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whoisrois's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jeslyncat's review against another edition
3.0
Another good character and story by Cabot. I wish we had more of these and less of the Princess Diaries. Cabot always fills her books with humor, fun, emotion, love, and friendship.
briarhoes's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I forgot how horrifying this concept was. Meg doesn't really pull any punches with it, either, despite keeping it a pretty cute teen novel. I'm an adult now and still invested!
I picked this book up to study teen lit so that I can start writing it myself, and I wasn't disappointed. I loved all of Meg Cabot's books when I was younger, and although I've certainly aged out of the target demographic, I still find them very charming, enjoyabe, and nostalgic. They're well written enough to still be engaging for adults, as well as super fun for teens and not age inappropriate. It references sex and drugs, but doesn't glorify the latter, and is pretty reasonable about its attitude towards the former for teenagers. I think Em is a very realistic teenaged girl and I had a great time reading this. I'll finish the series for sure.
I picked this book up to study teen lit so that I can start writing it myself, and I wasn't disappointed. I loved all of Meg Cabot's books when I was younger, and although I've certainly aged out of the target demographic, I still find them very charming, enjoyabe, and nostalgic. They're well written enough to still be engaging for adults, as well as super fun for teens and not age inappropriate. It references sex and drugs, but doesn't glorify the latter, and is pretty reasonable about its attitude towards the former for teenagers. I think Em is a very realistic teenaged girl and I had a great time reading this. I'll finish the series for sure.
kimmybartle's review
5.0
The Airhead series are the equivalent of teen Drop Dead Diva (but backwards) and I was SO here for it. 10/10 Rereading material.
icygrl7's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kelsey3's review against another edition
2.0
Overall: 2.5 stars
Book Breakdown —
Characters: I liked the supporting characters the most, like Christopher and Lulu. I wished all of these characters had been in the book more and been delved into further.
Pacing/ length: very slow overall. Not much plot. Mostly build up and filler.
Cover design: LOVED it. Serious Hollywood vibes!
Plot: Interesting enough, but I wanted more from it. It didn’t live up to the potential it had.
Reading Medium: Audiobook. Narration was decent.
Summary—
Emerson Watts’ body is crushed at the same time that supermodel Nikki Howard has a brain aneurysm during the grand opening of a Stark Megastore. So in order to save Emerson Watts life, the doctors do a brain transplant and put her live brain into supermodel Nikki Howard’s live, but brain dead, body. Emerson then has to figure out how to live as supermodel Nikki Howard, otherwise her family will owe 2 million dollars in medical bills. But she isn’t allowed to tell anyone what happened to her, aside from her immediate family, due to the fact that the operation was secretly covered by Nikki Howard’s employer, Stark Enterprises; a company which aims to maintain a decent PR appearance instead of taking heat for participating in an ethically gray procedure. While juggling her new life and career, Em has to figure out how to be a supermodel, maintain her grades in high school, and juggle the numerous young men vying for Nikki Howard’s attention.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Detailed Review—
Emerson Watts is an OK protagonist. She’s not great, but she’s not awful either. She is slightly judgmental and I don’t love that about her. Plus, she does make a lot of mistakes that seem glaringly obvious to the reader, but overall she is fine. She’s just not that memorable.
In addition, the entire book was a whole lot of build up and background, instead of actually focusing on the plot. By the time the story started to pick up, the book was over. Which is the big reason why I gave this book a two and a half star rating. I simply wanted more out of it.
Furthering that point, I wanted to see more of Nikki‘s life through Em’s eyes. Instead, all I got to see was Em’s life in Nikkis eyes, with bits of Nikkis life thrown in there. I was way more interested in seeing Nikki supermodel career and seeing what that life style looked like. Instead, I followed Emerson in Nikki’s body, as she went to high school… Which wasn’t exactly entertaining. I just felt like there was so much potential here to explore what a celebrity lifestyle would be like for a normal person, but the book didn’t deliver the way I was hoping it would.
Also, it was kind of a damaging theme to have Em and her mom preach about feminism while damning any woman who doesn’t follow their line of thinking. If the woman likes to do anything feminine, like cheerleading or read fashion magazines or wear makeup or flirt, then Em and her mom judges them. I don’t like that. I unfortunately think it is realistic writing because I know many women who do behave this way while simultaneously proclaiming themselves a feminist, but still I didn’t like it, because I believe many young girls will read this thinking they have to be one or the other. Feminine or a feminist. Not true. You can be both, unlike what Em and her mom seem to believe. I think this mindset will slowly change for Em through the series, but I don’t think it will for her mom which is a shame. But we shall see.
I also truly despised Frida, Em’s little sister. Not because she was a cheerleader — or as Em puts it, was a part of the walking dead — but because she was a vapid girl who seemed to be quite selfish and inconsiderate of other peoples feelings. In fact, I wasn’t a fan of most of Em’s family, but I didn’t see the parents enough to say for certain. However, I did see enough of Frida and she was the worst. So rude and disrespectful to Em, especially considering Em literally saved her life by shoving her out of the way of the falling flat screen. Frida was just a shallow character. Cabot tried adding depth to her during small moments here and there, but her overall character arc was hollow.
I could suspend disbelief overall, as far as the brain transplant goes at least, but I did have trouble suspending reality for some of the other things. Perhaps the biggest offense being the fact that Nikki Howard would somehow be allowed to attend a normal public high school while also juggling a full-time career as a supermodel. Not buying it. Also, not buying stark enterprises allowing Nikki Howard to focus on school full time instead of her modeling career when there was a much more practical solution of taking classes home school style while working. Not to even mention the fact that she was incredibly famous and apparently didn’t need bodyguards or escorts to school every day or that the other students and teachers at the high school wouldn’t freak out at her arrival. It was all too peculiar. Too nonchalant. I just couldn’t suspend reality for both the brain transplant and the fact that a crazy famous supermodel could just go to a normal public high school.
Oh and it was so incredibly dumb of her parents - and Em - to be all like “I have to go to high school and college to get a good education so I can get a good job”. What? Are you serious? People do go to high school and college so they can get a good paying job, but the thing is, Nikki Howard already had a good paying job. I would understand finishing out your high school diploma, but a college degree? Really? Why? You keep working the modeling career, and expand the Nikki brand, and you would never need to even think about college. It was a flat plot point. Now, if Em wanted to do those things simply to better herself or because she always dreamed of being a college graduate, I could understand it better. But if the reason for all of that schooling was simply to get a good job... I don’t get it. Nikki Howard already had a very high paying job and was quite successful.
In addition, I thought that the character of Gabriel Luna was just so misguided and underdeveloped. I didn’t see a point to him being in the story at all. Maybe he will be explored more in the sequels but for right now he’s mildly irritating due to his judgements, and certainly underdeveloped.
Overall, I fear that I am too critical of this book because of the fact that I am not the age of the intended audience. But even with that in mind, I think some of the themes of this book could be a little bit damaging to young women. I just think that it would be better if young women read this book and walked away more confident in who they are and where they are going, instead of feeling like they are being judged for every decision they make. I think this book missed out on a giant opportunity to show women supporting one another and cheering each other on, instead of tearing each other down and being catty. However, in the same breath, it is realistic to a certain point because women do tend to behave that way. I’m very conflicted on this, but I just think it would’ve been better if we would’ve seen more character development on our protagonists end which would ripple out into the other women of the book, and become a truly positive message for the reader.
Book Breakdown —
Characters: I liked the supporting characters the most, like Christopher and Lulu. I wished all of these characters had been in the book more and been delved into further.
Pacing/ length: very slow overall. Not much plot. Mostly build up and filler.
Cover design: LOVED it. Serious Hollywood vibes!
Plot: Interesting enough, but I wanted more from it. It didn’t live up to the potential it had.
Reading Medium: Audiobook. Narration was decent.
Summary—
Emerson Watts’ body is crushed at the same time that supermodel Nikki Howard has a brain aneurysm during the grand opening of a Stark Megastore. So in order to save Emerson Watts life, the doctors do a brain transplant and put her live brain into supermodel Nikki Howard’s live, but brain dead, body. Emerson then has to figure out how to live as supermodel Nikki Howard, otherwise her family will owe 2 million dollars in medical bills. But she isn’t allowed to tell anyone what happened to her, aside from her immediate family, due to the fact that the operation was secretly covered by Nikki Howard’s employer, Stark Enterprises; a company which aims to maintain a decent PR appearance instead of taking heat for participating in an ethically gray procedure. While juggling her new life and career, Em has to figure out how to be a supermodel, maintain her grades in high school, and juggle the numerous young men vying for Nikki Howard’s attention.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Detailed Review—
Emerson Watts is an OK protagonist. She’s not great, but she’s not awful either. She is slightly judgmental and I don’t love that about her. Plus, she does make a lot of mistakes that seem glaringly obvious to the reader, but overall she is fine. She’s just not that memorable.
In addition, the entire book was a whole lot of build up and background, instead of actually focusing on the plot. By the time the story started to pick up, the book was over. Which is the big reason why I gave this book a two and a half star rating. I simply wanted more out of it.
Furthering that point, I wanted to see more of Nikki‘s life through Em’s eyes. Instead, all I got to see was Em’s life in Nikkis eyes, with bits of Nikkis life thrown in there. I was way more interested in seeing Nikki supermodel career and seeing what that life style looked like. Instead, I followed Emerson in Nikki’s body, as she went to high school… Which wasn’t exactly entertaining. I just felt like there was so much potential here to explore what a celebrity lifestyle would be like for a normal person, but the book didn’t deliver the way I was hoping it would.
Also, it was kind of a damaging theme to have Em and her mom preach about feminism while damning any woman who doesn’t follow their line of thinking. If the woman likes to do anything feminine, like cheerleading or read fashion magazines or wear makeup or flirt, then Em and her mom judges them. I don’t like that. I unfortunately think it is realistic writing because I know many women who do behave this way while simultaneously proclaiming themselves a feminist, but still I didn’t like it, because I believe many young girls will read this thinking they have to be one or the other. Feminine or a feminist. Not true. You can be both, unlike what Em and her mom seem to believe. I think this mindset will slowly change for Em through the series, but I don’t think it will for her mom which is a shame. But we shall see.
I also truly despised Frida, Em’s little sister. Not because she was a cheerleader — or as Em puts it, was a part of the walking dead — but because she was a vapid girl who seemed to be quite selfish and inconsiderate of other peoples feelings. In fact, I wasn’t a fan of most of Em’s family, but I didn’t see the parents enough to say for certain. However, I did see enough of Frida and she was the worst. So rude and disrespectful to Em, especially considering Em literally saved her life by shoving her out of the way of the falling flat screen. Frida was just a shallow character. Cabot tried adding depth to her during small moments here and there, but her overall character arc was hollow.
I could suspend disbelief overall, as far as the brain transplant goes at least, but I did have trouble suspending reality for some of the other things. Perhaps the biggest offense being the fact that Nikki Howard would somehow be allowed to attend a normal public high school while also juggling a full-time career as a supermodel. Not buying it. Also, not buying stark enterprises allowing Nikki Howard to focus on school full time instead of her modeling career when there was a much more practical solution of taking classes home school style while working. Not to even mention the fact that she was incredibly famous and apparently didn’t need bodyguards or escorts to school every day or that the other students and teachers at the high school wouldn’t freak out at her arrival. It was all too peculiar. Too nonchalant. I just couldn’t suspend reality for both the brain transplant and the fact that a crazy famous supermodel could just go to a normal public high school.
Oh and it was so incredibly dumb of her parents - and Em - to be all like “I have to go to high school and college to get a good education so I can get a good job”. What? Are you serious? People do go to high school and college so they can get a good paying job, but the thing is, Nikki Howard already had a good paying job. I would understand finishing out your high school diploma, but a college degree? Really? Why? You keep working the modeling career, and expand the Nikki brand, and you would never need to even think about college. It was a flat plot point. Now, if Em wanted to do those things simply to better herself or because she always dreamed of being a college graduate, I could understand it better. But if the reason for all of that schooling was simply to get a good job... I don’t get it. Nikki Howard already had a very high paying job and was quite successful.
In addition, I thought that the character of Gabriel Luna was just so misguided and underdeveloped. I didn’t see a point to him being in the story at all. Maybe he will be explored more in the sequels but for right now he’s mildly irritating due to his judgements, and certainly underdeveloped.
Overall, I fear that I am too critical of this book because of the fact that I am not the age of the intended audience. But even with that in mind, I think some of the themes of this book could be a little bit damaging to young women. I just think that it would be better if young women read this book and walked away more confident in who they are and where they are going, instead of feeling like they are being judged for every decision they make. I think this book missed out on a giant opportunity to show women supporting one another and cheering each other on, instead of tearing each other down and being catty. However, in the same breath, it is realistic to a certain point because women do tend to behave that way. I’m very conflicted on this, but I just think it would’ve been better if we would’ve seen more character development on our protagonists end which would ripple out into the other women of the book, and become a truly positive message for the reader.
dancinkare's review against another edition
3.0
All in all, not my favorite Meg Cabot book. It was set up too much for a sequel, the characters weren't all that memorable, and it took a long time to get going. Despite all, I'm still planning on reading the sequel when it comes out.
whereileftoffpod's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the series!! Suspenseful and reminds me of the show Drop Dead Diva!