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The Butterfly's Sting
For Bo and her siblings, the underground fight club may finally provide escape from life with an abusive uncle ― but only if she can win.
Never again. That’s what seventeen-year-old Bo Clark has promised her two younger siblings, ever since they were put in separate foster homes ― a situation that nearly turned deadly for six-year-old Zach, and that they have vowed never to repeat. Bo will do anything to keep that promise. Even if it means enduring the abuse of Uncle Jack, their new guardian. When Jack discovers that Bo is a talented boxer, he signs her up for an underground fight club tournament, which could bring in enough money for her to move out with her siblings as soon as she turns eighteen.
But the ring is a brutal place, and when Bo gets injured, Jack brings a cut man onto the team. Unexpectdly, Liam is a school friend of Bo’s, and even as the two of them grow close, she worries that he will go to the authorities if he ever finds out Jack is hurting her.
As Bo makes her way closer to the big prize, Jack starts to think about taking her pro, and in an explosive finale, the violence moves outside the ring, putting everything Bo loves at risk.
Never again. That’s what seventeen-year-old Bo Clark has promised her two younger siblings, ever since they were put in separate foster homes ― a situation that nearly turned deadly for six-year-old Zach, and that they have vowed never to repeat. Bo will do anything to keep that promise. Even if it means enduring the abuse of Uncle Jack, their new guardian. When Jack discovers that Bo is a talented boxer, he signs her up for an underground fight club tournament, which could bring in enough money for her to move out with her siblings as soon as she turns eighteen.
But the ring is a brutal place, and when Bo gets injured, Jack brings a cut man onto the team. Unexpectdly, Liam is a school friend of Bo’s, and even as the two of them grow close, she worries that he will go to the authorities if he ever finds out Jack is hurting her.
As Bo makes her way closer to the big prize, Jack starts to think about taking her pro, and in an explosive finale, the violence moves outside the ring, putting everything Bo loves at risk.
248 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2025
4 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Abbie Harlow
1 book7 followersABBIE HARLOW has a BA from Brigham Young University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University (Young Adult Track), where THE BUTTERFLY'S STING was her thesis project. Now when she’s not writing, she works in the main office of a high school, where she observes the triumphs and trials of students every day. Abbie lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, inspiration for the setting of this story, and where her family has lived for five generations. THE BUTTERFLY'S STING is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 29, 2025
Butterfly Sting surpassed all my expectations! The writing is gorgeous, the characters beautifully complex, and the storyline compelling from the very first chapter. Bo is smart, tenacious, and determined to make a better life for herself and her siblings- you can’t help but root for her both inside the ring and out. This is the perfect book for middle readers and above who appreciate strong characters trying to do the right thing in impossible situations. Add in a sweet romance and you have a story that satisfies on so many levels. This book is a winner!
October 17, 2025
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press Inc. for the free arc.
Wow, wow, wow. Just when I thought I was in a reading slump when I picked up this book, and I finished it in two days. I couldn't put it down. The pacing was fantastic, the writing was tight, and the voice was fantastic. I LOVED Bo. I loved following her journey, though her journey was horrendously tragic. I was rooting for her the entire time, even at times when it seemed so dark and lost. For a YA book, the amount of emotions I felt for the main character was unreal. My heart was weak and hurt, and yet I still couldn't stop reading. The whole time, I was so afraid the ending would flop and it'd turn out to not be a good book as a whole, but I wasn't disappointed. This is such a strong debut, and I can't wait to read more books by this author.
If you want to see a more detailed review, please check out my Medium page:
https://medium.com/story-lamp-reviews...
Wow, wow, wow. Just when I thought I was in a reading slump when I picked up this book, and I finished it in two days. I couldn't put it down. The pacing was fantastic, the writing was tight, and the voice was fantastic. I LOVED Bo. I loved following her journey, though her journey was horrendously tragic. I was rooting for her the entire time, even at times when it seemed so dark and lost. For a YA book, the amount of emotions I felt for the main character was unreal. My heart was weak and hurt, and yet I still couldn't stop reading. The whole time, I was so afraid the ending would flop and it'd turn out to not be a good book as a whole, but I wasn't disappointed. This is such a strong debut, and I can't wait to read more books by this author.
If you want to see a more detailed review, please check out my Medium page:
https://medium.com/story-lamp-reviews...
September 23, 2025
This book opens up in the middle of the plot. It follows Bo, the female main character who is an orphan and mother's her younger siblings under her uncles care. While Bo navigates the challenges of the change in her family status, I was rooting for her. Bo also balances being a teenage boxer. This book was very well written. it is full of twists and turns that I did not see coming, especially from a debut author. Abbie masterfully weaves this story as she shows and does not tell the intricate dynamics of this family's dysfunction.
October 31, 2025
The Butterfly’s Sting follows Bo, a teen who finds herself caught up fighting in an illegal underground boxing club. The title is an homage to a quote by Muhammad Ali, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, and Bo uses the “butterfly” portion of the quote as her fighting alias. Abandoned by her mother, Bo and her two younger siblings live with their abusive uncle, Jack, who is both Bo’s trainer and her tormenter. Bo forces herself to fight in the ring in order to win enough prize money to move away from her uncle and find a place to raise her younger siblings once she becomes their guardian. While fighting in the ring is stressful enough, things get complicated after Bo receives a new cutman named Liam (a person in boxing who treats any injuries a boxer accrues during a match), who turns out to be a boy from her school. Bo must balance the violence in the ring with the violence occurring in her home, while also struggling with her burgeoning feelings for Liam.
This was a very unique title, and I appreciated what Harlow set out to accomplish. The fight club element is something that I’ve never read about before in a YA novel, and I believe that the thriller aspect surrounding Bo’s journey in the boxing ring will draw readers in. Bo herself was an intriguing character, especially given how much she sacrificed to protect her siblings and get them out of their unsafe living situation. The novel did a good job showing the pitfalls of the foster care system, especially with Bo’s conflicted decision not to contact CPS, fearing that she and her siblings would be separated. The fight scenes are very well-written, with clever use of onomatopoeia that adds to the heightened drama of Bo’s matches. I also enjoyed the romance between Liam and Bo, which added some much-needed lightness to an otherwise dark story. All main characters are coded as white. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
This was a very unique title, and I appreciated what Harlow set out to accomplish. The fight club element is something that I’ve never read about before in a YA novel, and I believe that the thriller aspect surrounding Bo’s journey in the boxing ring will draw readers in. Bo herself was an intriguing character, especially given how much she sacrificed to protect her siblings and get them out of their unsafe living situation. The novel did a good job showing the pitfalls of the foster care system, especially with Bo’s conflicted decision not to contact CPS, fearing that she and her siblings would be separated. The fight scenes are very well-written, with clever use of onomatopoeia that adds to the heightened drama of Bo’s matches. I also enjoyed the romance between Liam and Bo, which added some much-needed lightness to an otherwise dark story. All main characters are coded as white. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
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September 14, 2025Thank you Netgalley and House of Anansi Press Inc. for the ARC!
“The Butterfly’s Sting” caught me completely off guard in the best way possible. I went in expecting a pretty standard YA read and ended up genuinely surprised by how it all played out.
This book flies by—seriously, you can knock it out in one sitting without even realizing how much time has passed. The pacing is spot-on, building up to a climax that had me glued to the pages.
But here’s the thing that really got me: just when I thought I had everything figured out, there’s this betrayal that comes out of nowhere and flips the whole story on its head. I love it when books do that, making you think you’re reading one story and then pulling the rug out from under you. The story definitely didn’t end up where I thought it was going, and I’m here for it.
Plus, everything gets wrapped up nicely at the end. No loose threads or random subplots left hanging, which honestly feels rare these days.
My only complaint was the prose. The writing is pretty juvenile, even for YA. It reads more like it’s aimed at middle schoolers than older teens. Don’t get me wrong—it works for what it is, but it kept the book from being something really special. With better prose, this could’ve been amazing instead of just really good.
Despite the simple writing, this book totally won me over with its twists and solid storytelling. Sometimes a book doesn’t need to be literary perfection to be a great time, and this is definitely one of those cases.
“The Butterfly’s Sting” caught me completely off guard in the best way possible. I went in expecting a pretty standard YA read and ended up genuinely surprised by how it all played out.
This book flies by—seriously, you can knock it out in one sitting without even realizing how much time has passed. The pacing is spot-on, building up to a climax that had me glued to the pages.
But here’s the thing that really got me: just when I thought I had everything figured out, there’s this betrayal that comes out of nowhere and flips the whole story on its head. I love it when books do that, making you think you’re reading one story and then pulling the rug out from under you. The story definitely didn’t end up where I thought it was going, and I’m here for it.
Plus, everything gets wrapped up nicely at the end. No loose threads or random subplots left hanging, which honestly feels rare these days.
My only complaint was the prose. The writing is pretty juvenile, even for YA. It reads more like it’s aimed at middle schoolers than older teens. Don’t get me wrong—it works for what it is, but it kept the book from being something really special. With better prose, this could’ve been amazing instead of just really good.
Despite the simple writing, this book totally won me over with its twists and solid storytelling. Sometimes a book doesn’t need to be literary perfection to be a great time, and this is definitely one of those cases.
August 31, 2025
🦋🥊 Release date: October 7, 2025.
Stepping into Abbie Harlow’s debut novel The Butterfly’s Sting feels like stepping into the ring, you think you’ve trained enough, that you know what to expect. But the bell rings, & suddenly you’re ducking, weaving, hit with a quick jab, jab, & then BAM an uppercut that leaves you stunned. By the time the knockout lands, you realize you’re holding one of the most uniquely beautiful wins of a book I’ve read in a long time.
For me, a truly great novel is decided in the opening round. If an author can land those first blows, pulling you in from the first few paragraphs, they’ve already set themselves apart. And Harlow delivers. From the very first line, I was caught off guard & immediately hooked, pushed into the corner in the best way possible, devouring every page.
The emotional journey of Bo, the young fighter at the heart of this story, hits harder than any right hook. Her battles extend far beyond the ring. Facing an abusive uncle, Jack, & pushing herself to fight not just for herself but to give her siblings, Kate & Zach, a chance at a better life. The writing doesn’t just describe her struggles, it throws you into the match with her. Every swing, every moment of endurance feels like you’re ringside, cheering for the smallest opening, hoping she can land that one crucial blow against impossible odds.
The Butterfly’s Sting isn’t just about boxing, it’s about transformation. Just like the butterfly, Bo might seem fragile at first glance, but this story proves she packs more power than you’d ever expect. By the end, you realize you’ve underestimated both the fighter & the author. This debut doesn’t just step into the ring, it owns it.
Thank you House of Anansi Press Inc., NetGalley, & Abbie Harlow for this eARC!!
Stepping into Abbie Harlow’s debut novel The Butterfly’s Sting feels like stepping into the ring, you think you’ve trained enough, that you know what to expect. But the bell rings, & suddenly you’re ducking, weaving, hit with a quick jab, jab, & then BAM an uppercut that leaves you stunned. By the time the knockout lands, you realize you’re holding one of the most uniquely beautiful wins of a book I’ve read in a long time.
For me, a truly great novel is decided in the opening round. If an author can land those first blows, pulling you in from the first few paragraphs, they’ve already set themselves apart. And Harlow delivers. From the very first line, I was caught off guard & immediately hooked, pushed into the corner in the best way possible, devouring every page.
The emotional journey of Bo, the young fighter at the heart of this story, hits harder than any right hook. Her battles extend far beyond the ring. Facing an abusive uncle, Jack, & pushing herself to fight not just for herself but to give her siblings, Kate & Zach, a chance at a better life. The writing doesn’t just describe her struggles, it throws you into the match with her. Every swing, every moment of endurance feels like you’re ringside, cheering for the smallest opening, hoping she can land that one crucial blow against impossible odds.
The Butterfly’s Sting isn’t just about boxing, it’s about transformation. Just like the butterfly, Bo might seem fragile at first glance, but this story proves she packs more power than you’d ever expect. By the end, you realize you’ve underestimated both the fighter & the author. This debut doesn’t just step into the ring, it owns it.
Thank you House of Anansi Press Inc., NetGalley, & Abbie Harlow for this eARC!!
October 21, 2025
Can I please hug Bo? I read this book in two days and didn't want it to end! This was a great YA read about the length one girl will go to keep her family together, even if it means competing in an illegal boxing tournament. I'm not a boxer but I LOVED each match, especially as Bo earns the respect (and ire) of the crowd.
There were times I wanted to shake both Bo and her sister, Kate, for some of the things they did but Harlow does a fantastic job at capturing the perspectives and reactions of teenagers when it comes to traumatic situations without it coming on too strong, so I understood their actions. And as a romantic at heart, I loved any moment including Liam. Great solid debut, and will definitely be picking up any future books by Harlow!
There were times I wanted to shake both Bo and her sister, Kate, for some of the things they did but Harlow does a fantastic job at capturing the perspectives and reactions of teenagers when it comes to traumatic situations without it coming on too strong, so I understood their actions. And as a romantic at heart, I loved any moment including Liam. Great solid debut, and will definitely be picking up any future books by Harlow!
December 12, 2025
📖 I really enjoyed this heartfelt realistic fiction YA novel about a teenaged boxer trying to keep her siblings together and dealing with abuse. It packs a lot in an efficient 230ish pages, and would be a good pick for reluctant readers, or teens looking for a story that deals with abuse in a way that feels realistic without being exploitive or traumatizing (imo). I also think the boxing scenes are great: full of tension and detail. A quick, engaging read with a little bit of everything!
November 30, 2025
I loved this quick read…I was so invested in Bo and her siblings. The action and how everything resolved all seemed plausible and satisfying to me, although it wrapped up quickly. I wish it had been longer!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews