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A review by queer_bookwyrm
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: death of a parent, domestic abuse, child abuse mention, gun violence, grief
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is book one in the Inheritance Games trilogy. This was a YA mystery full of riddles, puzzles, secret passage ways, and secret tunnels. This is what happens when rich people get bored.
We follow Avery Kylie Grambs, a 17 year old girl living with her half-sister after her mother's death, and just trying to get through high school so she can get into college, and get a steady paying job. Then one day a mysterious boy in an expensive suit delivers the news that she has just inherited a multi-billion dollar estate from recently deceased Tobias Hawthorne, his grandfather.
When Avery shows up to the reading of the will, she is struck to find that Tobias Hawthorne has two daughters and four grandsons who he has disinherited, and given everything to her. Obviously, this does not go over well with the family. Avery finds herself among a bunch of people who probably want her dead, and a riddle with many clues to solve, not to mention her attraction to two out of the four Hawthorne boys. What secrets was Tobias Hawthorne keeping, and why did he choose Avery, a random girl, he had seemingly never met?
This was full of twists and turns! I've never been good at riddles and puzzles, but I enjoy reading about them. All of the Hawthorne boys are a study in privilege, but have very distinct personalities. Nash, the oldest, doesn't seem to care about inheriting the estate and has a bit of a savior complex; Grayson, the heir apparent, who fully expected to inherit everything is magnetic, powerful, and commanding; Jameson, is the sensation seeker and risk taker, and loved the riddles and games his grandfather set up for them growing up (he's also deeply troubled); and Xander, the golden retriever of a youngest brother who just wants to build robots, eat scones, and be possibly more complicated than he lets on.
I really never knew what was coming next, and even when our characters had thought they figured it out, there was more. There isn't a ton of diversity in this book, but Xander is half Black and the bodyguard is Black, and there are two side characters that are sapphic, one of which is explicitly bisexual.
Looking forward to book two after that ending!
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is book one in the Inheritance Games trilogy. This was a YA mystery full of riddles, puzzles, secret passage ways, and secret tunnels. This is what happens when rich people get bored.
We follow Avery Kylie Grambs, a 17 year old girl living with her half-sister after her mother's death, and just trying to get through high school so she can get into college, and get a steady paying job. Then one day a mysterious boy in an expensive suit delivers the news that she has just inherited a multi-billion dollar estate from recently deceased Tobias Hawthorne, his grandfather.
When Avery shows up to the reading of the will, she is struck to find that Tobias Hawthorne has two daughters and four grandsons who he has disinherited, and given everything to her. Obviously, this does not go over well with the family. Avery finds herself among a bunch of people who probably want her dead, and a riddle with many clues to solve, not to mention her attraction to two out of the four Hawthorne boys. What secrets was Tobias Hawthorne keeping, and why did he choose Avery, a random girl, he had seemingly never met?
This was full of twists and turns! I've never been good at riddles and puzzles, but I enjoy reading about them. All of the Hawthorne boys are a study in privilege, but have very distinct personalities. Nash, the oldest, doesn't seem to care about inheriting the estate and has a bit of a savior complex; Grayson, the heir apparent, who fully expected to inherit everything is magnetic, powerful, and commanding; Jameson, is the sensation seeker and risk taker, and loved the riddles and games his grandfather set up for them growing up (he's also deeply troubled); and Xander, the golden retriever of a youngest brother who just wants to build robots, eat scones, and be possibly more complicated than he lets on.
I really never knew what was coming next, and even when our characters had thought they figured it out, there was more. There isn't a ton of diversity in this book, but Xander is half Black and the bodyguard is Black, and there are two side characters that are sapphic, one of which is explicitly bisexual.
Looking forward to book two after that ending!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent