Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Check & Mate

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

28 reviews

melissaslibraryy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

This is my third Ali Hazelwood novel and she did her lil thing with this one im ngl 😋 I’m obsessed with Nolan and how smitten he was with Mallory after she outsmarted him and won their chess game. Also the fact that she is bi and has a supportive family is just 🥹🫶 bc we rarely get to see rom-coms where the mc’s in a heterosexual relationship have different sexualities other than being straight, so this was refreshing. I do agree with some people opinions that this should’ve been marketed as a new adult instead of YA bc even if it wasn’t incredibly descriptive, the spicy scene in the book was hardly fade to black either. I will definitely continue to read books by this author bc I enjoy her writing and how each book sheds a positive light on feminism.

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sarahdittmore's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

A delightful YA romance! I never thought I’d care this much about chess, but by the end I was as engrossed in the outcome of the chess tournament as I was the romance.

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whatrobynsreading's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

This was fun but not one I will think about often. I liked the diversity of characters and family dynamics and exploring those but Mallory pissed me off - lol another classic Ali Hazelwood FMC. I also appreciated how this wasn’t another woman in STEM romance but still a woman thriving in a male dominated field. Also it is not YA like it is marketed. It is a normal romance between younger adults - still has spice!!
I kinda want to learn how to play chess hahaha

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chasingpages1's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.75

I absolutely adore anything that Ali Hazlewood puts out, and this was no exception. Dare I say, it might be my…favorite (I’m so sorry Love on the Brain).
Check and mate intertwines chess commentary with a heartfelt love story and family exploration. It was an emotional roller roaster that left me both hysterically crying and laughing at the same time.
I would highly, highly recommend

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ellelockley's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective tense 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

3.0

I picked this up because I really loved Ali Hazelwood's past books, and whilst this one was enjoyable and I finished it in one day, it does not compare to the others. I did like her tackling of Mallory's inner thoughts and the pressure she puts on herself, whilst also showing her flaws. Hazelwood demonstrated well the world of misogyny that exists in competitive chess which I am sure gives female chess players the representation they want. I do think the character development was a bit iffy and I feel like Mallory's feelings were not properly validated and were sort of glossed over to acknowledge others'. I would recommend this book who want an easy read.

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andreapepsii's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

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tabea1409's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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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pantslint's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted sad 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

3.5

Compared to Hazelwood's other work that I've read, I think this might be the weakest. While the characters are certainly as loveable as usual,

it seems like she didn't know what to do with certain characters once their use for Mallory and Nolan's storylines were done. Koch was such an obviously nasty villain, but his demise was off-screen and passive—not the retribution I was waiting for. Like he was barely an afterthought... which he is as a person, but it just felt way too easy? The side love story of Emil and Tanu felt thrown away. The details about their friendship and love made me root for them, only for their development to happen off-screen as well. While they certainly aren't the main focus, it just felt a little like unfinished business. And that's the general vibe I get from this story overall: it feels like there are too many gaps of unfinished business.

Regardless, I still love this book though, just as I love all of Hazelwood's love stories. I couldn't put it down until I knew FOR CERTAIN what happened... which was until the end. :)

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btg's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-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

4.75

Gosh darn it, Hazelwood, you've done it again. This is an absolutely FABULOUS deconstruction of a parentified caretaker character that hit me hard. As per usual, Hazelwood's male protagonist takes absolutely none of the very relatable female protagonist's bullshit -- it's still a little unrealistic, but it has this fantasy element to it that I eat for breakfast. The main characters are so cute together and they have a fast-progressing relationship. The pacing of this book is lightning fast; I could not put it down. I hate chess and Ali Hazelwood actually made me love it for the span of this book.

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