Lies We Tell About the Stars

Lies We Tell About the Stars is a stunning debut young adult novel about friendship, grief, and new beginnings set in near-future San Francisco. The story unfolds in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake and on the cusp of the first human mission to Mars.

Celeste Muldoon finds herself alone when the Big One finally hits San Francisco, a rare occurrence as her best friend, Nicky, has never stood her up after school—until now. They share a birthday, matching tattoos, an obsession with the upcoming Mars mission, dreams of MIT, and practically everything else. So why did he not meet her as planned?

The earthquake's impact is devastating, with a significant death toll. Both Nicky’s and Celeste's parents fear the worst, but Celeste is not convinced. During their senior year, Nicky had been selling essays to affluent students and was on the verge of being found out. Celeste knows he had a plan to disappear, reinvent himself, and escape the mess he had created, but she cannot persuade anyone else that he could still be alive.

Only Meo, a mysterious boy who was somehow entangled with Nicky, appears to believe her, though Celeste has every reason to distrust him—even if her heart races every time he appears.

When Celeste discovers Nicky's notebook, it sets her and Meo on a journey through her fractured city, up the coast through towns housing earthquake refugees, and eventually to Florida, where the Mars mission countdown is on the brink of lift-off.