Book Review: All for the Game Series by Nora Sakavic J L. Gribble, Author, Editor, Worldbuilder
We find out more details about twins Aaron and Andrew’s peculiar backstories, and it is packed with just as much drama. This leads to subtle reveals that let me start to predict the direction of the eventual romance I’ve been promised, but it’s clear from the start that it will not be a typical love story. I’m fascinated by how two such damaged characters will eventually end up coming to care for each other, especially considering the dark climax of this trilogy’s midpoint.
Neil also begins to crack his shell bit by bit with every chapter, which was refreshing to see knowing how traumatized he is. I actually laughed out loud at some of the dialogue from not only him but other characters like Andrew’s twin (oh yeah, he has a twin, by the way, which he had no idea either until recently). So, the fact that I practically inhaled all the books of the “All For the Game” series in the span of two weeks speaks volumes. It was even during AP testing, and I have to admit that I might have spent more time reading than I did studying. An 18+ community to discuss M/M romance books, including book requests, reviews and recommendations, non-book media, and general discussions of the genre. Neil isn’t a sympathetic character; neither are his new college teammates.
The King’s MenFueled by abuse and assault against their team members, the Foxes and their coach continue to push toward the championship. The formerly last-ranked Exy team is climbing the ranks, and with every win comes higher costs. By this point, the understanding between Andrew and Neil has developed into something more, but they continue to dance around one another, showing the other flashes of truth despite Andrew’s apathy and Neil’s wall of self-preservation.
Characters
However, I think I am emotionally wrecked after finishing and I’m not sure I will recover. But me willing to sacrifice my AP Biology exam score is just a testament to how addicting these books were. I am still reeling long after I had finished, a part of my mind still trapped in the world that had unraveled in these pages. Alexandra Nae, or simply Alexx, is a 27-year-old disoriented introvert. When not swamped with work, she’s most likely reading queer books, browsing Ao3, or looking for new queer shows to watch.
Community
From the very first book, it was the characters that really got me hooked. To see all their developments individually and as a whole team just fills me with so much warmth and satisfaction. This time, I see them come together as what they really are—a family. Also, I’d like to say I WOULD DIE FOR THE FOXES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR NEIL AND ANDREW. I really came to love the writing style of the author, especially in this book. Now, I can see that it pairs well with the plot and how the author wants the story to go.
The Foxhole Court (All for the Game #
Tl;dr – The Foxhole Court was recommended to me for my Pride Month TBR. I started the first book with very little expectations and a bit of hesitation, but now, it’s safe to say that this trilogy is one of my fave reads this 2019. It has intriguing, unpredictable characters with incredible character arcs, great LGBTQ+ rep (gay/demisexual characters), slow burn romance (!!!), intricate plots, family as an overall theme, plus a straightforward yet dark writing style I came to love. The highs of winning games are tempered by the legitimately terrifying dark moment(s) of this story.
It’s simple, all for the game embraces every factor of fandom culture, especially fanfiction. The final book in this fascinating trilogy escalates, well, everything. The dynamics between the characters, the sportsball drama, and the external drama that I occasionally forgot existed outside of the highs and lows of the intensity of collegiate sports. Excellent storytelling means that you’re not sure about the characters, you’re not sure about the story concept, and you’re not really sure where anything is going, but you MUST find out what happens next. I wasn’t able to write up my review of The Foxhole Court right after I read it, so I was excited to finally dive into The Raven King once I got home from vacation.
Because this trilogy is still, oddly, part of the organized crime subgenre. Neil may be the hero of his own story and a knight or bishop for the leaders of his team, but we are forcibly reminded that he is ultimately still a pawn in the greater scheme of things. Flipping between the tension of winning or losing a game and genuine survival for the main character only enhanced my immersion in this narrative. Now, if that doesn’t make readers curious enough about this particular series, then I shall discuss one of the reasons I believe the books are so beloved in the fandom community in general. It is undeniable that fanfiction is one of, if not the most relevant type of literature today. Fan generated content is a powerful marketing tool for any form of entertainment in the XXI century, especially good quality fan generated content.
There are some characters you’ll hate too, which includes this other Exy player from the Ravens, the Foxes’ rival team, who is also involved in the whole mafia situation (it’s complicated, like I said). The story revolves around the Palmetto State Foxes, an NCAA Exy team. It is primarily a sports story and follows a storyline typical of the genre—with added drugs, violence, and gangsters. It’s not final fantasy all fun and games though, because the plot reaches a heightening climax in this book. And I mean so high you can’t even see from a mile away, because there were definitely some parts I had not been expecting.
These guys don’t have baggage, they have an entire luggage train. It was initially difficult to keep track of everyone, especially when the full team was introduced, but by the end of the story, I both had it down and was fascinated by the multiple layers of interaction and dynamics between them all. So you might be wondering, what is this damn cheap trilogy about? Essentially it’s one of those “a group of outcasts come together” to save the day situations except the day doesn’t need saving and they don’t exactly come together-they do…but well they don’t. As I continue down my rabbit hole of AFTG research, I’ll add my updates to subsequent reviews. The author will release a fourth book in the next couple of years, which follows one of the other Exy players who escaped from The Ravens at the end of the third book.
The Foxes’ battle toward becoming a true team involves the prickliest found-family vibes ever. Along the way, Neil starts to shift out of survival mode (despite his best intentions), and his emotional intelligence development is compelling and as adorable as it is frustrating. Sakavic hits us with a brutal ending that makes for a fascinating hook toward the final book, and I’m wasting no time writing my review so that I can dive right in as soon as possible. Her writing is quite mature and fluid and her characters are definitely her selling point. The Foxes are an amazing group of individuals and I slowly fell in love with each of them.
These two definitely grew on me in this book, and I would gladly PROTECT THEM WITH MY LIFE. It contains a lot of elements and factors which just makes me more curious as a reader. Right now, this first book seemed more like prologue as it mainly introduced the characters, the world, the game, and everything else. One of Neil’s new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can’t walk away from him a second time. Maybe he’s finally found someone and something worth fighting for.
We get introduced to a cast of characters, all of who have their own distinct personalities and arcs, and the fictional sport Exy, which the entire series basically revolves around. The last time I finished a book series was probably years ago. Not only that, but it had taken me years to get through all the installments. Getting to even the second book is a rare occurrence for me. Finishing an entire trilogy is practically impossible, especially with my attention span nowadays. I absolutely loved the characters and all their character developments AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.
