A review by bookishlifewk
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

3.0

Ok so before reading this book I was told that it was very much like Knives Out. Old billionaire who croaks and leaves all of his fortune to some random girl? Check. Family distraught and is after said random girl for what’s “rightfully” theirs? Check. Murder attempts? Check. Other than that there aren’t many similarities. I would say that the mystery and puzzle elements aren’t comparable but as someone is not well versed in those two I would say the puzzles were interesting. I don’t have much of an opinion on characters other than the fact that the teens don’t really seem to be written as teens with their “posh” and “robotic” dialogue. The romance was also weird and lacking but its obvious that it’s not supposed to be a focal point in the book. In all the book wasn’t so bad and was something quick to read to get out of a slump.


Rant:
I find the Emily plot to be annoying as hell. Upon further reading you find out that she was not this amazing person that she was made out to be. She was a sick and sheltered girl that craved attention and excitement. Of course this would seem normal as her heart illness held her back so much as a child but her actions negatively affected those around her. She constant used people to get what she wanted and didn’t care at all about their feelings. Her sister Rebecca was constantly in her shadow (more of a parenting issue) and still could not live her own life after Emily’s death. Jameson and Grayson were two timed and blamed themselves for her demise despite her being fully aware of her actions that lead to her death. Ultimately she is the reason that the Hawthorn brothers well at least two of them along with Emily and Thea needed extensive therapy by the time Avery came into the picture.

There was one point where there was a murder attempt on Avery’s life and we later found out that Rebecca knew who did it but wouldn’t say a word because “it’s not what Emily would have wanted” Like what the actual hell is that supposed to mean??

With all of that I understand Emily’s involvement with the overall message towards the end of book 1 but constantly hearing her name being brought up even in the most unrelated times was insufferable.