False Face

by Josh Galarza

From National Book Award Finalist Josh Galarza comes a moving new YA full of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Rusty is positive Todd with two D's is a figment of his troubled mind. That’s the only reason he breaks into musical numbers and lurks in the school bleachers so he can stare unabashedly at Burt, the cutest guy in school. But when Todd's antics go a little too far, and Rusty quickly finds himself in a dangerous situation. Little does Rusty know, the boy he's head over heels for just might be the one to save his life.

By day, Burt Espinoza is the only out kid in school who’s ever maintained his social status. But by night, he is a real a secret agent rescuing vulnerable queer kids in danger. His handlers (also his adoptive moms) are concerned he’s pushing himself too hard to be the man he thinks he needs to be. Now Burt has to prove that he's ready for his biggest mission saving the only boy he's ever hurt.

Raw, surreal, and timely, this novel is perfect for fans of Rex Ogle and Randy Ribay.

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer

432 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Josh Galarza writes fiction and creative nonfiction and is a multidisciplinary visual artist specializing in printmaking, book arts, and sculpture. His debut novel, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky, was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University, a BFA in art from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a BA in English from the University of Nevada, Reno. He lives in Northern Nevada and is the three-time reigning world champion of extreme trampoline air-drumming, a sport he invented himself.