What do you think?
Rate this book
Perfection #1
Perfection
The personification of Aryan purity, Ellyssa's spent her whole life under her creator's strict training and guidance; her purpose is to eradicate inferior beings. She was genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic.
Only Ellyssa isn't perfect.
Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.
But he does.
His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection.
Only Ellyssa isn't perfect.
Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.
But he does.
His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection.
317 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
11 people are currently reading
3045 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Spelbring
3 books126 followersJ.L. Spelbring lives in Texas, where she wanders out in the middle of the night to look at the big and bright stars. Besides knocking imaginary bad guys in the head with a keyboard, she enjoys being swept away between the pages of a book, running amuck inside in her own head, pretending she is into running, and hanging out with her kids, who are way too cool for her.
Her novel, Perfection, will be released in May, 2013.
Her novel, Perfection, will be released in May, 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
April 26, 2013
I hope everyone who reads PERFECTION enjoys it. July 2013 is getting closer.
October 11, 2017
DNFed at around 40% out of boredom.
This had a really creative premise– Nazis took over the world and a perfect girl learns to be a real person. And it was vaguely interesting, if a little one-dimensional... until she reached the shelter. Then it just got terrible.
The main character wasn't developed enough for you to really care about the plot and storyline. And of course, she only develops emotion through romance, which is possibly the least creative choice ever. It didn't help that the romance was terrible.
I can't judge any other storylines because I DNFed this, but I didn't like where it was going with the racism element. Like, at all. And frankly, I don't care enough to find out.
This had a really creative premise– Nazis took over the world and a perfect girl learns to be a real person. And it was vaguely interesting, if a little one-dimensional... until she reached the shelter. Then it just got terrible.
The main character wasn't developed enough for you to really care about the plot and storyline. And of course, she only develops emotion through romance, which is possibly the least creative choice ever. It didn't help that the romance was terrible.
I can't judge any other storylines because I DNFed this, but I didn't like where it was going with the racism element. Like, at all. And frankly, I don't care enough to find out.
March 14, 2012
This is SUCH an amazing, original story--it's Westerfield's SPECIALS meets Philip K. Dick's THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE. "Dystopian" doesn't even begin to cover a world in which the Nazis won the war. This is a must-read for anyone who likes their YA with an edge; we're delighted to have it at Spencer Hill!
April 3, 2018
Point of View: Third (Ellyssa, Dr. Hirch Ellyssa’s ‘father’, Angela a member of the Gestapo, and Rein a young renegade)
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 6/10 Stars
Predictability: 4 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
Warnings: Attempted rape and torture (with super powers)
My Summary: Perfection is a Dystopian where Hitler won the war. Now it’s not enough to have blonde hair and blue eyes, but you have to have the right shade of hair and eyes. Anyone without these traits is sent to a concentration camp.
Ellyssa is a genetically engineered young woman. She’s literally perfect, a beautiful genius with kick butt martial arts skills, and the ability to read minds. Ellyssa’s spent her entire life in a place called the Center with her siblings. The first chapter is her first experience out in the world after escaping the Center.
Through a series of flashbacks we learn that a young dark haired renegade was dragged through the center and communicated into Ellyssa’s mind Kansas City. She’d never experienced anything like this before. How could an imperfect have such a skill? She then hacked into her ‘father’s’ computer, where she discovered the truth of his plans for the future.
My Review:
This was hard book for me to get into. I’d have liked a chapter or two of Ellyssa’s life at the Center first rather than the flashbacks. That way I would have cared more about what happened to her as she was struggling during the first part of the book.
I was surprised to learn this book was only just over 300 pages, it felt way longer than that. I think the reason for that was that there were so many points of view.
The book would’ve been better if it was only told by Ellyssa. Rein’s perspective was interesting and Dr. Hirch’s showed what was going on back at the Center, but Angela the Gestapo’s wasn’t necessary at all.
Even though there were four points of view, they were all unique and I never confused the characters.
The Good:
When we meet Ellyssa one of the first things she does is enjoy the emotion of panic, because it’s an emotion and she was never supposed to feel. She’s tough and kicks some serious butt. I liked that Ellyssa wasn’t a damsel in distress.
The world is interesting and I’d like to see more about what ordinary life is like, because our protagonists led very different lives, but both weren’t normal. The powers Ellyssa and her siblings had were cool and I liked how they developed.
The plot was fine overall, though I’d have liked Elyssa to have more of a plan when she escaped. The pacing slowed in spots, but there was enough action to keep me reading and the action scenes were nicely done.
The characters were likable enough, and even the side characters were well developed. I liked Ellyssa’s growth from someone who was afraid to feel or show emotion to more of a normal girl.
The ending was good, everything wrapped up nicely making this a self contained story, but still with room for a sequel.
The Bad:
The romance. I actually sped read through some of the romantic parts. I didn’t ‘feel’ the romance. It was love at first sight… *sigh* and they went on and on about how much they meant to each other. *eye roll* I like romance in books, but it happened too quickly and they felt too strongly for each other.
There was also the start to a love triangle, which I think might be developed more in future books. I actually found myself liking her relationship with the other guy, though he fell for her too quickly also.
There was one instance where Rein did something that made no logical sense, but needed to happen to further the plot. (These kinds of things bug me.)
Would I recommend this book? Yes to fans of Dystopian and romance. Will I read the Sequel? Maybe.
My Favorite Quote:
“Perfection? People, in themselves, ARE perfect. Creativity, emotions, the innate quest to find truth – these are the things which evolved humans. All of them. Not just what you choose.”
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 6/10 Stars
Predictability: 4 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
Warnings: Attempted rape and torture (with super powers)
My Summary: Perfection is a Dystopian where Hitler won the war. Now it’s not enough to have blonde hair and blue eyes, but you have to have the right shade of hair and eyes. Anyone without these traits is sent to a concentration camp.
Ellyssa is a genetically engineered young woman. She’s literally perfect, a beautiful genius with kick butt martial arts skills, and the ability to read minds. Ellyssa’s spent her entire life in a place called the Center with her siblings. The first chapter is her first experience out in the world after escaping the Center.
Through a series of flashbacks we learn that a young dark haired renegade was dragged through the center and communicated into Ellyssa’s mind Kansas City. She’d never experienced anything like this before. How could an imperfect have such a skill? She then hacked into her ‘father’s’ computer, where she discovered the truth of his plans for the future.
My Review:
This was hard book for me to get into. I’d have liked a chapter or two of Ellyssa’s life at the Center first rather than the flashbacks. That way I would have cared more about what happened to her as she was struggling during the first part of the book.
I was surprised to learn this book was only just over 300 pages, it felt way longer than that. I think the reason for that was that there were so many points of view.
The book would’ve been better if it was only told by Ellyssa. Rein’s perspective was interesting and Dr. Hirch’s showed what was going on back at the Center, but Angela the Gestapo’s wasn’t necessary at all.
Even though there were four points of view, they were all unique and I never confused the characters.
The Good:
When we meet Ellyssa one of the first things she does is enjoy the emotion of panic, because it’s an emotion and she was never supposed to feel. She’s tough and kicks some serious butt. I liked that Ellyssa wasn’t a damsel in distress.
The world is interesting and I’d like to see more about what ordinary life is like, because our protagonists led very different lives, but both weren’t normal. The powers Ellyssa and her siblings had were cool and I liked how they developed.
The plot was fine overall, though I’d have liked Elyssa to have more of a plan when she escaped. The pacing slowed in spots, but there was enough action to keep me reading and the action scenes were nicely done.
The characters were likable enough, and even the side characters were well developed. I liked Ellyssa’s growth from someone who was afraid to feel or show emotion to more of a normal girl.
The ending was good, everything wrapped up nicely making this a self contained story, but still with room for a sequel.
The Bad:
The romance. I actually sped read through some of the romantic parts. I didn’t ‘feel’ the romance. It was love at first sight… *sigh* and they went on and on about how much they meant to each other. *eye roll* I like romance in books, but it happened too quickly and they felt too strongly for each other.
There was also the start to a love triangle, which I think might be developed more in future books. I actually found myself liking her relationship with the other guy, though he fell for her too quickly also.
There was one instance where Rein did something that made no logical sense, but needed to happen to further the plot. (These kinds of things bug me.)
Would I recommend this book? Yes to fans of Dystopian and romance. Will I read the Sequel? Maybe.
My Favorite Quote:
“Perfection? People, in themselves, ARE perfect. Creativity, emotions, the innate quest to find truth – these are the things which evolved humans. All of them. Not just what you choose.”
April 4, 2012
This book is seriously so unique and amazing it's mind-blowing!
Read
July 19, 2012Fantastic! Review to come...
July 17, 2013
I want to thank Spencer Hill Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way changed my opinion or review.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The personification of Aryan purity, Ellyssa's spent her whole life under her creator's strict training and guidance; her purpose is to eradicate inferior beings. She was genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic.
Only Ellyssa isn't perfect.
Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.
But he does.
His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection
As with all SHP books, I was truly excited to read this one. It's a strange mix of dystopia and science fiction set in a more current world. While we are never given the time in which the book actually takes place, there are several references to World War 2 and Hitler having been in the past. There are also references as to how long some of the characters have been part of the resistive movement, the oldest looking to be in his 70s and having been the one to start it. So I can safely say that this book most likely takes place in this day and age, in a world that has been altered as if Hitler's plan came to fruition. Scary thought, isn't it?
One of the most interesting parts about this book is that it is written in third person with an omniscient voice. Rarely do you see YA novels that fall into this category (Cassandra Clare being the exception). For the most part YA books have a MC (or perhaps a few) that gives his/her point of view and that is how you get an idea of the world building. Not so with Spelbring's book. She takes the chance and tells the story from the outside perspective. At first, I found it odd, to be honest. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. But as I read and got more and more into the story, it really grew on me and I noticed that this point of view truly helped to shaped the emotions I felt as I read along. Truly not an easy feat, as telling a story from this perspective has it's own difficulties (how do you get the personalities and emotions of the characters across if they cannot tell you about it through their own eyes?). But it really worked and in the end surprised me.
As for the characters, I really enjoyed getting to know them. They are fairly well developed with personalities all their own. I would have liked to see some of them in more depth, perhaps more interactions between them so I could flesh them out and connect with them. But for the most part they were relatable and realistic.
Elyssa is an interesting specimen. She is emotionless at the beginning of the story, trained to kill. But something clicks inside her and suddenly it's like a light was turned on and her emotions begin to take shape and form. We learn about her through how she reacts to others and to the situations around her. It's interesting to watch her grow from a sheltered being with no trust in anyone but her father and siblings, to a person who begins to understand the depth and reasoning behind human relationships.
I would have liked to see more about Rein. I don't feel like I got to know him well enough. He's tough on the outside, and certainly has some softness that's hidden underneath. He is fiercely loyal, which is always great to see in a male character. And he is able to bend a bit and learn as well, as the story floats along.
Mathew, Woody, Jason and the others are a great backdrop. I especially enjoyed the detective, Angela. She was hard core and unwavering in how she thought. She had an evil that underscored her personality and slowly seeped out during the story. Her rage and jealously were very palpable at the end. The Doctor was also a very interesting character. He was completely corrupt and there was no denying he is the bad guy in this book. He is so focused on creating a superior race that others begin to not matter anymore and all that matters is that he attains his sick goal.
Spelbring builds an interesting world. It's a world where there is a superior race. Anyone else is inconsequential. I have to say that I would have liked to see more of how the world came into being, how it was able to be maintained. This book does not focus on any aspect of the government, so we don't know how the people are so well controlled. Also, I didn't understand how the renegades were able to break off and hide so well. I would have liked to see more about their communities and how their network worked so well. We only get a short glimpse into the network towards the latter part of the book. But you can feel the corruption and see where it has emanated from. There's no denying this world to be a post war society filled with the ideas that there is a superior race and all other races must be destroyed.
As for the romance, well, it would not be YA without a bit of romance. It was sweet. But, I did have an issue with the "insta-love" thing. I didn't feel like the characters grew and got to know each other well enough to really profess their love for one another. Don't get me wrong, I know there can be moments where characters feel so connected to one another that things just click, but I didn't get that here. And I was surprised that Ellyssa didn't question things more than she did, having never experienced such emotions before.
As for Spelbring's writing, there is an edginess to it that was actually a bit unnerving throughout the book. But this wasn't a bad thing. It actually helped to develop the tone of the story and move it along in a way that was easy to understand. At no point was her language confusing (although she does use the metric system, so if you are unfamiliar with that you may be a little lost). I liked how she stayed true to the European aspect of this book. Despite it taking place in the midwest (Chicago, Kansas City), she kept in line with a good amount of the characters speaking German (after all, the German's won the war).
Overall, I really liked this book. The idea is completely and totally new and refreshing. At first I was not sure I would like it. I am not a huge fan of historical type books. But this is not an historical read, although the history does create the back drop for the world building. I was torn as to my rating until I got to the end. I really liked how things ended and how it was left open, without a cliff hanger, for future installments to a series. I'm looking forward to where Spelbring takes the story and how it develops into something that goes beyond the doctor and his offspring.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The personification of Aryan purity, Ellyssa's spent her whole life under her creator's strict training and guidance; her purpose is to eradicate inferior beings. She was genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic.
Only Ellyssa isn't perfect.
Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.
But he does.
His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection
As with all SHP books, I was truly excited to read this one. It's a strange mix of dystopia and science fiction set in a more current world. While we are never given the time in which the book actually takes place, there are several references to World War 2 and Hitler having been in the past. There are also references as to how long some of the characters have been part of the resistive movement, the oldest looking to be in his 70s and having been the one to start it. So I can safely say that this book most likely takes place in this day and age, in a world that has been altered as if Hitler's plan came to fruition. Scary thought, isn't it?
One of the most interesting parts about this book is that it is written in third person with an omniscient voice. Rarely do you see YA novels that fall into this category (Cassandra Clare being the exception). For the most part YA books have a MC (or perhaps a few) that gives his/her point of view and that is how you get an idea of the world building. Not so with Spelbring's book. She takes the chance and tells the story from the outside perspective. At first, I found it odd, to be honest. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. But as I read and got more and more into the story, it really grew on me and I noticed that this point of view truly helped to shaped the emotions I felt as I read along. Truly not an easy feat, as telling a story from this perspective has it's own difficulties (how do you get the personalities and emotions of the characters across if they cannot tell you about it through their own eyes?). But it really worked and in the end surprised me.
As for the characters, I really enjoyed getting to know them. They are fairly well developed with personalities all their own. I would have liked to see some of them in more depth, perhaps more interactions between them so I could flesh them out and connect with them. But for the most part they were relatable and realistic.
Elyssa is an interesting specimen. She is emotionless at the beginning of the story, trained to kill. But something clicks inside her and suddenly it's like a light was turned on and her emotions begin to take shape and form. We learn about her through how she reacts to others and to the situations around her. It's interesting to watch her grow from a sheltered being with no trust in anyone but her father and siblings, to a person who begins to understand the depth and reasoning behind human relationships.
I would have liked to see more about Rein. I don't feel like I got to know him well enough. He's tough on the outside, and certainly has some softness that's hidden underneath. He is fiercely loyal, which is always great to see in a male character. And he is able to bend a bit and learn as well, as the story floats along.
Mathew, Woody, Jason and the others are a great backdrop. I especially enjoyed the detective, Angela. She was hard core and unwavering in how she thought. She had an evil that underscored her personality and slowly seeped out during the story. Her rage and jealously were very palpable at the end. The Doctor was also a very interesting character. He was completely corrupt and there was no denying he is the bad guy in this book. He is so focused on creating a superior race that others begin to not matter anymore and all that matters is that he attains his sick goal.
Spelbring builds an interesting world. It's a world where there is a superior race. Anyone else is inconsequential. I have to say that I would have liked to see more of how the world came into being, how it was able to be maintained. This book does not focus on any aspect of the government, so we don't know how the people are so well controlled. Also, I didn't understand how the renegades were able to break off and hide so well. I would have liked to see more about their communities and how their network worked so well. We only get a short glimpse into the network towards the latter part of the book. But you can feel the corruption and see where it has emanated from. There's no denying this world to be a post war society filled with the ideas that there is a superior race and all other races must be destroyed.
As for the romance, well, it would not be YA without a bit of romance. It was sweet. But, I did have an issue with the "insta-love" thing. I didn't feel like the characters grew and got to know each other well enough to really profess their love for one another. Don't get me wrong, I know there can be moments where characters feel so connected to one another that things just click, but I didn't get that here. And I was surprised that Ellyssa didn't question things more than she did, having never experienced such emotions before.
As for Spelbring's writing, there is an edginess to it that was actually a bit unnerving throughout the book. But this wasn't a bad thing. It actually helped to develop the tone of the story and move it along in a way that was easy to understand. At no point was her language confusing (although she does use the metric system, so if you are unfamiliar with that you may be a little lost). I liked how she stayed true to the European aspect of this book. Despite it taking place in the midwest (Chicago, Kansas City), she kept in line with a good amount of the characters speaking German (after all, the German's won the war).
Overall, I really liked this book. The idea is completely and totally new and refreshing. At first I was not sure I would like it. I am not a huge fan of historical type books. But this is not an historical read, although the history does create the back drop for the world building. I was torn as to my rating until I got to the end. I really liked how things ended and how it was left open, without a cliff hanger, for future installments to a series. I'm looking forward to where Spelbring takes the story and how it develops into something that goes beyond the doctor and his offspring.
August 26, 2013
Perfection Review on K-Books
"Together, we can make it through whatever awaits us."
Wow!
That was my initial reaction after finishing Perfection. This is without a doubt one of the most well thought out, cleverly-written and unique books I have ever read. I am naturally a massive fan of Dystopia novels so I couldn't wait to read Perfection from the first moment that I heard of it. Perfection is all that I hoped it would be and more.
Ellyssa is perfect. No really! She has been genetically engineered to be the perfect being, the perfect soldier. Ever since Hitler won the war, his followers have been striving to rid the world of their imperfections. The things that ruined the world that they are now trying to save. In their journey to perfection Dr Hirch has created the perfect beings, powerful, strong, emotionless. The perfect soldiers for their cause... and it helps that they have superior powers. But Ellyssa has a flaw that she cannot tell anyone. She isn't the perfect creature her father believes. She isn't emotionless, she feels just as much as anyone... she just doesn't understand them. After running away and being taken by the Renegades Ellyssa starts feeling more than she ever knew she was capable. But with her Father hunting her and wanting his perfect creation back can she keep her new found family safe?
Perfection absolutely blew me away. Just thinking about a world where the Nazi's won the way completely and utterly baffles me. I mean it is something I would never want to think about because that world would just be too scary. JL Spelbrings brings it to life and writes it perfectly. Her writing style sucked me in right from the start of the book and I couldn't put it down. This is one of the most cleverly-thought-out and unique dystopia's I've ever read and it is so realistic. I mean this book literally scares me... not because it's frightening or creepy but because thinking about it if the Nazi's had in fact won the war I could totally see this actually happening... and that's scary.
Ellyssa is unlike any other heroine I have read about. She is strong and kick-ass and I mean kick-ass... like she is trained to kill so trust me she can kick some ass. But even though she is a soldier she has this insane vulnerability that you don't see in other books. She has been trained her whole life not to feel anything so emotionally she is like a child and it was such a beautiful and emotional journey to go with her on her discovery of emotions and how they don't make you weak as she was always lead to believe but how they can be your strength. I love her so much. It was so refreshing to read about a heroine who is very much like a child as well as being strong and kick-ass
Rein... ahh the beautiful dark haired boy with the green eyes... well I was sold right there and then. Who could resist that? I love him. I love how strong he is and I love how the romance between he and Ellyssa wasn't like a insta-love, love-at-first-sight thing. I love how it developed as they got to know each other more. Rein is protective and fierce and I love that. I love how even though he had these feelings for Ellyssa his family came first and he made sure that they came first. I love him. He is fierce, protective and super sweet. He is just everything you want in a fictional character.
Perfection was absolutely brilliant. I genuinely loved every single moment of it and I could not stop reading. I just had to know what was going to happen. It has non-stop action that will have you on the edge of your seat not able to turn the pages fast enough. It has heart-melting romance that will have you sighing... and possibly drooling a little into the book. This is without a doubt one of my favourite dystopia's of all time and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second installment of the series... no doubt it will be perfection!
Go grab this book now! You will not be disappointed.
"Perfection? People, in themselves, ARE perfect. Creativity, emotions, the innate quest to find truth - these are the things which evolved humans. All of them. Not just what you choose."
"Together, we can make it through whatever awaits us."
Wow!
That was my initial reaction after finishing Perfection. This is without a doubt one of the most well thought out, cleverly-written and unique books I have ever read. I am naturally a massive fan of Dystopia novels so I couldn't wait to read Perfection from the first moment that I heard of it. Perfection is all that I hoped it would be and more.
Ellyssa is perfect. No really! She has been genetically engineered to be the perfect being, the perfect soldier. Ever since Hitler won the war, his followers have been striving to rid the world of their imperfections. The things that ruined the world that they are now trying to save. In their journey to perfection Dr Hirch has created the perfect beings, powerful, strong, emotionless. The perfect soldiers for their cause... and it helps that they have superior powers. But Ellyssa has a flaw that she cannot tell anyone. She isn't the perfect creature her father believes. She isn't emotionless, she feels just as much as anyone... she just doesn't understand them. After running away and being taken by the Renegades Ellyssa starts feeling more than she ever knew she was capable. But with her Father hunting her and wanting his perfect creation back can she keep her new found family safe?
Perfection absolutely blew me away. Just thinking about a world where the Nazi's won the way completely and utterly baffles me. I mean it is something I would never want to think about because that world would just be too scary. JL Spelbrings brings it to life and writes it perfectly. Her writing style sucked me in right from the start of the book and I couldn't put it down. This is one of the most cleverly-thought-out and unique dystopia's I've ever read and it is so realistic. I mean this book literally scares me... not because it's frightening or creepy but because thinking about it if the Nazi's had in fact won the war I could totally see this actually happening... and that's scary.
Ellyssa is unlike any other heroine I have read about. She is strong and kick-ass and I mean kick-ass... like she is trained to kill so trust me she can kick some ass. But even though she is a soldier she has this insane vulnerability that you don't see in other books. She has been trained her whole life not to feel anything so emotionally she is like a child and it was such a beautiful and emotional journey to go with her on her discovery of emotions and how they don't make you weak as she was always lead to believe but how they can be your strength. I love her so much. It was so refreshing to read about a heroine who is very much like a child as well as being strong and kick-ass
Rein... ahh the beautiful dark haired boy with the green eyes... well I was sold right there and then. Who could resist that? I love him. I love how strong he is and I love how the romance between he and Ellyssa wasn't like a insta-love, love-at-first-sight thing. I love how it developed as they got to know each other more. Rein is protective and fierce and I love that. I love how even though he had these feelings for Ellyssa his family came first and he made sure that they came first. I love him. He is fierce, protective and super sweet. He is just everything you want in a fictional character.
Perfection was absolutely brilliant. I genuinely loved every single moment of it and I could not stop reading. I just had to know what was going to happen. It has non-stop action that will have you on the edge of your seat not able to turn the pages fast enough. It has heart-melting romance that will have you sighing... and possibly drooling a little into the book. This is without a doubt one of my favourite dystopia's of all time and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second installment of the series... no doubt it will be perfection!
Go grab this book now! You will not be disappointed.
"Perfection? People, in themselves, ARE perfect. Creativity, emotions, the innate quest to find truth - these are the things which evolved humans. All of them. Not just what you choose."
June 21, 2013
This was a hard book for me to rate and write for some reason. I enjoyed the story and thought the author's writing style was great, but I don't know why I'm having such a hard time writing this review. I really enjoyed the idea of the story. The doctor of the center/Ellyssa father is pretty much corrupt. He's creating the 'perfect' soldiers to establish Hitlers goals of perfection and utopia. If he thinks they aren't perfect in their genetics and abilities, then the soldiers are suppose to eliminate them. (Okay, that is my interpretation! lol)
But I just really liked the concept! :) Ellyssa was an interesting character to get to know. She's not like her 'siblings'. For some reason she's able to feel emotions. I really enjoyed experiencing all the different emotions that Ellyssa was feeling for the first time; anger, distrust, love, happiness, laughter, betrayal, etc. I thought the author did a fantastic job of capturing the emotions and making them believable. But yeah, Ellyssa isn't your average person. She's one of the genetically altered children of the doctor and has the ability to read a person mind at anytime. Horrible, but awesome at the same time! :)
Rein was a character that I liked, but didn't really connect all that much with. He had all the characteristics that I like in a love interest, but for some reason I just wasn't connecting with him or the romance. I felt like him and Ellyssa didn't have enough interaction with each other enough to fall in love with each other.
But other than that, the action was fantastic :) I really liked see the survival instinct take place within the characters! Ugh, that Detective lady was a psychotic nuisance! At times, the pacing slowed, but even still I was enjoying the book and was curious to learn more. I thought this was a pretty good read and wish it was a series!
I received a review copy from the publisher, Spencer Hill Press. All thoughts are my honest opinion!
But I just really liked the concept! :) Ellyssa was an interesting character to get to know. She's not like her 'siblings'. For some reason she's able to feel emotions. I really enjoyed experiencing all the different emotions that Ellyssa was feeling for the first time; anger, distrust, love, happiness, laughter, betrayal, etc. I thought the author did a fantastic job of capturing the emotions and making them believable. But yeah, Ellyssa isn't your average person. She's one of the genetically altered children of the doctor and has the ability to read a person mind at anytime. Horrible, but awesome at the same time! :)
Rein was a character that I liked, but didn't really connect all that much with. He had all the characteristics that I like in a love interest, but for some reason I just wasn't connecting with him or the romance. I felt like him and Ellyssa didn't have enough interaction with each other enough to fall in love with each other.
But other than that, the action was fantastic :) I really liked see the survival instinct take place within the characters! Ugh, that Detective lady was a psychotic nuisance! At times, the pacing slowed, but even still I was enjoying the book and was curious to learn more. I thought this was a pretty good read and wish it was a series!
I received a review copy from the publisher, Spencer Hill Press. All thoughts are my honest opinion!
March 20, 2012
Perfection starts of with a bang. A girl escaping her fate, and running for her life. The adventure the tension between her and the one she would fall in love with captures you. But when she faces the one evil mastermind behind it all she realizes that maybe he isn't the only one she has to fear.
Loved it!
Loved it!
April 9, 2012
I was lucky enough to have the honor of reading Perfection pre-publication. This is hands down one of the best dystopians I've ever read. The story is a fast-paced thrill ride that will keep you rapidly turning pages to get to the end. The characters are so well crafted that I felt as if I'd known them for a long time. Do yourself a favor and read it. You will not be disappointed!
July 22, 2013
This is my first book review. The book is worth the read. It is kind of like Divergent meets the 1996 movie extreme measures. The author has an amazing way of describing her imagination. You really love and hate the characters and you really feel what they are feeling. In times where characters are really suffering it is describes so vividly and accurately that it is so realistic to the reader. The bad guys are so easy to hate. There were times when I wanted to climb into the story just to help. My only critique is that dialogue changes and scene changes were sometimes hard to follow. There are a few time in my possible haste and excitement to read that I suddenly didn't know who was talking and/or where they were. My other issue was with the main character but I don't want to add a spoiler so I will just say that there were times when she needed a slap or a bucket of water thrown on her to get her back into the character I really liked and respected. There is a love interest in the story and the build up to it is very exciting but once it is established I thought it was a little too much. But I'm a boy.
May 19, 2013
Hey
this is JL Spelbrings daughter
im proud of my mom and was happy to be apart of it
id like to see people guess witch one of Ellyssa's siblings is my character!
Also as an added Bit of information the Character Ellyssa was named after my Daughter.
I hope you all find this book thrilling and look forward to the next in the series!
this is JL Spelbrings daughter
im proud of my mom and was happy to be apart of it
id like to see people guess witch one of Ellyssa's siblings is my character!
Also as an added Bit of information the Character Ellyssa was named after my Daughter.
I hope you all find this book thrilling and look forward to the next in the series!
September 26, 2014
Thanks to Spencer Hill Press and NetGalley, I received an arc of Perfection by J.L. Spelbring. Perfection is a dystopian, with some science fiction intermingled, in an alternate history where Hitler won World War II. I love the concept and enjoyed the world building and character depth. I am looking forward to Flawed, the second book in this series!
July 2, 2012
I look forward to the day this book gets published. I will definitely buy it.
August 31, 2013
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars Oooh, scary, evil, seriously messed up = just the way I love dystopians. It also had a touch of the supernatural too, so buckle up! The whole idea was scary good, but I felt like I was left wanting just a little bit more.
Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: This is one messed up world. It’s as if the Nazis won the world war and the mission to rid the world of everyone less than their version of perfect is still being carried out. I was like “holy crap, this is sensitive”. However, it has gone beyond just the physical, some of these perfect people had supernatural powers as well, and the genetic breeding is set to get even more out of control. I know right? I was like YIKES!!! Ellyssa knew there was more to life than an existence at The Center so she escaped. This is the story of
The setting was also great. The Center is a civilized government run place for perfect citizens and its workers. However, once Ellyssa escaped and met up with the Renegades, she was forced into hiding…in caves. Loved it. This was written so well, I truly felt like I was there.
The pacing was spot on, it was slow enough for me to enjoy the details, yet fast enough where I never felt bored.
The style wasn’t my favorite as it was in 3 person. It would sometimes be about Ellyssa, sometimes about others from The Center. I wish it had been in 1st person so I could have felt like I was in all their heads. At least if it was done for Ellyssa’s chapters I think it would have pushed the book just a little higher in the ratings for me.
The MCs: I really loved both Ellyssa and Rein. Loved. They are both such strong, confident characters, yet not complete. They even seem shy around each other, which I adored.
Romance /Chemistry: So. Much. Potential. The start was amazing, but totally got lowered a notch with the declarations of love. I cringed when I read that. Cringed. If the “I love yous” had been taken out of the book, the romance would have been perfect. It was a slow burn between two people who never had the opportunity to love before. I loved experiencing everything through their eyes as they realized they had feelings for each other. I still think there’s so much potential to their romance and I would love a deleted scene please. :)
Title/Cover: The title is interesting, and yes, it fits, but maybe it’s too simple. Something like “Perfection by Design” or even “Renegades” would have appealed to me more. The cover, well, I have issues with eyeballs on covers (they are creepy) so I don’t care for it. It could have been so many other things. Also, Ellyssa’s eyebrow should be white blonde if it was true to how she looked since she was so fair.
Bad guys: There were tons!!! And I loved it. This dystopian was chock full of horrendous, evil people that made my blood boil. There wasn’t just one “bad guy” but several that I wanted to take out.
Ending: It ended in a good place, after a massive battle, but the story still has a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up. It was a great place to end book 1 and I am assuming there is a book 2??
Gripes/suggestions: The declarations of love = cringe. They don’t know what love is. I would have rather them just made profound statements to each other. I would also have preferred the book in first person since it was confusing at times. I know there were other chapters that included Detective Peterson, but they could have been told from her POV as well.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? Yes, it ended in a good place, but somehow I wasn’t totally satisfied. I think I liked the start of the book, loved, loved, loved the middle but was meh about the ending. If you love dystopians, this is a great story to add to your collection!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars Oooh, scary, evil, seriously messed up = just the way I love dystopians. It also had a touch of the supernatural too, so buckle up! The whole idea was scary good, but I felt like I was left wanting just a little bit more.
Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: This is one messed up world. It’s as if the Nazis won the world war and the mission to rid the world of everyone less than their version of perfect is still being carried out. I was like “holy crap, this is sensitive”. However, it has gone beyond just the physical, some of these perfect people had supernatural powers as well, and the genetic breeding is set to get even more out of control. I know right? I was like YIKES!!! Ellyssa knew there was more to life than an existence at The Center so she escaped. This is the story of
The setting was also great. The Center is a civilized government run place for perfect citizens and its workers. However, once Ellyssa escaped and met up with the Renegades, she was forced into hiding…in caves. Loved it. This was written so well, I truly felt like I was there.
The pacing was spot on, it was slow enough for me to enjoy the details, yet fast enough where I never felt bored.
The style wasn’t my favorite as it was in 3 person. It would sometimes be about Ellyssa, sometimes about others from The Center. I wish it had been in 1st person so I could have felt like I was in all their heads. At least if it was done for Ellyssa’s chapters I think it would have pushed the book just a little higher in the ratings for me.
The MCs: I really loved both Ellyssa and Rein. Loved. They are both such strong, confident characters, yet not complete. They even seem shy around each other, which I adored.
Romance /Chemistry: So. Much. Potential. The start was amazing, but totally got lowered a notch with the declarations of love. I cringed when I read that. Cringed. If the “I love yous” had been taken out of the book, the romance would have been perfect. It was a slow burn between two people who never had the opportunity to love before. I loved experiencing everything through their eyes as they realized they had feelings for each other. I still think there’s so much potential to their romance and I would love a deleted scene please. :)
Title/Cover: The title is interesting, and yes, it fits, but maybe it’s too simple. Something like “Perfection by Design” or even “Renegades” would have appealed to me more. The cover, well, I have issues with eyeballs on covers (they are creepy) so I don’t care for it. It could have been so many other things. Also, Ellyssa’s eyebrow should be white blonde if it was true to how she looked since she was so fair.
Bad guys: There were tons!!! And I loved it. This dystopian was chock full of horrendous, evil people that made my blood boil. There wasn’t just one “bad guy” but several that I wanted to take out.
Ending: It ended in a good place, after a massive battle, but the story still has a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up. It was a great place to end book 1 and I am assuming there is a book 2??
Gripes/suggestions: The declarations of love = cringe. They don’t know what love is. I would have rather them just made profound statements to each other. I would also have preferred the book in first person since it was confusing at times. I know there were other chapters that included Detective Peterson, but they could have been told from her POV as well.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? Yes, it ended in a good place, but somehow I wasn’t totally satisfied. I think I liked the start of the book, loved, loved, loved the middle but was meh about the ending. If you love dystopians, this is a great story to add to your collection!
August 31, 2013
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars Oooh, scary, evil, seriously messed up = just the way I love dystopians. It also had a touch of the supernatural too, so buckle up! The whole idea was scary good, but I felt like I was left wanting just a little bit more.
Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: This is one messed up world. It’s as if the Nazis won the world war and the mission to rid the world of everyone less than their version of perfect is still being carried out. I was like “holy crap, this is sensitive”. However, it has gone beyond just the physical, some of these perfect people had supernatural powers as well, and the genetic breeding is set to get even more out of control. I know right? I was like YIKES!!! Ellyssa knew there was more to life than an existence at The Center so she escaped. This is the story of
The setting was also great. The Center is a civilized government run place for perfect citizens and its workers. However, once Ellyssa escaped and met up with the Renegades, she was forced into hiding…in caves. Loved it. This was written so well, I truly felt like I was there.
The pacing was spot on, it was slow enough for me to enjoy the details, yet fast enough where I never felt bored.
The style wasn’t my favorite as it was in 3 person. It would sometimes be about Ellyssa, sometimes about others from The Center. I wish it had been in 1st person so I could have felt like I was in all their heads. At least if it was done for Ellyssa’s chapters I think it would have pushed the book just a little higher in the ratings for me.
The MCs: I really loved both Ellyssa and Rein. Loved. They are both such strong, confident characters, yet not complete. They even seem shy around each other, which I adored.
Romance /Chemistry: So. Much. Potential. The start was amazing, but totally got lowered a notch with the declarations of love. I cringed when I read that. Cringed. If the “I love yous” had been taken out of the book, the romance would have been perfect. It was a slow burn between two people who never had the opportunity to love before. I loved experiencing everything through their eyes as they realized they had feelings for each other. I still think there’s so much potential to their romance and I would love a deleted scene please. :)
Title/Cover: The title is interesting, and yes, it fits, but maybe it’s too simple. Something like “Perfection by Design” or even “Renegades” would have appealed to me more. The cover, well, I have issues with eyeballs on covers (they are creepy) so I don’t care for it. It could have been so many other things. Also, Ellyssa’s eyebrow should be white blonde if it was true to how she looked since she was so fair.
Bad guys: There were tons!!! And I loved it. This dystopian was chock full of horrendous, evil people that made my blood boil. There wasn’t just one “bad guy” but several that I wanted to take out.
Ending: It ended in a good place, after a massive battle, but the story still has a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up. It was a great place to end book 1 and I am assuming there is a book 2??
Gripes/suggestions: The declarations of love = cringe. They don’t know what love is. I would have rather them just made profound statements to each other. I would also have preferred the book in first person since it was confusing at times. I know there were other chapters that included Detective Peterson, but they could have been told from her POV as well.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? Yes, it ended in a good place, but somehow I wasn’t totally satisfied. I think I liked the start of the book, loved, loved, loved the middle but was meh about the ending. If you love dystopians, this is a great story to add to your collection!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars Oooh, scary, evil, seriously messed up = just the way I love dystopians. It also had a touch of the supernatural too, so buckle up! The whole idea was scary good, but I felt like I was left wanting just a little bit more.
Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: This is one messed up world. It’s as if the Nazis won the world war and the mission to rid the world of everyone less than their version of perfect is still being carried out. I was like “holy crap, this is sensitive”. However, it has gone beyond just the physical, some of these perfect people had supernatural powers as well, and the genetic breeding is set to get even more out of control. I know right? I was like YIKES!!! Ellyssa knew there was more to life than an existence at The Center so she escaped. This is the story of
The setting was also great. The Center is a civilized government run place for perfect citizens and its workers. However, once Ellyssa escaped and met up with the Renegades, she was forced into hiding…in caves. Loved it. This was written so well, I truly felt like I was there.
The pacing was spot on, it was slow enough for me to enjoy the details, yet fast enough where I never felt bored.
The style wasn’t my favorite as it was in 3 person. It would sometimes be about Ellyssa, sometimes about others from The Center. I wish it had been in 1st person so I could have felt like I was in all their heads. At least if it was done for Ellyssa’s chapters I think it would have pushed the book just a little higher in the ratings for me.
The MCs: I really loved both Ellyssa and Rein. Loved. They are both such strong, confident characters, yet not complete. They even seem shy around each other, which I adored.
Romance /Chemistry: So. Much. Potential. The start was amazing, but totally got lowered a notch with the declarations of love. I cringed when I read that. Cringed. If the “I love yous” had been taken out of the book, the romance would have been perfect. It was a slow burn between two people who never had the opportunity to love before. I loved experiencing everything through their eyes as they realized they had feelings for each other. I still think there’s so much potential to their romance and I would love a deleted scene please. :)
Title/Cover: The title is interesting, and yes, it fits, but maybe it’s too simple. Something like “Perfection by Design” or even “Renegades” would have appealed to me more. The cover, well, I have issues with eyeballs on covers (they are creepy) so I don’t care for it. It could have been so many other things. Also, Ellyssa’s eyebrow should be white blonde if it was true to how she looked since she was so fair.
Bad guys: There were tons!!! And I loved it. This dystopian was chock full of horrendous, evil people that made my blood boil. There wasn’t just one “bad guy” but several that I wanted to take out.
Ending: It ended in a good place, after a massive battle, but the story still has a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up. It was a great place to end book 1 and I am assuming there is a book 2??
Gripes/suggestions: The declarations of love = cringe. They don’t know what love is. I would have rather them just made profound statements to each other. I would also have preferred the book in first person since it was confusing at times. I know there were other chapters that included Detective Peterson, but they could have been told from her POV as well.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? Yes, it ended in a good place, but somehow I wasn’t totally satisfied. I think I liked the start of the book, loved, loved, loved the middle but was meh about the ending. If you love dystopians, this is a great story to add to your collection!
August 6, 2013
This dystopian novel takes place in the United States approximately a century after the Nazi's won the war. Ellyssa and her genetically engineered brothers and sister are Hitlers idea of perfection. Her father and her creator, Dr. George Hirch, Der Vater, has devoted his life's work to creating the perfect soldier formed in the image Hitler believed to superior - platinum hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin, having superior strength, intelligence, as well as "special abilities." She has lived inside the Center all her life and has done what her father has asked of her, masking her emotions, no questions asked. All of that changes when a dark haired imperfect stranger speaks into her mind and she discovers things about her father, his plans for her, and his plans for society that disturb her so much that she escapes. On the run from everything she knows, everyone and everything she has believed to be true, Ellyssa faces the most difficult tests of her life. She not only meets a groups of people, renegades as they were known, who she was always taught were a menace to society, impure, and barbaric, but she comes to know, love, and must learn to trust them, but will they trust her? Will the danger be too great? Will the Center and everything it stands for destroy any hope Ellyssa may have at freedom?
I enjoyed Perfection. It was a bit slow in the beginning and it took me a while to really get into it, but when I did, I was fully engrossed in what was going on. The novel is told in the third person, but you also get multiple POVs from the other characters in the story, which I found interesting. Ellyssa is the main character. I didn't connect with her immediately. She was robotic like and determined, masking her emotions, in her speech and actions. As Ellyssa began to come out of her shell, open herself up to people, learn to trust, and even to fall in love, I grew to really like her and enjoyed watching her character develop. Rein, the romantic interest in the story, I just loved, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The other secondary characters all played important roles in the story as well. I especially like Matthew, Jordan, and Woody. They help her to see what truth really is in relation to what she has always been taught. Ellyssa's father, her brothers and sister, however, I did not like at all. They were really evil, as was the detective that pursued Ellyssa.
As the danger and threats the Center and what it stands for begin to close in on Ellyssa and those she is with, she sets forth on a course of action, determined to save the ones she loves, and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish it. Perfection has plenty of action, danger, conspiracy, evil villains, and romance, and takes place in postwar setting in which the Nazi's were the ones who won the war, instead of the way we know it. The ending was satisfying and I was pleased. It was also a little disturbing, especially the epilogue (in a good way), setting the stage for a sequel, which I will definitely check out. If you are a dystopian fan, Perfection is different from many of the dystopias out there, and is something you might want to check out.
I enjoyed Perfection. It was a bit slow in the beginning and it took me a while to really get into it, but when I did, I was fully engrossed in what was going on. The novel is told in the third person, but you also get multiple POVs from the other characters in the story, which I found interesting. Ellyssa is the main character. I didn't connect with her immediately. She was robotic like and determined, masking her emotions, in her speech and actions. As Ellyssa began to come out of her shell, open herself up to people, learn to trust, and even to fall in love, I grew to really like her and enjoyed watching her character develop. Rein, the romantic interest in the story, I just loved, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The other secondary characters all played important roles in the story as well. I especially like Matthew, Jordan, and Woody. They help her to see what truth really is in relation to what she has always been taught. Ellyssa's father, her brothers and sister, however, I did not like at all. They were really evil, as was the detective that pursued Ellyssa.
As the danger and threats the Center and what it stands for begin to close in on Ellyssa and those she is with, she sets forth on a course of action, determined to save the ones she loves, and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish it. Perfection has plenty of action, danger, conspiracy, evil villains, and romance, and takes place in postwar setting in which the Nazi's were the ones who won the war, instead of the way we know it. The ending was satisfying and I was pleased. It was also a little disturbing, especially the epilogue (in a good way), setting the stage for a sequel, which I will definitely check out. If you are a dystopian fan, Perfection is different from many of the dystopias out there, and is something you might want to check out.
November 6, 2013
Okay, first of all I really enjoyed this book, but in my opinion this is not a dystopian novel, it's more of an alternate world novel. To me, dystopian is the state of the world after a catastrophic or apocalyptic event. This book is more a case of what the world would be like if Hitler had been successful in creating his "perfect" Aryan race.
Ellyssa is a young woman who happens to be one of a small group of children who were created to be "perfect" humans. They have blonde hair and blue eyes and they each have a special ability bestowed upon them by their father Dr. Hirsch. They were raised in and trained in The Center. They are all efficient in what they do and they are emotionless, that is except for Ellyssa. She learned at an early age to suppress and hide her emotions from everyone.
Dr. Hirsch is just a bad guy, he is the main person behind this perceived utopia. Anyone who doesn't conform is eliminated. Those who don't meet the perfection standards are put in the roles of workers. The renegades are the ones who have been in hiding eking out an existence any way that they can. When the renegades are caught they are killed.
When a renegade is brought in to The Center he is able to "speak" to Ellyssa through telepathy, which is her particular special ability. She doesn't know what happens to him, but she has been restless for awhile, knowing that things aren't quite what they seem. Her fathers agenda is far more sinister than he leads everyone to believe. She does a little digging around and discovers things that horrify her and she knows that she needs to leave. It takes some creative thinking on her part, but she is able to get away as she follows the vague clues the renegade was able to give her.
Things move pretty quickly from this point and Ellyssa faces some pretty rough times. She finally comes to a place where she is found by a group of Renegades. There is some dissension in the group when they take her in, but she does have a few champions in the group. Rein is a wonderful character and is the perfect love interest for Ellyssa. There are some really great people in the group of renegades and Ellyssa starts to realize how good her life could really be if she is able to get away from the ones searching for her.
This story reminds me a lot of Brave New World in the beginning and then when Ellyssa finds the Renegade group it reminds me of The Host. The character of the Detective was one of those characters that you cna't help but dislike as well as most of Ellyssa's siblings. I feel like the character development was good, I liked the pace and I also liked that while there could be other books to make a series it isn't completely necessary.
If you like Alternate World/dystopian books then this is one you may enjoy. The whole idea of "what if?" is actually quite chilling if you think about it. I wouldn't hesitate to read more books by this author.
Ellyssa is a young woman who happens to be one of a small group of children who were created to be "perfect" humans. They have blonde hair and blue eyes and they each have a special ability bestowed upon them by their father Dr. Hirsch. They were raised in and trained in The Center. They are all efficient in what they do and they are emotionless, that is except for Ellyssa. She learned at an early age to suppress and hide her emotions from everyone.
Dr. Hirsch is just a bad guy, he is the main person behind this perceived utopia. Anyone who doesn't conform is eliminated. Those who don't meet the perfection standards are put in the roles of workers. The renegades are the ones who have been in hiding eking out an existence any way that they can. When the renegades are caught they are killed.
When a renegade is brought in to The Center he is able to "speak" to Ellyssa through telepathy, which is her particular special ability. She doesn't know what happens to him, but she has been restless for awhile, knowing that things aren't quite what they seem. Her fathers agenda is far more sinister than he leads everyone to believe. She does a little digging around and discovers things that horrify her and she knows that she needs to leave. It takes some creative thinking on her part, but she is able to get away as she follows the vague clues the renegade was able to give her.
Things move pretty quickly from this point and Ellyssa faces some pretty rough times. She finally comes to a place where she is found by a group of Renegades. There is some dissension in the group when they take her in, but she does have a few champions in the group. Rein is a wonderful character and is the perfect love interest for Ellyssa. There are some really great people in the group of renegades and Ellyssa starts to realize how good her life could really be if she is able to get away from the ones searching for her.
This story reminds me a lot of Brave New World in the beginning and then when Ellyssa finds the Renegade group it reminds me of The Host. The character of the Detective was one of those characters that you cna't help but dislike as well as most of Ellyssa's siblings. I feel like the character development was good, I liked the pace and I also liked that while there could be other books to make a series it isn't completely necessary.
If you like Alternate World/dystopian books then this is one you may enjoy. The whole idea of "what if?" is actually quite chilling if you think about it. I wouldn't hesitate to read more books by this author.
![Profile Image for Caro [The Book Rogue].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1348323821i%2F7330476._UX200_CR0%2C4%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 7, 2016
"Nazis won the war a century ago" -- I was so sold! The genetically engineered part is nothing new, neither is the super-soldier, but combine it all with the Aryan drive for genises... just thinking about it gave me shivers, and Perfection didn't disappoint.
We jump right into action, with Ellyssa fleeing The Center, where she was bred and born, hunted by a vengeful, psychotic police bitch who wants to kill her instead of bringing her back alive as ordered. Injured and just a breath away from dying of thirst, she is picked up by un-Aryan renegades. As they nurse her back to health, she discovers a whole new side of life, and finds her home with them. Just as things seem to be looking up for her, her boyfriend Rein is captured, and brought back to The Center to be tortured about her whereabouts and those of the renegades. Ellyssa and his best friend, Woody, go on a rescue mission and bring the whole Center down in the process. But they didn't get them all...
So much for the short version of the story, which wasn't all suspense all the time, but built up nicely toward a peak. Very nice action to it, too. Not too much, not too far fetched, just perfect. The gifts of Ellyssa and her siblings were interesting as well, and surely would've made a superior, more than deadly combination. But they are still dangerous all by themselves, which promises just as much sharp action in the sequel.
As far as characters go, I was totally content with Ellyssa and Rein slowly finding each other, and I was a little bit peeved at the first mention of Woody as a second love interest for her. However, there was just a hint of this so far. Besides, I find the two boys to be very similar, so I cannot take sides at all. Right now, I don't really care who she ends up with. I believe this is going to be a more prominent part of the story inthe sequel, and maybe we'll find out more about Woody, which will make him different from Rein, and maybe then I can pick a team. ;)
As I experience most of the time, I love the sidekicks in this. Jordan was a very good man, Candy turned out to be more at a second glance, a good person, then Doc Mathew, Trista, Leland, and I even liked Jason for bringing in this little twist. And because all the sidekicks showed interesting layers, just like the protagonists, I cannot wait to find out more about all of them, and to meet even more new characters.
I love this world, I love the balance of action and knowledge, and find that all the characters have an important part to play, making them more then just so names mentioned along the way. Diving into Flawed right away...
Area Scan: Idea: 5/5 -- Flow: 4/5 -- Vocab: 4/5 -- Plot: 4/5 -- Heroes: 4/5 -- Sidekicks: 5/5 -- Villains: 5/5 -- Romance: 3/5 -- Drama: 5/5 -- Action: 4/5 -- Suspense: 3/5
We jump right into action, with Ellyssa fleeing The Center, where she was bred and born, hunted by a vengeful, psychotic police bitch who wants to kill her instead of bringing her back alive as ordered. Injured and just a breath away from dying of thirst, she is picked up by un-Aryan renegades. As they nurse her back to health, she discovers a whole new side of life, and finds her home with them. Just as things seem to be looking up for her, her boyfriend Rein is captured, and brought back to The Center to be tortured about her whereabouts and those of the renegades. Ellyssa and his best friend, Woody, go on a rescue mission and bring the whole Center down in the process. But they didn't get them all...
So much for the short version of the story, which wasn't all suspense all the time, but built up nicely toward a peak. Very nice action to it, too. Not too much, not too far fetched, just perfect. The gifts of Ellyssa and her siblings were interesting as well, and surely would've made a superior, more than deadly combination. But they are still dangerous all by themselves, which promises just as much sharp action in the sequel.
As far as characters go, I was totally content with Ellyssa and Rein slowly finding each other, and I was a little bit peeved at the first mention of Woody as a second love interest for her. However, there was just a hint of this so far. Besides, I find the two boys to be very similar, so I cannot take sides at all. Right now, I don't really care who she ends up with. I believe this is going to be a more prominent part of the story inthe sequel, and maybe we'll find out more about Woody, which will make him different from Rein, and maybe then I can pick a team. ;)
As I experience most of the time, I love the sidekicks in this. Jordan was a very good man, Candy turned out to be more at a second glance, a good person, then Doc Mathew, Trista, Leland, and I even liked Jason for bringing in this little twist. And because all the sidekicks showed interesting layers, just like the protagonists, I cannot wait to find out more about all of them, and to meet even more new characters.
I love this world, I love the balance of action and knowledge, and find that all the characters have an important part to play, making them more then just so names mentioned along the way. Diving into Flawed right away...
Area Scan: Idea: 5/5 -- Flow: 4/5 -- Vocab: 4/5 -- Plot: 4/5 -- Heroes: 4/5 -- Sidekicks: 5/5 -- Villains: 5/5 -- Romance: 3/5 -- Drama: 5/5 -- Action: 4/5 -- Suspense: 3/5
July 11, 2013
4 stars - Chilling and provocative, these characters will get to you.
So I should start be saying that dystopia is not really my genre of choice. It's been a while since I loved one. This one comes close to being loved.
It started slow for me. I think that was because it really took a while for me to make that connection with Ellyssa. But as I think back on it, it's really because Ellyssa was changing. She was robotic and used to hiding her emotions at the beginning of the book. It took a while for that to change. As she changed, I began to like her.
The other really hard thing for me about this book was that it's written in third person from multiple points of view. Ellyssa is the most common but the story is seen from the almost every important characters POV at some point in the story. I usually struggle with that and I did at first. But as the story developed, I became comfortable with it.
The pacing was a similar experience for me. At first, it felt slow but picked up as the book went along. Getting used to the strangeness of the world, the characters and the multiple POVs really had me putting it down a lot. But once it picked up for me, I really did enjoy it.
While I normally focus on the two main characters in a story, this book has so many. I have to mention more. I really loved Rein. By far, he is my favorite. He feels real to me. His gut instinct on Ellyssa is questioned but he learns to trust it. Genuine and intuitive, he's a great guy that I was seriously worried about as the story came together. Ellyssa is also a favorite. I love her growth over the course of the book. She learns from the "inferior" people outside her protected life. It was nice to be long to watch her rebirth into humanity. I liked Woody and I'm still worried about him. Jordan was incredible and I just loved him. He broke my heart. The rest of the characters that touched me were all in the bad way. The detective is just frightening. The thought of a person with her personality traits is disturbing. The creator, Der Vater, is equally disturbing and demonstrates some very good life lessons for us all. Lastly, there are the "siblings" of Ellyssa. I saw so signs of redemption from them and I didn't care for them at all. Truly, this cast of characters makes for an interesting read.
The ending is equally satisfying and unsettling. I wanted a little more but I guess I see a sequel coming. I'm up for that.
Coming from someone who doesn't really like dystopia, this is great read. If you like these types of books, then definitely pick this one up. If you're looking for something a little different where the characters will weasel their way into your heart, then pick this one up.
So I should start be saying that dystopia is not really my genre of choice. It's been a while since I loved one. This one comes close to being loved.
It started slow for me. I think that was because it really took a while for me to make that connection with Ellyssa. But as I think back on it, it's really because Ellyssa was changing. She was robotic and used to hiding her emotions at the beginning of the book. It took a while for that to change. As she changed, I began to like her.
The other really hard thing for me about this book was that it's written in third person from multiple points of view. Ellyssa is the most common but the story is seen from the almost every important characters POV at some point in the story. I usually struggle with that and I did at first. But as the story developed, I became comfortable with it.
The pacing was a similar experience for me. At first, it felt slow but picked up as the book went along. Getting used to the strangeness of the world, the characters and the multiple POVs really had me putting it down a lot. But once it picked up for me, I really did enjoy it.
While I normally focus on the two main characters in a story, this book has so many. I have to mention more. I really loved Rein. By far, he is my favorite. He feels real to me. His gut instinct on Ellyssa is questioned but he learns to trust it. Genuine and intuitive, he's a great guy that I was seriously worried about as the story came together. Ellyssa is also a favorite. I love her growth over the course of the book. She learns from the "inferior" people outside her protected life. It was nice to be long to watch her rebirth into humanity. I liked Woody and I'm still worried about him. Jordan was incredible and I just loved him. He broke my heart. The rest of the characters that touched me were all in the bad way. The detective is just frightening. The thought of a person with her personality traits is disturbing. The creator, Der Vater, is equally disturbing and demonstrates some very good life lessons for us all. Lastly, there are the "siblings" of Ellyssa. I saw so signs of redemption from them and I didn't care for them at all. Truly, this cast of characters makes for an interesting read.
The ending is equally satisfying and unsettling. I wanted a little more but I guess I see a sequel coming. I'm up for that.
Coming from someone who doesn't really like dystopia, this is great read. If you like these types of books, then definitely pick this one up. If you're looking for something a little different where the characters will weasel their way into your heart, then pick this one up.
July 19, 2014
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
Dystopians have been very hit or miss for me lately, so I went into this one with some trepidation. I’m glad I read this one though because it was great. It was pretty different for a dystopian. I feel like so many are just carbon copies of each other lately, but this one definitely had its own flair. Then it threw in some sci-fi in the form of genetic enhancements and I was sold.
Imagine a world where World War II had gone very differently. A world where Hitler had succeeded in his pursuit of purity. Well that is the world this book is set in. This is a world built on the ideals of Hitler. A world that is still striving for perfection. A world eradicating anyone different, whether it be brown eyes, brown hair, or darker skin. If it is not blue eyes and blond hair, it’s imperfect. You could see how things may get crazy in this world. You can also probably guess where the genetic altering comes in now too. Genetic altering can make the world perfect and create a “superior” being. This is what Ellyssa is a product of.
Ellyssa was an awesome heroine. It was so interesting to watch her throw away everything she thought she knew and open up to new ideals. She slowly learns to feel, but she still remains deadly and smart. I love how she recognized her shortcomings and realized that she may be smart but that she still has a lot to learn. I also liked how truly kickass she was. I also loved that we got to see the other side of things in Perfection. We got to read from the villain’s point of view as well, which is something I always enjoy. It is so interesting and scary being inside their heads.
What I really loved about this book is that it took me on an awesome ride. It was nonstop action from beginning to end. The book opens up to Ellyssa on the run. We are literally thrown into the middle of the action from the first sentence. I spent the entire book with my stomach in knots. Every time things seemed alright, I just knew something was going to go wrong and I loved it.
My only complaint is that the ending is a bit open. I realize it is probably setting up for what I am sure will be an awesome sequel, but I would have liked a bit more closure. Also, if a certain love triangle shows up like I suspect it might, I’ll have to punch something. But that’s because I have grown attached to the character we meet in this one. And yes I’m being vague to avoid spoilers, you’ll thank me later.
Perfection is an action packed and adrenaline filled ride from beginning to end, with a touch of romance. I loved going along for the ride that was Perfection and anyone who loves a good dystopian need to pick this one up.
Dystopians have been very hit or miss for me lately, so I went into this one with some trepidation. I’m glad I read this one though because it was great. It was pretty different for a dystopian. I feel like so many are just carbon copies of each other lately, but this one definitely had its own flair. Then it threw in some sci-fi in the form of genetic enhancements and I was sold.
Imagine a world where World War II had gone very differently. A world where Hitler had succeeded in his pursuit of purity. Well that is the world this book is set in. This is a world built on the ideals of Hitler. A world that is still striving for perfection. A world eradicating anyone different, whether it be brown eyes, brown hair, or darker skin. If it is not blue eyes and blond hair, it’s imperfect. You could see how things may get crazy in this world. You can also probably guess where the genetic altering comes in now too. Genetic altering can make the world perfect and create a “superior” being. This is what Ellyssa is a product of.
Ellyssa was an awesome heroine. It was so interesting to watch her throw away everything she thought she knew and open up to new ideals. She slowly learns to feel, but she still remains deadly and smart. I love how she recognized her shortcomings and realized that she may be smart but that she still has a lot to learn. I also liked how truly kickass she was. I also loved that we got to see the other side of things in Perfection. We got to read from the villain’s point of view as well, which is something I always enjoy. It is so interesting and scary being inside their heads.
What I really loved about this book is that it took me on an awesome ride. It was nonstop action from beginning to end. The book opens up to Ellyssa on the run. We are literally thrown into the middle of the action from the first sentence. I spent the entire book with my stomach in knots. Every time things seemed alright, I just knew something was going to go wrong and I loved it.
My only complaint is that the ending is a bit open. I realize it is probably setting up for what I am sure will be an awesome sequel, but I would have liked a bit more closure. Also, if a certain love triangle shows up like I suspect it might, I’ll have to punch something. But that’s because I have grown attached to the character we meet in this one. And yes I’m being vague to avoid spoilers, you’ll thank me later.
Perfection is an action packed and adrenaline filled ride from beginning to end, with a touch of romance. I loved going along for the ride that was Perfection and anyone who loves a good dystopian need to pick this one up.
August 8, 2013
The novel Perfection is a good story, once you battle past the writing in its first three chapters..
The book is the story of Ellyssa, a genetically engineered superwoman of a Hitler's America. (The United States had lost World War II, though we're never told how.)
Nazi engineers had begun to create a super race, filled with blond, blue-eyed people.
Elyssa is one of the most perfect of the perfect. She and a half dozen siblings have been bred with special physical and paranormal traits. Elyssa's is mind reading.
A big part of her training is eliminating emotion. But she haltingly starts to develop feelings as she finds a terrible secret.
We meet her on the run as she escapes a genetically advanced detective, leaps from a high-speed train and leads followers through a forest.
But even a superwoman can run out of stamina and she's found, near death, by a group of rebels who aren't supposed to exist.
There the guts of the novel start.
Elyssa learns that something has been left out of her perfection - humanity. Slowly she lets her guard down, and the rebels begin to accept her.
That's more plot recap than I like to do in a review. But without that context, the book doesn't make sense.
Elyssa's developing emotions remind us what it means to be human. They remind us what it means to count on others and to let down our guard so we can be a more complete person. They remind us that friendship, loyalty and love truly make us who we are.
It's Elyssa's story. Everyone but her -- including her love interest -- fades into the background.
That's except her creator or "der Vater." He's pure evil. A stereotype? Think of Dr. Josef Mengele, the Nazi who experimented on live children and adults. Evil exists.
Finally, the policeman captures Elyssa`s love and takes him to The Center, the headquarters of the Nazi experiments.
She follows and achieves an almost unimaginable victory.
But it's clear there's more coming.
I look forward to it.
But please, please, Ms. Spelbring, find a copy editor who will help you ease off the overdescription, repetition and clichés early in the story and never quite go away. They made me almost give up. They make the book more like 3 1/2 stars than 4.
But the plot and character are so strong they kept me going.
The book is the story of Ellyssa, a genetically engineered superwoman of a Hitler's America. (The United States had lost World War II, though we're never told how.)
Nazi engineers had begun to create a super race, filled with blond, blue-eyed people.
Elyssa is one of the most perfect of the perfect. She and a half dozen siblings have been bred with special physical and paranormal traits. Elyssa's is mind reading.
A big part of her training is eliminating emotion. But she haltingly starts to develop feelings as she finds a terrible secret.
We meet her on the run as she escapes a genetically advanced detective, leaps from a high-speed train and leads followers through a forest.
But even a superwoman can run out of stamina and she's found, near death, by a group of rebels who aren't supposed to exist.
There the guts of the novel start.
Elyssa learns that something has been left out of her perfection - humanity. Slowly she lets her guard down, and the rebels begin to accept her.
That's more plot recap than I like to do in a review. But without that context, the book doesn't make sense.
Elyssa's developing emotions remind us what it means to be human. They remind us what it means to count on others and to let down our guard so we can be a more complete person. They remind us that friendship, loyalty and love truly make us who we are.
It's Elyssa's story. Everyone but her -- including her love interest -- fades into the background.
That's except her creator or "der Vater." He's pure evil. A stereotype? Think of Dr. Josef Mengele, the Nazi who experimented on live children and adults. Evil exists.
Finally, the policeman captures Elyssa`s love and takes him to The Center, the headquarters of the Nazi experiments.
She follows and achieves an almost unimaginable victory.
But it's clear there's more coming.
I look forward to it.
But please, please, Ms. Spelbring, find a copy editor who will help you ease off the overdescription, repetition and clichés early in the story and never quite go away. They made me almost give up. They make the book more like 3 1/2 stars than 4.
But the plot and character are so strong they kept me going.
November 28, 2013
This is a great futuristic concept where appearance and superiority are everything and the only thing keeping you alive depends on the whether you have blond hair and blue eyes. “The master race” creation is an ongoing memory for certain generations but this adaption is a good interpretation of the true intentions of a cruel leader in a time of war.
It is hard to place the book. It is set after WWII which suggests that it isn’t futuristic in the literal sense but rather time where it shows a different aspect of life where a word would have functioned very differently if Hitler had been given free rain to create “the perfect race”. This possible reality was exciting to read
If you could imagine a female Arnold Schwarzenegger-Terminator-figure who has been assigned to kill, that would be a fair comparison. The only difference is that she doesn’t say “I’ll be back”.
I loved the reference to Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men. Being one of many individuals who have had the honour of reading these classic books I can see that these are the perfect novels to run parallel to Spelbring’s. With Of Mice and Men the meaning of the book centres on doing things for the greater good even if you don’t want to do it. This novel could also reflect the hidden desires of Ellyssa; she wants something more than the life she lived- she also searches for the equivalent of “The American Dream”. This is a learning curve for Ellyssa’s emotions as she is still coming into herself.
Frankenstein is different and a more obvious. Ellyssa can see herself as the creation and the Doctor as her father/creator figure. But what is not being relayed in Perfection is that the Creation assails its master.
Overall, this is written beautifully and the added touch of romance just tops it off. It has everything you need in one book. There is a glimmer of hope for a follow on novel as there are other battles that Ellyssa will face; some that are a little too close to home.
Of Mice and Men
Frankenstein
It is hard to place the book. It is set after WWII which suggests that it isn’t futuristic in the literal sense but rather time where it shows a different aspect of life where a word would have functioned very differently if Hitler had been given free rain to create “the perfect race”. This possible reality was exciting to read
If you could imagine a female Arnold Schwarzenegger-Terminator-figure who has been assigned to kill, that would be a fair comparison. The only difference is that she doesn’t say “I’ll be back”.
I loved the reference to Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men. Being one of many individuals who have had the honour of reading these classic books I can see that these are the perfect novels to run parallel to Spelbring’s. With Of Mice and Men the meaning of the book centres on doing things for the greater good even if you don’t want to do it. This novel could also reflect the hidden desires of Ellyssa; she wants something more than the life she lived- she also searches for the equivalent of “The American Dream”. This is a learning curve for Ellyssa’s emotions as she is still coming into herself.
Frankenstein is different and a more obvious. Ellyssa can see herself as the creation and the Doctor as her father/creator figure. But what is not being relayed in Perfection is that the Creation assails its master.
Overall, this is written beautifully and the added touch of romance just tops it off. It has everything you need in one book. There is a glimmer of hope for a follow on novel as there are other battles that Ellyssa will face; some that are a little too close to home.
Of Mice and Men
Frankenstein
July 17, 2013
I received Perfection by J.L. Spelbring from Spencer Hill Press for review, and this is my honest review.
Perfection is about a girl named Ellyssa who is different. She is considered human but what people who meet her don’t know is that she has the ability to read anyones mind, and she also shows no emotion. Her mission is to get away from her father, and his evil plans. On her mission to get away Ellyssa comes across people who are called Renegades (people who are against Hitler, and his people)
Oh yeah did I mention that this book is based back when Hitler was in power? When I first found out about that I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the book, but to be honest I think the whole historical reference thing interested me because I knew what they were talking about. I’ve never read anything like this book, I have read dystopians before but this book was different.
One man created his 5 children all to look perfect and have special abilities.Each child, or teenager has their own ability but they also have one alike feature which is that they are trained to not show any emotion at all. That I thought was really interesting because it has to be pretty hard to write not only one but a bunch of characters with absolutely no emotion. I have to say it was pretty impressive.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the reference of a few classics. Spelbring mentioned Of Mice and Men which I got excited about because I have read that book, and loved it too pieces. The other classic mentioned was Frankenstein which I have not read but I liked how Ellyssa compared herself to the book saying her father created her a monster, but Doc reassured her that she was not the monster her creator was. That was one of my favorite parts.
I enjoyed this book 100% there were so many references in the story that I connected to which made the reading experience great. Plus the ending was really what I wanted it to be which made me love the book even more. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.
Perfection is about a girl named Ellyssa who is different. She is considered human but what people who meet her don’t know is that she has the ability to read anyones mind, and she also shows no emotion. Her mission is to get away from her father, and his evil plans. On her mission to get away Ellyssa comes across people who are called Renegades (people who are against Hitler, and his people)
Oh yeah did I mention that this book is based back when Hitler was in power? When I first found out about that I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the book, but to be honest I think the whole historical reference thing interested me because I knew what they were talking about. I’ve never read anything like this book, I have read dystopians before but this book was different.
One man created his 5 children all to look perfect and have special abilities.Each child, or teenager has their own ability but they also have one alike feature which is that they are trained to not show any emotion at all. That I thought was really interesting because it has to be pretty hard to write not only one but a bunch of characters with absolutely no emotion. I have to say it was pretty impressive.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the reference of a few classics. Spelbring mentioned Of Mice and Men which I got excited about because I have read that book, and loved it too pieces. The other classic mentioned was Frankenstein which I have not read but I liked how Ellyssa compared herself to the book saying her father created her a monster, but Doc reassured her that she was not the monster her creator was. That was one of my favorite parts.
I enjoyed this book 100% there were so many references in the story that I connected to which made the reading experience great. Plus the ending was really what I wanted it to be which made me love the book even more. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.
July 15, 2014
You can read this on: www.thereadingpileblog.wordpress.com
Honestly, I don't know where to begin this review, and that's not because I thought it was super amazing. I thought it was good, but not great...
Maybe I just missed something, but I spent a lot of this novel confused - I didn't really know what was going on other than some guy wanted to finish what Hitler started? I think.. I don't know. Annoyingly, I wanted to love this so bad, and there are quite a few sections that I love so much! But just my sheer confusion throughout this novel meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to..
Both Elyssa and Rein I adored. Both from two separate worlds and yet both able to show each other love. I thought they were a wonderful couple and I loved the chapters with those two in - even before they decided they liked each other - though come on, that was obvious from the get go! Though I half expected Jeremy to come into the story? But it turns out he (despite being on the blurb and everything!) actually only plays a very small part in it? Confusing.
Anyway, another character I loved was Matthew, or Doc. He was great, a great character to read and a great person in the book. He was just great, and I loved him for it. Seriously, one of the only characters (scratch that, THE ONLY) that didn't annoy me at all, ever during Perfection.
I really hate being let down by novels, especially ones where I'm stuck on a fence, because on one hand I loved it, then on others I'm just too confused to decide whether or not I enjoyed it a lot. Sheesh, being on a fence sucks! Overall, I enjoyed it, and maybe I should just read it again and that would clear up the confusion for me - I don't know...
Honestly, I don't know where to begin this review, and that's not because I thought it was super amazing. I thought it was good, but not great...
Maybe I just missed something, but I spent a lot of this novel confused - I didn't really know what was going on other than some guy wanted to finish what Hitler started? I think.. I don't know. Annoyingly, I wanted to love this so bad, and there are quite a few sections that I love so much! But just my sheer confusion throughout this novel meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to..
Both Elyssa and Rein I adored. Both from two separate worlds and yet both able to show each other love. I thought they were a wonderful couple and I loved the chapters with those two in - even before they decided they liked each other - though come on, that was obvious from the get go! Though I half expected Jeremy to come into the story? But it turns out he (despite being on the blurb and everything!) actually only plays a very small part in it? Confusing.
Anyway, another character I loved was Matthew, or Doc. He was great, a great character to read and a great person in the book. He was just great, and I loved him for it. Seriously, one of the only characters (scratch that, THE ONLY) that didn't annoy me at all, ever during Perfection.
I really hate being let down by novels, especially ones where I'm stuck on a fence, because on one hand I loved it, then on others I'm just too confused to decide whether or not I enjoyed it a lot. Sheesh, being on a fence sucks! Overall, I enjoyed it, and maybe I should just read it again and that would clear up the confusion for me - I don't know...
July 5, 2013
Perfection is a chilling picture of what life could be if selective genetics goes completely wrong. They are trying to make a perfect soldier, and as far as looks and strength and mind reading goes, they have it in Ellyssa. But they consider her emotions her weakness. She learns through her escape that those emotions can really be strength.
This is an alternate history I guess you would consider, because it is basically a dystopia where Hitler's ideals are realized and they are working to eradicate those who aren't of perfect race, and taking it even further with superior intelligence and strength.
She tries to run away from the place she was made/born because a strange for this world looking boy with dark hair being questioned broke through her mental shield and screamed a place at her. And she deletes and changes things in the database and goes on the run. It's so much fun to watch her learn to trust others, feel loss, sorrow, joy, laughter, and most of all, fall in love.
While I understood the choice for a third person pov, I connected most with Ellyssa and wanted to be from her point of view the most. I didn't connect with the other characters, but they gave valuable insight into what is going on while Ellyssa is running and when she finds unlikely allies.
There is plenty of action behind the character development to keep the story going. The ending is pretty good, but the epilogue makes me know there needs to be another book in this series. There are also ingeniously crafted villains that will make you want to wring out their brains.
Bottom Line: Action packed and chilling alternate history with a main character I grew to love.
This is an alternate history I guess you would consider, because it is basically a dystopia where Hitler's ideals are realized and they are working to eradicate those who aren't of perfect race, and taking it even further with superior intelligence and strength.
She tries to run away from the place she was made/born because a strange for this world looking boy with dark hair being questioned broke through her mental shield and screamed a place at her. And she deletes and changes things in the database and goes on the run. It's so much fun to watch her learn to trust others, feel loss, sorrow, joy, laughter, and most of all, fall in love.
While I understood the choice for a third person pov, I connected most with Ellyssa and wanted to be from her point of view the most. I didn't connect with the other characters, but they gave valuable insight into what is going on while Ellyssa is running and when she finds unlikely allies.
There is plenty of action behind the character development to keep the story going. The ending is pretty good, but the epilogue makes me know there needs to be another book in this series. There are also ingeniously crafted villains that will make you want to wring out their brains.
Bottom Line: Action packed and chilling alternate history with a main character I grew to love.
July 26, 2014
Perfection by J.L. Spelbring fits into several categories: dystopian, alternate history, YA, science fiction.
Elyssa is genetically engineered to be an Aryan soldier. Her entire life has been subjected to training to enhance the genetic code with which she was born. She is stronger, faster, and smarter, much smarter, than the rest of the population. And she can read minds.
Emotions have been trained out of Elyssa and her siblings, who all have been part of an extensive breeding program (flawed versions have been eliminated). Well, emotions have been bred or trained out of Elyssa's siblings, but Elyssa has learned to hide her emotions, to keep a blank face, to preserve the little bit of self she can manage.
When briefly confronted with an "inferior," a man with dark hair who astounds her by speaking into her mind, Elyssa becomes curious. She begins some surreptitious investigating and plans her escape from The Center, the sterile atmosphere in which she has been raised.
A great premise with plenty of tension and action. Main problems? Insta-love and too little character development of minor characters (Elyssa feels genuine, but Rein?), which brings the quality down a notch or two.
For the most part, however, Perfection provides an engrossing read and leaves the reader with the need to follow up with the sequel. It is definitely YA, but an exciting (debut?) novel that will quickly pull you in to the world the author has created. Yep, Flawed, the sequel, is on my wish list.
NetGalley/Spencer Hill Press
Dystopian/Alternate History/science fiction. 2013; 2014. Print length: 331 pages.
Elyssa is genetically engineered to be an Aryan soldier. Her entire life has been subjected to training to enhance the genetic code with which she was born. She is stronger, faster, and smarter, much smarter, than the rest of the population. And she can read minds.
Emotions have been trained out of Elyssa and her siblings, who all have been part of an extensive breeding program (flawed versions have been eliminated). Well, emotions have been bred or trained out of Elyssa's siblings, but Elyssa has learned to hide her emotions, to keep a blank face, to preserve the little bit of self she can manage.
When briefly confronted with an "inferior," a man with dark hair who astounds her by speaking into her mind, Elyssa becomes curious. She begins some surreptitious investigating and plans her escape from The Center, the sterile atmosphere in which she has been raised.
A great premise with plenty of tension and action. Main problems? Insta-love and too little character development of minor characters (Elyssa feels genuine, but Rein?), which brings the quality down a notch or two.
For the most part, however, Perfection provides an engrossing read and leaves the reader with the need to follow up with the sequel. It is definitely YA, but an exciting (debut?) novel that will quickly pull you in to the world the author has created. Yep, Flawed, the sequel, is on my wish list.
NetGalley/Spencer Hill Press
Dystopian/Alternate History/science fiction. 2013; 2014. Print length: 331 pages.
June 26, 2013
Perfection is one of those books that takes you by surprise. I have to say that I was totally blown away by this book. I loved the world as it was represented and the characters were solid. I have read a lot of books and none have come close to the uniqueness that this one brought. Imagine this a world of pure aryans where there are soldiers that are pure made to do what they are programmed to do with no questions asked just simply do.
Welcome to Ellyssa's world. Her father and creator has created a perfect soldier to do his bidding. She has had strict training and guidance by her father and does as she is told. She is engineered to be her fathers perfect little soldier or so he thinks. See Ellyssa is hiding a secret from everyone. See she is engineered to be strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic but the one thing she is not to be she is and she hides it well until she meets a renegade who is telepathic and knows her secret.
When Ellyssa meets Rein he tells her telepathically that he knows of a better world and life but can she trust him? After all he is a renegade and she does not know him. So she does the one thing she should not have done she let's Rein into head and he can see and hear everything. Confused Ellyssa is not sure what to believe or who to believe. Will she trust Rein and run or will she hide her secret and take her chances with her father? This is a must read for all!
Welcome to Ellyssa's world. Her father and creator has created a perfect soldier to do his bidding. She has had strict training and guidance by her father and does as she is told. She is engineered to be her fathers perfect little soldier or so he thinks. See Ellyssa is hiding a secret from everyone. See she is engineered to be strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic but the one thing she is not to be she is and she hides it well until she meets a renegade who is telepathic and knows her secret.
When Ellyssa meets Rein he tells her telepathically that he knows of a better world and life but can she trust him? After all he is a renegade and she does not know him. So she does the one thing she should not have done she let's Rein into head and he can see and hear everything. Confused Ellyssa is not sure what to believe or who to believe. Will she trust Rein and run or will she hide her secret and take her chances with her father? This is a must read for all!
June 17, 2013
It's been a while since I read a YA dystopian book, and I'm glad it was this one. J.L. Spelbring was able to create a magnificent world in this book. From the first page I was enamored with Ellysa. Created at The Center, she was the poster child for Hitler's vision. Blond hair, blue eyes with a little extra. Dr. Hirsch has managed to engineer children with superior characteristics. These children are to be models for future soldiers. Soldiers that were bred to eliminate anyone who isn't within the image the good doctor has envisioned. Each child created has at least one power to go along with their superior intelligence, speed, fighting skills and the ability to show no emotion. Self preservation and following orders are all that matters. Ellysa's power is mind reading. After a renegade is brought to The Center as a hostage, he reaches out to Ellysa to let her know things aren't what they seem. Ellysa does a little investigating, and finds horrors beyond her imagination. Armed with this new information, she decides to escape. Hardships follow and she is soon injured and lost. Renegades happen upon her sleeping and decide to take her in for medical attention. What she finds there is a shock to her entire belief system. Can she trust these renegades she has been taught to fear and eliminate?
Lots of action and suspense. I can't wait to find out what happens next. The cliffhanger ending is fabulous!
Lots of action and suspense. I can't wait to find out what happens next. The cliffhanger ending is fabulous!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews