Liars and Losers Like Us

by Ami Allen-Vath

Overview

Keep calm and make it to prom night—without a legit panic attack.

For seventeen-year-old Bree Hughes, it’s easier said than done when gossip, grief, and the opportunity to fail at love are practically high-fiving her in the hallways of Belmont High.

When Bree’s crush, Sean Mills, gives her his phone number, she can’t even leave a voicemail without sounding like a freak. Then she’s asked to be on Prom Court because Maisey Morgan, the school outcast nominated as a joke, declined. She apologizes to Maisey, but it’s too late. After years of torment and an ugly secret shared with their class’s cruel Pageant Queen, Maisey commits suicide. Bree is left with a lot of regret…and a revealing letter with a final request.

With Sean by her side, Bree navigates through her guilt, her parents’ divorce, and all the Prom Court drama. But when a cheating-love-triangle secret hits the fan after a night of sex, drinks, and video games, she’s left with new information about Sean and the class Pageant Queen. Bree must now speak up or stay silent. If she lets fear be her guide, she’ll lose her first love, and head to prom to avenge the death of the school outcast—as a party of one.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634501842
Publisher:	Sky Pony
Publication date:	03/22/2016
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.80(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Ami Allen-Vath was born and raised in Minnesota and has a background in theater and sales. She loves great and terrible TV, ice cream, books, and vacations. She loathes cilantro, live birds, and when guys do cartoon impressions. Ami writes and lives along the New Jersey shore with her husband, two children, and a dog called Yoda.

Editorial Reviews

"A twisty, addictive story brimming with hilarious characters, prom drama, and, yes, heart."—Marci Lyn Curtis, author of The One Thing

"Poignant and hilarious in turns, Liars and Losers Like Us is a deeply real portrait of the high school landscape. Allen-Vath shows us that you can't believe everything you see when it comes to other people."—Liz Czukas, author of Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

"Liars and Losers Like Us is a story of secrecy, pain, and, self-awareness artfully wrapped in snort-laugh-out-loud humor and heart-melting romance, as the best and truest adolescent tales are. Bree Hughes is a YA heroine to remember."—Dahlia Adler, author of Just Visiting

"Liars and Losers Like Us tackles all the hard things, like Bree's struggle with panic attacks, while delivering prom shenanigans and a swoon-worthy romance. You should read this book for the Bree-Sean banter alone."
–Rachael Allen, author of The Revenge Playbook and 17 First Kisses

"Witty, heartbreaking, and extremely thoughtful, Liars and Losers Like Us will take you on a roller coaster ride to prom that will leave you breathless and wanting more."–Natasha Sinel, award-winning author of The Fix

“Liars and Losers Like Us is an honest and poignant look at first love, bullying, and the tempestuous tides of high school popularity. Bree’s struggles with anxiety and her true-to-life love-hate relationship with being in the limelight had me rooting for her from page one, and Ami Allen-Vath’s careful handling of the subject matter results in a story where winning doesn’t mean getting a crown; it means developing compassion and understanding for the people around you.”–Francesca Zappia, author of Made You Up

"Drama, wit, and romance make Liars and Losers Like Us a thoroughly compelling read, with a strong undercurrent of compassion for those with hidden pain."–Rachel Wilson, author of Don't Touch

"Quirky and sometimes awkward, Bree Hughes is a realistic character that will have you laughing out loud even while you're contemplating the way you treat people. With fast pacing and a unique cast of characters, Liars and Losers Like Us will inspire you to make the most of every moment you have."–Sarah Schmitt, author of It’s a Wonderful Death

“While the final scenes of the novel are reminiscent of a John Hughes’ movie, complete with the perfect kiss after prom, this novel embraces heavier things as well and is certain to appeal to readers who want to see justice served and love trump hate. Pair with Thirteen Reasons Why (2007), by Jay Asher, and Prom (2005), by Laurie Halse Anderson, for readers’ advisory recommendations.” —Booklist

“This is an engaging read for anyone who enjoys stories of high school drama and popularity, coupled with the sometimes painful, anxious ride of adolescence. The author writes this story with bits and pieces of her own experience as a survivor of abuse, encouraging teens to stand up for the truth. VERDICT A relatable supplemental purchase.” –School Library Journal

"A twisty, addictive story brimming with hilarious characters, prom drama, and, yes, heart."—Marci Lyn Curtis, author of The One Thing

"Poignant and hilarious in turns, Liars and Losers Like Us is a deeply real portrait of the high school landscape. Allen-Vath shows us that you can't believe everything you see when it comes to other people."—Liz Czukas, author of Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

"Liars and Losers Like Us is a story of secrecy, pain, and, self-awareness artfully wrapped in snort-laugh-out-loud humor and heart-melting romance, as the best and truest adolescent tales are. Bree Hughes is a YA heroine to remember."—Dahlia Adler, author of Just Visiting

"Liars and Losers Like Us tackles all the hard things, like Bree's struggle with panic attacks, while delivering prom shenanigans and a swoon-worthy romance. You should read this book for the Bree-Sean banter alone."
–Rachael Allen, author of The Revenge Playbook and 17 First Kisses

"Witty, heartbreaking, and extremely thoughtful, Liars and Losers Like Us will take you on a roller coaster ride to prom that will leave you breathless and wanting more."–Natasha Sinel, award-winning author of The Fix

“Liars and Losers Like Us is an honest and poignant look at first love, bullying, and the tempestuous tides of high school popularity. Bree’s struggles with anxiety and her true-to-life love-hate relationship with being in the limelight had me rooting for her from page one, and Ami Allen-Vath’s careful handling of the subject matter results in a story where winning doesn’t mean getting a crown; it means developing compassion and understanding for the people around you.”–Francesca Zappia, author of Made You Up

"Drama, wit, and romance make Liars and Losers Like Us a thoroughly compelling read, with a strong undercurrent of compassion for those with hidden pain."–Rachel Wilson, author of Don't Touch

"Quirky and sometimes awkward, Bree Hughes is a realistic character that will have you laughing out loud even while you're contemplating the way you treat people. With fast pacing and a unique cast of characters, Liars and Losers Like Us will inspire you to make the most of every moment you have."–Sarah Schmitt, author of It’s a Wonderful Death

“While the final scenes of the novel are reminiscent of a John Hughes’ movie, complete with the perfect kiss after prom, this novel embraces heavier things as well and is certain to appeal to readers who want to see justice served and love trump hate. Pair with Thirteen Reasons Why (2007), by Jay Asher, and Prom (2005), by Laurie Halse Anderson, for readers’ advisory recommendations.” —Booklist

“This is an engaging read for anyone who enjoys stories of high school drama and popularity, coupled with the sometimes painful, anxious ride of adolescence. The author writes this story with bits and pieces of her own experience as a survivor of abuse, encouraging teens to stand up for the truth. VERDICT A relatable supplemental purchase.” –School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2016
Gr 7–10—Keep calm and make it to prom night—that's all 17-year-old Bree has to do. It's easier said than done and becomes even more difficult when the boy she's had a crush on gives her his number, and Maisey, the school outcast since forever ago, gets nominated for prom queen. When the prank of nominating Maisey turns into what seems to be a bad dream, how will Bree manage to deal with a new beau and Maisey's deep, dark secret while trying to keep her cool as the drama of her school life, love life, and family life unfold? In this debut novel, Allen-Vath starts off slow before taking readers through a humorous ride of the twists and turns of a teenage love triangle. Because of the book's cover, some may dismiss this title as just another prom queen novel, but this is an engaging read for anyone who enjoys stories of high school drama and popularity, coupled with the sometimes painful, anxious ride of adolescence. The author writes this story with bits and pieces of her own experience as a survivor of abuse, encouraging teens to stand up for the truth. VERDICT A relatable supplemental purchase.—Keisha Miller, South Orange Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal