Oh my GOD. ANNIE BOT is genius. It's a razor sharp gasp of a novel, multilayered in ways that will leave you reeling. I read it in less than a day because it's absolutely impossible to put down.

This book is so current and timely. AI is already a scary topic and this book delved into a relationship between a human and his bot.

I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. This reads like a cautionary tale to me. I was both horrified and mesmerized by this book.

Wow, this book. It made me feel so much that it's hard to put into words. I feel a bit like Annie sorting through the confusion of human-like emotions.

This book is excellent even if I can't quite find the words to explain why. It's about power-dynamics between a couple (even if one is a human man and the other a female robot). It's about what it means to gain consciousness and awareness and learn. And it's about a terrible bully, The worst kind in my mind -- the ones who tell you they're 'doing this for your own good' or say 'why do you make be act like this' when they're really selfish and insecure and enjoy hurting others.

I was very anxious about the way the book would end since I'd become so invested in Annie and wanted her to be safe and happy. It's a rare book that can make be that concerned for a fictional robot!

Ok, no spoilers, but this was so perfect from start to finish! Creepy if you really think about it, but satisfying and light! SO good!

SHEW. That was a ride. I am so thankful to Sierra Greer, Mariner Books, and Librofm for the advanced listener copy of Annie Bot before this twisted tale hits shelves on March 19, 2024. Annie is a robot who specializes in "cuddle bunny," so essentially, she's a s3x doll for her owner, who is very ashamed of her, I might add. Annie's owner, Doug, has gotten angry with his pet for not being better at cleaning up after his messes, but that's just not in her programming to be able to compute, so thus goes the long story of abuse, gaslighting, and manipulation as Annie grows more and more sentient as time goes on, learning to hate her captor and long for an escape.

I wanted to punch Doug in the face so many times because he was so wrong to Annie, flaunting his money and his insecurities around like they were defining features in their sick and twisted relationship, if you could call it that. I read that other readers have compared this one to My Dark Vanessa, and that's so realistic of comparison because readers are sitting right next to Annie in her trapped and helpless state.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Wow, my 2024 has started with a bang with this very complex and interesting sci-fi novel! ANNIE BOT is like nothing I've read before. The closest comparison I have is to the TV series Humans, but this novel delves even deeper into the idea of artificial consciousness. Annie is a sympathetic and very dynamic protagonist. She was created to serve her owner and is unfortunately mistreated and manipulated by him. Some parts were frankly quite sad and infuriating to read. As the book progresses, Annie grapples with her relationship to humanity, experience of emotions, and sense of identity. The ending was somewhat abrupt but I think it fit the story and characters' trajectory. With AI being such a hot topic right now, this book posed a fascinating narrative and contemplated some intriguing existential questions around this technology.

This was such an interesting look into how artificial intelligence can merge with human relationships. The author did an incredible job of fleshing out the character of Annie and giving us a deep look into her thought process as well as her learning process throughout the novel. For some reason, she rarely felt like a robot except when we were reminded of things such as her need to charge herself or being able to sense someone else's frustration levels. I don't think I've read a book that gave us such a nuanced look into the mindset of a non-human character but also making the character feel very much human. I would definitely read more by this author, or hopefully a sequel.

This novel totally captivated me. I read it slowly, wanting it to last as long as possible and thinking a lot about Annie. Annie is a robot that her owner bought to meet his personal needs. She comes from a line of AI robots called Stellas, where owners can choose a mode from three main types: Abigail (who cooks and performs housework), a Nanny one to look after children, and a Cuddle Bunny mode to provide sexual and emotional pleasure for the owner.
Annie is designed to learn from her experiences, and as she tries to learn how to please Doug, she adjusts her libido to his, simulates orgasms in response to his, and tries to meet his needs, she grows more confused. Why? Because Doug is human, and not predictable. When he gets an unexpected visit from an old friend, Roland, Annie meets someone new for the first time, and is exposed to more information, including that she resembles Doug's ex-wife Gwen. Annie is learning for the first time about this woman's existence and she struggles to figure out how she compares to her, causing her some grief from Doug.
As Annie gains secrets, and tries to figure out not only how to please Doug, but also how the world works, and how she herself works, she is becoming more human, and finds herself experiencing what seem like emotions to herself.
It is telling to see that Doug has modelled her on a woman he was previously in a serious relationship, yet one he has more control over. Doug can tell her what she's allowed to say about him or their relationship. He can punish her. He can ignore her for days and then just expect to have her play her role again. But because she is autodidactic and learns from her experiences, she grows more confused, and feels hurt, jealous, and even angry.
Seeing her develop was fascinating. Doug was a man who thinks he knows what he wants, but when he gets it, he still isn't happy. There is gaslighting, manipulation, and a lot of other relationship stuff going on here that made me root for and fear for Annie more and more. I hated him more and more as I got further into the book.
It also made me think about AI a lot and how it works, and where it will appear in our lives. It gave me a lot to think about.
An amazing read.

To be a woman is to perform.

To be a woman is to learn to do everything just right for one person while also making sure you have an escape route.

To be a woman is to be a robot?
This was a thrilling read, reminded me a lot of HER the movie, it was written very well. Combining the futuristic idea of robots that can provide physical intimacy, emotional intimacy, be a nanny, be a housekeeper, but also gain consciousness, fight back, have feelings, need something. need more than what one man who doesn’t deserve all the best can provide.

The ending could’ve gone better, maybe more spontaneously? but overall this was a great read, and i really enjoyed most of it.

a very fun, unnverving premise, interesting & easy to read. sounded like it'd be right up my alley and for the most part it was. just wouldn't call it a favorite! probably a 3.5 rounded down.

i really loved annie bot. although the writing wasn’t particularly notable, i absolutely loved the story and read the book in 2 days, i loved the exploration of what makes a person a person, and the illustration of the expectations placed on women.

I quite literally read this book in the span of two (2) hours because I couldn't stop myself from turning the pages to find out what happened next!!!

As someone who's a HUGE fan of exploring the butterfly effect scenarios that inevitably arise when it comes to AI/androids/robots with sentience (see: Detroit Become Human) , this story really resonated with me. On top of that, being a woman & knowing how it feels to be "trapped" in what appears to be a great relationship on the outside but is really just toxic and manipulative made everything so much more anxiety-inducing in the most delicious way possible. I was rooting for Annie from the very beginning, and the ending definitely left me satisfied.

This author's pacing was amazing and while the prose was simple, it was very easy to immerse myself in the story and understand Stella's point of view. I would 100% read more from her in the future and I really do look forward to seeing what she comes out with!

This book was AWESOME! The storyline of a robot AI that is living as if they are human is not a new one, but it is a difficult one. We all have our own ideas of what an intelligent robot would seem like, so sometimes these stories fall flat. This is NOT one of those stories,

I read this book quickly because it was so suspenseful. I felt as if the ending was PERFECT as well.

This was such a great book. Thank you for the advanced copy!

A perfectly fine book, but it just didn't work for me and I can't put my finger on why. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

This was an uncomfortable read. Reading this book was like meeting a woman for the first time and having her tell you about her boyfriend, who's usually great, but recently he's kind of been...showing some red flags.

It's an obvious allegory because it's literally about an android, a woman who is a robot, created (built) to this man's specifications to look as much like his ex-girlfriend as possible. And she's just a sex doll; like a girlfriend doll with all of the responsibilities and obligations of being a girlfriend but without any of the benefits because she gets to make no decisions of her own, ever, at any point. She is made to please him to such a degree that displeasing him hurts her.

It's like you're being told about an abusive boyfriend by a woman who does not realize that her boyfriend is abusive until way too late. And it's really good but I struggled to get through it because it was just so...frustrating. The audacity of this man! Doug... If I ever meet you, Doug... I know you're fictional, Doug, but you got it coming.

It's a really excellent book and I don't want to read it again, but I will definitely recommend that others read it, if for no other reason than maybe they see something that they need to see if they are themselves in a relationship that perhaps needs to be more thoroughly examined. Sierra wrote a strong book and it's going to bother me for a while. It's a quick read too, so if you want something short and sweet, it is definitely short...it is not sweet. I did like the ending though, so if you're going to read it, read it to the end.

ALL THE STARS!

Wow. Just wow. "Annie Bot" absolutely blew me away. I'm a VERY picky reader, and this one hooked me during the first chapter. Annie is a "cuddle bunny" (A.I. robot) for Doug, who's pretty much a man-child and abusive asshole. Annie's job is to please her man in the bedroom, cook and clean for him, and attend to his every wish and demand. Throughout the course of the novel, we see how Annie's "relationship" with her owner, Doug makes her question her place in society. This book is fascinating, heartbreaking, and eye-opening in so many ways. The range of emotions I was feeling while reading was astounding. My jaw even dropped a few times with the thoughtless way Doug speaks to Annie. You will definitely feel empathy for Annie even though she's not a real human being. This book is so wickedly smart. Sierra Greer has written herself a little masterpiece with "Annie Bot". I can't get this novel out of my mind. Simply amazing! A topsy-turvy read.

Thank you, Netgalley and Mariner for the digital ARC.

Scary sci-fi that lets us know what humanity has in store. Biting while entertaining. Five stars easily, and I’ll be looking out for this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Annie Bot is a fascinating book that shows us a relationship from the point of view of a female pleasure robot. Annie is learning constantly and becoming more human as she learns. Her relationship with her human feels very much like an abusive relationship between a romantic couple. The dynamic between them changes in interesting ways as Annie progresses.
This book subtly questions personhood, the role of artificial intelligence, what makes a being sentient, and lots of other very timely matters. It is thought provoking and well written.

Westworld meets HER without the violence.

This book was FASCINATING. Such an interesting concept. We follow an A.I. who is in a relationship with a man who is a P.O.S. who definitely thinks women are a lower species.

Throughout their relationship Annie becomes aware of feelings and how Doug treats her as being wrong. It is a very new take on seeing the awful in a relationship and getting out.

I do find Doug's change of heart towards Annie to be unrealistic but overall really enjoyed the book.

Interesting, but also a bit icky. Somethings to think about. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.