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A review by booksbytheglass
The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
hmm it was enjoyable but there was something missing (reader: it was the plot 🫢)
the hawthorne brothers are back and better (??) than ever as they present the second annual grandest game, funded by avery’s multi-million dollar earnings. and while I definitely had to spark notes the last two books to remember who all of these new characters are, I had a fun time getting back into the world of the puzzles and riddles!
sadly, that was where most of the fun stopped for me. what I love most about JLB’s writing is the intermixing of fluffy riddles and puzzle solving with hard-hitting emotions and backstories that make the characters multi-faceted. that was the part that was severely lacking for me…
savannah and lyla were easily the most intriguing characters, and I still feel like the surface was barely scratched with their character development. between all of the new players, the mysteries and cryptic one-liners never really resolved and instead worked to set up the next installment of this series
I just wished the story held more on its own rather than relying on future plot resolutions. because at the end of the day, nothing really happened? the biggest reveal in lyla’s story was a plot point that was already revealed in THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE - so I’m just over here 🤔🤔🤔
at the end of the day, will I continue reading this series and anything JLB writes? yes. was this book still fun to read? yes. are her new characters just as strong as the original hawthorne brothers? definitely not.
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: new zealand cabernet riesling
the hawthorne brothers are back and better (??) than ever as they present the second annual grandest game, funded by avery’s multi-million dollar earnings. and while I definitely had to spark notes the last two books to remember who all of these new characters are, I had a fun time getting back into the world of the puzzles and riddles!
sadly, that was where most of the fun stopped for me. what I love most about JLB’s writing is the intermixing of fluffy riddles and puzzle solving with hard-hitting emotions and backstories that make the characters multi-faceted. that was the part that was severely lacking for me…
savannah and lyla were easily the most intriguing characters, and I still feel like the surface was barely scratched with their character development. between all of the new players, the mysteries and cryptic one-liners never really resolved and instead worked to set up the next installment of this series
I just wished the story held more on its own rather than relying on future plot resolutions. because at the end of the day, nothing really happened? the biggest reveal in lyla’s story was a plot point that was already revealed in THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE - so I’m just over here 🤔🤔🤔
at the end of the day, will I continue reading this series and anything JLB writes? yes. was this book still fun to read? yes. are her new characters just as strong as the original hawthorne brothers? definitely not.
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: new zealand cabernet riesling