Faces flashed before my eyes. And for every face there was a time that they had let me down. Each punch that landed was revenge, my chance to te...
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reviews
May 14, 2011
Susan
rated it: 
I was very lucky in winning a signed copy of this book from the wonderful book blog Wonderous Reads.
I woke up at 5am this morning and read this book in one sitting could not put it down
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I found it a very emotional book, it gave you an insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy in care. He is aggressive anti- establishment, school, care home etc. The only people he cares about is the twins his little brother and sister.His mother had given up her rights to him and allowed him to b More...
I woke up at 5am this morning and read this book in one sitting could not put it down
.
I found it a very emotional book, it gave you an insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy in care. He is aggressive anti- establishment, school, care home etc. The only people he cares about is the twins his little brother and sister.His mother had given up her rights to him and allowed him to b More...
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Mar 09, 2011
Zarina
rated it: 
Fifteen year-old Billy is a lifer. Stuck in the care system for the past eight years he is mad at the entire world. His mother for not protecting him and giving him away. His stepfather for the physical violence he had to endure when he was younger. The Colonel for pretending to care for him only to go home every night after his shift at the care home has ended; home to his real family. The only people he truly and deeply cares for are Lizzie and Louise his ten year-old twin siblings to which he
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Jan 08, 2011
Tasha
rated it:
Billy Finn has lived in a care home since he was seven years old. His Step-father used to beat him and his mum was always too drunk to look after him and his younger siblings. Billy has anger issues, hates the cares system, school ... pretty much everything really - with the exception of the twins, Lizzie and Louie, his younger siblings. They are the two people in the world Billy would do anything for. The only problem is the social workers want to take them away from him - to send them back to
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Dec 26, 2010
Kirsty (overflowing library)
rated it:
I really enjoyed this moving and poignant tale about Billy an angry young man who has spent a lifetime living in care.
I liked this book because I thought it gave real insight into what life is like for children like Billy and highlights an issue that many people do not give a second though to. It showed how simply the effect of being in care can affect every aspects of a childs life even affecting their future aspirations and acheivements.
I found Billy as character really fas More...
I liked this book because I thought it gave real insight into what life is like for children like Billy and highlights an issue that many people do not give a second though to. It showed how simply the effect of being in care can affect every aspects of a childs life even affecting their future aspirations and acheivements.
I found Billy as character really fas More...
Mar 29, 2011
Sharon
rated it:
Straight away I have to say I absolutely loved this story. Any book (that isn’t of the romance genre) which involves you so much that you cry ………………. has to have something special about it!
Having worked in the past on the streets as leader-in-charge for a youth work project and for the past ten years working in schools, I can tell you for certain that Billy’s story is the real deal – real life.
The blurb gives you all the background you need and to which the story is b More...
Having worked in the past on the streets as leader-in-charge for a youth work project and for the past ten years working in schools, I can tell you for certain that Billy’s story is the real deal – real life.
The blurb gives you all the background you need and to which the story is b More...
Nov 07, 2011
Nicola
rated it:
Being Billy was so much better than I expected it to be! I found the description to be only vaguely intriguing and certainly nothing original at all. I didn't expect it to be so engaging and unique! I thought Billy was an excellently developed character and had no problems empathizing with him and his whole situation. While Billy is certainly not perfect, he's still a good person who has just been through a lot. I loved his relationship with his little siblings and I loved that he wasn't afraid
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Nov 08, 2011
Vivienne
rated it:
Being Billy is one of the reasons I love Twitter. If I hadn't been on there, this book would have definitely passed under my radar. Thankfully, I heard the whispers about how good the book was and the more I heard about it the more I wanted to read it. This book did not disappoint!
This book is a gritty, hard hitting contemporary novel that makes Tracy Beaker look quite innocent. If you ever wanted to read about what living in a children's home is really like, then this is the book f More...
This book is a gritty, hard hitting contemporary novel that makes Tracy Beaker look quite innocent. If you ever wanted to read about what living in a children's home is really like, then this is the book f More...
Mar 04, 2011
Michelle (Clover Hill Book Reviews)
rated it:
The cover on this is fresh and bright. Being Billy is a sensitive yet powerful book about a lad in care. He's a 'lifer' and has adapted to his environment. The story is told from Billy's point of view and has some stark insights into how children in care feel they have to act and behave.
This has also been posted on my blog.
From Chapter 1 readers get an immediate sense of anger, frustration and empathy for this troubled and misunderstood boy. He's had to act so tough just to More...
This has also been posted on my blog.
From Chapter 1 readers get an immediate sense of anger, frustration and empathy for this troubled and misunderstood boy. He's had to act so tough just to More...
Mar 04, 2011
Lee
rated it:
First time I saw this on Goodreads, I decided that I weren't interested. After seeing it in my local library and deciding to give it ago and i'm glad I did as some other books have also recently proved.
The book's main character as you may have guessed is Billy. Billy is a professional lifer who has a little brother and sister. Nobody can keep him out of trouble and as we read the book, we start to see Billy develop and as the blur states "He can't be anything else. Can he?" More...
The book's main character as you may have guessed is Billy. Billy is a professional lifer who has a little brother and sister. Nobody can keep him out of trouble and as we read the book, we start to see Billy develop and as the blur states "He can't be anything else. Can he?" More...
Nov 13, 2011
Stephanie
rated it:
Being Billy was a very realistic book. It is clear from the beginning that Phil Earle has previously worked in care - the authenticity of Billy and the relationships he has with others is incredible. Though I didn't find Billy completely endearing, I found him to be a very interesting character and I could see where he was coming from in a lot of his thoughts and I could admire the fact that he knew he wasn't perfect and had made mistakes. I adored Billy's relationship with his siblings as it sh
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May 13, 2011
Carly
rated it:
Wow – I honestly cannot believe Being Billy is a debut novel. The writing is first class and I was moved from beginning to end. I am officially in love with this book.
Being Billy touches on a subject I haven’t read about much in YA literature – children in a care home. Earle writes with a stark honesty and it’s quite clear he knows his subject matter inside out. Some of the little stories within Being Billy’s pages can only be real life anecdotes and they really help to bring the boo More...
Being Billy touches on a subject I haven’t read about much in YA literature – children in a care home. Earle writes with a stark honesty and it’s quite clear he knows his subject matter inside out. Some of the little stories within Being Billy’s pages can only be real life anecdotes and they really help to bring the boo More...
Mar 12, 2011
Sammee
rated it:
4.5 Stars
This really is such a great book! I apologise in advance for my (rather) gushing review but I really did love it.
The story follows Billy, a boy who has been in care for the past 8 years, a 'lifer' as he calls it. He's angry with everyone - the only meaning in his life are his younger brother and sister. Then one night he runs into a girl called Daisy and they develop a friendship. As he starts to open up to her he begins to learn that people do care...and that More...
This really is such a great book! I apologise in advance for my (rather) gushing review but I really did love it.
The story follows Billy, a boy who has been in care for the past 8 years, a 'lifer' as he calls it. He's angry with everyone - the only meaning in his life are his younger brother and sister. Then one night he runs into a girl called Daisy and they develop a friendship. As he starts to open up to her he begins to learn that people do care...and that More...
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Feb 16, 2011
Vicki
rated it:
Wow. This book was intense indeed. Right from the very start Phil Earle creates in Billy a character so full of depth and complexities and so perfectly crafted it’s impossible to not think of him as a real person and become completely involved with his story.
Everything about this story rings true. Phil Earle worked in the care sector before he moved into book related jobs and this more than shows. He gets how a child in care really does feel; something I don’t believe just comes from t More...
Everything about this story rings true. Phil Earle worked in the care sector before he moved into book related jobs and this more than shows. He gets how a child in care really does feel; something I don’t believe just comes from t More...
Jan 18, 2011
Clover (Fluttering Butterflies)
rated it:
I loved this one entirely. Being Billy by Phil Earle felt real and heartbreaking and I cried absolute buckets for Billy. I knew that this book would probably be sad but I wasn't expecting the shuddering, messy sobs that came out of me while reading this book. And it isn't as if any one major thing happened to make me feel so much, rather than absolutely everything put together makes this book so beautiful and sad and able to pull my heart out and squeeze it. A huge, huge thank you to Puffin for
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Oct 28, 2011
Coren
rated it:
This was a really great read and very well-written, but challenging in its subject matter. The author got right inside the head of a teenage boy in care and explored his world brilliantly. The story is from Billy's point of view and it showed just how easy it is for damaged children to become more damaged as those around them fail to notice or interpret correctly signals relating to isolation, mental abuse, and family ties.
Oct 15, 2011
Alexey
rated it:
being billy had a few intresting parts but over all waz a grate book from betrails to grate freindships it had a few turns in the end but all came clean in the end.
being billy starts of as billy the main guy is sent to a bording house for the nonceard and he has lived there for 8 years with his bro and sis they are twins and a lot younger.
but the news hits hard wen he finds out his mum wants the twins back he looks for ways to stop them from being split up becoause when the More...
being billy starts of as billy the main guy is sent to a bording house for the nonceard and he has lived there for 8 years with his bro and sis they are twins and a lot younger.
but the news hits hard wen he finds out his mum wants the twins back he looks for ways to stop them from being split up becoause when the More...
Jun 27, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
I just cried on public transport. Phil Earle worked as a social worker so it's no surprise his characters are some of the most believable I've come across. I kind of feel like this book should be required reading in schools. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Jun 29, 2011
Mark
rated it:
An amazing story with believable characters. I really enjoyed reading this.
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