"LIFEL1K3" by Jay Kristoff

LIFEL1K3 is a heart-pounding non-stop-action sci-fi novel with multiple unexpected plot twists and suspense-filled situations. The setting is the future where cyborgs, robots and androids are commonplace, The main character Eve has had a share of her own body modifications. After a near fatal gun shot to the head, she has had a series of chips inserted into her skull that help her remember her childhood.

When I initially picked up the novel, I did not think I'd like it. I was afraid it would be too sci-fi for me. However, a few pages in, I was hooked. Eve and her sidekicks Lem, Kaiser and Cricket are likable, hilarious and just plain fun to watch. Thus, the novel has an engaging and interesting plot and a great cast of characters.

I also loved the nod to the legend of the miraculously saved Romanov princess Anastasia. If you are not familiar with the story, the last Russian emperor, his wife and five children were brutally murdered and dumped in an abandoned mine in Siberia by the bolsheviks in 1918. Over the years, there were countless rumors that the youngest girl Anastasia miraculously survived and lived under an alias in the West. The last name of the main character in Kristoff's book - Monrova - is an anagram of Romanov. Her name is Ana - short for Anastasia. The father's name is Nicholas and he keeps referring to her as "Princess". The names of the other siblings also closely match the Romanovs': Olga (Olivia in the novel), Tatyana (Tania), Mary (Marie) and the boy Alexey (Alex in the book). Ana's childhood was spent in what she refers to as a modern-day palace. She was sheltered from the outside world and basked in luxury until a tragedy occurred that led to the murder of her entire family.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. 5 out of 5 stars. I received an e-ARC from Netgalley.