Life Is Strange: Steph's Story

By: Rosiee Thor

Narrated by: Katy Bentz

The official origin story of LiS fan-favourite Steph Gingrich featuring LGBTQ+ romance, inevitable heartbreak, and the punk-rock beginnings of Drugstore Makeup.

Setting the stage for her appearance in Life Is Strange: True Colors, this official Steph Gingrich novel sheds light on the Drugstore Makeup years and the story of how Steph crash-landed in Haven Springs, Colorado.

Steph Gingrich has finally run out of couches to surf. Now she’s back at her dad’s place in Seattle to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

When running an RPG session for her local gamer café, Steph meets Izzie. Izzie is electric: a punk, a girl who likes girls, and a hella good guitarist. Steph finds the punk life is exactly what she needs, she loves the music, the art and the fashion, but most of all she likes the girl. Entranced, she offers to drum for Izzie, forming the band Drugstore Makeup.

A hit in more ways than one, Drugstore Makeup compete in a battle of the bands before deciding to tour the offbeat punk venues of America. But Steph and Izzie soon find themselves on different wavelengths, unable to communicate, and wanting different things.

©2015 - 2023 Square Enix Ltd. (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Into the mind of Steph

I really loved being able to see what lead Steph to land in Haven Springs. Getting to know her struggles in the aftermath of the Storm from LIS and being able to see she needed healing and how the town was that for was some beautiful to be apart of.

A perfect character expansion

Steph's Story is a must for any fan of the Life is Strange series! A lovingly crafted deep dive into one of the best characters of the entire series. Beautifully expanding Steph's life and feelings, while giving deep and meaningful insight to her experiences and struggles. The story is expertly narrated by Katy Bentz, who pours so much love and emotion into every single chapter.

A great addition to the Life is Strange world!

Katy Bentz does an amazing job bringing this story to life. This book is a must for anyone who is a superfan of the series and wants to know more about her story between Before the Storm and True Colors. Although this story does choose a certain ending from the first game as canon, there is enough wiggle room in the story to imagine how things could've gone had the other ending been chosen. All in all, it's a great story that does its job and fleshes out one of the series' best characters 💚

A love for the franchise

As you listen to this title, all you feel is an overall appreciation for what makes Life Is Strange what it is as a franchise.
Katy Bentz gives an intentional performance in reading each character so that you are fully immersed into Rosiee's storytelling skills for the origin story of one of the most treasured characters in the Life Is Strange franchise.
I fully recommend listening to this story if you're a fan of Life Is Strange and especially if you're a fan of Katy Bentz voice acting!

I love that character but

I've played all of Life Is Strange, and since Before the Storm I found Steph's character to be very interesting and charismatic. When I finished True Colors and the DLC, I was a little disappointed that Steph was treated as poorly as she deserved to be. She's a very good character and when I found out about the book I ran to read it because I thought I would finally be able to know more about her, and unfortunately it wasn't quite what I expected. The story is not so captivating, I loved the moments of memory of Arcadia bay and especially of Haven Spings, but the main thing was Steph's story, I found it a little weak. But if you like the character, it's worth it.

A very strong story following the start to the end of a relationship.

A very strong story following the start to the end of a relationship. This prequel novel to Life is Strange True Colors does an excellent job showing Steph’s story through the trauma she deals with after the storm hits Arcadia Bay and her inability to deal with it while also engaging in a complicated but loving relationship all leading to her arriving in Haven Springs. Some of the book felt a bit repetitive in hindsight with how she and Izzie deal with their issues together but in the moment it always feels natural. Also Katy Bentz did a great job as the narrator.

Truly Steph's Story

Steph's Story is told from Steph's point of view, so the book hinges on whether or not the author and narrator can find her voice. Thankfully, perhaps the two most qualified people got the job.

It feels as though author Rosiee Thor effortlessly channeled and poured Steph into the pages of this story. Fleshing out Steph is sure to please and delight Life Is Strange fans, but others will find a gripping relationship that can be messy, fun, moving, and deeply impacted by the characters' past. Aspects that will be relatable to all.

The audiobook version is spectacularly performed by Katy Bentz. Many audiobook narrators are more subdued than the source material, avoiding taking any of the spotlight away from the author. In this instance, the actual voice of Steph, Katy Bentz, matches her performance with the material. This brings a life to the material that is rarely found.

It feels as if Steph herself is telling you her story. Katy performs the material that Rosiee has written, which offers the listener a phenomenal experience. An experience worthy of one of Life Is Strange's most endearing characters.

Must read / listen for LIS fans

Nice little Steph backstory. I love Katy's voice so much. She did a good job on this audiobook. The book is VERY queer so as a queer myself and a huge LIS fan, this was a lovely listen

perfect

for anyone who loves steph this is amazing a must read/listen to . made me cry

Steph!!!!!

Listening to this was literally like I took a step into the Strange universe, itself.

I hope for more of these in the future! 🤞🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️