As the Stars Fall

Series: Books for Dog Lovers, Book 1

By: Steve N Lee / Narrated By: Karissa Vacker

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Dude! the writing? Not so much… The narration? Danged Karissa Vacker had me swallowing a lump in m’ throat…!

Please believe me when I tell you that, SERIOUSLY! I’ve done, like, a gazillion (And six) audiobooks featuring animals. So I’ve been around the block when it comes to: Heartwarming! Heartbreaking! Laughter! Tears! Blah blah “rollercoaster of emotions” blah stories.

So when I come to you and say…. >meh< ? You can trust that I know a biiiiit of what I’m feeling blasé about.

As the Stars Fall is just that sorta “tearjerker” of a tale wherein a mistreated dog and a scarred girl find each other and blissssssful relationship ensues. Apparently this recipe is what many a Book Blogger found fanTAStic (And when the only Reviews quoted come from either other authors or from Book Bloggers? No, just get ready for a letdown).

First 1/4 of the book follows the usual first ingredient in this oft-used recipe: Abandoned and abused animal experiences Every. Single. Form of mistreatment and disappointment possible. Cuz see, we haaave to get just how awful Dog’s life IS so our hearts will melllllllt once the next part of the story comes along. Music? Da Da DUMMMMM!!!!

Second 1/4. Sad little girl Mia meets and saves Dog, names him Kai, and the two become inseparable. Music? Awww Strumming Harps.

Third 1/4. Tragedy! Music? SUCH Violins, I’m telling ya.

Last 1/4. Heartbreak after Heartbreak and such Loyalty that wraps up with an eye-roll-inducing But Of COURSE it ends like that bit. Music? Oh bring out the joyous full Orchestra.

Now, see. For the most part I’m all over stories like this, but here? Oh my, it just got to the point where I was VERY aware that there was an author at work, cackling and/or weeping as his fingers flew across the keyboard. Note to author Steve N Lee: The reader should be immersed in your story, not be sooo aware that it is being manipulated for Best Results. We should NOT hear: Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain. As Kai holds onto his many and varied traumas, just as a human would (And dude! have you never seen an Episode of the Dodo’s “Faith = Restored” wherein animal after animal suffers gross mistreatment and, through love, learns to live again?), each wretched event that becomes his life gets grimmer and even more trauma-inducing. Event. After WRETCHED Event. Ad freaking nauseam until we get to The Final Heartbreaking Denouement wherein everything comes together to hit the fan all at once until we’re s’posed to be brought to our knees, sobbing our little hearts out (And apparently, given my reaction to this, my heart is Grinch-Who-Stole-Christmas Small).

What elevates As the Stars Fall from an I Want My Hours Back is… Karissa Vacker who Dang it all! narrates this oh soooo beautifully, just effortlessly inhabiting the very best within each character and delivering them with such pathos and care and just plain Love. Good cow! when I was feeling all manipulated at the end? She just packed each word with so very much heart and soul and emotion that I was all, like, Whazzis? I’m CRYING?!?

Yup, even as I was resenting the beJESus outta Lee’s writing choices? I was at first swallowing a lump in my throat, then noting wet in the corners of my eyes, and then danged if a couple of tears didn’t roll down my cheek as Vacker Heart & Soul-ed the very end. And I beGRUDgingly allow that Lee did indeed write those sentences that got m’ heartstrings all a-twang.

Come cuz there’s a dog involved, stay cuz o’ a cute Little Girl and Her Faithful Companion tale. And then? Forget about wanting to throttle the author, pause your eyes as they feel compelled to roll, and just bask in the warmth that Vacker brings to the situations, to the little ditty at the end. Oh, grand narration!!!

Brava, Vacker, Brava! Dunno how you managed it? But man! am I going to keep an eye out for YOU as I scroll through m’ audiobook Library!!!