The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Naturals #1
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Published By: Little, Brown Books on 5th November, 2013
Format: Paperback
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Book Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.
What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.
Book Review
I kept seeing this book all over social media… I’d never read Jennifer Lynn Barnes before, but the premise instantly hooked me—and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up!
I’ll start by saying that this is like Criminal Minds but with teenagers and I am HERE FOR IT! This YA mystery/thriller also weaves in a touch of romance through a love triangle! I’ve always been apprehensive with love triangles but Barnes did this so well! I still don’t know which character I’m rooting for… Michael or Dean???
Overall, I do really like the characters and their unique powers supports the storyline well but I feel some of them lacked enough depth. Since this is the first book in the series, the characters aren’t fully developed yet. I’m hoping the next installments will develop them further.
This book is a fast-paced and very bingeable read (short chapters yay)! I love fast-paced mysteries and thrillers, and this one delivered. However, I just wish the romance had moved a bit more slowly. I like to have some balance in books in terms of pace-give me the fast paced mystery for sure but slow down on the romance so I can fully appreciate it blossoming between the characters…
I did not see the plot twist coming which is always a great sign in a mystery/thriller book but I wouldn’t say it was a SHOCKING plot twist-it was okay (nothing too crazy) and added some good tension near the end of the book.
This book reads clearly as YA, and the writing style makes it easy to follow. I’m excited to continue the series—it’s a well-done mix of YA and mystery/thriller.
If you are like me and enjoy the same type of books then I would definitely suggest giving this one a try. It’s a fast-paced palate cleanser between heavier, denser reads.
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