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Albatross

by Josie Bloss (Goodreads Author)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 157 ratings · 35 reviews

What's so cool about nice guys?

Everyone at Tess's new school warns her that Micah is bad news—a heartbreaker. But she can't ignore her attraction to this brooding, brilliant, friendless emo hottie 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...more

Paperback, 229 pages

Published 2010 by Flux

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2010 YA novels (part 2)

85th out of 136 books — 313 voters

YA Novels of 2010

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Jan 14, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-bitten, squeemers

Here is what the press release that came with the book had to say about this title:

Despite pop culture's obsession with brooding, supernatural antiheroes like Edward Cullen, one of the most common critiques of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series is the unhealthy relationship between Bella and Edward - that Edward is a bully and Bella is a doormat. Yet teen girls thrive on this unbalanced relationship dynamic. Perhaps this is because they so rarely find an alternative in the literature of today.

A...more Here is what the press release that came with the book had to say about this title:

Despite pop culture's obsession with brooding, supernatural antiheroes like Edward Cullen, one of the most common critiques of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series is the unhealthy relationship between Bella and Edward - that Edward is a bully and Bella is a doormat. Yet teen girls thrive on this unbalanced relationship dynamic. Perhaps this is because they so rarely find an alternative in the literature of today.

As a response to this trend, young adult novelist Josie Bloss penned Albatross (Flux, February). A complete departure from her previous, lighthearted Band Geek books, Albatross is a dark and tense story of codependency and psychological abuse in teen relationships. The distinguishing element is that the ultimate message is one of hope, but not without some truly distressing poor decisions made on the part of the protagonist.

I have never read a release about a book that was so accurate it could have knocked a fly off of a cliff from 3 miles away. This book is everything Twilight needs to be. I read through this one in a day (would have been a sitting had I not had to work), I couldn't get enough of it, probably because I saw a lot of myself in the protagonist. While I didn't come from the same type of family situation save for the divorce (my dad is nowhere near a prick like Tess's is), I was of a similar temperament in high school. I dated guys that weren't good for me, that treated me like crap but I was so desperate for the attention that I took it and asked what I was doing wrong when something completely out of my control happened. It was eerie and at points I was actually nauseous, it hit that close to home.

It's funny how when you see such a prick of a character like Micah from a third person perspective, it really easy to see how much of an asshole he really is. And holy shit is he ever. But standing in Tess's shoes, and I can see myself doing this at her age, you eat it up. You want this unattainable person. Don't you always want what you can't have? He keeps himself distanced from Tess, taunting her, teasing her and leaving her wanting to come back for more. But while the secondary characters (mainly Tess's friends) say that Micah destroys any girls he touches, I think he just has a knack for attracting vulnerable girls. Or they're drawn to him, either way. Because they're so vulnerable (like Tess having to deal with a divorce and a schmuck for a father), and they're vying for attention, what he gives them, they take.

You can clearly see the Bella and Edward dynamic in Tess and Micah and I really hope anyone that reads this book that loved Twilight and loved Bedward's relationship will see how it really is and how destructive it is. It's easier to match symptoms when you have something to match them against. Being in it you may be blind to it but relating with Tess and seeing what she's going through, maybe it'll help some girls escape a destructive relationship that's been romanticized by current YA fiction.

The writing is simple yet poignant. It tells the story in Tess's words and how only she would see it. It hurts to be inside her head when she's struggling with her feelings for Micah. It'll make you want to shout at the book to drop him. You'll be right along with her inner voice telling her to run away and you'll get disgruntled when she caves yet again. The story rips at you and, hopefully, will make you evaluate your relationships a little more thoroughly. Is that guy of yours pushing and pulling at you? Maybe it's time to drop him. The parallels between Tess and her mother are scary but disturbingly true so many times yet so many fall to repeating history on a subconscious level.

The ending is very Lifetime movie but not sickly sweet. It's positive without being sappy and leaves you with a good feeling that everything will work itself out. There isn't a prince that saves Tess's day. Only Tess did that and that just reiterated the overwhelmingly powerful message this book has. No one else can get you out of it except you. You need the strength to do it. You just need to listen to that inner voice of yours.

I absolutely loved this book. If you're looking for an antithesis of Twilight, you will too.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 16, 2013 Steph Campbell added it

I don't even know where to begin with this book. I've heard ALBATROSS called the "anti-Twilight," and that makes sense. (Disclaimer: I totes loved Twilight.) But it takes that co-dependent, a bit unbalanced relationship and strips it of its paranormal bits and shows what a relationship with some of those characteristics might look like in the real world. The writing is clean and simple and the concept is all sorts of brilliant. The relationship is destructive and creepy and unsettling. And also,...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Liyana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Look there. What do you see? A boy in a leather jacket, sitting all alone in the cafeteria. An ~*aura*~ of mystery surrounds him. And a sense of foreboding too, but you ignore that thought, because trouble with that boy would be good, so good. No one talks to him, and he? He's not bothered at all. In fact, he seems to prefer the solitude, minding his own business. Hey! The most popular girl is talking to him and OH MY GOD he brushed her off without a glance! You giggle. He looks up at you, and y...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Tanna Ray rated it 4 of 5 stars

A book about a girl named Tess; her parents had a messy split and Tess was tossed around without any thought of her feelings. Tess now had a new life, a new school, new surroundings, and new boys to meet and friends to make.Tess was lurred in by a a bad boy named Micah. He was known as the heartbreaker through the grapevine, but Tess didn't take anyones advice. He first obsticle was to get Micah away from a girl named Daisy who acted like Micah was her own property. Though Tess didn't let this g...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration

After reading a review of this, I requested it for the Peach Committee, and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I felt compelled to finish the story in just a couple of my coffee-fueled morning reads. I think most teen girls, maybe some boys, will identify with the painful crush depicted here and may even discover tools to fight weak and insidious people who get off on hurting and undermining others.

Tess and her mother leave Chicago and a husband-father who ran their family, not with an iron fist bu...more

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Jun 03, 2010 Sonja rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After reading stories where everybody seems to think it's okay to be used by boyfriends (I'm looking at every single, crappy, generic romcom) or controlled by boyfriends (I'm glaring at you Twilight) under the guise of romance, passion, or whatever cliche riddled adjective people want to call it -- Albatross is a giant dose of empowering reality because in this story, those kinds of people -- the one who view you like an object instead of an actual person -- are not portrayed like Prince Charmin...more

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May 02, 2010 Jeanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 03, 2010 Erika Trenas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Plot: 3/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

I love a good love story. I love reading books that make me feel tingly and warm. But those kinds of romances are only one kind- there's a much darker kind of relationships, the kind that can destroy people. Albatross is one of those.

Tess moves to a new town- the aftermath of her parents' divorce. She isn't angry, though. After years of watching her father treat her and her mother badly, she's happy that her mom finally de...more Plot: 3/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

I love a good love story. I love reading books that make me feel tingly and warm. But those kinds of romances are only one kind- there's a much darker kind of relationships, the kind that can destroy people. Albatross is one of those.

Tess moves to a new town- the aftermath of her parents' divorce. She isn't angry, though. After years of watching her father treat her and her mother badly, she's happy that her mom finally decided to free herself. In her new town, though, she can hardly feel a connection with anyone. Then, she meets Micah. He's enigmatic, he's talented, and he's the one person in her new school that understands her. As she gets to know him more, their connection grows more and more intense she finds herself falling for him. But then Micah starts saying hurtful things, doing things that push her buttons, punishing her for the most miniscule mistakes, and she starts seeing her parents' relationship in theirs. Still, she can't seem to deny him. How could she let go of the one person who gets her?

Brutally honest, sometimes painful, Albatross explores the kind of relationship that isn't butterflies and warmth. There's just so much pain that Tess experiences, first from her father and then from Micah, and all that pain translates in the pages.

At times, I found it hard to read. It was depressing and dark, but then things would do a full 360 and I began to think they'd pick up again. It was a rollercoaster of happiness and sadness, of pain and liberation. It wasn't like anything I've ever read.

The development of the characters, especially Tess, was brilliant. I felt every bit of her sorrow, and I found myself rooting for her the whole time. Micah was another great character- he was charming, yet every bit a villain the whole time. It was unreal how I went from loving him to hating him and back in just a matter of pages.

Albatross is not something everyone would enjoy- it's cynical, occasionally painful, and some may not be a fan of that. It's not as much a love story as it is a coming-of-age novel, but I really enjoyed its liberating take on a girl finally finding freedom. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting, but it was a pleasant surprise- it was a nice deviation from the usual books I read. Josie Bloss strung together a tough but relevant story that readers surely won't forget.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 20, 2010 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Heather by: Donna

Shelves: 2010-read, 2010-favorites, young-adult, contemporary-fiction

This book really put destructive relationships into the forefront and how damaging they can be. This reminded me a lot of the destructive relationship in Twilight between Bella and Edward. That's one of the things I didn't like about the Twilight series. I felt their relationship was very destructive and not healthy at all. And a lot of young girls may believe that's what they want....

This book shows the appeal of guys like Edward, dark and brooding and controlling, but how that is really destru...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Brandi Kosiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

I finished this book in one day, and it would have been one sitting if life didn't interfere. I connected automatically with Tess. I guess I have a depression that I can't really shake and some of her words really struck a cord with me. I feel like I've lost some of the people I'm closest with, whether from death, moving away, or just drifting apart.
...I felt like I drifted through the day without ever actually connecting with anyone, like I was a ghost of myself?
There was also another quote...more I finished this book in one day, and it would have been one sitting if life didn't interfere. I connected automatically with Tess. I guess I have a depression that I can't really shake and some of her words really struck a cord with me. I feel like I've lost some of the people I'm closest with, whether from death, moving away, or just drifting apart.
...I felt like I drifted through the day without ever actually connecting with anyone, like I was a ghost of myself?
There was also another quote where she said a drummer who was always laughing made her uncomfortable because she worried he was laughing at her.... I totally get that. I feel slightly on the outside with most people and worry that other people really don't like me or are talking about me. Also the way that even when included, she felt still outside of what was going on.
Reading that really made me feel more validated... like I'm not the only one, even if its a character in a book.
Micah is hot, brooding and mysterious, so in the beginning I liked him pretty much right away, but there is a darker side of him that I didn't really know what to make of. And his relationship with Daisy--his albatross--I wasn't quite sure what to make of, just like Tess. He is candid which sometimes is charming and unique, but other times leaves him looking like an ass. (I'll stop talking about anything further since I got this impression within first few chapters, but I don't want to spoil anything.)
The story of Tess' father slowly unravels through the story too, and I feel sorry for her having to deal with that. Never knowing what you're going to get from a person, jerk, good guy or just get ignored keeps you on your toes, and its exhausting to live that way.
I really like how Laura tries to be her friend, and Toby is the kind of guy that I want in real life--he reminds me of my husband--chill, protective and friendly.
This is a pretty edgy and dark story overall, and I found myself swept up in Tess' story, and able to truly see both "voices" of her mind--the little one that we ignore way too much, and the one that is overpowered by emotion. But it has a powerful ending, and I love how much Tess grew into herself, and how she was even able to help someone that she disliked for a long time in the process.(less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010, ya-read

Summary: Tess has just moved to a new town with her mother, leaving behind her abusive dad. She feels lost and alone at school until she meets Micah, the brilliant and gorgeous guy who soon comes to consume her thoughts.

*Spoilers ahead*

Thoughts: I had seen several positive reviews of this throughout the blogosphere so when I noticed it at my library, I snatched it up and read it fairly quickly. It is not my usual type of book as it deals with relationship abuse; Tess's dad and Micah emotionally...more Summary: Tess has just moved to a new town with her mother, leaving behind her abusive dad. She feels lost and alone at school until she meets Micah, the brilliant and gorgeous guy who soon comes to consume her thoughts.

*Spoilers ahead*

Thoughts: I had seen several positive reviews of this throughout the blogosphere so when I noticed it at my library, I snatched it up and read it fairly quickly. It is not my usual type of book as it deals with relationship abuse; Tess's dad and Micah emotionally manipulate Tess and physical abuse seemed a definite possibility (actually Micah does bite Tess on the arm). This was actually a pretty hard book for me to read; I felt literally pained reading about her interactions with both of those males and I kept waiting for her to break free (she does!)

When I first saw the relationship of Micah and Daisy, explained by him, I saw them as sort of a Heathcliff and Cathy, definitely one of the most messed-up relationships in literature. But Micah was abusing her similarly to how he treated Tess and she was also able to break free of him. Yay!

My biggest problems were the quickness at which Tess became obsessed with Micah and the relative lack of information about all of the other people in her life. I thought her feelings about Micah could have been elaborated on more before she became so involved with him. I found him rather pretentious and, having read the summary, I could tell he was bad news. I guess I understand that the reader can't know too much about the friends as Tess pulls back away from them whenever they try to warn her about Micah but at the end, they still are ill-defined to me. The book also avoids putting her in a new relationship despite the presence of a new and very nice boy as Tess is mature enough to realize that she is not quite ready for another romantic entanglement and does have issues to work on before being able to be with someone.

*End spoilers*

Note: Albatross comes from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge, not the Monty Python sketch like my dad suggested when he saw me reading this.

Overall: 4/5. It was well-written but it is not really my type of book. I would still recommend it and I'm trying to get my sister, who usually prefers more serious books than me, to read it.

Cover: I'm not really a fan of real-life people on covers (I prefer cartoons) but I think the colors are good.(less)

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Mar 07, 2010 Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, 2010-read

WOW....

4 Stars - It took me awhile to write this review after reading this book, because the story affected me so much. I still don't think this review does it justice. I think you'll need to read it to understand what I mean.

What's scary about this book? That there's people out there like this.... it gave me shivers and really made me think about how there are some cruel people out there, come big or small, old or young.

When Tess moves with her mother to a new town and starts at a new school,...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really had no idea what to expect when I started Albatross. I hadn't read any reviews and the summary didn't give much away. I kind of liked not knowing what was coming and in the end I really liked the book.

Tess is new in town. After a rough divorce she moves to a new town in Michigan with her mom, one where she knows no one and doesn't really care. All that changes when she meets Micah. He is unlike anyone Tess has ever known and she is immediately drawn to him. Despite everyone warning her...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Tess was trying to make it work in her new town of Grand River, Michigan. She never wanted to move from Chicago, where her old life, boyfriend, and best friend remained. However, it was best for her mom after the divorce from her father.

Part of making it work, which in turn makes her mother happy, meant doing things that Tess would normally do if she was back in Chicago, like participating in the solo and ensemble competitions....more Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Tess was trying to make it work in her new town of Grand River, Michigan. She never wanted to move from Chicago, where her old life, boyfriend, and best friend remained. However, it was best for her mom after the divorce from her father.

Part of making it work, which in turn makes her mother happy, meant doing things that Tess would normally do if she was back in Chicago, like participating in the solo and ensemble competitions. Not the best French horn player, all Tess needed was someone to accompany her, to enter the competition with her. The name Micah was given to her by her director.

Micah, the seemingly weird guy who always stayed to himself, who Tess found rather intriguing. For some reason, Tess was drawn to him, even if she did find out about his weird relationship to Daisy, the girl with the gorgeous voice but a not-so-beautiful reputation. Tess gains the courage to talk to Micah, and soon enough she develops a little crush.

The crush would turn into affection, which would then turn into wanting his attention, which would unfortunately lead to abuse. Even if people warn Tess about Micah - people like Toby, the really cute, extremely nice drummer from band - or even when Tess' own mind warns her, for some reason she just doesn't want to listen. She allows it to continue, apologizing when she shouldn't, taking on the harsh words being thrown at her when she should stand up for herself.

As the story continues, the reintroduction to her past life that involves her father connects Tess to her current situation, and how it feels unusually "normal."

ALBATROSS is a powerful, insightful novel that centers on a problem in relationships that has unfortunately become all too common. Readers will feel like the people who witness those being emotionally abused in a relationship, and want to try so hard to tell that person to get away from the abuser, but are unable to fully control the situation. Josie Bloss constructs a realistic portrayal of such frightening yet truthful experiences of abuse that will exert a passion in readers to take action when they witness or are themselves in an abusive relationship. (less)

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Mar 10, 2010 Alissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic

Not all abusive relationships are physical. Some are all about head games. Albatross is a detailed look at one such relationship. New girl in town and all-around good-girl Tess falls hard for loner Micah...and she stays around even when he ignores her, insults her, guilt trips her, and hurts her feelings. Disturbing, in a way. I just can't understand why Tess, who is obviously smart, put up with Micah for nearly 200 pages when she should have kicked him to the curb after the first 10.

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Feb 05, 2010 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interestingly, this is the first book I've read in which Facebook is a plot point. Bloss totally nails the potential angst in "friending" and IMing, as well as in high school relationships in general. I found the characters 100% unique and believable, and the sustained tension kept me reading. I finished this book in 24 hours. This woman can write!

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Feb 10, 2010 laaaaames rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ag, closing it and putting it away at the end of my lunch hour was brutal.

Really liked this one, even though reading it was horrifying at times. It's rough seeing someone make bad choices, tougher sometimes when you see how you could have been led to make the same one.

(read: 13)

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Jul 09, 2010 Stacie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who has ever been in an emotionally abusive relationship

Shelves: young-adult, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 13, 2012 Caterina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Mysterious, exotic, peculiar, enticing, intense, attractive, geeky, Micah is just that. Tess views Micah as an irresistible enigma, that some great force, greater than herself, is pulling her towards. Although Albatross is a relatively thin novel there is much more to it than many larger novels. Josie Bloss discusses many teen insecurities, problems, and the darker side of relationships. In the beginning Micah starts out as the seemingly perfect boyfriend, but as the relationship grows so does T...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Turquoise rated it 4 of 5 stars

it took me an hour to finish this book. I liked how the character ended up standing up for herself.It is a perfect book for any girl who enjoys reading young adult.

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May 28, 2012 Brandee Terry rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. In the first 3/4 of the book I was so angry at Tess, even yelling at her. But in the end she redeemed herself.

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Mar 10, 2010 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-challenge

[Won in a contest from Daphne Unfeasible (aka Kate Schafer Testerman of KT Literary):]

This was definitely not what I was expecting at first! I was imagining some kind of omg-he's-so-hot-and-perfect story. Really, it's about the twisted way people can make you feel and how you need to find your own strength to survive without them.

A book for anyone who has ever been in a bad relationship.

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Apr 29, 2010 Taylor added it

At times I felt claustrophobic reading this book, but that just means Bloss did an amazing job telling the story.

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Mar 26, 2010 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Blech. This author is just not for me. At least the ending was satisfying.

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Jan 11, 2013 mrs. jacob black added it

Shelves: my-love-of-books

i loved this book it was mainly about music so yeah i loved it

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Jan 20, 2013 Xtîñà rated it 4 of 5 stars

a really great read, seductive writing

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Nov 21, 2012 Sabina added it

I could not make out the ending.....

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Apr 07, 2010 AdultServices MattesonPublicLibrary added it

Shelves: general-fiction, owned-by-matteson, recommended-by-karen-t, recommended-by-staff, summer-2010

YA FIC BLOSS

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Feb 15, 2013 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I read Albatross right after reading Faking Faith, partially to see if it would be equally unique in its approach and partially because I was in a reading rut and feeling uninspired. Albatross explores an emotionally abusive relationship through the eyes of Tess, who falls for brilliant, good-looking, and uber-creepy Micah. I guess the object of this book was to teach kids what an abusive relationship looks like so it can be avoided, and it certainly does that. Beyond that, it fell flat for me.

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Jun 28, 2011 Ceylan Pelin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-english, owned-books

The author mentioned some good points about repressive, dominant and in the meantime possessive fathers and boyfriends. Another point was that Tess was attracted to a boyfriend (which is actually not a boyfriend) who bears some characteristic resemblances with his father. The author has analyzed well these factors with flashbacks to the relationship between Tess and his father. Maybe the book could be a little bit longer and detailed but that’s fine. It was a short and nice reading.

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About Josie Bloss

Josie Bloss grew up in East Lansing, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan, where she was a member of the best college marching band in the country and a staff reporter for the Michigan Daily.

After obtaining a degree in Political Science, she tried to decide if she wanted to be a lawyer while wrangling paper in several large Chicago law firms that are attempting to take over the world....more

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