ALBATROSS by Josie Bloss

ALBATROSS
Author: Josie Bloss
Source: Flux Books
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Flux; 1 edition (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738714763
• ISBN-13: 978-0738714769

SYNOPSIS:

Everyone at Tess’s new school warns her that Micah is bad news-a heartbreaker. And a girl named Daisy is acting like she owns him. Still, Tess can’t ignore her attraction to this brooding, brilliant, friendless emo guy who can turn on the charm-or heart-shredding scorn-at a moment’s notice. Starting over in a new town after her parents’ split isn’t easy for Tess, and Micah feels like her first real connection. But then their bond suddenly feels like shackles.

Caught in an obsessive triangle of jealousy and codependence, can Tess learn to break away and find herself again?

MY THOUGHTS:

How do I write this review? I have so many emotions going through me after finishing this book that I don’t even know where to start.

First of all, lets start with Micah. What an ass. Sorry for the language, but it is the only word to describe this guy.  He is controlling, moody and a jerk.  He thinks it is okay to play on the emotions of girls to make himself feel better.  I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to beat the crap out of this boy if he were real! Then when you get further into the book, and come to the biting scene, you just want to scream and pull your hair out!

That brings me to Tess. How can she put up with the crap she gets from Micah?  I understand she just moved to the town, she had a horrible father–who I might add is just like Micah in ways–but that is no reason to want to fall into a relationship that is so emotionally damaging that you aren’t yourself anymore.

The best part of this book is the friends that Tess have and Toby.  They try to tell her and to help her get out of the situation, but Tess doesn’t want to listen.  I love the ending.  It is just what Tess needed.

This book is about emotional abuse, some physical abuse and overcoming the low self esteem and codependency that can happen in these types of relationships.  A great book for a young adult to read and recognize the signs of these types of relationships before it is too late.  A great read for adults as well that will open your eyes at teenage emotional abuse.  I just wish we could have dug deeper into why Tess fell for Micah in the first place.  It was rushed and didn’t flow right at first.  Once you start reading it though, it gets better and sucks you in.

MY RATING: