Me Mam. Me Dad. Me.

by Malcolm Duffy

Humorous and heartbreaking debut novel with the fresh, funny, honest voice of a 14-year-old Geordie lad recounting the trials and tribulations of family life and finding first love.

Danny’s mam has a new boyfriend. Initially, all is good – Callum seems nice enough, and Danny can’t deny he’s got a cool set up; big house, fast car, massive TV, and Mam seems to really like him.

But cracks begin to show, and they’re not the sort that can be easily repaired. As Danny witnesses Mam suffer and Callum spiral out of control he goes in search of his dad.
The Dad he’s never met.

Set in Newcastle and Edinburgh, this supremely readable coming-of-age drama tackles domestic violence head on, but finds humour and hope in the most unlikely of­ places.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Abuse

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2018

About the author

Malcolm Duffy was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Having spent many years as a successful advertising copywriter he decided it was time to write something that didn't have a pack-shot and logo.

The idea for his debut novel came when he was working as Creative Director at Comic Relief. He visited a project that helped women and children who'd suffered as a result of domestic violence. The idea for Me Mam. Me Dad. Me was born. But the book doesn't just focus on the heavy issue of domestic abuse. The story is about a boy's love for his mam. A mam's love for her son. And a dad's love for his boy.

Reviews

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: Family, love, pain, secrets, adventure.

Reading a book in the dialect that surrounds me day to day was such a pleasure. Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. by Malcolm Duffy is heartbreaking and tackles some difficult topics, but it manages to stay accessible and engaging. I am excited to welcome Malcolm Duffy to my blog with a rather important guest post relating to one of the themes of the book.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biggest thing about this book is the author he looks Like boiled egg with punk spike hair on top, well say hair as if blink you miss it a 100% egg head..
Domestic violence the unspoken crime the 'I walked into a cupboard ' or 'feel over anciently on to his fist five times' Love is not always a splendid thing & like justice it's very blind.
Domestic violence is always the man but I was married to a violent female but no one would believe me. The shoe is never one other foot .Lucky
the laws recently have been changed & the police 'can' prosecute without the wife .
This about Me a 14y boy who has to see his mother go through domestic violence blaming her self .
This a book about childhood in the dark corners of the North East an area know for badness .I feel a shame been born in Darlington in Durham Country I know all the working class areas Malcolm is talking about ,areas that once men had his in the pit or at Swan Hunters ship yard but now two to three generations are growing up with depression,drugs ,drink & beat the wife or girlfriend.
It's no excuse but it is naked boredom at the edge of the cliff will he step over or will he not. This about the bad side of living together. About computer dating is dangerous and why there so much domestic problems again it's sex, BDSM ,Drugs ,internet no Jesus no respect most of all it's the price we pay for progress .The price every time from industrial revolution to gay marriage to fight for rights some evil slips through the cracks.
This aimed at young adult market it's is book trying to saying Fuck off you c--t don't bash my Mam!
A 14y who bound in chains of life foraged link by link that only in adulthood can be broken but only if he is not damaged too.
I am enjoying this because it brings back memories of my teen years .Danny's Christmas with his posh Aunties. Every year had on Boxing day travel around trip of 100miles to my cousins in Whitley Bay ghastly for me as spoiled Christmas 1975 I just started with epilepsy so both Christmas Eve & Christmas day had stay in bed so was ok for Boxing day & if was ill there all got was insults & he's been stupid fucking idiot when got home I be sick & black out so nothing on TV that Goodness for old Video long Player recorders .Most people didn't have one 1974 but we did. From 1975-1978 & then 1982-1985 worst was they never came to us & they Smoked huge Clouds Fag ash yet from 1975 I smoked a pipe yet didn't want me too smoke My pipe. No help & other huge pig in the room we were Labour & unions my mother was Father of the NUJ chapel they were True Blue anti union Tories oh they did huge turkey -I hate turkey .
Then the book moves on to the 2nd point teenage pregnancy & the trouble that follows on all the lives it can rune. This a perfect book for a teenage who is having problems with home life such been in half way house or bullying it's not happy book of love but book about domestic problems of teen sex , teen bulling male hormones & over sexed horny bullies .It's about dirty texts & porn it's most of all say hay son your not alone in your problems remember that.

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me Mam.Me Dad.Me. is honest and real.
I loved the idea of the book but sadly for me, it lacked something. Maybe it was the fact that Danny is 14 years old. 14 years old. Yet, I felt like I was reading from the point of view of someone much much younger.
It touches a topic that is real, heartbreaking and brutal.
Nonetheless if you push aside the age factor, this book is endearingly honest and funny.

For more ...
www.jemimajamir.com

[Piya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aye, me life with me mam wasn’t the sort you’d make a film about, but it was canny. I had me mates. I had me football. I had me relatives. I had me mam. She loved me. I loved her. Was happy for that to go on and on and on and on.
And then me world went upside down.

Me Mam.Me Dad. Me is the story of a 14-year-old boy Danny. Danny and his mam used to live together in their house but then his mam met this guy Callum on the internet and now they're living over at his. Initially, Callum is a good boyfriend, nice to Danny and his mam but just after a month, his violent streak starts showing and he starts physically abusing Danny's mam.

Finding himself unable to do anything about this, Danny decides to start looking up for his dad, who he thinks will be able to help him.

The book is narrated from Danny's perspective and so is written the Geordie way and though it talks about a lot of serious topics, the author managed to keep the mood of the book light throughout.

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence

↝4 Stars
Highly recommended if you're looking for a short and wholesome read

[beth ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating - 3.5 stars.

Heartbreaking. This story is going to stay with me forever.

RTC closer to the release date.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Short Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first 5 star book for the year!

First off, I just want to say what a great boy Danny is. He had the flaws of teenager, but at the same time he was mature for his age.

I don't want to spoil too much, at least not until the book has been released, so I will leave it for now, but I would definitely recommend this book, 100%.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always been just Danny and his Mam, Kim. When Kim begins dating Callum, everything seems fine. Callum’s nice to Danny and Kim. But things quickly change. Soon, Callum begins hitting Danny’s Mam, as well as verbally and emotionally abusing her.

Never quite knew what would come out of his mouth. Or what he’d do next.

Danny discovers that what’s happening is called domestic violence and when he reads about it online he becomes scared that Callum will eventually kill his Mam. Danny doesn’t know what to do so he asks his friends what they’d do if someone was hitting their Mam. Almost all of them say they’d tell their Dad, who’d sort it out.

Danny has never met his Dad and doesn’t know anything about him, not even his name. He’s determined to find him, though. Danny will do anything to try to protect his Mam.

Danny speaks Geordie. It didn’t take me as long as I expected it would to get used to his voice, although there are some words he used that I still don’t know the meaning of. Danny is thirteen at the beginning of this book and fifteen at the end. A lot of the time it felt like he was younger.

This book tackles a difficult topic but, for the most part, it was done well. Danny initially doesn’t have words to describe what’s happening at home but once he does he learns about domestic violence. The helplessness of a child in that situation was explored well, with Danny desperate to help his Mam but at the same time he’s powerless to intervene.

I didn’t really buy the resolution of this story. There were a number of scenarios I would have found more likely than what actually happened but it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

Content warnings include bullying, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Zephyr, an imprint of Head of Zeus, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Tapasya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I never thought I would like this book. And now I'm so glad that I came across this book. The narrator of the book is a Fourteen year old boy 'Danny' with heavy Geordie accent. I admit I was really annoyed by his narrative at first BUT I pushed through and really enjoyed reading this. My heart broke for him. I liked how he goes all the way to find his dad and help his mother from her abusive boyfriend.


I didn't give it a 5 stars because I believe this story has an amazing potential, and maybe I was expecting a little bit more from it. However, it's still a great book and is totally worth reading.

Note: I received a free e-copy of the book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to the author and publisher for giving me a chance to read it.

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was ok.
The theme was very interesting and I kinda flew through it.
However, the main character was supposed to be 14 but I felt like he was like 10 at the most. It seemed to me like the author didn’t know the interest of a 14 yo or how they act or think.
It really put me off and kept me from really connecting with the story.
I really couldn’t stand the main character.
Honestly, it’s a damn shame because beside this, the book was pretty good.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a sweet surprise. I wasn't expecting I'd enjoy reading Danny's story as much as I did, and most importantly his narration, his accent. Because that's the main reason why I requested this book.

Danny is one of the loveliest characters I've ever encountered. Through his narrative, it was obvious he was a teenager but his action seemed mature because, of course he thinks they are. At least for his age, they are indeed mature. I love it that he has a heart and that's seen to his decisions. He really did what he thinks would help his mother from her abusive boyfriend.

The plot is okay. In fact it's more than okay because it proves that YA can still have MCs who are normal and going through real problems. I'm not saying that other YAs' plots seem unreal. But in this book, Danny's problems are serious too and yet the novel is filled with humour. That's refreshing. And I think this book suits me because honestly I've been avoiding YA contemporary these past months because of my depression. Though this book, like I said, also deals with real serious life issues, the emotions I went through while reading were balanced. I got emotional, I smiled. It breaks my heart at times as I really care for Danny, but it also melt my heart with fondness towards the characters and the story itself. The only reason why I didn't give it a perfect 5 because I think this book can still be better. Not that I'm complaining. I'm already okay with what I read...

Anyway, overall, I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE. :) :)

NOTE:

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a joy.
Better enjoyed on audiobook like all British stories.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Geordie voice? A tough topic? A book which will make your gut wrench but also make you laugh at times?

I’ll keep going on about this BUT ITS SO NICE TO READ SOMETHING IN MY DIALECT. Man, we need more Geordie MCs. This was just so refreshing.

[Lucy Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danny is struggling as his mam has moved in with her abusive boyfriend who is violent and bordering on being an alcoholic. Danny asks his school mates if, hypothetically, their mam was getting beaten up by someone, what they'd do and they all say their Dad's would sort it out. Problem is Danny has never met his Dad.
Needless to say, Danny finds his Dad is living in Edinburgh so he goes to track him down and asks him if he will kill his mam's boyfriend.
It's a very simplistic story and I loved the fact it was set right by where I live (he lives in Gateshead). I agree with some of the reviews on here that Danny's voice did not seem that of a 14/15 year old but instead much younger. Some of the things he fails to understand you could write off as him being a bit thick, but his emotional responses to certain scenarios felt like that of a prepubescent boy instead of a teenager. Very quick to read - there's a lot of speech and it's spaced quite wide.

[Sammy Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great family read, Danny is a lovely character who just wants to play football and look after his Mum, a hard subject dealt with very well in a sensitive manner.

[Amelia Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book Me mam. Me dad. Me. What most people say is that it has funny parts and serious parts in it. They also say that it is included with domestic violence. It starts out fine but slowly “cracks start to appear” i.e. he starts to hit Danny’s mom. This book is in first person and when Danny finds out about who he should tell about this by asking the children and school what they would do he later on tries to contact his biological father and asks him to kill Callum.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m conflicted about this novel. While Duffy tackles the topic of domestic abuse from an adolescent perspective very well, and he excellently raises questions around male role models and the roles they are expected to play, I struggled whenever I was made aware that Danny was 14/15.

He comes across as a ten-year-old in the majority of the story, particularly in his choice of language. I found the more I was made aware of Danny’s age, the more irritating he became. While a mid-teenager would still be developing in their worldview, they would have more initiative than to just get their Dad involved. Also, typically, a fifteen-year-old would be more physically developed and, if necessary, would rely on their own power (Danny did so with the bully in school, why didn’t he with his mum’s partner?).

As a first novel, Duffy shows a lot of promise. And while it wasn’t great, some parts flowed very well. If I could give 3 and a half, I would.

[Rebecca Farren · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read and listen to this review on my blog here: https://rebeccafarren.com/review-me-m...

CN: Domestic violence

Thanks to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the review copy.

It’ll come as no surprise to anyone that what attracted me to this debut novel was the title. As soon as I saw the words ‘Me Mam,’ my North East radar went off like mad. When I investigated further and I saw that it was a YA book with a serious subject set between Gateshead and Edinburgh, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up!

14-year-old Danny lives with his mam Kim in a council flat in Gateshead. It’s always been just the two of them and that’s always been canny. Then Kim gets a new boyfriend Callum and everything changes. It’s all good for a while. Everyone gets along and Callum is always treating Danny with a wad of cash here and there. Then things start to get ugly. Danny realises that Callum is abusing his mam and doesn’t know what to do. After a bit of googling he discovers that 2 women are killed by their partners every week. He is mortified and knows he has to do something. He tries to show his mam and convince her to leave Callum but he is astounded when she is not interested; she won’t even look. That’s when Danny knows he has to find another way to solve the problem. What happens next will change his life.

The first thing I want to say is how unbelievably amazing it is to have a protagonist from the North East. Being able to hear Danny’s speech patterns and dialect as very similar to my own was incredible. It’s something that I haven’t experienced before. On top of that it was a joy not to have to imagine many of the places in the book. I’m from Durham and I live in Edinburgh so knowing where most of the places are made me feel really connected to Danny. It felt very familiar and warm and much easier to read than usual. To see myself and the places I know and love reflected in a YA novel made me feel happy and appreciated beyond measure.

I warmed to Danny’s character immediately. He’s a typical 14-year-old Gateshead lad and I think he has the perfect balance of naivety and maturity. You can tell how desperate he is to help his mam and it is frustrating when you’re willing him to do one thing and he does another, but he never loses that likability and I was absolutely rooting for him all the way through.

The violent and emotional scenes are hard to read but I think this vital topic is dealt with sensitively. It hammers home that 2 women a week statistic and shows how hidden the problem can be when those involved don’t know how to deal with the situation or are too afraid to speak out. I would recommend that anyone, but particularly teenage boys, read it to get a hard-hitting but accessible insight into the issue.

My only small negatives are that the pace does slow down in the middle slightly and a few parts felt unbelievable, but that was mostly to do with how the teachers at Danny’s school interact with him and I suspect it’s because my school probably had very different behaviour intervention policies than a lot of schools in the region, so those bits didn’t reflect my experience!

Overall though the pace is great and the plot doesn’t go the way I was expecting at all, so that was a shock but it was a welcome one! When I finished the book I found myself genuinely moved, in a good way.

This is a fantastically original debut novel with a big heart that gives much needed space to a hugely important issue from a new perspective. Whether you’re a North Easterner that needs a reminder of home, you want to educate yourself about domestic abuse or you just want something a bit different, I would highly recommend Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. as your next read.

9.5/10

[Reuben Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fucking hate Goodreads. Why doesn’t it have an ‘are you sure?’ before it deletes your entire review because you accidentally swiped down. 😑 No worries, I totally wanted to type it all out twice anyway. 🙃

I picked this up in Waterstones a few months back and read the first page or two but didn’t like the style so I didn’t end up buying it. It’s in first person, almost kind of a stream of consciousness with these choppy little sentences, and the Geordie-ness is so strong that it’s almost a different language to me. (Which I’m not saying is a bad thing, because I firmly believe that everybody should be able to see themselves in books and I get how nice it will be for people who do speak in that dialect. Just that for me personally it would have been a struggle, which is fine - not all writing is for all people.) But I’d been seeing it absolutely everywhere and there’s so much praise around for it, that when I saw it was one of the free audiobooks for World Book Day I thought I’d give it a go. And I’m happy to say that listening to it instead worked beautifully for me. The tone was informal and conversational, and it felt like a book that was always supposed to be read aloud, and that made it so much more accessible and enjoyable for me.
Once I connected with the narration I was able to focus on the story itself and I loved it. Danny is such a well written character, and comes across so sweet and just downright good. His voice is so authentic, down to earth, and matter of fact, and I found it so endearing. He was someone I really cared about, wanted good things for, and wanted to protect, while also not feeling like I needed to ‘fix’ anything or ‘rescue’ him.
I loved how it handled this complex topic with thought and sensitivity, and to an extent made it all quite simple as seen through a child’s eyes, but at the same time, nothing was ever dumbed down or shied away from; it really felt like a book that respected its young readers and wouldn’t coddle them. I did kind of spend the whole thing worried, but I wouldn’t describe it as bleak or anything - it really just reads as real life, with good and bad facets, and people doing their best with negative circumstances, and is actually kind of weirdly uplifting in a sense?
I read this all in one day and I was so pleasantly surprised. It had a big impact on me and I think it will really resonate with a lot of young people. It’s a high four from me, and I would absolutely recommend it - particularly to kids aged around 13-15, and particularly the audiobook version.

[Trinique Henlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an educator who is deeply conscious of how stories about family, class and masculinity land with teenagers, Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. is an outstanding debut that balances humour with emotional honesty in a way that feels both brave and responsible.

Danny’s voice is the novel’s greatest strength. It is funny, sharp and utterly believable, but never slips into caricature. Too often working-class boys in fiction are written as problems to be solved rather than people to be understood. Here, Danny is observant, tender, awkward, and emotionally literate in ways that feel refreshingly authentic. His humour is not bravado; it’s a coping mechanism, and the book is smart enough to let readers see that without spelling it out.

What I particularly value is how the novel handles masculinity. Danny is allowed to be vulnerable, frightened and loving without being shamed for it. The search for his father is not framed as a quest for male authority, but as a need for truth, stability and connection. This is a quietly radical reframing of what boys might want and need from male role models.

The portrayal of domestic abuse is handled with care and restraint. It is never sensationalised, never used as a plot device for shock, and never centred on the abuser’s perspective. Instead, the focus remains firmly on the impact on Danny and his mam, and on the confusing emotional terrain that keeps people trapped in harmful situations. That nuance makes this an invaluable text for older teens navigating complex family dynamics.

Set firmly in place, the writing honours regional voice without exoticising it, and the emotional arc leaves space for hope without offering neat resolutions. This is not an easy read, but it is a humane one. It trusts young readers with difficult truths and, in doing so, treats them with real respect.

[Catheryne Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a book set in your region is a wonderful experience. Hearing the dialect you use and the accent features you overhear daily just increased my love of Duffy’s writing. I rarely see British YA books set in the North East (seriously, stop setting them all in London and the South East, it’s painful for the rest of us) and the fact that this one was, made it all the more special.

Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. is a book about domestic violence, social class, power structures, and just getting by as a young person in the North. Danny’s Mam has a new boyfriend called Callum (known as Fat Bastard) and he hits her, but she won’t leave him. After polling his classmates, Danny realised the only person who can stop Callum is his Dad. The problem? Danny’s Mam gave birth to him at sixteen and he has no idea who or where his father is.

I enjoyed following Danny’s journey to save his Mam and find his Dad. Despite this seeming to be a younger YA, reading Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. as an adult meant I was able to see the vulnerability in Danny’s character, and his genuine loss of hope at his position in society and his household. The book follows his immature teenage thought process, which definitely reminded me of how I thought as a child. The love Danny feels for his Mam shines throughout the whole book, and that is undeniably the most heartwarming element of it. Reading Danny’s heavy Geordie dialect allowed me to visualise him in my head as a certain type of teenage boy that I grew up with, and made me realise that so many young people are going through gigantic struggles we have no idea about - even those who on surface level seem unbothered and fine.

I think all children and young people (and adults) would benefit from reading this book, particularly those who want some good North East (or Scottish) representation!

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a gem, and I'm so glad I took the opportunity to read something outside of my comfort zone. It remains hopeful and uplifting despite the heavy subject matter (TW, domestic abuse). I was sucked into this book, reading it in the hour and a half I sat in the launderette (thankfully it was empty so the tears gathering weren't observed!).

For me, the standout part of this book was the relationships. They are portrayed vividly, the characters all but walking off the pages. Duffy doesn't shy away from the complicated nature of love - in fact, he embraces it. We humans are messy creatures, and this book delves into that. Romantic loves takes a back seat to familial relationships, and just what we're willing to do for those we love.

Danny is a compelling protagonist, struggling with his fears and feeling of hopelessness. His journey (both physical and metaphorical) is one of facing fears and finding hope and love even in dark places. My favourite part was the section in Edinburgh, and watching his relationship with Steve blossom.

The prose is written in Geordie, which sucks you into Danny's frame of mind. It feels so authentic, and adds another layer of depth to the world. Generally, the slang is understandable given the context, but a few words threw me from time to time.

[Kacey Chilvers · Rating 3 out of 5]

14-year-old Danny has a problem - his step-father is physically abusive to his mother. He asks his friends what he should do and they all say that they would tell their dad and he would sort it out.
Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. follows Danny's journey to finding his dad and helping his mam.
I'm a little biased because this book is set about 10 minutes from my house so the novelty of reading a book where you can not only imagine the places being described but also know them is strong.
But I'll do my best to give a fair review.
I'd say the best and worst thing about this novel is how it approaches domestic violence. There are moments of great nuance and the slow build in the step-father's aggression is well done. I just feel like the story could have gone further with certain elements and fell short of some important milestones.
I'm probably being a bit too hard on the writing since the representation of domestic abuse is better than most and it is obvious that Duffy did a lot of research to prepare and approached the topic with care and respect.
I just wanted more.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator is 14 year old boy from Newcastle (a northern town in England), which alongside the majority of the book's characters narrates with a Geordie accent. Personally I'm familiar with the accent so it wasn't a problem but a warning for readers who aren't familiar, it might take a bit of getting used to.

I did feel that some of his thoughts and reactions would have been from someone a bit younger than 14 and while the difficult issues we're handled well and captured a lot of helplessness of the situation, it perhaps didn't offer many solutions for children facing family domestic voilence issues.

While the book is about a difficult subject, it is an easy read with a some great humour and warmth and a great character I thoroughly enjoyed reading about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.

[Sara Clifford-gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the wonderful debut novel by Malcolm Duffy who tells the story of 14 year old Geordie Danny who lives with his single Mum in a flat in Gateshead. On the internet she meets Callum, who has a fast car, and an even faster fist when it comes to hitting Danny’s mum. In an effort to escape the life that they’re in, Danny goes in search of the dad he never knew, hoping that he’ll be able to solve everyone’s problems.

The subject matter of this book is a difficult one to write about but I felt that the author dealt with it really well, and it was touching to read it from the child’s point of view.

Domestic violence happens in every town, rich or poor, and it needs to be talked about, and if by telling the story from a different perspective starts a conversation, then it might just save one more life.

Bravo Mr Duffy – a fantastic first novel, and I look forward to the next one.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Danny and his mum move from a small flat into the huge house of Callum, his mum's boyfriend.



Things started out well but soon enough Danny spots the signs that his mum is being domestically abused by Callum even if she can't see it or face up to it herself.



So, on a mission to save his mum, convinced she'll die at Callum's hands, he sets off to find his dad to get him to kill Callum, if he can.



Danny knows his dad's been in jail and so feels he'll help despite him never wanting to know him before. Danny is a motivated and dedicated kid you can see from the way he wants to protect home mum and that makes this book more raw and moving as the dangers of domestic abuse and effects it has on a family come to light. This is read you won't forget for good reason.

[Karen Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danny is a 14 year old boy living in Newcastle with his Mum. Life isn't perfect but it suits Danny just fine! Along comes, Callum, Mum's new boyfriend and from the outside it looks like everything they could wish for but truly isn't.
This book is moving and we feel all the angst and fear of the teenage Danny as he watches his Mum allow herself to be manipulated. Danny makes mistakes - as you might expect - but he is crafted with such warmth that you cannot help but take him into your heart and you want to reach out and give him the hug you know he needs.
Some difficult topics are dealt with here and so whilst it might not always be a comfortable read, it is engaging and I hope will encourage its young readers to empathy whilst still enjoying meeting a great character.

[Adrianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book on Netgalley I was interested in reading it and it did not disappoint as it turned out to be the complete opposite of what I was expecting. It's a sad, honest but funny book tackling a very important issue - domestic violence. Something that many readers of all age may have witnessed or experienced and should read. I really felt for Danny, all he wanted was to help his mum and his reasoning for wanting to kill his step dad fuelled by anger and love. This book has really touched my heart and made me really think. A bit slow to start and you have to get used to the language but all in all this was a good book and refreshing to delve into the world of Newcastle.

[Emma Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got very absorbed in this book and finished it quickly. Malcolm Duffy has created some great and relatable characters in this book, none more so than Danny, the narrator of the story. He's 14 and going through usual teenage experiences but also has to face up to the issue of domestic violence in his mother's new relationship. The subject has been dealt with very sensitively and the book has been written so well.

[Bookworm Blogger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest, funny and relatable read. Domestic violence is quite a hard hitting topic and the author manages to get the seriousness across whilst keeping an up beat feel to it. Told form the POV of Danny a 14 year old boy, this book is one not to be missed! For my full review click the link below:
https://bookwormbloggerweb.wordpress....

[Dr. Cheryl Diane Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was highly emotive. This was unexpected. Not only did I find the plot enjoyable but also the language. The book deals with some serious issues, and as such, did not have the 'happy ending' that I was expecting. Funnily enough though, the ending was satisfying. A book that I definitely will recommend to others, as well as my own daughter.