3.5 stars. I believe that this book's biggest fault was attempting to tackle too many plot points in such a small amount of pages, which really threw off the overall pacing. We had a group of adolescents that built a fort in the middle of nowhere as a clubhouse, of sorts, witnessed a meteor crashing and having some odd impacts on the group, were trying to protect their friend, Taylor, who was disadvantaged and terribly abused by his father, Kevin had a massive crush on Kristy, etc. Just a lot of things going on that needed more time to be developed further and simmer with the reader. Looking beyond the pacing issues, there were a lot of really genuinely good moments here among the friends. Chad Lutzke is great at bringing you into each character's mindset and making you feel all of their emotions. So nothing felt artificial or forced here. The characters, as in all of his stories, are the focus, and the plot becomes secondary, and that is where his talents shine. The ending also, the rest of the story, felt very rushed, despite having a satisfactory conclusion. I this author's works quite a bit and, while this wasn't my favorite, it was still a good showing from Lutzke.35 s Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)2,471 3,710

4.0 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/-6tcNZLQJpg

I have come to appreciate Chad Lutzke as an author who knows how to write emotional human situations. These melancholy stories are a special talent of this author.

It was easy to feel emotionally connected to the young protagonist in this novella. I really empathize with the situation. This author is always recommended as a horror author, but technically his works are more adjacent to the subgenre.

I would still recommend this novella to horror readers as long as they know what to expect.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.2024 horror27 s Nina The Wandering Reader331 301

This novella is yet another example of just how beautiful and versatile the horror genre can be. I went into Chad Lutzke’s Brusies on a Butterfly expecting body horror and terror and that’s exactly what I got. But I was also gut-punched with a touching coming-of-age story about loyalty and friendship. Tear my heart out why don’t ya, Lutzke!

A young boy named Taylor decides to flee his abusive household and live in the newly constructed fort he and his friends built. These friends, fully aware of Taylor’s dangerous home life situation, support his decision and want to commemorate the official completion of their fort by having a sleepover–soda, adult magazines, salty snacks, and an endless black sky above. But when the boys witness an unknown specimen crash from the sky and Taylor is exposed via close contact, a gradual terror follows.

Bruises on a Butterfly is about the terror we feel when helpless in the shadow of big, unknown circumstances, and the power we gain when we choose to face them anyway. I will warn right now that many of you will be emotional throughout this book. It's a devastating portrayal of children having to make unthinkable grown-up decisions, and it will wreck you. But the story is not without hope. While much of the terror and anguish may put you at risk of drowning in your own tears, have faith in the knowledge you will be buoyed by the unwavering strength of these boys’ love for one another.

Obviously I loved this book and wish it had been another hundred pages longer!

Be on the lookout for this novella Jan. 26th!

(Special thank you to Cemetery Dance Publications and the author for gifting me a beautiful review copy of this book!)body-horror cemetery-dance coming-of-age ...more5 s Badseedgirl1,367 68

I was emotionally wrung out by this book. There is body horror, but it is not the focus, instead, these three boys and their relationship were the focus. I cried numerous times while reading it. This is very impressive because it was novella size. read-in-202415 s Pisces51585 15

BRUISES ON A BUTTERFLY [2024] By Chad Lutze
My Review 5.0 Stars Out Of 5

This short work of fantasy/horror is from the talented author Chad Lutze. It was the first story of Lutze’s I have read, but his narrative writing style is crisp and tight, with the degree of characterization of the boys remarkably well done given the constraints of the narrative’s brevity.

He effectively captures the unique strength and flexibility of the friendship which can develop among young boys. In this story we learn about the unique friendship which bonded pre-teens Taylor, Kevin, and Patrick. The boys are excited about building a secret fort in the middle of a Michigan cornfield. Taylor Singletree was routinely abused by an alcohol-fueled monster who was also his father. His two best friends Kevin and Patrick were aware that his father hit him, leaving bruises. They knew about the man’s verbal abuse and his making it miserable for Taylor to get through a single day without being tormented.

Kevin Clements had been blessed with a wonderful mom and dad, and he both knew it and appreciated. His father had fashioned the sign for the boys’ new fort in the cornfield. Jackie in the group was being raised by his mom, but he loved her dearly and she did everything to help him be happy and well-adjusted. Both boys thus pitied their good buddy Taylor the emotional, verbal, and physical abuse they knew he endured from his rotten excuse for a father.

Taylor did his best to escape within the pages of his books, and the most special book he owned was “The Thief of Always” by Clive Barker. He was saving it for a special time an adult would keep back a bottle of vintage wine for a special occasion. Taylor also had a creative outlet and penned stories that were extrapolated from the poverty of his own existence.

The first time the three boys stayed all night a meteorite struck the earth in close proximity to the location of their fort. All three boys investigated, but Taylor disturbed the meteorite in his excitement in large part over leaving home. The boys assisted him back to the fort. His injuries fooling with the meteorite did not look too bad… Taylor shared with the boys that he could not go home again. He shared a humiliating truth with them for the first time, that his father had molested him. The boys were irate.

Physical changes occurred in Taylor’s body as the hours peeled away. He forbade them to seek medical attention or anyone else, and as the body horror advanced it was too late. The boys tried to help with the reading of his book “The Thief of Always.”

The most humane ending that was possible the two best friends of Taylor’s helped achieve. Taylor’s story depicted a fantasy conclusion beyond his earthly demise. The father was a coward and that speaks for itself. The two boys, the surrogates of Taylor, had the evil man in a proverbial head lock with both knowledge and proof of his unlawful deeds against his son.

The end in the cemetery where Kevin and Patrick were now teens at the gravestone, well I would have cried at that point. But that ship had already sailed.


GUT-WRENCHING TALE OF ABUSE, ESCAPE, AND RETRIBUTION
21 s1 comment Seb224 54

Chad Lutzke moves me. Every single time.

Every one of his books is a punch in the gut. It stays with you, long after you've finished.

Bruises on a Butterfly is of the same making as the other Chad Lutzke's I've already read. I felt for these boys and mostly for Tay of course but all three of them are well honed and touching.

I'm speechless about this one. I was left rooted to the spot when I finished... I think I cannot give a better compliment.

Five stars.coming-of-age10 s Irene Well Worth A Read920 92

From the opening lines of the prologue, it's clear that someone will not survive this story. Two young boys stand at a grave they have visited often, but we don't know which two are above ground and which friend is buried. It's just enough to provide a taste of things to come. To cast a shadow of foreboding over this heart-stopping coming-of-age tale.

Three best friends, 12 year old Taylor, Jackie, and Kevin do everything together. Their friendship and loyalty to one another is fierce. But one in this trio is not the others. Jackie and Kevin have normal happy homes. Taylor lives with constant abuse and neglect. His home life is a never ending torment. His friends know that his father hits him but they have no idea the depths of suffering he endures. Taylor doesn't speak about it, and out of respect for his privacy, they never ask.

When Taylor has taken more than he can stand, he leaves a note that guarantees he can never return home and goes off to spend the night with his friends in a fort they have built. He has no plans for what he'll do when the night is over, he only knows he never wants to see his father again.

Secrets will come out, and a twist of fate will change everything this night.

I finished this book in one sitting. I almost never do that, but once I started there was no way I could stop. It put me through a gamut of emotions from rage, to hope, to sorrow. Chad Lutzke is an expert at testing your empathy by writing characters that are impossible not to connect with.


My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.1 Scott Lyons114 694

Read an advanced copy of this book and as I’ve come to expect from Chad Lutzke- he’s going to tell a heartbreaking, coming of age tale in a really unique and interesting way!

It’s a short book you can read in an hour and tells the story of three 12 year old friends who build a fort in the middle of a Michigan cornfield. One of these friends, Taylor, dreams of escaping his horrific home life with a dad who has secrets of his own. After a night in the cornfield- Taylor experiences a supernatural horror that quickly alters the direction of his already difficult life.

Thank you, Chad for this advanced copy! I find your writing to be extremely interesting and gut wrenching. Thanks for that!1 Tess Evens191 28

“An act of love so disguised as evil that no matter what they did, guilt would haunt them forever.” This horror novella broke my heart. I would say it’s not scary but instead has a more emotional horror element to it. I would definitely recommend if you want a short story that has some deeper themes and packs a punch! 7 s2 comments lucky 1332 1 follower

A Dark coming of age story. Loved It Great Readfavorites7 s Ross JefferyAuthor 24 books323

I’m a huge fan of Chad’s and his blend of horror and writing and this one might just be the best thing he’s written (in my opinion).

Full of love and loss and grief and coming of age - it reads Stand By Me but infused with a large chunk of Kafka…

Utterly beguiling, heart-breaking and soul-crushing… a powerful story of friendship, trauma and grief, told by a masterful storyteller. Bruises on a Butterfly is a stunning novel from one of the genres very best and unique voices!7 s Catherine277 5 Read

Me sad6 s Ghastly39 7

This novella was my first introduction to Chad Lutzke, it will not be my last. My TBR list is about to get higher. Let’s dive in.

“Bruises on a Butterfly” is a coming-of-age tale that will stay with you long after you read the final page. The best ingredients of a great story are in full effect. A small town, a trio of best friends who have each other's back, a secret fort, a real-life boogeyman, and something strange falling out of the sky.

Mr. Luzke pulls off the incredibly hard task of making the reader care about the characters within the length restrictions of a novella. I rarely walk away from a novella in the way, “Bruises on a Butterfly” made me feel. If there was ever an example of how to write the perfect novella, this is it.

I would love to see an expanded version of this story in the form of a full-length novel. I know it won’t happen but a man can hope, right? I give this 5 glorious stars out of 5.

#readmore #alwaysreading #newbooks #bookworms #epicreads #cemetarydance #bookstagrammers #lovebookshatepeople #bookchallenge #readingissexy #readings #readabook #readmorebooks #newbooks #oldbooks #GhastlyBookLover #bookrecommendation #booksandcoffee #horroraddict #readmorehorror #readmorescarybooks #bruisesonabutterfly #chadlutzke #punkwriters

6 s Charlene (Char)307 13

Oath Keepers

All I can say is this is a damn good book I empathize with all of the characters, the author did an amazing job with character development with it only being 100 or so pages. The book is about three friends Kevin, Jackie and Taylor bonded by something stronger than friendship. They have decided to build a fort and this is where the book begins. It’s been a while since I read a book that has made me cry this one sprung on the water works. If you enjoy reading Stephen Kings “ Stand By Me” then you’ll definitely reading this book.6 s2 comments Marcy Reads on IG356 433

I absolutely loved loved loved this novella. It’s packed full of friendship, love, adventure, and a whole heap of emotions, as is the norm with Chad’s stories. Here we follow Taylor and 2 of his friend’s as they have just built the fort of their dreams. They have sworn each other to secrecy on the whereabouts of said fort, and are full of excitement and plans on all the fun they will have when one night a certain turn of events veer these plans upside down. That’s all I will mention about the plot because this story is only 130ish pages and saying more will ruin the experience. (The less you know the better, IMO) I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry. Honestly I was waiting for the tears because I don’t think I’ve ever read a story written by this author that hasn’t made me sob! Especially when it’s a coming-of-age story as this one is. This story will stick with me for a good while. 5 s Kimberly1,806 2

4.5 Stars.

One thing that author Chad Lutzke does better than most, is get the reader emotionally involved in the characters he creates. BRUISES ON A BUTTERFLY is no exception.

We have a tight knit group of three nearly teens--each from a different type of home, but bonded in a way that inspires complete loyalty to each other. On a summer night, they decide to stay at their "secret" tree house. What follows next is something you'll have to read for yourself.

This it the kind of story your mind won't let go of. The emotions are so raw and present, that you'll feel as though you know these characters personally.

Recommended.body-horror coming-of-age cosmic ...more4 s Rebecca Simich84

4.5?4 s Elizabeth Gonzalez-Collazo IG - Shereadswithcoffee168 17

“The home that was quickly falling apart, with its bacheloresque aesthetic and its scum-of-the-earth owner who used him as a punching bag.”

Another coming-of-age story that gutted me!! Then again, I should already expect that from anything Chad Lutzke writes. In this story, he took the premise of something so out of this world and crafted it into a story that will gut-punch you and make you shed a tear or two!

In Lutzke’s new novella, we meet Taylor, a lover of books and an aspiring writer who also has a secret; he wants to leave his abusive home and the horrors he endures at the hands of the person who is supposed to protect him, his father. In the midst of all the horrors, he is surrounded by a group of amazing friends. Together, in their fort, they concoct a plan to help him hide out. I cannot delve deeper into the story because it is so short, and honestly, I want you all to feel all the feelings of friendship, grief, and trauma! Be ready to get your heart carved right out of your chest! 6 s Josette Thomas891 1 follower

This quick read was very sad but filled with hope. Reading this story about how much the three friends cared about each other brought tears to my eyes. The things Taylor had to endure; his father was despicable. The boys had got together and built a fort and little did they know how important that fort would become for them. When Taylor decides he will take no more abuse, he ends things with a sure fire way to stay gone for good. When tragedy strikes, the friends have to make grownup decisions that will impact their lives forever.1 Karla Kay386 67

"Last summer, they hadn’t been teens yet, and none of them should have had to deal with what went down. They were supposed to be running through fields with pockets full of dirt, rolling down hills with dizzying heads, riding bikes on trails they’d made by hand, and most of all, sitting in their fort, reading comics and telling stories."

Taylor, Kevin, and Jackie. Three young boys in the prime of their young little lives. Spending time together building their friendship bonds and going on adventures that all young boys should be able to do without a care in the world.

Taylor's life isn't a life that a child should have to endure. He decides he has had enough and runs away, planning on never returning to the ugliness that he has had to live with throughout his childhood. Kevin and Jackie are aware of what has gone on in Taylor's home, but they are not aware of the extent of it. They promise to be there for Taylor and help in any way they can.

When a cosmic event occurs, they go exploring to see what has fallen from the sky. When Taylor touches it, an anomalous event begins to occur, one that will alter their lives forever.

Lutzke is a master at writing coming of age stories that dives us deep into the heart and soul. "Bruises on a Butterfly" is a shining example. The power of friendship bonds, the suffering of trauma, the effects it has, and the grief one carries with them for a lifetime after the loss of life.

When reading anything by Lutzke, I am well aware of his writing style and I know I am going to get lost in the story that is unfolding. I know I am going to connect to the characters and feel what they are feeling. I also know I better have a box of tissues at the ready.

This one is going to stick, and I am holding a place for one of my top reads for 2024.cemetery-dance-trade-paperback-book ha-tbr-challenge-2024 nightmares-and-dreamscapes-tbr-chal ...more3 s Jia Hui45 1 follower

Taylor runs away from his abusive father to live in a secret fort he built with his friends. They make a discovery one night and their lives are about to change forever.

This is a coming-of-age story with The Body vibes, and a highly emotional read. Bruises On A Butterfly isn’t one of those books that’s meant to shock you and give you nightmares but more about friendship and loss, and it’s scary in its own way.

Although it is a novella, I would consider this a slow burn as the ‘action’ doesn’t start until about 40% into the book. While I failed to bond with the characters, I do find some scenes relatable, especially the part where there is a young boy with a love for reading and writing.

I think Bruises On A Butterfly would make a great book club pick because there are many areas worthy of discussion, and I wish I had someone to talk to about this book!3 s Brian BowyerAuthor 28 books233

Fantastic!

I flew through this novella, and I'm convinced that Lutzke is incapable of writing a story I wouldn't enjoy. This one ranks as one of my favorites. Highly recommended!3 s Stephen 368 5

I love Coming-of-Age stories. This is a good one. All the Lutzke stories I've read deal with child abuse by parents. Not sure if that's something he suffered (I hope not). I didn't give this 5 stars because toward the latter part of the story there were at least two times that Taylor hugged Kevin and Jackie but this was not possible given his condition so I took a star away.3 s Milt Theo839 62

This is one of those times the synopsis for the book is absolutely right on the money: "A dark coming-of-age tale that fuses COLOR OUT OF SPACE with STAND BY ME." Starting from the beautiful cover and the poetic title, Chad Lutzke's 'Bruises on a Butterfy' is brimming with wonderful prose and chilling imagery. It's an easy read, a character-driven story of three boys, close friends, each with his own, quite different family background, building a fort in a cornfield, and witnessing an unexpected situation coming from the sky. Though an easy read, it's not at all devoid of heartbreaking moments and emotionally heavy developments, once the three friends are forced into circumstances beyond their control. Brace yourself for some Lutzke-style body horror, as friendships are tested and family issues crop up that will pierce your heart till the not unkind ending!1 Jose Villanueva97 2

“Thank you for being my friends…and for never making fun of me.”

What a beautiful, heartbreaking, story. At this point, reading Chad Lutzke is coming home. I can literally always count on him to write something that just feels natural to read. His dialogue and characters don’t feel dialogue or characters; they just feel real people saying real things. I loved the love that these friends had for each other. Seeing this story play out through the lens of their innocence was really special. Another absolute gem. 2 s Josh reading348 11

Another wonderful coming of age tale by Chad Lutzke, I absolutely loved the dynamic between the three young leads, there was wonder, tragedy, and even hope to be found within these pages. A beautiful yet sad story, I really enjoyed it! 2 s Rhonda Bobbitt369 30

Wow, this was a heartbreaking book. So elegantly written. The length these friends go to keep their friends' secret is amazing. It was a very short and satisfying read. l loved it.2 s Amanda Elizabeth65

I discovered Chad Lutzke while scrolling thru Kindle books one day. I love his books so when I got a chance to read this one I jumped on it. Chad has a way of writing that makes you experience so many different emotions. This book is based on 3 best friends, young boys and what happens when they find something in a corn field and how as children they try to handle it and the aftermath of their decisions. I d all three characters but as a mom, my heart ached for Taylor and I wanted to hold him and tell him I loved him. This book had me crying. That seems to be a theme for me when I read a Chad Lutzke book. 2 s Escapereality4now525 46

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