paperback, 304 pages
Published April 26, 2021 by Tor Teen.
Because her mom is always on the move, Steph hasn't lived anyplace longer than six months. Her only constant is an online community called CatNet—a social media site where users upload cat pictures—a place she knows she is welcome. What Steph doesn't know is that the admin of the site, CheshireCat, is a sentient A.I.
When a threat from Steph's past catches up to her and ChesireCat's existence is discovered by outsiders, it's up to Steph and her friends, both online and IRL, to save her.
This is obviously a young adult book, and I am an old adult. I enjoyed the book anyway, even though some passages are a bit too educational. Interesting thoughts about how a real AI might relate to humans and the physical world.
A book I read down in one day and immediately started the sequel. It is fun, has a diverse cast and a light-hearted tone but is also meaningful. It touches darker issues in a respectful way and has a fast developing plot. But what struck me most when I read this "ten minute in the future" young adult novel is how it describes friendships online and offline. I never before have read a book that described my own way of treating internet spaces and friendships and what they mean to me so accurately.
