Whenever I’m in Barnes and Noble, you’ll typically find me in the YA section for hours, judging books by their covers. A few years ago, I discovered a book in the YA section with a cover that featured a present that was wrapped in a bow made of police tape and the title said, “The Naturals.” Naturally, it caught my attention, and this was my introduction to Dr. Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
Barnes is my favorite author, which is a big statement for me because I’m severely indecisive about making decisions about favorites. So, you may be wondering, what makes Barnes such a great author? This can best be answered by discussing some of my favorite books by Barnes:
- The Naturals
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The Naturals is the first book in a series that focuses on a group of teenagers who are naturally gifted at skills such as profiling people and are recruited for an FBI program where they work on cold cases. The protagonist, Cassie Hobbes, like all of Barnes’ protagonists in the books described in this article, is extremely intelligent and fiercely witty but also isolated as she originally has no friends and isn’t close to her family.
I loved being able to read Cassie’s journey as she began to form real connections with people she bonded with within the program. There’s also a love triangle, and one of the best parts of Barnes’ writing is that the romance is never the sole focus, but it’s developed so brilliantly that it works seamlessly with the main plot. And, of course, there is murder and mystery throughout the entire series that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. This book will leave you staring at the wall for hours (in a good way) with a desire to immediately reread the series.
- The Fixer
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As a political science major, The Fixer is one of my favorite book series as it’s a political thriller that becomes particularly gruesome within the second book in the series. The Fixer is a two-book series that revolves around Tess Kendrick, a 16-year-old that was caring for her grandfather when her sister came to take her to where she lives in Washington D.C. We quickly learn that “fixer” describes the job of Tess’ sister, as she is responsible for fixing the problems that political figures in Washington D.C. face.
This book shows how Barnes can’t be confined to one genre, as she can place us in Washington D.C. in the midst of the corruption of the political elite just as spectacularly as she placed us within a teenage FBI program in The Naturals. Even if you’re not a big fan of politics, The Fixer series tells such a gripping tale of romance, manipulation, threats, murder, plot twists, and mystery that leaves you wanting more.
- The Inheritance Games
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The Inheritance Games represents another example of the wide range of stories that Barnes writes. The story revolves around Avery Grambs who’s inherited most of a billionaire’s estate for no clear reason (Knives Out vibes, anyone?) It combines mystery with romance and contains numerous puzzles that left me wondering throughout the series why he chose her. Throughout the series, we receive more puzzles, more questions than answers, and a romantic storyline built into each novel without feeling rushed or unrealistic. Barnes combines an incredibly intricate plot with characters and romances that are each fleshed out. Once you’ve finished reading the entire series, you’ll have a connection with all the characters, as Barnes doesn’t allow any of her characters to be left without depth and personality.
- Nobody
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Nobody is a sci-fi, standalone novel that has a dual narrative perspective. The two main characters are “nobodies” which, as the book describes, means they’re incapable of being significant to others, even their families. At first, the male main character is trying to kill the female main character; however, once they meet, everything changes. This is another example of the genius of Barnes’ writing as she creates a story filled with romance, mystery, and action that left me staying up until 4 a.m. to finish it.
Overall, Barnes is a YA author worth reading and rereading. Her novels are uniquely different from each other but contain the same high level of quality that leads you to spend an entire day wrapped up in the worlds she creates.