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startingviolence's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
whoisrois's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Jordan Peele writing Get Out: can I copy ur homework
Meg Cabot: ok just don’t make it obvious
kelsey3's review
2.0
Overall: 2.5
Book Breakdown —
Characters: I hated Em (the protagonist) so much in this book. She was tolerable, if not a wee annoying, in the first two books, but this one? She was straight up unbearable 70% of the way through. As in the last books, I stuck around reading because of the supporting characters. Mainly Christopher, Lulu, and Steven. Past these three characters, I disliked them all so much. It bordered on hate majority of the book.
Pacing/ length: the beginning was slow but the end was just right.
Cover design: this is also my least favorite cover design of the series.
Plot: this book redeemed itself a bit actually as far as the plot goes. The characters (Em and her dumb parents) made me want to scream, but the plot itself was interesting and I actually found it enjoyable. This books overall plot was more interesting than its counterparts, but it was a slow burn getting there.
Reading Medium: audiobook. The narrator did a decent job.
Summary with MAJOR SPOILERS—
Emerson Watts continues her fight against the twisted Stark Enterprises while her brain remains trapped inside the body of super model Nikki Howard. Whisked away to Brandon Stark’s secluded love nest, Em has alienated her true love Christopher and her parents, while hoping to learn the terrifying secret Nikki—in her own new body—harbors. Brandon wants this secret too, so he can use the information to take over his dad’s corporate empire. Now with everyone upset with her, Em struggles to find a way out of her situation—and winds up alienating herself from her biggest supporters. She eventually discovers the secret that Nikki knew and blackmailed Mr. Stark with. He and his share holders plan on murdering young and healthy men and women to transplant their brains into so they can be young again. Em records this and has Christopher and Felix leak it to the world. Once Stark is arrested and charged for his crimes, Brandon takes over and revitalizes Stark Enterprises, creating a better company. He hires Christopher and Felix to be the heads of the IT department and fix the technical spyware his father had put on all the computers. Christopher and Em end up together, finally. Frida seems to be starting a relationship with Felix. The original Nikki Howard - now known as Diana Prince - is with Gabriel Luna and has become Em Watts’ - now known as Nikki Howard - agent for modeling. Nikki gets a cut off of all of ems earnings and is attending business school while living with Gabriel Luna. Lulu ends up with Steven, though he returns to duty aboard the ship.
Detailed Review—
First, let’s start with the glaringly obvious plot hole of the ages of the young women in this book. Em is supposed to a junior or senior in high school so around 17 yet she is somehow a model for lingerie? She somehow is chosen to become a knock off Victoria secret model? How is that possible? If all of the characters had been young college students, this would’ve been a much better series, nay, it would’ve been a better and more interesting story. It would’ve made more sense and Cabot could’ve played around with the storylines more.
That aside, let’s talk about Em. She was dumb. For a self proclaimed smart young woman who was college bound, she was so dumb. She consistently made terrible decisions, judged everyone around her for their terrible decisions, and basically bit the hand of anyone who was trying to help her. I think the worst part about her character though was how she kind of backpedaled in her character development and she certainly was incredibly, intolerably immature. She continuously called Christopher a “villain“ even though he was realistically and justifiably angry at the Stark corporation. I hated how she kept dismissing him and thinking that he was insane. She also seemed to be dramatically confused about other people all the time. Christopher always risks his life and saves her and actively works to avenge her? Well that must mean he hates her because he implied so in anger one time. Frida is pondering the possibility of dating Felix? Well, that’s simply unacceptable. She might *gasp* kiss him! Never mind that Em herself has made out with almost every eligible guy in this series. Lulu finally gets Steven to admit that he loves her just as she loves him? Well, that’s just sickening and unreasonable and gross, according to our simple minded Em. These were some of the many examples where her immaturity and naivety and dumbness collided and made for a catastrophe of a character.
Oh, and I despised Ems parents, specifically her mother. She was so judgmental throughout the entire series. She believed that when she and her husband signed the contracts to give Em a brain transplant and perform Nikkis model duties and live her life that her parents would still be able to, well be the same type of parents.
I expected Steven to be a bigger part of this book as well. I thought that he would come to Ems aide and help her solve the problems she was in. I thought he would even team up with Christopher and they would become her allies against stark enterprises as friends, but it was a giant letdown because he wasn’t even in the book most of the time; nor was he in the final scene when stark enterprises was finally taken down which I was disappointed in.
Most of the beginning of this book and most of the middle was so unnecessary and it did drag on a lot. It didn’t even get interesting until the last few chapters. Plus, the beginning and middle of the book were almost unbearable. I almost DNF’d it. I only stuck around because I wanted to see if the characters I liked were going to get their happy endings.
This brings me to another point, as I read reviews and mulled over what I thought about this book, I realized that the entire series could’ve been consolidated into one larger book. I think that would’ve worked out much better.
Cabot also chooses to repeat herself a lot in this series. Through inner monologues of Em mostly. Em repeats the same thoughts over and over and over again, only pages apart sometimes. It’s exhausting and by the third and final book, you are ready to be done with this series.
I have to admit though, I didn’t see the Stark reveal coming. I mean, I knew that they were data mining people’s laptops for something but I thought he was selling their data or trying to procure more models for his brand, but I certainly didn’t expect brain transplants and murder so that some older, unethical, and immoral folks could literally buy their way to eternal youth. I enjoyed that reveal a lot and it helped redeem this book overall. It was also a very plausible reveal within the confines of Ems world.
Em confronting her old high school bully, Whitney, at the end of the book soured the nice ending and minuscule character development that Cabot had built. I wish that had been omitted. It was just so out of place after all of the other events took place.
Speaking of the ending, I did laugh a little bit when it was revealed that Christopher and Felix were hired at Stark Enterprises to lead the IT department… While they were still in high school… I mean come on, it was laughable. As was the idea that shallow, irresponsible, and manipulative Brandon stark would just swoop in and take over stark enterprises in lieu of his father. It was absurd. Along with the fact that he somehow made the company better, even though he showed the same tendencies that his father did earlier in this book. Not to mention the fact that Brandon‘s inexperience and hollow promises were just widely accepted by the public and he was able to save the family company after all. But the rest of the book was just as unrealistic so I digress.
I did enjoy the ending overall, however. It was wrapped up nicely with the bow on top which is exactly what I was expecting from the series so it didn’t bother me. This ending was literally the reason that I continued reading the book because there were so many times in the beginning and middle that I wanted to stop. It’s also the reason I rounded my rating up from 2 starts to 2.5.
P.S. - What does the title have to do with anything anyway? No one ever runs away in this book…
Book Breakdown —
Characters: I hated Em (the protagonist) so much in this book. She was tolerable, if not a wee annoying, in the first two books, but this one? She was straight up unbearable 70% of the way through. As in the last books, I stuck around reading because of the supporting characters. Mainly Christopher, Lulu, and Steven. Past these three characters, I disliked them all so much. It bordered on hate majority of the book.
Pacing/ length: the beginning was slow but the end was just right.
Cover design: this is also my least favorite cover design of the series.
Plot: this book redeemed itself a bit actually as far as the plot goes. The characters (Em and her dumb parents) made me want to scream, but the plot itself was interesting and I actually found it enjoyable. This books overall plot was more interesting than its counterparts, but it was a slow burn getting there.
Reading Medium: audiobook. The narrator did a decent job.
Summary with MAJOR SPOILERS—
Emerson Watts continues her fight against the twisted Stark Enterprises while her brain remains trapped inside the body of super model Nikki Howard. Whisked away to Brandon Stark’s secluded love nest, Em has alienated her true love Christopher and her parents, while hoping to learn the terrifying secret Nikki—in her own new body—harbors. Brandon wants this secret too, so he can use the information to take over his dad’s corporate empire. Now with everyone upset with her, Em struggles to find a way out of her situation—and winds up alienating herself from her biggest supporters. She eventually discovers the secret that Nikki knew and blackmailed Mr. Stark with. He and his share holders plan on murdering young and healthy men and women to transplant their brains into so they can be young again. Em records this and has Christopher and Felix leak it to the world. Once Stark is arrested and charged for his crimes, Brandon takes over and revitalizes Stark Enterprises, creating a better company. He hires Christopher and Felix to be the heads of the IT department and fix the technical spyware his father had put on all the computers. Christopher and Em end up together, finally. Frida seems to be starting a relationship with Felix. The original Nikki Howard - now known as Diana Prince - is with Gabriel Luna and has become Em Watts’ - now known as Nikki Howard - agent for modeling. Nikki gets a cut off of all of ems earnings and is attending business school while living with Gabriel Luna. Lulu ends up with Steven, though he returns to duty aboard the ship.
Detailed Review—
First, let’s start with the glaringly obvious plot hole of the ages of the young women in this book. Em is supposed to a junior or senior in high school so around 17 yet she is somehow a model for lingerie? She somehow is chosen to become a knock off Victoria secret model? How is that possible? If all of the characters had been young college students, this would’ve been a much better series, nay, it would’ve been a better and more interesting story. It would’ve made more sense and Cabot could’ve played around with the storylines more.
That aside, let’s talk about Em. She was dumb. For a self proclaimed smart young woman who was college bound, she was so dumb. She consistently made terrible decisions, judged everyone around her for their terrible decisions, and basically bit the hand of anyone who was trying to help her. I think the worst part about her character though was how she kind of backpedaled in her character development and she certainly was incredibly, intolerably immature. She continuously called Christopher a “villain“ even though he was realistically and justifiably angry at the Stark corporation. I hated how she kept dismissing him and thinking that he was insane. She also seemed to be dramatically confused about other people all the time. Christopher always risks his life and saves her and actively works to avenge her? Well that must mean he hates her because he implied so in anger one time. Frida is pondering the possibility of dating Felix? Well, that’s simply unacceptable. She might *gasp* kiss him! Never mind that Em herself has made out with almost every eligible guy in this series. Lulu finally gets Steven to admit that he loves her just as she loves him? Well, that’s just sickening and unreasonable and gross, according to our simple minded Em. These were some of the many examples where her immaturity and naivety and dumbness collided and made for a catastrophe of a character.
Oh, and I despised Ems parents, specifically her mother. She was so judgmental throughout the entire series. She believed that when she and her husband signed the contracts to give Em a brain transplant and perform Nikkis model duties and live her life that her parents would still be able to, well be the same type of parents.
I expected Steven to be a bigger part of this book as well. I thought that he would come to Ems aide and help her solve the problems she was in. I thought he would even team up with Christopher and they would become her allies against stark enterprises as friends, but it was a giant letdown because he wasn’t even in the book most of the time; nor was he in the final scene when stark enterprises was finally taken down which I was disappointed in.
Most of the beginning of this book and most of the middle was so unnecessary and it did drag on a lot. It didn’t even get interesting until the last few chapters. Plus, the beginning and middle of the book were almost unbearable. I almost DNF’d it. I only stuck around because I wanted to see if the characters I liked were going to get their happy endings.
This brings me to another point, as I read reviews and mulled over what I thought about this book, I realized that the entire series could’ve been consolidated into one larger book. I think that would’ve worked out much better.
Cabot also chooses to repeat herself a lot in this series. Through inner monologues of Em mostly. Em repeats the same thoughts over and over and over again, only pages apart sometimes. It’s exhausting and by the third and final book, you are ready to be done with this series.
I have to admit though, I didn’t see the Stark reveal coming. I mean, I knew that they were data mining people’s laptops for something but I thought he was selling their data or trying to procure more models for his brand, but I certainly didn’t expect brain transplants and murder so that some older, unethical, and immoral folks could literally buy their way to eternal youth. I enjoyed that reveal a lot and it helped redeem this book overall. It was also a very plausible reveal within the confines of Ems world.
Em confronting her old high school bully, Whitney, at the end of the book soured the nice ending and minuscule character development that Cabot had built. I wish that had been omitted. It was just so out of place after all of the other events took place.
Speaking of the ending, I did laugh a little bit when it was revealed that Christopher and Felix were hired at Stark Enterprises to lead the IT department… While they were still in high school… I mean come on, it was laughable. As was the idea that shallow, irresponsible, and manipulative Brandon stark would just swoop in and take over stark enterprises in lieu of his father. It was absurd. Along with the fact that he somehow made the company better, even though he showed the same tendencies that his father did earlier in this book. Not to mention the fact that Brandon‘s inexperience and hollow promises were just widely accepted by the public and he was able to save the family company after all. But the rest of the book was just as unrealistic so I digress.
I did enjoy the ending overall, however. It was wrapped up nicely with the bow on top which is exactly what I was expecting from the series so it didn’t bother me. This ending was literally the reason that I continued reading the book because there were so many times in the beginning and middle that I wanted to stop. It’s also the reason I rounded my rating up from 2 starts to 2.5.
P.S. - What does the title have to do with anything anyway? No one ever runs away in this book…
michieknee's review
3.0
The book is a fast paced read. So fast paced that I felt like I was reading this book but not really absorbing anything that happened. Em Watts seems to have taken a nosedive in intelligence and her romance with Christopher left me with zero satisfaction.
Meg Cabot's feminist ideas certainly shine through here but I felt like she mixed up the message she was trying to send to her readers.
Meg Cabot's feminist ideas certainly shine through here but I felt like she mixed up the message she was trying to send to her readers.
dizzybell06's review
2.0
I found this book to be better than the second book, but as with the previous books in this series I was waiting for them to be over and see how it ended.
greenbeanteenqueen's review
4.0
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I love Meg Cabot. I think she excels in any genre she writes, she always has a mix humor and a pop culture which I love, and she writes great romances with crush-worthy characters. When I first heard the premise for the Airhead books, I wasn't sure how it was going to work, but if anyone can add a dash of science fiction to chick lit and make it work, it's Meg Cabot! Where Airhead is more about Em adjusting to her new life and body, Being Nikki and Runaway have more mystery to them-first with Nikki's missing mom and then with the secret about Stark and his project.
I thought the series got stronger as it went on. Em was a character I could cheer for from the beginning-she's a science fiction fan and gamer-I love "nerdy girl" main characters. And I really felt she grew in each book. As she adjusted to her new life, she became stronger. I don't think Em in book one has the guts she has in books three. My favorite character is still Lulu. I don't know what it is about her, but she's so sweet and funny and lovable-the opposite of the stereotypical rich girl. I want Lulu as my best friend-she's one of those characters I would love to hang out with.
Of course it wouldn't be a good chick-lit without romance, and the romance in Runaway is Meg Cabot perfection-fun, frothy with some swoon worthy moments and great kissing. If you're looking for a fun chick-lit series with a twist, I would give the Airhead series a try. It's a short series, which is always a good thing in this age of sequels and never-ending series, and it's a fun escape. Take this along as a summer beach read.
I thought the series got stronger as it went on. Em was a character I could cheer for from the beginning-she's a science fiction fan and gamer-I love "nerdy girl" main characters. And I really felt she grew in each book. As she adjusted to her new life, she became stronger. I don't think Em in book one has the guts she has in books three. My favorite character is still Lulu. I don't know what it is about her, but she's so sweet and funny and lovable-the opposite of the stereotypical rich girl. I want Lulu as my best friend-she's one of those characters I would love to hang out with.
Of course it wouldn't be a good chick-lit without romance, and the romance in Runaway is Meg Cabot perfection-fun, frothy with some swoon worthy moments and great kissing. If you're looking for a fun chick-lit series with a twist, I would give the Airhead series a try. It's a short series, which is always a good thing in this age of sequels and never-ending series, and it's a fun escape. Take this along as a summer beach read.
forever_day's review against another edition
2.0
Overall rating: 2.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 1/5
Humour: 1.5/5
Romance: 2/5
Writing style: 4/5
Warnings: sex references, light language, that's about it.
This was... very Meg Cabot, I guess. As ridiculously readable as ever, happy endings galore, similar characters. If you like her usually, you'll like this.
My one objection would be that its message was basically 'I just want to be pretty' and the entire book focused on outward appearances in a very modern media-esque way.
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 1/5
Humour: 1.5/5
Romance: 2/5
Writing style: 4/5
Warnings: sex references, light language, that's about it.
This was... very Meg Cabot, I guess. As ridiculously readable as ever, happy endings galore, similar characters. If you like her usually, you'll like this.
My one objection would be that its message was basically 'I just want to be pretty' and the entire book focused on outward appearances in a very modern media-esque way.
kristid's review
4.0
Meg Cabot is awesome. Just plain ole' freaggin' awesome. She can do no wrong in my eyes!
Runaway was a fantastic ending to this series. The secret behind the Stark Enterprises, is so simple, it's brilliant! I couldn't believe that I didn't figure it out sooner!
If you've never read Meg Cabot before, I highly recommend that you check her out! If you like something entertaining, funny and not all that serious, anything written by her would be up your alley.
As I said above this was a really great ending to the series. It wrapped everything up nicely which I so appreciated. I hate when a series ends and it leaves so many plot points open, the Nikki Howard series is not like that.
The characters seemed a little flat this time around, but I think it might have been because we have been introduced to these characters through the two previous books..... so perhaps there was a little less emphasis on character development.
The writing is the classic Meg Cabot style, it is utterly addicting, honestly when I start reading a Meg Cabot book I cannot put it down! Runaway was no different.
I'm ready for more!
I apologize that this review is absolutely horrible, but it was just fantastic! Read it!
Runaway was a fantastic ending to this series. The secret behind the Stark Enterprises, is so simple, it's brilliant! I couldn't believe that I didn't figure it out sooner!
If you've never read Meg Cabot before, I highly recommend that you check her out! If you like something entertaining, funny and not all that serious, anything written by her would be up your alley.
As I said above this was a really great ending to the series. It wrapped everything up nicely which I so appreciated. I hate when a series ends and it leaves so many plot points open, the Nikki Howard series is not like that.
The characters seemed a little flat this time around, but I think it might have been because we have been introduced to these characters through the two previous books..... so perhaps there was a little less emphasis on character development.
The writing is the classic Meg Cabot style, it is utterly addicting, honestly when I start reading a Meg Cabot book I cannot put it down! Runaway was no different.
I'm ready for more!
I apologize that this review is absolutely horrible, but it was just fantastic! Read it!