Gamer Girl

Maddy's parents have divorced, forcing her along with her mom and her sister to move outside of Boston. They're now going to live with their grandmother in New Hampshire. Not only will Maddy miss her friends, but she's also missing her school and her old life. Especially after the first day of school. Her mother leaves for work, leaving her to take the bus. Only her grandmother doesn't approve of her outfit. She makes Maddy change into her own clothes (old lady pants and a unicorn sweatshirt) and her grandmother insists on walking Maddy into school. Horribly embarrassed, Maddy just wants to disappear. However, things get drastically worse when her grandmother humiliates the most popular boy in school in front of everyone. Billy - not a nice guy- goes out of his way to make Maddy's life miserable. The only thing going for Maddy right now is playing an online fantasy game her dad bought for her birthday. Instead of playing with her dad (like she hoped) she's now playing with a boy who may or may not go to her school. More importantly, she's loving the computer game and loving the alternative life it brings her. Can she ever make friends at her new school or will she always be labeled Freak Girl?

I LOVED this book. Mari Mancusi (Boys that Bite) first caught my attention with her vampire series and I was eager to read this new book. Plus the cover is gorgeous. Plus I like computer games (I'm really bad at video games because I haven't played them much, but controlling the computer game is easier for me - still frustrating at times, but easier) I wasn't disappointed. Gamer Girl had the angst I like, dealing with a new setting, a little bit of fantasy element with the game, plus a little romance.