The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Pages: 372

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary mystery

Notes for Parents: Some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her luck changes in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves her virtually his entire fortune. The only catch? Avery must move into his sprawling mansion, full of secret passages, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that was just disinherited. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic boys who grew up with every expectation that, one day, they would inherit billions.

Heir apparent Grayson is convinced that Avery is a con woman, and he’s determined to take her down. But his brother Jameson views her as their grandfather’s last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

What you should know:

This is the first book in a trilogy. Book #2 is called The Hawthorne Legacy (2021) and Book #3 is The Final Gambit (2022).

The Review

It’s a good thing Avery loves riddles because there are plenty to sift through as she searches for the reason why a billionaire left her nearly his entire fortune. Unfortunately, there are a host of characters who are trying to get in the way of her claiming the inheritance and discovering the truth. Avery is a well-constructed protagonist who is confident and clever. The supporting characters, including the Hawthorne family, come in a variety of depths that will likely improve as the trilogy unfolds. Short chapters make it a quick and easy read.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

There was plenty of mystery, some danger, a little romance, and an entertaining adventure. If you don’t mind a love triangle (and a cliffhanger ending), it’s a great read.

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Inheritance Games. New York: Little Brown and Company, 2020.

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Pages: 383

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Historical / Survival

Notes for Parents: Some violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.
On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

What you should know:

The story is fiction but the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was very real, killing more than 3000 people and destroying over 80% of the city.

The Review

Mercy is a strong-minded and intrepid teen resolved to make her future bright. Mercy’s story is one of dogged determination and resourcefulness, first to get herself into a top school, then to survive a major earthquake. The reader gets a strong sense of the times, especially of the systemic racism that existed. Chinese culture and tradition are beautifully integrated into everything Mercy does, and her love for her family and community is inspiring. The earthquake doesn’t hit until page 174, so it felt like a bit of a slog getting to that point, but it did provide a chance to get to know the characters beforehand. Once the tragedy hits, the story is fast-paced and dramatic. There are some mature scenes, but it never gets too graphic.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

Mercy’s experiences as an indomitable teen, a child of Chinese immigrants, and an earthquake survivor are riveting and grab the readers heart almost instantly. The first half of the story is interesting, but a bit slow. Things pick up and the end is worth it.

Lee, Stacey. Outrun the Moon. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2016.

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

Pages: 216

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Mystery

Notes for Parents: Some mild violence and a few mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When Enola Holmes, sister to the detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared, she quickly sets off to find her in London—but nothing can prepare her for what awaits. For when she arrives, she finds herself involved in the kidnapping of a young marquess, and must flee murderous villains and elude her shrewd older brothers—all while trying to piece together clues to her mother’s disappearance. Amid all the chaos, can Enola find the marquess and her mother?

What you should know:

There are six books in the series, and the first has been made into a Netflix film, with a second film in the works.

The Review

Fourteen-year-old Enola is a plucky and intelligent girl who sets off on her own to solve the mystery of her missing mother. She’s determined and resourceful as she braves the streets of 19^th century London. The story is easy-to-read and moves at a good pace. The plot and subplots are simple and interesting, and the characters are well-drawn and likeable. Some words and terms used are rather archaic, or uniquely British, and may be a bit of a challenge for some readers. Regardless, the story is relatable and fun.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

It’s a lovely middle-school novel with an intelligent and tenacious protagonist. Compared to the Netflix film, it’s a much tamer, less complex story. Recommended…but the film was much more exciting.

Springer, Nancy. Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess. New York: Puffin Books, 2006.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Pages: 368

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Speculative – Contemporary Dystopian

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, mature scenes.

 

The Back Cover

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to deliver some bad news; They’re going to die in less than twenty-four hours. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news is there’s an app for that. It’s called Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo meet up for one final epic adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

 

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

It was the winner of the Lincoln Award (Illinois Teen Readers’ Choice Award) in 2020, and was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction in 2017.

 

What’s good?

In this alternate world, two boys meet to spend their last day alive together. Mateo and Rufus are beautifully constructed characters who couldn’t be more different but find common ground as they traverse the city and try new things. We’re given just enough world-building to understand the solemnity of their predicament, but not so much that we’re bogged down with trying to understand the mechanics. The emotional ending packs a punch.

Best Part: The interwoven stories of the minor characters they meet along the way. (There’s a bonus chart at the end that shows how everyone is connected.)

 

What isn’t good?

While the story is consistently poignant, it’s not always exciting. There’s action, but not a lot of it, and there’s tension, but we already know what it’s leading up to.

Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

 

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

They Both Die in the End was worth the read. The premise was thought-provoking, and the characters, both main and supporting, were note-worthy. It’s not exactly a page-turner, but it’s a very unique story told adeptly in the span of the day. Recommended.

 Silvera, Adam. They Both Die at the End. New York: HarperTeen, 2017.

Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick

Pages: 265

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains some mature scenes.

 

The Back Cover

“Alex Peter Gregory, you are a moron!” Laurie slammed her palms down on my desk and stomped her foot. I get a lot of that.

One car crash.

One measly little car crash. And suddenly, I’m some kind of convicted felon.

My parents are getting divorced, my dad is shacking up with my third-grade teacher, I might be in love with a girl who could kill me with one finger, and now I’m sentenced to baby-sit some insane old guy.

What else could possibly go wrong?

 

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book was a South Carolina Young Adult Book Award nominee (2009), Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2008), Iowa Teen Award Nominee (2011), Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2009), and a Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2011)

 

What’s good?

Alex is assigned to be a companion to an elderly gentleman at a local nursing home as punishment for killing a garden gnome while drinking and driving. The premise is serious, but the story is a lot of fun. The simple plot is punched up by Sol’s stinging wit and Alex’s funny narration. With Jewish terminology, musical references, and a blossoming friendship, this is a comical yet sentimental story about a dying man who teaches a teen how to live.

Best Part: The chapter called “Coda.”

 

What isn’t good?

The romance, while sweet, was totally predictable. And there was no action. Nevertheless, the strong characters and engaging narration prevailed.

Worst part: There was nothing terrible.

 

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺(4/5)

I can see this story as a movie. The visual setting and comical dialogue would translate well onto the screen. Definitely recommended.

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes from the Midnight Driver. New York: Scholastic, 2006.