diff --git a/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py b/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
index 197025785..feeb008fa 100644
--- a/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by Django 3.0.2 on 2020-01-29 02:56
+# Generated by Django 3.0.2 on 2020-01-29 06:31
 
 from django.conf import settings
 import django.contrib.auth.models
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
                 ('summary', models.TextField(blank=True, null=True)),
                 ('local', models.BooleanField(default=True)),
                 ('localname', models.CharField(blank=True, max_length=255, null=True, unique=True)),
+                ('name', models.CharField(blank=True, max_length=100, null=True)),
                 ('avatar', models.ImageField(blank=True, null=True, upload_to='uploads/')),
                 ('created_date', models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)),
                 ('updated_date', models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)),
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
             name='Review',
             fields=[
                 ('activity_ptr', models.OneToOneField(auto_created=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, parent_link=True, primary_key=True, serialize=False, to='fedireads.Activity')),
-                ('name', models.TextField()),
+                ('name', models.CharField(max_length=255)),
                 ('rating', models.IntegerField(default=0)),
                 ('review_content', models.TextField()),
                 ('book', models.ForeignKey(on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.PROTECT, to='fedireads.Book')),
diff --git a/fedireads/models.py b/fedireads/models.py
index b59b2dfe5..eb9f4aecf 100644
--- a/fedireads/models.py
+++ b/fedireads/models.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
         blank=True,
         unique=True
     )
+    # name is your display name, which you can change at will
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=100, blank=True, null=True)
     avatar = models.ImageField(upload_to='uploads/', blank=True, null=True)
     # TODO: a field for if non-local users are readers or others
     followers = models.ManyToManyField('self', symmetrical=False)
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ class Review(Activity):
     ''' a book review '''
     book = models.ForeignKey('Book', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
     work = models.ForeignKey('Work', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
-    name = models.TextField()
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
     # TODO: validation
     rating = models.IntegerField(default=0)
     review_content = models.TextField()
diff --git a/fedireads/settings.py b/fedireads/settings.py
index 698016bb2..d0d225704 100644
--- a/fedireads/settings.py
+++ b/fedireads/settings.py
@@ -119,4 +119,5 @@ USE_TZ = True
 
 STATIC_URL = '/static/'
 MEDIA_URL = '/images/'
-MEDIA_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, MEDIA_URL)
+# TODO: this super doesn't work when I do a join on BASE_DIR
+MEDIA_ROOT = '/Users/mouse/Personal/fedireads/images/'
diff --git a/fedireads/static/format.css b/fedireads/static/format.css
index bd10ab34b..c53691c0a 100644
--- a/fedireads/static/format.css
+++ b/fedireads/static/format.css
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ h2 {
 }
 #actions {
     flex-grow: 0;
+    text-align: right;
 }
 
 #top-bar {
@@ -88,10 +89,6 @@ h2 {
     width: 90%;
 }
 
-form label {
-    display: block;
-}
-
 .review-form textarea {
     width: 30rem;
     height: 10rem;
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/book.html b/fedireads/templates/book.html
index 073bfadbe..e6837d345 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/book.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/book.html
@@ -13,15 +13,7 @@
 
         <form class="review-form" name="review" action="/review/" method="post">
             <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.openlibrary_key }}"></input>
-            <label for="name">Title:
-                <input type="text" name="name"></input>
-            </label>
-            <label for="content">
-                <textarea name="content"></textarea>
-            </label>
-            <label for="rating">Your rating (1-5)
-                <input type="number" name="rating"></input>
-            </label>
+            {{ review_form.as_p }}
             <button type="submit">Post review</button>
         </form>
     </div>
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/edit_user.html b/fedireads/templates/edit_user.html
index dc66d6558..e59a3ea26 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/edit_user.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/edit_user.html
@@ -2,51 +2,13 @@
 {% block content %}
 <div id="content">
     <div class="user-profile">
+        <h1>{% if user.localname %}{{ user.localname }}{% else %}{{ user.username }}{% endif %}</h1>
         <img class="user-pic" src="/static/images/profile.jpg">
-        <form name="avatar" action="/upload-avatar/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
-            <input type="file" name="avatar">
+        <form name="avatar" action="/edit_profile/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+            {% csrf_token %}
+            {{ form.as_p }}
             <button type="submit">Upload</button>
         </form>
-        <h1>{% if user.localname %}{{ user.localname }}{% else %}{{ user.username }}{% endif %}</h1>
-        {% if is_self %}<a href="/user/{{ user.localname }}/edit">Edit profile</a>
-        <p>Since {{ user.created_date }}</p>
-        {% endif %}
-        {% if not is_self %}
-        {% if not following %}
-        <form action="/follow/" method="post">
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.id }}"></input>
-            <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
-        </form>
-        {% else %}
-        <form action="/unfollow/" method="post">
-            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.id }}"></input>
-            <input type="submit" value="Unfollow"></input>
-        </form>
-        {% endif %}
-        {% endif %}
     </div>
-
-    <div>
-        <h2>Books</h2>
-        {% for book in books.all %}
-        <div class="book">
-            {{ book.data.title }} by {{ book.authors.first.data.name }}
-        </div>
-        {% endfor %}
-    </div>
-
-    <div>
-        <h2>Followers</h2>
-        {% for follower in user.followers.all %}
-        <div>
-            <a href="{{ follower.actor }}">{{ follower.username }}</a>
-            <form action="/follow/" method="post">
-                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ follower.id }}"></input>
-                <input type="submit" value="Follow"></input>
-            </form>
-        </div>
-        {% endfor %}
-    </div>
-
 </div>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/feed.html b/fedireads/templates/feed.html
index 657b6e410..23057c178 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/feed.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/feed.html
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     {% for activity in activities %}
     <div class="update">
         <h2>
-        <img class="user-pic" src="static/images/profile.jpg">
+            <img class="user-pic" src="{% if activity.user.avatar %}/images/{{ activity.user.avatar }}{% else %}/static/images/default_avi.jpg{% endif %}">
         {# TODO: a helper function for displaying a username #}
         <a href="/user/{% if activity.user.localname %}{{ activity.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ activity.user.username }}{% endif %}" class="user">
                 {% if activity.user.localname %}{{ activity.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ activity.user.username }}{% endif %}</a>
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/layout.html b/fedireads/templates/layout.html
index 243b51550..3923d73ec 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/layout.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/layout.html
@@ -27,20 +27,21 @@
                 <div id="account">
                     {% if user.is_authenticated %}
                     <form name="logout" action="/logout/" method="post">
-                        Welcome, {% if request.user.localname %}{{ request.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ request.user.username }}{% endif %}
+                        Welcome, <a href="{{ request.user.actor }}">{% if request.user.localname %}{{ request.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ request.user.username }}{% endif %}</a>
                         <input type="submit" value="Log out"></input>
                     </form>
                     {% else %}
                     <form name="login" action="/login/" method="post">
-                        <input type="text" name="username"></input>
-                        <input type="password" name="password"></input>
+                        {% for field in login_form %}
+                            {{ field }}
+                        {% endfor %}
                         <input type="submit" value="Log in"></input>
                     </form>
                     {% endif %}
                 </div>
                 <div id="search">
                     <form action="/search/">
-                        <input type="text" name="q"></input>
+                        <input type="text" name="q" placeholder="search"></input>
                         <input type="submit" value="🔍"></input>
                     </form>
                 </div>
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/login.html b/fedireads/templates/login.html
index bfb54605f..a5b879112 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/login.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/login.html
@@ -3,13 +3,7 @@
 <div id="content">
     <div>
         <form name="login" method="post">
-            <label for="username">Username:
-                <input type="text" name="username"></input>
-            </label>
-
-            <label for="password">Password:
-                <input type="password" name="password"></input>
-            </label>
+            {{ login_form.as_p }}
             <button type="submit">Log in</button>
         </form>
         <a href="/register/">Create a new account</a>
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/register.html b/fedireads/templates/register.html
index f4fb80478..761ce4c70 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/register.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/register.html
@@ -3,17 +3,7 @@
 <div id="content">
     <div>
         <form name="register" method="post">
-            <label for="username">Username:
-                <input type="text" name="username"></input>
-            </label>
-
-            <label for="email">Email address:
-                <input type="text" name="email"></input>
-            </label>
-
-            <label for="password">Password:
-                <input type="password" name="password"></input>
-            </label>
+            {{ register_form.as_p }}
             <button type="submit">Create account</button>
         </form>
 
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/user.html b/fedireads/templates/user.html
index 0cab7b404..b8aa8a192 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/user.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/user.html
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 {% block content %}
 <div id="content">
     <div class="user-profile">
-        <img class="user-pic" src="/static/images/profile.jpg">
-        <h1>{% if user.localname %}{{ user.localname }}{% else %}{{ user.username }}{% endif %}</h1>
+        <img class="user-pic" src="{% if user.avatar %}/images/{{ user.avatar }}{% else %}/static/images/default_avi.jpg{% endif %}">
+        <h1>{% if user.name %}{{ user.name }}<br>{% endif %}{% if user.localname %}{{ user.localname }}{% else %}{{ user.username }}{% endif %}</h1>
+        {% if user.summary %}
+        <blockquote>{{ user.summary }}</blockquote>
+        {% endif %}
         {% if is_self %}<a href="/user/{{ user.localname }}/edit">Edit profile</a>
         <p>Since {{ user.created_date }}</p>
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/fedireads/urls.py b/fedireads/urls.py
index e286346bf..7aad76632 100644
--- a/fedireads/urls.py
+++ b/fedireads/urls.py
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ urlpatterns = [
     path('follow/', views.follow),
     path('unfollow/', views.unfollow),
     path('search/', views.search),
-    path('upload-avatar/', views.upload_avatar),
+    path('edit_profile/', views.edit_profile),
 
 ] + static(settings.MEDIA_URL, document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT)
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index 3a8513df6..455dd84ac 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 import re
 
-from fedireads import models, openlibrary, outgoing as api
+from fedireads import forms, models, openlibrary, outgoing as api
 from fedireads.settings import DOMAIN
 
 
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ def home(request):
         '-created_date'
     )[:10]
 
+    login_form = forms.LoginForm()
     data = {
         'user': request.user,
         'shelves': shelves,
         'recent_books': recent_books,
         'user_books': user_books,
         'activities': activities,
+        'login_form': login_form,
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'feed.html', data)
 
@@ -47,12 +49,17 @@ def user_login(request):
     ''' authentication '''
     # send user to the login page
     if request.method == 'GET':
-        return TemplateResponse(request, 'login.html')
+        form = forms.LoginForm()
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'login.html', {'login_form': form})
 
     # authenticate user
-    username = request.POST['username']
+    form = forms.LoginForm(request.POST)
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'login.html')
+
+    username = form.data['username']
     username = '%s@%s' % (username, DOMAIN)
-    password = request.POST['password']
+    password = form.data['password']
     user = authenticate(request, username=username, password=password)
     if user is not None:
         login(request, user)
@@ -72,12 +79,20 @@ def user_logout(request):
 def register(request):
     ''' join the server '''
     if request.method == 'GET':
-        return TemplateResponse(request, 'register.html')
+        form = forms.RegisterForm()
+        return TemplateResponse(
+            request,
+            'register.html',
+            {'register_form': form}
+        )
 
-    username = request.POST['username']
-    password = request.POST['password']
-    email = request.POST['email']
-    password = request.POST['password']
+    form = forms.RegisterForm(request.POST)
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        return redirect('/register/')
+
+    username = form.data['username']
+    email = form.data['email']
+    password = form.data['password']
 
     user = models.User.objects.create_user(username, email, password)
     login(request, user)
@@ -112,7 +127,9 @@ def user_profile_edit(request, username):
     except models.User.DoesNotExist:
         return HttpResponseNotFound()
 
+    form = forms.EditUserForm()
     data = {
+        'form': form,
         'user': user,
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_user.html', data)
@@ -120,11 +137,17 @@ def user_profile_edit(request, username):
 
 @csrf_exempt
 @login_required
-def upload_avatar(request):
+def edit_profile(request):
     ''' les get fancy with images '''
     if not request.method == 'POST':
+        return redirect('/user/%s' % request.user.localname)
+    form = forms.EditUserForm(request.POST, request.FILES)
+    if not form.is_valid():
         return redirect('/')
-    request.user.avatar = request.FILES['avatar']
+    request.user.name = form.data['name']
+    if 'avatar' in form.files:
+        request.user.avatar = form.files['avatar']
+    request.user.summary = form.data['summary']
     request.user.save()
     return redirect('/user/%s' % request.user.localname)
 
@@ -137,10 +160,12 @@ def book_page(request, book_identifier):
         Q(work=book.works.first()) | Q(book=book)
     )
     rating = reviews.aggregate(Avg('rating'))
+    review_form = forms.ReviewForm()
     data = {
         'book': book,
         'reviews': reviews,
         'rating': rating['rating__avg'],
+        'review_form': review_form,
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'book.html', data)
 
@@ -160,14 +185,17 @@ def shelve(request, shelf_id, book_id):
 @login_required
 def review(request):
     ''' create a book review note '''
-    # TODO: error handling
+    form = forms.ReviewForm(request.POST)
+    # TODO: better failure behavior
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        return redirect('/')
     book_identifier = request.POST.get('book')
     book = openlibrary.get_or_create_book(book_identifier)
 
     # TODO: validation, htmlification
-    name = request.POST.get('name')
-    content = request.POST.get('content')
-    rating = request.POST.get('rating')
+    name = form.data.get('name')
+    content = form.data.get('review_content')
+    rating = form.data.get('rating')
 
     api.handle_review(request.user, book, name, content, rating)
     return redirect(book_identifier)