Heir Apparent

By Vivian Vande Velde, this book combines modern-day (or future) life with the limitless world of magic-through a video game. It's smartly done. Competent Giannine Bellisario receives a gift certificate from her father to Rasmussem, Inc., a virtual reality gaming company. Giannine chooses a medieval game in which she must forge alliances and solve problems until she succeeds in being crowned king. One problem- a
protect out children" group storm the company and damage equipment while it was in use. Giannine is now stuck in the game until she can solve it correctly, but she's on a time limit as the damaged equipment is overheating.

Vande Velde uses precise imagery when depicting her scenes. At one point she describes a potion Giannine drinks, and that description never fails to make me gag (if you read it, I bet you can guess which one it is). Her characters are real (yes, I suppose even the virtual reality ones), and her fictional world is related to her main character's 21st century reality. A good read, and amusing.

Blue