Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Summary

Games Untold is a collection of eight novellas and short stories set in The Inheritance Games universe, published in November 2024. The anthology features fan-favorite characters including Avery Grambs and the four Hawthorne brothers as they navigate puzzles, secrets, and dangerous games. Stories range from romantic adventures in Prague to origin stories revealing family secrets, including the tragic fire that shaped the Hawthorne family twenty years earlier.

Games Untold is perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games series who want deeper insights into beloved characters and previously untold storylines. Young adult readers who enjoy mystery, romance, luxury settings, and puzzle-solving adventures will find this collection engaging. The book appeals to those interested in complex family dynamics, wealthy legacy stories, and character-driven narratives with unexpected twists and cliffhangers.

Games Untold offers substantial value for Inheritance Games fans by filling narrative gaps and providing new perspectives on pivotal series events. The collection balances fast-paced adventures with character development, featuring stories like Jameson's kidnapping in Prague and the origin of Hannah and Toby's relationship. While some novellas run long, the anthology delivers the signature Hawthorne risk-taking, clever games, and emotional depth that defines the series.

While Games Untold is designed primarily for existing fans of The Inheritance Games series, new readers can enjoy the standalone game-filled stories. However, reading the original trilogy enhances understanding of character relationships, family secrets, and the significance of events like the Hawthorne Island fire. The anthology references key plot points from both The Inheritance Games and The Grandest Game series for maximum narrative impact.

Games Untold contains eight pieces:

• "That Night in Prague" follows Avery and Jameson's romantic adventure
• "The Same Backwards as Forwards" reveals Hannah and Toby's tragic love story
• "One Hawthorne Night" depicts Grayson's atonement
• "$3CR3T $@NT@" features an epic Christmas competition
• "Pain at the Right Gain" retells Prague from Jameson's perspective
• "What Happens in the Treehouse" explores additional character moments within the Hawthorne universe

"That Night in Prague" follows eighteen-year-old Avery Grambs as she flies to Prague to see Jameson Hawthorne shortly after inheriting billions. The novella balances romantic games between the couple with flashbacks to puzzles they created for each other across three days. The story captures the risky, boisterous Hawthorne personality while revealing Avery's fears when Jameson suddenly disappears, creating an engaging blend of romance and mystery.

Games Untold explores three major themes:

• the Complexity of Family Dynamics through the Hawthorne brothers' unbreakable bonds and chosen family relationships
• the Impact of Wealth and Legacy on Identity, particularly how Tobias Hawthorne's fortune shapes characters' lives
• Finding and Accepting Love through various romantic pairings

The collection examines how secrets, games, and dangerous situations test relationships while characters navigate luxury, power, and personal growth.

Games Untold features heiress Avery Grambs alongside the four Hawthorne brothers: daredevil Jameson, cowboy Nash, tormented Grayson, and youngest brother Xander. The collection introduces Hannah, who nursed young Tobias (Toby) Hawthorne back to health after the island fire, and reveals she's Avery's mother. Other characters include Libby (Avery's sister), Thea (Grayson's friend), and various supporting players from the Hawthorne universe.

"The Same Backwards as Forwards" is the longest novella in Games Untold, revealing the origin story of Hannah and Toby Hawthorne. After a fire on Hawthorne Island kills Hannah's sister Kaylie, Hannah discovers Toby washed ashore with amnesia. She nurses him back to health under the name "Harry," and they fall in love. When Toby recovers his memory and learns of his connection to Kaylie's death, he disappears, leaving Hannah pregnant with Avery.

Games Untold fills crucial narrative gaps from The Inheritance Games trilogy by revealing previously mentioned but unseen events. The collection explains how Jameson discovered Alice was alive in Prague, details the Hawthorne Island fire that shaped the family, and shows Hannah's relationship with Toby that led to Avery's birth. Stories pick up threads from both The Inheritance Games and The Grandest Game series, enriching the overall saga.

"$3CR3T $@NT@" chronicles an epic Christmas game at Hawthorne House combining Secret Santa with Assassin and Capture the Flag rules. Participants including Avery, Libby, and the Hawthorne brothers draw names and eliminate targets using water guns, tinsel bombs, or thoughtful gift-giving throughout December. The highly competitive month-long game showcases the Hawthorne family's love for elaborate puzzles, with Avery ultimately winning by giving Grayson an engraved stone.

"Pain at the Right Gain" retells "That Night in Prague" from Jameson Hawthorne's perspective, revealing missing secrets from the original novella. The story exposes how Jameson got kidnapped mid-game during the Prague adventure and learned a pivotal family secret about Alice being alive. This alternative viewpoint provides readers with crucial information deliberately withheld from Avery's narrative, ending with a cliffhanger that leaves readers anticipating future installments.