When a fashion writer dives headfirst into the cutthroat Silicon Valley tech world, her future threatens to unravel in this addictive novel by Kyla Zhao, author of The Fraud Squad.
Sexual harassment.
On paper, Zoe Zeng has made it in New York’s fashion world. After a string of unpaid internships, she’s now a fashion columnist at Chic, lives in a quaint apartment in Manhattan, and gets invited to exclusive industry events.
But life in New York City isn’t as chic as Zoe imagined. Her editor wants her to censor her opinions to please the big brands; she shares her “quaint” (small) apartment with two roommates who never let her store kimchi in the fridge; and how is she supposed to afford the designer clothes expected for those parties on her meager salary?
Then one day, Zoe receives a job offer at FitPick, an app startup based in Silicon Valley. The tech salary and office perks are sweet, but moving across the country and switching to a totally new industry? Not so much. However, with her current career at a dead end, Zoe accepts the offer and swaps high fashion for high tech, haute couture for HTML. But she soon realizes that in an industry claiming to change the world for the better, not everyone’s intentions are pure. With an eight-figure investment on the line, Zoe must find a way to revamp FitPick’s image despite Silicon Valley’s elitism and her icy colleagues. Or the company’s future will go up in smoke—and hers with it.
Don't just take our word for it...
“Sharp and incisive yet brimming with heart, Valley Verified establishes Kyla Zhao as one of our brightest chroniclers of Gen Z ambition, idealism, and passion. A riveting, satisfying read.”
– Kirstin Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Counterfeit
“Kyla Zhao’s Valley Verified captures the experiences of a young woman navigating the hierarchies and prejudices of her Silicon Valley company while staying true to herself and carving out the place she deserves in the world. A page-turner that brims with humour, snappy dialogue, and sharp observations of an industry.”
– Balli Kaur Jaswal, author of international bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
“Kyla Zhao captures, with zing, brightness, and humor—how harrowing it is to be young and ambitious in the workplace. Valley Verified is lively and entertaining; I found myself chuckling throughout.”
– Vanessa Chan, author of The Storm We Made
Taste the very first page
Zoe Zeng was having an absolute blast.
It was a balmy summer evening—the kind that showed Manhattan at its best. A slight breeze whipped around the rooftop terrace, but her braided updo didn’t budge an inch thanks to extra-strong Alterna hair spray. In her Paco Rabanne dress and Charlotte Olympia wedges, she fit right in with the other guests at this party—a launch event for a.I.r, the hottest sustainable fashion brand as of late, whose claim to fame was turning mushrooms into leather.
The thumping electronic music—played by a DJ who was apparently “the next Diplo”—and the party chatter faded as Zoe walked closer to the railing and gazed out at the city. New York City was always prettiest at night, its blemishes disguised by the bright lights and flashing billboards. She took a deep breath of the calm evening air, her spirits lifting further as some other guest’s sparkling perfume hit her nostrils. It was a welcome change from the rubbish stench that she still hadn’t gotten used to after moving…
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