Mo_Books: Review - Perception by Lee Strauss

Perception (Perception, #1) by Lee Strauss a.k.a Elle Strauss

Release date - September 12th 2012

Published by ESB Publishing

Ebook, 234 pages

Source - NetGalley

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Description (from Goodreads)

Eternal Life is To Die For

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP--a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans. Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they've created between those who have and those who don't. He doesn't like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe's carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She's in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

The PERCEPTION Series books ( SF/mystery/romance) are Young Adult novels that take place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions--both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there's room to fall in love.

PERCEPTION is the first book in a four book series.

My Review

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe Vanderveen is close with her brother Liam, when he goes missing it seems like little is being done about it by the authorities. So she takes his case into her own hands.As a genetically altered person or GAP she has always led a sheltered and safe life inside her walled city with the others of her own kind. But to find the truth about her brother she will need to go outside and seek the help of a natural.

Noah Brody is against the GAP procedure and people messing with the natural life span of mankind but when he meets Zoe he becomes mesmerized by her and agrees to help her. What they both uncover is something more than just the ambitions of Zoe's brother but the deception of someone that she would never have imagined.

I have really mixed feeling about this book, while I did like the plot, I couldn't connect with any of the characters. There were moments that I thought I could like Zoe but she's so flippant and blunt about issues that needed obvious explanation. I also found her to be snobby, I guess that would come from growing up a GAP and being taught that naturals were beneath her. But I still didn't like it.

I did like Noah's character, why he was actually willing to help Zoe is a bit of a mystery to me but he helps her even if it meant putting himself in harms way.

The first part of the story - which is the majority - is told from Zoe's point of view. Part two is told from Noah's point of view. This was the better part of the book for me and I enjoyed Noah and Zoe's fishing trip. That time that spent together was the first real time the story really just focused on the both of them instead of the plot.

The writing in this story wasn't the best I have read, unimportant things had to much description and important things didn't get enough. I considered giving this a 2 star but I did enjoy the plot and the sci fi world that the characters inhabit. So I give this story a 3 out of 5 stars.