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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
A little disclaimer for everyone who wants to read this book: you'll need to leave your skepticism aside. Yes, I know that having a group of hormonal teenagers working for the FBI is highly unrealistic, but if you don't get to caught up in the technicalities of the thing, you'll be in for a very enjoyable read.
OKAY, now onto the actual review:
Cassie is a 17 years old with an uncanny ability for reading people-- let her take one good look at someone and she'll be able to tell details and secrets about that person like she's inside their head (in a way, she kind of is). One day, she's approached at the diner she works as by a tall, handsome stranger, who leaves her a card with the number of an FBI agent. After contacting him, she finds out people like her are called Naturals, and she's recruited to work with them.
[a: Jennifer Lynn Barnes|164187|Jennifer Lynn Barnes|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1243935916p2/164187.jpg] is such a pro at writing books that are simply unputdownable. Most of the chapters in this are very short and a little amount of information is disclosed in each one, just enough to make you think "I'll read just one more" and before you know it, YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK. I mean, it happened to me: I read this in four uninterrupted hours without even realizing how much time had passed.
The teenagers in this book act like teenagers. They're kind of bratty, they think they know more than every other responsible adult around them, they're impulsive and, most importantly, they felt very real. Barnes created an assortment of interesting characters and I loved reading about every single one of them. Asides from Cassie, we have Michael, the former trust fund baby who can read your emotions; Lia, the sultry and kleptomaniac human lie detector; Sloane, the walking encyclopedia who prefers to deal with numbers rather than with human beings; and resident broody mysterious sexy man, Dean.
Because this is a young adult book, there's a love triangle. (Cue lots of eye-rolling, right here.) I'm not a fan of love triangles and definitely wasn't a fan of this one in particular; Cassie spends a lot more time thinking about which boy she wants to be with instead of worrying about, I don't know, THE KILLERS SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE CATCHING. It was the reason this book didn't get a full five stars from me-- if there was less emphasis on the romance part of things, I think it would've gone straight to my favorites shelf.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this immensely and am fully committed to reading the second book in the series, [b: Killer Instincts|17906694|Killer Instincts|Jack Badelaire|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368208272s/17906694.jpg|21503488]. And after reading yet another one of Barnes' books that made me lose track of time (the first one being [b: The Fixer|3066|The Fixer|Bernard Malamud|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403040386s/3066.jpg|1373440] which should definitely be a must read for everyone, especially if you like politics), I'm now 100% sure she's one of the best contemporary YA authors out there.
OKAY, now onto the actual review:
Cassie is a 17 years old with an uncanny ability for reading people-- let her take one good look at someone and she'll be able to tell details and secrets about that person like she's inside their head (in a way, she kind of is). One day, she's approached at the diner she works as by a tall, handsome stranger, who leaves her a card with the number of an FBI agent. After contacting him, she finds out people like her are called Naturals, and she's recruited to work with them.
[a: Jennifer Lynn Barnes|164187|Jennifer Lynn Barnes|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1243935916p2/164187.jpg] is such a pro at writing books that are simply unputdownable. Most of the chapters in this are very short and a little amount of information is disclosed in each one, just enough to make you think "I'll read just one more" and before you know it, YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK. I mean, it happened to me: I read this in four uninterrupted hours without even realizing how much time had passed.
The teenagers in this book act like teenagers. They're kind of bratty, they think they know more than every other responsible adult around them, they're impulsive and, most importantly, they felt very real. Barnes created an assortment of interesting characters and I loved reading about every single one of them. Asides from Cassie, we have Michael, the former trust fund baby who can read your emotions; Lia, the sultry and kleptomaniac human lie detector; Sloane, the walking encyclopedia who prefers to deal with numbers rather than with human beings; and resident broody mysterious sexy man, Dean.
Because this is a young adult book, there's a love triangle. (Cue lots of eye-rolling, right here.) I'm not a fan of love triangles and definitely wasn't a fan of this one in particular; Cassie spends a lot more time thinking about which boy she wants to be with instead of worrying about, I don't know, THE KILLERS SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE CATCHING
Spoiler
OR THE CREEPY SERIAL KILLER WHO'S AFTER HERNevertheless, I still enjoyed this immensely and am fully committed to reading the second book in the series, [b: Killer Instincts|17906694|Killer Instincts|Jack Badelaire|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368208272s/17906694.jpg|21503488]. And after reading yet another one of Barnes' books that made me lose track of time (the first one being [b: The Fixer|3066|The Fixer|Bernard Malamud|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403040386s/3066.jpg|1373440] which should definitely be a must read for everyone, especially if you like politics), I'm now 100% sure she's one of the best contemporary YA authors out there.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I was nervous to start this book had it over a year now but now
I'm mad at myself for not starting sooner lol
I'm mad at myself for not starting sooner lol
Don’t love the characters and the story is so close to something I’ve read before - not interested 🤷🏼♀️
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🎧 for all my criminal minds girlies this is for you
“No expectations, no disappointments.”
this was such a good and quick read! took me out of my little reading slump, so i will for sure continue this series!
cant wait to read more about cassie and the naturals
this was such a good and quick read! took me out of my little reading slump, so i will for sure continue this series!
cant wait to read more about cassie and the naturals
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
medium-paced