A review by lizanneyoung
Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao

4.0

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Zoe’s personality and confidence. Even when she feels small, she’s still so sure of herself underneath all the doubt. She’s unashamed to be herself, especially when it comes to her fashion choices, and really strives not to let anyone get her down. Does it always work out that way? No, but she repeatedly bounces back in a way that is encouraging and provides a bit of optimism for anyone.

Her struggles are incredibly realistic. Trying to figure out if friendships were there because of the convenience of working together or because they are all genuinely connected is a struggle I think everyone goes through at some point. Watching Zoe navigate that, in addition to trying to fit into a new group of coworkers that has questionable boundaries at best and making a new friend, is a pleasant change of pace from what I usually read. You want to root for her to find people that she’s on the same page with, but empathize with her struggles in doing so. Her imposter syndrome is real and relatable and it’s great to see how she handles it.

After reading the author’s note, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I pegged pretty quickly how it would drop, it was just a matter of when. I’m really glad it didn’t play out how I expected and that justice was served, in my opinion.

If you spent too much time constantly rewatching Legally Blonde as a child (and maybe still as an adult), you shouldn’t sleep on Valley Verified. It’s the same vibe of a woman who’s a fish out of water, but quickly adapts to her new surroundings and thrives under pressure, despite what she’s put through.