Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic

63 reviews

mo345's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Confinement, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Grief, and Homophobia

rattaloui's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Slavery, Rape, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

m4ximus_pr1m3's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Mental illness, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Eating disorder, Vomit, and Bullying

andreeagrc's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Rape

eb10's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh my god! Nothing can emotionally wreck me more than Nora Sakavic writing about Jean

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Cursing, Physical abuse, Bullying, Dysphoria, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Rape, Blood, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Torture, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, and Eating disorder

wrongdecision's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Oh Jean...

I will try to summarise my love for this book in as few words as possible.

Jean was always a complicated character to me, someone who was difficult to love due to his complicity in Riko's violence until you really started thinking about his life and reasons.
I've read books 1 to 3 more times than I can count and the first two or three times I definitely did not like him.

This book perfectly lead us through what I started figuring out on my later rereads, fleshed out his person with his thoughts and struggles.

I adore Nora's writing and it was easy to love this book as well.

I loved all the Trojans we've met closer so far, Jeremy, Laila and Cat are a great addition to Jean as company and he will definitely not be able to escape their friendship and passion.
I can't wait to see how he grows after this.
I also am very curious to hear more about Jeremy's family life as we got a bunch of hints toward it already.

A little minus point to me, that isn't really one, was that Nora said she sees this as a stand alone, which it definitely is not.
I don't think anyone who starts with this book would understand what went on with the Ravens, the sport and the general idea behind everything early enough to keep reading.

Would not recommend this as a good start into the series, although I'm sure that wasn't what she intended for it to be anyways.

Seeing Neil come in at the end again brought me so much joy, btw.
I adore that man with every fibre of my being. He really is THE character of all time for me.
Love him.

Warning for everyone who is uncomfortable with cult recovery, sexual abuse and general abuse, torture and violence. There is a lot of hinted and some more graphic descriptions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Murder, Death, and Vomit

mellowreading's review

5.0

I was going to give this a 4 star because as much as I enjoyed it, the plot felt very repetitive and somehow rushed at the same time. But I added an extra star for Barkbark Von Barkenstein

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Rape, Death, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Violence, Self harm, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood

Moderate: Homophobia

frantic_vampire's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Holy fuck. For all that it has a bright sunshiny name, this book was absolutely brutal and devastating. With each passing chapter and every horrific little revelation about the abuse that Jean suffered I wanted to scream and cry and rage on his behalf. I loved that Jean was able to find little bright spots of happiness in the smallest things like cooking with Cat, (begrudgingly) shopping with Laila, and having Jeremy as his partner. I also loved that they gave Jean the space he needed, respected privacy (for the most part), and accepted his boundaries (only pushing them when they absolutely had to).

There is so much to unpack with this book and I don’t think I caught everything that was happening in this read. So a reread is definitely needed before the next book comes out. But my god. This was probably one of the most emotionally devastating books I think I’ve ever read. It’s getting a solid five stars and I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself until the next book comes out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Self harm, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Vomit, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Medical content, Stalking, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Trafficking, Child death, Gun violence, and Death

katkan's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book took me apart. I thought I was ready for what’s coming after reading Neil’s story, but oh boy I didn’t know what kind of storm was coming. 
Jean is so easy to dislike at the beginning. We kind of know what happened to him, how much he suffered. But he’s a rude bastard. Throughout the book, like magic, you start to feel for and with him in ways so deep they almost take over. 
I can’t believe this book is as incredible as it is. I am flayed open, in tears and so so so proud of Jean for where he is at the end of the book. 
To have such an incredible support system after all he went through (also slay for Neil to be so comfortable with murdering abusers) is all anyone could ever wish for. I hope Jeremy Laila and cat only see sunny days for the rest of their lives. And that Jean will be there with them. 
Happiness is far from this book, but the emotions you go through and the characters that travel with you are an incredible experience that makes waking up for another day worth it over and over again. 
Thank you Nora, for sharing this story with us. It is worth everything to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Blood, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

nikoops's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The newest novel in the All for the Game series focus on former Raven, marked #3 for the Perfect Court, Jean Moreau and his transfer to USC. The book delves into Jean’s past, and his treatment under Riko, Coach Moriyama, and the Ravens. Chapters switch POVs between Jean, and captain of USC’s Exy team (the Trojans), Jeremy Knox. 

Sakavic’s writing and character development remain as strong as they were in previous installments, but with a bit more depth into the plot set up in earlier books—Jean’s perspective is a welcome puzzle piece to help fill in the universe Sakavic has created. 

Definitely looking foreword to where Jean’s story goes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Stalking, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual violence, Bullying, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Torture, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

The abuse Jean faced at Evermore is discussed, it is explicitly stated that sexual violence/rape happened to him along with water boarding, cutting, burning, and various other forms of abuse/torture. Jean has a run-in with one of his abusers, and is hurt in the interaction both physically/mentally.