Review: Moonlighter by R.A. Crawford

This is the second book in the series. A universe where everyone are women and humans are the redneck cousins no one wants to visit. We continue with Stella's story as she joins the universe's version of the Police called the Pulse. I really liked the first book and it made me cry but I found it too heavy on the action and a little wordy. This book I think has a much better balance. It is still action packed and I Crawford writes some of the best action scenes out there. The only person I can think of who is better is Illona Andrews. So quite a compliment. But there is also the relationship part as we follow Stella trying to figure out a new job where nothing really makes sense. Everyone thinks she is inferior and either insults her or underestimates her. All the while she is dealing with the death of her best friend who was more of a sister and having to pretend she wanted all of this all along.

We get to meet a whole new cast of characters. This time we are given time to fall in love with them as they are working with Stella instead of her direct competition. Also the violence here because it has real world consequences to the characters seems much more realistic than throwing away lives in a test. This time they are risking their lives to save others which I find much more noble.

There is very much a Dr Who type of vibe to the missions the women have to face. Crossed with a zombie apocalypse set on the mars colony in Total Recall.

Personally I would have left off the last chapter. It is really an epilogue and brings us back to some of the characters from the first book. I would have just left it with the girls sharing secrets and gifts at the end and that would have allowed for another book. With the epilogue it feels like this is a duology but I would have liked another story with the teams.

The cover of this book is brilliant. Clever to do the black silhouettes. The colours are awesome. I always like a good cover.

A five our of five for this book.