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The Lovers, the Liars, and Me
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.
Jaliya Powell has never had a real adventure, a real boyfriend, or spoken up for herself. She’s never even been kissed. 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 Powell has never had a real adventure, a real boyfriend, or spoken up for herself. She’s never even been kissed. 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.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2026
About the author
DeAndra Davis
3 books142 followersDeAndra, an autistic and neurodivergent Jamaican-American author, has been reading since she could remember and writing since anyone put a pen in her hand. When she isn't delving into fantasy worlds or scaring herself with thrilling tales, she is playing some role-playing game (probably The Witcher series). A young adult novelist, she enjoys exploring the intersections of different identities as much as she enjoys exploring her own.
DeAndra graduated with her BA in English Literature from Minot State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Florida International University. She is an Instructor of English at Florida Atlantic University where she regularly teaches creative writing, literature, and composition courses.
She is a married mother of five, not including her beloved Goldendoodle, Luna, and English Mastiff, Zeke.
DeAndra graduated with her BA in English Literature from Minot State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Florida International University. She is an Instructor of English at Florida Atlantic University where she regularly teaches creative writing, literature, and composition courses.
She is a married mother of five, not including her beloved Goldendoodle, Luna, and English Mastiff, Zeke.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 26, 2026
During her last summer before college, Jaliya receives a letter from an anonymous sender expressing a desire to see her again. Believing it to be from her estranged mother, who has always been a large mystery in her life, Jaliya decides to visit her Uncle and his family in Jamaica to secretly track her down. But in the seven years since she’s last visited, Jamaica has changed a lot. The streets of her youth are unfamiliar, her favorite cousin is giving her the cold shoulder, and her uncle isn’t as infallible as she used to believe. But then she meets India, a vibrant and free-spirited girl who opens up her entire world to new possibilities and feelings. As Jaliya explores the island alongside both new and old friends, tracing clues from her mother’s past, she begins to bloom into a more assured, braver version of herself.
I love a good coming-of-age novel, especially when it touches on family, culture, and romance. The Lovers, the Liars, and Me paints such a beautiful and nuanced picture of Jamaica. For Jaliya, Jamaica holds a lot of conflicting emotions inside her. It's a place that represents family. It’s where her favorite Uncle and his family lives. But it’s also where her mother has lived her life away from her. It’s a place that holds so many memories of her childhood, but also a place where she feels like a foreigner. As she reacquaints herself with the island as a young adult, she falls in love with new places and experiences. But is also exposed to some of the darker sides of her second home. I loved Davis’ descriptions of Jamaica, this book will definitely make you want to visit. The descriptions of the food and drinks totally made my mouth water as well.
During her trip, Jaliya has two romantic interests. The first is her childhood crush Andre, who she still holds a flame for. He sends her a lot of mixed signals as he is currently in a relationship, but hints at his feelings for her. The second is India, who she meets through her old friend Deon. At first a new friend, Jaliya begins to analyze her feelings and realize they extend further than just platonically. Andre and India represent the comfort of the old and the risk of the future for Jaliya, and she spends a lot of time trying to understand what she wants. While also being uncertain about their feelings for her. They both play a large part in Jaliya’s growth over the summer as they assuage her fears and encourage her to let loose.
I think this is a perfect summer read and really represents the cusp of adulthood. Those lingering threads of nostalgia mixed in with maturing sights. Beginning to see the world through new eyes and clarity. But still having that one last hurrah before the novelty of childhood is fully left behind. What I cherished the most was Jaliya’s relationship with her cousin Shevaughn. Their bond was the encapsulating thesis of this story.
I love a good coming-of-age novel, especially when it touches on family, culture, and romance. The Lovers, the Liars, and Me paints such a beautiful and nuanced picture of Jamaica. For Jaliya, Jamaica holds a lot of conflicting emotions inside her. It's a place that represents family. It’s where her favorite Uncle and his family lives. But it’s also where her mother has lived her life away from her. It’s a place that holds so many memories of her childhood, but also a place where she feels like a foreigner. As she reacquaints herself with the island as a young adult, she falls in love with new places and experiences. But is also exposed to some of the darker sides of her second home. I loved Davis’ descriptions of Jamaica, this book will definitely make you want to visit. The descriptions of the food and drinks totally made my mouth water as well.
During her trip, Jaliya has two romantic interests. The first is her childhood crush Andre, who she still holds a flame for. He sends her a lot of mixed signals as he is currently in a relationship, but hints at his feelings for her. The second is India, who she meets through her old friend Deon. At first a new friend, Jaliya begins to analyze her feelings and realize they extend further than just platonically. Andre and India represent the comfort of the old and the risk of the future for Jaliya, and she spends a lot of time trying to understand what she wants. While also being uncertain about their feelings for her. They both play a large part in Jaliya’s growth over the summer as they assuage her fears and encourage her to let loose.
I think this is a perfect summer read and really represents the cusp of adulthood. Those lingering threads of nostalgia mixed in with maturing sights. Beginning to see the world through new eyes and clarity. But still having that one last hurrah before the novelty of childhood is fully left behind. What I cherished the most was Jaliya’s relationship with her cousin Shevaughn. Their bond was the encapsulating thesis of this story.
Read
August 17, 2026As a Jamaican American who spent many summers in Jamaica with family and then those middle school to high school years I stopped going but I remember my crush so clearly and when I came back as an adult, and we'd grown up it was so nostalgic. Such a great book about finding yourself and falling in love with your culture.
August 30, 2026
DeAndra Davis writes young adult so well!
April 12, 2026
Wow! First book by this author and I was blown away. From the first page, I was drawn in and I didn’t want to put it down. Jaliyah is a FMC I will never forget. This book was EVERYTHING. My fav part was seeing Jaliya find herself and literally stand on business. I love her character so much and there were so many times I wanted to jump through the pages and hug her. I felt all the feels, the emotions.. all of that came through the pages and really pulled on my heartstrings.
The relationship that Jaliya had with her dad was beautiful. That’s something I’ve always longed for. This book was so relatable because how Jaliyah wanted her mom in her life so bad, I’ve wanted the same too but for my dad. I’ve finally become at peace with it because so many other people around me have showed up and shown out for me.
I love how this book shedded light on a person being who they are and if someone doesn’t agree with it, then that’s their battle to fight. Jaliya, Andre, India, Deon and Shevaughn were such a breath of fresh air. One of the first books I’ve read in awhile where all the main characters were lovable.
Jaliya’s uncle was the only character I wasn’t a fan of. The judgment was real. I know some people like him but they eventually came around, but in Jaliya’s case… it’s doesn’t matter because I’m happy that she was able to walk in her own truth!!
Please go pick this book up when it release on June 23rd. You won’t be disappointed!!! DeAndra, I have found a new fav!!
The relationship that Jaliya had with her dad was beautiful. That’s something I’ve always longed for. This book was so relatable because how Jaliyah wanted her mom in her life so bad, I’ve wanted the same too but for my dad. I’ve finally become at peace with it because so many other people around me have showed up and shown out for me.
I love how this book shedded light on a person being who they are and if someone doesn’t agree with it, then that’s their battle to fight. Jaliya, Andre, India, Deon and Shevaughn were such a breath of fresh air. One of the first books I’ve read in awhile where all the main characters were lovable.
Jaliya’s uncle was the only character I wasn’t a fan of. The judgment was real. I know some people like him but they eventually came around, but in Jaliya’s case… it’s doesn’t matter because I’m happy that she was able to walk in her own truth!!
Please go pick this book up when it release on June 23rd. You won’t be disappointed!!! DeAndra, I have found a new fav!!
July 12, 2026
4.5 Stars
Hopeful
I enjoyed this coming of age story. Jaliya’s desire to reconnect with her mom was understandable, but heartbreaking. I was so curious about her mother’s absence in her life. The homophobia that she and her peers faced was disheartening, but it was realistic. I found joy in the kids trying to break the cycle. Even with all of the strife, Jaliya was able to form a strong friend group and a budding romance. I enjoyed that the most. The family that she found while she was looking for her mother was so touching.
Hopeful
I enjoyed this coming of age story. Jaliya’s desire to reconnect with her mom was understandable, but heartbreaking. I was so curious about her mother’s absence in her life. The homophobia that she and her peers faced was disheartening, but it was realistic. I found joy in the kids trying to break the cycle. Even with all of the strife, Jaliya was able to form a strong friend group and a budding romance. I enjoyed that the most. The family that she found while she was looking for her mother was so touching.
July 17, 2026
3.5
This was very well written but I need closure 😭
This was very well written but I need closure 😭
August 2, 2026
Some books hand you a plot. This one hands you a deck of tarot cards and dares you to trust the pull. The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis is the second novel from the Morris Award winning author of All the Noise at Once, and it might be the most emotionally honest YA romance of the year. Part coming of age story, part queer awakening, part love letter to Jamaica written by someone who clearly adores the island and refuses to lie about it, this book earns both its swoons and its stings.
The Opening Pull: What the Story Is About
Jaliya Powell is a valedictorian who has never been kissed, never thrown a punch for herself, and never quite figured out how to be seen. Days before graduation, a battered, unsigned letter arrives at her Florida home. The return address is destroyed, but the message is clear: someone misses her and wants to see her. Jaliya becomes convinced it came from her mother, who left for Jamaica when she was four and never looked back.
So she books five weeks in Kingston with her uncle's family, telling everyone it is one last vacation before college. Her real plan is a search. What she finds instead is a cousin who has grown cold and secretive, a childhood crush named Andre who is taken and somehow more charming than ever, and India, a loc'd, sharp tongued girl who smells like ginger and makes Jaliya feel something she has no name for yet.
The blurb promises a love triangle. The book delivers one, but the triangle is honestly the least interesting lie in a novel absolutely stuffed with them.
A Card for Every Chapter: Structure and Style
Davis structures all 27 chapters around tarot cards from Jaliya's mother's old deck, and the device works far better than it has any right to. The Fool opens the adventure, The Tower arrives exactly when everything collapses, and The Lovers lands where you hope it will. The cards are Jaliya's last physical link to her mother, and watching her relationship to them shift across the summer becomes a quiet second plot about faith, grief, and learning to trust your own voice.
The prose is first person, present tense, and genuinely funny. Jaliya narrates like a real anxious teenager: self deprecating, dramatic, prone to spiraling mid sentence. Davis also writes Jamaica with all five senses turned up. You can smell the ackee and saltfish, taste the Devon House ice cream, feel the burn of jerk pork cooked in a pit of beach sand in Montego Bay. Blue Hole, Fern Gully, Dunn's River Falls, Emancipation Park, Reggae Sumfest, the haunted Flat Bridge over the Rio Cobre: the settings never feel like a tourist brochure because they are filtered through a diaspora kid who is terrified of being called a tourist herself.
The Lovers: A Triangle That Actually Means Something
Most YA love triangles are marketing. This one is characterization. Andre is warmth, history, and safety, a boy who remembers how Jaliya climbs trees. India is risk, electricity, and the future, a girl who sees exactly who Jaliya is before Jaliya does. Choosing between them is really Jaliya choosing between the self she has always been and the self she is becoming, and Davis never cheapens either option. India, in particular, is one of the best written love interests in recent YA: confident without being a fantasy, generous without being a prop, and carrying her own grief that the book treats with real care.
The Liars: Family, Faith, and the Cost of Silence
The secrets are where this novel grows teeth. Jaliya's cousin Shevaughn is hiding something that could cost him his family in a country where, as the book states plainly, being openly gay can still be dangerous. Davis, writing from her own Jamaican background, threads a difficult needle here. She loves this culture, its food, its music, its churches, and she still names its homophobia without flinching. The Bible study scenes, the whispered conversations, the fear in Shevaughn's voice: none of it reads like an outsider scoring points. Her author's note makes clear how personal this material is, and it shows on every page.
Layered underneath is the ache of being first generation. Jaliya is teased for her food on the school bus in Florida and side eyed for her accent in Kingston, too American for one home and too foreign in the other. The book's answer, that culture is not a test you can fail and family is something you can also choose, is delivered with enough specificity to feel earned rather than preachy.
What Works Best
Jaliya's voice. Anxious, witty, and believably seventeen, she carries the book even when the plot idles.
The bisexual awakening. Confusion, denial, joy, and fear all get room to breathe. The famous "cars and trucks" conversation between the cousins is both hilarious and quietly devastating.
The friend group. Deon's chaotic loyalty and India's steadiness make the found family theme land.
The sense of place. Jamaica is a character, complicated and beloved, never a backdrop.
The ending. The final chapters resolve the mother question in a way that surprised me and felt truer than any reunion could have.
Where It Stumbles
The middle third sags. Several outings blur together as travelogue, and the search stalls while the romance simmers.
One mid book caper involving records strains believability hard, even by summer adventure standards.
A late romantic moment crosses a consent line. The story names the problem, which I appreciated, but forgives it a little too quickly.
Ketta, the best friend back home, and Auntie Mary both deserve more page time than they get.
The final pages tie one academic thread into a bow so neat it slightly undercuts the messiness the rest of the book worked so hard to honor.
None of these flaws sink the story. They do keep a very good book from being a great one, which matches the warm but not rapturous reception The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis has earned from early readers.
Who Should Read This Book
Hand this to readers aged fourteen and up who loved messy, big hearted queer romance, anyone from a diaspora family who has ever felt like a guest in their own culture, and any teen quietly wondering whether liking more than one gender makes them a puzzle to be solved. It is spoiler sensitive by design, so go in knowing as little as possible. Sensitive readers should note the content includes homophobia, religious tension, underage drinking, and parental abandonment, all handled thoughtfully.
The Opening Pull: What the Story Is About
Jaliya Powell is a valedictorian who has never been kissed, never thrown a punch for herself, and never quite figured out how to be seen. Days before graduation, a battered, unsigned letter arrives at her Florida home. The return address is destroyed, but the message is clear: someone misses her and wants to see her. Jaliya becomes convinced it came from her mother, who left for Jamaica when she was four and never looked back.
So she books five weeks in Kingston with her uncle's family, telling everyone it is one last vacation before college. Her real plan is a search. What she finds instead is a cousin who has grown cold and secretive, a childhood crush named Andre who is taken and somehow more charming than ever, and India, a loc'd, sharp tongued girl who smells like ginger and makes Jaliya feel something she has no name for yet.
The blurb promises a love triangle. The book delivers one, but the triangle is honestly the least interesting lie in a novel absolutely stuffed with them.
A Card for Every Chapter: Structure and Style
Davis structures all 27 chapters around tarot cards from Jaliya's mother's old deck, and the device works far better than it has any right to. The Fool opens the adventure, The Tower arrives exactly when everything collapses, and The Lovers lands where you hope it will. The cards are Jaliya's last physical link to her mother, and watching her relationship to them shift across the summer becomes a quiet second plot about faith, grief, and learning to trust your own voice.
The prose is first person, present tense, and genuinely funny. Jaliya narrates like a real anxious teenager: self deprecating, dramatic, prone to spiraling mid sentence. Davis also writes Jamaica with all five senses turned up. You can smell the ackee and saltfish, taste the Devon House ice cream, feel the burn of jerk pork cooked in a pit of beach sand in Montego Bay. Blue Hole, Fern Gully, Dunn's River Falls, Emancipation Park, Reggae Sumfest, the haunted Flat Bridge over the Rio Cobre: the settings never feel like a tourist brochure because they are filtered through a diaspora kid who is terrified of being called a tourist herself.
The Lovers: A Triangle That Actually Means Something
Most YA love triangles are marketing. This one is characterization. Andre is warmth, history, and safety, a boy who remembers how Jaliya climbs trees. India is risk, electricity, and the future, a girl who sees exactly who Jaliya is before Jaliya does. Choosing between them is really Jaliya choosing between the self she has always been and the self she is becoming, and Davis never cheapens either option. India, in particular, is one of the best written love interests in recent YA: confident without being a fantasy, generous without being a prop, and carrying her own grief that the book treats with real care.
The Liars: Family, Faith, and the Cost of Silence
The secrets are where this novel grows teeth. Jaliya's cousin Shevaughn is hiding something that could cost him his family in a country where, as the book states plainly, being openly gay can still be dangerous. Davis, writing from her own Jamaican background, threads a difficult needle here. She loves this culture, its food, its music, its churches, and she still names its homophobia without flinching. The Bible study scenes, the whispered conversations, the fear in Shevaughn's voice: none of it reads like an outsider scoring points. Her author's note makes clear how personal this material is, and it shows on every page.
Layered underneath is the ache of being first generation. Jaliya is teased for her food on the school bus in Florida and side eyed for her accent in Kingston, too American for one home and too foreign in the other. The book's answer, that culture is not a test you can fail and family is something you can also choose, is delivered with enough specificity to feel earned rather than preachy.
What Works Best
Jaliya's voice. Anxious, witty, and believably seventeen, she carries the book even when the plot idles.
The bisexual awakening. Confusion, denial, joy, and fear all get room to breathe. The famous "cars and trucks" conversation between the cousins is both hilarious and quietly devastating.
The friend group. Deon's chaotic loyalty and India's steadiness make the found family theme land.
The sense of place. Jamaica is a character, complicated and beloved, never a backdrop.
The ending. The final chapters resolve the mother question in a way that surprised me and felt truer than any reunion could have.
Where It Stumbles
The middle third sags. Several outings blur together as travelogue, and the search stalls while the romance simmers.
One mid book caper involving records strains believability hard, even by summer adventure standards.
A late romantic moment crosses a consent line. The story names the problem, which I appreciated, but forgives it a little too quickly.
Ketta, the best friend back home, and Auntie Mary both deserve more page time than they get.
The final pages tie one academic thread into a bow so neat it slightly undercuts the messiness the rest of the book worked so hard to honor.
None of these flaws sink the story. They do keep a very good book from being a great one, which matches the warm but not rapturous reception The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis has earned from early readers.
Who Should Read This Book
Hand this to readers aged fourteen and up who loved messy, big hearted queer romance, anyone from a diaspora family who has ever felt like a guest in their own culture, and any teen quietly wondering whether liking more than one gender makes them a puzzle to be solved. It is spoiler sensitive by design, so go in knowing as little as possible. Sensitive readers should note the content includes homophobia, religious tension, underage drinking, and parental abandonment, all handled thoughtfully.
Read
June 22, 2026Life with dad in Florida is good, but Jaliya is still grieving the loss of relationship with her mom, who stayed in touch a while after returning to Jamaica after her folks split up, but has been incommunicado for years. A letter she thinks is from her mother reignites Jaliya’s hopes and after a seven year absence she decides to return to Jamaica to stay with family there and to try to find her mother. It’s clear that Jaliya’s social hesitancy and her reliance on her mom’s tarot cards for guidance connect to her feelings of abandonment, but being in Jamaica with cousins and friends help her to develop resilience and self-confidence. Interesting characters, a strong sense of place, acknowledging sexual preference, and the difficulty of being a two culture kid are dominant themes. EARC from Edelweiss.
July 12, 2026
Jaliya’s dynamic with Shevaughn was so good. Related side note, what happens when you’re BOTH the gay cousin?
July 12, 2026
*4.25 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this one. The premise felt different from anything I've read before and the main character was layered and grew so much throughout the story. She was quite messy and I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her evolve and mature. She really had such a growth, it was truly a coming of age story and I loved it. I liked the family drama with the mother and I enjoyed reading a book set in Jamaica. I liked the family connection, especially the main character with her cousin. I just found it all so complex and captivating. I also enjoyed the romance, it was messy and so good. I didn't want to stop reading. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this one. The premise felt different from anything I've read before and the main character was layered and grew so much throughout the story. She was quite messy and I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her evolve and mature. She really had such a growth, it was truly a coming of age story and I loved it. I liked the family drama with the mother and I enjoyed reading a book set in Jamaica. I liked the family connection, especially the main character with her cousin. I just found it all so complex and captivating. I also enjoyed the romance, it was messy and so good. I didn't want to stop reading. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.
June 16, 2026
Read in ARC form—has potential but needs some good polishing.
June 25, 2026
Special thanks to the author & @simonteen for my gifted copy‼️
When will you ever feel like you’re enough if the person you should’ve been enough for abandons you?
Jaliya’s mother packed up and left her and her father years ago and now she’s on the hunt for answers in the one place she used to call home and her mother’s last known location Jamaica!
I’ve only read maybe 6 or 7 YA books this year and this one is by far my favorite. When I first came across the book my hope was that it would give a vibe similar to Hurricane Summer and the author delivered a story not quite the same but just as great. Exploring the boundaries of love, friendship, discovering your identity, insecurities, rebuilding relationships, finding home and a young teens search for her absent mother this is a book you won’t be able to put down.
When I say I loved all of the characters I felt like each of their personalities added an extra layer of depth to the story. In the beginning Jaliya bumped heads with her cousin Shevaughn almost thought she was walking into enemy territory. Then there’s the love triangle between her, Andre her childhood crush and the new girl India who makes her heart skip a beat. I really loved Deon’s character because he was down for whatever. Her uncle is another story he was cool in the beginning but I was side eyeing him by the end.
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing. The author addressed some heavy themes surrounding religious views on sexuality, the fears of coming out, and standing up for what you believe in. Outside of it being about Jaliya’s search for her mother this was also a story about discovering who you are and where you fit in the world. I love how this book posed so many questions for me. Like is the love of one parent alone enough for a child? Can the lack of one parent’s presence affect how we view ourselves? If this book isn’t on your TBR I highly recommend adding it.
When will you ever feel like you’re enough if the person you should’ve been enough for abandons you?
Jaliya’s mother packed up and left her and her father years ago and now she’s on the hunt for answers in the one place she used to call home and her mother’s last known location Jamaica!
I’ve only read maybe 6 or 7 YA books this year and this one is by far my favorite. When I first came across the book my hope was that it would give a vibe similar to Hurricane Summer and the author delivered a story not quite the same but just as great. Exploring the boundaries of love, friendship, discovering your identity, insecurities, rebuilding relationships, finding home and a young teens search for her absent mother this is a book you won’t be able to put down.
When I say I loved all of the characters I felt like each of their personalities added an extra layer of depth to the story. In the beginning Jaliya bumped heads with her cousin Shevaughn almost thought she was walking into enemy territory. Then there’s the love triangle between her, Andre her childhood crush and the new girl India who makes her heart skip a beat. I really loved Deon’s character because he was down for whatever. Her uncle is another story he was cool in the beginning but I was side eyeing him by the end.
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing. The author addressed some heavy themes surrounding religious views on sexuality, the fears of coming out, and standing up for what you believe in. Outside of it being about Jaliya’s search for her mother this was also a story about discovering who you are and where you fit in the world. I love how this book posed so many questions for me. Like is the love of one parent alone enough for a child? Can the lack of one parent’s presence affect how we view ourselves? If this book isn’t on your TBR I highly recommend adding it.
October 6, 2026
CW: homophobia, religious bigotry, abandonment, alcohol, bullying, xenophobia, [minor:] medical content, miscarriage
Read for the Read the World Challenge for: Jamaica 🇯🇲
I received a copy of this book for free via Goodreads giveaway. This has in no way impacted my final rating.
Uplifting but realistic story about finding yourself in your own culture when you live in the diaspora.
Read for the Read the World Challenge for: Jamaica 🇯🇲
I received a copy of this book for free via Goodreads giveaway. This has in no way impacted my final rating.
Uplifting but realistic story about finding yourself in your own culture when you live in the diaspora.
June 28, 2026
I am *obsessed* with Deandra’s books. This one was a special read - I annotated an ARC copy that is being sent amongst readers and I was so happy to be chosen. This book packs some big emotional punches and is a truly stunning coming of age story. The realizations made, the love, the sweet first kisses..beautiful. The found family aspect was so important to me and I cried several times. A truly gorgeous story written by an even more gorgeous human.
August 12, 2026
Absolutely loved this book! Shoutout to SimonTeen for sending me a copy!!! I have been waiting for this book to be released for the longest and to hear that I was getting a free copy a week after??? Cherry on top!
This was a perfect book to express how important it is to truly be yourself and stop relying on your past and on things that hurt you to define you. I love the adventures aspect in the book as well! I also love that the book displays the need to have people around you that will support you and bring out the best in you! This author did a very good job with painting the picture of the culture and the adventure scenes in the book! Very well done! I can’t wait to read more from this author!
This was a perfect book to express how important it is to truly be yourself and stop relying on your past and on things that hurt you to define you. I love the adventures aspect in the book as well! I also love that the book displays the need to have people around you that will support you and bring out the best in you! This author did a very good job with painting the picture of the culture and the adventure scenes in the book! Very well done! I can’t wait to read more from this author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2026
I liked this book. The best way I can describe it is just okay. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t spectacular, it was just okay. I liked the immersion of culture we get in the book and the familial bonds. Jaliyah for the most part had a very strong familial unit which isn’t common in a lot of young adult novels. I wish we would’ve gotten to see a little bit more of Jaliyah in school and a more examples of Jaliyah fading into the background. This book suffers from the “telling but not showing” syndrome. While Jaliyah may not be popular she doesn’t seem to fade into the background as much as the books summary would suggest. She was the valedictorian of her class and as I said though she was not popular there were peers who talked to her even briefly. When I think of fade into the background I think of a character that people would ask the name of and someone hopes “who” and that simply didn’t seem like Jaliyah from the interactions we were shown on the book. I liked the conversation of sexuality, self discovery, and religion. One of my other gripes is I feel like the storyline with her mom became an afterthought. I wish we would’ve gotten more closure for that plot line . I also think it took a little long for us to revisit the Andre and Jaliyah storyline so much so that I forgot it as the book progressed.
July 29, 2026
I met Deandre Davis at ALA this year and immediately put this book on my TBR. I loved it and will be recommending it to my students to read!
July 23, 2026
I found this book because I was missing Jamaica after a study abroad trip. I kept reading because it was so much more than I anticipated.
I don't really have the words to describe it. It feels like a call to action in some weird way. A story about being yourself and living for yourself before you run out of time.
I don't really have the words to describe it. It feels like a call to action in some weird way. A story about being yourself and living for yourself before you run out of time.
July 23, 2026
I enjoyed this so much. Jaliyah's journey of self-acceptance and agency was powerful.
Read
July 8, 2026DeAndra Davis truly has a gift for writing amazing coming of age YA stories and this book was no different. This book was absolutely phenomenal and incredibly engaging. This story follows Jaliya, a high schooler senior struggling with feelings of not being enough, travels to Jamaica to learn about her estranged mother, but ends up finding herself.
Jaliya’s journey throughout the book was done once well and she had such great character growth. At the start of the book she struggled with feelings of self-doubt to being someone who was bold and brave and gaining this strong sense of confidence was such a delight to read. I loved how she had such a strong village behind her that supported her and helped her to see she was enough. The relationship she had with her father was so beautiful and reminds me so much of the relationship between my father and I.
While I’m not Jamaican, I am a Black woman so I know firsthand how strong homophobia is in the Black community, but I also know how it’s even stronger in the Jamaican community ,but I loved the queer representation and seeing Jaliya come into her own as a young bisexual Black girl. I do wish we would’ve been able to see her come out to her father because I know it would’ve been done beautifully.
Overall, this story was incredible and I highly recommend it
Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the ARC!!
Jaliya’s journey throughout the book was done once well and she had such great character growth. At the start of the book she struggled with feelings of self-doubt to being someone who was bold and brave and gaining this strong sense of confidence was such a delight to read. I loved how she had such a strong village behind her that supported her and helped her to see she was enough. The relationship she had with her father was so beautiful and reminds me so much of the relationship between my father and I.
While I’m not Jamaican, I am a Black woman so I know firsthand how strong homophobia is in the Black community, but I also know how it’s even stronger in the Jamaican community ,but I loved the queer representation and seeing Jaliya come into her own as a young bisexual Black girl. I do wish we would’ve been able to see her come out to her father because I know it would’ve been done beautifully.
Overall, this story was incredible and I highly recommend it
Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the ARC!!
July 26, 2026
Thanks, Libro.fm for the educator copy.
Love the cover art. The idea of exploring a lost part of herself before going to college was an interesting journey. It was a coming of age story where Lili found herself and what she needed next in life. The introspection of the MC was very long, and I preferred the interactions with family and friends.
Audiobook Narrator: did a really nice job of American and Jamaican voices, both female and male.
Love the cover art. The idea of exploring a lost part of herself before going to college was an interesting journey. It was a coming of age story where Lili found herself and what she needed next in life. The introspection of the MC was very long, and I preferred the interactions with family and friends.
Audiobook Narrator: did a really nice job of American and Jamaican voices, both female and male.
July 5, 2026
Jaliya just finished her senior year of high school and she thinks she’s ready for what comes next. Well, she hopes she’s ready. She wants to go to Harvard, but instead ends up on their wait list so she chooses a school close to home so she can be near her father. Jaliya has always stayed in the background, both in and out of school. She doesn’t know who she is or what she wants, so she depends on her tarot cards to tell her what her next steps should be. When a letter arrives from Jamaica stating she is missed and loved, she assumes it’s from her mother who disappeared when she was young. Knowing that she’s heading to Jamaica for the summer to stay with family, she plans to use it as an opportunity to search for her mother. When she arrives, everything is different since she last visited at age 10. Her cousin ignores her, her childhood crush is now unavailable, and a new friend of her cousin’s, India, brings up feelings that she doesn’t understand. Soon, Jaliya finds herself on new adventures doing things she never thought possible.
A beautiful coming-of-age story.
A beautiful coming-of-age story.
June 17, 2026
ARC Review - Net Galley✨
I really enjoyed reading this book, although I was a little nervous at first because it was giving Monday’s Not Coming vibes for a while.
Jaliya’s growth throughout this book was amazing - She starts off hesitant about going to Jamaica, but by the end, she loved Jamaica as if she never stopped visiting.
seeing how deeply she connected with her newfound family, and how sad she was to leave, was the proof of Her journey of self-discovery, finding love, and rebuilding friendships and family relationships showcased so much personal growth.
While Jaliya sets out with the one goal of finding her mother, she ends up finding so much more during her last summer before college. The story is filled with heart, identity, family, and belonging, making it one of the best YA books I’ve read in a long time.
I really enjoyed reading this book, although I was a little nervous at first because it was giving Monday’s Not Coming vibes for a while.
Jaliya’s growth throughout this book was amazing - She starts off hesitant about going to Jamaica, but by the end, she loved Jamaica as if she never stopped visiting.
seeing how deeply she connected with her newfound family, and how sad she was to leave, was the proof of Her journey of self-discovery, finding love, and rebuilding friendships and family relationships showcased so much personal growth.
While Jaliya sets out with the one goal of finding her mother, she ends up finding so much more during her last summer before college. The story is filled with heart, identity, family, and belonging, making it one of the best YA books I’ve read in a long time.
June 7, 2026
Arc copy review: this was my first book from DeAndra and I throughly enjoyed. From the Jamaican culture to the plot of people discovering themselves in more ways than one, this was a cute read. I will definitely read more from this author. The characters felt very thoughtful and the story of each of the main people kept me wanting to read more.
June 24, 2026
This was good! A great follow up to All the Noise!
(To be clear, this is not a companion, just her second book!) Anyways, real review to come to my blog!
(To be clear, this is not a companion, just her second book!) Anyways, real review to come to my blog!
July 27, 2026
DeAndra Davis crafts a beautiful coming-of-age story in her second YA novel, The Lovers, the Liars, and Me. The book follows Jaliya, a teen whose recent graduation from high school makes her realize that she has spent her whole life feeling like a background character, and wants to use this summer to explore more of herself. Jaliya is also still struggling with the knowledge that her mother left their family at a young age, and she has never heard from her since. After she receives a mysterious letter from Jamaica, the country where her parents and extended family are from, Jaliya decides to spend her summer there with her uncle and cousin in the hopes of trying to find her mother, who she believes sent the letter. After she arrives in Jamaica, Jaliya discovers that a lot has changed there since she was a child. Her crush now has a girlfriend, her cousin is cold and distant, and she finds herself attracted to a new girl, India. She spends her summer reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, and traveling all across Jamaica, retracing her mother’s old haunts. As Jaliya gets closer to finding out the truth about the mother that abandoned her, she also ends up discovering more about herself. Main characters and supporting cast are either Black or of Jamaican heritage, and some characters identify as gay or bisexual.
I really enjoyed this book! Davis tackles a lot of difficult subject matter in this story, such as religious trauma, homophobia, and parental abandonment, and she does so with incredible nuance. Her writing reflects a love of Jamaica, expressed in how she writes with such care about the different landmarks, foods, music, and experiences that Jaliya encounters during her summer vacation. While she shows a clear love of her country (author bio confirms that Davis is Jamaican-American), she also does not shy away from being able to provide some criticism about mindsets still present there, such as homophobia/queerphobia. In her author’s note, Davis writes that “it’s why I can adore Jamaica and its rich history and culture while still acknowledging the ways we still need to grow”, when explaining why she chose to include these issues in her story.
I found Jalilya’s story to be very engaging, and the narrative held my interest from beginning to end. Her quest to find her mother contained a lot of emotional highs and lows, from her joy as she visited her parents’ old hangout spots, to her feelings of loss and abandonment when she learns about her mother's apparent double life. Combined with the emotional turbulence of searching for her mother, Jaliya also experiences quite a lot when it comes to her friendships and romantic relationships. I thought Davis handled these issues really well, and showed how Jaliya didn’t have easy decisions when it came to pursuing her romantic interests, torn between her childhood crush, Andre, and a new friend, India. When Jaliya is caught kissing India by her uncle, he expresses displeasure at the idea that she is gay, and accuses her of “corrupting” India with her American ways. However, her cousin, Shevaughn, points out to Jaliya that her queer identity is slightly more tolerated in Jamaica than a gay male one, because “it’s entertaining for men, at least…The thought of two women together serves straight men, so it might get some acceptance, but two men? That’s not a fantasy for them”. Shevaughn’s story was also an eye-opening and heartbreaking one, as he reveals to his cousin that although he shares the same feelings as her toward their mutual friend Deon, he cannot express his love for fear of being shunned by both his father, and their society. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
I really enjoyed this book! Davis tackles a lot of difficult subject matter in this story, such as religious trauma, homophobia, and parental abandonment, and she does so with incredible nuance. Her writing reflects a love of Jamaica, expressed in how she writes with such care about the different landmarks, foods, music, and experiences that Jaliya encounters during her summer vacation. While she shows a clear love of her country (author bio confirms that Davis is Jamaican-American), she also does not shy away from being able to provide some criticism about mindsets still present there, such as homophobia/queerphobia. In her author’s note, Davis writes that “it’s why I can adore Jamaica and its rich history and culture while still acknowledging the ways we still need to grow”, when explaining why she chose to include these issues in her story.
I found Jalilya’s story to be very engaging, and the narrative held my interest from beginning to end. Her quest to find her mother contained a lot of emotional highs and lows, from her joy as she visited her parents’ old hangout spots, to her feelings of loss and abandonment when she learns about her mother's apparent double life. Combined with the emotional turbulence of searching for her mother, Jaliya also experiences quite a lot when it comes to her friendships and romantic relationships. I thought Davis handled these issues really well, and showed how Jaliya didn’t have easy decisions when it came to pursuing her romantic interests, torn between her childhood crush, Andre, and a new friend, India. When Jaliya is caught kissing India by her uncle, he expresses displeasure at the idea that she is gay, and accuses her of “corrupting” India with her American ways. However, her cousin, Shevaughn, points out to Jaliya that her queer identity is slightly more tolerated in Jamaica than a gay male one, because “it’s entertaining for men, at least…The thought of two women together serves straight men, so it might get some acceptance, but two men? That’s not a fantasy for them”. Shevaughn’s story was also an eye-opening and heartbreaking one, as he reveals to his cousin that although he shares the same feelings as her toward their mutual friend Deon, he cannot express his love for fear of being shunned by both his father, and their society. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
There is nothing more compelling than when I start a new-to-me author’s work and immediately connect with their voice, and that’s exactly what happened when I cracked open The Lovers, The Liars and Me. Jaliya is sick of not putting herself first, of feeling stagnant of sorts. As High School valedictorian, she’s used to being center stage academically, but in her personal life, she’s more than desperate for adventure and spontaneity—maybe even to finally have her first kiss. So when she decides to go to see her family in Jamaica for the summer before College, even though it means being apart from her Dad who she’s close to, she’s certain it’ll be the kick-start she needs—and maybe, when she’s there, even seek-out the ghost-of-a-mother who left her when she was young.
Jamaica should’ve been a chance to dip back into her childhood memories and a place that truly felt like coming home, but instead, Jaliya finds things not as before. Her formerly-close cousin is closed off and the Uncle she idolised looks different under a new light. But when she meets the enigmatic India, the summer begins to shift. Her cousin, Shevaughn and new friend Deon, and her old crush Andre—who is hotter than ever—along with India, make for a summer Jaliya might just be enjoying. When the gathering of friends join Jaliya’s mission to track down her estranged mother, they share more than just a likeminded goal, but bond like the summer will never end. Only, as Jaliya’s heart is torn between following the glow of something new and golden or slipping back into an old desire, things take a sharp detour. And when the trail to the answers she is seeking runs cold and family isn’t what she once thought, it takes everything for Jaliya to remind herself why she came here—and that it’s time to look out for her own destiny.
There are so many qualities about The Lovers. The Liars and Me that made it unputdownable, but none more so than the utter joy I felt reading it. Jaliya—she became so real to me. I truly loved her relationship with her Dad and India, her character development and especially her Tarot cards (as someone who loves them, too.) Her journey through discovering she had feelings for a girl for the first time—the giddiness, the whispers with her friend back home, Ketta—made my cheeks ache from smiling. There’s a deep sense of family in the story, present and estranged, that I know a lot of young people will see themselves reflected in. Equally so for young members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who can find family to be unaccepting, especially in religious families. There were times I wanted to hug the characters (because they all found their way into my heart) and times I felt everything they did so deeply—the hurt, the laughter, the newfound love—and couldn’t help falling in love with how this was the actual pinnacle of a gorgeous coming-of-age tale. While Jaliya found herself within these pages, I found a story that unlocks the pure magic of young adult literature—a book that stands as something unapologetically vulnerable, yet beautifully crafted from start to finish.
Jamaica should’ve been a chance to dip back into her childhood memories and a place that truly felt like coming home, but instead, Jaliya finds things not as before. Her formerly-close cousin is closed off and the Uncle she idolised looks different under a new light. But when she meets the enigmatic India, the summer begins to shift. Her cousin, Shevaughn and new friend Deon, and her old crush Andre—who is hotter than ever—along with India, make for a summer Jaliya might just be enjoying. When the gathering of friends join Jaliya’s mission to track down her estranged mother, they share more than just a likeminded goal, but bond like the summer will never end. Only, as Jaliya’s heart is torn between following the glow of something new and golden or slipping back into an old desire, things take a sharp detour. And when the trail to the answers she is seeking runs cold and family isn’t what she once thought, it takes everything for Jaliya to remind herself why she came here—and that it’s time to look out for her own destiny.
There are so many qualities about The Lovers. The Liars and Me that made it unputdownable, but none more so than the utter joy I felt reading it. Jaliya—she became so real to me. I truly loved her relationship with her Dad and India, her character development and especially her Tarot cards (as someone who loves them, too.) Her journey through discovering she had feelings for a girl for the first time—the giddiness, the whispers with her friend back home, Ketta—made my cheeks ache from smiling. There’s a deep sense of family in the story, present and estranged, that I know a lot of young people will see themselves reflected in. Equally so for young members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who can find family to be unaccepting, especially in religious families. There were times I wanted to hug the characters (because they all found their way into my heart) and times I felt everything they did so deeply—the hurt, the laughter, the newfound love—and couldn’t help falling in love with how this was the actual pinnacle of a gorgeous coming-of-age tale. While Jaliya found herself within these pages, I found a story that unlocks the pure magic of young adult literature—a book that stands as something unapologetically vulnerable, yet beautifully crafted from start to finish.
July 3, 2026
Jaliya is caught in the middle--too Jamaican to be considered American, too American to be considered Jamaican. She's faded herself into the background so much that she's the only senior in the entire school not in on the senior prank. She hasn't been to Jamaica in 7 years because she couldn't stand seeing all the family pictures in the house--pictures of the mother who abandoned her as a toddler. But now, she's received a letter that seems to be from her mother--and so Jaliya gives in to her father's urging to spend the summer with her cousin in Jamaica, without telling him she wants to search for her mother. In Jamaica, things aren't quite as she remembers--everyone is 7 years older. Her cousin Shavon (sp?) used to be her bestie, but now he seems angry at her--until she explains what happened. Her crush is hotter than ever, but has a girlfriend. And then there's India, the luminous, vibrant girl who's joined the friend group of Shavon, his friend Deion, and Jaliya's crush (Andre, I think?). As this group of friends takes Jaliya all over Jamaica, helping her look for her mother and along the way having wonderful (and not so wonderful) adventures, Jaliya feels more and more drawn to India. She's never felt that way about a girl before, and knows that in Jamaica, it's even more verboten than in other places--she could lose the love of her family. And what about her mother? Will Jaliya ever find her?
This was great--loved all the world-building detail about Jamaica, and all the places the kids go. I loved how the friends were each others' support group, especially as there are some heavy things going on, what with Jaliya's mother and Shavon's secret. It's clear the story is more about Jaliya coming into her own, gaining confidence and a real sense of herself, rather than the search for her mother. The search is just part of it, and what she does and doesn't find are all steps on the way to becoming the person she was meant to be. There are a lot of mistakes and hurt feelings along the way, and way too much drinking, but so much self-realization. I loved that the author was struggling with how you can love a place that doesn't love you back, and that comes through for Jaliya as well. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
This was great--loved all the world-building detail about Jamaica, and all the places the kids go. I loved how the friends were each others' support group, especially as there are some heavy things going on, what with Jaliya's mother and Shavon's secret. It's clear the story is more about Jaliya coming into her own, gaining confidence and a real sense of herself, rather than the search for her mother. The search is just part of it, and what she does and doesn't find are all steps on the way to becoming the person she was meant to be. There are a lot of mistakes and hurt feelings along the way, and way too much drinking, but so much self-realization. I loved that the author was struggling with how you can love a place that doesn't love you back, and that comes through for Jaliya as well. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!~~
I think Davis is becoming one of my favorite contemporary authors. This and her debut have been utter delights for me to read.
Jaliya goes through the perfect character arc, Her going from constant self-doubt and terrified of change to gaining the confidence in herself and identity was done perfectly. I just adored nearly all her relationships, familial, friendship, and romance potential. Despite her dad and her best friend Ketta's lack of physical presence for majority of the novel, the strength and clear importance they have to Jaliya is just as grounded as the relationships she has in Jamaica. And the queer found family that's created out of the group she forms? So cute. Her wingwomaning for her cousin Shevaughn was not only really nice but done with so much care and support.
Like with every love triangle, there's an obvious bias that's apparent when you read the book. I was definitely rooting for Jaliya to get with India far more than Andre, especially because that boy had a girlfriend for most of the book. It's heavily hinted at what was going on in that relationship even though Jaliya never meets the girlfriend face-to-face, but the narrative was kinda leaning towards encouraging our main character to go for Andre, anyway. I was very much not for that, but that doesn't happen. Still, I really liked how Davis handled the complexity of unexpectedly coming into a LGBTQ+ identity when you least expected it, especially when it conflicts with from your culture/people who wouldn't accept it.
Davis is also really good at painting vivid scenery of Jamaica. You can really tell how much she loves the place from the vast amount care and details in every location description. There's also a lot of food that sounds so good. The pig in the hole? Oh, my lord, do I hope I can somehow get to have a taste of that in my lifetime.
All in all, such a fantastic book, and I very much look forward to whatever Davis may publish next!
I think Davis is becoming one of my favorite contemporary authors. This and her debut have been utter delights for me to read.
Jaliya goes through the perfect character arc, Her going from constant self-doubt and terrified of change to gaining the confidence in herself and identity was done perfectly. I just adored nearly all her relationships, familial, friendship, and romance potential. Despite her dad and her best friend Ketta's lack of physical presence for majority of the novel, the strength and clear importance they have to Jaliya is just as grounded as the relationships she has in Jamaica. And the queer found family that's created out of the group she forms? So cute. Her wingwomaning for her cousin Shevaughn was not only really nice but done with so much care and support.
Like with every love triangle, there's an obvious bias that's apparent when you read the book. I was definitely rooting for Jaliya to get with India far more than Andre, especially because that boy had a girlfriend for most of the book. It's heavily hinted at what was going on in that relationship even though Jaliya never meets the girlfriend face-to-face, but the narrative was kinda leaning towards encouraging our main character to go for Andre, anyway. I was very much not for that, but that doesn't happen. Still, I really liked how Davis handled the complexity of unexpectedly coming into a LGBTQ+ identity when you least expected it, especially when it conflicts with from your culture/people who wouldn't accept it.
Davis is also really good at painting vivid scenery of Jamaica. You can really tell how much she loves the place from the vast amount care and details in every location description. There's also a lot of food that sounds so good. The pig in the hole? Oh, my lord, do I hope I can somehow get to have a taste of that in my lifetime.
All in all, such a fantastic book, and I very much look forward to whatever Davis may publish next!
August 5, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. I thought this was a great blend of a coming-of-age story with cultural significance as well as self discovery. I really felt for the emotional journey that our main character was on; trying to navigate her complicated feelings about her mother with this sense of discovery and adventure that is pulling at her. I adore the found family aspect of the story and loved seeing these kids group together and really form a really strong bond with one another. I especially appreciated the relationship between Jaliya and her cousin and the rupture-repair that they are able to go through. The sense of self discovery was really poignant and I think the approach and tone of the story is handled well. There is obvious tension with Jaliya’s uncle, and I thought that was handled really well and with a lot of care where it felt honest and realistic and still hopeful and grounded. There are a lot of layers to this story and I think they were all woven together well. Even the main inciting incident (the letter) and the sort of quasi-mystery was pretty efficient at carrying the plot forward and providing a solid foundation for the story’s momentum.
I did struggle a bit with the dynamic between Jaliya and her childhood crush. The dynamic between them was always off, to me. And I really found that I dreaded scenes with him and/or his inclusion in the larger group. I think his (re)introduction made things with him iffy from the start. And there was a clear direction that the narrative was going that his inclusion felt more like a road block than a legitimate path. I think either more time with his character and creating a more solid foundation for his character (esp in relation to Jaliya) would have really helped. OR minimizing his role in the latter half of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing me with a digital review copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 rounded up
I did struggle a bit with the dynamic between Jaliya and her childhood crush. The dynamic between them was always off, to me. And I really found that I dreaded scenes with him and/or his inclusion in the larger group. I think his (re)introduction made things with him iffy from the start. And there was a clear direction that the narrative was going that his inclusion felt more like a road block than a legitimate path. I think either more time with his character and creating a more solid foundation for his character (esp in relation to Jaliya) would have really helped. OR minimizing his role in the latter half of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing me with a digital review copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 rounded up
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