UMass Associate News Director Crystal Maldonado Releases Sophomore Novel ‘No Filter and Other Lies’

Associate Director of News Content Crystal Maldonado’s sophomore young adult novel “No Filter and Other Lies” asks readers, would you lie online for the clout? The coming-of-age book, which was released on Feb. 8, tells the story of 17-year-old Kat Sanchez and explores teenage life fueled by social media pressure.

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"It’s really about the lies we tell ourselves and others through social media. When you’re scrolling through your feed, it’s hard not to compare your life to everyone else’s. From that emerges this suffocating pressure to be ‘perfect’ and, in Kat’s case, to lie," says Maldonado, who spent four years working on the UMass Amherst social media team. “How far are we willing to go for acceptance? And what kind of affects does that have on our real lives?”

In the book, readers watch as Kat’s desperation for social media clout drives her to create a new, fake identity on Instagram. While her real life is far from perfect, she thrives as this person named Max: doling out advice, sharing beautiful photos, networking with famous influencers and even making a real friend in a follower named Elena. The closer Elena and “Max” get, the more Kat feels she must keep up the façade.   

In addition to social media themes, the book explores complex family dynamics, queer identity, and accountability. It is also a story about hope, learning to appreciate the life you have, and loving yourself, says Maldonado.

"No Filter and Other Lies” has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; a Best Young Adult Book Arriving in 2022 by Seventeen Magazine; and a Best New YA Novel of 2022 by POPSUGAR. Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, calling it “an ultrasmart contemporary that fully understands what teens face” in today’s social media-obsessed world.

“I’m trying to write nuanced stories about plus-size, Latina girls as they learn to love themselves in a society that often tells them they're not worth loving,” Maldonado says. “There is something profoundly lonely about rarely, if ever, seeing a reflection of yourself in the media. I’m hopeful that my stories can do a small part in making Latinx, queer and body diverse readers feel seen, validated and worthy.”

Learn more about “No Filter and Other Lies” and Maldonado’s work at crystalwrote.com.