Review ~ "Perception" by Lee Strauss

Perception by Lee Strauss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received electronic ARC to review
Genre: YA Science Fiction

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. 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.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes 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.

This is the first book in a planned three book series.

My thoughts: Zoe's brother has disappeared. No one seems to be doing anything to find him or find answers to his disappearance. She can tell that secrets are being kept from her.

She is a GAP. She has been genetically altered to look close to perfection and to live to age 200. Her grandfather helped to develop the technology. Only the wealthy can afford the procedure, and they are an exclusive group. They created their own gated society and have the best of everything. A natural is looked down upon and must gain special permission to enter the city.


There is a mystery to be solved and Zoe is determined to get to the bottom of it. She recruits the son of their maid, Noah. Together they work, she inside the city and he outside, because he is a natural. She begins to understand the beauty of being different and not perfect. It doesn't take long for her to be attracted to him.

I really enjoyed this book. It is set in the future, in a technologically advance society. Lee Strauss did a great job of setting up the book and implementing her goal. The story flows well and is easy to understand.

I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. This book is a clean read with lots of kissing. :)

Purchase links:

The Kindle edition is free for Amazon prime or 99 cents.