THE FINAL GAMBIT: AN INHERITANCE GAMES NOVEL

 

THE FINAL GAMBIT

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:

Everything, for once, was going normal for Avery. The old man’s riddles had come to an end; Avery was done playing his games. At least that what she thought until Evelyn, Toby Hawthorne’s biological daughter, showed up at the Hawthorne House with news that Toby Hawthorne was kidnapped. Evelyn’s emergence in the house causes a stir, not only due to the news she brings with her but also due to her uncanny resemblance to Emily Laughlin, who had a dark history with Jameson and Grayson Hawthorne.

Review:

My honest opinion: after delivering two simultaneous bangers, I was expecting more from the third book. But my expectations fell short. I wouldnt say the book is all bad, but compared to the previous two books its very underwhelming. The ending was a major factor contributing towards my disappointment along with the choices made by the characters. 

Just as Avery thought that she was done playing the old man’s riddles, Eve showed up at the mansion with the news of Toby Hawthorne’s kidnapping. If the impact her news had wasn't enough, she had a bigger impact on Grayson Hawthorne for one reason: she resembled Emily Laughlin, his ex-girlfriend whom he never got over. Not very surprising when you think about it because technically, Eve was Emily’s niece. It took a toll on Mallory Laughlin as well, who thought of Eve as Emily.

Lets keep that aside for now and focus on the main news: Toby Hawthorne was kidnapped. First instinct of anyone would be to call the police. But the Hawthornes couldn't do so since Toby was presumed to be dead by everyone and nobody – except the Hawthornes and Avery – knew that he was alive. On top of that, the kidnapper was sending threatening messages. Mysterious packages, phone calls and letters showed up, that too in the form of riddles. It seemed as though Tobias Hawthorne himself was playing another game.

In order to find Toby, they needed to know the kidnapper. And in order to find the kidnapper they needed to dive deeper into Tobias Hawthorne’s past: his life before becoming a billionaire and how he actually earned all the money.  As if that wasn't enough trouble, Avery soon started to suspect that Eve was up to something, but she couldn't prove it. 

A possible imposter among them, threats from the kidnapper, Tobias Hawthorne’s shady past, and most importantly, Toby’s life at stake….

“As a young man, I believed myself destined for greatness. I fought for it, I thought my way to the top, I cheated, I lied, I made the world bend to my will”

~Avani Endait