The Home

Wow. I started this book thinking it would be a bit formulaic, but boy was I wrong! It begins creepy and just gets creepier the more you read. Such a smorgasbord of horror: kids with telepathy and clairvoyance, not to mention their bad behavior; ghosts, evil doctors and a very evil father, and a staff you don't know are good or bad, are just some of the twists and turns in the Wendover Home for troubled children that Scott Nicholson so deftly takes you through. The book begins by the arrival of Freeman Mills at the home and progresses through his radical and horrific treatments (and other children). Nicholson obviously did his research on the science because he is dead on which had me believing this place actually existed up in the show more North Carolina Appalachians. I've been reading all types of horror for 50 years and this novel gave me goose bumps in a couple places. Not easy to do. It is highly recommended. show less

In The Home, Freeman Mills is a twelve-year-old rebellious type who has gone through various homes until he reaches Wendover, a home for troubled children. After having gone through traumatic experiences as a child, his plan is to lay low, a task that isn’t so easy for someone with the ability to read minds, and as he soon learns, to see ghosts. Wendover is really a front for bizarre experimentation being funded by some shadowy government agency, that never got explained very well in the novel and had a bit of a cliché feel to it. At Wendover, they bring the children to a state of death briefly before bringing them back. This experimentation unleashes many of the ghosts at the site that once used to be a mental institution.

The Home show more was an enjoyable novel. There was a great deal of suspense and intrigue as the devious nature of Wendover and the people who ran it were slowly unveiled. There was also the specter of what had happened to Freeman as a child, which ties into what was currently happening, that I also found intriguing. The setting of the story worked well to set up the mood and atmosphere. There were a few things that happened in the later part of the novel that I found a bit confusing and not well-explained, but the ending itself was satisfying. This was a good horror story that I would recommend.

Carl Alves - author of Blood Street show less

ABR's full The Home audiobook review can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

First thoughts about the cover of The Home? Everything in the picture, except the person in front of the window and the chandelier, leans to the right. With the way it leans and the shades of blue set the tone for me to wonder if the story is going to be spooky/scary or coming of age/horror.

This book is about a twelve year old boy named Freeman Mills. The story starts with Freeman arriving at Wendover Group Home. He’s trying his hardest to be a hard case and be indifferent to the world around him to help keep out anymore hurts. A coming of age story mixed with super human abilities. There are other points of view in the story, but the main character is Freeman. show more Also, this book is 10 hours and 32 minutes long.

Daniel Dorse is the narrator for this story. Deep, smooth, twangy. Reminds me of Clint Eastwood’s voice. What I found funny is that Freeman actually mentions trying to act like Clint Eastwood. ‘Walk in mean, talk tough. Squint like a miniature Clint Eastwood with saddle sores, ready to eat nails and $hit bullets.’ Would not recommend listening to this if you are laying down. His voice is very soothing if you get relaxed. I had to backtrack a few times. Still, really enjoyed his voice. Loved how it washes over you and brings you deep within Freeman’s world.

I was hooked into this story from the line ‘Enough peace and quiet to drive you squirrel $hit nutty.’ It made me laugh and I found myself listening even more closely to what Freeman might think or say. I feel bad for the children in this foster home. A lot of them have mental issues. Rather than making it better, the doctors mainly make it worse. Add in the ghosts and the mental ‘trip-trapping’ and you have very interesting story.

The adults in this story seemed either wrapped up in their own narcissistic tendencies and/or their religious views. Rather than helping the children they seemed to want to use the children to further their careers. Bad examples for the children. I seriously feel bad for the kids in the foster home in this story. They get used like lab rats.

When I finished this story I had more appreciation for my home, my family. Children can understand and see things that many adults cannot. Trust them, listen to them, believe them. They need us to love them just as much as they need to give us love in return. Treasure them, they are precious.

Audiobook provided for review by the author. show less

I moved it to my "couldn't get into the book" list. Tried reading it. Tried listening to it. Did notappreciate it - they story was sh*t and the characterization was worse. (I rarely put a book down once I start it.)