What do you think?
Rate this book
Vibes
Nothing is beyond Kristi Carmichael’s disdain—her hippie high school, her friend Jacob, her workaholic mom. Yet for all her attitude and her mind-reading abilities, Kristi has a vulnerable side. She can hear the thoughts of her fellow students, calling her fat and gross. She’s hot for Gusty Peterson, one of the most popular guys in school, but of course, she’s sure he thinks she is disgusting. And she’s still mad at her father, who walked out on them two years ago. Soon, a school project brings her together with Gusty, her father comes home and drops a bombshell, and a friend comes out of the closet, and suddenly she is left doubting that she can read people at all.
Bitingly funny but ultimately poignant and positive, this YA novel is completely on the mark.
Bitingly funny but ultimately poignant and positive, this YA novel is completely on the mark.
249 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2008
36 people are currently reading
1,077 people want to read
About the author
Amy Kathleen Ryan
13books709followersAmy Kathleen Ryan earned her MA from the University of Vermont, and her MFA from The New School in New York City.
Amy only reviews books she thinks are excellent.
Proud to be included in this list of classic science fiction titles:
Follow her on TWITTER!!
Website:
Amy only reviews books she thinks are excellent.
Proud to be included in this list of classic science fiction titles:
Follow her on TWITTER!!
Website:
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
September 26, 2008
A friend passed this book off to me. I'm a YA author and have been reading an abundance of YA these days. Based on the pile I've read lately, I'd call this average with a lot of missed potential. Note: Spoilers below.
Pros:
-The narrative was simple and descriptive at the same time. I didn't find myself getting caught up in the writing or feeling bogged down by unnecessary details.
-Kristi's voice felt believable and appropriately angsty for her age.
-Mallory. By far the most realistic male character in the book, yet sadly, most readers will probably only remember his acne (read below for reasons).
-Kristi's clothes. I'm not into fashion, but I think certain teens will appreciate Kristi's quirky creativity. I have female friends who do this, although I'm not sure they use such bizarre materials.
-Kristi's mom. An interesting character who deserved to be more developed.
-Kristi's high school. It seemed unrealistic, but I enjoyed the concept very much.
Cons:
-This story was too obvious as a whole for the following reasons:
1. The MC being able to read minds makes a cool premise, but it wasn't executed well. The only thoughts Kristi 'hears' are those revolving around her, giving away the 'twist' at the end. The author makes us question Kristi's psychic status -- which smoothed over some plot holes -- but it seemed like a cop out. It was reminiscent of the 'dream device', essentially having the MC wake up and go 'just kidding'. It's taunting readers with a cool premise and then shrugging off the responsibility for it.
2. Kristi (the MC), a very unsympathetic character. Granted, I've never been a teenage girl, but the friend who passed me the book was and she shared my opinion. Yes, I get that young women compare themselves a lot and feel insecure. So do guys, by the way.
The physical imperfections of every character is under Kristi's microscope. In fact, this is all she talks about. Even her 'perfect looking' love interest (who I get into below) is described as 'ugly' when he's sad or concerned. In fact, the MC's preoccupation with appearance is so strong, it becomes the main plot point of the book. Here are some things we are beat over the head with:
-Her friend Jacob has bad teeth and he's generally 'gross'. Spit flies out of his mouth constantly. He has a 'squeaky' voice.
-Her mom has a big butt. "No wonder dad left her."
-Her new friend Mallory has acne. Like really BAD acne. His face is red and flaky. In fact, the acne is so bad, she has to try and imagine what his face looks like underneath it all. "It's painful to look at him." People 'cringe' when they look at him. Because that acne, man. It's really bad. Do you get the point yet? Good, you might want to tell the author that.
-The MC has big boobs. Like garguzzons (or whatever that g-word is that was used on every page). Every male in the book (gay or not) has fantasies about her gigantic boobs. Clothes can't fit over her watermelons. Kristi has, like totally, big boobs. Get it?
-The MC thinks she's fat, but everyone tells her how beautiful she is. It doesn't matter, though. No guy would ever want her even though every male around her is clawing for her attention. Apparently, none of the other girls at the school have boobs *shrug*.
-Nearly every page has other treats, involving minor characters. Beady eyes, chubby cheeks, thin lips, and on and on.
Don't worry, the MC has other charming qualities to offer. She treats her mom like dirt (which is admitted in the book, but she never deals with any consequences of this). For example, Kristi has a pet cat she hides in her room due to her mom's allergies. Conveniently, her mom is a busy doctor and allows Kristi to put a pad lock on her bedroom door (because Kristi always gets what Kristi wants in this book). Still Kristi, while admitting to watching her mom get sick for 2 years, lets the cat wander around the house when her mom isn't home. Even lets her mom eat food the cat had licked or chewed on minutes before.
Let's see. She treats everyone else in the book like dirt too. Nobody is as smart as Kristi or worth her time. But her friend Jacob was suddenly worth more respect when he got invisible braces, began using self-tanner and highlighted his hair. Kristi thought, wow, Jacob is actually attractive. I think I can acknowledge our friendship now. Same thing with Mallory. Once his acne began fading, she felt 'bummed' she didn't like him 'in that way' because he was turning out to be quite cute!
This book could've been so much better if Kristi didn't get everything she wanted or she had to change significantly to achieve her goals. Instead, her big epiphany is, oh, maybe I'm a little selfish sometimes. Sorry, guys!
3. Gusty, a cliche teen girl fantasy of the Edward Cullen variety. A 'hot' (or so we're reminded on every page), popular skater who is also a underachiever. Tall, blond curls that fall into his eyes at appropriate times, white teeth, perfect skin. All the girls lust after him, but he's holding out for the MC, an unpopular girl who thinks he's retarded and treats him as such. In fact, this guy has never even dated anyone because all he can think about is...Kristi . Well, she is the only girl in school who appears to have 'boobs'.
He gives a speech at the end that reads more like a 16-year-old girl's love poem than anything I've ever heard come out of a teenage guy's mouth. And I'm told I'm a pretty romantic dude. But, man, I can't top Dusty er I mean Gusty.
But it's okay. Gusty has flaws. He's...shy. And, umm. Hmm. Guess that's it.
Despite my disgust with the MC, I think this author has potential. Hey, I read the whole book, and I don't finish every book. But I think she went for the 'easy' choice a little too often, which makes the book something we've read many times before instead of something that truly stands out.
Pros:
-The narrative was simple and descriptive at the same time. I didn't find myself getting caught up in the writing or feeling bogged down by unnecessary details.
-Kristi's voice felt believable and appropriately angsty for her age.
-Mallory. By far the most realistic male character in the book, yet sadly, most readers will probably only remember his acne (read below for reasons).
-Kristi's clothes. I'm not into fashion, but I think certain teens will appreciate Kristi's quirky creativity. I have female friends who do this, although I'm not sure they use such bizarre materials.
-Kristi's mom. An interesting character who deserved to be more developed.
-Kristi's high school. It seemed unrealistic, but I enjoyed the concept very much.
Cons:
-This story was too obvious as a whole for the following reasons:
1. The MC being able to read minds makes a cool premise, but it wasn't executed well. The only thoughts Kristi 'hears' are those revolving around her, giving away the 'twist' at the end. The author makes us question Kristi's psychic status -- which smoothed over some plot holes -- but it seemed like a cop out. It was reminiscent of the 'dream device', essentially having the MC wake up and go 'just kidding'. It's taunting readers with a cool premise and then shrugging off the responsibility for it.
2. Kristi (the MC), a very unsympathetic character. Granted, I've never been a teenage girl, but the friend who passed me the book was and she shared my opinion. Yes, I get that young women compare themselves a lot and feel insecure. So do guys, by the way.
The physical imperfections of every character is under Kristi's microscope. In fact, this is all she talks about. Even her 'perfect looking' love interest (who I get into below) is described as 'ugly' when he's sad or concerned. In fact, the MC's preoccupation with appearance is so strong, it becomes the main plot point of the book. Here are some things we are beat over the head with:
-Her friend Jacob has bad teeth and he's generally 'gross'. Spit flies out of his mouth constantly. He has a 'squeaky' voice.
-Her mom has a big butt. "No wonder dad left her."
-Her new friend Mallory has acne. Like really BAD acne. His face is red and flaky. In fact, the acne is so bad, she has to try and imagine what his face looks like underneath it all. "It's painful to look at him." People 'cringe' when they look at him. Because that acne, man. It's really bad. Do you get the point yet? Good, you might want to tell the author that.
-The MC has big boobs. Like garguzzons (or whatever that g-word is that was used on every page). Every male in the book (gay or not) has fantasies about her gigantic boobs. Clothes can't fit over her watermelons. Kristi has, like totally, big boobs. Get it?
-The MC thinks she's fat, but everyone tells her how beautiful she is. It doesn't matter, though. No guy would ever want her even though every male around her is clawing for her attention. Apparently, none of the other girls at the school have boobs *shrug*.
-Nearly every page has other treats, involving minor characters. Beady eyes, chubby cheeks, thin lips, and on and on.
Don't worry, the MC has other charming qualities to offer. She treats her mom like dirt (which is admitted in the book, but she never deals with any consequences of this). For example, Kristi has a pet cat she hides in her room due to her mom's allergies. Conveniently, her mom is a busy doctor and allows Kristi to put a pad lock on her bedroom door (because Kristi always gets what Kristi wants in this book). Still Kristi, while admitting to watching her mom get sick for 2 years, lets the cat wander around the house when her mom isn't home. Even lets her mom eat food the cat had licked or chewed on minutes before.
Let's see. She treats everyone else in the book like dirt too. Nobody is as smart as Kristi or worth her time. But her friend Jacob was suddenly worth more respect when he got invisible braces, began using self-tanner and highlighted his hair. Kristi thought, wow, Jacob is actually attractive. I think I can acknowledge our friendship now. Same thing with Mallory. Once his acne began fading, she felt 'bummed' she didn't like him 'in that way' because he was turning out to be quite cute!
This book could've been so much better if Kristi didn't get everything she wanted or she had to change significantly to achieve her goals. Instead, her big epiphany is, oh, maybe I'm a little selfish sometimes. Sorry, guys!
3. Gusty, a cliche teen girl fantasy of the Edward Cullen variety. A 'hot' (or so we're reminded on every page), popular skater who is also a underachiever. Tall, blond curls that fall into his eyes at appropriate times, white teeth, perfect skin. All the girls lust after him, but he's holding out for the MC, an unpopular girl who thinks he's retarded and treats him as such. In fact, this guy has never even dated anyone because all he can think about is...Kristi . Well, she is the only girl in school who appears to have 'boobs'.
He gives a speech at the end that reads more like a 16-year-old girl's love poem than anything I've ever heard come out of a teenage guy's mouth. And I'm told I'm a pretty romantic dude. But, man, I can't top Dusty er I mean Gusty.
But it's okay. Gusty has flaws. He's...shy. And, umm. Hmm. Guess that's it.
Despite my disgust with the MC, I think this author has potential. Hey, I read the whole book, and I don't finish every book. But I think she went for the 'easy' choice a little too often, which makes the book something we've read many times before instead of something that truly stands out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2014
If you liked this book, don't read my review because you will probably want to shoot me. But I've got a rant coming on, and there's nothing I can do to stop it:
The main character was impressively unpleasant. I felt like I was being forced to hang out with a miserable, spiteful, self-pitying stereotype. The way everyone judged her was so forced- like, "And now, to make you feel sympathetic for my main character, I'm going to make everybody else in the book suck."
Maybe I'm being naieve. I don't know. But I think I could have lived with all that if the main character had been endearing. Like, at all. She's half the reason I stopped reading, actually. And Mallory just aggravated the whole thing because their relationship was based on mutual hatred. I didn't feel for her because she dished out some horrible comments herself and took on a everyone's-judging-me-so-screw-them-I'm-just-going-to-hate-on-the-world-now. Simply put, it was an adult perception of being a teenager, and it was woefully awry.
Probably my most important takeaway point is: in order for the main character to be unpleasant but somehow endearing, he/she has to be human. But Amy Kathleen Ryan's writing was not skillful enough to pull that off. Yet another disappointment.
The main character was impressively unpleasant. I felt like I was being forced to hang out with a miserable, spiteful, self-pitying stereotype. The way everyone judged her was so forced- like, "And now, to make you feel sympathetic for my main character, I'm going to make everybody else in the book suck."
Maybe I'm being naieve. I don't know. But I think I could have lived with all that if the main character had been endearing. Like, at all. She's half the reason I stopped reading, actually. And Mallory just aggravated the whole thing because their relationship was based on mutual hatred. I didn't feel for her because she dished out some horrible comments herself and took on a everyone's-judging-me-so-screw-them-I'm-just-going-to-hate-on-the-world-now. Simply put, it was an adult perception of being a teenager, and it was woefully awry.
Probably my most important takeaway point is: in order for the main character to be unpleasant but somehow endearing, he/she has to be human. But Amy Kathleen Ryan's writing was not skillful enough to pull that off. Yet another disappointment.
February 10, 2012
While I am a self-proclaimed lover of all things "chick-lit" or contemporary YA, two categories that this novel obviously fits into quite effortlessly, I was not at all impressed with this book. The premise seemed promising--it features a witty, edgy, snarky teen with the power to read minds. Done right, that could be a hilarious commentary on high school life a la Mean Girls. Alas, it was not meant to be.
From the beginning, I had a huge problem with the main character. Kristi was not only "edgy" or "snarky" but really just MEAN. At one point, she attempts to "prank" someone (someone she doesn't even know), with full knowledge that they would get hurt. I shudder at all the possibilites. It could've been a child, a pregnant woman, an elderly person. I mean, she had NO IDEA who this person was going to be and yet she thought she was just pulling a hilarious "prank" on some poor, unsuspecting victim. I just can't bring myself to care for an MC with that sort of built-in maliciousness. Especially that early on in the story. And it was an uphill battle from there.
As far as I can tell, the author wanted you to pick up on the fact that Kristi needs serious help coping with her life and her various personality problems. But who should come in and save her from her very negative outlook on life? Why, the perfect, gorgeous GUY, of course! Enter my number one pet peeve in YA lit--Mr. Perfect.
Mini Rant: There must be some sort of memo going around that instructs YA authors to create female characters that have GLARING FLAWS (to the point of near revulsion) while their male love interests are quite literally...perfect. I mean, even their flaws enhance their perfection. For example, while they're all gorgeous (I haven't found ANY exceptions to that one), some might be sarcastic, or closed-off, or just jerks. But it almost always turns out that their sarcasm is just humorous, harmless fun and if they're being jerks then it's usually FOR THE GIRL'S GOOD. Because he's dangerous and he wants to protect her or whatever. And apparently that's supposed to make them even more desirable. Gag.
The Mr. Perfect of this particular story is named Gusty Peterson and his flaw is that he's a coward because he can't muster the courage to...ask...a girl...out. Because he's...sensitive and shy. See? It might as well not be a flaw at all. And it's just frustrating as all hell when this guy is the person that brings Kristi out of her miserable view of life by merely being interested in her. Plus, she obviously also has serious self-esteem issues but those will magically disappear too because a hot guy likes her! Hurray!
The one part of this book that I did actually find some authenticity and poignancy in was Kristi's family life. Dealing with the abandonment of her father and her workaholic mother was a much better storyline than the weird romance. In fact, that's the only reason I tacked on an extra star. The complications with her parents' marriage and the drama surrounding their individual occupations fleshed out Kristi's home in a way that's rarely ever seen in YA. So, hey, kudos for that!
As for Kristi's mind-reading abilities, completely superfluous to the story.
From the beginning, I had a huge problem with the main character. Kristi was not only "edgy" or "snarky" but really just MEAN. At one point, she attempts to "prank" someone (someone she doesn't even know), with full knowledge that they would get hurt. I shudder at all the possibilites. It could've been a child, a pregnant woman, an elderly person. I mean, she had NO IDEA who this person was going to be and yet she thought she was just pulling a hilarious "prank" on some poor, unsuspecting victim. I just can't bring myself to care for an MC with that sort of built-in maliciousness. Especially that early on in the story. And it was an uphill battle from there.
As far as I can tell, the author wanted you to pick up on the fact that Kristi needs serious help coping with her life and her various personality problems. But who should come in and save her from her very negative outlook on life? Why, the perfect, gorgeous GUY, of course! Enter my number one pet peeve in YA lit--Mr. Perfect.
Mini Rant: There must be some sort of memo going around that instructs YA authors to create female characters that have GLARING FLAWS (to the point of near revulsion) while their male love interests are quite literally...perfect. I mean, even their flaws enhance their perfection. For example, while they're all gorgeous (I haven't found ANY exceptions to that one), some might be sarcastic, or closed-off, or just jerks. But it almost always turns out that their sarcasm is just humorous, harmless fun and if they're being jerks then it's usually FOR THE GIRL'S GOOD. Because he's dangerous and he wants to protect her or whatever. And apparently that's supposed to make them even more desirable. Gag.
The Mr. Perfect of this particular story is named Gusty Peterson and his flaw is that he's a coward because he can't muster the courage to...ask...a girl...out. Because he's...sensitive and shy. See? It might as well not be a flaw at all. And it's just frustrating as all hell when this guy is the person that brings Kristi out of her miserable view of life by merely being interested in her. Plus, she obviously also has serious self-esteem issues but those will magically disappear too because a hot guy likes her! Hurray!
The one part of this book that I did actually find some authenticity and poignancy in was Kristi's family life. Dealing with the abandonment of her father and her workaholic mother was a much better storyline than the weird romance. In fact, that's the only reason I tacked on an extra star. The complications with her parents' marriage and the drama surrounding their individual occupations fleshed out Kristi's home in a way that's rarely ever seen in YA. So, hey, kudos for that!
As for Kristi's mind-reading abilities, completely superfluous to the story.
January 6, 2017
I'm only giving this two stars because I save the ones for books I hate so much I don't finish. This was finishable...but I hated myself at the end.
Kristi is the most unlikable character I have ever read. Aside from dropping the R word left and right and shamelessly mocking a girl for her anorexia, she's also just a complete bitch to absolutely anyone who ever speaks to her. Including people who are genuinely kind to her. But because she has daddy issues we're supposed to see that it's all a big facade and she really DOESN'T suck that much by the end.
But she does. She does suck that much.
This book also suffers from the plague of being so FUCKING OBVIOUS that it borders on utterly pointless. From page 1, you know everything. You know about her best friend, you know how Gusty and Mallory feel, you know all of it. And Kristi knows none of it. So you are stuck watching her blunder along making DUMBASS DECISIONS even though everything about it is completely obvious.
You know what, screw it. One star. This is complete garbage.
Kristi is the most unlikable character I have ever read. Aside from dropping the R word left and right and shamelessly mocking a girl for her anorexia, she's also just a complete bitch to absolutely anyone who ever speaks to her. Including people who are genuinely kind to her. But because she has daddy issues we're supposed to see that it's all a big facade and she really DOESN'T suck that much by the end.
But she does. She does suck that much.
This book also suffers from the plague of being so FUCKING OBVIOUS that it borders on utterly pointless. From page 1, you know everything. You know about her best friend, you know how Gusty and Mallory feel, you know all of it. And Kristi knows none of it. So you are stuck watching her blunder along making DUMBASS DECISIONS even though everything about it is completely obvious.
You know what, screw it. One star. This is complete garbage.
October 26, 2008
Kristi Carmicheal lost more than her father the day he walked out on her and her mother. She lost her best friend Hildie and her ability to trust. The fact that she can read minds only helps solidify her negative outlook on the people around her. She can hear what they are really thinking about her.
She’s heard it all: sick, psycho, bitch, ugly, troublemaker. Kristi knows exactly what everyone thinks about her, or so she thinks.
I couldn’t put this book down! It was hilarious and somehow at the same time extremely honest and raw. I was a little worried when within the first six pages ginormous boobs, big-breasted, watermelon-size gazungas and other variations of the word seemed to be all over the place, but either it cut down some, or I just got used to it.
I really enjoyed Kristi’s character and besides our namesake she shares some of my finer qualities. Sarcasm, sarcasm, and sarcasm. She also has a "I don’t give a shit" attitude, and is brutally honest you can’t help but love her.
As the plot started to develop, I had another nervous moment. I thought Vibes was going to take the predictable route when it comes to the popular guy/black sheep girl relationship. But I was surprised and relieved with the way the plot played out. Ryan’s depiction of high school, couldn’t have been any more real. It was just as hideous as I remembered it! I love the topic of beauty that is displayed in the novel. What makes a person good looking� popularity, individuality, personality, acne, health?
Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, humorous, powerful, are just some of the adjectives that define this novel.
She’s heard it all: sick, psycho, bitch, ugly, troublemaker. Kristi knows exactly what everyone thinks about her, or so she thinks.
I couldn’t put this book down! It was hilarious and somehow at the same time extremely honest and raw. I was a little worried when within the first six pages ginormous boobs, big-breasted, watermelon-size gazungas and other variations of the word seemed to be all over the place, but either it cut down some, or I just got used to it.
I really enjoyed Kristi’s character and besides our namesake she shares some of my finer qualities. Sarcasm, sarcasm, and sarcasm. She also has a "I don’t give a shit" attitude, and is brutally honest you can’t help but love her.
As the plot started to develop, I had another nervous moment. I thought Vibes was going to take the predictable route when it comes to the popular guy/black sheep girl relationship. But I was surprised and relieved with the way the plot played out. Ryan’s depiction of high school, couldn’t have been any more real. It was just as hideous as I remembered it! I love the topic of beauty that is displayed in the novel. What makes a person good looking� popularity, individuality, personality, acne, health?
Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, humorous, powerful, are just some of the adjectives that define this novel.
![Profile Image for ari [mayleelonraytillykaden’s vrsn 🩵].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1741487847i%2F180071670._UY200_CR33%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 13, 2025
wtf was this book�.
July 18, 2008
This was an amazing book (I read the "advance reading copy- actual publishing date is set for Oct. 2008). This book has many twists and turns and kept me interested from beginning to end. It's about a young teenage girl, Kristi, who believes she can "hear" other's thoughts. Many times she hears negative comments towards her, particularly about her appearance. Many young boys think about her "ginormous gazungas" which freaks her out, especially when her guy best friend thinks it. Although Kristi can't figure out everything he is thinking about, as we find out eventually.
Kristi has a crush on one of the most popular boys at school, who constantly looks at her and thinks "sick". Her girl best friend disowned her after they entered high school, and is a beautiful, skinny, athletic, and popular girl- everything Kristi thinks she will never be, herself.
Kristi has a crush on one of the most popular boys at school, who constantly looks at her and thinks "sick". Her girl best friend disowned her after they entered high school, and is a beautiful, skinny, athletic, and popular girl- everything Kristi thinks she will never be, herself.
April 8, 2010
This was a rather ho-hum book. I felt like it didn't have much of a point. The main character was so self absorbed--and a bitch--that it got to me. I mean, I don't have problems with self absorbed people in books, but this was a little too far (and far-fetched).
Also, I felt like she didn't really answer the main question of the book.
Also, I felt like she didn't really answer the main question of the book.
Read
January 25, 2012I find the protagonist of this book, Kristi, to be bitchy, rude and solely focused on appearance. I really hated her and when things blew up in her face, I was actually glad. She needed a dose of reality and be stepped of her 'Holier than thou' throne.
I didn't like the ending either.
I didn't like the ending either.
January 15, 2024
This book was meh. The main character annoyed me at first. Kristi! That's her name! I don't know how I forgot that...
The book got better, but it started badly. The characters were kinda boring and I wanted to know more about them. Kristi was so cruel to her mom like what?! What did she do to you?!?! I feel like her dad was wrong in what he did to her and her mother, but he seemed like a sweetheart, I just feel like he was trying too hard, and it just made Kristi hate him even more. This book wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. Kristi was quite bratty and she was really self-centered, making the book sort of hard to get through. It was quite frankly a little boring. However, I made some amazing highlights.
Here are some of my favorites:
Pg 4: Alarm clocks were invented by fork-tongued devils disguised as gremlins wearing snake masks.
Pg 6: I look mahvelous-as mahvelous as possible for someone with watermelon-size gazungas.
Pg 95: Concern from others is the last kind of vibe I can cope with. Concern makes me feel sorry for myself, and then I just start crying, and then people want to comfort me, and I really hate that. A lot.
Pg 152: The inner life of a preteen boy is particularly pathetic.
Pg 215: Trust isn't a black and white thing, you know. Everyone has the capacity to let you down one time or another.
Pg 220: I feel like the scum that frows at the bottom of a dirty shower curtain. I feel like the sponge that mops up the scum and then is left wet on the rim of the bathtub to continue growing the scum. I feel like the starving rat who finds the scum on the sponge and has to make a decision: eat the scum or die?
Pg 241: Jacob, did you used to picture my naked boobies?
Thats it! All in all, this book was alright, it makes a good time-killer.
The book got better, but it started badly. The characters were kinda boring and I wanted to know more about them. Kristi was so cruel to her mom like what?! What did she do to you?!?! I feel like her dad was wrong in what he did to her and her mother, but he seemed like a sweetheart, I just feel like he was trying too hard, and it just made Kristi hate him even more. This book wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. Kristi was quite bratty and she was really self-centered, making the book sort of hard to get through. It was quite frankly a little boring. However, I made some amazing highlights.
Here are some of my favorites:
Pg 4: Alarm clocks were invented by fork-tongued devils disguised as gremlins wearing snake masks.
Pg 6: I look mahvelous-as mahvelous as possible for someone with watermelon-size gazungas.
Pg 95: Concern from others is the last kind of vibe I can cope with. Concern makes me feel sorry for myself, and then I just start crying, and then people want to comfort me, and I really hate that. A lot.
Pg 152: The inner life of a preteen boy is particularly pathetic.
Pg 215: Trust isn't a black and white thing, you know. Everyone has the capacity to let you down one time or another.
Pg 220: I feel like the scum that frows at the bottom of a dirty shower curtain. I feel like the sponge that mops up the scum and then is left wet on the rim of the bathtub to continue growing the scum. I feel like the starving rat who finds the scum on the sponge and has to make a decision: eat the scum or die?
Pg 241: Jacob, did you used to picture my naked boobies?
Thats it! All in all, this book was alright, it makes a good time-killer.
September 1, 2008
I more than most can understand that being an offbeat teenager can make you feel isolated and vulnerable and desperate all at the same time. With so many books about popular kids using and abusing their equally popular cronies or dorky kids managing to infiltrate the ranks of the cool, its nice to read a book about teens just being teens and learning to love themselves by accepting who they are.
For Kristi Carmichael listening to opera music, playing stealth practical jokes, making her own “found� clothing and reading people’s darkest thoughts protects her. After her dad walked out on her mother, Kristi didn’t think she could ever trust anyone again, and she goes to great lengths to keep everyone at bay so she doesn’t have to be hurt again. Then Mallory, a fiery-haired temperamental teen enrolls in their ex-hippie run private school, and she thinks she has finally found a friend who understands her. But maybe it’s Kristi who needs to be the one to offer a little understanding of her own.
This book was a wonderful, innovative alternative to your standard YA self-image novel. The character descriptions are spot-on—my personal favorite is Kristi’s description of Mallory’s hair: “His hair is neon orange, and it’s bushy and very long. He has it crammed into a ponytail, but it looks like any second the rubber band will explode and his hair will escape to roam the earth, staging military coups and taking high-profile hostages.� And Kristi’s narrative voice is so raw and real I kept reading it aloud to whomever happened to be in the room (“How many lives does Puberty have to ruin before it is finally stopped?�).
For a girl who would take Carmen over the JoBros any day and who thinks her boobs are too big and has too much junk in her trunk, this book was easy to connect with. But it’s also for anyone who thinks they aren’t good enough or just a little too different or has maybe been hurt one time too many. It was a joy to read.
For Kristi Carmichael listening to opera music, playing stealth practical jokes, making her own “found� clothing and reading people’s darkest thoughts protects her. After her dad walked out on her mother, Kristi didn’t think she could ever trust anyone again, and she goes to great lengths to keep everyone at bay so she doesn’t have to be hurt again. Then Mallory, a fiery-haired temperamental teen enrolls in their ex-hippie run private school, and she thinks she has finally found a friend who understands her. But maybe it’s Kristi who needs to be the one to offer a little understanding of her own.
This book was a wonderful, innovative alternative to your standard YA self-image novel. The character descriptions are spot-on—my personal favorite is Kristi’s description of Mallory’s hair: “His hair is neon orange, and it’s bushy and very long. He has it crammed into a ponytail, but it looks like any second the rubber band will explode and his hair will escape to roam the earth, staging military coups and taking high-profile hostages.� And Kristi’s narrative voice is so raw and real I kept reading it aloud to whomever happened to be in the room (“How many lives does Puberty have to ruin before it is finally stopped?�).
For a girl who would take Carmen over the JoBros any day and who thinks her boobs are too big and has too much junk in her trunk, this book was easy to connect with. But it’s also for anyone who thinks they aren’t good enough or just a little too different or has maybe been hurt one time too many. It was a joy to read.
November 16, 2022
Krusti, we do not give a shit about how massive your boobs are!!! Please find something else to talk about for half the book!!
April 3, 2024
G.A.R.B.A.G.E. That's all there is to it! It's cheesy, gross, and overall garbage. Don't let the cover deceive you! Or the blurb for that matter! Kristi is self-centered and bratty. She's hopelessly in love with the cutest boy in school, but just can't think about him. She just has to move past her thoughts on him and do her own thing. She can't have friends because she's so self-centered. Sorry, I mean she can have friends, who are gay and want to date the boy she's been crushing on. Yeah, Jacob! I'm talking 'bout YOU!! I thought Jacob was the bratty boy who liked to hang around Kristi because she actually talked to him. Boy was I wrong! I'd be standing with the rest of the kids in the cafeteria. I had no clue he was gay! Not to mention the fact that every other paragraph had some sort of hint towards Kristi's larger chest. I can understand her being self-conscious, but really? Every other sentence?! Mallory was gross, and rude. He was also EXTREMELY self-centered. Acne can happen, but why? Why must he use it as the excuse for everything?
'Oh, Kristi! You hate me because I'm covered in zits! You're such a ****!' Sorry Mallory if she doesn't love you, but your attitude and horrible sense of humor just wasn't her type! She didn't love you because of your face, but because of your attitude! What was the theme in the story? Self-evaluation and character development? Who changed in the book?
1. Jacob: He went gay.
2. Kristi: She went form OVERLY self-centered to just self-centered.
3. Gusty: He went from MAJOR brat to just brat.
4. Mallory: He lost his acne. Not his attitude though.
Yeah... not much has changed. Overall, this book was so bad I am ranting incoherently and don't even remember the last few words I wrote! If you've listened this far, thank you! At least someone listens to me! So, if you like LBGTQ books with plenty of swearing and gross comments and such, then this is for you! If not, don't recommend. (13+ for age). 1/2 stars.
'Oh, Kristi! You hate me because I'm covered in zits! You're such a ****!' Sorry Mallory if she doesn't love you, but your attitude and horrible sense of humor just wasn't her type! She didn't love you because of your face, but because of your attitude! What was the theme in the story? Self-evaluation and character development? Who changed in the book?
1. Jacob: He went gay.
2. Kristi: She went form OVERLY self-centered to just self-centered.
3. Gusty: He went from MAJOR brat to just brat.
4. Mallory: He lost his acne. Not his attitude though.
Yeah... not much has changed. Overall, this book was so bad I am ranting incoherently and don't even remember the last few words I wrote! If you've listened this far, thank you! At least someone listens to me! So, if you like LBGTQ books with plenty of swearing and gross comments and such, then this is for you! If not, don't recommend. (13+ for age). 1/2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2016
“[There's] one... thing I can tell you about human nature: beautiful people are the last ones you want to befriend. Beautiful people float through life thinking that it's perfectly normal for others to gaze at them adoringly, and open doors for them, and defer to their opinion... Doesn't anyone understand that beautiful people are stupid? That's why nature made them beautiful, so they'd have a chance at surviving in the wild. And how do they survive? They use people and then they drop people, and they float away on the currents of their own gorgeousness to the next poor girl who thinks that being friends with a beutiful person will somehow make her beautiful, too. I've got news for you: Hanging around beautiful people just makes you uglier by comparison.�
You see that quote up there...yup THAT pretty much is Kristi's attitude through out the whole book. so if you find that quote extremly offensive and/or annoying dont even bother with this book
here's why i liked this book
1. -The writing was good...really good. It was smooth easy to read and absolutly hilarious, yet also very honest and raw (maybe a little to raw) her attitude was definitly... real (thats for sure) she PERFECTLY resembled the attitude of a typical shallow teenage girl.
Usually i dont read chic-lits but with vibes intriguing storyline and fast-paced plot i seriously couldnt put this book down.
However though the writing was good this book did have alot of negative aspects that i just coulnt ignore
1. MC is just a down right b*tch there's just no way to put this in any other way. according to her all beutiful peaple are stupid and all ugly peaple are pitiful creatures who just cant help it. literally this is what the whole plot is about:
- her friend Jacob has disgusting hygene issues
-how bad of acne her other friend Mallory has "It's painful to look at him."
-how much she hates her mom (so in turn she literally tortures her its horrible)
-how fat she is despite the fact everyone tells her that she's beautiful,
2. then theres the seriously cliche plot : unpopular teen lusts after most popular boy who in the end turns out to have always liked her since the beginning. aauuurrgh heard that b4 * rolling eyes*
All in all Vibes was a great book, and despite everything Amy Kathleen is a pretty good writer, but unfortandtly the story was hard to get through. The idea that a normal teenage girl like me could read minds definitly intrested me, sure. But my main problem was with kristi's very judgemental attitude and perspective in life
overall im giving this book 4.5 stars
You see that quote up there...yup THAT pretty much is Kristi's attitude through out the whole book. so if you find that quote extremly offensive and/or annoying dont even bother with this book
here's why i liked this book
1. -The writing was good...really good. It was smooth easy to read and absolutly hilarious, yet also very honest and raw (maybe a little to raw) her attitude was definitly... real (thats for sure) she PERFECTLY resembled the attitude of a typical shallow teenage girl.
Usually i dont read chic-lits but with vibes intriguing storyline and fast-paced plot i seriously couldnt put this book down.
However though the writing was good this book did have alot of negative aspects that i just coulnt ignore
1. MC is just a down right b*tch there's just no way to put this in any other way. according to her all beutiful peaple are stupid and all ugly peaple are pitiful creatures who just cant help it. literally this is what the whole plot is about:
- her friend Jacob has disgusting hygene issues
-how bad of acne her other friend Mallory has "It's painful to look at him."
-how much she hates her mom (so in turn she literally tortures her its horrible)
-how fat she is despite the fact everyone tells her that she's beautiful,
2. then theres the seriously cliche plot : unpopular teen lusts after most popular boy who in the end turns out to have always liked her since the beginning. aauuurrgh heard that b4 * rolling eyes*
All in all Vibes was a great book, and despite everything Amy Kathleen is a pretty good writer, but unfortandtly the story was hard to get through. The idea that a normal teenage girl like me could read minds definitly intrested me, sure. But my main problem was with kristi's very judgemental attitude and perspective in life
overall im giving this book 4.5 stars
November 16, 2022
Peak 2000s humour. The plot was mostly bad yes but also somewhat entertaining. I love Gusty. I do not care how big the main character "gazungas" are, let's get some character development instead!
March 4, 2010
I finally read Vibes, after meeting the author at my library’s Author Open House last April and having a wonderful talk about writing for teens and her new book. At the time, I felt stupid for not having read the books of all the YA authors who were visiting our library, but she was super nice about it, and she even signed my ARC for me. I promised I’d read it. Then I took it home and put it on a shelf and forgot about it.
Yeah, that’s me � lazy, slacker-type procrastinator.
So, anyway, I picked this up because I wanted something short and funny to read to offset Blackout, which I slogged through slowly but determinedly, really enjoying parts and skimming others in frustration.
Vibes is quite funny. And short. So it worked perfectly.
Kristi is my kind of unlikable narrator. She isn’t one of the A-list mean girls, but no one would call her nice. She’s self-absorbed and has a nasty sense of humor. She incredibly judgmental, but she spends so much of her time noticing how much everyone else is judging her (for being fat; for dressing in unusual, home-made clothes; for having big boobs, or no father, etc.), she doesn’t notice how terrible she is herself. But she’s so funny and clever that I still liked reading from her POV. Also, she reminded me of how self-conscious and negative and defensively sarcastic I was at her age (only she is a lot funnier and meaner than I was). I understood where she was coming from, and that made her sympathetic even when I didn’t like her as a person.
The story itself involves typical teenage novel stuff: family, school, romance. Her dad comes back and turns out to be kind of a jerk, disappointing her when she had remembered him so fondly. She likes a boy and isn’t sure how he feels about her; meanwhile, another boy she doesn’t like that way makes his move and freaks her out. She’s still smarting over a previous friend’s betrayal. She and her mom don't understand each other and they fight. It’s the strength of the character that carries this novel (well, and the strength of the first person narrative, which is very capably written), rather than the originality of the plot.
Especially, and painfully, true for me is the character of Mallory (the boy who Kristi doesn’t like that way), who has terrible, terrible acne. He is both self-conscious and defiant about it, daring people to react and trying hard not so show how much their reactions bother him. I had terrible acne as a teen (it’s still pretty bad now at times) and my last year of high school/first year of college was so terrible that I felt like a circus freak. I hated going out in public, and I was hopelessly depressed that I would always be this monster people would stare at, and I would never have a normal relationship because of my face. I still remember catching a glimpse of myself late at night in one of the dorm bathroom mirrors and feeling like I was going to die of shame and horror. I think this was the most painful period of my life, and Ryan really captures what that feels like (even though we only see Mallory through Kristi’s ruthlessly negative impressions).
Kristi’s psychic powers are not mind reading so much as being hyper-aware of the negative things other people are thinking about her (or, as it turns out, what Kristi thinks they are thinking about her). It’s basically a big plot device, used to characterize her and create conflict, but it works for me. Kristi is so sure she knows what everyone is thinking that she doesn’t pay attention to the clues that don’t fit; and, as it turns out, she is wrong about everything. She misunderstands the simplest thoughts and behaviors, makes incorrect assumptions based on them, treats those assumptions as black-and-white Truth, and then has the gall to be surprised when someone finally calls her on it.
For some people, I think this story will succeed or fail based totally on how they feel about the psychic powers. They are a vehicle for character growth (Kristi has to change one she realizes how much her powers have led her to misunderstand others) and you either accept them or you don’t. For me, the psychic powers work as an extended metaphor for what it’s like to be a teenager. Think about it: You’re sure everyone is judging you; you dislike lots of things about yourself, and whatever you dislike the most seems like the one thing everyone else notices; you want to fit in, but you also want to stand out. I can go with the idea that Kristi obsessed about all this SO MUCH that she develops an ability that reinforces what she already thinks, like creating her own self-fulfilling prophecy. It ended up not mattering to me whether Kristi was psychic or not -- the point is, she believes she is, and it's given her an excuse to think the worst of everyone and therefore not try to understand them, keeping herself "safe".
I know I'm painting with broad strokes here, but this is how I remember it, and this is how it seems like when I reread my journals from junior high and high school. (Seriously � it wasn’t only me, right?) I really, really feel that Ryan “gets� what it’s like to be a teenager and has written a smart, funny story about it. The happy ending is a bit fairy tale, but I also appreciated it nonetheless.
Yeah, that’s me � lazy, slacker-type procrastinator.
So, anyway, I picked this up because I wanted something short and funny to read to offset Blackout, which I slogged through slowly but determinedly, really enjoying parts and skimming others in frustration.
Vibes is quite funny. And short. So it worked perfectly.
Kristi is my kind of unlikable narrator. She isn’t one of the A-list mean girls, but no one would call her nice. She’s self-absorbed and has a nasty sense of humor. She incredibly judgmental, but she spends so much of her time noticing how much everyone else is judging her (for being fat; for dressing in unusual, home-made clothes; for having big boobs, or no father, etc.), she doesn’t notice how terrible she is herself. But she’s so funny and clever that I still liked reading from her POV. Also, she reminded me of how self-conscious and negative and defensively sarcastic I was at her age (only she is a lot funnier and meaner than I was). I understood where she was coming from, and that made her sympathetic even when I didn’t like her as a person.
The story itself involves typical teenage novel stuff: family, school, romance. Her dad comes back and turns out to be kind of a jerk, disappointing her when she had remembered him so fondly. She likes a boy and isn’t sure how he feels about her; meanwhile, another boy she doesn’t like that way makes his move and freaks her out. She’s still smarting over a previous friend’s betrayal. She and her mom don't understand each other and they fight. It’s the strength of the character that carries this novel (well, and the strength of the first person narrative, which is very capably written), rather than the originality of the plot.
Especially, and painfully, true for me is the character of Mallory (the boy who Kristi doesn’t like that way), who has terrible, terrible acne. He is both self-conscious and defiant about it, daring people to react and trying hard not so show how much their reactions bother him. I had terrible acne as a teen (it’s still pretty bad now at times) and my last year of high school/first year of college was so terrible that I felt like a circus freak. I hated going out in public, and I was hopelessly depressed that I would always be this monster people would stare at, and I would never have a normal relationship because of my face. I still remember catching a glimpse of myself late at night in one of the dorm bathroom mirrors and feeling like I was going to die of shame and horror. I think this was the most painful period of my life, and Ryan really captures what that feels like (even though we only see Mallory through Kristi’s ruthlessly negative impressions).
Kristi’s psychic powers are not mind reading so much as being hyper-aware of the negative things other people are thinking about her (or, as it turns out, what Kristi thinks they are thinking about her). It’s basically a big plot device, used to characterize her and create conflict, but it works for me. Kristi is so sure she knows what everyone is thinking that she doesn’t pay attention to the clues that don’t fit; and, as it turns out, she is wrong about everything. She misunderstands the simplest thoughts and behaviors, makes incorrect assumptions based on them, treats those assumptions as black-and-white Truth, and then has the gall to be surprised when someone finally calls her on it.
For some people, I think this story will succeed or fail based totally on how they feel about the psychic powers. They are a vehicle for character growth (Kristi has to change one she realizes how much her powers have led her to misunderstand others) and you either accept them or you don’t. For me, the psychic powers work as an extended metaphor for what it’s like to be a teenager. Think about it: You’re sure everyone is judging you; you dislike lots of things about yourself, and whatever you dislike the most seems like the one thing everyone else notices; you want to fit in, but you also want to stand out. I can go with the idea that Kristi obsessed about all this SO MUCH that she develops an ability that reinforces what she already thinks, like creating her own self-fulfilling prophecy. It ended up not mattering to me whether Kristi was psychic or not -- the point is, she believes she is, and it's given her an excuse to think the worst of everyone and therefore not try to understand them, keeping herself "safe".
I know I'm painting with broad strokes here, but this is how I remember it, and this is how it seems like when I reread my journals from junior high and high school. (Seriously � it wasn’t only me, right?) I really, really feel that Ryan “gets� what it’s like to be a teenager and has written a smart, funny story about it. The happy ending is a bit fairy tale, but I also appreciated it nonetheless.
January 3, 2019
Was a really good book. Really dramatic in a good way.
March 22, 2021
Absolute complete dogshit. I love it.
November 19, 2012
The book Vibes by Maurya Simon has many interesting qualities. From drama and depression to funny and entertaining, I would highly recommend this book. I think the suspense will want the readers to read more.
One of those reasons is that Kristi (the main character) and Gusty the boy that Kristi likes) have an ongoing relationship that keeps you wondering what they are going to do next. For example on pages 218-219 it says, “I didn’t ask for your forgiveness. And I don’t care what you think of me.� I pull away from him and walk back into the school building. Part of me wants to cry, but I won’t let myself.� This evidence shows that Kristi and Gusty have a love-hate relationship. Many people will love the suspense on what Kristi and Gusty are going to do next.
Another reason is the conflict between Kristi and her mom; since her mom is never home Kristi never gets to spend time with her. Their arguments are very entertaining and sometimes even funny. It will make readers want to read more. For example on page 177 it says, “Also the time I had to start working so much. Also about when my allergies began. Also when you put the lock on your door. Interesting.� ‘At least I’m not a secret smoker!� this evidence shows that Kristi and her mom fight a lot and then other times they can be nice to each other. The tension between them will make readers want to read more, and cause them to wonder how Kristi and her mom really feel about being around each other.
One other reason is the topic of this book. The topic is very interesting and relatable. Like how the setting takes place in a high school and it’s about a girl’s life so people might be able to relate to it. For example on page 11 it says, “Suddenly I’m sideswiped by a deeply mean vibe: ‘why does she wear those clothes?� I don’t have to turn because I can see her from the corner of my eye.� This evidence shows how Kristi’s life in high school is like many other girls lives as well. So, many people will be able to connect with the concept and happenings in this book. The book talks about how in high school people gossip and many readers can relate to that because in real life, in high school and middle school, people gossip, and many other things that happen in this book happen in real schools.
Someone may not recommend this book for a few reasons. One is because of the use of language. Some people may think that their children will start using bad language after reading this. The language makes the book more interesting and emphasizes when someone is mad or angry. The book relates to real life because in the real world people swear. Another reason why someone may not recommend this book is because of how mean some of the characters are to the main character (Kristi). Many readers may find it cruel and rude. Although some characters are mean to her, Kristi always sticks up for herself and then people start being nicer, and start respecting her. One other reason why someone may not recommend this book is because of the use of cigarettes and drugs. They may think that if their children read this then they might want to get into drugs or smoking too. The drugs and smoking make the story more interesting and in the real world kids use drugs and smoke, so the book shows that the world isn’t perfect.
So, I would suggest the book Vibes by Maurya Simon to a friend. The book makes me laugh and brings suspense, and I think many others will like this book as much as I did.
One of those reasons is that Kristi (the main character) and Gusty the boy that Kristi likes) have an ongoing relationship that keeps you wondering what they are going to do next. For example on pages 218-219 it says, “I didn’t ask for your forgiveness. And I don’t care what you think of me.� I pull away from him and walk back into the school building. Part of me wants to cry, but I won’t let myself.� This evidence shows that Kristi and Gusty have a love-hate relationship. Many people will love the suspense on what Kristi and Gusty are going to do next.
Another reason is the conflict between Kristi and her mom; since her mom is never home Kristi never gets to spend time with her. Their arguments are very entertaining and sometimes even funny. It will make readers want to read more. For example on page 177 it says, “Also the time I had to start working so much. Also about when my allergies began. Also when you put the lock on your door. Interesting.� ‘At least I’m not a secret smoker!� this evidence shows that Kristi and her mom fight a lot and then other times they can be nice to each other. The tension between them will make readers want to read more, and cause them to wonder how Kristi and her mom really feel about being around each other.
One other reason is the topic of this book. The topic is very interesting and relatable. Like how the setting takes place in a high school and it’s about a girl’s life so people might be able to relate to it. For example on page 11 it says, “Suddenly I’m sideswiped by a deeply mean vibe: ‘why does she wear those clothes?� I don’t have to turn because I can see her from the corner of my eye.� This evidence shows how Kristi’s life in high school is like many other girls lives as well. So, many people will be able to connect with the concept and happenings in this book. The book talks about how in high school people gossip and many readers can relate to that because in real life, in high school and middle school, people gossip, and many other things that happen in this book happen in real schools.
Someone may not recommend this book for a few reasons. One is because of the use of language. Some people may think that their children will start using bad language after reading this. The language makes the book more interesting and emphasizes when someone is mad or angry. The book relates to real life because in the real world people swear. Another reason why someone may not recommend this book is because of how mean some of the characters are to the main character (Kristi). Many readers may find it cruel and rude. Although some characters are mean to her, Kristi always sticks up for herself and then people start being nicer, and start respecting her. One other reason why someone may not recommend this book is because of the use of cigarettes and drugs. They may think that if their children read this then they might want to get into drugs or smoking too. The drugs and smoking make the story more interesting and in the real world kids use drugs and smoke, so the book shows that the world isn’t perfect.
So, I would suggest the book Vibes by Maurya Simon to a friend. The book makes me laugh and brings suspense, and I think many others will like this book as much as I did.
Read
March 8, 2009 Kristi rules the pages of “Vibes� like she rules over her faithful follower, Jacob Flax, without giving it a thought. But the funny thing is, Kristi can read minds. Sometimes, like when Jacob is picturing her in a bikini, she wishes her mind-reading abilities would stop. But what would happen if they did? She might have to let people have their own thoughts and opinions, and this could potentially suck in many ways.
Kristi goes to a totally nutty school called Journeys. Journeys exposes children and teens to open pathways for life experiences or in other words, takes anything a normal school does and doesn’t do it. They spend time in the “contemplation room� and have assignments like the “character education� assignment she’s working on with Gusty. Talk about weird. Gusty the Greek God, Gusty the hot skater boy, Gusty her ex-bestfriend Hildie’s brother, yeah that Gusty and Kristi shared a moment behind the shed in Hildie’s yard a few years ago. Kristi still sweats thinking about it. Her not-so-secret crush on Gusty makes working with him on the “character education� assignment, well, interesting. . . Not that Gusty would ever date Kristi. She does after all make her own clothes from stuff she finds dumpster diving and eats tons of pizza that goes straight to her butt. Gusty dates girls like Eva, Hildie’s evil stick-thin best friend. Whatever.
Two years ago, Kristi’s dad journeyed to Africa to find himself after being sued and getting depressed about his life leaving Kristi and her mom with a hole that is hard to fill. Kristi has a secret cat, Minnie that serves a dual purpose of giving her oh-so-much love and anonymously triggering her overworked mom’s allergies. All of a sudden, Kristi’s dad is coming back, and this is major. I mean, he just up and left. Is he back to stay or what? Kristi is really going to make him sweat it out; she knows that much.
Kristi’s sassy outfits, mind-reading abilities, crap dad, crazy crush, and weirdo school will keep you interested from beginning to end. “Vibes� is so cute inside and out that it would make a cool purse or very hot locker accessory, if it wasn’t such an awesome new book.
Kristi goes to a totally nutty school called Journeys. Journeys exposes children and teens to open pathways for life experiences or in other words, takes anything a normal school does and doesn’t do it. They spend time in the “contemplation room� and have assignments like the “character education� assignment she’s working on with Gusty. Talk about weird. Gusty the Greek God, Gusty the hot skater boy, Gusty her ex-bestfriend Hildie’s brother, yeah that Gusty and Kristi shared a moment behind the shed in Hildie’s yard a few years ago. Kristi still sweats thinking about it. Her not-so-secret crush on Gusty makes working with him on the “character education� assignment, well, interesting. . . Not that Gusty would ever date Kristi. She does after all make her own clothes from stuff she finds dumpster diving and eats tons of pizza that goes straight to her butt. Gusty dates girls like Eva, Hildie’s evil stick-thin best friend. Whatever.
Two years ago, Kristi’s dad journeyed to Africa to find himself after being sued and getting depressed about his life leaving Kristi and her mom with a hole that is hard to fill. Kristi has a secret cat, Minnie that serves a dual purpose of giving her oh-so-much love and anonymously triggering her overworked mom’s allergies. All of a sudden, Kristi’s dad is coming back, and this is major. I mean, he just up and left. Is he back to stay or what? Kristi is really going to make him sweat it out; she knows that much.
Kristi’s sassy outfits, mind-reading abilities, crap dad, crazy crush, and weirdo school will keep you interested from beginning to end. “Vibes� is so cute inside and out that it would make a cool purse or very hot locker accessory, if it wasn’t such an awesome new book.
June 10, 2011
I came into reading this book on a very very bored night when my usual blogging platform was down for the count. So I hastily pulled the book over to myself and said, "Hey! Let's read this finally!"
They tell you not to judge a book by its cover...but what about the first couple of chapters?
At first picking up Vibes, I was cheery about it because it was something to do and I was on my third or fourth book of the week. Plus the chapters were shorter than any other book I've previously read, which amused me to no end (I still don't understand why). The farther and farther I got in though, the more I had convinced myself this was a horrible mistake. Page by page, the main character made me feel more and more like stabbing things. She was conceited, and blind to nearly everything. It was gross. But I was half way through before I told myself I would stop, and unfortunately I see books like that dumb blonde joke (red head, brunette, and blonde are stuck on a deserted island, brunette and red head swim less than half way to people land before tiring out and swimming back, but blonde swims halfway before cramping and still swims back), despite being a blonde and admittedly having dumb blonde moments (I suppose this might be one of them), if I get halfway through, I have to read until the end. Because maybe things will get better...maybe...
So I'm reading on with this desperate hope so I don't have to burn the book in my sink, and it takes 200 pages for things to get where I want them. At this point I'm just laughing at myself because clearly I've wasted all of my night reading this book with a good message at the end, but a beginning and middle that make me want to jump boat in the middle of the Pacific.
For me, there was no surprise in this book, no secrets I couldn't decipher from 50 pages in, and no message I personally needed to hear. It was a book that just made me mad.
I still harbor bitter feelings every time I catch a glance of it peeking out from the bottom shelf of my bookcase next to some tour books of Boston and Italy.
I don't know if it has to do with my age, or just the person I am in general, but this book was definitely not for me.
They tell you not to judge a book by its cover...but what about the first couple of chapters?
At first picking up Vibes, I was cheery about it because it was something to do and I was on my third or fourth book of the week. Plus the chapters were shorter than any other book I've previously read, which amused me to no end (I still don't understand why). The farther and farther I got in though, the more I had convinced myself this was a horrible mistake. Page by page, the main character made me feel more and more like stabbing things. She was conceited, and blind to nearly everything. It was gross. But I was half way through before I told myself I would stop, and unfortunately I see books like that dumb blonde joke (red head, brunette, and blonde are stuck on a deserted island, brunette and red head swim less than half way to people land before tiring out and swimming back, but blonde swims halfway before cramping and still swims back), despite being a blonde and admittedly having dumb blonde moments (I suppose this might be one of them), if I get halfway through, I have to read until the end. Because maybe things will get better...maybe...
So I'm reading on with this desperate hope so I don't have to burn the book in my sink, and it takes 200 pages for things to get where I want them. At this point I'm just laughing at myself because clearly I've wasted all of my night reading this book with a good message at the end, but a beginning and middle that make me want to jump boat in the middle of the Pacific.
For me, there was no surprise in this book, no secrets I couldn't decipher from 50 pages in, and no message I personally needed to hear. It was a book that just made me mad.
I still harbor bitter feelings every time I catch a glance of it peeking out from the bottom shelf of my bookcase next to some tour books of Boston and Italy.
I don't know if it has to do with my age, or just the person I am in general, but this book was definitely not for me.
May 27, 2009
I was definitely a litle skeptical when I picked this book up, but I have to say I was really impressed. I love the main character. She seems like the total epitome of a confused teen, faults and all, but she is still so endearing and relatable. I love Gusty, Mallory, Hildie, and Eva, and even the gay best friend Flax. They are just all so totally... themselves! I think the author did great at characterization, and maybe less great on the actual story line. I would have liked to have gotten more about her family background. For awhile, I thought Aunt Ann was her mother's sister! Also, the going back and forth from is she pyschic/is she not, I didn't really like. I don't think it was really important--she felt like she was, so that's all that really mattered in terms of the story, to me anyway.
But all in all, a great, quick read. I look forward to reading more from this author, and I would even love to read a sequel to this. It seems to me these characters are just too good to only get one book!
But all in all, a great, quick read. I look forward to reading more from this author, and I would even love to read a sequel to this. It seems to me these characters are just too good to only get one book!
August 6, 2008
A fun read with an enjoyable main character. Kristi's a bit overweight, a bit weird, a bit of a loser, and a lot angry. Oh, and she can hear other people's thoughts. (Naturally, as a teenager, the thoughts she hears are all about her.)
She's independent, mean, judgmental, funny, and not afraid of conflict, all of which combine to make her one of the less popular kids at her "hippy-dippy" high school, Journeys. She's angry at her workaholic mother, and conflicted about her dad, who left the family two years ago.
Ryan did an excellent job making all of her characters realistic and flawed, all the way down to the angry freshman working in the cafeteria who barely gets mentioned by name. And though I've used the word "angry" a lot in this review - and there's a lot of anger in the book - it's not an angstfest. Kristi comes to terms with her parents and their choices, and has to figure out how much of her psychic ability is real and how much is a crutch.
She's independent, mean, judgmental, funny, and not afraid of conflict, all of which combine to make her one of the less popular kids at her "hippy-dippy" high school, Journeys. She's angry at her workaholic mother, and conflicted about her dad, who left the family two years ago.
Ryan did an excellent job making all of her characters realistic and flawed, all the way down to the angry freshman working in the cafeteria who barely gets mentioned by name. And though I've used the word "angry" a lot in this review - and there's a lot of anger in the book - it's not an angstfest. Kristi comes to terms with her parents and their choices, and has to figure out how much of her psychic ability is real and how much is a crutch.
February 13, 2009
Kristi goes to an alternative school, feels fat thanks to her large breasts, and is angry at her mom ever since her dad left. Wait, no, not JUST her mom. Kristi's angry at the world. She keeps people from getting too close to her with her gothy eyeshadow and found-item fashions, and her snarly attitude doesn't help, either.
But she can't help having a crush on Gusty Peterson, even though she's psychic, and everytime he looks at Kristi, he thinks sick. Yeah, I know, I know, but Kristi doesn't...
Kristi's dad comes back, and that acts as a catalyst for Kristi to examine her feelings, and to learn what's really going on with Gusty. Guess what happens?
Teen girls will enjoy this, but it resolves far too easily. No great depth here.
But she can't help having a crush on Gusty Peterson, even though she's psychic, and everytime he looks at Kristi, he thinks sick. Yeah, I know, I know, but Kristi doesn't...
Kristi's dad comes back, and that acts as a catalyst for Kristi to examine her feelings, and to learn what's really going on with Gusty. Guess what happens?
Teen girls will enjoy this, but it resolves far too easily. No great depth here.
November 19, 2014
Well I absolutely hated this book. I finished it, but I hated it.
-the heroine was judgemental and bitter and constantly talked about how large her breasts were but she called them 'gazingas' or something and was constantly negative about them
-everyone was preoccupied with looks
-there was a sort of love interest who had no personality but a lot of acne and liked her for no discernible reason
-there was another love interest who had no personality but he was super hot apparently
-the fact that she was psychic was apparently a major part of the novel but the parameters of the ability were never established and it was extremely selective, it pretty much existed entirely to justify the fact that she was an awful person
URGH
-the heroine was judgemental and bitter and constantly talked about how large her breasts were but she called them 'gazingas' or something and was constantly negative about them
-everyone was preoccupied with looks
-there was a sort of love interest who had no personality but a lot of acne and liked her for no discernible reason
-there was another love interest who had no personality but he was super hot apparently
-the fact that she was psychic was apparently a major part of the novel but the parameters of the ability were never established and it was extremely selective, it pretty much existed entirely to justify the fact that she was an awful person
URGH
May 30, 2018
I kind of hated this one. It would have been mediocre except for the fact that I hated Kristi. Hated her. She’s appallingly hateful, arrogant, self-satisfied, and plainly egotistical. It’s the sort of combination that provokes high school girls to rip out one another’s hair. Poor Gusty, he seems rather like the mouse left alone with the shrew. She’s going to treat him horribly. I sense it.
August 4, 2019
Unrelatable. Irritating. Conceited.
Kristi Carmichael is insufferable. She is genuinely mean, but attempts to pass off her cruel jokes and harsh attitude as "edgy" and "rebellious." Not only does she pour oil and water on a footpath with the intention of hurting strangers, but she consistently dehumanises her peers with relentless bullying. These traits, however, are still present at the end of the book, as Ryan attempts to mitigate them with Kristi's self-reflection, which only serves to reinforce this behaviour.
Let's have a look at some of the troubling themes Ryan promotes.
Glorifying eating disorders.
Ryan reiterates Kristi is overweight, always reminding the reader that she is "fat" or "curvy." Which is troubling enough, if the fact that the charcter's father and boyfriend weren't the ones doing the reminding. Additionally, Eva (who seems like a nice person, but the protagonist seems to have an issue with for no reason) is depicted as anorexic. Which is fine, and I am not against teenagers or young adults discussing realistic issues; but, Eva is promoted as beautiful because she is thin, and more to the point, thin because she has a serious disease!"Eva is obviously anorexic and the whole school knows it. Even from far away I can see the blue veins under her porcelain skin, and her cheekbones jut out so sharply, they look like they're trying to escape her face. She's gorgeous still."
Homophobia
That's right, not only is Kristi irritating, but she harbours serious prejudices to someone she considers a good friend. When Jacob openly admits to Kristi he is gay, she looks him over, reinforcing every stereotype the media has about homosexuals. Because Jacob irons his shirt (god forbid, a man who can use household appliances!), his leather bag matches his belt and he wipes his mouth with a napkin, he is "totally gay." After this revelation, Kristi then encourages Jacob to announce his sexuality in the cafeteria, instantly. After this, Jacob's character is relegated to the gay sidekick trope, following the straight protagonist around like a puppy, only there to act as the punching bag for her malice whims.
Sexism
If homophobia and eating disorders didn't quite turn you off this book, the blatant sexism will. Kristi is consistently thinking vile things about other women, beautifully illustrating how her internalised misogyny tears down the women around her. Ironically, Kristi hates Eva and Hildie because they think rude things (if either could read minds, they would be justified in hating Kristi, whose mind is akin to an ashtray); which is cause enough for her to bully them relentlessly, under the guise of self-preservation. Additionally, Kristi blames her mother's weight and appearance for her father leaving, berating her for daring to not wear makeup when she goes to work... as a surgeon! Kristi's father reinforces this behaviour, as he imparts this gem of wisdom, "It can be hard on a man when his wife is more ambitious in her career than he is. It's very emasculating."Gee, thanks dad. I suppose her mother should just stay at home and cook, rather than being the chief of surgery and supporting his child because he left the family home.
Don't even get me started on the fact that the words retard and fag were used as derogatory slurs. The book was published in 2009, not 1959.
TL;DR: This book is toxic. It promotes horrendous themes under the umbrella of "rebelliousness," when in reality, the protagonist is just a plain, old bully.
Kristi Carmichael is insufferable. She is genuinely mean, but attempts to pass off her cruel jokes and harsh attitude as "edgy" and "rebellious." Not only does she pour oil and water on a footpath with the intention of hurting strangers, but she consistently dehumanises her peers with relentless bullying. These traits, however, are still present at the end of the book, as Ryan attempts to mitigate them with Kristi's self-reflection, which only serves to reinforce this behaviour.
Let's have a look at some of the troubling themes Ryan promotes.
Glorifying eating disorders.
Ryan reiterates Kristi is overweight, always reminding the reader that she is "fat" or "curvy." Which is troubling enough, if the fact that the charcter's father and boyfriend weren't the ones doing the reminding. Additionally, Eva (who seems like a nice person, but the protagonist seems to have an issue with for no reason) is depicted as anorexic. Which is fine, and I am not against teenagers or young adults discussing realistic issues; but, Eva is promoted as beautiful because she is thin, and more to the point, thin because she has a serious disease!"Eva is obviously anorexic and the whole school knows it. Even from far away I can see the blue veins under her porcelain skin, and her cheekbones jut out so sharply, they look like they're trying to escape her face. She's gorgeous still."
Homophobia
That's right, not only is Kristi irritating, but she harbours serious prejudices to someone she considers a good friend. When Jacob openly admits to Kristi he is gay, she looks him over, reinforcing every stereotype the media has about homosexuals. Because Jacob irons his shirt (god forbid, a man who can use household appliances!), his leather bag matches his belt and he wipes his mouth with a napkin, he is "totally gay." After this revelation, Kristi then encourages Jacob to announce his sexuality in the cafeteria, instantly. After this, Jacob's character is relegated to the gay sidekick trope, following the straight protagonist around like a puppy, only there to act as the punching bag for her malice whims.
Sexism
If homophobia and eating disorders didn't quite turn you off this book, the blatant sexism will. Kristi is consistently thinking vile things about other women, beautifully illustrating how her internalised misogyny tears down the women around her. Ironically, Kristi hates Eva and Hildie because they think rude things (if either could read minds, they would be justified in hating Kristi, whose mind is akin to an ashtray); which is cause enough for her to bully them relentlessly, under the guise of self-preservation. Additionally, Kristi blames her mother's weight and appearance for her father leaving, berating her for daring to not wear makeup when she goes to work... as a surgeon! Kristi's father reinforces this behaviour, as he imparts this gem of wisdom, "It can be hard on a man when his wife is more ambitious in her career than he is. It's very emasculating."Gee, thanks dad. I suppose her mother should just stay at home and cook, rather than being the chief of surgery and supporting his child because he left the family home.
Don't even get me started on the fact that the words retard and fag were used as derogatory slurs. The book was published in 2009, not 1959.
TL;DR: This book is toxic. It promotes horrendous themes under the umbrella of "rebelliousness," when in reality, the protagonist is just a plain, old bully.
Read
May 16, 2024Vibes is based on a girl named Kristi, she attends highschool and has the ability read minds. What i like about this story is that the main character is relatable. Like me, she goes to highschool and she struggles with typical teenager problems like body image, a low self esteem, and conflict with parents. She’s very much a teenager in the way that shes very sarcastic and self conscious but also just scared. Her attitude and the way she presents herself on the outside is a result of her traumas. For example, her dad walked out on her and her mom. As a result, she resented her mom and was mean to her. Additionally, she developed trust issues and began wearing heavy makeup and homemade clothes. Her rugged appearance is a reflection of who she is. Her appearance slowly changes over time as well as her attitude once she experiences some things and gains more of an understanding.
Kristi’s attitude towards others is spiteful, especially to those she thinks are good looking and/or popular. She thinks that people who are beautiful are also dumb and shallow. But really, she’s the shallow one for thinking that way. This contradicts the fact that Gusty, a popular guy, begins to talk to her and even likes her. He thinks she’s sick and Kristi knows this because she can read his mind. Because of the fact that she already knows other people usually don’t like her, she takes offense to Gusty’s opinion of her. Her view of people comes from a place of insecurity, making her complex and her path to growth interesting. She’s a self proclaimed “bitch�, she talks about her only friend in a very degrading way, often pointing out his bad appearance and hygiene. Saying he’s painful to look at. Her bluntness is admirable at times though. She stands up for herself against anyone in her way. The part where Kristi’s dad came back and explained to her that he had left to be a doctor in Africa and the way Kristi’s resentment for her mother lessened really hit close to home and I think contributed to her growth, greatly. Along with her relationship with Gusty, the popular boy who liked her. She has read him wrong the whole time and thought he hated her because she read his thoughts and he thought she was sick. To her surprise, he meant she was sick in a good way. Ultimately, her snarky remarks and the way situations unfolded was really funny or very real and relatable, it was enjoyable to see how everything together summed up her character development.
Kristi’s attitude towards others is spiteful, especially to those she thinks are good looking and/or popular. She thinks that people who are beautiful are also dumb and shallow. But really, she’s the shallow one for thinking that way. This contradicts the fact that Gusty, a popular guy, begins to talk to her and even likes her. He thinks she’s sick and Kristi knows this because she can read his mind. Because of the fact that she already knows other people usually don’t like her, she takes offense to Gusty’s opinion of her. Her view of people comes from a place of insecurity, making her complex and her path to growth interesting. She’s a self proclaimed “bitch�, she talks about her only friend in a very degrading way, often pointing out his bad appearance and hygiene. Saying he’s painful to look at. Her bluntness is admirable at times though. She stands up for herself against anyone in her way. The part where Kristi’s dad came back and explained to her that he had left to be a doctor in Africa and the way Kristi’s resentment for her mother lessened really hit close to home and I think contributed to her growth, greatly. Along with her relationship with Gusty, the popular boy who liked her. She has read him wrong the whole time and thought he hated her because she read his thoughts and he thought she was sick. To her surprise, he meant she was sick in a good way. Ultimately, her snarky remarks and the way situations unfolded was really funny or very real and relatable, it was enjoyable to see how everything together summed up her character development.
Read
May 3, 2023I read this as a kid for the first time I think at like age 11 or 12? Last year or so I stumbled upon a tweet talking about how a person was looking for a book they once read. They started explaining some of the plot and eventually I went omg I’ve read that. And eventually was able to help them locate this book.
Now after that interaction I knew I had to give this a re read. I couldn’t remember too much about it except for one particularly hilarious plot point.
In fact the only thing that my brain held on to was� and y’all I have to laugh.
So for context the heroine, Kristi can kind of read minds. Only thoughts that relate to her specifically but she can read them.
Kristi’s got a crush on some guy named Gusty Peterson (don’t ask me, 🤷🏾♀� not sure why a parent would look their newborn baby in the eye and name it Gusty�). Anyway Gusty’s like the hottest guy in school and every time Kristi is near she hears Gusty calling her “sick.� Kristi hates it because she thinks he finds her gross and disgusting. Come to find out, and walk with me here� 😭 he wasn’t referring to her as nasty. He was just calling her breasts sick. He thinks she’s got a nice rack. 😭😭😭
That’s the only plot point 11 year old me remembered and everything else? Irrelevant I guess.
Upon my re read, however I unfortunately understood exactly why that was the only plot point I remembered.
Kristi or heroine is annoying and not in an endearing way. She’s a terrible friend and horribly self absorbed. I know we all are to a degree and as a teenager even more but she’s mean to everyone. Everyone. In her head mostly, but every 5 seconds she’s just picking at everyone’s looks. Her best friends, her mom, her self. It’s sad and but also draining. I feel sorry that Kristi lives in a head that’s so awful.
I hated sharing her mind and unfortunately did nothing to make her even remotely endearing.
I like the Netflix show never have I ever. And man is Devi annoying and stupid. But Mindy Kaling and the writers do a good job of making Devi someone you still root for and at least like if not love. Here Kristi’s got nothing.
I give her grace for being a teen but.
2 star read. I was a bit bored and annoyed half the time but because of the Gusty boob plot point I added another star. I love a good laugh.
Now after that interaction I knew I had to give this a re read. I couldn’t remember too much about it except for one particularly hilarious plot point.
In fact the only thing that my brain held on to was� and y’all I have to laugh.
So for context the heroine, Kristi can kind of read minds. Only thoughts that relate to her specifically but she can read them.
Kristi’s got a crush on some guy named Gusty Peterson (don’t ask me, 🤷🏾♀� not sure why a parent would look their newborn baby in the eye and name it Gusty�). Anyway Gusty’s like the hottest guy in school and every time Kristi is near she hears Gusty calling her “sick.� Kristi hates it because she thinks he finds her gross and disgusting. Come to find out, and walk with me here� 😭 he wasn’t referring to her as nasty. He was just calling her breasts sick. He thinks she’s got a nice rack. 😭😭😭
That’s the only plot point 11 year old me remembered and everything else? Irrelevant I guess.
Upon my re read, however I unfortunately understood exactly why that was the only plot point I remembered.
Kristi or heroine is annoying and not in an endearing way. She’s a terrible friend and horribly self absorbed. I know we all are to a degree and as a teenager even more but she’s mean to everyone. Everyone. In her head mostly, but every 5 seconds she’s just picking at everyone’s looks. Her best friends, her mom, her self. It’s sad and but also draining. I feel sorry that Kristi lives in a head that’s so awful.
I hated sharing her mind and unfortunately did nothing to make her even remotely endearing.
I like the Netflix show never have I ever. And man is Devi annoying and stupid. But Mindy Kaling and the writers do a good job of making Devi someone you still root for and at least like if not love. Here Kristi’s got nothing.
I give her grace for being a teen but.
2 star read. I was a bit bored and annoyed half the time but because of the Gusty boob plot point I added another star. I love a good laugh.
June 16, 2017
I opened the book, read the first paragraph, and wanted to burn it. This may make or break this book for a lot of people.
It isn't easy being able to read minds. People think up some pretty nasty sewage. Like the other day- I'm walking home from school when I come across an old guy walking his smelly Doberman. He's definitely a candidate for this year's Stodgist American Award. Black suit coat, gray pants, white stuff in the corners of his mouth. He takes one look at my thick legs in their fishnets and my skirt that I made out of Mylar birthday balloons and my tank top that barely contains my ginormous boobs and finally the eyeliner I cake over my eyes because it makes me look dangerous, and he thinks: Ugly bitch.
Okay, well let me tell you what I'm thinking. The main character sounds like a dumb slutty annoying brat. I'm sorry but fishnets and a shirt that doesn't contain your 'ginormous boobs' put your slut away and express yourself without making me want to cross the street when I see you (to avoid the crabs jumping off your...). You make all women look bad. You make it okay for men to treat us like just body pats.
>=[ .... >=[ ..... >=[....
I swear to god Amy Kathleen Ryan, if I DO read this trash book, you better end the crapfck that is this first paragraph.
It isn't easy being able to read minds. People think up some pretty nasty sewage. Like the other day- I'm walking home from school when I come across an old guy walking his smelly Doberman. He's definitely a candidate for this year's Stodgist American Award. Black suit coat, gray pants, white stuff in the corners of his mouth. He takes one look at my thick legs in their fishnets and my skirt that I made out of Mylar birthday balloons and my tank top that barely contains my ginormous boobs and finally the eyeliner I cake over my eyes because it makes me look dangerous, and he thinks: Ugly bitch.
Okay, well let me tell you what I'm thinking. The main character sounds like a dumb slutty annoying brat. I'm sorry but fishnets and a shirt that doesn't contain your 'ginormous boobs' put your slut away and express yourself without making me want to cross the street when I see you (to avoid the crabs jumping off your...). You make all women look bad. You make it okay for men to treat us like just body pats.
>=[ .... >=[ ..... >=[....
I swear to god Amy Kathleen Ryan, if I DO read this trash book, you better end the crapfck that is this first paragraph.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.