SHE DIMS THE STARS by AMBER L JOHNSON

Standalone emotional, real and beautiful story

SHE DIMS THE STARS by AMBER L JOHNSON is available to purchase below
AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

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Reviewed by Gitte & Jenny

5 Stars

‘I feel invincible. I am invincible. That’s a terrifying way for someone to feel when they’ve felt like nothing for so long.’

Sometimes a book comes along and it resonates somewhere so deep inside. To a place that you keep hidden and try not to think about unless it demands it and when it does. Reading She Dims the Stars was this book. It was as if Amber L Johnson saw us through her words as we read, felt and understood. She was telling us that she truly saw us.

‘There’s no greater anxiety than wondering exactly why you’re not good enough to be in someone’s life. What you’ve done or said wrong.’

This book was nothing short of beautiful. It was incredibly well written with characters we immediately fell in love with for their quirkiness, big hearts and real issues. There was sadness, inspiration, hope, love and such well-placed humour and banter. We were swept away and became part of this flawless piece of perfection.

‘She can swallow the entire environment around her until she’s the focal point. She could dim even the brightest of stars if she’d just get out of her head.’

Everything centres round our heroine, Audrey who as the Author so perfectly puts, could be any one of us be it some or many aspects of her persona. We loved Audrey and can honestly say she almost felt ethereal at times- like she saw more, felt more and embraced life more. An oxymoron – perhaps under the circumstances, however, when you truly take on the responsibility for it all, it can quite simply be exhausting. When you feel like you cannot hold on to everything you take it upon yourself to feel completely responsible. Be it right or wrong. More often wrong. The size of the heart can sometimes be bigger than that which you can carry. So yes, Audrey’s story is one which many readers will relate to as anxiety, panic attacks and depression lives with many of us, next to us or inside us.

“You’re awkward and I have panic attacks. Did you really think that would go over well?”

Audrey’s journey includes her childhood friend Cline, who has to be one of our favourite best friend characters. Something happened which meant these two best mates found themselves at a cross road. That is until Elliot our gorgeous lovable geek happened – to be the link that perhaps hastened the inevitable reunion of old friends in order to mend the broken fences with the simplicity of truth. We cried and laughed alongside this dynamic trio as they set off on a road trip of discover, healing, friendship and love. Secrets and lies – truths and tragedy.

“We’re going to be the greatest love story never told.”

It was a hot pot of emotion greeted with laughs, tears and pure enjoyment. There is so much to this story and we loved every second of it. The moments of hilarity, sweetness, sorrow and inspiration combined with class writing made it a story that stole our hearts. Audrey, Elliot and Cline stole our hearts. We laughed through tears and smiled through pain alongside these beautiful and real people.

“You see me, and because of that, I don’t want to disappear anymore.”

She Dims the Stars was written with such sensitivity and handled with utmost respect and infinite care. We absolutely loved it and highly recommend it as one of the most poignant stories we’ve read in a long while. So sweet, romantic and funny too – it really had everything we love in a story!

‘I gave her the hero she deserved: herself.’

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