Mystery, betrayal, and serial killers. Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ four book series, The Naturals, will hook you by the very first chapter and never let you go.
Summary:
Cassie Hobbes is a seventeen year old girl with a unique gift. She is able to read people naturally. Even the tiniest details can reveal to her everything about you and exactly what you want. She makes her way onto the FBI’s radar and soon enough they recruit her to a secret program that specializes in cracking cold cases. Cassie’s fellow recruits are each naturals in their respective fields. One is a human lie detector. Another can read emotions impeccably. The third is a genius who sees patterns and statistics in everything. And the last is a profiler, just like Cassie. Before she knows it, Cassie is no longer only looking through cold cases, she is looking for a real, live, serial killer. No one in the Naturals program is what they seem. Danger begins to creep closer and closer pushing everyone to their limits just to survive.
Opinion:
I absolutely tore through this series because it was so addicting. The pacing of this book is fantastic; It’s quick and the chapters are on the shorter side but the story never feels rushed. The protagonist Cassie is very relatable and realistic. She makes mistakes and gets knocked down like anyone in her position would but she always finds a way to bounce back. The entire cast of characters are immensely entertaining on their own but especially when they’re together. The plot is one that will grab your attention and never let it go. It’s suspenseful. It’s full of twists. It’s littered with betrayal, mystery, and romance. Each page leaves you racing to the next and every cliffhanger will leave your jaw slacked.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in true crime, criminal minds, forensics, etc. It is a young adult novel meaning it is marketed towards teens but I truly believe The Naturals is the kind of series that any age can enjoy.
About the Author:
The author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, is a Yale University graduate who wrote and published this four book series back in 2013-2016. She also wrote the well known book series The Inheritance Games which I would also recommend to anyone looking for a fast-paced, witty book full of cracking puzzles and mysteries. Overall The Naturals is an absolute must read.
