Baby X by Kira Peikoff is a twisty sci-fi thriller exploring DNA, consent, and how children come into the world. I really loved the ideas about the future and I liked how the 3 characters we followed were connected but we didn’t always know how. That being said, I caught onto it pretty quickly but it still an enjoyable and interesting read!

Great audio narration - I flew through this and really loved the pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ARC!

Baby X is set in a near-future world where precision reproduction has revolutionized the way humans procreate. In this future, traditional methods of conception are obsolete, and genes and DNA are meticulously manipulated to achieve desired outcomes with near-perfect success. This technological advancement raises the question: what could possibly go wrong?
As I listened to the audio version of the book, I initially found it challenging to distinguish between the voices of the three main women narrators. However, as the story progressed, their distinct identities and perspectives became clearer. The narrative is told from the viewpoints of three women:
Ember: This woman is responsible for protecting Chase Thorne, a famous musician, from DNA theft. A nefarious group known as the Black Vault aims to steal his DNA for profit by using it in precision reproduction. As Ember spends more time with him, she begins to question the validity of the negative stories she has heard about him, and romantic feelings start to develop.
Quinn: Quinn is pregnant and claims that her unborn child is the offspring of Thorne. This revelation complicates Ember’s mission, as it threatens to undermine her efforts to protect the musician and his genetic material.
Lily: Lily is the daughter of a pregnant woman who was denied access to precision reproduction due to her criminal record. Lily is a journalist determined to tell her mother’s story. Her mother, at 66 years old, is pregnant, and Lily has some questions about her own genetic history.
Despite some initial confusion due to listening to the audio format, I found the story intriguing. The setting, although futuristic, isn't entirely unrecognizable, and it highlights how technological advances in reproduction might evolve while societal attitudes towards pregnancy, reproductive rights, and women's rights lag behind.
By the end of the book, I was fully invested in the intertwined stories of the three women. The ethical dilemmas surrounding gene editing, reproductive rights, and the impact of DNA manipulation on personal identity are thoroughly explored. While the pacing was slow at first, it eventually picked up, delivering a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

A new type of story for me - futuristic sci fi thriller? I listened to this story via audio and is told from a few POVS. A story about advanced technology, DNA stealing, genetics - biological safety - suspenseful! This was an interesting audiobook - I think because it was in this sci fi-ish genre, it didn't lock me in. It was an interesting story that many will like. Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.4 stars
Thanks to Net Galley for the free preview of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am quite surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. The future created in this book is very interesting and is not illogical (like, I can see many of these things happening in my lifetime). What’s nice is that this book only has three main points of view with not too many characters so it isn’t hard to follow along, and it will keep your interest the whole way. The way all the points of view came together at the end was terrific!

I think it’s fun to explore the idea of a future where people don’t really have phones anymore and we just have these integrated contact lenses that are worn 24/7. People measure in terms of “blinks” instead of clicks or taps. (Since you just blink your eyes to perform any kind of command, and a double blink opens up a browser or something).

The only reasons why I am not giving it five stars is likely due to me and my reading comprehension. <spoiler> this is in goodreads
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Audiobook narrators Jennifer Jill Araya, Imani Jade Powers, and Abigail Reno rating: 4 stars
I know I said that it would be hard for me to listen to another audio book from Net Galley, but here we are again. If you can pound through a book without having to stop and start the app too many times, then it is more tolerable. But still, net galley needs a major overhaul of their audiobook app features.

Either way, the narrators were good but the one who voiced Ember was better than the rest. Her male voice was good as well as voicing other characters. It was a little weird going between narrators who voiced the same characters, but I got used to it, so it was not a big deal.

I read a lot of great reviews on this book and I may be the outlier here- but I just could not get into it. I tried!! This is classified as a thriller- but there was nothing thrilling about it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my copy of Baby X by Kira Peikoff Narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya; Imani Jade Powers; Abigail Reno in exchange for an honest review. It published June 4, 2024.
First off, the narration was done very-well, and I would listen to anything they narrate!
This book was honestly terrifying. It was so stressful in the right ways. I could not stop listening to it. It was fast-paced and full of cliffhangers that will keep you coming back for more.
Warning: Sex scenes, language, violence, pregnancy.

4.25 Stars
A page-turner!

If you're a fan of Black Mirror, this is for you!

***Thank you to NetGalley, Kira Peikoff, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

Baby x (audio)
4⭐️

This is a futuristic suspenseful thriller. Decades in the future couples are able to use any cells to create eggs and sperm and then select their desired embryo based on individual detailed biological information. Conceiving children naturally is a thing of the past-leaving too much to chance and unnecessary risk.

Baby X is told from 3 POV: Quinn, Ember, and Lily. While Quinn and Ember’s storylines crossover from the beginning, Lily’s storyline is completely separate and taking place on the other side of the country.

While the scientific advancements have many positives, it also brings new concerns regarding DNA/gene “kidnapping”, surrogacy, and how the whole process will affect the “selected” kids once they are grown. Will it make their lives easy and happy? Will they have resentment towards their parents’ selection choices?

This was a fun and intriguing listen! A new world is created, but the “rules” of the world were consistent and well thought out. I did start to get a little bored in the middle, but I enjoyed the thrill and wrap up towards the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for this audio ARC.

Audio Pub Date Jun 4 2024

This book was a quick read for me, I devoured it. The storyline and the future that this author has created is so unique and like nothing I’ve seen before. The idea that anyone’s DNA could used to create a baby without their consent was intriguing yet slightly horrifying and dystopian to read. The three main woman that this story follows are each very different from one another but I enjoyed all of their chapters equally. Whilst I was able to guess some of the major plot twists I still enjoyed my time reading and still found myself shocked at some of the things I was unable to guess.

"Baby X" by Kira Peikoff is a gripping, thought-provoking novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The book masterfully blends elements of science fiction and thriller genres, exploring the ethical dilemmas of genetic engineering with precision and depth. Peikoff's characters are compelling and richly developed. The plot twists are unexpected (even though seem so obvious now!) and expertly crafted, keeping the suspense high throughout. "Baby X" is not just a page-turner but also a profound reflection on the potential and perils of scientific advancements. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an intelligent and exciting read.

This was a very interesting sci fi mystery. It definitely made me wonder what the future will look like and how technology will continue to grow. The writing was good and the ending came together very nicely.

Loved this one! I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were phenomenal! It was interesting that it’s in the not so distant future and scary to think of what could be. The twists and turns were crazy, some I saw coming but some were seemingly out of nowhere. Such a fun, fast read. Highly recommend this one!

Stunning, stunning, stunning. Absolutely flipping outstanding. Baby X by Kira Peikoff is genius in the genre of speculative fiction/ Mystery & Thriller/ Dystopic Fiction

Peikoff takes current sociopolitical themes surrounding birth and creates a world where procreation is strictly controlled.embryo's are chosen for their traits in rrespect of intelligence, health, athletic skill etc. People just don't make babies like they used to, and in fact, if they do, the offspring are frowned upon, as if they are somehow lesser beings

However, on the flip side, dna can be stolen, cells stolen to create zygotes and then embryo's and it is a big, big money market. This is the primary practice of " The Vault" and causes the rich and famous to employ "bio-guards", people who mop up every single trace of DNA, right down to a stray eyelash, to protect their clients genes

Ember is one such bio-guard, but a bio-guard with a secret. She protects famous Singer Trace Thorne, and during a tour, they get closer and fall in love. Everything is going swimmingly until one day, a woman approaches them in a cafe. A very, very pregnant woman. Thorne has never met her, but she is convinced it is Thornes child

Quinn is that woman. Quinn is a surrogate and she is carrying a baby for her best friend, who lost his husband in an AV accident in the previous year. However, despate his extensive wealth and generosity, Quinn is uneasy, made even more so when she is not able to find a single trace of the deceased online, or any information on the crash. Something is really, really wrong and she needs to find out what before it is too late

Told over three beautifully crafted and elegantly woven storylines, this is a tale of not one, not two, but three women. The twists are belting and it is no exaggeration when I say "didn't see THAT one coming"

Highly recommended. Great narration cast, exceptional storytelling, pure brilliance

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, Kira Peikoff and the narrators; Jennifer Jill Araya; Imani Jade Powers & Abigail Reno for this exceptional ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Wow! I thought this book was phenomenal! It was very thought-provoking and imaginative. I would highly recommend this book. It reminds me of something John Mars would come up with.

Set in the future, this is a novel of fertility. Three stories, separate. But, really are they separate?

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such an interesting plot! A glimpse into what the time to come might look like…the good, the bad and the ugly. The future Peikoff outlines seems eerily realistic. Could all of this happen? Probably. This book is well-paced, entertaining and fun. The final twist was easy to predict. Other than that, no complaints.

3.6 rounded up to 4.

The scariest thing about this book isn't the twists and turns, it's how easy it is to imagine this happening in real life. The idea of being able to select for your baby's criteria has been explored before back in 1997's Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke SciFi flick, Gattaca - and just like then, it seems almost inevitable that technology will evolve to the point of eliminating certain health factors or mental health concerns. It is a future we all want, and yet, as this book points out, it will always lead to too much control by medical/scientific establishments, too much profit by the few, and too much manipulation of the population.

Peikoff's three-point-of-view book gives us a compelling story to follow as we explore the repercussions of this society and the ethical choices good people are required to make under duress.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite a few plot points feeling like they had holes (the cops could use some tips) - but overall, it is a read I would recommend - especially for a book club.

This was such a unique listen and definitely a plot I haven't come across before! I loved the dystopian concept mixed with the thriller genre. Definitely can see in the future with the way the world is, technology and biology heading this way!!

Thank you, NetGalley, Kira Peikoff, and Dreamscape Media for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fascinatingly terrifying! I love this type of speculative fiction, set in the near-ish future where developments in AI and DNA have dramatically changed the world.

And where DNA is all that is needed to create an embryo, celebrity DNA is selling for big money. All it takes is a used straw, tissue, or coffee cup, and you have what you need to have a child with that person, regardless of gender. Once you have the embryos, you can choose which one to implant, dependant on the personality traits shown from the embryo’s analysis. SCARY STUFF!

Pop star Trace Thorn has hired Ember Ryan to protect his biological matter. Everywhere he goes, Ember checks to remove any trace of DNA he may inadvertently leave behind. It’s a new kind of security guard for celebrities!

When Trace is approached by Quinn, a heavily pregnant surrogate who claims she is carrying his child, Ember knows it is impossible. She is too careful, but Quinn is certain.

Lily is a young journalist who wants you to make a name for herself by exposing some of the unethical practices undertaken by fertility clinics.

The pace starts out relatively slow, laying out the way of the world and introducing the key characters before it picks up the pace and races to an explosive and brilliant conclusion.

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Kira Peikoff and Dreamscape for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Mind blowing take on the future of reproduction and technology in the world. Thrilling with stolen DNA and a stalker and more!! So many plot twists that surprised me. A satisfying stand-alone. A lot of the future technology and science was eerie and would definitely be an adjustment if that’s how it turns out. The ethical questions this book brings up are valid. I’ve already talked about this book to several people. It dragged me in.

Quick plot: With most pregnancies starting in a lab in the 2050’s, three women with their own issues are woven together in a technology advanced futuristic America.

The narrators were great. Enjoyed how each female main character had their own voice. Never had more than 2 narrators for a book before.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in return for this review.

Baby X was like reading an episode of Black Mirror. Only because it was a novel format there was a lot more story and that's always what I want. This is the sort of world where the author could come up with a lot of different stories and it would be interesting to see if there are more novels that come out of this world. Baby X was three separate stories that are slowly woven together over the course of the narrative and it was entirely satisfying when it all came together in the end. There were a few plot holes, but nothing that I'm not willing to overlook for the sheer enjoyment of this book. If you're at all a sci-fi fan, Black Mirror fan, or want to read something that is vaguely reminiscent of the film Gattaca, check this one out.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.