Member Reviews
Like the 3 other books in Honey Badger Chronicles, the romance is non-existent. Mads and Finn meet and just kind of stick together after that due to mutual interests. Zero passion or bonding though there is one date and one sleepover.
On Amazon it's ranked 220 right now under Action & Adventure Romance. Yup, lots of action, too much action. The author threw many old and new characters into a blender and let it rip. Instead of focusing on Mads and Finn's issues, all of Mads' team members and their families get thrown in too. It was hard to keep everything straight.
This is strictly for fans of the Laurenston's shifter stories. God help you if you think you want to start with this one, you'd be totally befuddled.
If I see the next one on Netgalley like I did this one, I'd probably accept a copy in exchange for my honest review. However, after several, to me, just ok entries, I doubt I'd seek these out on my own from the library.
BTW, the author uses the rather out dated, and to some negative, term Oriental instead of Asian several times.
I think any time the Mackilligans are involved is awesome. While this story is about Max's friend Mads, it includes plenty about the Mackilligans and Max and Mads' other friends. Plenty of action and the usual humor. All around great story and I will look forward to more Honey Badger stories!
I received eARC from Kensington books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.
I jumped into this book thinking it was a stand alone. As I started reading I realized that it was book 4 in the Honey Badger Series by Shelly Laurentson. At first I was a bit confused with so many characters. This was when I looked up the book and found out it was part of a series. I continued with the read and I found that I really enjoyed the book even though I did not read the first 3.. Yes there are back stories but I was still able to follow at the story. I laughed out loud at the antics of Mads and her team. The Black Malone Brothers made me laugh as well and I fell in love with Finn. There is a ton of action that was very well written and I could see the story play out in my head with vivd details. This is how i know a book is good!
The only down side is that there are so many characters that I got confused during the story and had to go back track to get the names and what family and animal they were. Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars.
Another great book by Shelly Laurenston. I am loving this series. In the last book we were introduced to Max's friends and teammates. This is Mads book. She is a Viking hyena-honey badger hybrid who lives basketball. This book starts of with a bang. Literally. Mads and her team are ambushed when they get some bad intel and are rescued by the black Malones, three tiger brothers. Packed with action, fun, and violence this book is a non stop thrill ride you just must read.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, and I am not sure how well it reads as a stand alone. Okay, I am a huge fan and will read anything by this author. I adore her humor and imagination. While I loved this book, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the different story lines going on. The story was (I thought) focusing on Mads Galendotter and Finn but it was all over the place. If I didn't already know some of the storyline from previous books-I would have been totally overwhelmed. There are a lot of people in this book. I laughed often and really enjoyed the book, but I do recognize that it has flaws. Still for me its a 4 star. I love honey badgers.
I adore all the characters in this world. And we got to see a lot of them. Lots of action, mystery, and a romance that took the back burner to the multiple storylines. This book had the best action though. Many scenes where the abilities shine. And we get to see Stevie at her biggest! These are my fun books. Great storylines every time. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.
Shelly’s latest book takes place in the crazy, funny shifter New York City that she’s brought to life throughout her Pride and Honey Badger series. The honey badger basketball team is featured in this story of Mads Galendotter, the Viking hyena-honey badger hybrid and Finn Malone of the Black Malone tigers.
I absolutely loved this book and snort laughed out loud quite a few times! We get to learn a lot more about the honey badgers from the basketball team. Each member gets fleshed out more in hilarious, violent fashion.
Shelly creates characters that truly capture the traits of the animals they shift into, the cats are lazy and defiant and the honey Badger are downright mean. And no one surpasses Shelly’s ability to write graphic details of violent fighting done with a comedic twist. She continues to incorporate beloved favorite characters from her previous shifter series for that home and community feel.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
This book came at a time when I needed something fun and entertaining and it delivered! I knew exactly what I was getting with this book. Lots of action, crazy shapeshifter, characters galore and apparently also a slow burn romance.
BREAKING BADGER wasn’t as sexy as I expected. And the romance did get buried a little under the avalanche of plot and action BUT for me this didn’t take away from the entertainment value. It was just something that was noticeable, and if you are looking for a romance heavy novel, just be aware of this. Also the book was FULL of old and new characters. And I can see how it might get hard to keep track of the characters and plot. Since there was more than one plot going on and the POV often shifted from one character to the next.
On the other hand, this book was exactly what I needed. It was funny, crazy and over the top, and I couldn’t put it down. I adore the Badgers. Maybe because they are the most craziest bunch of shifters ever. Especially the MacKilligans, which are still a big part of this book, and whose books are #1-3 in this series. I don’t think there is another shifter series quite like this one. It’s bloody, crazy good, totally over the top (as I mentioned once already), but also addictive. The women are kick ass, even more so than the men, and they definitely steal the show. There won’t ever be a damsel in distress in a Shelly Laurenston book, because these gals can rescue themselves while leaving a bloody mess behind.
Also the writing is top notch. Hilarious. Sarcastic. And funny. Nobody takes themselves too seriously in these books. Plus I just love the friendships between the sisters and now Mads “teammates”.
With thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for my ARC.
I loved this title and read it swiftly, as I have every other title in the Honey Badgers Chronicles.
With appealing characters, fiendishly funny moments, adventure, mayhem and a serve of hot sex, plus familiar characters from the authors other series’, this book is a must have. In fact the whole series is and since the books about Charlie, Max and Stevie left me wanting more, I was delighted to discover Breaking Badger which focuses on Max’s ‘team mate’ Mads.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a book by the author then this rollicking good read is a sure thing. Enjoy.
I am always in awe of Shelly Laurenston's talent for writing and for keeping her characters and stories straight, but this book was another disappointment for me. I miss the sexiness of her previous books. This story hardly felt like a romance with the characters kissing 70% through and having sex only once. Meanwhile I enjoyed the plots, but there were a lot of them and I must be lacking the same talent of keeping the character's straight. I'll keep reading her books because I love her to death, but I really hope she finds her way back to the sexy stories she used to tell. I reread them frequently.
Not her best work, but still a fun read. this one was very disjointed and about everyone, not just the focus character, and it was kinda annoying. Still, I don't regret reading it.
I found this a fast paced, fun book with a lot of action and adventure. Personally I would have preferred a little less violence and a lot more romance as Mads and Finn only seemed to get interested in each other towards the end of the book. There are an awful lot of characters in the book to keep track of and I did get a bit lost, trying to remember how they all fitted into each others’ lives.. It probably didn’t help that I hadn’t read the previous books in this series. I loved the snarky humour, the kick arse female characters and the crazy situations they got themselves into. The pet coyote’s antics were also pretty hilarious! I guess I just wish there had been more of a focus on Mads and Finn.
Mischief, mayhem and madness is what surrounds honey badgers. Mads is no exception as she hangs with her teammates aka friends. One of her closest friends is Max who is just a complete lunatic at times. I have been eagerly anticipating this book and I absolutely love it. I have already re-read parts I liked a couple of times and I will most likely be re-reading this book several times a year.
First, I don't usually make mention of this, but I really like the cover. There is something soothing with the blue. The tiger is the focal point of this story which makes sense to have it dead center on the cover. I love the Celtic heart as a nod to the crazy MacKilligan.
Second, I became a bit despondent when I learned the Honey Badger Chronicles would end with Max's story and be a trilogy. With this new book 4, I'm hoping it means that there will be more with these crazy honey badges because I absolutely adore them. There are so many interesting characters and there are multiple plot lines that I want to follow to the end.
Third, Max's sister Charlie is a total badass and I adore her. Each of the characters in this quirky world are unique and loveable. Even the grumpy bears and the cranky tigers have found a place in my heart. I think it's because I love these contrary characters who fly in the face of convention. Ms. Laurenston does an amazing job of bringing her characters to life in a loud and vibrant manner.
Fourth, as a person whose natural setting is fast with multiple projects going on at the same time, I love the meatiness of this story and the multiple subplots weaving in and out of this story. It is more realistic to real life where other people's drama come into your life, but you still need to look after your own. Whilst this story is focused on Mads and her life moving forward, it is so much more. This adds a richness and depth to the book which keeps me engaged and wanting more. For those who prefer single threaded plots and can only process in a linear fashion, this book may be overwhelming and too complicated. For readers whose brains are a high performance engine, this book is designed with us in mind.
Lastly, I love how we explore Mads' messy relationship dynamics with her friends, family and now Finn. Finn does not know what hits him when he encounters the Honey Badgers. He is strangely attracted to Mads but doesn't know exactly why. Mads and Finn's budding relationship continues to grow as they interact more with each other. Their interactions are sweet and hilarious. Sometimes they are surreal. I still am not quite sure about this coyote that comes in and out of Mads house and drives Finn crazy.
This is a must read book that is going into my favourite bookshelf. I enjoyed the fights, the beat downs, the ridiculous spats, and above all, how families of the heart support each other. This paranormal romance is highly recommended to readers who like wacky characters who are completely irreverent to authority and power.
I received an advanced reader's copy of Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I always have high hopes for any new novel by Shelly Laurenston and, true to form, Breaking Badger did not disappoint!
If you can’t tell, I very much enjoyed this novel and found it to be well written with a whole slew of fantastic characters. The female protagonist - honey badger and professional basketball player, Mads - was hilarious, feisty, and loyal to her teammates/best friends/family of her heart. Her love interest - tiger shifter and professional football player, Finn - matched her every step of the way (though he is a bit more easygoing) as they navigated meeting under….interesting circumstances, then getting to know one under under even more interesting circumstances. Even as they butted heads and exchanged words from the start, their chemistry was obvious.
Add in their friends and family, plus the side plots, and this novel had me laughing from start to finish. The plot was engaging and quick-paced, and action abounded.
This was a swift, fun read and I cannot wait to read the next book by Shelly Laurenston.
Mads Galendotter is on the same shifter basketball team as Max MacKilligan (plus Tock, Nelle, and Cass), but they are in trouble when Finn Malone and his brothers manage to rescue them while extracting themselves from the same trouble. After a pastry thank you visit goes awry, Finn and his brothers find out that they need the help of the MacKilligan sisters to find information oh who murdered their father. And that assistance will not be easy to get until the Yun gangster family involved the the Malone sister who also happened to be a half sister to the MacKilligans (sometimes you need a spread sheet to keep everything straight!). So now everyone is working together which provides Mads and Finn time to get together. By the end of the book, the Malone brothers have new insights on their dad, Mads has gotten her revenge on her family, and bought a house. While waiting for the next shifter book to come out, I may get a chance to catch up on this series. Another fun read!
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!
Let's start with an undeniable truth: there's no such thing as a bad book from Shelly Laurenston. With <I>Breaking Badger</I>, Laurenston continues her Badger Chronicles series by putting the focus on Mads Galendotter. Mads is a honey-badger/hyena hybrid we've met before in the MacKilligan trilogy, and when she's not playing basketball with Max MacKilligan and the rest of their crew, she and her teammates are completing special ops missions in their spare time. Mads' adventures bring her in contact with with the Malone Brothers, Amur Tigers who are searching for information about their father's murder.
A series of events throw Mads and Finn Malone together, and eventually they connect in more ways than one. Mads and Finn are a fun pair, both low key and fairly calm compared to their friends and families. I was sad to reach the last page, because I really wanted more time with these two.
This book was a pleasure to read, full of the humor one expects from a Shelly Laurenston novel. As a longtime reader of her shifter series, it was a pleasure to see old favorites--Dez McDermott, Lou Crushek, and Mitchell Shaw, and more--make cameos. Part of the fun was discovering how the new characters connected with some of Laurenston's earlier works.
My one complaint, however, is that so much of the story is focused on the MacKilligans. They are wonderful characters, but I went in expecting this book to focus on Mads and Finn, and instead it felt like every other scene we were cutting away to other characters. I hope this book is just doing some table-setting and that upcoming books in the series will spend more time with other members of the honey badger crew. I expect Shay and Keene Malone to be central in the next few books, and we're already seeing hints of who they might be paired with. I can't wait to find out!
While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I did find the plots a bit hard to follow. And I do mean plots. There were at least three, probably more but I lost track of those threads after a while. The characters were great; however, there were just too many. Basically, there was just too much here. I wished she had cut back on some of the plots and saved them for later books so that she could focus on Mads and Finn. She could have kept the plots about her family and the mystery of Finn's father's death but cut out some of the other plots to make this entry a more cohesive book. All in all, I like it and can't wait for more in the series. I just hope the next entries will narrow things down a bit more.
NetGalley ARC Educator 550974
The badgers are back baby. It's explosive, action, laughs and lots of gasps. This is Mads story. Half hyena and badger she has a unique family dynamic and in her spare time she plays basketball. Throw in the Black Malone clan, the MacKilligan sisters and a coyote, you have a winning combination. This is a one sitting read that you won't want to put down.
Some of your favorites return as well as some new characters. I can't wait for the next installment, hopefully it will be Toks story!
What can I say? Love this one. I can honestly say this author has never let me down, and this one is no exception. Mads and Finn are a great couple, and love the circle of family and friends. Highly recommend, although as this is the 4th book I suggest you read the others first. You wouldn't be lost, but would be much more comprehending of who is who. Highly recommend this book and author.
Breaking Badger was an awesome book. We have lots of action, shifters, more fun with the MacKilligan sisters who never disappoint with their antics. I loved the book, however the was so much going on I had to go read the description to figure out who the book was actually supposed to be about. Then the couple didn't actually have any alone time until 75% of the book was over and we still don't get much of just them after that.
I really like the introduction of the Black Malones they are fun as well. I wish that we got to see more of the older characters besides Cella and Dee Ann. I loved Dez and Crushek small glimpses too, so funny. Dez becomes more like a lion every day.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review