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Unapologetically f*cked up. Heartlessly cruel. Broken beyond repair.

Corvus, Rook, and Grey – The Crows.

Bred in a world of gang wars, violence, and secrets, they rule the bloody town of Thorn Valley and all the people in it…too bad for me I’ve never been good at kissing ass or keeping quiet.

Even if their savage spirits awaken something inside of me I thought was long dead, I can’t break. I won’t.

They think they scare me, that I’ll run and hide, but the joke’s on them. The Crows aren’t the first monsters I’ve faced, and they won’t be the last. There are worse evils out there waiting to take their stab at Ava Jade Mason.

I say let them try. I’m tired of running. Tired of holding back my darkness. Thorn Valley isn’t ready for a new boogie man. Too bad I’m already here.

Crooked Crows is a dark enemies-to-lovers reverse harem romance, meaning the main character will have more than one love interest.

Warning: This series contains foul language, explicit sexual content, graphic depictions of gang violence, and jealous/possessive themes. Recommended for readers aged eighteen and up. Please read responsibly.

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2021

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About the author

Elena Lawson

42 books1,149 followers
Elena lives in a small town in Canada with her family. She writes reverse harem fantasy romance stories full of feisty heroines, unforgettable heroes and spellbinding romance. When she comes out of her writing cave, she can be found obsessively rearranging her bookshelves, drinking wine somewhere sunny, or cooking overly fancy meals for her family and friends.

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlealately

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5 stars
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
Profile Image for vee.
866 reviews341 followers
Read
September 17, 2021
🌬 2.9 ish 🌬

me reading another RH. are we surprised? anyway this had 3 boys fawning over a girl. 1) the leader, corvus 2) the ‘loco’ one, rook, and 3) the quiet/nicest one, grey (u could say most soft hearted). she the new girl and theyre the untouchables bla bla bla. then ofc we got a bitchy mean girl (whos also the clingy self-proclaimed gf of one of the boys) bcs what kind of these typa high school romance doesnt have one?

’In a move not even I could’ve anticipated, she fucking hit her again. As if once wasn’t enough to seal her fate.
Bri’s nose shattered under Ava Jade’s fist on the second hit, spraying blood in an arc over her face. Somehow, the red warpaint suited her, and I ground my teeth to keep my body in check at her savage beauty.
“Jesus fuck,” Rook groaned, and I caught him pawing at the front of his jeans, practically salivating, his shoulders shaking with a shiver of rabid desire.
A hollow chasm gaped open in my stomach. That wasn’t good.’


the first moment they fell in love w her. as far as heroines in a ‘bully’ (not really here) romance goes, this one wasnt bad

alright heres what i think

this book was pretty well written (by my standard) and has interesting enough characters. butttttt. idk man the chemistries were kinda lacking. i mean its there, it could be, but not really bcs even though this was not long, it was filled w more other stuff rather than the characters spending time together and that irks me. dat boring

there was only like 1 scene Grey+AJ spent together before they had sex, 1/2 AJ+Corvus and i think none w AJ+Rook. i get why the boys were intrigued by her but that is all. i didnt even feel the sexual chemistry that much, let alone the emotional / sweet ones

imo they needed to spend more time together etc. no matter the relationship, i needed more development, period. especially in a RH book (this is why i loved DOV sm not despite it was long, but bcs of it. though some of the sex scenes coulda been cut off there, i cared enough bout the MCs and ended up loving every single domestic scenes between em. anyway why are we talking bout one of the most hated books in the area)

alright i know that theres gonna be a continuation and maybe the author’s aiming for a slow burn but idk i thought not much (relationship wise, which is the only think i care about) happened here n idc enough
256 reviews45 followers
September 2, 2021
Dark contemporary RH with anti-heroes, gangs and enemies-to-lovers angst told in Multi-POV 🖤 broken characters and psycho Hs and a strong FMC with a survivor’s spirit who is as quick to distrust as the Hs and has her own inner darkness that might just be a match for theirs. 🖤😈🖤

From the first page, I was hooked.. I devoured it and didn't want to put it down.

"Something told me there was more to it than what it appeared to be."

This quote sums up my reading experience and reactions. There's Multi-POV, so as the reader we have more insight into each of the main characters. There's hints at more below the surface with each of them.

The FMC is well balanced - - not all attitude, has a backbone and is smart and perceptive. She's stubborn but not to her own detriment. She has skills and training that we get to see put into action. She refuses to bow and actually seems like a formidable equal. She's been through some sh*t and has past traumas which still haunt her.

The Hs are each a bit psycho of different flavors. They are adopted brothers who don't trust beyond their formed family, and they have a lot going on as The Crows. We get peaks at their pasts that shaped who they are today and insights on their motivations and mannerisms, but there's still a lot I want to know about them. The Crows are shaping up to be one of my favorite flavors of anti-hero, vicious AF and playing by their own rules.


Because I read A LOT in this genre, at first, the story did read a bit like "dangerous guys see new hot chick who's from the trailer park but now going to rich prep school 'for reasons' and that spells trouble for the guys who will try to drive her out".... And I thought "oh, I've read this before" and presumed where it was going with that trope. Nope!. I was wrong. I have not read this before. It surprised me in the best ways.

On the dark scale, I would put book 1 as medium gray for themes (violence, murder, torture, abuse) and characters who aren't afraid to get dirty or bloody, but felt light for not having a lot of graphic detail on page. As a reader who enjoys dark, this hit a sweet spot of satisfying my bloodthirsty side and love for psycho characters and anti-heroes while not getting too heavy on page for those readers who want to wade in shallower gray waters.

This is book 1 in a continuing series. There is a cliffhanger, but IMO it's completely manageable. It left me eager for the next book, but I wasn't throwing my Kindle or anything extreme.
Profile Image for nikki.
792 reviews101 followers
August 23, 2021
Did you ever find yourself reading Boys of Brayshaw High wishing that Raven had all the guys instead of just Maddoc??

If you answered HELL YES, to the above question then look no further - 'Crooked Crows' is just what you've been looking for.

You've got your leader - Corvus.
The funny one who is slightly crazy - Rook
The brooding, serious one - Grey...

and then you have your ballsy, kick-ass heroine who brings those boys to their knees - Ava-Jade.

This story definitely has its similarities to BOBH, but it is darker and way HOTTER, plus it has the added bonus of being a Reverse Harem. I started reading it yesterday and once I had read the first chapter, I knew I wouldn't be stopping until I had finished the whole book. It ends on a cliff-hanger and I don't think the next book is out until November, so you might want to bear that in mind before starting it.

This was my first book by Elena Lawson, but it most definitely won't be my last; I'm pretty sure I'm going to be reading this one a few more times in preparation for the next instalment later on in the year.
454 reviews
September 3, 2021
2.5 stars I really wanted to like this . Aj is tough, but smart? No . She’s excessive . Extra. It’s so annoying how many times she does stupid things and gets caught or just stays longer because she’s beyond nosy . I really did not find her supposedly “badassery” appealing . She just tries too hard, does too much, she just comes off as stubborn and stupid .

There is really no plot to this story at all. It’s basically Aj trying to act all bad ass and show up the guys . There’s not even any bullying , really. There is no romance, no mystery, no anything . So, Im not inclined to finish this series .
Profile Image for nikki rose.
638 reviews217 followers
October 27, 2022
4.25⭐️
This is what I mean when I say that I'm looking for a badass bitch who takes no shit from men - Ava Jade is the definition of that. I honestly hadn't expected to like this book sm so I'm pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to reading the whole series!🥰💖
Profile Image for Valentina.
1,086 reviews312 followers
May 27, 2023
From mildly entertaining to misgivings

Ava Jade arrives to a new school for a new chance where Crows, Corvus, Rook, and Grey rule, but the guys, primarily Corvus, don't want her there believing she's bad news. They plan to make her kneel. This fierce, street-smarts, blade-throwing heroine, however, has a plan of her own against these underground-dealing bullies. The stories follows events of their dealings, encounters, and blossoming attraction.

Great character development. Nice change to read a strong heroine who owns her feelings, her sexuality, yet was vulnerable from experiences of her past life. I also liked the heroes -- broody, controlled, and he could cook Corvus; seemingly reflective, crazy, unexpectedly impulsive Rook; and warm and thoughtful Grey. The setting was both bully high school and crime world where the Crows managed their area.

A fast to medium burn with a somewhat progressive pace, I found this story initially appealing, but it lost its course at times in not advancing story complexity and subplots. I was looking for more to occur beyond the interludes between the main characters -- bullying and planning blackmail and the climatic ending. Ava Jade also went from fierce to inanely reckless. Then, the story was not steamy at all, uncharacteristic to reverse harems (at least the ones I enjoy reading). I am intrigued to read more but hold reservations about the next book.
Profile Image for Shelby.
229 reviews1,367 followers
December 19, 2023
3⭐️

I have no idea what the hell I just read 🥴

This started off sooooo good, I was excited that this might be a why choose I finally LOVE the way I did Break The Girl.

Well it started that way. But did not end that way 😂

18 year old Ava Jade has just lost her father and her mother disappeared years ago. Her rich aunt makes her an offer: attend private school Briar Hall for your senior year, I’ll pay your tuition and basic allowance, but keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Ava agrees, determined to have her freedom. But Briar Hall is run by the Crows, 3 guys who are also part of a gang, The Saints. And they think Ava is trouble.

Ava was a strong FMC to start, she had a goal: freedom. Stay out of trouble. I liked her. Did she need to say ‘my blade’ every 5 fucking minutes? No. But I let that slide, because the drama was building, the conflict was there. Ava didn’t belong at Briar, she was a distraction to the guys, they’ve got their own gang shit going on. It all made perfect sense.

Until it didn’t. Because why the hell, would Ava, who wants to stay out of trouble, desperate for freedom in a years time, kill someone 50% in?! 😐😐😐 I checked out at this point. Out of character much? When goals and motivations get lost I lose interest.

She’s propositioned by a cop (he somehow knows who she is and knows she’s been speaking to the Crows 🤔) to get dirt on the Crows. She doesn’t agree but then proceeds to tail the crows, trying to catch them out. But she literally corners a dude at knife point (with her blade obv lol) steals £10k from him so she can get into the club where the Crows are at one night 🤣🤣🤣🤣 bc one of the Crows is fighting and she won’t get in unless she has a substantial bet.

All this from a girl who originally wanted to keep her head down and get her freedom in a years time 🙃

All of the Crows sounded the same 😴 they were obsessed with her, because she wAsNt lIkE oThEr GiRlS. They didn’t have one decent conversation with her.

Ugh I’m so done with Why Choose.
Profile Image for The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha).
1,950 reviews337 followers
February 2, 2023

When a book starts off with the discovery of a dead body, I know it's my kind of story. Crooked Crows blends a bit of bully romance with gang violence and morally subjective characters to create a story that is a touch dark, a heap sexy, and completely engrossing.

Ava Jade has her own dark past, so she is able to stand up well to the guys. The guys are intense and domineering. The back and forth between Ava and the Crows does get a bit dark and a little bully-ish. But, Ava can handle herself for sure. There is more going on in the story than just the Crows being dicks to Ava and I think that helped the story move beyond the all-too-trendy bully romance. The guys each have their own personalities and backstories and the character development through out the book is top notch!

I always appreciate when a woman doesn't behavior like men expect her to. The Crows are used to having every woman around them do their bidding (they are in a position of power and hot). Ava stands her ground not because she wants them to notice her, or spend more time with her, but because she simply does not accept that kind of behavior. It's nice to see a woman deflect and attack these cocky guys instead of swooning. I will say I didn't really buy these characters as high school kids. I think if they were college aged it would have been better. Nothing about them or any of the other characters at the school felt like high schoolers. I have taught at a private High School for many years, and this is just off for me.

Crooked Crows is an exciting read that will keep you on edge wondering what the next threat will be, but also wondering when the sexual tension will finally crack them all!

 

  POV: multiple 1st
  Tears: no
  Trope: reverse harem, gang, academy
  Triggers:
  Series/Standalone: series
  Cliffhanger:




the Kit Davenport Series by Tate James, Den of Vipers by KA Knight, Red Handed by Jessa Wilder and Kate King...then you will probably like Crooked Crows!




Crooked Crows
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Profile Image for The Smutbrarians.
2,239 reviews1,736 followers
August 19, 2021
Feels 0
Steam 2
Storyline 3.5
Overall Rating 3.5
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Ladyballs

Most readers loved this book and sang its praise. For me, however, having read a lot of reverse harem/bully/school plots lately, it seemed too farfetched. The three guys in this story are in school but work for their "dad" at night as vigilantes. This scenario had me scratching my head. The characters were so grown up acting that it made me question why the storyline had them as so young and not older.

Ava Jade is a badass, tough chick and she takes no prisoners. She has secrets and does her best to protect them. The boys do not like her at first and aren't nice to her at all. Like all the reverse harem books, each of them find themselves being drawn to her. This book did not pull me in as hard as I tried. I wanted to really love it but I never fully connected with the characters. As anyone can see, others really loved the story and I hope you do as well.
Profile Image for Cat the bookworm .
646 reviews91 followers
September 6, 2021
I’ve read a lot of crime/bully/school books lately, and I didn’t expect a new twist, just a few entertaining hours of reading. I mean - the premise sounds familiar: poor girl with a shady background arrives at high-class finishing school, tries to keep her head down, but fails and is suddenly on the radar of some guys who “rule” the school. Guys involved in gang business, adopted sons to a crime lord.

Yet somehow, the guys are different from what I’ve read so far, and even if Ava doesn’t have a crime background (or do it seems), she’s badass, smart, has her own demons to fight and can certainly hold her ground against everything thrown at her.

The anonymous stalker sending her texts adds another layer of suspense to an already dark plot, esp as I have NO idea who it might be (Kit?)

The book ends with a cliffhanger, but it’s not a bad one. Looking forward to next book that’s out in November 2021!
Profile Image for rosa.
439 reviews
April 14, 2023
I think anyone that has enjoyed other series in this genre (bully, gang, RH) could also see the potential in this book.

Crooked Crows begins with the main female character, Ava Jade, arriving at Briar Hall and gaining the wrong people's attention—namely, Corvus, Rook and Grey - the three Crows sons of the Saints gang leader.

👇Your tropes

💣 Bully
👬 Reverse harem
🌶️ Spicy
🏫 Academy
🔫 Gang
🔪 Skilled FMC

The premise of this series feels promising, and Ava Jade has these moments where she comes across as intelligent and extremely capable. But it's also cheesy af at times and full of cliches. AJ also brings a lot on herself - she pretty much inserts herself in their gang business and then is shocked by the consequences of her actions.

Overall - there's potential, and this book is enjoyable if you like the tropes. There are lots of content warnings, so proceed with caution.
Profile Image for Alicia.
1,509 reviews10 followers
August 24, 2021
This is a cracking start to a new series which had my attention from the start. It kicks off with a strong punch, bringing in the main characters immediately and signalling that darkness will surround them in different shapes and forms. The impact of opening chapters is intense and we can see that our heroine, AJ, is a tough cookie whose past has made her strong. She is not going to buckle, able to look darkness in the eye and keep her nerve. Our 'heroes' have the most brilliant title of the Crows. I love this, seeing the dark, rich feathered creatures that will look you in the eye and read you. I wouldn't dream of crossing them, unlike Ava Jade.
This has been a fabulous read. Full of incident, twisted worlds, events which made me pull up the duvet a couple of times, but could not stop me reading. Brilliant. Can't wait for more! 💖💖💖💖💖
Profile Image for sammi_reads.
599 reviews15 followers
July 26, 2022
I've definitely read this plot before. Underprivileged rough-around-the-edges tough girl gets shipped to an elite school by random family member after parent death. There she meets 3 guys who rule the school and are also pivitol parts in a local gang- one psycho leader, one brutal fighter, one popular and more understated (but also not to be messed with). They become interested in her immediately and she gets mixed up in their shady dealings.

It's very formulaic in the basics, but I thought the pace was excellent. The boys were especially well done. It requires a suspension of disbelief for high school student skills and connections, but when you get past that it reels you right in.
Profile Image for Melissa .
407 reviews29 followers
August 13, 2021
4.5 stars.

This is my first book by this author and I will most definitely be reading more. Crooked Crows is a fast-paced, enemies to lovers academy RH with gang themes.

The Crows are not your typical bad boy assholes with a chip on their shoulder- they are vigilantes, doling out their own brand of justice to children who have been wronged. And Ava Jade isn’t your typical tough girl FMC. She takes matters into her own hands, trying to play the game better than the Crows and gaining and eventually keeping their attention.

We get glimpses of the characters’ troubled pasts, just enough to know each has suffered trauma and making me want to know more. Along with a super intriguing plot, this book had great character development and I enjoyed experiencing the story from the guys POV in addition to the FMC. This was a really fantastic series start and I am really looking forward to more!
Profile Image for Liz (LoverOfBooks80).
842 reviews13 followers
August 21, 2021
Engaging & unputdownable.

Slow burn to start with while you get to know them all, the angst is still there though. I enjoyed the push and pull between them all, loved getting to know the boys and their little quirks. And love Ava’s take no cr@p attitude.

Finding the softer side of the boys had me swooning hard over them. So glad she doesn’t have to choose cause I don’t think I could 🖤🖤

Am looking forward to more of the Crows.
Profile Image for Alex Wilkes.
59 reviews
August 15, 2021
This book was absolutely amazing. I can count on one hand the book series that leave me absolutely desperate for more, and this one has definitely joined the ranks.

The boys are amazing and Ava Jade is just one of the most kick*** FMCs I've ever read. It is a RH enemies to lovers gang romance with a bit of a twist in terms of why the guys are doing what they're doing.

I'm loving how Ava is responding and reacting to the darkness in the guys, and that each of their dark sides are merging them together as a group. I can't wait for more between them!
Profile Image for Cee.
2,705 reviews133 followers
November 3, 2022
I have no idea why I didn't like this more than I did. Like, it has so much that I like-- darker setting, badass heroine, danger, spying, mysterious unknown stalker-- and yet I have little desire to continue on. I even like the guys! A control-freak, the "nice" one, and the unhinged one with a lip ring. I'm not sure what more I could ask for when they're in a gang???
The only thing making me consider continuing on is wanting to know who the stalker is and what their endgame is.

Perhaps I didn't feel a connection to the characters and I didn't feel the chemistry between them. There was slight tension with Ava Jade and Grey, but it exploded so quickly that it felt like a simmer and included for the readers needing steam in every book rather than something that made sense.

This all being said, I still finished and I can't really think of anything *wrong* with it, so I'll probably recommend it when asked.

OH and this isn't bully romance and it isn't enemies to lovers, its more wary, distrust on both sides. She hates gangs, Corvus doesn't like unpredictable elements in his life. That's... pretty much it.
3 reviews
October 29, 2021
2.5/5
I made a whole ass account on good reads just to write a review for this book (though to be honest I should've made an account a lot earlier).
Anyway, the main character is too freaking stubborn for her own good. I won't lie the boys were pretty annoying & shitty towards her in the beginning, but it was never more than useless banter. And definitely not enough for her to risk her ass to find some sort of blackmail against them. It takes a lot to make me angry at these characters but she was just so frustrating- like she had NO reason to be following them around like an absolute fucking idiot just to find herself consistently six feet under.
And even at the end, like dude you literally fucking got yourself into this shitty mess, and on top of being a dick to the dudes who saved you, you also refuse to comply in the slightest bit.
One part I did kinda enjoy was the friend she made, she was just so comforting and actually enjoyable to read.
And overall the writing and story structure are pretty decent, characters just need a bit of work.
30 reviews
September 12, 2021
The excessive use of the word “blade” was so obnoxious. It was used 104 times in relatively short book. Ava was waaay over the top and trying too hard to be a badass. She was actually pretty stupid.
Profile Image for queen_of_the_books_18.
850 reviews224 followers
August 20, 2021
If you love a dark, enemies to lovers, RH, gang romances then this is the book for you. It’s book one in the Boys of Briar Hall series and ends on an epic cliffhanger.

You should run, little sparrow. While you still can

Corvus, Rook and Grey. Members of the Saints and dangerous as hell. Corvus is the broody one, the one who needs control, the planner. When this dude falls and realises he’s in love it’s going to be epic.

Rook is completely reckless and certifiable and I loved him. He loves the pain, to give it out and receive and gets high off the feeling of it. He was my favourite because his crazy ass was so easy to love.

Grey, the dependable one, the one who falls the easiest and the one who will always have your back.

AJ, or Ava Jade is an absolute badass and I think I have a girl crush on her. She’s on the wrong side of the tracks and when she is backed into a corner by the Crows she doesn’t back down, she looks them straight in the eye and promises to give it back twice as hard.

The plot had me hooked and I finished it in one sitting.

I can’t wait for book two.
Profile Image for Kera’s Always Reading.
1,646 reviews63 followers
August 21, 2021
Ava Jade is the new girl in Thorn Valley and she has caught the attention of the Crows: Corvus, Grey and Rook. She is tough, feisty and not afraid to get her hands dirty. And she flat out refuses to bow down to them like everyone else does, only making her more appealing to them.

But just because she refuses to cower doesn’t mean that she isn’t insanely attracted to them and their darkness. These boys run the place. They are dark and depraved, involved in gang wars and violence. And she can finally be her own dark self, surrounded by those as twisted as she is.

I loved all three of the boys of Briar Hall. They were all delectable in their own ways. And Ava Jade was a complete badass! This dark, reverse harem was just the first book in this series and I cannot wait for more!
Profile Image for Shirley.
900 reviews227 followers
August 21, 2021
Original review

This book was provided by the author through Wildfire Marketing Solutions in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Elena Lawson and Wildfire Marketing Solutions!

Crooked Crows is the first book in the Boys of Briar Hall series and tells the story of Ava Jade, Corvus, Grey and Rook.

Crooked Crows is the first book I’ve read by Elena Lawson so I didn’t know what to expect. And let me tell you that this book blew me away! Crooked Crows was so addictive and I had to know what was going to happen to Ava Jade. Something I also really liked about this book was that we got to read in all four perspectives. Multiple POV’s always makes the book more interesting because you can read about every character’s feelings. 

I love Ava Jade. She’s so funny and badass, and I wish I was like her. She’s so strong even though she’s battling with some stuff. I love that she didn’t immediately fall for one or all three of the guys, it would’ve made the story a bit predictable. But she distrusts them and at the same time she’s interested in them. As for the guys, they’re all f’d up. But in a good way. I love reading about guys/men that are a bit twisted and these three are definitely a bit twisted.

I really loved reading Crooked Crows and I’m so excited for the sequel. I really need to know what is going to happen to Ava Jade, Corvus, Grey and Rook. They’re so interesting and you cannot get enough of them. As I mentioned before, Crooked Crows is the first book I’ve read by Elena Lawson and this won’t be the last one. I’m definitely going to check out her other books!

Profile Image for Tika.
396 reviews10 followers
September 8, 2021
Damn you woman and your cliffhangers 🙈 absolutely bloody loved this, can't wait for book 2!
Profile Image for Kim.
660 reviews23 followers
May 22, 2022
This one sucked me in from the beginning.
The story is full of action and the main characters have interesting personalities. There is enough mystery to keep you interested and it ends with a bit of a cliff hanger that has me immediately downloading the next book!
October 18, 2021
Ava Jade is my Hero! Tough Girl Takes on Three Hot Guys & Even Tougher Gangs


****This review May contain spoilers****

What a F……g fun read this book was
Ava Jade Mason is a hard nosed, streetwise, ball busting, take no prisoners, hard living, (at times) B***

She shows up at the gothic, Briar Hall, ready to get her good grades and graduate, so the her benefactor snooty, Aunt Humphrey will stick to her HER side of the deal, setting AJ up in her own apartment, with cash, so she can attend college or, …whatever she wants.

But!

Of course, thing do not go to plan.
From the moment she stepped out of her Aunts car AJ didn’t realise that she had already attracted the attention of “The Saints”.
Well three of them. The three adopted Sons of Diesel St.Crow

Corvus James (strategist)
Grey (Geyson) Winters (the thinker)
And
Rook (Sawyer) Clayton (the psycho MMA fighter with the brawn)


A Saints member ( Randy) has been found murdered.

Carved into his chest an ‘A’.
Is this a warning from rival gang the Aces, or is it someone trying to blame them to start a gang war.
His death will HAVE to be avenged.

“BLOOD for BLOOD”

So as the three brothers mull over this problem, out of of car steps AJ, dragging her suitcase behind her, prepared for her stay at the prestigious Briar Hall.

Now, it goes without saying that AJ presents at BH is disruptive to say the least.
She is immediately a target for the boys and mean girls alike.
There are parts of her personality that all three boys are drawn to.
Not to mention she’s easy on the eye.

However, it is Corvus who feels HE is going to be her first and the brother to “own her”.

(Unfortunately for him, he’s not the “FIRST” for AJ)

As the “brothers try to control the headstrong AJ by “claiming her” with blackmail, it all goes terribly wrong.

AS AJ seeks to find out more about the Crow Brothers and The Saints, to flip the control back in her favour, she gets herself further, and further into hot water until right up to the end when she is given an offer she won’t be allowed to turn down.

This book turns the tables.
It’s not the girl who is chasing after the bad guys
( well she does want to F their brains out, but doesn’t opening pursue them to F their brains out)
It’s the bad guys chasing after the ( equally) bad girl.
Ava Jade Mason is a trip.
She is just as hard as, if not harder than the guys.

She has grown up in Lennox with gang wars between the Kings, Aces, and Saints.
What’s clear is, SHE WANTS NO PART OF IT!

But!

Just like the Mafia, ever time she try’s to get away, the gang life pulls her back.
( ‘she didn’t choose the gang life, the gang life chose her’)

Doesn’t help that she has skills that the Saints can put to good use.
She has spent years honing her fighting and knife skills.
The latter becoming her signature.

This was one cool read.

The issue I have with the book is, Ava Jade is street savvy beyond her years having grown up on the tough streets of Lennox.

She’s perceptive, can read people, knowing what they are going to do before they know themselves.
However, she puts herself in precarious situations through her own inability to not weigh up the danger to herself.
She’s impulsive to the point that it clouds her judgment.
Otherwise, I’m loving the fact the she doesn’t go all gooey at the sight of the guys.

Yeah, she straight up addresses the fact that they are all hot and she likes sex and wants to F them, but it doesn’t take up page after monotonous pages of the story.

If it happens she gets off, ( sometimes reluctantly, chastising herself) admitting that she likes “the act” but it’s great that the story doesn’t get to bogged down on her relationships with the guys and actually has a really good plot.

The sex, while HOT isn’t all that this story is about.

Ava Jade tough girl, determined to have control of HER OWN LIFE at all costs.

No man is going to tell her what to do.


So the next book is looking like a real clash of wills.

Can’t wait!

Also hoping, and praying to doesn’t go down the usual….RH road that it just might be heading into.

You know what I mean, the groan worthy multiple partner sex scenes.
The guys all sitting around discussing their performances.
Living together as a big old F’d up family..
If I see AJ referring to them as “ her boys” I’m out.
That kind of thing.
Profile Image for Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer).
789 reviews58 followers
August 8, 2021
4/4.5 ⭐️

After losing her dad, Ava Jade ‘AJ’ Mason is made a deal with her aunt. A set life after high school doing whatever she wants, on the condition of keeping a clean nose while completing her final year at Briar Hall. However, what she doesn’t expect is to attract the attention of Corvus, Grey and Rook aka ‘The Crows’ who run Briar Hall. Something that only spells trouble, since they don’t take kindly to outsiders coming in and defying them, their rules or control. All of which Ava Jade challenges with her rebelliousness.

Ava Jade may have been a Strong, Determined, Fierce Badass. But there was much more to her than meets the eye. Considering what she was hiding away on the inside. I loved that she wasn’t scared to give it back just as hard with fighting back, despite who is on the other end and the problems it could cause her. But at the same time there were pieces of her, where you could see this broken girl inside that would sometimes peek through from triggering moments. Proving that she was hiding something from the past tough life she had lived, with never allowing that girl to come out. Especially when it came to the struggles she would endure with trying to control the darkness within her. By always trying not to allow it to consume her with coming out to play.

Adopted by the leader of the Saints, Diesel St. Crow. Corvus, Rook and Grey, help their dad within The Thorn Valley Chapter, when they’re not at school.
Although they are set apart when it comes to their uniquely individual personalities, something we slowly learn along the way through the unravelling of their characters. They do share the same traits of being Dark, Broody, MF Alpha Assholes. All while still being connected through their bond of brotherhood. Which is why you can’t help but fall for each of them as their story progresses. Seeing the way they're always there for each other by helping one another out when needed to.
Though it has to be said Grey is definitely my FAVOURITE!

Crooked Crows led you on a whirlwind ride with the story being chock full of mysteries surrounding secrets that are hinted at, the build up of suspense surrounding not only the drama which is caused by questions that arise within the darkness that is in the characters lives. It leads to an action-packed thriller full of tension encircling the constant conflict. Especially when the crescendo starts to build, which has you teetering on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what will occur.
The adventure that Elena steered me on when it came to ‘The Crows’ and Ava Jade's story is one that definitely had me entranced to the point of where I couldn’t stop or let it go. The way she wrote each of the characters had you reeling in with hearing their story. And falling down into the dark abyss that was their lives with wanting more. All of which is understandably so, knowing the twisty journey you travel has you acknowledging that this is not going to be a straight forward narrative at all.

All in all, with Crooked Crows being not only my first read by Elena Lawson it’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed in the least. In fact I was hooked, which is why I cannot wait to see what will happen next in the Boys of Briar Hall series when it comes to Ava Jade, Grey, Corvus and Rook.



*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ren | thebookishren.
1,525 reviews119 followers
August 8, 2021



⭐️ 𝙀𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩. ⭐️

GENRE/TROPES: NA, Dark, RH
POV: 1st, Multiple
SERIES: Boys of Briar Hall, Book 1
STEAM LEVEL: 🔥🔥🔥

Yaaaassssss! This book was everything, EVERYTHING, I love in a dark, twisted, reverse harem romance! Although this was less romance and more lust for the first book in a series I KNOW is going to become a favorite of mine in 2021.

Ava Jade, AJ, Sparrow was a fierce, no-fucks-given, badass, traumatized young woman who bowed to no one. She’s was no whimpering virgin or delicate flower. She was a whisper of danger, a dark angel just trying to leave her past behind and escape the perpetual cycle of being poor and discarded.

~ 𝒜𝓋𝒶 𝒥𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒻𝓇𝓊𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓁𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝑒𝒻𝓇𝑒𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓁𝓎, 𝒹𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈. 𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝑒𝓇.
𝒞𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑜𝓊𝓈. 𝒱𝓊𝓁𝑔𝒶𝓇. 𝒮𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝒻𝑜𝓍.
𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀𝑒𝒹. ~

Corvus, the cold leader, Grey, the All-American good guy, and Rook, the silent but deadly psychopath hooked me deeply and did not let go. Drawn to the fearless AJ, these boys were thrown for a loop when she didn’t back down, didn’t cave to their demands. So much tension and chemistry and pull between them all. Both sides did what they could to blackmail the other side and in the end it left Ava Jade in a predicament with only two ways out: join them or die.

I neeeeed the next book, like stat. So thrilling and sexy and brutal. There’s no sunshine and sweetness in this story but I have a feeling this young woman and her three men will become an addictive group I won’t get enough of!


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