To be honest, I had never really read much of Meg Cabot’s work. I dabbled in the Princess Diaries series (FYI: so superior to the movies) and I know she is a fabulously well-known chick-lit author, but nothing I saw ever enticed me to pick it up and give it a go. But after receiving “Runaway,” the latest in her “Airhead” series (“Airhead” and “Being Nikki” are the first two novels) from her publisher, I decided to give it a whirl. (Hey, it was a free book!)

And boy, am I ever happy I did! This was hands-down one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had in a loooooooong time.

The series focuses on two girls: Emerson Watts and Nikki Howard. Emerson is your average video-game playing nerd, while Nikki is a world famous supermodel and the face of Stark Industries, an amalgamation of business industry giants: Wal-mart, Victoria’s Secret, Apple, among others. They set up mega-stores that cause small businesses to shut down, they hold an annual lingerie fashion show featuring their Angels and they sell cutting-edge computer and electronics.

In the original novel, Nikki tried to blackmail Robert Stark, head of the company, and he tries to have her killed in a “freak accident” at one of the stores. Emerson Watts also happens to be in the store and have a similar accident happen: a TV falls on her head. Because Nikki is the face of the company, Robert still wants to use her body, so he has scientists engineer a body transplant, putting Emerson’s brain into Nikki’s body. Read More »

I am not a huge reader of chick-lit, but I admit, sometimes I just get the urge and have to indulge! It’s like the 99 times I pass by Mrs. Fields at the mall until that on time I can’t take the fresh cookie smell anymore…. and I get three.

I first noticed “Dedication” at the bookstore where I work. I read the back – it sounded cute and light and had a musical aspect to it, so I thought I would enjoy it.

I visited my library and checked it out? What? I don’t need the other people at work knowing about my vice!

Basically, the story involves a girl, Kate, and her highschool sweetheart, Jake Sharpe. The book chronicles their romance, right from their meeting, flashing back to the eighties while keeping up with the present story. The turning point is when Jake becomes a rock-star while Kate goes off to university. Unfortunately he uses their relationship and Kate’s personal life as obvious inspiration for his songs and sends her life on a downward spiral. They eventually come back together after many years, and this is where the story really gets good.

Don’t worry – I won’t spoil anything. But it is just. so. good. Read More »