My Life as a Dust Devil

by Carly Berg

Star Garza just wants a normal, stable, boring life. But her mother, Ree, can't stand to stay in one place for long. Instead, Ree takes Star around New Mexico with her as she alternates between staying with various men and leaving them for what she calls her "time free," sleeping in her old van, a cave or an abandoned shack in the desert.

Ree doesn't understand people who prefer steady jobs and homes and refers to them as "domestic livestock." Ree prefers the excitement and freedom of dwelling on the edges of society.

Meanwhile, Star becomes enamored with Interior Design, associating decorated homes with permanent homes. As she matures, she clashes more and more with Ree, until...

Genres: Contemporary

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2025

About the author

MY LIFE AS A DUST DEVIL (2025)
A young girl's hardscrabble with humor coming-of-age story (for grown-ups). Star Garza somehow makes it through, with her loony mother, across the desert and hills of New Mexico.
https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-as-Dus...

NOMADS NEST, POPULATION: 12 (2025)
This novel-in-stories portrays some of the fallout of today's disconnected, mobile lifestyle. The residents of six apartments above a truck stop in rural Alberta, Canada, live, love, fight and run in place with each other, all as they're just passing through.
https://www.amazon.com/Nomads-Nest-Po...

ST. LOUIS SISTERS: A 1970s RETELLING OF LITTLE WOMEN (2024)
These sisters aren't quite as sweet and innocent as in the 1800s original, in this spicy, updated version of Little Women (for grown-ups).
https://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Siste...


TALKS WITH DEAD AUNTS: AND OTHER TALES FROM THE ISLA AJAJA (2024)
The linked stories in this over the top collection are loosely modeled on Galveston, Texas.
https://www.amazon.com/Talks-Dead-Aun...

COFFEE HOUSE LIES: 100 CUPS OF FLASH FICTION (2014)
The short-short, far-ranging stories in this collection have been put together into a book, after rights to them reverted back from the various litmags they first appeared in.
https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-House-L...

HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL WHEN YOU JUST...CAN'T (2025)
For those who just don't seem to ever make it to "The End." This short guide lays out three big boosts that provide that something extra to get you there. It's like training wheels for writers.
https://www.amazon.com/Write-Novel-Wh...

STORY PROMPTS THAT WORK: 52 DETAILED, TESTED STORY STARTERS FOR SHORT STORIES AND FLASH FICTION (FOR ADULTS AND TEENS (2016)
You couldn't really get lost with these, even if you tried...
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Prompts-...

WRITING FLASH FICTION: HOW TO WRITE VERY SHORT STORIES AND GET THEM PUBLISHED (2015)
This popular, slim guide shows aspiring writers how get something polished and out on submission within hours or days, rather than only after weeks, months or years.
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Flash-...

Reviews

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, writing is clever as are the characters. The story illustrates the logic that some people shouldn’t be parents but this child perseveres and aims higher than most would in the same situations she found herself in.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those novels that leaves you feeling a bit haunted. It follows a young girl Star who is dragged along from unsafe place to unsafe place by her homeless mother Rae. I really like how the author captured the internal struggle of Star. She knew her mom wasn’t a good mom and made her life difficult and scary but she also had this deep seeded need to protect her mom even at her own expense. I left this book feeling frustrated that nobody ever put Rae in her place. They just let her wreak havoc constantly. The ending was also incredibly abrupt. At first I didn’t like that but now I see that it has left me wondering what happened to Star. How did her life turn out. Very well written novel.

[Haley DelGreco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this as part of a Goodreads giveaway and I’m not disappointed. While this isn’t normally the type of story that I gravitate towards, I really enjoyed it.

This is by no means a happy story. In fact, I spent most of my time reading this being frustrated and upset with the adults in the main characters life. However, it was such a beautiful story showcasing perseverance and resilience. I actually wish we got more, or at least an epilogue, because the story just kind of ends. With a conclusion that truly leaves everything open ended, I choose to believe that the main character went on to live a happy & healthy life.

[Robbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It’s not something I would have chosen for myself but I won a Kindle copy of the book in a Goodreads giveaway and was pleasantly surprised. There were a few typos in the text but nothing major.
The main character was resilient in the face of a daunting upbringing. The Catholic Father getting involved in her life I think was key in helping her get her life on track.
The book just stopped suddenly and I was wishing the story had gone on and told us more about the main character’s life.

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway and I must say that it was a real eye opener. it goes to show that if your accustomed to a certain way of living don't force it anto another person. I will say if your the type who isn't going to properly care for a child then don't have one. I think a lot of people would benefit from this story.

[Tela Puente · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to thank the Author Carly Berg and the publisher South Coast Book for the free Amazon copy of My Life As A Dust Devil.

This book was good and kept me entertained. However I felt like the main character Star Garza was made to grow up to soon due to the abandonment from her mother and the lack of parental concern from her father. It felt like this books main topics of what she went through while trying to grow up.

Big Mom Mom and Bonnie Sue were my favorite characters because they actually cared about Star. They wanted what was best for Star and for her to be in a safe and stable environment.

I did not care for the following:
1. The amount of alcohol Star consumed
2. Abandoning not only Star at ages 11 and 14 but a new born baby.
3. Teaching your daughter that it's okay to use guys and then leave when you are bored.
4. That Stealing and lying is okay.
5. I absolutely hated Thelma.

I did however like the following:
1. Star's perseverance of being left by her mother.
2. Star's drive to take care of Big Mom Mom.
3. Getting her GED and starting online college.
4. Her drive to become an interior designer and going through the proper channels to make it happen.

So I am giving this book a 3 Star rating because it is not appropriate for young adults/teenagers to read. To me this book made me feel like Star is saying that it is okay that I am being abandoned, that it is okay to be homeless, it's okay to be drinking hard liquor at a young age, it's okay to move in with your "boyfriend" at the age of 14 years old, that it's okay to eat THC gummie's and smoke weed at a young age. I understand that people experiment with liquor and drugs but her parents shouldn't be having children.

[Dee Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. The story is the definition of "Evey child deserves parents, but not all parents deserves a child." Star is a child that is doing the best that she can with the circumstances that she's in. All she craves is stability, but between her eccentric mother and pushover of a father, she has only experienced small pockets of it. Despite that, she finds a passion for interior design and decides to pursue that. I really enjoyed reading this story even though I found many parts of it to be enraging. I do wish that there was more of an ending to it since it ends very abruptly and I was invested in seeing Star grow as a charater.

[Dan Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t my usual kind of read but I’m glad I grabbed my wife’s copy. It’s an unusual coming-of-age story, hardscrabble with humor, set in the desert and hills of New Mexico.

The mother isn’t your typical crazy or drunk poor parent, though. She hangs around the edges of society, taking what she needs, kind of like a coyote. And, in fact, she even calls to her daughter with a coyote yip, which just makes you wonder. Safe to say, she’s about half-feral, anyway. Definitely worth the time.

[Kim Territo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book, although it was generally pretty sad. The main character, Star, was only a teen and was let down by almost everyone in her life, but still managed to keep going. It was an interesting story, and unfortunately there are some kids who slip through the cracks with little to no support. Definitely a worthwhile read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cheryl Tabor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story that runs through a young girl's life without a steady home or a parent that is stable. She is forced to grow up fast moving like the wind just any place her Mom decides when she chooses her daughter to travel with her. There are no Chapters in this story, it just runs on. It is a one sitting story. Think this was fit more for a teen to read. Thank you Goodreads, Author and publisher.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. It really enjoyed this book. It provides wonderful insight about choices we make and how they affect others. My only critique is that the ending came abruptly. There is more story that was not satisfactorily rounded out.

[Samantha✨ [reads everythinggggg]]

Review to follow!