The Inheritance Games / The Hawthorne Legacy / The Final Gambit / The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Inheritance Games #1-4) (2020 - 2023)

 

Although classified as Young Adult, this four-book series will appeal to all ages. Avery Grambs is a 17-year-old high school student dreaming of a better life for herself and her older sister. Everything changes when she discovers the eccentric billionaire Tobias Hawthorne, a man she has never met, has left his entire fortune to her rather than his daughters and grandsons. There is a catch however. She must live in Hawthorne House with the entire Hawthorne clan for one full year.

Avery soon learns Tobias was a master of games and manipulation. Riddle upon riddle, secret upon secret, nothing is as it appears to be at Hawthorne House. To understand her role in the billionaire’s final game and why she’s the recipient of his bequest, Avery must piece together clues left throughout the massive estate full of hidden passages, secret compartments, and underground tunnels. In order to do so, Avery must turn to the four Hawthorne grandsons who have been solving their grandfather’s puzzles all their lives. Even though one of them may be trying to kill her.

The romance in the books is definitely geared to the young adult reader but is easy to overlook because the rest of the story is so good. The first three volumes cover Avery’s adventures while she waits for her inheritance.  The fourth book is considered part of the series but Avery's year is up by the end of the third. If you are not ready to leave Avery and the Hawthorne grandsons just yet, The Brothers Hawthorne continues the story with the focus on Grayson and Jameson. The storyline didn’t hold me like the first three books.

4.54 stars on Goodreads, 5 on Amazon

I Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak (2019) (YA)

 

“I was born a puppy. Thirteen years ago in a garage …”

As the title and book cover suggest, this book is narrated by a golden retriever named Cosmo. He is the big brother to ten-year-old human Max and four-year-old Emmaline. Cosmo’s human parents are Mom and Dad. Cosmo has a good life with his human family; his biggest concerns being the evil sheepdog down the block and his arthritic joints. The bond between Max and Cosmo will pull at your heartstrings.

When the family is away, Max leaves the TV on for Cosmo whose favorite channels are Discovery and Turner Classic Movies. His favorite movies are Grease and Singing in the Rain. Deep down Cosmo knows he has the soul of a dancer.

When Max’s parents begin to fight a lot and Dad starts sleeping on the couch, Max confides in Cosmo his concern that his parents will divorce, and the boy and his dog will end up in separate households. When Max learns of a canine freestyle dance contest, he is convinced that winning the competition will be just what is needed to remind his parents of the good times and make them stay together. Cosmo can’t deny Max anything so he is all in, regardless of the stiff joints. With the help of Uncle Reggie, the pair practice and practice until their routine is perfect.

The author, Carlie Sorosiak, must have been a dog in an earlier life. Cosmo’s behavior and thoughts are exactly what I would imagine any dog is thinking. If you have ever shared your home with a dog you will know just what I mean.

Although the book was written for the young adult audience, readers of all ages will enjoy this heart lifting story of the power of love.

4.28 stars on Goodreads, 4.8 on Amazon

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library.

One of Us is Lying (One of Us Is Lying #1) by Karen M. McManus (2019) (YA)

 

One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention at Bayview High and only four come out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has a secret.

Bronwyn Rojas is the Yale-bound brain, Adelaide Prentiss is the beauty, Nate Macauley is on probation for drug dealing, and Cooper Clay is the school’s all-star baseball pitcher. Simon Kelleher, the creator of the Bayview’s gossip app, is the outcast.

Simon is dead before detention ends and the police rule his death a homicide. All four fellow detainees become suspects when the police discover Simon planned to post juicy reveals about all four of them on his gossip app the very next day

How far would you go to protect your secret?

4.05 stars in Goodreads, 4.6 on Amazon

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library. The second book in the series, One of Us Is Next, is available at EPL.