Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Raven King by Nora Sakavic

60 reviews

nikoops's review

dark emotional 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

5.0

As with the rest of this series, it’s hard to describe. The characters are engaging, the plot, ridiculous, and the writing decent. This might make it sound like you shouldn’t read it, and honestly? Despite the 5/5 stars, you probably shouldn’t. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, and Violence

The Raven King picks up exactly where The Foxhole Court ends. The story remains in Neil’s POV, starting with the Foxes spending Halloween all together; it becomes apparent that it was definitely Riko behind Seth’s untimely death; however, with Seth gone, the team does seem to start to work together more cohesively on the court. They start to rank up wins, and there is hope for them to make it to the semifinals. Things start to go downhill when Nicky’s family invites him and the twins home for Thanksgiving. The invitation comes with the directions that the twins have to come or else Nicky cannot go. Desperate to see his family again and hopefully reconcile their differences, Nicky asks Neil to get Andrew to agree to go. Neil does, but not for Thanksgiving; Nicky’s family is accommodating. The meal comes with an unexpected and devastating surprise—they have invited Drake (Andrew’s former brother to be, had he been adopted by the Spears), and he is waiting upstairs secretly for Andrew. Luther (Nicky’s father) tricks Andrew into going upstairs where he is knocked over the head with a bottle by Drake and assaulted. Neil suspects Andrew is in trouble, when Luther mentions Drake, and goes upstairs with Aaron to see. They wind up breaking down the door to find Andrew being assaulted, Aaron winds up killing Drake. Aaron is arrested for the murder, but is allowed back until his trial due to Matt’s mother posting bail. Betsy makes the choice to have Andrew go off his meds due to the circumstances, which requires him going to Easthaven for 24/hr supervision as he comes off them. During this all, the team grows closer still as the team decides to stick together as often as possible—Aaron also gets to spend time with his girlfriend Katelyn. At the Christmas banquet, Riko tells Neil that he has to come to Evermore for winter break—he threatens Andrew’s safety should Neil refuse. Neil, of course, agrees to this, and is subjected to torture for the entirety of winter break. He returns to Palametto unsure of how he got there, with new scars, his natural eye and hair color back, and a four tattooed on his cheek. He calls Wymack for help, and reveals some more truth to him, the book ends on him wondering how their season will go, and how he will survive it.

riv_erb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Grief, Hate crime, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Self harm, and Sexual violence

abelh's review

dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Drug use, Sexual content, Bullying, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Self harm, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Torture, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Violence, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts

cait's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Abandonment, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

adamparrishlover's review

adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Rape

trainlock's review

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, and Rape

Moderate: Murder, Grief, Violence, and Drug use

Minor: Self harm and Suicide attempt

aenor's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Bullying, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, and Rape

booksinacottage's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Drug use, Death, Alcoholism, Grief, Rape, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Addiction

folkofthebook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.

this series continues to be a tumultuous ride. i love the exy game scenes, i wish there were more. definitely some problematic things. even more violence lingering in every corner.

watching neil finding his place with the foxes is so worth it though. andrew has grown on me so much, i see why he's such a fan favorite. 

and with that, the slowest of burns ever that has me giggling and kicking my legs at the barest hint of what's to come:

"Speaking of unpredictable assholes, when did that happen?" 
"When did what?" Neil asked. 
Wymack eyed him. "Forget it."

i love these clueless dummies.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Death, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Grief, and Homophobia

Minor: Suicide, Self harm, and Rape

viacrow's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

v appreciate that the other characters seemed to have joined in at yelling “i know what you are” at andrew and neil at every given opportunity

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Car accident, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Blood, Confinement, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Sexual violence