I was kind of in a reader’s funk, not finding anything I really wanted to read until I got myself the ARC copy of the new Honeybadger’s by Shelly Laurenston. I was home again, in that place where books are home and you feel happy and cosy in them. By the way, the fact I was graciously given the ARC copy doesn’t mean I will compromise my opinion. I won't.

After all this time delivering delicious material, I trust Shelly Laurenston. Even though you never know what will happen with that trust, do you know what I mean? Especially in long series, sometimes the author falters or starts repeating the tropes, or starts making cookie-cutter books…
Not the case, thank you very much.

Let me talk to you about the book:

The good: We have the Honey badgers, the Malones, or I should say the black Malones, the Group… all the usual suspects and new ones, lots of new and very interesting ones.

Being centred in Tok, we open to a new set of characters, through her family, especially her grandmother and through other characters we already know… ok, new and interesting characters are to be found in this book. I don't want to explain to you what you can find in any excerpt of the book and I don't want to do spoilers either, read it for yourselves and find out. I recommend it to you.

More good things: my laughing out loud. I laughed like a loon a couple of times and it was great. Is not that easy for me while reading and I love when it happens. Shelly Laurenston gets at least a laugh out of me in each one of her books, this one also.

Feminism is again one of the things to love about this author and it shines through the book, through all of them. I am thinking of the scene with the lionesses in the food court, to pick an example among others but is the the general tone also.

The bad: it is not that bad really. I find this time around there are many more recapitulations, more putting the non-principal characters in this book in context at the beginning. This I could do without, it is not for me, I know who those characters are and their stories, I read and loved all the books, and that is why I am here. Maybe it is made for people who start the series with this book? I don’t know, I believe it is the first time it has happened in this universe. I didn’t enjoy it much, but it was not a terrible experience either. After a while, the narrative picks up in intensity and these little annoyances disappear.

The book has not been published yet and I can't wait for the next one, the ending of this one keeps you wanting for what's to come.




https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5932297961

As always MS Laurenston has wrote about our favorite crazy, violent, hilarious shifter females. Story moved along so smooth I was done reading book before I knew it. Shelly gives you right amount of story for each set of characters without drawing it out. The sex scenes made sense where they were again without dragging it out. Can't wait for more Badger books.

I'm a huge fan of Shelly Laurenston and her Badger series. That said, this book was just OK. I think I am getting less interested in the overall bad guys trying to hunt/destroy the shifters story arc. I'm at my most interested when the various characters are bickering and bantering. As always, I love how the dialogue was written. Which made it fun to finish even if the overall story was not a favorite. I give this book a solid 3.5/5 stars.

I have a serious weakness for the chaotic madness that is the Honey Badger Chronicles. Shelly Laurenston creates relatable characters and places them in fantastical settings. Tock and Shay are no different, they both have their own baggage dealing with overwhelming families but manage to find joy in each other as the world is burning around them. I also adore how connected to their heritages these characters are without it seeming like these were point thrown in for a touch of pizzaz.
This newest addition to the this collection of hilariously violent shifters gave me so much joy. Between the drama with the De Medici Coalition and Shay's adorable daughter Dani, i sped thru this series. I hunger for more any time I get an opportunity to read about the characters from this series.

Fun, sexy and so very entertaining. I love Shelly Laurenston’s gift of writing some of the most engaging and entertaining dialogue I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

If you like Shifters and badass group of women who take no shit from the world and know they are badass but are good hearted and are up against those who want to harm anyone they love this series is for you! Shelly Laurenston has crafted a world that incorporates Shifters into our world and basically we don't know they exist. But they are thriving and since they have skills that human don't have they are having more fun! The honey badgers are a cray bunch but so loyal and the Shifter world knows not to mess with them. The story of Tock and her teammates was a great read and I was laughing and intrigued the whole time. There were a lot of new characters and familiar faces. I WANT to learn more of the world and I think Shelly Laurenston has done a great job laying the ground floor for many adventures. The book had a hint of romance but the relationship was great to read as it was built from mutual respect and charm. Loved it. Great installment in the series.

Born to be a Badger is the next in the Honey Badger Chronicles. This story follows Tock on her way to finding love. Tock is like all badger shifters wanting to steal pretty things and take no crap from anyone. Her grandmother calls her away on a secret mission, and the big cat Shay will not stop following her. Shay has to follow, everyone needs backup, even honey badgers. Shay follows and it's a good thing because the mission doesn't go as planned and Tock did the backup.

Tock is part of the basketball team with the other badger shifters and Shay on the football team but there is little about that aspect in this story. This series has a lot of background and the storyline arcs from one book to the next. This is a slow burn with very little spice. There are a lot of characters from previous novels and future ones with violence throughout by the shifters.

More honey badger shifter books please! I really enjoyed this excellent addition to Laurenston's Honey Badger shifter series. Tock is a great character. The gang is back. And Shay is HOT! So much fun.

Shelly Laurenston never disappoints! After reading this book I immediately went back to reread the whole series. Laurenston is a master at including many different characters (from past books) without every losing the main plot of the book. I can always guarantee a honey badger book will leave me laughing and having a great time. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I love this series, it's funny and a bit crazy. However, the plot is a bit messy and no longer focuses on the couple. Also, it feels like former main characters were added as an after thought.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read an advance copy of Born to be Badger by
Shelly Laurenston. I love the Honey Badger chronicles, because it is hilarious, hot, with snarky shape-shifters. This latest one does not disappoint! I knew when we were introduced to Max Mackilligan's basketball friends in Badger to the bone, I definitely wanted to know more about Mads, Tock, Streep, and Nelle. Emily “Tock” Lepstein-Jackson is front and center, when they discover shifters are trafficking humans for hunting and cash. Honey badgers are almost impossible to kill, and with the help from Malone brothers. they are unstoppable!
I enjoyed all the character cameos from previous books, and the introduction to new ones! I definitely recommend this series!

I always love the honey badgers, the other shifters and all their antics. As usual Shelly Laurenston made me laugh out loud throughout. But this one suffered from way too many characters and plot threads. Even though they all came together at the end, it was a bit of a mess for me.

“Tock” is a time management obsessed honey badger and Shay is a curious tiger and doting single father. These two team up along with their family and teammates (not friends) to figure out who is behind the new poison that is being formulated specifically to kill honey badgers; as well as a question from previous book, who killed Shays father?

I wouldn’t recommend starting on this book there are so many characters they can be hard to keep straight if you haven’t had the time to get to know them. There has to be at least 20-25 different POVs its excessive and chaotic but so are honey badgers so🤷🏻‍♀️

The romance isn’t really the main focus but I really like Tock and Shay together and the relationship that builds between Tock and Shays daughter, Dani is adorable. Honestly Dani kinda steals the show, well her and Charlie. Charlie is always a star. They have the next couple, Keane and “Nelle” all lined up and I can’t wait. I love them already.

Bottom line these crazy honey badgers are entertaining as always.

I had to go do a series reread before opening up this book, because….why not? I love getting sucked into this nutty world Laurenston has built with badgers, tigers, bears, wolves…well all of it. This was an absolute gem, we get to see lots of our favorites from previous books, several new family members and an interesting plot development that I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
I really enjoyed Tock, she was a refreshing character who while crazy, is endearing and sweet. Shay and his daughter Dani are adorable together and how the author worked them into the story is great. I can’t wait to get Keanes story, I really do hope it’s next he’s got a lot of rage but we get to see a different side of him too!
Series lovers are going to devour this book and not be happy about the year or more wait for more, but it’s always well worth it. If you are new to the author or this world you won’t regret going back to the beginning of this world and meeting the characters along the way.

This was a complimentary advanced reader copy provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

This book is a great addition to the the badger series. Lots of twists and turns as Tock and her teammates try to figure out who is trying to kill them. Just a heads up though, the book ends on a major cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next book.

I loved It! I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! Although I didn't want it to end! I can't wait for the next one!

Another incredibly fun tale from Shelly Laurenston. I love the ongoing honey badger shenanigans, the characters from previous stories popping in and out, and Laurenston's persistent ability to make me laugh until I cry with her snarky, delightfully ridiculous characters. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that, having finished it, I now have to wait a year for the next instalment.

Laugh out loud funny. The next instalment of a wonderful inventive series. Great cast of characters, fantasy elements of shift changing and hilarious antics. What’s not to enjoy. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Born to Be Badger by Shelly Laurenston is one of my favourite titles in the Badger Chronicles series. The central relationship is a bit more of a focus and has more growth than in some of the other titles. It also continues to be both funny and chaotic. I really appreciate that female friendship and sisterhood are at the heart of Laurenston's novels.

Born to Be Badger is the 5th installment in Shelly Laurenston's shape shifter series. As my first introduction of Laurenston's series, it was a little difficult to initially wrap my head around the established universe and to keep track of all the characters. Her book features many players, characters that weave in and out of the story and at times it can be a little difficult to keep track. The dynamic between the main character Tock and her romantic counterpart works well, and the story pacing is solid.