Moonshine is quite different from the usual urban fantasy sprinkling the shelves. First of all, Zephyr does not put on leather pants to go hunting (though her name would suit her wicked well in one, eh?), she barely has clothes (clean ones at least) to put on for normal stuff. Actually, Zephyr is not a hunter. Not a willing one anyway. She’s what they call a “vampire suffragette.” And she’s a do-gooder. Like, the kind of do-gooder that’s involved in a gajillion societies and goes to pickets every day for the many causes she supports. She’s also a teacher to the city’s Undead Immigrants who need to understand the law (and the language) if they are going to survive. I have to commend Ms. Johnson on her characterizations. She manages to make Zephyr into a good, a sincerely good person without making her preachy and sanctimonious. Oh Zephyr has many flaws, not least of them is a demon hunter father who is also as bigoted as they come. The story is gritty, fast paced and contains some unexpected twists that will have you raising your eyebrows in surprise. This is the first in a series and I must admit that it is a pretty strong opener. It doesn’t read fast and easy like the many others but it reads like it has a bit more substance and as such must require more concentration. I also like the fact that the “hero,” the love interest is so flawed. Of course it spells drama but that is always a fun thing in a series. Oh and one more thing, just because the heroine is a vampire suffragette, it doesn’t mean that vampires are presented as some sort of sparkly ethereal beings. Oh no, the truth of their nature is presented in quite realistic terms. And the heroine is quite capable of handling herself without disintegrating into a mass of sniffles and annoying internal monologues. What I mean to say is, if you like this genre, you will like this book.
