Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

With her trademark wit, brilliant plotting, and twists that no one will see coming, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will keep readers on the edge of their seats (and looking over their shoulders) as they race through the pages of this thrilling novel.

Review:

I’m not going to be done with this author for a while….I ‘m super into this series. I started the book after this one already. But, at least I’m almost caught up on my reviews. Almost. This book did some re-capping that I found a little repetitive. The other series didn’t do this so much, but maybe the author learned by the next series. Book 1 had more of a CSI/ X-Men vibe. This Book 2 had a solid Silence of the Lambs feel. They interviewed a serial killer in prison, who was messing with them the whole time.

There’s new characters, a terrifying abduction, more love triangle madness, and lots of profiling. You get to know little bit more about the side characters, but nowhere close to enough. There’s still so much more I want to learn (and I’m in the first half of the next book). But the stakes definitely seem higher. I’m not sure I was into this case as I was into the first case of book 1, but  was definitely into the suspense/high action of the second half of the book. The second half of this book is crazy.

There’s escapes to college campuses, classes on murder, viewings of killer interviews, and just so much to learn about the psychology of serial killers, which I find fascinating! These books are just made for me. Not much happens with Cassie’s mother’s case, but not every book can do that. Some books have to focus on the other character’s crazy families too!

You get to learn a little bit more about the adults in the kids’ lives too. And I found them just as interesting. Again, I want to watch this tv show. Why has no one picked this up??? I can’t wait until I have my time at the end of the day to just relax and read more of this. These are the kind of YA books you can’t wait to get back to. They are addicting, full of suspense and hard to fall asleep at night while you are reading them.  This second book gets a 9/10.  I can’t wait to see where book 3 goes.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Review:

Okay, I swear I read other authors too….Sometimes….But, I also had these books, and after binging that last series, I knew I had to read these books too. Also, I love books and tv shows about serial killers, so how on earth have I not read these books yet? The Inheritance Games was a bit hard to believe because it was a dream come true, and now we have another sort of hard to believe series because it literally involves everything I love to read about in one package. Serial killers, suspense, kids/teens with powers, love triangles, murder mystery, cold cases, and a main character who’s family probably has been killed by a serial killer or was at least abducted in the past.

I think I liked this book more than the other ones…And that’s saying something because I seriously loved the others. This book was awesome! And creepy. It kept me up late with its creepiness and I wish it was a Netflix series or a long-running show on the CW because it would be such a fantastic show.

That being said, it reads like a police procedural in a way, but with teenagers trapped in the same house. And I’m all for it. There’s a bit of an X-Men vibe going on because the teens all have these unique abilities that help them solve cases and essentially be super FBI agents. It’s kind of like X-Men mixed with Dexter, mixed with CSI.

Of course the main character’s past comes into the story, but I was fascinated by the other characters’ pasts and you don’t really learn too much about them yet. I want to to know more about everyone and I hope you get that later in the series. Obviously we learn a little about one, who’s the son of a serial killer. All in all, this book was addicting, lots of fun, full of mystery and hard to put down. There’s another love triangle. And it’s there’s more psychological thriller aspects to it than he other books had. I loved it. I give it a 10/10.

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary from Goodreads:

Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Review:

Part of what drew me to these books to begin with is the fact that this particular installment won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award: Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction. I was like  oh, I really do need to read these books. The second book had a crazy, crazy ending. I can’t even believe I said before that I had trouble remembering it. In remembering this book, I am remembering how the one before ended…What is wrong with me? Book 2 was crazy. Seriously crazy.

I of course kind of predicted that a certain character would have to show up in this book. How could she not? I did not, however, predict her involvement in the plot. Just when you think you heard it all about one rich family and their schemes/games, then you learn about another one! There’s this chess match at the end that is so intense, I was literally standing up, reading it.

This author knows how to write suspense. Avery has gotten smarter. She does pick a boy in her triangle, finally…Questions are finally answered….And it reads like a final installment book. So, I was very surprised to learn that there appears to be one more book coming? Am I misreading this news? Maybe I’m wrong….But,  I think more is somehow coming out! Either way, I’ll read it because apparently this author knows how to write books that I just eat up like popcorn. It’s hard to just review her books 1 at a time and not for the series at large.

I’ve also been reading other books for a banned book club that are a little darker and I’ve been listening to some Adult audiobooks that are kind of sad, so having these fun YA books to keep me guessing have really been such a treat. I’m so glad I’ve had these books these past few weeks while moving and going through everything. YA books really have this ability to just relax my mind and keep me happy, and these books have really done that for me. I give this one a 10/10.

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary from Goodreads:

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

Review:

So, I’m a little behind in my review writing….I literally bought the rest of this series, before completing the first book…Or I guess what was out in the seres because I believe there’s going to be one more! And I’m actually currently reading Book 2 in a different series by this author already… Since I last posted,  I moved and went through some big changes, so here I am several books later, trying to remember this one.

And if that last paragraph tell you anything, let it tell you that these books are extraordinarily addictive. If you want something light, with a little bit of romance, and a big question mark type riddle that will keep you guessing for the whole thing, look no further! Pure fun, is how I’d describe the whole series.

A little more is learned in this installment about the will, about the estate, and I think about Avery’s family. She’s still in a love triangle. There’s still riddles. The stakes seem higher. More folks seem out to get her and her fortune. And I guess part of the fun and suspense of this is just the absurdity. The amount of money is just crazy. It’s such a wish fulfillment/dream kind of book, how can you not want to read this? And throw in the mystery….

I don’t think book 2 is ever the best book in a series, but I flew through it and delved right into book 3. I give it a 9/10.

Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam

Summary From Goodreads:

A tale of unlikely heroes and myths is made real in this debut graphic novel series about a "bad" demon trying to find her place in the underworld. But she'll have to save it first!

Meesh is a bad demon. "Bad" meaning she always sees the good in those around her--which, strictly speaking, isn't how a demon is meant to feel or act.

Bullied by the other demons, twelve-year-old Meesh is more likely to be found poring over Fairy World's magazines and fangirling the fairy princesses. When disaster strikes and her family is threatened, Meesh must journey to the Fairy World to find a healing crystal that can save the underworld. And speak of the devil! She meets a fairy princess right away.

But things in the Fairy World aren't so perfect either. As Meesh makes surprising new friends and unites a band of outcasts--including her bully--she learns there's more to being a demon than being bad.

Sometimes the secret to real power is in loving yourself, faults and all.

Review:

This was a sweet, middle grade graphic novel. I’ve really been loving fantasy stories in this format lately. What really makes this book a standout is the art. It’s stunning. I keep wanting to go back to the book, to stare at the pages. The artwork is what bring this world  (or worlds) to life.

The story isn’t new. The main character is more powerful than she knows. she works with her bully and her favorite fairy princess to save the world (and all the adults who have been turned to stone). There’s magic, a good dose of believing in yourself, learning to work with others, and worlds colliding to make for a fun adventure.

I like that it’s the kids who end up teaching the adults a thing or two. Of course the kids are the heroes and are the ones who are more accepting and less prejudiced. I’m also fascinated by the different worlds and what the kids are all taught on them. I feel like there’s so much unsaid, and I kind of hope more books come after this one.

All in all, it’s the artwork that makes the book special. The story is fun, but not exactly unique. The kid power makes for a happy read. And the overall message is very sweet. I give this one an 8/10.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary from Goodreads:

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

Review:

I’ve seen a lot of hype for this book over the last couple of years, and I do tend to enjoy this author, but she’s never been a favorite. Her books tend to be more plot-oriented, less character driven. And sometimes I do like that. I do love a good, suspenseful mystery. However, my favorites are always character-driven stories. That being said, I read a review that drew me back to the book, and I’m glad I finally gave in….I ate this book up!

This was definitely more a suspense-driven mystery than character developed drama. However, the mystery was just so much fun, and such a dream, I couldn’t stop reading. Who doesn’t want to inherit billions of dollars from a total stranger for no apparent reason? And who doesn’t want to all of a sudden live amongst several attractive guys who are trying to solve the same mystery? And who doesn’t want to live in a mansion filled with secret passages and riddles?

This book is part “Knives Out,” mystery, part wish fulfillment, part love triangle, part “Gossip Girl.” I found myself up to 2:30am one work night, going why am I not sleeping??? And it’s rare that a book does this for me any more. There’s nothing ground-breaking here. A lot of the characters feel familiar, like characters almost based off of ones I’ve met before. But, the story was just so much fun, and I needed a good, fun story. The game of it kind of reminded of Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library, in a good way. I can’t wait to read more riddles.

All in all, the book will keep you guessing until the end. And I’m already itching to read book 2. I’m so glad the whole series is finished, so I can just binge it at my own pace. I give this a 9/10.

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Bouleley

Summary from Goodreads:

Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Debut Novel (2021), Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction (2021)
As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

Review:

I really enjoyed reading this one. There were a couple of things I did not love, but overall, I had a hard time putting the book down. It was part Breaking Bad, part The Black List, part Nancy Drew, and part Veronica Mars all squished into one YA novel that also focused on an under-represented Ojibwe community in Northern Michigan. How could I not like this book?

I loved learning about the Ojibwe culture. I also found the Northern Michigan culture to be new and interesting. I even learned about hockey. It was awesome to read about a girl hockey player, or former hockey player. That all being said, this was a super dark book. Injustices against Native peoples are not sugarcoated. Daunis witnesses the violent death of her best friend. Drugs are slowly making their way through her community and more and more people appear to be dying as a result. This book has murder, drugs, sexual assault, kidnapping, and racial and social injustice. I can see young people eating this book up. I also loved how important tribal elders were in the book. She’s always driving them, and helping them. At one point they save Daunis’ life, and I found this intergenerational element to be so cool.

What didn’t I like? I didn’t love the romance. The FBI Agent is 22, and Daunis is 18…It just felt icky to me. And while I know she’s 18, her voice comes off as much younger…There’s a lot of things she doesn’t know. And I get that not all 18 year olds are in the know about the same things, it’s the way she phrases things like “secret squirrel” and “Call-Me-Grant” over and over that made me always visualize her as younger than 18, but maybe that was just me reacting now as an adult reader…

I was not too surprised by any of the “big” twists, but I’ve watched a lot of secret agent shows so I kind of feel like I know what to expect at this point. However, I still kept reading super fast, needing to know what would happen. So much happens in the last quarter of the book.  hope Boulley keeps writing more stories. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next. I give this one an 8/10.