3.5 stars 

so fun!! i’m looking forward to reading on with this series

let’s get it straight - it is not groundbreaking, not complex, hasn’t got amazing writing, not plot twist heavy, not a unique story. 

but if didn’t need to be. this is a group of special people solving cases and being part of a mystery. that’s all it needs to be. it’s a fun time, the characters are all different to each other and you grow to care about them, and you want to be part of their journey with them

our main 5 are cassie, dean, michael, lia, and sloane (our profilers, emotion reader, lie detector, and math calculation girly). i’ve grown to care for them all (probably important to note that i found myself caring for them when i binged the book, but when i was reading a chapter here and there, i was wayyyy less invested and cared a lot less. do what you will with that information) 

i tried not to guess the ending or the twists because i felt that it would be predictable (it was, despite my efforts to just sit back and relax). but i’m not even mad about it. it was what i expected going into a YA mystery. if i wanted insane plots and twists, id read adult 

only minor issue i have is the fkn love triangle AGAIN. why does miss barnes like doing this to us. i always feel bad for them and beg our mc to pick one (pick dean, dare i say he is grayson coded?