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: Fiction, Ebooks, 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

[Ashlee Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story, while relatable at times, is cyclical and a repeating pattern of abuse/neglect. An absentee parent swoops in, takes the child, in doing so, destroying everything the child has worked for. Then, the parent gets board and leaves the child. The child rebuilds, rince and repeat. Once the child finally has a stable and good life with her grandmother. The grandmother plans for her future, and the child is taken care of despite the grandmother's death, this is when the terrible parent shows up, drop another child and whirls off. At the start of this cycle again, the new child gets sick and the old child has to take it to the er and you have to give info at the er, now the new baby is going in the system and the original child goes home feeling guilty and the book ends..... I do not like endings that give no closure like this. The entire story was not engaging as it was, then that ending!?! I am left with a why did I waste my time feeling.

[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.

[Karen M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to make of this book at first. It’s written as a journal or diary of a young girl, Star, who is, well I can’t say raised by because she really isn’t, occasionally in the company of her mother, Ree. A mother who fancies herself a free spirit when in reality she is woman who uses any excuse to leave her current relationship behind and sometimes her daughter too.

Star grows up too fast and ends up adopting an adult situation as her way of life until she realizes that once again she’s being abandoned. She is determined to make something of her life and begins to succeed when once again Ree interferes.

This book was sad and yet there were lighter moments that kept it from being a book I didn’t want to finish. In fact, I became very interested in how Star would survive, as I knew she would. There was strength and determination from a young woman whose life was scattered and who had to make her own way in the world with only a little bit of help from other people including family.

I won this ebook in a GoodReads giveaway. Thank you to the author Carly Berg.

[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.

[Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway and I'm kind of surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The book is told from the perspective of Star as she grows through her teenage years. She faces many challenges but handles them to the best of her ability. I'm really impressed by Berg at how they were able to make it seem like Star was an adult rather than a teenager.

This book has a lot of mommy issues and focuses on how our first few years in life really impact who we turn into as adults. I think this was a great novel reflecting on the strained mother-daughter relationship. As much as I liked this book, it just didn't see five star worthy to me. It was missing that little extra oomph to get that last star.

[Samantha✨ [reads everythinggggg] · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received My Life as a Dust Devil by Carly Berg through a Goodreads giveaway, and I want to thank the author and publisher for providing me with a copy.

I had a hard time writing a review for this book because it left me feeling sad and unresolved. Maybe that was the point—I’m not sure. What I can say is that I think I liked this book for the most part, even though it made me uncomfortable at times.

Watching Star, who was barely a teenager, be let down by almost every adult who should have shown up for her was difficult. Still, she persevered through it all. I’m glad things didn’t go the way they easily could have, but overall, the future was left open for the reader to imagine.

All of that being said, this was a read that kept me wanting to find out what would happen next, and it also reminded me how some kids grow up with little or no support—which truly breaks my heart.

[Sara]

If the years nt cary just divil dust then turn and go another road
salam at our travl soul
at my heart patient to mom
oth to hold what ramin
learn more words from wind
iron make our day hard
as butterfly want all flower
my tears went on
drink glasses of tears
my boat go without shore ahed
grif burn me and day went by
alon strang wake my dream
chalang divil at any corner
iam nt for lost
pray with new place for love and mom

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Evy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carly Berg’s My Life as a Dust Devil is one of those quietly introspective novels that leans more on emotional atmosphere than on plot-heavy storytelling. At its core, it’s about identity, restlessness, and the feeling of being caught between places—like the title metaphor suggests, always moving but never quite settling.
The narrator’s voice is the strongest part of the book. Berg captures a kind of drifting, searching mindset that feels very real, especially if you’ve ever gone through a phase of not quite knowing who you are or where you belong. There’s a rawness to the internal monologue that can be compelling, though at times it borders on repetitive.
That said, the pacing can feel slow. If you’re expecting a clear, structured storyline with major turning points, this might not deliver. The narrative tends to wander, prioritizing mood and reflection over action. For some readers, that will feel immersive and poetic; for others, it may come across as meandering.
The supporting characters are somewhat underdeveloped, often serving more as reflections of the protagonist’s inner state than as fully realized people. This isn’t necessarily a flaw—it fits the introspective style—but it does limit the emotional impact of certain relationships.

[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.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This is a coming-of-age story told in the first-person by a young teen with an unconventional mother. They live a partially nomadic life, sleeping rough or with the mother’s short-term romantic liaisons. But the child wants the stability of domestic bliss. It is pretty depressing stuff, though it is told with a matter-of-fact voice. I didn’t enjoy the story and most of the characters are not very likable. In the end I was left wondering what the point of it all was.
This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for the giveaway opportunity that enabled me to win this book.

[Jodi Gallegos · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life as a Dust Devil isn't for anyone looking for a lighthearted read, however if you're looking for something with deep feels, this might be just perfect for you. This novel is about a young girl named Star who has a sad life. Her mom is a bit of of a wild spirit and Star has lived a vagabond life, moving wherever her mom's inclinations lead them. Being essentially self-parented has caused Star to have difficulties interacting with, understanding and empathizing with others. This is a sad story that highlights the lifelong impact careless adults can have on their children.

[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.

[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.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway and was eager to read it. Marking this as having potential spoilers though I am trying to limit them. The writing is okay. Pacing goes swiftly in some parts and not as fast in others.

The book as a whole is just sad. Everything that happens to Star didn't have to happen. Her dad is a jerk. Her mom is worse. Her grandmother should have put her foot down long, long ago. It made me dislike them all.

[Destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giveaway winner!
Beautiful coming of age story. Following Star on her journey to becoming a young adult while loving/hating/loving her mother. I believe this will resonate with a lot of people who grew up in "wooden" home environments. This book really seemed like real life to me. Im happy I was lucky enough to recieve it! Thank you.

[Sarah Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

my life as a dust devil

My heart went out to Star the main character. She didn’t have a normal childhood. She had an unstable mom, was on her own at 14, by 16 she was living with mom-mom (appears to be grandma), and eventually alone. Her growth as a child, teen and by the end of- a young adult- is amazing considering her childhood.

I enjoyed this book.

[Angela Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free copy provided by Goodreads.

Star's life made me sad most of the time. I never felt like I was reading about a child. When I remembered my heart broke. I did appreciate Big Mom-Mom. It seemed like most other people in her life sucked. Aside from Mom-Mom's pastor and the church ladies. I was sad to have finished this book though.

[karissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Left hanging

This was a quick read. Interesting family relationships. A story about a girl who had to grow up too quickly. Im left baffled because the ending left you hanging. You wouldn't guess that the story was ending. It literally just ends. And without a sequel at that. Would have given the story 4 stars had it had a proper ending

[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.

[Gary W. Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing story with an abrupt ending

A tale
irresponsible mother and eventually abandoned. The girl seeks out her father and grandma. Then the story just ends as if the author got bored writing and quit.

[Cindy Fredrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

was a decent read

This was my first book by the author. This is a shorter story. I think it could have been a really good full length book also. I will look at other stories by this author.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a bit of a roller coaster ride. One has to try to keep an open mind to the way others live their lives. This was a Goodreads giveaway winner.

[Cheryl Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a New Mexico native, my appetite for this book was naturally high. All of the geography was familiar to me and I found myself being pulled along by the narrative.

[Sally Shoaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read.the

I really enjoyed reading his book, but the ending is totally unsatisfactory. It was so abrupt like the author didn't know where to go so she just stopped.

[Benicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little story with a soft ending

I would have liked a bit more of a satisfactory ending. It was a fun little story. Not especially deep, but not a waste of time