This is my favorite kind of book to suggest to my students, an intriguing subject with lots of potential for discussion and thought provoking questions about ethical issues as well as discrimination and social issues. Well written and absorbing. As an adult, I enjoyed it a lot as well

Wow! This book really blew me away! I’m newer to reading tech and sci-fi thrillers, but this one really hooked me! The twists and turns and the absolutely bonkers terrifying idea of where reproduction could go was so fun and wild in this story. I’m a person who has chosen to not have children and this book really had me thinking about so many different aspects of reproduction. Great read!

This book gave me a lot to think about. It’s a very realistic look at what could be our future. The characters were interesting and it was interesting to see how the different - seemingly unrelated - storylines all converge at the end. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.

4 reasons I gave Baby X 4 stars
1. Terrifying premise speculating the future of human reproduction
2. I love a genetic thriller
3. From the prologue, the book did not go as expected
4. I was hooked; this was a page turner

Super interesting concept and I enjoyed getting into the exploration - I just found myself wanting more.

I was drawn into this book as soon as I read the description! A futuristic thriller set in the 2050’s that gives a scary glimpse of technology’s potential and how DNA could be manipulated!

This is a really well paced novel told from several different POVs and it’s one of those books you can just read so quickly! The story was really unique and I LOVED the way the different stories intertwined with each other!!

There was plenty of plot twists throughout the book and a lot of them really surprised me! Especially further on in the book! The twists and general futuristic dystopian topics in the book actually reminded me a lot of one of my fave books The One by John Marrs so that’s a major plus too!

A horrifying look into the future! New fear has definitely been unlocked!!!

The pace of baby x is perfect for me, I loved the the inter changing storyline’s (not a usual comment from me) because both where engaging, both horrifying in their own futuristic way.
I think it’s a bit easy to cotton on to the twist coming but it doesn’t make it any less of a pay off once reveled.

Loved this for its twisted take and just added a new horror while we all currently freak out about AI, there so much more to fear!

First off thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

This sci-fi thriller was a bit different than my usual reads and I’m so glad I was able to get my hands on it!!! Wow!! Loved it! The DNA stealing, different POVs, near future , was all quite terrifying, gripping and I read it in just over a day!!! If you’re looking for something a little different I highly recommend this book!!

5/5 ⭐️

What. A. Ride.

This book takes place in the near future where technology has brought about so many advancements from AI pets to computerized contact lenses and all the way to designer babies. Ultimately, this book focuses on two story lines where people can create babies from a super specialized scientific process that almost completely eliminates risk. Babies can be chosen to be implanted that have the highest ratios of "good" characteristics...intellect, compassion, physical prowess while eliminating the chances of "poor" complications like major health issues and mental health disorders. This has brought about a slight sense of utopia in which a lot of major public health issues have been eliminated or had cures developed because of this gene editing. However, the other story line shows how this has developed into a sinister realm because now prime biologic material from people like celebrities, geniuses, and athletes is being stolen and sold for a huge markup.

I thought that this book was so fantastic. The author did a great job of making sure not to bog down the reader with a lot of complex science. The overall concepts and innovations were easy to understand and follow which made the nefarious aspects of this more believable. This book has me terrified of the future. There was great commentary on so many issues like the health care system, the market that is fertility and conception clinics, the part the various privilege plays in being able to access these advancements, and what it says about us as a society that we would be so quick to categorize people as "good" and "bad" qualities. There is an interesting discussion brought up about what it means to bring a child into the world if you know they would be world class athlete but also suffer from a horrible disease or if they were to be a mathematical genius but also suffer from crippling depression.

The discussions in this book felt pretty well rounded and showed a variety of characters with different perspectives on this new innovation. Some were desperate to know why their parents chose them, some were struggling with the stigma of being conceived naturally, and some were trying to work the system to their advantage. The one flaw of this story is that it was incredibly predictable. I saw how the story lines played together pretty early on and there was really nothing that came as a big shock when it was revealed. However, this book is so successful in being creepy as hell and just covering you, as the reader, in a head to toe feeling of ick and questions. There is no way you could come out of reading this and not have strong opinions on where you would fall in this future society and what choices you would make in these situations.

I would love to see this adapted as a miniseries. The ending 20% or so was such an action packed ride that demands cinematic justice.

Content Warnings: domestic violence, gene manipulation, fertility, blackmail, medical black market, sexual assault, gaslighting, kidnapping, murder

Overview:
In a world not too far in the future, babies are selected rather than naturally conceived and DNA can be stolen from those classed as “desirables” and sold by The Vault to those seeking desired personality traits and talents for their unborn children.


My Review:
I love a good speculative thriller and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. The plot is very believable with the way science and technology is advancing and I was drawn into the story immediately. It’s told from several POVs (all in third person) and how it all came together at the end was brilliant and unexpected. The author delves deep into the detail on how babies are selected based on their likelihood of obtaining desired personality traits but also their ability to avoid diseases. It was interesting how babies conceived by traditional methods (unforeseen babies) were seen as taboo and something to be ashamed of. It really makes you think about nature vs nurture and that if certain traits were pre-determined, would it shape that person’s life subconsciously.

I’d highly recommend giving this one a go and I’d be interested in reading more by this author.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This is a novel that will stick with me looooong after it ends! I’m still comprehending what I just read, but I’m undeniably impressed with the framework of this story.

Baby X is a dystopian thriller set in the not so distant future when embryos can be created from any human cells (saliva, sweat, skin, etc.) When selecting which embryos to implant, parents are given a full hereditary profile about Health Predispositions, Personality Traits & Disorders, and Physical Characteristics.

The novel follows 3 protagonists’ POV - a scientist, a budding journalist, and a surrogate. These women discover the good, the bad, and the evil that comes with advancing science.

The pacing was a little slow for me at first but it set the stage for an addictive page turner with an ending that no one will see coming!

Thank You to NetGalley for the ARC in exaggeration for an honest review.

his was my first dystopian-like read ! I’ll be honest, the whole “designer-baby” aspect really threw me off at first. But before I knew it the book had me in a chokehold. I found the plot to be very intriguing and the characters were super easy to follow. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read more from Kira Peikoff.

Baby X is the new offering from Kira Peikoff, I'd never read any of her work before but will add I don't think this will be my last rodeo after reading Baby X. What drew me into this book was the synopsis, although I won't add anything in this review about what the book entails etc. I really think the more blind you go in the better.

If you like a book that's a little sci fi (This is set in the future, near future so nothing to out there), a little mystery, some romance (Minimal) and drama. Then this could be for you. I went in expecting one thing and came out with a lot more. I don't know if its where I'm ill at present or if Kira (Author) completely fooled me but I didn't see the 'whole picture' at all with this book and it completely surprised me. I also read this one in a single sitting! I had to keep going to know what happened and why.

Cleverly wrote, interesting characters and stories that although futuristic are possible. Which I think is the big seller with this book, it could all happen and that's pretty frightening! A solid 4 stars, I've not read anything like this before!

Thanks to NetGalley and The Quick Brown Fox & CO, Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This is a fast paced, sci-fi thriller about ideas that actually do not seem that unrealistic.
Set in a year 2050, when everyone’s DNA is unsafe; babies are “created” in a lab with DNA samples retrieved from saliva, hair, skin, really just any cell of human bodies. Future parents can “select” their “perfect” child based on desirable traits. Very scary but also intriguing concepts.
The story is told from 3 different POVs – Quinn a surrogate, Ember – personal bio-security to a celebrity who is afraid of having his DNA stolen and Lily – a young journalist who is trying to find the truth behind her “conception”. There are also three different timelines that come together nicely at the end.
Sci-fi is not a genre that I normally read but I am glad I picked up this book. It was an easy read with an interesting concepts and great twists.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and the author for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Baby X is a near-future thriller in the vein of The One by John Marrs. It follows three different characters and their experiences with selective genetics in a future United States. One character is a young woman who makes a living as a surrogate mom, one character is a kind of genetic security guard for a music star, and one is a young intern wanting to break into journalism. Their stories all begin separately but the wild ride is experiencing how they will converge in the end.

This book was an exciting and easy to read thriller that I could barely put down. I read it all in just a few days. Similar to The One by John Marrs, the author of Baby X goes into detail showing us the ins and outs of this near-future society, and through her characters she shows us the various legal and ethical dilemmas that might arise through selecting babies for their genetic phenotypes.

I should have seen the ending coming (I know that some readers will) but I was shocked and so satisfied with the last twist.

Would definitely recommend.

Baby X by Kira Peikoff is a very interesting novel taking place about 30 years in the future. The story is told, in third person, by three major characters. At first I had a little trouble keeping them straight but they soon developed distinct voices.

I thought the technological advances described were not too far-fetched and somewhat troubling. Cell phones are a thing of the past, as everyone wears smart contact lenses. Cars and helicopters are on autopilot but the biggest leap is that most babies are not conceived in the usual way, but rather eggs are developed and the most genetically pleasing are chosen for implantation. Much of the story is centered around this development.

The characters of the 3 narrators are well developed and end up intersecting in an unusual way. The ending was fantastic with a very well done twist. Overall, it was an engaging, entertaining story with a glimpse into a possible future. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

It’s 2025, the world has made it through another pandemic, World War III and there’s been a break up of big tech which has lead to a generation of recovering influencers. We now fly on supersonic jets and eat synthetic food and the way we make babies is different. A new procedure IVG- in vitro gametogenesis has meant that with just a swab of your cheek any two people can make a baby.

Piekoff’s futuristic world is different but an entirely believable place. I really enjoyed the world building in this one. A thriller that explores the ethics of selection of embryos and company’s being able to pick and choose who has children, having other people’s children without consent and age limits of reproduction.

The story is told from three women’s points of view. Ember who is bioguard, a person who is hired to make sure no DNA is left behind. Quinn, who is a surrogate and Lily, a journalist. I enjoyed getting to know each of the women, all their stories were engaging and held my attention. I loved seeing how all three ended up being connected to each other. It certainly wasn’t the way I had initially thought.

Whilst being a thought provoking read covering some difficult topics it was also quite the pageturner. It had me hooked immediately, it kept up a decent pace the whole way through and I found it hard to put down. I enjoyed a number of twists towards the end, I certainly hadn’t picked them. For fans of Black Mirror, Christina Dalcher or John Marrs.

What happens if you leave your DNA in a public place? Can anyone have it? Are they allowed to do anything with it? Do you own your DNA? In Baby X, Kira Peikoff speculates about a future where just a little DNA can spawn a life.

"Trace Thorne, a wildly popular singer, is tired of being targeted by The Vault - a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. He hires bio-security guard, Ember Ryan, to ensure his biological safety. Ember will do anything to ensure his safety. But when they are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, all bets are off."

This story is reminiscent of a Michael Crichton/Blake Crouch story - what happens when someone uses a technology for personal gain - regardless of the damage to others. There are two stories happening and it's a great twist the way KP ties them together. Chapters are short and KP makes you care about the characters.
This is near future speculative fiction. It's very easy to imagine the technology mentioned will be available soon.. I like that Peikoff doesn't get enamored with the science. There's a little bit but it never bogs down the story.

The ending is wild. I was shaking my head - wondering how I didn't see it coming. Peikoff makes you think and enjoy a story at the same time. A great, quick read from Peikoff.

I've been trying to decide what to say about this without spoiling it and have finally decided.

This was a neat read. There are three POVs and it's unclear how they are related until you get well into this. And once that happens, that makes this even more interesting. I liked how the author pulled this off and not very like anything I've read lately. I admit to not being into the romance aspect until everything else came together at the end and then, looking back, I thought it was kinda lovely. So, well done on that front also. The medical tech is what made me want to read this but there was much more to this speculative fiction and I appreciated that.

The perfect book if you enjoyed The One by John Marrs or Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. This realistic science fiction is well conceived and well written, based around a concept that feels eerily plausible. If you read a lot of thrillers, you’ll see the twist coming from a mile away, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying every page.