Rating: 
Summary: YUCK!
Review: I am astonished at the previous reviews of this supposedly teen novel. I found it disturbing and without much merit. It seems the author's only goal is to desensitize to the subject of abduction and sexual molestation. I know young adults (12+) are more worldly than in the past, but what benefit is this story? If the intent is to scare, prehaps it succeeds at that, but a good story---YUCK!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: I can't say enough about this book! Its about this guy named Jeff who was kidnapped for 2 and a 1/2 years by this guy named Ray. When he is returned home he has to adjust to things and get back to a normal life. At about the middle of the book they do get Ray in custedy. But throughout the whole book Jeff still feels some loyalty to Ray. In the end we learn that Jeff had to do sexual favors for food.
Anyways I can't stop telling people to read this book! I loved every minute of reading it. It was so interesting and a really good page turner. I couldn't put it down and I'm hoping Mrs. Atkins will do a sequal.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: I can't say enough about this book! Its about this guy named Jeff who was kidnapped for 2 and a 1/2 years by this guy named Ray. When he is returned home he has to adjust to things and get back to a normal life. At about the middle of the book they do get Ray in custedy. But throughout the whole book Jeff still feels some loyalty to Ray. In the end we learn that Jeff had to do sexual favors for food.
Anyways I can't stop telling people to read this book! I loved every minute of reading it. It was so interesting and a really good page turner. I couldn't put it down and I'm hoping Mrs. Atkins will do a sequal.
Rating:
Summary: WOW, what a page-turner!
Review: I couldn't put this book down! Don't start it unless you have time to read the whole thing, because believe me, you will want to! The author really crawled inside the head of Jeff--very believable! Fast paced and lots of tension. Again, wow!
Rating:
Summary: One-sitting Reat
Review: I was very impressed by this debut novel, and am looking forward to any books that Atkins may publish in the beginning. Beginning this book, I was weary and slightly dissapointed that I had bought it, seeing that it was published by the same company who released the highly dissapointing and poorly written 'Are You In The House Alone,' by Richard Peck. But 'When Jeff Comes Home' left me pleasantly surprised at the depth of it's emotion, Jeff's conflicting feelings and his father's almost obsessive drive. Which leads into one of my only real faults. There is very little interaction/love displayed between the father and Jeff's brother and sister. This is never dealt with, only mentioned enough to remind you that Jeff is undoubtably the family favorite. Sometimes I felt more sorry for Charolette and Brian than Jeff!
Rating:
Summary: Terrific.
Review: I'm really interested in kidnappings and have read lots of books about them, both fiction and nonfiction. This I think is one of my favorites. All the characters were very well done, particularly Jeff and Vin. Vin was my favorite character, the way he wouldn't give up, trying to help Jeff even as Jeff pushed him away. What happened to Jeff, the beatings and the molestations, are written about in such a way so that you know it all but not too much -- many writers less talented would turn this story into something like sadomasochistic pornography, but Catherine Atkins is much more subtle than that. Jeff's recovery with all the fits and starts seems realistic to me, and I felt like cheering when he said he was ready to talk though of course it will be years before he ever feels really safe again. A great novel; I look forward to reading future works by this author.
Rating: 
Summary: makes you think...
Review: If you heard about something like this on the news, or on "America's Most Wanted"--KIDNAPPED TEEN WHO SPENT TWO YEARS AS SEX SLAVE IS HOME-- you'd shed a tear, and think "how wonderful that he was returned home, they must be so happy now", and then you'd go back to your dinner, or your book, or your crossword. How many of us actually ever think about what happens after the happy ending? Can you imagine going home, and then having to lead a "normal" life, where EVERYONE knows what you went through? It's one thing to be recognized because you want to--actor, musician, politician. It's another thing to be recognized everywhere you go because everyone knows what happened to you. This book makes the reader think about that. This is the book about what happens after the happy ending that we see in the tabloids. And it isn't a comfortable thing to have to think about. This is an excellent novel, well written, suspenseful and disturbing. I only have two questions--why did Ray return Jeff in the first place? Just because Jeff pretended to love him? It doesn't ring true. And why didn't someone immediately hook Jeff up with a counsellor? Even if he wasn't ready to talk, some effort should have been made to put him in touch with someone qualified to deal with traumatized kids. Definitely worth reading however.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Stuff -- Not for the faint of heart
Review: One of the many things I admire about When Jeff Comes Home is Atkins refusal to compromise or sugar-coat a very real and difficult story. The final chapters in which Jeff and his father finally say the words they've avoided for so long include some of the most riveting exchanges I have read in a long time.
Rating:
Summary: a weird but good book
Review: The first thing you realize when is that Jeff has problems. These problems are one that only some one who has gone through something like what Jeff went through you don't really stop to think about. It seems like Paranoia is one of Jeff's big issues. Its my guess since I am not a parent the worst thing that can happen to someone's child is to get kidnap or if they just disappears. After almost three years of being kidnapped Jeff comes home and tries to be normal but its hard to do because he has to face certain issues and I seems like people keep reminding him of it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to hear about bad things happening to other people or anybody who just likes drama.
Rating:
Summary: a weird but good book
Review: The first thing you realize when is that Jeff has problems. These problems are one that only some one who has gone through something like what Jeff went through you don't really stop to think about. It seems like Paranoia is one of Jeff's big issues. Its my guess since I am not a parent the worst thing that can happen to someone's child is to get kidnap or if they just disappears. After almost three years of being kidnapped Jeff comes home and tries to be normal but its hard to do because he has to face certain issues and I seems like people keep reminding him of it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to hear about bad things happening to other people or anybody who just likes drama.
| 
