How a Star Falls (Unabridged‪)‬

Just because we aren’t where we want to be doesn’t mean that we have failed and are living a shell of a life. We can be walking our path and yet need a jolt to open our eyes to what is standing right before us. Our future can be seen standing tall and proud just ahead of us on the horizon, but if we have allowed ourselves to become distracted with the perceived lack of progress we are making in the short term, we will lose sight of it and begin questioning ourselves and our own sanity. It is way too easy to throw in the towel and give up seeing that we are not where we dreamed of being. We can quickly see ourselves as a disappointment to those around us, and any attempt by those we love to reach out and shake us into reality will be seen as a ploy of compassion just to get us to smile again. Learning to believe in yourself is a very long and often immensely difficult endeavor once despair and doubt have taken root deep within your heart.
Derrick has reached a place in this life where he no longer recognizes who he is and where he is going. He is just living on automatic. Going to work, eating, and sleeping have become his entire world, and he can’t see beyond them to the beauty in his heart and life that others can clearly see. He receives a much needed surprise in the form of a beautiful girl he finds on his way to the ocean and the magnificent evening sky. Her presence not only shakes him up in that instant, but she has a wonderful way of making him view his life through different eyes. Her gift to him is to show him that his life matters despite what he sees. She sees the limitless potential in him, and she only asks that he see it in himself as well. Will he choose to fight and climb out his pit of despair, or will he just go along in order to humor her? Does he also have the same power over her, or will she disappear as quietly as he found her?
This story hit a few sore spots in my heart as I feel that I have been dealing with the same sort of issues that Derrick finds himself wrestling with. I don’t always feel like I have become who I thought I would be, but then I realized that I had no clear vision since I was just pursuing a vague dream from my family. I have never really wanted much of anything since I knew I would just do what I was told. It felt fruitless to try carving out my own dream because it would just be replaced with another more reasonable one. Now, I find myself at times floating in a huge sea littered with dreams from other people while I helplessly sift through the clutter in search of a dream for myself. Like Derrick I feel like life has taken shape around me outside of my own will while I have been trying to forge ahead in my own expedition. I can’t allow myself the luxury of wallowing in my own heartache for not finding the piece of me that remains hollow because once I start, I may not be able to stop. Ever onward I press while wrestling with myself to leave my heart, hopes, and dreams in the hands of the One who holds the Universe in place. Perhaps one day, my world will be turned upside down by such a simple revelation as the one that Derrick’s mystery girl gently handed to him.
Amber Stokes never fails to surprise, entertain, and enlighten with her literary creations. Each beautiful story is a testament to her incredible talent that continues to blossom and intensify as the years go by. This is such a beautifully written and exquisitely gifted story of how a little hope, sprinkled with a dash of starlight, and then surrounded by a promise of love can embolden and infuse the heart and mind of one who has lost their way with the healing power of purpose and direction. Amber is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors.

I rarely listen to audiobooks anymore (I listened to quite a few when I was little), but I was excited for a chance to listen to How a Star Falls and review it. I loved the story and thought it was a very cute romance. I also loved that it was a story of young adulthood and how Amber perfectly captured how things don’t always turn out the way you dreamed when you were young, but it can still lead to a bright and even better future. Getting to listen to it was a real treat. The narrator did a fine job in bringing to life the story’s main character, Derrick. It was so much fun to get to hear his voice in this way. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you haven’t read the story before. It’s not too long, about two hours. Perfect to listen to if you’re sitting down to a craft project or something like I was when I listened to it.

I usually only read historical fiction or historical non-fiction. I know...I need to branch out a little. I was happily surprised to realize that I do enjoy contemporary fiction when it's written right. Amber Stokes totally nailed it. =)

The story revolves around a twenty-four year old young man, Derrick. He's a really good and kind guy, but his life isn't what he imagined it to be. He works at a music store, has a jerk of a roommate, and feels that his family is trying to run his life. Then he meets a girl named Brielle who claims to be a star...a star from the sky. He thinks she's crazy, but he can't just leave her all alone on the dark cliffs. He takes care of her, and that's when his world changes.

I was very impressed by Amber's writing. Her descriptions are wonderful! She's a master of describing the simple things like salty french fries, to the beauty of the pacific northwest. Also, Owl City + the ocean + dancing = sweetness overload in one scene. I also love that Amber wrote this story based on her home county. Her descriptions of Humboldt County were so dang good.

I really enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook. It's a nice length of 2 hours, which was a fun way to pass a car drive the other day. The narrator, Patrick Mahaney, did a nice job. He definitely was Derrick!

I'm looking forward to reading/listening to more of Amber Stokes' writings in the future!