Not a bad book, just a very miserable one I wasn't willing to drag myself through. I'd rather there was more clarity in the blurb about the abuse the MC suffers, as I found some of the detail in even the first chapters triggering, so I did not finish and doubt I'll be picking it up again.

June's stepmother is a horrible woman and together with her daughter she's making June's life incredibly awful. June's father doesn't take his daughter's side and June has nobody to turn to. When she meets Blister she finds a kindred spirit. They spend a lot of time together in the woods, the only place where June feels safe. Not even Blister knows what June's life at home is really like though. Will June eventually be believed or will her stepmother be able to continue without being stopped?

Paper Butterflies is one of the most impressive books I've ever read. The things June's stepmother does to her stepdaughter made me nauseous and I constantly had tears in my eyes because of everything June has to go through on a daily basis. June has a tough life and nobody's there to help her. She can't escape and there's nothing she can do. Being powerless and incapable to fight back is an awful feeling. I kept hoping life would have something better in store for June and finding out what would happen to her kept me on the edge of my seat. 

Fortunately Blister is there for June and he makes her happy, which is the only light in her life. He's kindhearted like June and they have fun together. However, Blister is as young as June, so he can't actually do something for her besides making her free time as nice as possible. I loved that he keeps trying though. June deserves much better than she gets. Reading about her struggles made me emotional, but I couldn't put Paper Butterflies down, I had to know what would happen next and couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Lisa Heathfield has written a raw story about abuse, cruelty and consequences. The story is dark and there are many awful moments. It's beautifully written and reading about June's had quite an impact on me. I can't stop thinking about the wonderful sweet and innocent girl and the evil her father invited into their once so peaceful home. Paper Butterflies isn't for the weak hearted. It's a brilliant moving story, it made me cry and it made my heart ache, but I couldn't stop reading. What happens to June is terrible, but the story is incredible and I highly recommend it.

This book has ruined my life. I think I may have read it in about two hours and not once did I get up to get a drink or change reading position. I just lay down and binge-read it. The story of Paper Butterflies will stay with me for a very very long time because of how raw, moving, shocking and emotional it is.

June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one—and a secret one. She is trapped like a butterfly in a net.

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?

Now, when the blurb says that June has a dark home life, it really does mean it. If you follow me on Goodreads at all, you will know that I commented on my progress about 30 pages in saying how disturbing it was. This book is full of abuse, and it starts pretty much at the very beginning. I was absolutely disgusted by how Kathleen treated June and I felt like I was going to be sick half of the time. I genuinely cried for her and I wanted things to get better. And then June met Blister and she was happy. Blister was like a rock for her over the years but I just wish that June had opened up completely to Blister about her abuse. I know that it's mega mega hard to be open about things like that, but Blister could have really helped her.

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.





"Your life is precious. Every day that you're on earth is precious. You have a place. You're wanted."

- Lisa Heathfield, Paper Butterflies





The plot itself was a huge rollercoaster. I can't say too much about the plot because of spoilers but when *that thing* happened to June, I cried for her. I felt like it wasn't fair - even though, it kinda was. But still! I just... ugghhh.... I can't even form words that express how I felt when I was reading it. Another thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was what a certain character was saying about forgiving Kathleen. Ummmm no. I'm sorry, but how can you forgive the person that abused you for years and years?! I just can't understand how anyone could do that, I really don't. I also hated how June was bullied and pretty much tortured because she was the only black member of her family (her deceased mother was black, but her Dad, step-mother and step-sister are white) and she also goes to a predominantly white school where there are just sooooo many vile people who are absolutely horrible towards June and the scenes where June is at school just shows how the school failed her as well as her Dad.

And. That. Ending. WHAT?!! I NEED ANOTHER BOOK. I NEED A BOOK TWO. Because Paper Butterflies just can't end like that, it can't. I won't let it. Lisa, you can't just write an ending like that and expect your readers not to go crazy and want a second book! One of the things that shocked me the most at the end was what Megan said, and again, I can't discuss this because of spoilers, but what she said had me reeling, and it was kind of unbelievable but at the same time, I did believe her. Strange.

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. 

Warning: this book contains triggers for mental and physical abuse, mental illness, and death.

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book had me in tears! It is so raw and pulls at your heartstrings. A must read

I read We were Liars and loved it but this tops it.  I loved June's struggle for freedom from her oppressive home life.  I loved the hope that Blister offers her.  All in all a great read  that pulls at the heart strings. A fantastic ending  too- what more could you want.

This book is quite simply incredible. I put off writing a review of it the last time I read it and having just re-read it in one sitting I'm still worried I won't do justice to it. I also forgot how much it made me cry, but it had the same effect this time too. Not just a gentle tear, this book had me sobbing...

June's life is incredibly difficult and this book deals with very disturbing issues. It is not for the faint of heart but you can't help but admire June for courage and strength in finding hope in the face of incredible adversity.

This is a beautifully written, heart-breaking book which swaps between 'Before' starting when June is 9 years old, and 'After' at an unspecified point in time with June having conversations trying to deal with what she went through. I can't talk in depth about the issues she deals with without giving too many spoilers away but my heart broke for her as I was reading and just wanted to protect her.

The bright point in June's story is her relationship with Blister and his family who give her a glimpse into a life she has never known. The times they spend together growing up and their relationship is wonderful.

I can't hesitate to give this book 5 out of 5 and I would give it more if I could. I can't wait to read her next book.

An extremely difficult read, with harrowing scenes from the start. But you find yourself really rooting for the main character, who has a truly awful time of things. I thought the book was different, refreshing and thought-provoking.

I started this book whilst reading something else, bur found I yad to abandon the other book in favour of 'Paper Butterfiles '. I just had to know the outcome. I won't spoil the ending ending, but it left me emotional. An excellent read.

While I cannot fault Lisa Heathfield;s writing in any way - it is brilliant - this particular book was just too raw and brutal for me. It was horrendous to read and stayed with me long after I finished. Although the story may not have been to my liking, I know that this will resonate with a lo of readers.

This book made me cry. For real. Actual tears people, actual tears. I read it on holiday, alone in my hotel room after a day skiing. Or rather, I started it on the plane and then finished it in my hotel room and I had to text My Best Guy and tell him I needed rescuing because I had a massive sad. When he rang me to ask what on earth I was talking about I burst into tears, which, well way to go Jo, way to go.
 
‘What’s it about,’ he asked me when he came to save me and take me for vin chaud, and then ‘Jesus Christ’ when I told him.
‘What happens in the end?’
I don’t know,’ I told him, ‘I’ve got a few percent left to go.’
Then a pause….’is it not a true story?’
‘No.’
 
And then he laughed, because (and this is not the first time this has happened) its apparently hilarious that I can get so emotionally attached to things and people that aren’t even real, except of course they totally are real in my head and I kind of feel like it’s a testament to how good a book is, if it can move me like that.
 
& I mean sure I was feeling a little bit emotionally fragile before I started this book and that might have possibly been a contributing factor the mess I was when I finished it but fuck, I was not ok. It got under my head – which was totally a typo but which I am leaving because it made me eyeroll at myself and is clearly a combination of under my skin and inside my head and as it did both those things I feel like that’s ok. Anyhow, it got to me and that makes it really hard to review and made it really hard to rate because did I like it? Nope. No, I didn’t. Do I think it’s really freaking good? Yes, damn straight I did. & you know, read it (not you Helen, not ever you Jesus Christ you’ll be like Alice swimming in her own tears) but wait please until you are the most emotionally stable you’ve ever been.
 
This book – which is about a teenage girl called June who is suffering this awful abuse from her stepmother and who is trapped and suffocating and is so lost and so desperate that it crushes your chest almost to read it, who meets this boy, Blister, and gets a taste of what life should be like – it scared me.
 
It scared me because somehow when I was reading it I was June and that shows incredible skill as a write but it’s a skill I kind of wish was less because it hurt. It moves from ‘Before’ to ‘After’ and back again and you don’t know really what ‘After’ is but you kind of have an idea and the whole entire thing, it’s heart-breaking – June’s stepmother who’s just evil, her stepsister who is an accomplice in the torture and it’s very questionable as to how unwitting an accomplice she is, and her Dad, who in some fucked up way is as bad if not worse because even though he loves June and even though he never actually participates he’s so blind to it all and yak, it’s all so terrible.  I mean the abuse June suffers hurt me, but her Dad, he just made me so angry, so angry it made my eyes sting.  

I think it’s about failure this book – about failure and the devastating power of a lie because let’s be honest here, is there anything more terrifying than telling the truth and not one. single. person. believing you? What do you even begin to do in that situation, when the worst things are happening and the people you’re supposed to trust don’t believe you. What are you supposed to do? & where is the line between right and wrong and victim and perpetrator and oh, so many of the questions.
It ripped out my soul this book, it made me question all that is good and right in the world and the unfairness (and fuck if unfairness isn’t a strong enough word) of the whole damn thing just shattered me. It’s powerful writing  - more powerful than Seed and I thought that was pretty impressive - and it really is phenomenal writing. I might have given it 5 stars except for you know, it broke me. The story is (devastating) well considered and sensitive and honest – sometimes brutally. The characters are well developed; seriously, this is villainy at its best, and the whole slow development of June’s friendship with Blister will burn you with its simple beauty and the language has moments of sheer gorgeousness. 

If you can see past the fact that the subject matter means this is one of the hardest books you’ll read for a while, then it’s absolutely worth giving it a go. I’d say I’m glad I did, but I’m not sure I’m quite there yet.

Wow, I finished this book last night and I didn't think I could make it what with the words starting to blur with tears. I actually started reading this book in a reading lesson as part of the scholastic book fair. The cover is striking and beautiful which exactly reflects the book inside as well as out. I read the first few pages of the book and I knew I had to continue it...

{From the first page - what I read at the book fair - no spoilers.}
June's being forced to drink warm milk and water, her bladder full, needing the loo. She's not allowed to go. Her step-mum Kathleen, says it's time for school, she ties a ribbon in her hair and off she goes with her step-sister, Megan. She gets to the bus stop, she see a elephant in the clouds so she focuses on that, anything that isn't...well wet. She gets on the bus and sits. It's so painful, she can't help it, she couldn't hold it in...

June lives with father, after her mum died, Kathleen and Megan came into their lives as step-mum and step-sister, but the worst possibly family you could imagine. When I first read this I thought it was going to be like a Cinderella sort of storyline - only so much darker. Kathleen despises June, so she torments her everyday, feeds her huge portions of food to make her go fat, make her ugly and basically brings out the worst in June. Megan just follows like the good little daughter she is. June wants to cry, shout, talk about what's happening even to a stranger but she can't find the words...she was too scared and I don't blame her.

Not until she meets Blister with his taped up glasses and his paper figures that she actually finds some solace and safety in their relationship. Their friendship, their bond, their love for one another you were totally transfixed.That beyond everything that was happening, Blister and his family were the only ones that really treated her for her. They made June a stronger girl for it whilst not letting Kathleen and Megan strip her down till there is nothing left of her own persona for anyone to care about... Blister is her escape, she is the butterfly that is able to fly free.

This book gives you so many feels, good and bad. Miss Heathfield's writing is moving and addictive at the same time. The structure of the book is split in two times Before and After. For each After we get a glimpse at what life is like for her presently but not really knowing what has happened and I loved that. I felt that the After chapter was a light relief of the heavy and the emotional that came with each passing week and year that June has to endure this suffering. What you felt for this book was the most out of body experience because you couldn't compute what it was that's happening or feeling. It was horrific at time, it was hard to read, it was raw to imagine a child going through this abuse. But that's why I couldn't stop myself from being dragged in, you totally at the mercy of the author and how uncontrollable your emotions are. The passion you find yourself feeling towards the characters and not always good, speak volumes as to how magnificent this book really is.

This book is a roller-coaster of emotions and it will rip you apart from each page of the book. Paper Butterflies is a darkly heartbreaking and raw novel with such a gentle touch. Miss Heathfield's book is like a fold of each of Blister's paper creations, constructed passionately and yet beautiful to see (and read). Nominated for the Waterstones Children's Book Award and the YA Book Prize 2017, Paper Butterflies is well deserved to have both of these nominations and you all need to read it.

Rating - 5

Thank you to Electric Monkey (Egmont) for a copy of this book provided on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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

Breathe.

I don't know how to start.

I was warned before reading this book that you should read it when your in a good mental place. Unfortunately for me this book kinda made me go the opposite. If your highly sensitive like me, you might not want to read this book about child abuse.

Paper Butterflies was extremely difficult to read at times because of the subject. This book tore my heart, I was hyperventilating several times, had to put it down as a wave of sadness came over me.

I don't know how the author did it, but the writing was so convincing that I felt I was part of June's world.

I'm still grieving but I understood the message, forgiveness is important, and everyone deserves another chance.

This is a very important subject and the author has done a good job. I hope more people get to read this book.

**Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy of this to review**
Paper Butterflies is one of the best YA books I have ever read. It focuses on the abuse of a young girl called June, her stepmother is so cruel to her it is unreal and the children at school see her as an easy target and bully her relentlessly. The book begins with Junes stepmother giving her a drink of water, which seems nice of her, except June doesn't want it...actually, she needs the toilet but she isn't allowed to go. She wees herself on the bus, which was heartbreaking as when she gets to school nobody bothers to ask her why they just say she is too old to be peeing herself. I think this is the most heartbreaking thing of all throughout the whole book, that no matter what happens June doesn't have the confidence to tell anybody what is happening at home because she feels that nobody would believe her. The children in her class constantly bully her, they give her a dead goldfish as a birthday present and tell the teacher that she killed it, they paint her white so that she is the same colour as her albino friend, they put money in her locker and say that she stole it from them, every time the teachers never ask her side of the story, they alway believe the other children and this leaves June feeling trapped and alone. 
June meeting Blister is such a wonderful thing for her, it allows her to finally have a friend who sees her for who she is and allows her to be away from her family for a short while. Be happy, for a short while. Blister is such a wonderful character, he never gives up on June, ever. Even in the end, he is still there, still rooting for her. I love his family, I love how close they are and how much they all support each other.
I feel sorry for Junes father, he just cannot see what Katherine is doing to poor June and I can understand why. She is so sweet and kind to June whenever anybody else is around and she never does anything that will leave a mark, therefore whenever June tries to tell somebody what she is doing they tell her to stop being horrible. It makes me wonder what Katherine must have gone through as a child to make her behave the way she does, just as Reverend Shaw says "nobody is born evil".
I don't know how I feel about Megan, I understand that her mother abused her too and she made Megan do those horrible things to June but also feel angry at her that she didn't try harder with June, they could have done something together to stop it. It is a very complicated situation and I understand that is isn't as straight cut as I would like it to be but I am glad that they became friends in the end.
Overall, I loved Paper Butterflies, by the end I was in floods of tears. The ending was amazing, although I could have done with another chapter!! (I normally feel that way though!) If I could give this book more than five stars I totally would!
I cannot wait to read more books by Lisa Heatherfield.

FANTASTIC title. I was dying to read this one after reading the reviews of it over on Goodreads, and I wasn't disappointed. This book stayed with me far longer than I expected. It requires a pretty strong and clean head space to tolerate but well worth the time. The book examines elements of graphic violence and abuse and might not be for everyone, but what an astounding read. Solid five stars.

I want to start by thanking the publisher for letting me read Paper Butterflies in return for an honest review. I’d also like to apologise in advance that my review will not be spoiler free, so proceed with caution. 

I mostly liked Paper Butterflies until the twist, although I did have a few smaller problems with it. I went back and forth on the rating, trying to decide between two and three stars, because I did like it until about 70% of the way through, but after that point I couldn’t believe what I was reading. It wasn’t an “easy” read from the start, reading about the abuse June suffered at the hands of her stepmother, Kathleen and (to a lesser extent) her stepsister, Megan. I still had hope for June as the story progressed. I knew when we met Blister that her life was going to change for the better. June and Blister’s friendship was one of my favourite parts about the book, with my other favourite being June’s relationship with the rest of Blister’s family. The whole time I was reading, I was so sure they were going to do something to save her. I suppose that in a way, they did, but not in the way that I was expecting and hoping for. 

When I saw that Paper Butterflies had been compared to We Were Liars, I knew something shocking was going to be revealed. Unlike the twist in We Were Liars, however, I did not like the one in Paper Butterflies. It felt as if it came out of nowhere - like most twists do - but even once it had been revealed, I felt that we weren’t given as much information as I would have liked for it to have worked. Before we know it, June’s been sentenced to death for murdering her father and stepmother and the attempted murder of her stepsister. We don’t get to see much - if any - of her trial, other than the moment she is sentenced. When I got to this part, I had to set the book down and take a moment to absorb the turn it had taken. On the one hand, if the book had been longer, perhaps we could’ve been given more detail, but on the other hand, I’m glad it wasn’t any longer because I’m not sure I could’ve kept reading. 

I will also say that I thought it was incredibly insensitive that a lot of the “after” sections were focused on June being told that she should try to forgive her abusers because no doubt, their lives had been difficult too. There was no excuse for the way Kathleen treated June, whether she had been a victim of abuse herself or not. The way Megan treated June was a little more understandable, seeing as she was just a child and under the influence of her mother, but I still didn’t think it seemed fair or right that June was pushed towards forgiveness by those around her rather than deciding for herself whether or not she wanted to. 

I couldn’t comprehend the way June was treated at school, seemingly the only POC at her school, when the story seems to be set in modern day america. She was endlessly bullied because of her race and weight, yet nobody ever seemed to notice what was happening to her (at home or at school). June was made to look violent and angry, because she would at times snap and lash out her bullies for no apparent reason. This would later come back to bite her during her trial. 

I loved Blister and his family. The main problem I had with them, though, was that they were far too good to be true. June just happens  to come across a boy with a huge, loving family who have adopted most of their children and chosen to homeschool them? I spent the whole time thinking that June was at some point going to end up being taken in by Blister and his family, then for her to finally ask and for them to say no? I know they weren’t fully aware of what was going on, but it was obvious that there was something. I found it very hard to believe that a family as amazing as Blister’s would have turned her away. 

Then there was Tom, Blister’s younger brother. He’s introduced to us, we’re told he has cystic fibrosis and we read about him enough times to become just as invested in his story as we are with June and Blister’s. Once the twist happens we don’t really hear about Tom anymore until June reveals that he died. 

Another problem I had was the portrayal of the legal system. For the record, I live in the UK and we don’t have the death penalty. Yet I still find it difficult to believe that a sixteen year old was sentenced to death for murdering her father and stepmother. Were there really no other options? So she goes to prison (which I also wasn’t sure was accurately portrayed) and befriends a woman named Mickey, who helps her through her time there, until Mickey is taken away and executed. At this point, I felt like it was purely for shock factor, maybe to hammer home the fact that June was also to be executed, but even this felt skimmed over to me, which is one of the problems with trying to cram such a huge time frame into just 320 pages. 

I think the biggest issue I had with Paper Butterflies was the ending. After all the twists and turns that have already happened, it seems certain the June is going to be put to death for a crime she did not intend to commit. She has her cell cleared out and is asked what she wants to be done with her body and is then moved to what is called the Death House. She meets with a reverend, who she asks to pass on to the reverend at the other prison that she has forgiven her stepmother and father. The reverend shows her a picture of the protesters, and we learn that Blister and his family (which is how Tom’s death is revealed, but we are given no details) and Megan were amongst them. And then at the last moment, the prison gets a phone call and we discover June’s been granted a stay of execution, she has a new lawyer and someone has come forward with “new evidence”. Who? What is the evidence? We aren’t told. The book ends just about there. The very end is a note from Blister. Nothing is summed up for him either. He mentions that he’s learned “a sister’s love can keep your heart beating”. Does this mean that Megan is the one who came forward with the new evidence? June and Megan made up some time ago, so then why did it take her so long if that was the case?

This is probably one of the most unsatisfactory endings I’ve ever read. There was no real conclusion for any of the characters. A lot of books end in a way that leaves readers to make up their own minds about what happened next. I didn’t think it worked in Paper Butterflies. While I’m glad June wasn’t killed, a definite ending would have been better than what we were given. I would have liked to have known one way or the other. I’m going to be thinking about Paper Butterflies for a while, but not in a good way.

A beautifully written harrowing tale of the saddest thing a child has to endure. I genuinely sobbed as I finished this book. June goes though some of the worst times with all of the people in her life failing her - her parents, her teachers - yet finds a ray of sunlight in her darkness. I cried MOST of the way though this story.

Cover- I actually really like this cover. It does look like a typical contemporary cover with the pastel colours and the simplicity of it but it's still gorgeous.  I don't feel like it is a good representation of what the book entails however, it looks more like a cutesy romance.

Plot- This was such a beautifully heartbreaking book from start to finish. I cried from the first page right until the very last. If you're looking for an upbeat and happy read, this is definitely not the one. I know a lot of readers are wanting to read more diverse books this year so I would recommend this book if you're trying to achieve that as well. I found this so real and honest, which is maybe what crushed me the most. A story about an innocent child, being abused and never believed when she tries to speak out is a horrific concept, but worst of all, it's true. It happens all over the world and I love that this book raises awareness of that and really makes us think, and realise how blessed we are. The plot twist was something I completely did not see coming at all, I'm still shocked about it now but it was brilliantly done. Although romance was a small element of this book, it wasn't the main focus and I'm glad there are still books out there focusing on things other than romance. Family and friendship is shown to be an important and at times, life saving thing. I cannot explain to you enough how emotional I was reading this. I must warn, it is quite a triggering book as you feel connected to, and almost inside the main character's head.

Characters- June is the main character and narrator of this story and she was wonderful and pure and did not in any way deserve any of the terrible things that were thrown at her. I loved how strong she was despite her awful situations and how beautifully her character developed as she aged during the story. She realised her own self worth and that allowed her to stick up for herself more. Her growing confidence, I believe, was down to the influence of Blister. I loved Blister in this story, he was that one bit of light and hope that June needed to keep going. He never judged June, and he was the one person who constantly believed her and was there for her right until the very end. His whole family really welcomed June into their lives and helped her to believe that she was special. Their connection was so strong and just lovely. Megan is a very controversial character and she was obviously written that way. I'm not sure if this will be an unpopular opinion but I did feel sorry for her throughout. You could tell she was making an effort with June and wanting to connect, but June was so blinded by hatred and thinking she could never be liked that she ignored this and saw her to be evil. Megan was obviously scared too, and I wish they'd just both confided in each other and had someone to talk to at home to help them both get through it- though I completely understand why June wanted to stay away.

Writing- Lisa had a way of writing the story so it felt like it was happening to you, like all the horrible things June had to endure were happening to you too and you were genuinely frightened. It's rare to find an author who can capture that kind of emotion in you but she did it perfectly. This was my first book by her, and as disturbing as this book was, I will 100% be reading her other works because she writes fantastically. You feel so invested in the character's story because of the way she describes things, it was beautiful.

Overall- This book is utterly heartbreaking but a truly beautiful read that I would recommend entirely to anyone who wants a diverse and gripping read. This was totally unique, I've never read anything like it and the relationships within are so strong. You'll be hooked from the first page until the very last.

At the start of this book, I was curious as to what was happening as our main character June pees herself on the school bus after drinking two cups of water given to her by Kathleen, who forbids her from going to the toilet. It becomes clear soon enough to us that her mum, Loretta drowned in the river by where she used to live with her mum and dad when she was younger.

As I read on through the book I found that the story was set between modern day and the events over the past few years of her life growing up from being ten to an elder teen. In the modern time, she meets Reverend Shaw and Mickey.

As the story continues, June receives a bike, her slip of freedom from Kathleen and her daughter Megan who submit June to a life of torturous abuse as well as force feeding, threatening behaviour most days just because of her race it is implied.

Whilst biking through the woods at a young eleven years old, she meets Blister, as she admires his paper shapes hanging up inside the family caravan, his parents Mr and Mrs Wick's and their array of adopted children. Their child Tom is also a sufferer of cystic fibrosis which comes up throughout the story.

June and Blister grow closer as the years go on and he is the only one who knows what her horrid home life is like. June can pretty much forget about the abuse when she's with Blister, but some events do of course trigger her to panic and have her memories effect her full force. A few brief events that occur are that at age thirteen June is bitten by snake, we witness step sister bully Megan lose best friend Anne. At fourteen June kisses Blister on his cheek as he made her paper butterflies. At fifteen the school bullying she has endured for years is still worsening as she and Blister try to go to a sixteenth birthday party after June gets a random invite which is a set up to embarrass June further in school. Blister and June endure a lot in this book as Blister is June's obvious only confidante in everything. But still a love grows which keeps June going through everything. As she grows up she faces situations at home with more guts and force but still her dad grows further away from her and unaware of the hidden problems poor June has faced.

This book is a great novel on discussing forms of trust, types of abuse, friendship, bullying and of course love.

I received a copy of this from the publishers on request as I have heard so much praise about this book since its release This is my independent honest review. This is a beautifully written, powerful and at times heartbreaking account of our female protagonist June. She is the narrator both as a child and adult. I felt so many emotions throughout, especially injustice as she had no one to defend her, even her own father turned a blind eye to what was going on. The plot highlights how complex the subject of abuse can be. It is rarely straightforward.
I love the friendship June develops with Buster, their characterisations are so real and endearing. Their journey was very emotional for me and is having a long lasting effect.
The book is also somewhat heartening as it highlights that despite adversity and injustice one needs to have the courage and fight against cruelty and unheard voices.
A must read for everyone. It raises important issues for not only its YA target audience but adults too. Very thought provoking and important. Well deserved 5*

Paper Butterflies is a book I absolutely loved. But, it is also a book I absolutely despised. A book I will never, ever, read or touch ever again. It was without a doubt the “hardest” read of my life, a haunting book that took away my sleep, my appetite and my good mood.

I am assuming this precisely was the author’s goal. Heathfield created such a terrifying, haunting story and chose to narrate it in a very gripping and heart-breaking way. The story focuses on June, a black girl who – after her mother’s death – lives with her white father, stepmother and stepsister. The kids in school are cruel, tormenting June in every way possible, physically and emotionally attacking her, a constant abuse that is not unrelated to her race and her standing out in predominantly white school. But her suffering never ends; under the radar of a clueless father, June’s sufferings never seem to end in the hands of a cruel stepmother and a stepsister. And she can’t find a way out, can’t find anyone to talk to. Because no one will believe her.

And then she meets Blister; a boy in the woods, whose presence in her life is a glimmer of hope and the only good thing in her life. Paper Butterflies is a book about family, helplessness and hopelessness, the cycles of abuse and violence. It is a book where every adult or authority figure completely fails June, fails to protect and save her. The narration alternates between “Before” and “After”, without the reader knowing what caused this split.

The book asks many questions, questions that it doesn’t answer. What happened to Kathleen – June’s stepmom – to make her this way? Was Megan – June’s stepsister – a victim, just like June? Did her father’s neglect and failure to see what was right in front of him what actually hurt June the most? And what, really, happened to her mom? Could Blister’s family have helped her?

June’s story is a suffocating one. I kept reading – as fast as I could – searching for redemption, justice, salvation. That’s not what the book offers. Until the very last page, all you get is a story so hopeless, so unfair that you keep crying and crying, almost screaming for justice, spiralling deeper into a very emotional, gut-wrenching story. Without giving away anything, I will say that it tackles one of the most controversial issues of today’s societies and I hope that reading this book will change many people’s opinions.

Paper Butterflies is a horrifying, twisted book; but it’s also a very powerful one. It’s a very terrifying thing; not being able to tell the truth, because no one will believe you. Through her simple writing and sentence structure, through complicated and outstanding characters, Heathfield has written a magnificent book, a so mesmerizing one that you almost fail to separate from reality.

**A copy was provided via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review **

***Trigger warnings for scenes of physical and emotional ab*se***