Review of Dragons to Butterflies
Posted: 07 May 2025, 12:55
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dragons to Butterflies" by Johnnie Calloway.]
Johnnie Calloway’s Dragons to Butterflies is a story of pain, healing, and recovery from addiction.
Dragons to Butterflies is part memoir, part inspirational tale. The author puts his whole life on the page. Nothing seems to be withheld, no matter how painful it must have been to write. The author’s childhood was marred by the death of his mother, a death that he erroneously feels responsible for. His father was abusive to him, his sister, and their grandparents. Such a violent start to life led to a disordered adulthood. Beginning with petty theft, which escalated to alcoholism, which then escalated to drug addiction, the author’s life was anything but easy.
Hope and help came in the form of the Twelve Step Program. With a rigid, structured environment, the author finally overcame his addiction and began on the path of healing. Many setbacks filled his future, but he never gave up.
Some people have life stories that are difficult to read, and this is one of them. The pain the author felt on every step of his journey hurt my heart. Every time he seemed to have his life under control, it would all fall apart. Whether it was a relapse, a failed relationship, or a lost job, every time it was total devastation. Betrayal after betrayal, setback after setback. The author’s depression is understandable. His story also shows how misunderstood mental illness can be. If his diagnoses had come earlier in his life, perhaps he wouldn’t have had to struggle so much. Reading his story made me very grateful for my own life and opened my eyes to be more available for people in my life who may be struggling.
I enjoyed the life lessons that were presented in this book. Struggles with addiction and depression are things that can impact anyone. Seeing it firsthand was painful, but a necessary study in the struggle of humanity. I appreciated the author’s candor and transparency. I can’t say anything negative about this book. It’s a very open and honest story of the author’s life. While some of the subject matter is sensitive and difficult to read, it was well-presented.
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. The story is eye-opening and heartbreaking. It seems to be a very honest retelling, true to the author’s standards. However, it did have multiple spelling and grammatical errors throughout. For that reason, I could not give it a full 5-star rating.
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Dragons to Butterflies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Johnnie Calloway’s Dragons to Butterflies is a story of pain, healing, and recovery from addiction.
Dragons to Butterflies is part memoir, part inspirational tale. The author puts his whole life on the page. Nothing seems to be withheld, no matter how painful it must have been to write. The author’s childhood was marred by the death of his mother, a death that he erroneously feels responsible for. His father was abusive to him, his sister, and their grandparents. Such a violent start to life led to a disordered adulthood. Beginning with petty theft, which escalated to alcoholism, which then escalated to drug addiction, the author’s life was anything but easy.
Hope and help came in the form of the Twelve Step Program. With a rigid, structured environment, the author finally overcame his addiction and began on the path of healing. Many setbacks filled his future, but he never gave up.
Some people have life stories that are difficult to read, and this is one of them. The pain the author felt on every step of his journey hurt my heart. Every time he seemed to have his life under control, it would all fall apart. Whether it was a relapse, a failed relationship, or a lost job, every time it was total devastation. Betrayal after betrayal, setback after setback. The author’s depression is understandable. His story also shows how misunderstood mental illness can be. If his diagnoses had come earlier in his life, perhaps he wouldn’t have had to struggle so much. Reading his story made me very grateful for my own life and opened my eyes to be more available for people in my life who may be struggling.
I enjoyed the life lessons that were presented in this book. Struggles with addiction and depression are things that can impact anyone. Seeing it firsthand was painful, but a necessary study in the struggle of humanity. I appreciated the author’s candor and transparency. I can’t say anything negative about this book. It’s a very open and honest story of the author’s life. While some of the subject matter is sensitive and difficult to read, it was well-presented.
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. The story is eye-opening and heartbreaking. It seems to be a very honest retelling, true to the author’s standards. However, it did have multiple spelling and grammatical errors throughout. For that reason, I could not give it a full 5-star rating.
******
Dragons to Butterflies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon