This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I have to be honest, I am guilty of judging a book by it’s cover/ cover art and while I did request this book when the time came to read it I was not overly enthusiastic to start. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the main character and I share a first name. (I’m not sure why, but I love when this happens!) I rather quickly became engrossed in this book. The main Character Jared is your typical Jr high boy. His family is a bit dysfunctional and he escapes into the world of Lavascape (an online multi-player game) where as the title hints at, he is a troll. The book chronicles his growing addiction with the game and the consequences this has on his everyday life. I think this book would be a good read for younger readers (5-8th grade). There are a couple of mature themes that may raise questions for younger kids. I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely recommend it often. (  )

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

This was a good read. I look forward to a sequel. If you’re looking for a book that has a good moral background of standing up for what is right along with a little bit of action then this is the book for you. Through in a dash of comedy, a pinch of teen romance, a computer game and good ol’ family drama and you have ‘My Life as a Troll’. Don’t be fooled, this book will get you hooked within the first couple of chapters.

Jared faces what many kids will go through in School. Having to deal with a bully, choosing between right and wrong and crushes add to that a troubled home life and you have the recipe for normal teen angst. Jared has the choice between living in a fantasy world of a game or accepting and dealing with real life. The game Lavascape gives him an escape from real life but in the game he acquires a resilience and toughness that he lacks outside the game, until events that happen in the game start blending over into the real world. He develops a stronger sense of self and ultimately figures out that living in the real world is so much better than being in Lavascape even with all its problems.(  )

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Jared is an outsider at school and unhappy at home, his parents fight all the time and his sister only has time for her boyfriend. So when he gets a copy of Lavascape, a fully immersive MMORPG with helmet, gloves and other tracking devices, he jumps at the chance to play a Troll. At first he is content with hanging out in the village, playing games all the time, but when he starts to have visions of a beautiful princess in distress, he starts to change his mind and prepare for an adventure. While he is spending more and more time in Lavascape and thus neglecting both his friends and his homework, he starts to notice strange changes with himself. Some injuries he incurred while playing suddenly appear in real life, and where are all those muscles coming from?

Susan Bohnet manages to take a coming of age story with a strong focus on computer games and takes it to the next level. My Life as a Troll is a very captivating read that I could not turn down, and even though I foresaw some plot points, there were turns I didn’t see coming at all. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever played a computer game and a must read for everyone who plays MMORPGs! (  )