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The Naturals (The Naturals, #1)

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Start date: October 1, 2024

Finish date: October 31, 2024

Discussion: BOTM

Why we're reading this: Book of the Month
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* BOTM Nominations
By Bella off hia… · 20 posts · 30 views

last updated Dec 21, 2024 12:15PM

* Sept 2024 BOTM: These Violent Delights: Spoiler Free
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last updated Sep 07, 2024 10:07AM

What Members Thought

Oct 25, 2024 ✧Bella✧ rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars, rounded up. (at least for now, I keep going back and forth on this lol)

That was GOOD.

I mean, this is a YA published in the early 2010's, and as such, it has quite a bit of teen angst, and of course, the unavoidable love triangle. But it was really good. And, I mean, it's a thriller, that isn't the focus of the story.

While we're on the subject of the love triangle tho... I'm not 100% sure what team I'm on yet, but I'm thinking Team Dean. In spite of everything, I felt like there was m ...more

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Sep 04, 2024 hafna ♡ rated it really liked it

4.25ish stars

i hate the name dean.

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2024 Kae rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes books. They are SO GOOD!!!

Cassie was really likable, she has serious trauma and I appreciated that it wasn't just like an offhand thing, she struggles with it. That probably seems obvious like, "Oh she has trauma obviously it'll be recognized. Buuut I feel like I've read books where a character had trauma and it wasn't addressed/handled how I would've liked. She was complex and I liked how at the end, she tried to play into UNSUB's plan (iykyk lol) she failed but she I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes books. They are SO GOOD!!!

Cassie was really likable, she has serious trauma and I appreciated that it wasn't just like an offhand thing, she struggles with it. That probably seems obvious like, "Oh she has trauma obviously it'll be recognized. Buuut I feel like I've read books where a character had trauma and it wasn't addressed/handled how I would've liked. She was complex and I liked how at the end, she tried to play into UNSUB's plan (iykyk lol) she failed but she tried nonetheless. However I feel like she wasn't like sooo interesting that both Michael and Dean would be interested in her so quickly. (I don't know who's team I'm on rn. Like when I read the Inheritance Games...I'm Team Jameson now tho obviously) Slightly off track but whatever. That's really my only flaw with Cassie's character, and it's not really about Cassie, it's about the speed at which both Michael and Dean were like in love with her.

Michael is one of my favorite characters, his line to Cassie at the end was just *chefs kiss* His character reminded me of Jameson a bit to be honest. I'm leaning more towards Team Micheal right now buuut that could change. The dynamic between Lia and Michael and Michael and Dean was really enjoyable for me to read. Michael's smartass remarks to Dean were rude but funny.

Dean is similar to Grayson, at least that's what I felt like. I like that it was a consistent thing that he always had that fear that he was going to be like his dad. It showed, at least in my opinion, the humanity that his father obviously lacked.
Side note: It might sound weird but I liked how Jennifer Barnes classified the serial killers/UNSUB's as psychopaths, rather than sociopaths. I feel like in A LOT of books/tv call the perps/whatever sociopaths, like even serial killers. Again it might seem minor or dumb, but I appreciated it.
Anyways back to Dean, the fact that he had been trained by Locke he didn't even suspect her for a second. Even me as the reader, didn't suspect her.

Sloane reminded me about of Luna Love good, just a very aloof person, but a good true friend. No matter how quirky she is, she's a good person.

Lia was honestly one of my favorite characters. I hope that she's in the other books more.

Locke was the best twist possible. I never suspected her, and she practically confessed to Dean and Cassie. I appreciated that she had actual motive, no matter how messed up, but even though any normal human being wouldn't go around murdering people gruesomely, was somehow understandable. I'm dying to know who killed Cassie's mom!!

Overall the story and characters were really enjoyable and I can't wait to read the rest! ...more

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