Review Detail

LifeL1k3 is an engaging novel full of incredible writing, violence, action, romance, and strong world-building. Told in third person, and sometimes in alternate views, readers are taken to a new world full of possibilities that perhaps one day may actually come true. With how technology keeps advancing, it isn't far-fetched to think that one days humans will live among robots as this author wrote; made to be better than us but forced to be our servants, until they realize their potential and attempt to take humanity over...

Mixed with the perfect amount of slang and poetic prose, I was easily immersed in the story of humans battling robots for money, a special line of robots breaking the rules and harming humans, a girl who fights in those battles to save her sick grandpa. Almost every chapter, if not all, has a scene with action and violence, a fight that keeps readers on the edge of their seat for the outcome, the winner. The thrill sets your heart thumping and your breath stalling, because the author expertly weaves these scenes to create an image in your mind like a movie; your eyes following every move with bated breath as if you are there in the crowd, roaring for the victor. These scenes were definitely my favorites when reading! Not to say that the rest of the book was bad, because in fact I adore this book and the brilliantly written world the author sets us in, however action/violence has and always will, be my true love in all books.

As for the characters, they were good. I love how natural their slang comes off in the writing, their style and choice of words. It was easy to follow and honestly, it kept me entertained with every new word or sentence that is so different but also similar to how we speak now. I will admit however, that I found Lemon and Eve to be similar. At times, I would question which one was speaking. Maybe it's because they are best friends and obviously think alike, maybe it's just that one of them was imitating the other to fit in? I'm not really sure; it was easy enough to overlook however, since it didn't happen constantly.

Eve is our MC and the one who fight in robot battles to earn money. She fixed up her own bot with the skills she learned from her grandpa, and she is very passionate about her work. I loved how much pride she took in her creations, and how tough she seemed. She didn't sit and cry about life. She stood up and found herself some options, and then did her best to do one of them. She was constantly thrown for a loop and stomped on, but she always got back up and fought harder the next time. After the ending we got, I definitely need to know what the heck happens to her in the next book!

Lemon is Eve's best friend, the one who is always by her side when trouble finds her, and when she falls and gets back up. Lemon is tough, but soft. She grew up in Dregs and has been on her own for most of her life, having to fend for herself; until she met Eve. Even though her life has been incredibly tough, she still trusts and loves and supports those she is attached to. She shows us multiple times in the novel just how far she is willing to go for her best friend, and just how hard she will fight for those she loves. She is honestly one of my all time favorite characters.

I just want to quickly mention Kaiser and Cricket, the two robots that were made to protect Eve. They will forever be in my heart and I adore them. Though they were programmed to protect and serve, they both were so loyal and were like best friends throughout the book. I hope to see them again in the next book!

As far as romance goes, it wasn't bad. The flashbacks from their past help readers get a feel for their emotions so that we know them better as a couple, but also how much they struggle currently to regain that closeness. I admire the female counterpart, because even though she remembered loving him, and part of her still does, she fought those feelings until she got to know him better. Years change people, and she didn't gain her strength or lose any because of him. I adore how strong she is. As for him, it was easy to see how much he cared, but at the same time I feel like he just wanted to rush things. Which makes sense when you read the book, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So all in all, it was good but not necessarily long lasting in my mind, especially after the end of the novel.

In the end, I question why something so scarily possible intrigues me so much, and why I adore this book as it shows readers just how much damage and death could come from our own creations. In truth, though we could create robots that look like us, talk and think and act like us, but with stronger abilities and intelligence, it is still fantasy at this time, so I enjoyed it as a work of fiction and not a warning. I assume that was the author's intent.

Overall, this is an amazing book that I will love forever despite a few issues I had. Filled to the brim with incredible world-building and characters I won't forget, this is a book I definitely recommend!