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stardustandrockets's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
kathis_wonderland's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Check & Mate is the first young-adult novel by Ali Hazelwood. Mallory swore off playing chess forever but agrees to play at a charity event. There she wins against current world champion Nolan. After that Mallory starts to play chess more and crosses paths with Nolan. But Mallory has many responsibilities at home and Nolan is her rival. However, this does not keep them from coming closer to each other.
I became a massive Ali Hazelwood fan and I am glad that I enjoyed her YA debut as well. It often happens that when authors who usually write spicy books write a young adult novel tend to include explicit spicy scenes in it. This is something I am a bit sceptical as so many young people in their early teens are reading YA and spice is just something that might be too early for them to read. But Ali Hazelwood did well! We cannot expect for eighteen to twenty-year-olds to not think about or have sex. This book had no explicit scenes in it. There were instances where the reader knows what is happening, but nothing explicit.
This love story is really slow to develop! I was rooting for them for a long, long time and couldn't wait for their first kiss. There were so many swoon-worthy scenes. When he trapped her leg between his during dinner. There first kiss. Him just being there to support without showing himself to her. Oh, Nolan is just the cutest. He is so patient. Mallory has a lot on her plate. My heart ached for her. The book actually made me cry towards the end. That hasn't happened in quite a while. But I kind of knew how Mallory was feeling. The overburdening and overwhelming feelings one has when they feel responsible for everything. I have so much respect for her. And it is awesome that we have a bi main character!
I really enjoyed this book. It had some really slow parts and I had to google some chess words as I don't know them in English. But Mallory and Nolan have good chemistry and I love how they love chess. I can highly recommend Ali Hazelwood's books.
I became a massive Ali Hazelwood fan and I am glad that I enjoyed her YA debut as well. It often happens that when authors who usually write spicy books write a young adult novel tend to include explicit spicy scenes in it. This is something I am a bit sceptical as so many young people in their early teens are reading YA and spice is just something that might be too early for them to read. But Ali Hazelwood did well! We cannot expect for eighteen to twenty-year-olds to not think about or have sex. This book had no explicit scenes in it. There were instances where the reader knows what is happening, but nothing explicit.
This love story is really slow to develop! I was rooting for them for a long, long time and couldn't wait for their first kiss. There were so many swoon-worthy scenes. When he trapped her leg between his during dinner. There first kiss. Him just being there to support without showing himself to her. Oh, Nolan is just the cutest. He is so patient. Mallory has a lot on her plate. My heart ached for her. The book actually made me cry towards the end. That hasn't happened in quite a while. But I kind of knew how Mallory was feeling. The overburdening and overwhelming feelings one has when they feel responsible for everything. I have so much respect for her. And it is awesome that we have a bi main character!
I really enjoyed this book. It had some really slow parts and I had to google some chess words as I don't know them in English. But Mallory and Nolan have good chemistry and I love how they love chess. I can highly recommend Ali Hazelwood's books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Chronic illness and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Dementia, Car accident, and Alcohol
readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Check & Mate stole my heart! Mal and Nolan are so cute, and I loved the chess so much. This book made me want to go rewatch The Queen’s Gambit, and to get into chess, and to reread all my favorite Ali Hazelwood books.
I will say this didn’t feel very YA to me, except for when it did. At times it felt like a closed door adult romance, and at others it was very obvious that Mallory was a teenager (/derogotory, it was very well written shitty teenager behavior 🤣). I think age groups for books can be a bit subjective, but sometimes I forgot Mal wasn’t in her mid 20s.
Ali Hazelwood always hits, and this was close to a home run. 4.5 stars.
I will say this didn’t feel very YA to me, except for when it did. At times it felt like a closed door adult romance, and at others it was very obvious that Mallory was a teenager (/derogotory, it was very well written shitty teenager behavior 🤣). I think age groups for books can be a bit subjective, but sometimes I forgot Mal wasn’t in her mid 20s.
Ali Hazelwood always hits, and this was close to a home run. 4.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
readingtheskyline's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked this book. It's very rare in media where you see male characters who love their partners to death yet still are stoic. The main thing I didn't like was the whole point of Mallory’s character development, It took her so long to realize why she was so uptight regarding chess and emotional vulnerability. Though, that talk with Oz at the end, was so cathartic, finally getting to see that characters in the universe also thought she was being silly was awesome.
I liked Nolan, he was such a character! He was the dark and mysterious type that I think many women find appealing because he has that mystique without being a total dick.
Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and this author's writing style and ability to make all the characters in her books seem to have so much personality, even side characters.
I liked Nolan, he was such a character! He was the dark and mysterious type that I think many women find appealing because he has that mystique without being a total dick.
Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and this author's writing style and ability to make all the characters in her books seem to have so much personality, even side characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
clairebartholomew549's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I put off reading this despite my absolute love for Ali Hazelwood (I've been pre-ordering her books since Love on the Brain, lol) because I'm not a huge fan of YA romance - unfortunately, I need my smut, lmao! Thankfully, as my favorite book Instagrammer Beach Reads & Bubbly put it in her review, this book is absolutely brimming with sexual tension, and despite no overt sex scenes, there is a lot of steamy content. Ali is so good at taking opaque and esoteric fields that are not that easily digestible to a layperson and making them make sense - I know nothing about chess, and I was able to follow all of this relatively easily - and she always exposes the sexism and misogyny inherent in those fields with a deft and light touch. I loved Mallory as a character, and I adored her family and the way their ecosystem operated. That was one benefit of Ali writing YA - in her other books her characters are grown-ups and we don't get to see a lot of how they grew up, and of course Mallory's family is so central to her story. As usual, the found family aspect is also quite strong. I just love Ali's books so much! I'm pumped to read Ali's newest book Not in Love, which is supposed to be her steamiest yet, squeal!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
daisyfont's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, and Alcohol
onewhogivesthevictory's review against another edition
I want to read a lighthearted cute novel, I liked the main character but opted out due to there being mentions of sex which quickly made me lose interest.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
cayleybp's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent
nicoletacilibiu's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Este a doua carte pe care o citesc unde povestea se învârte în jurul șahului și pot spune că mai vreau, deși abilitățile mele de a juca șah lasă de dorit. Mi-a plăcut mai mult decât Gambitul Damei și Ipoteza iubirii. La prima nu mi-a plăcut protagonista și s-a creat un fel de distanță emoțională între mine și poveste, iar în cazul celei de-a doua cuplul nu mi s-a părut că are vreo chimie, plus că protagonista m-a enervat de prea multe ori pentru că nu comunica nimic.
Inițial am crezut că e o carte New Adult pentru că se abordează tema sexualității, însă pe parcurs s-a dovedit a fi un YA drăguț cu personaje mai mature ca și vârstă. O problemă pe care am văzut că au avut-o alte persoane cu cartea e faptul că protagonista are prea multe întâlniri de-o noapte, iar asta ar fi nerealist la 18 ani. Poate în România, însă în America nu mi se pare chiar nerealist, mai ales că urmăresc creatori de conținut de acolo care povestesc despre acest fenomen. Prefer să nu comentez dacă e un lucru bun sau rău. Fiecare face ce vrea cu viața lui. Am apreciat totuși că nu există niciun fel de judecată asupra persoanelor care fac asta, sunt de altă orientare sexuală sau nu au avut vreo experiență sexuală. Toată lumea e bine primită.
Altă temă abordată este cea a sacrificiului și chiar generează foarte multă dramă în poveste. E vizibil că Mal e destul de traumatizată din cauza asta, ascunde multă suferință și de asta se crizează de vreo două ori la săracul Nolan care nu îi făcuse nimic rău. M-a înfuriat atitudinea surorilor ei pentru că ele nu vedeau cât de mult muncește singură fata asta. După ce că vezi că nu îți permiți anumite lucruri mai vii și cu pretenții. Nu îi ușurau deloc din greutate. O concluzie la care am ajuns e că nu e bine să oferi întotdeauna ajutor când nu îți este cerut sau dacă o faci mai bine să nu știe. Tendința asta o am și eu și am observat că poate duce la alt fel de rezultate decât cele dorite. Îl face pe celălalt să se simtă inferior. Ciudat lucru, dar se întâmplă.
Mi-a plăcut tare mult povestea și pentru că am destul de multe în comun cu personajele, iar astfel mi-a fost ușor să intru în atmosferă. Mal m-a enervat de mai multe ori, însă înțeleg de ce e așa. Nolan e copia mea fidelă, versiunea mea masculină. Poate din acest motiv nici nu mi s-a părut nesimțit. :)) Unde mai găsești un băiat care să fie fascinat de inteligența unei fete? Aici. O gură de aer proaspăt, căci în realitate majoritatea se deranjează imediat dacă le atingi și din greșeală egoul. Pe lângă asta, mi-au plăcut și menționările din pop culture. Au ajutat ca povestea să fie mult mai realistă, iar orice adolescent să se poată regăsi în universul creat. Finalul a fost previzibil și cam abrupt, însă putem trece peste asta.
Am nevoie de mai multe cărți cu acțiunea centrată în jurul șahului.
Inițial am crezut că e o carte New Adult pentru că se abordează tema sexualității, însă pe parcurs s-a dovedit a fi un YA drăguț cu personaje mai mature ca și vârstă. O problemă pe care am văzut că au avut-o alte persoane cu cartea e faptul că protagonista are prea multe întâlniri de-o noapte, iar asta ar fi nerealist la 18 ani. Poate în România, însă în America nu mi se pare chiar nerealist, mai ales că urmăresc creatori de conținut de acolo care povestesc despre acest fenomen. Prefer să nu comentez dacă e un lucru bun sau rău. Fiecare face ce vrea cu viața lui. Am apreciat totuși că nu există niciun fel de judecată asupra persoanelor care fac asta, sunt de altă orientare sexuală sau nu au avut vreo experiență sexuală. Toată lumea e bine primită.
Altă temă abordată este cea a sacrificiului și chiar generează foarte multă dramă în poveste. E vizibil că Mal e destul de traumatizată din cauza asta, ascunde multă suferință și de asta se crizează de vreo două ori la săracul Nolan care nu îi făcuse nimic rău. M-a înfuriat atitudinea surorilor ei pentru că ele nu vedeau cât de mult muncește singură fata asta. După ce că vezi că nu îți permiți anumite lucruri mai vii și cu pretenții. Nu îi ușurau deloc din greutate. O concluzie la care am ajuns e că nu e bine să oferi întotdeauna ajutor când nu îți este cerut sau dacă o faci mai bine să nu știe. Tendința asta o am și eu și am observat că poate duce la alt fel de rezultate decât cele dorite. Îl face pe celălalt să se simtă inferior. Ciudat lucru, dar se întâmplă.
Mi-a plăcut tare mult povestea și pentru că am destul de multe în comun cu personajele, iar astfel mi-a fost ușor să intru în atmosferă. Mal m-a enervat de mai multe ori, însă înțeleg de ce e așa. Nolan e copia mea fidelă, versiunea mea masculină. Poate din acest motiv nici nu mi s-a părut nesimțit. :)) Unde mai găsești un băiat care să fie fascinat de inteligența unei fete? Aici. O gură de aer proaspăt, căci în realitate majoritatea se deranjează imediat dacă le atingi și din greșeală egoul. Pe lângă asta, mi-au plăcut și menționările din pop culture. Au ajutat ca povestea să fie mult mai realistă, iar orice adolescent să se poată regăsi în universul creat. Finalul a fost previzibil și cam abrupt, însă putem trece peste asta.
Am nevoie de mai multe cărți cu acțiunea centrată în jurul șahului.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
ataylor8's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content