The Truth Project - by Dante Medema (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Seventeen-year-old Cordelia Koenig intended to breeze through her senior project. While her peers stressed, Cordelia planned to use the same trace-your-roots genealogy idea her older sister used years prior. And getting partnered with her longtime crush, Kodiak Jones, is icing on the cake. All she needs to do is mail in her DNA sample, write about her ancestry results, and get that easy A. But when Cordelia's GeneQuest results reveal that her father is not the person she thought he was, but a stranger who lives thousands of miles away, her entire world shatters. Now she isn't sure of anything--not the mother who lied, the man she calls Dad, or the girl staring back at her in the mirror. If your life began with a lie, how can you ever be sure of what's true?"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"A heart-wrenching quest for identity every YA reader will relate to, and a deep dive into the meaning of family." --Ellen Hopkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Debut author Dante Medema explores the emotional fallout after a teenage girl discovers she is the product of an affair. Told through a series of poems, text messages, and emails, this emotional contemporary YA novel in verse is perfect for fans of Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin.

Seventeen-year-old Cordelia Koenig intended to breeze through her senior project. While her peers stressed, Cordelia planned to use the same trace-your-roots genealogy idea her older sister used years prior. And getting partnered with her longtime crush, Kodiak Jones, is icing on the cake. All she needs to do is mail in her DNA sample, write about her ancestry results, and get that easy A.

But when Cordelia's GeneQuest results reveal a shocking family secret--that her father is not the person she thought he was, but a stranger who lives thousands of miles away--her entire world shatters. Now she isn't sure of anything--not the mother who lied, the man she calls Dad, or the girl staring back at her in the mirror.

If your life began with a lie, how can you ever be sure of what's true?

• A Life-Altering DNA Test: Cordelia thought her genealogy project would be easy, until a GeneQuest result reveals the man who raised her isn't her biological father.
• Friends to Lovers Romance: Partnered with her longtime crush, Kodiak Jones, Cordelia must navigate her shattered identity while her heart is on the line.
• A Gripping Identity Crisis: Faced with a mother who lied and a biological father she's never met, Cordelia questions everything she knows about herself and what makes a family.
• An Alaskan Small Town Setting: In a close-knit community like Tundra Cove, keeping a secret this big is impossible, forcing Cordelia to confront the truth head-on.

Review Quotes

"A captivating, intricately woven story of identity, family, and how we're shaped by our surroundings. From small-town Alaska to gritty Seattle, Cordelia's search for belonging brims with honesty and heartache. Each lovely word of this novel-in-verse wields a special kind of power." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow

"Dante Medema beautifully weaves together an emotional and riveting story of self-discovery, family, and finding out the truth that's inside us all. A stunning debut."

- Elizabeth Eulberg, international bestselling author of Past Perfect Life

"The Truth Project is a heart-wrenching quest for identity every YA reader will relate to, and a deep dive into the meaning of family." - Ellen Hopkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Gripping. The Truth Project is a fast-paced hybrid novel that blends verse together with texts and emails to paint a picture of a girl trying to figure out who she really is. A great pick for Juleah del Rosario and Sonya Sones fans." - Kip Wilson, author of White Rose

"With luminous writing and characters who feel like friends, The Truth Project is a book with its own gravitational pull. A lyrical, evocative exploration of family, identity, and seeking your truth. Wholly original and totally incandescent." - Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of Firsts and All Eyes On Her

"The Truth Project explores love, identity, and family in all its beautiful chaos. Wrapped in exquisite, page-turning prose, this book is impossible to put down until the very end." - Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart

"The Truth Project is a brave and beautiful debut, shining with honesty, courage, and hope." - Laura Taylor Namey, author of The Library of Lost Things

A gorgeous, compelling, compulsively readable exploration of family and the truths that define us. I devoured The Truth Project, and I think you will, too. - Jared Reck, author of A Short History of the Girl Next Door

"A luminous and lovely novel-in-verse about family, identity, and finding your truth. Cordelia's heart-wrenching quest will captivate readers." - Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and How to Make Friends With the Dark

"Poetic elements are well done. A story about family and identity that will appeal to readers who like novels in verse, or books about artistic teens." - School Library Journal

"Delia tells her story through passionate poems, texts, and emails, making for an effective exploration of identity, secrets, and what family means." - Publishers Weekly

"A solid debut novel about truth and personal identity." - Booklist