Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic

48 reviews

raleidoscop's review

dark emotional 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Bullying, Medical trauma, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, Self harm, Sexual harassment, and Murder

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

---

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

ninarotcajg's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

Quand je vous dis j’ai sauté sur le livre, j’ai sauté sur le livre des sa sortie hier.
La saga m’a marquee au fer rouge (petite ref glauque) et j’avais entendu dire qu’une suite devait arriver sur Jean.
J n’avais aucun souvenir de Jean, un tout petit souvenir de Jeremy (j’ai lu il y a longtemps), j’ai du retourner sur les sites de fandom (très complets omg) pour trouver toutes les infos.

Je reste sur ma FAIM. J’aurais voulu 200 pages de plus au moins, et la je ne sais pas ce que je vais faire sans le prochain.
Je savais déjà qu’on allait avoir du trauma à foison, et un slow burn slow de chez slow, puisque c’est la marque de fabrique de très chère Nora.

J’ai beaucoup aimé en apprendre plus sur ces FRAPPADINGUES de Ravens, j’ai hate de connaître plus Jeremy, on a eu que des entrevues, et on ne comprend toujours pas ce qui lui est arrivé à lui. 

Pauvre Jean vraiment on est sur du high level de trauma la aussi, et je me demande ce qu’elle va nous pondre pour Jeremy.\
Et Jeremy…… tellement mignon, tellement doux, ils sont parfaits, j’ai vraiment hate de les voir s’aimer. Ca m’a donné envie de tout relire.

Bref pour moi c’était pas assez, je veux plus plus plus plus

Note ; 17/20

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Torture

Moderate: Rape and Trafficking

Minor: Suicide

cyancookie's review

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Sexual violence, Violence, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Self harm, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Torture, Murder, Child death, and Confinement

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

---

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

shakita45's review

emotional hopeful sad 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

4.5

When I picked this book up, I absolutely didn't expect it to become my favorite entry into the All For The Game series.  I loved Neil's story so much, and Jean was a side character at best, and primarily an antagonist.  I was extremely ambivalent about following him instead of a more familiar character, but my stance on that changed FAST.

This story really highlights how far Nora's writing has come over the years, which allows Jean to be both a person who has had wrong done to him while also perpetuating wrongness to other characters.  It never feels like we're trying to excuse Jean's exactions, but rather that we're looking into all the things that went into making him, HIM.

Jeremy Knox is also a stand-out as one of my favorite AFTG characters, if not my absolute favorite at this point.  He's such a ray of sunshine, who we know battles his own demons, but he's such a rock in the storm that Jean is weathering, and we see how seriously he takes his position as captain, and how that extends to the care and consideration he gives all the other Trojans.

Jean is special to him, I think, but Jeremy's actions towards Jean AREN'T special; I firmly believe he would go this far for anyone who needed him to, and I think that makes him such a remarkable character.  Neil and Andrew were both wounded animals, biting at each other and taking comfort in the only ways they know how, but Jean and Jeremy have such a KIND dynamic at the end of the day.  I think more than anything, Jean wants to be kind, because no matter what he's suffered, he still pays such incredible attention to the people around him and tries to do right by them.

I'm going to be on absolute pins and needles while I wait for the next book, and I am positively frothing at the mouth to learn more about Jeremy's backstory.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Rape, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Sexual assault

As this is an AFTG book, there is an endless list of triggers, and I've tried to highlight as many as I can, but please exercise caution.

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.

---

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

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. 

---

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. 

---

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.

nathanae88's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful slow-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

TL;DR: if you have read* and liked** the All For The Game series you HAVE TO read this.
  *) if not, go do that now! (check trigger warnings.) **) if not, don't read TSC!😅🙈 

It is always difficult going into a book with high expectations. In this case it was both from loving the first series so much (which was published 10 years ago!!) a series driven so much by the characters and their interactions and (lack of 😅) development as well when the new book focuses on new people! (plus seeing many other people rate it 5 stars). The first third of the book then starts by retelling the second half of The King's Men from a different perspective (always difficult to pull of in a way that doesn't seem repetitive) and mostly from the POV of a character that wasn't that likeable in the original books (Jean Moreau, "third best player" in the fictional sport of Exy) even though the characters were all quite the grumpy, dysfunctional, traumatised bunch. So he fits right in there. 😅  and I wend from grudging acdeptance to "DON'T TOUCH MY BABY"🥺
As told in book 3, Jean has escaped the toxic team, The Ravens after a particularly vicious attack by his team's captain, Riko, and has signed with the Trojans, a team who are famous for their cheery disposition and friendly, sportsmanlike behaviour during games. Their Captain, Jeremy takes Jean under his wing. Jeremy gives off massive Golden Retriever energy. Such a happy, good boy and always at Jean's side, looking out for him and trying to be his friend and to protect him... he tries to get Jean to open up about his past and to show him he deserves happiness. 🥺🥺🥺
this was the kind of book where I dreaded the end and that rumor has it there will be only one more book. I need about 15 more! 

The book does not work as a standalone and the list of trigger warnings is almost as long for this one as it was for the other three books.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Bullying, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism and Murder