Paper Butterflies

Product Information

Except—they didn’t feel like butterflies anymore. Not really. No, they looked more like two death moths if you asked me. A bad omen; a warning that if I allowed my feelings to crawl any deeper it could very well be the death of me. Kathleen is such a despicable woman. She tortures June in any way possible since she has 9 years old -- I am sure even before that but the book starts with 9 years old.

Review – Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield Review – Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

June's recounted tales of the tragedy of her young life are intersected with glimpses at her full-grown self and how she is struggling to cope with and to accept her abuse. Primarily, however, this isn't an adult telling a memoir, but is viewed through the child's perspective as she relives her ordeal. It feels real and each moment is made more heartbreaking because of it. Stand By Me meets We Were Liars- a heartbreaking and stunning breakout novel for teenagersfrom the award-nominated author of Seed. Michelle did it again and wrote something so beautiful and so relatable that this book had me inhaling every word. Being a YA book, this book doesn't really go beyond kissing, but the way she writes the kissing in this book...WOW. It didn't leave me wanting them to go further. But it also felt true and believable to the situation. Overall, this is probably one of the best books that I have read this year; it really is. There are just so many things about it that make it important, eye-opening and gut-wrenching and I think it’s a book that everyone should read. If you’re going to read one Young Adult contemporary soon, make it this one and I promise that you won’t regret it.Sometimes a book comes along that makes a footprint on your memory and your heart for a long long time. I understand why this choice was not made — opening without revealing the ending spurs instant empathy from the audience, while revealing the ending could’ve ruined this. However, the result is that this book is marketed as a narrative about abuse, and that was my expectation going in. The real point of the story is not clear until the 90% mark, quite literally. Personally, I don’t think Paper Butterflies works as a narrative about abuse.

Paper Butterflies - Lisa Heathfield - Google Books

The point is that I understand why this was written. I just didn't personally get very much out of it. Almost always home alone with her Mom ‘working’ out of town a lot, and her brother in the Army, Olivia finds her lost self being drawn to Neil in ways she never thought possible. Maybe it’s his preppy clothes or his sweet disposition. Can any boy be that good? But then she meets Blister, a boy in the woods. And in him, June recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away. But freedom comes at a price . . .This is the story of June. Her life is full of traumatic abuse, physically, mentally and emotionally. Thank God for June’s friend Blister. He was such a savior and the most amazing friend you could ever imagine. It was such a blessing for June to meet him on that day. I don’t think June could have endured years of abuse without Blister on her side. Thank you to Netgalley, Egmont Publishing and Lisa Heathfielf for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. So this paper butterfly craft is just the thing for them. It is a great way to help them concentrate and follow a simple pattern and introduces the basis of origami for kids. June’s dad just annoyed me so much. I know that he didn’t know the abuse was going on but whenever June tried to tell him that her step-family hated her and that they were mean to her, the Dad just brushed it off and told June to stop being silly. I mean, c’mon! That’s just crazy! How can a parent be so careless?! He would tell June all of the time how much he loved her but then didn’t even listen to what she was saying. Well done, Dad. Well done.

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield | Waterstones

June's father has remarried to a woman who he believes is wonderful. June now has a step mother and step sister. Who are sweet and light on the surface when other people are around. But are bitterly cruel -and unkind to June subjecting her to abuse everytime her father isn't there and let's just say that's a lot of the time. I would’ve thought Neil took offense to my rudeness if it weren’t for his soft and amused laughter that scraped along the last of my sanity. Laughter that tattooed itself right into my brain.I think this works as a takedown of the death penalty and as a story imitating real life that perhaps parallells the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case. I actually think this book could have been a four-star read for me — it’s not my personal thing, but I would’ve appreciated it more — had it revealed the main character’s current situation at the beginning of the book, rather than at the end. At that point, it would’ve become an interesting book about learning the truth, and developing empathy for the lead. Paper Butterflies tells the heart-breaking story of June who following her Mother’s death years earlier and following her Father’s remarriage, is being physically and mentally abused by her step mother , Kathleen * rages*. Neil was pure, and honest, and kind-all the good things this world had to offer, and yet his kiss... But then June meets Blister, a boy in the woods. In him, she recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away from her home and be free. Because every creature in this world deserves their freedom... But at what price?