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Julia belongs to a group of elite humans, meaning she has powers, an intellect, and an athletic ability that she has to keep hidden. Several of the teens, known for their otherworldly good looks, end up at Barton Springs to swim, but an accident threatens to reveal exactly who they are. As punishment, and as an opportunity for her to prove her loyalty, Julia is sent to public school, where she is stunned to find she is falling for one of them. As her family prepares for Relocation in an effort to preserve their way of life, she has to decide, family or love?

Julia is a strong central character, enduring the turmoil of being unable to fit in with either family or society. Her relationships are similar to the tennis matches she attends, the seesawing action sometimes confusing, sometimes intense. The love triangle settles quickly so that Julia’s decision to stay or go becomes the focus, one that keeps readers guessing to the end. While this debut is clunky in some ways, the sequel, Select Few, will be highly anticipated for answers to the questions that remain. Similar reads include The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau and Matched by Allie Condie.