Check & Mate
Ratings194
Average rating3.9
I totally wish there were more moments between them because I'm a sap, but I did thoroughly enjoy reading this. It's so fluffy.
As saudades que eu tinha de um homem escrito por esta mulher, nunca desilude
I just finished Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood and here are my thoughts.
Mallory Greenlead doesn't play chess anymore. Not in years but her friend begs her to play a charity tournament. She isn't expecting much but when she unexpectedly wipes the floor with the current world champion, she flees and doesn't look back.
That is until the organizer shows up on her doorstep. Offering her a fellowship, paid for, for one year. The money would be a huge bonus in taking care of her family bills. Not expecting it to go anyway, she still has a gift for the game and the cash prizes are going a long way but can she keep her curiosity for Nolan out of her head and in the game she needs to win? The game that ripped her family apart in the first place?
I will start by saying, I was quite thrilled to see that the author included an autoimmune disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, as the reason Mallory was taking care of her family. I've never seen something I live with daily, in a book before. It's a severe and debilitating autoimmune disease that really is quite horrific. Cancer drugs and steroids are what is given to try and stop your body attacking itself and often, it barely does much so I am really pleased this was highlighted.
I am not a fan of chess, I know very little about the game, but it really didn't matter. The book was very well written and so cute! I felt like I learned something from reading it.
I thought Mallory was a great MC. She understood she had ti step up for her family and when she was given a chance to bring in more money, she did it, even when she didn't want to. I love Nolan. He was dead inside until she beat him in that game and she awoke something in him.
It was great book and I am so glad I got a copy from my library.
4.5 stars, I am totally biased though because I do love Ali hazelwoods books.
3.5/5 ⭐
This book got me obsessed with chess for a second there. The book wasn't one of my favorites but it wasn't bad. Nolan was ok but I hated Mallory so much. She had no right to be pissed at Nolan. And what was wrong with her sisters?
first read of 2024!!!
i really loved this and this honestly makes me want to try playing chess haha (i already know i'd be awful at it tho). however i really didn't like the third act conflict as it's literally one of my LEAST fav tropes. (lying / miscommunication). if it wasn't for that and the in my opinion underwhelming ending it would've been a 5 star read too.
-1 stars
This was a fucking piece of shit. Only good thing was that I didn't have to read a sex on the chessboard scene.
No coherent thoughts, only curses for this book.
There was dubious consent and many vaguely insulting things. Learn to do fucking research (the chess moves for the Polgar vs Anand game were wrong even though it's available on a simple Google search), stop trying to appeal to the tiktok masses.
Stabbing this book like it's Julius Caesar.
Me ha encantado, ha sido super adictivo y entretenido. Me han entrado ganas de aprender a jugar al ajedrez de manera un poco más profesional (porque yo solo sé como se mueven las piezas y poco más).
Me he leído todas las novelas de Ali Hazelwood que ha sacado por ahora, y creo que está es mi favorita por lo menos hasta que saque Bride y Not In Love, que ya veremos si la superan.
Ranking de libros de Ali:
1. Jaque mate al amor
2. La teoría del amor
3. La hipótesis del amor
4. La química del amor
I didn???t like Mallory. Nolan was great but not much more than a side character.
Also, I may be old fashioned but I found Mallory???s use of hookup apps and casual sex (no need to remember their names) to be out of place in a ya romance.
The book was closed door, so there wasn???t really much difference when she slept with Nolan than the guys in earlier chapters.
Feel like this would???ve been better as NA including some steamy scenes with the main love interest. As it was, they didn???t have much chemistry and I had no idea why he liked her.
The chess plot was okay, but all very unrealistic. I struggled to believe someone who hadn???t played chess for a long time would so easily beat the best in the world.
“When I'm with you, I want to play more than I want to win” is sweetest thing I've ever read holy shit
I can see why this is Ali Azelwood's favorite child. Check & Mate is a wonderful YA and I was enthralled by the story from the beginning.
While the story is not one bit believable, it was a fun read and I can see a lot of young adults and people from generation Z relating with the characters.
Mallory is a great female lead: she is strong willed, caring, smart and funny. Her insecurities are understandable and make the final conflict believable. I loved to see her grow and was quite surprised by seeing her admit to her flaws and apologize.
Nolan is the sweetest character and I only wish we could have seen more of him and their romance. He is tall and broody, falls first, but reads Mallory better than a book. He is caring, protective, vulnerable and mature. In one word: Wonderful
Ali knows her readers well, and I'm sure most will appreciate all the pop culture references. This is, however, one of my pet peeves and I wish someone would advise Ali against it. It just dates the books, and not only might presently alienate some readers, it will certainly alienate future readers, while adding absolutely no value to the story. This is a pity because this book actually shows character growth, as opposed to most of YA I've read lately. I would be quite willing to show this to my daughter, but as most of the problems teenagers face cross generations, their “interests” vary. Honestly: TikTok, AO3, Percy Jackson, Riverdale, Timothy Chalame, Goodreads (and I bet some Taylor swift codes which I blessedly won't be able to find) probably won't even be cool next year.
Ironically, this is the book that treats sex in a healthier and positive way.
Gorgeous cover, good romance, great character development. You did great job Aly
Of course Ali does it again - another 5 star read that she wrote. I just love her writing style so much, it's so easy and nice to read, it's empowering and it always makes me FEEL. I loved the characters in this new book, especially Nolan, he is such a sweetheart.
Excuse me, sir? I need to sign up for chess lessons NOW. The way this had me so invested in chess that I was biting my nails OFF for Mallory and Nolan. Nolan just cared so much for Mallory that he had me on my KNESS. I don't want I NEED a tall, smart brunette who's good at chess in my life. What? is not that hard. Don't think because this is Ali Hazelwood's first young adult romance novel is going to be less than her other books. NOT AT ALL. This is just as good (I could even say way better!)