She can only afford the cheapest baku, a level one scarab beetle. (Lacey’s father is missing.) But Lacey is rejected by Profectus, and even worse, she has to buy a baku before she starts seventh grade at St.Agnes, because all the “textbooks are stored in baku-encrypted software, and homework assignments are sent” straight to bakus. Lacey’s whipsmart and she’s long hoped of getting into Profectus, an elite tech school where she’d be well on her way to realizing her dream of being a companioneer for MONCHA like her father was.

Ten years ago, MONCHA created robotic animal companions called bakus to provide people with companionship to help alleviate their smartphone-caused anxiety. She lives with her mother in a corporate mini-town within Toronto, sponsored by Tech giant MONCHA. Twelve-year-old Lacey’s world is just that. Imagine living in a high-tech world where your family pet also doubles as a smart device.

Can Lacey hold on to Jinx and her dreams for the future? But Jinx is different than any other baku she’s ever seen…He seems real.Īs Lacey settles into life at school, competing with the best students in a battle of the bakus that tests her abilities, she learns that Jinx is part of a dangerous secret. After she repairs it, the cat-shaped baku she calls Jinx opens its eyes and somehow gets her into her dream school. One night, Lacey comes across the broken form of a highly advanced baku. But when Lacey is rejected by the elite academy that promises that future, she’s crushed. Lacey Chu has always dreamed of working as an engineer for MONCHA, the biggest tech firm in the world and the company behind the “baku”-a customizable “pet” with all the capabilities of a smartphone. When a coding star enters an elite technology academy, she discovers a world of competition, intrigue, and family secrets-plus a robotic companion that isn’t what it seems. ★ “With a sharp eye toward the rising awareness of device addiction and a keen sense of wonder, McCulloch’s tale is a feast for the imagination that celebrates women in STEM fields.” - Publisher’s Weekly, starred review He seems to be more than just a robotic pet.A High-Wired Series Starter with a Crafty Heroine and Her Robotic Feline Sidekick! But what is Jinx, really? His abilities far surpass anything written into his coded. Jinx is an incredibly advanced cat baku who opens up a world that Lacey never new existed, including entry into the hallowed halls of Profectus. The only problem is, she's just been rejected from Profectus Academy - the elite academy for cutting-edge tech. Lacey Chu has big dreams of working for the company behind the 'baku' - a customizable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion for its user. The brand-new series from the author of the magical POTION DIARIES adventures!

'A little bit Golden Compass, a little bit Hunger Games, and all adventure' - Amie Kaufman, NYT bestselling author of ILLUMINAE

Jinxed book 3 amy mcculloch