What Meg Cabot book characters teach me! :)

This post is part of the Meg-a-Readers blog hop, hosted by Mandy at The Romance Bookie and Diana at Little Miss Drama Queen to celebrate Meg Cabot's two new releases! Awaken, the third book in the Abandon trilogy and another Heather Wells book, Size 12 is the New Black! For this post I've decided to mention some characters from the Meg Cabot books I've read and what I could learn from their personalities and behavior! ;) 

1. Mia Thermopolis (Princess Diaries series): You know how they say, some characters stay with you long after you've read a book? I haven't read all books in The Princess Diaries series. I started reading them late and I just didn't get to all of them, but I have always been in love with Amelia's character. For one, she is portrayed as just another ordinary girl (with the minor defect of her being a princess, yes) who has to deal with the usual high school problems. I could probably relate to her more because of my own inherent ability of being a klutz during all my waking moments, but I'm sure even for normal people, she's pretty much relate-able. 

Thinking of her character constantly reminds me to:

- Not bite my fingernails. Even fake ones.

- Not stare at a guy's lips, because your 'boyfriend' can possibly notice you noticing the other person's lips (not that I have a boyfriend, but still. Anyone observant enough can notice).

- Always wear nice pajamas during a sleepover.

- Be brave enough to refuse what you don't want to do, unless you're being threatened by a possible cousin who wants your throne.

- Pick up intelligent sounding words from smart friends like Lilly, and later look them up to improve your vocab.

- Be courteous to everyone, especially maids of honor. ;)

- Always smile. :)

2. Lilly Moscovitz (Princess Diaries series): Although she's the character opposite to how I could ever be, she did inspire me to:

- Speak my own thoughts without caring about what the rest of the population would think.

- Start using intelligent sounding words, because they can totally make your best friends think around in circles.

-  Have your own 'thing', something you regularly contribute to, like she has her own cable access TV show. I have my book blog. It kind of comes close. Okay it doesn't, but still. It's my 'thing'. ;)

- Be smart enough to guess whether or not your best friend is lying about their PMS status. Their crankiness could be a result of something really major. 

3. Michael Moscovitz (Princess Diaries series): What isn't there to learn from this guy? 

- Work for quirky magazines like Crackhead. 

- Play End of the World with sister's best friend, who happens to have a forever crush on you.

- Tell the aforementioned sister's best friend you love her too, through a cheesy poem flashing on the screen of a computer when she's trying to test your computer during the school fair.

- Love your crush's pet.

Oh Michael. ^_^

4. Heather Wells (Heather Wells series): When I read about her saying Size 12 is the size of the average American woman and one should not refer to size anyway, I loved her! Heather taught me to:

- Not believe in college kids' lame excuses for covering up dumb things and the mess they created.

- Having sugar-coated snacks everyday, even after wondering if it's not contributing to your size.

- Being independent, strong, and acting on intuition.

- Imagining yourself getting together with the guy you secretly love. Positive thinking makes it true.

- Keeping jealousy out of your mind when solving a suspicious case. 

5. Cooper Cartwright (Heather Wells series): I might be biased here, because Cooper Cartwright is my biggest fictional crush. 

- Stay calm in all situations. Even if it involves a death dormitory and your brother's ex.

- Don't give more than a passing glance to all girls, like creeps do. Keep your attitude, it makes you sexier.

- Keep details of work a secret even from your in-home accountant. Mysteriousness is a characteristic that makes you more appealing. ;)

- Get together with brother's ex, who secretly loves you too! 

- Follow your heart. Don't stick with family businesses if you think it's not your thing and you want to be a private investigator. Love your grandad, you don't know, he might leave you his brownstone apartment.  

5. Jean Honeychurch (Jinx): I like this clumsy girl, nicknamed 'Jinx' because she happens to bring bad luck (she doesn't).

- Self-confidence and will power.

- Not letting annoying and jealous cousins ruin your friendships.

- Always clearing a misunderstanding.

- Being brave and believing in witchcraft, however esoteric it might be.

6. Emerson Watts (Airhead trilogy): When you know you're not the girl everyone thinks you are, when you know your friends and the love of your life believe you to be dead, when you suspect a secret racket behind all the mysterious happenings and you still gotta cope with it and model on, I think you're really brave!

- Ordering banana splits whenever you or your friend feel low.

- Trying to control yourself seeing your love feeling angry and depressed and not being able to do anything about it.

- Putting self-obsessed people in their right place by putting their limo on fire.

- Never giving up on family.

- Making full use of technological devices when in a tight situation. They might be life-saving. 

I also wish to include Sam Madison from All American Girl who is one girl whose confidence is worth applauding. She's also one for standing up for herself and the truth. Pierce Olivera is a fighter, Tina Hakim Baba reads during lunch too, John Hayden is so persistent! Basically, I love all Meg Cabot characters, but these are those that stay with me. Which ones do you like? :)

Liar, Liar.... Pants on Fire!

This is a mini-review!

Book title: Pants on Fire

Author: Meg Cabot

Pages: 260

Published:2007 by Harper Teen

My Rating: 3.5/5! 

Pants on Fire also comes by the name, ‘Tommy Sullivan is a Freak’. It’s the same story! You know how I can practically read any book just because it’s written by Meg Cabot. #diehardfan.

Goodreads Blurb!

Katie Ellison is not a liar.

But she can't exactly tell the truth, either--not when she's juggling two boyfriends, secretly hating the high school football team everyone else worships, and trying to have the best summer ever. At least Katie has it all under control (sort of). Her biggest secret, what really happened the night Tommy Sullivan is a freak was spray-painted on the junior high gymnasium wall, is safe.

That is, until Tommy comes back to town. Katie is sure he's going to ruin all her plans, and she'll do anything to hang on to her perfect existence. Even if it means telling more lies. Even if, now that Tommy's around, she's actually--truthfully--having the time of her life.

 

My Thoughts!

Okay, this die-hard-fan would admit that this isn’t one of the best Meg Cabot books. Of all her books, I like this one least. It’s a good read, fun, light, humor: all the elements found in a good Meg Cabot novel, but there was something missing. The protagonist, for example, was someone I just could not like, no matter how hard I tried. She cannot stop thinking about guys, least of all hot ones. She’s otherwise smart, talented and witty and I liked those things about her. She’s also kind and somewhat considerate, passionate about her love for photography, but her character seemed too flawed to me, boy-wise. I understand that’s the main story, how’s she’s such a liar and gets in trouble for lying all the time, also for being so boy-crazy! 

On the other hand, I liked Tommy Sullivan’s character, right from how he was in the eighth grade to how he’s the new hottie in town.  Apart from all this, it made me wonder if high school kids really are like this? So focused on creating their social “images”, partying, gossiping and bitching! The writing style is as usual, great, which makes the book a light, breezy read. I loved the ending too! It actually got way better towards the end. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, light, girly read, to young adults, late teens and adults.  

 

Review: Jinx by Meg Cabot

Title: Jinx

Author: Meg Cabot

Pages: 262

Published: August 2007 by Harper Teen

Find it at: Amazon

My Rating: 5/5!

About the Book

Jean Honeychurch, a sixteen year old girl seems to have a very bad luck and not just because there was a terrible storm when she was born. Her family calls her 'Jinx', considering how bad things keep on happening around her (not gruesome bad, but embarrassing bad). She lives in Hancock, Iowa but because of a particular 'reason', she comes to spend part of her school year at Chapman School, New York, living with her mother's sister's family, the Gardiners. Tory, Jean's same-age cousin is drastically different from how Jean remembered her from five years ago, from an impish chubby girl to a hip, drug-taking girl who's also part of a witch coven, believing she's a witch (as predicted by their great great great something grandmom Branwen, who happened to be a famous witch). 

Only Tory doesn't know what happens when you play with magic, not knowing what you're doing, something that Jean knows only too well. She tries talking Tory out of it, but it's of no use. Jean takes a fancy to Zach, their neighbour and school mate on whom Tory also harbours a major crush. Not that Zach is interested in Tory. For the major part of the book, Jean believes Zach loves Petra, the Gardiner's au pair (who has her boyfriend and is old for Zach anyway). Jean and Zach form a close friendship, especially after Jean saves him from a speeding bike messenger. There's something secret all through, about Jean, the thing she's running from and pure magic. 

My thoughts

I love Jinx! The character and the book. The way Jinx's 'bad luck' is emphasized, isn't really 'in-your-face', but subtle and thrown in at the appropriate moments. I too, am a really clumsy person and I could totally understand those little incidents Jean's struck with. She's a strong character and really smart. The best thing I like about Jean is that her bad luck thingy doesn't come in the way when she's faced with trouble. If Tory's teasing her, she knows how to react (or how not to react, for that matter), she's considerate, sweet and loving, stuck with her image as a 'preacher's daughter', though going off track to do what's right, nevertheless. And oh, she's daring too! 

Needless to say I loved Zach's character as well. Of course I wanted Jean and Zach to be together, of course I loved the chemistry between them, those tit-bits and sweet stuff! (Not sickly sweet, I might add. Like me, Jean doesn't like that mushy stuff too). A good looking, smart guy, not-popular by choice, falling for a girl at 'I haven't been to King's Island'! The way he feels for Jean and how he feels 'amused and exasperated' when she doesn't seem to know that, is just so cute. As for Petra, she definitely is a sweet person! And a whole lot helpful too, I might add. Tory is a troubled teen, incredibly jealous and who goes to unimaginable lengths for revenge. *Shudders* I liked the way she's been portrayed and possible reasons as to why a person behaves in that mean way. 

The story went in a typical Meg Cabot style, this time mixed with fantasy. No, not like the Abandon series that's based on the Underworld, but a plain story that has a background of magic. I like it that way, you read about a high-school sort of a story and only get to the magic part of it towards the end. Moreover, there's an element of mystery all through the book (all those times when Jean thinks about her past, or anything related to witchcraft, for that matter), and that kept me hooked. The ending was good, evenly spread out, all things falling in place. What I didn't much enjoy was how Tory ends up. True, she deserves that, but the exchanging-places thing that happens (those who've read this would know) isn't really how I think it should've been. I mean, Tory might just end up feeling worse. Anyway, there's definitely something charming about the whole story, you wouldn't want to leave it in between. I think I read this is record time! ^-^ (Or would have, had I not have to worry about minor things like college :|). 

Quote from the book: "I really meant it too. Because the best, most long-lasting love has a magic all its own, and doesn't need any help from witchcraft."

It's an easy, light read that you'd like to read for fun. :)

Recommended for: Teenagers, Young Adult readers, chick-lit or high school stories lovers. 

Review: How to be Popular by Meg Cabot

Title: How to be Popular

Author: Meg Cabot

Published: in 2006 by HarperTempest

Pages: 288

Find it at: Amazon

My Rating: 4.5/5!

Blurb from Goodreads!

Do you want to be popular?

Everyone wants to be popular or at least, Stephanie Landry does. Steph's been the least popular girl in her class since a certain cherry Super Big Gulp catastrophe five years earlier.

Does being popular matter?

It matters very much to Steph. That's why this year, she has a plan to get in with the It Crowd in no time flat. She's got a secret weapon: an old book called what else? "How to Be Popular."

What does it take to be popular?

All Steph has to do is follow the instructions in The Book, and soon she'll be partying with the It Crowd (including school quarterback Mark Finley) instead of sitting on The Hill Saturday nights, stargazing with her nerdy best pal Becca, and even nerdier Jason (now kind of hot, but still), whose passion for astronomy Steph once shared.

Who needs red dwarves when you're invited to the hottest parties in town? 

But don't forget the most important thing about popularity.

It's easy to become popular. What isn't so easy? Staying that way.

My thoughts!

How to be Popular is one book that I had first saw when I was a young teenager in a bookstore and it had instantly grabbed my attention. One, the lovely cover! Two, the blurb that talked about a girl who’s very much like me. I mean, I wasn’t really the most popular person in my school. Not that I wanted to be one, but people acknowledging your existence feels good nevertheless. Anyway, I never actually got around to getting that book, until I started using my new Kindle! (Yes, I got one! :D). It’s the first book I read on that device and I’m so happy I chose this one! I knew Meg Cabot can never disappoint me. ;)

Steph Landry has been hugely unpopular, just because she once spilled a Super Big Gulp on Lauren’s white D&G Skirt. It’s been five years, and the school kids and the whole of the town of Bloomville in fact, knows the phrase, ‘Don’t pull a Steph Landry’, coined by Lauren as an expression for something weird or embarrassing anyone does. It’s actually too much for Steph, who decides to get back at Lauren by becoming popular herself, thanks to a book she found in Jason’s attic, called ‘How to be Popular’. It’s a funny and humor filled story about how Steph goes about becoming popular (and grabbing the attention of the school’s cutest guy on whom she harbours a major crush). Steph as a person is quite determined, a total smart alec when it comes to arithmetic and calculations (she handles her mom’s bookstore’s cash counter. I wish I had a bookstore too!) and whatever she does to make things in her favour, she’s also sensitive and kind. I liked Steph as a character except for the fact that she takes a hell lot of time to figure out her feelings, which seem kind of obvious to the reader. But then, she’s like any other sixteen year old. Confused.

The good thing is that the book doesn’t get off track. As in, it stays focused on the main characters and doesn’t delve deep into the lives of other family members who’re mentioned, except for Steph’s grandfather and Jason’s grandmom, who’re getting married. Also there are related excerpts from the book Steph found, that pertains to tips on how to behave in order to be popular. The funny thing is, they’re actually helpful. ;) How to be Popular retains Meg Cabot’s trademark style, the protagonist as a teenage girl with a problem, well defined main characters, detailed with a happy ending! I love happy endings. The writing style is as usual, in first person, conversational and filled with humor. I guess the USP for this book is that it’s a realistic story (though Lauren making her life hell just over one incident seems like too much, also the love thing with Becca and Jason and Stuckey).

Some quotes from the book:

“Popularity can be compared to a house.

It has walls, a strong foundation, and many different rooms.

The more deeply the foundation is sunk, the stronger the walls are and the more rooms that can be added on.

That is why, just like there is no such thing as a house with many rooms, there is no such thing as having too many friends.”

‘Popularity is the easiest thing in the world to gain, and the hardest thing to hold’ ~ Will Rogers

‘Avoid popularity; it has many snares and no real benefits’ ~ William Penn

‘Avoid popularity if you would have peace’ ~Abraham Lincoln

In short, it’s a fun, light read recommended for teenage readers, YA readers, and those generally wanting a light, fun book. :) 

PS- I recently created a Facebook page for this blog. I would love it if you would join that! Click here.

PPS- Now I’m reading Jinx, another standalone novel by Meg Cabot, again on the Kindle! Even though it’s the basic model, I so love it, especially since I’ve discovered how I can actually use it to read while I’m sitting in a boring class. ;)

Review: Size 12 is Not Fat, Meg Cabot

This review is a part of the Meg-a-Reader's Blog hop hosted by Mandy at The Romance Bookie and Diana at Little Miss Drama Queen where Meg Cabot fans unite and take turns to do a special, related feature on our blogs!  This is my second feature, the first one being review of Underworld. I had initially planned on doing something else, but with crazy amounts of college work, I can only review Size 12 is Not Fat, the first book in the Heather Wells series, which I've re-read recently.

Title: Size 12 is Not Fat
Author website: http://www.megcabot.com/
Find it at: Amazon
My Rating: 4/5

I'm generally a mystery lover, I love books that deal with solving mysteries and crimes, and when it's Meg Cabot writing a book based on that, you can be sure it'd be fun mixed with suspense! I usually don't enjoy chick-lit that much, but Meg Cabot books are the only exception. I love the flow of her writing, so easy and conversational, you could read them in a go! I discovered the Heather Wells books about 2 years ago and have read all three previously released books. Now, the fourth book in the series, Size 12 and Ready to Rock has been released on July 10, 2012. :)

Blurb from Goodreads!
Heather Wells Rocks!

Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective! 

But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . 

My thoughts

Welllll, sometimes I'm at a loss for words when it comes to reviewing a book I found really good. It's happening again. Size 12 is Not Fat is very entertaining. You'd think what could possibly go wrong in a residence hall for students in New York city, most of all with Heather, who's been a teenage pop star and gets people wondering if "they've seen her before", now in her 30s and working as assistant director at Fischer Hall. As the story begins, we're introduced to Heather's pet peeve, that Size 12, which is her size, is the size of the average American woman and those who think it's fat, are well, wrong. What's wrong with loving ice cream and soda?

The plot begins to get interesting when there's a death in the dormitory residence hall (as Heather keeps reminding us) and Heather has a feeling that it can't be accidental. People are convinced it was because the deceased was elevator surfing, but Heather knows teenagers. Girls like the one who died don't do silly stuff like elevator surfing, that too all on their own. When there's a second girl dying in a similar fashion, Heather wants to investigate. She seeks Cooper's help (who's her ex's brother and whom she fantasizes about), but he's not too willing to let Heather get involved. They do a little snooping anyway and discover a similar trend in the deaths of the two girls. Cooper's convinced they must let the police do their work, but Heather 'feels' a responsibility towards her residence hall and its people.

Heather is a likable woman, especially with all her funny thoughts about every single thing, about Cooper, about different people, which adds a lot of lightness to the story. That's what I probably like best, I guess. More than the plot and the way she uncovers the secrets, it's the manner in which it's all written. Filled with humor, in first person, Heather's comments about everything, it adds another dimension to it all. That's what makes the book 'unputdownable'! Cooper is a mysterious character, but the way Heather loves him, it automatically makes readers believe he's an amazing person. I mean, considering how I've always loved mystery and at some point of time, wanted to be a detective too, Cooper seems so adorable, with all his private investigation work! 

I enjoyed the chemistry between Heather and Cooper. Okay, it was heavily one-sided, but you can't help wish they'd get together soon, and show that Jordan Cartwright what he's lost! I also loved the twists towards the end, the different kinds of kids and practices that they do, what they feel and how things really work. Even if you're reading fiction, there's always some element of truth involved. Though I have to say it was kind of scary at the end when things started heating up. Wonderfully written! And the descriptive aspect is great too, apart from the plot being unpredictable, which is among the best things a book can have! Once you read this book, you couldn't wouldn't stop yourself from getting the next books in the series, Size 14 is Not Fat Either, Big Boned, and the latest release, Size 12 and Ready to Rock!

Recommended for: Chick-lit lovers, Young Adult readers, those looking for a fun, light read!

Meg-a-readers Blog Hop! + Review: Underworld

To celebrate two new releases by Meg Cabot, who's among my top-favoritest authors ever, Mandy at The Romance Bookie and Diana at Little Miss Drama Queen have hosted a blog hop where Meg Cabot fans unite and take turns to do a special, related feature on our blogs! The latest releases are Underworld (release date May 8, 2012), book 2 of the Abandon trilogy and Size 12 and Ready to Rock (release date July 10, 2012), book 4 of the Heather Wells series! 

Meg Cabot

I'm delighted to tell you that it's my turn today! I've read Underworld and feel like sharing its glory on my blog with a review. Without any more blabbering, here it is:

Title: Underworld

Author: Meg Cabot

Price: Rs. 299 (Rs. 224 at Flipkart)/ $ 11.10 at Amazon

My Rating: 4/5

Underworld is the second book of the Abandon trilogy, the story of seventeen year old Pierce Oliviera who's had an NDE, been taken to the Underworld, had a death deity follow her around, trying to keep her away from Furies, one of which happens to be Pierce's grandmother! In a Fury attack at Pierce's high school cafeteria, Pierce has a narrow escape and that's when John takes her to his world, The Underworld! 

Summary

Pierce is in the Underworld, maybe for ever. She knows she loves John, the death deity, but is she ready to progress her relationship with him? Is she really safe in the Underworld? Maybe she is, but what about her family and the ones she loves back on Earth? Her grandmother, for one, is a fury and lives with her cousin, Alex and his dad. So when Pierce sees a very mysterious video that shows Alex in trouble, she's intent on saving him. It might be Alex's own plans that will get him into trouble or Furies might be behind it, it's not clear. Pierce just knows she has to save Alex. But is John willing to take her back to Earth and put her in danger yet again? 

There's John's mysterious past to consider as well. Pierce wonders what it possibly could be and what do those few others in the Underworld have anything to do with it. Is there any way that Furies could be destroyed?

My thoughts

An absolutely wonderful continuation to the story in Abandon! I enjoyed reading about Pierce's and John's progressing relationship, which is somewhat a major focus in this book. John wants Pierce to remain with him in the Underworld forever, not just to keep her safe, but also because he loves her too much. Both of them, in fact, are in conflicting minds over what they want. Of course they know they want each other, but is Pierce ready for what lies ahead, leave Earth and live in the Underworld, in centuries old dresses, with John forever? The way it all was written and put forth, I think is a very clever manner to talk about insecurities and confusion people face. I like the mystery about John and the way he's so protective of Pierce, how he's always present at the right time to make things right and trying to keep Pierce happy, whatever it takes. Even though Pierce's confusion is justified, I sometimes wished it wouldn't rock back and forth too much. But even then, it's alright. She did a few great things, for which I'm proud of her! 

Based on the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, this book explores the realms of Underworld, the faint world between heaven and hell, the 'station' from where souls depart on their respective final resting places. I personally enjoy Greek myths a bit and so it was interesting to see the Underworld from this point of view. Imagination rules for me!

New characters! I must admit that I felt the book would've been mediocre if it just continued with the small amount of characters from the previous, even though the story is progressing. It was pleasant, therefore, to have new characters, especially with a mystery behind them that Pierce and the readers are not aware of. It was refreshing. It gives a lot to think about and see the amount of trouble Pierce is supposedly in, from a greater perspective of how it doesn't just concern her and her family, but the whole island of Isla Huesos! 

As I've said many times before, I love books that are descriptive and allow the reader to experience a whole different world, complete with pictures and feelings of excitement, nervousness and whatever the character's experiencing! Underworld certainly doesn't disappoint in this aspect and that's among the prime reasons I love it. There's this small video inside my head, where I've got this all pictured. The cemetery, Pierce's home, the Underworld, the palace, the Coffin Night festival and everything! What can be better than this? :)

The story seemed to be running at a constant pace throughout, but it certainly increased its pace towards the end! It was absolutely thrilling, engaging and I was hooked till I reached the end. Surprises, astounding twist and turns of events, some amazing discoveries (at one point I found my mouth slightly open. Just saying), so that I was definitely sad I wouldn't be knowing what's going to happen next! About Pierce, John, others in the Underworld, Pierce's family, her friends, Alex, Mr. Smith - the cemetery sexton and Isla Huesos! Considering her previous series that I've read, I'm sure the ending would be perfect. 

Meg retains her trademark conversational style of writing in this book too, which is what makes me love them so much! It's easy to read, understand and know what's happening and you get inside the character's heads so deep (thanks to the way it's written), you'd think all of it is happening to you. I especially enjoy the humor that's always inside Meg's characters' in some way or the other. It makes for very enjoyable reading! 

If you've read Abandon, you shouldn't be waiting to read Underworld. Grab your copy now! If you haven't read Abandon as well, but would like to red a bit on Greek myth of the Underworld, this series is recommended! Also if you love Young Adult literature.

PS- I adore the fact about Meg Cabot that she can write on a variety of topics with so much ease! I love the mystery in the Heather Wells series, which I'll be re-reading now. :D

Runaway

Author: Meg Cabot

Price: Rs. 250

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

The title to this third book in the Airhead Trilogy can be deciphered in two ways- Runaway because that's how Em looks like in the beginning, a Runaway gone to South Carolina with Brandon Stark (though of course the real Nikki, her mom and Steven, Nikki's brother are with them too, but that's a secret) and Runaway because in the end Em runs-away, from her fake new life, from all the stupid contracts, from her secret identity. She has uncovered the dark truth about Robert Stark and exposed him to the media. Stark's arrested and she's back to openly living life as Em! I think this one is the best in the series. It has action, it has mystery, it has secrets!

Storyline

Em's been 'kidnapped' (at least that's what we say when she's been taken against her will) by Brandon, who takes Nikki's family and Em to his South Carolina home, in order to coax the truth out of Nikki- the secret that she knows, the secret that led to this tangled mess in the first place. However, Christopher, Frida and Lulu somehow sneak into the guarded house and try to rescue Em. In the process, they tackle down Brandon and blackmail him into keeping quiet and return to New York. Now Em knows why Stark wanted to kill Nikki, she has the secret but is still clueless; no one knows how tracking down young kids with zero health problems and retaining their info using their spyware could be useful to Stark.

 Just when Em's about to leave for a party before the Stark Angel Fashion show, Christopher calls her and asks her not to go anywhere since he found out that Em herself is called a 'Project Phoenix', a secret project by Stark that's tracking down young people. Em decides to find out the truth and heads for the party. With a bit of snooping around, she sneaks into a room filled with extremely rich, old people, carrying out kind of an auction of young people! That's the catch- they 'kidnap' such fit people and legally "kill" them to carry out brain transplants for the old rich ones so that they could live a longer, healthier life! An insane scheme! Em records it on her phone, but she's caught and threatened by Stark. She however, had recorded the thing on two phones, and at the end of the New Year party, she, along with Christopher, Felix and others, discloses this fact to the world! Stark is arrested and Em is back to living her old life (though she's still the Face of Stark, a newly revamped company led by Brandon, with Nikki as her agent and Christopher and Felix working in Stark's technical department).

What's special

Mystery, secrets, danger. Something usually not seen in Meg Cabot books, it has definitely made this book the best of the trilogy (I said that before, didn’t I?). The clever scheme to earn fat bucks by Stark, the scientific edge to it and the way the mystery’s unravelled; it’s all quite appealing and makes it an interesting read. I would call it a clean, simple and interesting book, recommended for teens!

(Other books in the series- Airhead, Being Nikki)

Being Nikki

Author: Meg Cabot

Price: Rs. 290
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Being Nikki is the second book of the Airhead trilogy and is mostly based on Em’s (the seventeen year old female protagonist) life as a teen supermodel. In an accident that seems quite plain, Em got her brain transplanted into teen model, Nikki Howard’s body, who apparently, died in the accident. The shocks and surprises got over in the first book and this one shows Em living the life Nikki would have, if she were alive. However, as we move on to the later half of the book, we start getting uneasy feelings, as if something’s going wrong. As the truth unfolds, it is a whole new direction the story takes!

Storyline

It’s a muddled life for Em, what with Nikki being the Stark Angel for the Stark Fashion show, her complicated love life, Nikki's (real) brother showing up and informing her that their mom has been missing since the "accident". Above all, Em's suspicions that her home as well as that of her parents' is bugged, turn true, much to her fury. One day she finds herself in Christopher's flat where she sees a framed picture of her old self! His flat too, was bugged. To add to it, Christopher had been planning to break into Stark Enterprises with the help of his cousin, Felix, and take it down. Apparently, to revenge Em's death. He offers Nikki to help find her Mom in return for a username and password belonging to someone at Stark. 

Meanwhile Nikki finds herself being accused of e-mailing ex-boyfriend Justin, by a fellow model, which wasn't true, because Em hadn't been e-mailing anyone. That seems suspicious and she's intent on finding out the truth. It is during the annual party at Nikki and Lulu's place that Christopher finds Nikki and tells her that he knows the truth, that she's actually Em! He had been able to use the information to get into Stark's system and had seen Em's file there and uncovered the truth about her. Suddenly, as if some stroke of inspiration hit her, she finds out Justin in the party and they track down the e-mails from "Nikki". They were coming from Dr. Fong's house! 

A doctor who had been in the team that operated upon Em, Dr. Fong confessed when they rounded on him, that he had saved the real Nikki's life! That's because the real Nikki didn't have aneurysm, as was told by Stark and Dr. Fong couldn't let anyone die; especially someone who didn't have anything wrong with them. He placed Nikki's brain into a donor body and took her home. Nikki's mother stayed with them at Dr. Fong's place to help Nikki recover. (Nikki was however infuriated with having to give up the life she loved and stuck inside the doctor's house). This dangerous situation arose because Nikki had overheard some secret and was blackmailing Stark with it. But then, Stark had tried to kill her! All the while this truth was unraveling, Brandon had been eavesdropping, and he decides to play a game on his own. He corners Em and threatens to tell his father the truth, unless she agrees to play along him in uncovering the secret Nikki overheard from his father (they shared a strained relationship) so that he could blackmail him on his own. Em tells Christopher that she loved Brandon and will go with him to his place in South Carolina, along with the real Nikki and her family. 

What's special

Em's wit and presence of mind, as she finds out bugs in her loft, her parent's apartment, in her Stark brand cell phone, everywhere. There's a sense of foreboding as Stark cleverly intrudes every aspect of her life. Gradually as mystery after mystery reveals itself and as the truth dawns upon them, the reader experiences increased pulse-rates! It's a lot more interesting towards the end when the whole secret comes out and slightly redundant in the beginning. The ending's sad though, Em having to leave Christopher moments after they knew the truth! However, it's a fun read; you'll not get bored (it's Meg Cabot, you can hardly get bored). If you've read Airhead, you'll automatically go for this one! I liked it :)

(Other books in the series : Airhead, Runaway)

Airhead.

Author: Meg Cabot
Price: Rs. 250
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Another one of my favorites!! It's hard for me not to like a book, if it's by Meg Cabot and this one totally rules! It's the first in the Airhead Trilogy. The story of seventeen year old Emerson Watts, a very normal teen, tomboyish (so like me, 'not-so-girly', I mean), with a cool IQ level and a fetish for computer games (particularly Journeyquest) and surgery shows on Discovery channel, this story is what you would say is about "turning life the other way round"!

Storyline

Em is forced to attend the grand opening of a new Stark Megastore (by a company called Stark Enterprises) because her Mom doesn't want Em's fourteen year old sister, Frida, to go there alone. Frida's a fashion maniac and wanted to attend the opening because of the star presence of singing sensation Gabriel Luna and teen supermodel Nikki Howard. While the three of them (Em's best friend, Christopher is there too) are waiting for Gabriel's autograph, some protesters create a ruckus, in the midst of which a TV panel from overhead drops on Em and Nikki's injured.

It's a month later that Em wakes up in a hospital. She discovers (after she's been 'kidnapped' from the hospital by Lulu Collins(Nikki's best friend) and Brandon Stark (Nikki's on and off boyfriend)) that she's been the recipient of a rare kind of Brain Transplant! Nikki's brain had allegedly 'died' and the only way to save Em's life was the transplant! So Em's brain in Nikki Howard's body! She's petrified! It's supposed to be a secret, because the transplant process is still not legal, but carried out anyway by a secret division of Stark Enterprises! Here's the catch- there's a bond. Nobody should know Nikki is not really Nikki, but Em. AND Em (in Nikki's body) would be fulfilling Nikki's duties as a model and the face of Stark. That meant that Em was legally, technically dead, just not literally. 

Em is heartbroken. She has to live Nikki's life. Covered with the excuse of amnesia, Nikki comes back to the world of fashion after a month (only now it's Em, of course). Em discovers a whole new side to her life. People in Nikki's life like her even more now, since she's not so mean anymore. However the person she missed the most was Christopher (whom she's always liked) and that's what made her get into TAHS, Em's school, she wanted to see him so bad. And of course to complete her education. Christopher's a changed person and that kills her inside. No matter how hard Em tries to befriend him, it's useless (why would he want to be friends with the face of the company that killed his best friend?).

It's a roller coaster ride, with all cheerleaders crooning over her and trying to impress her, Robert Stark(owner of Stark Enterprises) not paying her any attention, finding out that Nikki's stark brand laptops were bugged with spyware (that the computer pro Em easily recognized), and modelling! What she is not aware of is, how much she's in danger unless she decides to just keep playing Nikki and not poking her nose in weird circumstances!

What's special

A scientific base on the story told with such imagination and humor, it's a book that keeps you hooked. I liked the way it portrayed the fun and the worrisome side of modelling. The moral was that you don't realize what you have till you've lost it, be it your home, family, or best friends; filled with the wonderful Meg Cabot style, humor and realistic portrayal of the protagonist. It's quite interesting actually, urging the readers to keep on guessing what dangerous motive could be behind such a clean story? The answer's in the second book to the series, Being Nikki! Em's experience actually living Nikki's life! A must read for teens!!! :)

Other books in the series- Being Nikki, Runaway