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Killer Instinct

(The Naturals #2)

Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Goodreads Author)

4.36 · Rating details · 18,239 ratings · 1,635 reviews

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold ca ...more

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Hardcover, 375 pages

Published November 4th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

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Young Adult Crime/Murder Mysteries

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The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Fall 2014 Young Adult Releases

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Nov 19, 2017 booksnpenguins (desktop's version) rated it really liked it

Shelves: chicklit-ya-na-contemporaries, horror-gore-spooky, mystery-thriller-crime-podcast

Close your eyes.
Imagine.
A Castle/Criminal Minds crossover episode, but with teenagers.
Snarky, clever, absurdly likeable teenagers.
Unbelievable, you think? Impossibile, you say?
Let's agree to disagree and
Welcome to the Naturals Program.
Your life will never be the same.

Can you believe this little bitch kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning? And can you believe that it may or may have not have given me a tiny aneurysm halfway down the road?
THAT'S RUDE.
But it's okay, I love ...more

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May 15, 2014 Sue (Hollywood News Source) rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime, diverse-books, contemporary, young-adult, mystery

Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.

Killer Instinct picks up right where the first book left off with the whole team recovering from their near death experience when a new serial killer started brutally slaughtering people. And there’s a twist… this new killer on the loose is a copycat of Dean’s psychopath father.

Here is the funny thing about Killer Instinct..,I truly just started it and then suddenly it was two o’clock in the morning and I had finisghed the book. That is the biggest bla ...more

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Oct 18, 2017 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

1.) The Naturals ★★★★.5
2.) Killer Instinct ★★★★
3.) All In ★★★★.5
4.) Bad Blood ★★★★.5

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This series is so good!

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Apr 01, 2014 Marga rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-buddy-reads, young-adult, did-not-see-that-coming, love-triangles, mystery-suspense-thriller

Holy shizz. I know you guys always see me being all fangirly about books. I might actually be considered as a person easily impressed but SERIOUSLY.. this book though. My heart was beating so fast while reading the whole story.

The heroine. Cassie Hobbes wasn't a perfect main character by any means but I admire her. When she cared about other people, she'll let them know and feel it. She received a number of eye rolls from me though at some scenes because it was like she can't just choose one guy ...more

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May 22, 2016 Maddie rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-books

I can't believe how good this was. AGAIN! Even more mystery, even more layers and even more bonding between the five Naturals. This series is shaping up to be one of the best I've read, and a must-read if you like anything from 'Pretty Little Liars', 'Criminal Minds', 'Sherlock' or 'The Gallagher Girls' books! ...more

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Oct 16, 2015 Tez rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Naturals, Book 1, was awkward. The concept for the series was solid, though improbable, but the execution of it was hard to get into at first. It was like an origin story of how everyone meets, even though there was a mystery to solve.

Killer Instinct does what every good sequel should: match the quality of the first, or improve upon it. This Book 2 is definitely an improvement, because the core concept and group of characters have been established, so there's more book-time for a case to be ...more

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Jan 10, 2014 Mimi Valentine marked it as to-read

YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!! ♥

Ohmysweetgoodness! Ever since I finished The Naturals (like last week LOL but hey, it was so good that it feels like its been on my brain forever!), I've been dying to know if there was going to be a sequel -- so can you imagine how excited I am for this sequel?????? CRAZY HECK YEAH! x) ...more

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Aug 24, 2015 charlotte, rated it really liked it

Shelves: scared-the-bejeezus-outta-me, ya-lit, east-asian-characters, not-another-fucking-love-triangle, 4-stars, found-family, non-white-characters, mystery-thriller

Rep: Chinese-American mc

it is also a bad idea to read serial killer books in the daytime when will i learn

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May 23, 2016 Bee rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-books

THESE BOOKS THO. They're seriously amazing! I found myself reading quickly because I was so engrossed rather than because I was trying to up my reading speed. I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the last one, because it was more about Dean than Cassie...and there's never enough Sloane - she's seriously the one pointing out the key parts of the mystery - they need to take her everywhere. ...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Nadia Awadi rated it really liked it

I've always been interested in psychopaths It sounds creepier than I thought.

Creepiness aside, most of the documentaries I watched were centred around those two topics. Add to that a group of angsty teenagers with abnormal skills. And we have a recipe for a great book, in my opinion at least.

Bodies are piling up one after the other. And it's up to The Naturals to find whoever is responsible. Every case is special and this time is no exception. With the serial Killer being Daniel Redding's co ...more

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May 18, 2014 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

Like I have come to expect from all Disney-Hyperion books and even Jennifer herself, I was not disappointed in Killer Instinct.

Like it's predecessor, this was a fun thrilling and fast paced ride that I loved every minute of.

I loved Cassie, Dean. Sloane, Michael, and Lia in The Naturals and is was without question that when the second book came out, I was going to get it and I was going to love it.

This was even better than the first and I did indeed love every minute of it.

If possible, the whole ...more

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Oct 31, 2016 Sara (Freadom Library) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, contemporary, young-adult, thriller, mental-health-neurodiversity, paranormal, want-to-own

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

Critically
Plot – 5 out of 5 stars
I am absolutely obsessed with these books. The plot is fast paced and entertaining. It’s intense, powerful and sometimes really freaking creepy! It deals with violence, death and grief. This one is a lot more personal than the first. We get to learn more about one of the other members of the program and it really tore my heart up! And this book in particular also has mo I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

Critically
Plot – 5 out of 5 stars
I am absolutely obsessed with these books. The plot is fast paced and entertaining. It’s intense, powerful and sometimes really freaking creepy! It deals with violence, death and grief. This one is a lot more personal than the first. We get to learn more about one of the other members of the program and it really tore my heart up! And this book in particular also has more romance, which made me happy.

Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
The writing style works incredibly well for the story it’s telling. It’s super easy to read and really fast paced. The sentences are short and to the point which makes them easy to devour, because that’s basically what I do when I read this book. It’s really intense, powerful and creepy because it’s really descriptive. I’m gonna be honest, sometimes it gives me goosebumps. BUT THAT MAKES IT SO GOOD!

Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
This cast of characters are slowly but surely becoming my babies. They’re still really weird but like, I’m getting to know them so much more now that I want to snuggle them and love them! Cassie had a rough time of it in the first book so she’s haunted in this book, plagued by nightmares and memories. She’s gotten a bit obsessed with her ability and is also a bit confused on some things going on. But she’s really smart and quiet and hopeful. She’s slowly sliding right at home with this group of crazy kinds and it’s super awesome. This book also takes a closer look at Dean. This book takes him through ups and downs and lots of emotions. He’s scared, angry and haunted by his childhood. I just wanted to wrap him in my arms and protect him honestly. I feel like I definitely connected more with the side characters in this book, Dean first and foremost. Because the plot hits so close to home, the author makes it a point to build their friendships a lot more and to develop the side characters more which I really appreciated. It starts to feel like they are all part of the same team now and it’s pretty great.

Emotionally
(view spoiler)[I swear, these books get more and more intense as they continue on. I definitely did not expect any of the things that happened in this one.

The plot is powerful. We follow Cassie, who is still trying to recover from the events of the first book when the Naturals team gets confronted with a case that hits close to home. While I think the first book was mostly about Cassie, integrating herself into the program and encountering her first case, this one dives into Dean and his past, his father as well as sharing tidbits of the others’ pasts as well. It was really interesting to be able to get to know the side characters more in this book because that was one of the issues I found in the first book. Everyone has a harsh past which explains their abilities and their actions and I appreciated being able to see bits and pieces of why the characters are the way they are. This book is just as intense and fast paced as the previous one but it felt a lot more personal. It’s such a creepy setting all in all, because you’re dealing with serial killers by the way. So it’s definitely not for the faint of heart and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This one felt a lot more powerful in general because you’re dealing with such a sensitive topic in one of the characters’ life and it affected every single member of the cast very deeply yet in different ways. It was such a hard thing, to see someone by teared down by their past, by their family, by what they think that means for them that it really made me fall in love with the characters and now they are my babies. I never know what’s going to happen in these books. Never. There are so many different clues and things happening and there’s always a fresh perspective that not only freaks you the hell out, but makes sure that you’re never confident in what you think is happening and in your theories. The ending blew me away. It left me shell shocked and breathless and pretty much stunned. Most people might not like that but yeah, I’m obsessed.

Cassie is really attentive in this book. I feel like I got to know her a lot more in this book, even though she’s still very quiet and introspective. She’s still reeling from the events of the first book which shook her (and me) to her core. Yet even with all this inner turmoil, she takes the time to take care of the rest of the team which I think says a lot about who she is as a person. She’s conscious of how everyone is struggling in different ways, because even though they are little weirdos, they are family to each other and they take care of each other. I liked seeing that she felt like more a part of the group even though she hasn’t been with them long. They’re creating a new dynamic with her included and she really flourished as a team player. I want to see her grow in her trust with the people around her a lot more. She still keeps a lot of her thoughts and feelings inside but she can definitely confide in her team members much more than she does.

Again, I’m gonna talk briefly about the side characters. I really loved how the author explored more about them as individuals, but also more about their relationships with each other. Dean and Lila were the first two recruited for the program and they have a sibling like relationship which was definitely shown in this book more. You can see how protective she is of him and how she’s expected him to act around her. Their relationship goes through a bit of an up and down situation in this book yet they came out stronger and closer as siblings at the end. On his part alone, I was astounded by how much his struggles broke my heart in two. I wasn’t really invested in any of the characters in the first book, I just loved this story, but this book definitely made sure that I never felt that way again. I wanted to cry and hug him and take care of him because he has such an internal battle going on inside him and it’s intense to read about. He’s my new cinnamon roll. There’s a new adult character in this book and I really, really liked her. She definitely shakes up the teen to adult dynamic which also is something I really like in this book. There are adults that mentor these kids, they are not just gallivanting on their own in search of serial killers. They actually have people who are trained to do what the kids are learning to do and who try to keep them safe and sound while on these cases. And last little sentence, though I feel bad for Michael, I cannot say that I am not happy about the way things ended up. Cryptic, I know. Wanna know what it means? Read the book!

Overall, I loved this sequel and this series just gets better and better as it goes on. The plot is intense, fast paced, creepy and emotional. It left me on the edge of my seat and pretty much has my heart pounding every time I sit down to read it. I enjoyed getting to connect and get to know all the characters a lot more closely and I love how they are becoming a team and a family. I can’t wait to see what the next books brings! (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Aug 28, 2021 Sahil Javed rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bookshelf, mystery

Killer Instinct takes places a few weeks after the end of the first book and follows the Naturals as they deal with another case, a copy-cat serial killer who is mimicking the work of a notorious murderer – Dean's father.

“I’d gone my whole life without romance. I didn’t need it, not the way I needed this: being part of some thing, caring about people in a way that I hadn’t realized I still could. Not just Michael and Dean, but Sloane and even Lia. I fit here. I hadn’t fit anywhere in a v

“I’d gone my whole life without romance. I didn’t need it, not the way I needed this: being part of some thing, caring about people in a way that I hadn’t realized I still could. Not just Michael and Dean, but Sloane and even Lia. I fit here. I hadn’t fit anywhere in a very long time.”

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book in the series and it’s not a fluke, because I loved Killer Instinct just as much. It seems like this series is following the format of having a standalone mystery in each book, which is resolved at the end. The mystery in this book was just as addictive as the first one and it really makes your brain spin how everything ties together at the end. I have to say though, that although the mystery was a lot crazier than the first book, I found the reveal slightly underwhelming compared to the reveal in The Naturals, only because the final reveal was a character that we had only met once as opposed to the first book where it was a character that was pretty close to the group. I still enjoyed it nonetheless though and think that this is a pretty solid series so far.

“None of us had normal childhoods,” Sloane said quietly. “If we had, we wouldn’t be Naturals.”

The characters are definitely my favourite part of this series and I love the group dynamics between Cassie, Lia, Michael, Sloane and Dean. I love their back and forth bickering and banter and the random facts that we get from Sloane all the time. I do want to know more about the characters though because so far we only know bits and bobs about all of them. We learn more about Dean in this instalment as the serial killer that the group are facing is copying his father so we get to learn more about his upbringing and his relationship with his father. But I want to know more about Michael, Lia and Sloane.

“You want to know why you, in particular, concern me, Cassie? You’re the one who really feels things. Michael, Lia, Dean—they learned very early in life to shut down their emotions like that. They’re not used to letting people in. They won’t feel the need to put their own necks on the line every single time. Sloane cares, but she deals in facts, not emotions. But you? You won’t ever be able to stop caring. For you, it will always be about the victims and their families. It will always be personal.”

Now, the first book in the series introduced a love triangle between Cassie, Michael and Dean and that was concluded in this book. I didn’t know who I preferred because both of the boys are solid characters who are both good in their own way for Cassie. I’m glad the love triangle wasn’t dragged on though, in fact, the romance isn’t too heavy in this series, it’s just right. But unlike the first book, where I felt like Cassie was bonding with both Michael and Dean, I never really felt like there was much of a love triangle going on because it was clear to me that Cassie was developing more of a relationship and growing closer to Dean over Michael and that was confirmed when she picked Dean in the end. I did feel really bad for Michael, like I felt sad for him and I really hope he gets a happy ending as well.

“Some people said that broken bones grew back stronger. On the good days, I told myself that was true, that each time the world tried to break me, I became a little less breakable. On the bad days, I suspected that I would always be broken, that parts of me would never be quite right—and that those were the parts that made me good at the job.Those were the parts that made this house and the people in it home.”

Overall, Killer Instinct was a really solid second book in the series. I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying this series. It’s a lot of fun! ...more

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Jun 01, 2016 Lexie rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery

You know that feeling that comes with not being able to decide if a series is more addictive or more substantive?

Sort of entranced. Sort of hooked. Sort of sure that it'll doom you to wait for the next installment once you've blown through the ones already out?

Yeah. The Naturals is it for me.

Publish yourself faster, you addictive morsel of muuuurder and awesome. ...more

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Aug 05, 2017 Veronica Morfi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Love this series so much. Cannot believe it took me so long to pick this one up, especially since I loved the first book. The characters are so smart and witty and unique. And I always love the mysteries and how the clues lead you to the killers exactly when the characters figure them out too. I am planning on getting my hands on the third one on Monday. And then will have to wait until November(?) for the fourth one, hopefully I wont make the mistake of waiting a few years again...cause I love ...more

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Sep 06, 2016 Julia Sapphire rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, 2016, mental-illness, thriller, series

3.75 stars

This was so good. I forgot how much I enjoyed these stories and these characters. Such unique characters with so much depth. The story was odd and twisted. I quite enjoyed this!!

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Mar 26, 2014 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2014, arcs, love-triangle-of-doom, murder-mystery, favorites, psychological-thriller, 2014-faves

An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

Do any of you watch The Following ? That Kevin Bacon show on Fox that follows his character as he tries to determine a serial killer's next move in an attempt to save the next victim? This book reminded me a lot of that show -- especially the utilization of a criminal mastermind already serving time for over a dozen murders -- and t ...more

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Nov 23, 2014 Jess rated it really liked it

°☆.。.:*・Actual Rating: 4.5 stars °☆.。.:*・

Basically, if you’re a Criminal Minds fan, such as moi, then you’re going to find this delectable.

°☆.。.:*・Actual Rating: 4.5 stars °☆.。.:*・

Basically, if you’re a Criminal Minds fan, such as moi, then you’re going to find this delectable.

Instead of Morgan, Hotch, JJ and Spencer, we have a younger crew who are bound by the rules and regulations set by the adults governing the playground. They’ve each got brilliant minds, natural intellect. But in this instalment, they’re restricted. You see, what happens when genius is restrained? It is limited and it is measly compared to its potential. And that’s what our favourite crew of intellects battle in this round.

While our teen equivalent of the Criminal Minds cast break rules and go about profiling, investigating and deconstructing a serial killer’s manifesto, we have a little something else at play in the background. You see, The Naturals is also driven by two subplots, and they both stem from our dear protagonist, Cassie. Like all criminal television shows, our protagonist is plagued by a tragic tale of her own, one that she must eventually come to avenge, or at least be stricken by some sad realisation. In this instalment, Cassie, and the audience, are fed a little more of this mystery and it will pull you apart, the questions that are raised. And what will truly jam the nail even further is the fact that we have to wait yet another year for answers. I’m a curious being by nature and terribly impatient. Patience is virtue and unfortunately I’m not that virtuous.

Other than that, Killer Instinct is also driven by its romantic subplot. That’s right, groan kids. Because this one, it’s a love triangle. The worst kind. The kind where you can’t pick and even once chosen, we get the oh so lovingly ambiguous, “But was this the right choice?”. We have two tragic male leads with horrid pasts and self destructive personalities. One wallows in his own pity party of hate and whatever else there is, while the other copes with an arrogant attitude and a tendency to be hilariously, but endearingly (to me) overconfident. One has a Porsche. I like money. There, so I have a side. And I’m not exactly happy with where this is going. That being said, the love triangle arc is anything but over. It was an open end and I’m willing to put all my cards in the centre, betting on the fact that this love triangle has miles to go.

Aside from that, Killer Instinct has been brilliantly researched, evident through the detailed explanations, POVs and trains of thought. It will sate all those who crave a written piece of work resembling Criminal Minds. It will pull your heart to pieces because the dialogue is so damn perfect and the cast dynamic is so dysfunctional that it just works. Give the Naturals a go. Cry because it’s a damn love triangle. Bawl because it’s just so damn gripping. I’ll be there for you. ...more

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Oct 27, 2015 mith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, horror-mystery-thrillers, half-star, kindle-or-ebook

All this back and forth with the love triangle was exhausting, despite the romance being the least important factor here.
I will contradict that statement, though, because I'm sure it's still going to play a part in the next two books.
That being said, I think I gave away who Cassie picks. (Haha, sorry). So I am sad. ...more

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Feb 06, 2014 Kirsty-Marie Jones rated it it was amazing

It probably sounds bad, but I freaking love how disturbing that was.

What I loved about The Naturals is the insight of Criminology and all the different aspects of it, including the psychology, sociology, social science, to psychoanalyze and get into a serial killers head that gives an UNSUB a profile. How you can tell by certain aspects of the kill can tell you what type of a killer an UNSUB is. You see how different aspects are used, an Emotion Reader, a Human Lie Detector, a Crime Scene Analys It probably sounds bad, but I freaking love how disturbing that was.

What I loved about The Naturals is the insight of Criminology and all the different aspects of it, including the psychology, sociology, social science, to psychoanalyze and get into a serial killers head that gives an UNSUB a profile. How you can tell by certain aspects of the kill can tell you what type of a killer an UNSUB is. You see how different aspects are used, an Emotion Reader, a Human Lie Detector, a Crime Scene Analyst and Profilers. What I love about Killer Instinct, that while The Naturals did go into that, it was more if an introduction to that and which of the characters had what talent, and that raw talent that hasn't been trained or harnessed but learned by the environments they grew up in. The Naturals focused on Cassie and the serial killer who drew her and the others onto an active case, an active case that left multiple characters in danger, this time around, we get to focus on my favourite character, Dean. Killer Instinct goes a lot darker than The Naturals did as it digs deeper into the Criminal Mind, shows more of the gritty and focuses on a different kind of Serial Killer, and in this case, Deans father.

As you found out in The Naturals, Dean's a Profiler, and has more insight and experience into a criminals mind than any other Profiler because he grew up with a serial killer. Dean's the most fascinating character out of the bunch, and we get to psychoanalyze him more in Killer Instinct because of his father drawing him into the case of what looks to be a Copy Cat of Daniel Reddings MO. Dean's still closed off, and with what's happening, and the guilt and blame he's putting on himself, we get to know him and understand him a lot better. I want to hug him, and I loved how much the other characters love and support him, even if he feels like he doesn't deserve it.

I've said this before, I'm pretty fascinated with serial killers minds, but there's a fine line between being fascinated with a serial killers mind and being fascinated with the serial killer, which Killer Instinct shows perfectly with Daniel Redding's female admirers, which if you excuse me, I need to go gag. In The Naturals, I figured out who the Serial Killer was, Killer Instinct however, completely surprised me, the plot pulls you all over the place, I was thinking about the twists, who it could be, I was pulled in one direction only to be pulled in the other and then once you realise what is happening. Mind. Blown. Which you have no idea how happy I am about that.

Killer Instinct is, if I dare say it, better than The Naturals, we get more character development, delve deeper into Criminology, an intense atmosphere and a romance that is just so damn important, for many reasons, you'll have to read it to find out.

~~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.~

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Review originally posted on Studio Reads

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Jul 11, 2016 Arij Meddeb rated it really liked it

aahh Haa !!! I knew it...I knew it ;))

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Nov 05, 2016 Rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2016, genre-mystery

I've been dealing with the worst slump but I literally just read this start to finish in one sitting. It is now almost 3am and I'm so tired I could cry. #WorthIt ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 brie rated it really liked it

3.5/5 stars

These books are super fun to read, and I really love reading from Cassie, and the dynamics she has with her fellow Naturals, as well as her relationship that grew with Sterling. I really loved how the events of the first novel followed the characters to this one, and affected how they acted and grew throughout the novel. There is something so heartwarming and cute about random teenagers solving FBI mysteries for me, somehow. Oh well, I'll tell my therapist about it I guess.

The myster ...more

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Feb 09, 2017 ᒪEᗩᕼ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, coming-of-age, abduction, suspenseful, love-and-stuff, fav-series, favorites, 2017, twisty

Book Title: Killer Instinct
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Naturals #2
Genre: YA, Mystery, Splash of Romance
Source: Kindle E-Book (Library)

OVERALL RATING: 5/5 STARS

Find my full review with video included for book song at Leah's Bookish Obsession

♪♫My Pick For Book Theme Song♫♪
Monster You Made by Pop Evil --For Dean…the backstory between Dean and his father that we learn about in this installment is completely captivating.
♫Erase this monster I've become
Forgive me for all the damage done
It'

...more

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Dec 02, 2014 Kimberly rated it liked it

Shelves: 52-books-in-52-weeks-2014

There is something addicting about Barnes’s Naturals series. I’ll admit the premise of a group of teenagers who are acutely more aware of certain aspects of the human condition, in a secret government agency that helps them solve cold (or not so cold) cases is a little far fetched sometimes for me. But I can’t help but enjoy this sequel, even more than the first.

Cassie and friends take it upon themselves to investigate a copy cat murderer who is claiming lives much like the serial killer father There is something addicting about Barnes’s Naturals series. I’ll admit the premise of a group of teenagers who are acutely more aware of certain aspects of the human condition, in a secret government agency that helps them solve cold (or not so cold) cases is a little far fetched sometimes for me. But I can’t help but enjoy this sequel, even more than the first.

Cassie and friends take it upon themselves to investigate a copy cat murderer who is claiming lives much like the serial killer father of one of their own. Dean’s father is in jail and has been for years. But he is one of the most notorious serial killers of all time and someone out there is following in his footsteps.

Easy to read, the book is really plot focused with a lot of surprises and unanswered questions that get slowly answered as you keep reading. not everything is obvious which is fun and Cassie’s questions are your questions. There is some romance but I didn’t find it overpowering or distracting. That said, I did want her to wind up with one of the buys and the fact that she chose the other just lends credit to Barnes’s writing. Both boys are great for Cassie and it’s hard to choose. I don’t blame the girl at all.

That said, the highlights characters of the book are neither of the main three. For me, they’re actually Lia (resident B-I-T-C-H) and Sloane, awkward anti-social fact girl. Sloane adds some great humor and Lia is so cutting she steals every scene she’s in. I wish Lia and Sloane were more in the forefront, that’s how great they are.

And that brings me to the only gripe I have about the book. While I don’t really dislike Cassie, I’m not really a fan of her either. She’s sort of bland and there’s only so much of the inner monologue about how she’s figuring the killer’s motivations out I can take. The adults aren’t well developed either. I feel like they got back story and drama, but they’re like support characters, like the parents that wander into a YA book and just make it difficult for the main characters to create drama.

I think fans who love fast paced stories with twists and danger will like Killer Instinct and the first book. I’m looking forward to reading the third book too!

Rating 7 Would Recommend

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Jun 23, 2014 Sarah Elizabeth rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2014, netgalley-edelweiss, romance, as, r2r-complete, contemporary, young-adult, death, mystery

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley.)
The Naturals are back, and this time they’re interfering with an active murder case, where the killer seems to be copying the technique of Dean’s serial-killer father.
Who is the murderer? Why is he killing? And what connections does he have to Dean’s father?

This was a good murder/mystery story, with quite a few twists!

I liked the characters in this, and I liked how devot ...more

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Dec 18, 2016 fatima rated it really liked it

I LOVE THIS SERIES!! This second book wasn't as good as the first, in my opinion, but it was still just as gripping and amazing. I feel like this book lacked some of the excitement and intrigue that I felt in the first novel - I wasn't as surprised or shocked with the turn of events as they progressed, and I feel like the UNSUB was obvious from much earlier on.

The characters in this novel were just as entertaining and interesting as they were in the first novel. I love that, despite everything ...more

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Feb 16, 2014 Trisha rated it really liked it

"When the odds are bad, you change the rules"

WOW, and I mean wow!! This book was just as good as the first one. The end was just as twisty and crazy.

But we get to know Dean, Cassie, Sloane, Michael and even Lia a lot better. We learn some of their secrets and then somethings we didn't even KNOW were secrets. We also learn more about the program, about Judd and Briggs. Surprisingly, even more about the Director.

It really is a fast paced story, driven to make you flip pages, bite your nails and R ...more

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Nov 25, 2016 Tina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crime-thriller

** 4.5 stars **

This was SO GOOD. So easy to read, so interesting and almost educational?? Character interaction is great and the crime and mystery aspect is realistic yet complex.

The ending had me SO tense. Don't think I've been so nervous about a scene in my life oml ...more

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Sep 06, 2014 Cecilia rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, 2016-read

This book was so good! I loved the suspense, the characters, the plot and the drama - all the things that made this book great!

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Naturals series, starting with Killer Instinct, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - beginning April 9th, 2019	13	16	May 07, 2019 09:34PM
Crazy for Young A...: Killer Instinct (The Naturals, #2), by Jennifer Lynn Barnes → Start Date: February 28, 2015	58	69	Mar 20, 2015 05:35PM
Rossetti Quarter ...: E	2	2	Feb 28, 2015 06:53PM
Rossetti Quarter ...: F	1	1	Feb 27, 2015 07:40AM
Rossetti Quarter ...: C	1	1	Feb 27, 2015 06:30AM

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About Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none ...more