Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

10 reviews

britwalsh16's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Ali Hazelwood has done it again, & though it isn’t my favorite book of hers. I absolutely could not put it down. 
I loved Mallory and her struggle with dealing with her guilt & grief throughout the book, but who was she kidding when she said she wouldn’t get sucked back into the world she never stopped loving! Lol
And Nolan! Omg! I LOVE Nolan! He isn’t what you expect when you are told all the stories about him near the beginning. But the love at first sight that he got for Mal when he finally looked up from the chess board when she beat him, what girl wouldn’t want him to fall for them! He fell so hard, & he tried so hard to win Mal over! He is just the sweetest!!! I want a Nolan for myself!!! 🥰🥰🥰

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Bullying, Car accident, Grief, Infidelity, and Chronic illness

Minor: Violence, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Abandonment, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Sexual content

coffeekitaab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Ali Hazelwood books can do no wrong in my mind - there's always something I take away, just a calm and breezy read. This one was a really sweet story and I loved the characters, representation of gender fluidity, LGBTQ+ , I just felt some development may have been lacking with the male protagonist but it came together at the end for me..plus a new intrigue surrounding the chess world! I really want to explore the resources credited at the end and also watch The Queens Gambit! As a YA this was a pleasant, quick read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Infidelity, Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent

evelynyle_88's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Congrats on your YA debut, Ali Hazelwood!

Check & Mate is a perfect Young Adult debut by you, Ali! The idea of the story itself is fresh! And the themes... it is the first time for me reading a book about chess tournament. And I love the tropes in it! I love this perfect story so much!

For female lead... I think Mallory for me is a bit complicated as a person (but I don't hate her because I understand her struggles). And for our male lead... ugh! What can I say about Nolan Sawyer? I love him so much! He is so vulnerable and realistic when it comes to dicussion. I love him so much!!! 

This book has a perfect story and perfect ending. I love how you put the ending on the epilogue, Ali! What a stunning Young Adult debut! 

Check & Mate, solid 4.5⭐! Thank you for this wholesome touching story! You are really a romance powerhouse!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Chronic illness

Minor: Cursing, Car accident, and Alcoholism

uranaishi's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Dementia, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Car accident, and Infidelity

felicityvaughn's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Sexism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Death of parent, Dementia, and Infidelity

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Classism, and Bullying

Minor: Car accident, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

levesc17's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

There’s a few elite YA books that work well for an adult reader, and this is one of them. This book is DIVINE! It is my new favorite Hazelwood book— the romance is swoony and as usual she deftly explores sexism in the most perfect way possible. This is my favorite Hazelwood MC— Mallory is IT!!! Any former parentified child with a guilt complex will feel SEEN! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism and Car accident

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

This book simultaneously wrecked me and was everything to me.  Mallory is no stranger to being female in male-dominated spaces.  Before she secretly re-entered the chess world after a four-year hiatus, she supported her family as a mechanic.  But a surprise checkmate against the world’s top player upends her life in ways she never expected.  A queer queen of hookups and avoider of emotional connection, Mallory may have finally found her perfect match—Nolan, the only person who sees chess the way she does: beautiful, artistic, all-consuming.  The sexual tension between them is unrivaled, and each is healing from family trauma.  This is a story of a gifted young woman who dares to follow her dream.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, and Chronic illness

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Car accident, Infidelity, Sexual content, Dementia, and Violence

ryanbada's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Outing, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

meganpbell's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

The DRAMA of the international chess scene, a reluctant heroine SLAYING the game, and a demisexual KING who only has dark eyes for her?? This romance between a chess prodigy who gave up the game years ago and the bad boy™️ World Champion she trashes at her first game back…it checkmated my heart and made me absolutely rabid to read more! Have you ever heard of the touch-move rule? You’re about to learn. Pick this up, and you won’t put it down til you finish!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Chronic illness and Sexual content

Minor: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, and Infidelity