4.5 stars rounded up!

I was recommended this book by a friend who knows me all too well and sold me on the fact that it's "Like Criminal Minds, but with gifted teens." Let me tell you that Barnes definitely delivered that. From nearly the beginning I was invested in the characters, desperate to know more about their backstories and who they are at their core, though there is still yet to be uncovered about the characters, I love them! I was not disappointed by the plot twist either. The Naturals definitely had some tension, but it wasn't overwhelming though. I wasn't necessarily on the edge of my seat, but I was desperate for answers. It felt somewhat cozy, even though there was a hunt for a serial killer.

Cassie has a natural ability to read people and determine their behavioral and personality traits, something that had been rooted in her from a young age. Something she attributes to her charlatan mother, but never took seriously. That is until she is approached and offered a job by the FBI to join a secret team of gifted teenagers and assist them in solving cold cases.

Cassie feels like an outsider in her own life and family and jumps at the opportunity to join the team. What Cassie doesn't expect is the unique team she has joined, the fact that they all have mostly unnerving pasts and secrets that many would prefer to keep quiet. As Cassie becomes more comfortable with her new living situation, being surrounded by reminders of murders, and her new roommates, a new and serious threat is uncovered, throwing Cassie into a game of cat-and-mouse that necessitates the whole team of Naturals' unique abilities.