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Instinct
To tell the truth...it doesn’t really matter if you lie.
It’s impossible to lie to Derry MacKenna. For as long as she can remember, Derry has been plagued by the extraordinary ability to hear, see, and feel the truth. But when Derry and her erratic, self-centered mother move to historic Harpers Ferry, she discovers she is not the only one with hidden talents.
As the newest reporter on the school newspaper, Derry learns of a high school student’s unexpected suicide and recognizes that the truth behind her death may still be hidden. When tragedy strikes, Derry is drawn into a deadly battle of wits with the only person whom her abilities don’t affect.
Driven by guilt and an obsession with bringing the killer to justice, Derry finds herself in danger from a vindictive murderer, a sadistic deviant who preys on the weak, and trapped in the middle of a treacherous triangle of attraction between two brothers whose abilities rival her own. Derry must trust her instincts to guide her to the truth and bring her enemies to justice even as she fights for her own survival.
INSTINCT focuses on a gifted, intelligent, and loyal heroine who must contend not only with the inherent dangers of high school bullying and backstabbing, but with loss, grief, and guilt. Against issues of sexual abuse, teenage suicide, and destructive relationships, the heroine learns to cherish the strength of real friendship, understand accountability, and experiences the healing touch of first love.
It’s impossible to lie to Derry MacKenna. For as long as she can remember, Derry has been plagued by the extraordinary ability to hear, see, and feel the truth. But when Derry and her erratic, self-centered mother move to historic Harpers Ferry, she discovers she is not the only one with hidden talents.
As the newest reporter on the school newspaper, Derry learns of a high school student’s unexpected suicide and recognizes that the truth behind her death may still be hidden. When tragedy strikes, Derry is drawn into a deadly battle of wits with the only person whom her abilities don’t affect.
Driven by guilt and an obsession with bringing the killer to justice, Derry finds herself in danger from a vindictive murderer, a sadistic deviant who preys on the weak, and trapped in the middle of a treacherous triangle of attraction between two brothers whose abilities rival her own. Derry must trust her instincts to guide her to the truth and bring her enemies to justice even as she fights for her own survival.
INSTINCT focuses on a gifted, intelligent, and loyal heroine who must contend not only with the inherent dangers of high school bullying and backstabbing, but with loss, grief, and guilt. Against issues of sexual abuse, teenage suicide, and destructive relationships, the heroine learns to cherish the strength of real friendship, understand accountability, and experiences the healing touch of first love.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2013
5 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Mattie Dunman
4 books52 followersMattie Dunman is a lifelong resident of "Wild & Wonderful" West Virginia, and has dreamed of being a writer since she first held a pen in hand.
Mattie has pursued several useless degrees to support this dream, and presently is lost in the stacks of her local library. She spends most of her free time writing, but also indulges in reading and traveling.
She is the proud owner of an adorably insane American Eskimo named Finn, a tyrant orange tabby named Bella, and a clever tiger tabby named Peabody who take up more of her attention than they probably should.
Mattie would love to hear from you at mattiedunman@gmail.com! or on Facebook!
Mattie has pursued several useless degrees to support this dream, and presently is lost in the stacks of her local library. She spends most of her free time writing, but also indulges in reading and traveling.
She is the proud owner of an adorably insane American Eskimo named Finn, a tyrant orange tabby named Bella, and a clever tiger tabby named Peabody who take up more of her attention than they probably should.
Mattie would love to hear from you at mattiedunman@gmail.com! or on Facebook!
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 16, 2013
I like those books where you know within the first few pages that this is going to be one you will enjoy - and this is one of those. I was immediately caught up in the story. We meet Derry as she is helping her mom deal with a potential business associate. With Derry's unique ability to ferret out lies, she lets her mom know that this man is not tellling the whole truth. But her ability isn't just when she meets someone, it is also with printed words - books, newspaper articles, store signs. She sees what is meant behind the words (tends to take the joy out of shopping!)
Her mom has home schooled her since Kindergarten because of her "talent" and an unfortunate incident that happened when she spoke the truth at an open house. Derry is now seventeen, and though she has already passed her high school equivalency exams, she wants to know what it means to be a teenager in high school.
For this reason she is attending high school for the first time as a senior. Remember, if you will, what it is like to be in high school and imagine all the things she "hears" when she meets these kids for the first time. Even with an innocent 'hello' she hears what they are feeling or thinking at the time.
Before she has even acclimated to the high school environment, she finds herself questioning why she wanted to do this. Being the stubborn girl that she is though, she pushes on and begins to make friends. On one hand it is easy for her to find real friends, because she knows who is being truthful when they speak to her. Well - except for Phillip. For some reason she does not 'hear' anything different when he speaks to her. She does 'feel' that he is lying to her though, but can't quite figure him out.
Let's get to the big mystery - a high school girl, Miranda, has apparently committed suicide by jumping off the local bridge. Her best friend, Nicole, (Derry's first real friend at school) is adamant that she wouldn't have killed herself. Stumbling upon a newspaper article regarding the girl's death, Derry starts to feel that way as well.
I like the way that Derry and Nicole's friendship develops and how Derry is able to get the mean girls to stop targeting Nicole so that she comes back out of her shell. Derry also gets close very quickly with two brothers, Cole and Jack. She discovers that they have unique talents as she does and she is drawn (and at times frightened) by both.
There are characters in this book that made my skin crawl and characters that made my heart pound. I felt like I was right in the action with Derry and was cheering her on with every new discovery she made. She didn't always make the smartest decisions though, and seems to be a friend of near-death incidents.
I feel that there is more to this story though, and hope that Mattie is going to take us there in another book, as it will definitely be on my TBR list! You can read the first chapter by visiting Mattie's website.
Her mom has home schooled her since Kindergarten because of her "talent" and an unfortunate incident that happened when she spoke the truth at an open house. Derry is now seventeen, and though she has already passed her high school equivalency exams, she wants to know what it means to be a teenager in high school.
For this reason she is attending high school for the first time as a senior. Remember, if you will, what it is like to be in high school and imagine all the things she "hears" when she meets these kids for the first time. Even with an innocent 'hello' she hears what they are feeling or thinking at the time.
Before she has even acclimated to the high school environment, she finds herself questioning why she wanted to do this. Being the stubborn girl that she is though, she pushes on and begins to make friends. On one hand it is easy for her to find real friends, because she knows who is being truthful when they speak to her. Well - except for Phillip. For some reason she does not 'hear' anything different when he speaks to her. She does 'feel' that he is lying to her though, but can't quite figure him out.
Let's get to the big mystery - a high school girl, Miranda, has apparently committed suicide by jumping off the local bridge. Her best friend, Nicole, (Derry's first real friend at school) is adamant that she wouldn't have killed herself. Stumbling upon a newspaper article regarding the girl's death, Derry starts to feel that way as well.
I like the way that Derry and Nicole's friendship develops and how Derry is able to get the mean girls to stop targeting Nicole so that she comes back out of her shell. Derry also gets close very quickly with two brothers, Cole and Jack. She discovers that they have unique talents as she does and she is drawn (and at times frightened) by both.
There are characters in this book that made my skin crawl and characters that made my heart pound. I felt like I was right in the action with Derry and was cheering her on with every new discovery she made. She didn't always make the smartest decisions though, and seems to be a friend of near-death incidents.
I feel that there is more to this story though, and hope that Mattie is going to take us there in another book, as it will definitely be on my TBR list! You can read the first chapter by visiting Mattie's website.
August 7, 2013
Many of us have wondered what it would be like to have the ability to hear the truth out of someone as soon as we met them. We rely on our instincts, but aren't necessarily good at following them. Hearing what a person is really hiding as soon as they open their mouths could prevent you from getting burned by a bad relationship later on down the road. However, it can also be quite a burden. How many secrets would you hear about horrors in someone's past? How would you go about helping those abused people, without freaking them out with your knowledge? How would you convince others of the truth, when you are the only one who heard it? While the situations in this book push that to somewhat of an extreme, they also demonstrate how horrible and difficult that gift could actually be.
One aspect of this book that I really liked is that it is a paranormal novel that doesn't fit the same cookie cutter mold as so many of the other ones out there right now. Derry isn't predestined for great things. No one is viciously plotting her demise or to obtain her, solely for her powers. She has been aware of her gift for as long as she can remember, and embraces it. Even while using it to her advantage, she still seeks some normalcy and has a desire to blend in as much as possible. It's a breath of fresh air.
I like Derry. She seems really down-to-earth, despite having this "gift" that allows her to always see the truth in people, no matter how much they try to hide it. She has been unable to lead a normal life, having been sheltered by being homeschooled. All she wants is the chance to have a normal high school experience before going on to college. She gets anything but that.
Her desire for friendship is genuine. She actually has an advantage by truly being able to see people for who they are. Her big heart helps her to find those who are need of a real friend, even if it gets her into some trouble. She usually uses her gift for the greater good and doesn't take advantage of it, like others may do or hope to do.
Her role as a school news reporter is the perfect cover for her ability. She is gifted in asking people questions to expose the truths that they have unknowingly revealed to her. She builds relationships with people, who end up being able to help her when she needs it the most. She also meets some unsavory characters through this job. For some of them, their stories come to a conclusion in this book. For others, it sounds like their stories are just beginning and may be explored in sequels.
This book also treads on the ground of typical high school experiences. You have your mean girls and the guys who think they are God's gift to women. You have the insecure kids who may have ridden high in the past, but one faux pas sent then crashing down to the pits of popularity. You have the loners and the bad boys. Readers are going to recognize a lot of these characters from their own high school experiences. I think Mattie has some good insight into the world of the teenager.
On occasion, I admit that I got confused. Were the words actually being spoken or actually written, or was it just Derry's interpretation? Sometimes the true meaning and what was really said or written got a little mixed up. Of course, I can believe that isn't too far off from how Derry's life actually is - confusing the two.
I look forward to checking out more of her books in the future.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
One aspect of this book that I really liked is that it is a paranormal novel that doesn't fit the same cookie cutter mold as so many of the other ones out there right now. Derry isn't predestined for great things. No one is viciously plotting her demise or to obtain her, solely for her powers. She has been aware of her gift for as long as she can remember, and embraces it. Even while using it to her advantage, she still seeks some normalcy and has a desire to blend in as much as possible. It's a breath of fresh air.
I like Derry. She seems really down-to-earth, despite having this "gift" that allows her to always see the truth in people, no matter how much they try to hide it. She has been unable to lead a normal life, having been sheltered by being homeschooled. All she wants is the chance to have a normal high school experience before going on to college. She gets anything but that.
Her desire for friendship is genuine. She actually has an advantage by truly being able to see people for who they are. Her big heart helps her to find those who are need of a real friend, even if it gets her into some trouble. She usually uses her gift for the greater good and doesn't take advantage of it, like others may do or hope to do.
Her role as a school news reporter is the perfect cover for her ability. She is gifted in asking people questions to expose the truths that they have unknowingly revealed to her. She builds relationships with people, who end up being able to help her when she needs it the most. She also meets some unsavory characters through this job. For some of them, their stories come to a conclusion in this book. For others, it sounds like their stories are just beginning and may be explored in sequels.
This book also treads on the ground of typical high school experiences. You have your mean girls and the guys who think they are God's gift to women. You have the insecure kids who may have ridden high in the past, but one faux pas sent then crashing down to the pits of popularity. You have the loners and the bad boys. Readers are going to recognize a lot of these characters from their own high school experiences. I think Mattie has some good insight into the world of the teenager.
On occasion, I admit that I got confused. Were the words actually being spoken or actually written, or was it just Derry's interpretation? Sometimes the true meaning and what was really said or written got a little mixed up. Of course, I can believe that isn't too far off from how Derry's life actually is - confusing the two.
I look forward to checking out more of her books in the future.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 13, 2013
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Derry MacKenna can tell when people lie. The first sentence out of anyone's mouth is always some random truth that's on their mind at the time. They don't actually speak it, Derry just hears it, missing whatever it was that they did say. She has trouble reading non-fiction. Since it's supposedly based on factual data, she sees the truth until it finally fades, revealing the actual words beneath. Can you imagine reading a history book?! This isn't a family thing, just a curse Derry's had for as long as she can remember. She thinks she's the only one...
Having not attended school since an incident in Kindergarten, Derry convinces her mother to allow her to complete the last semester of her senior year at the small local high school. Derry wants to experience high school before it's too late, but she gets a bit more than she bargained for. In her first class she meets Nicole, a pariah since her best friend, Miranda, committed suicide several months ago. She also meets Phillip, a gorgeous guy who also has the distinction of being the first person Derry is unable to hear the truth from. When she's in his presence, her skin tingles the entire time, but not in a good way. Her skin tingles the way it does whenever someone is lying to her.
Derry dreams of being a reporter which leads her to working on the school newspaper. There she meets a perverted teacher, along with the paper's editor, Jake, who seems to have anger control issues. Derry begins researching Miranda's death after Nicole is insistent that it wasn't a suicide. This new obsession may not be good for Derry's overall well being. She begins to uncover damning evidence that leads her to believe Nicole may be right.
Enter Cole Durant, tall, dark and handsome. Oh, and dangerous. Harpers Ferry's resident bad boy has a secret, but that's not enough to keep Derry away. She's drawn to Cole against her better judgment. I would be too, the guy oozes appeal. As far as romantic interests go, I really liked Cole. Sometimes Mr. Perfect just gets old. Cole has a past, he's human, and he actually cares about Derry.
This is a great mystery, full of suspense and twists. It was a little long to read in one sitting, but I was loath to put it down, reading until so late my eyes were too heavy to stay open any longer. The paranormal aspect is interesting, though I can't imagine what Derry goes through on a daily basis. I enjoyed the characters, even the peripheral characters had life. The ending surprised me (that doesn't happen very often) and left me feeling satisfied. I recommend Instinct to everyone high school and up that enjoys an intriguing mystery with a touch of the paranormal and a bit of romance.
Derry MacKenna can tell when people lie. The first sentence out of anyone's mouth is always some random truth that's on their mind at the time. They don't actually speak it, Derry just hears it, missing whatever it was that they did say. She has trouble reading non-fiction. Since it's supposedly based on factual data, she sees the truth until it finally fades, revealing the actual words beneath. Can you imagine reading a history book?! This isn't a family thing, just a curse Derry's had for as long as she can remember. She thinks she's the only one...
Having not attended school since an incident in Kindergarten, Derry convinces her mother to allow her to complete the last semester of her senior year at the small local high school. Derry wants to experience high school before it's too late, but she gets a bit more than she bargained for. In her first class she meets Nicole, a pariah since her best friend, Miranda, committed suicide several months ago. She also meets Phillip, a gorgeous guy who also has the distinction of being the first person Derry is unable to hear the truth from. When she's in his presence, her skin tingles the entire time, but not in a good way. Her skin tingles the way it does whenever someone is lying to her.
Derry dreams of being a reporter which leads her to working on the school newspaper. There she meets a perverted teacher, along with the paper's editor, Jake, who seems to have anger control issues. Derry begins researching Miranda's death after Nicole is insistent that it wasn't a suicide. This new obsession may not be good for Derry's overall well being. She begins to uncover damning evidence that leads her to believe Nicole may be right.
Enter Cole Durant, tall, dark and handsome. Oh, and dangerous. Harpers Ferry's resident bad boy has a secret, but that's not enough to keep Derry away. She's drawn to Cole against her better judgment. I would be too, the guy oozes appeal. As far as romantic interests go, I really liked Cole. Sometimes Mr. Perfect just gets old. Cole has a past, he's human, and he actually cares about Derry.
This is a great mystery, full of suspense and twists. It was a little long to read in one sitting, but I was loath to put it down, reading until so late my eyes were too heavy to stay open any longer. The paranormal aspect is interesting, though I can't imagine what Derry goes through on a daily basis. I enjoyed the characters, even the peripheral characters had life. The ending surprised me (that doesn't happen very often) and left me feeling satisfied. I recommend Instinct to everyone high school and up that enjoys an intriguing mystery with a touch of the paranormal and a bit of romance.
June 4, 2013
Mattie Dunman has given her readers a YA coming of age novel that balances paranormal power and romance with unique, engrossing secondary characters, an exciting and suspenseful contemporary plot, and a strong, believable heroine that provides the reader with a compelling story.
Derry MacKenna hears the truth in what people first say to her and what she first reads; and if that wasn’t enough she knows if people are lying. Homeschooled her whole life, she decides to attend part of her senior year in a high school in the small but unusual town of Harper’s Ferry, WV. She is looking forward to interacting with people her own age, finding friends, and perhaps romance, but finds herself dealing with intense issues of bullying, abuse and perhaps suicide.
Derry feels like a very real person; she doesn’t always make the right choices, acting with a teen’s sense of infallibility, until events open her eyes to a crueler reality.
I love this book and will recommend it to my students and friends alike. The dialogue is realistic and clever and the story provides page turning excitement while remaining moving and truly relevant to youth and adults in today’s world. The insights the author achieves should resonate with anyone who enjoys an exceptionally well written book.
Mattie Dunman
Derry MacKenna hears the truth in what people first say to her and what she first reads; and if that wasn’t enough she knows if people are lying. Homeschooled her whole life, she decides to attend part of her senior year in a high school in the small but unusual town of Harper’s Ferry, WV. She is looking forward to interacting with people her own age, finding friends, and perhaps romance, but finds herself dealing with intense issues of bullying, abuse and perhaps suicide.
Derry feels like a very real person; she doesn’t always make the right choices, acting with a teen’s sense of infallibility, until events open her eyes to a crueler reality.
I love this book and will recommend it to my students and friends alike. The dialogue is realistic and clever and the story provides page turning excitement while remaining moving and truly relevant to youth and adults in today’s world. The insights the author achieves should resonate with anyone who enjoys an exceptionally well written book.
Mattie Dunman
August 30, 2013
First I would like to thank the author Mattie Dunman for giving me this book for an honest review. Derry can tell when people lie, she even had trouble reading non-fiction because it’s supposed to be based on facts. She has been homeschooled since Kindergarten and she wants to go to high school, her mom gives in and lets her the last semester of school. She meets all kinds of people and this is not all good. I liked this book, there were many twists and turns in this mystery, tie it in with paranormal and it’s even better. The characters were great. I think Mattie did a great job bringing the story to life.
July 24, 2013
Writing: 5 stars
Editing: 4 stars
How much I liked it: 3 stars
This is a seriously well written book, that deals with some important, relevant issues. There was a lot of mystery throughout this book: from the death of a peer to Derry's powers, to other characters, there are so many unknowns. Thankfully this author was able to cover almost all of those topics, though not to the depth that I would have liked. Then again, not all of life's questions are answered so I'll let that one go.
Editing: 4 stars
How much I liked it: 3 stars
This is a seriously well written book, that deals with some important, relevant issues. There was a lot of mystery throughout this book: from the death of a peer to Derry's powers, to other characters, there are so many unknowns. Thankfully this author was able to cover almost all of those topics, though not to the depth that I would have liked. Then again, not all of life's questions are answered so I'll let that one go.
June 26, 2013
I have read both of Mattie Dunman's books and loved them they are so well written, i could not put them down the plots just lure you in and the creation and discription of the characters were so well written. LOVE YOUR BOOKS xxxx
October 21, 2016
Some heavy topics covered and quite a different take on the YA paranormal genre. An enjoyable read that kept me up late into the night so I could find out what happens! I could totally see myself sitting with the girls in the classroom nook across from the gym during lunchtime. ;)
June 14, 2013
Good book! Would recommend. A page turner for sure. Will look for more books from Mattie Dunman
June 15, 2013
Oh, Holiest of Cows. This book was amazing. Definitely one of the best I have EVER read. So sad but so freaking awesome!!!!!!! It deserves way more than five stars!
June 20, 2013
An awesome YA story... Sad, thrilling, and romantic all in one! Looking forward to seeing the future with Derry, Jake, and Cole...
June 19, 2013
This was a great book! I'm hopeing for there to be another one to follow up on some of the unanswered questions!!
June 13, 2013
So good, I could not put it down! This was a random find on Amazon and I'm so glad I read it.
September 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The concept for the main character, Derry's, ability was interesting and unique. She can hear, see, and feel when someone is lying to her at first glance. Talk about first impressions! The connection between Derry and the other characters is really intriguing and very intense. They feel so drawn to each other at first sight and the reader can feel it too. Especially between Derry and Jake. I mean, WHOA! I hope there is a sequel so we can find out why they are so drawn to each other.
I loved that Derry is intelligent, strong willed, and strong minded, especially when it comes to doing what's right, and yet she's a little naïve because she has been "sheltered" and home-schooled (because of her ability) with only TV references to help her navigate through her one and only year of high school. She's willing to go through many dangerous and scary situations to help her friends even though she's just met them. She keeps her wits together and her reactions are very realistic and fit well with her character. Many times the female protagonist's character doesn't remain consist from beginning to end. They start off strong, but turn onto a cowering bundle waiting for someone else. However, Derry's character remained strong and intelligent from start to finish.
As I said, I hope there is a second book because the characters deserve to know how their connection with each other plays out.
Thank Mattie Dunham for a great book.
I loved that Derry is intelligent, strong willed, and strong minded, especially when it comes to doing what's right, and yet she's a little naïve because she has been "sheltered" and home-schooled (because of her ability) with only TV references to help her navigate through her one and only year of high school. She's willing to go through many dangerous and scary situations to help her friends even though she's just met them. She keeps her wits together and her reactions are very realistic and fit well with her character. Many times the female protagonist's character doesn't remain consist from beginning to end. They start off strong, but turn onto a cowering bundle waiting for someone else. However, Derry's character remained strong and intelligent from start to finish.
As I said, I hope there is a second book because the characters deserve to know how their connection with each other plays out.
Thank Mattie Dunham for a great book.
May 3, 2014
When I started reading Instict I knew I would love this book right away. What I loved most about this book is that the main character in this story has a very special gift that is different from any other I have heard of before. Derry always hears a truth from any person she talks to as the first thing that comes out of their mouth. Derry also knows when someone is telling the truth or lying to her. Her gift seems so much more than just instict but I think that is probably the best thing to call it. Derry has been home-schooled her whole life but decides to go to a regular high school to prepare for her life in college. While she is going to school she finally makes friends and learns secrets from many of the students and teachers there. Nicole becomes her best friends and Derry tries to help her find out how Nicole's last best friend died. Of course like in most books things go all wrong and Nicole is murdered. Derry knows who did it but there is no proof. She uses her gift and in the end after getting in so much trouble everything is solved and she even finds love. I was confused about the way Derry felt about many of the guys in this story but I felt she made the right choice in the end. I loved it, great book!
August 20, 2013
This was a fast, enjoyable read for me. I liked the main character Derry and became rapidly engrossed in her story, always wondering where it would go next. I became a little bit annoyed at the redundancy of showing Derry’s lie detector abilities constantly, but that sometimes made for some hilarious moments. The tension and the mystery were well-maintained all the way to the end. I felt the teenage interactions were believable for the most part, and the conversations and banter helped propel the action along. A few things bothered me as being just wrong and/or criminal - actions taken or not taken by the supposed good guys which kept me personally from falling totally in love with this book. Still, I loved the premise, the story, and how clean and well-edited this novel is. I do think it should appeal to a wide cross-section of readers.
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
September 10, 2016
Wow! What a great book! I would recommend this book to anyone.
July 24, 2015
I guess I liked it?
Great writing though!
Great writing though!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews