Perception (Perception, #1)

Mar 01, 2013 Suzanne (Paranormal Pages) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, dystopian, dystopian-challenge-2013, jan-yc-blue, abc-challenge-2013

A book with a blue cover for my January challenge. That's what I was looking for when I discovered Perception on my kindle, and that's about how much I knew about it too, that it had a blue cover. But I thought I'd give it a go anyway, and I'm just so glad that I did, that I found this gem hidden away on my kindle, maybe never to be discovered. I've so many books on my kindle I know I'll never get to read them all. That's the reason why I'm participating in these challenges, to try get through s...more A book with a blue cover for my January challenge. That's what I was looking for when I discovered Perception on my kindle, and that's about how much I knew about it too, that it had a blue cover. But I thought I'd give it a go anyway, and I'm just so glad that I did, that I found this gem hidden away on my kindle, maybe never to be discovered. I've so many books on my kindle I know I'll never get to read them all. That's the reason why I'm participating in these challenges, to try get through some of the books I already own and only request/buy ones that I'm waiting on or that sound like something I'd really enjoy.

Lee Strauss was an author I'd never heard of, but on finishing this book, I discovered that it's a pen name of Elle Strauss, whom I have come across and have more of her books on my kindle. I'll be more inclined to get around to picking those ones up now.

So, Perception is a sci-fi, with some mystery and romance too. Zoe is a GAP, a genetically modified person who lives longer than a normal person, never gets sick, is extremely beautiful, you get the gist, superior in every way. GAP's are extremely wealthy and live in gated communities, a kind of utopia, away from the naturals, who live on the "outside."

Noah is a natural, and like his father before him, leads protests the GAPs and the unfairness that they can lead such better, superior lives because they can afford it. To undergo genetic modification costs €750,000 per person, so obviously, it's the minority who can afford it.

But when Zoe's brother Liam goes missing, and Zoe doesn't feel as though she can trust anyone. Liam's chip is gone, and even the police appear cagey. The only person she thinks might be able to help her is Noah Brody, the maids son, and he hates GAPs. But Zoe needs to find him.

She ventures to the outside, LA, a place she's never been before, with fear and trepidation. She finds the building where Noah was protesting, and spots him at a church not too far away. Disguised as a natural, she tries to get some information about her brother from Noah and his friend Dexter. It doesn't take Noah long to figure out who she really is, and to her surprise, he agrees to help her.

Such a great read, this book was everything I enjoy. The main characters were really great, though for the first few pages I didn't think I was going to like Zoe. She thought a lot of herself and felt she was better than anyone who wasn't a GAP. But when her brother goes missing, she comes back to earth with a bump. Noah, on first impressions, seems quite grouchy and hard done by. But when you get to know him, you realise he's only like that around the GAPs. But as these two warm up to each other, it's impossible not to fall in love with them. Both of them, especially Zoe, change their way of thinking completely, and as they fall for each other, it's just fantastic. Before Zoe gets to know Noah, she doesn't find him attractive at all, but everytime she meets him, she feels like he's getting better looking each time. I really enjoyed how this romance was written.

I didn't actually read the blurb of this book until after I'd finished the book, but it mentions "exploring the clash between faith and science," if I had read this beforehand, I might have thought it had a lot of religious undertones, so just to let you know, it doesn't.

I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this book. It's only 99c on Amazon and so worth it. (less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

FREE http://www.amazon.com/PERCEPTION-Perc...

I love futuristic science fiction especially gadety things like what the Jetsons have lol so this book was so perfect for me! I loved the world building. Zoe had a ComRing which was like the most awesome phone ever. I want one. Plus some pretty awesome appliances. Zoe is a genetically altered person. Her life span is doubled since she received the GAP treatment. But like with any scientific advancements there are people that don't believe in the treat...more FREE http://www.amazon.com/PERCEPTION-Perc...

I love futuristic science fiction especially gadety things like what the Jetsons have lol so this book was so perfect for me! I loved the world building. Zoe had a ComRing which was like the most awesome phone ever. I want one. Plus some pretty awesome appliances. Zoe is a genetically altered person. Her life span is doubled since she received the GAP treatment. But like with any scientific advancements there are people that don't believe in the treatment so they live on the "outside". This creates lots of class differences and rebellion. The GAPs have way better living conditions, especially Zoe, whose grandfather was actually part of the invention of GAPs.

Zoe's brother goes missing and she is determined to find out what happened to him. Liam was working on a secret project at the University with her boyfriend Jackson and another student. When she questions Jackson, he blows her off and seems to be hiding something. Zoe decides to disguise herself and venture to the outside for answers because of a clue she found in Liam's room. She runs into her housekeeper's son, Noah Brody, who is quickly onto her. Noah is a natural and completely against GAPs but he agrees to help her get to the truth.

Zoe Vanderveen, I love her name, was such a great sister. Whenever I read books or watch movies where a sister goes to amazing lengths to help her brother, I always tell my brother I would never do that. lol I liked that Zoe was strong and stuck to her beliefs. Even though Noah was a natural and had different beliefs, she didn't completely abandon hers for his. I would be thinking along the lines of Zoe. An extra 100 years and no illnesses sign me up, but Noah is less scientific and more spiritual. He still stands by Zoe and accepts her for who she is. Their romance was very sweet and easy to root for. Even though Zoe is with Jackson at the beginning it doesn't feel like a love triangle. Jackson is very cut off from Zoe as soon as Liam disappears.

The mystery kept me glued to the pages all night. I had an idea who was involved but there was a way bigger conspiracy going on than I thought and each piece was unraveled very thoughtfully to keep a great pace throughout the story. The one thing I that was difficult for me to get into was that after 73% it switches from Zoe's POV to Noah's. I love different POVs and I did eventually enjoy Noah's perspective but I would have rather it started sooner for me to get a feel for him before such a big switch. I was really connected to Zoe when all of a sudden I had to get used to Noah's voice. It was Noah's turn to make a decision about how involved he wants to get with Zoe and this conspiracy. Zoe will age completely different from Noah so their relationship will have many difficulties in the future. All my questions were answered by the end but everything is not resolved and I am ready to see where it goes in the next book!

"He grabbed my arm and pulled me close, his lips landing on mine. Apparently, it was more than okay. I kissed him back, surprised by my eagerness. His lips were soft and warm but his kisses were urgent. I wrapped my arms around his neck and grabbed onto his hair. He held my waist pulling me tight, body to body. If I'd questioned my humanity before, I didn't any more. The way I felt about Noah was very human."(less)

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May 13, 2013 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-and-adventure, bigotry, coming-of-age, dystopian, futuristic-ya-fantasy, netgalley, sci-fi, ya-romance, ya

Sometimes life is just a matter of Perception, as Lee Strauss tells us in the first book of the Perception series. If your perception of life is like Zoe Vanderveen’s, you live life being part of a genetically altered society, safe within the cocoon of Sol City’s walls. Everything is perfect, life is long, healthy, and exactly what some hidden powers want you to think it is. Outside these walls is the real world, where humans are just that, humans, trying to survive, flawed and dealing with the...more

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May 13, 2013 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, ya-juv

Perception is the first in a new YA dystopian series, set in a reasonably near future dealing with effects of climate change and scientific advances that are not always ethically motivated.

Book Description: 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. H...more

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May 04, 2013 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perception
Summery courtesy of Goodreads.com
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 li...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, cultural, current_issues, scifi-fantasy, relationships, romance, suspense, young-adult

Evoking a very convincing not-too-distant future, Lee Strauss’s novel Perception is set in a globally warmed, technologically advanced world where the genetically altered “haves” lord it over the “have-nots” who serve them. The novel offers a pleasing mix of science fiction, mystery and young adult romance. Rich beautiful Zoe follows the expected path of well-laid plans for education and career until her brother Liam’s disappearance changes everything. The perfect boyfriend proves less than wond...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Oana D. H. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Zoe Vanderdeen's life is full of lies,but the ways she discovers the truth is not exactly a good one.

Honestly,i liked the idea and i thought that the way Lee wrote everything was fantastic.A world full of secrets where people can be genetically altered sounds exciting,but its not exactly a world i would want to live in.
Zoe was full of surprises.The way she started looking for Liam after he dissapeared and everything she did to discover the truth about what really happened to him proved that sh...more Zoe Vanderdeen's life is full of lies,but the ways she discovers the truth is not exactly a good one.

Honestly,i liked the idea and i thought that the way Lee wrote everything was fantastic.A world full of secrets where people can be genetically altered sounds exciting,but its not exactly a world i would want to live in.
Zoe was full of surprises.The way she started looking for Liam after he dissapeared and everything she did to discover the truth about what really happened to him proved that she was strong enough to face anything.
It was a little strange for me to read about the difference between Zoe and Noah.He was a natural who lived outside of City Sol,meanwhile Zoe was a GAP(genetically altered person).Its not that that really mattered to them.
Before Zoe never thought about going outside the city walls,but that was before.Things changed forever for her.
With Noah's help ,Zoe discovers the truth about her life,but their relationship changes in time and becomes more than they expected.

Sol City is the picture of the perfect city,but there are always secrets that could destroy that.Sometimes finding the trugh helps,the only problems is that the truth is not always good.In this case the truth brought Noah and Zoe together,even if there are people who are trying to keep them apart.

I enjoyed reading Perception.It was a good story with amazing characters.

From the moment i started reading i couldn't stop.I was curious.I wanted to know what really happened with Liam and why there were so many things that made me think that something was wrong.

Well,i have to admit that i liked Zoe.Like i said above she was full of surprises,in a good way,not bad.She wasa strong and brave,because i'm sure that if it was another girl in her place wouldn't step outside the city walls in LA.The place where GAP peoples don't go.
At first i was wondering if the relationship between Noah and Zoe will change.The chemistry between them was obvious,and i have to admit that they were perfect together.

This wasn't just a simple story about two people.It was something amazing and dangerous.Something new written by an author i never heard before,but i'm glad she wrote this.Well,this was a good beginning.Now i can't wait to read the next book.(less)

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Apr 04, 2013 Laurel Osterkamp rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perception, by Elle Strauss, is a dystopian romance that confronts issues like faith versus science, immortality, classism, and the dangers of technology. The main character, Zoe, is a “GAP” – a genetically altered person. GAPs live to be around 200 years old, and they’re all very good looking and very healthy. The only catch? You have to have a lot of money to be a GAP, because it’s an expensive procedure. This creates a major divide in society between the haves and the have-nots, so it’s almos...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Laurie Jenkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, fiction, futuristic, kindle, read-in-2013, romance, science-fiction, young-adult

In the not too distant future, the wealthiest can afford genetic altering which basically doubles lifespans. These GAPS (genetically altered people) live in exclusive domed cities and their children receive the best education and top notch gadgets. They are beautiful, entitled, and pampered.

Meanwhile, those not able to afford the treatment (or unwilling to have it done) live outside the exclusive dome in cramped apartments or small homes. They struggle to provide for their families, and are luc...more

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Mar 09, 2013 James Noel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Did the book description relate to the story? Yes, the reader is able to get an overview of Zoe and what she's in for. The phrase genetically altered person spiked my interest in the story.

How did you feel about the opening / ending sequences of the book? The beginning did it for me. Lee's writing is as smooth as butter and it was such a pleasure to be introduced to Zoe.

Who was your favourite character and why? Obviously, it is Zoe. You see her go from carefree to troubled. She lets go of her...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Kirsty Vizard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, review-copy, romance, ya

I found reading the beginning chapters of Perception a laborious task, despite the fact that Lee Strauss communicates Zoe's distress ai her brother's disappearance very freely. In a normal instance this would be a case for me to immediately connect with the main character, but I felt unsettled by the story as I was unsure of the setting or period.
Once it was established that Perception was a futuristic novel, and the plot became more elaborate I found myself enable to put the book down, absorbed...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dysopian, christian, mystery

I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into a possible future for humanity. Seventeen year old Zoe is a genetically altered person (a GAP) whose life span far exceeds those of normals living outside an exclusive community reserved for the wealthy and influential. She knows little beyond the scope of her environment in Sol City and the science that continually upgrades her lifestyle until her life takes an unexpected twist when her brother Liam disappears. Fearing foul play she decides to investigate...more

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Oct 25, 2012 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ana and Celeste originally reviewed this on The Book Hookup

**This book was given to the Book Hookup
but that did not influence the review**

♥ Initial thoughts after reading:
Celeste: What a great story, setting, society and romance…I need more! Perception is dystopian novel where most people have had their genetics altered to live longer, be more beautiful and avoid disease. However, I said most, not all. This is where it gets interesting. Zoe is a GAP (genetically altered person) and Noah is a nat...more

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Oct 23, 2012 C rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-freebie

more here!

The future is defined by climate change and scientific advances, which have lead to very wealthy people leading longer, healthier lives. Zoe is a Genetically Altered Person (GAP). She lives a charmed life in a GAP-only city off the coast of LA until her brother goes missing. She will stop at nothing to find him. So, she makes an unlikely alliance with a 'normal' (non-genetically altered person), Noah who happens to be morally opposed to genetic modification, and the two of them work to...more
more here!

The future is defined by climate change and scientific advances, which have lead to very wealthy people leading longer, healthier lives. Zoe is a Genetically Altered Person (GAP). She lives a charmed life in a GAP-only city off the coast of LA until her brother goes missing. She will stop at nothing to find him. So, she makes an unlikely alliance with a 'normal' (non-genetically altered person), Noah who happens to be morally opposed to genetic modification, and the two of them work together find the truth.

What I liked: The future world Lee Strauss created was believable, extrapolated from technological advancements and scientific/ethical quandaries that are facing us today. It was well written. There were no obvious plot-holes. At least my version seemed well edited, though I'm no expert. The main characters were sweet and their romance was more or less believable.

What I didn't like: It might have been more powerful had the main character with a moral objection to GM (or GAP as it's known in the book) not been religious. There are plenty of good moral and scientific reasons to be opposed to genetic modification and specifically human genetic modification other than religious ones. By framing the argument in terms of religion v science I feel like they sidelined some important arguments. You might think that's a strange comment to make on a YA dystopian style novel but a large percentage of the book was spent discussing the issue. So I found that irritating. I also found the first third of the novel overly descriptive, with a whole lot of unnecessary information. It felt like nothing was happening for ages, and then eventually they solved the mystery with what seemed like a few snaps of their fingers. It did not keep me at the edge of my seat but it get better towards the end, especially when the perspective changed to Noah's voice.

So, this one gets 3 stars, it is written to a standard far and above many other such novels. It should probably have gotten 4, but it just didn't do it for me personally. But if you really like futuristic books with lots of cool gagets, a quasi-realistic dystopian setting, with genuine moral issues to discuss, then go for it! There are loads of people here who loved it, and I can understand why. (less)

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Sep 11, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
This is a wonderfully creative story. Well planned and well paced. I enjoyed the characters immensely. What I fell in love with though was the idea behind the story. The idea of people's perceptions: of themselves, of others and of what the world should be like.
I love the comparison of the belief systems of the two main characters, Zoe and Noah. Noah's belief in faith and God drives him while Zoe believes in science, technology and the absence of religion. Although they appear to...more

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May 19, 2013 Dabin rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Summary:
Zoe is the grand daughter of the man who created genetically altered people, GAPs. Because of that she lives a wealthy life, perfect home, family, and boyfriend. Until her brother goes missing. The authorities claim that they're doing everything they can, but Zoe doesn't buy it. She contacts her housemaid, Noah, to help her find her brother. Noah asks his natural friends (people who aren't genetically altered) to help tracks own Zoe's brother. They discover that he was killed. Again,...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Leanna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-distant-future, e-books, reluctant-about-continuing-series, ya

Hmm. While reading this book, especially at the beginning, I felt like I was reading a Coles Notes version of the book. Sentences were short, and a lot of information was given without very much style. It was like reading a summary of a movie.

Anyways, I couldn't connect with the main character, Zoe, at all. She is naive and entitled. She complains multiple times about the unappetising smells she has to deal with from the food court that serves "food from all ethnicities". She constantly emphasi...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Cerian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perception is the first book in the Perception series by Lee Strauss, it's a sci-fi young adult book with plenty of mystery and romance to keep all readers satisfied!

Zoe Vanderveen has it all, she's a genetically-altered person (GAP) so she's healthy, beautiful and wealthy, living in a sheltered utopia. She has a hot boyfriend, and an older brother she's close to. But this seemingly idyllic existence is thrown into disarray when her brother Liam goes missing, and his traceable chip is missing an...more Perception is the first book in the Perception series by Lee Strauss, it's a sci-fi young adult book with plenty of mystery and romance to keep all readers satisfied!

Zoe Vanderveen has it all, she's a genetically-altered person (GAP) so she's healthy, beautiful and wealthy, living in a sheltered utopia. She has a hot boyfriend, and an older brother she's close to. But this seemingly idyllic existence is thrown into disarray when her brother Liam goes missing, and his traceable chip is missing and the police don't appear to be much help.
A distraught and desperate Zoe turns to Noah for help.
Noah is the maid's son, and he is a natural who lives on the outside. Noah's taken up his late father's protests against genetic alteration and the elitism it represents, so he obviously doesn't have the greatest liking for GAPs, but he agrees to help Zoe.

Zoe starts off as a spoilt and sheltered girl, it's not that she's particularly unlikable- it's just how she's been raised, it's all she knows. She's very ignorant to many issues in the outside world, and has very prejudiced views on naturals and religion. One of my favourite aspects of this book is the character development that occurs throughout the story. Zoe changes into a person that you can like and admire once here eyes are opened. She's very strong and determined, as she searches for answers.

Noah is also great, and has the same development. As he gets to know Zoe properly, he realises that he's also got some prejudiced views of GAPs and they learn to trust each other. He's very determined, but the interaction with his family shows you his sensitive and compassionate side. Their chemistry was dynamite, and the romance built at a great pace and became fabulously intense!

The world-building in Perception was wonderful, it was so easy to picture exactly how the world had become this place. The pacing was great, it didn't lag at all and it kept me glued to the pages. I loved the mystery aspect, I was very intrigued as to what was happening and there were plenty of twists and turns!
I'm ready for Volition (Book 2)!

Originally posted at The Rookie Romance Blog.(less)

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Sep 12, 2012 Lis (The reader lines) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-of-light-read, another-world, arc, powerful

When I received this book I knew I had to read it fast to be on time for the release date. I didn't know if I could do it, but was counting on it.
Of course I did. And I'm so happy to say that after like... one month I read this book in two days!!! Yes! It's been a while since I don't read any book so fast. I thought I was losing my charm, lol!
But I wasn't because I made myself do it, it was because this book worth it. I felt it!
This is book is a SF/mystery/romance/YA that got me trapped. It cau...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Mandy Sickle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-in-series, favorites, owned-books, fiction, read2review, 2012, reading-diaries-reviews

I received this book from the author in return for a honest review as part of the release of Perception. Zoe is your typical teenage girl, attending school, surfing with her older brother, hanging out with her friends and boyfriend. Until suddenly her old brother goes missing, and no one seems to know where he is. Zoe starts her own investigation into what happened to her older brother, learning more then she can ever imagine. Zoe is what they call a GAP person someone who has been genetically a...more I received this book from the author in return for a honest review as part of the release of Perception. Zoe is your typical teenage girl, attending school, surfing with her older brother, hanging out with her friends and boyfriend. Until suddenly her old brother goes missing, and no one seems to know where he is. Zoe starts her own investigation into what happened to her older brother, learning more then she can ever imagine. Zoe is what they call a GAP person someone who has been genetically altered to live an extended life around two hundred years. All GAP people live in cities where other GAP people live apart from the outsiders those who haven't had the genetic alteration. For a single person to have the alteration is around 750,000 so unless you’re rich you can't afford it.

Zoe's grandfather was co-founder of the GAP program he was able to take advance of the process and is currently a senator running for President. His partner passed away choosing not to do the procedure for his family. Zoe reaches out to her house keepers son Noah a young man against genetically altering people. After finding a scrap of paper with the name DEXTER she feels like he is the only one who can help her find out what really happened to her brother when he turns up dead. The deeper they dig into the death of Liam the deeper the conspiracy goes, leading the pair on a adventure that changes their lives forever.

I really loved the story it is kind of sci fi mystery with a romance twist. The relationship between Zoe and Noah reminds me of Romeo and Juliet two teenagers from different families; however with the sci fi twist it's more like genetically altered don't date outsiders. Her parents try to keep the pair apart but Zoe has to know the truth about her bother. Zoe and Noah have great chemistry as a potential couple and I really like their love story that's woven in the adventure of the story. The book is fast paced drawing you in right from the start, I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know more about the what happened to Liam. I felt that the characters are really well written allowing you to relate to them, and feel like you’re with them through the story. I can't wait to see what happens next, it's a great start to a new exciting series.
(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Tiffany (Book Cover Justice) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Zoe is a seventeen-year-old GAP (genetically altered person) and lives in the protected Sol City, where only the GAP are permitted to live and enter unless a "natural" has been granted access by a GAP. Her brother, Liam, has gone missing. There has been no activity on his chip and he isn't answering his ComRing. Zoe knows something just isn't right. When she finds a mysterious piece of paper in his bedroom, Zoe decides to find out the truth for herself. This leads her to Noah, the son of her mai...more Zoe is a seventeen-year-old GAP (genetically altered person) and lives in the protected Sol City, where only the GAP are permitted to live and enter unless a "natural" has been granted access by a GAP. Her brother, Liam, has gone missing. There has been no activity on his chip and he isn't answering his ComRing. Zoe knows something just isn't right. When she finds a mysterious piece of paper in his bedroom, Zoe decides to find out the truth for herself. This leads her to Noah, the son of her maid and the leader of protesters determined to stop the GAPS from multiplying. Only Zoe didn't realize just how deep she is getting herself, and she certainly didn't plan on growing closer to Noah.

The Characters:
Can I just saw how much I love Noah? He is fierce, determined and strong. But at the same time, he is loving, sweet and sensitive. He loves his family and wants to help any way that he can, even if that means teaming up with spoiled Zoe Vandeerveen. I'll admit that she wasn't my favorite person when I first met her. I don't like snobby, perfect little blondes who think the world rotates just for them. But I will say that she surprised me. She knew something wasn't right and instead of going along with it, she took matters into her own hands even when that meant going against everyone she loved and everything she ever knew. And who can be mad at someone for sacrificing their entire life to make things right? I can't.
Aside from Zoe and Noah, we meet some other worthy and unfavorable characters. Zoe's parents, Tim and Alison, are somewhat distant and completely oblivious to the world outside their city. Tim is controlling and Alison seems a little mentally unstable at times. Jackson, Zoe's boyfriend, also comes across as a little distant and moody. He has his moments, but he also kind of gave me the creeps.

The Setting:
It is always important in dystopian type novels that the setting be described with great detail. Even though it is still our world, things have always changed. This story takes place mostly in two places: Sol City and the "outside", Los Angeles. I've never been to California so I couldn't base the city off of anything besides what I read, and since Sol City was not an actual place, I had nothing to base my ideas on that besides what I read as well. I was very pleased with the author's descriptions of both cities and I felt I knew them pretty well by the end of the book. There was a big difference between the two, Sol City always clean and fresh while Los Angeles was run down and dirty, and the parallels between them added a lot to the atmosphere of the story.

The Storyline:
This book has everything that you would want in a great story. Intrigue, deception, and even a little bit of love. There are also some big twists that will shock you and keep you on your toes. There's never a slow moment with the book starting out immediately with Liam's disappearance. Besides Zoe's search for her brother, there is another battle going on in this book on a much quieter level: science vs. religion. Zoe believes science is the key to everything while Noah is a strong believer in religion. Even though I am not a believer and hang more towards the science side, I still enjoyed this angle of the story. It showed that even though two people can disagree so strongly, it doesn't mean that they have to automatically hate each other. It's ok to have different beliefs and still respect each other's opinions. This is a hard message to get through to some people (trust me, I live it every day) and I commend the author for bringing it to light in this story.

The Writing:
Lee Strauss definitely has some writing chops. Everything in this story is brilliant. She sucks you in immediately with Liam's disappearance and just keeps dragging you deeper and deeper into the story with every page. Zoe and Noah have their own voices that are displayed perfectly throughout the story and they are completely believable. The story flows wonderfully with perfect pace.

Overall, I really only have one thing to add: READ. THIS. BOOK. With dystopian being quite a popular genre lately and more books being released than I can keep up with, it was so refreshing to come across such an original idea for a story. Zoe's story is a remarkable one and I am unbelievably desperate to get my hands on the next book in the series. I recommend this book to everyone!(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Ashley Byland rated it 5 of 5 stars

Perception is my first Dystopia book that I have read. I must say that I like this genre. It's futuristic without being corny, sci-fi like. It seems like a plausible future, at lease this book does. The premise about this book is really what enticed me to read it. A girl whose only help is a person who hates what she is. I always like stories like that because I feel like you really get to get into the characters minds and hearts and really feel their feelings.

This story takes a dark, traumatic...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Lelia Taylor rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: full-reviews

3.5 stars

Reading the first few pages of Perception, I was a little alarmed, thinking I’d somehow fallen into a surfer girl world where I didn’t want to be. Within moments, though, I was hooked and that quick grab of my attention rarely happens except when the story is really, really good. I’m happy to say it happened this time.

There are some flaws and some aspects of Ms. Strauss’s writing that I’m not crazy about; in particular, the action moves along a little too serendipitously. By that, I mea...more

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Sep 21, 2012 prydoxs rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finger-licking-good

I'm not so much a fan of sci-fi to begin with. I hadn't heard much about it but what drew me to the book was the advanced technology and cool gadgets featured in the story. Perception hooked me from the very first page.

Set in a future world, Perception tackles on the intervention of science and technology in human life. The world is so interesting and well-portrayed. Most people have a chip implanted in their hand. All the information about a person was added to the chip. It can even be used as...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Ari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tour, arc, to-review, electricidad-cuando-tu-me-tocas, science-fiction

Originally posted @ Black Lilies Are Deadly

Rating: 3.5/5

This book was a nice, quick and enjoyable read. I liked that, although the writing wasn't complicated, the story still managed to pull me in and keep me interested. I really wanted to know what would happen next and who else would be involved in the whole mystery, which was brought on by her brother's disappearance.

I liked Zoey. She was stubborn. Sometimes fearless, and although she believed what her society had hammered into her brain her...more Originally posted @ Black Lilies Are Deadly

Rating: 3.5/5

This book was a nice, quick and enjoyable read. I liked that, although the writing wasn't complicated, the story still managed to pull me in and keep me interested. I really wanted to know what would happen next and who else would be involved in the whole mystery, which was brought on by her brother's disappearance.

I liked Zoey. She was stubborn. Sometimes fearless, and although she believed what her society had hammered into her brain her whole life, she started to open up to other possibilities. But she was also very impulsive and sometimes came off as selfish. She even calls herself that. There's also a mystery surrounding her, which was hinted at a few times before the cat is let out of the bag.

But I have to say my favorite character was Noah. He was one resourceful guy, quite understanding, protective without being overprotective or stalker-ish. Well, not always, but when he did become overprotective it was for a good reason. Really! I also liked that the story changed to his PoV halfway through it. It gave me a better understanding of this character.

I thought the romance bloomed a little too quickly, but to be honest that didn't really bother me and it didn't hinder my reading progress. I tend to be picky and rant about that sort of thing. The reason for this might have been that although, yes there was love and kisses, it didn't take over the whole book nor was the plot forgotten in favor of it.

I had no real problems with the story...until the end... When I was reading those last pages, I was really expecting something bigger after all I went through with those characters. And after someone's appearance where they were which made me go "Ooooh!". But instead, I literally went: "Wait, what? Did that really just happen the way it happened?" It was a bit disappointing, but I reminded myself that there will be a second book, so it was sort of okay that everything happened like it did.

I can't wait for second book and all the other adventures and misadventures which await Zoe and Noah.

*Thanks to the author, Lee Strauss, for providing me with a free copy of the book for reviewing purposes and to feature at my tour stop.
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Sep 11, 2012 M. Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour-arc

Perception has a nice blend of science fiction, romance, with a bit mystery and suspense. What I found interesting is how the author created two different characters with two drastically different backgrounds and beliefs and caused a situation where they would have to interact with one another. Zoe was a person who believed in science, yet Noah believed in God. However, there wasn't the level of conflict between them that the summary preludes to, but that didn't diminish my reading experience. T...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, three-star-reviews

See more reviews on Short & Sweet Reviews!

Perception starts out normally enough -- there's a young, beautiful girl who has an equally beautiful brother. They are pretty, and wealthy, and do all the things that pretty, wealthy people do. I'd kind of forgotten what this book was about at first, I just knew it was next on my list of stuff to read, so I was kind of annoyed by Zoe's entitled attitude, until we realize that she is a GAP, a Genetically Altered Person. These people are typically inc...more See more reviews on Short & Sweet Reviews!

Perception starts out normally enough -- there's a young, beautiful girl who has an equally beautiful brother. They are pretty, and wealthy, and do all the things that pretty, wealthy people do. I'd kind of forgotten what this book was about at first, I just knew it was next on my list of stuff to read, so I was kind of annoyed by Zoe's entitled attitude, until we realize that she is a GAP, a Genetically Altered Person. These people are typically incredibly wealthy, have every opportunity possible in life, are genetically designed to be as beautiful and smart and appealing as possible, etc. GAPs all live inside a walled-off city, so they don't have to mingle with the naturals, people who can't afford the GAP procedure (or object to it). So at least there was a reason for her attitude, although it is hard to have your main character be someone who looks at the "household help" with revulsion.

I really liked the worldbuilding that Strauss does in this book. It's set in the somewhat distant future, and though it doesn't exactly paint the prettiest picture of society, I could see it that sort of misuse of technology by very powerful and wealthy people as something that's plausible. While Zoe starts out as being very closed-minded and judgmental towards non-GAP people and lifestyles, she does come to grow and change over the course of the book, which makes her easier to like.

I would have liked to get more background on Zoe and Liam and their relationship. Her search for her brother is what drives the plot, but we really only see them together in one scene of the book. We're told that they're really close, and we believe it because we believe Zoe, but I think it would have been nice to see them interact a little more.

One thing I was not expecting was the emphasis on science vs. religion. It felt heavy-handed sometimes, especially when Zoe and Noah discuss their differing points of view. I wouldn't call this Christian fiction, since it's not the focus of the story, but it's close when it becomes clear how many of the people associated with the science end of the story are bad guys. Fine if that's your cup of tea, but I just wasn't expecting that to be the backbone of the story.

Otherwise, I feel like this book has the same sort of issues that I feel happen all the time in YA books: somewhat obvious villains, uber-fast-moving romance, some stilted/unrealistic dialogue, at least one moment that makes you go "WAIT WHAT?!", etc. At least Noah isn't the bad boy type who treats Zoe like crap, and although he does make some questionable decisions in the back half of the book, he at least has the self-awareness to know that what he's doing is pretty weird. They weren't showstoppers of issues -- I still enjoyed the story -- but just know they're there.

Overall, I was pretty entertained by this book and wouldn't mind checking out the later books in the series to see what happens to Zoe and her quest for truth. There is some violence and one very brief medical/surgery type scene. There is romance but it never goes any further than kissing.(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Jaclyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sent-for-review

Explores Our Obsession With Immortality
This book delves into what we are willing to do to live forever and the thoughts on science vs. religion. It explores a lot of deep areas and really gets the brain flowing.

What Strauss has done is set up a very interesting world where GAPs like Zoey Vanderveen are genetically altered human beings paying thousands for the procedure and adding on to their life span in the process.

The Good
First, she has separated her world into two classes: the GAPs and the No...more Explores Our Obsession With Immortality
This book delves into what we are willing to do to live forever and the thoughts on science vs. religion. It explores a lot of deep areas and really gets the brain flowing.

What Strauss has done is set up a very interesting world where GAPs like Zoey Vanderveen are genetically altered human beings paying thousands for the procedure and adding on to their life span in the process.

The Good
First, she has separated her world into two classes: the GAPs and the Normals. Basically this is upper class vs. lower class. Next, she has separated the world even further for those that Science is a religion where they believe it is the most important thing there is and others that have Faith in a higher power that they can't see. With these separations, and two people in the book embodying these aspects, I am firmly on the side of Noah...and believe me when I say that he warmed me over. Good thing he warms Zoey over as well.

Zoey begins an investigation into her missing brother and ends up needing Noah the Normal to help her out. I appreciate her fervor to find out more and to not ever give up throughout her search for answers. She has to leave her comfort zone and I respect her for having the gumption to go through with it.

I also greatly enjoyed Strauss' future view of the world. The com rings that allow them to contact each other and the pods and personal pods they ride in. I also think the chip embedded in their wrists as a form of payment and holding their files is great...as well as Noah's explanation of why he would never get one.

The book also had to switch points of view at about 75% in. This switch is fantastically done, and I was greatly impressed with being inside Noah's head. There are generally two main characters in a book, and I always want to know what each are thinking and gain a little more information about the way that they tick. The transition in this book didn't necessarily have to be done, but it did make what was going on more interesting and was a joy to read.

The Bad
I will admit to not liking Zoey Vanderveen very much at all, and can say with assurance that at the beginning of the book I would not have wanted to be her friend if we met by chance. She actually notes a few times in the first 30% of the book that she can't fathom brown-eyed brunettes being attractive. Since I happen to be a brown-eyed brunette, I know this rubbed me the wrong way. She also notes often how pretty she is and how much guys like the way that she looks. Thankfully, because of this, it makes me appreciate her learning and growing and accepting other forms of beauty throughout the book.

The Romance
Zoey has a boyfriend in the beginning of the story...a GAP like her. I never really felt a connection between the two, but I think the romance had fizzled some by the time the book started. Noah calls one of Zoey's friends 'The Cheater' too and the book makes references to the fact that Jackson wasn't faithful to her.

Now Noah and Zoey eventually grow into a nice pair. They are polar opposites in the beginning, and throughout the story Zoey opens her eyes more and learns to accept things that were not acceptable to her before. They have a nice slow burn and I really enjoyed watching the two of them grow to care for each other. I have learned from Pride and Prejudice that I greatly enjoy watching two people 'get over themselves' and just allow themselves to love.

Conclusion
Although the beginning was sketchy with me because I didn't like Zoey very much, the story was well-told and the world created very interesting. I love the plot of what was going on, the realness of what we would do to gain immortality, and the growth of Zoey's open-mindedness. The ending was fantastic...leaving me wanting to jump into Volition as soon as I can.(less)

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Sep 12, 2012 Shreya (CCReviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

*A copy was provided for review from author*

Perception by Lee Strauss is a dystopian novel that takes genetic engineering to a whole new level. There are the GAP’s, who have been genetically altered to have a life-span of at least 300 years, and there are the ‘outsiders’, who have not been immunized to every disease out there, do not have a pro-longed life, and most certainly do not have everything available to them at the flick of a finger. And in the center of all this, lies one girl who risks...more *A copy was provided for review from author*

Perception by Lee Strauss is a dystopian novel that takes genetic engineering to a whole new level. There are the GAP’s, who have been genetically altered to have a life-span of at least 300 years, and there are the ‘outsiders’, who have not been immunized to every disease out there, do not have a pro-longed life, and most certainly do not have everything available to them at the flick of a finger. And in the center of all this, lies one girl who risks the life of luxury to get vengeance for the disappearance of her brother, as well as a boy who also risks what little he has in order to bring justice to the world again.

This dystopia was a very well-written novel, and I really like the aspect of our future being put forward, because this is exactly where we’re going guys. I loved how there are two worlds/settings in this book, the perfect but lacking emotionally inside, and the trouble-ridden but warm outside. While there were perks to this book, there were also some things that I didn’t enjoy as much. I feel like there should’ve been a little more detail and Intel into the world that the author was trying to create. We don’t learn much about the past, everyone takes place in the present. The action was there, somewhat, but it’s not as much as we see in many dystopians these days. It was there, but it was mild. Also, it could’ve just been me, but I feel like the plot should’ve been more empowering than the main character worrying and trying to find her brother. So, as you can tell from that, I really want to read the next book in hopes that we get to learn more about this superior vs. inferior world, and how it was created, and why it happened.

The characters were great as well. Zoe, the main character, was different from all the GAP’s around her. She wasn’t caught up in the glory or charm of her life-style, but wanted the warmth and comfort only love can give, which isn’t exactly present to her in her little dome of a world. She did have a lot of courage to investigate her brother’s disappearance by venturing into the ‘outside’, which was the main reason I liked her. Her past also made this book interesting, and I hope we, again, find more about the past in the next book because it seems to be getting more and more interesting by the second. The second main character called Noah was also an interesting one. He was reluctant to trust Zoe in the beginning, but he realized how much he really cared for her by the end. The main part about him that I liked was his determination to bring justice to his people, otherwise known as the ‘poor or middle-class outsiders’. His rebellion made the book all the more delicious. Zoe and Noah’s relationship progressed at a pace that’s perfect for the first book in a series. As in, not too slow, but not too fast either. They had chemistry that I hope to see a lot more off in the next book.

Overall, Perception was a satisfying read that I’m glad I got the chance to review. Although I didn’t love it with all my soul and body, it had a certain charm about it that really makes me want the next book. I definitely recommend this read to those looking for a ‘mild-action/dystopian’ novel. It was great and you won’t regret it.(less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review was done in conjunction with Celeste at thebookhookup.com

♥ Initial thoughts after reading:
Celeste: What a great story, setting, society and romance…I need more! Perception is dystopian novel where most people have had their genetics altered to live longer, be more beautiful and avoid disease. However, I said most, not all. This is where it gets interesting. Zoe is a GAP (genetically altered person) and Noah is a natural. These two shouldn’t interact, but after Zoe’s brother goes miss...more

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