#this is basically my first reread of The Sunshine Court

[advluv4life]

I know The Sunshine Court hasn't changed since the first time I read it but imagining the Foxes interacting with the Trojans after their game is actually so cool because now, after two books, I know these characters and I love these characters and they're interacting with these other characters that I've known and loved prior and it's so nice ♡

God, I hope they interact in the next book so bad!! I want them together again. The Foxes and the Trojans: Together Again (that can be the book title) on a court or not- I don't even care. I just want them to hang out 🥰

[blurrypetals]

The Golden Raven by Nora Sakavic - blurrypetals review

originally posted mar. 28, 2025 - ★★★★★

[this review contains untagged spoilers]

I began this review at first by starting to say, "my god, Nora,", but then I decided to reread my review for The Sunshine Court and I started that review basically the exact same way. I also know my other 15 reviews for the first three books on the series have varying degrees of oh my gods scattered throughout.

I simply cannot overstate how happy I am that these new All for the Game books exist. I think the first trilogy is, honestly, basically perfect. That said, it is brutal to read. It is like shattered glass in the palms: agony, then the balm of removal with the promise of healing in the future.

This trilogy, so far, at least, by contrast, is a gentle, beautiful sunflower: turning toward the light, opening up to warmth, healing.

I don't know if I have the words for how much I adored this book, the way Jean begins opening up to Jeremy, Cat, and Laila, trusting and beginning to like his teammates. Realizing he doesn't want to hurt people in effort to make them better, that he enjoys fireworks, that brown is his favorite color, that he can trust Rhemann implicitly...god, does Sakavic know how to write rewarding growth and relationships.

And the reason these relationships pay off so well is because we finally learn in this book what Jeremy and Jean have been through, things we didn't know about them in books previous, and now that we know their pasts, it just makes their kind hearts all the more rewarding.

The family our four main characters form together is, hands down, a top 5 favorite chosen families of all time. The way they all take care of one another, the love these 3 golden retrievers surround their traumatized black cat with, the pain they all feel losing the home they all built together...I definitely cried more over this book than any other All for the Game book.

And a lot of those tears were shed not only because of the house fire, Jeremy's past addiction and his brother's death, the multiple attacks Jean survived, both past and present, or the attempt on Andrew and Neil's lives at their match with the Ravens, but also because of Rhemann defending Jean, Jean admitting he deserves to get better, Cat, Laila, and Jean sleeping over at Jeremy's house, Jean playing a good, clean game with his new teammates...I could go on.

I loved getting to see the Foxes more in this than we did in The Sunshine Court, of course. The news story Jeremy watches after Neil and Andrew's injuries was an absolute riot. I'm glad we got to see Thea there again, too. I really would love to get to see more of her and Kevin together. Their relationship is so interesting to me! Give me a little more, Nora!

On top of that, it was great getting to know more of the Trojans as well. I felt like we got a small taste of just the floozies in The Sunshine Court, but here we get to actually know so many of them, floozies or not, and watch Jean form bonds with them even without Jeremy, Cat, or Laila facilitating it.

I was also so glad to get some Exy in this one! Obviously we got a little bit of practice here and there in the last book, but getting a full match really hit the spot, even if it was followed by one of the most brutal scenes in the whole series.

This has major potential to be my favorite book of the series, competing closely with The King's Men, which has the edge by virtue of being a finale and because I've read it 4 more times than I've read this book. I have a feeling, though, that the next book might take the cake.

Sakavic's writing has only gotten better, not that it needed improving upon in the first place. I can't properly express how much I love and care for these characters. I want the absolute best for them all and I'm terrified for the pain that lies ahead, but I know there will be peace when all is said and done...at least there better be!

[jokerfic]

helloooo do you have any book recommendations that are quite similar to your work? 💓

oh this is SUCH a good question! also a bit difficult to answer because the better the book, the more up-my-own-ass I look for making a comparison. I'm just going to offer a little selection with very brief summaries/bullet points and hope that you guys understand that most of this list is aspirational and I'm not claiming to be a peer to any of these writers particularly. putting it under a readmore because I know myself.

the very first one that sprang to mind is Badger by C. M. McKenna. A recovering addict forms a mutual, deeply unhealthy obsession with a ruthless vigilante. even though they connect with one another on a level that they can't seem to reach with anyone else, the relationship is volatile and unsustainable. trigger warnings for sadomasochism and brief details about past child abuse and CSA.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley - a career baker is abducted by a gang of vampires and left as prey for one of their own. When dawn breaks and he still hasn't touched her, the tables quickly turn. (I haven't read this one in a while, but remember it as being very in keeping with the kind of romantic relationships I write--prickly, complicated, slow-burning, maybe a little unsatisfying in that you never get quite what you want? Robin McKinley's romances were definitely a huge influence on my taste in general, so her bibliography is worth checking out. The Blue Sword is also good)

Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum - a woman brings her dying husband to his childhood home to care for him in his final days. Romantic, grotesque, a novella about devotion and obsession. A quick read at under 100 pages, but not always an easy one. cw for body horror and some generally gross descriptions of a guy who's basically falling apart, but absolutely worth it, I think. I read this in one sitting and have been recommending it since. I'm getting increasingly interested in blending horror and romance, and this project marries the genres perfectly.

I'm going to pivot slightly and lean harder into the "aspirational" side of things-- the following books don't so much have things in common with my writing (or my writing with them) but they scratch my brain every which way, I love them, I've reread all of them at least 3 times, and they're definitely in mind when I think about how to plot a story or set a scene or progress through a romance. (you'll forgive that the first 2 options are YA-- I have a whole lecture about YA's stranglehold on marketing and how lots of books that are by every other marker "adult fiction" get sucked beneath the YA umbrella even though they don't belong there just so they'll sell better, but we won't get into it now)

The Folk of the Air Trilogy by Holly Black - fae court intrigue, scandals, treachery, and backstabbing + a central couple that hates each other so much that they just have to do some smooching about it. you love to see it. A lot of stuff billed as "enemies to lovers" is fangless because they're worried about making the "enemies" too unsympathetic or too mean-- not here. Here, there are several times when I was worried either half of the couple was actually going to kill each other, lol. Violent mutual obsession. Difficult to put down once you've started.

The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo - mean, nasty criminal wunderkind Kaz Brekker is out for revenge, and also to take over the city's underworld entirely. Heists on heists, thousands of plates spinning at once, a crew full of misfits, and a girl that has become his right hand, his confidante, and his conscience (entirely against his will). we love a high fantasy crime romp, especially with such a complicated relationship at its center.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt - I can't ever put together a books rec list without adding this. If there's a single person out there who missed the early 2010s tumblr craze and doesn't know what this book is about: a California misfit finagles his way into an elite private college in New England, where he becomes fascinated by a small, elegant clique of Classics students. He manages to infiltrate the clique, and slowly becomes involved in their personal entanglements, quarrels, secrets, and-- eventually-- murder. Everything that has ever branded itself "dark academia" is trying to do what TSH did and has failed miserably. It is the blueprint and incomparable. Tartt's lush prose seduces you as quickly as the clique seduces Richard, and, like Richard, you don't want to leave, don't want this charmed existence to end. At least half of what I do is trying-- pretty unsuccessfully-- to be in conversation with The Secret History. It accomplishes everything it's trying to accomplish, and it's a privilege to read.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins - do you like found family? You won't for long. A fucked-up array of found siblings are being groomed to mysterious purpose by a father figure who has kept them locked away from the world at the Library, where they are raised and trained and tortured in turn. Carolyn, one of the more unassuming of these siblings, has a plan to get free-- a plan that quickly puts the whole world in serious peril. Like most of the rest of the books on this list, this one is un-put-downable, setting a breakneck pace and with compelling characters, and I'm just in so much awe at the way this is plotted-- it's a masterclass in compelling storytelling, and by a guy who's only ever written Linux manuals! I don't know how you write a debut novel like this. I think about it all the time.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - this is tumblr, everyone knows about Howl's Moving Castle, I won't belabor the point, but the book is different from the movie in a way that makes it very worth reading, and it's kind of the champion of bicker romance, a couple whose love language is low-level (to high-level) quarreling nonstop. they drive each other crazy and would also die for each other. so romantic <3

okay I've lost the plot. here's a bite size book rec blast to wrap it up and the points where I think we overlap: Piranesi by Susanna Clark (faith, optimism, gratitude and awe for the world you live in), The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (taking the frightening step to build intense intimacy with a stranger), obviously the Thomas Harris Hannibal books (complicated romance with a killer). Set This House in Order by Matt Ruff (sometimes, your protagonists have a rich inner life that you have to navigate carefully-- some more than others). The Checquy Files by Daniel O'Malley (sometimes your female protagonist is pitched headfirst into a dangerous and mysterious world she's not prepared for and has to wing it the best she can. this one is a reach because that applies to thousands of books, I really just wanted to include it because these are fabulous books and fun to read). Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (figures of great evil are vastly seductive, difficult to escape, and ultimately suffocating), Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor and The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (try as you might, you can't outrun God). (SERIOUS trigger warnings for the last three-- violence, sexual abuse and assault, all the grotesqueness that comes with southern gothic-- basically assume if there's something bad, then it's in one of those books.)

I think I'll call it there. Sorry I quickly abandoned answering your question and instead spent most of the ask on "here's a book you should read. here's another book you should read" but in my defense. you should read some of these. what you read ripples out into what you write, and these are some of my favorites, so that should count for something, right? lol maybe not but thank you for asking anyway because this was fun.

[the-gayest-tree-you-ever-did-see]

what is this jean/Jeremy/Kevin thing it looks interesting and the art is cool

oh boy oh boy!!!!!!!! i am absolutely going through it anon. so basically there is this book series called all for the game by nora sakavic that you should totally read (the first book is called the foxhole court -- but please check out a list of trigger warnings for it because it is very heavy and deals with a lot of serious and painful topics. i myself have had to disconnect for some of the scenes and come back when i was ready; its completely okay to do so, or to not read the books at all if its uncomfortable). its about gay athletes, guys just going through the absolute worst, the yakuza, fucked up families, a running game of how pathetic can you get answered in 15 different ways by each person, fucked up relationships, all not-so-neatly packaged into a completely made up fictional sport. (its funny because i am NOT a sports person and barely even understand cricket even though i watch it all the time, but i know the rules of exy forwards, backwards, and inside out. its that serious.)

i also need to warn you that the first book is slow. the second book is also kind of slow. i personally didnt have any trouble with it because im more of a character reader and aftg had PLENTYYY to keep me busy, but i think its a fair warning if youre sensitive to pace. however. the payoff is so incredibly worth it. its an amazing read with obsession-worthy characters, detailed and balanced plot beats, flowing and natural dialogue, very creative sports , and the relationships will make you want to reread it twenty thousand times. the romance is also the slowest burn to ever burn. if youre going in for romance at the start, you Will Not Get what you want -- but you will get it. i think we as a fandom focus on the romances a lot (im new so dont take my word for it) but its 1) because we're tumblr dont come and 2) because the romances and relationships are incredibly interesting to see through the lens of the books and vice versa. what i really love most (and youll see this in the ec doc) is that it feels like each and every choice was deliberately made by the author to make the book. like. down to the ice cream flavor they get at one point. especially with the sunshine court, i feel like i can see exactly where she made a choice and what mightve happened if that choice wasnt made. its intoxicated to read. it feels like breathing and it feels like drowning.

i just read the sunshine court (where jean and jeremy are more from) so thats what all the recent stuff has been, but you should read the foxhole court series first for it to make sense. i think tsc is 100000x times better and better written than tfc but you have to work for it lol. and!!!!! the author is on tumblr (@/korakos)! also if you do read it, please tell me!!!!!! you can keep sending anons or you can dm me or you can come to my house and live in my room but tell me!!!!! theres also an extra content doc (thanks @jeansyvesmoreau for sending this to me) between the series' (so after the kings men, before the sunshine court) that you should definitely definitely read. but im getting ahead of myself.

i hope that helps?? or at least doesnt hurt. if you liked the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater, i think this is a good step up. let me know if you have any questions at all!!

okay ive been normal for this whole thing, ranting and incoherent noises below cut:

ANON ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD ITS SO GOOD. ITS SO GOOD. i told mel this but i cant possibly say i love these books because its not necessarily love. its not something i can explain but youll get it if you read it. there is a piece of my soul that was carved out, reformed, and then put back into me by nora sakavic. i dont think ill ever be the same again. i need a therapist who has read these books so they can understand exactly what im going through. each character was like a bomb to me. jean moreau is like a straitjacket. they mean so much to me. theyre nothing. i hate them. i need to feed them breakfast. OUGHHHHHHHHORGHEURGHEOGH. there is so much grief entangled with them but they are so vibrant and full of life it hurts. i cant stop thinking about them. i finished tsc yesterday and ive been sobbing ever since. i am dead serious. i cried myself to sleep last night thinking about one of the characters. i need you to know how real i am being.

i think if i meet nora sakavic i will probably kill her. just fully black out and kill her and not even know it. so i wont meet her for the better! but i need this to be out there. my fingers hurt from typing all this but know that there is MORE in my head. so much more. i am fit to burst with it all. love you anon thanks for asking

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update Catch-Up (04/29/24-05/20/24)

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic (8/10)

As I've made very clear, I have a complicated relationship with the All for the Game series. Part of that has to do with the fact that the original trilogy, while incredibly entertaining and with some super interesting characters, is not very well-written. However, reading The Sunshine Court, I can see how much Sakavic's writing has improved. While this book is on the slower side, the pacing is much better, there's less awkward wording, and the way she addresses trauma and mental health is astronomically better. There's a great build-up with Jean's character, Sakavic has maintained her strongest suit (groups of characters that are close friends with good chemistry), and it's great to see some diversity in her LGBTQ+ rep (this book introduces our first sapphic relationship and trans character). Like I said, it's on the slower side, and I wish we'd gotten a bit more about Jeremy--I kept forgetting he has a past since it was only hinted at a couple of times. This was a great continuation to the series that improved a ton without losing its unique charm.

More reviews under the cut

The Sacrifice by Emily Shore (18+, 4/10)

This started off fun, the sort of thing I enjoy in a fantasy romance, but it quickly devolved. A lot of books pitched as 'smutty' are usually highly exaggerated with a couple of scenes, but not this one. In fact, I don't think there's a single stint of twenty pages that doesn't have a sex scene. It got to the point of ridiculousness, especially since this book was still trying to execute a semblance of a plot. Surely this can wait until after the looming threat is dealt with? Also, a lot of this smut involves things I'm not personally into, so I ended up skimming a lot of the scenes (~70% of the book). There was some interesting stuff going on with the main character and her shadow, but very little of it is explored in favor of making the characters bang...again.

The 100 by Kass Morgan (8/10)

This is a reread, and to be completely honest, I don't actually think this book is a full four stars in terms of quality. However, I have so much fun reading this book, and I am so insanely attached to Clarke and Bellamy that it boosts the rating a bit. This is a pretty typical YA dystopia, and it really scratches that itch for stories of teenage survival. It is very different from the show, so don't go into this expecting that. The main cast is different, those who are the same have slightly altered personalities, and only the most basic premise is shared in terms of plot. I always enjoy this read, but I must admit that way too much time is spent in flashbacks when things like power dynamics, side characters, and general detail shmould be getting way more attention.

Alpha Inmate by Liliana Carlisle (18+, 6/10)

This was a very quick read in my Unhinged Romance Marathon, and it honestly wasn't that bad. There's a lot of consensual non-consent vibes, but that's mostly in the dirty talk. While the main character, Ellie, is constantly talking about how she shouldn't be doing this, how bad it is, it's made very clear that she does want this. It's built to be a darker story with a serial killer love interest, a physical power imbalance, and Alpha Influence, this thing where alphas can just make their mate do...whatever they want. But when it actually comes down to it, the male lead is very insistent that he needs the main character's consent before doing anything. The Influence thing is used to make her open up about her trauma and nothing else. I feel like this reflects a lot of the psychology around sexual assault fantasies with women feeling they must be pure but still craving sex so they construct a fantasy where they are 'forced' to do something. It's really not that dark. The couple is very insta-love, or just insta-attraction, but this book is only 174 pages long. Overall, a vaguely entertaining read and pretty much just smut.

Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark (18+, 8/10)

This was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be! A lot of contemporary romances are pitched as enemies to lovers when they would be better suited to the rivals or just annoyance label, but these were true enemies. After all, they attempt to kill each other on their wedding night. The banter was a lot of fun, and I really liked how Aida and Callum played off each other. There are three major things stopping this from being a 9 or 10 for me. First, it kind of loses momentum two-thirds of the way through, moving through the "to lovers" part a little too quickly for me. Second, despite the title being Brutal Prince, Callum honestly isn't that brutal. If anything, Aida is far more prone to violence. Third, this book comes with illustrations and they are god awful. I'm sorry to the illustrator, but the art was so weird, like caricatures of what "sexy" people should be, and I had to ignore it to get through the book. Still, this book honestly made me laugh at some points, and there's sizzling chemistry, so it stays up there for me.

Empire of Storms/Tower of Dawn Tandem Read by Sarah J. Maas (8/10, 6/10)

This took a lot of work to get through, partially because of the sheer length (~1300 pages) and partially because of the Tower of Dawn parts. Starting with EoS, it had a lot more action than I typically see from SJM novels. I also really enjoyed a lot of the romance, mainly between Aelin and Rowan, who are probably the characters I care the most about. I liked how much plot development there was, and it finally felt like there were actual consequences toward the end. However, there were a few plot threads that felt like padding instead of necessary information, often ending in last-minute deus ex machinas. Also, SJM has chronic pair-everyone-up-itis, regardless of whether that romance has any merit or chemistry (looking at you, Aedion and Lysandra).

In comparison to EoS, ToD is astonishingly boring. Half the book is Chaol walking around, moping about his oh-so-terrible conditions (which I have no sympathy for considering I was seeing this right after reading about Aelin and the others fighting for their lives). Most of the time I forgot about the main mystery at hand, because very little happened with it overall, and I was practically skimming toward the end. This book still gets a decent score on three accounts. One, I like Yrene. Two, I'm so glad Nesryn gets to be with her hot prince and not boring Chaol. Three, there is a reveal in this book that actually shocked me, so points for that.

The Sea Witch by Rebecca F. Kenney (4/10)

This one is just way too drawn out and contrived. While not exactly instalove, there is instant attraction, and everything past around the midpoint feels like desperate attempts to prolong the plot and keep the main characters from getting together. For example, the Sea Witch's motivations for leaving Averil a human forever are so stupid. Oh, it's part of his revenge--surely taking over the kingdom is plenty revenge. Also, it was so predictable that the prince would end up being an asshole. It would have introduced so much more emotional conflict if he had been just a regular person but Averil ends up falling in love with someone else. Or, to adhere to the original tale, it would have been a moment of heartbreak for her to realize he was in love with someone else, rather than the anger and revenge it's played for. There are just a lot of lost opportunities in this book, playing into overdone tropes instead of creating something new.

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas (6/10)

It's a bit unfortunate that a story with such a long build-up would end as disappointingly as it does. First of all, as is standard with SJM books, this could easily have been 200 pages shorter. The constant back-and-forth, particularly in Aedion and Lysandra's perspectives, of preparing for death, then it's prolonged for an extra day, but it's not quite enough, was exhausting. Dorian's whole interlude with Maeve was so weird, making no sense character-wise for Maeve, who has been utterly ruthless up until this point, and most of the relationships read as rushed and forced, particularly Aedion/Lysandra and Lorcan/Elide, which have pretty much the exact same story going on. I enjoyed Aelin's escape and her healing process, and her and Rowan's relationship is always entertaining to read. However, my biggest critique is a major one. MAJOR SPOILER If you're going to introduce magical items that the characters spend no less than four books hunting down and collecting that are supposed to be a solution to their problems and then have them finally use them only for it to result in the main character losing her magical abilities and it not even doing the one thing it was supposed to do? That's bad writing, and incredibly unsatisfying for your audience. MAJOR SPOILER END Overall, I didn't get the sense of closure that I wanted from this book, and the series as a whole was mediocre, with my average rating across all the books being a 6.5 or 3.25 stars.

Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash by H. R. Moore (DNF @ 11%)

I DNF'd this so astonishingly quick because of one major issue, and that is the main character. Something that is a plague upon particularly fantasy romances are characters with shockingly modern sensibilities--despite no backstory or explanation as to why their outlook would be so different from everyone else. This book opens on a queen who has just finished conquering five kingdoms, and she promptly begins ordering people to hire women, pay income-adjusted taxes, and all sorts of progressive reform. Lovely sentiment, but why does the medieval-land queen have these sorts of ideals? And then there's the issue that these orders lose some of their appeal when you realize that as morally correct as they are, they are still issued by an absolute monarch who just finished a bloody military campaign to secure power for herself. Sometimes you can just let your main character be shitty.

Island of Graves by Lisa McMann (DNF @ 34%)

I've been working through The Unwanteds, and I must unfortunately say that I've lot interest in this series. I love a good middle grade series, and I understand that they are, of course, a bit more simple. However, I still expect a modicum of character development over the course of four books. Alex and his friends have stagnated for multiple books with any potential moral dilemmas (the seaweed, redeeming Aaron, or even just the trolley problem in a different format) either skirted around or just never presented to them. I feel like I've been reading the same story for at least four books, and Alex has become less of an awkward teenager trying to carry a community on his back and more of a flawless leader who seems to only have superficial problems. The morals are all out of whack (it's okay to kill someone in an ambush but not when they're unconscious, even if the person in question in canonically killing multiple people a day), and I just have no more motivation to work through these books anymore.

Captivate by E. J. Lawson (CR, 53%)

This isn't even a part of my romance marathon, it's just something I picked up on a whim, and it's sort of boring. There's obviously good chemistry between all the main characters, they've even had sex, and yet the most inane, stupid reason is given to keep them from getting together. I can see how this particular issue (a fatal, uncurable disease) might affect their choices, but that's not even the problem! The problem is that the female lead is refusing to tell anyone about it, despite having basically no reason to keep it from them. Utter nonsense.

365 Days by Blanka Lipinska (18+, CR, 14%)

Rest assured, I am not reading this book of my own free will and will likely be DNFing at my self-imposed 20% threshold. I cannot imagine someone writing this and thinking that this was how real life people behaved. 40 pages in and the main character is already intensely unlikable with seemingly no personality outside her permanent makeup and bold fashion choices (which far too much description is given to), and the love interest has some sort of stupid mystical connection to her, which he deals with by fucking other women in highly coercive situations.

[stormblessed95]

AFTG Quotes I Love

All art (unless stated otherwise) by @llstarcasterll

I'm high key obsessed with these books (All For The Game Trilogy) and I'm about to reread them again with a few friends (their first time 🥺) so I wanted to make a post gushing over it and some of my favorite quotes from the Trilogy! Feel free to ignore it, i know my book posts aren't why yall follow me. Lol let me indulge though! And maybe it will encourage some of you to pick the books up though too if you want!! Beware any minor or potential spoilers though in the rest of the post if that's something that bothers you. I won't include any major plot spoilers though of course. I read them for the first time in 2020 and this will be my 4th reread. Lol

Now clearly I love these books, they are comfort reads to me. I love these characters. But that doesn't mean they don't have their fair share of problems 😅 and it's got some romance in there, but it's not a romance book. I love these characters way more than I should, but they aren't good people! Lol trigger warnings should be observed before reading these books, please. Trigger warnings include, well basically everything that could be a trigger warning. You can find a detailed list of those warnings here.

The Foxhole Court:

"Did you think I made the team the way it is because I thought it would be a good publicity stunt? It's about second chances, Neil. Second, third, fourth, whatever, as long as you get at least one more than what anyone else wanted to give you."

"It sounded like a dream; it tasted like damnation."

"Keys meant Neil had explicit permission to be here and do what he liked. They meant he belonged."

"I'm not a math problem." "But I'll still solve you."

"Neil was much better at instigating fights than winning them, but it'd be worth losing if he could just put a fist through Kevin's face once."

"What he'd just told Andrew was fifty percent truth, the most honest thing he'd ever tell someone about his life, and Andrew took it without batting an eye. Neil didn't know how to feel about that. He should be relieved, because it meant Andrew might be done asking him questions, but it went deeper than that. He wondered for a moment if Andrew could handle the entire truth so calmly, but that was too dangerous and stupid to consider."

"Morning, sunshine," Matt said with exaggerated cheer. "Fuck you," Kevin said. Dan yawned into her hand. "Glad to see you're still a morning person." "Fuck you too."

"When I said Abby and I would look out for you, I didn't mean you should pick a fight with Riko on national television," Wymack said. "Should I have spelled that out beforehand?" "Probably," Neil said."

"Family means something different with us because it has to. It's not about blood. It's not even about who we like. It's about who Andrew's willing to protect."

Top 2 from @llstarcasterll bottom 2 from @rosiethorns88

The Raven King:

"Renee and Andrew are sparring partners," Matt said. It obviously didn't sound as ridiculous to them as it did to Neil, but aside from flat- out asking what a sweet Christian girl was doing fighting the unofficial sociopath of the team, Neil didn't know what to say."

"Neil wanted to tell them death was no reason to hold back, but he found their humanity interesting."

"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."

"Yeah, Hennessey," Dan said, sounding calmer than Neil thought she should in the face of such treatment. "Treats you right if you're willing to pay and will fuck you over the morning after if you're not nice enough to her. Sorry, but this bottle's got a name on it. Hope you feel that one for a while, you lowlife asshole."

"I was the first person who ever looked at Andrew and told him he was worth something. When he comes off these drugs and has nothing else to hold him up I will give him something to build his life around."

"They never pried, but it took him weeks to realize they didn't have to. They didn't ask for secrets; they settled for the breadcrumb truths of day to day life. They knew he hated vegetables but loved fruit, that his favorite color was gray, and that he didn't like movies or loud music. They were things Neil understood only in terms of survival, but his teammates hoarded these insights like gold."

"Neil thought about Renee's bruised knuckles, Dan's fierce spirit, and Allison holding her ground on the court a week after (x)'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."

"I am a bad person trying very hard to be a good person, but I would not be trying at all if not for the outside interventions in my life."

"Andrew laughed. "I'm remembering why I don't like you." "I'm surprised you forgot." "I didn't," Andrew said. "I just got distracted for a moment there."

"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."

The Kings Men:

"You flounder when they call you 'friend'; you'd probably have a psychotic break when they freaked out over you."

"He straightened and turned to find Andrew had shifted closer. There was nowhere for Neil to stand except up against Andrew, but somehow Neil didn't mind. They'd been apart for seven weeks but Neil keenly remembered why he'd stayed. He remembered this unyielding, unquestioning weight that could hold him and all of his problems up without breaking a sweat. For the first time in months he could finally breathe again. It was such a relief it was frightening; Neil hadn't meant to lean on Andrew so much."

"I'm not a hallucination," Neil said, nonplussed. "You are a pipe dream," Andrew said."

"That's not exactly reassuring. From you 'fine' could mean anything from 'I'm going to hitchhike across the state' to 'I'm beaten to a bloody pulp but I can still hold a racquet'."

"Andrew doesn't believe in regret; he says regret is grounded in shame and guilt, neither of which serves any real purpose."

"Andrew refused on the grounds he wouldn't wish you on anyone except a mortician." "Drama queen," Neil muttered."

"I care about who you are right now and who you can be going forward. I'm not asking you to forget your past, but I am telling you to overcome it."

"You gave me a key and called it home."

"I am not your answer, and you sure as fuck aren't mine."

"I've said all year I don't swing and I meant it. Kissing you doesn't make me look at any of them differently. The only one I'm interested in is you."

"Andrew bit the question into the corner of Neil's jaw. "Yes or no?" "It's always yes with you," Neil said."

"Fight because you don't know how to die quietly. Win because you don't know how to lose."

Why is this series just trauma and found family and why is it basically my comfort read?? Lol for anyone who read all this, thanks. If you've read this series and want to fawn over it with me, please feel free to do so and/or DM me! I'm ready and willing to talk about it constantly. Lol I had to cut so many amazing quotes for 1) space and 2) major spoilers Lol. Just a bunch of awfulness and loveliness all rolled into one Trilogy I guess? 😅😂

Thanks for indulging me in my love for another book series over here!! 🥰🥰 I appreciate you all

[fruitchakra]

why you should read haikyuu!! (no spoilers)

as an sns-focused blog, i’m going to frame this through the lens of sns/naruto (the series) because the fact is that i finally, finally picked up haikyuu because i read something posted by someone on tumblr or twitter saying ‘hinata and kageyama are basically just naruto and sasuke in high school’.

which is true but mostly false BUT i am so glad i gave it a chance when even my best friend pestering me couldn’t get me to watch/read it (she doesn’t watch naruto so i didn’t trust her lmao). 

the reason i’m so hesitant to start on new manga is because i’m extremely picky with the type of shonen manga i read. 9/10 times i’m just disappointed with the art style, plot, storyline progression, etc. this is also the reason why i reread and rewatch naruto for the nth time because i just cannot get into anything else.

enter haikyuu. haikyuu is truly what a shonen manga is imo - one that revolves around friendship and rivalry with a single key person and overcoming adversities to become the best. compare this to naruto which is a love story because i still cannot believe that it is a shonen manga because it’s not (naruto’s focus on sasuke is not normal or platonic lol. it can’t be. i refuse).

1. character development and world building

the characterizations are really good and they don’t go obsessively deep about people or a single character - hinata’s rivalry with kageyama is clear but it is not the basis of the entire plot. there are no real ‘villains’ too, even if the other team is the opponent. the way things are written makes you root for everyone involved (unlike naruto because there are many characters that i absolutely cannot stand. in haikyu i either like them or can’t remember them because there’s so...many...players.)

furudate’s strength is making you connect with the characters. 

the most refreshing thing is that the world building is good (volleyball is super interesting) but not fraught with things that are uncomfortable, like naruto and its politics and how some people absolutely lose all critical thinking skills when it comes to examining things like fascism and genocide. haikyuu is so much more lighthearted and because of this, it’s a lot of fun.

2. hinata and kageyama’s bond

this is one of my favourite things and it’s so SO refreshing compared to naruto and sasuke’s relationship. hinata and kageyama are introduced as rivals and hinata doesn’t fixate over kageyama - his main goal is to the best volleyball player. in naruto, the narrative is set up as naruto’s desire to be acknowledged and become hokage, but there is a disconnect because the plot is driven by sasuke and his actions. 

i watch naruto for sasuke so i absolutely have no issue with it but when the second character becomes more important than your titular character, something has gone wrong in your plotting/writing.

but there is no escaping that there are similarities: hinata’s name means sun and kageyama’s name means shadow. their character designs and colors are in direct contrast as well (tall and short, bright and dark hair).

3. tsukishima

give me an aloof, quiet character with brother issues, who finds himself changing due to the influence of the protagonist and I AM SOLD. add in moon symbolisms and i am crying because you are now my favorite character. 

4. nostalgia 

the best thing is the nostalgia i think! pretty sure everyone reading this has gone to high school. most people have (or were forced to) participate in some sort of sport. everyone has had dreams and in high school, the world outside seems impossibly big and anything and everything is possible. haikyuu really plays into this and it is absolutely hopeful and inspiring it is. 

it also reminds me how naive and flawed this thinking is because life will not go the way you want to, just because you really truly want something and work hard for it. of course, as a children’s manga, it doesn’t linger on the negative aspects of growing up but seeing something so hopeful and happy really highlights the stark reality of adult lives. and i honestly love how introspective it makes me. 

5. furudate’s art style

the manga is 100000% better than the anime because we get furudate’s art style which is insanely good because you can really sense the speed and motion and excitement of the volleyball. 

more importantly are the little tiny details he adds into little frames. it builds so much more character and i’m slowly getting through the anime because the volleyball parts are much better animated and the OPs are hype but the pacing is really off and i don’t think the voice casting is as good as naruto’s. 

6. the importance of a strong opening 

the first chapter made me cry, with hinata’s enthusiasm and lack of support and him still finding his way around it to make things work as best as he can. it’s incredibly earnest and just so pure.

naruto didn’t do this for me tbh, and it was only sasuke’s introduction that hooked me. the closest feeling i’ve come across in the introduction of a story from another form of media is the kdrama vagabond. no other opening has hit me as hard with this sense of warmth and purity (12/10 would recommend. it’s on netflix!)

7. stand-out characters

hinata - my big hearted sunshine boy. best protagonist ever thank u for existing

kageyama - the way to my heart: a boy with dark hair and dark eyes. his growth is so so good

tsukishima - moon. background and character growth. i love his attitude

yamaguchi - i scream whenever he steps onto court. pure and sweet

basically everyone on the karasuno team

kenma - basically me irl

oikawa - “i hope they both lose” truly the single best sentence ever given to a character

miya twins - they’re drawn so beautifully?? and great chaotic energy

if you’ve read all the way here, you’re the best and take it as a sign you start haikyuu :)

[wahtusernaem]

“I know what I did” Pt.1

Daveed x reader

Warnings: mentions of smut and cheating

Y/N's POV:

"Y/N COME OOOOON! WE ARE ON IN 10! LET'S GO!" Lin said, banging on the door. "Would you stop yapping and come in here! My corset needs tightening!" a moment later he came in, all dressed up for the part he's playing, Alexander Hamilton. "turn around." I turned around and he started tightening my corset. "S-stop...! t-t-too... t-i-iggghhh-t..." I squeaked out but he didn't hear me so I kicked him in the shin. "Ow! Wh-whyyyy?" "Tonto, you almost killed me so I kicked you in the shin!" I told him. "Oh sorry, *chuckles* your corset is done by the way, now let's go! Alex is so gonna kill us!"  

We arrived at the waiting area, I was on the crossover as Lin was too and everybody was rushing to their positions. "Hey, Y/N..." Daveed greeted me before rushing to his place as we all heard Jonathan doing the introduction.

FLASHBACK: 2 months ago "I know, I'm sorry I can't make it to your concert babe... I know... It's just Lin needs help with the finishing touches... Yes... I know... Uh-huh... Okay... I'll see you then... Yes, I love you too, make me proud!" "Was that Daveed?" My bestfriend, Lin has asked me, grinning from ear to ear. "If you must know, yes. That was Daveed, I just told him goodluck on his concert night with the guys. I told him I couldn't come."  "Why? Is it because of this? You don't have to help me, really! You can go! He'd be upset because his girlfriend isn't there supporting him." "Lin, it's fine. He told me to stay because you clearly need help." I said, pointing the crippled papers all over his dressing room, unwashed coffee-stained mugs and take-out leftovers on the tables, and finally, him. He was wearing a robe, he smelled like instant coffee and chinese food. "You clearly need me more than he does. Now go take a bath you stink! I'll be here. I'll proof-read these and tell Alex we’ll have an early meeting so they can check these out too, 'kay?" "Thank you, Y/N! You are a total life saver!"  

A FEW HOURS LATER...

"Okay, so great work today guys. Lin, please go home so you can rest... I will give you a week off of work m'kay? You look like a guy who has the whole world on his shoulder." Alex said, ending our daily group discussion. We all said our goodbyes and headed home.

'Ahh, home sweet home.' I thought to myself. I went upstairs to change my clothes into more comfortable ones. Shorts, tank tops, and Daveed's hoodie. I went downstairs to make some dinner. Since D isn't here to cook I just made myself some toast. As I was waiting for the toast to cook, I decided to call my boyfriend.

It ringed a few more times before he picked up. "Hellooo, Y/N! The love of my life, the apple of my eye, the sunshine in my life!-" He greeted me, his words slurry. Before I could even reply to what he had babbled about, someone had snatched his phone from him and talked, "Hello Y/N! I'm sorry, Daveed's quite drunk we were invited to an after party again-" "Uhh, hi! Who is this?" I ask at the woman speaking on the other line. "Hi! Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Denise! I'm the band's new secretary! I filled in for Brianna this week because her dog’s having a baby! The guys and I had just arrived at their hotel rooms. Daveed is pretty hammered-" She kept blabbing and blabbing. She was clearly drunk too.

I heard the sound of a door closing and Daveed's phone being put down on a desk. She had said goodbye to me saying she'll take care of him and telling me not to worry but she hadn't managed to end the call. I was just about to end it when I heard muffled moans of Daveed and the girl. I had listened to it a few seconds more just to realize what they were doing.

I ended the call; tears of anger rushing down my face. I had run outside and hailed a cab. The cab stopped a few moments later  so I paid it and got out. I stepped inside the front porch still crying and knocked on the door rapidly. A moment later, a confounded Lin-Manuel Miranda got to the door. "Y/N! What the hell du-... W-what happened? Com'ere." He opened his arms wide and hugged me, leading me on the couch. I cried for a couple more hours before explaining to him. He called Alex telling him I'll be having a few days off too.

end of flashback-

"Hello, Y/N? Are you okay? you're on in 2 minutes. Can you do this?" Lin asked me, concern filled his eyes. I nodded and went on stage to do my part in the intro. Act 1 went great, We had a minute's rest and we changed our costumes accordingly. Before we all got back to our positions, I saw Daveed heading my way before Jasmine swooped me. "Hey Y/N! How are you doing?" She asked, "Oh, well I'm still kind of slightly nervous, this is my first performance of a premiere night. Too bad Pip got sick huh?" "Yeah, but relax you're doing great!" She said, hugging me before she went to her position.

The Reynold's Pamphlet had just finished so I was back at the crossover to sing the next song. Daveed had attempted to talk to me again. "I'm fine, Daveed. Now excuse me, I have to go now..." I stood up getting ready, "I-I'm sorry Y/N..." was what he had said before I went up.

"I saved every letter you wrote me..."

'Dear Y/N, every day with you is like floating on a cloud...'

It's been 3 months since I've received these courting letters from Daveed.

"From the moment I read them I knew you were mine, You said you were mine, I thought you were mine...” 

‘Happy 2nd anniversary, babe...”

he knelt down and put a promise ring on my finger.

‘Someday, that’ll be a true ring.... I love you..’

"I'm rereading the letters you wrote me, I'm searching and scanning for answers in every line for some kind of sign and when you were mine..."

'Y/N, it's been 3 weeks... you have to go back to rehearsals and stop reading those letters' Lin crouched down to my level and took away the letters from my hand.

"The world has no right to my heart, The world has no place in our bed, They don't get to know what I said..."

'Y/N...How have you been...?' 'I'm fine...just drained...' After Lin had convinced me to come back to work for the nth time, that's basically what my close friends have asked me.

"You forfeit all rights to my heart, You forfeit the place in our bed, you'll sleep in your office instead, With only the memories of when you were mine..."

'Y/N please don't go... Y/N please! I love you...!' 'N-no Daveed! 'I love you' doesn't solve everything...!' I walked out of there, my bags with me, every framed photograph I ever made left in our house. As I started my car and drove away.

"I-I hope that you... burn...."