Bad Blood Book Review

Written By MK

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Book Review and Recommendation.

Date: 4-07-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 8.9/10

Bad Blood book cover

Book Cover Rating: 6.8/10

(My personal opinion)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Pages: 384

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Subplots: Thriller, Cults, Romance

Romance Level: 1/3

Series: The Naturals #4

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Published: 2016

Number of Editions: 22

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio

Goodreads Rating: 4.37/5

# of Goodreads Ratings: 102,868

Amazon Rating: 4.6/5

# of Amazon Ratings: 6,447

Common Sense Media Age Recommendation: 13+

Movie/TV Show?? : No

Book Type: Standard

POV Type: Multi, First/Second Person

Pacing: Fast

Generally: Serial killer ‘cult,’ cold cases, thrilling

Blurb:

When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI's Naturals program, she had one goal: solve her mother's murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. The people holding the truth captive are more powerful -- and dangerous -- than anything the Naturals have faced so far. And as Cassie and the team work to uncover the mysteries of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.
 
When the bodies begin piling up, Cassie, Dean, Lia, Michael, and Sloane have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a case— and for each other.

All your burning questions are answered in this shocking conclusion to the Naturals series.





My Review

Going Into It:

Going into this book I was HOOKED from the last book, All In, and was hopeful this would wrap up the series FABULOUSLY.

Main Characters:

  1. Cassandra Hobbes- Cassie is the main character of this book. She is eighteen. She’s a Profiler (she can basically look at someone and see the little things they do and decide things about them: job, family, personality, wants, interests). She is kind and truly wants to make people happy.

  2. Dean Redding- Dean is nineteen, and is also a Profiler. He pretends to be the person he is profiling in order to truly understand them. He struggles to get close to people because he thinks he will hurt them.

  3. Lia Zhang- Lia is eighteen. She’s basically a human lie detector. She can effortlessly lie, and often uses this to mask her real emotions. She also had a VERY rough childhood.

  4. Michael Townsend- Michael is eighteen. He can read others’ emotions. Michael rarely (if ever) shares his true emotions. He is daring, and sometimes, stupid with his actions. He tends to purposefully rub people the wrong way, but in reality has a caring side as well.

  5. Sloane Tavish- Sloane is seventeen. She’s basically a human wikipedia. She is constantly overflowing with facts, statistics, and data. She can also remember (almost) everything she sees and hears. She is really sweet, but sometimes insecure.

    These characters were AMAZING (as always). I loved hearing how their stories wrapped up and were completed. Couldn’t love them more!!

Character Rating: 10/10

Setting:

This book takes place in Oklahoma.

Wow! This jumped from the setting of the main character, to the setting of a side character. I loved trying to unravel how the one setting connected to the other. That being said, it (not unusually), wasn’t a massive focus for this book.

Setting Rating: 8.0/10

Plot:

WOW WOW WOW!! This DEFINITELY stepped up the horror/death/cults part of the book. I found this book to be more graphic when it came to horror than any of the previous books. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it was certainly more present than previous Naturals books. I LOVED the plot as a whole.

Plot Rating: 9.1/10

Writing:

At this point do I even need to write my comments on Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s writing? It’s always the same. ENTHRALLING, ADDICTIVE, CLEAR, FABULOUS!! (Side note: the worst ratingI’ve ever given Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s writing was a 9.8/10, so that’s clearly saying something).

Writing Rating: 10/10

Ending:

To be honest, I HATED this ending right after I read it. I was upset because part of the ending didn’t end happily. But, the more time passes, the more I’m actually okay with it. It DID tie up ALL the loose ends we have learned throughout the series.

Ending Rating: 7.4/10

The Overall:

Overall, this was an AMAZING ending to The Naturals series. The characters were FABULOUS (as always), and I really enjoyed the setting. The plot was more graphic when it came to horror/cults, but not necessarily in a bad way. In the end, Jennifer did an AMAZING job wrapping up not only Bad Blood, but the whole Naturals series.

Overall Book Rating: 8.9/10

I would obviously recommend this book



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ChatGPT’s Opinion: Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a suspenseful thriller that blends mystery and drama, centered around secrets, betrayal, and the world of genetics. The book features well-developed characters navigating tough situations, filled with moral dilemmas and fast-paced action. Barnes explores themes of trust, family dynamics, and the consequences of scientific experimentation, keeping readers hooked with its twists and emotional depth. It's a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers and intricate plots.

  • Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed young adult novels. She has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science, including graduate degrees from Cambridge University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and Yale University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012. Jen wrote her first published novel when she was nineteen-years-old and sold her first five books while still in college. In addition to writing YA novels, Jen has also written original pilot scripts for television networks like USA and MTV, and she is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination more broadly. Jen is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing.

  • Goodreads

What did you think of this book??

MK https://alltruereviewsbymk.com
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