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 tell them I hadn’t forgotten
what they did.
Eight years in a care home makes Billy Finn a professional lifer. And Billy’s angry – with
the system, the social workers, and the mother that gave him away.
As far as Billy’s concerned, he’s on his own. His little brother and sister keep him going,
though they can’t keep him out of trouble.
But he isn’t being difficult on purpose. Billy’s just being Billy. He can’t be
anything else.
Can he?
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I really enjoyed reading Being Billy. I was hooked from the very first page. This book has the ability to move people to tears. It was hard to put the book down.
I read this book and thought it was brilliant, by far the favourite book I’ve read to this point. I like how it looks at the perspective of a young teenager in a care home who gets kicked out of his home by his parents to then later break in to lie in the bed that was briefly his own
l think that it is the best of all the books
i really enjoyed this book and it has beat Opposite of Amber and has gained my top vote. I really would reccommend this book to other people my age xx
In my opinion Being Billy is one of the best books in this reading group. From the start I knew I would like this book because it just gripped me with its mysteriousness. As I got further and further into the book the pace picked up and the action and I LOVED IT. By the end I was absolutely gobsmacked, the ending really gripped me and the last sentence really finished the book off in the best possible way!
Phil Earle’s masterpiece, Being Billy, is simply the best book I have ever read. Although only the 2nd of the 6 books, I am without doubt that the others will be unable to reach the same standard- it is in a league of its own. The plot drags you in, making it nearly impossible to stop reading until you have finished the whole novel, which when you do, you are left with a great deal to think about, but also a need for the story to carry on going.
The whole book, particularly the last 50 or so pages, is vividly written and full of a lot of emotion, meaning it feels as if you are going through the events with Billy and (for me) makes you cry a great deal.
Billy’s emotions and the events are brilliantly described and every word seems to fit in perfectly and been thought about a lot. The more you read, the more you discover about Billy, so as the story deepens you find you like him more and more and change your views about him and people in similar situations.
It’s the kind of book you could read over and over again and not tire of and that everyone should read.
By Lauren
Billy has lived in a care home for most of his life, and is filled with anger at his care workers (or “scummers”, as he refers to them), and just the world in general. But Billy knows he must be strong for his younger twin siblings, who have been given the opportunity to go back to live with their mum. Billy knows this is something he can never expect for himself, he and his mum having a bad relationship after her ex-boyfriend, Shaun, was violent to Billy. The twins are happy to go back and have a second chance with their mum, but deep down, Billy has a feeling that it’s all going to go wrong, and the twins will be the ones getting hurt. Can Billy, with the help of his senior care worker, the Colonel, and his best friend Daisy, make sure the twins are making the right decision?
I have to say, I wasn’t overly optimistic at the start of the book, thinking that the care home route was well and truly exhausted after the Tracy Beaker stories, but I was certainly proved wrong. Being Billy is sharply witty, has a suspenseful storyline and I think Phil Earle is an amazing new teen author. Maybe we can hope for a sequel…?
By Sarah
In my top 3 for sure! Go Phil Earle!
Your book was gripping and shocking, I loved it!
Phil Earle you have created a masterpiece, your book is amazing it is one of the best books I have ever read. I have put my name down to introduce you at the ceremony. I hope I get picked, I can’t wait to meet you
This book was brilliant. I love reading it. Being Billy is probably the best of the books so far. I would definitely recommend this book to other people my age.
I loved Being Billy! It’s the first one in the line up that I read and it was truly brilliant. Billy’s problems, his arguments and his fights really shouted out at me. I was really suprised by the twist ending and it made the book all the better!
Being Billy is a gripping and moving book that is full of emotion and sure to bring a tear to your eye. A great write by Phil Earle and by far my favourite book out of the 6! A story full of suspense and needing a sequel!
I really enjoyed reading this book, had to be one of my favourites. Love how it is actually written from a teenager’s perspective and great twist on the end, very unexpected! I’d definitely recommend it to others to read!
This book was so awesome and realistic, plus, I’m going to Netba! See ya there Phil Earle!!
I thought this book was AWESOME