A toxic friendship. A dangerous fascination. A chilling psychological debut.
In Breaking Butterflies, debut author M. Anjelais delivers a provocative, emotionally charged psychological novel that asks just how far friendship can stretch—and how much destruction it can hide beneath the surface.
 
Sphinx and Cadence have been tethered since birth. Their mothers—once best friends—forced the two into a shared childhood, even after Cadence was diagnosed with a sociopathic personality disorder. Over the years, Sphinx’s life has blossomed while Cadence’s has twisted inward. Still, out of loyalty or fear—or both—Sphinx remains connected to him. But now, as they enter their teens and Cadence’s behavior escalates from unsettling to alarming, Sphinx must confront a haunting truth: love and obligation can blur into something dangerous.
 
Set between England and the U.S., Breaking Butterflies explores the cost of protecting someone who may be beyond saving. With lyrical prose and chilling intensity, this is a story about the boundaries of empathy, the weight of expectation, and the irreparable cracks in childhood bonds.
 
❤️ Why You’ll Love It
🔪 Psychological Tension — For readers who love quiet suspense rooted in complex emotional stakes.
💔 Toxic Friendship Drama — Explores relationships where love and harm collide.
🧠 Sociopathic Character Study — Offers a chilling, realistic portrayal of adolescent sociopathy.
✍️ Haunting Prose — Deliberate, poetic language with emotional depth.
 
👥 Perfect For Readers Who Enjoy:
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Tampa by Alissa Nutting
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (for older YA crossover readers)