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A review by stardust_heidi
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I honestly don't know if this is how I want to rate this book, but I'm rolling with it for now. I had such conflicting thoughts throughout this book, though I overall enjoyed it.
Honestly, Mallory annoyed me a lot. A LOT. She's controlling, single minded in her aims (like telling herself she's the only one who can take care of her family), etc. I understand that her world fell apart at 14 and that she more recently experienced even greater loss, intricately tied to the events from years before. I had a lot of complicated feelings about Mallory's mother and her lack of....i don't know...stepping up? Enforcing more appropriate boundaries regarding Mallory basically stepping in as the head of the household, etc etc. Mallory was allowed to get away with her bullshit for so long until she just erupted, which.... Not surprised tbh. Basically, I wanted to throw Mallory into a giant wheelbarrow and cart her off to a therapist for the majority of the book.
However, even with all this, Ali delivered a classic Ali way. Gotta love thatboring/predictable/lazy third act breakup and all that drama. I will say... I read a few other reviews on SG that said C&M read more like a coming of age story than a romance, and I wholeheartedly agree. I liked the romance, sure. Nolan is precious, as are his friends. BUT. I think the more important focus of this book is on Mallory and her confronting a lot demons and traumas from her childhood and start to learn how to grow and mature. Ali really did nail that immature and "I KNOW EVERYTHING" 18 year old mentality; maybe that's why Mallory annoyed me so much lmao. But Mallory really needed that lecture from Oz -- I was so relieved when he showed up. And then that implosion with her family -- also MUCH needed and very much belated.
Sometimes we all need that reminder that the universe does not, in fact, revolve around our individual selves.
I'm glad Mallory and Easton were able to work through their shit as well; that whole "I just assumed" on behalf of someone else's thoughts and decisions is something I can relate strongly to. I'm guilty of that as well.
The ending was....a bit anticlimactic tbh. I realize it would have been impossible to go through all 12 games together, but to basically reunite Nolan and Mallory for 10 seconds and then end with an ARTICLE epilogue from a different POV was not as satisfying as I would have liked it to be.
Honestly, Mallory annoyed me a lot. A LOT. She's controlling, single minded in her aims (like telling herself she's the only one who can take care of her family), etc. I understand that her world fell apart at 14 and that she more recently experienced even greater loss, intricately tied to the events from years before. I had a lot of complicated feelings about Mallory's mother and her lack of....i don't know...stepping up? Enforcing more appropriate boundaries regarding Mallory basically stepping in as the head of the household, etc etc. Mallory was allowed to get away with her bullshit for so long until she just erupted, which.... Not surprised tbh. Basically, I wanted to throw Mallory into a giant wheelbarrow and cart her off to a therapist for the majority of the book.
However, even with all this, Ali delivered a classic Ali way. Gotta love that
Sometimes we all need that reminder that the universe does not, in fact, revolve around our individual selves.
I'm glad Mallory and Easton were able to work through their shit as well; that whole "I just assumed" on behalf of someone else's thoughts and decisions is something I can relate strongly to. I'm guilty of that as well.
The ending was....a bit anticlimactic tbh. I realize it would have been impossible to go through all 12 games together, but to basically reunite Nolan and Mallory for 10 seconds and then end with an ARTICLE epilogue from a different POV was not as satisfying as I would have liked it to be.