The Inheritance Games: Chapters 1–10

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Avery Grambs learns that Tobias Hawthorne, a deceased billionaire she never met, left most of his fortune to her. But in order to receive the inheritance, she has to live in Hawthorne's mansion for one year and contend with his angry family members who are out to get her.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–25, Chapters 26–40, Chapters 41–60, Chapter 61–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. formidable
    extremely impressive in strength or excellence
    I didn’t know how old he was, really, and I had no idea how he’d come to be homeless and living in the park where we played chess each morning. I did know that he was a formidable opponent.
  2. contention
    the act of competing as for profit or a prize
    My test scores should put me in scholarship contention at UConn, which has one of the top actuarial science programs in the country.
  3. actuarial
    relating to statistics to calculate insurance premiums
    “Actuarial science?”
    “Statistical risk assessment.” It was the closest I could come to double-majoring in poker and math. Besides, it was one of the most employable majors on the planet.
  4. extol
    praise, glorify, or honor
    Right on cue, Libby’s on-again, off-again boyfriend—who had a fondness for punching walls and extolling his own virtues for not punching Libby—strolled in.
  5. intermittently
    in a manner of stopping and starting at irregular intervals
    They were also infamous for intermittently monitoring her messages, which was why I hadn’t named Drake and wouldn’t type a word about where I was spending the night.
  6. impetus
    a force that makes something happen
    I'm fine, I wrote back, and that was all the impetus she needed to unleash her righteous fury on my behalf.
  7. pithy
    concise and full of meaning
    “Romeo and Juliet is littered with proverbs—small, pithy bits of wisdom that make a statement about the way the world and human nature work.”
  8. philanthropist
    someone who makes charitable donations
    “Do you know what philanthropist means?” Libby asked me seriously. “It means rich.”
    “It means someone who gives to charity,” I corrected her.
  9. reiterate
    say, state, or perform again
    “Why would a total stranger leave me anything?” I reiterated, resisting the urge to daydream, even for a second, because if I started, I wasn’t sure I could stop.
  10. chagrin
    strong feelings of embarrassment
    "Ms. Grambs.” She nodded to me, then to Libby, as she added on a second identical greeting. “Ms. Grambs.” She turned, expecting us to follow. To my chagrin, we both did.
  11. perfunctory
    as a formality only
    “We're so glad you could make it.” Alisa Ortega, from McNamara, Ortega, and Jones, didn’t wait for me to tell her anything. I had the sense that my half of this conversation was perfunctory.
  12. liaison
    a means of communication between groups
    “During your time in Texas, you’re to consider yourselves guests of the Hawthorne family. I'll be your liaison to the firm. Anything you need while you’re here, come to me.”
  13. compunction
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
    My fingers itched to pull out my phone and start taking pictures, but I resisted. Libby had no such compunctions.
  14. purport
    have the often misleading appearance of being or intending
    If he felt any embarrassment about his purported past as a toddler nudist, he didn’t show it.
  15. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
    She eyed me, the expression on her face as austere as her name.
  16. bearing
    characteristic way of holding one's body
    A Black man, forties, with a military bearing, who stood with his back to a wall and maintained a clear line of sight to both exits.
  17. incorrigible
    impervious to correction by punishment
    "Far too much like that incorrigible grandfather of yours,” Nan grunted. She closed her eyes, and I saw her hands shake slightly. “Awful man.”
  18. poignant
    arousing powerful emotions, especially pity or sadness
    “He was also her favorite,” Xander clarified. There was something poignant in the way he said it. This wasn’t a funeral. They must have laid the man to rest weeks earlier, but I knew grief, could feel it—could practically smell it.
  19. precariously
    in a manner affording no ease or reassurance
    I looked up and saw a boy sitting on the edge of a balcony overhead, balanced precariously on a wrought-iron railing.
  20. acerbic
    harsh or corrosive in tone
    He wasn’t wearing a shirt.
    Always a good decision in the middle of winter, I thought acerbically, but I couldn’t keep my gaze from traveling downward from his face.
  21. lark
    any carefree episode
    There wasn’t a trace of a care on this boy’s face, like life was one grand lark.
  22. prescience
    the power to foresee the future
    He wobbled, and I had a moment of chilling prescience. He’s grieving, and he's too high up.
  23. haphazardly
    without care; in a slapdash manner
    I stopped looking at his eyes. And his abs. And his haphazardly gelled hair.
  24. testament
    a legal document disposing of property after a death
    “You are here,” Mr. Ortega said, projecting his voice to the corners of the room, “to hear the last will and testament of Tobias Tattersall Hawthorne. Per Mr. Hawthorne’s instructions, my colleagues will now distribute letters he has left for each of you.”
  25. stipulate
    make an express demand or provision in an agreement
    “Mr. Hawthorne stipulated that all of the following individuals must be physically present for the reading of this will: Skye Hawthorne, Zara Hawthorne-Calligaris, Nash Hawthorne, Grayson Hawthorne, Jameson Hawthorne, Alexander Hawthorne, and Ms. Avery Kylie Grambs of New Castle, Connecticut.”
  26. conspicuous
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    I felt about as conspicuous as I would have if I’d looked down and discovered that I wasn’t wearing clothes.
  27. bequeath
    leave or give, especially by will after one's death
    To Andrew and Lottie Laughlin, for years of loyal service, I bequeath a sum of one hundred thousand dollars apiece, with lifelong, rent-free tenancy granted in Wayback Cottage, located on the western border of my Texas estate.
  28. annuity
    income from capital investment paid regularly
    To my mother-in-law, Pearl O’Day, I leave an annuity of one hundred thousand dollars a year, plus a trust for medical expenses as set forth in the appendix.
  29. accrued
    periodically accumulated over time
    "To my daughters, Zara Hawthorne-Calligaris and Skye Hawthorne, I leave the funds necessary to pay off all debts accrued as of the date and time of my death."
  30. steadfast
    firm and dependable especially in loyalty
    "Additionally, I leave to Skye my compass, may she always know true north, and to Zara, I leave my wedding ring, may she love as wholly and steadfastly as I loved her mother.”
  31. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    “You did this.” Zara turned toward Skye. She didn’t raise her voice, but it was deadly all the same.
    "Me?" Skye said, indignant.
  32. disincentive
    a negative motivational influence
    “You will find the will is ironclad, with significant disincentives to any who might be tempted to challenge it.”
  33. trustee
    a person who administers property for someone else's benefit
    “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars apiece, payable on their twenty-fifth birthdays, until such time to be managed by Alisa Ortega, trustee.”
  34. pittance
    an inadequate payment
    Given the scope of his fortune, he’d left them a pittance.
  35. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    I'm dreaming.
    I'm delusional.
    “He left everything to her?" Skye’s voice was shrill enough to break through my stupor.
  36. regale
    occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
    Gone was the woman who’d mused about my astrological sign and regaled me with tales of her sons and lovers.
  37. ironclad
    inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable
    “No will is that ironclad,” Zara’s husband said, his voice acidic. “Not when there’s this kind of money at stake.”
  38. curt
    speaking in a terse, rude, or abrupt way
    “I think you should leave,” Grayson told me curtly.
  39. tenancy
    the act or state of being an occupant
    “You own it all, Ms. Grambs. Not just the fortune, but all of Mr. Hawthorne’s properties, including Hawthorne House. Per the terms of your inheritance, which I will gladly go over with you, the current occupants have been granted tenancy unless—and until—they give you cause for removal.”
  40. rife
    excessively abundant
    “Under no circumstances,” he continued gravely, his words rife with warning, “can those tenants attempt to remove you.”
Created on Wed Jan 12 10:05:50 EST 2022 (updated Fri Jan 21 14:25:40 EST 2022)

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