Post by: Helena Trooperman
Dated:   11th June 2026
Updated: 10th July 2026

Isbn:   978-1738125401 (342 pages)
ASIN:   B0CMK7822B
Title:  Moondust In My Hairnet
Author: J. R. Creades
Narrated by: Sarah Kisko (11hrs 39min)

 

***** Wow! I read this story in two days! Loved it.

Bam… it delivered!

A ton of story jam-packed into this Lunar dinner lady adventure story. Written in first person, this was a fantastically put together view point. The best first-person story I’ve read. Often they can be a bit clunky. Nope, not this time. However, I quickly realized this wasn’t my usual themed story.

The warnings would have put me off, but it’s on my tbr list and I wanted to give it a go as a hope punk story. I found the topics were fine for me. Lane, the MC is dealing with the aftermath of violence and her grief over losing her famous sister. The grief has stages as you might expect. Not quite the light relief I thought it might be given the title. Still, Lane working through her raw emotions brought me closer to her. Later she and her friends join the rest of the trustees in an attempt to save their settlement.

It was compelling and well written. Of course, I listened to the story on audiobook, read on for my notes on the performance.

The Blurb

Gold Winner – 2025 IBPA Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book: Fiction
Finalist – Science Fiction – Off Earth category, 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Moon Dust in My Hairnet is a fresh, hopeful, and diverse sci-fi romp following an autistic lunar lunch lady as she juggles relationships and threatening corporate overlords, all while adjusting to life on Lunar Trust One.

20-year-old Lane was perfectly happy living in her big sister’s shadow. The great Faraday Tanner, who invented the gravdrive and inspired the movement to found the moon’s first independent colony, was the unequaled voice of the post-melt generation. That is, until an unimaginable tragedy cut Faraday’s legacy short.

Wracked with survivor’s guilt, Lane embraces her job on the moon: lunch lady—which is more than her parents think she can handle. Her boyfriend’s supportive at least, when he’s not drooling over one of the new recruits. Lane tries to put the past behind her, committed to enjoying her kitchen work and dating her boyfriend and their new crushes. She even participates in planning Faraday’s memorial, forcing herself to grapple with monumental loss.

But when colony goods go missing and vital equipment gets tampered with, Lane must band together with new and old friends to find the culprit and save her sister’s dream.

Book Review Time

Hooked from the start and truly inclusive.

I’m a first child, so maybe that’s why I found this a great insight into being a second sibbling. Of course, there are other types of family, and community. Together the trustees are determined to make the Trust One settlement self-sustaining.

Can she?

However, Lane feels less than everyone else that’s earned their place in the independant settlement. She blames her grief striken parents. Combine this with her survivor guilt and Lane has much to overcome.

Loneliness is the greatest problem off-world.

Lane as a character is a young woman trying to feel comfortable in her own skin as she works through her grief and guilt, something she’s not certain she will ever do. Her relationships explore beyond the bounds of the couple. Here the storyline focuses on the friendships and the conflicts that go with that. Any romances are fade to black.

A compelling read/listen.

It takes her a while to realize she’s made a ton of friends and together they can help save their settlement. When the action arrives it’s great. The balance between characterization and action is well-balanced.

Final words are about the paperback edition. At the start of each chapter there’s an announcement to the settlers of Trust One and sometimes that is the menu of the day. The paperback really has beautiful formatting. Here’s a taster from Chapter 14, page 142.

"Attention: ALL
Subject: Evening Menu
Entrees: Sweet potatoe casserole, roast casava
Sides: Cinnamon apples, ginger carrots
*Dessert* Honey cake"

 

Super original standalone novel and yes, hopeful. What a gem! Give this book a read or listen, I thoroughly recommend it.

Buy:  Rakuten Kobo & Kobo+   Amazon paperback   Amazon Kindle

Check out J. R. Creades’ Website      Join Jess’ newsletter, you’ll find the sign up on her website home page.

Audiobook Performance

<Kobo & Kobo+  or Audible>

I listened to the audiobook and Sarah Kisko’s performance was awesome. I was Lane, sister to the great Faraday Tanner for 11.39 hours of pure transported entertainment. ***** That’s a win for me! Enjoyable & highly recommended listen.

Until next time, keep calm and read on.

NEXT MONTH… Ben’s Pick (LHS) Jupiter here we come for elite operatives, tricks and tech and the TRUTH.