12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Snappy and smart, April 20, 2010
This review is from: Airhead #3: Runaway (Hardcover)
Em Watts is still stuck being Nikki Howard, but she is getting closer to discovering the reason why her brain was transplanted into Nikki's body...because the real Nikki is alive, and she knows everything. The only problem is, she's quite unwilling to talk unless she gets what she wants--her own body back. Em needs Christopher's help if they are going to discover the reason behind Stark's secret themselves, but unfortunately Christopher isn't exactly happy with Em right now. With everyone wanting so much from her and her sort of boyfriend hating her, is it really any wonder that Em feels like running away?
Runaway, the conclusion to the Airhead trilogy, is a snappy and smart read that goes by far too quickly! The novel picks up only days after the tension-filled conclusion of Being Nikki, and dives into the action right away, with all of the drama surrounding Brandon Stark's attempt at whisking Em and the Howards away to his summer home. They are quickly rescued, but when they return to New York, it is evident that they aren't any safer there. Lulu and Gabriel Luna quickly join the group as Em and Christopher attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery through a series of fast paced action scenes, complete with plenty of quick thinking, computer hacking, and romantic tension.
Meanwhile, plenty is happening with the large cast of supporting characters--people a hooking up, breaking up, and making up. Nikki, who comes off as horribly vain and shallow throughout most of the series, gets a makeover and a drive for revenge, making her more likable and more ruthless. Em is dealing with her own issues concerning her mother and how she taught Em and her sister to perceive beauty, which adds a bit more depth to the plot.
Cabot gives readers hints at Stark's insidious plan throughout the book, which may be predictable to some readers, but not any less surprising or suspenseful once all is revealed--including the true reason behind Em's brain transplant. But even after the big reveal, Em must work fast to outsmart Stark and see that justice is served. Finally, the book culminates in a highly satisfying confrontation readers have been looking forward to since Airhead. In her trademark style, Cabot proves once again that being smart and being fashionable don't have to be mutually exclusive and that by being yourself, no matter how hard it may be, you will always come out on top.
Cover Comment: I think the model's position looks a little awkward, but I really like that she is in the act of running away. I've always found the design of the Airhead covers pretty neat, and I just love how the same model has been used for all three books. Very neat cover!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Meh, September 18, 2010
This review is from: Airhead #3: Runaway (Hardcover)
The premise is good, but Cabot has Em getting so caught up in self-dialogue and restating the same thing over and over I found myself thinking, get on with the story already and skipping sections. The internal thoughts take up about 50% of the book, which equals sloppy writing. There were many moments similar to this: Then I realized the thing in his hand was a gun. He had a gun! He ACTUALLlY was going to shoot us. I couldn't believe it. Here I was, thinking we were going to get away and [character] pulled out a gun. What could we do? If we ran, he would shoot us. But what choice did we have? I blinked. Was this really happening? It seemed so strange that just yesterday I was at a shoot on the beach and now I was looking at the barrel of a gun... And it goes on and on like that for paragraphs and sometimes pages. Too much telling and not enough showing.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap Thrills--Not Up to Cabot's Usual Performance, August 12, 2010
This review is from: Airhead #3: Runaway (Hardcover)
I was really looking forward to reading this book. Although Airhead (the first book in the series) and I got off to a rough start, I found the 2nd book engaging and funny. What's more - it left readers with a major cliffhanger that kept them guessing. Although Cabot does a good job of writing an adventure story with little bits of humor, the last book in the Airhead series did not impress me. The conclusion leaves much to be said about women's body image -- a major theme of the book, but only artificially it seems.
Like the title of the book that started it all implies, the Airhead series is filled with fluff and superficiality - don't read it if you're looking for any heartfelt moments (Cabot manages to awkwardly insert one such a scene between Em and her mother). It's subpar chick-lit.
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