OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dragons to Butterflies" by Johnnie Calloway.]

Listening to an audiobook is usually difficult for me, but hearing Johnnie Calloway read his story was a delightful experience. I was able to focus on the story he was telling and hear his emotions as he described his journey from being an abused child, to his life as an addict, and finally to his becoming a successful author.

Because this is narrated by the author in the first person, the narrative is honest and personal. I like that Calloway does not come across as arrogant when he describes his successes. He does not try to elicit sympathy as he discusses his hardships. The ups and downs of his life are factually presented with the goal of helping others learn from his mistakes.

Calloway wholeheartedly supports the Twelve Step Program and A Course in Miracles, both of which were instrumental in his recovery. After hearing details of his background, I am convinced this author is a living miracle. As an English teacher myself, I was pleased to read how he also credits his high school English teacher for helping to guide him through some difficult times.

Because I heard, rather than saw, this book, I found no errors. The extensive dialogue comes across as authentic, and I wasn't hampered with checking for spelling errors or missing quotation marks and commas. The only negative I noticed was an inconsistency in the recording. I suspect that different equipment was used at different locations, which affected the sound quality.

The first word of the title (dragon) is explained at the beginning of the book. The second word of the title (butterflies) is explained at the end. I applaud the author for his choices. I am rating Dragons and Butterflies five out of five stars. Readers who enjoy memoirs about overcoming obstacles will get their fill from this book. Readers who know someone who is trying to overcome addiction can give them this book for motivation. If Johnnie Calloway can succeed, there is hope for everyone.

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Dragons to Butterflies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

I haven't yet heard an audio book, as I'm still an old-school reader. This sounds like a moving story, and very emotional. How many sittings did it take you to get through it all?

Stephen Christopher 1 wrote: ↑22 Oct 2024, 23:26 I haven't yet heard an audio book, as I'm still an old-school reader. This sounds like a moving story, and very emotional. How many sittings did it take you to get through it all?

The device showed that it was six hours long. I am not sure how many sittings that was. I am pretty old-school myself, so I found I had to sit still and listen, and take notes. Tying to drive or do chores while listening did not work for me. I would listen to one to three chapters, take a break, and then come back to it. Not having to look for grammar errors was an added benefit.

The idea of having to listen to the book. The fact that the narrator's emotion can be felt from the audio sounds great! Thanks for sharing your review.

Lawrence Stein wrote: ↑23 Oct 2024, 10:32 The idea of having to listen to the book. The fact that the narrator's emotion can be felt from the audio sounds great! Thanks for sharing your review.

And thank you for sharing your thoughts.

I haven't yet tried an audiobook and I think this would be a good start! Will surely pick this up if I had a chance!

Priya Murugesan wrote: ↑23 Oct 2024, 11:03 I haven't yet tried an audiobook and I think this would be a good start! Will surely pick this up if I had a chance!

I hope you have a good audiobook experience. Thank you for commenting.

Diana Lowery wrote: ↑23 Oct 2024, 07:03
The device showed that it was six hours long. I am not sure how many sittings that was. I am pretty old-school myself, so I found I had to sit still and listen, and take notes. Tying to drive or do chores while listening did not work for me. I would listen to one to three chapters, take a break, and then come back to it. Not having to look for grammar errors was an added benefit.

Lol. Sitting still and sitting is going to be the toughest part for me, I can't even watch TV without doing something else as well. I agree not looking for errors is one benefit. I'm going to have to try it sometime. Thanks.

The review makes this audiobook sound very powerful and inspiring. Johnnie Calloway's journey from struggle to success is truly motivational. It’s great to hear that his storytelling feels genuine and emotional. I’ll definitely consider listening to it, especially since it could help others facing similar challenges.

Nneka Bridget wrote: ↑24 Oct 2024, 12:56 The review makes this audiobook sound very powerful and inspiring. Johnnie Calloway's journey from struggle to success is truly motivational. It’s great to hear that his storytelling feels genuine and emotional. I’ll definitely consider listening to it, especially since it could help others facing similar challenges.

Thank you for your comments.

I'm also not a fan of audiobooks, but your review captivated me to venture into the story of Johnnie Calloway. Calloway seems to have gone through a great ordeal in life, ranging from suffering abuse to being an addict. I would add this to my TBR. Thank you for the insightful review.

Listening to an audio book is a step up as you no longer only imagine, you imagine and feel the emotions instantly. The story is truly inspiration from an abused child to an addict and to a successful individual. Truly a miracle. Thanks for this great and honest review.

Steeve Bowen wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 03:53 Listening to an audio book is a step up as you no longer only imagine, you imagine and feel the emotions instantly. The story is truly inspiration from an abused child to an addict and to a successful individual. Truly a miracle. Thanks for this great and honest review.

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, Steeve.

Emmanuel Osmond wrote: ↑28 Oct 2024, 11:22 I'm also not a fan of audiobooks, but your review captivated me to venture into the story of Johnnie Calloway. Calloway seems to have gone through a great ordeal in life, ranging from suffering abuse to being an addict. I would add this to my TBR. Thank you for the insightful review.

Emmanuel, Thank you for taking the time to read my review. I appreciate it.

An authentic and well-told memoir focusing on overcoming obstacles sounds like a promising read. Thanks for an informative review, @Diana Lowery.