The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis

The Lovers, the Liars, and Me

DeAndra Davis

Atheneum Books for Young Readers · Hardcover · Forthcoming

A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected—and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle—in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel by award-winning author DeAndra Davis.

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Who it’s for
Jaliya’s summer in Jamaica brings questions about her absent mother into a changing sense of self.
Genres
YA Romance - LGBTQ+, Coming of Age, Caribbean & Latin America for Teens
Published
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Forthcoming

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About this book

A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected—and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle—in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel by award-winning author DeAndra Davis. Jaliya Powell has never had a real adventure, a real boyfriend, or spoken up for herself. She’s never even been kissed.

Continue reading

Despite being valedictorian of her high school class, Jaliya is used to fading into the background. But this summer will be different. This summer, Jaliya is visiting her uncle and his family in Jamaica. Under the guise of one last vacation before college, she plans to find out more about her estranged mother, whose absence has remained an unspoken mystery. But things have changed in the seven years since Jaliya last visited. Her cousin has his own life and is reluctant to let Jaliya in, her childhood crush has only gotten hotter and more unavailable, and her aunt and uncle aren’t everything she remembered, either. Then she meets India, who’s vibrant, gorgeous, and free-spirited. And who makes Jaliya feel something she’s never felt before. While searching for traces of her mother across the island, Jaliya finds herself entangled in complicated relationships, tricky secrets, and a passionate new love. As she navigates this perfectly complicated summer, Jaliya must choose between who she has always been or who she hopes to become.

Jaliya in Jamaica

Jaliya’s summer in Jamaica brings questions about her absent mother into a changing sense of self.

Come here for

  • Jaliya’s search for traces of her estranged mother across Jamaica
  • Her changing relationships with a childhood crush and India

Expect

  • A young woman navigating complicated relationships and family secrets
  • A choice between an old self and who she hopes to become

Where it sits

YA Romance - LGBTQ+80%
Coming of Age77%
Caribbean & Latin America for Teens38%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Caribbean & Latin America for Teens
  • YA Romance - LGBTQ+
  • Finding Your Footing
Authors
DeAndra Davis
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published
Forthcoming
Format
Hardcover
Reading lane
Caribbean & Latin America for Teens