The Homecoming

by Stacie Ramey

Overview

A new, emotional novel from Stacie Ramey, the author of The Sister Pact

They say you can never go home—and John's about to find out just how true that is.

John's mother kicked him out of the house when she couldn't handle his anger, and John's spent the last few years bouncing between relatives. But after his last scrape with the law, there's nowhere for him to go but home.

Starting senior year at a new high school and fitting into the family that shut him out is a challenge. And it's all that John can do to keep from turning back to bad habits. Lacrosse training helps him focus. As does Emily, the girl next door. She's sweet and smart, and makes him think his heart may finally be healing. Maybe he's ready to trust again. But tragedy has a way of finding John, and he must decide between saving his family or saving himself.

"A powerful story of redemption, forgiveness, love, and the ability to persevere."—VOYA on The Sister Pact

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492635895
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	11/01/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Lexile:	HL540L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

STACIE RAMEY attended the University of Florida and Penn State, where she received a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Spalding University for her MFA in Creative Writing. When she’s not writing, she finds her happiness by engaging in Netflix wars with her grown children or beating her husband in Scrabble. She lives in Wellington, Florida with her husband and an ever changing number of rescue dogs.

Editorial Reviews

"This engaging story will appeal to all readers and will help troubled teens realize that there can be help out there for what’s going on in their lives." — School Library Connection

"A stirring close-up of a family haunted by emotional trauma" — Kirkus Reviews

"Ramey has penned a rare raw, emotion-packed romance from a male perspective, with themes of empowerment and self-actualization..." — Booklist

"The overall message of relying on family and friends for support is clear, and John’s pain and confusion are palpable… the male point of view distinguishes it in a field crowded with girls’ perspectives. VERDICT A solid addition to YA collections." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2016
Gr 10 Up—After the accident that left his brother Ryan brain damaged, John's anger got the best of him and he was forced to leave his home. Seven years later, John is in trouble again and returns to the family who threw him out. It's a rough transition for him: he's a high school senior in a new school, he resumes playing lacrosse and starts getting back into shape, he's thinking seriously about his future and career goals, and his mom is still devoting most of her energy to Ryan's care (at the expense of her own health and well-being). The protagonist drowns his troubles in Jack Daniel's and a bit of pot, which might cause some trouble with his parole. He is on the brink of collapse, as are the rest of his family, and there's no clear way to help them without giving up everything he's worked for. The overall message of relying on family and friends for support is clear, and John's pain and confusion are palpable. He's 17 and handling things as well as an adolescent can. He sees a therapist and vents some of his rage, and breakthroughs come quickly. This is a fairly typical story of overcoming familial dramas and healing from tragedy, but the male point of view distinguishes it in a field crowded with girls' perspectives. VERDICT A solid addition to YA collections.—Brandy Danner, Coakley Middle School, Norwood, MA

School Library Journal

Aug. 30, 2016
After years of alcohol and drug abuse, John reunites with his shattered family.A terrible accident has left John’s brother, Ryan, with severe brain damage, and the aftermath is destroying the family. Due to his destructive behavior as a 10-year-old, John was sent to live with his father, away from his sister, his mother, and Ryan, who must use a wheelchair. John spent many of those years self-anesthetizing with booze and pot. Now a senior in high school, John has returned home to face his family, escape the loss of his girlfriend, and try to stay clean. Every member of this damaged, white family struggles with crippling guilt over what happened to Ryan, and they are all bungling love, lashing out at one another. Despite extensive support from teachers, a therapist, a parole officer, and an exceptionally interesting girl, Emily, John resorts again and again to his chemical crutches. Meanwhile, Ryan can’t feed himself or walk and has violent outbursts, and their mom has developed a troubling cough. When another near tragedy occurs, the family is shaken from its cloudy malaise into clarity. Through John’s first-person voice, by turns vulnerable and angry, the story effectively builds up to an account of the accident from the outside in, very gradually revealing what actually occurred the day of Ryan’s injury. A stirring close-up of a family haunted by emotional trauma. (Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Review