Bad Blood (The Naturals, 4)

All I can say is: you have to read this final book in the series! Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers an ending that ties everything together in a way that's as fascinating as it is mind-boggling. The intricate web of connections between characters and events will leave you reeling—and probably questioning if you missed any clues along the way (spoiler: you didn’t; it’s just that good).The twists, the revelations, the emotional punches—this book has it all. It's the kind of finale that makes you want to clear a spot on your bookshelf for the physical copies of the entire series because these are books you’ll want to revisit.And if you’re still not ready to say goodbye to Cassie, Dean, and the rest of the gang, don’t worry—there’s more! Grab the novella, Twelve, for one last taste of this brilliant world.Trust me, you don’t want to miss this. Go ahead, dive in, and prepare to be amazed.

Great story & character with a very satisfying end. I enjoyed it so much I look forward to finding other books by the author

Bad Blood is the conclusion to Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ series, The Naturals. Five teenagers with special abilities that they’ve developed because of some horror’s in their past aid the FBI in solving murders. At the beginning of the series, they only work on cold cases, but by this book, they’re working on an active case and getting entangled in some pretty awful things. I love the suspense, and I love how different this series is from many other YA books.Each of the earlier books in the series focuses on the backstory of one of the characters, and this book reveals details about the remaining two characters. It also brings the series full circle and involves the death of Cassie’s (the main characters and narrator) mother, which is introduced in book 1. I really enjoyed how personal everything becomes throughout this series. Barnes’ is a master of bringing the reader along on an emotional rollercoaster, and this book is no exception.A new “Natural” is introduced in this book, and while it’s clear that this series is over by the end of the book, Barnes does kind of leave it open for a possible spin-off series, which I would read in a heartbeat if she ever writes it. Her writing is so masterful. I have already reserved this first book on audio via Overdrive. I never went back to re-read the books before each new one was released, but knowing how interconnected the stories are, I now need to re-listen to the full series if I can find it.[...]

As always, very well-written and intriguing! Captivated me the whole time. This was a great end to a great series!

This is probably one of the best series I've read in this genre.Every book could stand alone, and there is enough development and well designed twists to accomplish it. But the way the story has been woven throughout the books, leading up to this one, is very well done.The only thing I take issue with, is how rushed the last 3 chapters felt. After the slow burn through the rest of the book, I would have liked a little more time with the things that occur at the end of this wild ride.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Naturals series coalesces into a thrilling conclusion with Bad Blood. Cassie Hobbes’s world turned upside down with her mother’s gruesome murder. Years later, recruited by the FBI to be a part of a team of gifted teens that assist in the investigation of unsolved murders, Cassie has forged a new kind of family for herself. But the past refuses to let go and Cassie’s world is once again turned upside down when she discovers her mother is alive. Cassie will do anything to find the people who have kept her mother captive all these years including going toe to toe with a dangerous organization of serial killers who’ve be wreaking havoc across the country for decades. The hunt for answers will brings Cassie closer to her mother, but will also bring her and her team into the crosshairs of a group of killers who will do anything to keep their secrets buried.What I’ve enjoyed most about Barnes’s series is how well she balances plot and character development. Hunting serial killers means the stakes are always high and sometimes they become personal. Much of Cassie’s motivation stems from guilt for having failed her mother in some way. These cases bring out the best in Cassie’s ability to profile the killer and sometimes even the victim, but they also have an emotional toll. In Bad Blood, Cassie is desperate to find her mother, but it may turn her into someone she no longer recognizes and cost her the people she’s found a home with. Of the five members of The Naturals, Dean Redding, son of an infamous serial killer, may be the most well-adjusted. The earlier novels focus more on his story and him having to constantly prove to everyone that he isn’t like his father. His relationship with Cassie is one my favorites in the series as the two of them play off each other so well. I missed seeing more of this dynamic and would have liked the author to show how both characters are learning to be vulnerable with the other despite their pasts.Standout character for the second book in a row goes to Lia Zhang. Probably the most well-rounded character in the series, Lia isn’t always open to sharing who she is. In those rare moments of vulnerability, we see a girl whose been emotionally manipulated and who had to make tough choices at very young age. She’s adopted the art of lying as a means of survival, but this often means that even those closest to her don’t know her entire story. Michael comes from an abusive home and is more likely to hide behind a cocky smile than give any indication of what he might really be feeling. I wasn’t a big fan of the Lia and Michael dynamic, not because I didn’t think they were compatible, but because they quarreled more than they built each other up. I think it would have gone a long way to see these two take things slow (their history aside) and learn how to communicate in an open and honest way–not just for their relationship’s sake but also for their individual development. Sloane is used to being the odd one out and after the events of the last book, it becomes vitally important to her to feel like part of the team. Not just as someone who can crunch number or hack into an FBI secured laptop, but as a valuable member of this makeshift family. It is Sloane who I see as making the most strides when it comes to expressing her emotions in a group rapt with dark pasts.Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s Bad Blood is just as compelling as its predecessors with dark twists that will keep the reader on their toes from start to finish.

I really enjoyed the Naturals series. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense, young adult novels. Gives you an inside look at profiling in a unique way.