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By Rivkah (Tokyopop)
ISBN: 1-59816-135-0
This teen comedy-drama tells of Leah Winters and her shattering discovery. Leah is a well-to-do sixteen year old who accidentally finds a love-letter hidden by her oh-so-perfect, truly obnoxious older sister, Sarai. Giving in to temptation, Leah reads the letter and is shocked to discover that not only is it a love-letter, but it is signed “love, Jessicaâ€.
This revelation absolutely rocks Leah’s world. She should be concentrating on soccer practise and test scores but all she can think about is how their fearsome dragon of a mother will react. Confused about how she feels and how she is supposed to feel, she decides she must know, one way or another and decides to track down the mysterious writer. When an ominous phone-caller claims to have the answers she needs Leah foolishly agrees to a clandestine meeting in an isolated park. When that appointment goes wrong Leah is rescued by a charismatic boy and his decidedly odd father and her quest becomes even more convoluted…
The creator, Rivkah, is a relative neophyte to the world of manga, but her charmingly drawn romantic tale of teen insecurity and awakening independence is engaging and well-paced, although probably skewed less towards an overtly female readership than many more traditional Shojo or Girl’s books. There is plenty that should appeal to boys here, and they might even catch a clue as to how to conduct themselves better in social situations. Or not.
This volume also includes a large selection of preparatory sketches and notes and a large preview section from the dark fantasy “Mark of the Succubus†by newcomers Irene Flores Ashly Raiti.
© 2005 Rivkah & Tokyopop Inc. All Rights Reserved.