A review by taypaige25
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

emotional funny hopeful fast-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

5.0

ali hazlewood, you did it again! being an adult in my late twenties, i will say first and foremost that i was nervous to read YA. i don’t touch it anymore unless its a really beloved series. but this…i loved truly and dearly. i also found myself enjoying chess as the plot device, which i didn’t expect to happen. 

the romance was freaking adorable and pure and i just wanted to squish their cheeks. nolan sawyer was the cutest little guy, and i enjoy when a guy is just head over heels and is super sure about it. i think the side characters were strong too, and i giggled way too many times at mallory’s little sisters.

it was a big heap of slow burn, and i still feel robbed of more time for mallory and nolan together. but it’s okay. the characters really truly likeable, despite the fact that i’ve seen so many people say they dislike mallory. but i relate to her something fierce. i was that 18 year old without stable parents trying to raise my brother and skipping college and getting dead end jobs. it brought me back to a place where i can say now that i’m proud of myself. and i’m proud of her too
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