Customer Reviews

Being Nikki

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Being the face of Stark Enterprises isn't easy, especially if the brain behind that face doesn't really belong to the body it's in. But that's Em Watt's predicament, for better or worse, and she has to learn to deal with that. But juggling high school and a modeling career aren't her only problems, and neither are all of Nikki's ex-boyfriends or Lulu's upcoming holiday party. Because now, Nikki's brother has appeared with news of his mother's disappearance, Em's crush and used-to-be best friend Christopher has made it his mission in life to take down the company Em's new face represents, Em's sister is dead set on going to cheerleading camp, and Em has no idea how to convince Christopher that there's more to this supermodel than meets the eye. But unfortunately for Em, there's also a lot more to her new life than meets the eye--and this time, it's for worse.

Cabot does not disappoint with her original and creative mystery sequel to the already fabulous Airhead. Being Nikki succeeds on so many levels and is just such an enjoyable read. Protagonist Em is fun to read about, is witty and sweet, and has such a good heart. Her desires to help people don't stop at her immediate family but extend even to some people who don't even like her. She has such drive and determination that is admirable in her search for the truth. But these qualities are just the basis for a good story. A well written character would be nothing without an equally well crafted plot, like the one Cabot has created in Being Nikki. Cabot appeals to a large audience by offering glimpses into the ritzy life of the rich and famous, the not improbably future of science, technology, and medicine, and the sometimes nefarious activities of the corporately powerful. This leads the reader on a sometimes crazy, sometimes dangerous, and entirely satisfying journey with Em to find the truth behind what started this whole mess. Occasionally, little details and events seem to appear out of nowhere, but overall, this story is easy to follow, making for a fantastically unique, suspenseful, and unpredictable mystery readers won't be able to put down.

All fans of Cabot's writing, particularly in Airhead and Avalon High, won't want to miss Being Nikki. I certainly will be eagerly waiting for the next installment in this series, Runaway. Fans of Airhead and Being Nikki may also like And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman.

This book was fantastic. I loved Airhead and I read it in two days. Being Nikki took me even less time. The only unfortunate part of this book was that it ended. And, according to Meg Cabot's website, I have to wait until May 3, 2010 to read Runaway, the third novel in the addictive and fabulous Airhead series. Some books are predictable, and these books are not. I never in a million years would have guessed what was going to happen in the end. The book made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. I would read them again, except that my friend already took my copy of Airhead after hearing my praises for it. The problem is now that I don't feel like reading anything else; I want to stay immersed in Em/Nikki's world as long as I can.

*SPOILERS from Airhead*

Being Nikki basically picks up where Airhead left off. Emerson is trying to lead her own life and Nikki's at the same time. Going to high school but also working as a model. How does this girl have time for anything?? I think it's beyond hilarious watching Em try and be herself in the body of a teen supermodel, talk about polar opposites. But you know, I feel like she eased into the transition a little easier than she could of. Especially where the boys are concerned. She sure learned to use Nikki's moves to her advantage a little quicker that I would have expected. I would have liked to see Em's awkwardness explored a little more.

While the beginning of the book seemed like just a continuation of Airhead, (the first book in the series) everything sets off on a new path with the introduction of Nikki's brother Steven and the case of his missing mother. It opens up a can of worms leading to a lot of questions and conspiracies and answers! (yay answers!)

I really like how all the players from the first book remain (Frida- Em's sister, Gabriel Luna- the British singer/songwriter, Christopher- Em's best friend/crush etc, Brandon- Nikki's boyfriend and LuLu- Nikki's Celebutaunte roomie) but several new characters are introduced into the mix. Oh my goodness, by the end of the book I was practically screaming with excitement, that was by far my favorite part of the series so far!

Em continued to repeat herself a lot in this book, just like in Airhead. Since I haven't read Cabot's other series I can't say if this is just something she does. Anyone know?

The ending sets up a really great plotline for the third book in the series, Runaway and I cannot wait to see what happens next! All in all a strong second installment in the Airhead series!

Being Nikki is the follow-up novel to Airhead. In Airhead, the readers learned how Emerson "Em" Watts became Nikki Howard. In Being Nikki, we learn more about Nikki's personal life.

The story centers around Em adjusting to Nikki's high-profile lifestyle while balancing her school work, family and trying to be friends with Christopher. When a mysterious stranger shows up at her Manhattan loft unexpectedly, the story takes off and the mystery begins.

I have to admit, I thought Being Nikki was much better than Airhead. Airhead was too repetitive for me. In Being Nikki, Ms. Cabot did a quick recap and immediately jumped into the storyline.

At times, the plot was predictable, however Ms. Cabot did end the book with a great cliff hanger. I'm looking forward to the third book in this series, Runaway.

4.5 Stars

Being Nikki (Airhead) is the second book in Meg Cabot's Airhead series. I read and reviewed Airhead last March and enjoyed it a lot, but it left me wanting to know more about Em and Nikki. When I received an ARC of Being Nikki I put aside the book I was reading and started in right away. I knew I had a few students salivating for this one so I didn't want to hold on to it too long!

Being Nikki picks up right where Airhead left off. I enjoyed the first book in the series because it was a great mix of smart girl heroine + fun fashion chick lit (not an easy combination to pull off). However, the second book was nothing like I expected, in a good way! Em is still working as the world's most famous supermodel after having a *SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T READ AIRHEAD YET!* a brain transplant. Em is struggling to lead her own (old life) and her new life as Nikki. She is going to school, trying to see her own family as much as possible, and still jet-setting around the world for photo shoots and commercials. Of course, no matter what she does she isn't a typical teen. Most high schoolers don't have to walk the runway wearing nothing but a bra and panties during the equivalent of the Victoria's Secret fashion show.

At the same time, Nikki's body is starting to assert itself more. Em finds herself melting for guys she despises, like Brandon Stark. And she doesn't fight it when she finds herself making out with Gabriel Luna. But she is still completely in love with Christopher who thinks Em is dead and barely notices Nikki in school.

Everything changes when Em comes home to Nikki's apartment and finds a strange man there. It turns out Nikki has a brother. A brother who can tell something is different about Nikki. But more importantly, he tells Em that their (Steven and Nikki) mother is missing. As Em begins to use her celebrity to investigate Nikki's mother's disappearance, more and more information about Stark starts coming to light. Couple this with the fact that only Christopher can help them and he seems to have turned into an evil super villain and you have the makings of an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

I was very surprised at how much mystery and intrigue there was. But I loved it! Em continues to be a smart, strong heroine struggling to figure out who she is, like most teenagers. Unlike most teenagers, her brain is one person and her body is another. The twists and turns in the story kept me turning the pages and the cliffhanger at the end has me impatiently awaiting the third book the series, Runaway.

Who doesn't want to be a supermodel? Wearing glamorous clothes and traveling to glamorous places in the most glamorous ways, living in a glamorous apartment with a bevy of glamorous "friends" and associates surrounding you, doing your bidding at every turn. Nikki, however, has different issues. Not that she's not as immersed in glamour as any other supermodel, but she is a teen. And being a teen, being Nikki, isn't always easy.

Meg Cabot is continuing her legacy of creating good-time reading material for impressionable young ladies in which she breaks down the realities behind the fantasies we all harbor. Whether it's being a princess or a supermodel, as in this sequel to AIRHEAD, Cabot shows the dark side behind the bling-blingy superficial worlds that girls often think must be so much better than their own realities.

Nikki is smart; at least BEING NIKKI is written from inside the head of someone with a brain. She does well in school and seems to care about it, even though she lives on her own in a very expensive high-rise in Manhattan, leaving that island behind for even more glitzy, rich and beautiful ones, like the Caribbean oasis of St. John. The beginning of the book finds her clinging to wet rocks in a barely-there bathing suit while just below her sharks run wild --- she is a damsel in distress, albeit in a glamorously dangerous position. However, when Nikki falls into the freezing cold water surrounded by sharks and must be rescued back onto the boat after being hounded by a photographer, we get a glimpse of the difficulties of her everyday existence.

Many of the characters from AIRHEAD are back, including Nikki's fake cousin and her friends, and so is the idea that Nikki is embarrassed about where she really comes from and won't be divulging too much information about her life pre-glitzy wonderland. A doctor later in the book informs Nikki that it's dangerous for her to visit people from her past because that puts them in the position of unwanted public attention. (This idea freaked me out, but I understand that Cabot is trying to draw a line between the glamorous part of Nikki's life and the unfortunate run-off of the toxic publicity machine in which Nikki has to live in order to maintain her glitzy lifestyle.)

Cabot has created a curiously interesting paen to teen stardom that serves both as fodder to the fantasy fire as well as a cautionary tale about what the star-making machinery expects of those who are fortunate enough to get into it. BEING NIKKI isn't always perfect, but it's a lot of fun to read.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

Emerson Watts is still struggling to adjust to living in the body of famous supermodel Nikki Howard, following an experimental brain transplant by Stark Enterprises, the company Nikki worked for. Em, a brainy geek who would rather hang out with her best friend Christopher playing video games, is the exact opposite of Nikki, so it's hard for her to live the life of a supermodel, with constant photoshoots and an upcoming appearance in the Stark Angels lingerie fashion show that Em is dreading. All she wants is to tell Christopher who she really is, and that she likes him as more than just a friend, but he believes that Em is dead and she is afraid to tell him otherwise because she believes Stark Enterprises is spying on her.

To further complicate things, Nikki's brother arrives in town, and informs Em that his mother is missing, and asks for "Nikki" to help him find her. When Em runs into Christopher while secretly visting her family, she decides to ask him for help finding Nikki's mom. In return, he wants information about Stark Enterprises. Soon Em begins to suspect that Stark is up to something really shady, and that it may be connected to the disappearance of Nikki's mom.

Being Nikki is an entertaining sequel to Airhead, the first book about Emerson Watts. It has a good blend of romance, mystery, adventure, and teen life - all the ingredients you'd usually find in a Meg Cabot novel. Meg's many fans are sure to enjoy her latest book. The ending is a perfect lead-in to the next book about Em, which I can't wait to read.

In the past three months since the tragic accident that prompted normal, plain Em Watts' brain transplant into model Nikki Howard's body, Em has been struggling to survive in the edgy, unpredictable environment she's been thrust in. She's desperate to make contact with her old best friend and crush, Christopher, but is under the constant scrutiny of her employer, Stark Enterprises. Em knows that there's something odd going on with them, but in order to discover what it is, it means risking her own life--and the lives of everyone she loves.

Being Nikki is a clever combination of geeky smarts and fashionable fun, a duo not easily pulled off, but is done so with ease by reigning YA Lit queen Meg Cabot. Em Watts is an intelligent and down-to-earth character who genuinely strives to do the right thing in a very, very unconventional situation, but still manages to make more than a few mistakes herself, a quality that makes her a character readers will just fall more in love with. Her zippy, magnetic, and hilarious voice, coupled with a unique and surprising plotline and authentically depicted supporting characters, make for a unique read that is memorable and highly entertaining. Cabot's usual dose of drama, romance, and biting humor, and witty banter are another bonus, and go a long way in making this second Airhead novel even more laugh-worthy, suspenseful, and gripping than its prequel. Just as before, Cabot will leave readers dangling, breathless for a sequel.

Meg Cabot gets really ambitious with BEING NIKKI, the second book in the Airhead series, which features corporate conspiracies, advanced technology, and hidden motives. However, the pacing was clumsy, which made for a less-than-satisfying reading experience.

BEING NIKKI introduces a whole array of new complicating elements. While these eventually move the plot along to its ambitious point of corporate conspiracy, the first two-thirds of the book did very little for that point. I constantly found myself shaking my head in disbelief at the number of confusing layers wrapped up in one another that did not contribute to the point of the book. The characters were, for the most part, annoying and no different than they were in the first book.

The ending I admit is pretty cool, but it places high expectations on the third book in the series to wrap all the different threads up. I will probably finish reading this series, as BEING NIKKI ends on such a horrifying note that I can't help but demand to know how it ends, but I highly doubt this will go on any list of books I'd recommend to people. The series lacks something...maybe heart?

I was not a fan of Airhead, let me say that straight out. I liked the characters just fine, but felt like nothing much really happened. Being Nikki changed all that. In this book, Meg Cabot manages to push the story along at the perfect pace, bringing all the different storylines and parts of Em's life together. What was really great about this was that while Nikki was a sequel, Cabot spent very little time going over what happened in Airhead, unlike other authors who feel the need to recap everything for a chapter or two before actually getting into the story. It all flows wonderfully with Airhead. Airhead also really ticked me off because most of the time, it just seemed like Emerson was making out with complete strangers. She's still got some of that in this book, but it's sparsely sprinkled throughout the book without being overwhelming. There's so much more time that went into plot-development, rather than exposition, which is an awesome thing for those of us who just want the story to move along. The ending could be a whole other review. Without saying too much, Christopher's story and the role he plays is greatly expanded, and readers will completely love and adore this fact. It's mindblowing how much Meg Cabot's storytelling style has changed. She ends Being Nikki in a way that will be a complete shock for Meg Cabot's longtime readers (and I'm sure newer fans will be enthralled as well). She's somehow found a way to completely captivate her readers with more plot twists than you could ever imagine, and a story that will leave you speechless and begging for more. Way to bring the A-game!

Rating: 5/5