This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kirti Bhadresa, ECW Press Audio, and NetGalley.

This audiobook is narrated by Roveena Gnanabakthan. Roveena did a great job. She used different voices and accents to bring these stories to life. I would recommend that readers consume this on audiobook. The narration really adds to the experience of the stories.

This follows the theme of the children of immigrants to Canada. Some stories covered days while some stories covered decades. Most of the stories dealt with and focused on family relationships and dynamics. Some stories were simple domestic dramas, some were coming-of-age focused, and some employed magical realism. It was a mixed bag focused on familial and cultural expectations pressed against the cultural norms of Canadian and the larger Western worlds' expectations. My favorite of the short stories was Backstage Passes, a tale of 2 sisters that followed them both for decades.

Overall, I found the stories touching, engaging, and relatable. My maternal grandmother was an immigrant with my mother and her siblings, the first generation born in the US.

Thank you to Kirti Bhadresa, ECW Press Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

When I listened to the audiobook "An Astonishment of Stars", I immediately felt connected to the stories. Roveena Gnanabhaktan's narration brought a calmness that highlighted the characters' experiences, making each moment feel more personal. The narration effectively captures the tensions and emotions around themes like identity and relationships, without overdoing it. What struck me most was how the narration added an extra layer of depth to the text, something that may not have resonated as strongly in a written format. At times, I found myself needing to pause and reflect, which shows how deeply the stories affected me. Although some parts were more emotionally challenging, I felt this only enriched the overall experience.

Not what I was expecting at all. I really liked this audio and I feel that the narrator was a really good match. The premise of the book was great. A really enjoyable listen and have recommended to girls in the book club

I was going to begin my review by calling this collection unique but would be remiss not to mention how annoying of an adjective that is for me to use here. It's only society's default to eurocentrism that causes this to feel "unique" to me; Let me be clear I only mean the book itself, not the experiences depicted within. I am, quite frankly, ashamed for not having previously put in the effort to seek out BIPOC authors and stories. Had I done so, I'm curious if I would have been able to appreciate the nuances of her writing itself, more than the bigger picture of each story taking so much attention, as they felt so new and unique to me. Or is it better that I didn't focus on the writing, and instead took in the heart of the stories? Of course, there is the option to revisit this as well, each time focusing on one or the other. I could (and will in my head) keep going back and forth on this.

For the stories themselves:
There were a few stories that I couldn't tell you a single detail about. It was a battle to get through at points; If it wasn't a book I'd been approved by NetGalley for review, I would have given up on this after coming upon the first story that bored me. That being said, I am SO glad I didn't give up. Some of the hardest hitting stories were toward the end. Admittedly I'm not sure if there's a strategy to organizing a collection of stories like this, but I have to assume there is... I'd be interested to learn if this follows that strategy.

The lulls were just SO apparent and hard to overcome for me, also preventing a 5/5 star rating. Aside from those, I was really moved by the remainders and enjoyed Kirti Bhadresa's style of writing.

<b>The stories that have stuck with me most are:</b>
Backstage Passes
Daksha Takes the Cake
The Illness
Heads Are Going to Roll
The Doctors' Lounge
The Gossip
In a Name

The narrator's intonations aren't what I'm used to as a Michigander who only speaks English, but I enjoyed the change in pace and mannerisms.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Kirti Bhadresa and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

All of these stories were either 4 or 5 stars for me. It was an emotional read that speaks a lot about how individual South Asians have emigrated to Canada. There is talk of ignorance, racism, culture and forgetting heritage. I felt like the stories were sitting you down with the characters to hear their thoughts and feelings. My favourite story was with the family who bought the restaurant, it broke my heart.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is compromised of short stories, and each story is about a different woman and the various struggles each face. The author tackles microagressions, racism, what it means to be a woman, daily life, among other things we face daily. I think the author did an amazing job highlighting these obstacles.

Overall, this was enjoyable as each short story highlighted an experience and wrapped up nicely. Some had enough to make me want a full novel! It was atmospheric, women's lit. It just didn't really stick with me for lasting impact and I think I would have preferred to physically read over audio. I would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC.

Truly enjoyed all the short stories and found the diverse women/stories very fascinating. Some of the short stories would make excellent novels.
I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you #NetGalley and #ECW Press Audio for the ARC

Listening to this on audio is a very relaxing experience. Roveena Gnanabhaktan has a very soothing voice and on x1.25 speed this works perfectly for me.

The stories themselves are simple (compared to the fantasy genre I usually gravitate towards) but endearing. I find that I care for the characters quickly as they are written in such a way that makes them feel real.

The writing itself isn't my all-time favourite, and I feel if I was reading instead of listening this may lessen my enjoyment, but the way the characters come to life is amazing. I can picture everything that is happening and feel like I'm witnessing a snapshot of someone's life.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC