The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: YA Mystery
Blurb (on back of book): Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.
To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.
MY OPINION: ***
I've been meaning to start this series for a while, especially because of how hyped up it was since the last book in the trilogy came out this year. However, I've decided this one just wasn't for me (though I do plan on continuing solely so I can say I finished it and find out which guy she ends up with). It took me a literal month to finish this relatively short book because of how many times I kept quitting and picking it back up a week later when I had nothing else to read.
It's a very YA mystery novel that was nothing at all like what I was expecting. I was expecting a fantasy based on the cover and what I'd heard about it but it's definitely not a fantasy at all.
Avery Kylie Grambs, a girl from the middle of nowhere, wakes up one day to find out she's inherited a bajillion trillion dollars (no clue how much) from this rich old guy who just died. She has to live in his estate for a year in order to receive the money and upon arrival, she meets his four grandsons and the rest of the Hawthorne family, none of whom really like her (seeing as she literally took all their money, unintentionally or not).
It's a mystery but it wasn't really that interesting. There weren't really any big plot twists where you were mindblown and yeah it's YA, but I still expected to be surprised or shocked by some of the big reveals. Instead, it was a very kitschy, simplistic story about a girl and her love triangle with the two middle Hawthorne boys, Grayson and Jameson (I'm sorry, I could not get behind the name Jameson).
I couldn't really decide which team I was on when it came to the love triangle. I know this book's fandom is super super divided but I wasn't really seeing the vision with either of them too strongly. By the end, I'm so far Team Jameson but I feel like that could change so easily. This was not inspiring any strong feelings within me to pick a side either way like I hoped it would.
Both the boys are kind of annoying. They clearly have their issues and take it out on the people around them. Grayson starts out as an asshole but apparently he's going to have his redemption, but right now, he's just getting on my last nerve. Jameson wasn't the best either. He didn't really seem like he cared about Avery but more about what she could do for him (a constant fear of hers throughout this book). I'm interested in the next two books solely for the relationships because the mystery aspect is just not appealing to me.
I think because of the fact that it was geared towards a YA audience, it just wasn't my cup of tea. It made me feel 12 and I just wasn't a fan. I want an aged-up version of this book because it would be a million times more interesting. That being said, for what it was, it was entertaining enough that I was compelled to keep coming back to it. I would recommend for younger audiences looking for a Mysterious Benedict Society kind of YA book.
Main Character: Avery
Sidekick(s): Grayson, Jameson, family, friends, etc
Villain(s): Murderer, mystery, etc
Mystery Elements: This was a mystery novel.
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