I’m a huge fan of the TV show Criminal Minds, and this book is like a YA cross between that and The Mentalist. It’s about a group of teenagers with “special” talents – reading people, profiling, analyzing information and detecting lies. It’s a premise I absolutely love and the plots have been real page-turners. This book was no exception.
It’s hard to review sequels in a series, because they assume some knowledge of what happened in the previous books and to discuss the current plot, even without spoilers for this book, will spoil previous books. So all I can say is that this one continues on with some of the ongoing plots of its prequels, and that it finally gives some answers to questions that have been carried through the previous three books. Unfortunately that’s about all I can say without running the risk of massively spoiling it for new readers!
I will say that, though I thoroughly enjoy reading these books and they’re easy to get into plot- and writing-wise, I do find I have to do a fair amount of work to suspend my disbelief. The premise, while fascinating, also isn’t entirely believable. I don’t think anyone has skills to the level these kids supposedly do – they basically read minds and have psychic abilities. But if you’re able to overlook that, it is a lot of fun to read. Be warned that though they are YA books, they’re flirting with being pretty intense on the violence and psychological suspense, so they’re not ideal for anyone who has trouble with violence or disturbing content!
This isn’t a perfect series, but it’s one of the few I’ve stuck with in recent years, which is saying something. I’m not sure if this is the end of the series – it sure felt like it could be – but if not, I’ll probably keep going. It’s a great bridge book between YA and adult thrillers, so if that’s a genre you’re interested in getting into this is a good place to start. An excellent read for a rainy week!
New victims. New betrayals. New secrets.
When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI’s Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother’s murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful—and dangerous—than anything the Naturals have faced so far. As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.
The bodies begin piling up, the deaths hit closer and closer to home, and it soon becomes apparent that this time, the Naturals aren’t just hunting serial killers.
They’re being hunted themselves. – Goodreads
Book Title: Bad Blood
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Naturals #4
Edition: Hardback
Published By: Disney-Hyperion
Released: November 1, 2016
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, YA
Pages: 384
Date Read: January 4-8, 2018
Rating: 6/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.43 (3,997 ratings)