Series continuation keeps up the intrigue, puzzle-solving.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
Blood and pain are mentioned from a boxing or MMA-type fight, but nothing's described in detail. Characters are physically menacing. The click of a gun is heard from behind. Two characters scuffle over possession of an object. Characters are in danger from long falls and a few dark places.
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A few luxury brands like car makes to establish character and tone. Oreo cookies.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Older teens drink whiskey, scotch, and champagne, rarely and not to excess but under glamorous circumstances. A minor character is recovering from an unspecified addiction. Characters are knocked unconscious when they open envelopes that shower powder at their faces.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
A couple of kisses and a memory of tweens kissing in the past aren't described in detail. Some romantic dynamics and mentions of feeling the others' body, without mentioning sensitive body parts.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
The truth hurts: Being truthful to your loved ones is often painful, but it's the only way to build and maintain trust. Family first: Do whatever you must to protect your family, whether it's the one you were born into or one that you chose.
Positive Role Models
some
Grayson and Jameson are good models of perseverance and teamwork. Avery and all four Hawthorne brothers model fierce loyalty to family, helping, supporting, and sometimes pushing each other to be and do more.
Diverse Representations
a little
The main character and most secondary characters read as White. One character has dark skin and reads as neurodivergent. Another is an English duchess who is Black.
Parents need to know that The Brothers Hawthorne is the fourth installment in the popular Inheritance Games series. Two of the four brothers -- Jameson and Grayson -- are the focus this time around and the must solve puzzles and high-stakes games to protect their family once again. Strong language includes "bulls--t" and "s--t." The only violence is a boxing-type fight that mentions blood and pain but doesn't describe anything. There's some scariness from dark locations, falling from heights, and characters who are menacing and and the sound of a gun being cocked. There are a few kisses but no detailed descriptions. Older teens drink alcohol, not to excess. A minor character is recovering from an unknown addiction. There's an extensive passage about a 19-year-old gambling in an exclusive and very glamorous club.
THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE picks up soon after the events of the third book in the Inheritance Games series, The Final Gambit, this time switching to focus mainly on two of the four brothers. Jameson, 19, receives a mysterious invitation to London, to meet Ian, the father he never knew. Ian asks Jameson to play a high-stakes game with the wealthiest and most powerful people in the UK so that Ian can win back his own inheritance. Jameson loves playing, and he loves winning even more, but why should he help Ian? Meanwhile, back in the US, 20-year-old Grayson learns that his half-sister Gigi is in trouble. And if anyone goes digging to deeply into that trouble, it could expose dark secrets and worse still, put Avery in danger again. In order to protect Avery, Grayson will have to betray Gigi, but can he bring himself to do it, even for a good reason?
Veteran author Jennifer Lynn Barnes keeps the twists and turns coming in this continuation of the Inheritance Games series. The Brothers Hawthorne alternates between the adventures of two of the brothers, Grayson and Jameson, but Avery, the other two brothers, and familiar characters return, too. Readers will continue to enjoy intriguing atmospheres on both sides of the Atlantic and of course, solving intricate puzzles and uncovering long-held secrets along with the brothers. The story ends with yet another cliffhanger that will have fans of the series eager for the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of family in The Brothers Hawthorne. "Family first" is repeated a lot, but do characters' actions back that up?
How does teamwork help Grayson and Jameson accomplish their goals?
Jameson especially never gives up until he's accomplished his goal or proved himself in some way. Do any other characters model perseverance?
Available on:
Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
September 11, 2023
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The Brothers Hawthorne: The Inheritance Games, Book 4
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Andrea Beach
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