You know how it’s everyone’s dream to suddenly come into a windfall of an inheritance one day that’ll change your life, but that you did absolutely nothing to earn? Yeah, when it comes to sheer luck, The Inheritance Games’s Avery Kylie Grambs has us all beat.
It’s been a year since Avery’s mom died and she had to move in with her half sister Libby and Libby’s creepy, abusive boyfriend. She’s just trying to finish High School and get on with her life. Seriously, when the highlight of your days at 17 is playing chess with a homeless man in the park, things are pretty dire. That is until Avery gets called to the Principal’s office and Grayson Hawthorne is there waiting for her.
Grayson is the second oldest grandson of Tobias Hawthorne. A billionaire who has just met his unfortunate end. Turns out, Tobias’s will can’t be read until all parties are present and to everyone’s confusion (especially Avery’s) that includes Avery. At the will reading in Hawthorne House, it comes out that the old man left Avery basically everything. Keep in mind this is a man with four grandsons, two daughters and a very much alive mother in law. The only condition to gain her inheritance (billions of dollars, did I mention billions???) stipulates Avery has to live at Hawthorne House for a year. A giant mansion that houses the entire above mentioned family who just found out they’re getting next to nothing. As you can imagine, things are both tense and awkward… not an altogether pleasant living experience for the next 365 days.
“If there’s one thing the Hawthorne family isn’t, it’s fine. They were a twisted, broken mess before you got here, and they’ll be a twisted, broken mess once you’re gone.”
Tobias Hawthorne raised all of his grandsons in his image so it’d be remiss of me not to introduce them. Of course, Grayson is the straight laced, immaculately dressed one who was raised under the impression that he was to be the heir apparent. The oldest, Nash, is a genuine real life cowboy with a hero complex. The man has zero desire to live a life defined by wealth and extravagance and would much rather be surrounded by some horses and getting his hands dirty. The third grandson, Jameson, has classic middle child energy. He’s chaotic, a serious adrenaline junkie and self destructive. When Avery meets him for the first time, he’s drunk and shirtless and hopping off the roof. As one does. So naturally, I’m in love with him. The youngest, sweet baby Xander, is your typical eccentric genius type with a fondness for baked goods.
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“Grayson thinks you’re some master manipulator. My aunt is convinced you must have Hawthorne blood. But I think you’re the old man’s final riddle-one last puzzle to be solved.” He took another step, bringing the two of us that much closer. “He chose you for a reason, Avery. You’re special, and I think he wanted us-wanted me-to figure out why.”
The boys were raised solving mysteries, puzzles and riddles. The old man loved games and he loved pitting his grandsons against each other under the guise of competitive spirit. It’s what makes Avery the perfect addition to their ranks. The Heiress, as Jameson calls her, has been known to excel at solving all of the above. So while Grayson is suspicious of Avery and her true intentions, Jameson decides he’s going to work with her and try to figure out why exactly the old man left her everything.
“Everything’s a game, Avery Grambs. The only thing we get to decide in this life is if we play to win.”
The thing is Avery has walked into some heavily complicated family dynamics without knowing any of the background. That competitive spirit Tobias fostered in his grandsons led to Grayson and Jameson being at each other’s throats. They let something or someone come between them a year ago and tragedy struck. Now, they can barely look at each other without feeling the strain of their fractured relationship. So naturally, of course, a love triangle begins to emerge between Grayson, Jameson and Avery. There’s nothing like making the same mistake twice, am I right? As they piece together the clues and exactly what the old man was thinking when he brought Avery into their lives, they uncover more and more secrets tied into the Hawthorne name.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes will take you on a series of twists and turns so outlandish, you’ll find yourself grateful to be along for the ride even if you never know where exactly that ride is going or where it’ll end up. The big reveal at the end is the perfect lead into book two of the trilogy – The Hawthorne Legacy. To put into perspective the sheer scope of this story, this universe is set to span nine books with seven already published. Each is more mind-bending than the last. Pick up this first one and let yourself succumb to a world where you’re clever, whip smart and no puzzle is too complex. You won’t regret it. Especially since it was just announced that a TV adaptation is set at Lionsgate.
