Reviews

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

fchalmers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

giak13's review against another edition

4.0

I thought this book was really great, like others have mentioned, it gives off this vibe that's similar to Knives Out, but not to an extreme level. I liked the secondary plot of Emily and the Hawthorne boys, I thought these plots really helped keep the reader enticed with the book up until the end. I feel I have a pretty good track record of guess the twist in many books, but I did not guess this one at all. This book did a great job describing all of the characters even thought there is quite a few and the family tree can get confusing. I also really like that the book ended on a cliffhanger and the second book starts up right where this one ended.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the premise of Knives Out, anyone who likes mysteries, or someone who is just looking for a chill, fun read during their downtime!

mangachild's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

3.0

dkyet1's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

kecho's review against another edition

4.0

This was such a fun concept to read/listen to on audiobook. It was full of riddles, mystery, and the chaotic Hawthorne brother energy. Avery was an interesting FMC and while slightly repetitive sometimes throughout the book it kept your attention. I will not be immediately reaching for the next book in the series as it didn't leave me dying to continue on, but will definitely be circling back to it!

inkyun's review against another edition

3.0

In very short words, so you know what you're getting into, I'll say this. It's fast paced; it has good and concise writing, and the plot does a good job of intriguing you till the end. Its problems? Its insistence of giving you a subpar love triangle, so much so that it feels like a punishment for reading the book. That's how terrible the romance is. To be fair, it's not the main focus, but trust me, if you don't like the romance, it's going to pop up more than you want it to, like it did for me. It bogged the story, especially the ridiculous Emily subplot. My god. Never have I been LESS interested in knowing about someone's skeletons in their closet than in this book. It's the only reason this book is at 3, not 4 stars.

shannonc8299's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

ayeitsdaye's review against another edition

4.0

“You’re to live in Hawthorne House for one year, commencing no more than three days from now.” Alisa had made that point at least twice already, but I couldn’t get my brain to accept it.
“The only string attached to my inheriting billions of dollars is that I must move into a mansion.”
“Correct.”


Not going to lie, I finished this book in one day, over an 8 hour span of time. It is Ready Player One without the tech and all the money. One day, Avery is a bright student scraping by to make it in the world, living out of her car, working in a diner to help pay the rent. The next, she is on a plane to Texas in order to hear the will of one of an eccentric billionaire named Tobias Hawthorne.

Welcome to Hawthorne House. A palatial estate filled with intrigue and four young grandsons with secrets in every shadowed corner. Avery has walked in to a pit of vipers disguised as American royalty. When the will is read, Avery inherits nearly everything from a dead man she has never met. Thrust into the spotlight, she must navigate her new life, untangling the mysteries that lay within Hawthorne’s walls, and the boys she must live with in order to claim billions.

My only complaint is that Avery doesn’t grow very much as a character I n this first instalment, whereas everyone around her is in flux. Thus far she has been an excellent conduit for a gripping narrative, and I look forward to seeing her character progress in the next book!

auroraborialis's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

akookieforyou's review against another edition

3.0

*3.5*

This book was pretty fun and entertaining. I'm such a sucker for mysteries and games, and if you throw in a good love triangle... let's just say that I was sold. However, I didn't find this to be amazing or insanely engaging as others have. I can see the Knives Out inspiration, but the level of intrigue and deception was just not there. I was never able to become so absorbed in the mystery of Tobias Hawthorne, and the revelations at the end were kind of disappointing

Spoiler

I already guess that the supposedly dead Toby had actually lived, I did like the twist of him being the homeless guy though

.

That being said, there were still lots of moments that I enjoyed. I like Avery as a protagonist, and the two love interests, Grayson and Jameson, are really likable and I can't help but get wrapped up in the horrible tragedy of their past. On that note, Emily sounds like the literal worst. She gives off major Katherine Pierce vibes from TVD, a manipulative, selfish, horrible bitch. I'm glad that the boys can have someone who's a lot less horrible, and is actually caring, to give their love to now.

I'm definitely going to pick up the sequel, hopefully I'll fall in love with it.