Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

 Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Author: Elizabeth Wein Website|Twitter
Published: 3 June 2013
Format: Paperback
Pages: 469
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Rose Justice is a young American ATA pilot, delivering planes and taxiing pilots for the RAF in the UK during the summer of 1944. A budding poet who feels most alive while flying, she discovers that not all battles are fought in the air. An unforgettable journey from innocence to experience from the author of the best-selling, multi-award-nominated Code Name Verity. From the exhilaration of being the youngest pilot in the British air transport auxiliary, to the aftermath of surviving the notorious Ravensbruck women's concentration camp, Rose's story is one of courage in the face of adversity.

My Review:
I'd placed a hold on this book before I'd even finished Wein's previous novel, Code Name Verity, because I knew I would need to read this one as soon as possible afterwards. Rose Under Fire documents Rose Justice's journey from pilot to prisoner through her diary.

First of all, I think this is billed as more of a companion novel to Code Name Verity than a sequel, and you could certainly read it on its own without having read CNV. Saying that, characters that appear in the previous book to crop up in this one, and if you were to go back and read Code Name Verity afterwards then you may find some of the references in Rose Under Fire spoil that story. I'd definitely recommend reading Code Name Verity first so you get to enjoy the mention of the characters that appear in both novels. Plus Code Name Verity is a must read anyway.

Rose Under Fire introduces us to main character Rose Justice who is an air transport auxiliary pilot in the second world war. I absolutely fell in love with her from the very beginning of the book. Most of the story is told through her diaries so you get to hear her voice as you read. But what was most wonderful about Rose was that she loves poetry. Incorporated into the story are poems, both those she has written herself and ones she has picked up along the way. These really gave you an insight into her life and demonstrated her flare for writing. I loved her positive, forgiving attitude throughout the story as well.

Through Rose's poems and writings you get this real appreciation of the art of writing and how much of a priveledge it is. Rose is often denied access to pens and paper in her time in captivity so you really feel how passionate she is when she's finally able to express herself on paper. I think it's a sentiment that any reader or writer will appreciate. I adored the fact Rose is documenting her story in this one particular notebook which she treasures so much. It made the whole thing feel so special.

Obviously with a book set during the war, you are going to come across some pretty tough times for the characters. After having my heart shattered when I read Code Name Verity, I was pretty fearful for what would happen in Rose Under Fire, and how that would affect my emotions! It was about a hundred pages into this book when something that happened that shook me up and set up the rest of the story. Rose finds herself in a very bleak situation, and throughout Rose Under Fire you get to see the harsh conditions of concentration camps through Rose's eyes.

Whilst the camp scenes were incredibly hard to read, they also provided the sense of camaraderie which became one of my favourite things about the story. We see Rose bond with the girls in her bunk. It's not all smooth sailing and it was interesting to see the clashes in nationalities and backgrounds, but ultimately these girls pull together. The friendship between Rose and Eloide, and Rose and Roza were two of the highlights of the story for me. These people are forced together by circumstance yet they find ways to connect with everyone and help each other through. The friendships definitely provided some uplifting moments. Like Code Name Verity, I loved that book focussed on the stories of women, especially in a role such as a pilot. Rose was a real inspriation.

So this book completely shattered my heart in the same way Code Name Verity did, but I wouldn't change a thing. I was moved, inspired and uplifted by the wonderful characters and vivid storytelling. I was completely lost in Rose's story and what happened to her as well as the stories of those around her. Of course what is even more powerful about what happened is that it is based on real events. The names of real prisoners at the Ravensbruck camp are listed at the front of the novel and it's a stark reminder of what really happened to these people during the war. If you are reading this review and thinking to yourself "oh I don't really like historical" then I urge you to give it a try, because Rose Under Fire provides so much more than just a history lesson. There are fantastic characters and friendships that anybody will be able to appreciate.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Review: Allegiant (Divergent, #3) by Veronica Roth

Spoiler warning! This is the third and final book in the Divergent trilogy and this review will contain spoilers from the previous two books. You can read my review of Divergent here and Insurgent here. This review will not contain spoilers for Allegiant itself.

 Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Author: Veronica Roth Website|Twitter
Published: 22 October 2013
Format: Hardback
Pages: 526
Buy the hardback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Hive

Source: Gifted finished copy, originally provided to Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

My Review:
I was both excited and terrified about going into this book. I loved Divergent, and whilst Insurgent wasn't quite up there with it, the ending had left me on tenterhooks dying to find out what was going to happen next. I was really lucky to get to read this book so soon after release, because I know spoilers have been flooding the internet! Luckily I managed to avoid them and I'm keeping this review spoiler free as well.

My connection with Allegiant was instant. I loved falling back into the writing which was tense and gripping throughout. This book is told from dual POV, alternating between Tris and Four. I thought this worked really well for a few reasons. At the beginning, I think it helped give a real insight into the relationship between Four and his parents which was important to the plot. Without Four's insight, I think that element of the story would have been really lacking. Secondly, it helped cement my love of Four. I've always liked him, but maybe not quite on the same level as others have. In Allegiant I was able to really connect with him as a character and feel for him that bit more during what he goes through. There is a lot of inner turmoil he puts himself through as certain things come to light and he questions himself and his identity. It was really interesting to see how he reacts to those moments, and how that balances out with Tris' reactions.

As the final book in a trilogy, I was expecting Allegiant to answer questions that the previous two books had posed. It certainly did that. Finding out the bigger picture was something I was hoping for going into the book, and I wasn't disappointed. There is a lot of discovery about the wider world which was something I was curious about. I loved being able to appreciate the world Roth has come up with more fully as well as seeing how the characters react in an enviornment they aren't used to. There's also a chance to visit more of the characters' pasts which was something I enjoyed, as well as an exploration of the factions and their origins.

One of my favourite things about Allegiant, and why I thought it worked so well as a final book in a trilogy, was the way it reflected back on the previous two books. The characters are always reminiscing on their past experiences which made me all nostalgic. I loved reflecting on those moments from the first two books and reliving those scenes. It sounds incredibly cheesy, but it was like remembering a treasured moment with friends, not just characters. I think fans of the series will really appreciate those little touches. I certainly didn't expect to get so sentimental and the fact it made me feel this way has made Allegiant my favourite book in the trilogy. It also helped add to the suspense because the characters are reflecting on their pasts to help them make important decisions about their future, when the whole time you know the book is steadily drawing to a close.

I thought the relationship between Four and Tris was a real strength of the book. I adored their stolen moments together because it provided that touch of normality in this ever increasing craziness that surrounds them. Seeing them together just allowed you to escape from this chaotic environment they find themselves in and reminded you of what is important during troubled times, and provided a great contrast with the other events happening throughout the book. Like with Insurgent, things don't always go smoothly between them, which is understandable with what they're up against and I liked that added tension and intensity between them.

Throughout the book, the characters are constantly challenged and there was a lot of focus on trust and betrayal, friendship and family, love and sacrifice and the fight to protect each other. I loved how all these themes came together and seeing how each of the characters adapted and dealt with situations in their own unique and different ways.

I'm trying to avoid discussing too much of the plot in this review, because I don't want to spoil anything about the book for anyone, and so this review is purely my personal reactions to the story. I found it to be incredibly moving, a lot more so than I was expecting. There were some really emotional scenes that just blew me away and broke my heart as well as some incredible plot twists. All the way through I was trying to second guess what would happen, and none of my predictions came true. Everything that happened was always a shock or surprise keeping me hooked to the pages and lifting my jaw from the floor! I thought the ending of the book was incredibly well done, and I closed Allegiant feeling satisfied that the trilogy and the characters had been done justice.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Reached by Ally Condie, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Weekly Book Round Up!

The Weekly Book Round Up is my new round up of the week's news, as well as what I've been blogging about.

In the News

 

The UK cover for Red by Alison Cherry was unveiled over on Ginger Parrot this week. It has a tiara!

The nominations for the CLIP Carnegie Medal were also announced, and nominees include Holly Smale for Geek Girl, Emma Pass for Acid, Malorie Blackman for Noble Conflict and Emily Murdoch for If You Find Me amongst many others. The full list can be seen at this link. Which books have you read? I'm certainly adding a few books to my TBR now!

Kiersten White has announced her latest novel In the Shadows. Read more about the book over on her blog..

This week's new releases include The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Tinder by Sally Gardner, Twinmaker by Sean Williams, 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan and After Eden by Helen Douglas. Which of these books are you looking forward to reading?

 

On the Blog

 

I started this week with my interview with Eleanor Wood, UKYA author of Gemini Rising, as part of the UKYA blog tour. It was so exciting to read Eleanor's answers and be a part of the tour. A huge thank you to Lucy at Project UKYA for organising it!

On Tuesday I also shared my review of Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood, a novella to accompany her first book. I loved it and gave it 5*.

Wednesday saw my review of The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes which was a book I really enjoyed. I loved the darker edge which made it stand out from a lot of other books I've read.

Thursday saw my review of 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan and I also shared a book playlist to go with it.

On Friday I posted my review of The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones which was released this week!

What I've Been Reading

 

I finished two books this week. I came to the end of my Frostbite readalong with Daisy which was great fun and I adored the book! I also finished Requiem by Lauren Oliver which is the final book in the Delirium trilogy. I'm currently reading Wither by Lauren Destefano and liking the concept so far. In this world girls die at twenty years old and boys at twenty-five, so fourteen year old Rhine has been sold off to be somebody's husband so she can have children and continue the population.

 

I've had quite a busy week which is why my reading has been slow. I did manage to pop down to the library and pick up a few books, including Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan, Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter and Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton.(I've already finished the last one after reading it in one go!)

 

I also had a lovely surprise when one of my most anticipated books of next year popped through my letter box! I can't wait to read Banished by Liz de Jager.

 

In the Real world

 

I've had a few commitments this week which means that my writing for NaNoWriMo has been suffering. My novel is sort of spawning into several separate ideas so keeping it all on track has been a struggle. I'm just trying to keep on top of the word count at the moment in any way I can! It's the first year I've been behind so the panic is starting to set in now.

Up Next

This week I'm aiming to finish Wither and a couple of December review books so I can get ahead. I need to get cracking on some of the library books I have out as well! I'm hoping to get up reviews of Soulmates by Holly Bourne and Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein as well as a few others.



Review: The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones

 The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones

Author: Melanie Cusick-Jones Website|Twitter
Published: 4 November 2013
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 445
Buy the e-book: Kindle

Source: Received ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review (thanks Melanie!)

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Outwardly, Balik is an obedient member of society on Space Station Hope: he follows The Council's systems, excels at school and seems happy to follow in his parents footsteps...

Balik's real life is filled with secrets he can share with no one. As he follows his suspicions about the space station into ever more dangerous territory it seems like his whole world will unravel around him. But, he doesn't understand everything: things are wrong, he is sure of that, he just doesn't know why.

When Cassie unexpectedly comes into his life, Balik struggles to find his balance. For years he's investigated the oddities of the world he lives in, but Cassie makes him question things in a different way... Can he believe in this girl who seems so much a part of the system he distrusts? Would she put a stop to his plans to break out if she knew what he was really up to? Balik can't be sure of anything - except the fact that he can't leave her alone.

My Review:
I read Hope's Daughter last year and was really excited to hear from the author who offered me the chance to review The Rainbow Maker's Tale! The book follows Balik and his life on the Space Station Hope as he becomes increasingly suspicious of his surroundings.

This book is billed as 1.5 in the series, as it's effectively the first book but told from Balik's perspective. Theoretically you could probably read this book first or on its own, but I'd recommend reading Hope's Daughter beforehand. I found myself drawing on knowledge from the first book and I think it really helped that the world was familiar, plus you get double the enjoyment reading both books! Saying that, I definitely enjoyed The Rainbow Maker's Tale more than Hope's Daughter so hurry up and get to this one!

The Rainbow Maker's Tale is told in first person from Balik's point of view. I wasn't too sure about him as a character in the first book, but it's amazing how much of a difference it makes being able to get inside his head! Balik has this great internal monologue throughout the book which really helps you get to know him and the way he thinks. He's a very interesting character. He's angry, socially awkward and very intelligent, and has this strong determination and drive. I think being able to clearly understand his motives made me like him more than I would have otherwise.

I thought the relationship between Cassie and Balik was expanded on really well in The Rainbow Maker's Tale. Getting to know Balik's back story and his feelings for Cassie, and why he's so desperate to befriend her was something I liked. For Balik, Cassie is someone who can help him get answers. He has all these questions about the environment they're in, and he becomes obsessed with discovering more about what's really going on. In turn, that becomes an obsession with Cassie. I think if you disregard the romantic side of things, I could totally understand his fascination with her, and he himself defines it as an obsession. He also understands how socially isolated he is and I think his awkwardness is portrayed well. I think some people may find it a little bit of an uncomfortable relationship at times when it does venture into more than friends territory (a few lines made me a bit squirmy) but for the most part I was on board. There's a great, dramatic scene about halfway through the book as well where I really felt the connection between Balik and Cassie.

What I loved about Hope's Daughter and what I still love about this series is the incredible world which has been created. Life on SS Hope is so rigorously controlled, with everything from the environment, to where they live, to the nutrition they're given and Balik is so in tune to what's happening around him. All the time is that constant feeling that more is going on and it had that brilliant, unnerving quality that I love about dystopian fiction. Even thought I knew what was coming from having read Hope's Daughter, I still got wrapped up in all the little mysteries.

The writing was definitely a highlight of The Rainbow Maker's Tale and I found it to be a huge improvement from the first book. The pacing was perfect and the writing slick and engaging. It's been a while since I read Hope's Daughter so I didn't find the overlapping of storylines too much of a problem. In fact I liked being able to spot moments and scenes from the first book! Everything came flooding back to me, and I loved getting the added information from Balik's story. The climax was my highlight because it leaves so many questions about what will happen next. I can't wait to find out! The Rainbow Maker's Tale has definitely got me excited for the rest of the series.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Outlanders by Melanie Cusick-Jones, the 2nd book in The Ambrosia Sequence
Books like this: Matched by Ally Condie, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Book Playlist: 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

Today I reviewed the incredible 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan, and it's one of those books that just provided me with so many songs that related to the book. Here's my book playlist!

He Wasn't There by Lily Allen

He wasn't there when I needed him
No, he was never around
His reputation was preceding him
And he was out on the town

It didn't matter if he let me down
I didn't care about the lies
But all I knew was that he loved me very much
He was my hero in disguise   I Know You Care by Ellie Goulding

I know you care

I know it is always been there
But there is trouble ahead I can feel it
You were just saving yourself when you hide it
Yeah I know you care
I see it in the way you stare
As if there was trouble ahead and you knew it
I'll be saving myself from the ruin
And I know you care   Oh No! by Marina & the Diamonds

If you are not very careful
Your possessions will possess you
TV taught me how to feel
Now real life has no appeal
It has no appeal 

Ain't it Fun by Paramore

Ain't it fun?
Living in the real world
Ain't it good?
Being all alone

Where you're from,
You might be the one who's running things
Where you could ring anybody's bell and get want you want
You see its easy to ignore trouble
When you're living in a bubble

Bulletproof by La Roux

I'm burning bridges shore to shore
I break away from something more
I'm not turned off to love until it's cheap
Been there, done that, messed around
I'm having fun, don't put me down
I'll never let you sweep me off my feet

Secrets by Good Charlotte

In the dark
In the darkness you will find
Dirty little secrets we all hide
Cause we all have a darker side
A place we keep where no one else will find
Cause everybody wants to hide their secrets away
Nobody wants to stand up to the pain

About the book

4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

Plot summary:  
Fifteen-year-old Jane Shilling’s best friends don’t know her real name. In fact, they don’t know anything about her at all. Jane’s life has collapsed in the last few years; following the death of her mother, her father turned to drinking, and Jane is reeling from the double blow. To escape, Jane devises a number of online personas, each with a distinct personality, life history, and set of friends. But things become trickier when she finds herself drawing close to some of her online friends, and winds up struggling with the question of how to maintain a real friendship while masquerading as a fake person. With the help of Gary, a socially awkward classmate and competitive Skeeball player who is Jane’s only offline friend, and Nora, her therapist, Jane begins to sift through her issues. The only catch is that that involves taking a long, hard look at what her life’s like when the computer is shut off, and that’s a reality she’s been fighting for years
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About the author
Website|Twitter

Review: 4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

Author: Kelly Hourihan Website|Twitter
Published: 7 November 2013 (Lemon Sherbet Press)
Format: Kindle e-book (ARC)
Pages: 314
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Lemon Sherbet Press!


Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Fifteen-year-old Jane Shilling’s best friends don’t know her real name. In fact, they don’t know anything about her at all. Jane’s life has collapsed in the last few years; following the death of her mother, her father turned to drinking, and Jane is reeling from the double blow. To escape, Jane devises a number of online personas, each with a distinct personality, life history, and set of friends. But things become trickier when she finds herself drawing close to some of her online friends, and winds up struggling with the question of how to maintain a real friendship while masquerading as a fake person. With the help of Gary, a socially awkward classmate and competitive Skeeball player who is Jane’s only offline friend, and Nora, her therapist, Jane begins to sift through her issues. The only catch is that that involves taking a long, hard look at what her life’s like when the computer is shut off, and that’s a reality she’s been fighting for years.

My Review:
I saw this book on NetGalley and was immediately drawn to the plot summary. 4 to 16 Characters follows Jane as she juggles her own real life with a string of identities she has created online. Her favourite TV show is holding a contest for fanfiction writers so Jane immerses herself in that world, neglecting the real world problems in her life she needs to be facing up to.

I was drawn to this book as soon as I saw it was written through things like emails and blog posts, because I love books that are written like that! The majority of the story is written from Jane's personal, private blog where she posts her thoughts and real life experiences. Alongside that are posts from her online profiles where she is acting as other characters, which are sort of real life extensions of herself. It's a brilliant concept and it's executed really well. Not only do you get blog posts, emails and IM conversations, but web searches, Tumblr-esque reblogs and glimpses at Jane's email inbox. The book is really innovative in that respect and I enjoyed reading Jane's story through all these different mediums.

Jane's life is pretty hard, which accounts for the reasons she is throwing herself into her online bubble where she feels safe. She's grieving for her mum, has an alcolholic for a father and is attending a special school that incorporates therapy into the school time. Basically she's pretty messed up and has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I think I should point out that Jane is not a perfect character. She's pretty flawed and does stuff that isn't that nice, plus she's quite rude to most people around her. But not once did that put me off. I think her attitude is pretty understandable, and made her voice throughout the book even more distinctive. Because we get to see her private diary entries, you really get inside of her head so you can understand exactly where she's coming from. And she has an awesome side too. I mean she's funny, and incredibly smart. Plus she has these great feminist rants. I think her biggest flaw is that she thinks she's indestructible, but when you read a book with a character like that, you know it's going to bite them on the backside eventually, and Jane definitely develops and starts to change her ways.

The plot centres around Jane's online life as Rachel, who is immersed in the Look to Tomorrow fandom, a TV show Jane/Rachel loves. Basically, this is a book for the Tumblr generation. Jane is writing fanfiction and obsessing on social media with other fans. It's an instantly recognisable situation to anyone who spends a good chunk of their day online and anyone who has been a fan of any book, film, TV show in the past five years. There's also some great pop culture references thrown in, like for example a Simpsons reference which I just loved when I came across it! Oh and the author included a mention of banned books week! That makes it pretty cool, right?

All of the characters in 4 to 16 Characters - whether real or created by Jane - are brilliantly developed, and each has a distinctive voice. Gary, Jane's only "real life" friend was my absolute favourite by far. He is such a sweetie! I mean Jane is kind of embarrassed by him, mainly because he plays Skee-ball so enthusiastically, but he really gets her, and doesn't judge her when he discovers her online exploits. My favourite scenes were the IM conversations between the two of them which were hilarious. I just loved that these two freaks of society have kind of gravitated towards each other and are able to open up about things without it being a big deal. Their relationship was just so much fun.

This book was so me in a whole load of ways. I love books that dive into tough situations head on, and 4 to 16 Characters does that. I like seeing characters having to overcome challenging situations, and real life is the most challenging issue of all. The author has done a great job at taking on subjects like grief, alcoholism, mental health and our attitudes to social media, whilst maintaining an entertaining story that had me gripped to the pages, laughing, and almost crying! I had all of the feels with this book. It ticked every box for me.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Dianne Messidoro, Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty

Review: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Website|Twitter
Published: 7 November 2013 (Quercus)
Format: Paperback (proof)
Pages: 352
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Received free proof copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Quercus!

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Cassie Hobbes is not like most teenagers. Most teenagers don’t lose their mother in a bloody, unsolved kidnapping. Most teenagers can’t tell who you are, where you’re from and how you’re likely to behave within moments of meeting you. And most teenagers don’t get chosen to join The Naturals.

Identified by the FBI as uniquely gifted, Cassie is recruited to an elite school where a small number of teens are trained to hone their exceptional abilites.

For Cassie, trying to make friends with the girls, and to figure out the two very different, very hot boys, is challenging enough. But when a serial killer begins recreating the details of her mother’s horrific crime scene, she realises just how dangerous life in The Naturals could be...

My Review:
I've been seeing this book featured in Waiting on Wednesday posts for a while and it had really piqued my interest! The Naturals follows Cassie Hobbes, who has a talent for reading body language, as she finds herself whisked away to Washington to join fellow gifted teens who are being trained up by the FBI.

I was really excited by the premise for this one because FBI? Yes please! When the book arrived I thought I'd just read the first couple of pages to see what it was like, and after that I just could not put it down. I was hooked instantly! It felt so different to anything I've read before. It was darker, and as a huge fan of crime and thrillers, I was completely on board with that. I read a lot of this type of book in my adult reading, but not so much in YA. I want more YA like this please!

The Naturals is full of mystery and suspense, has a good deal of gore and will have your heart pounding for sure! This is my first book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and it's safe to say it won't be my last. The writing was so sharp. I found the dialogue snappy and realistic, especially the conversations between the groups of teens which never felt forced or awkward. Barnes has the dynamic between them spot on. Throughout the book there was great humour on top of that fantastic tension, and book is incredibly fast-paced. I wasn't bored once!

I think the characters were a real winner for me. There was such a great mix of personalities. I really liked Cassie herself. When we meet her, she's working as a waitress (and hating it) and living with her Nonna. Her mother has been missing presumed dead for years, and her father isn't present in her life. The opening scenes where we get to see her wicked ability at reading  body language were some of my favourites. It was great to get inside her head and see this rare ability she has. Early in the book we're introduced to Michael who I loved. Like, a lot. He may be rich and snobby but he was also quite funny and I loved the tension between him and Cassie. I thought Cassie's new roommate Sloane was brilliant too. Her talent is numbers and probabilities and she just jumps in with all these facts and figures all the time, usually when it's least appropriate! Then there's bitchy Lia who I sort of loved to hate. You need a bad girl in there. My love of these characters was firmly cemented during a game of truth and dare, which was both entertaining and got inside the heads of each character.

Now I know not everyone likes a love triangle, but there is a bit of that in The Naturals. When Cassie moves into the house with the other teens on her program, two guys are vying for her attention. Another girl in the house also throws herself into the mix as a rival for both boys, so I guess you could even say it's a love square. So I've already mentioned Michael, but then there's Dean - a profiler like Cassie. He spends the whole book being moody and mysterious. I was definitely intrigued by him, and I wanted to find out more. I thought his back story was really interesting and the scenes with him and Cassie working together were scenes I liked because they made a great team. But deep down I am all about Michael. Maybe because he's introduced first and my heart was already set on him. Either way, I'm dying to talk to people who have read this book so I can probe them about who they liked better! Even if you don't like love triangles, I wouldn't let that put you off. Both guys are great characters, and the book is definitely more action focused than romance focused. Cassie's attention is definitely more on the work at hand than on the boys.

The FBI program Cassie ends up in provides the book with a fantastic plot. Cassie and the others end up looking at a number of old cases to try and get to grips with their skills, but all the while the agents training them are working on a real life, current mystery which carries on throughout the book. The main chapters from Cassie's POV are interspersed with chapters simply titled "You" and written in second person. These provide a glimpse of what is going on in the bigger mystery and ramped up the suspense. Those chapters felt like right out of  a crime novel and were extremely dark, which I loved. The Naturals feels very much like a TV show. My instant comparison is to that show Criminal Minds (a show that focuses on the team profiling the killer) which is where I first heard the term UNSUB - used in The Naturals to describe an unknown subject. If you're a fan of that kind of show then definitely grab this book!

The Naturals is full of twists and turns and cliffhangers. There was one twist about halfway through the story that I had seen coming for a while. That did disappoint because to me it was a bit too obvious, and yet Cassie who is supposedly incredibly smart hadn't gotten there at all. Saying that, the rest of the book builds to an incredible climax. The final few chapters had me reading, jaw dropped because despite my earlier reservations, there was one huge twist I just hadn't seen coming! I was not expecting that reveal so I was pleasantly surprised and shocked when it came. I'm still reeling from that ending!

I really hope this is a start to a series because there is huge potential for these characters, and the ending kind of hints at more to come. The Naturals was a refreshing read that isn't afraid to dive head first into that dark, criminal world. It was exciting to be able to read a YA novel like this and I hope to see more of this kind of book in the future. I'm really excited to read more by this author.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Naturals is the first in a planned series
Books like this: I'd Tell You I Love You but Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter