Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Brothers Hawthorne. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-316-48077-2. $19.99. 480 p. Grades 9-12.
The Hawthorne brothers had a rather unusual upbringing. Their wealthy grandfather pushed them to be the best that could be in any given situation and challenged them each and every day. After he passed away, leaving his vast fortune to a stranger, both Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne are trying to find their new place in the world. When Grayson discovers his half sister has gotten into some trouble, he doesn’t hesitate to help her out. Although he has no intentions of getting to know her or her twin sister and has vowed to have no emotional connections with them whatsoever, he struggles to protect the Hawthorne family secrets as he attempts to keep his new family safe. On the other side of the world, Jameson Hawthorne, along with Avery Grahams, has discovered secrets about his father’s family as well. Jameson’s father finds him in London, and after asking for his help, Jameson and Avery must join and infiltrate an inclusive, mysterious London club in order to win back a family estate Jameson’s father gambled away. They have the chance to win it back for him if they are invited to play in a dangerous game, and luckily, Jameson has been raised to win, no matter the cost. In the end, the brothers must each face some of the most difficult challenges of their lives and decide what and who truly matters the most.
THOUGHTS: As a continuation of The Inheritance Games, I think readers will enjoy this one only after finishing the original trilogy. I liked the back-and-forth narration between Grayson and Jameson, and readers will find The Brothers Hawthorne full of mystery, intrigue, adventure, puzzles, and dangerous games as they discover even more Hawthorne secrets and family history that has not been previously revealed. This mystery thriller also sets the tone for Barnes’ next edition in The Inheritance Games collection: a set of novellas which will be published at the end of this year, and in addition, a new series, The Grandest Game, will be released in the summer. I’d highly recommend this saga to any reader looking for something to keep their interest and keep them guessing!
Realistic Fiction