Almost Home

Why would anyone choose to live on the streets?

There is Eeyore, just twelve years old when she runs away from her priveleged home, harboring a secret she's too ashamed to tell anyone. Rusty is a sensitive gay teen who winds up alone when his older boyfriend ditches him in Hollywood. Squid has gone through too many foster homes to count. There's Scabius, a delusional punk from Utah who takes the "me against the world" motto to dangerous extremes. And Critter is a heroin dealer with movie star looks and a vulnerable heart. Laura should be home studying, but she can't face another one of her mom's boyfriends.

And then there's Tracy, the damaged thread that ties them all together, irrevocably changing each person's life she touches.

This unlikely band of characters form their own dysfunctional family, complete with love and belonging, abuse and betrayal. Each will make their way home, wherever it may be.

Riveting and heart wrenching, this is the story of 7 homeless teens and their day to day lives. Having been a homeless teen, this was a book I couldn't put down and that I didn't realize was fiction until half way through it. Jessica really writes this story as though she has lived it.

Where i live, in NYC, i see many homeless people struggling on the streets, begging for money on trains and sleeping in the worst places possible. Murmurs and disgusted looks coming from passersbys are not uncommon. Yet in Almost Home, we are given insight on these people.

The story begins with Young Eeyore, running away from her comfortable yet unforgiving life with her family to join Tracy, a mysterious girl that brings her into a street family of people just like her, running away for a better life. Blank tells the story through the eyes of all the misfits in the family, whether it be a heroin dealer, an adventure seeking girl or a broken hearted teen. Yet, the bond that this society has formed is far from indestructible, and the result's are shocking.

Well written and suspenseful, Jessica Blank exposed a world to readers. Ones that most never dare to approach. One almost Home.

Jessica Blank writes a gritty, raw novel of life on the street for a mismatched group of young kids. Oftentimes graphic and bleak, she crafts a story that reads like a documentary of life on the streets in L.A. Seven individual paths are interwoven with each other, showing that you can touch more lives than you realize.

Eeyore, aka Elly, is the youngest of the bunch. After an embarrassing encounter at school, street smart Tracy takes her under her wing, and Elly runs away from home. Eeyore is not only running from the humiliation of school, but from a horrible home secret that no one would believe.

Rusty is in love with his male teacher, Jim. They were found out and Jim told Rusty to go to Hollywood and he would meet him there once he ties up all the loose ends at home. But it's been over a month and Jim isn't returning his calls and he's running out of money and options fast.

Critter is a drug dealer who has also taken Eeyore under his wing. She adores him and follows him around like a baby bird. Critter tries to protect her from the seedier side of life on the street - drugs and pimps.

Tracy is the weak thread that intertwines through all their lives yet has an unknown quality that captivates everyone. With stringy hair, bad teeth, and empty eyes, Tracy has seen far too much for her young age.

Along with these four and three others, the rough, harsh life of runaways and throwaways is written in a bleak style in ALMOST HOME. Told through the eyes of each of the characters, the reader is left with a new awareness of the realities that can cause young adults to run away from home and family. Many are hoping for a better life from the one they knew, only to find that there are different problems that they will face, such as homelessness, hunger, and poverty.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

Why would anyone choose to live on the streets? There is Eeyore, just twelve years old when she runs away from her priveleged home, harboring a secret she's too ashamed to tell anyone. Rusty is a sensitive gay teen who winds up alone when his older boyfriend ditches him in Hollywood. Squid has gone through too many foster homes to count. There's Scabius, a delusional punk from Utah who takes the "me against the world" motto to dangerous extremes. And Critter is a heroin dealer with movie star looks and a vulnerable heart. Laura should be home studying, but she can't face another one of her mom's boyfriends. And then there's Tracy, the damaged thread that ties them all together, irrevocably changing each person's life she touches. This unlikely band of characters form their own dysfunctional family, complete with love and belonging, abuse and betrayal. Each will make their way home, wherever it may be.



This book really opened up my eyes to the horrible plight of homeless teens out there. I did know that they existed, but I don't think I've ever seen a story quite like this one that really brings it to life and brings the point across so well. Told through 7 different narratives, but all part of one big story, this is one amazing novel. Each character has their own distinct voice when they step up to the plate and tell their perspective on everything going on. Their stories are all unique, and given some twists. This novel should be read by everybody. Two disclaimers I'd make is that it does have some mature themes in it, so be sure you're ready for them, and also if you're one who likes a balance between dialogue and description, this may not be the book for you. Dialogue is very sparse throughout the novel, and relies more on each character's thoughts and backstory than anything else.



Note: Book description above taken from Amazon.com

This is one of those books that caught my interest from the first page due to its subject matter. I work with at risk teenagers, so anything relating to their lives draws me in immediately. "Almost Home" is the story of seven teenagers in Los Angeles, who call the streets their home.

The story is told through the eyes of seven very different teens, with one thing in common. Each of them has opted to leave their abusive (or in one case, boring) home life and try to make a life for themselves on the streets of LA. Their lives consist of panhandling for change, avoiding cops, dumpster diving for their next meal, seeking out safe places to sleep and their relationships with each other, a necessity for some to survive.

The story is written for young adults, and I honestly plan to leave the book at work where the kids can read it if they'd like. It's a story of survival. Rather than romanticizing what life on the street may be like, it is honest, raw and brutal. It's a true account of the day to day problems and dramas that homeless teenagers face, once they take that step and run away from home. Stories of drugs, violence, rape and the things a person is forced to do to survive, not knowing where the next meal may come from.

"Almost Home" is gritty and edgy. Better yet, its REAL. It's a great read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has any interest in the teenage mind.