I absolutely loved this book. I read the whole thing in one sitting wanting to unravel the mystery as quickly as possible. The short chapters made it easier to keep reading and left me wanting to read ‘just one more’. The only slight criticism I have is the first few chapters (before she is called into the principles office with her sister). As a writer myself these first few chapters seemed a little underwritten and flat. I understand the need to show that the protagonist was intelligent but the whole thing about the tests at the beginning didn’t fit with the rest of the story. Once these chapters were out of the way the story started to flow really well but those first few felt flat and almost not needed. I loved the twist at the end with the homeless person being the uncle and am assuming this has set up for a second d story which I would defiantly read.

Wow Wow Wow I Really loved this book. I've always been a fan of escape rooms and treasure hunts so this book was the perfect read for me. It reminded me of my all time favourite - Ally Carters Gallagher girls series.

The book follows teenager Avery Grambs who, to begin with, is struggling to make ends meet. However, when Billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery his fortune, Questions are asked and the puzzles begin. Avery has never met Tobias and has no idea why or who he is, so it's up to her and his 4 grandsons to figure out the mystery.

Now I love a good riddle, and I'm normally rather good at figuring out plot lines within stories, however this book kept me guessing right till the end. The trail of clues was ingeniously laid out, and lived up to all my Crystal Maze dreams of puzzle completion. If anything I could have had a few more riddles thrown in but I'm not complaining.
The ending? Well, the simplicity makes this book a true Hawthorne Masterpiece.

I was fully in love with 3 of the Hawthorne brothers, but could'nt pick my favourite. The only thing I felt I missed was a story between Libby and one of the brothers, maybe a spin off?

I really cant wait for the sequel, Jennifer Lynn Barnes - you are one brilliant writer.

A gripping book with good pace throughout. Although the chapter count seems daunting at first glance, in reality they fly by as each chapter is fast-paced, full of action, ten-or-twelve pages maximum and most end on a cliffhanger of some description! Avery is a likeable and strong female lead with a ridiculous, yet understandable protective instinct towards her older sister. The Hawthorne family put the "fun" in dysfunctional with their scheming, in-fighting, secrets and puzzles, plus a house that sounds more like a labyrinth than a home. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable mystery.

~*REVIEW*~ 5☆

The reason I requested this book was because it is described as One of us is Lying meets Knives Out and seeing as one of those is my favourite book and the other my favourite film I couldn't resist! However, as much as I do see the Knives Out elements and similarities in this book, I cant really see the One of us is Lying comparison. It has very strong Truly Devious vibes though, like Albert Ellingham and Tobias Hawthorne could literally be the same person, it's great! So, I think it would be more appropriate to compare it to Truly Devious rather than One of us is Lying.

One thing I have to say about this book is that it is completely unrealistic. Like, in real life, something like this would never happen, or at least, it has a very very slim chance of happening. Does make make the book any less fun and enjoyable, however? Absolutely not. I think the unrealisticness is what kept me hooked, I wanted to see how far it would go.

I don't mention this, like at all, when doing reviews usually, but one thing that really stood out to me were the character's names. I love a good posh last name and a posh first name that can be shortened, and all of the characters had amazing names like this. It must be the last name Hawthorne, it made all the names look and sound better

I love the character dynamics in this, especially between the brothers. They are all such different people and they are constantly arguing or hiding stuff from each other, but you know that they would still do anything for each other.

I'm not gonna say much about it, but the ending shook me up even though I knew it was gonna happen from the very beginning (I'm not just saying that, I have this thing where I can guess the plot twist of the book from the moment we meet the character that the twist is about, only very few books (and sometimes TV shows) have been able to trick me but I'm still shook everytime that I got it right🙈)

Knives Out was one of my favourite movies of last year, so imagine my intrigue when I read the premise for this 😱😱😱 And this did not disappoint. I absolutely adore YA books every now and again; I was floored by One of Us Lying and The Inheritance Game is the perfect read for anyone craving a YA mystery read.

This follows Avery, a 17-year old girl who lives with her half-sister Libby (they share the same absent father) and her on-off abusive boyfriend Drake, after her mother passes away. Whenever Drake appears Avery resorts to sleeping in her car. Avery spends her time working part-time juggling studies and plays chess in the park with her homeless friend, whom she buys breakfast for. She’s sharp and clever; she’s been knocked around by a terrible hand dealt by life but manages to make ends meet with resilience and a dry sense of humour. Her life is thrown into chaos however when she a mystery man appears in her school one day. A philanthropist billionaire has died and she’s been summoned to the will reading. To everyone’s surprise she’s been named the sole heir to inherit the billions. But why? She’s never heard of the Hawthorne family so why has everything been left to her?...That’s the puzzle and solving it isn’t going to be easy when everyone wants what’s theirs...

There’s lot to enjoy here. I loved the characters. You have the airy Skye, daughter of Tobias (the dead billionaire) and mother of four sons:
* Nash is the oldest. He’s a nomad, doesn’t care about the game but comes to care for Avery and her sister Libby.
* Grayson. Mercurial and brooding. He’s the most upset about the Will and the inheritance and is suspicious of Avery and her motivations. He places family first, always.
* Jameson. Eccentric and a drunk. He enjoys the games his grandfather sets and is determined that Avery is piece in the puzzle. He gains Avery’s trust and appears to be the perfect ally but is he all he seems?
* Xander. The youngest brother is cheery and optimistic, and provides relief with his sweet disposition in this intense household.
I loved the puzzles Tobias, the deceased billionaire, sets his family and Avery, and the atmosphere of the estate. The setting is a large mansion of sorts with hidden corridors and secret panels holding clues. The writing is easy to get into and the prose is crispy and sharp, with a fast pace and chapters ending on cliffhangers that I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
While certain questions are answered, not all of them are answered. I suppose the author’s intention is to reveal them in the next book. I do wish though that the story had been wrapped up better nonetheless I do look forward to the sequel. 4/5.

Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced reading copy of this book.

I was enthralled by this book right from the start, and wanted to sit down and devour it (unfortunately having jobs to do got in the way of that!).
Avery is a very calculating character who has been handed a life changing amount of money for no discernible reason, and upon meeting the Hawthorne grandchildren suddenly everything becomes a puzzle or a mystery to be solved- and of course the biggest mystery is why she's there to begin with!

Grayson, Nash, Xander and Jameson are so so well written. Each of them are complex and hard to understand yet Avery is drawn to each of them in different ways, and I was drawn in by them too! If there were more chapters just devoted to Xanders machines, Graysons charity work, or how the boys were encouraged to solve puzzles by their grandfather I would have lavished them!

I'd 100% recommend this for any reader who loves a good book!!

I liked the premise of this mystery; teen Avery gets summoned to the reading of a philanthropist's will only to learn she has been left a huge inheritance. Tied into spending a year in the Hawthorne mansion, with the furious members of the family, much of the novel centres on Avery trying to unravel clues alongside Haethorne's four grandsons who may be helping or hindering her.

A rags to riches story that involves a quest, intrigue, riddles and love interest. I found Avery's attraction to not one, but two of the grandsons a little cliched but enjoyed the book overall. I'll be interested to read a sequel to see how the reasons behind the bequest are developed.

The World:
Okay, so it does seem kind of weird on face value to talk about the 'world' and 'world-building' in what is technically a contemporary novel, but hear me out.

Firstly, the world of the Hawthornes. This world is so unlike the world that most of us live in. They are billionaires (or the heirs to billionaires). I really liked how Barnes wrote this world that for most of us would be really strange. It wasn't portrayed in a horrible, cynical kind of way, but rather, using Avery's eyes, in a way that showed just how incomprehensible a world like this is to someone who doesn't live in it. The opulence is unreal, but believable.

The second kind of 'world-building' is the Hawthorne home. From the very start of the novel it is made clear to Avery that the house has hundreds of secret passages and unknown rooms. It is described as a labyrinth, one that even the four grandsons of Tobias Hawthorne, find hard to navigate. As the novel and Avery's investigation into the reasoning behind her being named the heir continues, the house grows and changes and develops and just becomes a kind of character on its own, a world within the world of the billionaires.

The Characters:
Avery is the main character of the novel. Her mother has died before the novel starts, her father is a drunk and she lives with her sister. What I loved about her character was her realistic reactions to her circumstances. She is faced with coming from no money to suddenly gaining a fortune and she really doesn't know how to react. What really drew me through the book was that she didn't know how to navigate the world she had been thrust into, so she instead focused on finding the answer to the one question everyone would have in her situation: why her?

The Grandsons: Nash, Jameson, Grayson and Alexander are some of the greatest characters in this book. Each of them has very different personalities. Nash, the reluctant billionaire who just wants to help people. Jameson, the sad soul who loses himself in the puzzle and the chase. Grayson, the heir to the fortune and the mini-business man. Xander, the youngest and cheekiest of the four. I loved how different each of these characters were, but also how involved they were in the story. They weren't just background hot boys, but rather fully formed characters who helped develop the story and Avery as a character.

Libby is Avery's sister. From the start of the novel she is presented as caring and kind. One of the key parts of her character is her empathy, and it is one of her characteristics that means she keeps on getting involved with her abusive ex-boyfriend (this relationship with her ex-boyfriend, for me, was done very realistically. It reminded me a lot of the experiences I've had with friends who have been in similar relationships). What I loved about her character was her relationship with Avery. She's very much supportive and will do anything for her sister.

Max... what to say about Max. She is Avery's best friend who we only ever meet through phone calls, text messages and social media DMs with our main character. What I really loved about her is that even though she is absent physically, she plays a huge role as Avery's friend being her confidant and support through the whole experience. I also really loved that even though she isn't really <em>there </em>in the story, she does actually have her own story to tell.

The Hawthorne family. This is where things get a bit twisty. The Hawthorne family (aside from the four Hawthorne grandson), play a huge role in pushing the plot, but other than that they don't really appear very much. They were more in the periphery of the story, a threat/non-threat that never really came to the forefront. I don't know whether I liked that or not. Adding them to the story more than they were would have made the story too crowded, but taking them out completely would take away from the plot. For much of the novel they just felt a bit plot-devicey to me (which I guess can't be helped).

Alisa the lawyer. She's the lawyer for Tobias Hawthorne and subsequently becomes Avery's lawyer when she becomes the heiress to the Hawthorne fortune. What's really great about her character is that she is a very realistic and believable lawyer, but also a friend. She leads and guides Avery legally, and chastises her when she does stupid things, but she's also there for her when things get hard. I really liked her.

Oren is Avery's bodyguard. He is such a great character. He's a solid persona that is always in the background, but it was when he came to the forefront in certain chapters that I found myself enjoying the book the most. He has an older brother kind of persona to Avery, caring and kind. He's always looking out for her.

Tobias Hawthorne. All I can say about him is this... he may be dead, but he plays a crucial role in this story.

Emily. Another dead character. Just know this... she's important, more than you think

The Plot:
The plot premise was what drew me to the book in the first place. The idea of someone inheriting the estate of a billionaires philanthropist they've never met is a very intriguing one. What is even more intriguing is Avery's (and the family's need) to find out the reason why. I can't say much about the plot because every detail matters in this book. What I can say is that this book is a maze, a labyrinth and an easter egg hunt all in one. There's twists and turns as Avery tries to figure out the why, and it goes in ways I could never have expected.

Every single clue in this book matters and everything leads to somewhere and something. What I will say it this... Emily... she's important.

Why Was it a 4-Star Read for Me?
Okay, so I've gushed about this book a lot and I did really really enjoy it. What made it a four-star read for me was the Hawthorne family aspect (the other Hawthornes, not the four boys). At the start of the book they were introduced and Alisa and Oren even warn Avery about them. I was waiting for them to play a larger role in the story, but they kind of fell into the background. At the start I thought the hints of the threat of the Hawthorne family might have been red herrings, but even when a certain something is revealed in the end, it didn't feel like the payoff I was expecting. This didn't, however, take away from my overall enjoyment of the novel.

Overall, this book really defied my expectations. I didn't see any of the twists coming and I really enjoyed all of the unexpected turns in this story. As someone who doesn't read thrillers or mysteries I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it! I literally binged it in about six hours...

A very clever book that left me guessing right till the end. It delivers what it promised: puzzles, intrigue, death and mystery.
Throughout the whole book you think you are smarter than the characters, you follow them but you think you’ve figured it out but you haven’t.
The twist at the end was also really good but I did have an inkling about it.

The Inheritance Games is a book that I think I would have loved if I had read it along with the rest of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ books a few years back. It is a fast enough paced, engaging YA thriller, for sure. It is also not exactly what I want from my books these days.

Initially, the book reads almost scarily like Knives Out, so scarily, in fact, that there were one or two characters I felt matched entirely to characters in the film. I had to check that the book had been conceived of before the film (which it had). Thankfully, after about a sixth of the book, the comparisons drop off pretty rapidly, and it became easier for me to consider the book in its own light.

The Inheritance Games follows Avery, who is plucked from obscurity by the discovery that she has been made the heir to a billionaire’s fortune, displacing his entire family, including his four grandsons. To benefit from the will, Avery must live in his mansion for a year, else the inheritance is forfeit and all the money goes to charity.

As I said at the start, the book is pretty fast-paced and engaging. I read the entire thing only in a couple of hours, so it definitely didn’t drag and I did like it. Only, I don’t think I much more than liked it. I mean, if the ending had been spectacular — which, to be fair, it wasn’t not — then I might be less on the fence about reading the second book than I am. As it is, it just feels a little flat to me, especially compared to the endings of Jennifer Lynn Barnes other books (don’t talk to me about how The Long Game ended, I’m still not over it).

And then there’s the few things that, again, I might have not minded so much if I’d read this a few years back (I hesitate to say ‘like’ because I have never liked the love triangle trope in my life), but I did mind a bit more here. The aforementioned love triangle trope (involving two of the brothers no less!) and the fact that the male characters all seemed to be that specific type of boy you see in 2010s YA lit. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a thing I don’t hugely enjoy. Add onto that the fact I didn’t really care for either Avery/Jameson or Avery/Grayson (also what’s with them both having -son names)…well let’s say the mystery aspect is what kept me going.

Because the mystery is what Jennifer Lynn Barnes does so well, and has done so well in every book by her I’ve read. So, yes, I guessed the twist, but that’s a symptom of me reading way too many mystery/thrillers, not an indictment of the book. The mystery is what kept me engaged and what convinced me, near the end, that maybe I might want to read book two. The only problem was, as I mentioned earlier, the ending felt, not so much a cop-out, but a little flat.

But if you have liked Barnes’ books before, or if you are looking for an intriguing mystery, with characters that you can sympathise with and (probably, if you’re not me) love, then this is one you won’t want to miss.

This was a whirlwind one-sitting read for me... which doesn't happen very often! The premise drew me in and from the first the moment Avery met the mysterious and fascinating Hawthorne family, I was completely engrossed. The puzzles, twists and turns were great, but the best part for me was the cast of fun, unique characters.

I am often nervous about reading a first in a mystery series before the others are out because I like resolution and don't like massive cliffhangers. So if you're like me, rest assured that this fast paced mystery does have a satisfying ending, with just a hint of intrigue for what's next.

Highly recommended for contemporary mystery fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Inheritance Games incredibly tedious to read, I didn't feel as though I could relate to any of the characters, or that any of the characters were actually appealing. The Inheritance Games was an interesting concept, although it felt ridiculously far-fetched and nothing interesting actually happened until the last 25% unfortunately.

This book is "Perfect for fans of Riverdale and Knives Out" according to reviewers, the only similarities I can find with Knives Out are an inheritance is left to someone - although under very different circumstances to Knives Out and the comparisons with Riverdale are how completely nonsensical the storyline is.

To be honest, I just didn't enjoy this book, I didn't feel engaged and there were multiple times when I thought I was going to have to just stop reading it because I wasn't interested - but I pushed through just to see how this book would end, which was also disappointing, there were answers but the answers were bland and disappointing, there was no REAL mystery in this book in my opinion and I don't see how this book can have a sequel/sequels in the future.

I thought this was highly original,with a great lead character.The plot was intriguing and kept me page turning as fast as I could read.I really had no idea where this was going and the author certainly has a fertile mind .I don't do spoilers but would have great difficulty trying to describe the book if I did, its very different, in a good way.If you enjoy books that keep you guessing and great characters this is going to be high on your list of must read books.Really enjoyed it, good book.

What a thrilling, intriguing. twisting and absolutely satisfying read! i spent far too much of my weekend reading because i needed to know how it ended.
Out of the blue teenager Avery Grambs finds that she is an heiress to a multi billion fortune. The only stipulation is that she must reside in the family mansion with the family who have just discovered that they have been disinherited..
With the deceased billionaire leaving puzzles for Avery and his grandsons to solve, this story has some very tense moments.
Whilst written for the young adult market, I think its a shame that adults may miss out on the many res herrings contained in this multi layered read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an early copy.

I loved this SO MUCH!!!

In fact, it would totally have been a five-star read if not for the slight disappointment of the ending. I wasn’t aware it wasn’t a stand-alone novel and looked apprehensively at the number of pages left and the number of questions unanswered.
Waiting for the sequel will be very frustrating!

Apart from that, the book was exactly what I loved.
Filled with humour, to start with. An exciting set of characters, too, that you’ll quickly learn to love or hate – and believe me, it’ll often change throughout the book!

As a fan of espace rooms/games, I obviously really enjoyed that this novel was basically an escape game in a book form. It was so exciting to see characters figuring things out!

There’s one sign that shows for sure how good a mystery is, and that’s how invested you get in the story. I feel like the fact that I read through it extremely quickly, as well as how frustrated I was at the ending, are very good indications that this is one hell of a good mystery.

Also, even though there’s romance (it is, after all, YA), it doesn’t feel forced nor too awkward.

A great book, no doubt, but please: give me the sequel!

An interesting YA mystery. Avery is left a significant inheritance by a man she’s never heard of, and all she must do to receive it is live in his house for a year... except his family still live there, and they are not happy about being disinherited. There were several different threads of intrigue in the book and I was interested to see how they all came together, and to watch the puzzle unfold.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review**
A rags-to-riches story with some twists along the way. Predictable holiday reading with a long and convoluted storyline leading to the eventual reveal of why Avery inherited in the money. I found the "game" more interesting than the truth.
Enjoyable but not challenging in any way.

Truth be told, i had never heard of this book or its author before seeing it on Netgalley. The blurb is what got me and thank goodness i requested it because i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

The premise is greatly entertaining, so much so that I read this book in pretty much one sitting. An eccentric billionaire dies, and leaves Avery almost his entire fortune. We follow her as she tries to navigate the Hawthorne family and work out why exactly she was bequeathed so much money.

I'm really happy with how the book ended, so often authors try to cram an unrealistic plot twist in purely for shock value but the best thing about the reveal here is its simplicity. It feels totally on brand for Tobias Hawthorne and was done really well.

Genuinely intriguing premise so has a great start but quickly moves into predictable fish-out-of-water/teen thriller territory although with frustratingly few answers in this first volume! Set for sequel

Grab a plate of lemon scones and strap yourself in for this incredible roller coaster ride! I devoured this book in a couple of sittings, not wanting to drag myself away from the twisted puzzle trail which is 'The Inheritance Games'. My copy states that it is already in development as a series with Amazon - it is going to be a surefire hit for them and I cannot wait to watch.

At the beginning, we join Avery whose mother has died and left her in the custody of her half sister Libby. Avery works in a diner, does just enough to get by in school and sometimes needs to sleep in her car to get away from Libby's abusive boyfriend Drake. This all changes when Grayson Hawthorne appears and drops the bombshell that Avery is included in the will of Tobias Hawthorne, Grayson's grandfather and a man she has never met. She is apparently the heir to billions but to find out why she will need to solve puzzles left behind and team up with Tobias' nefarious relatives, including his four dashing grandsons...

The plot is driven by the central mystery and layers of intriguing puzzles (which were a delight to try and solve before the characters). Imagine 'Ready Player One' set in the real world and you have the right level of twists, turns and thrills readers will experience throughout this book. The Hawthorne family are completely bonkers and I enjoyed following ordinary girl Avery's exposure to the world of wealth and adjusting to the level is scrutiny she is under as the billionaire heiress.

I cannot wait to recommend this to my students as I see another phenomenon about to hit. As for the sequel, I hope it is released soon but I am not sure how I will survive following that cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.