Fresh Fridays: On Friday, I review a brand new series (ie. only has one book released so far) to see if the series is worth keeping up with. Here is this week’s offering:
The Grandest Game Series is a spin-off of the The Inheritance Games
Other books planned to be in the series:
Synopsis for The Grandest Game (from Goodreads):
Get caught up in the puzzles, games, danger, romance, and riches of this lush new chapter in the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games saga—set a year after we last saw Avery and the Hawthornes.
Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.
Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year’s game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.
Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year’s game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.
Do you have what it takes to play?
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Grandest Game
This is a spinoff of the The Inheritance Games Series.
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Unsure
Genre: New Adult, Thriller, Romance
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: Third Person, Multiple
Publication Date: July 2024 – ongoing
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
WARNING: If you have not finished the original series, this review may have spoilers!
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I really enjoyed the vibes of The Inheritance Games Series. It was filled with a cast of quirky characters and make-you-think logic puzzles that kept me on my toes. So I was excited for this new series, particularly for its focus on Grayson who is probably my favourite Hawthorne Brother.
How Does It Compare To The Original?
–Multiple POVs–
I enjoyed being in Avery’s head for the original series but I liked having multiple POVs to follow during the game. I always felt like things were moving because we would jump from scene to scene, giving us the bigger picture of what is happening. And I love when things are seemingly unconnected but having read the last series, you know that there is something linking them all together, even if you don’t know what it is quite yet.
–Dashes of Romance–
I will admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance in The Inheritance Games but I liked the little inklings we got here. It was just enough to make me smile but not so much it was distracting from the plot. I felt like it added to the story in a positive way.
–The Games–
I enjoyed trying to figure out the solutions to the puzzles and the challenges.
Anything I Didn’t Like?
–Grayson Isn’t the Lead – He Doesn’t Even Have a POV–
This was billed as Grayson’s book but it is far from it. Yes, he is involved but not to the extent that I think fans want. He doesn’t even get a POV chapter! And I think the synopsis unfairly gives readers the impression that he will be the sole POV so it took me a bit to get used to the idea that this was not the book thought it was going to be.
–The Third Person POV Keeps People at a Distance–
One disadvantage of third person POVs is that you don’t always get the inner monologues and thoughts of characters. So in a way, while I think most of the leads had good character growth, I did feel distanced from them because I wasn’t getting that first person narration.
My Audiobook Experience
This was a very easy listen and I enjoyed how it amplified the experience of the games.
My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:
Very curious to see what happens next! Lots of unanswered questions!
My Rating: 4/5
The Grandest Game 4/5 | Glorious Rivals TBP
If you enjoyed the original The Inheritance Games series for its twisty games, you’ll enjoy this. But if you enjoyed it because of Avery as the lead, you might feel disconnected from this new cast of leads.
Read if You Like: riddles/scavenger hunts, thrillers
Avoid if You: dislike multiple POVs, want more romance
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