No Filter and Other Lies

As Seen on Newsday, Refinery29, Autostraddle, We Need Diverse Books, LatinaMedia and BuzzFeedA Seventeen Best Young Adult Book A POPSUGAR Best New YA Novel A Nerdist Most Anticipated Book A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection* “Maldonado (Fat Chance, Charlie Vega) once again displays her gift for portraying complex family dynamics and layered interiority in this bighearted sophomore novel…. An ultrasmart contemporary that fully understands what teens face in today’s social media–obsessed landscape.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review“A really fun read…. A cute queer romance centering a fat, biracial smart-ass—one I’d follow on Instagram in a heartbeat if I could.”—Autostraddle“A thought-provoking story for the digital age.”—POPSUGAR  “Another stunning YA release from author Crystal Maldonado.”—Nerdist“Sparks important questions about what is valued and what is truly valuable…. Bittersweet and complicated.”—Kirkus Reviews “A first purchase.”—School Library Journal“Ideal for fans of E. Lockhart or Karen M. McManus, this title urges young readers to appreciate their worth as well as understand and accept the consequences of their actions.”—School Library Connection“Dives into the harm a social-media obsession can do to life beyond the screen while examining themes of honesty, justice, and self-esteem…. Readers looking for a drama featuring a bisexual character that's unrelated to coming out will appreciate this contemporary story with a strong sense of setting.”—Booklist“Crystal Maldonado's thoughtful tale tackles complicated family relationships, social media obsession, and authenticity…. As Kat tries to make sense of the mess she's made, teens will realize that social media doesn't define their self-worth and understand the importance of communication, honesty, integrity, and staying true to themselves.”—Common Sense Media“A compelling and heartening read with a remarkable protagonist, authentic characters, an addictive plot and vital messages about healthy relationships…. Maldonado (Fat Chance, Charlie Vega) allows her characters to act like real teens: emotional, messy. They bicker with each other, stop talking and resume talking, tease and encourage. Though Kat comes into her queerness during the story's events ('So, bisexuality confirmed'), the plot doesn't shift focus to a coming-out story. Her newfound attraction to girls is portrayed as a natural path in her wider journey, not as a hardship…. Kat's certainty about who she is, what she likes, and what she wants to be known for adds an important element: Maldonado's protagonist is a self-confident teen who simply wants a say in how people see her.”—Shelf Awareness“Characters are flawed and nuanced. They make mistakes and learn from them and will continue to make mistakes after that because that’s what humans do…. Kat works hard to create the perfect online aesthetic through her Instagram account, but even though she spends hours finding the perfect shot and editing her photos, engagement is low which obviously discourages her…. That lack of validation and feeling of isolation leads her to create the Max account, and suddenly, now that the person speaking her words has a beautiful, thin, and white face, people care and want to listen…. Maldonado once again hit it out of the park with a story that tackles important topics but doesn’t come off as preachy or trite.”—Tea Time Lit“A really complex story [with] thought-provoking themes around social media, friendships, and family. Kat is still learning and growing…. Dealing with social media can be tough [and] the bias towards white and thin people is one she grapples with as a plus-sized brown girl…. Kat is also coming to new realizations about her sexuality that felt really genuine.”—YA Books CentralSELECT PRAISE FOR FAT CHANCE, CHARLIE VEGA A New England Book Award WinnerAn NPR Best Book of the Year An Amazon Best Children’s Book of the YearA POPSUGAR Best New Young Adult NovelA Cosmopolitan Best New Book A Bustle Most Anticipated DebutA Forbes Most Notable Young Adult BookA YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee A Latinxs in Publishing Best Books of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the YearA Business Insider Best Young Adult Romance Book * “Charlie's struggles are authentic and raw while Maldonado's bright prose makes for a page-turner… An overdue and welcome ingénue.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review“A warm and insightful coming-of-age tale.”—Publishers Weekly“A memorable cast that brings fresh faces and voices to a typically homogenous genre…. Will attract a widespread audience of romance lovers and expand their idea of what a romantic lead can look like.”—Booklist“Perfection…. A romance that warms your entire body like a cup of hot chocolate.”—The Nerd Daily