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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
3.5 stars! Tell me why this was lowkeyyy camp???
If you’re looking for a novel that’s life-changing, filled with great characterization and a believable romance, then I’m sorry to inform you that The Naturals isn’t for you. However, if you’re willing to embrace any obvious flaws, cringe dialogue, teen angst and shenanigans, and unrealistic circumstances, then this book is for you buddy!
I cannot lie, I quite liked this and enjoyed it!! But I’d like to discuss the negatives before moving on to the more fun bits.
Okay, I knew what I was getting into the moment I started this book. I had fully mentally prepared myself, yet I couldn’t help having problems with this book. Despite my glossing over many parts that would have thrown me off instantly (there was a part where JLB wrote something along the lines of “I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding”), I still couldn’t help feeling like there was something off and irritating, kind of like a fly that’s buzzing around your room incessantly. And then I realized that it’s due to JLB’s inability to write a protagonist that actually has a personality and romances (dare I say “love triangles”) that make sense. If you held me at gunpoint and told me to differentiate the voice of Avery from The Inheritance Games and Cassie from this book, I’d be long gone. I understood Cassie’s motivations but I couldn’t even understand who she was outside of being a Natural profiler… that was pretty much her only personality.. other than being severely traumatized by her mother’s death.
Moving on to the romance…. I wholeheartedly believe that JLB should stop trying to include romantic “subplots” (if you can even call it that anymore given their huge presence in her books) in her mystery novels. It’s clear that she’s way more skilled at composing compelling mysteries than strong and believable romantic relationships. You cannot convince me that there is any romance trope other than insta-love in her books. Not to mention the lack of originality in the love interests. The Naturals boys felt like an early draft of Jameson and Grayson Hawthorne. They were literally the spitting image of one another (Michael-Jameson, Dean-Grayson) that it makes you wonder if the only desirable men in the JLB universe were flirty brunettes and tortured blonds. Overall, it was very contrived and bland… I am Team Dean though because Michael is so annoying and I just wish he’d leave Cassie alone..
Now, did I even enjoy this? YES I DID! In classic JLB fashion, her chapters are short yet sweet, and very engaging to the point where you’re able to stand the horrendous London heat and train delays. I also really enjoyed the profiling scenes where Cassie starts dissecting and examining every minor detail of a subject, it felt so cool and was definitely the book equivalent of heist scenes in action movies. Another thing I liked was Lia’s character since she felt like the only person that didn’t have an Inheritance Games equivalent (and was the only POC…), and was just a snarky little instigator who made things interesting in a cast of cookie cutter characters, love my sassy queen… Lia Zhang they could never make me hate you!
TL;DR The Naturals is a fun and quick little read if you’re looking for a compelling mystery featuring insufferable yet skilled teenagers with CW-esque relationships.
If you’re looking for a novel that’s life-changing, filled with great characterization and a believable romance, then I’m sorry to inform you that The Naturals isn’t for you. However, if you’re willing to embrace any obvious flaws, cringe dialogue, teen angst and shenanigans, and unrealistic circumstances, then this book is for you buddy!
I cannot lie, I quite liked this and enjoyed it!! But I’d like to discuss the negatives before moving on to the more fun bits.
Okay, I knew what I was getting into the moment I started this book. I had fully mentally prepared myself, yet I couldn’t help having problems with this book. Despite my glossing over many parts that would have thrown me off instantly (there was a part where JLB wrote something along the lines of “I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding”), I still couldn’t help feeling like there was something off and irritating, kind of like a fly that’s buzzing around your room incessantly. And then I realized that it’s due to JLB’s inability to write a protagonist that actually has a personality and romances (dare I say “love triangles”) that make sense. If you held me at gunpoint and told me to differentiate the voice of Avery from The Inheritance Games and Cassie from this book, I’d be long gone. I understood Cassie’s motivations but I couldn’t even understand who she was outside of being a Natural profiler… that was pretty much her only personality.. other than being severely traumatized by her mother’s death.
Moving on to the romance…. I wholeheartedly believe that JLB should stop trying to include romantic “subplots” (if you can even call it that anymore given their huge presence in her books) in her mystery novels. It’s clear that she’s way more skilled at composing compelling mysteries than strong and believable romantic relationships. You cannot convince me that there is any romance trope other than insta-love in her books. Not to mention the lack of originality in the love interests. The Naturals boys felt like an early draft of Jameson and Grayson Hawthorne. They were literally the spitting image of one another (Michael-Jameson, Dean-Grayson) that it makes you wonder if the only desirable men in the JLB universe were flirty brunettes and tortured blonds. Overall, it was very contrived and bland… I am Team Dean though because Michael is so annoying and I just wish he’d leave Cassie alone..
Now, did I even enjoy this? YES I DID! In classic JLB fashion, her chapters are short yet sweet, and very engaging to the point where you’re able to stand the horrendous London heat and train delays. I also really enjoyed the profiling scenes where Cassie starts dissecting and examining every minor detail of a subject, it felt so cool and was definitely the book equivalent of heist scenes in action movies. Another thing I liked was Lia’s character since she felt like the only person that didn’t have an Inheritance Games equivalent (and was the only POC…), and was just a snarky little instigator who made things interesting in a cast of cookie cutter characters, love my sassy queen… Lia Zhang they could never make me hate you!
TL;DR The Naturals is a fun and quick little read if you’re looking for a compelling mystery featuring insufferable yet skilled teenagers with CW-esque relationships.
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A Jennifer Lynn Barnes consegue surpreender-me sempre. Mesmo que já devesse estar à espera de um final completamente inesperado quando ele aconteceu eu fiquei de queixo caído.
No entanto, uma coisa curiosa foi que neste livro eu nenhum momento descobrir quem era o unsub, acho que foi porque eu percebi que os naturals estavam a trabalhar tão bem que não valia a pena pôr me ali no meio, o que é um bocado estranho ahaha.
Agora que terminei o livro é daqueles que te dá vontade de reler agora que já sabes o final e tentar apanhar aquelas pequenas pistas que às vezes nem reparamos e olhem que eu nem sou pessoa de reler livros.
Achei muito interessante que apesar de ter o ponto de vista do assassino em série estes não eram assim tão longos de forma a que não pesasse assim tanto o clima, mas que conseguisses apanhar mais algumas informações e perceber melhor a cabeça dele mesmo assim.
Estou bastante curiosa para ver o que os naturals têm pela frente.
No entanto, uma coisa curiosa foi que neste livro eu nenhum momento descobrir quem era o unsub, acho que foi porque eu percebi que os naturals estavam a trabalhar tão bem que não valia a pena pôr me ali no meio, o que é um bocado estranho ahaha.
Agora que terminei o livro é daqueles que te dá vontade de reler agora que já sabes o final e tentar apanhar aquelas pequenas pistas que às vezes nem reparamos e olhem que eu nem sou pessoa de reler livros.
Achei muito interessante que apesar de ter o ponto de vista do assassino em série estes não eram assim tão longos de forma a que não pesasse assim tanto o clima, mas que conseguisses apanhar mais algumas informações e perceber melhor a cabeça dele mesmo assim.
Estou bastante curiosa para ver o que os naturals têm pela frente.
Обожаю триллеры и детективы. Отличная книга своего жанра, правда триллер/детектив + young adult читала впервые. Читая произведение, думала о Менталисте, Теории лжи, CSI и Сидни Шелдоне, благодаря которому я полюбила подобные книги.
Я до последней строчки думала, что все будет несколько иначе. Масса вариантов, но ни один из них не был правильным. Разве что ели заметное предположение оправдалось, но и то, я его отбросила, поскольку подумала, что это нереально. Вы не догадаетесь, кто убийца, не дочитав до конца.
P.S.: *спойлер* Team Dean :D
Я до последней строчки думала, что все будет несколько иначе. Масса вариантов, но ни один из них не был правильным. Разве что ели заметное предположение оправдалось, но и то, я его отбросила, поскольку подумала, что это нереально. Вы не догадаетесь, кто убийца, не дочитав до конца.
P.S.: *спойлер* Team Dean :D
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
as a first timer diving into Barnes's works, i'm not not disappointed. also, I'm fully aware this works was targeted for young adults and unfortunately I'm not one anymore. despite, i enjoyed the ride while reading the book and all the puzzles! even guessed the killer right nearly at the end of the story :)
appreciate the research and energy Barnes has poured during constructing the world of The Naturals. because years later it's all still seems real, the flow of the words is almost movie-like it makes the reader feel alive, there isn't rushed nor slower pace in between pages. also Barnes built such a good experience starting from the emotions, tensions, until the climax. and somehow, though this book has been published 12 years ago, the excitement to solve the puzzles, the snide remarks as a teen, the characterization and plot is still good to read.
i love this series, already. I could imagine you will soon, too!
appreciate the research and energy Barnes has poured during constructing the world of The Naturals. because years later it's all still seems real, the flow of the words is almost movie-like it makes the reader feel alive, there isn't rushed nor slower pace in between pages. also Barnes built such a good experience starting from the emotions, tensions, until the climax. and somehow, though this book has been published 12 years ago, the excitement to solve the puzzles, the snide remarks as a teen, the characterization and plot is still good to read.
i love this series, already. I could imagine you will soon, too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Torture, Blood, Murder
5 stars -
I have a feeling I’m going to love all of these books.
I have a feeling I’m going to love all of these books.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes