The Grandest Game (Book 1)
Available at Bookshop.org
2/5
“Some people can make mistakes, make amends, and move on. And some of us live with each and every mistake we make carved into us, into hollow places we don’t know how to fill.”
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? YA mystery thriller
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? The Hawthornes and Avery of course
Is it spicy? Nope
Is it violent or gory? Nope
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? PASS
“The danger of touch is the cruel beauty of a moment gone too fast and burned into the skin.”
Review: I love the original series and I was so looking forward to this spinoff, but this was a MASSIVE disappointment. I miss the dynamic of the Hawthorne brothers and Avery, the mysteries of their extended family, and the fast pace of the plot. This was just…not it. The plot was convoluted even for a Hawthorne story and yet, it went nowhere. The romances were unconvincing and felt totally forced. This is not how you do rivals to lovers. There are way too many characters and I care for none of them. Every competitor was either annoying, frustrating, or straight up insufferable, including Grayson. I don’t care about their connections to each other at all or what happens next. I will not be continuing the series.