Riley’s Reviews: A Good Twist!

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 

Releases September 29th, 2020 – Pre-order here!

As someone whose favorite game was Clue growing up, favorite book series was Nancy Drew, and favorite TV show was Scooby Doo, one could say I love a good mystery. Throw in an opulent house, billions of dollars, and a handful of lavish libraries and there is no way I can say no. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes has all this and more. The story, which follows teenager Avery, is exactly what I was looking for for a quick summer read. Avery knows risk better than anyone. From chess to poker to studying for tests, she knows exactly what’s at stake. But when she inherits billions of dollars from a Dallas billionaire she’d never met, when his own family gets next to nothing, Avery is left confused on why he picked her. Avery, as well as two of the billionaire’s four grandsons, are sent scrambling for answers. A complex and deeply creative story with some aspects of Cinderella, I loved the intricacy of the house itself and the relationships within the family. For fans of Knives Out, this book is perfect for anyone who’s in the mood for a game or a very risky gamble.

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle 

As a clumsy person, the concept of The Accident Season immediately appealed to me. The book, by Moïra Fowley-Doyle, follows the story of Cara and her family, who, at the end of October, are faced with a supposed curse that makes them extremely accident prone. Framed by years of injuries and deaths, the family faces countless injuries during this accident season. However, through the bewitching story, Cara and her family learn there may be more to the story, and the curse, than they originally thought. I loved this book because the entire thing felt like a beautiful, surreal dream. Throughout the book I found myself questioning what was real and what was not. For clumsy people and for people who love twisted stories made of smoke, mirrors and shadows, this book is a perfect read. Especially for a rainy day.