GAMER GIRL

Gothy novice gamer and manga reader Maddy Starr has just moved from Boston to a small New Hampshire town following her parents’ divorce. Constantly bullied by the popular “Haters” at her new school, her only respite is playing the online game Fields of Fantasy. She even begins writing her own manga based on her adventures with fellow gamer “Sir Leo.” Buoyed by the strength of her online persona, she soon confronts her neglectful dad, stands up to the Haters and starts her own manga club. By this point, it is no surprise when “Sir Leo” turns out to be Chad, the cutest and most sympathetic member of the Haters. Cue happy ending. This lightweight chick-lit tale is distinguishable only because of its inclusion of manga and gaming culture, although both topics are treated in a more superficial manner than the appealing anime-inspired cover and title suggest. Predictable and littered with pop-culture references that will soon date, this one’s for undiscerning tween fans of formulaic romance who want more of the same. (Fiction. 12-14)