Jude

A story of healing

Revisado: 04-17-25

While I have been following Kat Jackson on TikTok for a while, and I met her last summer at GCLS, I had never read any of her books until now. I have a signed copy of In Bloom, which I’ll read someday, but at the moment, my ears are much better at focusing than my eyes. And then Golden Hour appeared in my Audible suggestions, and I’m a sucker for sunsets, so voilà, I didn’t read the blurb, I dived in and let Kat Jackson’s words and Lila Winters’s voice carry me away.

A military lab technician, Lina believes she’s unlovable, or not worthy of love. Her parents, then her lovers made her feel like she was never enough, and then, there’s her PTSD. I don’t know if anyone can come back from active war zones one hundred per cent healthy, and PTSD on top of her low sense of self-worth has convinced her no one deserves to be burdened with her. And then she meets Regan, a gorgeous, sweet, funny, strong, gentle nurse, who makes her want to at least try.

This audiobook was at once pretty hard to listen to and extremely cute and healing. As someone with my own PTSD—I’ve written about it in previous reviews—I’m always mindful of potential triggers, even though I manage it a lot better now than I used to. I loved Regan’s open mind, her understanding, her absence of judgement, her patience too. Her calming presence and her respect and love for everything Lina is felt utterly believable to me. As did the descriptions of the physical and emotional manifestations of PTSD-related episodes. Jackson’s writing is efficient, to the point when the reader is in Lina’s head, mellower when Regan is on page. I enjoyed Lila Winters’s narration a lot as well, to my ears it fit each character to a T.

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): judeinthestars.com

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What a pleasure

Revisado: 03-06-25

What a pleasure it is to have at last dived into this series! Every character is so special and layered, flawed but trying their best.

Savannah and Brynn are enjoying married life and being a family—with a new baby on the way—when Savannah’s half-sister suddenly shows up. Despite Savannah financially supporting her estranged family, Cassidy, mad as a kitten, seems to hold her responsible for ruining her life. Still, the star welcomes her into her home, intent on trying to understand the younger woman. As weeks and months pass, Cassidy gets to know her sister and her family better. A family that includes Savannah’s son Tucker’s nonbinary nanny, Lane…

Unlike Savannah and Brynn, who were decidedly adults in Falls From Grace, this second book has a more New Adult feel. Cassidy, in particular, appears—at least at first—both sheltered and bitter beyond her age. You know how it’s said that you can only make a first impression once? Lucky for Cassidy, Savannah and her family are willing to look beyond the petite and pretty but resentful young woman, whose sharp tongue doesn’t hide how lost she is. Once the feral kitten façade starts slipping, Cassidy turns out to be a more than decent person, and her character growth is heartwarming and inspiring. And then there’s Lane. When they first meet, Lane is unbothered, secure in Savannah’s support and Brynn’s friendship. They’ve just had top surgery and are still enjoying the feeling of freedom it gives them. They seem happy and well-adjusted, until they’re expected to interact with people their age. I really liked how Cassidy’s impressive capacity for adaptation offsets her inexperience, and the contrast with the way Lane’s own worldliness conceals their vulnerabilities from cursory glances.

In the background of Lane and Cassidy’s romance, Savannah’s pregnancy and the baby’s subsequent birth bring their own share of drama and add to the character development of both MCs. Between all four characters—Lane, Cassidy, Savannah, Brynn—there’s a lot of past trauma to deal with and manage, the perfect setup for Ruby Landers to illustrate the significance of friendship, found family, love.

I should probably say that while this book can probably be enjoyed as a standalone, I recommend starting with Falls From Grace anyway. I made the mistake of listening with my wife after summarising the first book for her. She was caught up on the story, but she didn’t know the characters like I did. Cassidy is the only new character, and the other three’s reactions to situations make complete sense when you’re familiar with them.

And do I need to mention that the narration is impeccable or is the name Quinn Riley enough?

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): JudeintheStars.com

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My favorite Cupids are back!

Revisado: 02-19-25

When I read The Perfect Match in 2021, a few days after falling in love with Milena McKay’s debut, The Delicate Things We Make, the fact that these two books were so different blew my mind. TDTWM showcased the beautiful writing and delicious angst that have since become the author’s trademark. While just as well-written, The Perfect Match is hilarious, a comedy of hot cupids and foolish gods and goddesses. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Milena McKay’s books, the angstier the better—I still can’t decide whether Reverence has replaced A Whisper of Solace as my favourite. Yet these Cupids stole my heart in a couple of hours and I’ve been hoping for four long years for a sequel. Okay, this might be a bit of an exaggeration since I got to read The Perfect Matchmaking way before its release (you’ll see my name among the editing team) but it’s not the same when you can’t share the joy and the love for a book with other readers, when you can’t delight in others’ enthusiastic reviews, when you can’t recommend it to your friends despite knowing they’ll adore it too. That time has come though and I’m so here for it.

The Perfect Matchmaking is Aphrodite’s book, Love herself fighting for the right to make her own choices. Even bad ones. When Zeus summons the whole Olympian family to the annual Cupid convention in Las Vegas, the goddess of Love in turn drags her former star Sabine Goddard out of retirement. Sabine and Abby are now married, still swooning on every occasion after three years, still so adorable that their very healthy sex life and the unabashed bragging aren’t even a tiny bit obnoxious. As she strives to reassert her freedom and independence, Aphrodite reluctantly falls for the silent, tweed-wearing goddess of Wisdom, Athena. Besides Sabine and Abby, her friend Erato also pushes her out of her comfort zone and into muscular arms and strong hands.

I wrote only one sentence while listening to Abby Craden narrating this story and basking in the delight that is this novella: “I love Erato”. I bet you will too. I loved a lot more than just the muse of erotic poetry, however. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract back and forth between the two goddesses, Abby and Sabine’s sharp wit, their happiness too, all the spice, everything Apollo (thankfully no spice there), and yes, as stated earlier, everything Erato as well.

The humour that surprised me in the first Cupids & Goddesses book (and which I have since experienced many times IRL) is still here, but the underlying themes touch on more serious considerations. McKay finds the ideal balance between substance and lightheartedness, food for thoughts peeking from beneath layers of clever banter and endearingly silly puns. And in true McKay fashion, she drops hints here and there, teasing the next story. If you can’t wait, you might want to join her Patreon…

Video review on Instagram (Jude In The Stars)

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): judeinthestars.com

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Not the target audience but loved the narration

Revisado: 10-23-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

This was my first Erica Lee book in years and I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’m the target audience. Others wrote raving reviews though, so go read those. All I’ll say is that Lori Prince does a great job once more, so if you decide this book is for you, I recommend listening to it.

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I’m so ready for book 3!

Revisado: 12-14-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

After loving In the Shadow of the Past and In the Shadow of Love in book form, I loved them again in audiobook, delightfully narrated by Abby Craden. Craden is always excellent but these books, and a handful of others I’ve listened to these last few years, could have been written for her voice. She nails the film noir mood and made me love both Jenny and Kat even more than I already did. I’m impatient to follow these two on their next adventure and will grab the book as soon as it’s available but I’m also one hundred per cent sure I’ll want to listen to the audiobook when it comes out.

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Delightful

Revisado: 11-24-22

So, this was entirely delightful… Magic and witches, broken hearts and revenge, friendship and kinship, romance and steam… I had a fantastic time listening and wish the other books in the series were sapphic as well. Alas, they are not, but this fact has no bearing on how much I loved this book, which can be read am looking forward to book 4 in the series, In Charm’s Way, which will also be sapphic. In the meantime, this first book can be read as a standalone.

Ten years after she left Thistle Grove with a broken heart, Emmy Harlow is back for what she believes is the last time. As the Harlow scion, she’s expected to act as arbiter during the Gauntlet of the Grove, a spellcasting tournament between the other three founding families. Emmy’s family is far from being as powerful as the Blackmoores, Avramovs, and Thorns, and Emmy’s always had a hard time feeling less than. Having lived far from home for years now, whatever magic she had has fainted progressively. Coming home is bittersweet: she doesn’t want to be here, she doesn’t want to feel happy here, yet she’d never relinquish her duty to, say, her cousin who would love to be the Harlow heir. And then there’s Linden Thorn, Emmy’s best friend. And Talia Avramov…

First of all, I love Emmy. She’s complex and torn, and over the course of the story, she learns heaps about herself and what she really wants. She’s also sweet and funny and considerate. Talia is hot, smart, powerful yet unexpectedly vulnerable, which only adds to the hotness. Everything between them, from the first meeting, worked for me. They made me laugh and squee (on the inside; I don’t squee aloud) and tear up. Emmy’s renewed friendship with Linden brought a lot of feelings as well. I also liked the world-building and secondary characters a lot. And the narration only adds to all that. If you’ve recently listened to Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner, you may recognize Jeremy Carlisle Parker as Cassie’s voice (as Quinn Riley). Each voice fits and the pace is excellent. Seriously, enchanting is the word for this audiobook.

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Lula Larkin is quickly becoming one of my favourit

Revisado: 11-22-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I reviewed this book on my blog a few months ago so this review will focus on the narration. And it will be short: I loved it. Lula Larkin is quickly becoming one of my favourite narrators, which is a good thing as she’s narrating a lot of Bold Strokes books these days. The voices she gives the characters have substance and nuance and they fit perfectly. I think she made me like Cherry sooner than I did when I first read the story.

In my original review, I wrote that Georgia Beers’ first kiss scenes are some of the best of the best and trust me, you’re going to want to hear this one. 4.5⭐️

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My favourite book/audiobook this year

Revisado: 10-10-22

Damn, this book… Seriously. So. Many. Feelings. I’ve said and written my love for A Whisper of Solace so many times since it was released in April that I don’t think anyone who reads my reviews, even only occasionally, doesn’t already know about it. I don’t see what I can add to my original review, not without saying too much, so I’ll focus on the narration. There’s a reason, many reasons actually, why so many authors of sapphic fiction want Abby Craden to narrate their books. She’s not the only fabulous narrator but she’s obviously in my top 5. I do find certain books better suited to her style, however, and Milena McKay’s are definitely in this category.

Her narration of A Whisper of Solace is exactly what I hope for in an audiobook: it takes a brilliant story and elevates it even higher. Everything is more but never excessive. With Neve Blackthorne, McKay wrote one of the most complex characters and Craden’s talent shines in the voice she lends her, giving life to all the layers the author bestowed on her. I was especially looking forward to hearing Craden voice her. The others too but Neve first and foremost. Then there’s Audrey, her youth, her naiveté, her pain, her love… The contrast is magnificent and poignant.

This story includes quite a few fantastic secondary characters, and to them as well Craden’s narration adds even more substance. Juno Buchanan is one, and I can’t think of a better word than glee as to what her part in the denouement made me feel, a feeling I’m convinced she shares, judging from her tweets (I’m trying so hard not to spoil!). Harlan is another, his young boy voice perfect, tender and strong. Gustavo, Morag, Livia… I love them all, I didn’t want to say goodbye, didn’t want the audiobook to end. And if all this makes me sound like I’m fangirling, so be it. Abby Craden’s narration is a work of art. As much as I loved her in McKay’s other books, The Headmistress and The Delicate Things We Make, she takes this one to another level, full of nuance and texture. Like the book itself, my favourite so far by this author.

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I loved everything

Revisado: 10-01-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I knew before I started listening that I would enjoy this audiobook thoroughly. The atmosphere and the characters are perfect for Abby Craden’s narration style. I loved the book when I read it in December 2021 and was looking forward to hearing Kat and Jenny come to life. I wasn’t disappointed. Abby Craden nails Kat’s sultriness and hidden vulnerability and she gives Jenny the perfect amount of determination and youthful ingenuity the character requires. The contrast is ideal, both in the way the characters are written and in the narration. The chemistry between Jenny and Kat is terrific and even more palpable in audio. The audiobook version of the next book (which I loved as well) is waiting for me and I will do my best to make time for it very soon.

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Great story, wonderful characters & narration

Revisado: 03-16-22

I have a lot of love and tenderness for this book. There’s something about it that speaks of a new era and gives me hope. It’s been a really interesting experience, listening to it now, a little over a year after it first came out and Milena McKay burst onto the lesfic scene. So much has happened since then, a novella, a second novel that is now in the running for multiple awards, a third one coming soon (A Whisper of Solace, April 12th). McKay has grown tremendously as an author over this period and yet there’s already so much wonderfulness in this debut.
I love Jamie’s big heart and, of course, I love Vivian’s sharp tongue and tenderness and the vulnerability she doesn’t hide that well. Hearing her now, I feel like I understand her better than I did a year ago. Unsurprisingly, Abby Craden‘s narration is fantastic. Jamie’s voice reflects her wide-eyed youth and tenacity. Vivian’s is at once haughty and warm, perfectly embodying the complexity of the character. The secondary characters shine just as much and I’m particularly fond of Arabella, even more than when I read the book.
If Milena McKay’s precise writing and wonderful characters didn’t already have my whole heart, with this audiobook and Abby Craden’s narration, they would now.

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