What do you think?
Rate this book
Stella
Stella knew the names of the stars before she knew her alphabet. Although Stella’s mother disappeared when she was too small to remember, she grows up happy beneath bright Indiana stars in the small town of Torrance with her father, her dog, and her best friend. When a meteor lands in her father’s cornfields, Stella and her father run after the fallen star. Stella watches as her father touches the star. The moment he does, he disappears in a flash of golden starlight. Stella never sees her father again. From that moment on, Stella is terrified of the stars she always loved. She leaves Torrance, her dog, and her best friend only to discover that the truth she needs is still in Torrance. As a total eclipse approaches, Stella must find the courage to face her stars.
62 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 21, 2020
7 people want to read
About the author
Josh Dygert
7 books6 followersJosh Dygert’s short stories have appeared in a number of online magazines and anthologies, including in the #1 Amazon Bestselling Horror Anthology Secret Stairs. He is also the author of a middle-grade fantasy novel called The Story Traveler, which is available from Amazon. He studied English and Theater in college and now teaches middle school English.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 16, 2021
What would you wish for if you saw a shooting star?
Stella’s character development was handled beautifully. She experienced some difficult events during the course of the plot. Each one of them left its mark on her in ways that might be subtle or profound depending on where she was in her journey and what she was currently doing to make sense of it all. I genuinely liked this intelligent, sensible character and hoped she find all of the answers that she was seeking.
The plot twist at the end made me gasp with delight. It wasn’t something I’d figured out in advance, so it was wonderful to be surprised just when I thought I knew how everything was going to be wrapped up. I was perfectly satisfied with how it resolved the biggest conflicts, but it also made me yearn for a sequel that might go into greater detail about certain parts of this world that I still had a few questions about.
I was also pleased with the world building. The author used every one of the fifty-four pages available to him to make Torrance, Indiana feel nearly as real as any small town I’ve ever lived in or visited. It was neat to sketch out all of the different ways people were connected there and what they actually thought of their neighbors. Just like in our world, not everyone always necessarily got along, but they did respect each other as fellow human beings and hope for the best for everyone in their community.
This was my first experience with Mr. Dygert’s work, and I couldn’t be more impressed. He had a gorgeous writing style that gently pulled me into the normally quiet life in Torrance. Everything from the personalities of the town locals to what the burgers and milkshakes tasted like at everyone’s favorite fast food joint there were described in such exquisite detail that by the last sentence I honestly felt like I’d just returned from a visit to this mysterious little town.
Stella was the best science fiction novella I’ve read in ages. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Stella’s character development was handled beautifully. She experienced some difficult events during the course of the plot. Each one of them left its mark on her in ways that might be subtle or profound depending on where she was in her journey and what she was currently doing to make sense of it all. I genuinely liked this intelligent, sensible character and hoped she find all of the answers that she was seeking.
The plot twist at the end made me gasp with delight. It wasn’t something I’d figured out in advance, so it was wonderful to be surprised just when I thought I knew how everything was going to be wrapped up. I was perfectly satisfied with how it resolved the biggest conflicts, but it also made me yearn for a sequel that might go into greater detail about certain parts of this world that I still had a few questions about.
I was also pleased with the world building. The author used every one of the fifty-four pages available to him to make Torrance, Indiana feel nearly as real as any small town I’ve ever lived in or visited. It was neat to sketch out all of the different ways people were connected there and what they actually thought of their neighbors. Just like in our world, not everyone always necessarily got along, but they did respect each other as fellow human beings and hope for the best for everyone in their community.
This was my first experience with Mr. Dygert’s work, and I couldn’t be more impressed. He had a gorgeous writing style that gently pulled me into the normally quiet life in Torrance. Everything from the personalities of the town locals to what the burgers and milkshakes tasted like at everyone’s favorite fast food joint there were described in such exquisite detail that by the last sentence I honestly felt like I’d just returned from a visit to this mysterious little town.
Stella was the best science fiction novella I’ve read in ages. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
October 3, 2021
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This might be one of the best short stories I've ever read. The writing style, the story, the characters; brilliant!
The writing style was easy to read and made it possible for me to read the book pretty fast. The story had some flashbacks, some conversations and overall it was jus really well balanced. I would definitely read a longer book like this!
Full review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
I highly recommend this book if you have an hour or two to read this!
This might be one of the best short stories I've ever read. The writing style, the story, the characters; brilliant!
The writing style was easy to read and made it possible for me to read the book pretty fast. The story had some flashbacks, some conversations and overall it was jus really well balanced. I would definitely read a longer book like this!
Full review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
I highly recommend this book if you have an hour or two to read this!
July 31, 2020
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Josh Dygert's Stella took me by surprise, because it's an atmospheric, captivating and intriguingly suspenseful depiction of a young woman's life and fate in a small town. Stella is a bit different kind of a novella due to its fascinating blend of science fiction and fantasy elements.
This novella tells of a young woman called Stella who lives in a small town of Torrance, Indiana. When Stella was a baby, she mysteriously lost her mother due to a comet which landed near their farm. As she grows older, she experiences another loss, because her father disappears in a meteor shower and she sees what happens to him. After this incident, her neighbours - the O'Malleys - begin to look after her in and invite her to stay with them. She becomes terrified of the stars that she used to love and changes her name. She runs away to a big city where the night sky is hidden because of lights and pollution and where nobody knows her history with meteors. The past won't leave her alone and she discovers that she has to find the courage to go back home and face her stars, because it may be the only way to deal with the past.
I was utterly fascinated by this story. I can honestly say that this novella is a little gem that deserves to be read, because I was touched and captivated by what I read. I wholeheartedly recommend it to adults and young adults alike, because it'll fascinate both readerships.
The story is told from Stella's perspective. The first person narrative mode works perfectly, because the reader gets a glimpse inside Stella's mind and sees how she deals with everything that she has experienced and how she gradually finds the courage to face what she has been running away from since her father's unexplained disappearance. It was intriguing to read about how Stella is compelled to rewrite herself and changes her identity, because it is her way of dealing with what has happened.
What I like perhaps most about this story is the author's ability to write effortlessly about Stella's life and his skillful way of bringing emotional depth to the story. I was impressed by how well the author wrote about what happens to Stella and how she copes with the changes in her life. I was also impressed by how well he described life in a small town where neighbours help each other in the time of crisis.
The relationship between Stella and her best friend, Bobby, is handled well. It's easy to imagine that both of them could be real persons who have grown up together, because their friendship feels real. The author also writes fluently about what kind of a relationship Stella has with her father, because he has lost wife and has had to bring up his daughter alone.
My final words are:
Josh Dygert's Stella is an excellent and well written novella, which is worth reading. I was captivated by the story and found it fascinating, because it's something different.
Josh Dygert's Stella took me by surprise, because it's an atmospheric, captivating and intriguingly suspenseful depiction of a young woman's life and fate in a small town. Stella is a bit different kind of a novella due to its fascinating blend of science fiction and fantasy elements.
This novella tells of a young woman called Stella who lives in a small town of Torrance, Indiana. When Stella was a baby, she mysteriously lost her mother due to a comet which landed near their farm. As she grows older, she experiences another loss, because her father disappears in a meteor shower and she sees what happens to him. After this incident, her neighbours - the O'Malleys - begin to look after her in and invite her to stay with them. She becomes terrified of the stars that she used to love and changes her name. She runs away to a big city where the night sky is hidden because of lights and pollution and where nobody knows her history with meteors. The past won't leave her alone and she discovers that she has to find the courage to go back home and face her stars, because it may be the only way to deal with the past.
I was utterly fascinated by this story. I can honestly say that this novella is a little gem that deserves to be read, because I was touched and captivated by what I read. I wholeheartedly recommend it to adults and young adults alike, because it'll fascinate both readerships.
The story is told from Stella's perspective. The first person narrative mode works perfectly, because the reader gets a glimpse inside Stella's mind and sees how she deals with everything that she has experienced and how she gradually finds the courage to face what she has been running away from since her father's unexplained disappearance. It was intriguing to read about how Stella is compelled to rewrite herself and changes her identity, because it is her way of dealing with what has happened.
What I like perhaps most about this story is the author's ability to write effortlessly about Stella's life and his skillful way of bringing emotional depth to the story. I was impressed by how well the author wrote about what happens to Stella and how she copes with the changes in her life. I was also impressed by how well he described life in a small town where neighbours help each other in the time of crisis.
The relationship between Stella and her best friend, Bobby, is handled well. It's easy to imagine that both of them could be real persons who have grown up together, because their friendship feels real. The author also writes fluently about what kind of a relationship Stella has with her father, because he has lost wife and has had to bring up his daughter alone.
My final words are:
Josh Dygert's Stella is an excellent and well written novella, which is worth reading. I was captivated by the story and found it fascinating, because it's something different.
July 24, 2021
Stella is a novella set in a small town in Indiana, where Stella lives in a farmhouse with her dad and her dog. However, Stella’s life is drastically changed when she witnesses her dad disappear in a ball of light during a meteor shower.
I will admit the book wasn’t what I was expecting, as I thought it would involve aliens, different planets, and Stella discovering her parents had been teleported somewhere by an alien lifeform. I was pretty disappointed that this wasn’t the case, and Stella stayed in her hometown for the majority of the book, with a chapter set in a city where she attended college. Honestly, it’s my fault for going in with certain expectations, but I couldn’t help be disappointed it wasn’t the great Sci-Fi adventure I’d been expecting.
After overcoming the initial disappointment that this book wasn’t going where I had expected it to go, I did start to enjoy it for what it was, and it made me wonder if not aliens, then what had taken Stella’s father? The big reveal only comes in the final few pages of the book, and despite there being foreshadowing near the start of the book, it managed to slip past me completely as I wasn’t expecting it at all! I loved the plot twist and even though it wasn’t aliens, I loved that it was still something out of the ordinary. However I felt as if I ended up with more questions than answers, and I really wanted to know more about Stella’s neighbors, and what Stella decided to do with her life.
The characters felt a little two-dimensional, but at less than 100 pages, it’s understandable that the characters were never fully developed. I didn’t care for the characters or find them interesting, but the story was mostly plot-driven, and was interesting enough for me to not mind too much. I loved seeing how Stella coped with the loss of her father and the interesting side effects of her becoming terrified of the stars and being outside at night. It was interesting to find out that Astrophobia is actually a real thing that people can suffer from, usually as a response to watching too many Sci-Fi movies. As a meteor could potentially wipe out all life it’s actually not that strange of a fear!
Even though the book wasn’t what I was expecting, I did enjoy it, and only wish it had been a little longer! I'm a little torn on how to rate this one as it wasn't quite 4 stars, so I'd probably actually give it a 3.5. I felt it had the potential to delve a little deeper and even be made into a full-length novel, as a few things seemed a little too rushed. I loved Josh’s writing style and brilliant plot twists, and I would love to read more from him in the future!
I will admit the book wasn’t what I was expecting, as I thought it would involve aliens, different planets, and Stella discovering her parents had been teleported somewhere by an alien lifeform. I was pretty disappointed that this wasn’t the case, and Stella stayed in her hometown for the majority of the book, with a chapter set in a city where she attended college. Honestly, it’s my fault for going in with certain expectations, but I couldn’t help be disappointed it wasn’t the great Sci-Fi adventure I’d been expecting.
After overcoming the initial disappointment that this book wasn’t going where I had expected it to go, I did start to enjoy it for what it was, and it made me wonder if not aliens, then what had taken Stella’s father? The big reveal only comes in the final few pages of the book, and despite there being foreshadowing near the start of the book, it managed to slip past me completely as I wasn’t expecting it at all! I loved the plot twist and even though it wasn’t aliens, I loved that it was still something out of the ordinary. However I felt as if I ended up with more questions than answers, and I really wanted to know more about Stella’s neighbors, and what Stella decided to do with her life.
The characters felt a little two-dimensional, but at less than 100 pages, it’s understandable that the characters were never fully developed. I didn’t care for the characters or find them interesting, but the story was mostly plot-driven, and was interesting enough for me to not mind too much. I loved seeing how Stella coped with the loss of her father and the interesting side effects of her becoming terrified of the stars and being outside at night. It was interesting to find out that Astrophobia is actually a real thing that people can suffer from, usually as a response to watching too many Sci-Fi movies. As a meteor could potentially wipe out all life it’s actually not that strange of a fear!
Even though the book wasn’t what I was expecting, I did enjoy it, and only wish it had been a little longer! I'm a little torn on how to rate this one as it wasn't quite 4 stars, so I'd probably actually give it a 3.5. I felt it had the potential to delve a little deeper and even be made into a full-length novel, as a few things seemed a little too rushed. I loved Josh’s writing style and brilliant plot twists, and I would love to read more from him in the future!
July 25, 2021
Stella is a novella about a young girl who lives with her father in Torrance. She has a best friend and a dog. Her mother disappeared when she was young. A meteor hits their cornfield. Stella and her father run after the fallen star. Once he touches the star, he disappears, and that’s when things begin to turn for this 16-year-old.
Her best friend, Bobby’s family, takes her in, but her phobia from the stars does not let go, and so Stella moves to run away from the stars. Once the Eclipse approaches, once again Stella has to face her fear again.
The story is short, and so there wasn’t enough room for backstory or any foundational work; however, what did exist was a well-written story. Stella’s character was relatable, and it was easy to bond with her. The added romance was pleasant. There is a big game-changer moment in the story where I did not see it coming. I appreciated the ending the way it did.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read short stories and surprises.
Her best friend, Bobby’s family, takes her in, but her phobia from the stars does not let go, and so Stella moves to run away from the stars. Once the Eclipse approaches, once again Stella has to face her fear again.
The story is short, and so there wasn’t enough room for backstory or any foundational work; however, what did exist was a well-written story. Stella’s character was relatable, and it was easy to bond with her. The added romance was pleasant. There is a big game-changer moment in the story where I did not see it coming. I appreciated the ending the way it did.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read short stories and surprises.
July 3, 2020
Humorously suspenseful!
“Stella” is a sci-fi fantasy about a girl living in the small town of Torrence, Indiana whose mother disappeared when she was a baby on the night of a comet show. Then her father disappeared during a meteor shower. Stella’s neighbors, the O’Malley’s, her best friend Bobby family, take her in. On the night of the eclipse, Stella finds her answers to where her family is and why were they taken. “Stella is an intriguing, suspenseful fun take with a twist at the end that will keep you laughing. I loved it.
“Stella” is a sci-fi fantasy about a girl living in the small town of Torrence, Indiana whose mother disappeared when she was a baby on the night of a comet show. Then her father disappeared during a meteor shower. Stella’s neighbors, the O’Malley’s, her best friend Bobby family, take her in. On the night of the eclipse, Stella finds her answers to where her family is and why were they taken. “Stella is an intriguing, suspenseful fun take with a twist at the end that will keep you laughing. I loved it.
April 16, 2024
How do you work through fear? It’s something we all face. This book draws you into love and loss interwoven with the fear of what causes the loss. So many emotions in this. Josh does a masterful job weaving this plot with WOW! Twist ending. Definitely meteoric!
January 14, 2021
Excellent novella. Surprise ending.
July 30, 2022
Beautiful writing paired with a JUICY TWIST THAT I DID NOT SEE COMING! I fell in love with Stella and her fiery personality in this eerie and mystical novella!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews