Defender

This time, it's personal.

No, but seriously, I like that the second book in this series makes the story so personal to our Unit, it really ups the tension. And there were a lot of little things in here that I would have loved to be expanded on for an already long book. (My edition is over 500 pages and it could have easily been a hundred or two more than that and I wouldn't have minded.)

Adore most of the characters, though I do wish more attention was given to some of them, and I really, really love the bonds in the story. There's a solid reliance and affection in this Unit and it's so awesome to see.

Still love the world building, like the fact that there is some refreshers in the story to the first book. It does get a little draggy at times because of that - and because I just reread the first one last month - but too many books don't offer you anything to remind you who the characters are or what the world building is like that I won't complain about the info-dumpy-ness of some of it.

Finally, there is at least some mention of LGBT+ characters. Not enough, but the first book had none and at least I now know they exist in this future.

(Side note: I'm still not fully convinced about the method of choosing the Strike Team and are straight people really that uncomfortable around their own gender? Probably the only things that dropped it from a 5 star rating for me.)