This wild ride of a thriller had me turning pages in every spare minute I could find!

In the 2050s, Technology has advanced to include embryonic selection for medical issues, personality traits, and specialized skills. What follows is a fascinating look at morality, nature/nurture, and body autonomy. The plot is twisty, creative, and very discussable- great for book clubs.

Great for fans of John Marrs and other speculative fiction.

Hope to see more from this author in the coming years.

5 perfectly selected stars!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Well, that was a happy surprise!
I don't read sci-fi very often. But I decided to pick this one up because the genetic-science of the synopsis was appealing to me. And I was right.
I really liked this one.
Not gonna lie: after halfway through the book I thought it was dragging a little. But things, to me, improved after I go to the last part of the book (it is devided into 4 parts).
Throughout the entire book I had my doubts concerning one of the 3 POVs this book has: I thought one of them seemed out of place, with no connection to the other two.
And then it comes the last chapter (that one before the epilogue) and it ALL made sense to me.
I guess we can call it a plot twist, right?
I was very surprised by it. Totally did not see that coming at all.
I'm gonna say it again: I don't usually read sci-fi, so this book surprised me in many ways. I'd say readers like me who only read sci-fi now and then might enjoy this book maybe a little more than those sci-fi hardcore readers.

The book description got this novel 1000% correct: A mix of Gattaca and The Ones! This is the kind of Science Fiction I love: A mix of Sci Fi with Speculative Fiction that is realistic! It is also a unique novel that is fast paced, and an enjoyable read. It was a bit of a popcorn thriller, I didn’t want to stop once I started it.

Baby X is set in the not-too-distant future and we have three povs and stories that intersect: Ember who works to protect her clients from their DNA being stolen and then we have Quinn who states that a well-known singer is her baby’s father. We also have Lily who is a newer journalist finishing school who is determined to make a name for herself.

Just imagine a world where DNA can be stolen and manipulated! Any cell DNA can be transformed into sperm or eggs and then a baby is coming. I was just pulled into this strange and scary future that might just be possible one day. There are so many implications to this world. Babies being born and the parents don’t even know they exist!

There are several twists throughout but the big one I had figured out. But it didn’t ruin the novel for me: usually it does, but this case was different. It was a twist I saw coming but it was I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading what else Kira Peikoff has written and will write. Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to read and review. I really enjoyed it!

4.5⭐️ rounded up! This book was very entertaining for me. I find genetics fascinating, so this book was a really good fit for me.

This book had perfect pacing, in my opinion. It kept me hooked from the very beginning and it never dragged.

Every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, I was wrong! The story constantly kept me guessing with different theories and it all tied together very well in the end.

Overall this book is very entertaining with interesting concepts and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the gifted copy of this book!

Well, that was a happy surprise!
I don't read sci-fi very often. But I decided to pick this one up because the genetic-science of the synopsis was appealing to me. And I was right.
I really liked this one.
Not gonna lie: after halfway through the book I thought it was dragging a little. But things, to me, improved after I go to the last part of the book (it is devided into 4 parts).
Throughout the entire book I had my doubts concerning one of the 3 POVs this book has: I thought one of them seemed out of place, with no connection to the other two.
And then it comes the last chapter (that one before the epilogue) and it ALL made sense to me.
I guess we can call it a plot twist, right?
I was very surprised by it. Totally did not see that coming at all.
I'm gonna say it again: I don't usually read sci-fi, so this book surprised me in many ways. I'd say readers like me who only read sci-fi now and then might enjoy this book maybe a little more than those sci-fi hardcore readers.

4.5 stars

This book surprised me with how great it was! I think if you like speculative fiction, you will like this book. It is set in the 2050s in a world where any cell can be turned into a gamete and people select their embryos after extensive genetic analysis, which is an interesting ethical point on its own, but there is also a black market where famous people's cells are stolen and sold. I was very intrigued by all the cultural commentary and generational differences as there were many tie-backs to the 2020s. This book was well-paced, entertaining, with several surprising plot twists. It started out very reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode but then dived into the thriller portion quickly. Will definitely keep this author on my radar for any future releases.

Thank you Netgalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The book as a meal: I am working my way through a jawbreaker, and about 70% in it finally starts tastling like something
The book left me: Somewhat disappointed, but slightly piqued

Why did this call out to me?
I like sci-fi stories set in the not-so-far out future, and this is that kind of book. The cover also seemed exciting, and the description sold it to me

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Put-down-able the first 70%, and then it gets exciting. It is a downer that I had to read that far before it finally caught my interest, but thats the way the cookie crumbles

Issues:
Plot took a long time to finally get good
A certain POV felt really useless, even with what happens
I feel like there are plotholes, but I can't seem to point them out

Good things:
Interesting concepts for the future
Really tense when it got tense

How did it feel to read?
I felt like I was watching some kind of futuristic drama series that got a below good score on rotten tomatoes or metacritic, but I really wanted to see if it was that middling. And although it got entertaining in the last two episodes, I still agreed with the middling scores

What mood would I read this in?
I would read this after watching some speculative fiction show, or after heavily discussing reproductive health rights with someone

Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?
This goes in C tier. Not bad, but not what I wanted it to be

I appreciate Gattaca, Black Mirror, Blake Crouch and John Marrs, so when this book was marketed towards me using those heavy-hitters, resistance was futile.

Think Gattaca's gene selection meets the chilling violation of bodily autonomy, where a mere strand of hair becomes the key to birthing a baby with your DNA. It's a premise that's as outrageous as it is disturbingly plausible. You might also recognise thematic elements of Black Mirror, the Miley Cyrus episode, Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, in particular, amongst others.

I won't give away too much of the plot, but trust me, it's a ride you want to hop on blindfolded.

Why 3 stars? Firstly, 3 is a good rating for me. I liked it. And this was a high 3, more like a 3.5

I found myself thoroughly engrossed. Baby X’s wild scenarios somehow feel eerily conceivable, which is precisely what makes for top-notch speculative fiction for me.

Minor nitpicks? Sure. Sometimes I had trouble suspending my disbelief which might be a "me" issue, and the telling-over-showing ratio felt a bit off. Plus, I couldn't help but compare it to the queen of speculative fiction, Margaret Atwood, but that's again on me. Although there were plenty of twists to keep me captivated, I saw one of the big reveals coming, unfortunately.

But don’t let that put you off. This book still has my praise. It's a really unique, trippy page-turner that I'm completely confident will hit the right chords for many.

My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and The Quick Brown Fox & Co. | Crooked Lane Books | Meryl Moss Media Group for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get a copy of "Baby X" via Netgalley. The premise sounded unique: In a world where any cells from a person can be used to create an egg or sperm, the creation of people has changed almost completely.

I was thrilled that this lived up to my expectations. While it started a little slow and occasionally got bogged down in pseudo-scientific explanations that were more confusing than helpful, Kira Peikoff does a wonderful job of creating a world where children are chosen, and any speck of DNA must be protected.

Once the action gets moving, it really flies. The only question I kept asking myself throughout the novel was, "How do all of these pieces fit together?" You meet a young surrogate, a superstar musician and his fiancee, and an up-and-coming journalist. While the first three - the surrogate, musician and fiancee - seem to have a readily apparent connection, the fourth seems to be a bit far afield.

But that's where the joy of this novel comes in: The end features a twist that I absolutely did not see coming, and for me, that's really an accomplishment. There are a few little surprises throughout the book, and I saw those coming. The final reveal was, delightfully, an actual shock to me.

If you're looking for a science-fiction thriller with a look into a future where privacy is nonexistent but you can have the child of your dreams, definitely check out "Baby X."

I'd like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Media Group for providing me with an ARC of Baby X in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a future where pregnancies predominantly begin in laboratories, Baby X explores the ramifications of advanced genetic manipulation. Ember Ryan runs a bio-security firm, safeguarding celebrities' genetic material from The Vault, a clandestine organization involved in illicit pregnancies. Initially hired by superstar Thorne for protection, Ember finds herself entangled in a complex web when a young woman named Quinn claims to be carrying Thorne's child. Meanwhile, Lily, a budding journalist, grapples with insecurities stemming from being conceived naturally rather than through genetic selection.

Baby X seamlessly blends elements of mystery and thriller within Ember, Thorne, and Quinn's storyline, unraveling the enigma behind Quinn's pregnancy and The Vault's motives. Concurrently, Lily's narrative adds a layer of speculative fiction, prompting contemplation on the ethical implications of genetic engineering. While the divergence between the two narratives may initially seem disjointed, they converge towards a climactic resolution, albeit belatedly.

Despite this minor flaw, Baby X offers an engaging and thought-provoking speculative thriller, delving into themes of genetic manipulation, personal identity, and societal norms. It raises pertinent questions about the potential benefits and risks of genetic technology, inviting readers to ponder the moral and emotional consequences of playing "creator." Overall, Baby X comes highly recommended for fans of speculative fiction seeking a captivating and intellectually stimulating read.

Really enjoyed this book. I was able to figure a couple of twists out, but not all of them! It kept me intrigued and wanting to read more.

Thank you @Netgalley and @CrookedLaneBooks for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read anything similar to this book. It is blurbed as a “speculative sci-fi thriller” and I feel like none of my descriptions/explanations would do it justice better than that expression.

I really loved the dystopic element of the story, especially because it isn’t too far-fetched, it felt like the type of dystopic future that could become our reality in years to come. Which obviously opens up the opportunity to reflect on the present day, technology and technological progress.

I also particularly like the world building, which I think it’s really well done and very easy to understand and follow along with even through the sci-fi bits.

SO many twists and turns I didn’t see coming, which is possibly my favourite thing when reading a thriller. It took a few chapters to pick up speed, but once it did, especially from part 2, it became unputdownable. Did I even breathe through the last 15%?

Also speaking of twists and turns I didn’t see coming, I don’t know why I didn’t see a major plot point coming (like AT ALL) until the end. I’m convinced that it made it even more enjoyable and I like to think I didn’t see it because of the incredible writing and not because I might be more stupid than I thought 😉

As a hardcore Gattaca fan, I was very excited to read this book. Also, as some who has undergone IVF, I was interested in the way this story took IVF and fertility treatments one step further. I think this is the perfect book for readers who don't read a lot of sci-fi. The explanations and science components of the story were so digestible and easy to understand. The characters and writing style were fairly simple, which I appreciated for the type of story that had science-ey explanations. Several reveals surprised me and I liked how the story wrapped up. The world was so interesting and I would love to see the author delve more into this world with different characters and storylines!

3.75 rounded up

This book was a very fun read. It was paced well, highly entertaining and, although painfully predictable, had lots fun twists and clever ways for all the characters' stories to cross.

There was actually a LOT to this book that I think is fascinating to think about. Ethical issues revolving around identity, abortion, family, disability, privacy, etc, it really gave a lot of food for thought and I kept having little moments of 'oh shit I didn't even think about that' while reading, which is a sign of a well-executed futuristic story.

But I think there was almost too much there for a thriller to be able to really tackle the subject properly. Each of the themes are explored very superficially and we never really get to the meat of the ethical discourse, which gets left behind in favour of the story and the action.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing - this is a thriller after all and maybe the sci-fi elements are meant to be background more than anything, leaving the reader small nuggets here and there to chew on, while the plot keeps the book moving forward.
But I know I was still left wanting more from it.

As a fan of Black Mirror, speculative fiction, and dystopian sci-fi, this book really hit the spot for me. The fact that the technology and use of DNA described in the book could very well be a reality in our lifetime adds to the novel in a unique and almost frightening way.

Baby X by Kira Peikoff was an intriguing dystopian/sci-fi genre blend with interesting plot points and great characters.

4 ⭐️. I LOVE a pregnancy dystopian book. Baby X is the perfect blend of thriller mixed with just a sprinkle of sci-fi. Set in the not so distant future where pregnancy is accessible to all and "having a baby" is cultivated in a lab rather than a bed, we follow 3 strong females as they navigate the emerging future of "motherhood".

This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I LOVED the para-social relationships, the pregnancy horror & the use of futuristic tech.


TY to Netgalley & Crooked Lane books for an copy of this story.

Baby X - 4.25⭐
Genre - sci-fi/speculative fiction

Thanks @crookedlanebooks and @netgalley for the advanced digital copy! This released last month🥰

I’ve been super into speculative fiction lately - I’m taking it as intro to sci-fi. Told in multiple (but easily distinguished) points of view, this was engaging from the start, but the pace was fairly slow from the beginning. By the halfway point though, it was almost unputdownable. The ending was action packed, and the book finished in a way that I found I hadn’t expected at all. It blew my mind in the best way and I couldn’t stop thinking about it!


#babyx #crookedlanebooks

I don't read sci fi thrillers very often but when I do, I am reminded of how great that combo of genres is. Baby X accomplished this and it was very enjoyable reading about an alternate society set in the future. I wasn't too sure about the multiple perspectives in the book but it soon worked out well for the story and I somehow did not see that ending coming! I found some of the dialogue and writing slightly cheesy or trying very hard to make solid metaphors.

Such a fast-paced fun thriller! Loved this sci-fi which felt like a great combo between Upgrade by Blake Crouch and Girl One.