Review Detail

THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE is a new, riveting installment in the THE INHERITANCE GAMES series. The book primarily follows Jameson and Grayson as they are set on separate paths due to their fathers. After what happened with his father, Grayson knows he wants to protect his half-sisters. When one of them is arrested, Grayson springs into action, heading to her side and trying to help her while also keeping his secrets safe - something that sounds easier to do than it is. Through the process, he is also confronting his feelings about family and love.

Jameson has been tasked with something different from his dangerously disconnected father, who found himself in some gambling trouble. He has been asked to infiltrate an elite underground gambling club in order to win back something that should have never been lost. In doing so, he will be playing the games set forth by a wealthy, powerful, and dangerous man - so, in many ways, it will be much like his childhood. Along with Avery, they find themselves entangled in new games and politics while Jameson confronts his feelings about his complicated family and what he wants for himself.

What I loved: This was a riveting and consuming read that captured my attention from the start. With a similar writing style and plenty of mysteries, twists, and puzzles, it fits well in THE INHERITANCE GAMES series. The ending also opens the door for the next book, and I am so excited to see this series becoming broader and more expansive than I had previously thought. The best parts of the earlier books were maintained in this one, expanding on Jameson, Grayson, and their relationships. The brothers and their connections remain strong, as well as some delightful romance with Avery, but the focus remains on the mysteries, puzzles, and family.

Though Jameson and Grayson are following different paths, the book was easy to follow with switches between perspectives that made it impossible to put down. Eve is rising again as a character to watch out for, and she adds some tension in Grayson's perspective, in addition to his conflicts between which secrets he is keeping from his sisters, while Jameson's tension is driven by the secret club and his conflicts with his father's side of the family, as well as the desire to win the game. This kept the story feeling quite suspenseful, and key switches in perspective meant the reader was hooked between chapters. Interspersed between their perspectives in the present were some key scenes from their past that set the stage for how they relate to each other, their family, and the obstacles they are emotionally overcoming.

Family remains a strong bond in this series with the brothers connecting with each other throughout. Their other families, in the form of the fathers they did not know growing up, is becoming more complex, and they are redefining the ways that they think about family and what their boundaries will be. These complicated insights occur at different paces with different extended family members that each begins to learn about. In addition to this powerful theme, other themes around romantic love, loss/grief, childhood trauma, competitiveness, and brotherhood were also really thought-provoking and extended the story from the earlier books with new character growth arcs.

One of the best features of these books are the complicated puzzles that get solved by these savvy characters, and this one is no different. Both Grayson and Jameson are set on a course that involves plenty of sleuthing, mystery, and high stakes. These continue to feel fresh and engaging in this sequel, and I am truly impressed with the author's ability to create these!

Final verdict: THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE is a delightful and riveting new installment in absolutely fantastic YA mystery/suspense series. Highly recommend picking this one up if you love compelling characters, intrigue, and thought-provoking themes.