“…puppies changed into adult dogs and children changed into adult people. Those were both change and not-change.”
Book Blurb:
A desperate dog. A scarred girl. A bond nothing can break.
When a young girl suffering with her own tragedy comes across an injured young dog, she can’t resist helping him. Both having braved the worst the world had to throw at them, the pair quickly form an unbreakable bond. They picture their future as an endless stream of adventures filled with love, laughter, and good times.
But life has one last cruel trick to play…
At one moment heart-warming, the next heart-breaking, this is the story of a devoted dog’s roller coaster journey to be the one thing every good dog dreams of being – a best friend. Through a touching tale, As The Stars Fall explores how compassion can make us whole again and friendship can heal even the most broken of hearts.
My Review:
A dog story narrated in the POV of the dog, this isn’t your average Marley. The puppy is living is an alley with his mom and siblings when his nose and curiosity forces him out exploring while they nap. It’s a fortuitous outing as his mother and brothers are captured in his absence. He’s still a bit young to be on his own, but he’s pretty sure if he just stays there, they’ll return. There’s only one problem—the really big, bad hound–and competition for food won’t be easy.
Dog has witnessed others being walked by their person but can’t conceive he’ll have the same privilege, until a little girl discovers him whimpering in a box and talks her father into taking him home. Dog has had a traumatic run in with the hound and he’s in no condition to argue his being taken from his home.
Mia, however, has experienced her own severe trauma and desperately seizes the opportunity to shower the alley puppy with care, love, and attention. She is as sympathetic a character as Kai and both easy to invest in. During his recovery, Dog becomes Kai and bonds with Mia who shares and showers him with all her emotions.
The setting is beautiful and easy to picture. Mia thrives and begins to come to terms with her own recent past as Kai becomes a proper household and devoted pet. Some time passes with the changing of seasons and with Mia and her dad who comprise the pack, until…something goes very, very wrong.
The storyline pushes the ebb and flow of happy times with the tragedies, wrenching emotions, and the drive to read a happy ending. Kai is a smart dog; he uses his nose—and his nose is never wrong. He’s confronted the puzzles of living with humans and has solved many of them to his satisfaction. Facing inexplicable events then, he uses his instincts to solve this problem.
There is fear and confusion, adaptation, discipline (he can wait—he’s learned to do that), loyalty and attachment. There are times when Kai’s logic causes chuckles and others exasperation. Come on—he’s a dog! You want to push the story—there are a dozen ways this could go from here. But it doesn’t. It’s relentless. And proceeds to heart in your throat scenes you don’t wish to see.
It took me awhile to understand that “hacking” was meant to convey laughing, while “happy teeth” definitely explained it all. And I had a small problem with Mia being so independent at her age. But are you ready to get into the mind and reasoning of a dog? This is probably as close as you’ll come and you’ll love it. It may provide some enlightening moments. Recommended as a fast, deeply engaging read.
Book Details:
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Emotions & Feelings Nonfiction eBooks, Miscellaneous Animal Care & Pets eBooks, Teen & Young Adult Nature & the Natural World Fiction eBooks
- ASIN : B0868X2L3P
Print Length: 254 pages
Publication Date: August 25, 2020
Source: Direct author request
Title Link(s):
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Author Links:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0868X2L3P
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/as-the-stars-fall-steve-n-lee/1136738212
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/as-the-stars-fall
https://books.apple.com/us/book/as-the-stars-fall/id1504483395
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Steve_N_Lee_As_The_Stars_Fall?id=08vYDwAAQBAJ
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0868X2L3P
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0868X2L3P
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0868X2L3P
Rosepoint Publishing: Four Point Five of Five Stars 
The 
Author: Thriller writer Steve N. Lee…
* cage-dived with great white sharks
* speaks 10 languages
* studied Tae Kwon Do to black belt level
* has visited 58 countries
* worked with Patrick Stewart of X-Men fame
* hand-fed a wild orangutan in a rainforest
* played guitar in a rock band
* is a certified SCUBA diver
* sparred with a monk at a Shaolin temple
* drove at 100 mph on Bonneville Salt Flats
* watched a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach
* explored Macchu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China
* has two cats.
Does Steve write damn good books?
When he lives such a rich, action-packed life, what do you think?
If you love pulse-pounding action and dark, flawed heroes, you’ll love Steve’s series because he wrote it for thriller lovers just like you!
Angel of Darkness Series action-packed revenge vigilante thrillers Steve N Lee
©2020 V Williams 
Rosepoint Publishing 
This sounds a lovely read. I’m prefer cats but I also like dogs. I also don’t what hacking means until you mentioned it. Great review!
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Thank you. I always interpret hacking as coughing. But coughing didn’t make sense in the context so I figured it must have meant laughing.
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