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Startup by Doree Shafrir

Contemporary fiction

Startup

Debut

We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Doree Shafrir, on your first book!

by Doree Shafrir

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Quick take

Full of humor and scathing office drama: Risqué text messages. Tech bros. An influx of viral mishaps.

Why I love it

Millennials drinking green juice teetering between cushy benefits and Adderall addictions. The frantic pace, open office, the witty repartee, the keg parties. The mission! The stock options! Having worked at start-ups and in online culture for more than a decade, I’ve seen it all. And, based on my experiences at least, Startup captures the vibe perfectly. Â

A satirical and intensely entertaining debut, Startup is an amusing story of the absurdity of tech culture and modern romance gone awry. Even if you secretly lament the good ol' days when people used the telephone instead of Snapchat, anyone who’s ever held an office job will find something to identify within.

The story begins with Mack McAllister, the founder of TakeOff, a wellness app valued at $600 million. He is untouchable, cocky, and setting the pace in Silicon Alley (New York’s answer to California’s Silicon Valley). His ultimate goal: To get the business to $1 billion, no matter how empty the product might be.

Like Mack, the female characters in Startup are smart, unpredictable and display a level of brashness to be feared and admired. There’s Isabel, whose official title at TakeOff is Engagement Ninja. She’s young, beautiful, and seemingly careless with her life choices. There’s Sabrina, a working mom who, at the ripe old age of 36, is one of TakeOff’s older employees. Then there’s Katya, a fierce young reporter hungry for her big break at online magazine TechScene. Together these women develop an unexpected bond and might even have each other’s backs in a cutthroat industry. Trust me, they’ll need it.

Startup is full of humor and scathing office drama: Risqué text messages. Tech bros. An influx of viral mishaps. Doree Shafrir perfectly captures the absurdity of our internet obsessions -- all the useless apps that navigate our day-to-day existence. I found myself laughing (and occasionally cringing) at her vivid and scathing observations. I encourage you to read _Startup_ and see how their digital worlds collide. You won't be disappointed!Â

Member ratings (3,324)

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Contemporary fiction
View all
The Last Love Note
What Does It Feel Like?
Anita de Monte Laughs Last
The Wedding People
Honey
The Leftover Woman
The Same Bright Stars
Bye, Baby
Swan Song
The Days I Loved You Most
The Connellys of County Down
Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life
Jackpot Summer
Adelaide
The Collected Regrets of Clover
Again and Again
Evil Eye
Black Cake
Maame
Romantic Comedy
Someone Else’s Shoes
Once There Were Wolves
We Are the Brennans
The Bad Muslim Discount
What Comes After
Olga Dies Dreaming
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel
Monster in the Middle
Nine Perfect Strangers
The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes
Honey Girl
In Every Mirror She's Black
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?
Sankofa
The Unsinkable Greta James
The Love of My Life
The Five-Star Weekend
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
The Wishing Game
Behold the Dreamers
The Mothers
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
Little Fires Everywhere
The Music Shop
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
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