Baby X

4.5 ⭐️

My mind is totally blown. This was a crazy fast thriller/scifi and anyone who loves those futuristic books will love this!

In Baby X, parents can choose which embryo to have based on traits they can learn about them. An entire world opens to people choosing to avoid genes that lead to cancer or other diseases and even to a point where parents learn their baby is extroverted or likely to be good at math. But a lot of new types of crimes come in this world; genes of celebrities can be stolen on the black market to make an embryo from.

This book was so crazy and I loved not guessing the twists until they blew me away. If you like Blake Crouch books, this is definitely that vibe!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

4.5🌟
Technology changes quickly. Can you even imagine where we’ll be in about 25 years? This read will provide you a sneak-peek into one possible (and somewhat disturbing) scenario.

Gone are the days of both planned and unplanned pregnancies. No more concerned parents hoping and praying their baby will be born healthy and happy.

Now conception happens in a lab. (No not like that!😂). It’s all quite scientific with DNA samples extracted from saliva, skin or almost any part of you.
These cells are converted into sperm and eggs then fertilized in a lab. (So much for romance!)
Once the top three embryos are identified it is up to the parents to choose which will be implanted. A bit controversial...but hey that's sci fi.💁🏼‍♀️

So…what’s most important to you for your child? Is it Intelligence? Physical and or mental health? Maybe you want a child who will excel in athletics. It’s your choice…but choose wisely!

Woohoo! What a premise! Right!?

Told from the perspective of three women.
Quinn: A surrogate for those couples who cannot carry their chosen baby.

Lily: A budding journalist who was a ‘traditional’ baby not a chosen one, something she keeps to herself. Funny though, her parents seem to be hiding secrets of their own too.

Ember: The scientist who developed a DNA lab dedicated to taking down corruption. Until the tables were turned on her.

Three distinctly separate storylines. That is until they all intersect with one whopper of a twist that left my head spinning.

Don’t miss this latest futuristic sci-fi from the very talented Kira Peikoff.

A buddy read with Susanne.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books

The premise of this book intrigued me--in the not-too-distant future, there is an illegal dark web company specializing in stealing DNA from high-profile individuals. It targets a renowned singer who hires a bio-security person to thwart them. In this cat-and-mouse thriller, future lives are at stake--literally.

Trace Thorne is tired of being blackmailed by the Vault, a dark website that keeps stealing his DNA and selling it to the highest bidder. He hires Ember Ryan, a bioengineer now specializing in eliminating DNA left by famous people. One year later, Thorne and Ember are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn Corrigan, a professional surrogate, who claims to be carrying Thorne's child. Are Ember's efforts ineffective, or has the Vault found a way around her methods? And, for that matter, is Quinn really carrying Thorne's baby?

Meanwhile, an aspiring journalist, Lily has garnered a fellowship at a premiere magazine. She competes for one coveted spot, so the story she pitches must be a hard-hitting piece. Drawing on her background, she pitches the idea of how reproductive facilities hold power to decide who can and cannot have a baby. In this age, when children are Selected based on desirable traits and conceiving a child naturally is frowned upon, the agencies that specialize in the selection process are all but playing God.

This is an engaging story following the lives of Ember, Quinn, and Lily and the reproductive rights of parents. It is both a plausible and frightening futuristic cautionary tale. The characters are well-drawn, with the details of their lives carefully meted out. It is fast-paced with a startling twist I thought I figured out, but it was way off. the mark. If you enjoy a good Robin Cook book, I think you'll enjoy this medical thriller. by Kira Peikoff. 4.5/5 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is March 5, 2024.

Genetic and personality selection are becoming more real in the news every day. In the novel Baby X by Kira Peikoff, the futuristic options have arrived and parents need to make a lot of decisions. It is speculative fiction with a twist of dna choices which include so much of a child’s personality and physical attributes known before implantation. Peikoff raises so many questions in reference to a future where babies can be formulated. Do parents give more weight to personality traits or health traits? Can parents provide dna from an unknown donor to create their child? What are the specific rights of each person regarding their dna? What kind of background investigation should the government require of parents choosing these children? The author does a great job of doing just what great science fiction should, asking will science really help in the future or just create more problems? All of these questions are addressed and put into story form so that we can imagine how an imaginary future system of creating designer babies could be causing so many questions. As someone with interest in dna and genetics, I loved this book. So much is brought up and the web is tangled. Consequently I flew through Baby X and highly recommend it. However there are so many more questions unanswered, and I would love to see either sequels to make a series or other stories in the same future. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a chance to read this earc in return for an honest review.

Kira Peikoff's Baby X reads like an episode of Black Mirror, but much, much better. I don't typically read sci-fi or dystopian literature, but the premise of Baby X was so intriguing that I deviated from my regular genres. I was pleasantly surprised, though, because it didn't feel like a deviation. It felt like a suspense novel with sci-fi/dystopian elements, because the story itself was paced superbly and is hauntingly close to home.

In the 2050s, Western society has advanced - for the better and worse - with hyper-futuristic technology, leading to the genetic engineering of babies and DNA theft to create non-consensual fetuses. The technology and norms of this near-future American setting felt too close for comfort, and I could genuinely see these things happening in the coming decades. Things such as Android Dogs, UPS drone deliveries, and the Holoverse were woven into the text throughout and integrated into the story so that they felt like nothing out of the norm. There was no info-dumping, which made the story seem all the more realistic.

I think that's what is ultimately so disturbing and intriguing about Baby X - we're not too far behind the ethical and moral dilemma presented through Selection and stolen-cell pregnancies. "Designer Babies" are already here, albeit not on a wide scale and not easily accessible. Science is advancing every day, and it isn't far-fetched to believe that one day in the near future, scientists will be able to make an egg/sperm from any human cell, like in Baby X.

I loved that the story was told in 3 perspectives - Ember, a bio-security agent that protects celebrities from The Vault; Quinn, a surrogate recently hired to carry a baby for a widower; and Lily, a young journalist - and the way in which these perspectives connected. When everything fell into place at the end, it didn't feel thrown together. Everything made sense because looking back, the author had been planning for the reveal all along. Overall, Baby X was a pleasant - and unpleasant - surprise for me; it really made me think about the ethics of genetic selection, the implications and consequences of such advanced technology, and how it relates to where we're currently at with the topic today.

Thank you to the publisher, via Netgalley, for providing me with an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third party.

This story is so believable it is frightening. The Vault made me think of a cross between TMZ and an IVF clinic, which is an odd mix.

The writing made me really feel immersed in this world, and was a great example of speculative fiction that I have been loving lately.

I really enjoyed this book. I was very interested in the concept of this potential future. It gave me Black Mirror vibes. The idea of stolen DNA and hand picking a “perfect” baby is quite creepy and brought me anxiety. The writing was fast paced and kept me engaged from the beginning! I recommend this to any fans of Black Mirror and John Marrs!

Thanks you for the chance to read this and recommend it to others.

I loved this one a lot more than I was expecting to! This is a speculative fiction and it keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists throughout. It definitely makes you think about the future of genetics and what technology can do with it. In the way The Measure made me think about if I would look at my string to see how long my life would be, this book made me think about if I would Select my child based on their genetics.

I recommend to fans of John Marrs and Black Mirror- this is totally up that vibe.

I enjoyed this book. The concept was interesting and I was genuinely surprised at many of the twists. The major critiques I had were with the dialogue and the three major viewpoints. The dialogue was pretty basic for anything actually said on page and everything else was told versus said. And the three major viewpoint were women who were mainly difficult to tell apart. It felt like the idea and the twists took the lead and any characterization took a backseat to the plot. But if you’re just looking for a quick read with some fun twists, this is a fun one.

I could NOT put this book down. I had a whole other list of books I was supposed to be reading and I stopped them just to finish this book. I figured I would read a few pages to get a feel for it and could not stop. It was so twisty that I had to find out what happened. Now I didn’t love the ending but the rest of the ride was well worth it. This is a must read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

OMG I have no idea how to describe how astonishingly brilliant this book is I was completely hooked from the first few pages and I just couldn’t put it down. The story is set in the near future and is told by Lily, Quinn and Ember who were all superbly crafted and whose stories little by little began to weave together. I don’t want to rehash the plot line as I went into the book knowing very little of what it was about and I feel that made it even better having no preconceived idea about what was to happen. Well I know one thing I had never envisioned the way the story would go and oh my the ending was one the best I have read and was a real didn’t see that coming conclusion that was just perfect. The writing of the book was excellent, the reveals were well paced and clever and I really cannot fault this read at all I absolutely loved it. So do yourselves a favour don’t miss this one it’s a 5 star one for me and I have a feeling it’s going to be a huge hit and it deserves to be, many thanks to Kira Peikoff for superb read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and The Quick Brown Fox & Co, Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

5 ⭐️
I can already tell that this book is going to be sold out in bookstores worldwide when it’s released. I was drawn in just by reading the book’s description, and I managed to finish it in a few hours because it had me HOOKED right from the first sentence.

The book is told from the perspectives of three women: Quinn, Ember, and Lily.

Set in the 2050s, Baby X follows three women during an age where with the advancement of technology, anyone can make a baby out of any two cells.
We follow Trace Thorne - well known, sensational pop star, who goes out of his way to protect himself from having his dna stolen.
Our protagonists:
- Ember: Thorne’s Bioguard
- Quinn: Surrogate mother who claims the baby she’s carrying could be Thorne’s child
- Lily: An unforeseen child who’s also an aspiring journalist
One of the many reasons I loved this book was because of the cool technology the author had brought in; 3D printed food, smart lenses, facial cell replacement therapy, to name a few. I loved all the twists the book threw my way. There was one point, when I was around 75 pages in and I thought I had it all figured out… Boy was I wrong.
Everything ties together so well and I found myself audibly gasping every few pages because of how immersive the whole experience of reading it was. I absolutely loved this book. First book of the year, and my new favorite.

I decided on a whim to begin this book. The premise intrigued me. Sometime in the not so future where science does awesome stuff. What can’t go wrong with that? Well everything. I did not have any expectations going into this book and I was blown away! The numerous twists throughout the book kept me thoroughly engaged. I felt myself trying to solve everything in for me to get it won’t. Such a great book!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5-4 stars

Little bit science fiction, little bit futuristic, little bit thriller, this book was quite a bit outside what I normally read, but it was entertaining and thought provoking.

Set in I think 2050, the world is quite different when it comes to having a child. Babies can be "selected" for traits, health proclivity, abilities. Having a baby "the old fashioned way" is just not done. This has caused the rate of inherited illnesses to go down and "elite" humans have been created. Throw in the fact DNA can be attained from eyelashes, a used fork or napkin, or a discarded water bottle and you can imagine the lengths people may go to to attain the DNA of "desirables" like celebrities, athletes, and intellectuals.

Told in 3 POV's, it was crazy but maybe not so far unattainable the things the story projected. I struggled to figure out the point of one of the POV's (Lily) until it's connection is revealed at the end and even then I had to think back how it was possible. Kudos to the author for the disguise, but I would have liked more an "oh!" response from myself and less of a "huh?" Maybe I'm just slow to catch on.

Overall, very inventive, entertaining, thought provoking, and a tad bit creepy if I'm honest. I would read this author again!

“Baby X” by Kira Peikoff is a riveting fantasy thriller. The book dives deeply into the plausible practice of genetic manipulation of embryos to determine the selection process for a child’s birth. I could not put this book down, the characters are interesting and the mystery that enfolds raises a lot of very thought provoking questions of a “real life” issue that may be facing us in the not to distant future. Imagine being able to steal the DNA from a celebrity and create the child of your dreams and the black market that kind of theft would create…….I really enjoyed this book and thought I knew what the twist was but I was Wrong!! Definitely worth a read!

Thank you NetGalley and The Quick Brown Fox & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s the 2050s: vehicles are autonomous, phones are quaintly obsolete, tech and social media are controlled by blinking your special contact lenses, and babies are Selected. Thanks to leaps in reproductive technology, no one needs to conceive babies the old-fashioned way anymore. Now, sperm and egg cells can be made from any type of DNA sample and the resulting embryos are scored according to genetic markers for intelligence, personality traits, and physical and emotional health, leaving prospective parents to Select the one they want. Nice and easy in theory, but potentially a little too easy. Someone could steal your used napkin or coffee cup without you noticing, and now they have your DNA and can engineer a baby with your biological material without your permission. A shady outfit known as The Vault steals and sells celebrity DNA to the highest bidder, enabling the creation of a designer baby without the celebrity even knowing about it. And that’s where our story starts, with famous singer Trace Thorne confronted by a young pregnant stranger saying she’s carrying his baby.

I did not expect this book to rock me like it did but WOW!! Told from three female POVs, including a young journalist, a surrogate, and a biosecurity expert, this speculative fiction book is not only a thriller but a compelling and contemplative exploration of medical ethics. The plot is complex and since I don’t want to give anything away, I’m just going to tell you to read this book! The writing style is engaging and I was captivated from the very beginning. Fast paced and twisty but also really deep and intelligent and thought-provoking. I’m not normally a science fiction fan, but this Black Mirror-esque thriller feels all too plausible. If you love The One or The Passengers by John Marrs as much as I do, Baby X is perfect for you!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book.

4.5 🌟

... um.... what did I just read?! 😳😳

Baby X was such a fast paced book that had me hooked from the beginning. If you are a fan of Blske Crouch, this book will be right up your alley. I'm not sure I want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away but buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Baby X by Kira Peikoff is a tremendously satisfying novel. I read it across two sittings, gripped by the story and eager to see how it resolved.

Told across 3 perspectives and divided into 4 parts, Baby X follows a famous musician, his bio-guard-turned-fiancée, and the woman who turns up claiming to be carrying his child, conceived from stollen DNA. On the other side of the country, the third perspective is provided by a young woman grappling with her own genetics as an ‘Unforeseen,’ a child conceived the ‘old-fashioned way’ rather than via the new, favored form of genetic Selection.

Baby X straddles the genres of scifi and thriller but reads as a pure fiction novel more than anything. It contains a number of twists, which are predictable but still extremely satisfying. I could see Baby X being this summer’s beach read and I hope it finds success. 5*.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing this e-arc.

This book is a gem of the genre. With phenomenal world building and meaningful themes, I think this book is a new classic. I really need to read more speculative fiction, every time i do they blow me away. This story was outstanding and incredibly creative. I can totally see this being a great tv show. I'm so excited for the new sci-fi we're going to be getting in our current post AI reality.

Let's get into what I liked and what I didn't like/
things i liked:
- normally i’m not the biggest fan of multiple povs. i think we often read then in narratives and character driven stories and they don’t work and i think are used as a bandage to not have to be descriptive in writing. In this case, i think it really worked. this story is theme focused, it’s about what it means to be human and what it means to be real. And i think the multiple povs really helps to drive this point home. you get to see three incredibly relevent povs that really create an interesting world.
- the pacing of this story is sooo engaging. There's never a time to put it down. it keeps you hooked! perfect for getting out of a book slump.
- the storytelling and worldbuilding in this book was so good! the book gradually shows you how society turned out this way.

things i didn’t like:
- there were a few out of character moments in this story. the author really does a great job in defining these characters and there’s a few moments where their actions don’t line up with who the author has spend the past 50 pages describing them to be.
- the beauty of a good mystery is the discovery of evidence and the way the character(s) unravel the story to reveal the truth. and the downside of multiple pov’s with a plot that is this fast paced is that a lot of the character’s actions and though process is done off screen and some of the mystery gets left out. there’s a lot of telling what the character has been up to off-stage which i didn’t dislike but i definitely would have enjoyed to be shown this and to walk alongside the character making these discoveries. But i do understand that the trade off for that is a slower paced and longer novel which isn’t always desirable.
I think it was worth it for the pacing of this book but if this is more of a sci-fi action novel, than the sci-fi thriller mystery that it’s advertised as.

Overall, a superb book that I would recommend to anyone who's into sci-fi and speculative fiction

This book is not my usual style, but we are looking for a variety of books for our Collections so I gave this one a try.

First off, it was scary as heck. Can you imagine this scenario? The government has a say into everything, including your reproductive rights. This book is set in a near future and pitches biology/rights of the person vs technology and what comes out is an interesting story that feels as though it is even relevant for today when it comes to our rights.

Pacing is good, not great, but good. I am so picky about pacing, but this one is acceptable.