Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Inheritance Games #1
Age: Young Adult
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Publication Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Hardcover
Purchase: Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Play Store | iBooks | Book Depository
Synopsis:
A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.
My Rating:
Quote(s) I Like:
"Knowing that Mr. Yates was infamous for giving impossible tests had made me want to redefine possible. For once, instead of seeing how close I could cut it, I'd wanted to see how far I could cut it, I'd wanted to see how far I could go." - Avery
"Sometimes things that appear very different on the surface are actually exactly the same at their core." - Jameson
"Everyone is going to want something from you soon, Heiress. The question is: How many of us want something you're willing to give?" - Jameson
"I don't think that you have to be the villain of this story to be a threat to this family." - Grayson
My Thoughts:
My Thoughts:
This is my second re-read of this book and I decided to bump it up half a star to <b>4.5 star</b> rating. This was even more epic the second time since I listened to the audiobook as I read a long. I just love the Hawthorne mansion, the grandsons and Avery.
I couldn't give it a solid 5 because there were some actions done by Skye and Drake that were left without consequence. I felt like more should have been included in regards to their actions and consequence.
Each character was flawed in many ways, but that made for such a thrilling read. Family drama, secrets, betrayal, heartache, heartbreak, murder, manipulation -- you name it, it's here. I love that this wasn't an over-the-top murder mystery at all.
Avery is left as the heir of Tobias Hawthorne and innocently thrown into their family drama. She is a brilliant young woman with goals, but she's been given a crap hand at life. I love that she was sassy and stood up for herself. She tried to be rational, but didn't let people step all over her. She handled herself so well.
Jameson is the "strange" one of the brothers, but the closet one to resemble his grandfather. He loves games and solving puzzles and riddles. Grayson is the "meanie" of the bunch. He was supposed to be the heir and immediately had a strong dislike toward Avery. Nash is everything, the comedian of the family. Xander is the one to keep his brothers together. The Hawthorne brothers are all so different yet mesh so well together. Max is an awesome friend! I adored her and her way of not cursing -- she cracked me up. Libby was a cool sis, but she did annoy me at times.
Tobias left nothing to his family and everything to Avery. He also left Avery to his family oddly enough. Avery is more tied to the family than anyone could imagine. The plot twists concerning Emily, Rebecca and Toby -- mind-blowing.
That ending just left me hurting for the sequel. Seriously insane how connected Avery really is to the Hawthorne's. I wonder if Tobias knew from the start about her and Harry? This was such a good read. Can't wait for the sequel.
About the Author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes has written more than a dozen acclaimed young adult novels, including Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series: The Naturals, Killer Instinct, All In, Bad Blood and the e-novella, Twelve. Jen is also a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science. She received her Ph.D. from Yale University in 2012 and is currently a professor of psychology and professional writing at the University of Oklahoma. You can find her online at http://www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com or follow her on Twitter @jenlynnbarnes.
Thank you to Favourite Pages Book Club for having me on this tour!