The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Naturals (The Naturals, #1)

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Cassie Hobbes is not like most teenagers.

Most teenagers don't lose their mother in a bloody, unsolved murder.

Most teenagers can't tell who you are, where you're from and how you're likely to behave within moments of meeting you.

And most teenagers don't get chosen to join The Naturals.

Identified by the FBI as uniquely gifted, Cassie is recruited to an elite school where a small number of teens are trained to hone their exceptional abilites.

For Cassie, trying to make friends with the girls, and to figure out the two very different, very hot boys, is challenging enough.

But when a new serial killer strikes and Cassie is drawn into a lethal game of cat and mouse, she realises just how dangerous life in The Naturals could be.

Reviewed by ammaarah on

3.5 of 5 stars

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3,5 stars
"You could tell more about a stranger by seeing their house than you ever would by inviting them to yours." (Cassandra Hobbes)

The Naturals has a really cool concept. A bunch of teenagers who have a natural talent for reading people and their emotions, detecting lies and sprouting off analytical facts and probabilities are recruited by the FBI to help them solve cold cases.

The main character, Cassie, is a natural profiler, which means that she can 'read' people, get inside their heads, find out what makes them tick and predict their actions. I enjoyed seeing the world through Cassie's eyes.

The secondary characters are quirky and different, but they aren't well developed. I like them, but I only saw one side of them and it wasn't enough to make them stand out.

There's also an extremely unnecessary love triangle. I don't care who Cassie likes and I really don't care who likes her back.

In The Naturals, a serial killer is on the loose. I really enjoyed the psychological aspects of The Naturals such as getting inside the killer's head and trying to anticipate their next move. I also enjoyed the mystery and had no idea who the serial killer could be. However, I couldn't believe that just after Cassie is recruited, she becomes involved in a case that has strong ties to her mother's murder. I couldn't believe such a huge coincidence. I also found it difficult to believe that the FBI would recruit teenagers to help them solve cold cases, especially when they pay no mind to the teenagers' education. Maybe I'm just getting old.

The Naturals is an entertaining read, but it lacks something. It didn't evoke much feelings and emotions from me.
"No expectations, no disappointments." (Michael Townsend)

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Reading updates

  • 15 July, 2018: Started reading
  • 15 July, 2018: Finished reading
  • 16 July, 2018: Reviewed