Check & Mate | 
panHonestly, this was so boring. It‘s not my typical genre and I feel like it was really hyped up, so maybe my expectations were too high, but this one just wasn‘t for me. I do really like the cover though. #hauntedshelf #hexesandcrows @Catsandbooks
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I always enjoy a good sports story, and this chess-centric romance definitely scratches that itch! There were some things I didn‘t love, mostly to do with the character of Mallory and her family, but overall this is a fun, quick, heartfelt read.
Probably the most confusing thing about this book is that it‘s being called a young adult novel, and it absolutely is not.
So it‘s a good book, one I would recommend, but not to younger readers.
panNo one is more surprised than I am to learn that I hated this book. I liked the concept of a romance within competitive chess, but the MC Mallory is so idiotic that it pained me to listen. My eyeballs were going to roll back in my head for all the times I scoffed at her cluelessness. Every chapter she was newly confused as to why Nolan (who fell in love with her the first time they met for no apparent reason) was spending time with her/saving 👇
pickAfter Mallory has a traumatic family event, she stops playing chess. That‘s until she beats world chess champion, Nolan. He convinces her to enter competitions, & as she moves up the ranks, she realizes her passion again. Will she win World Champion?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This is one of my favorites of hers so far. I loved the character chemistry. It was funny, cute, & deep. I also liked that the MC was lgbtq.
#yabooks lgbtqiabooks
Somehow all of my holds have come in at once, right in the middle of a good mood reading stretch! I‘m going to have to challenge myself, but hopefully I can get through all of these in the next 14 days. Wish me luck 🎉
If you‘ve read any of these, and you think it‘s a MUST READ, please let me know! Currently listening to the tagged!
pickFun! Love the chess and enemies-to-lovers. Well written and great dialogue
pickFinally finished a book again!! ✌️ Pregnancy brain made focussing on a book really hard but the maternity leave relaxation helps with the focus. So glad I can now work on my backlog a bit. I enjoyed the book, it was entertaining and I didn‘t need to think real hard about the story&plot which made my focus better as well! #checkandmate #alihazelwood
Chose this one. Got a fire going. Not feeling very well. I do hope with some rest I won't get really sick.
Got both of these from the library today. Not sure which book to choose.
pickI love Ali Hazelwood and this YA debut was so good. The characters, the world of competitive chess and the stresses of caring for family at a young age were all so well written. Loved the audiobook!
#BookSpinBingo #readyourTBR #Roll100
I just cannot focus on Iron Flame right now so to change it up I will be reading this one! I enjoyed her previous work and am curious about the latest arrival. (Already have Bride ready as well on Kindle!)
pickMallory is stuck between what she wants and what she should do for family. I like the way chess is explained and the facts given about sexism.
I feel the same. Like everyone around us is part of the same connective tissue, and you‘re just floating about. Unbound.
My March #Roll100 books.
pickAli Hazelwood is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes. This is her YA debut set in the world of chess, and I was not disappointed - I blew through this book in one sitting!
#bookspinbingo
#pop24 - book recommended by a librarian
#24in2024
#readaway2024
#tbrtarot - begins with a prologue
pickJust finished this cute read not really a chess fan but it was a great read 😊📖
pickOne of Ali Hazelwood less spicey books it a good cute read! About Mal finding her self back playing chess after a few years absent finding love in both chess and with Nolan chess bad boy
pickJanuary 29, 2024 Almost there! Have like ~20 pages left of the book. There was DEFINIETLY A RIVAL TO LOVER transition that occured in the book. Nolan lied to her. She thought she was getting help from Defne, from Zugswang but instead he had been the one to pay it for her, basically lying to her face. As of that situation, she didnt like Nolan and felt like putting all her energy into helping her family. She cares MORE about family and friends ♥️
January 28, 2024 Finishing one starting another!!! I get to read Stacy Willingham's second book, A Flicker in the Dark. Who knows, maybe I will be pick her new one, If Only You're Lucky.
pickThis was fun! Quick romance set in the world of chess, but layered with so much more. #bookspinbingo #bingo
January 25, 2024 Made it deeper into the book: page 150!!!!!! Oooo it is getting juicy... I feel like Mallory likes Nolan but is not facing the truth. He decided to come on the same flight with Tanu and Emil. What is going to happen next?
January 25, 2024 I have reached page 104, which I would say is the climax. Mallory Greenleaf, 18 years old, has beat Oz, Kenul Jackson, another person, and now she will be playing against the almighty Nolan Sawyer. Is she scared and sweating? Scared? No. Sweating? Maybe. But she is going to be "faking her way" through the whole game. She doesn't care about Nolan Sawyer.
Book mail can‘t wait 😊📖🙌🏽
January 21, 2024 Enticingly romantic! Ali Hazelwood is a genius in romance. This is definitely a rivals-to-lovers book. Mallory Grenleaf and Nolan Sawyer, aka Kingkiller, end up playing chess against each other and Mallory beats him; even though he is known to be a master at chess. She doesn't realize that she is playing against THE Nolan Sawyer until she looks up and gets a good look at him face to face with all his masculinity
I just finished my first Ali Hazelwood book and it did not disappoint! 🩷🩷🩷 It was very sweet - I loved the characters and their banter, and I also loved how the book didn't shy away from the discussion about how sexist and misogynistic the competitive chess world can be. I don't know why it's taken me so long to try one of Hazelwood's books, but I'm really glad I did! 💕📚 Also, HUZZAH for the first paczki of the season! 😋🍩 #botm
pickI liked this book, but it is not one of my favorite by this author. It is okay. I rated this book a 3 out of 5 stars
pick4✨When I saw this book I knew I needed to read it. The idea that chess rivals could fall in love when you really can‘t talk to each other was interesting. It was done really well, and I liked the outcome in the end. What I didn‘t like was Mallory‘s self pity, and a few pages being full of cursing. While the author admits that she doesn‘t know chess that well it doesn‘t really hinder the plot. #SnowedIn @PuddleJumper @Clwojick
pickI will never say no to Ali Hazelwood. This was sooooo cute and absolutely romantic in its own quirky way. I was obsessed and now wishing I spent my childhood years playing chess ♟️♥️ #LitsyLoveReads
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Super cute YA debut set in the world of competitive chess. There‘s some heavy stuff, but handled in a light sort of way, if that makes sense? Hazelwood addresses the gender gap/stereotypes in chess, and how negative stereotypes can affect performance. My 11 year old son has recently gotten into chess and I found these bits fascinating. Really enjoyed this! Books about exceptionally smart ladies are always a win.
pickI thoroughly enjoyed this. I adore all Ali Hazelwood‘s books and this is no exception. She has a talent for taking on sexism issues in typically male-dominated sciences, or chess in this case, in a serious but fun way. Plus a good romance story!
1. My favourite read of November was the new book from Ali Hazelwood, my absolute top comfort author!
2. I‘m very excited for both the team #snowangels buddy reads 🥰 the Christmas escape and nos4a2 are very different but I‘m excited for both!
@TheSpineView #twofortuesday
pickThe back story here had me thinking I picked up a sequel, but nope. I loved Malory‘s relationship with her younger sisters, and how the author made chess players cool. I thought the insert-conflict-here issue between Mallory and Sawyer was too predictable but that‘s my go-to issue in a romance so maybe it‘s me! I liked the ‘you‘re straight, bisexual, asexual - whatever‘ approach to the character development. Because really, who cares.
pickI‘m such a sucker for Ali hazelwood. I‘ll adore absolutely anything she gives me. This was different from her other novels and I‘d say I liked it less than the full length adult novels bjt more than the novellas - YA is less my thing but this was so enjoyable, I probably loved it as much as it‘s possible for me to enjoy YA.
pickEven though Check & Mate will probably be shelved in the Young Adult section, I‘d call it New Adult – and it‘s definitely adult enough to interest older readers. It‘s a well-paced romance novel, with enough sparks flying to keep the pages turning. I also loved the family relationships and the dialogue that plays out between Mallory and her loved ones. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/check-mate-ali-hazelwood/
pickFirst YA from Ali Hazelwood. Still very sexual but characters are out of high school and nothing illegal. She is openly bisexual and both have troubled family pasts. I learned a lot about how lucrative chess can be. I had no idea! Still don't understand the game but like other AH titles the sexism isn't glossed over and instead stoked a fire for change as a society.
Fun panel with Aaron Aceves & Ali Hazelwood about their YA debuts. #Texas Book Festival
I got off of my book buying ban since I‘m getting paid again. I saw the tagged book today and was really excited about it! Then I found some books for next month. 😍🥰💛
pickHazel wood brings her trademark wit, banter, & tension to her YA debut, a story about two chess prodigies—one who gave it up but gets pulled back in & one who never loses & is starting to get bored—& of course it is every bit as fun & entertaining as you might hope/expect. I laughed out loud…a lot…and while I‘ve seen reviews complaining about the number of pop culture references, they didn‘t bother me. This book almost makes me like chess…almost.
Yup, still distracting myself with another new book…with apologies to my currently in-progress book which I‘m also enjoying…just no self control apparently…😬🤷♀️
Currently reading the new Ali Hazelwood.♟️
Kept my November #BOTM box simple. In all honesty, I probably would have skipped if the Ali Hazelwood wasn't an add-on 😆
