Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 15))
Fredericks's story opens with Judith Ellis defending herself from a psycho killer: an opponent in The Game. She soon learns that her arch-nemesis is her reputedly bad-boy neighbor, Jonathan. The two begin a new game, and Judith feels secure acting as Gareth until she realizes that in her fantasy world she can't be herself. As Judith, she can care about Jonathan and establish her independence from her mother, begin to recover from a sexual attack, and accept the loss of her best friend when they find different interests. Not only is the narration set up in an interesting way, with the first half called "Gareth" and the second "Judith," but Judith's gender issues are interesting as well. Since her attack, she prefers to take on male roles while gaming, and while definitely attracted to Jonathan, Judith wonders if she ever had feelings for Leia, her former best friend. Fredericks has a gift for replicating teen vernacular; the end of her story leaves readers with the same wistful feeling as "Game Over." 2004, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, 272p, $15.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November 2004 (Vol. 58, No. 3))
I don't want anyone knowing me," says Judith, who finds that real life, with its snickering ex-friends, competitive brainy classmates, and faraway father, simply reinforces her sense of vulnerability. Her preferred realm is her online game, wherein she relishes taking the role of a cunning and indomitable male thief, but a showdown with a destructive and mysterious fellow player robs her of even that pleasure. When she realizes that the person behind that player is actually Jonathan, the bad boy of her apartment complex, she embarks on a wary partnership with him, wherein they draw on their gaming interest to create a more challenging live-action game of their own, developing a surprising friendship along the way. As she did in The True Meaning of Cleavage (BCCB 3/03), Fredericks displays an admirable gift for significant perception expressed in accessible and often witty terms ("What happens if you try not to be the doof everyone says you are, but you find out, whoops, you really are a doof?"), which makes her subtle understanding look easy. The book tackles head-on the notion of the pleasures of gaming and its contrast to the unruliness of real life (Judith is still haunted by an attempted sexual assault from a year ago, and as a consequence she's particularly drawn to the power she sees in male game characters), but it's believable in its depiction of Judith's growing interest in the rewards of reality. While a few inconsistencies remain in the portrayal of bad-boy-turned-friend-and-possible-boyfriend Jonathan, his prickly relationship with Judith effectively conveys his complexity as well as her ambivalence; there's also a smoothly executed subplot about Judith's grudging friendship with Katie, the ditzy, work-shy rich girl out of step with her overachieving classmates. The humor is welcome and the intelligence penetrating, while Judith's growing connection to her fellow humans may encourage uncertain teens to strengthen their own relationships. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, Jackson/Atheneum, 260p, $15.95. Grades 7-10.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2005)
Judith's alternate reality is the online gaming world; her actual reality is not so thrilling. Bad-boy Jonathan provides an unexpected bridge between the two worlds. Despite her mother's warnings about his unsavory activities, Jonathan helps Judith regain her confidence and face down her real-life fears. Judith's voice remains strong as she builds new friendships, grounding her solidly in the real world. Category: Older Fiction. 2004, Atheneum/Jackson, 264pp, 15.95. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Angela Carstensen (VOYA, April 2005 (Vol. 28, No. 1))
Judith is fifteen years old and lives with her mother on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. She goes to a "hypercompetitive" high school, paid for by her father, who moved to Seattle five years ago. This year she decides that being invisible is the best strategy for avoiding the stresses in her life-an ex-best friend, Leia; a nagging mother; the risk of making a fool of herself in class; sitting alone in the lunch room; and the distance growing between herself and her father. Judith turns to online role-playing games. Jonathan lives in the apartment next door. Everyone in their building knows that he is a vandal, a shoplifter, and a druggie. His father is out of work and drinks; his parents are always fighting. But Judith and Jonathan have a love of role-playing games in common and create one of their own-one with no limits. The Game shows Judith new options for dealing with the world. As they see beyond the labels assigned by rumor and stereotype, Jonathan and Judith become friends. He even helps her conquer her fear of 158 West Seventy-first Street, where she was attacked the year before. Judith is an engaging narrator who finds unique ways of coping. Fans of gaming will especially enjoy this book, and the high school scenes are wonderfully realistic. In the end, Judith returns to the real world, making new friends and dealing honestly with her parents and Leia. She even finds the courage to raise her hand in math class. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, Atheneum/S & S, 272p., $15.95. Ages 12 to 18.