If I could give this 10 stars, I would! I absolutely loved this book. I don't think I have laughed so hard as I did with these characters. As crazy as the antics these ladies got themselves into, I never felt like the humor was too much. Yes, it was silly but in the best way possible. There are so many quotes I would love to display in my review but then I would be copying pretty much the whole book. Shelly Laurenston is my kind of humor!

Hot and Badgered is Charlie and Berg's story but it felt like it was also Stevie, Max, Dag and Britta's book. And maybe Dutch and Kyle's. For having so many people in this book, I did not get lost at all. I loved every character and what they brought to this story.

I know some of these side characters are from previous books. I'm fairly new to this author so I haven't read them yet, but I never felt like I needed to read any of them first. What this book did was make me want to go immediately buy every book Shelly has published. This was fantastic and I can't recommend it enough for readers who love comedy and paranormal romance books. You won't find anything better.

I will leave you with one quote that is in the beginning of the book to give you a taste of what Charlie and her sisters are like.

"If you lose your legs I'll get you a wheelchair with a Ferrari motor that goes from zero to sixty in 4 seconds. Wouldn't that be great?"

"I'd rather have my legs still attached to my body"

"That's such a narrow view. What about bionic legs? Bionic legs would be so cool."

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston
The Honey Badgers #1

I loved the first chapter of this book and thought that it had so much potential. I even liked the first part of chapter two where Berg meets Charlie but from that point on the story, to me, became rather chaotic. There were so many names that even writing them down to keep track didn’t help much and there were so many things taking place it felt like everything but the kitchen sink had been thrown in. The sisters seemed so close in chapter one and also very together for children but they did not carry that through as adults.

So, the story is about three “sisters” with honey badger blood. They are not all from the same mother and father but are raised together. We are introduced to them when they show up on their grandfather’s doorstep at ages 8, 11 and 12 and then we don’t see them again till they are full grown and in action mode. There is someone out to get them, people to thwart, fights at the drop of a hat, mental institutions, panic attacks, personal attacks, a bit of romance, shapeshifting, heists, robbing, family unknown unearthed, chases, killing, maiming and more. I think the main thing is that I just could not relate to many if any of the characters.

I think this is a series that is not my cup of tea but I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

It’s been four years since Laurenston’s last shifter book Bite Me and it seems much longer. I was so disappointed when I heard she was not writing anymore books in the Pride series. Make no mistake, I love her dragons and crows, but I ADORE her shifters. This new book is listed as the first in a new series, but it is actually connected to the Pride series which makes it even better.

The best I can tell, Hot and Badgered takes place about seven or eight years after Bite Me. Several characters from the Pride series show up in this book and others are mentioned. As I say time and again, yes, you can read these books as stand alones, but I don’t recommend it. That goes for this book as well. There are plot points that just will not have as much impact if you don’t know the history of the characters.

Having said all that, Hot and Badgered, is wonderful. I had a hard time keeping the sisters straight at the beginning, but they have distinctive personalities and shifter traits. There was one aspect about their shifted forms that bothered me because it contradicted the earlier books, but it was explained later on and actually supported a major thread of the story. It’s so hard to talk about the best parts of the book because of spoilers.

Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is a wolf/honey badger hybrid. She is far too laid back for anyone to believe she is a badger until she’s not. Don’t piss her off. She and her sisters are dangerous.
Berg is a grizzly and all bear. He’s protective and seems more stable to me than other grizzly shifters. His personality seems more polar than grizzly. And you can tell I am a fan of these stories because that actually makes sense to me. And let me tell you, Charlie needs someone stable in her life.

I can’t really recommend this book if you are not already a Pride series reader. I think you will lose so much of the story if you don’t already understand the shifters’ world. If you are a fan, I don’t have to recommend it. I know any reader of Laurenston will be at the bookstore when they open to get this next installment in her world of shifters.

Now, when is the next book due out?

Having read everything that Shelly Laurenston has written this novel continues on in the same vein as her previous ones. It is snarky, crazy, and totally fun. Having been very sad when Ms. Laurenston said she was done with her Pride series I was very happy when several characters from that series made appearances in this book.

The lead characters are Berg a grizzly bear , and Charlie a wolf/honey-badger hybrid. Charlie has 2 half sisters, and between the 3 girls, chaos ensues. There is not one dull moment in this entire book. The humor and wit are throughout the entire book, and yes it is laugh-out-loud funny. Berg and Charlie's romance is and sweet and funny, Her sisters are insane.

The shifter world that Ms. Laurenston has created is on long crazy ride and so much fun.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

One of the funnest reads I've enjoyed so far this year. I love a good paranormal romance and when the author can entertain you with laughter too, that's worthy of another star! Though this book centers mostly around Charlie MacKilligan, it's definitely as much about her sisters and her love for them.

Laurenstein infuses her characters with the animal traits of their shifter animal and they are above awesome and fascinating. This book had a lot of characters in it that I'm sure were from her earlier Pride series (which I have not read but will definitely dig out now) but it in no way lessened my enjoyment of this fabulous cast of shifter characters.

This was a really fun shifter book. Plenty of action, a surprisingly sweet romance, and a lot of humor. I wasn't expecting this, but I really enjoyed it!

***5 ‘Stray-Dog This’ Stars***

Two things before I start the review: 1) This is the first time I’ve read anything to do with this world, not the first time I’ve read the author because I’ve gone down the rabbit hole with The Call of Crows & Dragon Kin Series (G.A. Aiken) and loved every second. 2) I know that these books are under the PNR umbrella, but I tend to view them as more UF with some romance.

So with that out of the way….

OMG SO. MUCH. CRAZY. GOODNESS!!

Am I kicking my own ass for not diving into this world when my bookwhorebestie told me to?
Yes.
But, I’m all about making more room in my comfy little rabbit hole for this world.

I adored Berg and Charlie. It was hard not to adore them. While they have different boiling/I’m going to lose my shit points, they’re amazingly calm and logical and when it comes to their siblings they are all in. They will do anything for them, even if it means giving them a good smack upside the head...or more (it’s all situational and the recipients of such treatment typically deserve it), but they just flowed well with each other and worked in the end.

But what I really enjoed were the characters as a whole. They are all so unique with their own quirks and psychosis’ that the need to get to know them better and see what they do next becomes an addiction because you KNOW something else will happen, it’s just a matter of when. There are many OTT moments that had me not only laughing out loud (and sometimes snort/laughing) but rolling my eyes because there was just no way to stop it from happening.

A lot went down in this one and as only one situation was resolved there is much more to come from the honey badgers and I for one cannot wait to see how everything unfolds. I loved Mia and Stevie, Charlie’s sisters, and am quite curious to see who will be ‘man’ enough to take on these two, as well as how they deal with those they call family and friends!

~ Copy provided from the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

I've gotta say I was amazed to get this book so early from NetGalley, but then realising it was only the first chapter explained a lot.

While I won't deny my disappointment that this wasn't an entire book, what I did read only cemented my love of Ms Laurenston's work and her ability to write fabulous shifter stories. I'll be looking forward to reading the completed book and have absolutely no doubt it will be amazing!

***UPDATE***

Finally! The complete story, and as is to be expected, another laugh out load, action-packed, fabulous read by Ms Laurenston. As an avid fan, I actually forgot how much I loved these stories that were some of my first PNR readers many years ago.

Thank you Ms Laurenston for bringing back the fun and enjoyment of PNR romance!

WOW just Wow. The characters has Shelly Laurenston signature of being badass, smart, loyal, and big characters that makes them stand out since they are making really loud noise. This book has accomplished to set up for whole new set of characters. I love that the shifter world is growing. I absolutely love this new edition and can't wait to read more. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES.

Once again Shelly Laurenston delivers!!!!
I have been in LOVE with the Honey Badgers since Laurenston introduced Liv. This new series is a great addition the shifter world she has created.
Charlie and her sisters are outcasts but with the cute, noninvasive Berg around slowly but surely their lives change. So many characters get involved in this story with plenty of old favorites showing up. I loved it and the madcap caper just pulled me in and now I'm tempted to read it again! These characters are extreme, they are truly larger than life but I've a feeling we haven't seen the last of them and I for one can't wait for more.

I love SL books. I’ve read all her books. Her Pride series is a favorite so I was excited to see a spin off series with Honey Badgers. They are crazy, snarky and laugh out loud as the rest of the shifters. This first release is with three MacKilligan sisters and their crazy family drama. The oldest sister, Charlie and bear shifter Berg are about h/h. They are great along with all the characters. There’s so many to keep track of at times. Characters from the Pride Series make cameos which is great.
I loved it. The writing is so good you don’t skim through it, you don’t want to miss anything. I can’t wait for the next release. SL does not write fast enough for me.

ARC provided by Netgalley

I'd give this book 2.5 stars. I normally love Shelly Laurenston's books, but this one just didn't do it for me. I felt like the first couple of chapters were non-stop action, and it took way too long to get to the romance. Also, did we need perspectives from multiple characters in the Pride series? It's great to catch up with characters from previous books, but maybe having some novellas leading up to this book would have made more sense.

Although the multiple perspective annoyed me, I enjoyed the characters as a whole. The three honey badger sisters were hilarious and kick-ass, and I love how they constantly had each other's backs despite their constant fighting. I am definitely interested in reading the other sisters' stories to see how they address the conflict to come. If you love lots of action, family drama, and crazy antics this is the book for you

4.5

The last thing bear shifter Berg Dunn expects when he starts bodyguard duty for a jackal shifter piano prodigy is a naked woman to fall from the sky and land on his hotel balcony early one morning. He promptly thwarts the advances of the men chasing after her, gives her a T-shirt and a gun, and sends her one her way. Looking back, it’s probably the most normal thing that happens after Charlie MacKilligan literally falls into his life.

Charlie MacKilligan and her sisters, Max and Stevie, are used to running from something. With a father who definitely fits into the “worst father ever” category, one of his get-rich-quick schemes is always causing trouble for the family. But they are honey badgers (at least half honey badger), and if nothing else, honey badgers are no holds barred survivors. Now, they’ll just have to figure out who is chasing after them, and how exactly their good-for-nothing father is involved.

Hot and Badgered was such a delight to read. The funnies just jumped off the pages left and right. I don’t think I went more than two pages without cracking a smile or outright laughing while I was reading. The MacKilligan family is certainly a colorful group of miscreants to say the least with Charlie, Max, and Stevie considered the black sheep of the family.

In fact, Charlie, Max, and Stevie heavily echo the characters of Kera, Erin, and Jace respectively from Laurenston’s Call of Crows series. There’s a frenetic energy around their interactions with one another. They easily get on each other’s nerves, yet it’s clearly the special love and bond between sisters because as we learn early and often in this book, you don’t want to mess with the sisters.

Family is a big part of Hot and Badgered as we see the MacKilligans forming their own unit when their extended family ostracizes them for the crimes of their father. Everything is fast-paced and frantic. On the other side we have Berg and his sister and brother who have a loving extended family and have a more laid-back approach to life. I really like how Shelly Laurenston evokes the true personalities and mannerisms of the animals (badgers, bears, etc.) into the shifters. When the bears offer Charlie and her sisters their protection, of sorts, the women start to see that they can fit somewhere, they don’t have to be loners.

Berg’s laid-back bear attitude, yet the dedicated protectiveness, makes his and Charlie’s romance really sweet. A slightly different feel than the normal alpha-male style romance we usually see in shifter centered stories.

Probably my favorite thing about the book was how underestimated the sister were by pretty much everyone. I delightfully relished, time and again, how they would turn this underestimation into downright fear as people started to realize that you don’t mess with the MacKilligans. If there was one thing that brought the story down for me, it’s the fact that there appear to be so many factions gunning for the sisters. So many people weave in, out, and around there were times it was difficult to remember who went where and with what.

By the end, however, most everything is clear. What is also clear is that Hot and Badgered is merely the setup for what’s to come next. I honestly can’t wait for the next book. This fun, fast, read was exactly what I needed right now. If you’re looking for a lighter and funnier read to chase away the last gloom of winter into early spring, look no further.

I've been a fan of Shelly Laurenston's work for years now. But when I found out that she decided to end her popular Pride Series I was crushed. After nine books of fun, over the top characters, hilarious laugh out loud moments - I felt bereft and if I'm honest I was in denial. So, when I found out she was releasing a new series, I was all over it. Color me surprised and absolutely in love, when I realized that her new book Hot and Badgered  was part of my beloved Pride world.

Reading this book made me HAPPY!!!! 

I have to admit that after a four year break, being reintroduced to my favorite cast had my head spinning, but only in a good way. This book was exactly what I needed. The author's signature wit, the story's diverse and unique cast and a plot that reminded me why I fell in love with her books in the first place - made this book a reading experience like no other.

Shelly Laurenston has the unique talent of writing shifters that embody everything a shifter should be. Her characters are close to their animals, and have distinct animal characteristics. I have never read shifters with such authentic animal behavior before. Not only do they feel like real shifters, they act that way too. On top of that, the author's heroines are tough, bad ass, kick ass and hilarious to boot. They go nose to nose with anyone that threatens their family and friends. Feisty, sassy and often times as fearless as any alpha male. And I love them all. 

There is really only one author that writes these kind of characters and that's Shelly Laurenston.

I'm not going into detail about the storyline. If you ever read one of the Pride books, you know what you can look forward to. This book is an accumulation of beloved characters, as well as an introduction to three women that hopefully will feature prominently in her next books. Hot and Badgered is also not for the fainthearted. The story starts with a BANG, and it pretty much continues that way. I felt like I was on an exhilarating roller coaster ride I didn't' want to end. 

Be prepared to be wowed, and swept away by an engrossing novel that will only make you want MORE.

Welcome back Shelly Laurenston - I missed you!!!!


Review will be posted on March 22nd 2018

Loved this book. I had other books to read, but as soon as I got this one everything else went by the sideline so I could read this & it does not disappoint. Funny and quirky, I was unable to put it down. Ms Laurenston is a must read for me.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in Shelly Laurenston's shifter series, especially another book of Honey Badger mayhem.

Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston is the 1st book in her new The Honey Badgers series. I was happy to see that Laurenston was starting a new series, as I know whatever I read by her I will have fun and laugh my way through a great story. Once again, Shelly Laurenston gives us a wild crazy hysterical story, with three fantastic heroines.

Charlie MacKilligan, our main hero in this book, is the oldest sister of the crazy MacKilligans, who are honey badgers. Charlie is the one who keeps the other two girls in line, and believe me when I say that is some job. Lol The three sisters are hybrids, not full honey badgers, and they have the same father, but different mothers. All the MacKilligans, including the three sisters, hate the father who lies and steals from everyone, which gives them one common bond, they want him dead and out of their lives. Charlie and her sisters, Max and Stevie are usually on the run, with villains trying to kidnap the child prodigy Stevie or using the girls to get the father. Right from the start, there is an epic battle that allows us to see how powerful and good all three are, and they complement each other. They manage to fight and kill their enemies, but run to a safe house to hide.
Berg Dunn, our hero, is a bear, and he meets a naked Charlie, when she comes out of a shower. Seems Berg was on assignment to protect a famous musician, and before he could learn who she is, Charlie is gone. He will come upon her again a bit later, and will offer to help them hide in his bear pack territory. Berg is a triplet, and I loved his sister Britta, who is leader of their pack. Berg knows he is falling hard for Charlie, but she isn’t interested in any long term relationship, as she feels it is too dangerous to be associated with the MacKilligan sisters; though she is very attracted to the cute Berg.

What follows is an exciting adventure to find out who is threatening the sisters, as well as stepping in to help some of their cousins. There are some villains, and the story is very good. But what makes this so good is Shelly Laurenston’s amazing ability to have us loving her characters; laughing all the way though the wild craziness that happens constantly, and create a good storyline.

I loved loved all three of the MacKilligan sisters, who were all hilarious. Charlie was the strongest and most respected by her Mackilligan relatives, as she has an uncanny ability to take control of any situation, as well as calm things down. Max was a fearless amazing and yes crazy middle sister. Everyone fears her, since she is lethal, as she smiles while she happily kills those who are threats to her sisters. Lastly, Stevie is the younger sister, who is a genius and a prodigy, whom those nasty villains want. Stevie with all her smarts, has anxiety and always flips out, leaving us in hysterics at her antics. LOL I never had so much fun spending time with all three of these girls.

Laurenston never lets up, as we just gobble up all the fun, with our own smiles throughout. The romance between Berg and Charlie was slow built, and very nicely done. I love how Charlie’s sisters try to push her toward Berg, knowing she too is falling for him. I loved the relationship between the girls and Berg, Britta and Dam. Trust me…this was so much fun.

Hot and Badgered was a fun, hilarious story, with great characters, sweet romance, action, suspense and so much laughter. I cannot wait for the next book. If you have not read Shelly Laurenston, you are missing an author that always gives us fantastic stories. When it comes to fun, crazy, hysterical and enjoyable stories, no one does it better then Shelly Laurenston.

Fabulous!! I loved it Berg and Charlie are amazing along with the banter and wonderfully written storyline I was hooked. Readers of the Magnus Pack & the Pride series will love this book.

This is book 1 in the offshoot series from The Pride, The Honey Badgers. You don't have to read the other series before you read this one although you do see some of the characters from that series here. And those books are great as well. This one is about Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan and Berg Dunn. Charlie is half wolf and half honey badger shifter while Berg is a grizzly bear shifter. Charlie and Berg meet when she lands naked on his hotel balcony with armed men chasing after her. After helping her escape neither expect to see each other again. Until they meet again while she is looking for someplace safe to lay low and figure out what her father did to cause people to chase her and her sisters this time.

I knew after reading the first chapter a few months ago that this one started off good. I just didn't realize how much I would love it. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down! There were so many moments where I was reading and just laughing at things that these characters said or did! And the side characters were the same! Both Charlie and Berg are written perfectly and I loved them together! I really hope that all the siblings get their own stories! I also loved seeing snippets into the lives of previous book characters and where their lives have taken them now. Especially Dee-Ann and Ric!! You will laugh pretty hard when you are reading that part! I loved this book! Can't wait for the next one!

A return to the crazy shapeshifting world of Shelly Laurenston is always a welcome visit. In this quirky, funny, wild paranormal romance, the honey badgers are back! Laurenston is known for her humor, and it's there in abundance in HOT AND BADGERED. There's a glimpse of characters from older books, and it might be a little overwhelming for new readers to catch up, but the humor and action will keep the pages turning.

Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is a hybrid, part honey badger, part wolf. She and her two half sisters, all related through their worthless father, are working hard not to get killed. Her younger sister is an anxiety-ridden genius who has dangerous meltdowns. Her middle sister is verging on sociopathic, and a hilarious addition to this kooky cast.

Charlie is the most normal and the most responsible, and the only one who can handle her father. When she and her sisters learn he's dead, she's ready to celebrate. But maybe that's not the actual truth, because the people after them seem to want something her father promised...

Berg, a sweet grizzly, and Berg's family and friends take it upon themselves to help Charlie and her kin, with hilarious results. Factions of shifters come together to deal with a new threat, and Charlie comes to some of her own realizations about what she wants...and how to handle a grizzly who clearly wants to handle her.

A funny, charming romp of a romance as only Laurenston can deliver. The relationship between Charlie and Berg builds, but it's the honey badgers who steal the show in this stellar romance from Shelly Laurenston. Pick up HOT AND BADGERED. It's a must-read.

4.5 Hearts
SJ, Romance Junkies