Aliya McKenna has it all…beauty, brains, grit. Her family is close-knit. Her best friends are lively and loyal. And she has met her soulmate. When a world-renowned scientist asks her to collaborate, she jumps at the chance. It was all quite wonderful—until it wasn’t. Faced with precarious choices, her gambles become perilous when she does the wrong things for the right reasons, and learns a valuable lesson along the way: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

KRISPR is set against the backdrop of the unintended consequences of one of humanity’s greatest innovations, CRISPR Cas 9 gene editing. It is as suspenseful as it is heart-warming and features the coming of age of an intelligent, relatable young woman who outsmarts her opponents, with the added bonus of introducing cutting-edge science in an understandable manner.

Available for purchase at:

In Praise of KRISPR:

2026 NYC Big Book Award: Winner: Medical Mystery / Thriller

International Impact Book Awards: Distinguished Author

National Indie Excellence Awards: Finalist (Medical Thriller)

Literary Titan Gold Award

Hollywood Book Festival: Winner in Wild Card Category

Reader’s Favorite: 5-star Review

Reviews:

https://www.printedwordreviews.com/bookreviews/9798350935929

https://readerviews.com/reviews/krispr-handler

https://literarytitan.com/2026/04/04/krispr/

• BookLife (a subsidiary of Publisher’s Weekly)
  • “Handler draws from her own experience in the field for this lively debut…”
  • “Handler knows her science, incorporating detailed genetic processes that lend authenticity to Aliya’s genius…”
  • ” The story capably fleshes out Aliya’s cheerful, sometimes naive character, her unwavering devotion to family and friends and how she navigates real world decisions…”

• Cleveland.com
  • “It (KRISPR) combines suspense, romance and science fiction in a heart-pounding story based on a chilling reality, drawing from the author’s background in genetics.”

• Goodreads
  • “Good easy read even though I know nothing about the scientific genetic world. For a first-time author she did a great job. I would definitely read more of her work.”
  • This book surprised me in the best possible way. KRISPR is more than a science driven thriller. It is a deeply human story about love, identity, ethics, and the impossible weight of choosing between what is right and what feels necessary.
  • This was a giveaway book. I really enjoyed reading it. It was an interesting look at what someone might do if they had the opportunity to try to reverse a loved ones health issues. However, I think the most important part of this book was pointing out that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it. I actually really disliked the protagonist Aliya McKenna. She was the cause of so much misery that wasn’t necessary. 

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• Also see The Backstory of KRISPR, a special feature on this website where the author will reveal the inspiration behind elements of this story, such as the characters, locations, music, podcasts, etc.
  
  
• To learn more about the author, check out: About the Author
  
  

Always happy to hear your thoughts!

Feel free to contact Jennifer at: jenhandler1@gmail.com