All of the reviews for Big Mouth Blues so far, gathered from Amazon.com, Goodreads.com, as well as from different countries!
I will continue to update this page as more reviews pour in! 🙂
Enticing Book!
Great book. Has some unexpected twists and a good read.
Andi
Amazon.com Review
12/17/2017
★★★★☆
Amazing!
Amazing book! One of the best I’ve read in a while! It has a great story line with an unexpected twist. Will be reading again.
Leighann Foster
Amazon.com Review
12/25/2017
★★★★★
Impossible to put down!
I’m more of an audio-book kind of person, however, with Big Mouth Blues I found that once I started reading it, I could not put it down! I cannot wait to see what Miss Donovan comes up with next!
Daniel Poling
Amazon.com Review
1/6/2018
★★★★★
An excellent book that pretty much anyone will enjoy!
This novel is a page-turning adventure that will warm and break your heart simultaneously.
Kacey Dalton is a 14-year-old girl living her worst nightmare: sharing a home with her drunk, abusive father. The book details her journey to escape his clutches, and her attempts to save her mother and little sisters in the process. Along the way, it explores the complexities of young love through her infatuation with her best friend’s brother, Wade, and it addresses the cycles of abuse and alcoholism through Kacey’s personal experiences.
While the language and situations portrayed may be too much for preteens or young teens, older teens and adults will find this to be an enlightening read. The short paragraphs used throughout allow for a fast pace that will completely prevent you from putting it down.
Overall, this is an excellent book that pretty much anyone will enjoy.
Auburn Brooke
Goodreads Review
1/7/2018
★★★★★
This debut novel is phenomenal!
Kacey has secrets. Her Mom used to know, but she doesn’t know anymore. Kacey hides it really well from everyone, even her best friend. Her father’s rages terrify her because she knows what it leads to. He is super strict with her to the point that she can’t even have a shirt on the floor, even if she is sick. Kacey just wants to escape the hurt and feelings, so she sneaks some of her Daddy’s booze one night. The next day she is so sick and hung over that she screams at her baby sister. Will she realize things won’t ever change if she keeps on the road she’s starting down? Somewhere, someone needs to break the cycle of abuse.
This author is FIRED for making me ugly cry. Seriously, the feelings this book made me feel were off the charts! I hope Danalynn Donovan keeps writing because this debut novel is phenomenal!
Donna K. Flint
Amazon.com Review
1/24/2018
★★★★★
Really liked it!
I read this book in one sitting. Great pacing, characters, and tone. The serious theme of child abuse is handled in a way which still allows for the story to be light-hearted and easy to read, especially for the target audience of tweens and early teens. Overall a believable, quick, and enjoyable read!
Hanifa
Goodreads Review
7/10/2018
★★★★☆
Good story!
Deals with some dark subjects, but the main character is resilient. I think this book would be wonderful for troubled children to read. There are a few twists that make this an enjoyable read for middle grade kids. It’s a very easy to read and doesn’t take long to finish. Would read more from this author.
Milk Chocolate
Amazon.com Review
7/22/2018
★★★★☆
Intriguing realistic fiction!
I loved Danalynn Donovan’s writing style; she writes so the reader can visualize the scenes and feel the emotions & tones of the characters. The characters are well developed, relatable, & likable. There is an emotional twist & you can feel the roller coaster ride of Kacey’s life.
I feel this book should be required reading for school students.
Looking forward to Danalynn’s next book!
Linze
Amazon.com Review
7/29/2018
★★★★★
Can’t put it down!
I really enjoyed this book! It kept my interest from the beginning and I wasn’t able to put it down. The details in the characters made you feel as if you personally knew them and could feel the emotional connections. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Sharon Potase
Amazon.com Review
8/5/2018
★★★★★
Great read!
(Warning this book contents children abuse may or not trigger relapse) We follow a young teen who been mental and physical abuse from very young age to her teen’s. At the same time she keep her amazing personality during hard time in her life. She also fell off the boat couple time’s and someone close to her keep very important information from her.
Olivia R.
The author did a great job keeping you hooked to the very end!
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
9/20/2018
★★★★★
A Great Debut!
A great, emotional gut-punching page turner.
Few books had me flipping through so quickly or with as large a sense of necessity to get to the end. Vibrant, descriptive, and powerful, it’s a great read for young and adults alike.
I’d recommend it to all my friends and family.
Benjamin
Amazon.com Review
11/12/2018
★★★★★
A Terrific YA Read for Young Adults and Adults Alike!
Danalynn Donovan’s debut novel, Big Mouth Blues, follows the story of Kacey Dalton, a young girl with a huge heart but a blabbermouth that often gets her into trouble – which for a normal kid might not be that bad, but Kacey lives anything but a normal life. Keeping a secret just as big as her heart, Kacey vows to never tell the truth and protect her mom and little sisters by relenting to her father’s continual abuse in silence. Living with the fear that at any second her abusive father could “murder her with a capital ‘M'”, the only thing saving Kacey from succumbing to complete and total despair is her longtime crush on her best friend’s older brother, Wade. But for how long can Kacey keep Wade – and everyone else – from unraveling the truth?
Tanya Marcy
I fell in love with Kacey’s story from the first page and raced to the end – which comes with a sucker-punch of a plot twist. Danalynn interweaves the plot of Kacey and her family with her love story with Wade very nicely, and the characters and prose are also excellent and well done. Whether you’re a young adult or a young adult at heart, I recommend this book as a must-read.
Amazon.com Review
1/20/2019
★★★★★
Achingly poignant and a wonderful read!
Ms. Donovan accurately captures a poignant time in any person’s life, that of being a young teenager, and juxtapositions it with having to hide abuse at the hands of her father. This situation creates a tension all of its own in the story.
The story is wonderfully written with a great pace and well fleshed out characters. Highly recommended.
Lionstar11
Amazon.com Review
1/20/2019
★★★★★
Outstanding read!
Very engaging! A page turner from beginning to end!
KT
Amazon.com Review
1/27/2019
★★★★★
Can’t put it down!
Great read! Danalynn really knows how to capture my attention.
Davewill2000
Amazon.com Review
2/17/2019
★★★★★
Good book!
I found this book hard to put down until I finished it. My granddaughter read the book too and loved it. She is hoping the author will not only write a follow up book, but an entire series on Kacey.
We loved the book.
J. Knapp
Amazon.com Review
2/20/2019
★★★★★
A quality read about a difficult topic!
“Big Mouth Blues” is a quality read. The author does an excellent job of balancing the gravity of the topic with a tone appropriate for the genre.
The strengths of the book are the main character and the quality of the writing, particularly in the first half of the novel. Kacey Dalton is a lovable character who draws you in from page one. You will fear for her, laugh with her, experience her joys and her sorrows. Her courage and perseverance are an inspiration.
My only criticisms are that the other characters, perhaps with the exception of Kacey’s mother, lacked complexity, and the plotting was sometimes too predictable (though it might be less so for a young reader). The twist itself seemed to deflate the tragedy that was so important to the narrative. These criticisms aside, “Big Mouth Blues” contains a number of important points (why some people may not report abuse, why some people remain in abusive relationships, the cycles of abuse, etc). It was impossible not to care for Kacey and, for that reason, it was difficult to put the book down.
Chris Paulin
Amazon.ca & Goodreads Review
6/16/2019
★★★★☆
This debut novel stands head and shoulders above the rest!
A heart-wrenching story of domestic abuse. Kudos to author, Danalynn Donovan, for bringing this masterful creation to life. The characterization of the main protagonist, Kacey, was well-defined. Swallowed hook, line and sinker – it was obvious from the start there’d be no putting this book down.
This debut novel stands head and shoulders above the rest. It was easy to read and comes highly recommended.
The victim of domestic abuse, fourteen-year-old, Kacey, served a lifetime sentence in the throes of hell. Her mother, Carolyn, did not fare much better. Standing at six-foot seven, her drunken father ruled the household with an iron fist. Coming from an abusive family himself, he carried on where his father and his father’s father left off.
As the merciless beatings began to escalate, it seemed doubtful that Kacey would see her next birthday. Only time would tell.
Paul Falk, Author/Reviewer
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
6/23/2019
★★★★★
Wish I read this growing up, glad I read it now!
Big Mouth Blues was an excellent, engaging read.
After just a few pages, I was transported back to my youth. My mom worked for the library, and she’d bring home a bunch of recommended books on their “Summer Reading Lists.” Most of them weren’t my normal style, but they sure as heck stayed with me. This felt like one of those hidden gems, and timeless to boot.
The subject matter of physical and mental abuse made me nervous, but Danalynn Donovan handled it with just the right balance of fear, acceptance, frustration, and humor.
T.J. Birkhead
The biggest strength was the tone of all the characters. They all felt real, and actually true to age. Which is actually really hard to do consistently, but Donovan made it look easy. The main character Kacey has so many conflicting emotions, and still tries to maintain the exhausting front that everything is okay. Especially when she allows herself to be a normal teenager, for as long as that can last with the looming shadow of her father.
I will say that for such a compelling, quick read, there’s a part where there is a lot of simultaneous story lines going on, with most of them converging at the same time. This could either be seen as a little too convenient OR the natural payoff after a tightly scripted story. I personally enjoyed it, and loved seeing how all the pieces connected.
The final, and biggest complement I can bestow is this: I read Big Mouth Blues in two sittings as an e-book, but will be soon ordering a paperback copy. I plan to toss it up on the shelf and let my daughter discover it, hopefully on a rainy summer day in the far future.
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
7/7/2019
★★★★★
A Great Debut Novel!
And I give it a 5-star rating.
It was hard to get through the first chapter but only because I immediately knew we were talking about domestic abuse. It saddens me to know this happens to real people.
Danalynn Donovan wrote it in such a way that I immediately felt for 14-year old Kacey and once Kacey owned my heart I just had to know how her story would end.
This vicious cycle needs to end. More books like this one should be available to young people AND adults. Break the cycle of abuse, we must.
Thanks for writing this book. I look forward to reading more of your work. I highly recommend it.
Selma Martin, satisfied customer in Japan.
Selma Martin
Amazon.co.jp (Japan) Review
7/14/2019
★★★★★
This one was an all-nighter!
The characters were so real I cared about all of them. In spite of my own idyllic childhood, I was made to understand what was happening and why. Good stories take you out of your comfort zone to learn something new. I am glad I found it to read tonight (it’s almost 2am).
Mary Lu
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
8/2/2019
★★★★★
This is reality fiction at its best!
Big Mouth Blues is a powerful read. Child abuse is not an easy subject to write about and author Danalynn Donovan has handled this tricky subject with aplomb. From the very beginning you are hooked into the story of teenager Kacey, her twin sisters, mother who loves her but is seemingly blind to the abuse she suffers, and her horrible alcoholic father. Kacey is identifiable and comes across as you would expect someone to be caught up in this type of situation. The characters are realistic. This is reality fiction at its best.
As a survivor of an abusive childhood, I could identify, perhaps too closely, with Kacey. The story is well-written and an easy read despite the difficult content.
Too much of this kind of abuse is going on behind closed doors and we need more authors brave enough to bring it out. Highly recommended.
Cindy Vine
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
9/15/2019
★★★★★
Grrrr!
This book got me so upset! And for that alone the author should be commended on a job well done.
There were moments when I could relate to the main character and I cried. I really did like this book. Probably hated it as well.
There were a few grammatical errors and a bit of a slow start that held me back from giving it a 5 star. The plot was solid and the characters in their awkward teenage years were… Well really awkward.
My heart goes out to the author and I thank her for a wonderful read.
Joy Nibbs
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
9/19/2019
★★★★☆
Suspense is built up as one secret after another is slowly revealed!
Fourteen year old Kacey is the main subject of her alcoholic father’s abuse and has lived in fear of his wrath her entire life as he constantly blames her for everything that goes wrong. In order to protect herself, as well as her mother and sisters in hope for a better life, she is forced to keep this family secret, otherwise she is to suffer the worst of consequences. While Kacey’s ‘big mouth’ is having a hard time holding onto this family secret, amongst others, her relationships with her best friend, boy crush and other family members are put to the test.
Despite Kasey being powerless against her controlling father, readers learn that the fourteen year old is a ‘fighter’. She is mentally tough and extremely switched on to her father’s cues, and the very things that trigger his outrage. She has the maturity to understand why her father is the way he is, and she gathers resources for professional help in an effort to turn things around.
Suspense is built up as one secret after another is slowly revealed in this story. It is definitely a page turner and readers are made to feel they are in the moment.This book is suitable for teenagers and adults that like to immerse themselves in drama that incorporates twists and turns, just beware of the violence!
Nikki (from Australia)
Goodreads Review
9/23/2019
★★★★★
A whirlwind of emotions!
This book is a whirlwind of emotions as the author tackles the subject of abuse and alcohol addiction. Although the subjects are tough, powerful subjects the author handles them carefully, respectfully and in a way that hits home and can be relatable to those that have been in similar situations.
Within the first few pages I was hooked and instantly enthralled in the main characters spunky personality and courage. The struggle and growth of each character throughout the story is one that takes you on a journey of pain and lies but also leads to hope and healing.
A great book that although is an easy read is also a powerful one that I wish I would have gotten the opportunity to read when I was younger, and definitely one I would recommend to any young adult out there.
Willow Medici
Amazon.com Review
9/24/2019
★★★★★
5 Big Stars in my book!
One of the best books I’ve read this year. Powerful, heartwarming, with a surprise twist, Big Mouth Blues pulls the reader right in. Beautifully written.
Big Mouth Blues is a real page turner. It’s a powerful story that focuses on a young girl’s need to keep her family together, while trying desperately to make sure her private and her personal lives don’t meet. Child abuse, alcoholism, and domestic violence are never easy topics to cover, however, this author does a brilliant job of pulling her readers into the main characters world, bringing them face to face with her very real world struggles.
Emotional, heart wrenching, and touching are three words that describe this book best.
Stacy Hawks
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
10/12/2019
★★★★★
Danalynn says she writes realistic fiction and it doesn’t get more real than this!
Who can help Kacey escape an alcoholic and abusive parent?
Who can 14-year-old Kacey turn to when she loses her parents to alcoholism?Convincing and wrenching.
Steve Brock
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
10/15/2019
★★★★★
I recommend this book!
Not my usual type of novel, but for the price I gave it a whirl! Glad I did!
It’s not what I would call “un-put-downable” in the same way that one doesn’t binge-watch the Handmaid’s Tale — it’s too hard hitting and heartbreaking.
Well written, well paced.
Kassie P
Amazon.uk & Goodreads Review
10/27/2019
★★★★☆
This book had me hooked from the start!
Wow, congratulations to the author for tackling this tricky subject and doing it so well.
The main characters are realistic and believable, and I found myself hoping that these victims of domestic abuse would find a happy ending.
This book had me hooked from the start. The world was well crafted, and the twists and turns in the story kept the pages turning.
I finished this book in one sitting and recommend it highly.
P.A. Sheppard
Goodreads Review
10/31/2019
★★★★☆
Excellent. A Must-Read!
Big Mouth Blues by Danalynn Donovan is an emotionally gripping read and heart-wrenching from beginning to end.
In the book we meet protagonist 14 (and a half) year old Kacey Dalton who is facing mental and physical abuse from her alcoholic father. She is trying to protect her mother and sisters from this man who has always seemed to especially hate her. In the book we get to know Kacey very well and her personality jumps off the page. She is strong, she is loving, she is young and unsure how to handle any of this but she has this inner strength and you know she is going to pull through. She also has a witty element to her personality which allows for lighter moments in a very heavy read.Throughout the book, we see Kacey being gaslighted by her father, and to an extent by her mother too at certain times due her fear that Kacey’s strong personality will cause her father to become even more abusive. In Kacey there is a character who knows the situation and what her father is doing is seriously very wrong but being told that her strength of character is a flaw, makes things somehow her fault and that it makes her somewhat uncompassionate. All a load of rubbish of course, but it’s great to see that she is strong enough to overcome it. It made me think of how sad it is that a lot of people in situations like this never find that belief and strength to overcome the devastatingly cruel and unfair situations they find themselves in.
Kacey finds some solace and normality when she visits and hangs out at her best friend Maxine’s house where Maxine has the dream family Kacey has always wished she could belong to. She also is in love with Maxine’s older brother Wade.
This book is a page-turner. You just need to read on and find out whether Kacey is going to be alright and if there is a happy ending in sight for her, her mother and her two little sisters. It is an extremely powerful read about a young girl trying to keep her family together in the face of abuse and tremendous mental strain being put on her.This is certainly a very brave write by the author especially for a debut book. I like the way we get to see Kacey’s life in various different aspects. While the main theme of the book is the abuse she suffers, we also get to know about other parts of her life and get a glimpse of what she should be able to concentrate on without having to go through this fear inside her own home.
Lisa Reynolds
It is definitely a heavy and sad read and it is also an incredible read. Donovan tells Kacey’s story with honesty, sensitivity and paints a very human, ordinary young girl with so much potential if she can get through this and not end up like her father through conditioning or resentment.
Excellent. A must-read.
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
11/1/2019
★★★★★
Well-written book examines serious issues!
This YA novel takes a sensitive look at the subject of child and domestic abuse and does a very effective job of bringing the reader into our central character Kacey’s plight as she tries to draw her alcoholic father’s rages away from her mother and sisters while keeping the family drama a secret from anyone outside her family.
Well-written and edited, I found myself racing along in my anxiety to find out how the volatile situation was going to work out for all the characters. Some of the motivations of the characters and plot twists are a little simplistic but that is probably appropriate for the age level and also so as not to interfere with the main focus of the book.
What this novel does really well is examine the dynamics behind abuse and why families might live quietly with the shame for years rather than reaching out for help. A good conversation starter for getting young teens to recognize the signs of an abuser and the perils of addiction.
Helen Whistberry
Amazon.com & Goodreads Review
11/10/2019
★★★★☆
I recommend this book!
I really enjoyed the gripping story of this book.
It is a tough topic written with respect.
In the book a young girl is abused by her father but hides it from everyone close to her. As things take a turn and her secrets are revealed, it will split her family and test her friendships. Can the scars heal?
Will Kacey find love and peace amongst all the chaos?
Jacqueline
Amazon.uk & Goodreads Review
11/13/2019
★★★★☆
Must read!
Really enjoyed this, pace is good and it’s an easy read, well written, can’t wait to read more.
Bea
Amazon.uk Review
11/18/2019
★★★★★
I couldn’t stop reading!
Big Mouth Blues is an amazing and important read. Not only is it romantic, but it deals with an ever present issue: domestic violence and the vicious cycle which repeats generation after generation. This book shows what it’s like to be stuck in the cycle and the temptation to repeat the learned behavior.
Yet there’s hope and healing.
I recommend this book for mature teens because it deals with violence in several forms. This book was skillfully written and reminded me of the very popular Rainbow Rowell.
Carol Alwood
Amazon & Goodreads Review
11/22/2019
★★★★★