How to Wish Upon a Star

Howl at the Moon, Book 3

By: Eli Easton

Narrated by: Matthew Shaw

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Dr. Jason Kunik is working on the most earth-shattering genetics project ever: DNA mapping of a new species, the quickened - dogs who can shift into human form. The problem is, no one knows the quickened exist, and Jason can't betray them by publishing his studies. When he moves to Mad Creek to continue his research in a town full of quickened, all he wants is peace, quiet, and to be allowed to bury himself in his work. Perhaps if he figures out how the mutation is activated, he can silence his own inner dog forever.

Milo is a hospice comfort dog who has bonded with, and lost, many beloved patients in his life. He intuitively understands sickness and pain on a spiritual level most can't see. When he gains the ability to become a man, he thinks he finally has everything he ever wanted. But being a man isn't the same thing as being loved, and taking shelter in Mad Creek isn't the same thing as finding a home.

When a mysterious illness hits Mad Creek and threatens all the quickened in town, it's up to the scientist and the comfort dog to figure out what it is and how to stop it. Along the way they might discover that true love is possible - if you wish upon a star.

©2016 Jane Jensen Holmes (P)2016 Jane Jensen Holmes

Matthew gets it all PERFECT

First, though it says this is a standalone – I don’t think it is. So much groundwork is laid out in books one and two that, though you can sort things out, it makes way more sense in light of having read the previous books.

Second, the other books are way awesome so you should read them anyway!

Milo is a newly quickened human (a dog who receives a magical blessing and can now shift from dog to man) who finds himself in Lily Beufort’s helping hands.

He ends up staying at Jason Kunik’s house – a geneticist and born quickened – intent on studying the DNA of his species and finding out how new quickened are created.

Jason is all cerebral and Milo is all heart. Two more opposites never did meet. Jason absolutely NEEDS Milo – he’s so separated from his dog and his emotions that he’s a nervous wreck. Milo – for all his “newborn” mistakes – grounds Jason and brings him back to the present. All without letting Jason know he’s being helped!

Milo, meanwhile, is happy to be useful and is enthralled with Jason and willing to do anything to be near him.

Unfortunately, the town needs Jason now more than ever. A new virus is spreading and affecting only the quickened. As a result Jason has to expedite his research and find a cure or everyone could end up stuck in their furry forms forever!

**

OMG! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series! I was so excited to read this! I was on pins and needles the entire time the folks of Mad Creek were sick – I can’t tell you who or why but – it was HARROWING!

Milo made this book for me. Jason is rather like a porcupine – prickly and sticks to himself – but Milo is that breath of fresh air who hugs everyone and makes them smile. Together they are truly breathtaking!

Eli is such a great writer. She did an amazing job of matching dog types with human personalities – a game I play at work! – imagining what this or that breed would be like as a human and vice versa.

Milo is the easy going, happy go lucky, Golden Doodle and Jason is the high strung and intense (and sometimes whiny!) Malamute. Perfect! I also loved Simon the Jack Russel Terrier bouncing into rooms and talking a mile a minute! Or the dumpy Gus – the bulldog and of course the Border Collies – always on the lookout!

I also loved seeing all the guys again – but I hated them being at risk! – and bit my nails throughout all of the virus crisis.

The science was clearly researched as was the medicine (though the time table was a bit convenient and unrealistic, but had to be for the story’s sake), I found it fascinating.

I highly recommend this to fans of the series and if you’re new to the series – do yourself a favor and start at the beginning – it’s well worth it!

My only complaint – and this I feel pretty much every time I read Eli’s books, is that they end too soon! I really wanted to see these guys as a couple more. I felt like we worked so hard to get them together – can’t we have a little bit of time with them as a happy couple?

My favorite remains book one – though I loved this and book two tremendously – you can’t beat Tim and Lance for a funnier and sweeter couple. (Be warned there are tears of joy and happiness in store for Tim and Lance – and potential danger!) I was also moved by Matt’s speech to Jason when Roman was put in the pathway of the virus – GAH! – man emotions – so sweet! – it was so touching. So – in a way – we get more of the couples we loved again in this story and that adds to the overall enjoyment of the book and the series tremendously.

4.75 of 5 stars


Audio

Matthew Shaw has narrated the previous two in the series, so if you’re a fan you’re familiar with his work. He already knows the story and has voiced several of the secondary (previously primary) characters in the story. He adds Milo and Jason to the bunch just perfectly! He gives Milo just enough air of innocence without making him appear juvenile. It worked wonderfully! Jason is the determined and sometimes oblivious researcher, not exactly cold, but definitely warming up more as the story proceeds. I highly enjoyed this and can’t recommend it or the series enough!

6 of 5 stars

Overall 5 of 5 stars

a 2020 vibe

Listening to this book in 2020 made it pretty relatable. A potential pandemic (contained as an epidemic) comes to town.We all know about these now 😜 There’s a point where I was urging them to shower off the viral load from getting sneezed on but they showered the next day… and sure enough, plot happens. Like the other books in the series, this one is good hearted.

Unlike the other books featuring characters who in real life would be toxic, but aren’t in the series, Jason is toxic on many levels. He’s rude and uninterested in becoming less rude, even when his rudeness it hurts other quickened and his work investigating the how of being quickened. He’s driven to do his work from self hatred. He takes advantage of Milo, getting his “help” as a case study before Milo has a chance to consent. Then, when Milo picks clothes, Jason gender polices his choices. What would be wrong about Milo wearing a prom dress? They could have discussed what reactions other people might have have to it and see if Milo wanted to wear it for special occasions, to the diner, or only at home. I was pretty annoyed with Jason. (Also, Jason was the scientifically pedantic sort that would have used “hypothesis” in most places where “theory” was used.) Jason’s desire to help Milo adapt to being human came off less than helpful, he was gatekeeping and condescending more often than not. I think the “let the geniuses be jerks” mindset needs to be quashed. This book reinforces it. Jason is trash.

Milo is a helper. He has seen many people die but the book doesn’t dwell in sadness because Milo doesn’t dwell, which is a relief. He’s kind and helpful and gets taken advantage of by Justin. Milo is newly quickened but clearly post pubescent. Still, while the author shows how he’s capable, he never seems fully adult to me. So we have an innocent adolescent paired with a gruff dude who is weirdly, if thankfully mildly, controlling and possessive. Only knowing that Lily and the town will be up in their business all the time, and that Milo seems like he will stand up for himself when he figures out he needs to make this pairing ok. It’s kinda not.

Steam: Low. Brief M/M on page, mostly they snuggle, which given how new Milo is, was preferable.

Narration: Nicely done. Milo sounds a bit like a doofy Eyeore but it kind of fits.

worst of the series

loved it till this one. never connected with Jason the whole book is cold when Milo seems so full of life. just not the usual witty and solid listen. sadly I paid for it outside of the escapes package. stop at 1

Innocent story then graphic homosexual sex

What a surprise. I thought this was an unusual twist on dogs becoming humans. I actually thought it was clever until it became a graphic homosexual sexual description. It could be one book of heroism or a book on sexual acts. Trying to make both into one book is an uncomfortable unwelcome surprise.

Fantastic !

Would you listen to How to Wish Upon a Star again? Why?

Yes, because the performance and material are fun.

Any additional comments?

This series is one of my very favorites. Mathew Shaw gets the characters. He has a great feel for the story line

I have loved this entire series!

I have loved this entire series! Jason and Milo are so perfect for each other. Jason (Dr. Kunik) is a super uptight and analytical scientist who hasn't let his dog out in years. He prefers to be in his human form where he has all his faculties. And thumbs! And Milo is a comfort dog living at a hospice center who just recently gained the ability to shift to a man. Lily Beaufort discovers him while visiting a friend in hospice and brings him back to Mad Creek. Milo is just the sweetest thing. And a perfect complement to Jason. I loved the scene at the diner when Milo discovered french fries (potato sticks!). I'm hoping there are many more books in this series :) And kudos to Matthew Shaw for superb narration.

A New Way of Seeing

Wow, this installment of the Howl at the Moon was a nail bitter. I was so worried about where things would go just having Jason join the community with his science and attitude. Then add the adorable Milo and how different they are from each other on the service. The sickness is a whole new later and clearly has the potential for more angst for the community. I really love Milo the whole time and I did like how Jason finally steps up and starts to admit there is more than one way to look at the world. I just want this poor town to be left in peace though.

👍👍👍👍👍

love the series. Milo is my Favorite character.
makes me wish a place really existed.

great story!

I love this series. The characters are fun and have great development. I enjoyed seeing things from a new first gen quick, it was eye opening to compare Milo's and Roman's experiences between books 2 and 3.

Author and narrator are wonderful and the story is easily brought to life.

next book, please!

I love Milo!

🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾

How to Wish Upon a Star was another sweet story in the Howl at the Moon series. It does have a bit of a different feel to it than the previous books as a lot of it is focused on finding a cure for the illness spreading through Mad Creek rather than the relationship between Jason and Milo. But I enjoyed listening to it all the same.

Scientist Jason Kunik has a mission in his life. He wants to find how dogs become quickened, to find what triggers the change. But he has one problem; his research subjects are far from helpful when interviewed – he’s even had one man flee through a window to get away. So when he finds himself taking in a newly quickened man he realises he has the perfect subject for his studies right under his nose.

Milo was so sweet and adorable. His story was one of heartbreak, of so much loss and my heart just broke in so many pieces for him. His only wish was one of belonging, finding a true home. He’s that kind of caring person that keeps giving even when he’s nothing left to give, and more than anything you wanted to wrap him up in one giant hug and never let go.

It took a long time for me to warm to Jason, he came across like a very cold, unsympathetic and uncaring person. Sure, it was all a front and shield to keep him from getting hurt like he had in the past, but he’d perfected it too much and there were so many times I wished he would just allow himself to truly feel.

Milo was the true star of this book and I wish we’d seen a lot more of him throughout. You just couldn’t help but love him. You, like everyone else in his path fell in love with him at first sight, and were happily wrapped around his paw for life.

The story wasn’t as good as the previous ones have been, it lacked a bit of the humour, the intimacy and cuteness. It was a bit too focused on the epidemic spreading through town, for Jason to find that elusive cure and keep from being infected himself.

Matthew Shaw was again brilliant in his narration of this book and I can't think of even one thing to change. It was just perfection, plain and simple. I loved every second of listening to his performance and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Howl at the Moon series is one of my absolute favourites and I always have such fun visiting Mad Creek - you can never have too many dogs or too much doggie love in your life. And the people of Mad Creek have that in abundance and, most of them, are happy to share - with the select few that they invite to their town. Onto the next one!

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes

Best so far

This is book 3 in the series and I feel it's the best so for.There is a strong story line with lots of anst all mixed in with the ongoing introduction to the Quickening race.Milo is just too cute for words and I was pleased to read more about Tim and the Lance as well as Roman and Matt.
I really enjoyed the narrator's 'voices' and he has enhance the overall enjoyment of this story. I hope he continues to narrate the whole series.

So so good!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'd definitely recommend this book, it's perfectly sweet and funny, can't wait for the next book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Milo, as sweet and innocent as he is, he knows exactly what he wants and has no problems going after it. And of course, he's funny as :)

What does Matthew Shaw bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Matthew Shaw has been fabulous narrating this whole series and I'm looking forward to listening to his narration of book 4.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was laughter and tears in this one, Milo causing both.

Fabulous story with wonderful narration!

Fabulous story with wonderful narration and great character voices by Matthew Shaw. Milo was adorable and Jason was just perfect for him.

Another winning narration from Matthew....

Yet again, I loved Matthew Shaw's excellent narration for this story, and I absolutely adored Milo but Jason just irritated the hell out of me with his superior, condescending attitude, although I did warm a little towards him at the end. I have no idea where this series is going, but I will be along for the ride. 4 stars from me.