Title of the Book: The Inheritance Games
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Thriller
Star Rating (Out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Summary:
In a middle of nowhere town, Avery Grambs is almost invisible, but an ordinary, financially struggling girl in her high school. However, this changes overnight when Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves almost his entire fortune to her. The catch? Avery has never met Tobias in her life. To claim his fortune, Avery must move into the Hawthorne House and deal with the Hawthorne family’s resentment, media attention, and more enemies than she would like, while trying to solve the massive puzzle that Tobias Hawthorne left her.
The story blends mystery, high‑stakes drama, and clever riddles as Avery races to solve the inheritance puzzle before someone else does.
Overview:
Set in Texas, the Inheritance Games is fast paced YA novel. The main protagonist, Avery Grambs is just as surprised as the rest of the Hawthorne family to inherit the fortune. She is thrown into a world of puzzles, riddles, and secrets as well as a dangerous family dynamic as secrets are revealed layer by layer from the Hawthorne family. The novel explores themes of identity, trust, and ambition while delivering constant twists and a highly engaging plot, along with a bit of romance.
Analysis:
Jennifer Lynn Barnes crafts a great novel with a great protagonist. Avery’s sharp intelligence makes her a perfect book heroine. Her relationship with all the Hawthorne brothers as well as their family makes them the perfect entourage. But it’s not only the Hawthorne Family that makes this book stand out, it’s how witty and well developed each character is, which is what I love about Barnes’ writing. The writing style is quite fast paced, but it does have some slow chapters. I enjoyed the setting, it felt vivid and relatable. My only critique is the romance, which moves more slowly than the rest of the plot; I personally prefer a quicker romantic arc.
Personal Opinion:
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great read after finishing A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. The blend of mystery, light romance (no smut), and strong themes of identity and trust made it compelling. The Hawthorne family’s complexity added a fun “who‑did‑it” energy to the story.
I gave it four stars mainly because the romance was a slow burn — I usually prefer love‑at‑first‑sight dynamics. Still, I finished the book excited to continue the series with The Hawthorne Legacy.
