How on earth do I explain to you how much I loved The Butterfly Clues? It seems like anything I say just won't be enough. There is a mystery at it's core, and one that is beautifully done. I had no idea the entire time where the story line was ultimately taking me. However it's so much more than that. Layered on top of it all is the story of a girl who is looking for redemption, the inability to let go of the past, and the deep want to face the future head on. This book is amazing.

Before I dive into the meat of why this story blew me away, I feel it only fair to tell you about our main character. Lo isn't your normal teenage protagonist. Her heart was broken by her brother's death and she's been struggling to pick up the pieces ever since. Even though Lo's heart is in the right place, her guilt has caused her to pick up OCD tendencies. These show a lot in the story line. I'm warning you because they can be very disconcerting and distracting. Following a character who is constantly muttering tap tap tap banana and counting random items can be difficult. However I will promise you that if you can overlook the little things, and focus on the person that Lo is under all of this, you'll fall in love.

Now for the good part. The mystery. Lo finds herself inexplicably drawn to certain items, and locations. It is this habit that lands her in the middle of a murder investigation. I won't go into too much detail because, despite how difficult this plot is to figure out early on, I dislike spoilers. What I will say is that Kate Ellison weaves a story that will pull you in deeply. The setting of Neverland is amazing. Kids go here to hide, to disappear, and for Lo that is the attraction. There she can be whatever she wants. It is the anonymity of it all that allows her dive deeper and deeper into the mystery, and ultimately into danger. As I said, this part is so well done! Once the story takes off there isn't a moment to breathe, and I loved every minute of it.

I'll quit rambling and get straight to the point. Lo's story is fascinating. I know that some readers might be put off by her OCD tendencies but I'll tell you honestly, it wouldn't be the same story without them. Imagine being unable to run away from danger because you had to your count steps. Or being so filled with the need to take something, or go somewhere, that you put your well being at stake for it. Lo is special, and it is her overall character that really makes this book. Even if it doesn't sound like something you'd normally read, give The Butterfly Clues a chance. I loved it! I hope you will too.
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This is a good YA crime/mystery. Penelope is an odd teen who is misunderstood by most of her classmates. For one thing she has a mental disorder that causes her to always tap on her leg in multiples of 3. I couldn't relate well to this part of her personality. When the book opens she is taking one of her frequent excursions to the wrong side of town. This time things go horribly wrong and she finds herself lucky to be alive. She narrowly escapes being the target of a bullet that she later finds killed a girl. She feels drawn to this girl and the majority of the story involves her trying to piece together clues that will help her find the killer. Profanity and an introduction to the world of strip clubs makes this book most suitable for ages 14 and up. ( )

Not as good as I'd hoped... Story of a girl whose family has disintegrated after her brother's death. Penelope finds her self in the middle of a murder case, and is compelled to find out everything about the murder victim and the murderer. ( )

I had a hard time getting into this book. I'm not sure why; perhaps too much teen angst and psychological drama? This would be a good read for a teen into dark murder mysteries. It did pick up a bit as I got through it but it just wasn't the book for me. ( )

I liked this book quite a bit. The author created a very unique, interesting main character (Penelope). I also liked the character Flynt, although I would like to have learned more about him. The plot manages to create a lot of suspense and some fairly frightening scenarios. The main reason I didn't give this a higher rating is because I was able to predict the outcome of two main plot points. I don't know if that says more about the predictability of the story itself as written by the author, or more about how much suspense/horror I've read throughout my life, lol. Overall I would recommend this book if you enjoy a good mystery. ( )