The Naturals ((The Naturals #1))

If you like the shows like Criminal Minds, Homeland, CSI or Coldcase and want to mix it up with some teen drama, you will probably enjoy this book. Cassie is very good at reading people. She can tell you a bit about ones tastes, lifestyle, etc just by looking at you. When givent he chance to prove herslef working with the FBI, she jumps at the chance. But for her, it is also to try to catch her mother's killer.

She is teamed up in a safe house wit a couple guardians and other teens with special abilities. From a fellow profiler, to a walking lie detector. A team of 4 teens (5 once she joins) against the world of expect criminals. They are training and working on cold cases that the FBI has set aside without resolution. No current cases allowed.....HA! When do teenagers follow the rules?

Sloane is my favorite. All her random data and facts she shares brought a few smiles to my face. She is very socially awkward which just made her more endearing. There is a love triangle around Cassie involving the two boys, Dean and Michael, that she now lives with. So lots or eye-rolling teen drama. Sometimes it seems to hold up the story which was annoying. Especially when you toss in how naive Cassie can be.

Overall a fun read. The skills of these teens a bit over the top but yeah, some people are truly quite gifted. And while talented, these kids have their share of flaws, which I appreciate seeing in characters. There are some interesting twists and angles that I really enjoyed seeing unfold. It is a fairly fast, easy read for both teens and adults.

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.*

I loved this book.

Could the characters been a little more fleshed out? Yes. Did I have to suspend disbelief a number of times? Yes. Could the writing overall been a little bit tighter, more eloquent in spots? Yes.

But this book made me turn each page faster than any book has made me turn a page in a very long time. It was fast paced, which is right up my alley, and the main topic of profiling criminals—and even complete strangers—is not only insightful and fascinating, but as a writer myself, I found it to be an amazing study on character development, and how every real person has all these traits and actions and styles of dress that all play to who they are as a person. Overall, this book made me think, but it was still really easy to follow from a writing-style standpoint, which I sometimes find difficult in these types of stories. The ending was a bit predictable, but not in the way I expected at the same time, and though at first glance it was convenient as I've seen mentioned in a lot of reviews, it was all a part of the much bigger plot.

All in all, I finished this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down, which is what I think the main goal is for every writer.

The Naturals is centered around Cassie, one of five "Naturals," who are being trained in some sort of FBI paranormal program. These gifted teens become involved in the hunt for a serial killer, and the danger comes a little close to home.

This is very much a plot-driven novel. If you like a whodunit mystery with a CSI flare, and are not opposed to murder and the morbidity around looking for a serial killer, then this is right up your alley. We get in-depth insight into how a killer's mind works and all the angles investigators must look into to solve crimes. The author kept me guessing the entire time who the serial killer was, how they were going to uncover said serial killer, and what the body count would be (and if it would contain any of my new gifted friends). I honestly did not figure everything out and the ending was a complete surprise. Props to the author for a job well done there. I can usually figure things out, and like that I got stumped.

There was, however, a lack in character development. I didn't feel deeply connected with the characters, and they felt a bit clinical at times. I did like that they had these unique talents and could see the promise of them working as a team. I just didn't connect with them at an emotional level I'd hoped for, even when the plot took us to very sad or horrific circumstances. Whether this was intentional by the author or not, as the characters are supposed to have some mystery about them, I don't know. But regardless, it did affect my feelings toward the characters. I'd like to get to know them better in future books.

The start of this new series is very promising. And there is no cliffhanger, just a set up for more books. So if you like a mysterious, whodunit, thriller with paranormal elements, serial killers, and prospective love interests, then this could be the one for you.

I had some mixed feelings about this story. On the whole I enjoyed it, but there were a few things that did bother me about it that kept me from really loving it completely.

First off, I loved the concept of the story... the idea that there are these gifted teenagers out there who are able to perceive things that others can't...i.e...Cassie's ability to read people, another's ability to detect lies, etc... I did wish, however, that there had been some explanation for how they received these abilities, and no reason was ever given as to whether this is a paranormal story, if these teens are just mentally mutated, or if they have natural gifts of intuition that are just more highly developed than that of other people. But overall, this lack of explanation didn't really detract from my enjoyment.

I had a little trouble believing that the FBI would enlist kids to aid them, but I overlooked that as well because if you have a group of people with paranormal abilities/mutated abilities/overly developed natural gifts, why wouldn't you use them to help you solve crimes? So when the teenagers got into their work, it was really fascinating. Especially the fact that Cassie will be investigating her own mother's murder.

I did enjoy the characters themselves very much, although I could have done without the love triangle. To me, it was just unnecessary drama. I would have preferred that the romance focus exclusively on the one guy she ends up with. I felt like having another guy involved in there just complicated things in a way that was trivial at best. That being said, I did love the romance between Cassie and her ultimate choice guy. I loved him!

The last portion of the book was my favorite due to the twists and surprise killer. I have to admit the author really had me going on that one. I tried to predict the killer and was shockingly wrong. So I have to give kudos there. Very well done.

Overall, the story was a good one...entertaining, with a good premise and a great, shocking ending. It gave us, as readers, closure. It seemed as if this was a standalone book, which was really refreshing in this world of trilogies. I'd recommend the book for a good distracting, enjoyable read.

Cassandra - or Cassie - is a ‘natural’ at profiling people. She can tell a great deal about someone just by studying them and the environment they are in. The FBI somehow picks up on this and she is recruited for a special program to develop these skills even further. She’s not the only one there with special ‘natural’ abilities, the other teenagers in the program each specialize on some domain: Michael can read emotions and facial expressions, Lia is a human lie detector, Sloane has an amazing talent when it comes to numbers and figuring out patterns and then there is Dean who is a profiler just like her. Cassie has her own reasons for joining the group: not only has she always felt like an outsider, not entirely fitting in with her family, there is also the fact that 5 years ago her own mother was murdered, or so it is assumed because her body never was found, and she still hopes to find answers. Now while she gets lessons and training from FBI agent Locke, she hears the FBI are working a case of multiple murders. Even though they are forbidden to work on the active case, Cassie believes the recent murders are related to her mother's case and she can’t help but to dig in a little deeper and to venture on dangerous terrain. This is a really good start for the series: it has a good plot, unique characters, and a unpredictable twist. I loved the love interest part too, she is attracted to both Dean and Michael and you will have readers rooting for both camps (bad boy Dean and the exact opposite Michael). I favoured Michael and hope he will get together with her. We got a chance to hear the killer’s voice between the other chapters but this did not unveil who it was, I loved how it kept me guessing until the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book (and the three other books in the series). The characters were all well through out and the book itself was written nicely. While I loved this book, I had to give it a 4 because the main character, Cassie, got on my nerves a lot. She's one of those characters who annoys the reader with the choices that she makes and the things that she says, but there's also a positive aspect to this. Cassie seems real. Even though the book is focused on a topic that seems logical, the reader knows it would never happen due to laws and such (the FBI would probably never employ minors in this way), but Barnes makes it seem real to the reader due to the emotions that the book inflicts on the reader. While Barnes' task was not as difficult as others (She's not convincing the reader that there are aliens on the moon who only eat potato salad when their shoes are tied together.), she accomplished it. Barnes helps the reader put the logistics of the novel aside and focus on the story that she's written, and this, combined with an interesting plot, makes The Naturals Series (especially this first book) an enjoyable read.

Originally reviewed at http://www.shaelit.com/2013/11/review-the-naturals-by-jennifer-lynn-barnes/

Here are a few important things you need to know about The Naturals:

1. The premise of the book is that some teens are Naturals at certain things: profiling, lie-detecting, analysis, etc. They’re little savants the FBI rounds up to use on cold cases and to study. However, they’re also forced to live together, so it’s basically like sticking teen versions of a couple different flavors of Sherlock, a female Dr. Reid from Criminal Minds, and a female Cal Lightman from Lie to Me in the same house with their brain juices turned up on high.

2. Cassie, the main character, has personal reasons for joining. Like most teenagers in YA books, Cassie feels like she doesn’t belong in her dad’s loud Italian family (who are a riot, by the way). At the house with the other Naturals, she knows exactly where she stands and doesn’t feel like such a freak. Working with the FBI might also get her closer to her mother’s killer. Dun dun DUNNNN. Cassie is also freaking fantastic, because being in her head is like being in Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, but without the psychopathy. Her profiles are made quickly and seemingly at random, but she can back up what she surmises with solid observations, AND I LOVED IT.

3. This book is funny. Really, honest-to-goodness funny. I can already predict that Michael, the Natural emotion detector, will be a fan favorite. He’s ridiculously snarky and just oozes charm, but of course he has a secretly soft center. He also can tell what you’re feeling by looking at you, which can be very helpful. And Michael isn’t alone in the laughs. Each character takes the stereotype they’re given (nearly autistic statistician brainchild, catty liar, dark and brooding man-child) and runs with it. The dynamics of the house are awesome, and I can’t wait to learn more about each character.

4. This book is creepy. Seriously, oh-my-gosh creepy. The walls of the house are lined with portraits of serial killers were family photos should go. Each portion of the house is set up to represent a past crime scene, even the pool. Oh, and we also get snippets from the viewpoint of the killer (which works surprisingly well), and this particular killer LIKES TO CARVE OFF THE FACES OF THEIR VICTIMS. Eek.

5. There is a love triangle. This may be a sticking point for some people. Normally, it would be for me, but I enjoyed myself. I think there are positive and negative aspects to each boy, and there is no good boy/bad boy dichotomy. Or, if there is, it’s a war between each boy as individuals. Both Dean and Michael have parts of themselves they must struggle with.

6. It’s not totally predictable. I know that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but it is. I was raised on Agatha Christie novels and what felt like every crime/mystery TV show known to man. I know plot twists. I know hidden motivations. And yes, I did guess the identity of the killer, but only just barely. AND I didn’t put all the pieces together, so I was pleasantly surprised on several counts. (Also, bonus points for girl genius Cassie not being right all the time either.)

7. I want the sequel NOWWWWW. Please, Ms. Barnes, write faster. I need to know more, and I NEED more time with the Naturals.

Points Added For: ALL THE THINGS

Points Subtracted For: A few loose ends (that likely will NOT be tied up in bk 2 because of REASONS), a bit of instalovin’ from Dean and Michael

Good For Fans Of: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Criminal Minds, Heist Society by Ally Carter

Notes For Parents: Creepy bloodshed and violence, some kissing

Note: I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When Cassie was twelve she discovered her mother’s dead body, this changed her entire life. Now she lives with her grandmother, Nonna. Every Sunday there is a huge Sunday supper where all of her extended family comes to visit. Too bad Cassie even after five years does not feel that she fits in. So when the FBI show up and offer her a position in a school that would allow her to actually look for her mother’s killer she is all about it.

While at school, Cassie meets several other Naturals. There are two guys at this school that could cause a love tri-angle later on in the series. For now, Cassie is learning how to hone her skills. That is until a serial killer fixates on her. With little clues to go by, Cassie and Dean must profile this serial killer and determine what they want. Why are they so interested in Cassie and in her mother’s murder? Will they be able to save the kidnapped girl in time?

I like the chemistry between Cassie and Dean and Cassie and Michael. So at this point I do not have a favorite guy, who I want her to pick. This is highly unusually for me and I think speaks well of the writer’s ability to show that you can like two guys at once. I did wish that there was a little bit more romance in the book, that would have moved things a long faster.

With all the background information laid out, The Naturals has the potential to be a great series. While at times the book moved rather slowly, I have to say the suspense portion of the book was spot on. The Naturals kept me guessing who the killer was up to the actual reveal.

Overall, The Naturals is a book that you can lose yourself in for a few hours and come away thinking great story.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “I can be a patient man, Colorado. A devastatingly handsome, roguishly scarred, heartbreakingly courageous patient man.”

Other People
Sloane- specialty is numbers and probabilities
Lia- specialty is deception, has a knack for picking out the lies
Agent Briggs- FBI Agent who is behind the naturals
Agent Locke- Cassie’s profiling mentor

Book Info: Genre: Suspense
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: fans of suspense novels
Book Available: November 5, 2013 in Kindle and Hardcover formats and November 12, 2013 in Audio CD format
Trigger Warnings: murder, torture, mutilation

My Thoughts: Shortly after I added this to my bookshelves on a social media site, I received a comment from someone telling me they were going to turn this into a TV series. I can really see that. It has all the elements that a good TV series needs: suspense, action, and lots of young people. I do not know if there are plans to turn this into a series of books, but I would enjoy seeing such a thing. This is a very fast read, and the characters are each distinct, if somewhat cliché, and full of interesting quirks and pain.

It is, of course, full of angst with a love triangle, because otherwise it just wouldn't be a young adult book. However, these things weren't as intrusive as I'd feared they might be. All in all an enjoyable and very quick read, and one I can recommend to fans of young adult suspense without paranormal elements. If you've been looking for a sort of police procedural type book in the YA category, here you go.

Disclosure: I received an e-galley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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 knocking: 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.

Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. 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.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Amazing young adult mystery that was full of wonderful characters, sweet romance, and a very intriguing plot! This is one of the best mysteries I have read in a really long time and I would highly recommend it!

Opening Sentence: You’ve chosen and chosen well.

The Review:

Cassie has always been good at reading people. It was a trait Cassie’s mother taught her at a very young age so Cassie could help her mother with her physic business. But 5 years ago her mother was brutally murdered and the case was never solved. Cassie eventually developed her skills to the point that she could tell a great deal about someone just by studying them and the environment they are in. She never thought it was that big of a deal until the FBI contacts her with a proposition. They have put together a very special unit for teenagers that have very unique talents.

Michael can read emotions and facial express to the point that he can basically tell what you are thinking. Lia is a human lie detector, and then there is Sloane, a girl that has an amazing talent when it comes to numbers and figuring out patterns. Lastly, there is Dean who is a profiler just like Cassie. All the kids come from very different backgrounds and they all have their own secrets as to why they have come to be part of the group known as the Naturals.

The FBI has put together this little team so they can figure out cold cases that were never solved. But soon there is a killing spree right near home and Cassie finds herself drawn to this particular killer. It turns out that there may be a connection to her mother’s murder and Cassie will do anything to solve the case even if it means putting herself in danger. If the Naturals expect to win this very dangerous game they are going to have to work together and use all their gifts in order to survive.

I adored Cassie from the moment I met her. Being inside her head was really fascinating. The type of things she would notice about people and the conclusions she would come to were really extraordinary. But even though she was extremely talented when it came to figuring other people out, she was totally ordinary when it came to figuring herself out. I loved that she was a normal girl with normal insecurities; it made her very easy to relate to. I also loved watching her hone her talents and seeing her grow so much as a character really helped me develop a deep connection with her. She has become one of my new favorite heroines and I can’t wait to read more of her story in the coming books.

I am going to be honest, there is a love triangle and I am completely torn on who I want Cassie to end up with. First you have the charming, confidant, and mysterious Michael, who seems a little too perfect at times. He can read people’s emotions so it is extremely hard to hide anything from him, but he is an expert on hiding his own emotions from others. I feel like we just barely got a glimpse into who Michael really is, so I am very interested to see more of his character. His relationship with Cassie is sweet and I think in many ways they bring out the best in each other.

The next boy is Dean, who is also a profiler. He is very closed off and for the most part you have no idea what he is thinking. He is a character that has a lot of layers and a very sad past. I totally understand why he is so closed off, and his reasons for pushing people away totally make sense. He and Cassie have amazing chemistry, but I wonder if they are a good match. They understand each other really well because they think the same way, but they both have a lot of demons that they have to overcome before they could ever hope to have a chance at a relationship. To be totally honest, I think I am cheering for Dean at this moment, but honestly I can see her ending up with either guy.

The Naturals was a fantastic mystery full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. In most cases when I read a mystery it is very seldom that I am actually surprised by the ending, but this one totally took me by surprise in a very good way. There were little hints as to who the killer was and once you figure everything out it totally makes sense, but I loved that Barnes kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing of the story was a little on the slower side but it worked for me. It made it so you could really catch everything that was going on and I got so engrossed with all the interesting elements that were covered in the story. The idea of having teenagers be naturals at profiling and reading people was very unique. I haven’t ever read a mystery quite like this one and I seriously can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. If you are a YA mystery fan this is a must read for you!!!

Notable Scene:

My gut told me that Agent Locke didn’t want details. She wanted the big picture.

Behavior. Personality. Environment.

I tried to integrate Purple Fleece into her surroundings. She’d chosen a seat near the edge of the food court, even though there were plenty of tables available closer to the restaurant where she’d purchased her meal. There were several people sitting near her, but she stayed focused on her food.

“She’s a student,” I said finally. “Graduate school of some kind—my money’s on med school. She’s not married, but has a serious boyfriend. She comes from an upper middle class family, heavy emphasis on the upper. She’s a runner, but not a health nut. She most likely gets up early, likes doing things that other people find painful, and if she has any siblings, they’re either younger than she is or they’re all boys.”

I waited for Agent Locke to reply. She didn’t. Neither did Dean.

To fill the silence, I added one last observation. “She gets cold really easily.”

There was no other excuse for wearing a fleece—even indoors—in July

FTC Advisory: Disney-Hyperion provided me with a copy of The Naturals. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Criminal Minds in book format with teenagers. That is all! No, but seriously if you like Criminal Minds, or any shows like it you might enjoy this read. I have to admit that so far Ms. Barnes can do no wrong by me. I have enjoyed every one of her books I've read.

The Naturals is a book that brings together so many of my favorite things in one story. You got mystery/thriller, special abilities, hot guys, a little bit of girl drama. I love that this story is not like other YAs. It has it's own feel.

If you read above you noticed that I mentioned it has some of my favorite things. Let's talk about those one by one.
Mystery/thriller and murders. I mean what could be better right? I love YA mystery books because I'm the type who likes to try and figure out the who done it. I do the same thing when I watch those type tv show/movies that don't tell who it is until the end. Most of the time I'm soooo completely wrong. Like I was with The Naturals, I knew it was a person close to the group, but I kept jumping around from one person to the next. Then to find out in the end that other things were tied to the murder. LOVED IT!!!! Yeah so I'm definitely going to be reading the next book in the series.
Special abilities, and I don't mean the kind like in The Darkest Mind, or The Young Elites. These abilities are more natural to put it simply. :) Notice I say abilities instead of powers. These are more like feelings or very correct guesses. I love that the abilities are different and more realistic. One is able to feel emotions, one's a human lie detector, one's number smart, and the others are able to read peoples interaction (profilers)
So the third is a little more for the girl side of me. HOT BOYS! I definitely had the case of flip flops. I would like Michael and hate Dean, and then I'd be like I like Dean and hate Michael. To be honest they both had the likeable and dislikeable sides. I can't get into much because their stories unfold within the story.
The last is the drama between the girls (and boys) When you have a group that's been together awhile, and then a new girl appears things tend to get catty. :)
I really enjoyed all the characters even though up until the end they were all a little bit of a suspect in my book.
The ending was not what I was expecting.

Cassie can tell pretty much everything about you by just observing you for a few minutes. It’s something she learned from her mother who spent some of Cassie’s childhood as a wandering gypsy fortune teller. Cassie learned how to read people at an early age but it didn’t take much. Her talent comes naturally. That’s what makes her an excellent prospect for FBI profiling. She’s a Natural.

Recruited by the FBI, Cassie, at the ripe old age of seventeen, is moved into a house full of other teenagers who all have similar qualities. Now they’re in training to be FBI specialists in their fields – each one training in their particular area of expertise. They only work on cold cases and previously solved murders for their experience until a case brings itself to their house. Literally.

Cassie’s mother was believed to be murdered many years previous. Cassie herself, stumbled onto the crime scene and can still recall it with vivid detail. When a serial killer suddenly begins showing signs of being involved with the murder of Cassie’s mother, she has no choice but to get involved.

In all honesty, I have mixed feeling about this book. When I first started reading, I was settled in for a YA adventure and was stunned to see the mind of a serial killer on the pages. I actually put the book down and walked away from it for a week or so before I went back. This book is targeted toward 12 year olds and up so I wasn’t expecting that heavy a hand in the storytelling.

However, when I went back to read again and had come to terms with the material I’d be reading, I was able to really enjoy the book. The characters are interesting and for the most part, they’re engaging. There’s a bit of romance with a twist. When you have someone who can read emotions or profile a human being with only a few minutes together, it makes typical teenage romance difficult. Throw in someone who has the instant ability to detect a lie and things get a little stranger.

With plotlines that race at a deadening pace and enough details to keep even the most avid crime fan happy, this book is a lot like Criminal Minds for teens. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you like adventure, mystery and intrigue, you’ll enjoy it. The dialogue, the plot turns and the overall storyline were more than enough to keep a reader entertained and involved.

It’s creepy. I admit to being one of the faint hearted and when I ended the book, I was really creeped out by the direction it had taken. But it stuck with me for sure. I can honestly say I’m very interested to see if Barnes decides to do anything with these characters in the future. This could be a set up for a fascinating series and as an adult, I’d be first in line to read it. I just can’t honestly recommend it for the younger teens/tweens that are listed as its target reading age. Older teens? Sure. Adults? Definitely. Good read for sure, just read with caution.

THE RUN-DOWN
Cassie has the gift of reading people. She can look at a person and be able to tell who they are, the kind of life the live, and what they may possibly do next. When she catches the attention of an FBI group, she's asked to join. The group of Naturals, filled with other teenagers with natural gifts similar to Cassie's (one just like hers, another good with emotions, and the last good with statistics and numbers), are meant to solve cold cases. But when a current case, homicides targeting women with red hair and/or "psychic" abilities, may be related to her mother's murder, which was never solved, the situation gets even more serious.

MY THOUGHTS
I really enjoyed reading this book, which surprised me since I wasn't actually planning on reading this book in the first place. I was actually invested in the story and breezed quickly through the book. But, I've read books like this before. There are a lot of mystery books that have either the same or very similar story line as The Naturals (the first one that comes to mind is The Body Finder series). And while I did enjoy reading this book, I can't give it a higher rating due to how the plot of the book is so common and the fact that there was a few things that were very predictable.

I also have to say a few things on the romance.
You tried, romance, but you failed.
The romance of this book basically an attempt at romance, and you could tell that there was supposed to be romance, but we didn't get any romance. Sure, there was some strange kissing scenes, but there was no hint of any feelings from Cassie for either of the boys (yes, there's two, but I would not consider it a love triangle. Mostly since I don't even consider it as romance.). I also had no idea what the two guys were feeling, so the entire romance was basically a few awkward-ish kisses. That's all.
I'm glad that this book did not go the route of plot taking the back seat, while romance takes the front, but I also don't particularly like it when romance is thrown into a book for seemingly no reason. Maybe there's more to it in the next book? I don't know, but it's possible.

I know it seems that I was not a fan of this book, based on the fact that all I'm doing is complaining, but I actually did enjoy reading this book. While the romance was kind of stupid, it was only a very small part of the book. And the fact that the plot of this book is a common one did not mean that I didn't like it. There is a reason as to why I have read enough of these books that I recognize how common the plot is.
I mentioned earlier that the book was a bit predictable, and yes, that's true, but only in some ways. As with most mystery books, there is something that is, well, a mystery. In this book the mystery surround the serial killer. I had no idea who the killer was. None. When the killer was revealed I was taken completely by surprise! And I loved this! This was not a case of "oh, the killer is actually this person", but there are absolutely no clues or hints that would lead up to that person. No, there were many hints throughout the book, very subtle ones that are not obvious until you know who the killer is. Looking back, I could the genius in this and, of course, I loved the fact that the book took me by surprise.

IN CONCLUSION
This is a very quick read, barely 300 pages, and the story is when that you can quickly breeze through. It's a bit of a common serial killer mystery, which I have seen many times before, but while predictable at times, the book will take you by surprise. The "romance" is kind of unnecessary. In fact, I hesitate to call it a romance.
But, all in all. I did like this book. It was very entertaining and I definitely plan on reading the next book in the series!

Cassie has been trained by her mother to observe the people around her to determine their background, their personality, and build the perfect profile for a con-artist-styled-psychic to work a crowd. But Cassie's mother met with a bad end and Cassie's skills have done little more than help her get better tips as a diner waitress - until the FBI comes calling.

Criminal Minds meets Nancy Drew in this story of teens with "Natural" abilities that the FBI find quite useful in catching bad guys. There is a statistician (think the crime-solving series NUMBERS), a human lie-detector/deception expert, an adept at reading the emotions of those around him, and a profiler scary-good at getting into the head of serial killers. Cassie fits in as a natural profiler of victims and crime scenes.

While some might believe this stretches the imagination a bit, I don't think so. There have been stories for years about teen computer prodigies being recruited by various government agencies, or having their college paid for with the understanding they will work with the feds later down the road. Why wouldn't there be programs for other specialty areas like profiling?

In this first novel of what promises to be an entertaining series, the focus is on introducing the protagonist to the other cast of characters, with little in the way of overall character development. However, this does not take away from the interest level that each of these troubled/gifted teenagers raise. Each teenager has more going on in their background than they reveal and it will take a few more novels before curiosity about them can be satisfied. That being said, this novel does come to a satisfying conclusion (that I did NOT see coming) which keeps the reader from feeling cheated out of more personal details.

I enjoyed reading this book a great deal - my husband was treated to near-silence when I read, punctuated by an occasional giggle, gasp, and towards the end a "What?!" Then, a few minutes later, "WHAT?!?!" I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Criminal Minds, YA mysteries/crime fiction, and those interested in psychology. The author knows her stuff, by the way, with a background in psychology. I couldn't put this book down until I finished it. Great read!

For the sensitive reader: This book is about teenagers solving violent, troubling crimes and a serial killer. That should be warning enough.

This summer I’ve been spending the majority of the weekdays watching crime TV shows with my grandfather. This includes, but is not limited to: Law and Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, Bones, Castle, NCIS, & CSI. You could say I’m a fan.

When I started The Naturals, I expected a fluffy, predictable drama. I expected something that would’ve been “good”, but not entirely memorable.

This book blew me away!

Cassie is extremely perceptive. She can tell you what your favorite sport is and what you do on your free time just by looking at you. Her psychic mother taught her well. Now, at 16 years old, the FBI has recruited her to participate in a top-secret program called The Naturals, where they recruit teens with extraordinary skills. Cassie is chosen to be a profiler, and with this she hopes to finally clear up her mother’s disappearance –which has been a FBI cold case for a long time. However, there’s a serial killer on the loose, and is getting closer and closer to home. Can Cassie figure out who it is before it’s too late?

I want to hug this book. What had started just as a quick read while working, turned into something more.

I loved reading about Cassie’s “talent”. One of my favorite tv shows is Sherlock, and I loved seeing her using her powers of deduction. It was so interesting! The explanation wasn’t even necessarily paranormal, but scientific. It was so great seeing the whole team and all their powers.

The mystery, which is actually a huge part of the book was definitely not easy to uncover.

Even when the answer is basically staring at you in the face, you won’t be able to guess it (in my case).

I loved how every single person in the book was an evolved character. All the kids in the Naturals program were three-dimensional, and their personalities where easy to distinguish. They really added to the story.

The audiobook narrator is amazing. She took this story and magnified it. The narrator knew how to give an individual voice to each character, and she really conveyed each emotion perfectly. There was even a certain part in the book where she gave me chills. I could feel myself terrified for the characters, and I could feel the malice and “evil” that she gave to the mysterious serial killer. Her narration was really memorable.

The only thing that dropped a star from my rating was the fact that there was a love triangle here. I don’t mind them if they don’t get in the way, but here it felt like chunks of the book were especially dedicated to that. The book is good enough as it is! It didn’t need a love triangle. The mystery by itself had me hooked and listening intently (to the point that I ignored my work for a couple of hours…) to everything.

Overall this is an amazing book that murder-mystery fans will be sure to enjoy.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review originally posted on A Kernel of Nonsense blog.
Cassie Hobbes has an uncanny ability to read people, a natural profiler who analyzes a subject’s innermost motivations. Approached with a mysterious offer by the FBI to join a team of Naturals, skillful individuals trained in the art of dissecting UNSUBs in murder investigations, Cassie must consider leaving her family behind to pursue the opportunity to exercise her natural ability.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Naturals. It was a refreshing change from the books I’ve been reading lately. After the last book I read, I was in dire need of something different and wonderful–Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ The Naturals fulfilled both these needs.

The team Cassie meets is comprised of very different individuals, including herself. Cassie is a damaged girl, haunted by the murder of her mother, who struggles when asked to see through the eyes of a serial killer. Sloane sees the world in a numerically analytical way, but finds it difficult to relate to people on an emotional level. Lia has the ability to spot lies and spends a lot of her time pushing boundaries with her own. Michael is adept at reading emotions, but rarely gives enough of himself away to be read himself. Dean, like Cassie, has a skill for slipping into the mind of others, but is plagued with the fear of becoming what he profiles.

Michael and Dean both provide an interesting dynamic with Cassie. One is relentless in his pursuit and the other can’t get away fast enough. The book hints at a messy past for both guys–pasts that I look forward to delving into. Personally, I found that Dean complimented Cassie more, but I couldn’t completely dismiss Michael as it’s obvious he cares about her a lot. That being said, I couldn’t get past the way Michael treated Dean which pretty much sealed it for me when deciding which one of these characters I liked better.

I do wish that Barnes would have spent a little more time developing the relationship between Cassie and one or both girls. A lot of books are too preoccupied with romance at the expense of friendships, especially female friendships. I also wanted to hear more about Lia, who I think projects a deceptive image of herself based on how she thinks others see her. I liked these five people together and hope to see them develop into of a functioning, unstoppable team which I believe they are more than capable of becoming.

The Naturals is different from what I usually read. It's not driven by a romance. It's not paranormal. And, it's just a little bit scary. I felt like I had gotten in a bit of a rut lately, and was looking for something outside of the box I had found myself in. The Naturals sounded interesting to me, so I decided to go for it, and I was astounded at how much I enjoyed it!

Cassie has an uncanny ability - she can tell you all about a person just by observing them. She lives with her overbearing Italian extended family after her mother was murdered and her military father threw himself into his work. When Cassie is approached by the FBI and asked to work with them to use her gift to help solve cold cases, she jumps at the chance to do some good. The four other kids in the program have similar abilities to hers, and Cassie thinks she's finally found a home and a purpose. Until a serial killer the FBI is currently tracking seems to set his sights on her.

The Naturals was like two parts Psych and one part The Alphas.

Cassie finds herself in a house with four other kids. There's Sloane who is like a walking encyclopedia, Michael who can tell people's feelings and emotions by looking at them, Lia is like a human lie detector and Dean is also a profiler like Cassie. Dean and FBI agent Lacey Locke take Cassie under their wings to teach her how to hone her ability and use it to help the FBI solve cold cases.

Cassie is a really strong female main character. She is ballsey, takes chances, and goes for what she believes in. Despite the grisly nature of what these kids do, Cassie remains compassionate and sensitive. She's like most other 17-year-olds - she only wants to fit in and make friends. But, with her tragic past and her ability to pick people apart just by observing them, it's a little hard for her to be "normal." She thinks she's finally found her place in the world among the other teenage freaks.

Her reception in the house is varied. Sloane, who is, by nature, very logical and calculating, takes her arrival in stride. I enjoyed Sloane's no-nonsense attitude and the fact that she's been banned from coffee because of what the caffeine does to her. Poor girl.

Michael loves Cassie. He's a bit of a player with a screwed up home life. He sets his sights on Cassie and sets to work wooing her immediately. But, Cassie seems to be most interested in Dean, perhaps because of all the kids there, he is the most like her. Except for the fact that Dean is a brooder. He always seems angry and withdrawn, so it's hard to get close to him. That makes the moments when he lets his guard down around Cassie all that much sweeter. There's a reason for Dean's aloofness, and when it's revealed, you can sort of understand why he is the way he is.

Finally, there's Lia, who is the book's token mean girl. She's BFFs in a weird way with Dean and an on-again, off-again hook-up with Michael. You can't tell even a little white lie around her or she will call you out. Do you have any idea how many itty bitty fibs you tell in a day? And how hard it would be to be around someone who knew every single time you let one slip? It would get old, fast. Lia was a great mean girl. You get the impression that, perhaps, she's not really as bad as she makes herself out to be. But, the uber bitch in her always comes out, and your temporary softening toward her disappears immediately.

The overarching mystery was awesome. There is a serial killer giving the FBI trouble. He's killing girls, and although the kids were only hired to take on cold cases, they're eventually brought in on this active one after the killer starts leaving little presents for Cassie here and there. I loved seeing the two boys in protector mode - they both care for Cassie in their way, and it was clear she was in deep. I enjoyed watching all five kids use their abilities to work together to try and get to the bottom of the mystery before another girl turns up dead.

I'm really excited for the next book! Although the mystery was solved, the love triangle was not. I use the term "love triangle" loosely - the romance angle was not pressed hard in The Naturals. It was more of an afterthought, which was fine since the mystery took center stage. But, there was a triangle of sorts between Cassie, Michael and Dean. I have my favorite, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see if I will get my wish.

I love the Naturals series. It has everything anyone could look for in mystery. It has suspense, action, and of course plot twists. Who doesn’t love a good plot twists. I love having read the story of Cassie and the others. The series so far has left me on the edge of my seat wanting more. I cannot wait until the third book. “TYPE FASTER Miss. Barnes.” Is all you will be thinking when you read this series. I have read the stories at least two times and have to say I NEED MORE NOW. In other words buy the book if you like suspense, action, plot twists, and staying up reading to see what happens next(even though you know you have school tomorrow.)

The first book is about the girl hero who is put into the FBI program for people who are natural genius-like, all are teenagers. It’s like a teen version of Scorpion, but the kids all live under one roof. They are supposed to work on cold cases, but one day, I’m not going to tell you what happens, but they find out there’s a serial killer on the loose, then the FBI guys want to stop them, but that doesn’t work of course. There are tons of plot twists and a bunch of stuff that will eep you up trying to figure out what’s going on.

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I saw quite a few mixed reviews before I picked this up, which made me nervous as this is only my second experience with Barnes' writing. Well, no worries! This was well within the kind of snappy writing I expect from Disney-Hyperion and I read it all pretty quickly until the ending where my pleasure with the novel went rapidly downhill. But let's start at the beginning.

Cassie has always been able to read people, by nature and also nurtured by her psychic mother. During her teenage years, the FBI comes a knocking seeking to add Cassie to their team of Naturals, young people with some kind of extraordinary talent (such as profiling as Cassie can do) to tackle cold cases. Cassie agrees with the thought in the back of her head of being able to solve her mother's murder, long since cold. At the group home, she meets four other special teenagers and they must battle their feelings and hormones to catch a serial killer before he strikes at Cassie.

Like I said, I really liked the writing style. There are lots of quips and sarcasm throughout and the book moves quickly. We get some insight in to how Cassie can spot and assess as much as she does but it's also somewhat cryptic because it just comes so naturally to her. She and the other teenagers in the program astound the adults, who are also very good at these skills but only because of years of intensive training and experience.

Apparently some readers don't like the trope about a group of extraordinary people gathered together. Personally I do though and this group mostly worked for me because I like reading about really smart, knowledgeable people getting to exercise their talents. No surprise to those who've read this that my fave was Sloane, who can rattle off statistics like no one else. Cassie is a close second with master liar/lie spotter Lia rounding out the top three. But who else is in the house? Why, it's two boys: Michael, who helped recruit Cassie and can parse emotions; and Dean who is a profiler like Cassie with his own dark past. Initially it seemed like Cassie might really like one but it soon becomes a love triangle as is acknowledged by the end with Cassie being urged by the one guy to think about her feelings for the both of them. Ugh, did I find this unnecessary! I think the book could have focused more on the complex feelings and tensions within the group home without needing to add this bundle of hormones.

The other thing is the resolution. We have a serial killer who seems to be going after women like Cassie and eventually to want to take out Cassie. On the one hand, there is a great twist with this that I won't share for fear of spoilers. But on the other hand, it was not as satisfying as I expected. I think this might be partly because it will end up being part of a series and there are still some loose ends to tie up. If you've read this and would like to discuss, let's!

Overall: A surprisingly fun (because who expects to have fun when tracking a serial killer?) compelling thriller with snappy dialogue and strong pacing. I sincerely hope the love triangle will be quickly resolved in the next book or it may dominate my feelings about the series as a whole in a negative way.

I really loved Barnes’ book Every Other Day, but wasn’t as impressed with her Raised by Wolves series. So I was a little unsure what to expect from this book. It ended up being absolutely fantastic, I loved this book and devoured it in one sitting.

This story is about a girl named Cassie who is a natural at profiling people, Cassie’s mother is dead and her father is overseas, so she is biding her time living with her extended family and working in a diner. Then the FBI approaches her about a job, they want her to enroll in a school where they train people with natural abilities like hers. The Naturals are supposed to work on cold cases in the FBI. However things get out of hand when a serial killer ends up on the loose in their town.

This was a very fun read and completely engrossing. I loved all the characters and their weird Natural abilities. In the house Cassie moves to there is a another Profiler (Dean), a guy who is a natural at reading Emotions (Michael), a girl who is a pathological liar and can always tell if another person is lying (Lia), and a girl who can pick patterns out of anything (Sloane).

Cassie has a chip on her shoulder because her mother was brutally murdered years ago, she is hoping that training to be a Natural for the FBI will allow her to find clues about her mother. However, the agents training these kids are getting more and more stressed as more and more bodies are found in the area. ALl of this can only add up to one thing, a serial killer is loose in their town.

I read this book pretty much in one sitting. It was incredibly well done and I really enjoyed it a lot. Very different from most books I read; this one was mostly a thriller/mystery. The book is very fast-paced and extremely engaging. It’s just one of those books that is super fun to read.

There are a lot of twists and turns in the story. I enjoyed the different personalities too. There is a bit of a love triangle between Cassie, Dean, and Michael which I didn’t enjoy all that much...but pretty typical for YA books...so it didn’t bother me too much.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read that was fast-paced and engaging. It’s mostly mystery/thriller and there are some gruesome scenes throughout. The characters were all interesting. The dialogue throughout was witty and funny. I would recommend this to fans of young adult books and to fans of mystery thrillers.

Cassie's mother vanished five years ago, presumed dead, and Cassie has never been able to distance herself from it. She is given a chance to join a special program for the FBI that trains teens like her with inherent gifts, honing them to become useful investigators. Cassie's natural gift she learned from her mom who pretended to be a psychic. Cassie is a Profiler, someone who can understand a person just by the way they dress, gesture, eat, ect...almost any clue she can pick up on to determine who someone is. She and the other teens in the program all have skills, but don't get to use them on active cases. Until a serial killer sets his target close to home.
I realy enjoyed this book. Cassie has a gift to see and understand a person,and as a reader, we get to see how her mind works and the whys on how she determines things. She was such a strong character, taking everything life throws at her in stride without having a breakdown, and at times she deserved one. I liked everything about her except her indecision when it comes to her own feelings. She can read pretty much everyone around her, yet has no idea how she feels.
And yes, there is a love triangle with some angst. One side has Dean, a troubled boy who has seen more than he should have, who pushes Cassie away every chance he gets, yet would protect her with his life. And then we have Michael, the spoiled rich boy who reads emotions and always makes things up, is incredibly upfront about how he feels for Cassie, yet has an on again off again relationship with another girl in the house who has feelings for him. Talk about complicated. I personally would go with Dean, but I always like the strong silent tortured men, they are so much more interesting.
I read this book in a day because I could not put it down. Between the way Cassie gets into a persons head and sees motive invisible to others, the push and pull romances, and the serial killer on the loose, it had so much going on in it. I really liked all the characters, even the klepto and the compulsive liar that make up the teen team.
I really want more from this series. My biggest complaint with the story is that I have to wait forever before I can read more. I loved this book, it was just what I needed since it seems like everything I have read recently has been blah.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Print Length: 321 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1423168232
Publisher: Disney Hyperion (November 5, 2013)

My Review~
I received this book in exchange for a honest review from the publisher Disney-Hyperion.
This book is an intense read! I could not put it down once I started. The author had me captivated in the YA Crime thriller. This was mind-blowing!! I was left guessing the entire time but then I did not expect the murder to be who they were!! Then there is a love triangle between Micheal Cassie and Dean that is intense. I am voting for Dean though who is the misjudged teen. Did I say how interesting and cool looking the cover is?!! It makes me want to book shimmy to delve in and discover what is hidden in the present. I love love love this book! The writing is fast action packed ride that will leave you wanting more at the end. I can't wait to see if there is another book after this one. This author knows how to ensnare the reader within the first few chapters. This has got to be one of the best YA thrillers of 2013!!! Cassie is a somewhat normal girl who found her mother murder when she was younger. Her mother taught her how to read people. Now Cassie lives with her father's family and is struggling to fit in when she meets Micheal who intrigues her and enrolls her into a classified program meant for other teens who have a similar ability as Cassie. With the help of the teens, Cassie soon realizes that she is far too close to the case. Will she survive? Who is this murderer and what do they want with her?

the store Book Description~
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 knocking: 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. Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars—Jennifer Lynn-Barnes' The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.

I’m not someone who gravitates towards crime stories. I get creeped out easily, and I have what some may call an overactive imagination. Let’s just say it’s best when I’m not aware of the multitudes of ways people can be murdered. Yet, the premise behind The Naturals intrigued me. I found Cassie’s ‘natural’ approach to reading and profiling people so much more interesting than the scientific approach we usually see. Surprisingly for me, the girl who get’s creeped out, one of my favorite things about the novel is when ‘You’ takes over the narrative. Switching to a criminal perspective really upped the anti on how drawn into the world of The Naturals I became.

Even though I may not seek out crime-based stuff, I love me a good sleuth, and Cassie can sleuth with the best of them. I really liked Cassie’s profiling process. Her ability to read and profile people is like a giant puzzle. Every piece of information she discerns, no matter how big or small, combine to create a murky picture she somehow has to make crystal clear. Her piecing together a suspect profile really appealed to the problem solving side of me that needs to figure out solutions to puzzles before the answer is given. That being said, I think the pacing of the problem solving was a little off. The amount of time spent on Cassie’s introduction to the FBI and ‘The Naturals’ seemed long, as it prolonged the introduction of the overarching mystery. The mystery solving on the other hand felt a little rushed. I never questioned Cassie’s ability to profile, and the moments when Cassie’s abilities are on full display are the moments when The Naturals really shines. I just wish the overarching mystery had been given the time and space to shine too.

As much as I liked Cassie’s character, and as compelled as I was by the profiling aspect of the story, I had two definitive issues with the novel. The first was with how little we learn about the secondary characters. I understand that a pretty major story element is how Cassie’s fellow ‘Naturals’ are very aware of her ability to profile, and they work really hard to prevent her from being able to profile them – in that respect the story was done really well, Cassie doesn’t learn enough to properly profile them. But, at some point, I needed to know the characters in order to actually care about what happens to them. My second issue was with the love triangle. I’m not a fan of love triangles in general, but I really don’t like the inclusion of triangles that don’t obviously add to the overall story. There’s a small moment in The Naturals where the triangle shows it’s purpose, but I think the moment could have been just as effective if the characters had all been friends. I didn’t see the necessity of the triangle.

Overall, the positives were strong enough to overshadow any issues I had with the novel. I would definitely recommend The Naturals to Mystery and Crime lovers who can handle a little more of a slow burn pace.

Rating 3.5/5

*** I received a copy of the novel from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was in no way compensated.

This was a great, immersive read! I love the idea that people who are more attuned to psychological tells and body language can use those skills to fight crime - it's like they are super-human but it's an attainable power. Well if you are born with the knack. The author assembles a great team of Naturals in this book too - they all have their quirks and their secrets which kept their unit sometimes tense, and in this case sometimes suspicious. There are lots more to explore with the individual characters especially because some of the characters are initially a bit unlikable but I think there is definitely more to them and it will probably change my opinion of them.

The love triangle is the only thing that disappointed me in this story. It felt unnecessary and a bit unexpected considering how standoffish Cassie always is, and it was hard to believe that two guys are suddenly interested in her. I was also frustrated by how much the two guys conformed to stereotype - with fun, charming Michael vs. brooding, damaged Dean. Although I am a bit torn between them - I'm not sure if have a preference for who Cassie should pick yet.

Although the love triangle aspect took up more time than I cared for, the story moved along at a great pace, and the mystery of who the serial killer was, was very well done. I was surprised by the reveal and the series of clues that led us to the solution was clever and intriguing. I loved that each Natural's gift was important to the story and helped Cassie figure out the clues. And the look into the science of the mind was very interesting for me. I don't normally watch C.S.I. type shows so reading about the investigation process in this book was fascinating. This was a very quick read for me and if you love mysteries and stories rooted in psychology you should give this a try!

THE NATURALS was an entertaining and engaging thriller. Cassie grew up with her mother who made her living as a fake psychic and taught her daughter a number of tricks to read people. Pepper became very good at it. But, one day, Cassie came to her mother's dressing room to find large amounts of blood and no body. She was sent to live with her father's family but the question of what happened to her mother haunts her.

When she is seventeen, she is recruited into a special FBI program that looks for kids with unusual talents like hers to learn to be investigators. She moves to Quantico despite the protestations of her large Italian family and moves into a house with four other Naturals. Michael is an expert at reading voices, emotions, and body language; Lia is an expert at deception, she can tell when people are lying and is an excellent liar herself; Sloane is a crime scene investigator, Cassie's roommate, tends to spout statistics as part of her normal investigation; Dean is the other profiler and the son of a serial killer.

There are the usual rivalries you get when you put five teens together in a house. Cassie is interested in both Dean and Michael who are rivals. Lia likes playing them all off and keeping everyone off balance. While they are busy honing their skills by reading cold cases, their FBI trainers are busy with a serial killer who seems to be getting closer to the area where the kids are. In fact, the killer's MO and signature leads Cassie to believe that it might be the same killer as the one who killed her mom five years ago.

When the killer targets Cassie, she is determined to get involved in the new investigation. The story is filled with both very tense moments and moments of typical young adult behavior. The portions from the killers point of view and the ease with which Dean and Cassie can drop into that point of view were chilling.

Fans of suspense titles will enjoy getting to know these fascinating characters. I look forward to reading about their next case and hope a sequel is in the works.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of those authors that routinely has interesting new books coming out but has never found mainstream success. Personally, I'm very fond of her work. She's not someone who comes to mind when I'm making favorites lists, but I've never been disappointed by one of her books.

THE NATURALS is the story of Cassie, a seventeen-year-old girl who is a natural at profiling, who joins a group of teens at the FBI who have their own natural special abilities that can be used to solve crimes. They each have their own reason for wanting to spend their days studying serial killers, statistics, and other related topics. Cassie is driven by the unsolved murder of her mother, whose body was never found.

Obviously, that becomes relevant to the case the teens find themselves pursuing.

What really makes THE NATURALS work is the characters. Cassie falls into a love triangle with Michael and Dean, but it doesn't seem forced. They're attractive, intelligent guys and while they're both a bit standoffish at first, they explain their reasons and are generally perfectly nice to her. The other girls, Lia and Sloane, both develop on their own. Cassie becomes closer to Sloane, and not just because they're roommates. All five teens have their own personalities. It made me kind of sad that THE NATURALS is a standalone, because I'd like to see how their relationships would develop.

I'm totally not sad it's a standalone. More standalones!

As for the detecting, it could use a little work. THE NATURALS has a villain POV, a trope I'm not hugely fond of. In this case, I don't think it really added or detracted from the story. There are a few gory moments in those passages that might turn off more sensitive readers. The kids aren't experts, of course, despite their abilities, but I wished they'd contributed more to finding out who the killer is. The identity is a plot twist instead of a mystery solved by the characters. That keeps things exciting, but I found it left satisfying after I finished.

THE NATURALS is a quick, fun read that will appeal to fans of ensemble procedurals. I like that it doesn't resolve absolutely everything and that while there is a love triangle, it comes in a distant second to catching murderers. The premise is a little silly, but I like bought into it, especially since a large part of the book is the characters training to use their talents effectively. This isn't Barnes' strongest book, but it probably has the broadest appeal.

The Story:
The Naturals was a wonderful break from the science fiction and dystopians I’ve been reading lately. I loved the idea behind The Naturals, a group of talented/gifted teens are brought into a special division of the FBI to help profile serial killers. This idea is pretty far fetched…I don’t see the FBI utilizing teens in the near future (hey but what do I know?) but I loved suspending disbelief and imagining the possibility.

I went through a phase back in junior high (after watching Silence of the Lambs-entirely too young) where I wanted to know everything possible about serial killers. Less about the gore and crime scenes and more about the why behind it. What type of home life did they have? Was there anything someone could have done to prevent them from becoming a monster? I was fascinated and terrified to read as much as I could. It was a pretty macabre interest that spanned into high school and I even considered studying criminology in college. I knew though that I didn’t have the guts or mental capacity to immerse myself into their brain spaces for a career so that idea died out.

Needless to say, I’ve read many profiling books and accounts of serial killers. I found Barnes approach to profiling and the grooming her main character was given to mesh beautifully with the things I had learned. I loved spending time in Cassie’s brain space as she walked through the whys and hows.

We follow the story through dual point of views, one from the main character, Cassie and the other through the eyes of the killer. This alternating pov helped to lead the reader in the direction of figuring out who the killer was along with Cassie. I’ve seen some readers finding it incredibly easy to pick who the killer is early on but I honestly did not.

I found the book to be fast paced and thoroughly entertaining (minus a couple of small issues that I’ll get to in the character section). Since this was the first in the series and Cassie was just being introduced to life as a profiler she was tasked with looking over cold cases which eliminated (for the most part) any details into active cases and crime scenes. Because of this the book is on the light side regarding gore.

As the series progresses I hope we get to see a much deeper look into the phycology behind the killer’s thoughts. Of course, this is targeted to a young adult audience so Barnes writes appropriately.

The Characters:
Warning to all of those readers that can’t stand a love triangle…there is one in this book. It was done fairly well and didn’t annoy me to be honest. Sadly, Barnes does fall into a few clichés with her cast of characters but they still felt genuine to me and I was able to connect with them.

As I’m trying to figure out what to write about the characters I realize I really don’t have a whole lot to say about them. The two boys Cassie can’t decide between are both likeable and Barnes does a good job giving the reader reasons why she would be attracted to both of them. Cassie was easy for me to understand and see the motivations behind her actions. I enjoyed watching her grow into her potential and following the story through her view point.

I think that the areas the characters were lacking, (such as-more history behind each of them and a fuller understanding of their gifts and how they came to be part of The Naturals) will all be addressed in future books. I felt that this first in the series set the stage nicely. though I do wish less time had been spent on a romantic plot and more on each of the characters back story and motivations.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I found The Naturals to be a really entertaining and fast paced book. I could have done without the love triangle but it wasn’t so bad as to detract from the main story arc. I am excited to see where Barnes takes this series and I hope she dives deeper into the science behind profiling and psychology in her future books.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

Here’s what the synopsis for The Naturals says:

"Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars—Jennifer Lynn-Barnes’ The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series."

If you cut out the part about the romance, this is spot on. I normally roll my eyes when books are compared to certain movies or other books, because it rarely actually fits. Now with The Naturals, I can’t really comment on the Pretty Little Liars part since I don’t watch that show, but this book fits The Mentalist PERFECTLY!

When I first read about The Naturals I think I pictured more of a paranormal book with legitimate mind reading or crazy powers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it’s not like that! This is where The Mentalist comes in. That show isn’t paranormal; it’s just about a guy who’s exceptionally good at reading people and drawing quick, accurate conclusions from his observations. That is Cassie in a nutshell. I thought that idea was SO COOL! And of course, you have the serial killer part too.

The Naturals was so cool and creepy, and it really took you into a killer’s mindset and how people like the FBI deal with them. Watching the agents train up Cassie was really interesting, even if it’s not an accurate representation of how that stuff works in real life (I have no idea if it is or not). When Cassie profiles a killer, she literally gets into his head, to the point where she understands the killer, even if just for a few moments. It creeps her out, and it creeps me out!

The Naturals kept me guessing the entire time. I have a problem with mystery books where I can’t not constantly guess the killer/ending/etc. I’m constantly analyzing, crossing people off my “might be the killer list”, etc. But with The Naturals, I could not figure it out! Towards the very, very end (like pages away from learning the truth) I did start to guess, but for most of the book I was almost 100% in the dark… and it was awesome. I’m getting a little sick of books that are so easy to figure out.

Remember how I said to cut out the romance bit? Well I’ll go over that. The Naturals didn’t have a bad romance, it just didn’t have an amazing one, which is why I wouldn’t label it as “to-die-for”. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The romance was so far from being the center of the story, it just sat on the edge of certain scenes. And while I did kind of like one of the love interests (Dean—he was a really interesting character!), the relationship didn’t really develop beyond “I might kind of like you” so it wasn’t much of a romance. And that’s perfectly fine! In fact, I think a full blown romance would have killed this story.

I loved how all of the characters were so different and dynamic. I can clearly identify all of their different personalities and tendencies, which is pretty cool. Sloane was definitely one of my favourites. She’s a statistics, patterns, and probability whiz. Her character was HILARIOUS! I feel like I’d want her to be my best friend.

“There are fourteen varieties of hugs,” she said. “This is one of them.”
--Sloane

I think the only thing The Naturals was missing was some feels. Not necessarily a heavier romance.. just.. feels. I thought The Naturals was really interesting, unique, and fun to read, it just didn’t always have me giggling with excitement or have my heart pounding with anticipation. But despite that, it was still an excellent book!

Originally Posted On Nocturnalpredatorsreviews.blogspot.com

* eARC was provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review

I had very high expectations from this novel considering that I've read and LOVED Mrs. Barnes Raised By Wolves Series. The book didn't disappoint! Sure it has a love triangle and, like always, I hated one of them and have a team picked (Team Dean!! All the way!!).

What drew me into the story was the plot in itself since it reminded me a lot of the Darkest Powers Trilogy By Kelley Armstrong. Don't get me wrong, it's not a copy. It's actually the opposite while still keeping me entertained. I just loved that!

Cassie didn't know where she fit in the world. With a marine father and a mother who met a fatal end early on in her life, she was just drifting. She was always on the outside looking in, especially with the abilities her mother developed in her. With luck (or, some may want to call it misfortune) the FBI invites her to a "Program" and that's when life gets interesting.

I loved Lia as a character. She was spunky, not afraid of the consequences and just plain awesome. Also, her fashion sense is to die for. Though I wouldn't want to live with someone with that personality, she's scary sometimes...

Sloane was the crazy, statistics guru in the house. If you needed help with your math homework, she's your girl. She was also very nice and loved exploding things.

Michael was the all around nice, wholesome american guy. He has the charm, walk and attitude of "high school nobility" (Cassie's saying, not mine). He's all that and much more, but in the beginning what made me not like him was how he came off to Cassie. Always guarded, never straightforward with answers. That really rubbed me the wrong way.

DEAN!! (Notice how I screamed that out and used bold lettering to emphasize my love -wink-). I have a soft spot for tortured souls, who are really good deep down and that deserve a new start. That's exactly what Dean was. Beneath all that ruff exterior, lives a caring, frightened boy who's afraid to become like his father. Nuff said.

Fortunately, I didn't guess who the culprit was in the end. YAY! BUT I was left with a cliffhanger. Come on! Sure, this cliffhanger was rather small compared to other books, but still. Really? You just had to throw it in there, didn't you?

Favorite Quotes:

"No expectations, no disappointments."

"A lot has happened. You have a lot to figure out. I can be a patient man, Colorado. A devastatingly handsome, roguishly scarred, heartbreakingly courageous, patient man."

"I could instinctively understand other people - their personalities, their beliefs, their desires - but when it came to what, I was just like anyone else, muddled and confused and stumbling through."

One morning earlier this week, I woke up thinking about how excited I was to get back to the book I was reading (Jennifer Lynn Barnes's The Naturals). Then I remembered: I'd stayed up until 2 AM to finish it, so there was nothing more to read. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed. But the author's website says that there will be at least a sequel, so I guess there's always a silver lining.

The Naturals is narrated by Cassie, a seventeen-year-old girl with an extraordinary gift: she can deduce almost anything about a person by observing them in action. Based on a person's clothing, demeanor, and body language, she can tell you anything from what they do for a living to how they like their eggs cooked. It's a remnant of the days she spent observing her mother, a faux-psychic. But Cassie's mother hasn't been in the picture for five years: Cassie found so much blood in her mother's dressing room that the police say she could never have made it out alive. But they never found the attacker. Or the body.

After spending years in uncertainty, just getting by, Cassie is contacted by the FBI, but they're not looking to talk about her mom. They're putting together a team of teens with special abilities: profilers, a statistician, a reader of facial expressions, and a human lie detector. The teens are trained and asked to help with solving cold cases. But when an active case may be endangering one of the teens, they're all interested in getting involved. But who can they trust? The agents trying to keep them safely out of the case? One another?

The Naturals is based on an interesting premise, and the plot rarely slows. Everything happens for a reason, whether it's to leave a clue or a red herring. There are asides here and there from the serial killer's point of view, and some of them were so frightening that they gave me goosebumps. Also, I love reading about people who use their intelligence to fight crime (*cough* Sherlock *cough*).

However...all these love triangles are starting to drive me crazy. Why does every protagonist have two boys fighting over her? Is that really the way the world works? (Maybe I'm the only girl who's never had this happen to her. Maybe this is making me sound bitter. I swear I'm not; I just feel like YA literature is hinting at the fact that all any girl wants is to have multiple romantic interests battling it out over her, and I find that assumption frustrating.) Maybe these girls just need a single complex, irresistible love interest like, oh, say...Marcus Flutie? Isn't love between two people exciting enough without constantly throwing other people into the mix?

Okay, rant over. (For now, at least. But if the next book I read features yet another love triangle, I will not be a happy camper.)

All in all: I couldn't put it down! Worth reading once, but maybe not over and over.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Wow. Just wow. This book is ridiculously amazing. Holy hell was it epic! Saying it's thrilling doesn't even cover how on-the-edge-of-your-seat this books keeps you. The Naturals was an absolutely fantastic YA read full of some crazy thrills, a spine-chilling murder mystery, and a sprinkle of romance. I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Cassie was an amazing heroine. She's never gotten over her mother's murder and when she has a chance of learning the truth by joining the Naturals program, she jumps at it. But, she gets more than she bargained for when murders start happening that seem to center around her. Cassie was just great. She was strong, clever, and determined. I really liked her and I thought she was a wonderfully kick-ass heroine.

Though the romance in this book is fairly light, most of the plot being centered around the mystery, it was still a major plot device, so I'll mention the love-interests.

Michael was a charmer. But, there's a lot more to him than just that. Like all the other Naturals, his past is not pretty. The downside of him is that he's very sneaky. He can be quite manipulative. But I really liked him. When he wanted to, he could be very sweet.

Dean was the other love-interest and, though I liked Michael, I had a preference for him, though probably just because I have a weakness for bad boys. His past was possibly the most grim and he has a definite chip in his shoulder because of that. But, he could also be very sweet and he was dedicated to solving cases, mostly because he felt he had to make up for what was in his past. He was wonderful.

All the other characters, the Naturals and the FBI agents were wonderfully complex character. Each one drew me in and engaged my individually, which is quite a feat. They were all brilliantly drawn out.

The world that the author created was incredible, with the Naturals. The way their skills were described, particularly how Cassie thought as she was using her ability, was just brilliant. I loved the world of the Naturals.

The plot was amazing. It was fast paced and it was one hell of a roller coaster. The thrills were nonstop. The murder mystery was amazing. I never suspected who it turned out to be. My jaw literally dropped when I found out. I haven't heard news of a sequel yet, but after that ending, there better be one as soon as possible. I can't wait to see more for these amazing characters and this fantastic world.

The Naturals was a magnificent YA book! I LOVED it! If you like thrills, mystery, surprises, or romance, then you have to read this book because it's just mind-blowingly amazing.

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Naturals is pitched as The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars, but personally I think that comparison is extremely inaccurate and deceiving. In my mind, The Naturals is better suited for fans of Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers than the two aforementioned titles. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has written one of the most compelling thrillers/mysteries that I have read in ages and this is an incredibly fresh start to a new series. I am extremely impressed with The Naturals and I am extremely surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did.

Between an extremely fast paced killer plot, an enigmatic protagonist, an intriguing mystery, and the promise of a sequel; The Naturals definitely has a lot going for it. This is my first time reading a book by Barnes and I've got to say that this is a nearly perfect book for fans of thrillers. There truly aren't any dull moments in The Naturals and if I hadn't work to do, I probably could have read this book in one sitting. Though the book is about finding a killer, The Naturals is extremely light and is heavy on humorous dialogue. This is the perfect kind of a book, a quick read that reluctant readers will easily fall in love with!

What didn't work for me was the unnecessary romance because it just didn't feel like it worked well alongside the plot. The romance didn't really have any function in my mind, it felt forced and a bit frivolous. I wouldn't have minded romance, but there was no reason to insert a love triangle other than to make it "feel" like a YA book. Maybe I'm just feeling antagonistic at the author's decision to include numerous archetypes, which are beyond trite at this point. If Barnes had decided to make this love triangle unique in some way, I wouldn't have minded it's inclusion.

I'm not sure if I'm too well-versed with mysteries, but I figured out "the killer", before he/she had even made an appearance. Yes, I'm just that good or perhaps this book is slightly predictable and formulaic. I wouldn't say this book was completely predictable because there were a few plot twists that surprised me and that I thought were well-done.

I definitely would recommend reading The Naturals because it's quick, fast-pace and interesting premise. The romance will definitely put off some readers as well the stereotypical secondary characters. Despite my qualms with The Naturals, I can definitely say this is one of the better YA thrillers that I've read recently. I can definitely see myself continuing this series and I'm pretty eager to find out what happens in the forthcoming installments.

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Disney Book Group and Netgalley.)
17-year-old Cassie has always been good at reading people, but she never expected the FBI to notice.

Offered an opportunity to be trained by the FBI, Cassie leaves her family to become a `natural' profiler, one of only a few special teens chosen to work on cold cases.

When Cassie then gets herself involved in a current murder investigation, she gets more than she bargained for, and finds herself in imminent danger.
Who is the murderer? And can Cassie work it out before it's too late?

This was an interesting story, but it took a while to get going.

Cassie was an okay character. I did find it a little odd how she didn't seem to get home sick at all, but her talents were pretty impressive, and she at first reminded me a little of Sookie Stackhouse (because she was a waitress who knew what was going on in people's heads).

The storyline was okay, although I felt like it took a while to really get going. It didn't seem to get interesting until the 40% mark, but after that we got some surprises in the way of secrets about the main characters, and Cassie actually got to see some crime scenes! I thought that Cassie's talents were good, and I liked how she had these talents without anything supernatural going on!
There was a romance element to this story, which inevitably turned into a love triangle unfortunately, but this wasn't the main focus of the story.

When the final plot twist was revealed it was surprising, but not majorly surprising, and I did have some questions about how believable it was. Funnily enough though the exact questions I had pertaining to the killer were also raised by one of the characters in the book, so it seems pretty obvious that the author had given thought to these questions when writing the story. Things were wrapped up quite nicely, but there was also plenty of room for further books, making the ending quite satisfactory.
Overall; an interesting YA mystery/crime novel, that holds promise for the rest of the series.
7 out of 10.

MY THOUGHTS - LOVED IT

Cassie is whisked away to be part of a special school that trains teens to be detectives and solve crimes that are normally unsolvable. She has special skills that allow her to read people and put little details together to form a bigger picture that can pinpoint the criminal. There are other teens in this small group of "Naturals" that have skills ranging from those who can visualize a crime to those who can "see" what the criminals are thinking. There seems to be a paranormal element to these teens, but it is only regarded as a gift. These kids are extremely intelligent and are somewhat ostracized or in trouble because of their gift.

Cassie also is a special case since she now lives with her grandparents after her mother is brutally murdered. You can quickly see where this is going since she will soon be researching the crime surrounding her mother's death that has been a cold case for years. When she is recruited by Tanner, an agent who turns out to be around her age, she finds herself finally able to use her ability to find out exactly what happened to her mother. I tried to guess who the killer would be, but I was wrong at every turn.

The minor characters are really memorable and I can see spin offs to follow them. Lia, a clothes horse and human lie detector, was one that really stood out. Michael, a stats expert, has a really sweet side, but all of these characters are damaged and that makes them even more interesting. Any one who enjoys a good psychological thriller and mystery will love the start of this new series. Parents: There is some language, violence and kissing.

The FBI approaches Cassie, wanting her help with some cases. If she decides to help, she just might be able to find out who killed her mom. That’s an opportunity that Cassie doesn’t want to slip pass her. So she accepts.
Once she enters the program, she meets Lia, Sloane, Michael, and Dean. Other teens with different special talents just like herself.

Dean is good with profiling, Sloane’s talent is math and numbers, Michael has the ability to read other peoples emotions in their face and behavior, and Lia can detect if someone is lying and naturally is good at telling a lie. (Her skill sort of reminded me of that guy in the television show Lie to Me).

There is a little bit of romance going on and also a love triangle involving Cassie, Dean, and Michael. For me it was so-so. I could have done without it.

I liked seeing how everyone used their skill in order to piece together a case; especially when it came to profiling. I would have liked it explained how the teens in the program got their particular talent.

The Naturals reminded me of the young adult version of the television show, Criminal Minds. It was an interesting and enjoyable YA mystery/thriller. It was a very easy read to get into. Within no time, I found myself flipping page after page to see what would happen next.

** I received this book on behalf of the publisher in exchange for only my honest opinion.**

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Like my favorite television police procedurals, THE NATURALS takes plausible skill and science to the redline, where serial killers and the FBI profilers who hunt them may as well be magical monsters and heroes. I fell in love with these characters and their world, and can’t wait for another chance to visit the Natural’s clubhouse at Quantico.

From predicting her customers’ orders to divining the reasons a killer kills, Cassie’s view of the world is fascinating. All but supernatural, she and her fellow brilliant and broken Naturals offer a titillating level of tension and subtext. Yes, these kids don’t stray far from familiar archetypes. Yes, there are two troubled and handsome love interests to keep Cassie suspended in limbo. But none of these tropes lessened the fascination and fun that pulled me through this book in one sitting.

Fans of both Paranormal YA and TV police procedurals will gulp down THE NATURALS and be eager for more. Losing Veronica Mars left me with a “teenage detective” opening, and Cassie promises to provide murderers and heartbreakers in equal measure. If book two offers deeper characters and some more surprises, this series may prove to be a new favorite.

Sexual Content: Kissing.

(Review first published at Goodreads by myself)
Wow! Well written YA, beware: love triangle, but ok, no sex-scenes, but bloody (serial killer).
Teens with a special gift - hence the title, get lured into the FBI to form a special group.
A few nice twists, some I did not see coming, and well fleshed out back-ground-stories for some.
Romance was ok, not too much.
Highly recommended. Suspense and thoughtful moments interchanged very well.
Bought the next book in the series same day I finished this.
This was a recommendation by Allison Brennan with word "a book I wish I'd written!" - this is a first, that I read a book recommended by one of my favorite authors!
When I check out what they are reading, often they do not list anything, or mostly the classics (Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie or some other drivel, well, not really kidding here).

Actual Rating 3.5

A highly entertaining read. The Naturals premise is similar to Criminal Minds, but without the dark suspense. It follows Cassie, a teenage profiler, who gets recruited to join The Naturals, a FBI secretive program for gifted teens whose duties are akin to the Behavior Analysis Unit. Although they are there to analyze cold cases and solve crime, (in addition to there being a current serial killer on the loose), I didn't find the scenes disturbing at all. Even though not gruesome, suspense and mystery was still present. The Naturals provided a great, fast, lazy day read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Review originally posted at: [...]
My Initial Thoughts:

I'd read one of Ms. Barnes books before and I liked it....a lot! It wasn't a murder mystery like this one, but it had to deal with spies and government operatives. I'm a sucker for those stories.

Review:

Now, let's talk about The Naturals. I really like this book. The main character, Cassie, is very observant, or what the FBI would call a profiler only she doesn't know it until she gets the attention of the FBI one day. She knew she was different because she never fit in wherever she was. Cassie gets recruited into the The Naturals program, where other teenagers also have a natural ability whether it is to tell if someone is lying, what their emotions are, or how to profile people.

When Cassie gets to the program, she meets what I call the "Fantastic Four", soon to become the "Fantastic Five". Each teenager has one specific talent: Lia can lie like nobody's business and also detect lies, Michael can read emotions off a person and has a very good poker face, Sloane sees the world through a mathematical point of view and can hack any government program or database, and Dean is a profiler, just like her.

The "romance" in the story takes the back burner throughout the whole book, and sometimes its hard to pick up the subtle hints here and there. Some of you may be Team Dean or Team Michael, but what I loved the most was the case and how all five of them even though they are messed up, can do good in the world one case at a time. It's like a teenage Bones/CSI crossover. I love it!

Ms. Barnes has a PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science, and her knowledge is sprinkled throughout the book. I absolutely love it when authors add their area of expertise to their novels. It takes the books up another notch!

Rating: 4.5/5

Have you ever seen a television show and thought, “I really wish that there was a book like this!” Okay, so the idea might sound a little crazy. But in the age of Netflix and binge-watching shows, there’s a sense of comfort that comes from reading similar books.

If you are a fan of Criminal Minds, look no further than The Naturals for your BAU/serial killer fix. The Naturals follows Cassie, a teen girl with an uncanny ability to predict the behavior of others. When she discovers that she is not the only person with her skills, she enters a whole new world of cases, killers, and….kisses?

Without giving too much away, fans of the CBS show, readers of Gillian Flynn and Thomas Harris, and teens who just want a good mystery will love The Naturals!