Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

4 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

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

lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative 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

I love Ali Hazelwood with my whole chest and I truly consider this book her best work yet!! The vulnerability and rawness of Mallory’s POV hit me so deeply, as someone who played tons of chess with my own dad. And as a woman in a male dominated career field, I ached and raged alongside her with all the sexism she puts up with.

And Nolan is glorious. Chess > sex always.

CW: parental abandonment, family member death (in past), chronic illness, realistic sexism, infrequent strong language

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual content and Cursing