Review: The Inheritance Games – The Ultimate Reading Slump Cure?

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Confession and Mini Introduction (By Stani)

Hi everyone. If you are a regular here, you probably know me as the "Hers" half of the book club. But if we are being honest, you either see my name for the first time, or you mostly know me as the one who handles the Instagram posts. I am usually not the one writing the reviews. That is Alex’s department.

I am not a fast reader. In fact, I am the definition of a "mood reader." I pick up a book, read ten pages, get distracted, and end up either watching the movie, or scrolling through Instagram reels for two hours instead.

But for 2026, I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to be more involved in the actual book part of the book club, reading, writing, and sharing my own thoughts on the books we read (which sometimes clash with Alex’s). So please don't judge me too harshly as I figure this whole writing thing out! Here goes nothing.

The reason I am writing this specific review is because I recently hit a massive wall. I just finished My Map of You (which we reviewed recently), and while I liked it, it took me months to get through. It was a slow burn, and by the time I finished, my brain felt exhausted.

So I told Alex that I needed something different. Something fast. He went to his bookshelf, pulled out The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and told me to give it a try. I should probably note that neither of us had read the book at that point - Alex just thought that it looked (and sounded) like something that will be right up my alley.

I finished the whole book in a week.

For someone like me, that is record time. So if you are currently staring at a pile of unread books and feeling guilty, this review is for you.

What is The Inheritance Games About?

Imagine if the movie Knives Out had a baby with a Cinderella story, and then you sprinkled in a little bit of teenage angst.

The story follows Avery Grambs. She is a normal high school student who is barely scraping by. She lives in her car half the time, is great at math, and just wants to survive until graduation. She has absolutely no connection to the super-rich.

Then Tobias Hawthorne dies.

Tobias is a billionaire. A 46.2 billion dollar billionaire. And for reasons nobody understands, he leaves almost his entire fortune to Avery. The catch? She has to move into his massive, sprawling mansion (Hawthorne House) and live there for exactly one year.

The problem is that the house is already occupied by his family. Specifically his two daughters and his four grandsons. They were all disinherited, they are all furious, and they are all very dangerous.

Why It’s Perfect for a Reading Slump (Her Take)

I didn't think I would get hooked on a Young Adult mystery, but this book does a few specific things that make it impossible to put down.

The Chapters Are Tiny This is the biggest selling point for me. Some chapters are literally two or three pages long. When I am in a slump, staring at a 40-page chapter feels like a homework assignment. With this book, I kept telling myself "just one more" because the next chapter was so short. Before I knew it, I had read 50 pages.

No Boring Warm-Up You know how some fantasy books take 100 pages to explain the magic system? This doesn't do that. You are at the reading of the will by Chapter 3. It respects your time.

It’s a Game Tobias Hawthorne loved riddles. The house is full of secret passages, invisible ink, and hidden compartments. As I was reading, I felt like I was playing a game alongside Avery. I wasn't just reading words; I was trying to figure out the puzzle before she did.

The "His" Take: Why I Loved It Too

Okay, Alex jumping in here.

Most of you know me as the "Fantasy and Classics Guy." I talk a lot about Brandon Sanderson, Oscar Wilde, magic systems, and century-old grudges. But the truth is, I try to read everything. I love a good story, regardless of the genre. And honestly? I had just as much fun with this book as Stani did.

I initially picked it up thinking it would be a quick palate cleanser between heavy epics - I had literally finished all 7 books of Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series and needed something quick and easy before diving into my next big chunky read. I expected some fluff and linear storytelling. Instead, I found a mystery that is actually incredibly well-constructed. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has a background in psychology, which I found out after finishing the book and immediately Googling her, and you can tell. The puzzles aren't random; they are woven into the architecture of the house and the history of the family.

I got the same butterflies in my stomach as I did the first time reading Agatha Christie. It’s smart, it moves at a breakneck pace, and it respects the reader’s intelligence. I caught myself trying to solve the riddles ahead of Avery, and I was genuinely impressed when the pieces clicked together. It’s not just a romance; it’s a logic puzzle. Oh, also - #TeamXander all the way for obvious reasons!

The Hawthorne Brothers

You can't talk about this book without talking about the boys. They are the other main draw of the story (obviously).

Grayson Hawthorne He is the "heir apparent." He wears suits, he is incredibly serious, and he looks at Avery (and everyone else) like he knows exactly how much better than them he is. He represents the "Pride" part of the story. He thinks he deserves the money because he was trained for it since birth.

Jameson Hawthorne He is the chaos. He drinks too much, he takes dangerous risks, and he is obsessed with his grandfather's games. He sees Avery as a clue to be solved rather than a person. He is the "Prejudice" (and the fun one).

There are two others, Nash and Xander, but the story really revolves around the tension between Avery, Grayson, and Jameson.

Who Should Read This?

If you liked the movie Knives Out or Glass Onion, you need to read this. It has that same "rich family eating itself alive" vibe that is so fun to watch.

We also keep hearing that fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder love this series. We haven't read that one yet (it is high on our TBR!), but if you enjoyed the vibe of a high-stakes teenage investigation, this seems to be the perfect companion read.

You should skip this if:

• You hate love triangles (it is a big part of the plot).

• You want a book that wraps up everything in the end. (Warning: It ends on a massive cliffhanger).

The Verdict

Her Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars. I knocked off half a star because the ending made me scream in frustration when I realized this was part of a series. But honestly? It got me reading again.

His Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It’s tight, clever, and endlessly entertaining. Don't let the "YA" label scare you off; it's a blast.

The Good

• Extremely short chapters keep the pace moving.
• The puzzles are genuinely clever and solvable.
• Avery is a smart protagonist who loves math (a nice change).

The Bad

• The love triangle can feel a bit forced at times.
• The ending is a brutal cliffhanger (you have to read the trilogy).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Inheritance Games spicy? No. This is a Young Adult (YA) novel. There is romantic tension, kissing, and a lot of longing looks, but there is no open-door spice. It is safe for younger teen readers.

Do I need to read the books in order? Yes. This is not a standalone mystery. You need to read The Inheritance Games, then The Hawthorne Legacy, and finally The Final Gambit to get the full story.

What to Read Next?

If you fly through this and need more recommendations, we are working on a list of 10 Books Like The Inheritance Games for fans of puzzles and rich-people-problems.

If you want to see what else we’ve read togeher recently, check out our review of My Map of You

And if you want to see what Alex won’t stop talking about since the start of the year, check out his review of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series!