Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic

18 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

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

aarno97's review

challenging dark hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Blood, and Self harm

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

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.

lucylovesgrapes's review

dark emotional 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

nora sakavic is both my enemy and someone i admired beyond belief. let me wipe my tears. a truly amazing story, with everything i loved about the foxes and more. i can barely put into words how much this book means to me, if i could give more than 5 stars i would. that rating seems insufficient when i reflect on the masterpiece i just read. 

jean yves-moreau holds a very special place in my heart, one that now houses my beloved foxes and the trojans. if he doesn't get every single thing he deserves, i will be rioting. the glimpses of the foxes were like crack and i need more of them. the descriptions of andrew and neil made my little heart sing and neil in the final chapter??? he knows he is THAT bitch and seeing him from an outside pov is exhilarating and i crave more. 

sakavic writes found family masterfully and creates incredibly complex characters that i have rarely come across. cat and laila are just amazing, refreshing characters and the need i have for them to hang out with dan, allison, matt and renee is unreal. jeremy is such an exciting character to read, he's got so much depth that is slowly being explored and his story is one i can't wait to read.

i am hoping for more books with the trojans, especially about jeremy and his relationship with his family. also more exy games, i adored the game scenes with the foxes and would love to see the behind the scenes of trojans playing against other teams. an utter masterpiece that i will never forget, right there with the foxes. 🦊🦊🦊

(lucas and graysen?? it's on SIGHT. i truly don't give a shit is lucas apologised, i will put him down.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Rape, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Death, Grief, Suicide, Trafficking, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

katerina_l's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, Rape, Suicide attempt, Death, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

abee_3_c's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

emck0610's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

5.0

Fair warning, there are a lot of potential triggers in this story. After reading All for the Game—I expected to read pretty awful information in The Sunshine Court about what Jean had been through as a Raven. I knew I would, but it still hit me pretty hard when faced with the information. 

As far as the Trojans we get to know better—Laila, Cat, and Jeremy are definitely the people I’d want in my corner any day of the week. The characters stole a bit of the show in the original trilogy and I’m really glad to see more of them as they try to help Jean settle in. 

If you liked the original All for the Game trilogy then I think you’ll get more of what you’d expect out of this novel. Nora Sakavich is not in a rush to tell the entire story in one novel and I’m definitely intrigued to keep going. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Child death, and Murder