Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang Blog Tour

 They say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover . . .

But that's exactly what I did when I got sent an advance reading copy of Kathy Wang's espionage-thriller, Imposter Syndrome.

Immediately drawn in by the bright orange facade, I'll delved right in to this novel with high expectations.

Julia Lerner is the COO of Tangerine, one of Silicon Valley's biggest tech companies, and an icon to professional women everywhere . She is also a Russian spy. Groomed to reach the upper echelons of American society, Julia now uses her position at Tangerine to funnel information back to Russia's largest intelligence agency.

Alice Lu works as a low-level analyst within Tangerine, having never quite managed to climb the corporate ladder. One afternoon, when performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity and is burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerine's privacy settings aren't as rigorous as the company claims and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself. Now, Alice must decide what to do with this information - before Julia finds out she has it.

I actually started reading this book during a rare moment of me time.

I'd taken myself to a coffee shop, ordered myself a large coffee and a slice of cake (you just have to right) and began reading.

An hour and a half later, I was completely invested in this story and couldn't believe how fast the time had gone.

This is a dual view novel.

First up we have Julia Lerner. She is an orphan turned into a Russian Spy who for outward appearances works at Tangerine, which is a massive social media company, as the COO. But as a spy for the government, her tasks are getting larger and more dangerous putting her at extreme risk.

Then we have Alice Lu. I guess you'd describe her as low-level employee at Tangerine. However she is extremely smart and when she detects some strange activity at Tangerine, she has the potential to change many people's lives and not necessarily for the better I might add. 

The big question is, will she bring down Julia, the female unicorn at Tangerine?

Originally released last year, I have to admit that I read a fair few reviews as I like to research books that I read. Those reviews were rather mixed but in my opinion, this is a book worth reading.

A slow burner.

Imposter Syndrome is a story that has you backing the bad guy in a weird way.

Julia isn't the most likeable character but I still wanted her to be alright in the end. 

Very character driven, I enjoyed the fact that it was female led and it was interesting to see women at two ends of the spectrum when it came to money and success.

With themes of marriage, motherhood and money, amongst other things, this is a book that is quietly thought provoking. 

If you're looking for something explosive, this is not the tale for you.

However, if you like things that are forward thinking, progressive, well observed and aren't afraid to think as you read, then Imposter Syndrome will entertain and excite.