The second half of Leila Sales’s new novel, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, is set at Revibe, a “reputation rehabilitation retreat” in Malibu. Different types of people come to Revibe—some are young and some are old, some are wealthy and some are struggling, some are mad at themselves and others are mad at the world. What they share is that everyone at Revibe has committed a perceived moral crime for which they have been publicly shamed. They have all gone there because Revibe promises to help them redeem themselves in the eyes of the world.

Here, author Leila Sales will introduce you to the characters you’ll meet at Revibe. She’ll tell you a little about them, and she’ll share a theme song for each one—because what better way is there to get to know someone than through music? Of course, if you really want to know these people on a deep level, there’s only one way to do that—and that’s to read the book!  

Winter: Winter is our protagonist. She lives in California’s Bay Area and has just graduated from high school. She won the National Spelling Bee when she was a kid, and she wants to be a writer. She chooses to go to Revibe after she makes a racially charged post online, it goes viral, and she finds herself suddenly public enemy number one.

Winter’s song is “Untitled,” by the Cure, because it’s the perfect song about what happens when your words—or lack of them—betray you.

Abe: Abe is 20 and from Westport, Connecticut. He used to sing in an a cappella chorus, sail, and ski, but he stopped all that after his investment-banker father was convicted for securities fraud. Many of the people who lost their money through Abe’s father blame Abe as well, saying he must have known what was going on. Abe grows so desperate and depressed that he attempts suicide. He lives, but winds up a paraplegic in a wheelchair.

Abe’s song is “I’ll Be,” by Edwin McCain, because that was his solo when he was in the a cappella group. (And he sings it once in the book, but I won’t give away why!) 

Jazmyn: Jazmyn is 17 and from Austin, Texas. She has pink streaks in her hair and a diamond stud in her nose, which she pierced herself, using nothing but a safety pin and alcohol.

She played guitar in a band called You But Good in Bed. They have this name so fans can say things like, “You know who I’m really into these days? You, But Good in Bed.” Or, “I could totally go for You, But Good in Bed right now.” Jazmyn winds up at Revibe after a slut-shaming incident.

Her song is “Sex,” by the 1975, because You, But Good in Bed sounds a lot like the 1975.

Marco: Marco is in his late forties and is the mayor of a city in Georgia with a wife and a daughter. He heads to Revibe after he is outed as a user of a dating site for gay men—because he used his government e-mail address to register for it.

Marco’s song is “Born This Way,” by Lady Gaga, because Marco needs to come to terms with the person he was born to be, and not keep forcing himself into the box of the person he thinks the voting public wants.

Kisha: Kisha is 21 and lives in Los Angeles. She used to be one of the stars of a Disney TV show called Sense That! The show ended six years ago, and since then she’s declined into former-child-star infamy: speeding tickets, candid photos of her dress riding up her thighs at Hollywood parties, minor shoplifting charges, the works. No one will hire her as an actress these days because they think she’s a bad role model and a liability. And she doesn’t know what any other sort of life looks like, because she grew up on TV. She’s come to Revibe to get her life back on track.

Kisha’s song is “Lucky,” by Britney Spears, because it’s about the uncharmed life of a Hollywood celeb, and because Britney has, of course, grappled with some of the challenges of growing up as a famous kid.

Zeke: Zeke has just turned 16. He lives in a fancy Manhattan apartment building, plays soccer, and is generally too cool for school. His parents send him to Revibe after a story goes viral about him throwing his neighbor’s cat down the trash shoot, and the building management threatens to kick out the family if they don’t get Zeke under control.

Zeke’s song is “I’m Too Sexy,” by Right Said Fred, because Zeke generally acts like the rules don’t apply to him just because he’s physically attractive.

Richard: Richard is in his thirties and is the single father of a little girl whom he loves more than anything. He works for the power company and in his limited free time enjoys hunting, poker, and a stiff drink. He signs up for Revibe after getting vilified by animal rights activists and gun control activists for shooting an endangered South China tiger when it escapes from a zoo and threatens his daughter.

This may be too on the nose, considering what he’s here for, but Richard’s song is “Eye of the Tiger,” by Survivor.

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales

This provocative and relevant young adult novel is about Winter, a one-time National Spelling Bee Champ with a bright future ahead of her. That all changes after she haphazardly writes an offensive tweet that she thought was a harmless joke. What unfolds is a barrage of Internet shaming and rejection from her community and closest friends. Winter seeks to redeem herself but first must come to terms with what she wrote and understand why there was so much backlash.

Start reading now.