Zoe Zeng leaves a New York City fashion magazine to work at FitPick, a Silicon Valley startup based on voting on outfits. This would be great for book club reader as she deals with these changes and sexism. For readers of Kathy Wang and Helen Hoang.

3.5/5

3.5 stars! Ok yeah it wasn't a super believable story but it was cute and a good palate cleanser after all of the heavy stuff I read in February. It also did touch on a lot of important topics such as inclusivity, unfair workplace treatment, sexual harassment in the workplace, etc. This isn't groundbreaking by any means, but also a quick and fun read that still manages to tackle important topics.

Omg I had such a great time reading this one! All the ups and downs of Zoe were so relatable! Her self-doubt is something everyone can relate to. Her character was so endearing and so easy to root for! The exposure of a glass ceiling and all the struggles Zoe went through with being shamed on the internet were also great plot points. While I can’t personally relate to the cultural struggles I know others can and I really appreciated its representation and can agree it’s still an important issue today in all workplaces. I really enjoyed this book! Plus Zoe and Damien

Zoe Zeng is living the dream in NYC as a fashion writer for Chic magazine, well, except for the extremely low pay and the insufferable boss who makes her stamp down her integrity for fluff pieces and mindless listicle articles. But there are days when her thought-provoking articles do make the magazine and she and her two work besties get to celebrate in style. But when she meets Bill Lawrence at a fashion event and he offers her a job as VP of marketing at his Silicon Valley startup for his fashion app, she takes the leap and moves out west. From there, Zoe is plunged into the high-tech world of California startups, where the geeks rule and she desperately tries to catch up and prove she deserves her new role. But like everywhere else, she finds herself playing a man’s game and must face possible sexual harassment and double standards.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s based in Palo Alto, which is near where I live, so now I have a list of great restaurants mentioned in the book to try. It also gives a realistic view of what it’s like to work for a high-tech startup and some of the challenges women face without all-out man bashing. While there is a sexist villain in this story, the rest of the men that are mentioned are supportive and understanding. Zoe is a bright, go-getter, who, when the going got tough, shut down a bit but didn’t wallow in whiny self-pity, which is something I can’t stand. She built back up her confidence, found her allies, and got ready to fight back. Well done!

Thank you @NetGalley, @BerkleyPub, and @KylaJZhao for the advanced copy of this book!

And I'm so sick of them coming at me again
'Cause if I was a man
Then I'd be the man
I'd be the man

-The Man, Taylor Swift

Bits…
Fashion writer/industry
Silicon Valley
Start ups
Influencers
Social media
Boss B*tches

This is the genre I love to read, how do I categorize this… very early 2000s Chick Lit… Reminisce to some of my classic favs The Devil Wears Prada, Confessions of a Shopaholic and In Her Shoes just to name a few.

I really enjoyed the authors debut The Fraud Squad and this one just solidified her as an auto-read! With the combination of tech and fashion all revolving around the work place and a very mild romance as a subplot…I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you Berkley for the free ARC

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Overall, this book was pretty sweet and cute, but it did go into some heavier topics like misogyny and sexual harassment. 

Valley Verified is a coming of age story about Zoe, who leaves her job as a fashion writer in NYC for a start-up in Silicon Valley. It deals a lot with the anxiety of a career change, insecurities about trying something new, and friendships - new and old.

I was looking for a lighter read after reading some books with heavier topics, and this was a great palate cleanser.