| Title | : | Ne jamais abandonner (Une équipe de marginaux, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9791038128958 |
| Language | : | French |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published July 10, 2013 |
Les Fox sont dans un état pitoyable, pourtant la dernière catastrophe en date pourrait être le miracle qui fera d’eux une véritable équipe. Andrew est leur seul obstacle, et Neil le seul à pouvoir dépasser ses défenses.
Mais Andrew ne donne rien gratuitement et Neil ne fait confiance à personne. Ils n’ont pas beaucoup de temps pour trouver un accord avant que des forces extérieures ne les déchirent. Riko est déterminé à détruire la nouvelle vie si fragile de Neil, et les Fox vont en subir les conséquences.
Les jours de Neil sont comptés, mais il apprend malgré lui à se battre pour ce en quoi il croit.
Et il croit en Andrew, même si Andrew refuse de croire en lui-même.
#MM #Sport #EnnemiesToLovers #Criminalité #Mafia
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« Je ne sais pas si j’ai mal, si je suis étourdie, confuse, choquée ou si je ressens tout cela à la fois. Tout ce que je sais, c’est que j’aime ce livre de tout mon cœur endommagé. Pourquoi c’est si bon ?! » - Charmel (Goodreads)
« J’ai le souffle coupé, les mots me manquent, je suis perdue dans la mer d’émotions que ce livre a libérée en moi pendant l’instant infini où je l’ai lu. » - Lara (Goodreads)
« Cette série est INCROYABLE ! L’intrigue et la construction des personnages que Sakavic fait sont incroyables. Elle a créé des personnages tellement étonnants et distincts que j’ai l’impression de connaître ces gens comme mes amis. C’est juste tellement bien fait, j’aime tellement cette série. » - Mel (Goodreads)
Ne jamais abandonner (Une équipe de marginaux, #2) Reviews
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in conclusion: that hurt
// buddy reread with breana!
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“I am a bad person trying very hard to be a good person.”
Oh wow I don't know what to say. So let's start with a big fat trigger warning: Rape, Violence, Abuse! I was not prepared.
The Raven King was even better than The Foxhole Court. The plot picked up, but the romance didn't. Still no trace of it on the horizon.
However, it was intense, thrilling and 100% shocking. I couldn't stop reading, was up till late at night and went to sleep still thinking about it.
The Foxes are such interesting characters, it never gets boring. I'm totally rooting for them, but their issues are endless. I just hope they all get their happy ending. The Ravens however - well I hope they all die gruesome deaths. I hope Riko dies a thousand of them.
I finished this and started the sequel right away. This series is going to destroy me.
Find more of my books on Instagram -
“He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.”
This review has been a long time coming, it feels like I've beentrying toreading this book for the longest time, and then I fell sick for a while so I couldn't actually function properly. The Raven King was by far better than it's predecessor. I loved so many elements of it and although the overall components helped boost my love for the characters - I still felt like it ran short in some facets.
I buddy read this with
my heart and my damn soul. Clara, you're the best kind of person and thanks for putting up with my shit. Pretty sure everyone needs one of you in their life <3
Note: All rights belong to the different artists that have created the (fucking amazing) fanart attached to this review.
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Bleeding Orange
"We're your teammates. We're here to help you with whatever you need, whether it's this or games or general stress. We've all got different experiences, but we're used to needing help. We're just not used to getting it. But you've got us now."
History has shown that putting a group of misfits together and seeing them evolve into a family always works out. All the 80's movies that I grew up with like Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club, The Outsiders, and even Ferris Bueller's Day Off... they all have that mischief and uncanny representation of 'not fitting in' that makes my heart soar.
The Foxes have that.
That's why this is probably my favourite element of this series, the fact that Neil Josten acts as the catalyst to bring together this hell-bent on winning team.
Although it was very unrealistic at many parts, the book deals with heavy and sensitive themes and I want to raise all the glasses to that.
One problem that I really had was the deal with Andrew and the drugs, as I can't really talk about this without spilling spoilers - I just thought not only was it unrealistic, but there are much better ways to handle that topic and I feel like the author could have done that better. I also think the way that they treated his health as something secondary to playing a match etc. was unacceptable. It almost felt like a hurdle and an issue rather than a part of him that he is dealing with."Wymack didn't care if he had nine Foxes or twenty-five. He'd stand behind them until the bitter, bloody end."
The Writing
So, one of the points that both Clara and I noticed was the comparative improvement of writing between book 1 and this one. The writing didn't seem as amateur, and I loved how every chapter left me with some sort of tingly feeling.
The sport itself is getting a bit more clear in my head, I need to detach Exy from Lacrosse but that's just a personal problem. It was great seeing the writing style and prose of Sakavic shine through her third person narration.
The development between Neil and Andrew made this all endurable. I could see the little things and although the 'monsters' still have a lot of tension with Neil especially, I loved that group dynamic. If ever there was a time where slow burn frustrated the shit out of me - this would be it.
Andrew is a bit of a conundrum for me. I loved that we got a little bit more about his past in this addition, simply because it allowed me to empathize with him a bit more. I have to admit, in book 1 - I had mixed feelings about both Andrew and Kevin - but in TRK I found myself liking Kevin more and having the same confusion about what I think of Andrew.
But here's what I think - I think that was the point. I think the reader is supposed to feel a mixture of feelings with Andrew because that's just the type of character he is. He's the kind of guy you love to hate and hate to love. Especially with everything he went through, you're left with the question of how every action he does has a hidden meaning underneath.
“Thanks, but I can handle him," Neil said.
"We noticed," Dan said dryly.”
Thematic Paint
So I feel like there are enough reviews out there clearly stating that there are major trigger warnings when you read this series in general - it's not something that gets skirted around with. During the end, the plot picked up into some really dark themes.“Neil's grief was a knife spinning circles in his stomach, tearing him to shreds from the inside out until he could barely breathe.”
I just want to say that during the first 50% of this book, I was bored. Unpopular opinion (as usual) time but I really felt like DNFing - and maybe that was because I was really ill and just had no motivation to read. However, I also think that as soon as I passed a key plot marker, I got interested. It felt like relief because I really did not want to rate this book anything less than 3 stars. That felt like being too harsh and too cruel.
It went a lot like the last book, and although I don't know if I am picking up the third book right away - I am sure going to read it some time or the other!"Some of the strongest people I've known are women."
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anyone: “Yo-”
me: “You know, I get it. Being raised as a superstar must be really, really difficult for you. Always a commodity, never a human being, not a single person in your family thinking you're worth a damn off the court—yeah, sounds rough. Kevin and I talk about your intricate and endless daddy issues all the time. I know it's not entirely your fault that you are mentally unbalanced and infected with these delusions of grandeur, and I know you're physically incapable of holding a decent conversation with anyone like every other normal human being can, but I don't think any of us should have to put up with this much of your bullshit. Pity only gets you so many concessions, and you used yours up about six insults ago. So please, please, just shut the fuck up and leave us alone."
***this book is 99 cents on amazon!*** -
Excuse me while I curl up into a ball of pain and anguish and plot the demise of my enemies who have hurt--
my friends.
my babies.
MY LIFE.
fml. -
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”He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.”
trigger warnings:
OH MY! I don’t even know where to start with this review! Like seriously! How am I supposed to put all those feelings into words?! T_T It’s been about 3 weeks I finished this book, or should I rather say it’s been three weeks since the book finished me? Because it definitely would be the truth! ARGH!! I’m still not over all the things that happened in here and I probably never will be! Don’t let yourself be deceived by the easy and simple writing style. This book, THIS SERIES, is packing such a punch I’m still gasping for air!
I just can’t with Neil and Andrew!!! They are my precious babies and I suffered so much with them when I read “The Raven King”. Like, so, so, so damn much my heart is still bleeding all over the place and I can’t seem to be able to staunch the wound. >_< There are so many things I need to get off my chest and when I began to write down the quotes for this review I realized that this is going to be one of my super long ones, because there is no way I’ll be able to keep this short. Absolutely no way!
I already said it and I’ll say it again: Nora Sakavic’s writing style might be rather simple and not all too elaborate but her characters!!! Oh, boy! Her characters are everything! Truth be told, I kinda like that Sakavic’s writing is so clean and straightforward. It suits the characters and the mood of the book and it makes it feel real?! So real that I would die for each and every single one of the Foxes. Okay, maybe not Kevin. *lol* I’m not his biggest fan, but the others? Yes, definitely. Jeez! My emotions are still all over the place and I haven’t even begun to write my actual review. So let’s not waste any more time and go straight for my character section! I HAVE THOUGHTS!!!! Oh, and just in case you want to hear them all, I’ll soon post the link to my blog post. ;-)
The characters:
Welcome to the dorm of the Foxes! Where we trade in punches, barbs and most importantly spoilers! So if you don’t want to purchase either of them you better don’t continue to read. For all the brave out there: Be my guest! ;-P
Neil Josten:
”As he listened to them, Neil realized he was happy. It was such an unexpected und unfamiliar feeling he lost track of the conversation for a minute. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this included or safe.”
I love my precious cinnamon roll boy to bits and pieces and I want to hug him for the rest of my life!!! AADKFASKDFSFAK! I can’t with Neil! On the one hand it was so awesome to see him grow as a character and to see how he started to figure out things and found his place in the team but on the other hand the moments when his past caught up to him killed me! And I’m not only talking about the things that happened to him in the past but also about the new things that happened to him in this book! ARGH!!! I hate Riko so much for what he did to him and I want him to burn in hell!!! But we’re not talking about damn Riko here, we’re talking about my sweet boy and how broken he was by the end of the book. T_T My precious Neil that was so surprised to find out that he was happy with his team and did everything possible in order to keep Andrew and the others safe! My precious Neil that got tortured by freaking damn Riko!! T_T I can’t!!! That scene at the ending when he called Wymack and told him that he’s not okay?! IT FREAKING BROKE ME!!! I cried buckets of tears and almost choked on them. My “I’m fine” boy admitting that he isn’t fine... I’m dead. This was a knife to my heart.... T_T And now excuse me while I cry some more... T_T
”I know it’s not entirely your fault that you are mentally unbalanced and infected with these delusions of grandeur, and I know you’re physically incapable of holding a decent conversation with anyone like every other normal human being can, but I don’t think any of us should have to put up with this much of your bullshit. Pity only gets you so many concessions, and you used yours up about six insults ago. So please, please, just shut the fuck up and leave us alone.”
“Neil?” All the gruff posturing left Wymack’s voice that sharp edge was all alarm. “Are you all right?”
Neil smiled. It felt like it tore his face open. “No. No, I’m not. I know it’s kind of sudden, but can you come get me? I’m at the airport.”
“Wait right there,” Wymack said. “I’m on my way.”
”A jumble of lies had nothing to fight for. But Neil Josten was a Fox. Andrew called this home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn’t going to lose any of it. If two weeks with Riko was the price to keep his team safe, Neil would pay it.”
Andrew Minyard:
”He was a little more cooperative than his brother in that he answered Dan or Matt if they asked him something, but his answers were lightning quick, borderline rude, and always followed by a redirect to someone else at the table.”
Ahh that sounds like my boy Andrew! XD I love Andrew as much as I love Neil and I’ll never get tired of defending him! Andrew is so savage and I love him for it! <333 He might give off the impression of being super tough and hard but the boy that’s underneath the rude attitude and all that bravado has a heart of gold. And he’s thoroughly broken. I never knew how broken he actually was until I read “The Raven King”, but now I know and my heart aches so much for him that I can’t even breathe. AND OH GODS the scene when he got raped by Drake... I felt so sick after reading it and I had to put the book aside for a day in order to digest it. I still feel sick when I think about it and I simultaneously want to cry and strangle the bastard that is (or was) Drake! This scene still has me shaking with anger and boiling with rage and crying angry tears for my boy. And I just... I can’t. I wrote in my update: “I think I stopped breathing... my heart must have stopped beating while I read this. I’m still covering my mouth and I feel sick now...” And I still feel the same way about it. No wonder Andrew didn’t want to get adopted by Cass if he suffered such abuse by her son and no wonder he was so furious Cass had 6 foster children after him. No wonder he hated Luther (Nicky’s dad) so much! My precious Andrew!!! And OH GODS!!! To know he was so drugged by his meds he didn’t even put up much of a fight... that he didn’t even care. I was so glad they decided to take him off his meds after that but I was absolutely horrified when Riko said he bought one of the docs at Andrew’s rehab centre! I’m so scared now... I’m so, so, so, so damn scared!!! T_T
Andrew tilted forward as far as he dared. He started to sway, but Neil caught this shoulder to keep him from falling. “Looks like I was right about him after all. Or do you still think this is all a big misunderstanding? Go on, tell me again how I’m too unbalanced to understand normal brotherly affection and love. Tell me this is natural.”
”Better luck next time, Neil,” he said. “I warned you once already, didn’t I? I don’t feel anything.”
“Anymore,” Neil said, barely a whisper.
The old scars up and down Andrew’s wrists were evidence of how far Andrew had to fall to hit this point.
Coach Wymack:
”Wymack didn’t care if he had nine Foxes or twenty-five. He’d stand behind them until the bitter, bloody end.”
I still love this man and I know a lot of people judge him for how he handles his Foxes but I think he’s doing the best he can. He’s trying to give them a nurturing environment using pretty questionable methods but he’s taking good care of his Foxes and he knows exactly what they need! It was really good to hear some of his background story and considering his youth it’s no wonder he decided to start a team like the Foxes. All those broken teens need a place where they can be themselves, find themselves and Wymack is providing it. He’s the secret hero of this story and despite his gruff attitude he’s always there when they need him. The fact he didn’t even hesitate to pick Neil up from the airport says it all. And that he didn’t comment on his wounds and the state he found him in. He accepts and tries to help and I could kiss him for it! <333
”Truth was Wymack picked them because he understood firsthand how much they needed another chance. He looked the other way because he knew how badly some of them needed their escapes to survive.”
The relationships & ships:
Neil & Andrew:
”Who am I supposed to call?”
“Nicky, Coach, the suicide hotline, I don’t care.”
“I’m remembering why I don’t like you.”
“I’m surprised you forgot in the first place.”
You know, just to write this review has me going through all those emotions again and I’m crying and I’m not okay! T_T But now that I started I can’t seem to be able to stop. So here I go: I LOVE THOSE TWO!!! I love them so much it’s breaking my freaking heart and gluing it together at the same time. They are among my favourite OTPs and they didn’t even kiss yet! But I’m sure they will because there is no way those two broken boys won’t end up together! All the things they are doing for each other, the little moments of trust they show, the infinitesimal gestures. GODS! They are on the same level as Pynch! <333 I adore them and I love how they learn to trust each other. That scene when Andrew convinced Neil to use his phone and the moment Neil allowed Andrew to touch him in order to show him he can trust Neil to take care of Kevin while he’s away! ALSO THAT ALMOST MOMENT WHEN THEY WERE SO CLOSE THEY COULD HAVE KISSED!!!! AHHHH! I’m going to die from this slow burn. Neil is slowly uncovering the true Andrew Minyard and I’m here for it!!! And as horrible as the scene with Drake was... Andrew allowed Neil to touch him and to help him so... as much as my heart breaks whenever I think about it, I still couldn’t help but notice that detail. Plus their team mates are noticing too because they always raise their eyebrows when Neil is getting away with something or allowed to drive Andrew’s car. They will end up together and it will be beautiful and I just wish them all the best and that their scars won’t get in their way. <333 My two precious boys deserve all the love and happiness in the world. T_T
”I don’t care if you use this phone tomorrow. I don’t care if you never use it again. But you are going to keep it on you because one day you might need it.” Andrew put a finger to the underside of Neil’s chin and forced Neil’s head up until they were looking at each other. “On that day you’re not going to run. You’re going to think about what I promised you and you’re going to make the call. Tell me you understand.”
”Guess she hit him one time too many. I warned her not to lay a hand on him, but she didn’t listen to me. She got what was coming to her. Does that frighten you, Neil?”
“My first memories are of people dying,” Neil said. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“That’s why you’re so interesting,” Andrew said. “How aggravating.”
He sounded amused, not annoyed, so Neil said, “I’ll try to be more boring in the future.”
The smile he flashed Neil mocked them both at that near-miss. He withdrew completely, leaving just the memory of his heartbeat against Neil’s mouth, and spun away.”
”Neil waited, but Andrew didn’t let go. With so many people watching them Neil couldn’t lift his shirt. He did the next best thing and dragged one of Andrew’s hands under the hem. He pressed Andrew’s palm to the ugly scarring across his abdomen. Andrew’s eyes dropped to Neil’s shirt like he could see Neil’s marred skin through the dark cotton.
“Do you understand?” Neil asked. “Nothing Riko does will make me leave him. We will both be here when you get back.”
Andrew’s fingers twitched against Neil’s skin. “Someone lied to me. These ouches feel a little rough for a child on the run.”
Andrew & Kevin:
”So you’ll try,” Kevin said through gritted teeth, “because Coach asked you to.”
Andrew folded his arms across his knees, tilted his head back, and smiled up at Kevin. “Careful, Kevin. Your jealous streak is showing.”
So Andrew and Kevin are still an enigma for me. I have no idea what’s their deal but I really hope I’ll find out the in the last book. Well, maybe they don’t have more of a deal than that Kevin transferred to the Foxes because Andrew promised him to play Exy for real?! I dunno. Their relationship is very dubious and I think there must be more to it than their obvious deal. Maybe I’m wrong though. Who knows? Kevin only seems to think about Exy though and he’s still a very bland character. I kinda hate him for wanting to wait another season before Andrew gets off his drugs. Because Andrew needs to get off them! It was so horrible what Drake did to him, yet he only laughed. How could Kevin want him to be on drugs after that?! *grrr* Also WHAT!? Kevin is Wymack’s son?! I can’t believe this was mentioned in passing! LIKE OMG!!!”
Andrew & Aaron:
”The strangled noise Aaron made was his best attempt at Andrew’s name. It was barely intelligible but it was enough. Andrew, who’d barely acknowledged Aaron’s existence in the entire time Neil had known them, looked immediately to his brother. Andrew snaked a hand out from under the sheet and curled his fingers in a demand. Aaron clambered onto the bed and reached for Andrew.”
I hated that those two were so at odds and I’m glad Aaron finally discovered that Andrew only tried to protect him. I mean oh gods, he basically murdered their mother because she hit and abused Andrew. That’s a whole new level of f*cked up and brotherly affection but that’s exactly how Andrew works. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he loves and cares about and if it’s to save his brother’s life he obviously isn’t even stopping at murder. Guess that’s why everyone is afraid of him. The way Andrew was worried about Aaron while he himself was so injured and in pain killed me and I died about a thousand deaths when he made sure that Aaron was alright. He was so out of it, he didn’t even realize Aaron was okay and it was him who got hurt. T_T Also can we appreciate how Neil uncovered the truth for Aaron and showed him that Andrew did exactly the same when he got in that accident with their mother. Aaron killed Drake because he hurt his twin and Andrew killed their mother because she was hurting Aaron. I mean, oh my! This is problematic af on so many levels but it leaves no doubt that they love and care about each other! >_<
”I don’t care.” Aaron gave a savage jerk of his hand. “I don’t care if Andrew never speaks to me again. I don’t care about Cass or Drake or anyone. What Drake did – no. If I could bring him back from the dead and kill him again I would.”
“Good,” Neil said quietly. “So now you understand why Andrew killed your mother.”
Neil & Riko:
”You were not running from your father, Nathaniel. You were running from his master.”
And this was another shocking moment! I can’t believe Neil’s father belongs to the Moriyamas! But it somehow made perfect sense. Urgh! I hate Riko so damn much and even though I loved that Neil refused to back down and was always ready to fight him I was so damn worried about what would happen if he took it one step too far. Guess I found out now and it made me sick to my stomach. T_T Riko is a MONSTER!!! And he needs to rot in the nine circles of hell! I can’t believe he is getting away with all of this!! Where is justice when you need it! I want him to get hurt as much as he hurt Neil and oh gods.... my poor Neil! My poor baby! T_T The way he was tortured and the condition in which Wymack found him at the airport... The fact Neil actually admitted that he is not fine. I’m crying just thinking of that scene. I want Riko to burn and I want Andrew and Neil to be the ones that give him back his own medicine. I can’t believe what that monster did to Neil and I wanted to punch him in the face when I found out what he did to Andrew! Andrew went to Easthaven to get off his medicine and to heal from the abuse Drake inflicted and YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT RIKO MADE SURE THERE WERE THERAPISTS WHO WOULD SEXUALLY ABUSE HIM... NOW THAT HE IS TRYING TO GET SOBER AND OFF HIS MEDICINE??!!! I CAN’T!!!! Someone hold me before I bury my fist in Riko’s despicable visage!! If you could fight a fictional character I would be pounding him into the ground right now! And I’m a pacifist who wouldn’t even hurt a fly, but he deserves it!!!! ARGH!!! I swear if I read book three and find out that Neil sacrificed himself for nothing and that they still continued to hurt Andrew I’m going to... I dunno! I’m going to SCREAM and throw that book against my wall. I don’t even care that it’s my e-reader. I’D BE SO ANGRY. =((( I swear if Riko doesn’t get his comeuppance in the next book I’m done with this series. So done. So, so done!
”You set Andrew up.”
“That isn’t even the best part.” Riko smiled when Neil shook his head and continued. “Did you know I’ve bought one of the doctors at Easthaven, too? Unless you want these little therapy sessions of his to turn into therapeutic reenactments, you will be on a plane to West Virginia tomorrow morning. Jean will give your ticket to Kevin. Do you understand me?”
”I am going to love hurting you,” Riko said, “like I loved hurting Kevin.”
“You are one seriously fucked-up individual,” Neil said.
”Every time he moved he felt Riko’s hands and blades and fire on his skin. He’d let Riko take him apart time and time again because it was the only way to survive, because bending should have kept him from breaking, but Neil didn’t know if he could pull himself back together one more time. He wasn’t strong enough for this. He never had been. His mother had held him up but she was gone now.”
Conclusion:
I’m still so damn addicted to this series it’s not normal anymore. I gotta be honest here though, this book was super heavy and it broke me. T_T My heart is still aching and bleeding and I doubt I will ever get over the last 50% of “The Raven King”. So I already said it once and I can only repeat myself: “This is not a book to read with your mind, this is a book you’ll have to read following your gut instinct. So all told this book is problematic af, kind of unrealistic and definitely politically incorrect in so many different ways and on so many levels... but I still loved it!?” Something tells me this will hold true for the last book as well. >_< -
This book is terrible. Not even like the first one, that one was terrible in a fun way. This one is so bad it's offensive.
To be perfectly honest, it wouldn't bother me this much if it didn't have a FOUR POINT FORTY SIX STARS OUT OF FIVE rating on this website. That is insane. I feel like I got some bootleg .mobi of this thing and I've been reading a whole entire different book. My version of The Raven King reads like dark!Harry Drarry AU taken from a livejournal community in 2005, not a 4.46/5 book. I am honestly shaken up about it. Am I stupid? Did I miss something? Has everyone gone mad?
Let's dissect this thing, I guess.
First of all, the writing itself. Goddamnit, I swear I don't need to know where every character is sitting every time Neil enters a room. That's not how you paint a picture, by describing sitting arrangements. I don't need to know how they sat in the bus, if Allison was in the first row with Renee and Matt and Dan where in the row behind them and Abby was wherever the hell she was. It doesn't even matter! Neil sat between Kevin and Andrew, didn't he? Just say that, don't waste 500 words on soulless description. Also, a full paragraph of five word sentences is the fastest way to make me doze off and have my kindle fall on my face. That was fun.
Then, the characters. Neil keeps being insufferable. He's the most unsympathetic main character I've come across in a minute. Am I supposed to care about what happens to him?
Andrew and his mental illness. Oh, boy.
Kevin keeps being the most interesting. His struggle and his motivations are a lot more deserving of reading about that Neil's or Andrew's nonsense. Andrew and Aaron's relationship could be interesting too, if it wasn't explained to us in such a muddled way. A lot of the times we learn about characters through third-party explanations. It's so lazy and so confusing, especially when Neil starts to make connections in his mind he doesn't talk the reader through. A lot of the times I asked myself what even was happening, if I had already met this characters they were talking about, because I honestly couldn't be bothered with learning a thousand names and a thousand backstories. Half of them didn't serve any purpose, too.
Now, my favorite part of the whole thing, The Almighty Ravens! The cartooniest villains.
Now, the plot. Wowie.
I think the author has this problem where she thinks "you know what would be cool? X and Y and Z." And she finds a way to get the characters to X and Y and Z without worrying about having it make sense in the context of the story.
Anyway, to summarize, everything is terrible and this book is the worst. See you in my review of the third one, I'm having so much fun getting mad at his series and this goddamned website. Y'all crazy. -
OMG, what's wrong with Riko?! (And all the Ravens tbh)...
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Reread: CRYING SOBBING LAMENTING BAWLING WEEPING SQUELCHING BELLOWING HWOLING AND PETRIFYING
THIS BOOK HAS A FREAKING HOLD ON ME THAT I CANNOT SHAKEEEE
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR A WHILE THAT I FINISHED A BOOK WITHIN 24 HOURS AND AAAAAAAAAAAA IM LITERALLY DYING I LOVE THIS SERIES AND THIS BOOK SO SOSOSOOS MUCH. NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE HOW I AM ENTRILEY FEELING .
A more coherent sum up of my thought;
As I read the book more closely, I became aware of numerous details that had previously escaped my attention. These details fascinated me and intensified my love for the book. The more i read, the more i become in love. The slow burn, the banter and chemistry between the characters, the progress of the plot, and everything. It was all perfectly put in to place.
ps: I read this book for the first time on apr 2021 and it was honestly purely coincidence that i reread this on apr 2023
~~~~~~~
If this book was a drug, I surely overdosed.
Well, ha that doesn't make sense....
Since I don't know where to start, im need to scream first. *clears throat*
AAAAAAHHH AKSJSJOWXNNZQHJKS AAAAAAHHHHH AJSJFGS
RIP ME. DECEASED.
《《 warning: i'm a mess after reading this book, therefore this review is a mess 》》
TW: violence, mild assault, drug use, alcohol abuse, etc..
(check out this list)"He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream."
After the mind shocking ending of the first book, the foxes are a mess. A fractured mess. Okay, where do i even start explaining?!! This book left me screwed up. These damaged foxes would do anything to come together as a team.
In this book, the plot and pace improves, there's always something happening next. The sport also gets more thrilling and I am getting more and more attached to the characters with my whole broken heart. I swear, this is better than the first book.
You've probably seen the long list of trigger warnings. There was indeed a lot of violence in this book, it's like, violence is the main theme here, but applause to Nora Sakavic for handling this heavy-themed series pretty well.
Ok soo, let me gush, swoon, scream, cry, and feel for the characters now. hehehehehe"They'd come to the Foxhole Court as fractured messes but they were fixing each other one semester at a time."
Is no one going to talk about Neil's witty comebacks and his iconic "I'm fine" line? He plays exy like his life depends on it (i mean, yeah, his life LITERALLY depends on it) and *cough* is he in love? Then when I read more about his struggles, I just wanna reach out to him. I love him.
Andrew, oh my gosh you stupid little bastard, I love you. He feels emotions too, okay?! I just freaking want to hug him too when I read about his backstory. He's Andrew, sweet psychotic broken, Minyard. I love him and don't touch him, [his Neil's].
"Tick tock," Andrew said. "You have my attention; now keep my interest."
I am so happy I get to know Aaron better and know more background about his relationship with his brother, Andrew.
Knowing about Nicky's family problem regarding his sexuality made me love him more. He's strong and I am so glad he has Erik and his Exy team. Nicky is the best supporting character, I love him.
Renée, girl, I got a wrong first impression of you. Because omg, she's nice, she's truly too good for the world and i might be crushing for her skskksks.
Kevin, Matt, Dan, and Allison… I honestly don't know what to say anymore aaaaaaaahhh. I just love them. Their friendship grows and grows and aaah (ok I'll stop screaming for now). Also, stan Coach Wymack, I don't need to explain but he's the best and stan Abby, she's so underrated and shebdid a lot of things to the team.
I love, admire, adore, and love these characters so much. My vocal cords hurt from screaming and fangirling so hard. They have different backstories and they're unique in their own ruthless kind of way.
"Look, I know we have our differences, and I know we haven't exactly had the easiest ride. But we're all Foxes. We're a team. What happens to one of us happens to all of us, and we're going to get each other through this."
Also, this book has interesting antagonists that I deeply hate and want to throw in tartarus 😒. My blood boils and my heart aches whenever I think about that screwed up ending.
Still, Exy is my favorite sport *cries in made-up sport* and every time my foxes have their game, I internally cheer for them to win.
These are two of my favorite quotes/dialogues:
"Neil thought about Renee's bruised knuckles, Dan's fierce spirit, and Allison holding her ground on the court a week after Seth's death. He thought about his mother standing unflinching in the face of his father's violent anger and her ruthlessly leaving bodies in their wake. He felt compelled to say, "Some of the strongest people I've known are women."
yessss, women!!
"What happened?"
"Neil hit Riko," Matt said. "It was beautiful."
"What?" Nicky squawked. "Not fair! I missed it! Go do it again. Or not," he added quickly when Wymack leveled a death glare at him. "You can't blame a guy for dreaming, right, Coach?"
ohmygosh ahahahah
That's it, I'm at loss for words.
I am mentally unstable right now. This review had a lot of screaming, im so sorry for the mess. I just love this series so much. It's hard not to get attached to the characters and it's hard not to get gripped by the story.
This book ate half my heart and I can't wait for the third book to eat it whole.
a song to play: Wires by The Neighborhood
_
BRUH, WHAT WAS THAT?!!
what the actual fuck was that? (btw, this is my first time cussing in a review so yeah lmao) but seriously, what the -?!
i don't know if I'm in pain, or if I'm feeling giddy, or confused, or shocked or if im feeling all of these at once. all i know is that i love this book with my whole damaged heart.
why is this so fucking good???!!!!
REVIEW TO COME. damn. let me scream into the void first aaaaaaahhhhh😭
—
The Foxhole Court
The King's Men -
![Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1727030975i/66224803._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
He was their family.
They were his.
They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.
Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Sometimes family comes by blood. Sometimes it’s friends, a family we choose on our own.
Neil never needed friends. He never needed a family after his mother died.
But after so much pain, so much work, the Foxes feel like something for Neil.
Even though he does not know what he feels for them.
But you can never outrun your past forever.
Sometimes it’s not far away, sometimes it’ll catch you even if you try to run.
Some people aka fans say that this series get better with every book. And it’s true.
It does get better. The story, the characters...
This book was really intriguing and really really addictive. It held my attention like no other book did in a long time.
Yes, I wasn’t all that interested in the game itself, but the characters are what makes this series so special.
Character 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Sometimes if you read about Neil as a character, especially from his point of view, you feel like this young boy does not feel a thing. Nothing that is normal.
Maybe that sounds strange, so let me explain it.
When Neil feels things he can’t comprehend, he’s confused and ignores them.
Sometimes he can’t ignore them, so he reacts to them. Sometimes aggressively, sometimes different.
But he reacts.
Yes, he thinks the other ones are not his friends, but when it comes to protecting them, he will be there in a heartbeat.
And with every day in his chosen family he realizes what it really means to live, to care.
And that exact character development makes Neil such a special but wonderful character.
Andrew is an extraordinary case too. Yes, he’s aggressive and nearly all of the time on his medicine, but even though he does not care that much, he cares.
When he thinks his friends could be hurt, he checks on them. Yes, he makes jokes about it and tries to tell it’s something different, but like Neil, he does care a lot about his chosen family.
More of the other characters, like Matt, Kevin, Andrew get more attention in this book and we get bits of their past and I really really like that.
Relationships 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Yes, I’m waiting for a little love in this series. Don’t kill me for it. And even though I feel the tension, I want more.
But I’m really satisfied with what I got.
I really like that those two formed a bond and with every day, with every catastrophe that is happening, it gets stronger.
I’m also in love with the team Spirit the Foxes develop. In the beginning there were little groups - the Upperclassmen and Kevin’s group. But now they mix and match and little by little they form something that you really can call a team.
I’m so happy about that!
Writing style 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ah, like I said in the first book: In my opinion there is a little bit too much talk about the sports, but it’s okay. If you really think about it, that’s how it should be. Sports - Exy is really the center of the universe for those boys. It’s what makes them really really happy.
Also I really like that this book is also heavily character driven.
Can’t wait for book three! -
I AM A FREAKING MESS RIGHT NOW!!! I FEEL LIKE MY HEART WAS BUTCHERED AND HAMMERED AND TORN INTO A MILLION PIECES!!!
I'M NOT OKAY. I AM HURT. I AM REALLY REALLY HURT. 💔💔💔 -
reread feb 2021: HELLOO time passes but my love for this series does not FADE. I love them so much. I really loved rereading this, I picked up on so many things I missed the first time around.
I need more book series like the foxhole court but specifically for found family vibes that go THAT HARD, character growth, actual slow-burn romance that develops over three books, characters doing their best in the face of incredible odds and most importantly, wack descriptions of sporting games and a nonsensical plot -
"I'm not proud of my past, but I can't heal if I hide it."
I really loved this book. I have no idea if it is going to be on my favourite books of the year list, I usually put that list together at the end of the year since that way I see if I actually loved this book or if it's a forgettable story, although I doubt that's the case. But there are very high chances this is going to make that list. I think this is only the third book that I actually rated 5 out of 5 stars this year out of the 14 books that I read so far in January.
TW: abuse, sexual abuse/rape, violence, substance use, alcoholism, suicide (for more in-depth trigger warnings, I would recommend visiting this link:
https://cabeswaterlovesthem.tumblr.co...)
This book starts off a few days after the end of the first book. The ending of the first book made me wanna pick this book up immediately after I finished it. That is something that does not happen often. It usually takes me ages to pick up a sequel. No kidding.
I liked this book way more than the first one. In The Foxhole Court, the pacing was pretty slow, and that made me lower the rating a bit. In this book, the pacing was so much faster, the plot was so much more intriguing, and I could not put this book down! I read about 300 pages of this book in one sitting. I was so invested in the plot, the story, the characters that I needed to know what happened in the end.
In this book, we got to know all the characters a bit more. We got a bit more backstory about Neil. It was so intriguing to find out more about him. Through out this first two books, we are told a little bit at the time, and I think we finally got most of the picture. We finally got to understand Neil's life.
We got to know Andrew more! Yey! He is my favourite character in this series. I like how unpredictable he is. You never know how he will react to something (although you know he would most likely have a violent reaction), and you never know what he could do next. I loved that he was more present in this book and that we got to see him interacting with Neil and the other characters. He is one of the most screwed-up characters I have ever read about. His life has been so screwed-up, and god, I don't know what else to say. Although I'm not going to lie, most characters have screwed-up backstories.
Kevin still seems to have a stick up his ass like in the previous book, but now we were told more about him, and there are so many different layers to his character. Before, I was pretty indifferent to his character, but I really started to like him in the book.
We are told more about the other characters, too. I really liked learning more about Renee, who is one of the characters that should protected at all costs; Matt, who again should be protected at all costs, I really like his character and I would be mad if he is killed off; Nicky brings some happiness into this series. Even though he goes through some stuff himself, there are so many times when he simply tries to lighten the mood and he would do anyying to protect the twins. He cares about Andrew and Aaron a lot. There are so many more characters in this series, but these are the ones that stood out to me. These are the characters that I liked the most.
Once again, I don't understand how the author makes me care about this made-up game, about Exy. I really do not care about sports. I find them stupid (mostly because I don't understand them, and I don't understand the rules) and a waste of time. But in this book, I am so invested in Exy. Some of my favourite chapters were when they were playing Exy. I am so perplexed. How the hell did Nora Sakavic make me give a shit about a sport?!
I literally have nothing to complain about in this book. Whatever problems I had with the first one were resolved in this book, and I had so much fun reading this book. This is a series I feel like more people should read, but they should be aware of all the trigger warnings before picking this up. There's a long list of them...
So, moving on. As in my review for The Foxhole Court, here are a few quotes/moments that stood out to me. Please enjoy some out of context lines from this book!
"Coach Wymack, Palmetto State University. Say again? One moment." Wymack stepped into the hall with the portable receiver in his hand. He muted the speaker with the press of his thumb and kicked open the door to the men's changing room. "Andrew Joseph Minyard, what the flying fuck have you done this time?
Ok, I gotta ask, when isn't Andrew doing some fucked-up shit?
"They left the stadium at the same time, but Nicky's distaste for traffic laws got them to Fox Tower first."
I don't think I would want to get in a car that Nicky is driving.
"Tell me: when do you actually sleep?"
"During class," Neil admitted.
Neil, you're not the only one.
"the unofficial sociopath of the team"
That's the only things you need to know about Andrew.
Nicky fist-pumped in triumph. "Thank you for being so predictable, Neil. You just scored me ten bucks with two words."
Matt looked up. "Are you serious? Who the hell bet against you?"
Nicky jerked a thumb at Kevin. "There's a sucker born every minute."
Haha, I loved this scene
Andrew smiled around the mouth of his bottle. "Neil is a walking tragedy."
I'm not going to disagree with you on that, Andrew.
"Andrew claims he's allergic to books"
Just, how?!
"That's Andrew for you: making sense since never."
And that's why I like Andrew.
"Andrew and Aaron were nineteen for another month, Kevin was twenty, and Nicky was twentythree. Apparently Neil overestimated their maturity level."
Come on Neil, why so serious?
These are only like a quarter of everything I highlighted in my book (don't worry I have the ebook), but if I put every single line that I loved, this review would be way to long, haha. This book has some great humor, despite everything horrible that happens in it and I really recommend you give this series a try! But again, be sure to check the trigger warnings. -
My review
"They were exhausted, sore, and more than a little disappointed by their loss, but the Foxes left the stadium feeling like champions.”
They are every fucking inch the champions. Excuse me, where can I sign the adoption papers for the entire Palmetto State University Team? I am a complete fucking mess over this book – like, the ultimate kind of mess I haven’t been since reading
Six of Crows and I’m screaming internally and externally from the chilling ecstasy reading this book woke in me (I don’t get it how my family isn’t obsessed over the characters or at least doesn’t understand my constant screeching). And now I’m stuck between procrastinating the last book because I don’t want it to end and desperately wanting to see what happens next.
This book skyrocketed above all my expectations, taking my love for sports and love for damaged characters wronged by the world to a whole different level. I am breathless, I am at a loss for words, lost in the sea of emotion this book released in me for an infinite moment that I have been reading it. There is so much about this book that makes it amazing – writing most of all, for how can you have a good book without an amazing author who knows exactly what to give his readers.
Sakavic illustrated life in sport – imperfect and fucked up life with a lot to work on, but the idea of that feeling of importance and belonging is still there and I cannot thank her enough for giving such a voice to a one-of-a-kind athlete.
“Look. Shit happened. Shit's going to keep happening. You don't need me to tell your life isn't fair. You're here because you know it isn't. Life doesn't care what we want out of it; it's up to us to fight for what we want with everything we've got. Seth wanted us to win. He wanted us to make it past the fourth match. I think we owe it to him to perform. Let's show the world what we've got. Let's make this our year.”
If there is a heaven for books, this one has a throne waiting for it there. The first one was a hell of a shocker, but
The Raven King was ten times more so. The intensity of its plot was enough to fry every single one of my brain cells – from the intense and vivid games and mafia wars to immensely complex and intertwined character interactions – this book is everything I’ll be thinking about for the rest of my life. Foxes playing together, fighting for each other and trying to overcome their differences and help each other with the trauma is something I am not ready to let go of. They are such a messed-up bunch, but what’s there is the ferocity of their characters that is still there after everything, that drives them forward to fight for their team no matter what. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but fuck me, what did I do to deserve this book?
“He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.”
It is so amazing how I literally can’t find one character that I don’t adore in this book – all of the Foxes completely occupied my heart and have no intention of leaving anytime soon. Neil Josten is the carrier of the plot and his problems keep growing. The situation with the Moriyamas is unraveling and he is in more danger than ever – only now he decided not to be afraid. The belonging that literally saved him and his love for Exy are the things that keep him fighting for his Foxes – the only thing he has left. I love every part about this sassy boy who took it upon himself to fix his team in order to take them where they all deserve to be – on the top.
“Your parents are dead, you are not fine, and nothing is going to be okay. This is not news to you. But from now until May you are still Neil Josten and I am still the man who said he would keep you alive.”
The entire story is told from Neil's perspective as the main character but I feel like this book was mostly oriented on a strong-willed amazing creature that is Andrew Minyard. Geez, if you thought the first one was dark and fucked up then you're up for a treat. I finally came to understand the damage he'd undertaken and the abuse he had endured. The darkness that comes from him can only find any consolation in the need to protect what's his like no one protected him and I really want him to be better and find some purpose in Exy.
I also have a new discovery and it's called my love for Kevin Day. I usually have a distaste for cowardly characters, but his will and determination, as well as despise for himself, give him a deep dimension of someone who needs to recover and get over his long-induced trauma. He pushes himself to be better when everything has been taken from him and I nominate him for the biggest cinnamon roll of the month.
But my love doesn’t stop there – no, no – there is also Nicky who is such an icon, fierce Dan and loyal Matt, sweet Renee, determined Allison, and even asshole Aaron, but they’re all part of something amazing.
“Neil thought about Renee's bruised knuckles, Dan's fierce spirit, and Allison holding her ground on the court a week after Seth's death. He thought about his mother standing unflinching in the face of his father's violent anger and her ruthlessly leaving bodies in their wake. He felt compelled to say, "Some of the strongest people I've known are women.”
Blog
Tumblr -
4.75
concha
tu
madre
libro ql, me dejó sin estabilidad emocional.
el primer libro no llega a compararse con este.
lean el libr, pero antes lean las advertencias. tiene escenas bien fuertes este libro :(
necesito saber cómo terminará la historiaa aaaaa -
4.5 stars
-Intense and Beautiful. 😍
-Bold and Psycho. 🤪
-Confusing and more Confusing. 🤔
-Characters are the Best.
-Made me hurt, 😥 made me smile, ☺️ made me laugh out loud. 😂
-Riko can go suck a dick in purgatory, meet Beelzebub 👹 along the way, get tortured and die a very slow painful death. ☠️
-Nicky gets an Oscar for best supporting character.
-ANDREW! Gaaaaaahh! 💕😭😭 NEIL!! Double GAAAAAH. ❤️❤️😭😭😭
-Coach.🥇🥇
All in all, i freaking loved it. 😍 😍 🎉🎉 -
“He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.”
This book was totally unhinged, painful, heartbreaking, masochistic and insane, and I'd be lying if I say I don't love all the characters because I do even though they are a little fucked in the head. I was not ready for this book. I knew it would be heavy and gut-wrentching but some of the topics that were discussed in this book and how it affected the characters' life was just painful to read. My heart hurts for each and every character in this book and they better get their happy ending in book 3.
At first, I thought I would hate this and was warned that if I don't like this book and then there's no way I'll like book 3 which is the best book in this series. I went with very little expectations and ignored how much I hate Nora's writing, and it went surprisingly well because this book made me love each and every character in Foxes. I loved the romance and all the couples are unique and interesting in their own way. It's not the main part of the story but it adds more to the story and the dramatics. The women in this book are something else and I admire them for their strength and power.“Your parents are dead, you are not fine, and nothing is going to be okay. This is not news to you. But from now until May you are still Neil Josten and I am still the man who said he would keep you alive.”
I still don't understand the game rules and all but the matches are exhilarating and I love the determination Foxes have for Exy. Even though their team is divided in two parts they still give their bests in the game and even stood up for each other in worst times. The found family is one the best elements of this book. They all have their own traumatic and sad experiences in life and their love for Exy brought them closer. They fight and bicker all the time but in the end it's just Foxes against the whole world.“It’s about family. Not necessarily the one we were born with, but the one we choose. This one. The people we trust to be part of our lives. The people we care about.”
➸ Neil Josten: Neil my precious boy. He deserves the world and the happiness. Learning about his past always breaks my heart. He's so passionate about Exy and I love how protective he is of his team-mates. Neil is the quiet and observant type until he shows his feral side and I love it when he stand up against Riko and his team and show them their place with just his words. He's my favourite Fox. His character development is one of the best and I am so happy he's finally found the people who loves him unconditionally. He's finally coming out of socially introvert zone and I can't wait to see how that goes for him.“But Neil Josten was a Fox. Andrew called his home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn’t going to lose any of it.”
➸ Andrew Minyard: I don't think I'll ever be same after knowing his story 🥺💔 His story broke me in the worst way possible. I always had my suspicions that he camouflages his real-self behind the joyful, sarcastic, drug induced and “I don't give a fuck” personality. He hide all his pain and sufferings because no one believed him. Not even his own family. Andrew deserves someone who can fight for him and Neil is exactly that person.“People talked about his trial and how it saved them from Andrew. No one said what they were doing to save Andrew from himself.”
╰┈➤ Andrew and Neil
Andreil my precious boys ❤️🩹 I love how they both are in denial but still can't get enough of each other. Andrew's fixation and obsession with Neil is just another best thing in this book. He thinks he's torturing Neil but he's just a soft-hearted puppy when it comes to Neil. He says YES to everything Neil asks and Neil is the only person in this world who gets on his nerves and also makes him feel things and that's also same for him. Their romance is slow-burn and the quiet and small moments they had in this book together were everything. I just wish they stop denying their feelings and kiss.“You’re very interesting, Neil.” She wasn’t the first to say that, but Neil wondered if Andrew’s opinion of him would change when he was off his medication.”
I am a goner for these two 😭💘“Tick tock,” Andrew said. “You have my attention; now keep my interest.”
Oh boy you were in love with him the moment you decided you protect him.“He withdrew completely, leaving just the memory of his heartbeat against Neil’s mouth, and spun away.”
I am telling he's in love but he's just in denial 😭 but the tension between these two is killing me.
➸ Kevin: I loved Kevin more in this book and I finally understand his reasons of why he was so affraid of facing Riko and his former team-mates. Riko better be dead in next book or I'll kill him myself.
➸ Nicky: He is just another tortured soul who was never accepted by his parents for who he is. He is selfless and funny and I love how he brings the joy in this book.
➸ Renee: I need to know more about her past because there's definitely more to what she let's people see. Renee and Andrew are one of the best platonic friendships in this book.
➸ Waymack: I loved Waymack and this man is a coach, therapist, father figure to all his team players.
➸ I like Matt, Aaron, Dan and Allison. They all are amazing characters and I loved to know more about them in this book. I want to see how Aaron and Andrew are going to redeem their fractured brotherhood. They both deserve that. And what's the story of Jean? I wanna know 👀
I am not ready for Book 3 after what happened in the last few chapters. It broke my heart to see Neil protecting his team-mates even when it cost him his life. I just want them all to have their happy ending. Is that too much to ask?
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Pre-review: Lets go again for more of neil josten! Hope this is better than book 1 🤞🏻 -
5/5
The author really said, "Let's make readers cry!" because after finishing this book, I needed a moment to collect myself. The final chapters were painful and heartbreaking to say the least. This does not change the fact that I almost immediately moved on to the second book.
I don't know what the author put in this series, but it's addictive. It's rare for me to get so caught up in a story that I can't stop reading it, but that's the case with this series. Ever since I started reading the first book, I can't stop thinking about anything else. I read, then I go to sleep and think about it, then I wake up and read it again. Honestly, the plot in this series is not even that dense and full of unexpected events. There's a lot going on, but if you really think about it, not much is actually happening. I mean, all they do is practice Exy, go to the club once or twice, and play a match against some rival team. Plus, two or three unexpected twists. And I’m still eating it up.
The characters in this series stole the show though. I’m officially obsessed with Foxes. Honestly, they are a hot mess, they hate each other, they fight each other as much as they can, but they would still kill if someone hurt another.
A few more characters made it to my favorites list, like all the women of the Fox Court, because they are all iconic and amazing."Some of the strongest people I've known are women."
Also Coach Wymack, who has been on this list since the first book. I just love this man."How can you stand having a team like ours, Coach? Isn't it exhausting dealing with us and our problems day after day?" Wymack emptied his coffee with one big gulp. "Nope."
And Nicky. He is such a sweetheart. I had mixed feelings about him in the first book but I have a feeling he will end up being one of my favorite characters here. He made me laugh every single time."Neil hit Riko," Matt said. "It was beautiful."
"What?" Nicky squawked. "Not fair! I missed it! Go do it again. Or not," he added quickly when Wymack leveled a death glare at him.
"You can't blame a guy for dreaming, right, Coach?"
"Shut up." Wymack returned his glower to Neil."
I don’t even want to talk about Neil and Andrew characters here, because I will cry. I need to see them happy. That’s it. The pain needs to stop.
Moving to the romance part. There are many amazing couples in this series, or rather couples in the making, but I will focus on Neil and Andrew. They couldn't be further from being a couple, but their moments in this book satisfied me enough that I can wait until the third book where something finally happens between them."When Neil started to argue, Andrew hooked a finger under his chin and forced his mouth closed again with an easy jerk of his hand."
*swooon* in Neil and Andrew way."Why are you so special?" Matt asked.
"I'm not," Neil said, confused. "Andrew doesn't give ground to anybody. Why does he keep saying yes to you?"
"He's high," Neil said, twirling a finger near his temple. "He thinks it's funny."
Matt eyed him a bit longer,"
Andrew saying 'yes' only to Neil. It has no reason making me want to cry."You're very interesting, Neil." She wasn't the first to say that, but Neil wondered if Andrew's opinion of him would change when he was off his medication."
A girl hitting on Neil and him thinking about Andrew first. Stop being in denial Neil.
Honestly, I don't know if I'm ready for the final book, but I need these characters to finally find their happy ending. There seems to be no end to these characters' problems, so I hope everything works out for them in the end.
Also, can Riko, The Ravens and all people in this stupid organization die? Someone should get rid of them. Preferably now.
———————————
I'll write a proper review when I stop crying -
4.5 stars**
Re Read May 2024
"He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream."
-Neil-
-
RE-READ 2020 - was in the mood for my Foxes 🦊
2021 UPDATE: Missed my foxes ♡
_______________________________
I’m still as obsessed with this series, as I was when reading book one – Foxhole Court.
The plot’s complexity has quadrupled. Every character has an agenda, and many characters have pasts that are buried so deeply under lies that each discovery only cements my belief that this series is phenomenally awesome.
The author is a master storyteller, her way of spinning a fascinating as well as emotional tale is outstanding. Nothing in these books is predictable. Each new discovery is more outrages and in your face than the other. Throughout the first two books my jaw hit the floor countless times. The intricacies between the different plots are mind boggling. There are just some authors that are leap years ahead of others. And Nora Sakavic is one of them. This author and series deserves way more recognition than other hyped authors and series.
When you get down to it, the entire series is one long book. Raven King started exactly where Foxhole Court ended. The team finally understands that only united they have a chance to win the final match. And seeing them growing closer, socializing and spending their free time together outside of the court is heart-warming. Because I love them all, I want them to get along.
Neil, my favorite character’s journey has been heart wrenching, but I’m also so proud of him. He’s come such a long way, and his progress makes me cheer for him even more. His relationship with Andrew is as fascinating as it is mysterious. He has this unbelievable way with him, that none of the team can get even close to. Even though they constantly battle over truths, lies, and secrets, at the end they are just trying to understand the other person. It’s quite fascinating for me as well as for them, because they each are fascinated by one another.
Raven King ended with two major arcs, and I can’t wait to read how these two arcs play into Neil and Andrew’s relationship.
I’m not going to write much more, I just want to get back to reading The King’s Men. So all I can say is read this series, actually buy it. The first book is free on Amazon, the second and third only cost 99 cents each. That’s an incredible deal. Honestly it’s ridiculous. So one-click NOW!!! -
I don't know why I'm willingly putting myself through so much pain every single year. somehow I just am. this shit hurts. so much. I hate this.
he was their family. they were his. they were worth every cut and bruise and scream. -
I pretty much just sat and stared at a wall for a few minutes after finishing this. The whole book just took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and towards the end I couldn’t put it down. It definitely lives up to the first book and I’m really glad about that. I literally can’t wait to pick up the next one.
-
1 July 2021
I'll collect my thoughts and favorite quotes soon.
Until then remember: Neil dragging Andrew's hand under the hem of his shirt and pressing his palm to his own abdomen in front of those people is the definition of trust.
Two words: Andrew. Minyard. 😭
No, seriously. This book contains one of the most disturbing things I have ever read.
This is what I wrote when I read THAT scene:I was so terrified for him I read those pages with my hands in front of my mouth, almost crying and screaming and now, an hour later my body is still trembling and my pulse just can't calm down.
I'm at school, but can't function at all, and I know I won't be able to today. My head is empty, I can't think of anything except them.
These characters are everything, and I want to be there to protect them.
I'll never forget that feeling. I have never felt dread before while reading a book, and I'm not sure I needed to experience it, but it made this series my all time favourite, so I won't complain. But I was actually scared to death when I realized what's happening. And even now, months later, it's enough to think of it, I'm already fighting back my tears. -
"He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream"
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I am honestly incapable of proper speech. This was AMAZING. This deserves ten stars. This deserves to be heralded. These books are S O G O O D
This is me right about now:
MY EMOTIONS ARE NOT IN CHECK !! I AM DEAD. !!!! RIP MY SOUL.
Okay. I'm going to try to keep it together so here's a little summary of this series.
The Foxhole Court is about alot of things. It follows Neil Josten, the son of a famous crime boss who's running from his past and his father. While hiding in a small town known as Millport, he is asked by Kevin Day to play Exy for the Palmetto Foxes. Kevin is the assistant coach of The Foxes, a renowned Exy player and also someone from Neil's past he'd very much rather avoid.
Exy is a fictional sport, a kind of hybrid between Lacrosse and Rugby which has reached widespread popularity in America. Neil, who plays as a striker (they score the goals) agrees to join The Foxes.
The Foxes are the joke of the league - while they have some talented players, they're dysfunctional - even their 'best' players have serious issues that prevent them reaching their full potential. Their players are all recruited from broken homes and some of the issues of the players prevent them from cooperating with those around them.
Their best player, Kevin Day, transferred to the Foxes after a skiing injury - this means he's unable to play properly with the hand he learnt to play with and has to retrain himself all over again.
Their goalkeeper, Andrew, is only able to play under the condition he be under the effects of debilitating medication. The medication regulates his violent outbursts, but it also prevents him from connecting to and establishing proper relationships with people because the medication makes him largely apathetic. Despite being one of the best goalkeepers in the league, he cares little for the game or the outcome of any match.
This makes up the general premise of the story, but very much so the story follows the characters as they develop relationships between eachother and as the dynamics in the group shift. The team is arranged in very hierarchal structures, and each character has their own place in the team. Each character also has their own unique story, history and issues. However, there is a clear and continuing plot that is enhanced rather than sabotaged by the characters which drive the narrative.
I thought this book was definitely better than the last one. It had literally no slump at all, but picked up exactly where the first finished. There was NO point in this book which was more boring than anything else. Like I'd get to a section and be like "oh sigh this is going to be boring " and then NOO bOOOOOM it was one of the best bits in the book I CANNOT BELIEVE how fast paced it was. Even though it's a book which is character driven, at NO POINT is it slow.
Many of the issues I had with the first book, such as it being confusing with all the new characters/terms were resolved here simply by merit that it was the second book and I knew what was going on.
I feel like I need to address the characters since they are literally THE highlight of this whole thing. There was SO MUCH character development. I mean, I thought these characters were pretty well developed in book 1 and then Sakavic just goes and doubles, triples, QUADRUPLES the amount of character development we had.
I was so, so happy to finally hear Renee's story. Renee is such an intriguing character to me and I really love her alot. I love that she took a bigger role in this one and I liked that Neil and her finally had a proper conversation. She's such an angel.
"I'm a bad person, trying very hard to be a good person. But I would not be trying at all if it were not for the outside interventions in my life.
I love Renee because she doesn't try to pretend to be anything she's not. I love that she recognises her past and tries to move forward from there. Nicky calls her an angel and I agree. I appreciate that her character is not undermined or "weakened" because she is nice. I love Renee alot, and I feel she's a character we don't see much, especially in ya and especially in sport centric books.
Dan and Matt were so much better in this one. Dan especially had me cackling and she's so fierce and strong. I love her & admire her alot. It was nice to see her take a more prominent role in Neil's life and to see her history and backstory. I also loved that Matt was more involved with the team as a whole and that his past was also explored. I LOVED THAT HE INVITED THE MONSTERS TO CHRISTMAS.
AARON. A A R O N. SOO much development. So so much backstory and history and explanation to his shitty behaviour. He just made such an impact in this book & WHEN NEIL HIGHTAILED IT THE FCUK UP TO HIM TO SORT HIM OUT fucking #bless I was so glad. But on a serious note Aaron was sort of a mysterious and weird character who groused from the sidelines and I'm glad that much more development was invested into him. His dynamic with Andrew is so incredibly heartbreaking and he's just so important to the boy and vice versa and I really need him and Andrew to sort things out.
Nicky was Nicky. He and Kevin took more of a backseat in this one but I thought it was ok. I feel they were both so involved in the first book it was nice to set them aside and hear from others. However, where they did come into play I really really enjoyed their chapters. Anything involving Erik was good when it cam to Nicky, and everything involving Andrew/the arrangement/Ravens when it came to Kevin was good too. LOVED that Nicky bridged the gap between the monsters & the upperclassmen. Nicky is so important the fact he uprooted his entire life to care for Aaron/Andrew even though they're both asshole I was just .. Nicky is good people NICKY IS SO GOOD.
I wish Allison had been in it more. Thats my one character complaint. But I did really love the way she stood up at the games after what happened to Seth and I'm so proud of her she's a queen.
Ok welps getting down to the business end of the game I guess bc Andrew and Neil.
I'll start with Neil. OKay. Neil. NEIL HAS CHANGED AND GROWN AND DEVELOPED SO SO MUCH IT'S ACTUALLY BREATHTAKING. Neil has just ... it's just spectacular the amount he's grown and developed. I love that he's trusting people, I love that he's taking a prominent role in people's lives. I love that he cares & loves for them. I can't believe how in 181 pages he's given SO MUCH development in a way that wasn't rushed or forced but just worked and flowed sensibly. Neil learning to trust those around him, learning to fall back on them in times of need and learning to even love them is so, so heartwarming. I feel like I've invested so much into his character already and seeing him develop positively is the best pay off it's like he's my actual son. I love that Sakavic can so easily surmount so much development into just little things. Wymack asking him "Are you okay?" And then Neil answering "No. No I'm not Coach" had be REALLY EMOTIONAL because it just showed how he's developed and how he's learning to let people in and admit he's not fine and he's willing to accept help from others it makes me sob like a proud momma.
Ok Andrew. Now we need to talk about Andrew.
In many ways, this series could be described as a study of "what the fuck is it that makes Andrew Minyard tick". And man. MAN. This book gave it to me. It gave SHOVELS of it to me. (in the most upsetting, heartbreaking, distressing way) Andrew is a constant enigma, but I feel like I finally get it, I finally get him. (At least a little more than before.) And it's so, so saddening to see his story unfold because he is a good person, he really is. It's just that his goodness has been buried under alot of bullshit that happened to him. But urgh. I just feel like Andrew is such a fractured & broken figure, and he really, really makes me love him and hate him and feel for him AND I WILL CRY FOR HIM IF HE DOESN'T CATCH A BREAK SOON.
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This books just have such a way of grabbing you and drawing your attention and making you care Like I care so much and these are very short books. All of the foxes have captivated me. Their characterisation, the world building, the dialogue, the pacing, literally everything is perfect. This series is a blessing, and everyone should read it.
I can't wait to start book #3. I've heard it's not smooth sailing but I'm hoping they can pull through. They HAVE to beat the Edgar Allen Raven because those asshole need to GO DOWN.
A few gifs on my emotions in the book:
When Neil hightailed it the fuck up the Aarons to sort out the mess w/ Andrew. When Neil promised to protect Kevin & Andrew gave Neil his car keys and they did that gay asf shirt touching thing and Wymack was like lmfao you's are so gay and Neil was like ??? bc he's a dumb dumb (they're my otp omg)
When Neil told Coach Wymack he wasn't ok and he did need help
WHEN NEIL SHITTALKED RIKO AND THEN PUNCHED HIM DIRECTLY IN THE FACE. . (Also when the Foxes were allowed to play on after losing Andrew)
Renee telling her story and also informing him Andrew's gay asf. Nicky getting the monsters to come to Matt's for Christmas. Andrew agreeing to Halloween with the upperclassmen.
ME WHEN I FINSIHED THE BOOK:
In conclusion I'm blown away by how good this was LOVED IT SO MUCH
my official foxhole court playlist bc I'm lame -
original review from 12/09/2016
"Death was unpleasant, but it was a familiar and tolerable ache in his chest.”
I was a sobbing mess for majority of this book. This book made me cry, smile, and cry some more. The books that can make you feel so many emotions in less than 300 pages are the best kinds of books.
Where should I start? The character development? Getting to know more of Renee's, Dan's, Matt's, and Aaron's backstory? This book had everything that I wanted from the last book. There was more of the characters that I wanted to see. There is also character development for many of the characters, which I was glad to see. Can we also talk about Neil's little obsession with his new practice racquet?
"Do you have any idea how much it cost?" Neil asked. "Yes, I want it back."
I love the humor in this series. I love the characters in this series. And most of all, I love how Nora Sakavic gets you so emotionally invested in both the plot and the characters.
This series is going to kill me.
"But Neil Josten was a Fox. Andrew called this home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn't going to lose any of it." -
"Tick tock," Andrew said. "You have my attention; now keep my interest."
okay, so I am still in my 'shock that made me wanna scream and go quiet at the same time' state but what the actual fuck!!!!!!!! HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS!!! I CAN'T EVEN—whatever I thought this book would be it was SO MUCH MORE! I am in shock so let's see if I even make sense.
I am in shock of how much I loved this book, oh dear lord save me from my obsession *God has left the chat*.
What an amazing progression from the first book! I complained in the first one that it lacked plot-wise but my shock should be enough to tell this book surpassed my expectations! You can also identify my state of shock by my very avid use of exclamation marks that I don't think I will stop using soon and me using the word "shock" 40,000 times because the English dictionary is lost to me right now!!!!!
“He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.”
I mean what can I even write her that won't be a spoiler...lets see.
Neil "I'm fine" Josten is so fine in the book that he mentions it at least 50 times.
Andrew is Andrew Joseph Minyard...I don't even have words to describe him. I will forever pine over him even if he doesn't give me a second look.
I won't talk about every other character but they were the best and I can't write more cuz...yeah you guessed it—I AM IN SHOCK!
“Andrew Joseph Minyard, what the flying fuck have you done this time?”
What should I even write in this review? The writing...IDK about that I am still in shock. But it should be clear as hell that I am in love with this series. So imma go and read the next one and try and dilute my shock for a while!!!
This ship is sailing and even if I have to cling to a rope and drag myself on it, I am gonna get on the ship!! *I don't make sense because—I am in shock—who would have guessed right?*“He ran until he couldn't breathe, but he never stopped hurting.”
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Yes, I am still trying to figure out what to rate
The Foxhole Court, don’t pressure me!!—me, to myself. -
4.5/5 Stars
Woah!
'The Raven King' was even better than the 'The Foxhole Court'.
I was not prepared for this book it was intense, heartbreaking, shocking and thrilling.
My love these characters have grown and we learn more about them and their past.
There were tiny hints of romance between the main character and another but I'm glad it's slow as it will create more depth and growth between them.
Oh! Also, I absolutely love Neil Josten, he is one of the best characters I have ever read.
Trigger Warning:. -
upd: does andrew identify as a morosexual
upd: i hate this fucking book
not to be dramatic but this is the most painful experience in my life and i had a big ass dog bite me on the face when i was five
i also hate this review and myself for putting me through this torture
upd: guys im telling you if you need a torture device in ur house buy this book
HOLD ME WHILE IM SOBBING IN YOUR ARMS"Your parents are dead, you are not fine, and nothing is going to be okay," Andrew said. "This is not news to you. But from now until May you are still Neil Josten and I am still the man who said he would keep you alive.
"I don't care if you use this phone tomorrow. I don't care if you never use it again. But you are going to keep it on you because one day you might need it." Andrew put a finger to the underside of Neil's chin and forced Neil's head up until they were looking at each other. "On that day you're not going to run. You're going to think about what I promised you and you're going to make the call. Tell me you understand"
rip me
will i ever stop crying over everything that happened in this book
[spoiler tag includes a lot of pain you're warned]
WILL I EVER STOP FUCKING CRYING OVER THIS BOOK
kill me please
