Hard Reboot

 Hard Reboot by Django Wexler, 160 pages.

Kas is a junior researcher on a research trip to the frankly terrible Old Earth. She's excited about the chance to make some career making studies of ancient code, and is not at all prepared for a con artist to swoop in and maneuver her into an accidental bet on a giant robot fight that may torpedo her academic career before it ever starts. She's also very cute and sitting on a major academic discovery, so keeping close through all the danger seems like a good idea to Kas, even when the circumstances surrounding her new friend starts to get very dangerous.

I read this months Orcs and Aliens book a little early and I don't regret it one bit. It was obviously fun (it's about giant robot fights), but it's also surprisingly emotionally relevant. It's also the type of novella that manages to imply SO MUCH about a wider world, and I would love to read more in this setting. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has to say about this one!