The Debut Review: PLEASE REPORT YOUR BUG HERE (10/19/22)

PLEASE REPORT YOUR BUG HERE by Josh Riedel
9781250813794
1/17/23
Henry Holt and Co.

E-galley available on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by December 1st.

For sci-fi fans, tech fans, and those who love a coming-of-age story, Josh Riedel has written a smart and timely debut about human connection, finding purpose, and staying true to yourself.

Ethan Block scored a job as one of the first employees at DateDate–the hottest new dating app to hit users’ phones. His goal was to help make the world a better place, to make it easier for people to find a genuine connection. But, instead, Ethan found himself overworked, exhausted, and stressed; the only difference he was making was taking down flagged photos that were uploaded to DateDate. And on top of it all, Ethan was reeling from his own breakup, which led him to use his insider knowledge to override the app system and help find his perfect match more quickly. But instead of finding love, he found himself transported into a field of endless grass, and in the next second, he is back in his office, as if nothing had happened. Now, all that Ethan needs is for one person to believe what happened to him, and to understand that there is more to DateDate than meets the eye. Throughout Ethan’s journey, he must figure out who to trust, what to believe, and if he is actually accomplishing what he set out to do in the first place.

This inside look at startup culture is inspired by the author’s own experience of working at Instagram and Facebook. With its unique glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of these startups, PLEASE REPORT YOUR BUG HERE is not just a timely examination of big tech, but also a fresh take on what human connection really means. Josh Riedel writes an entertaining meditation on authenticity while showing what it takes to find meaning in person and not on a screen.

Readers who related to Lillian from Kevin Wilson’s NOTHING TO SEE HERE as she found purpose on a remarkable journey and BLACK BUCK’s raw deep dive into startup culture will be mesmerized as Ethan is transported to other worlds as he learns how to live in his own.