Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent book, love it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

This is one crazy ride with multiple points of view. It has some good twists. There are some areas that were too detailed or unbelievable, but this is an entertaining, thought-provoking read.

Baby X was a pleasant surprise for me - I went in without knowing anything about the plot. The story of genetically engineered kids (and the theft of people's DNA) kept me totally engaged and guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really, really liked the concept of this book. It was very interesting and a very unique idea of a world that might not be too far off in some ways.

I thought it was very interesting how this book all goes together, but I was overall a little bored with this book. I wasn’t able to get fully into this story as I had hoped I would.

While this is very Black Mirror it still does a really good job of being it's own thing. Also gave me Antiviral from Brandon Cronenburg vibes throughout it. Very interesting few of the future.

Loved how bold and thought-provoking “Baby X” was. I’ll be interested to read Kira Peikoff’s next book and highly recommend “Baby X”!

The craziest Black Mirror-esque novel you'll ever experience. A solid book with twists and turns everywhere you look. This would make for such a great movie adaptation! Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital arc!

Baby X
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Kira Peikoff

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: In the near-future United States, where advanced technology can create eggs or sperm from any person’s cells, celebrities face the alarming potential of meeting biological children they never conceived. Famous singer Trace Thorne is tired of being targeted by the Vault, a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. Sick of paying ransom money for his own cell matter, he hires bio-security guard Ember Ryan to ensure his biological safety.

Ember will do anything she can to protect her clients. She knows all the Vault’s tricks—discarded tissues, used straws, lipstick tubes—and has prevented countless DNA thefts. Working for Thorne, her focus becomes split when she begins to fall for him, but she knows she hasn’t let anything slip—love or not, his DNA is safe. But then she and Thorne are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, who claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, and all bets are off.

My Thoughts: I am not a huge science fiction/fantasy fan, however, I think this premise can float across all genres. The author has an amazing Mimagination. Our celebrity Trace Thorn is tired of his DNA being a victim of theft and hires bio-security expert Ember Ryan to protect his DNA. Ember will go to the ends of the earth to protect her clients. When more than DNA security starts to erupt between Trace and Ember, they are confronted by a pregnant woman alleging Trace is the father of her unborn child. To what end will the Vault, the black market DNA ring, go to sell celebrities DNA? Will Ember be able to trace how this woman, Quinn, was able to get Trace’s DNA?

The story is narrated by multiple characters, which I love. I feel like you get a good picture with multiple points of view. The POV is round robin between Ember, Quinn, and Lily. The characters range from likable to not very likable. I like that we had hero’s that I could cheer for and villains I could yell at. The characters were well developed with depth, mysterious, secretive, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, imaginative, suspenseful, twisty, and engaging. The characters are slowly built up, then the plot is developed in twisty layers until we reach the mind-blowing conclusion. You do have to dispel believe for this one and some concepts are a little far-reaching, but still an enjoyable read that I found hard to put down.

The author did a fantastic job at explaining the science terms and kept the story interesting. I listened as much as I could each time I picked it up, as I could not wait to find out what happened next. This was the first speculative fiction I have read, even though you really have to suspend your belief and some of the scenarios seem really far-fetched, I still enjoyed this story. If you love Margaret Atwood, this book will be right up your alley. I would recommend it to others.

This book had excellent themes, like I really loved the inspiration behind the book and how it wasn't just a typical sci-fi thriller. But it seemed pretty boring to me. I pretty much hated the main character by the end of it, which honestly is really important to my overall love for a book.

Easily one of my favorite books of 2024! What a unique and engrossing story! I was so excited to recommend to my sister so we could discuss.

Extremely ambitious novel that feels like it lost itself halfway through the book. If can get over the glaring logical issues, the pacing does not work and the multiple perspectives confuses the overall goal of the book.

What an interesting concept! What if someone could create a baby using just a bit of your DNA? Sound chilling and invasive? Yes, it is. This speculative fiction novel explores just that. The plot had some good twists and turns. I also found the ending to be satisfying. Ultimately, it’s a creepy concept and would make for great discussion. I recommend Baby X to readers who enjoy pushing the boundaries of reality with some twists and turns mixed in.

Special thanks to The Quick Brown Fox & Co and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC via Net Galley.

A futuristic take that might not be that far fetched.

Quinn is pregnant but whose baby is it.
In this new age world DNA can be stolen and turned into an egg or sperm regardless of who the DNA is from.
This puts high profile people in significant danger of non-consenting use of their DNA.
A blackmarket/underground company is profiting from finding and create these opportunities and auctioning them off to the highest bidder.

A great read for those who enjoy reading a very possible and scary future. Overall really enjoyed this book. The plot, characters and twists. Would highly recommend.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC so I can provide an honest review.

This was a very unique thriller and such an interesting premise! I thought the characters were well done and I loved the multiple POVs!

Not enjoyable for any fan of sci-fi, this was comical at times. I'm sur eit will have an audience but I don't think it will be the sci-fi crowd.

Baby X is one of my favorite thrillers of 2024. It's a character-focused and twisty thriller with science-fiction elements that had me fully absorbed in the world and the characters' lives after a few short chapters.

The blurb compares Baby X to Black Mirror, which is a very good comparison. Reading Baby X felt like watching one of the best episodes of Black Mirror.

The story follows three main POV characters: Ember, Quinn, and Lily. Ember is working as a new kind of security guard whose job is to protect her clients' DNA. Quinn is a professional surrogate. Lily is a new journalist who is digging into an old case for a story. All three women's stories show how the technology of the era has impacted the world in both good, complicated, and horrifying ways.

Baby X has some great twists and turns! It's also full of great characters and is set in a truly fascinating world that feels disturbingly possible.

This book is an entertaining read that has become widely popular across book subscription services. It allows for good interpersonal relationship discussions and book review questions. Excellent building of characters.

In Baby X, the near-future United States is a place where advanced reproductive technology has given rise to a new kind of nightmare—celebrities being confronted by biological children they never conceived. Against this unsettling backdrop, readers are introduced to Trace Thorne, a famous singer who has become a prime target for the Vault, a black market organization that thrives on stealing DNA. Tired of paying ransoms to secure his own genetic material, Thorne hires Ember Ryan, a no-nonsense bio-security guard, to protect him from the relentless threat of DNA theft.

Ember is a seasoned professional, well-versed in the Vault’s tactics. Whether it's discarded tissues or used straws, she knows how to ensure her clients' biological safety. However, her ironclad focus is tested when she begins to develop feelings for Thorne, creating a tension that adds an emotional layer to the plot. Just when it seems like Ember has everything under control, a pregnant woman named Quinn claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, throwing everything into chaos.

Pros:

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its accessibility. Despite the scientific elements woven into the narrative, the writing remains clear and easy to follow. The author skillfully balances complex concepts with a straightforward storytelling style, making the book a quick and engaging read. The premise itself is intriguing, hooking readers with the potential consequences of technological advancements that are both exciting and terrifying.

Cons:

However, the story is not without its flaws. It takes time for the characters, particularly Lily, to fully connect with the larger narrative. This slow development might make it difficult for readers to form an emotional attachment to them early on. Additionally, some plot points are a bit too predictable, which can detract from the overall suspense and impact of the story.

Conclusion:

Baby X offers a compelling look at the ethical dilemmas posed by future technology, wrapped in a mix of sci-fi thriller and romance. While the story is easy to get into and has moments of genuine tension, it lacks the depth and unpredictability needed to truly stand out. Fans of near-future speculative fiction and light romantic suspense may find it enjoyable, but those looking for a more complex and innovative narrative might be left wanting more.

Absolutely loved it! I found myself a new author to follow! Baby X is a story set in a dystopian world (my fave!) and it follows 3 characters around while peeling off layers of secrets and deceit in their lives. The story flows naturally and the revealing secrets keep you turning the pages to figure out what's going on.

Highly recommend it if you love a good speculative story...with a lot of "what if this was true" as a near future for our society. If you enjoy John Marrs's speculative books, you'll find Kira's story could belong to the same Metaverse :)

Huge thanks to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy for an honest review. I am looking forward to reading more of Kira's work.