A warm and funny teen coming of age story set in Silicon Valley
What would you ask your future self? First question: What does it feel like to kiss someone? Xia is stuck in a lonely, boring loop. Her only escapes are Wiser, an artificial intelligence app she designed to answer questions as her future self, and a mysterious online crush she knows only as ObjectPermanence. Until one day Xia enrolls at the Foundry, an app incubator for tech prodigies in Silicon Valley, and suddenly anything is possible. Flirting with Mast, a classmate also working on AI, leads to a date. Speaking up generates a vindictive nemesis intent on publicly humiliating her. And running into Mitzy Erst, Foundry alumna and Xia’s idol, could give Xia all the answers. And then Xia receives a shocking message from ObjectPermanence. He is at the Foundry, too. Xia is torn between Mast and ObjectPermanence—just as Mitzy pushes her towards a shiny new future. Xia doesn’t have to ask Wiser to know: The right choice could transform her into the future self of her dreams, but the wrong one could destroy her.
"This page-turner offers a peek into the dark side of Silicon Valley.... A riveting cautionary tale."—Kirkus Reviews
"Aptly explores real obstacles that women of color face in tech through Xia’s voice, detailing Silicon Valley as fast-paced, chaotic, and sometimes shallow."—Publishers Weekly
"Really, this story has it all—secrets, schemes, plot twists, a mystery aspect as we try to clue together who Xia’s anonymous online friend is, as well as a sweet romance that made my heart soar ... [O]riginal and fast-paced."—The Nerd Daily
“A romantic mystery bound up with a thrilling peek behind the curtain at the dark workings of the social media and tech world. An electrifying page-turner."—Maureen Johnson, bestselling author