What do you think?
Rate this book
The Naturals #3
All In
Three casinos. Three bodies. Three days. After a string of brutal murders in Las Vegas, Cassie Hobbes and the Naturals are called in to investigate. But even with the team's unique profiling talents, these murders seem baffling: unlike many serial killers, this one uses different methods every time. All of the victims were killed in public, yet the killer does not show up on any tape. And each victim has a string of numbers tattooed on their wrist. Hidden in the numbers is a code—and the closer the Naturals come to unraveling the mystery, the more perilous the case becomes. Meanwhile, Cassie is dealing with an equally dangerous and much more painful mystery. For the first time in years, there's been a break in her mother's case. As personal issues and tensions between the team mount, Cassie and the Naturals will be faced with impossible odds—and impossible choices.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2015
7118 people are currently reading
107401 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
62 books54k followersJennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 22,528 reviews
August 23, 2023
my brain is REELING after finishing this book! i was thinking of taking a break to read something else between book three and four… but after that ending?!? absolutely not. a break is not an option.
nothing drives my brain crazier than not having answers. i physically need to know what happens next.
this is also an appreciation review for Sloane. she’s one of my favorite characters in this series and in this book we finally get the character development we want and deserve. 🙌🏻 Sloane also deserves a million hugs. baby girl is out here doing her best and being an absolute badass. ❤️
to my surprise, this is my favorite book of the series so far. the setting (Las Vegas) mixed with a good dose of character development and more than enough mystery… *chef’s kiss.* i’m satisfied.
if you haven’t already… pick this series up!! don’t make me tell you again!
nothing drives my brain crazier than not having answers. i physically need to know what happens next.
this is also an appreciation review for Sloane. she’s one of my favorite characters in this series and in this book we finally get the character development we want and deserve. 🙌🏻 Sloane also deserves a million hugs. baby girl is out here doing her best and being an absolute badass. ❤️
to my surprise, this is my favorite book of the series so far. the setting (Las Vegas) mixed with a good dose of character development and more than enough mystery… *chef’s kiss.* i’m satisfied.
if you haven’t already… pick this series up!! don’t make me tell you again!
November 12, 2024
Ummmm 6/5 stars!!! This book was SO good. Like the first 2 in the series were great, but this one..... so many plot twists and the mystery had such high stakes!! I'm still processing the ending & all the info we learned😳. It was like twist after twist after twist.
The way Jennifer Lynn Barnes ties everything together is soooo impressive. And I love that each book just gets more intense than the last. Also the characters! I'm so invested in them. I love that we got to learn a lot more about Sloane in this book. I know whenever I finish the last book I'm going to miss these characters so much. I want to read book 4 asap but also don't want the series to end😭
The way Jennifer Lynn Barnes ties everything together is soooo impressive. And I love that each book just gets more intense than the last. Also the characters! I'm so invested in them. I love that we got to learn a lot more about Sloane in this book. I know whenever I finish the last book I'm going to miss these characters so much. I want to read book 4 asap but also don't want the series to end😭
September 28, 2023
4.5 ily Sloane
March 26, 2025
★ 3.85 stars
people say that this series improves with each book... and they surely are not wrong.
the first two installments in this series — The Naturals & Killer Instinct — both delivered good and compelling plots overall, that’s for sure. but this one? this one had a plot that was more compelling and undeniably better in comparison. i can confirm that the stakes are significantly higher!
although i enjoyed the first books, i still complained about the fact that they were somewhat predictable to me personally and i won’t lie that i fully believed that this one would be the same. but, much to my surprise, it was not. the twists and turns were fortunately not predictable to me this time. i barely even had any theories, and at the few times that i tried to come up with one, i was quickly proven wrong. but well, i obviously adored that; after all, the best thing about reading a mystery book is not knowing where the story is going. it just makes things more exciting.
and the story was not only unpredictable, but it was also very intense, wild, and well thought-out too. mean, i did have a few small issues with it here and there, so it wasn’t completely perfect — but generally speaking, it was compelling like i said earlier. Jennifer Lynn Barnes leveled up with this one.
the development of the characters and the relationships between them were on point too. i was happy to see the characters having some much needed development in the previous book, and i was even happier to see more of that here — i liked that the author gave more layers to them. and the relationships were also more layered and stronger, i felt like their bond with each other grew so much more in this book and i adored that. what can i say? i just love the found family trope.
though i’m sure you might be asking, “then why aren’t you giving it a higher rating if you think it’s a good book?” and the answer is... because i personally wasn’t able to appreciate it as much as i was supposed and wanted to. but don’t worry; it’s not because of the book itself, it’s more of a ‘me issue’ to be deeply honest. i think everyone knows that feeling when you can recognize that a book is objectively good, but there are things — outside the book — that prevent you from really loving it, right? that’s exactly what happened with me here. i was recently feeling a little slumpy and, on top of that, i wasn’t having a lot of time to read this book anyway [i binged the first two in less than five days, but it took me almost three whole weeks to finish this one], so unfortunately, those things ended up affecting my personal reading experience and made me feel a bit disconnected to the story.
it’s truly frustrating, because i just know that this could’ve easily been my favorite book in the series if i had picked it up in a better time. but well... it is what it is, i unfortunately can’t change that. to repeat myself: the fault here is mine and most definitely not the book’s — so please don’t let my not-so-great experience influence yours.
while i didn’t absolutely love All In, i can still recognize its greatness. above everything, it’s a book that delivers a good time. like the first installments, it’s fast-paced, captivating and easy to read. don’t miss it out.
buddy read with my bestie charlotte. 💌
𝅄 𓂃 𖥻 “Home isn’t a place. Home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what.” 𑇛 ˚
people say that this series improves with each book... and they surely are not wrong.
the first two installments in this series — The Naturals & Killer Instinct — both delivered good and compelling plots overall, that’s for sure. but this one? this one had a plot that was more compelling and undeniably better in comparison. i can confirm that the stakes are significantly higher!
although i enjoyed the first books, i still complained about the fact that they were somewhat predictable to me personally and i won’t lie that i fully believed that this one would be the same. but, much to my surprise, it was not. the twists and turns were fortunately not predictable to me this time. i barely even had any theories, and at the few times that i tried to come up with one, i was quickly proven wrong. but well, i obviously adored that; after all, the best thing about reading a mystery book is not knowing where the story is going. it just makes things more exciting.
and the story was not only unpredictable, but it was also very intense, wild, and well thought-out too. mean, i did have a few small issues with it here and there, so it wasn’t completely perfect — but generally speaking, it was compelling like i said earlier. Jennifer Lynn Barnes leveled up with this one.
the development of the characters and the relationships between them were on point too. i was happy to see the characters having some much needed development in the previous book, and i was even happier to see more of that here — i liked that the author gave more layers to them. and the relationships were also more layered and stronger, i felt like their bond with each other grew so much more in this book and i adored that. what can i say? i just love the found family trope.
though i’m sure you might be asking, “then why aren’t you giving it a higher rating if you think it’s a good book?” and the answer is... because i personally wasn’t able to appreciate it as much as i was supposed and wanted to. but don’t worry; it’s not because of the book itself, it’s more of a ‘me issue’ to be deeply honest. i think everyone knows that feeling when you can recognize that a book is objectively good, but there are things — outside the book — that prevent you from really loving it, right? that’s exactly what happened with me here. i was recently feeling a little slumpy and, on top of that, i wasn’t having a lot of time to read this book anyway [i binged the first two in less than five days, but it took me almost three whole weeks to finish this one], so unfortunately, those things ended up affecting my personal reading experience and made me feel a bit disconnected to the story.
it’s truly frustrating, because i just know that this could’ve easily been my favorite book in the series if i had picked it up in a better time. but well... it is what it is, i unfortunately can’t change that. to repeat myself: the fault here is mine and most definitely not the book’s — so please don’t let my not-so-great experience influence yours.
while i didn’t absolutely love All In, i can still recognize its greatness. above everything, it’s a book that delivers a good time. like the first installments, it’s fast-paced, captivating and easy to read. don’t miss it out.
buddy read with my bestie charlotte. 💌
February 29, 2024
—— 4.25 ✰ stars.
This review will be completely spoiler-free, although it is the third in a series, I did not review the previous two, so I will briefly explain what the series is about and my opinion in general.
Cassie has a gift, she is able to make psychological profiles of people just by seeing how they behave, how they dress or how they move. One day she is recruited by the FBI to be part of the Naturals, a group of teenagers, who, like her, have a gift, for solving cold cases. But when a murderer begins to act in a way similar to her mother's murder case, Cassie and the rest of the Naturals' world will turn upside down.
The pace of the book is very fast, I actually read it in two days because I was very busy, if I had had time, I would have read it in one sitting, things are happening all the time, and the author's writing is very fast and simple. The chapters are very short, which makes it easy to read.
First of all, I have to say that all the members of the group have had complicated or special childhoods, which have made them develop their skills.
'we wouldn't be The Naturals if we had normal childhoods'
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴄᴀꜱꜱᴀɴᴅʀᴀ “ᴄᴀꜱꜱɪᴇ” ʜᴏʙʙᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇʀ
Cassie is a good main character, being in her mind is very interesting since she is always profiling people, she is very intelligent and cares a lot about her colleagues.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴅᴇᴀɴ ʀᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇʀ
Like Cassie, Dean is also a profiler, he is a more surly and reserved, mysterious character, he reminds me a lot of Grayson from The Inheritance Games.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴍɪᴄʜᴀᴇʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴꜱᴇɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
Michael is a very volatile character, he is impulsive and apparently extroverted, but as a good reader of emotions, he knows how to hide his own very well, he reminds me of Jameson from The Inheritance Games.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ʟɪᴀ ᴢʜᴀɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ
Lia is the most mysterious character of all, since until this book nothing is known about her past, she knows how to lie very well, and she is very direct and sometimes cruel. She's not an easy character to get attached to, but I like her a lot.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ꜱʟᴏᴀɴᴇ ᴛᴀᴠɪꜱʜ, ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴇɴɪᴜꜱ
Sloane is my favorite character in the books, she is like a human computer, she understands more about numbers than emotions, but she is the sweetest and most innocent person in the group, danger, high risk of falling in love with her and feeling the need to protect her.
'I believe that he knew what it was like to be broken'
I recommend this series 100%, although I still have to read the final book, in my opinion it is much better than the inheritance games, apart from the fact that the writer has studied psychology and all the information given about human behavior and murderers is very interesting.
➟ Old Updates:
rtc!
feb 21: aaaaa it’s time to continue the series 🥺🫶🏼 i miss my baby Sloane so much
‘home isn’t a place, home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what’
This review will be completely spoiler-free, although it is the third in a series, I did not review the previous two, so I will briefly explain what the series is about and my opinion in general.
↳˗ˏˋ𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚝ˊˎ˗ ↴:
Cassie has a gift, she is able to make psychological profiles of people just by seeing how they behave, how they dress or how they move. One day she is recruited by the FBI to be part of the Naturals, a group of teenagers, who, like her, have a gift, for solving cold cases. But when a murderer begins to act in a way similar to her mother's murder case, Cassie and the rest of the Naturals' world will turn upside down.
↳˗ˏˋ𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐ˊˎ˗ ↴:
The pace of the book is very fast, I actually read it in two days because I was very busy, if I had had time, I would have read it in one sitting, things are happening all the time, and the author's writing is very fast and simple. The chapters are very short, which makes it easy to read.
↳˗ˏˋ𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 ˊˎ˗ ↴:
First of all, I have to say that all the members of the group have had complicated or special childhoods, which have made them develop their skills.
'we wouldn't be The Naturals if we had normal childhoods'
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴄᴀꜱꜱᴀɴᴅʀᴀ “ᴄᴀꜱꜱɪᴇ” ʜᴏʙʙᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇʀ
Cassie is a good main character, being in her mind is very interesting since she is always profiling people, she is very intelligent and cares a lot about her colleagues.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴅᴇᴀɴ ʀᴇᴅᴅɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇʀ
Like Cassie, Dean is also a profiler, he is a more surly and reserved, mysterious character, he reminds me a lot of Grayson from The Inheritance Games.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴍɪᴄʜᴀᴇʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴꜱᴇɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
Michael is a very volatile character, he is impulsive and apparently extroverted, but as a good reader of emotions, he knows how to hide his own very well, he reminds me of Jameson from The Inheritance Games.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ʟɪᴀ ᴢʜᴀɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ
Lia is the most mysterious character of all, since until this book nothing is known about her past, she knows how to lie very well, and she is very direct and sometimes cruel. She's not an easy character to get attached to, but I like her a lot.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ꜱʟᴏᴀɴᴇ ᴛᴀᴠɪꜱʜ, ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴇɴɪᴜꜱ
Sloane is my favorite character in the books, she is like a human computer, she understands more about numbers than emotions, but she is the sweetest and most innocent person in the group, danger, high risk of falling in love with her and feeling the need to protect her.
↳˗ˏˋ𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 ˊˎ˗ ↴:
'I believe that he knew what it was like to be broken'
I recommend this series 100%, although I still have to read the final book, in my opinion it is much better than the inheritance games, apart from the fact that the writer has studied psychology and all the information given about human behavior and murderers is very interesting.
➟ Old Updates:
rtc!
feb 21: aaaaa it’s time to continue the series 🥺🫶🏼 i miss my baby Sloane so much
December 24, 2024
Dobrze się bawiłam, jak zawsze, ale zagadka w tym tomie była conajmniej… dziwaczna. Plot twisty i jej rozwiązanie zupełnie mnie nie przekonały i raczej rozczarowały :(
April 28, 2024
i stayyyy thinking i can guess how the books in this series will end and am constantly a little bit wrong… this storyline i need the next one like yesterday
September 23, 2023
Too young to party, just old enough to participate in federal investigations of serial murder. Story of my life.
4.5 stars
the inheritance games could never. i’m loving this series so much.
if you LOVE found family i will guarantee you will love this series. their bond continues to strengthen and grow with each book and i love seeing how well they are able to be there for each other.
plus jennifer lynn barnes keeps fooling me with these plot twists and im not mad about it!!! i’m not going to spoil anything but this book had me the most perplexed from the three and i hope she fucks w my mind a little more this last book.
this book just showed me how much i truly love sloane and the rest of them, they’re literally all my babies 😌
i’m pretty sure i’ll be sooo sad when i finish these books 💔
August 31, 2023
TOO MANY NUMBERS
July 10, 2023
wut in the actual f*ck did I just read
December 18, 2023
they did, in fact, carry it. honestly im not sure if its because im not in the mood for this series anymore or bc it just went downhill from the first book... idk but im bored
----
sloane and michael are gonna carry this book on their backsss
----
sloane and michael are gonna carry this book on their backsss
October 6, 2023
The naturals are at it again using their abilities in Vegas 🎲 to uncover the workings of a new serial killer. the odds were for sure in no one’s favor and they were in fact all in together (the found family trope really shined here) and I was so here for it.
The way the ending to this managed to leave me completely puzzled?? this one left my jaw unquestionably on the floor in comparison to book 2. Jennifer just knows how to surprise and keep you guessing.
It was just as gripping and suspenseful especially given the shocking twist that’s revealed along the way and I—have no words.
Lia was more tolerable here so it seems like she’s growing on me after all. Jude and Sloane 🫂 that’s it. If I loved her in book 2, here you can imagine how much more as we get more of her back story. She must be protected at all costs. There’s also some character development with the rest of the naturals and I can only imagine how it’ll go from here.
I’m equally anxious and excited for the last book, so you best believe I’ll now be bingeing bad blood and I can’t wait for ALL the answers possible
4.5 stars
Pre review
I’m unwell after that ending because of the cliffhanger this leaves off on. It’s literally 4am rn and I want to binge bad blood so so bad but I must sleep 😣 rtc later maybe? Idk lol
The way the ending to this managed to leave me completely puzzled?? this one left my jaw unquestionably on the floor in comparison to book 2. Jennifer just knows how to surprise and keep you guessing.
It was just as gripping and suspenseful especially given the shocking twist that’s revealed along the way and I—have no words.
Lia was more tolerable here so it seems like she’s growing on me after all. Jude and Sloane 🫂 that’s it. If I loved her in book 2, here you can imagine how much more as we get more of her back story. She must be protected at all costs. There’s also some character development with the rest of the naturals and I can only imagine how it’ll go from here.
I’m equally anxious and excited for the last book, so you best believe I’ll now be bingeing bad blood and I can’t wait for ALL the answers possible
4.5 stars
Pre review
I’m unwell after that ending because of the cliffhanger this leaves off on. It’s literally 4am rn and I want to binge bad blood so so bad but I must sleep 😣 rtc later maybe? Idk lol
June 7, 2017
Is hurts to breathe. Like just leave me alone, so I can listen to Taylor Swift and DIE kind of hurt. Now I know what you're thinking "oh she's just being overdramatic" but I'm not! I never saw this coming EVER. It has been like 4 hours and I'm still reeling. But besides that All In was so AMAZING!! We got answers, we found out a lot about Slone, I think the next one's going to be about Lia, which is AWESOME because I LOVE HER, we found out a ton of stuff about Cassie's mom/family/EVERYTHING, also cults, who doesn't love a good YA book about cults?! They're intriguing and terrifying all at the same time. The only bad part? All the truly mind blowing stuff that happened I can't even talk about it. D: FIVE GLOWING STARS.
UPDATE
EEEEEEK IT'S NOW 10:37. WILL 12:00 GET HERE BEFORE I DIE!?!
A COVER! A TITLE! AND THE SYNOPSIS! AHHHHHHHH
November?! Whyyyyy?
September 20, 2024
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🧩꒱ — 4 ★
"𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕."
It was such an entertaining read. It's one of these that are literally impossible to put down, because you want to know more and more with every page you read. I loved how all pieces were put together, and the plot twist at the end was INSANE. We finally got to know Sloane a little better, so I really liked that part. I felt so bad for her throughout the whole book, she deserves so much better.
THERE WAS TOO MUCH MATH, though. My brain couldn't genuinely keep up with these numbers. 😭😭
"𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆."
"𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔."
"𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕."
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🧩꒱ pre-read
It's time to dive back into the naturals world. Dean is perfect for Cassie, but Michael is a better character. (It's not like he reminds me of Jameson. Not at all) I'm so, so excited to read this one!
"𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕."
It was such an entertaining read. It's one of these that are literally impossible to put down, because you want to know more and more with every page you read. I loved how all pieces were put together, and the plot twist at the end was INSANE. We finally got to know Sloane a little better, so I really liked that part. I felt so bad for her throughout the whole book, she deserves so much better.
THERE WAS TOO MUCH MATH, though. My brain couldn't genuinely keep up with these numbers. 😭😭
"𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆."
"𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔."
"𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕."
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🧩꒱ pre-read
It's time to dive back into the naturals world. Dean is perfect for Cassie, but Michael is a better character. (It's not like he reminds me of Jameson. Not at all) I'm so, so excited to read this one!
May 17, 2024
₊˚꒰🧸꒱ ⊹ pre-read: escaping from the reality of my ap exams next week by reading about my favorite messed up teenagers who solve crimes all day <3
May 24, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ brb while i throw up from how much i love this series and these characters!!!!!!!!!!!
August 14, 2023
sloane deserves the biggest hug and forehead kiss of all time
October 30, 2025
5 stars ❔ 🪄 🤹 🕴️ 🫂 👗 🎭 🖤 🧱
I’m gagged. I’m speechless. We’re in the third book (3/4), and I don’t even know what to think or what to expect from the final book. My head is spinning because… what the hell was that?! (👁ˋ _ ˊ 👁)
Whatever you’re doing right now, if you haven’t read this series, what are you even waiting for? GO PICK IT UP NOW!! This series is absolutely incredible.
∘₊✧─────✧₊∘✧─────✧₊∘✧─────✧₊∘
These parallel from this book & the first book got me.
∘₊✧─────✧∘₊✧─────✧ ∘₊✧─────✧₊∘
And I’ve decided, I’m Team Dean ˚.🎀༘⋆
Only 3 days ago, I was Team Michael 💔
I’m gagged. I’m speechless. We’re in the third book (3/4), and I don’t even know what to think or what to expect from the final book. My head is spinning because… what the hell was that?! (👁ˋ _ ˊ 👁)
Whatever you’re doing right now, if you haven’t read this series, what are you even waiting for? GO PICK IT UP NOW!! This series is absolutely incredible.
∘₊✧─────✧₊∘✧─────✧₊∘✧─────✧₊∘
These parallel from this book & the first book got me.
All In: “Dean brought his hand to rest on the back of my neck. I’m here. I need you to breathe for me, Cassie.”
The Naturals: “I felt a hand, warm and steady, on the back of my neck. Dean. “You’re fine. Just breathe.”
∘₊✧─────✧∘₊✧─────✧ ∘₊✧─────✧₊∘
And I’ve decided, I’m Team Dean ˚.🎀༘⋆
Only 3 days ago, I was Team Michael 💔
Read
July 23, 2025my jaw is on the FLOOR?! that ending was insane i need the next one NOW!!!!
January 26, 2024
WHAT THE FUCKITY FUCKING FUCK!?!?!?!(
the last 80 pages i was saying “what the fuck” and “oh my god” every page i swear
the last 80 pages i was saying “what the fuck” and “oh my god” every page i swear
Want to read
August 16, 2024 Alright. I've made it all the way to book 3. THIS one I've heard is the turning point - I'm looking at you Imme lol. 😉 Here we go! 💘
![Profile Image for Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1700013408i%2F101358081._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 16, 2024
|| 4.5 stars ||
Oh my god, this was so good! I liked the first two books a lot, but this was truly a million times better!
We’ve left the silly romance plot behind entirely, and instead, this book only focused on giving us an intricate, well thought-out, and intriguing murder mystery that gets solved in the most tension-filled way!
I love that each little piece gets revealed slowly and surprisingly, but that every single reveal still made so much sense afterwards. I was shocked by a lot of them, but nothing felt random or forced; there were always clues that could be pointed at, even if you didn’t see them at first!
P.S. When it comes to Sloane, I feel like a mother hen protecting her chick. I want to wrap her up in a warm blanket, tell her everything will be okay, and snarl at anyone who dares to come too close.
'The Naturals' series:
1. The Naturals - 3.0 stars
2. Killer Instinct - 3.5 stars
3. All In - 4.5 stars
4. Bad Blood - 4.5 stars
Oh my god, this was so good! I liked the first two books a lot, but this was truly a million times better!
We’ve left the silly romance plot behind entirely, and instead, this book only focused on giving us an intricate, well thought-out, and intriguing murder mystery that gets solved in the most tension-filled way!
I love that each little piece gets revealed slowly and surprisingly, but that every single reveal still made so much sense afterwards. I was shocked by a lot of them, but nothing felt random or forced; there were always clues that could be pointed at, even if you didn’t see them at first!
P.S. When it comes to Sloane, I feel like a mother hen protecting her chick. I want to wrap her up in a warm blanket, tell her everything will be okay, and snarl at anyone who dares to come too close.
'The Naturals' series:
1. The Naturals - 3.0 stars
2. Killer Instinct - 3.5 stars
3. All In - 4.5 stars
4. Bad Blood - 4.5 stars
![Profile Image for zeinab ⟢ [finals].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1761331073i%2F182537303._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 19, 2025
── . ⟢ 4.75 stars ★
﹒⌗﹒ spoilers will be marked ⸝⸝
➵ i’m screaming and crying. this book genuinely ruined me in all the best ways possible. every tear i shed for it was full of utter love for this book and these characters that i have quickly grown to be emotionally obsessed with. sloane especially broke me in this one, since this book takes place in her home city we really get to learn more about her past (which shattered my heart).
the vegas city vibes of this book had me absolutely obsessed. especially since it takes place at a casino. the vibes were immaculate and had me feeling so into the story. can we also talk about judd going shopping with cassie, lia, and sloane?? we love judd.
spoilers start here!! “what’s your favourite horror story?” sloane rocking back and forth in lia’s arms having a panic attack after her brother dies. the thing that killed me the most about aaron shaw’s death is that he and sloane had so much potential to be the best sibling duo. especially because sloane really had no other family that wanted her. i hurt so badly for her and for aaron. all he wanted was to be a good brother to the sister he never got to know. spoilers end here!!
found family is my favourite trope of all time. everyone should know that by now. can i just say how much i devoured it in this book especially?? dean, lia, cassie, and micheal protecting sloane like a little sister was everything to me. everyone in this series just means the world to me i don’t think anybody could fathom my love for it—i don’t even think i can.
the plot twists? jaw on the fucking floor. the thing is every time i thought it was over i just got hit with more and more plot twists. the cliffhanger was also absolutely criminal. but i’m not ready to read the last book yet because what do you mean i’m going to leave this world forever?? i can’t bear the thought. at the end of this book i was staring at the wall for 30 minutes just questioning everything in my life. it was that good. i can’t even begin to imagine the utter state of chaos the last book will leave me in.
✧ "don’t you ever apologise for being what your are."
✧ "i believe that he knew what it was like to be broken. i believed that i wasn’t broken to him. "
✧ ”too young to party, just old enough to participate in federal investigations of serial murder. story of my life.”
✧ "she wouldn’t ignore sloane—not in a city where sloane had spent most of her life being ignored by her own flesh and blood."
✧ "profiling came with a cost. but i would pay it again and again and again to make it so that even just one child never came home to blood on the walls."
✧ "my mother dressed me up in a white dress and left me in the bedroom and told me that if i was a good girl, my daddy would want us. he didn’t want me."
✧ "you know that just because you ignore something, that doesn’t make it go away. pretending something doesn’t matter doesn’t make it matter less."
i finished this book days ago and can’t stop thinking about it. it definitely holds such a special place in my heart along with the rest of this series so far. it healed me. and i can’t thank jennifer lynn barnes enough for these masterpieces.
﹒⌗﹒ spoilers will be marked ⸝⸝
“home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what.”
𓏲thoughts⸝ ⸝⸝
➵ i’m screaming and crying. this book genuinely ruined me in all the best ways possible. every tear i shed for it was full of utter love for this book and these characters that i have quickly grown to be emotionally obsessed with. sloane especially broke me in this one, since this book takes place in her home city we really get to learn more about her past (which shattered my heart).
the vegas city vibes of this book had me absolutely obsessed. especially since it takes place at a casino. the vibes were immaculate and had me feeling so into the story. can we also talk about judd going shopping with cassie, lia, and sloane?? we love judd.
spoilers start here!! “what’s your favourite horror story?” sloane rocking back and forth in lia’s arms having a panic attack after her brother dies. the thing that killed me the most about aaron shaw’s death is that he and sloane had so much potential to be the best sibling duo. especially because sloane really had no other family that wanted her. i hurt so badly for her and for aaron. all he wanted was to be a good brother to the sister he never got to know. spoilers end here!!
found family is my favourite trope of all time. everyone should know that by now. can i just say how much i devoured it in this book especially?? dean, lia, cassie, and micheal protecting sloane like a little sister was everything to me. everyone in this series just means the world to me i don’t think anybody could fathom my love for it—i don’t even think i can.
the plot twists? jaw on the fucking floor. the thing is every time i thought it was over i just got hit with more and more plot twists. the cliffhanger was also absolutely criminal. but i’m not ready to read the last book yet because what do you mean i’m going to leave this world forever?? i can’t bear the thought. at the end of this book i was staring at the wall for 30 minutes just questioning everything in my life. it was that good. i can’t even begin to imagine the utter state of chaos the last book will leave me in.
𓏲quotes⸝ ⸝⸝
✧ "don’t you ever apologise for being what your are."
✧ "i believe that he knew what it was like to be broken. i believed that i wasn’t broken to him. "
✧ ”too young to party, just old enough to participate in federal investigations of serial murder. story of my life.”
✧ "she wouldn’t ignore sloane—not in a city where sloane had spent most of her life being ignored by her own flesh and blood."
✧ "profiling came with a cost. but i would pay it again and again and again to make it so that even just one child never came home to blood on the walls."
✧ "my mother dressed me up in a white dress and left me in the bedroom and told me that if i was a good girl, my daddy would want us. he didn’t want me."
✧ "you know that just because you ignore something, that doesn’t make it go away. pretending something doesn’t matter doesn’t make it matter less."
𓏲overall⸝ ⸝⸝
i finished this book days ago and can’t stop thinking about it. it definitely holds such a special place in my heart along with the rest of this series so far. it healed me. and i can’t thank jennifer lynn barnes enough for these masterpieces.
May 5, 2024
Closed the book and stared at the wall in shock for a minute - the sign of a good book
June 3, 2025
this series has completely taken over my brain. every book somehow gets darker, twistier, and more addicting. all in had me suspicious of literally everyone and still managed to surprise me.
cassie continues to be a strong main character. she’s smart, hyper-focused, and you can really feel how much the work is starting to wear her down. even when she frustrates me, i get it — she’s always carrying the weight of the case and her past at the same time. she’s messy and determined, and that’s what makes her so real.
dean had me in my feelings. i really liked how much more vulnerable he was in this one—his quiet loyalty, the way he tries to protect the people he cares about, even if it hurts him in the process. he’s reserved, but everything he feels is right under the surface, and that made his moments hit even harder. he’s lowkey everything.
michael actually surprised me. he’s always been the charming, slightly reckless one, but this book gave us more of his emotional side. i liked seeing what’s underneath all the humor — the way he really does care, even when he pretends he doesn’t. he had some really sweet moments.
sloane is still my girl through and through. the way she throws out facts under stress, how hard she tries to be helpful even when she’s falling apart—i just wanna hug my poor baby. she doesn’t always realize how much she means to the group, but her quiet loyalty and emotional honesty hit so hard. she’s brilliant, awkward, and everything to me.
lia really grew on me in this book. i’ve didn't really like her in the past, but this time i felt way more connected to her. her protectiveness, her dry humor, and even her softer moments stood out so much more. i definitely appreciated her a lot more by the end.
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i FINALLY bought the last two books and i’m not ready but also so ready
cassie continues to be a strong main character. she’s smart, hyper-focused, and you can really feel how much the work is starting to wear her down. even when she frustrates me, i get it — she’s always carrying the weight of the case and her past at the same time. she’s messy and determined, and that’s what makes her so real.
dean had me in my feelings. i really liked how much more vulnerable he was in this one—his quiet loyalty, the way he tries to protect the people he cares about, even if it hurts him in the process. he’s reserved, but everything he feels is right under the surface, and that made his moments hit even harder. he’s lowkey everything.
michael actually surprised me. he’s always been the charming, slightly reckless one, but this book gave us more of his emotional side. i liked seeing what’s underneath all the humor — the way he really does care, even when he pretends he doesn’t. he had some really sweet moments.
sloane is still my girl through and through. the way she throws out facts under stress, how hard she tries to be helpful even when she’s falling apart—i just wanna hug my poor baby. she doesn’t always realize how much she means to the group, but her quiet loyalty and emotional honesty hit so hard. she’s brilliant, awkward, and everything to me.
lia really grew on me in this book. i’ve didn't really like her in the past, but this time i felt way more connected to her. her protectiveness, her dry humor, and even her softer moments stood out so much more. i definitely appreciated her a lot more by the end.
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i FINALLY bought the last two books and i’m not ready but also so ready
July 11, 2025
"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮."
This book was insane — in the best way possible. The plot was complex, layered, and kept me on edge the entire time 😰 I was tense, nervous, and guessing non-stop. 💛
At around 60%, I was so sure I had it all figured out. Like, “this time I KNOW who it is.”
Well… I was wrong 😂
I absolutely loved how central Sloane was in this book — she shined and my heart broke for her in the end 💔 I didn’t want that to happen, but it was such a powerful part of the story.
The final twist? Genuinely shocking 😱 I never saw that coming — especially not the way it happened. Now I’m convinced the last book is going to destroy everything 🫠
Michael hit me the hardest in this one — he was barely holding it together 😢 And Lea… she was different this time, less sharp, more shaken. That really got to me.
Cassie and Dean? I’ll admit… their relationship is kind of sweet 🥹 I think I’m slowly learning to accept it 😅
This was an excellent read So intense, so clever. Huge respect to the author for weaving such a complicated plot and bringing it all together so brilliantly in the end. Can’t wait to see how it all ends 🔥
Zero recovery time. Straight to book three.
Let’s go. 💛🎲
This book was insane — in the best way possible. The plot was complex, layered, and kept me on edge the entire time 😰 I was tense, nervous, and guessing non-stop. 💛
At around 60%, I was so sure I had it all figured out. Like, “this time I KNOW who it is.”
Well… I was wrong 😂
I absolutely loved how central Sloane was in this book — she shined and my heart broke for her in the end 💔 I didn’t want that to happen, but it was such a powerful part of the story.
The final twist? Genuinely shocking 😱 I never saw that coming — especially not the way it happened. Now I’m convinced the last book is going to destroy everything 🫠
Michael hit me the hardest in this one — he was barely holding it together 😢 And Lea… she was different this time, less sharp, more shaken. That really got to me.
Cassie and Dean? I’ll admit… their relationship is kind of sweet 🥹 I think I’m slowly learning to accept it 😅
This was an excellent read So intense, so clever. Huge respect to the author for weaving such a complicated plot and bringing it all together so brilliantly in the end. Can’t wait to see how it all ends 🔥
Zero recovery time. Straight to book three.
Let’s go. 💛🎲
November 9, 2023
”home is not a place. home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what.”
this is your sign to read this series. if you liked the inheritance games, i’ll wager that you’ll like the naturals even more. it is so well done, so well thought out — i am in awe. jlb, you’re up there with holly jackson as mystery/thriller masterminds.
i don’t even know where to start if i’m being honest. the plot was incredible. the naturals in las vegas? when i heard this, i was immediately intrigued bc can you imagine the chaos that’s about to unfold 🫣 i was SO invested in the storyline that i binged the whole book in two days.
i love all these characters, but sloane will always have my heart. she deserves the world ❤️🩹 learning more about her background and seeing her go through things she never should have gone through made me so, so sad. i just wanna hug her 🫂🥹
—
so excited for this 😩 need something fast paced to binge this weekend
this is your sign to read this series. if you liked the inheritance games, i’ll wager that you’ll like the naturals even more. it is so well done, so well thought out — i am in awe. jlb, you’re up there with holly jackson as mystery/thriller masterminds.
i don’t even know where to start if i’m being honest. the plot was incredible. the naturals in las vegas? when i heard this, i was immediately intrigued bc can you imagine the chaos that’s about to unfold 🫣 i was SO invested in the storyline that i binged the whole book in two days.
i love all these characters, but sloane will always have my heart. she deserves the world ❤️🩹 learning more about her background and seeing her go through things she never should have gone through made me so, so sad. i just wanna hug her 🫂🥹
—
so excited for this 😩 need something fast paced to binge this weekend
March 8, 2025
꒰ ° “𝚃𝚘𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛. 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎.” ꒱
5★
first part of the review is mostly spoiler free!! spoilers are marked
Are we KIDDING?? The Naturals was great, Killer Instinct was even better. All In? All In was on a whole new level. I personally thought that every plot twist in the series so far was good, but this one was deliberately messing with our minds and making us think. Aside from that, this book focused a lot more on Sloane, which I really enjoyed.
Before getting into the characters, their dynamics, and my thoughts on the story, I want to give some appreciation to the author. The amount of research and education that must’ve been put into writing this book does not go unnoticed. Sloane is a genius, but behind that genius is an author who first has to gather information and become educated on several topics. Furthermore, the writing in this book was the best I’ve seen from JLB so far, and I’ve read both the naturals and the inheritance games! The amount of thought and dedication she puts into the writing, story wise and character wise, is so impressive and makes the book a million times better.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “Home isn't a place, Cassie.' The memory crept up on me. 'Home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what.”
Cassie
╰┈➤ While Cassie is the main character and everything, she’s kind of took the backseat in this book until we got a lot deeper in. I love Cassie a lot, she’s a pretty smart character and it’s interesting to see her interact with the other naturals when she’s pretty different from all of them. But what I really love about Cassie is her emotional intelligence. Her ability to put her emotions and problems aside and pay attention to not only the case, but other people.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “Across from us, Lia eyed our hands and then brought her own to her forehead in a melodramatic motion. "I'm a dark and angsty profiler," she intoned. "No," she countered in a falsetto, bringing her other hand up, "I'm a dark and angsty profiler. Ours is a star-crossed love.”
Lia
╰┈➤ My problematic queen. Lia is actually a jerk, a very necessary and funny jerk! Her and Michaels comedic timing is always gold, but her mocking Cassie and Dean and keeping it real will forever send me into a fit of laughter. That being said, she has flaws, like all complex characters. It’s easy to hate Lia, she’s somewhat cruel and seemingly inconsiderate. For example, when she told Cassie to put her feelings aside because it’s “not her turn” I at first felt frustrated with Lia. But, after taking it into consideration, Cassie needed to hear that. Cassie needed to be brought back to the case and brought back to reality and let other people have their problems matter for a change. What Lia said would seem inconsiderate, when in reality, she was simply considering the other naturals. She’s complex, and that makes her all the more likable for me.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ ”You don’t understand it. But just because you don’t understand something doesn’t mean you get to ignore it.”
Sloane
╰┈➤ My SHAYLAAAA.. MY SHAYLA.. This book HURT. I shed a tear for Sloane several times (no shame..) and I’m so happy that this book focused so much on her. That was the smartest move Jennifer Lynn Barnes made when writing this, putting the spotlight on Sloane and digging deeper into her character. So… Sloanes father is gonna have to pray to GOD that I don’t find a way to reincarnate myself into this series and kill him myself. Get ready, The Naturals is about to get book 5. I’m the killer. He’s the victim. Sloane gets a hug. The end. Come here Sloane they can’t hurt you… Also, she’s a really silly person in this one!! She always was, but we got to see more of her goofy yapping whenever she’s nervous or thinking too deeply, she’s a cutie pie. Easily my favorite character and if anything EVER happens to her, I’m sending Jennifer a very strongly worded letter. (Kidding!!)
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “In related news: I have no idea why Michael’s covered in mud.”
A glop of mud fell from Michael’s hair onto the tile floor.
Michael (minor spoilers)
╰┈➤ They could never make me hate Michael. And let me spit my facts for a second!! If you HATE Michael because he’s “immature” or “irrational” or “doesn’t know how to act” then let me inform you that you do not understand victims of abuse and that’s YOUR problem NOT my man Michaels problem!! He IS immature, irrational, and forgets to control his actions and emotions sometimes. You know what that’s called? That’s called trauma. That’s actually called good writing. Because no, he’s not gonna be an emotionally intelligent, mature, and rational person as a child who was abused by a very powerful man. “I don't run, I don't hide, I don't cower, I don't beg, Cassie, because running and hiding and begging-it doesn't work. It never works.” And there it is, Michael is messed up and needs to work on his own issues. Cassie doesn’t deserve to deal with those issues because he is NOT her responsibility, she needs someone mellowed out. But Michael’s trauma doesn’t mean he’s annoying, and I’ll never hop on that hate train! Also, the conversation that Michael and Cassie had really gave me clarity. When she said that he was her first friend, it definitely healed me from the last two books.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “When you were a kid," he continued, his voice even and low, "Your mother taught you to observe people. She also taught you not to get attached.”
Dean
╰┈➤ You know him, you love him!! Everyone’s favorite SLIGHTLY emotionally stunted sweetheart with (for some reason..) blond hair and heart full of love for Cassie! Dean kind of took the backseat in this book, more so than Cassie did. The last book focused a lot on him, similarly to how this book focused on Sloane, but I enjoyed the little moments where Dean really shined bright and caught my attention. For one, he really is such a caring guy. He comforts Cassie to the best of his abilities and is honestly kinda her rock. She can always count on him, and he truly understands her. Another moment that made me love him was when he hugged Sloane when she was sad. It was somehow out of character but also.. SUPER in character at the same time? In the time we’ve gotten to know Deans character, it’s evident that he struggles with being emotional and vulnerable because of how his life played out. Despite this, he’s got a huge heart and so much love to give to the people he cares about. I feel like we’re watching him open up to being comfortable in sharing that love.
SPOILERS TERRITORY.
WHAT IN THE WORLD DID I JUST READ BRO?? My head was spinning in circles during that entire book. The serial killer was already so interesting and messed with my mind quite a bit, but discovering that it goes deeper than just this one guy?? Discovering that it was a whole CULT?? DISCOVERING THAT CASSIES MOOOTHERRRR IS INVOLVED?? Hear me loud and clear, until further notice, her mother is on my hit list. Doooon’t care. Until the next book, I’m throwing hands. It is on sight. Moving on, Sloanes brother did NOT deserve that, and neither did Sloane. My heart breaks for her every single time I remember that part of the book.. he wanted to be her brother, and she so desperately wanted to have a family… THEY DESERVED A HAPPY ENDING, THEY DESERVED TO BE A FAMILY.
But, at least Sloane has the other naturals. This series does found family exceptionally well. They own my heart
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere. With my fellow Naturals, I never had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I couldn’t have, even if I’d wanted to.”
5★
first part of the review is mostly spoiler free!! spoilers are marked
Are we KIDDING?? The Naturals was great, Killer Instinct was even better. All In? All In was on a whole new level. I personally thought that every plot twist in the series so far was good, but this one was deliberately messing with our minds and making us think. Aside from that, this book focused a lot more on Sloane, which I really enjoyed.
Before getting into the characters, their dynamics, and my thoughts on the story, I want to give some appreciation to the author. The amount of research and education that must’ve been put into writing this book does not go unnoticed. Sloane is a genius, but behind that genius is an author who first has to gather information and become educated on several topics. Furthermore, the writing in this book was the best I’ve seen from JLB so far, and I’ve read both the naturals and the inheritance games! The amount of thought and dedication she puts into the writing, story wise and character wise, is so impressive and makes the book a million times better.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “Home isn't a place, Cassie.' The memory crept up on me. 'Home is the people who love you most, the people who will always love you, forever and ever, no matter what.”
Cassie
╰┈➤ While Cassie is the main character and everything, she’s kind of took the backseat in this book until we got a lot deeper in. I love Cassie a lot, she’s a pretty smart character and it’s interesting to see her interact with the other naturals when she’s pretty different from all of them. But what I really love about Cassie is her emotional intelligence. Her ability to put her emotions and problems aside and pay attention to not only the case, but other people.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “Across from us, Lia eyed our hands and then brought her own to her forehead in a melodramatic motion. "I'm a dark and angsty profiler," she intoned. "No," she countered in a falsetto, bringing her other hand up, "I'm a dark and angsty profiler. Ours is a star-crossed love.”
Lia
╰┈➤ My problematic queen. Lia is actually a jerk, a very necessary and funny jerk! Her and Michaels comedic timing is always gold, but her mocking Cassie and Dean and keeping it real will forever send me into a fit of laughter. That being said, she has flaws, like all complex characters. It’s easy to hate Lia, she’s somewhat cruel and seemingly inconsiderate. For example, when she told Cassie to put her feelings aside because it’s “not her turn” I at first felt frustrated with Lia. But, after taking it into consideration, Cassie needed to hear that. Cassie needed to be brought back to the case and brought back to reality and let other people have their problems matter for a change. What Lia said would seem inconsiderate, when in reality, she was simply considering the other naturals. She’s complex, and that makes her all the more likable for me.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ ”You don’t understand it. But just because you don’t understand something doesn’t mean you get to ignore it.”
Sloane
╰┈➤ My SHAYLAAAA.. MY SHAYLA.. This book HURT. I shed a tear for Sloane several times (no shame..) and I’m so happy that this book focused so much on her. That was the smartest move Jennifer Lynn Barnes made when writing this, putting the spotlight on Sloane and digging deeper into her character. So… Sloanes father is gonna have to pray to GOD that I don’t find a way to reincarnate myself into this series and kill him myself. Get ready, The Naturals is about to get book 5. I’m the killer. He’s the victim. Sloane gets a hug. The end. Come here Sloane they can’t hurt you… Also, she’s a really silly person in this one!! She always was, but we got to see more of her goofy yapping whenever she’s nervous or thinking too deeply, she’s a cutie pie. Easily my favorite character and if anything EVER happens to her, I’m sending Jennifer a very strongly worded letter. (Kidding!!)
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “In related news: I have no idea why Michael’s covered in mud.”
A glop of mud fell from Michael’s hair onto the tile floor.
Michael (minor spoilers)
╰┈➤ They could never make me hate Michael. And let me spit my facts for a second!! If you HATE Michael because he’s “immature” or “irrational” or “doesn’t know how to act” then let me inform you that you do not understand victims of abuse and that’s YOUR problem NOT my man Michaels problem!! He IS immature, irrational, and forgets to control his actions and emotions sometimes. You know what that’s called? That’s called trauma. That’s actually called good writing. Because no, he’s not gonna be an emotionally intelligent, mature, and rational person as a child who was abused by a very powerful man. “I don't run, I don't hide, I don't cower, I don't beg, Cassie, because running and hiding and begging-it doesn't work. It never works.” And there it is, Michael is messed up and needs to work on his own issues. Cassie doesn’t deserve to deal with those issues because he is NOT her responsibility, she needs someone mellowed out. But Michael’s trauma doesn’t mean he’s annoying, and I’ll never hop on that hate train! Also, the conversation that Michael and Cassie had really gave me clarity. When she said that he was her first friend, it definitely healed me from the last two books.
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “When you were a kid," he continued, his voice even and low, "Your mother taught you to observe people. She also taught you not to get attached.”
Dean
╰┈➤ You know him, you love him!! Everyone’s favorite SLIGHTLY emotionally stunted sweetheart with (for some reason..) blond hair and heart full of love for Cassie! Dean kind of took the backseat in this book, more so than Cassie did. The last book focused a lot on him, similarly to how this book focused on Sloane, but I enjoyed the little moments where Dean really shined bright and caught my attention. For one, he really is such a caring guy. He comforts Cassie to the best of his abilities and is honestly kinda her rock. She can always count on him, and he truly understands her. Another moment that made me love him was when he hugged Sloane when she was sad. It was somehow out of character but also.. SUPER in character at the same time? In the time we’ve gotten to know Deans character, it’s evident that he struggles with being emotional and vulnerable because of how his life played out. Despite this, he’s got a huge heart and so much love to give to the people he cares about. I feel like we’re watching him open up to being comfortable in sharing that love.
SPOILERS TERRITORY.
WHAT IN THE WORLD DID I JUST READ BRO?? My head was spinning in circles during that entire book. The serial killer was already so interesting and messed with my mind quite a bit, but discovering that it goes deeper than just this one guy?? Discovering that it was a whole CULT?? DISCOVERING THAT CASSIES MOOOTHERRRR IS INVOLVED?? Hear me loud and clear, until further notice, her mother is on my hit list. Doooon’t care. Until the next book, I’m throwing hands. It is on sight. Moving on, Sloanes brother did NOT deserve that, and neither did Sloane. My heart breaks for her every single time I remember that part of the book.. he wanted to be her brother, and she so desperately wanted to have a family… THEY DESERVED A HAPPY ENDING, THEY DESERVED TO BE A FAMILY.
But, at least Sloane has the other naturals. This series does found family exceptionally well. They own my heart
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ “For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere. With my fellow Naturals, I never had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I couldn’t have, even if I’d wanted to.”
March 29, 2025
halfway through this series and i still haven't written any reviews...
anyhoo, this is another buddy read with my best girl bru (obv) and we're having so much fun 🤭
everyone seems to think this is the best one in the series yet, so expectations are high
anyhoo, this is another buddy read with my best girl bru (obv) and we're having so much fun 🤭
everyone seems to think this is the best one in the series yet, so expectations are high
Displaying 1 - 30 of 22,528 reviews