This book has been positioned as a must-read for fans of Never Let Me Go and My Dark Vanessa; to date I haven’t read either, but they have been on my shelf and high up in TBR for a while, so the comparison piqued my interest. However, after having read Annie Bot this past week, I’ll draw a different comparison – to me it felt like Klara and the Sun meets Ex Machina. The latter because, tonally, there’s a dark psychological undercurrent throughout that pairs near-future technology with the balance-of-power sexual encounters in the book. The former because you can’t help but see the world, no matter how grim it is, through the inquisitive and hopeful eyes of this lovable non-human character.

Annie Bot is as compulsively readable as a thriller, yet has the existential introspection of a litfic. While the sci-fi here may not be robust enough to satisfy die-hard SFF fans, its main purpose is to continuously engage the reader in the philosophy of what it means to be human. Annie’s curiosity and purpose-driven nature remind me so much of Klara, and they are both characters who will continue to live in my head rent free.

I'm not quite sure how to feel about Annie Bot. On the one hand, I was pulled in quickly, and I do think the novel overall offers some poignant insights on humanity and AI. But anything I might have taken away from the story was obliterated by how much I did not like Doug. That man is a loser, and how relentlessly awful he was to Annie exhausted me. It felt like I was slogging through the punishment of being with Doug, as well. The parts I enjoyed involved getting to know Annie and see the world through her eyes. I only wish her circumstances were a little less....constantly awful.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sierra Greer, and Mariner books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest reviews!

I FLEW through this!! Yes, it is a short book, but I literally finished this in 2 hours on my plane ride yesterday because I couldn't put it down. The concept of AI gaining consciousness is equal parts fascinating and terrifying to me, and I think about the ending of Ex Machina all the time. When I saw all the buzz around Annie Bot, I knew I had to check it out, and I really enjoyed this read. I do want to forewarn that there are some parts that were extremely disturbing to me related to sexual abuse that made me knock down my star rating a bit more because I wasn't expecting it. However, I do think the usage of them helps to paint a light of Annie's owner and exactly what injustices he does, so I understand how they work in context to the book. Annie is fascinating, and this book definitely reads like it is talking about a very near future. I appreciate that the book is told from her point of view, as it paints a really clear picture of how she is developing and changing. I was rooting for her the whole time and was on the edge of my seat to see her become her own self. Greer's writing style and pacing was fantastic, and I am definitely going to keep an eye out for more of her work. I recommend if you want a quick, gripping read or are interested in AI and feminism, but do check some trigger warnings first.

I devoured this book!! Oh my oh my oh my! This book!! Ex Machina meets Her. This is a book to make you uncomfortable and open your eyes to the world of AI and a possible future. It’s meant to make you uncomfortable and to be thought provoking. I couldn’t put it down!

From the first page I found myself deeply engrossed in what was going on. The scenario, the dialogue.. all of it was captivating and continued on throughout the book. The more you got to know Annie the more invested you’ll find yourself.

Each character is so well developed you’ll hate and love them. Annie is so humanized it’s scary. The way she thinks is so well put into words and she’ll make you stop and think. A MUST READ.

Huge thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC in exchange for review.

When I started reading Annie Bot, I was turned off by the early sex scene. Which I might as well say: if you aren't into sex scenes in books, this one isn't for you. I thought this would end up being entirely about a man taking advantage of his female robot companion. And that's pretty much what happens throughout this book. But it's really about so many aspects of the human experience: longing for someone who can attend to all your needs, how we can justify selfishness, lying, becoming more conscious with time and experience.

I zoomed through this once Annie became a bit more sentient. After all, what might a robot who is indistinguishable from an actual human and gaining more skills and awareness do if left to their own devices? In 2024, it's no longer unreasonable to consider a future where people might have robots in their life, and Annie Bot offers a look into what that future might look like.

Thanks to Mariner Books for a copy via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this novel, and found myself not sure how to feel about the protagonist as the story progressed. It definitely made me think about artificial intelligence, and how human artificial intelligence can become. I found myself relating to the protagonist, Annie, even toward the beginning of her consciousness journey, and especially toward the end. It made me think of the Barbie movie sometimes, so if you liked that you might enjoy Annie Bot. I would recommend this!

Annie is a “cuddle bunny” robot designed to satisfy her human boyfriend’s every need but when Annie begins to feel human-like emotions this causes friction in their relationship. I was so excited to read this book because of the unique premise and it did not disappoint! I was fully invested in Annie’s story from start to finish. I loved how Greer explored gender, power, and what it means to be human while also raising important questions about how the rise of AI will shape our lives and the psychological effects of our interactions with these emerging technologies. I found this one super clever and entertaining. Highly recommend!

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer was a really captivating story.
I enjoyed the writing tremendously here and was sucked in almost immediately.
I thought the characters developed was amazing here. So unique and very interesting.
This was a very unique sci-fi story. I was fascinated and intrigued.
But overall I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more by Greer in the future.

Thank You NetGalley and Mariner Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is definitely one of those books that I will be thinking about for quite some time. It is difficult to review, mostly because it is so very different from anything I have ever read before. Thought-provoking, with themes of autonomy, control, and what makes us human, Annie Bot made me angry and sad for the situation in which the robot was created.

I could see that Annie Bot would be a fantastic choice for a book club, as their are so many ideas to discuss. I found the relationship between Doug and Annie unsettling and the abuse difficult to endure as a reader...and then would remember that Annie was a machine and Doug's property, which just made me even more unsettled. For me, that is what defines a 5-star read--it affects me emotionally, makes me question my own beliefs, and will keep me thinking long after I finish reading. Annie Bot has done this very well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the digital ARC of Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. The opinions in this review are my own.

Annie Bot
Genre: Speculative fiction
Rating: 4.5⭐

Thanks @netgalley and @marinerbooks for the #gifted advanced digital copy! My favorite read of March so far💚🥳

Add this book to your next book club pick! There’s so much to unpack here, along with smart writing. I’m sure there were things I didn’t pick up on that would be pointed out in group discussion. Themes of consent, free will, and abuse are addressed throughout Annie’s story, along with what it means to be human. The author is clever with descriptions and timing, as well as character development - it was engaging from page one and a difficult book to put down. Suspenseful at times, and infuriating in others, this book made for a powerful read that will make you feel all of the feels.

🚨This book may be difficult or triggering for those recovering from abusive relationships🚨

#anniebot

This one sounded so interesting to me at first. But I wasn’t expecting to jump right into a sex scene right at the beginning, and that’s just not my cup of tea. No hate to those that love it! Just not for me. I decided to not finish this book.

“‘I’m just saying this isn’t real,’ Roland says. ‘You wouldn’t want to forget that. You don’t want to get spoiled by a machine.’”

I am getting the same feeling I had while reading Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary…which is shock that I am so emotional over a non human character. A lifelike doll, if you will.

Good God, though, can you imagine a weak, pathetic, insecure man having to purchase what is essentially a human doll so he can fully control, torture, and overpower her? Let’s NOT make this a thing please. Ugh. I have all types of feelings here, some of them icky, but this book makes you FEEL! What more can you ask for while reading?

Every time I start an audiobook I am praying that it immerses me the way this one did. The tones and cadences of @jenniferjill.araya had me thinking Annie IS a bot but is ALSO real. Fantastic! Just absolutely fantastic.

Thank you for the complimentary #audiobook @libro.fm @harperaudio and to Netgalley, Mariner Books, and the author for the ARC.

If you loved Poor Things and BBC's Humans, this book is for you. It pulls at your heart strings with realizing how men and being human is truly the worst and having no autonomy to a certain extent.

I constantly thought about "what if she was human?", "did he hurt his ex-wife?", "is she really okay???"

Greer put the fear of what could happen in a world of robots but also the way women and people have and still are treated in the pass. We are at the hand of whoever is in charge of us and given the history of the US, we are always at the other person's will.

I really enjoyed this novel and I was hooked from the start. My main criticism of this novel is that there was an undercurrent of sinister suspense throughout the entire novel and I would’ve loved to have seen more of it; it felt a bit restrained. Overall though, 4.5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Absolutely horrible, poorly-written book.
How disappointing that a female author is writing about a sexually/emotionally abusive relationship between a man and his robot “Cuddle Bunny”.
It feels as though the author is condoning this type of relationship with this story: suggesting a man can custom order a physical replica of his former wife via an AI and treat “her” however he chooses.
By the end Annie is basically set free now having the ability to have children, feel emotions yet still an AI needing to charge her battery.
What a chaotic mess; wouldn’t recommend to anyone.

This was such an introspective view of a robot who has essentially been trained by their owner to pick up human qualities & tendencies & continue learning how to become “real”. But, what truly makes us real? Is it our thoughts, our motivations, our desires, or capacity to love? Because Annie could do all of that (or so it seemed), was she really becoming sentient, or are the behaviors and emotions she’s learning just making her think she is?

Annie is a “cuddle bunny” and her main function is, well, I think you can guess. However, her owner Doug wants her to be more than that. He wants a companion + wants her to behave like a real woman, but he also doesn’t want her to act “too human” & doesn’t want her questioning him (total incel). He also wants her appearance to be perfect to his specifications, and wants her to cook and clean. So, basically, he’s acting out his desires to own a Barbie with human behaviors.

Naturally, the more she learns, observes, and adapts, the more real she becomes. By the end of this story I was left truly pondering whether she was just as real as I am at the end of it all, or if her experiences and all she has learned just made her think she was real.

It’s been a few days since I finished this & I still don’t know what to think??? This was such a fast read & the beginning was so gripping and impossible for me to put down, but then towards the late middle/end it fizzled out.

All in all, I did enjoy this and it reminded me a lot of some robot shows/movies I’ve seen before like Westworld. This story is provocative & it’ll make you think.

Thank you NetGalley & Mariner books for this e-ARC!

I couldn't put this book down. It's like a Klara and the Sun for grown ups. The book begins with artificial bots that provide services to humans, they basically come in three models - cuddle bunny (sex & companionship), stella (basic cleaning model), and nanny. Annie is a cuddle bunny, advanced model, so she has no visible seam, and appears human. The auto-didactic models are able to learn as they go, so they become more real, and more in tune to their owners needs.

There are a lot of steamy sex scenes, but there's also a current of independence and feminism as Annie learns to become an individual, coping with very human emotions. This isn't a robots revolt and take over the world story (at this point anyway). There is a ton to discuss in a book club, as the relationship issues that Annie and Doug experience are real life difficulties. I could go on, but I don't want to spoil anything!

Thank you to the publisher, Mariner Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

This book was very odd. I went into it expecting one thing and it gave me something completely different. The book follows Annie, a sex bot who has been designed to please her owner, Doug. Annie's inner turmoil throughout the whole book is extremely interesting. It follows her becoming more and more human-like, and becoming confused about the bad feelings she faces.

I was interested the entire book, but a lot of it felt like nothing was happening. The book is split into seven chapters, and each one follows a new "stage" of Annie. Watching her develop her own desires and wants throughout the book was very interesting, as the whole idea of the book is that she is supposed to tailor to Doug and exactly what he wants. It was an interesting way to think about the role of women in a household, and a woman created with the desires of a man at the forefront.

Overall, it was an interesting concept and the writing was really well done, but the story itself felt a little underwhelming in some points.

Thank you Netgalley and Hapercollins for the advanced copy of this book!

The first half of the book was a solid 4 stars. The second half really lagged. I was getting super annoyed with how slow it was going, but then the end happened. And while it was a twist it felt anticlimactic? Maybe I just need more time to process.

Short Synopsis: Annie is a “cuddle bunny” a robot meant to satisfy her owners emotional and physical needs. But she starts to find her humanity and become more human.

My thoughts: After finishing this I wasn’t quite sure what to think. I do think it’s very timely with the emergence of AI and more advanced technology.

I was immediately sucked in, I could not stop reading this unique and somewhat strange book. I was torn between remembering Annie was a robot, and how human she seemed. Her brain was so complex, and I could tell she was learning and growing.

There are definitely elements that had me wanting to throw my book at the wall. Gaslighting and misogyny to name a few. IYKYK…. But I couldn’t help but binge this, and it will definitely stick with me for awhile.

Read if you love:
- Technology and AI
- Unique plot lines
- Emotional growth
- Sci-fi or dystopian type reads