 100% fade-to-black. The most we saw was a kiss.... I wanted more!!
The story was actually relatively light until about 65% and then there were a series of twists I didn't see coming.... and the ending had me in serious emotional knots! (although, I didn't get misty eyes or cry throughout the whole book)
That being said, its not an anti-HEA ending... it definitely leaves room for things to work out in a swoony HEA in the sequel, but for now... ARRRRGHHHHH!!!!!
I checked on Julie Hockley's website and she has confirmed that she is in the middle of writing the sequel... she's only a few chapters in but thankfully, its in the works! I'm definitely looking forward to more of Cameron and Emily's story!!
I'd definitely recommend it for fans of Sempre.. the two books had a very similar feeling to them (but Sempre had more steam)
Here's my version of Cameron and Emily:
PLEASE NOTE: My review is based on the original indie edition of the book. I read this back in 2012.
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May 1, 2016
DNF at 41%
this book made me realize that i don't like slow-romance-build-up ! unless the hero is a real asshole, at first cameron appeared to be this strong dominat gangsta then as the story progress we get to see glimpses of his true persona. he's kind of shy (WTF?), insecure, soft, not so tough after all, .. all these qualities are a major turn off for me (i know i'm weirdo) I just have an idea of what a mob boss is like and Cam is not that man, he's too kind !! when i picked up this book, i thought it's story about Cameron and Emily ... turns out it's her story finding out how her brother died and why ! Emmy and her brother bill are rich kids, bill was a bad boy, got himself into lots of trouble, selling drugs in private school to rich kids like him and cameron was his parter, After bill died (was killed) Cameron took his sister as captive to protect her (i don't know from what or who, probably bill's enemies), cameron took emmy to his house, people who worked for him treated her poorly for a simple reason, they did not trust her or trust cameron with her, they knew she comes from money so when shit goes down she will be protected unlike them ! i liked the plot but i lost my interest in the story, it was slow builduing romance (Frankly some passages were boring), Kid/Rocco was probably the most annoying character !! i wanted to smash his head with a hammer, Spider arghhhh just the name and the tattoos make me sick , but i found Carly and griff to be likeable characters !
this book made me realize that i don't like slow-romance-build-up ! unless the hero is a real asshole, at first cameron appeared to be this strong dominat gangsta then as the story progress we get to see glimpses of his true persona. he's kind of shy (WTF?), insecure, soft, not so tough after all, .. all these qualities are a major turn off for me (i know i'm weirdo) I just have an idea of what a mob boss is like and Cam is not that man, he's too kind !! when i picked up this book, i thought it's story about Cameron and Emily ... turns out it's her story finding out how her brother died and why ! Emmy and her brother bill are rich kids, bill was a bad boy, got himself into lots of trouble, selling drugs in private school to rich kids like him and cameron was his parter, After bill died (was killed) Cameron took his sister as captive to protect her (i don't know from what or who, probably bill's enemies), cameron took emmy to his house, people who worked for him treated her poorly for a simple reason, they did not trust her or trust cameron with her, they knew she comes from money so when shit goes down she will be protected unlike them ! i liked the plot but i lost my interest in the story, it was slow builduing romance (Frankly some passages were boring), Kid/Rocco was probably the most annoying character !! i wanted to smash his head with a hammer, Spider arghhhh just the name and the tattoos make me sick , but i found Carly and griff to be likeable characters !
November 12, 2014
4.5 Stars
"There would never be another. For her or for me."
Not what fans will expect, but it was a good second installment.
The story is told in alternating povs of Emmy and Cameron. Emmy and Meatball are exactly where we left them in book one. They are waiting on classes to start, penniless and so very brokenhearted.
"When you saw him - when he let you see him - Cameron was exquisite. He was all my love and my joy. My paradise. My paradise lost."
Cameron is struggling with his decision to keep Emmy safe and out of the Underworld. While we get a lot of the dealings with all the captains of the underworld and their power plays. Honestly, I couldn't keep up with all the players at times.
"Go get her, and do what?" Have her stay here as a sitting target? Wait 'til someone else has it in for us and takes it out on her? She's not meant for this shit life."
A friend appears on Emmy's doorstep, Griff. You remember him right? Griff's the hot sexy ex-figther. He would do anything for Emmy even help her with her attempts at revenge against Spider and Victor.
"If Cameron had, or had my heart, then Griff had my soul."
Emmy makes several plays for revenge in Rocco and Cameron's name all of which I found pretty feeble but perhaps her last idea will work out in book 3.
So much pain and hurt throughout this read and a reader will just want Emmy to know that he is . Sadly this reveal isn't to the very end of the story which leads me to believe, there must be a book 3.
"Where do we go from here? I wondered."
I sure hope the wait won't be as long for book 3!
"Not every path is lit by the morning sun."
"There would never be another. For her or for me."
Not what fans will expect, but it was a good second installment.
The story is told in alternating povs of Emmy and Cameron. Emmy and Meatball are exactly where we left them in book one. They are waiting on classes to start, penniless and so very brokenhearted.
"When you saw him - when he let you see him - Cameron was exquisite. He was all my love and my joy. My paradise. My paradise lost."
Cameron is struggling with his decision to keep Emmy safe and out of the Underworld. While we get a lot of the dealings with all the captains of the underworld and their power plays. Honestly, I couldn't keep up with all the players at times.
"Go get her, and do what?" Have her stay here as a sitting target? Wait 'til someone else has it in for us and takes it out on her? She's not meant for this shit life."
A friend appears on Emmy's doorstep, Griff. You remember him right? Griff's the hot sexy ex-figther. He would do anything for Emmy even help her with her attempts at revenge against Spider and Victor.
"If Cameron had, or had my heart, then Griff had my soul."
Emmy makes several plays for revenge in Rocco and Cameron's name all of which I found pretty feeble but perhaps her last idea will work out in book 3.
So much pain and hurt throughout this read and a reader will just want Emmy to know that he is . Sadly this reveal isn't to the very end of the story which leads me to believe, there must be a book 3.
"Where do we go from here? I wondered."
I sure hope the wait won't be as long for book 3!
"Not every path is lit by the morning sun."
January 28, 2018
5 ALL THE FEELINGS STARS
Si algún día hiciera una lista de mis libros favoritos Crow’s Row estaría en los primeros lugares.
Es una novela facil de leer, si se lee con el simple objetivo de pasar el rato, te entretiene porque la manera de escribir de la autora es muy sencilla.
La historia avanza a buen ritmo, los secretos y misterios te enganchan, por lo que no puedes dejar de leer. Si es la clásica historia de la chica buena y el chico malo, mezclada con un poco de síndrome de Estocolmo.
Historia que si te permites profundizar y leer entre líneas, te darás cuenta lo hermoso y triste que este libro llega a ser. Critica la siempre presente separación de clases sociales, y nos muestra que ninguna de las dos es mejor o mas sencilla que la otra, que ya sea que se viva en una mansión o en las calles, el infierno que se vive en ambas es parecido.
Nuestra protagonista creció llena de lujos, pero también de soledad, superficialidad, e infelicidad. Tanto que Emily prefiere renunciar a todo e irse a vivir lejos del dinero y control de sus padres. Estudia en una pequeña Universidad, vive en un diminuto cuarto, que paga con su trabajo en la biblioteca, y donde le es fácil visitar diariamente la tumba de su hermano Bill. La única persona en el mundo que la amo y se preocupó por ella.
Mi amor por Cameron es inmenso y especial, primero porque fue mi primer book boyfriend mafioso, y segundo por su personalidad. Es un chico malo, pero NO del tipo patán- mujeriego, él es realmente malo, me refiero a que es un narcotraficante, asesino a sangre fría. Pero no es de los criminales que disfruta lo que hacen, sus acciones han sido simplemente para sobrevivir.
Ese es el principal mensaje de este libro, la manera en la que la sociedad moderna ve a los niños que viven en los barrios pobres, en vez de ayudarlos se les juzga de algo que aún no han hecho, pero que al no tener otra opción terminan siendo criminales.
Obviamente la historia de amor es el principal eje de la historia, la cual se desarrolla a buen ritmo, no es amor a primera vista, es hermoso ver a Cameron un hombre que vive en la obscuridad del mundo criminal, pero que cuando interactúa con Emily deja salir esa otra parte de sí mismo, esa parte donde no tiene que ser el peligroso jefe de la mafia, en la que solo es un joven conociendo a una chica.
A pesar de ser una historia tan intensa, el personaje de Rocco (el hermano menor de Cameron) nutre la historia con su humor involuntario, la relación que lleva con Emily es muy linda y dulce.
En conclusión: Amo este libro, y aunque odio la espera para poder leer la continuación de la historia, aplaudo lo maravilloso que escribe esta autora.
“Whoever said that love hurts was wrong. Love is excruciating, especially when you can feel it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Si algún día hiciera una lista de mis libros favoritos Crow’s Row estaría en los primeros lugares.
Es una novela facil de leer, si se lee con el simple objetivo de pasar el rato, te entretiene porque la manera de escribir de la autora es muy sencilla.
La historia avanza a buen ritmo, los secretos y misterios te enganchan, por lo que no puedes dejar de leer. Si es la clásica historia de la chica buena y el chico malo, mezclada con un poco de síndrome de Estocolmo.
Historia que si te permites profundizar y leer entre líneas, te darás cuenta lo hermoso y triste que este libro llega a ser. Critica la siempre presente separación de clases sociales, y nos muestra que ninguna de las dos es mejor o mas sencilla que la otra, que ya sea que se viva en una mansión o en las calles, el infierno que se vive en ambas es parecido.
EMILY
“The problem is normal was'nt in my DNA. I was destined to be forever freakish.”
Nuestra protagonista creció llena de lujos, pero también de soledad, superficialidad, e infelicidad. Tanto que Emily prefiere renunciar a todo e irse a vivir lejos del dinero y control de sus padres. Estudia en una pequeña Universidad, vive en un diminuto cuarto, que paga con su trabajo en la biblioteca, y donde le es fácil visitar diariamente la tumba de su hermano Bill. La única persona en el mundo que la amo y se preocupó por ella.
CAMERON
“He had been a real person whom I loved and who had, inexplicably, loved me.”
Mi amor por Cameron es inmenso y especial, primero porque fue mi primer book boyfriend mafioso, y segundo por su personalidad. Es un chico malo, pero NO del tipo patán- mujeriego, él es realmente malo, me refiero a que es un narcotraficante, asesino a sangre fría. Pero no es de los criminales que disfruta lo que hacen, sus acciones han sido simplemente para sobrevivir.
Ese es el principal mensaje de este libro, la manera en la que la sociedad moderna ve a los niños que viven en los barrios pobres, en vez de ayudarlos se les juzga de algo que aún no han hecho, pero que al no tener otra opción terminan siendo criminales.
Obviamente la historia de amor es el principal eje de la historia, la cual se desarrolla a buen ritmo, no es amor a primera vista, es hermoso ver a Cameron un hombre que vive en la obscuridad del mundo criminal, pero que cuando interactúa con Emily deja salir esa otra parte de sí mismo, esa parte donde no tiene que ser el peligroso jefe de la mafia, en la que solo es un joven conociendo a una chica.
A pesar de ser una historia tan intensa, el personaje de Rocco (el hermano menor de Cameron) nutre la historia con su humor involuntario, la relación que lleva con Emily es muy linda y dulce.
En conclusión: Amo este libro, y aunque odio la espera para poder leer la continuación de la historia, aplaudo lo maravilloso que escribe esta autora.
October 25, 2012
I loved this book! Loved it! I'm not going to write a long review because right now I don't have the words. I just have to say that I love Cameron! The last few chapters of the book left me a mess. I was so relieved to read the epilogue. I can't wait for the sequel!
August 1, 2018
Conocia este libro desde hace mucho tiempo pero no me habia atrevido a leerlo porque sinceramente el tema romantico, secuestrada-secuestrador me daba un poco de reparos, pero luego lei Captive In The Dark y mi opinion cambio. Desde entonces he leido varias historias que tratan sobre el tema, y aunque pense que Crow's Row seria igual a los que ya habia leido, me sorprendio mucho, la historia no era para nada lo que esperaba, ademas no se me hizo parecido a nada que habia leido anteriormente.
Aunque tengo que reconocer que al principio me costo engancharme a la historia, debido principalmente a el estilo en el que esta narrado, se me hacia un poco lento, hasta que me " acostumbre ". No quiero decir que sea aburrido, solo no es de esos libros que empiezas a leer y desde el primer momento ya estas enganchada, sino que te va atrapando segun avanza la lectura.
Fue una lectura fascinante, me encanto que no habia un gran drama y que como en otros libros se revelaba casi al final para luego magicamente solucionarse y que los protagonistas tengan un final feliz.
Crow's Row te mantiene al borde, comiendote las uñas sin saber que ocurrira a continuacion.
Otra cosa que me gusto mucho fue, que la trama no avanza de golpe sino que los secretos van revelandose poco a poco.
Los protagonistas son increibles y aunque al comienzo del libro Emily me cayo un poco mal, luego su personaje me gusto muchisimo, admire que fuera tan fuerte y valiente para enfrentar lo que le venia en su vida.
Me hubiera encantado poder conocer mas a Cameron pero lo que vi en este libro me gusto bastante, espero que en el proximo se descubran mas cosas de el.
En resumen, un libro para nada convencional, que te dejara con la boca abierta. Totalmente recomendado, nunca leeran una historia igual.
4.5 Estrellas!!!
April 26, 2014
CROW'S ROW FAQ
Question 1: ”When is book two expected out?”
*Here is what FB is saying: Click here
Question 2: ”Does this book have a cliffhanger?”
*Yes.
Question 3: ”HEA/HFN?"
*Not at all. The story ends on a sad note.
Question 4: "What does the title mean?"
* 81%
Crow’s Row was released April 13, 2011. Readers have been waiting for over 2 years to see the conclusion to this story. If you don’t like being left with a cliffhanger and no set date for the next book you need to wait until a date is set to read this book.
Final thoughts: Meatball needs his own spinoff book!
Here is my pre review:
SERIES:
Cliffhanger
Question 1: ”When is book two expected out?”
*Here is what FB is saying: Click here
Question 2: ”Does this book have a cliffhanger?”
*Yes.
Question 3: ”HEA/HFN?"
*Not at all. The story ends on a sad note.
Question 4: "What does the title mean?"
* 81%
Crow’s Row was released April 13, 2011. Readers have been waiting for over 2 years to see the conclusion to this story. If you don’t like being left with a cliffhanger and no set date for the next book you need to wait until a date is set to read this book.
Final thoughts: Meatball needs his own spinoff book!
Here is my pre review:
SERIES:
Cliffhanger
July 17, 2016
Even beautiful stories can be at times frustrating. Oh. my. god that ending broke my heart [I'm partly okay with the other part... still, goddamn THAT ENDING.]. I'm definitely going to read the next one and find out what happens next.
Emily Sheppard is a naive, rich girl studying at Callister University. She refuses to take her parents' money, so she works on a library to pay for her expenses and lives independently. She decided to stay on her dorm for the summer and is usually jogging to kill her boredom. Mostly, she drops by on the cemetery for Bill's gravesite, her brother who passed away because of overdose and for the man in gray sweater. She was kidnapped by Cameron, who is a drug lord for witnessing a brutal crime and also keeping her for safety reasons. As she spends time with him and his crew, she learns everything about the drug business and also about his life. She somewhat feels safe around him and can't help being drawn to him. Eventually, she falls in love with her captor. Still, it's a question mark because they both live in different worlds and being together is risky.
The story isn't that dark and graphic [mild violence, mild steamy scenes -- still romantic though], the twists and turns are so good and there are lots of revelations that will keep you reading this book. They're so good! For the love of crime/mob bosses, I love Cameron to bits. The romance between Emily and Cameron is so good and I love the development! What made my jaw dropped was the ending. It took me minutes to recover on that. Gonna read the next book is ASAP.
Final rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
Emily Sheppard is a naive, rich girl studying at Callister University. She refuses to take her parents' money, so she works on a library to pay for her expenses and lives independently. She decided to stay on her dorm for the summer and is usually jogging to kill her boredom. Mostly, she drops by on the cemetery for Bill's gravesite, her brother who passed away because of overdose and for the man in gray sweater. She was kidnapped by Cameron, who is a drug lord for witnessing a brutal crime and also keeping her for safety reasons. As she spends time with him and his crew, she learns everything about the drug business and also about his life. She somewhat feels safe around him and can't help being drawn to him. Eventually, she falls in love with her captor. Still, it's a question mark because they both live in different worlds and being together is risky.
The story isn't that dark and graphic [mild violence, mild steamy scenes -- still romantic though], the twists and turns are so good and there are lots of revelations that will keep you reading this book. They're so good! For the love of crime/mob bosses, I love Cameron to bits. The romance between Emily and Cameron is so good and I love the development! What made my jaw dropped was the ending. It took me minutes to recover on that. Gonna read the next book is ASAP.
Final rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
July 25, 2018
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2018
Un libro con un animal en el titulo
Goodreads borro mi reseña original de este libro. 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬
Te quiero tanto Goodreads y asi me pagas.😠😠😠😠😠😠
******************************
Ya perdí la cuenta de cuantas veces he releído este libro.
Tan hermoso, tan triste, tan vehemente.
Cameron y Emmy tienen un lugar muy espcial en mi corazón. 😍😍😍😍😍
Un libro con un animal en el titulo
Goodreads borro mi reseña original de este libro. 😬😬😬😬😬😬😬
Te quiero tanto Goodreads y asi me pagas.😠😠😠😠😠😠
******************************
Ya perdí la cuenta de cuantas veces he releído este libro.
Tan hermoso, tan triste, tan vehemente.
Cameron y Emmy tienen un lugar muy espcial en mi corazón. 😍😍😍😍😍
April 1, 2020
"You'll probably die if you stay with me," he told me.
"Then I'm dead either way, because I won't survive without you."
Julie Hockley jugó con mis emociones como ha querido.
Admito que estoy destrozada.
Crow's Row fue increíble.
Los personajes me han hecho sentir parte de sus vidas y cuando eso pasa lo celebro. Emmy & Cameron me atraparon. Cada personaje se ubica en un contexto muy real, con sus lados oscuros, grises y blancos. Soy "forever sentimental" así que confieso que mis lágrimas se asomaron en muchos momentos, sobre todo al final.
No daré detalles, lo que si puedo decir es que recomiendo este libro con los ojos cerrados. Me mantuvo enganchada, esta lleno de amor, risas, suspenso, acción y en mi caso lágrimas.
August 4, 2012
The ending was pure
A-G-O-N-Y
...
Good news? I looked up Ms. Hockley's tumblr blog (Okay. Googled it.) and she does mention a few entries down that she is currently working on the next book in this series.
[ http://juliehockley.tumblr.com/ ]
God bless you Ms. Hockley! ❤
'Crow's Row' left me totally flabbergasted. That's the best word I can come up with other then A-G-O-N-Y . This is definitely a book that requires your UN-divided attention while reading in order to keep up with the twisty plot. I could go on to say the many other things that are amazing about this book except I can honestly not think of anything else that had me hanging on other then the plot.
I wanted more -
Romance between Cameron and Emmy that lead up to their love.
I wanted more -
Talkie between the characters and less thinkie in Emmy's head.
I wanted more -
Description of them getting it on.
Even after all the things I wanted though, I still could not put the damn thing down! Which I indubitably blame on my 'I'm-that-frickin-cat-in-the-old-saying-that-is-gonna-die' curiosity.
I just hope that in the sequel, Emmy DOES NOT forgive him.
Yes, I know I'm being a bitch about this but hear me out.
The poor girl had to go through the lost of her brother who was the center of her universe and "crutches" as she referred to him, then had to suffer watching her center collapse all over again? I don't know if I could handle it as she did 'afterwards'. Emphasize on 'afterwards' since she did have that blow out of anger on Spider's face. Main point - She was a trooper.
ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ
I can barely even rack my brain with the thought of seeing someone I love die; let alone see him on the street walking by as if nothing had ever happened. Wouldn't know rather to run up and embrace him in a death grip or kick him so hard in the nuts that he would wish he were dead. (；一_一)
Back to 'Crow's Row'...
It's a great read.
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. ❤
Good news? I looked up Ms. Hockley's tumblr blog (Okay. Googled it.) and she does mention a few entries down that she is currently working on the next book in this series.
[ http://juliehockley.tumblr.com/ ]
God bless you Ms. Hockley! ❤
'Crow's Row' left me totally flabbergasted. That's the best word I can come up with other then A-G-O-N-Y . This is definitely a book that requires your UN-divided attention while reading in order to keep up with the twisty plot. I could go on to say the many other things that are amazing about this book except I can honestly not think of anything else that had me hanging on other then the plot.
I wanted more -
Romance between Cameron and Emmy that lead up to their love.
I wanted more -
Talkie between the characters and less thinkie in Emmy's head.
I wanted more -
Description of them getting it on.
Even after all the things I wanted though, I still could not put the damn thing down! Which I indubitably blame on my 'I'm-that-frickin-cat-in-the-old-saying-that-is-gonna-die' curiosity.
I just hope that in the sequel, Emmy DOES NOT forgive him.
Yes, I know I'm being a bitch about this but hear me out.
The poor girl had to go through the lost of her brother who was the center of her universe and "crutches" as she referred to him, then had to suffer watching her center collapse all over again? I don't know if I could handle it as she did 'afterwards'. Emphasize on 'afterwards' since she did have that blow out of anger on Spider's face. Main point - She was a trooper.
ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ
I can barely even rack my brain with the thought of seeing someone I love die; let alone see him on the street walking by as if nothing had ever happened. Wouldn't know rather to run up and embrace him in a death grip or kick him so hard in the nuts that he would wish he were dead. (；一_一)
Back to 'Crow's Row'...
It's a great read.
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. ❤
March 11, 2013
Julie Hockley, you're amazing.
I F***ING LOVED THIS BOOK!
I bawled my eyes out and laughed too.
A page turner.
I F***ING LOVED THIS BOOK!
I bawled my eyes out and laughed too.
A page turner.
July 6, 2013
Cuando vi la portada de este libro pense que iba a ser otro libro paranormal, pero ¡NO! me equivoque completamente, trata un tema de pandillas y droga lo que comunmente se da por todos lados, en fin, la historia te atrapa desde el primer momento y el romance ni se diga, aqui los personajes no se quedan junto desde el primer momento o se enamoran no su amor va creciendo conforme se van conociendo.
Lo mejor ese final cuando lo lei no podia creerlo, era simplemente imposible no podia dejar de leer hasta saber si era verdad, pero cuando lei el epilogo, uff mi corazón suspiro de alivio no puedo esperar al segundo.
Rocco estas vetado de mi vocabulario no quiero que sufra de nuevo mi corazón.
Lo mas seguro es que el libro 2 este lleno de VENGANZA, AMOR, Y PELEAS.
Lo mejor ese final cuando lo lei no podia creerlo, era simplemente imposible no podia dejar de leer hasta saber si era verdad, pero cuando lei el epilogo, uff mi corazón suspiro de alivio no puedo esperar al segundo.
Rocco estas vetado de mi vocabulario no quiero que sufra de nuevo mi corazón.
Lo mas seguro es que el libro 2 este lleno de VENGANZA, AMOR, Y PELEAS.
February 16, 2012
Hockley has written a riveting love story. I was captivated from the very beginning and loved every minute of this novel, even the ending, though it angered me and even made me cry. Leaving my emotions raw, Hockley has created a very powerful novel, and though the male lead, Cameron, is a crime boss, making tough decisions that occasionally end in the death of someone, he’s hard not to like.
It felt like an entire lifetime passed as I read. Hockley has really fleshed out her characters, giving the reader a glimpse into their very souls, and I too found myself falling in love with Cameron. I loved the pacing of the novel, and Hockley’s ability to fit all the pieces of the story together in such a perfect way, though the ending… was like a knife in the gut.
It’s not a mystery novel, but there is much suspense within the pages of Crow’s Row. Hockley presents different scenarios that made me feel as if the story would go one way, but then it went in an entirely different direction, causing me slight heart attacks as I feared for Emily, for Cameron, for Rocco… I had a lot of pent up fear as I read, sure that something terrible was about to happen. And it eventually did. Emily is, afterall, held captive by a crime boss, and though he’s a dreamy, sexy character, he’s also the head of a group of killers. Bad things are going to happen to some of the characters, and while I think I knew this is the back of my mind, it still shocked me and left me flabbergasted when they did.
There isn’t a happy ending, per se, but it does work perfectly with the novel, though I hate to say it. The ending just about killed me. I wasn’t expecting it, and I spent the entire last portion of the novel on pins and needles, screaming and crying because I couldn’t believe the twist the novel took. This beautiful love story ripped my heart out in the end, but at the same time, it’s worth all the pain. Upon finishing the novel I felt a hole in my own heart, just like some of the characters, and any author that can make me feel this deeply about fictional characters is one worthy of praise. Hockley is indeed a literary genius, one to watch, and I am really hoping that there will be a sequel to this novel someday soon. My heart needs to repair, and I’m dying for things to change...
To see my full review upon release (3/17/12):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
P.S. This just in--there will be a sequel. Hockley is working on it now...
It felt like an entire lifetime passed as I read. Hockley has really fleshed out her characters, giving the reader a glimpse into their very souls, and I too found myself falling in love with Cameron. I loved the pacing of the novel, and Hockley’s ability to fit all the pieces of the story together in such a perfect way, though the ending… was like a knife in the gut.
It’s not a mystery novel, but there is much suspense within the pages of Crow’s Row. Hockley presents different scenarios that made me feel as if the story would go one way, but then it went in an entirely different direction, causing me slight heart attacks as I feared for Emily, for Cameron, for Rocco… I had a lot of pent up fear as I read, sure that something terrible was about to happen. And it eventually did. Emily is, afterall, held captive by a crime boss, and though he’s a dreamy, sexy character, he’s also the head of a group of killers. Bad things are going to happen to some of the characters, and while I think I knew this is the back of my mind, it still shocked me and left me flabbergasted when they did.
There isn’t a happy ending, per se, but it does work perfectly with the novel, though I hate to say it. The ending just about killed me. I wasn’t expecting it, and I spent the entire last portion of the novel on pins and needles, screaming and crying because I couldn’t believe the twist the novel took. This beautiful love story ripped my heart out in the end, but at the same time, it’s worth all the pain. Upon finishing the novel I felt a hole in my own heart, just like some of the characters, and any author that can make me feel this deeply about fictional characters is one worthy of praise. Hockley is indeed a literary genius, one to watch, and I am really hoping that there will be a sequel to this novel someday soon. My heart needs to repair, and I’m dying for things to change...
To see my full review upon release (3/17/12):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
P.S. This just in--there will be a sequel. Hockley is working on it now...
January 20, 2013
My boyfriend is a murdering drug dealer but it's OK because he gave me an Ipod and his dog's kind of cute!
I am struggling to review this book or even rate it. Here's the issue. The book is not poorly written or even a terrible read but the characters choices and the plot holes were so frustrating/annoying/stupid I just wanted to scream!!
Emily is from a rich family but "her parents just don't understand her." So she refuses their money, lives in a slum and goes to a crap college on a scholarship. I can only assume to spite them? Yet a gangster give her a free Ipod and all of a sudden she is putty in his hands. What a sell out! If only mommy and daddy had thought to buy her an Ipod this whole book would have been moot!
She then sees the same "dreamy" gangster execute a man at point blank range, after which she is beaten unconscious by one of his crew and kidnapped. Emily does have one scene where she describes being afraid for her life but to be honest she spends more time worrying about being too skinny and red headed for Cameron AKA Gangsta Hottie to find her attractive. These are just not normal reactions!
I understand the concept of an anti-hero and at the end of the book the author does try to justify the fact that Cameron is an unrepentant drug dealer, murderer and all round criminal. But that just didn't work for me. I couldn't help thinking that (unless a person is a total psychopath) all criminals have reasons behind their actions. No one turns to a life of crime as a first choice. But more importantly no sane person witnesses someone kill a person in cold blood and instantly thinks "I got to get me some of that!"
The tone of this whole book was just weird. Emily kept referring to Cameron, who is a 26 year old man and supposedly the biggest drug overlord in the entire U.S *eyeroll* as a boy?. She falls in love with him almost instantly knowing how bad he is. Yet she never doubts him and he doesn't offer any excuses for his action.
I kept waiting for Emily to realize that she had Stockholms syndrome!
May 19, 2012
Didn't love it. The Heroine was way annoying to me. Could have been my mood but it felt like this book was redundant. We get that she wants to be a big girl and do things on her own. That would be good if she had a clue. Bless her heart she just does not get it. Her decisions are so outrageous that you find yourself wondering why she's still alive at one point.
We are told over and over about her "kind" and his "kind" (rich/poor). Yet there seems to be no bridge that would have made a relationship possible.
Here's the spoiler: She's a nineteen year old virgin. We are told this more than once. We know she lusts after this guy. But when they finally get around to doing something about it, we get no details. There's no feeling that they found a connection of any kind. But that's all it takes. She is in love and ready to go from kidnap victim to drug dealer girlfriend.
Maybe if I was eighteen when I read this I'd be all over it. I'm not and it just didn't make me believe it was more than a first book in a series to crank out as fast as possible.
We are told over and over about her "kind" and his "kind" (rich/poor). Yet there seems to be no bridge that would have made a relationship possible.
Here's the spoiler: She's a nineteen year old virgin. We are told this more than once. We know she lusts after this guy. But when they finally get around to doing something about it, we get no details. There's no feeling that they found a connection of any kind. But that's all it takes. She is in love and ready to go from kidnap victim to drug dealer girlfriend.
Maybe if I was eighteen when I read this I'd be all over it. I'm not and it just didn't make me believe it was more than a first book in a series to crank out as fast as possible.
September 6, 2022
Re-read.
Not sure why my previous review has been deleted but this book has stood the test of time because back then to now my ever lasting enjoyment of this book hasn’t changed. A year or so later I still remembered this book and that’s a feat within itself, because one I finish a book and onto the next my sieve for a memory kind of banishes them from my mind.
It all ties back to the death of her brother years ago, to a promise to keep her safe. But when she’s deposited in his world when she witnessed a murder Cameron takes matters into his own hands by kidnapping her and stowing her away at one of his safe houses.
She’s inquisitive to a fault, questioning non stop of the goings on, trouble finding her at every turn.
Kind of like my first time reading this, yet again it was inhaled.
Not sure why my previous review has been deleted but this book has stood the test of time because back then to now my ever lasting enjoyment of this book hasn’t changed. A year or so later I still remembered this book and that’s a feat within itself, because one I finish a book and onto the next my sieve for a memory kind of banishes them from my mind.
It all ties back to the death of her brother years ago, to a promise to keep her safe. But when she’s deposited in his world when she witnessed a murder Cameron takes matters into his own hands by kidnapping her and stowing her away at one of his safe houses.
She’s inquisitive to a fault, questioning non stop of the goings on, trouble finding her at every turn.
Kind of like my first time reading this, yet again it was inhaled.
November 25, 2022
i finished this and the only thing i want to know is what was the point of this book??
because it surely wasnt entertainment, good storytelling, complex characters, or even an engaging plot.
the only thing that im stuck with is how i just lost a few hours of my time that i will never get back…
↠ 1.5 stars
because it surely wasnt entertainment, good storytelling, complex characters, or even an engaging plot.
the only thing that im stuck with is how i just lost a few hours of my time that i will never get back…
↠ 1.5 stars
November 4, 2015
5 Words: drugs, kidnap, murder, lies, insta-love.
Lets take a girl who is rebelling against her rich parents by selfishly taking a full scholarship at a college (despite the fact that there is DEFINITELY someone far more deserving than her who can't afford it who's losing their place because of her) and living in a room the actual dimensions and a mattress just because... Uh... Yeah, I'm not sure. I think she just didn't like her parents because they sent away her POS drug-dealing brother to live with his POS drug-dealing uncle. Because parents who sent away the bad and dangerous influences in their young daughter's life SUCK.
Anyway.
Lets now add a complete creep who has been stalking her for six years and knows everything about her. He's even trained his dog its whole life to track down her scent. How freaking romantic? This dog thinks Find-Emily is the best game EVER. And he's handsome of course. Something about his eyes.
And so they meet. And she's instantly infatuated and in love.
Because crazy stalker criminals are just irresistible.
I'll stop now and just review. I think you've got the picture and I wouldn't want to ruin the completely predictable story of forbidden-insta-love for you.
This book isn't terribly written, it's just that it's a pretty terrible idea. It all felt a little rushed. I'm all for fast paced tales of drama and danger, but this was too fast to be feasible even if you completely suspended disbelief.
This book could have been so much more.
That said, I read it pretty quickly considering what else I've been doing. As I said, the writing is actually pretty damn good. And I will read on in the same way I read on with FSoG, to see just how screwed up it can actually get.
Oh, and I liked the ending. Even if it was hideously predictable.
Lets take a girl who is rebelling against her rich parents by selfishly taking a full scholarship at a college (despite the fact that there is DEFINITELY someone far more deserving than her who can't afford it who's losing their place because of her) and living in a room the actual dimensions and a mattress just because... Uh... Yeah, I'm not sure. I think she just didn't like her parents because they sent away her POS drug-dealing brother to live with his POS drug-dealing uncle. Because parents who sent away the bad and dangerous influences in their young daughter's life SUCK.
Anyway.
Lets now add a complete creep who has been stalking her for six years and knows everything about her. He's even trained his dog its whole life to track down her scent. How freaking romantic? This dog thinks Find-Emily is the best game EVER. And he's handsome of course. Something about his eyes.
And so they meet. And she's instantly infatuated and in love.
Because crazy stalker criminals are just irresistible.
I'll stop now and just review. I think you've got the picture and I wouldn't want to ruin the completely predictable story of forbidden-insta-love for you.
This book isn't terribly written, it's just that it's a pretty terrible idea. It all felt a little rushed. I'm all for fast paced tales of drama and danger, but this was too fast to be feasible even if you completely suspended disbelief.
This book could have been so much more.
That said, I read it pretty quickly considering what else I've been doing. As I said, the writing is actually pretty damn good. And I will read on in the same way I read on with FSoG, to see just how screwed up it can actually get.
Oh, and I liked the ending. Even if it was hideously predictable.
July 2, 2015
CROW'S ROW left me totally flabbergasted. That's the best word I can come up with. This is definitely a book that requires your undivided attention while reading in order to keep up with the twisty plot.
It is impossible for me to give a traditional review for CROW'S ROW without giving everything away. Just know that pretty much NOTHING is as it seems. There were many times when I thought I had it figured out only to have what I thought was reality snatched from me... I was in a constant state of confusion - in a good way! It was a fantastically mysterious book with some romantic elements that were mostly fade to black but still satisfying. I am eager to see if the author continues the story - though most of the loose ends were tied up, there were some major emotional cliff hangers that I really want to see resolved.
It's a great read - hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did...
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
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It is impossible for me to give a traditional review for CROW'S ROW without giving everything away. Just know that pretty much NOTHING is as it seems. There were many times when I thought I had it figured out only to have what I thought was reality snatched from me... I was in a constant state of confusion - in a good way! It was a fantastically mysterious book with some romantic elements that were mostly fade to black but still satisfying. I am eager to see if the author continues the story - though most of the loose ends were tied up, there were some major emotional cliff hangers that I really want to see resolved.
It's a great read - hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did...
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
June 12, 2014
5 Awesome Stars!!!!
“How do you know when you’re There?”
This book is simply awesome. It’s different and interesting. I couldn’t put it down!!! I rarely read YA books and I didn’t know if I would like this one but YES…I loved it! It surprised me :)
The story:
Emily Sheppard is a collage student and as most of them- she is absolutely broke. Her biggest secret is that she actually comes from money…from A LOT of money. But she prefers to be poor than live with her awful family. She has lost the only person she has ever loved few years ago- her brother. So when she goes to her daily running routine, she always visits her brother’s grave. But one day she sees something different next to the graveyard- she became a witness to a murder. And then…everything changes. She is dragged to a new world- a world much different for her to understand. She will learn that her brother was not who she thought, that life sometimes is much more complicated and dangerous, that there are people who want to hurt her….and that there is just one person who can help her- a guy so complicated and dangerous but also tender and sweet.
The heroine: sweet and naive but at the same time Emily is strong and determined. She is not ready for what happens to her but she is a survivor. I really liked her.
“The monster was the man; the man was the monster. There was no separation.”
The hero: yeaaaaahhhhh…I loved him! He is so complicated and different- he is definitely not your typical character of a romance book.
The ending: OMG! I almost broke my kindle…I wanted simply to cut it in two! LOL
So basically …yes…I do recommend this book! The writing style is great and it grabs your attention from the beginning.
“How do you know when you’re There?”
This book is simply awesome. It’s different and interesting. I couldn’t put it down!!! I rarely read YA books and I didn’t know if I would like this one but YES…I loved it! It surprised me :)
The story:
Emily Sheppard is a collage student and as most of them- she is absolutely broke. Her biggest secret is that she actually comes from money…from A LOT of money. But she prefers to be poor than live with her awful family. She has lost the only person she has ever loved few years ago- her brother. So when she goes to her daily running routine, she always visits her brother’s grave. But one day she sees something different next to the graveyard- she became a witness to a murder. And then…everything changes. She is dragged to a new world- a world much different for her to understand. She will learn that her brother was not who she thought, that life sometimes is much more complicated and dangerous, that there are people who want to hurt her….and that there is just one person who can help her- a guy so complicated and dangerous but also tender and sweet.
The heroine: sweet and naive but at the same time Emily is strong and determined. She is not ready for what happens to her but she is a survivor. I really liked her.
“The monster was the man; the man was the monster. There was no separation.”
The hero: yeaaaaahhhhh…I loved him! He is so complicated and different- he is definitely not your typical character of a romance book.
The ending: OMG! I almost broke my kindle…I wanted simply to cut it in two! LOL
So basically …yes…I do recommend this book! The writing style is great and it grabs your attention from the beginning.
April 9, 2012
4.5-4.75 Stars
Oh thank God that ended like that! Sorry had to get that out first. I'm still in shock actually, but one thing is for sure. I cannot wait for the sequel.
Though the whole story is mostly from Emily's POV, the story actually begins and ends in Cameron's POV. Emily refuses to live a life that her rich parents wants her to live. She comes from a very privileged family and yet she chooses to go to a not-so well known college, stays in a run down house, with a closet sized bedroom and she scans library books for a living. She finds solace in running. The route she takes everyday isn't really the safest nor the prettiest route. She passes through a cemetery, through a rough a neighborhood and back. Yet she chooses this route everyday because the cemetery is the final resting place of her beloved brother, Bill. On one of her runs, she meets Cameron. Cameron has a mysterious vibe around him and makes the those around him uncomfortable and weary. He warns her that the cemetery and neighborhood is no place for her to run safely. Of course she doesn't listen and runs her route anyway. One night, she witnesses something she shouldn't have and finds herself kidnapped. She finds that her captor is none other than Cameron. However, Cameron claims that he only took her for her own safety. She is thrown into Cameron's world, but it isn't what she thought. She finds herself surrounded by Cameron and his men. She is not treated with cruelty, or with malice. Complete opposite actually. But why is she being treated like a prized possession? There's something in her past that connects her to Cameron and his world and Cameron will do anything to keep her from harms way.
There were a lot of surprises in this story, connections made and secrets uncovered. The relationship between Emily and Cameron was slow and steady. They want a way to be together, but certain things in Cameron's life will prevent them from having their HEA. Like I said, I'm really glad that there will be a sequel, because the ending took a little bit of time to get use to. An excellent story and I highly recommend it :)
Oh thank God that ended like that! Sorry had to get that out first. I'm still in shock actually, but one thing is for sure. I cannot wait for the sequel.
Though the whole story is mostly from Emily's POV, the story actually begins and ends in Cameron's POV. Emily refuses to live a life that her rich parents wants her to live. She comes from a very privileged family and yet she chooses to go to a not-so well known college, stays in a run down house, with a closet sized bedroom and she scans library books for a living. She finds solace in running. The route she takes everyday isn't really the safest nor the prettiest route. She passes through a cemetery, through a rough a neighborhood and back. Yet she chooses this route everyday because the cemetery is the final resting place of her beloved brother, Bill. On one of her runs, she meets Cameron. Cameron has a mysterious vibe around him and makes the those around him uncomfortable and weary. He warns her that the cemetery and neighborhood is no place for her to run safely. Of course she doesn't listen and runs her route anyway. One night, she witnesses something she shouldn't have and finds herself kidnapped. She finds that her captor is none other than Cameron. However, Cameron claims that he only took her for her own safety. She is thrown into Cameron's world, but it isn't what she thought. She finds herself surrounded by Cameron and his men. She is not treated with cruelty, or with malice. Complete opposite actually. But why is she being treated like a prized possession? There's something in her past that connects her to Cameron and his world and Cameron will do anything to keep her from harms way.
There were a lot of surprises in this story, connections made and secrets uncovered. The relationship between Emily and Cameron was slow and steady. They want a way to be together, but certain things in Cameron's life will prevent them from having their HEA. Like I said, I'm really glad that there will be a sequel, because the ending took a little bit of time to get use to. An excellent story and I highly recommend it :)
September 15, 2022
Emily's brother was a huge part of her life but he died in a drug overdose and now she's trying to make some sense of her life. She's moved to the town he lived in and jogs by his grave every day until one day she meets Cameron and everything changes.
This book just drew me in and I'm not sure if it was because I was so interested or I couldn't believe the things that were happening. Emily is nineteen and just completed her first year of college but she has lead a very sheltered rich life. This first year at college has been the first time she has done many things on her own. In a way, she doesn't have the normal fear or normal reactions many people would have. On the other hand, she has a huge temper and is not afraid of anyone...it's an interesting combination.
Cameron's life hasn't been great, in fact, it's been pretty awful. I read where the author got some of her ideas from watching Eminem's movie, 8 mile, and I could certainly see a lot of similarities. Cameron latched onto drug dealing in high school where he didn't have to be at the mercy of his father and end up in group homes or on the street. Unfortunately, he has gotten in about as deep as you can go.
While out running one day, Emily gets caught up in a terrible rain storm and turns back to go home. As she's in the graveyard, she witnesses a murder by Cameron...of all people. They end up kidnapping her and take her away to hold out in Vermont. That's when she finds out that Cameron and his friends knew Bill, her brother, very well. For me, this was a pivotal point in the story. Emily has been lost since her brother died and it's very evident by her moving to the town where he lived in and one of the worse neighborhoods to be near his grave. It was no shock that she latched on to the people who were important in his life. It was also no shock that once she learned what his lifestyle was that she was okay with it. She had placed him so high on a pedestal that nothing he did was wrong. That doesn't mean that she didn't battle with these things because she did. As far as her relationship with Cameron, it really came together when she talked about the puzzle pieces even though it wasn't hard to see she fell for him right away. Is her acceptance of Cameron realistic? Well, I'm sure it happens all the time.
Sometimes it was hard...and a bit scary to watch Cameron. He definitely had two sides to him - the normal person and the boss. It seemed a bit unbelievable for a 26 year old to be the head boss and I felt like we never really got to know him. I would've liked to know more about how he spent his down time and what he spent his money on.
There are many other interesting characters in the story and it was really interesting learning how the different characters played out in the "gang". I really enjoyed Spider and Carly and would've liked to know more of their story. Rocco and Griff were two of my favorites. I was a bit shocked at what happened with Rocco though. And I loved Meatball!! I wanted more of Daniel and for Emily to get to know him better.
I'm upset at the ending even though I figured that might happen. I was really surprised at who Shield was but it totally made sense...after the fact. And he's a pig....'nuff said. I loved how Emily handed everything even though it's left me a bit scared as to what she might do!! It was great getting the epilogue in Cameron's POV...I just wish it was longer. I can't wait for the next book, Scare Crow.
Favorite quotes:
♥ “Whoever said that love hurts was wrong. Love is excruciating, especially when you can feel it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it. Like someone was playing tug-of-war with my limbs, ripping to shreds whatever was left behind. What it would feel like when love was lost...I wouldn't survive that.”
This book just drew me in and I'm not sure if it was because I was so interested or I couldn't believe the things that were happening. Emily is nineteen and just completed her first year of college but she has lead a very sheltered rich life. This first year at college has been the first time she has done many things on her own. In a way, she doesn't have the normal fear or normal reactions many people would have. On the other hand, she has a huge temper and is not afraid of anyone...it's an interesting combination.
Cameron's life hasn't been great, in fact, it's been pretty awful. I read where the author got some of her ideas from watching Eminem's movie, 8 mile, and I could certainly see a lot of similarities. Cameron latched onto drug dealing in high school where he didn't have to be at the mercy of his father and end up in group homes or on the street. Unfortunately, he has gotten in about as deep as you can go.
While out running one day, Emily gets caught up in a terrible rain storm and turns back to go home. As she's in the graveyard, she witnesses a murder by Cameron...of all people. They end up kidnapping her and take her away to hold out in Vermont. That's when she finds out that Cameron and his friends knew Bill, her brother, very well. For me, this was a pivotal point in the story. Emily has been lost since her brother died and it's very evident by her moving to the town where he lived in and one of the worse neighborhoods to be near his grave. It was no shock that she latched on to the people who were important in his life. It was also no shock that once she learned what his lifestyle was that she was okay with it. She had placed him so high on a pedestal that nothing he did was wrong. That doesn't mean that she didn't battle with these things because she did. As far as her relationship with Cameron, it really came together when she talked about the puzzle pieces even though it wasn't hard to see she fell for him right away. Is her acceptance of Cameron realistic? Well, I'm sure it happens all the time.
Sometimes it was hard...and a bit scary to watch Cameron. He definitely had two sides to him - the normal person and the boss. It seemed a bit unbelievable for a 26 year old to be the head boss and I felt like we never really got to know him. I would've liked to know more about how he spent his down time and what he spent his money on.
There are many other interesting characters in the story and it was really interesting learning how the different characters played out in the "gang". I really enjoyed Spider and Carly and would've liked to know more of their story. Rocco and Griff were two of my favorites. I was a bit shocked at what happened with Rocco though. And I loved Meatball!! I wanted more of Daniel and for Emily to get to know him better.
I'm upset at the ending even though I figured that might happen. I was really surprised at who Shield was but it totally made sense...after the fact. And he's a pig....'nuff said. I loved how Emily handed everything even though it's left me a bit scared as to what she might do!! It was great getting the epilogue in Cameron's POV...I just wish it was longer. I can't wait for the next book, Scare Crow.
Favorite quotes:
♥ “Whoever said that love hurts was wrong. Love is excruciating, especially when you can feel it slipping through your fingers and there is nothing you can do about it. Like someone was playing tug-of-war with my limbs, ripping to shreds whatever was left behind. What it would feel like when love was lost...I wouldn't survive that.”
October 8, 2016
Usually I stay the hell away from this sort of literature but something about this one has snagged me to go along.
The main charachter, she is soooo goddamn stupid... gosh... And everyone else as well. They are all so well developed to be annoying as hell. Or maybe I'm just cranky while reading it.
Anyway, 10 stars for the book quality, 0 stars for it not clicking at all with myself, 5 stars the overall rating for it. And I'll make sure to read the sequel when I next am in the mood to be annoyed.
Q:
I watched the dark clouds billowing above, threatening rain for the day. Underneath them, the far-reaching forest was resiliently calm, and a thin layer of fog draped the treetops. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath; the mossy, damp smell of the woods that surrounded me was a newfound reassurance, as if the blanket of greenery would keep the storm from ever really reaching me. An uncanny reaction for a city girl, I thought.
(c)
Q:
“And?”
“And nothing. He left a bunch of messages asking why you were mad at him. The guy sounds like a doorknob, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t know that doorknobs could talk.”
“They don’t. They just squeak and spin in a circle.”
(c)
Q:
Nothing about being alone with him, where the only way to escape was to drown trying to swim to shore, sounded fun. I would have picked drowning any day.
(c)
The main charachter, she is soooo goddamn stupid... gosh... And everyone else as well. They are all so well developed to be annoying as hell. Or maybe I'm just cranky while reading it.
Anyway, 10 stars for the book quality, 0 stars for it not clicking at all with myself, 5 stars the overall rating for it. And I'll make sure to read the sequel when I next am in the mood to be annoyed.
Q:
I watched the dark clouds billowing above, threatening rain for the day. Underneath them, the far-reaching forest was resiliently calm, and a thin layer of fog draped the treetops. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath; the mossy, damp smell of the woods that surrounded me was a newfound reassurance, as if the blanket of greenery would keep the storm from ever really reaching me. An uncanny reaction for a city girl, I thought.
(c)
Q:
“And?”
“And nothing. He left a bunch of messages asking why you were mad at him. The guy sounds like a doorknob, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t know that doorknobs could talk.”
“They don’t. They just squeak and spin in a circle.”
(c)
Q:
Nothing about being alone with him, where the only way to escape was to drown trying to swim to shore, sounded fun. I would have picked drowning any day.
(c)
October 4, 2012
OH MY GOD WHERE DO I EVEN START?! I loved loved loved loved loved this book. I laughed, cried, gasped, and even, at one point exclaimed "what the fu** is going on?!" (please pardon my language-I was caught up in the heat of the moment). First of all, I love it when the good girl and bad guy fall for each other, and come on, what is more bad than a mob boss???? I loved the characters, even Spider. I thought it was awesome how Cameron had actually watched Emily for years without her knowing it. I loved the development of the story and found that it told the story with a certain finesse that explained the background for everything well. At the end of the book I was literally in shock after Spider shot Cameron. I kept thinking (hoping) that Cameron was going to pop up in Emily's house or something because he staged his shooting so he could get out of the "business." I was right in the staging of the shooting part but I cannot lie, I was disappointed that he was doing it so they couldn't be together. :( I definitely understood why he did it, I just always hope for the happily ever after. I just checked the author's website and she said she is only a couple of chapters into the sequel with no title :( I'm happy the sequel is coming but I am one impatient woman when it comes to this stuff!! I want to know what is going to happen with Em and Cam! NOW! Lol. Ugh I have spent all day reading this book and I am majorly amped over it. I am in love. Definitely a new favorite series! Read this people!!!
September 26, 2012
I read this book as a recommendation from my FB book lovers club, they were all saying that it was a must read.. I took them in for the offer, well tuns out that this BOOK was so freakin AMAZING!! so INTENSE, SAD, IT HAS EVERYTHING!! ITS SO EFFIN GOOD!!!!!!!
I READ IT IN ONE DAY!! I'm trying to ANALYZE, YES I SAID ANALYZE THE WHY?? THE WHO?? IM SO CONFUSED!! I NEED BOOK 2!!!! ASAP!!
I LOVE CAMERON <3
READ, READ READ!!!
I READ IT IN ONE DAY!! I'm trying to ANALYZE, YES I SAID ANALYZE THE WHY?? THE WHO?? IM SO CONFUSED!! I NEED BOOK 2!!!! ASAP!!
I LOVE CAMERON <3
READ, READ READ!!!
July 15, 2012
** 3 1/2 stars **
I liked the story even though it was frustrating at times but I didn't care for the ending. I see so much that could go wrong from what he did. But I will be looking forward to a sequel where hopefully things will work out!
August 18, 2012
3,5 stars
I liked the story even though it was a little borying sometimes..and the begging was slow.
I think the end was way the best part of the story.
I liked the story even though it was a little borying sometimes..and the begging was slow.
I think the end was way the best part of the story.
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