Cabot (the Princess Diaries series) dishes up all the story ingredients her fans have come to know and love—romance, humor, believable teen dialogue and even a fantastical twist. This last bit requires a major suspension of disbelief, but willing readers will love it. Emerson Watts, 16, likes living in New York City's SoHo neighborhood, but she can't tolerate most of the students at her private high school. She and her best friend (and secret crush), Christopher, escape their outcast status by immersing themselves in online video games. But Emerson's bland world shatters when she attends the opening of a new Stark Megastore and suffers a terrible accident. She wakes up in the hospital one month later in someone else's body—and not just anyone else's, but that of superhot teen model Nikki Howard. Cabot's portrayal of Emerson is brilliant. She's a too-cool-for-school independent chick, but she doesn't grow annoying, because the author makes it clear her sarcasm stems from not fitting in. Once she's Nikki Howard, however, she has to rethink her positions on the social order. Pure fun, this first series installment will leave readers clamoring for the next. Ages 12—up. (June)

Gr 7-9

Cabot delivers yet another fun and frothy piece of escapism in this far-fetched but rousing roller-coaster ride of a novel. The plot centers on a freak accident at the new Stark Megastore. Emma Watts has a huge plasma TV land on her just as Nikki Howard, supermodel and the Face of Stark, enters the store and suffers a brain aneurism. Stark, determined to keep their moneymaking "face" alive, embarks on a risky venture that they have been doing for years, unbeknownst to anyone else. Now Emma's brain is in Nikki's body and her life will never be the same. If Emma tells anyone, her family will be slapped with millions in medical bills. Cabot pulls readers in and makes them care about Emma, her family, her best friend, and her secret crush. No one in the cast is completely fleshed out but there is some character development. This book is sure to fly off the shelves and leave readers breathlessly awaiting the promised sequel.-Shari Fesko, Southfield Public Library, MI

Unlike her starry-eyed sister, down-to-earth Em Watts isn't thrilled to be at Stark Megastore's star-studded opening, especially since her best friend and secret crush, Christopher, can't stop drooling over teen modeling sensation and Stark representative, Nikki Howard. Just as Em wonders how Nikki can captivate people so, she suffers an accident that sends her to a Manhattan hospital with life-altering injuries that intimately intertwine both women forever-her brain has been surgically transplanted into Nikki's body. This bizarre new relationship with Nikki forces Em, a self-identifying feminist, to reevaluate her life views and slowly to accept Nikki as more than just an airhead. Although quick to set up the accident and its repercussions, the text slows down to an even pace, introducing many juicy issues to be explored in the upcoming sequel, especially with respect to nefarious corporate activities. Although it relies on a somewhat far-fetched premise, the text's abundant references to current pop culture and Em's witty character keep this read both grounded and fun. (Fiction. YA)

Praise for the Airhead Trilogy:

New York Times BestsellerPublishers Weekly Bestseller

*"[A] far-fetched but rousing roller-coaster ride of a novel . . . This book is sure to fly off the shelves." -School Library Journal, starred review

"Bag the tiara and get out the gun . . . Cabot delivers." -Publishers Weekly

"[The] strong, amusing voice, the plot twists, and the possibility of romance will draw mystery and chick-lit readers alike." -Booklist

"Em's witty character keeps this read both grounded and fun." -Kirkus Reviews

Stina Nielsen's enthusiastic and sarcastic voice is perfect for this amusing but farfetched plot. She captures the spirit of Emerson Watts, a New York teenager with a finely honed sense of irony, who is more interested in playing computer games with her nerdy best friend than in fashion or popularity. Em chaperones her younger sister to the grand opening of the new Stark megastore when a bizarre accident changes Em's life forever. Take the leap of faith required and enjoy the ride. Nielsen understands that nuance and subtlety are not necessary here. She gives us a completely appropriate over-the-top performance that accentuates the wonder, outrage, and heartbreak of Em's bizarre life. A.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine