Another sci-fi novel from Jay Kristoff? SIGN ME UP. LIFEL1K3 was pretty freaking amazing, I have to say. Not that I expected any differently after reading Illuminae (co-authored with Amie Kaufman) and Kristoff's Nevernight (not sci-fi but a great read).

Take the United States in a dystopian future. Add in robots. Fighting robots, gladiator style. Oh, and a mysterious boy who isn't exactly. . . human. It's the recipe for an action-packed story.

I loved Eve's character. She's the punk kid fighting robots and taking names, scrapping it out in the remains of a once-human run world. Just as much as Eve wondered about her own history as the book progressed, I did too. Her character was a bit tough to latch on to sometimes because it did go all over the place but Kristoff knows how to create complex characters and she's no different. If you liked Mia from Nevernight, I think you'll like Eve.

At her side is the sassy Lemon Fresh (yes, that's her name). But she's not a sidekick so much as a strong secondary character. I would totally read a book about Lemon Fresh or something from her perspective because she's interesting. All of these characters are intriguing and make me want more.

And sure, there were other characters but we'd be here for a while if I talked about ALL of them (except I'll mention Kaiser because he's a robot dog and I want one!).

The thing about Kristoff's books is that there's no time to ease into the story. You're THERE from start to finish. Not just in the world but also how the characters act, what they say, the entire history that led up to this point in this alternate universe. The attention to detail is ON POINT.

Now there was a point in the story, somewhere between 50% and 75%, where everything started to lose its luster. My interest began to wane because nothing was really happening but there were too many unknowns to completely walk away from the book. BUT THEN THE ENDING. 

So the entire book forces Eve to question what humanity is as she travels with a Lifelike who looks human, almost acts human, but. . . isn't. When it comes time for the big fight scene, I'm not sure what I expected. I guess for the good guys to either do well and have something come up to carry the book into the sequel, or maybe they lose and that's the big twist. Or, you know, Kristoff could just take everything I knew about the story and toss it in the garbage. There's that too.

As with every book I've read by Jay Kristoff so far, I absolutely recommend this book, especially for you sci-fi fans out there looking for a bit of robot adventuring. And I am absolutely looking forward to another action-packed gritty dystopian sci-fi so the sequel better get here soon!

It's been a while since I've jumped into a sci-fi tale, and I'm glad this one welcomed be back to the genre! In a future where robots, machina, and other technology seem to rule the world (or what's left of it), a seemingly motley band have managed to make their way in what's left of the world. Evie, Lemon Fresh, Silas, and their mechanized support staff are ready to take on anyone who challenges them. But when their lives are turned upside down, the adventure and mystery are just beginning.

Wow, Wow, WOW. How much did I freaking love this book?! SO, SO MUCH! I didn't think Jay Kristof could top Illuminae, but I seriously underestimated him.

This book was amazing from beginning to end. Let's talk about the characters. Eve is such a bad ass, trying to take care of her grandfather, she is an expert on robotics and mechanics thanks to a memory chip installed in her brain. Yeah, that happened. She is still trying to get over the trauma of her family being shot right in front of her. She was shot too, but somehow she managed to survive. I absolutely loved this girl. But I also loved her best friend, Lemon. Stronger together and all that. They had an amazing friendship and I loved their relationship. They ALWAYS had each other's backs and they loved each other so, so much. And what about Cricket and Kaiser? I don't know how Kristoff manages to develop so realistic and wonderful characters that are basically robots. Kaiser was a cyborg dog who was programmed to protect Eve at all costs. He had part of a Rottweiler brain and he was freaking adorable. And Cricket was hilarious. She was this little spitfire of a thing, but don't call her little! And then there were the lifelikes. Argh, I loved Ezekiel so much! He had so much chemistry with Eve and somehow he managed to develop a friendship with Lemon, too. Awesome.

So let's talk about the plot. From beginning to end, there was action, action and more action. Eve was running from the lifelikes and this insane preacher bounty hunter who was paid by someone with deep pockets to track her down. There was so much detail in this world that Kristoff created and that glass storm was crazy scary. There were secrets and lies and things that people were hiding from Eve and it was all mind-blowing. And then that ending . . . HOLY CRAP. It was beyond shocking. Nope, didn't see it coming AT ALL. It was amazing. I can't possibly think of any criticism for this book. I will just say that I cannot wait until the next one in the series. I NEED IT NOW!

My Review: This is another one where I found out the twist before the book told me. I guessed the twist a mile away and that was really sad. This one was very well written but it was just one of those books that felt like it took a lot of things from a ton of other books and then mashed it all into one. For me that made this book just ok. It was acceptable but not OMG YOU HAVE TO READ THIS kind of book. The characters were ok there was some robot sex in this one which was just really weird. Some of the word choices were really hard to follow as well. So in the end I think some people will really enjoy this one but it just wasn't for me.

This was a bit hard for me to get into at first but once I was in, I was IN. Overall I really liked this. It had some interesting twists and turns along the way that kept me engaged in the story. The main character did some dumb things at times which I absolutely did not agree with and thought made no sense, but it made for a very action packed story.

I sort of predicted a part of the end, in the sense where the thought crossed my mind, but then I was like "nah that's not gonna happen", then it did so it was still a surprise.

I would've appreciated a little more fleshing out of the world (for example the actual difference between machina and logicka would've been nice). And a little more examination of how the world got where it did. Although I expect that this will come in the sequel(s?). I enjoyed the found family element involved though (which makes the ending even more confusing and sad) and who knew that a cast full of robots could tear at my heartstrings so much?

I also thought there were some interesting ideas about AI brought up as Mr. Kristoff seems to like to do in his sci fi. In the end this was a fun action packed read with just enough emotional stuff to keep me going. I would recommend it and I'll be picking up the sequel when it comes out.

Although the writing was good, really good in fact, I found my attention drifting more than once. The personal interactions just didn't grab me. But if cyborg, mechanical baddies are what you're looking for in a novel, you may love this.

*ARC via netgalley*

I just couldn't get through this one. I ended up DNFing after 100 pages. It had a good premise but it just didn't cut it enough for my liking.

I really wanted to like this.
I really did. AThis is technically a 1 star cause well I actually didn't like it but it's getting that extra star cause it's Kristoff and I just can't give it 1 star.

First book from a favorite author that I didn't like at all. It hurts to write and rate this but it is what it is. I liked the world and I get what he is trying to do but I just didn't like it. The surprised weren't really surprises. I'm not saying I saw them coming a mile away, it was more of a of course, that's right. What actually bothered me here was the romance and our main character's attitude. I didn't feel any of it at any point. It all made me cringe/roll my eyes and I just wanted it to stop.

Then there's the attitude. I'm sick and tired of the 'everyone lied to me, who am I then...blah blah blah'. Maybe I'm too harsh but it really does get old when that was going on through out the whole novel. At one point I thought we were finally back on track, but no, we got baited. Not only was it not back on track it went completely off the rails and I just don't feel like even trying to follow that crazy train anymore.

The only characters I actually liked were Lemon and Cricket, none of the villains, not the MC, not the romantic interest, not anyone else.

There is more stuff but I really can't say anything else without some serious spoilers, and no one wants that. Needless to say this was just not my book unfortunatelylas I kinda didn't
I felt

This was a really odd but spectacular book. I love jays other works but this was very different. Lots of twists and odd bits. It took me a second to really start to understand this story but I really enjoyed all the characters and their unique voices. It’s honestly nothing like I expected. I just thought oh robots and mayhem. But it’s so much more than than! I’m excited to see what comes next.

I have loved every Jay Kristoff book I have read. Whether he is writing fantasy or science fiction, the man knows how to writing a thrilling read full of surprises. I was super excited to read his first solo YA and I was not disappointed. This book was amazing and everything I was hoping for.

The best thing about this book was definitely the plot. It was a totally amazing book and from the very beginning I was enthralled by this book. It has tons of action, daring escapes, thrilling fights, and surprises. Basically it has everything I love. But the best part is the twists. What I love about Jay Kristoff books is that you never know what to expect and every time you think you have it all figured out, he proves me wrong. This book seriously was nothing but unexpected twists and turns that had me reeling. More than once I had my mouth agape looking like a total idiot. It really built to a thrilling and exciting conclusion and for someone like me who is a plot driven reader, I ate it up.

I also completely loved the world of this book. It's one of those hard sci-fi dystopian novels and I love those kind of worlds. This one definitely has a Mad Max: Fury Road sort of feel. It's a post-apocalyptic world where the planet is destroyed and only the strong survive. They do this with all kinds of cool technology. It's a gritty and bleak landscape that lends itself well to any kind of plot really, but definitely one full of surprises and action.

The other thing that this book really showed me is how well Jay Kristoff writes characters. He's really good at creating complex and dubious characters, which naturally are my favorites. This book had three main perspectives and I loved most of them. The main character is Eve, who is this badass girl who fights robots to help her sick grandfather. She's tough and carrying at the same time. She has some great development throughout the book as you learn more about her. The other amazing main character is her best friend Lemon Fresh. Lemon is a streetwise pickpocket who loves pretty things and has a heart of gold. She's more than just a sidekick though and I loved having some of the book from Lem's perspective. The only perspective I could have done without is Preacher. I mean it was fine seeing things from an antogonist's perspective but I think on the whole it didn't add a lot to the book.

But all in all this was a great read. It was full of action and surprises, the world was thrilling and engaging, and the characters were complex and likeable. I was really looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed.

Lots of material to discuss here - the structure of society in the aftermath of environmental/economic disaster...whether robots should serve humans unquestioningly, even when it would be harmful to them...loyalty and lies...plus the surprise twist ending.

A perilous, heart-stopping journey which won’t end at all the way readers expect. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel!

Exceeded expectations and now I have a new author to watch! It's classic and not classic at the same time. It's a don't want to leave this till I have read it all kind of book. I am aggravated with the ending being yet another cliffhanger. That makes me drop a star, but that's only thing that did. The rest of it awesome. I'll be shocked if this doesn't land on TV! I need the rest of the series and NO cliffhangers. The characters are amazing and should rival Star Wars!

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

This was my first time reading anything by Jay Kristoff. I'll be honest, I've heard so much praise for his writing, and I went in with high expectations...And was utterly disappointed. I never did connect with any of the characters...well maybe Ezekiel, he was pretty cool, but otherwise...Nope. I also hated how everyone talked, "brainmeats' and 'Fug' everything? Uh, yeah...no! I'll admit, the setting was pretty cool, and I'm super picky about sci-fi, but the characters just weren't working for me. (It also reminded me of the movies Real Steel and/or The Iron Giant for some reason...maybe just me?)

Romeo and Juliet meets Mad Max

That comparison had me super interested but honestly, I should’ve known better. Romeo and Juliet doesn’t belong in the world of Mad Max, and vice versa, but my interest in the Mad Max aspect overruled the rational side of my brain. Set after the devastating effects of a nuclear war, Eve pilots a robot to battle in the dome against other robots (very much like Real Steel), in an effort to pay for the medicine keeping her grandfather alive. She earns a price on her head after she reveals she has the power to destroy robots with her mind and has to go on the run with her best friend Lemon to stay alive. Amidst their escape, they encounter a lifel1k3, an advanced android, named Ezekiel who vows to protect her.



The worldbuilding was initially so fun (despite the strange jargon — it was easier to listen to than I guess it would’ve been to read it) and I loved the battling robots in the dome (definitely understood the Mad Max comparisons) but then it all went downhill. And that’s where the Romeo and Juliet comparisons came into play and completely overshadowed the plot. The instalove is essentially avoided by providing the duo with a backstory that is only glimpsed momentarily, but it still wasn’t enough for me to get on board with it. Add to that there were some really cringe-worthy lines:

“You were my everything. You still are. And you always will be.”

“Loving you was the only real difference between me and them.”

“They have only one thing left to take from me. The last and most precious thing. Not my life, no. My love.”

Ack. You can officially count me out for the subsequent installments.

I am the biggest fan of Jay Kristoff's NEVERNIGHT Chronicle series and LIFEL1K3 was at the top of my most anticipated reads list for 2018. And I'm so happy that I wasn't disappointed. Jay's always amazing at leaving the most annoying cliffhangers and I'm waiting with bated breath for book 2.

4.5 / 5

Jay Kristoff is one heck of a writer! Lifelike blew my mind and I loved his Science Fiction stories as much as his Fantasy ones!

Wow. This is a fascinating coming of age story. I mean who doesn't want to read about a rebellious teen in a future where we almost destroyed all of life on earth. That isn't sarcasm, I'm serious. We are following the life of Eve. She lives what used to be California but it broke off and is an island now. She poor and scrappy. She has a cybernetic eye and a memory chip in her head. She has her gramps, BFF named Lemon, robot sidekick named Cricket , and a robo dog with a real dog brain.

Its not all what you think. There are non humans out there. They look like us but they aren't human. They are called Lifelikes and they rebelled against their maker. Don't worry, I didn't spoil anything you don't read in the first few pages. Imagine that! You get this much insanity and its only the beginning. This story is full of adventure, heartbreak, friendship, and betrayal; all with a sci-fi base. Its a captivating read that has more surprises than I thought possible. The author did a wonderful job of creating characters you love. Even with their flaws you love them. That is why all the twists and turns are such punches in the gut You are learning along with Eve which makes this story even more intriguing. All leading up to the final showdown that completely blew my mind, and its only book one. I would definitely recommend it.

Allow me to describe the insanity that is LIFEL1K3. It’s Old Man Logan meets Mad Max meets Romeo and Juliet meets Anastasia meets Pinnochio meets iRobot meets Real Steel meets Humans meets Paradise Lost meets insert your own pop culture reference here. It’s a lot, but in the best way possible. Essentially, the first book in Kristoff’s newest YA series is a super fun science fiction romp full of androids, robots, amazing female friendships, and all the twists. Prepare yourself. I don’t think you’re ready for this ending.

I am a huge fan of Jay Kristoff's writing through the co-written series: the Illuminae Files, but I had never read a book that he had written by himself - until now. Lifelike is a young adult science fiction story that immediately gave me Anastasia vibes. If you're not familiar with that story, you might not recognize the signs immediately but by about halfway through the book the author spells it out pretty plainly for you that this is a fun, space opera retelling of Anastasia.

The characters in this book were so unique and even the supporting characters felt developed, perhaps more so than our two 'leads'. This post-apocalyptic world feels familiar, but has the unique touches and details that Kristoff brings to his books that makes them immersive. Eve was born in a world where meat comes from cans and spending too much time outside without protective gear would be guaranteed to give you cancer. While I enjoyed her character, I felt that her plot was predictable as I picked up on the fact that it was an Anastasia retelling almost immediately so there wasn't a lot that came as a surprise to me. That being said, I still enjoyed the story even though it was predictable.

My two favourite characters in this book were the supporting characters, Lemon Fresh and Cricket. Cricket is the sassiest, most royal little robot - but don't let him catch you calling him little. You'll have a brawl on your hands. Lemon was also incredibly loyal, quite confident about herself and brought levity to most situations. I felt that I got to know her as a character more than our love interest, Ezekiel. I loved Ezekiel, but when actually thinking about his characterization I understand that he could have been more developed than he was. That being said, I loved getting to dive into his motivations and familial relationships.

Kristoff did a fantastic job in setting up two very varied points of view that make the reader question what side they're on. Early on in the story, we learn that humans have been creating robots for years. Each is coded to follow the three laws, which are basically that they cannot harm and must protect humans, they must obey humans unless it would cause them harm, and must protect their own existence unless that would threaten a human.

In the realm of robots, there is a hierarchy of types and Lifelikes were at the top. They were created to be the next evolution of humanity, coded with the ability to learn and grow, stronger than a human and designed to be indistinguishable from their living counterparts. We are faced with the question of what makes something a living creature? What is a soul? The robots are subjugated and treated like slaves, but the humans think it's okay because they aren't actually alive. But Lifelikes can learn and love, so what separates them from humanity? You cannot firmly place yourself on the side of the robots or the humans in this eye-opening novel - whose message is just as important in today's world as it is in the context of this story.

Despite the predictability, I had such a fun time reading this book and cannot wait to see where Kristoff takes the story next. I would highly recommend this series to fans of science fiction or retellings, as it hits the right notes for both genres.

I'm not the biggest sci-fi reader but loved the idea of this so gave it a try. I loved the humor and the story world was interesting but didn't I connect with the characters as much as I would have liked.