The Naturals (The Naturals, 1)

I love the plot of this book! I wasn't sure since I mostly read fantasy, but it was so original and unique. I instantly bonded with and liked the characters, and I love that I couldn't immediately figure it out. Keeps you guessing and never gets dull. Great storytelling!

The Naturals hooked me from the very first chapter. Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers a gripping blend of teen drama and criminal profiling with a premise that feels like Criminal Minds: Teen Division, and I mean that in the best way possible. Cassie is sharp, intuitive, and easy to root for. Her natural talent for reading people makes her a fascinating narrator, and the concept of a top-secret FBI program training gifted teens to solve cold cases is instantly compelling. The rest of the Naturals team brings plenty of tension and chemistry, with standout dynamics between Cassie, Michael, and Dean, especially Dean, the brooding mystery, I absolutely wanted more of. The plot moves fast, with just the right balance of character development, dark twists, and jaw-clenching suspense. While some of the romance threads felt a bit tropey at times, I was too busy flipping pages to care. The final reveal surprised me, and the stakes felt real throughout. This is a strong start to a series I can’t wait to continue. Recommended for fans of YA thrillers, found-family vibes, and anything with serial killer intrigue and smart female leads.

I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in less than 24 hours, which says a lot because it usually takes me a while to get through a book! It was a great, easy read, and I really enjoyed the writing style and pacing. I liked it so much that I immediately bought the rest of the series!

Nothing is more terrifying than a serial killer hunting in your back yard. Well, maybe a horde of zombies, but one is more likely than the other. In Jennifer Lynn Barnes' first book of a new series, The Naturals, she explores the desperation of the FBI to catch these brutal hunters, even if it means she has to enlist the help of some kids. Cassie knows her grandmother loves her, but after her fake-psychic mother was murdered and Cassie was the one to stumble upon the crime scene, living with her grandmother has always left her feeling like an outsider. When she is approached by a boy sent by the FBI to consider entering a special program of other Naturals, she assumes they are just messing with her. But the offer is real. There is a special group of kids who are Natural profilers, genius statisticians, and human lie detectors who can swing the result of any investigation. They aren't allowed into the field, but the agents house them in an old mansion and ask them to review cold cases in the hopes of solving previously unsolvable crimes. Michael brings her around to meet the other kids, but while he is welcoming, the others aren't exactly interested in her presence. They all live in a house with pictures of serial killers on the walls, but that isn't even the strangest thing about the place. Liv can read lies and Sloane is like Rain Man (and a klepto). But mysterious Dean is the unreadable member of the team. The agents want to ease Cassie into the process, but when a serial killer starts hunting in the middle of the city, they get desperate. The kids aren't willing to stay on the sidelines, though, and their meddling gets them, Cassie in particular, the attention of the one person they don't want: the serial killer. The Naturals was my first experience with Barnes, and I have to say it was definitely a good one! The story was a nice mix of slightly paranormal (the kids' "natural talents" feel a little like special abilities) and a crime mystery. The serial killer is a pretty creepy twist with special short chapters between Cassie's chapters where you get inside the killer's head. Creeptastic! Barnes did a good job of building enough suspense that you couldn't put the story down, and better yet, it seems we will have a sequel to look forward to. The one aspect of the story I struggled with was the boys. Michael and Dean are supposed to be the Cassie Love Triangle, but neither really appealed to me. I was more interested in quirky Liv and Sloane than I was the boys, which made it tough to be too invested in the small amount of romance in the story. But Dean has a promising back story that could get interesting. The story can be kind of gruesome at times. Basically, if you would let a kid watch Criminal Minds, they could read this book about these serial killers. The house the kids live in is a little morbid, but it adds to the creep factor of the whole place. The story was fast-paced and incredibly interesting, so it would be good for any reader interested in mysteries or crime writing. I am looking forward to the next story to see what happens to all the Naturals!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars Originally posted at [...] The Story Goes...</a> This book is about a group of five teenagers called Naturals by the FBI for their Natural and uncanny abilities the read people, to profile them, or read their emotions, or tell when someone is lying. Recruited by the FBI they receive training to help on Cold Cases but things go horribly array when a killer starts stalking one of their own! (I am horrible at explaining books!) Let's Talk - Characters -I really loved basically all the characters. I felt like there maybe could have been a little more character development but overall I really liked them. One thing that surprised me is that I ended up liking both the guys that start to form the love triangle in this book, I still feel like there's one Cassie obviously likes more(though I could be wrong), but I did like both Micheal and Dean which for me doesn't happen very often. I also really liked that there was no insta love, this character wasn't jerking around both boys and claiming to love them, she admitted she was confused and tried to stay away from them so as to not hurt them. So that was refreshing. I'm really interested in finding out more about Micheal, Lia and Sloane because I feel like we don't know anything about them and I really want to know more. The Big Reveal - So of course there's the moment towards the end of the book where the killer is finally revealed...and I don't know, it didn't feel as shocking as it should have. I mean it was a shock, I had never once considered that person, it never crossed my mind that it would be that person but still, I just didn't feel shocked. That whole part was a little disappointing to me. The Plot - I love mysteries and I feel like that is one genre YA is lacking in(maybe I just haven't been looking hard enough?) and obviously this is a tad unrealistic what with teenagers working with the FBI and all but it didn't feel unrealistic, it was really well written to where not even once did I question why teenagers would be working with the FBI. I also felt the suspense was done really well and like I said I don't think it's easy to figure out who the killer is which is always a good thing in a mystery. Overall - I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and interesting and suspenseful and I can't wait to read the next book!

Well, this was quite fun! I really enjoyed the introduction into this world Barnes has created. I'm a massive fan of Blacklist, Blindspot and a few other crime shows, especially about FBI, so this is bound to be a great series for me as it progresses. (Though I've yet to watch Criminal Minds, which Jae, Sue and Almera are probably frowning upon, but this will be a summer of binge-watching, I'm telling ya!) I think the plot could have been a little thicker? The mystery kept me guessing and I actually had another suspect in mind, but the outcome made sense; most of it at least. The characters and their dynamics are a total sweet spot for me, though! My favorite out of the crew has to be Michael, because he managed to make me laugh and smile and his commentary is simply the best. The rest of the team is on their way of being super duper awesome too, so I really hope we get to know them more as the books go on. The romance is pretty subtle regarding the other aspects of the book. I kinda ship Cassie with (view spoiler) but I'm not opposed to the idea of Cassie and [spoilerrr]. I just feel like the last one is a little trope-y, but it makes sense as to why it would/should/could happen and it probably will happen, so it's prime time I get fully on board as well. (Maybe in next book, hah!) As for Cassie, she's a decent main character, though a little lackluster in the "memorable characters" department. The rest of the characters just outshine her a little, I guess. I do like her though! She isn't perfect, but that's not what I'm looking for either. She's bound to make mistakes on her journey of self-discovery (and solving the future cases), but I have a good feeling that with the help of her new-found friends she will be just fine on her path. Really intrigued to find out more and can't wait for when I have time to sit down and explore what happens next! Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

My son asked me to read this book and I'm glad he did. It was a quick and hard to put down. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

You can't go into The Naturals expecting a chilling serial killer novel that gets your heart racing in fear, characters that will make you sob for hours, or a perfectly crafted plot. But you can expect a quick and enjoyable read with some mystery and plenty of supporting characters with actual depth. (Bear with me for this incredibly short review, considering it's been a few months since I read this.) You definitely have to suspend some disbelief for this novel, but when you do, I think the idea is fantastic. Cassie has a really cool talent - give her just a few seconds and she can know plenty of details about you that you'd never have shared. I love the way Barnes writes this - it appears logical and factual on Cassie's part, not mystical and magical. This, of course, is a very desirable trait for the FBI, who already have a project started with a few other gifted teens. Though I wish we had gotten a better glimpse into the inner workings of the FBI and their investigation, I still say it's a really cool concept, and Barnes certainly writes it well. The Naturals includes short chapters written in the POV of the serial killer, and this was a great addition. Definitely made it creepier and kept me on my toes. This could have been done horribly, but getting a glimpse into the action and the mind of the serial killer was pretty cool. I definitely think it could have been even creepier, but that doesn't really fit with the style of the novel. I think I just wanted to be scared. (My friend and I did an entire project on Jefferey Dahmer and Ted Bundy last year. We watched interviews at midnight in the dark for it. I like the fear, apparently.) We get to watch Cassie adjust to living with other teenagers - Michael, who can read her emotions like a book, Sloane, a bit of an oddball who's a whiz with math and statistics, and Dean, a fellow profiler, albeit an angrier one. Romance aside, Cassie's developing relationships with them was fun to see. Everything felt very natural (ha. ha.) and each character had their own quirks and certainly served a purpose, rather than just being there for decoration like secondary characters in many novels. And, of course, we find two men for potential relationships. I'll tell you that, for the most part, the love triangle didn't annoy me simply because the plot overshadows it most of the time. It's still irritating, though. It always is. I dare you to find me one that doesn't annoy me. Overall: The fact that Barnes was able to completely surprise me with the end of the novel speaks volumes. I enjoyed the concept, the plotline, and the characters immensely. 4 stars.

Finally received the book after a long wait. It was meant to be a gift, so I appreciate the Amazon team's kind assistance in arranging the shipment. The book is excellent, with a beautiful hardcover and great quality. For future shipments, I suggest bubble-wrapping books to better protect them from damage or getting wet during transit.

Tutti perfetto Amazon🔝

I did not think I would love it as much as I do. I love Judd. But really the dynamic between the characters is so good. The plot was incredible, I had found out who the killer was before starting the book and even so it was so well executed it caught me off guard!

Wow. I mean I totally thought I knew what was going to happen but I was just as lost as Cassie herself. Wonderfully written and an incredible plot line!

Love the story so much the thrill and everything it’s amazingly