Barnes paints a convincing behind-the-scenes picture of national politics, and the social scene in the Hardwicke School mirrors the power-play atmosphere . . . . [R]eaders will find plenty to enjoy with the interesting characters . . . Intriguing.” —Kirkus Reviews
“House of Cards meets Criminal Minds. . . . You won't be able to put it down until the last page. . . . The sequel can't come soon enough!” —Top Pick, RT Book Reviews
“Imagine Shonda Rimes's Scandal plunked into the middle of an elite private high school in Washington, DC . . . Barnes packs all of that and more in this YA thriller.” —School Library Journal
“This book is riveting. . . Recommended for all public and high school libraries.” —VOYA
“In an intense CSI-type thriller . . . Barnes shows every card at just the right moment, catching readers off-guard at the final reveal. It's a stay-up-late-to-finish kind of book, and it doesn't disappoint.” —Publishers Weekly on THE NATURALS
“In this high-adrenaline series opener . . . Even a psychic won't anticipate all the twists and turns.” —Booklist on THE NATURALS
“The Naturals is Criminal Minds for the YA world, and I loved every page.” —Ally Carter, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, on THE NATURALS
“A tightly paced suspense novel that will keep readers up until the wee hours to finish.” —starred review, VOYA on THE NATURALS
“A pleasurable ride through chases, escapes, sinister memories and romantic tension.” —Kirkus Reviews on NOBODY
“Barnes weaves a fantastic story line full of great plot twists and turns with a little romance sprinkled in. . . . A great read and a must have.” —School Library Journal on RAISED BY WOLVES
2015-04-15
A girl from a ranch in Montana must quickly adjust to life in Washington, D.C., when her older sister puts their ailing grandfather into a facility. Sixteen-year-old Tess loves her life on the ranch and thinks she has successfully hidden, so far, her custodial grandfather's deterioration into dementia. Her sister, Ivy, however, isn't fooled and abruptly moves Tess to D.C., enrolling her in the exclusive Hardwicke School. Ivy is a high-power political consultant, with the president and first lady her major clients and a well-earned reputation for making the impossible happen, for covering up scandals, and for manipulating the press. When Tess inadvertently becomes embroiled in a major scandal, she can't leave things to Ivy because the events disrupt the lives of her new friends at school. When murder enters the picture, she tries to unravel the mystery of whodunit. Even though Ivy warns her to stay out of it, Tess and her new friends just can't stop themselves from conducting their own investigations, no matter how risky they become. Barnes paints a convincing behind-the-scenes picture of national politics, and the social scene in the Hardwicke School mirrors the power-play atmosphere. The plot struggles between politics and suspense, finally settling for the latter as the action picks up, but readers will find plenty to enjoy with the interesting characters, especially Tess, Ivy, and an underused ne'er-do-well, Asher. Intriguing despite its unevenness. (Thriller. 12-18)
