Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for providing me with an ARC copy of “A Dark Inheritance" in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely an enjoyable read. It was a page-turner to the end. I was like, “I don’t need sleep, I need answers.” The need to find out what was going to happen kept me up all night.

This is the first time I came across a book with such an intriguing plot for teens, even if historical fiction is not my cup of tea.

Can’t wait to read more books from this author.

I found that I really couldn't get into this one no matter how hard I tried. I picked it up then put it down on multiple occasions.

I just couldn’t get into this book at all. I found it confusing and very, very dark. I only got a little way through and pit it down. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Felix is the third son of four, but the eldest alive after his older brothers both die in freak accidents on their 18th birthdays. With his own 18th on the horizon, he sets out to find out why his family is cursed and what it has to do with his fathers strange absence.
I think the description of Gatsby meets Inheritance Games is very accurate! I really enjoyed the jazz age setting, especially the hidden speakeasy that Felix and his friends visit as part of their investigations.
I’d describe the book as mystery with a hint of fantasy. Not the usual genres I go for, but it was a fairly easy read and I can imagine younger teens enjoying it.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in return for a fair review.

The inheritance games meets the great gatsby
However my issue with that it seemed to hit neither plot point strong enough.
There wasn't enough emphasis on the 1920s, I feel it could have been several other eras really.
And the characters were okay, but I didn't hugely vibe with any of them, I felt they needed more depth.
I enjoyed the mystery element greatly and didn't figure it out, but I also felt that the book would have benefitted from a 100 or so more pages, just as the climax felt a tad rushed.
I felt some of the characters seemed to forget their own personality traits and issues as the book went on as well, so didn't react to things in the manner you think they should have. A good book but lacking anything to make it great

A Dark Inheritance is the perfect story for this dark story about death, desperation and strangely enough, love. The twists and turns of this book had me wondering what would come next. I could practically hear a clock ticking with the countdown and I found myself really rooting for Felix to get to the bottom of it. Brilliant!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this brilliant book!

Even if I found it entertaining and it's well plotted I didn't care for the characters and it reminded me of other novels set in the Twenties.
I'm on the fence and I think I need to read it againg.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I enjoyed this book! The setting was well described, however I felt that there needed to be more emphasis of things unique to the time period. You wouldn’t be able to tell that it was set in the 1920s if it wasn’t for the dates in the book. That being said, I liked how the constant reminders of the date helped to build up the anticipation and tension as it approached Felix’s birthday. I liked the characters however I wasn’t rooting for them as much as I usually do in books like this; I didn’t really feel connected to them. The cover is very well done, it is very intriguing and eye catching, it says enough about the book without saying too much. As for the mystery itself, it was well developed and written, however the end felt a bit rushed. Overall, it was a good read, however it didn’t stand out to me due to my disconnect with the characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin for the review copy of this book.

Felix has grown up wealthy, but such wealth seems to have a high cost. Felix had 3 older brothers, all which died in tragic accidents on their 18th birthdays, and Felix is convinced he will be next, and this also doesn't bode well for his younger brother if his worries are correct.

Does the inheritance of the new wealth his father came into hold the key to this mystery... Felix is determined to find out and uncovers darker secrets than he could have imagined.

The author warns at the start of this book that anxiety is a prevalent theme and in the context of the book, this all stems from the fear Felix has regarding his impending death and is explored more as the journey takes its own twists and turns.

I loved the setting of the book (likened to Great Gatsby) and the mystery (in the theme of the Inheritance Games). Slightly felt the conclusion of the book was wrapped up a little quick compared to the build up, but still really enjoyed the journey and the story!

This is an engrossing mystery with a family curse and a secret society. I really liked the historic 1920s setting, particularly New York, and the dark, magical atmosphere is delicious. Though the book is marketed at younger readers I believe that there is certainly enough in the story to engage older readers too.

I’m sorry I just couldn’t get through this one, DNF @28%.
The premise was intriguing and I loved the idea of the 1920 setting, however I just didn’t believe what I was reading. It somehow felt modern, and if the chapter headings didn’t keep reminding me of the date I wouldn’t have had a clue.
I couldn’t connect with the main character even reading it in the first person.
I know others have enjoyed this far more than me so will put it down to personal preference!

Although not my favourite book of the year, this does have much going for it. Historical Gatsby vibe, a death curse and a mystery to solve. Well worth the few hours I spent on it.

Felix is going to die.
He doesn't know why, but he's sure it's going to happen. After all, three of his brothers already died on their 18th birthdays and his birthday is coming up fast. His father has just come back from 2 years in a sanatorium after being injured in the war (WW1) and Felix, his mother and his brother don't really know him anymore.

Can Felix - with the help of a couple of friends - find out why the boys died and discover a way to stop Felix's inevitable death?

I didn't love this book. I didn't 'feel' the historical accuracy - it could have been set at anytime really - but mostly I didn't 'get' Felix. He did not come across as a nearly-18 year old young man at all.

I don't check who the authors are before reading, because I don't want to influence my perception of them or their characters, but the thought going through my mind was "this is a boy, written like a 40 year old man, but created by a woman who has no idea what a teenaged boy would think like.

And it turned out that H.F.Askwith is indeed a woman. I think she needs to work harder on getting into the head of a boy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers. This one was a 'miss' for me, but I'm sure many people will love it.

I've not read any of the books other reviewers have compared this with so i went in blind as it were. and I really enjoyed it.
Felix has a tragic family history. His brothers died on their 18th birthday, and he is 18 in a month. Discovering a curse, a secret society and a girl who wants to help he sets out to try and stop his impending death.
The characters were good, could have had a little more rounding out, but the story played out well and had some good twists.

A dark and descriptive debut novel with an interesting premise. An intriguing storyline with a compelling narrative and well rounded characters.
The pace of the action is varied which makes for an overall enjoyable read.
Although marketed as children’s fiction, I would be hesitant to recommend this to younger readers. The macabre plot lends itself more to YA in my opinion.
Thanks to H. K. Askwith, Penguin Random House Children’s Uk and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this unique story.

This is a dark mystery with an evil magical thread running through it. Older children, YA and adults will thoroughly enjoy this book. There is going to be peril throughout this story which you realise immediately with the first chapter title Thirty Days left. The story is about a dark magic pact, a villainous secret society, the terrifying fear of what the future might hold, and to hold on to the hope that things can be changed for a brighter future. This a stand alone book, but leaves the suggestion of a possible sequel. I hope H. F. Askwith finds the words to make that happen. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I found this book quite interesting. I liked the authors content warning at the start of the book regarding the anxiety theme, I hadn’t been expecting it from the description so it helped me go into it with a bit more awareness and will be very helpful for anyone that may find the theme triggering.

I found the characters very interesting and I thought that it was an interesting take to set it in the 1920’s, especially as mental health awareness would have been very low in that time. It was a very fast paced book which I enjoyed although I did find the ending a little rushed but all in all am enjoyable read.

My second book of January, and this year is getting off to a great start with this book.

The ‘Blurb” describes this as The Great Gatsby meets The Inheritance Games, and I fully agree. In 30 days, Felix will receive his inheritance - a nasty death….the same has his brothers. The question is…can he work out how to break the curse and save himself and his brother?

This is an excellent, really fast paced story, which I loved every moment of. I also loved the layout of this book - the chapters starting with the hourglass counting down the days…it really did (for me) keep the pace going…..that little visual reminder!

I was surprised to see when I checked that this children’s book. Although it is entirely appropriate for children, no swearing/adult themes, I would have classed it as adult.

My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK. My review is based on an advance copy that I received from the publisher. My views are my own.

This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Felix Ashe will die on his eighteenth birthday, just like his three older brothers before him.

Felix is desperate to find a way to break the death curse that has devastated his family, and is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to solve the mystery surrounding it.

Set in 1920s New York and England, A Dark Inheritance is atmospheric and has a strong sense of place and time. The mystery is well paced and intriguing and the characters are well-rounded. However, I just didn’t love this book, although everything about should have appealed to me. The main issue I had was with the characters, who whilst well-rounded, just weren’t that engaging. I didn’t find myself particularly bothered about what happened to them, even Felix, whose potential demise is the crux of the book. Overall, a decent, well-paced mystery with characters that just don’t ‘click’.