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."
Publisher: Disney- Hyperion
Pages: 336
Genres: Romance, Thriller, Science Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Young Adult
Publisher: Disney- Hyperion
Pages: 336
Genres: Romance, Thriller, Science Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Young Adult
The plot for this
book is really interesting. It is like a teenager Criminal Minds meets
Mentalist. But when you do it with teenagers with all the teenage angst it just
makes it so much better.
So the basis for
this book is that there is this group of teenagers who have been recruited by
the FBI to form a unit to solve cold cases. The catch is that each of the teenagers is a
Natural at something whether it be a Natural lie detector, profiler,
encyclopedia or emotion reader. The only problem though is that Cassie the main
protagonist has caught the eye of a current serial killer who is intent on
making her theirs…..
Cassandra/ Cassie
Hobbes is the first of the two teenage profilers and the main protagonist. We get
to see her come out of her shell and into her own as she becomes a profiler. Dean
Redding is the son of a serial killer with a major chip on his shoulder and the
second teenage profiler in the group. Michael Townsend is a Natural at reading
emotions, and he’s also the other love interest for Cassie. I don’t like
Michael very much. He’s way too arrogant, gets under my skin, and he has way
too much fun toying with peoples emotions. As in most young
adult novels there is a love triangle. In this book it is between the main
protagonist Cassie and two team members, Michael and Dean. I personally ship
Team Dean in this book.
Overall the
characters are well rounded and fleshed out. They all seem over the top though.
But I guess that’s the point when you’re a teenager. Everything is black and
white and life and death.
I don’t really
have too many dislikes about this book. One of my biggest dislikes is the
abilities of the characters themselves. I know they’re supposed to be naturals
at what they do but it seemed to be that sometimes their abilities were more
supernatural than Natural.
First of all I
just love the premise for this story. I know it’s being touted as the teenage Criminal Minds but with all the angst there is being a teenager it makes it so
much better. All that’s missing is the banter between Morgan and Garcia. The
banter between Cassie and Michael just doesn’t compare. I also really like
that the author has a background in psychology cause this book wouldn’t work
otherwise. She uses actual profiler concepts and for newbie readers she
explains them in a way that makes you feel you’re learning along with Cassie as
she becomes a profiler.
I LOVE the little
excerpts from the killer’s POV. It gives
the reader insight into the killer, clues to figure out who they are and
creates suspense in the story, And it uses the proper YOU which it amazing
because at times using the you makes it like the reader is the actual killer. And I also really
liked the twist of Lacey being Cassie’s aunt and the serial killer. For the
first time in awhile this was one thing I didn’t see coming. In most shows and
book I have been able to figure out who is the killer is like a third to
halfway through the novel or show, but this totally came out of left field for
me.
Right now there are two more books in The Naturals series. Book #2 is Killer Instinct and book #3 is All In. Keep an eye out for their reviews in the future!
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