Mini Review - Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Readin'
Being Nikki: An Airhead Novel
Meg Cabot
Scholastic, Point
182 of 336 pgs (Abandoned)
1 1/2 hrs.

Writin'
Being Nikki continues the story of Em Watts who has fully taken on the body of Nikki. She is trying to keep involved with her family, do the modeling for Stark Enterprises, attract the attention of her former best friend, Christopher, and find Nikki's real mom. Christopher, whom she's in love with, has decided that he's in love with Em and would like to bring down Stark Enterprises as a way to avenge her death. Nikki has to find a way to stop him, even though she agrees with him. She knows that Stark Enterprises is the reason she's alive.

'Rithmetic
Let me just say that the Amazing Dancer was shocked I didn't like this book. And so was I. I've been waiting for this book since I'd read Airhead. I booktalked Airhead along with The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson and Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I believe those three books open up a great discussion on identity. So, I was looking forward to see Cabot's answer to the question of "what makes you, you".

I was put-off by the whiny, unrealistic tone - did Nikki really think she could travel to visit her Grandmother in Florida without arousing suspicion? And the thing Nikki has about anyone who kisses her - she can't control herself and wants to sleep with them- sounds very dangerous. Her interest in Christopher wasn't very evident to me in the first book nor was his interest in her. I just didn't buy that he loved her enough to bring down a company and she loved him enough to risk everything. And it all seemed so repetitive. It felt like a chore to read and I was happy to stop.

Here's where things get complicated: my personal feelings for this book aside, I think my students would enjoy it. I'm going to give it 2 copies. Which is one more than it deserves.