Synopsis:
Aspiring ballerina Theo’s best friend was kidnapped four years ago, and his miraculous return and the arrest of his abductor triggers Theo’s eating disorder because of a secret she’s keeping that may have been responsible for what happened.

Review:
Pointe is really, really powerful, not so much because of the issues it deals with (eating disorders, sex crimes against children), but because it has a plot independent of Theo’s inner journey. We’re not just watching Theo suffer, we’re caught up in the suspense over what happened to Donovan, lending the book the feel of a thriller without any silly chase scenes. The final confrontation is well-earned in the best possible way.

I also appreciated the complexity of the relationships. There’s boyfriend/girlfriend stuff but it’s all so messed up. Nothing is quite what it seems, and figuring that out is a big part of Theo’s journey. Everything is subtly done, and the author really understands that you don’t need to go big to hit hard.