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ghostyreader's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The Inheritance Games is a fun, fast-paced, twisty mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. When Avery gets a sudden, life-changing inheritance from a total stranger, she is thrust into the family drama of the brilliant Hawthornes. As she tries to solve the mysteries of why the billionaire Tobias Hawthorne left his fortune to her and how to survive the year she must spend in his mansion, she's faced with the more pressing challenge of which Hawthornes to trust (if any of them are trustworthy!).
Hawthorne House is its own character, a massive mansion full of secret passages, hidden compartments, and all of the rich-people nonsense you can imagine (a bowling alley! a huge climbing wall! an arcade! six libraries!). I liked how the narrative presents our understanding of it, as well as the other characters, that grows and changes with time. The narrative closely follows Avery's experience, including her initial impressions the Hawthornes and how she attempts to figure them out.This focus on Avery's life and experiences explains why she stays in the mansion, even with the huge lifestyle change and threat of death - she's been destitute and alone except for her sister/guardian Libby and Libby's abusive on-again off-again boyfriend. Who could possibly give up living in the lap of luxury, with the possibility to do an amazing amount of good through the Hawthorne Foundation, to go back to living in their car?
I was surprised when Skye turns out to be the one who tries to have Avery killed, because I had bought into Avery's initial impression of her as an airy, frivolous sort of person. But then I realized that Jennifer Lynn Barnes had masterfully laid the foundation for this reveal in Skye's mercenary approach to having children. When Nash lays out the way his mother would leave and come back pregnant every year to have his younger brothers, it is clear that she was a woman with a goal: have those four kids she said she wanted at the beginning. Was Tobias always planning to leave a four-digit message? What would it have been before Emily's death -- perhaps something about Tobias II, the missing son? I can't wait to read the next book and find out all about the search for Tobias/Henry.
I highly recommend this book for fans of mysteries, books about weird mansions, and/or puzzles. It reminded me, in parts, of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (though less creepy and with less critique of colonialism), The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (though I remember that as a bit more light-hearted), and of course the movies Clue (though, unfortunately, without Tim Curry) and Knives Out (though without the outside-genius private investigator trope).
Hawthorne House is its own character, a massive mansion full of secret passages, hidden compartments, and all of the rich-people nonsense you can imagine (a bowling alley! a huge climbing wall! an arcade! six libraries!). I liked how the narrative presents our understanding of it, as well as the other characters, that grows and changes with time. The narrative closely follows Avery's experience, including her initial impressions the Hawthornes and how she attempts to figure them out.
I highly recommend this book for fans of mysteries, books about weird mansions, and/or puzzles. It reminded me, in parts, of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (though less creepy and with less critique of colonialism), The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (though I remember that as a bit more light-hearted), and of course the movies Clue (though, unfortunately, without Tim Curry) and Knives Out (though without the outside-genius private investigator trope).
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Domestic abuse
effy's review against another edition
3.5
I picked this book up as I was in a bit of a reading funk and didn't really know what I wanted to read. I have been mildly interested in this series for some time and had some expectations about this book namely that it was going to be somewhat of a competition. I am not really sure where I got the impression that our main character, Avery, would have to compete for the pot of money but I was quite far off with that. Avery stands to inherit the whole fortune and the only condition is that she lives at Hawthorne House for one year; the game in the book is simply for everyone involved to try to get answers about why Avery has been bequeathed the majority of the money.
Because I had certain incorrect assumptions going into this book, I found it to be a lot less pacey than I was hoping for. There were definitely multiple threads happening at once where we are wondering who is trying to murder Avery, as well as the death of Emily and, obviously, what Avery's connection to the Hawthornes is. I wasn't a massive fan of the romance in this book, especially as it seemed as though it was setting up a love triangle but it was definitely more of a subplot with the various mysteries being the main focus.
Whilst I understand the reason why we don't get the answer as to why Avery was left almost everything until almost the end of the book, it was frustrating to have to wait. I think part of the frustration is due to the fact that there wasn't really any way that it could be guessed or theorized. Well, I'm sure some smart people put it together but I didn't 🤣
I am glad that the story was relatively wrapped-up in one book rather than trying to stretch things out for the trilogy.
Because I had certain incorrect assumptions going into this book, I found it to be a lot less pacey than I was hoping for. There were definitely multiple threads happening at once where we are wondering
Whilst I understand the reason why we don't get the answer as to why Avery was left almost everything until almost the end of the book, it was frustrating to have to wait. I think part of the frustration is due to the fact that there wasn't really any way that it could be guessed or theorized. Well, I'm sure some smart people put it together but I didn't 🤣
I am glad that the story was relatively wrapped-up in one book rather than trying to stretch things out for the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Grief, Cancer, and Fire/Fire injury
kaylamoran's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
This wasn't at all what I expected, but it was fun! Everyone's names were so painfully YA though, it kind of bugged me. But I didn't see twists coming, and I couldn't put it down, so both of those things bode well!
Literally though, it lost an entire star for how annoying Max's fake swearing was.
Literally though, it lost an entire star for how annoying Max's fake swearing was.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child death
Minor: Blood, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Gun violence
sarahflanders's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Child death
taryn_g's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Child death
hazydazywaffles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book's plot twists!!!!!!!! I liked the plot of this book but there was more language than what i'm usually comfortable, there were things that were just unessacary to the plot in there, will not be continuing the series
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Child death
sirilpotter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Classism, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Grief
rach22's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I enjoyed this in the beginning and then the middle bit seemed to drag out for a long time. However the ending was quite fast moving. Some of the writing I found quite cringey. Overall the writing style was good. The ending wasn’t the clearest to make sense out of. Still an enjoyable read and a good vibe, however I do think it is a bit overhyped.
Also I am usually horrendously bad at solving mysteries and clues in books however I managed to in this one. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!
Also I am usually horrendously bad at solving mysteries and clues in books however I managed to in this one. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Gun violence
sandyrabanana's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
tays_books's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death, and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent, Stalking, Chronic illness, and Child death