From the author’s website: 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The best thing about this unique novel is the characters-all are multi-layered and more complex that they appear. Kristi is a great character with such an authentic and strong voice. Without giving too much away, Kristi’s psychic ‘ability’ is a really cool metaphor for the teenage experience. The author really captures that mix of being young and feeling like you know it all, along with the intense (often harsh) judgment of oneself and others that is a reality for a lot of young people. There is also a great romantic element to the story, and the school scenario and teachers are pretty hilarious.
I am a fan of the straight-forward writing style. It is a relatively easy read, well-written, and good for a reluctant reader. Looking forward to reading more of Ryan’s work.
Rating-4
