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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
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:
No
I've been having a hard time deciding on whether to give this book three or four stars. For now, I'll give it a tentative three stars. I liked this book more than I thought I would, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. The book reminded me of Knives Out, if Knives Out were a YA novel with a love square. However, unlike Knives out, the family doesn't have any compelling reasons to want to keep their deceased patriarch's inheritance. None of them are in financial trouble and were left a reasonable amount of money in the will, so them wanting to keep a poor girl from inheriting the lion's share just makes them come across as petty jerks. Like, how dare someone try to ascend from their social class?
Grayson in particular reminds me of a grown-up Boss Baby, if the Boss Baby were a villain. I've never met a teenager in my life who talks the way these boys do. All four of them are absolutely ridiculous. I think the romance wasn't necessary in this book. Avery had better chemistry with Rebecca and Thea (thank god, a bisexual character who isn't a stereotype and doesn't get killed off). But, to be honest, I liked the subtle chemistry that was brewing between Avery and Grayson. I just really like rivals-to-lovers relationships, and I think they just had a pretty solid rivalry in place.
The mystery was compelling enough for me to sneak in a few pages during work (I swear I'm not a slacker!). To be honest, if not for my job, I would've finished this way sooner. The twist at the end of the book makes me excited for the sequel. My only problem is that at the end, I felt like I still didn't understand why Tobias chose Avery to be his heiress. I'm guessing that'll be explored in the sequel. I was also a little dissatisfied at the idea that the puzzle he had set up was supposed to be some way for the four brothers to reconcile over Emily's death...I think? But why didn't he just send them to therapy? His mansion was the size of a small town, with everyone that entails, but not a single therapist? Hello? How does the Emily subplot fit into the overall narrative?
As a final note, if I came into contact with billions of dollars, I'd fund all of my favorite organizations and make sure my friends and family would never want for anything again. Also, I would go shopping. How did this entire book go by without Avery being like 'you know what, I've always wanted a Nintendo Switch'? Does she not have any personal desires? You can want nice things for yourself and still be a generous person. Great book 3/5 can't wait for the sequel.
Grayson in particular reminds me of a grown-up Boss Baby, if the Boss Baby were a villain. I've never met a teenager in my life who talks the way these boys do. All four of them are absolutely ridiculous. I think the romance wasn't necessary in this book. Avery had better chemistry with Rebecca and Thea (thank god, a bisexual character who isn't a stereotype and doesn't get killed off). But, to be honest, I liked the subtle chemistry that was brewing between Avery and Grayson. I just really like rivals-to-lovers relationships, and I think they just had a pretty solid rivalry in place.
The mystery was compelling enough for me to sneak in a few pages during work (I swear I'm not a slacker!). To be honest, if not for my job, I would've finished this way sooner. The twist at the end of the book makes me excited for the sequel. My only problem is that at the end, I felt like I still didn't understand why Tobias chose Avery to be his heiress. I'm guessing that'll be explored in the sequel. I was also a little dissatisfied at the idea that the puzzle he had set up was supposed to be some way for the four brothers to reconcile over Emily's death...I think? But why didn't he just send them to therapy? His mansion was the size of a small town, with everyone that entails, but not a single therapist? Hello? How does the Emily subplot fit into the overall narrative?
As a final note, if I came into contact with billions of dollars, I'd fund all of my favorite organizations and make sure my friends and family would never want for anything again. Also, I would go shopping. How did this entire book go by without Avery being like 'you know what, I've always wanted a Nintendo Switch'? Does she not have any personal desires? You can want nice things for yourself and still be a generous person. Great book 3/5 can't wait for the sequel.
Um wow I didn’t expect this
I enjoyed every page and i need jameson in my life
I enjoyed every page and i need jameson in my life
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was absolutely great. I already ordered the rest of the series. Loved it!!!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a fun read. It’s chock full of mystery, puzzles, and intrigue, a family harboring secrets, and a crapload of money. Barnes writes sharp prose, to boot, which keeps the pages turning.
About halfway through this book, though, I developed a nagging sense that something was missing. Toward the end, I realized Barnes had left a big gulf around her main character, Avery. We never learn much about her or her past. We don’t truly know what she likes or dislikes, or what motivates her. As a character, she’s quite wooden. Which is a shame, really, because the secondary cast, especially the Hawthorne brothers, are more dimensional and fully shaped than she is. I came to realize that I didn’t care a fig about her by the end.
The plot leaves its own voids as well. The Hawthorne patriarch’s motives are weird, as is his selection of Avery as his heir. The ending is a bit hard to swallow, and probably overly complicated with the side story of Emily and her gurgling death thrown in the mix.
This series has plenty else going for it, but I’m not sure if I’ll keep reading it. It’s a little too lukewarm for my taste.
About halfway through this book, though, I developed a nagging sense that something was missing. Toward the end, I realized Barnes had left a big gulf around her main character, Avery. We never learn much about her or her past. We don’t truly know what she likes or dislikes, or what motivates her. As a character, she’s quite wooden. Which is a shame, really, because the secondary cast, especially the Hawthorne brothers, are more dimensional and fully shaped than she is. I came to realize that I didn’t care a fig about her by the end.
The plot leaves its own voids as well. The Hawthorne patriarch’s motives are weird, as is his selection of Avery as his heir. The ending is a bit hard to swallow, and probably overly complicated with the side story of Emily and her gurgling death thrown in the mix.
This series has plenty else going for it, but I’m not sure if I’ll keep reading it. It’s a little too lukewarm for my taste.