| Order | Cover | Title | First published |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Naturals series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Naturals | 2013[4-5] |
| 2 |
|
Killer Instinct | 2014[4][6] |
| 3 |
|
All In | 2015[7-8] |
| 4 |
|
Bad Blood | 2016[7][9] |
| 5 |
|
Twelve | 2017[10] |
| The Inheritance Games series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Inheritance Games | 2020[11] |
| 2 |
|
The Hawthorne Legacy | 2021[12] |
| 3 |
|
The Final Gambit | 2022[13-14] |
| 4 |
|
The Same Backward as Forward | 2024[15-16] |
| 5 |
|
Games Untold | 2024[15-16] |
| 6 |
|
The Brothers Hawthorne | 2023[17-18] |
| 7 |
|
The Grandest Game | 2024[19] |
| 8 |
|
Glorious Rivals | 2025[20-22] |
| Raised by Wolves series | |||
| 1 |
|
Raised by Wolves | 2010[23] |
| 2 |
|
Sweet Sixteen | 2012[24] |
| 3 |
|
Trial by Fire | 2010[23] |
| 4 |
|
Taken by Storm | 2012[23] |
| Golden series | |||
| 1 |
|
Golden | 2006[25] |
| 2 |
|
Platinum | 2007[25] |
| Tattoo series | |||
| 1 |
|
Tattoo | 2007[26-27] |
| 2 |
|
Fate | 2009[28-29] |
| Debutantes series | |||
| 1 |
|
Little White Lies | 2018[30] |
| 2 |
|
Deadly Little Scandals | 2019[31] |
| The Fixer series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Ruling Class | 2015[32] |
| 2 |
|
Lessons in Power | 2016[32] |
| The Squad series | |||
| 1 |
|
The Squad: Perfect Cover | 2008[33-34] |
| 2 |
|
The Squad: Killer Spirit | 2008[35-36] |
| Standalone books | |||
| 1 |
|
Mind-Rain | 2009[37] |
| 2 |
|
Enthralled | 2011[38-39] |
| 3 |
|
Every Other Day | 2011[40] |
| 4 |
|
The Girl Who Was on Fire | 2012[41-44] |
| 5 |
|
Nobody | 2013[45-46] |
| 6 |
|
Divergent Thinking | 2014[47-50] |
| 7 |
|
The Lovely and the Lost | 2019[51] |
The Naturals series
It is necessary to read The Naturals books, written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes,[52] in chronological order, which matches the publication order.[4][10] The best starting point is The Naturals, since it introduces Cassandra Hobbes, the FBI program, the core team, and the mystery that drives the series.[53-57]
The Naturals books form a continuous sequence rather than a set of independent cases. Each book follows Cassandra Hobbes and the gifted teenagers in the FBI’s Naturals program, combining a new investigation with continuing developments in the team’s history, relationships, and unresolved personal cases. Later entries build on earlier discoveries about Cassie’s mother, Dean’s father, the program’s supervision, and the wider network of killers the team uncovers. New readers should begin with book one.[53-57]
The books in The Naturals series must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[4][10]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Naturals | 2013[4-5] | Introduces Cassie, the team, and the case behind her recruitment. |
| 2 |
|
Killer Instinct | 2014[4][6] | Builds on the program’s first case and expands Dean’s connection to serial-killer profiling. |
| 3 |
|
All In | 2015[7-8] | Expands the mystery around Cassie’s mother and reveals a threat. |
| 4 |
|
Bad Blood | 2016[7][9] | Continues the Masters storyline and resolves major long-running threads. |
| 5 |
|
Twelve | 2017[10] | Follows the team after the main confrontation. |
1. The Naturals
The Naturals (2013)[4-5] introduces Cassandra Hobbes, a teenager whose instinctive ability to read people draws the attention of a secret FBI training program. This novel establishes the Quantico house, the gifted teenage team, their adult supervisors, and the boundary between cold-case training and active danger.[53]
It also marks the beginning of Cassie’s personal search for the truth about her mother’s disappearance.[53]
2. Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct (2014)[4][6] continues with Cassie inside the Naturals program as the group confronts a case linked to Dean Redding’s father. This book keeps the team within the FBI structure while testing the limits placed on their work.[54]
Its investigation expands the emotional and procedural consequences of the first novel, especially around Dean, Cassie, and the program’s future.[54]
3. All In
All In (2015)[7-8] moves the Naturals into a Las Vegas investigation involving a pattern of ritualized killings. The case broadens the series beyond individual killers by introducing a longer-running organization and tying that threat to Cassie’s missing mother.[55]
It also gives Sloane a more personal connection to the setting while pushing the series toward a larger continuing conflict.[55]
4. Bad Blood
Bad Blood (2016)[7][9] follows from the revelations in All In, as Cassie and the team pursue the Masters and the truth about Lorelai Hobbes. This book draws together the cult storyline, Cassie’s family history, and the vulnerabilities of the Naturals program.[56]
It is the culmination of the principal arc established across the first four books.[56]
5. Twelve
Twelve (2017)[10] takes place after the main events of Bad Blood, with the team separated between Colorado and Quantico but still connected through the Naturals program. This story centers on a new case involving Mackenzie McBride, a girl Cassie previously helped rescue.[57]
It works as a later continuation that assumes familiarity with the team’s abilities, relationships, and accumulated trauma.[57]
The Inheritance Games series
The Inheritance Games books, written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.[1-2] should be approached in publication order for a first reading, because the central mysteries, family history, and later competitions build on earlier revelations. The best starting point is The Inheritance Games, since it introduces Avery Grambs, Hawthorne House, the inheritance premise, and the puzzle-based structure that shapes the series.[58-65]
The series begins as a continuous mystery sequence centered on Avery Grambs’s unexpected inheritance and the Hawthorne family’s puzzle-filled estate. Later books widen the focus to the Hawthorne brothers, related family histories, and a new high-stakes competition, but they still depend on established relationships and prior revelations. Companion material adds backstory, side episodes, and connective scenes.[58-65]
Publication order
The core The Inheritance Games storyline must be read in publication order.[11-22] For a complete reading path that includes the companion novella and story collection, follow this sequence:[66]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Inheritance Games | 2020[11] | Introduces Avery, Hawthorne House, and the inheritance mystery. |
| 2 |
|
The Hawthorne Legacy | 2021[12] | Continues the questions raised by the first book. |
| 3 |
|
The Final Gambit | 2022[13-14] | Brings the original Avery inheritance arc to its major turning point. |
| 4 |
|
The Same Backward as Forward | 2024[15-16] | Adds Toby and Hannah’s backstory after its significance is established. |
| 5 |
|
Games Untold | 2024[15-16] | Collects side stories and bridge episodes around the Hawthornes. |
| 6 |
|
The Brothers Hawthorne | 2023[17-18] | Follows later Hawthorne family complications and sets up the next strand. |
| 7 |
|
The Grandest Game | 2024[19] | Begins Avery’s public competition and a new continuing storyline. |
| 8 |
|
Glorious Rivals | 2025[20-22] | Continues the events and conflicts of The Grandest Game. |
Alternative reading order
For most new readers, publication order remains the clearest approach. The series does, however, support one practical variation for readers with narrower goals.
Readers may choose to read the main novels without pausing for companion material. This reading order preserves the main forward movement from Avery’s inheritance through the later Hawthorne family and Grandest Game storylines. The trade-off is that readers leave the Toby-Hannah backstory and several connective short stories for later.[58-65]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Inheritance Games | 2020[11] | Establishes the main premise and characters. |
| 2 |
|
The Hawthorne Legacy | 2021[12] | Continues the mystery of inheritance and family history. |
| 3 |
|
The Final Gambit | 2022[13-14] | Completes the original Avery-centered arc. |
| 4 |
|
The Brothers Hawthorne | 2023[17-18] | Moves into the later Hawthorne-brother storyline. |
| 5 |
|
The Grandest Game | 2024[19] | Opens the next major competition sequence. |
| 6 |
|
Glorious Rivals | 2025[20-22] | Continues the competition and its unresolved conflicts. |
Works in sequence
1. The Inheritance Games
The Inheritance Games (2020)[11] establishes Avery Grambs as the unexpected heir to Tobias Hawthorne’s fortune and places her inside Hawthorne House with the disinherited family.[58]
Its main function is to introduce the estate, the Hawthorne brothers, the series’ puzzle-based structure, and the mystery of why Avery was chosen. It is the necessary starting point for the series.[58]
2. The Hawthorne Legacy
The Hawthorne Legacy (2021)[12] continues from the discoveries at the end of The Inheritance Games. Avery and the Hawthorne brothers investigate older family secrets, including questions surrounding Toby Hawthorne, the fire on Hawthorne Island, and Avery’s connection to the Hawthorne past.[59]
It expands the inheritance mystery rather than restarting the series with a separate case.[59]
3. The Final Gambit
The Final Gambit (2022)[13-14] brings Avery close to the point at which she can fully claim the Hawthorne fortune. It introduces a new threat tied to the Hawthorne family’s history, while also continuing the emotional and strategic conflicts established in the first two books.[60]
It is the culmination of the original Avery-centered inheritance arc.[60]
4. The Same Backward as Forward
The Same Backward as Forward was first made available in the collection Games Untold (2024).[15-16] In this initial version, the narrative is presented exclusively from Hannah Rooney’s point of view. Later, on November 4, 2025, the novella was expanded and published as a standalone work,[2][67] adding the point of view of Toby Hawthorne II.[61]
The Same Backward as Forward moves backward in the timeline to focus on Hannah Rooney and Toby Hawthorne after the Hawthorne Island disaster. Its events explain background material that matters to Avery’s story, but it is more effective after the original trilogy has established why these characters and connections matter. For first-time readers, it is context rather than an entry point.[61]
5. Games Untold
Games Untold (2024)[15-16] is a collection of stories set around the Hawthorne family, Avery, Libby, and related characters at different points in the wider continuity. Some stories expand earlier relationships or private moments, while others bridge into later developments involving Jameson, Prague, and the family’s hidden past.[62]
This collection is useful for fuller coverage, but it does not replace the main novels.[62]
6. The Brothers Hawthorne
The Brothers Hawthorne (2023)[17-18] shifts the focus toward Grayson and Jameson after the original trilogy. Jameson is drawn into a high-stakes gambling world connected to his biological father, while Grayson confronts complications involving his biological family.[63]
This book expands the series beyond Avery’s first inheritance mystery and helps prepare the ground for the competition that follows.[63]
7. The Grandest Game
The Grandest Game (2024)[19] begins the next major strand: a competition funded by Avery and built around the Hawthorne tradition of elaborate puzzles. New competitors, including Lyra, Rohan, Gigi, Savannah, Brady, Knox, and Odette, enter a game shaped by older Hawthorne secrets.[64]
This novel depends on the earlier books for context and ends with unresolved dangers.[64]
8. Glorious Rivals
Glorious Rivals (2025)[20-22] continues the competition begun in The Grandest Game. It follows the remaining players through the next phase while expanding the roles of Lyra, Grayson, Rohan, Savannah, Gigi, Eve, and the concealed forces moving against the Hawthornes.[65]
It is not a standalone entry, because its central situation begins in the preceding book.[65]
Essential and supplementary works
The Inheritance Games books may be divided into the main novels that form the central sequence and the companion works that provide context. This distinction gives new readers a clear core path first, while also showing where fuller background and side material fit into the wider reading order.
Essential works
The essential reading experience consists of the novels that drive the series forward: Avery’s inheritance story, the later Hawthorne-brother developments, and the Grandest Game sequence. These books are the most appropriate for readers who want the main story:[58-60][63-65]
- The Inheritance Games;
- The Hawthorne Legacy;
- The Final Gambit;
- The Brothers Hawthorne;
- The Grandest Game;
- Glorious Rivals.
Supplementary works
The supplementary titles expand the background, relationships, and connective tissue of the series. They are valuable for fuller context, especially after the original trilogy, but they should not be treated as the first stop for a new reader:[61-62]
- The Same Backward as Forward;
- Games Untold.
Games Untold is the more continuity-relevant companion work, because several stories connect to later family mysteries and events. Readers who want the fullest version of the sequence should read it before The Brothers Hawthorne.[62]
Raised by Wolves series
It is necessary to read the main Raised by Wolves novels, written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, in chronological order, with the supplementary short story placed between the first and second novels. The best starting point is Raised by Wolves, since it introduces Bryn Clare, the werewolf pack structure, and the central relationships that later entries continue to develop.[23-24] The novel Raised by Wolves is the best starting point, since it introduces Bryn, the pack structure, and the relationships that later books build on.[68-71]
The Raised by Wolves books form a continuous sequence centered on Bryn Clare and the Cedar Ridge Pack. The three main novels build on earlier events, pack relationships, political conflicts, and unresolved threats, so a reader should begin with book one. Sweet Sixteen is a short side story from Lake’s point of view, set between Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire.[68-71]
Chronological order
The Raised by Wolves books must be read in chronological order, with the short story included as supplementary material in the most useful position, by following this sequence:[23-24]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Raised by Wolves | 2010[23] | Introduces Bryn, the pack bond, and Cedar Ridge. |
| 2 |
|
Sweet Sixteen | 2012[24] | Optional; gives Lake-focused context. |
| 3 |
|
Trial by Fire | 2010[23] | Continues Bryn’s leadership after the formation of her pack. |
| 4 |
|
Taken by Storm | 2012[23] | Builds on pack losses, rivalries, and dangers. |
Publication order
The chronological order above is the clearest approach. The only alternative is the publication order, which places Sweet Sixteen after Taken by Storm rather than between the first and second novels.[68-71]
This reading order keeps the core novel sequence uninterrupted. However, it makes Sweet Sixteen feel more like a retrospective side piece than an interlude between Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire.[68-71]
The Raised by Wolves books may be read in publication order, by following this sequence:[23-24]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Raised by Wolves | 2010[23] | Opens the main story and establishes Bryn’s world. |
| 2 |
|
Trial by Fire | 2010[23] | Continues the main Cedar Ridge sequence. |
| 3 |
|
Taken by Storm | 2012[23] | Completes the main novels’ arc. |
| 4 |
|
Sweet Sixteen | 2012[24] | Optional; adds a Lake-focused side story. |
Works in sequence
The core reading experience consists of three main novels about Bryn Clare, Cedar Ridge, and the conflicts surrounding the pack. These books carry the principal narrative and should be read in sequence.[68][70-71]
The supplementary book, namely Sweet Sixteen, broadens the series’ perspective without replacing any of the main novels. It is most useful for readers who want fuller coverage of Lake and her place in the wider continuity.[69]
Readers focused only on the main story may begin with the three novels, while completionists should include the short story between Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire.[68][70]
1. Raised by Wolves
Raised by Wolves (2010)[23] establishes Bryn Clare as a human teenager raised within a werewolf pack and introduces the rules, bonds, and power structures that shape the series. This novel follows Bryn as she confronts the threat of a Rabid and becomes responsible for a new group of young werewolves.[68]
It is the necessary foundation for the characters and pack politics that follow.[68]
2. Sweet Sixteen
Sweet Sixteen (2012)[24] is a short story from Lake’s point of view, set between Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire. It centers on Lake’s 16th birthday, her experience of shifting, and the grief attached to her twin brother Griffin.[69]
This story is not a main book, but it gives context for Lake before the series continues with Bryn’s next major challenge.[69]
3. Trial by Fire
Trial by Fire (2010)[23] continues Bryn’s story after she has become Alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack. This novel expands the pressures of leadership by bringing in a vulnerable wolf from a rival pack, outside psychic threats, and new challenges to Bryn’s authority.[70]
It depends on the pack structure and relationships established in the first book, while expanding the consequences of Bryn’s position.[70]
4. Taken by Storm
Taken by Storm (2012)[23] follows Bryn as earlier conflicts, rival pack politics, and unresolved dangers converge around Cedar Ridge and those connected to it. This novel draws on relationships and losses from the preceding books, including Maddy’s departure and the continuing threat posed by hostile alphas.[71]
It is the next major step in the central narrative and should not be treated as a standalone entry.[71]
Golden series
The Golden books do not need to be read in order, though readers get the strongest sense of continuity by following the chronological order, which matches the publication order.[25] A new reader should start with Golden, since it introduces Lissy James, the Oklahoma setting, the hereditary supernatural gifts, and the relationships that carry into Platinum.[72-73]
The Golden books are linked supernatural young adult novels rather than fully separate standalones. Each book focuses on a central mystery involving supernatural abilities at or around Emory High, while the recurring James family, inherited gifts, and connections among Lissy, Lexie, and Lilah give the series continuity. A reader may understand the premise of Platinum on its own, but starting with Golden gives clearer context for the powers, relationships, and family history.[72-73]
Although Golden books do not need to be read in order, readers would get the fullest experience by following their chronological order, which coincides with their publication order:[25]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Golden | 2006[25] | Introduces Lissy, the Sight, and the supernatural framework. |
| 2 |
|
Platinum | 2007[25] | Shifts focus to Lilah while continuing the magical continuity. |
1. Golden
Golden (2006)[25] introduces Felicity “Lissy” James, whose move from California to Oklahoma brings her into a new school, a new social hierarchy, and renewed pressure to understand her hereditary Sight.[72]
This novel establishes the James family’s supernatural gifts, the aura-based magical framework, and the group of allies surrounding Lissy as she investigates a threat hidden beneath ordinary school life.[72]
2. Platinum
Platinum (2007)[25] shifts the focus to Lilah Covington, a prominent Emory High student whose control over her social world is unsettled by visions, hauntings, and a pattern tied to the school’s past.[73]
This book expands the series beyond Lissy’s perspective, while keeping the James family, inherited powers, and the growing bond among Lissy, Lexie, and Lilah central to the wider continuity.[73]
Tattoo series
It is necessary to read the Tattoo books in chronological order, which matches the publication order,[26-29] because Fate continues Bailey Morgan’s story after Tattoo, exploring her supernatural role, relationships, and Sidhe heritage. Therefore, the best starting point is Tattoo, as it introduces Bailey, her friends, the temporary tattoos, the Sidhe, and the balance between the human realm and the mystical world.[74-76]
The Tattoo books form a continuous supernatural sequence rather than a set of standalone entries. Tattoo introduces Bailey Morgan, her three closest friends, the magical tattoos, and the Sidhe conflict that reveals Bailey’s hidden heritage. Fate builds on that outcome, following Bailey after she has become the Third Fate and must face the wider Sidhe world. Readers should begin with book one, because the second book assumes familiarity with the central events and relationships already established.[74-75]
The Tattoo books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[26-29]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Tattoo | 2007[26-27] | Introduces Bailey, the powers, and the Sídhe conflict. |
| 2 |
|
Fate | 2009[28-29] | Continues Bailey’s role as the Third Fate and expands the Sidhe world. |
1. Tattoo
Tattoo (2007)[26-27] begins with Bailey Morgan and her three friends buying temporary tattoos that awaken unexpected supernatural abilities. This book establishes the central group, the magical rules surrounding the tattoos, and the Sidhe conflict that draws Bailey into a hidden struggle between the human realm and an ancient mystical world.[74]
It is the necessary foundation for Bailey’s later role and identity.[74]
2. Fate
Fate (2009)[28-29] continues after Bailey has become the Third Fate and follows her as she divides her life between ordinary high school and the mystical Nexus, where she helps weave human lives. This book expands the series from the initial tattoo-based awakening into the wider Sidhe society, including courts, allegiances, and Bailey’s place between worlds.[75]
Its plot depends on the identities, powers, and friendships established in Tattoo.[75]
Debutantes series
The Debutantes books should be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order.[77-78] The best starting point is Little White Lies, since it introduces Sawyer, the debutante season, the central family mystery, and the social circle that carries into the next book.[79-80]
The Debutantes books form a continuous sequence rather than a set of independent standalones. Both novels follow Sawyer Taft as she enters a wealthy high-society world, bonds with Lily, Campbell, and Sadie-Grace, and investigates secrets tied to the older generation. As the second book builds on the relationships, scandals, family connections, and social consequences established in the first, readers should begin with book one for the best understanding of the series.[79-80]
The Debutantes books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[77-78]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Little White Lies | 2018[30] | Introduces Sawyer, the debutante season, and the family secrets. |
| 2 |
|
Deadly Little Scandals | 2019[31] | Follows the same circle as the consequences of earlier revelations unfold. |
1. Little White Lies
Little White Lies (2018)[30] introduces Sawyer Taft, an eighteen-year-old mechanic and bartender who enters her estranged grandmother’s world of wealth, etiquette, and debutante rituals in exchange for financial security.[79]
This book establishes Sawyer’s search for her biological father, her uneasy place within the Taft family, and her developing alliance with Lily, Campbell, and Sadie-Grace as scandals begin to surface.[79]
2. Deadly Little Scandals
Deadly Little Scandals (2019)[31] continues Sawyer’s life among the Tafts and the wider Magnolia County elite. This book keeps the focus on Sawyer, Lily, Campbell, and Sadie-Grace while adding the White Gloves, a secretive society whose initiation rituals draw the girls into another mystery.[80]
It depends on the family relationships, social tensions, and prior scandals established in the first book.[80]
The Fixer series
It’s necessary to read The Fixer books in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order.[81] The best book to start with is The Ruling Class since it introduces Tess Kendrick, Ivy Kendrick, and the Washington power structure on which the later novel builds.[82-83]
The Fixer is a continuous sequence rather than a set of standalones. The books follow Tess Kendrick after she is drawn from her Montana life into Ivy Kendrick’s Washington, D.C., world of political crisis management. School conflicts, family revelations, and national political conspiracies are linked across the series. A reader needs to start with the first book, since the second book assumes knowledge of Tess’s role, her relationships, and the threats left in place.[82-83]
The Fixer books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[32]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Ruling Class | 2015[32] | Introduces Tess and leaves a political threat unresolved. |
| 2 |
|
Lessons in Power | 2016[32] | Continues Tess’s role in the same school and political network. |
1. The Ruling Class
The Ruling Class (2015), originally published as The Fixer,[32][84] introduces Tess Kendrick as she leaves her Montana ranch for Washington, D.C., where her older sister and guardian, Ivy Kendrick, works as a fixer for the political elite. Tess’s new life at Hardwicke School connects school politics, national power, family secrets, and a conspiracy surrounding the death of a Supreme Court Justice.[82]
This book establishes the main characters and the unresolved threat behind the series.[82]
2. Lessons in Power
Lessons in Power (2016), originally published as The Long Game,[32][85] continues Tess’s life in Washington, D.C., after she has already gained a reputation as a fixer among the students at Hardwicke School. The book builds on existing relationships, earlier political revelations, and the consequences of the first investigation while drawing Tess into a new crisis involving the school, the presidency, and the powerful families around her.[83]
Its central conflicts depend on the groundwork laid in The Ruling Class.[83]
The Squad series
The Squad books should be read in chronological order, which coincides with the publication order.[86] The best starting point is The Squad: Perfect Cover, also titled simply Perfect Cover,[87] since it introduces Toby, the cheerleading cover, the operative team, and the unresolved surveillance thread that carries into the next book.[88-89]
The Squad is a continuous young-adult espionage series built around Toby Klein, a hacker and martial artist recruited into a cheerleading squad that secretly operates as a government agency. Each book contains a central mission, but the second book assumes familiarity with the first because it continues Toby’s double life, her place on the team, and the ongoing investigation connected to Peyton, Kaufman, and Gray.[88-89]
The Squad books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[33-36]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Squad: Perfect Cover | 2008[33-34] | Introduces Toby, the team, and the undercover premise. |
| 2 |
|
The Squad: Killer Spirit | 2008[35-36] | Continues Toby’s double life and the team’s surveillance. |
1. The Squad: Perfect Cover
The Squad: Perfect Cover (2008), also titled simply Perfect Cover,[33-34][87] establishes the series’ central premise. Toby Klein, an outsider at Bayport High with hacking skills and martial-arts ability, is recruited into a varsity cheerleading squad that secretly works as an elite government operative unit.[88]
This novel introduces the team, their hidden headquarters, the cheerleader cover, and Toby’s first major mission, while setting up ongoing complications involving Bayport’s corrupt law firm.[88]
2. The Squad: Killer Spirit
The Squad: Killer Spirit (2008), also titled simply Killer Spirit,[35-36][90] follows Toby after she has joined the squad and is still adjusting to the social and operational demands of her new identity.[89]
This book gives the team another Bayport mission involving surveillance, a dangerous weapon, and pressure from their handlers, while continuing Toby’s cover at school and her connection to Jack Peyton. It builds on the first book’s setup.[89]
Standalone books
Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s standalone books do not need to be read in order, so readers may approach them as self-contained entries while using publication order as an organizing sequence. A practical starting point for novel readers is Every Other Day, since it is the earliest standalone narrative and introduces its world and central conflict within a single book.[91-97]
These books include critical essays, an anthology of short stories, and standalone novels, with no shared plotline that would require a reader to begin with the first listed work. Publication order is therefore a convenient way to organize the bibliography, not a necessary reading path.[91-97]
However, Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s standalone books may be read in publication order, by following this sequence:[37-38][40-41][45][47][51]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Mind-Rain | 2009[37] | Includes a critical essay on science and control. |
| 2 |
|
Enthralled | 2011[38-39] | Includes a supernatural short story. |
| 3 |
|
Every Other Day | 2011[40] | A teenage hunter discovers truths about her own nature. |
| 4 |
|
The Girl Who Was on Fire | 2012[41-44] | Includes a character-focused essay on Katniss Everdeen. |
| 5 |
|
Nobody | 2013[45-46] | Two teenagers confront the organization that has targeted them. |
| 6 |
|
Divergent Thinking | 2014[47-50] | Includes an essay connecting factions and personality science. |
| 7 |
|
The Lovely and the Lost | 2019[51] | A search-and-rescue mystery about a missing child. |
Works in sequence
For readers who want to begin with a full-length novel, Every Other Day is the best starting point. It is the earliest listed novel, introduces a complete speculative premise, and gives a clear sense of Barnes’s standalone fiction.[93]
Readers with different interests may choose another book. Nobody suits readers who want a self-contained speculative story built around invisibility, assassination, and secret institutions.[95] The Lovely and the Lost is the best starting point for readers who prefer contemporary mystery and search-and-rescue suspense.[97]
Readers interested in short fiction can begin with The Third Kind in Enthralled.[92] However, readers seeking critical writing should choose the essay collection tied to the fictional world they already know best.[91][94][96]
1. Mind-Rain
Mind-Rain (2009)[37] is a collection of essays on Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, including one written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes titled The S-Word: Science in the World of Uglies. This essay examines how scientific authority, propaganda, and control shape that fictional world.[91]
It is an analytical entry rather than a narrative installment, so it may be read independently by readers interested in the argument.[91]
2. Enthralled
Enthralled (2011)[38-39] is an anthology of fifteen short stories and one poem, including one written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes titled The Third Kind. This story follows Jess and her sister Kissy after an urgent journey reveals supernatural forces, pursuers, and a larger conflict surrounding Jess’s role.[92]
It is self-contained within the anthology and does not depend on any other book.[92]
3. Every Other Day
Every Other Day (2011)[40] is a standalone preternatural thriller about Kali D’Angelo, a high school student who hunts dangerous creatures. This novel builds its own world of monsters, biological experimentation, and hidden organizations, making it an entry point for readers looking for full-length fiction.[93]
Its narrative introduces its premise without requiring prior reading.[93]
4. The Girl Who Was on Fire
The Girl Who Was on Fire (2012)[41-44] is a collection of essays on Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series, including one by Jennifer Lynn Barnes titled Team Katniss. This essay focuses on Katniss Everdeen outside the love-triangle framework, considering survival, family, identity, and pressure.[94]
It is a standalone interpretive piece.[94]
5. Nobody
Nobody (2013)[45-46] is a standalone speculative novel centered on Nix and Claire, two teenagers whose metaphysical invisibility places them outside ordinary attention. This story combines assassination, secrecy, and institutional control, while developing its own rules for Nobodies, Nulls, and the Society.[95]
It may be read separately from the other novels because its world and conflict are established within the book.[95]
6. Divergent Thinking
Divergent Thinking (2014)[47-50] is a collection of essays on Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, including one by Jennifer Lynn Barnes titled Divergent Psychology. Its focus is explanatory and thematic, connecting the faction system to psychological traits, simulations, and self-knowledge.[96]
As a critical contribution to an essay collection, it is best treated as supplementary reading.[96]
7. The Lovely and the Lost
The Lovely and the Lost (2019)[51] is a standalone search-and-rescue mystery set in a national park about Kira Bennett, her foster family, and their dogs as they search for a missing child. This novel brings together family history, trauma, rescue work, and a local investigation.[97]
It reads independently and is especially accessible to readers seeking contemporary suspense.[97]
References
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