Take a photo of a barcode or cover
novelheartbeat 's review for:
Lifel1k3
by Jay Kristoff
You just couldn't let that fear stop you.
UPDATE: AUDIO RE-READ MAY 2019
Erin Spencer is FABULOUS!! I think I loved it even more with her narration. She did a smashing job of bringing the book to life and I have to say I think she’s one of my favorite female narrators! I’ll definitely be looking for more of her narrations in the future – I already bought DEV1AT3 on audio. Highly recommend!
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Um, WHERE DO I EVEN START?! I don't know why Jay's ability to blow my freakin' mind (and massacre my emotions) always surprises me. It's been so long since we had a new world from him that I was worried it wouldn't live up to how hyped up I had made it in my mind. IT DID, OF COURSE. I have loved the shit out of every single thing Jay has published!
This book is INTENSE from start to finish. Action-packed, heart-stopping, and full of adrenaline, it grips you by the balls and doesn't let go! (Well, metaphorical balls. Since I don't have any. Whatever, you get the point.) There was never a dull moment. I loved it from the first page to the very last (shocking) page!
"Stronger together."
"Together forever."
The characters!!! I loved every single one of them! They each had their own special little personality and felt real! I loved the crap out of Lemon Fresh and Cricket! I loved how snarky they both were, especially the little robot. ("Don't call me little!")
Spoiler
And OMG HE ALWAYS SAID DON'T CALL HIM LITTLE THEN HE WASN'T LITTLE ANYMORE. I can't."You're my bestest. Your past doesn't make calls on your future. It doesn't matter who you were. Only who you are."
ALL. THE. FEELS. Jay always knows just how to play with my heartstrings! I felt it all - shock, awe, desperation, humor, excitement, HEARTBREAK. PAIN. Oh my lord. It's honestly really hard to talk about anything without spoiling it, but trust me when I say you are in for one WILD ride with this book! It's pitched as "part Romeo and Juliet, part Terminator, and all adrenaline" it felt very much like "part I, Robot, part Blade Runner, part Mad Max, and all awesome." And yes, plenty of adrenaline!! Holy crap! It had a hardcore I, Robot feel to it because of the androids and the three laws, the Glass scene reminded me of Fury Road, and the end reminded me of scenes in Blade Runner 2049. I can see the Terminator but it really felt nothing like Romeo and Juliet except for the fact that Jay is incapable of writing a happy ever after, heh. This is NOT a romance. So don't go in expecting one.
Spoiler
First of all, it's not pitched as an Anastasia retelling because that would be spoilery, but it so is!! Jay said that Monrova is an anagram for Romanov. And her name is Ana!! Also, can we talk about how her name is Eve which is actually a spoiler in itself because she was the first of her kind! YOU BRILLIANT AUTHOR, YOU. It's quite funny because in the beginning I was like, Oh she must a Lifelike. But then with more and more bits of her past resurfacing, with the revelation that she was the lost Monrova heir, I was sure I had been wrong. So when it was revealed I was broadsided! AND IS SHE GOING TO BE A KINDA SORTA VILLAIN IN THE NEXT BOOK?!That ending!!! I am DYING to know where things go in book 2! I need closure, dammit. And answers. WHY JAY, WHY.
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.