Naturals (The Lost Souls, #2)

May 05, 2013 Suzanne (Paranormal Pages) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Naturals is the second book in Tiffany Truitt's The Lost Souls series. In book one, The Chosen Ones, we see Tess sentenced to death by the Council after she discovered she can reproduce. She is rescued by Robert, Henry and James, with the help of some naturals from an isolation camp in the midlands. In a world where natural humans are dying out, one who can reproduce is extremely important. But James can't go all the way, he has to go back to Templeton and Tess fears she'll never see him again.

T...more Naturals is the second book in Tiffany Truitt's The Lost Souls series. In book one, The Chosen Ones, we see Tess sentenced to death by the Council after she discovered she can reproduce. She is rescued by Robert, Henry and James, with the help of some naturals from an isolation camp in the midlands. In a world where natural humans are dying out, one who can reproduce is extremely important. But James can't go all the way, he has to go back to Templeton and Tess fears she'll never see him again.

Travelling through the midlands to the camp in dangerous and they are attacked a couple of times along the way by Abnorms, like Chosen Ones, but not made with the same care. When they reach the isolationist camp they aren't treated very well by the naturals there. They all hate Chosen Ones and look down on Tess for having a relationship with one, and Henry by association. But eventually, things get a bit better and Tess finds a brilliant friend in Lockwood. Until James arrives and saves Tess's life, leaving Tess having to fight for his.

Throughout the book, Tess constantly plans to go back for her sister, and only remaining family, Louisa. Eventually, her hand is forced when a threat comes from George, a violent Chosen One that we met in book one, that he has Louisa, and is willing to make a trade.

This book was just as good as The Chosen Ones and I really enjoyed it. There's some new characters introduced, McNair who is tough and serious, Eric, who is like McNairs right hand man and also a tough guy, they are both nice to Tess and try to help her. My favourite character is Lockwood, he is awesome, funny and sarcastic, apparently thought to be weak within the community but when it comes to Tess, he wasn't afraid to stand up for her and do what needed to be done.

Tess's character really grows in this book and she learns to stand up against authority for what she believes in. I wasn't overfond of Henry in the first book and I can't say I warmed towards him much in this book either. But he wants to be with Tess and will try to keep her safe any way he can. I loved James just as much in this one, and he showed just how much he really loves Tess.

The ending was surprising and completely unexpected. While this book didn't have much by way of action, it was still really interesting to see how things work in the isolation camps and what kind of people are there. I feel the next book is where it will all come to an end, as George plans to bring down the Council. I can't wait!!
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Mar 31, 2013 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, young-adult-dystopian

*Genre* YA Dystopian
*Rating* 4

*Review*

Whenever I get the chance to read a second book in a series, or trilogy, I often hesitate and pray that it's better than the original. Often times than naught, I'm left disappointed. For Naturals, the sequel to Chosen Ones, I got exactly what I wanted out of the book. I found the story more appealing on so many different levels and obviously, I will be eagerly awaiting to read the third installment.

Naturals picks up two days after the end of Chosen One's an...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Story-
Tess, Henry and Robert finally make it to the isolationist's camp, but it is far from paradise. The isolationist's live a hard life, each working for the food they eat. Many of the younger kids dislike Henry and Tess, and believe them to be spoiled. Tensions rise and grow worse as Tess insists on returning to her old compound to find the little sister she left behind.

Somebody doesn't want her to leave, and bloody clues are left to encourage her to stay. But, Tess is determined. Before...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Naturals was an interesting sequel to Chosen Ones. I was definitely excited to jump back into this fascinating world that Truitt has created again.

Tess is now in the Middlelands with the Isolationists while James has returned to Templeton. Tess has developed so much since the first book and continues to do so in this book. I like Tess because she isn't perfect and she is just growing up under these circumstances. It was also great to see some characters return and meet new ones too.

The plot itse...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Farrah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even better than the first! I had high hopes for Naturals and it met every one. Full of thrills, surprises, and topped off with a game-changer ending, this book was brilliant!

On a side note, I really appreciated that the Isolationists weren't seen as "good guys" to combat the "bad guys" on the Council. True, their ideals were slightly better than those of the council, but they were by no means perfect. They had deeply ingrained prejudices against the Chosen Ones (or, as they called then, the ab...more Even better than the first! I had high hopes for Naturals and it met every one. Full of thrills, surprises, and topped off with a game-changer ending, this book was brilliant!

On a side note, I really appreciated that the Isolationists weren't seen as "good guys" to combat the "bad guys" on the Council. True, their ideals were slightly better than those of the council, but they were by no means perfect. They had deeply ingrained prejudices against the Chosen Ones (or, as they called then, the abnormals). They were not welcoming, but very suspicious of Tess and Henry. They were realistically portrayed. If a group of people was forced into hiding to avoid a government intent on letting natural born humans die out and had to fight for survival, this is how they would be. Real people stuck in a world that had collapsed. I really liked that about this book, so I had to mention it.

Tess grew so much in this book. She was forced to realize how bad the situation of her world was. She had to learn how to survive rather than rely on the council's charity and how to stand up for herself. She came alive in this book. In book 1, I felt that she was a little difficult to like and quite mean. But, in this book, she became more forgiving, relaxed her black and white view of the world. She became a truly admirable heroine.

There was a brief appearance of a love triangle in this book. Tess thought that she would never see James again and it was easy for her to turn to Henry. But, it was always clear the James was her first choice and that she loved him more than she could ever love Henry.
Henry, obviously, played a larger role in this book. I got to know him better. He was very sweet, loyal, and protective (though that didn't always work out in his favor). Though he made some mistakes, I really liked him.

Never fear-James does appear in this book. He was as sweet and lovable as ever. I wanted to see more fire in him, though. I want to see him come alive and fight for what he wants. He came off as passive a few times. I hope that we get to see him more active in the next books. Until I see that, I can only say that I really liked him, not quite adored.

The stakes were raised in this book. We find out what is happening in the east, the horrors that they've employed in the endless war. We find out how bad everything truly is. Our characters have a long fight ahead of them.

The plot was brilliant. Fast-paced and full of twists. And the ending was a game-changer. It took me a while to wrap my head around everything that happened. I'm so anxious to find out what happens next. I need to get my hands on book 3.

If you liked Chosen Ones, you will love Naturals. This sequel was absolutely amazing!

*Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Teen for a copy!(less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Gladys rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cliff-wankers

ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Just so you people know the blurb has a lot of spoilers, and I hate that.
Moving on...

This book starts when the first ended and we discover about Tess's past and we get to know how disfunctional was her relationship with her mother .
While in the first book we were in the Choosen Ones world now we get to see the natural's one.
Tess starts mending her relationship with Henry but she sees how demaged he becomes from his hate abou...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Kelly Woodward rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Natural-born humans are becoming obsolete due to an unexplained virus that is rendering more women infertile with each passing generation. The dictatorial leaders of the council have created a race of genetically engineered beings called Chosen Ones who supposedly exist to protect the remaining Naturals from harm. But the council’s goals are more sinister than they claim to be. Tess, a young woman found to be fertile, is on the run from the council and staying with a group of Isolationists, Natu...more Natural-born humans are becoming obsolete due to an unexplained virus that is rendering more women infertile with each passing generation. The dictatorial leaders of the council have created a race of genetically engineered beings called Chosen Ones who supposedly exist to protect the remaining Naturals from harm. But the council’s goals are more sinister than they claim to be. Tess, a young woman found to be fertile, is on the run from the council and staying with a group of Isolationists, Naturals who refuse to be held comfortably captive in the council’s compounds. As Tess struggles to adjust to life in the Isolationists’ camp, she wonders if she has merely been passed to a different group of captors.

Full disclosure: I didn’t know this was part of a series. If I had, I probably would’ve read the first book first. (I hate reading a series out of order.) But since I didn’t figure it out until a few pages in, and by then I was “in the middle” of this one and wanted to keep going, this will have to be one series I don’t read chronologically. Now that I think about it, this may be the only series I haven’t read in the right order. I need to stop thinking about this, ’cause it’s going to bug me.

Anyway. One of the reasons I never read out of order is that I hate piecing together the backstory. Even though the first few pages generally help readers to pick up where the last book left off, and there are some scattered explanations and reminders throughout the book, I always feel like I’m missing something. It’s like the way you feel when your friends have a legendary night the one time you decide to stay home — even though you’re heard about it so many times that you know the details as well as they do, you’re still one degree removed from the action. (Side note: This makes me think of “The Blitz” on How I Met Your Mother. ["The Gentleman!"]) This feeling of being removed from the action is probably why I didn’t like James. (Or maybe it’s because he reminds me of Edward Cullen: no personality of his own, really, just a boring artsy guy with superpowers who struggles with the duality of his nature while being hung up on an ordinary, often-sullen mortal girl. Is it terribly apparent that I am Team Jacob?) Seriously, though: without getting to watch the beginning of Tess and James’s courtship, it (and their love) just wasn’t real to me. I had no desire for them to work things out because I didn’t feel any emotional connection to their relationship. Other than that disconnect, I didn’t feel like I was missing too much by not having read the first book first.

This is all making it sound like I disliked this book, which is not the case at all. I’m a sucker for a decent dystopian novel; characters whose lives are threatened and whose worlds are rocked have the chance to show you what they’re really made of. The characters in Naturals are real people (well, most of them, anyway): they go through tough times, they make mistakes, and sometimes (but not always) they learn from them.

I also enjoyed Tess as a narrator, because there really is nothing special about her other than her fertility, and this makes her immensely relatable (the “everygirl” quality, not the fertility…although I can relate to that, too, come to think of it).

The idea of living in a society where you aren’t guaranteed a family legacy, where family is actually a dying concept, is frightening. And the desperate things that people will do to avoid dying out too soon…well, it’s not surprising, but it’s still a lot to wrap your head around, and this book does a wonderful job of portraying that.

All in all: a good exploration of what it means to truly be a member of the human race. Worth reading.(less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Luana Sirbu Blogger rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Giving the book at big 5 out of 5 stars. Love the book and the cover makes sense for what is the big plot. Naturals is the second book from the series The Lost Souls.

This book how the name says it it talk a lot more about Naturals, their rules, how are they different from the

which is the first book from the series. What i love about this book is that every page kept me wanting to know whats on the next one, i read this book in the same night i have read the first one. Both they are amazing...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Miss Amby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Naturals illustrates just how much Truitt has grown as an author. This installment opens with an emotional prologue in which I could actually feel Tess' emotions. Compared to Chosen Ones, the emotional writing is a huge improvement. The words are beautiful and Truitt shows instead of tells what happens to Tess. The characters continue to grow; the plot is engrossing; and the continued world building is fantastic. This is one book you don't want to miss.

Now that Tess has stopped repressing her e...more Naturals illustrates just how much Truitt has grown as an author. This installment opens with an emotional prologue in which I could actually feel Tess' emotions. Compared to Chosen Ones, the emotional writing is a huge improvement. The words are beautiful and Truitt shows instead of tells what happens to Tess. The characters continue to grow; the plot is engrossing; and the continued world building is fantastic. This is one book you don't want to miss.

Now that Tess has stopped repressing her emotions, I like her much better. She is a lot easier to relate to in this novel, and she is actually quite likable. I admire her bravery, but the fact that she forgives people (who sometimes don't deserve it) so easily annoys me at times. James is fantastic, just like in the last novel. Robert is MIA for a lot of the book, but I still ended up loving him even more, and Henry is the biggest jerk alive. The new characters, such as Lockwood, add an interesting layer to the story.

The plot is intriguing and captivating. There isn't a lot of action, but the reader is still kept on the edge of his or her seat with this installment. The writing is unbelievably wonderful, and Truitt's ability to show instead of tell improved vastly from the previous book. The character development is believable and engaging. Truitt also paints a very vivid picture of life with the Isolationists, which shows the true price of freedom in Tess' world. Truitt incorporates classical literature as a method of helping us further understand the characters, much like she did in the last novel, and I really like that addition to her stories. There is a big surprise at the ending, and I'm a bit displeased at how things ended. However, I know this isn't the last book, and I appreciate the feeling of suspense that the ending gives. If everything had been happy and perfect, then no one would continue reading the series, right? I'll just suffer until the next book comes out, haha.

Overall, I'd recommend this book and this series to fans of Dystopian literature... especially if you're tired of the same cookie-cutter type plots and characters in the other novels of the genre. The Lost Souls series stands out in an over-saturated genre and is a must-read for all fans of YA Dystopian. (less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

**THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW**

When I read Chosen Ones last year, I enjoyed the book despite small issues I had with it. The book had interesting characters and a romance to die for. After how Chosen Ones ended, I was looking forward to reading Naturals, the sequel.

Tess, as a character, has really undergone tremendous growth throughout the series. In Chosen Ones, she was rather narrow-minded, naive and weak. In Naturals however, the reader gets to see a change in her. She was a whole lot brave...more
**THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW**

When I read Chosen Ones last year, I enjoyed the book despite small issues I had with it. The book had interesting characters and a romance to die for. After how Chosen Ones ended, I was looking forward to reading Naturals, the sequel.

Tess, as a character, has really undergone tremendous growth throughout the series. In Chosen Ones, she was rather narrow-minded, naive and weak. In Naturals however, the reader gets to see a change in her. She was a whole lot braver and stronger. I liked that she no longer bowed down to authority if they were wrong. She didn't mince her words and openly voiced out her opinions. After the events of Chosen Ones, I thought Tess would turn out to be a Bella Swan in New Moon, but I was pleasantly surprised that she didn't let the downs in her life to rule her future. Instead, she put her mind and energy into her goals, vowing to do whatever she had to to reach them. I loved the new headstrong and determined Tess. However, there was one scene where I was pretty upset with Tess. I just didn't approve of her decision or her attitude. Other than that though, Tess was a very likable heroine. I wasn't a huge fan of Henry, Tess' childhood friend, but I liked him a lot better in this one. I felt like the reader got to know the layers to his character much better in Naturals, making it much easier to grow fond of him. At some point, I really felt bad for what happened to him. James, Tess' love interest doesn't make an appearance until midway through the book. I missed his absence in the first half of the book, but I was glad to have him back later on. He was still his usual mysterious and really sweet self as in Chosen Ones. Naturals introduces the reader to a bunch of new characters, all of whom were very well-fleshed out. Character-wise, Naturals was great!

While Chosen Ones gave the reader insight on the Chosen Ones, the killing machines created at Templeton, Naturals delves further into the life of the rebel Isolationalists. The author introduces us to their lifestyle and community. I felt like Naturals was a lot more character driven than plot driven. Rest assured that it wasn't without a plot though. In fact, the plot was pretty intense and had me flipping me the pages and keeping me on the edge. I would like to talk more about the plot line, but I do not want to spoil anything for those readers who haven't started this series yet. All I can say is that the story line was action-packed and highly entertaining. As far as the romance goes, I was satisfied with it. However, I was slightly disappointed by the love triangle, if you can call it that. I loved James and Tess' relationship in Chosen Ones, but my feelings were quite conflicted after getting to know more about Henry. I also didn't like how Tess treated him and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Fortunately, the romance didn't overshadow the story line and hence, didn't bother me as much as it should have. My favorite part of Naturals was the growing friendship between Tess and Lockwood. I loved the banter and lines that they shared and I would anticipate their scenes more than scenes between Tess and her love interests. Tiffany Truitt's writing was still as engaging as in Chosen Ones. I still found myself being very much invested in her writing and couldn't wait to get to the end of the book.

If you enjoyed Chosen Ones, there is no doubt that you will enjoy the sequel, Naturals. This isn't a book that suffered from middle book syndrome. This series has all the elements that make up for a solid dystopian : great cast of characters, strong world-building, engaging plot line and a sweet forbidden romance. Fans of dystopian novels, this is not a series to be missed out!(less)

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May 14, 2013 Merin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, read-in-2013

I enjoyed Chosen Ones, but can easily say that Naturals is better. You can certainly tell that this is Ms. Truitt's second book. The plotting and pacing are better, and the characters more relatable. I found Tess, especially, to be extremely strong in this installment. She was much more willing to confront her feelings and think about how her upbringing impacted her. I liked her strength of character and her conviction that what she was doing was right. For me, the main draw of this book is Tess...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Jenea Whittington rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: april-2013

After finishing Chosen Ones, I was antsy to start this. It wasn’t hard to fall for Tess and James, their connection and love was something I enjoyed so much in the first book. After learning a lot about the world the Chosen Ones live in, it was nice to learn about the Naturals, their beliefs and ways of life.

Tess is still trying to find a home with the isolationist’s, which hasn’t been easy for her. She has learned something about her self that isn’t east to deal with and not just that but what...more After finishing Chosen Ones, I was antsy to start this. It wasn’t hard to fall for Tess and James, their connection and love was something I enjoyed so much in the first book. After learning a lot about the world the Chosen Ones live in, it was nice to learn about the Naturals, their beliefs and ways of life.

Tess is still trying to find a home with the isolationist’s, which hasn’t been easy for her. She has learned something about her self that isn’t east to deal with and not just that but what the isolationist’s want from her. Tess is finally starting to rebuild her friendship with Henry. I think Tess has come a long way from the confused and angry girl from before, she is determined and much stronger. Henry was a different story, seeing just how broken he was heart breaking, he hold such hatred for the world they live in. I couldn’t help but to feel for him. We don’t really see much of James until later inn the book, and that is right about the time when everything hits the fan. But their time together was still sweet even with the world around them being in chaos.

The world building was wonderful, the isolationist’s camp is a rough environment, and all of them work so hard for everything, their food, their water, and showers. Their living arrangements weren’t much better. This is a world that I couldn’t imagine myself living in, but the way it was described was so vivid, and disturbing at the same time. And it was easy to see why these people have such tough shells when it came to their personalities. Tess is still trying to figure out who to trust, and when you think you know who the enemies are, the twists that take place changes things.

The things about this that stood out for me was the character development, Tess and Henry, and even Robert was remarkable, and the plot just thicken with each page. But the jaw dropping ending was the one thing I didn’t see coming, and left me dumbfounded. I don’t think the installment is going to come soon enough. This is a fabulous series, with forbidden romance, a world that is both frightening and intriguing. The Lost Souls series is not one to be missed.
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Apr 30, 2013 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, blog-tours

Naturals picks up where Chosen Ones leaves off. Tess, Henry, and Robert are making their way to the Isolationalist Camp, after Tess sadly and reluctantly has to leave James behind. Breaking free from a world where a government indoctrinated belief system has taught that humanity, or Naturals, were a weakness, especially the women, resulting in the creation of the Chosen Ones, a superior race designed to rule and protect. The Isolationalist did not live by these rules, and because of Tess' unique...more Naturals picks up where Chosen Ones leaves off. Tess, Henry, and Robert are making their way to the Isolationalist Camp, after Tess sadly and reluctantly has to leave James behind. Breaking free from a world where a government indoctrinated belief system has taught that humanity, or Naturals, were a weakness, especially the women, resulting in the creation of the Chosen Ones, a superior race designed to rule and protect. The Isolationalist did not live by these rules, and because of Tess' unique ability to be able to have children, she had been granted help from this group. Tess soon finds that she has to work really hard to prove herself to those in the Isolationalist camp. She also discovers a whole new kind of prejudice against her, and even more so against Robert, even though he is working to help them. She and Henry draw closer in their relationship, especially when Tess thinks she will never see James again, but Henry isn't quite honest about everything. They face a whole new set of issues and have to learn to adapt to a different lifestyle, culture, and way of doing things, facing danger from within the compound and without. Then, when James returns with news that Louisa, Tess' sister, is now serving at Templeton in her place, things get even more complicated, and culminate in something no one sees coming.

I enjoyed this second installment in The Lost Souls Series. I liked watching Tess's character grow and adapt. We get to see a lot more of Henry in this book, but I have to say that I am team James all the way and missed him not being in a big part of the book, though he does show up towards the end. I am rooting for James and Tess to find a way to be together, and the last few chapters of the book ended up being the most exciting. I also enjoyed getting to know Lockwood, who ends up being a really good friend to Tess. The ending was something I did not see coming and is a bit of a cliffhanger that has left me dying to know where the story will go from here. There are many surprises, twists, and turns in Naturals. If you enjoy dystopian novels coupled with science fiction, as well as romance, danger, and a little mystery, then The Lost Souls series is something you may want to check out. I enjoyed Naturals, and I a looking forward to the next installment.
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Apr 07, 2013 Pixie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, arc

You can read more on my blog as I took part in the tour: The Bookaholic

Chosen Ones became one of my new favorite dystopias last year, and I sat on pins and needles waiting for the sequel. I’m excited to say that Naturals was just as amazing and didn’t disappoint, and now I’m eagerly awaiting the next yet again!

The world that Tiffany Truitt has built is intense and gritty. It’s in your face from the moment you begin reading. The most noticeable thing in the sequel would be the character changes....more

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Apr 28, 2013 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Lost Souls series and while she does give you a lot of information to fill in some of the blanks if you haven't read the first book, I am really glad that I had. (Check out my review of Chosen Ones.) There may be some spoilers from Chosen Ones in my review below.

Naturals picks up where Chosen Ones left off - Tess has finally escaped Templeton, with her childhood friend Henry and brother-in-law Robert, but she has left behind the two people she loves most - her you...more This is the second book in the Lost Souls series and while she does give you a lot of information to fill in some of the blanks if you haven't read the first book, I am really glad that I had. (Check out my review of Chosen Ones.) There may be some spoilers from Chosen Ones in my review below.

Naturals picks up where Chosen Ones left off - Tess has finally escaped Templeton, with her childhood friend Henry and brother-in-law Robert, but she has left behind the two people she loves most - her younger sister Louisa and James, the chosen one that awoke in her all the feelings that the Council had tried to snuff out.

Tess is on the run because it has been discovered that she is actually fertile and would be able to live if she were to get pregnant. In the wasteland that has become the U.S. after the wars, women have lost the ability to bear children. Her own sister, Emma, died in childbirth, and so she has seen in first hand. The Council would like nothing more than for the 'natural' human race to die out. They have no need for them since they have started creating the perfect 'chosen ones.' Both races have been taught to hate the other one, but somehow James and Tess got past those early lessons.

Now Tess is in the midlands at an Isolationist community, and is finding that prejudices run deep both ways. That even in this 'free' community, there are still those in power who want to take away the rights of some. She does discover though that there is another one like her, able to have kids, living in the community. That is pretty much the only thing they have in common though. Sharon has had 8 children, though only 5 have lived. Tess is pretty sure that she doesn't want to become another Sharon. She can't imagine having sex with any man who wants to try to have a child. Tess is pretty standoffish with her and doesn't understand why Sharon keeps going out of her way to help her.

Then there is Lockwood. Tess is partnered up with him to learn what her job in the community is going to be - milking cows and taking care of other livestock. Lockwood turns out to be a really good friend to Tess, proving that men and women can just be friends. Tess's friendship with Henry is more complicated than that. She doesn't think she will ever see James again, and having Henry close is reminding her of all the feelings that she had for James and awakening desires that she is not sure she wants.

I loved this book and flew through it in a day. I can't wait for the third book as this one leaves you hanging on wanting more!(less)

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May 11, 2013 Amy Fournier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, arc, blog-tour-2013, own

This series so far is really great. I love the characters and the storyline. It is a very difficult and harsh world. I love the desperate feel of it all. This one took us to new places, and threw some twists in the mix. We also met some new characters that I really liked. I though this was a fantastic sequel and this series continues to be really great!!

Tess was great in this. She is in a new place, with people who seem to hate her, but she does so great. She finds the strength in herself to not...more This series so far is really great. I love the characters and the storyline. It is a very difficult and harsh world. I love the desperate feel of it all. This one took us to new places, and threw some twists in the mix. We also met some new characters that I really liked. I though this was a fantastic sequel and this series continues to be really great!!

Tess was great in this. She is in a new place, with people who seem to hate her, but she does so great. She finds the strength in herself to not let them get to her, to hold her head high and not let them see her as weak. She is still aching and thinking of James all the time, and as she and Henry rekindle their friendship, and he makes it clear he wants more, she doesn't know what to do. She loves James, but has no hopes of ever seeing him again, so she wonders if she could move on and he happy with Henry. She also is very determined to go back and get her sister from Templeton. She can't just abandon the only family she has left. Through all the struggles, and things thrown her way, she really becomes a strong, and brave woman. I loved her so much in this.

This is usually where I talk about the male character in the story, but the one I want to talk about isn't in the story very much. James is a thought in Tessa's mind constantly. Her love for him is very strong, but unfortunately he isn't actually there with her. Henry starts to show his affections for her and wants her to be with him. I never really did like Henry. I don't care that they were friends a long time ago, he really comes across as such a jerk to me, and totally not like Tess at all. I don't think he could ever be good enough to deserve her. Especially after a secret he keeps from her in this. I know he was trying to do what he thought was best, but it was still selfish. That being said, when James is back in the picture, I almost cried tears of joy!!

There are so many things going on in this. It's made obvious that Templeton knows where Tessa is, and they send her warnings. She fears for her sister so much and knows she has to leave and go find her, even if no one else is willing to help her. When James shows up, that really complicates things. There were so many parts in this book that really threw me for a loop. I have to say, that I totally did not see that ending coming, and it left me in a slight state of shock.

This isn't an action packed book, or full of romance. There is some romance in it, but really this book carves out their world, what it's like, where it's going. It's about family, and Tessa feeling like she needs to have her sister with her and make sure she's safe. This is a very depressing environment. They don't have much, they have to be dirty, there is no medicine, but in general, people are happy. That is, all but Tess. She will do whatever it takes to have her sister with her again. I loved the bleak and desperate feel to this, just like with the first book. I am definitely looking forward to the next book!!
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Apr 20, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, read-in-2013, for-review-read

As this is the second book in the Lost Souls series I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review has already read the first book. If you haven't read Chosen Ones be warned that this review will contain spoilers so you may wish to look away now. I have to admit that while I though Naturals was an OK read it did have that second book in a series feel to it, there is much less action than I wanted and the story is more character driven. I felt the plot moved quite slowly and I found it very...more As this is the second book in the Lost Souls series I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review has already read the first book. If you haven't read Chosen Ones be warned that this review will contain spoilers so you may wish to look away now. I have to admit that while I though Naturals was an OK read it did have that second book in a series feel to it, there is much less action than I wanted and the story is more character driven. I felt the plot moved quite slowly and I found it very easy to put the book down to go off to do something else and I almost had to force myself to pick it back up again. When I was actually reading it was enjoyable enough but I was never compelled to carry on reading.

I had expected quite an action packed story, Tess, Henry and Robert needed to complete their journey to the Isolationists and then there was mention in the blurb of them going back to Templeton to rescue her sister Louisa which promised plenty of danger. As it was the journey to the Isolationist's camp was fairly uneventful, there were a few minor issues along the way but nothing that raised my pulse rate. The majority of the book is spent at the camp where Tess and Henry are learning how different life is in the Middlelands compared to the compound where they were raised. The Isolationists are suspicious of outsiders and don't seem very happy about having Tess, Henry and Robert living with them so it is up to them to fit in and find a way to prove to the community that they can be valuable assets.

Although I felt the romance between Tess and James happened a little too quickly in the first book I had really wanted to see more of them together and I particularly wanted to get to know James better as I felt we didn't really learn much about him in the first book. I had high hopes for that but unfortunately he doesn't even make an appearance until we're 70% into the story. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles so it won't surprise anyone who knows me that I was really annoyed by the way Tess turned to Henry in James's absence. Especially when it was so obvious that she was just using him because he was there and she was not actually falling in love with him. I ended up being annoyed with her and feeling sorry for both Henry and James and that doesn't really leave me feeling much confidence for any future relationship developments.

Things really started to pick up for me after James's reappearance and when they finally left the camp to go on the rescue mission (which I think was at about 85% into the story). The pace picked up, the danger increased and I actually started to feel invested in what was happening. Unfortunately that part happens so quickly when I really wanted it to keep going. There is a major twist revealed at the end that definitely makes me curious about the next book in the series though. One thing I will say is that I liked Tess much more in this book than I did in the first (apart from the way she treated Henry anyway!), she is a much stronger character now and more willing to stand up for herself and what she believes in. She does still have a tendency to think that the world revolves around her but I think that can be quite a common trait amongst teenagers so I can forgive her for it. What I really want to see in the next book is more action and less sitting around talking about what they should be doing. If the pace could be as good for the whole book as it was for the last 20% of this one then it would be a fantastic read. As it is I do think that anyone who enjoyed Chosen Ones will want to read Naturals to continue Tess's journey and it looks like most other reviewers enjoyed it much more than I did. It probably lost a star with me just because I hate love triangles so much so anyone who don't mind them will automatically be at an advantage.(less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Michelle novelsontherun rated it 4 of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 10th APRIL 2013:

RATING: 4.25 JAMES & LOCKWOOD STARS!

Two days later....

McNair, Eric, Jones, Robert, Henry and Tess are making their way to the Isolationist's Compound.

The super human strength, brutal, deformed abnorm soldiers are standing in their way.

The compound is about everybody having a job assigned to them and pitching in.

Lockwood is a really likable character. I loved how he brought a sense of casualness, normality to Tess’s day. He is a very loyal character...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Novels On The Run rated it 4 of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 10th APRIL 2013:

RATING: 4.25 JAMES & LOCKWOOD STARS!

Two days later....

McNair, Eric, Jones, Robert, Henry and Tess are making their way to the Isolationist's Compound.

The super human strength, brutal, deformed abnorm soldiers are standing in their way.

The compound is about everybody having a job assigned to them and pitching in.

Lockwood is a really likable character. I loved how he brought a sense of casualness, normality to Tess’s day. He is a very loyal character...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Tia rated it 4 of 5 stars

You know, this novel was better than the first in a lot of ways but I'm really getting annoyed with the whole James leaving and coming back bullshit. It's overrated and overused. I think this author needs to find some more ideas. Regardless it's a good novel, I just get completely frustrated when things that happened in the first installment of a series, happen in a second.

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Apr 29, 2013 Becky Schnekser rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tiffany's second book had my heart wrenching, pounding, and fluttering at different parts. I never had a break from emotional tugs. This was a great book and I will be on the edge of my reading nook until I get my hands on book 3. Bravo

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Apr 16, 2013 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great story. Similar to many other post apocalyptic novels I have read. I look forward to the next novel.

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May 11, 2013 Kim Heimbuch rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-hardcopy, citybook

5/11/13 Review will be posted as soon as the publishing company I review for, posts original review.

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Mar 10, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: egalleys, 2013-releases

WOAH. Even better than the first one. I don't even know how to handle it... Review to come!

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Apr 11, 2013 Alexa marked it as to-read

Shelves: first-reads, waiting, to-review

Yay! I won a copy of Naturals through a Goodreads giveaway! That's awesome! Looking forward to receiving it. :)

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Apr 20, 2013 Go Flash Go! rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, dystopia, young-adult

My engagement with the story dropped off the more I progressed. Review to come.

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Apr 17, 2013 Shieka( Doctor's Notes) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review to follow for blog tour stop on 4/23.

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Mar 25, 2013 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

<33333333333333333333'd that is all!!!!!

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Apr 15, 2013 Dani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia

★★★★½

Review to be posted soon.

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May 05, 2013 Harlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

good book hoping for more

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title link	preview: Naturals
avg rating	preview: Naturals Goodreads rating: 4.08 (115 ratings)
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Naturals (The Lost Souls #2)

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