Albatross

Following her parents' divorce, Tess moves with her mother from Chicago to Grand River, Mich., and enters her last year of high school feeling isolated and angry about being ripped away from her old life. “I was very tired. Tired of pretending like I was fine with it all, that I was okay with being here, that I wasn't worrying about Dad and what he was doing now that we were gone.” When she meets brooding and brilliant Micah, she is enthralled with his intensity and intimidated by his complex relationship with another student, Daisy. Tess's self-confidence plummets as her obsession with Micah grows and as he vacillates between affectionate and abusive. She struggles to listen to the little voice in her head that urges her—literally and repeatedly—not to be a victim (“I really hope you're not going to stand for this , the voice said.... Get up and walk out ”). Bloss's (Band Geek Love ) prose verges on melodrama and the message about controlling relativonships can feel heavy-handed, but her descriptions of lust and envy are honest and captivating. Ages 14–up. (Feb.)