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jenvogel80's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Infidelity and Dementia
llamalucia's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I really enjoyed this book and I've read over reviews where people feel like Mallory was pretty annoying at times but I actually really enjoyed her as a character.
The person I didn't like was her mother. I'm unsure how you don't realize the weight of the world is on your eighteen year old daughters shoulders when she is single handedly paying the mortgage and doing most of the childcare. I feel like it was almost negligent.
Okay let's talk about Nolan. I love him so much. I just love how much support and mutual respect he has for Mallory. There are so many things he did behind the scenes and the way he would stand up for her?! Perfect.During the end at the press conference when he spoke about her had me smiling so hard.
I've said this about Ali Hazelwood books before but I adore the way she writes background characters. She makes them so loveable that you just want a book with their stories.
Overall it was such a good read, there were just some parts that were frustrating to get through.
Okay let's talk about Nolan. I love him so much. I just love how much support and mutual respect he has for Mallory. There are so many things he did behind the scenes and the way he would stand up for her?! Perfect.
I've said this about Ali Hazelwood books before but I adore the way she writes background characters. She makes them so loveable that you just want a book with their stories.
Overall it was such a good read, there were just some parts that were frustrating to get through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction
atamano's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
Minor: Dementia, Car accident, Violence, Cursing, Infertility, and Alcohol
ka_schulze's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief
Minor: Dementia
author2223's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Bullying, Death of parent, and Infidelity
Minor: Car accident
boba_n_books's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
Spice Rating: 🌶️ / 5
Even though I don't know much about chess, I still had so much fun reading Check & Mate.
At just 18 years old, Mallory feels the burden of providing for her mother, who has rheumatoid arthritis, and her two younger sisters. She's been able to until recently, when she got fired from her job as an auto mechanic. But after playing in a charity chess tournament for the first time in years, Mallory receives an offer for a chess fellowship. Even though Mallory swore off chess after her father suddenly passed away, she can't pass up the great salary. Surely she can keep chess at work and not become obsessed with again... right? Mallory has been keeping her chess fellowship secret to protect her family from the unpleasant memories they associate with chess, but after she starts to win tournaments and becomes internet famous, she might not be able to keep the ruse up much longer. And once she gets to know chess champion Nolan Sawyer, Mallory isn't sure she wants to keep her two lives separate anymore. She finally feels seen, and nothing is more terrifying to Mallory than that.
I thought this was such a cute novel! I loved learning more about chess and seeing the gender gap within the chess world. This is such a sweet romance with plenty of emotional backstory.
Even though I don't know much about chess, I still had so much fun reading Check & Mate.
At just 18 years old, Mallory feels the burden of providing for her mother, who has rheumatoid arthritis, and her two younger sisters. She's been able to until recently, when she got fired from her job as an auto mechanic. But after playing in a charity chess tournament for the first time in years, Mallory receives an offer for a chess fellowship. Even though Mallory swore off chess after her father suddenly passed away, she can't pass up the great salary. Surely she can keep chess at work and not become obsessed with again... right? Mallory has been keeping her chess fellowship secret to protect her family from the unpleasant memories they associate with chess, but after she starts to win tournaments and becomes internet famous, she might not be able to keep the ruse up much longer. And once she gets to know chess champion Nolan Sawyer, Mallory isn't sure she wants to keep her two lives separate anymore. She finally feels seen, and nothing is more terrifying to Mallory than that.
I thought this was such a cute novel! I loved learning more about chess and seeing the gender gap within the chess world. This is such a sweet romance with plenty of emotional backstory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Minor: Dementia, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
cwatson1234's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Death of parent
cookiemonster0_0's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Death
xarah's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ik it’s not the height of sophistication but idec 😭😭 an ali hazelwood is always insanely predictable (he has always been obsessed with her, third act break-up) but always so much fun to read, it’s like she puts crack in ts honestly
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism and Death of parent
jencolumb0's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.75
Another deeply satisfying Ali Hazelwood delight, filled with funny observations, spice, and (mostly) charming characters. (The characters who are not charming get what they deserve and it is satisfying too.)
My own lack of familiarity with chess made the (comforting) tropes feel less predictable. (Though, in the notes, Hazelwood acknowledges that she took a fair amount of liberty with chess details to make the story work out well. I would expect that, if you are a true chess nerd, this book might be annoying . . . and I’d actually be curious as to what is off, technically, about this book. An annotated copy would be super interesting. I digress.)
Mallory & Nolan are easy to ship. Arguably more importantly, as the book unfolds, it’s lovely to see Mallory put down a lot of the things she’s been carrying because she realizes that relationships can be repaired and she’s not as alone as she thinks she is: it doesn’t have to be, forever, as hard as it has been.
Somewhat relatedly, I really appreciated the discussion in the book of casual sex. Mallory is down, depicted (generally) being responsible about it (the wisdom and safety of hooking up in a car in an otherwise public place raises questions but, throughout the book, there are clear statements of heterosexual couples relying on condoms when engaging in penetrative sex ), clear that “sex” is about sharing of bodies for pleasure and not just p-in-v penetration that can lead to babies, and gives a clearly-articulated explanation as to why she chooses to share her body with the folks she does. The book is fade-to-black (which Hazelwood, naturally, still manages to make steamy but I would call the pre-fade scenes PG-13 at best). Nolan is coded as shades of Ace (or, alternatively, Pan, with Mallory being the only person he’s ever been interested in having sex with ) SO, reviews that complain about too much discussion of sex are . . . slut-shaming a fictional 18-year-old?? That’s messed up.
Personally, I found this to be a sex-positive delight that slips in neatly between binges of Heartstopper and Sex Education. Bravissima, Ali Hazelwood!
My own lack of familiarity with chess made the (comforting) tropes feel less predictable. (Though, in the notes, Hazelwood acknowledges that she took a fair amount of liberty with chess details to make the story work out well. I would expect that, if you are a true chess nerd, this book might be annoying . . . and I’d actually be curious as to what is off, technically, about this book. An annotated copy would be super interesting. I digress.)
Mallory & Nolan are easy to ship. Arguably more importantly, as the book unfolds, it’s lovely to see Mallory put down a lot of the things she’s been carrying because she realizes that relationships can be repaired and she’s not as alone as she thinks she is: it doesn’t have to be, forever, as hard as it has been.
Somewhat relatedly, I really appreciated the discussion in the book of casual sex. Mallory is down, depicted (generally) being responsible about it (
Personally, I found this to be a sex-positive delight that slips in neatly between binges of Heartstopper and Sex Education. Bravissima, Ali Hazelwood!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Abandonment, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, and Dementia
Minor: Car accident and Classism
The bullying and misogyny are challenged. The CWs listed as “moderate” are the avenues in which folks in the book experience abandonment (plus “chronic illness”).