Shelly Laurenston

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of Hot and Badgered from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. As always, the following review consists solely of my opinions and mine alone. I then reread the entire series so it was all nice and fresh before I dived into the ARC.
In Hot and Badgered, we meet a whole new set of shifters and see the return of some of our favourites as well. I was almost fooled by the prologue and was worried I wouldn't have any Blayne, Dee-Ann, or show more Livvy cameos in Hot and Badgered, but I shouldn't have doubted Shelly Laurenston to deliver. I'll never doubt you again, Ms Laurenston.
Hot and Badgered focuses on an ostracised branch of Livvy's family, the MacKilligan sisters. The oldest of three sisters, Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is an anomaly. She and her youngest sister, Stevie, are only half honey badger which isn't a thing since HB genetics totally dominate in every other pairing with honey badgers involved. Together with their middle sister, Max, the MacKilligan sisters are on the run from the the first paragraph. Their guesses as to who's behind the hit squad after them varies from a Peruvian drug lord to government types, but one thing they know for sure is that it's definitely their no-good useless father's fault.
Charlie jumps off her hotel room's balcony and lands on Cooper Jean-Louise Parker's balcony (yes, the JLPs are baaaaack!) and Berg Dunn is Coop's bodyguard on duty. Berg and Charlie take on the black-ops types that crashed the party and while Berg has no idea who she is, he starts falling for Charlie then and there, even as she takes off again. She meets up with Max, and the two go to Switzerland to break their genius sister, Stevie, out of yet another 'mental health spa' and then they head to Manhattan and a Yang Family safe house (aka Livvy's house that is most decidedly not a Yang Family safe house).
Eventually Berg takes Charlie and her sisters to a place he knows will be perfect for the sisters to hideout until they figure things out. It doesn't hurt that it's a house in the same neighbourhood as the house Berg shares with the other members of his triplet set, Britta and Dag. The safest place he could think of was in a bear-only neighbourhood and as long as Max doesn't raid their hives and Charlie keeps stressbaking, everybear is more than happy to welcome the sisters to the neighbourhood.
It isn't until we're introduced to Dee-Ann's daughter that I realised that Hot and Badgered takes place at least 7 years after Livvy's story, Bite Me, which I wasn't too happy about. If you've read the entire series of Laurenston's from Eggie Ray's short story to Sara Morrighan's introduction to her true self to Mace Llewellyn's reuniting with his Bronx love to the mighty bearcat that is Novikov (who is not a serial killer), you've seen the craziness that I love and adore in Laurenston's books. And I was so upset that I missed the pregnancy crazies that I just know Dee-Ann and Blayne experienced through their pregnancies. I will literally get down on my hands and knees and beg Ms Laurenston for a book that has flashbacks (which I steadfastly despise) just so I can read how wild Blayne got or how terrifying Dee-Ann was during their pregnancy days.
Moving on before I start that wailing again (I get emotionally invested in my favourite books!).
Due to a few miscommunications (I totally blame Max's best friend), Dee-Ann and Cella (yes, the cat killer is back!) end up chasing Charlie and her sisters around Manhattan, including at the Sports Center where so many things I love happen and I can't tell you about them because it would spoil the story.
We get to see Sissy Mae and Mitch crash a house party, the sisters gain a Jean-Louise Parker prodigy roommate, Ric gets back in the kitchen (while Dee-Ann is teaching their daughter what her daddy taught her), Stevie faces her fear of bears in Shen Li, and Charlie gets a job to do what she does best that pays over $80K for a few days work. And we get a new shifter breed introduced! What else can I say to convince you that you need to read Hot and Badgered? There's moderate bloodshed, funny moments abound, and favourite characters return in cameos!
There are only a few things I disliked about Hot and Badgered. Mostly the fact that we skipped witnessing pregnant Dee-Ann and pregnant Blayne being in the same room. Because if you know Dee-Ann and Blayne, you know things happened. I'm not a fan of horrible fathers like Charlie, Max, and Stevie are cursed with but that's pretty much my daddy issues popping out of the closet to say howdy-do. But the likes by far outweigh the dislikes for me.
I love that the MacKilligan sisters are half-sisters (Charlie is half-wolf, Stevie is half-tiger, and Max is full honey badger) and they're all raised by one of the moms until they end up having to go live with Charlie's grandfather. Max is outright unstable but then you have Stevie who is heavily medicated for her anxiety issues and when she goes off-meds, she's just as unstable. When Stevie isn't hiding in trees from man-eating bears (don't judge), she's got her sisters' backs too. And then, there's Charlie, who's the one who always has her head on straight and always has several plans to keep her sisters safe. I love how Stevie and Max advise Berg on how to win over Charlie, "stray dog it!" is now a thing that shall live in infamy. Novikov trying to recruit the sisters repeatedly in the strangest moments.
If this book were human, I'd marry it. Therefore, I give Hot and Badgered 5 out of 5 stars (le gasp!) and a nice mellow 2 flames of sexytimes. Ms Laurenston focused on the storyline and didn't overindulge in the love scenes so I didn't feel like an unwilling voyeur reading through things. I wholeheartedly suggest y'all check it out. show less

This review first appeared on A Weebish Book Blog.

HERE KITTY, KITTY! is the Magnus Pack series finale and, boy, was it a wild ride! It features Sara’s sassy Latina friend and the sweet talkin’ hillbilly tiger she fell in love with. While I was a mite let down by GO FETCH!, Angelina’s story more than makes up for the previous books frustrating heroine.

Kidnapped by Nik Vorislav’s idiot brothers after a hyena showdown in her shifter run Tennessee town. Angelina decides its safer for show more everyone if she takes one for the team and stays with the handsome hillbilly tigers when she learns sending the calvary equals taking protection away from Miki. (See, Miki, this is how you be an awesome kick-ass heroine and NOT a selfish asshat heroine who thinks she’s badass.) It has nothing to do with her surprising attraction the panty-melting, sweet talking, Siberian hillbilly. Definitely not.

Nik Vorislav has completely sworn off human women. They’re way too clingy for the happily unmated tiger… until he meets the one human who wants nothing from him. Nik was my favorite type of alpha male. Undeniably sexy, somewhat goofy, and determined to keep his woman. Even if he—god forbid—turns into his father. Oh did I mention he also has the most hilarious daddy issues? Seriously. This is one instant where daddy issues actually add to the charm.

But my all-time favorite characters? Nik’s brothers!

Bannik and Aleksei glanced at each other. Apart, they were two of the brightest men he knew. But together… Lord, they could be stupid.

He is so not exaggerating! Thankfully, what the Vorislav brother lack in brains, they make up in brawn and cuteness. That counts for something, right?

HERE KITTY, KITTY was a wonderful end to the Magnus Pack series and yet I still need more. I want more Magnus Pack HEAs and most importantly, the Vorislav brothers need their own happily-ever-afters! I know it’s a long shot that Laurenston would ever return to the series, but a girl can dream. show less

This review first appeared on A Weebish Book Blog.

THE MANE EVENT is the first novel in the Pride series, a beloved series I often go back to when I want something familiar or sure to put me in a good mood. Laurenston’s books are funny and sexy, and they’re a favorite re-read. THE MANE EVENT features the first two stories in the series, and introduces us to some entertaining furry friends the series will star in upcoming books.

CHRISTMAS PRIDE
It took me a few months to strum up the courage show more to buy this book. I’d heard wonderful things but had never read anything by Laurenston before. I soon discovered Laurenston is laugh out loud funny, and her books get sexier in every book. She excels at keeping a reader entertained, throughout all her books, no matter the size of the series. I absolutely loved Christmas Pride. She dug her claws in and kept me intrigued until the end.

“Cats attach themselves to one person.” He raised his head to glare at Smitty. “We just don’t let them know.”

Mace and Dez were best buds in high school high school and were secretly crushing on one another until Dez and her family moved out-of-town. Twenty years later, when Mace leaves the Navy and returns home, he realizes Dez is back in New York and a police detective for the NYPD. His love for her has continued to grow over the years, and his plan to hunt her down and make her fall for him has just got easier… Or has it? Anytime he tries to spell out his feelings for her, she flees. To say she has commitment issues would be putting it mildly. Unfortunately for Dez, Mace is a “tricky cat” and no isn’t a word in his vocabulary.

Another wonderful aspect about THE MANE EVENT is the characters. They are all well-rounded and I couldn’t help but wish they all got their own story! You either hate these characters or love them. You may even want to bash a chair over their head and boss them around—but there’s never a blah moment to be had. One thing that truly kills a book for me is not feeling a connection to for the characters. What’s the point of reading a book about characters you care nothing for? I don’t have this problem with Mace, Dez, or any of the characters. In fact, I may have a not so mild obsession with most of them.

“I don’t like to be fucked with, Llewellyn.”

“Then you shouldn’t bend over and hand me the lube.”

Mace is so cute in his adoration for Dez. Okay, he’s cute regardless. At times I can see he’s literally a cat marking his ownership and he’s jealous of any attention she shows to others, even her pets, which I found truly hilarious. He’s also a gentleman, and incredibly ungentlemanly in bed. In a good way. Snort.

Dez is the type of woman I crush over. She’s extremely direct, kinda dangerous, and downright sexy. Plus, she shares a love of chocolate that I really relate to! I dig this women so hard and I like that she’s just as mischievous as Mace. They’re such a fun couple.

All-in-all, this story gave me a love for Shelly Laurenston, and started my attraction to humorous paranormal romance books.

SHAW’S TAIL
If I had any doubt that Christmas Pride was Laurenston’s one hit wonder, Shaw’s Tail proved them wrong. I fell more in love with the characters, especially Brendon who I was curious about in the first story. The writing is as brilliant as ever and I enjoyed reading Ronnie’s story and how she interacts with her big, overprotective brothers—one of my favorite familial themes in romance.

Shaw’s Tail is the story of how Ronnie Lee Reed, Sissy’s best friend and trouble making cohort, nurses Brendon Shaw back to health after he survives a deadly beating by a pack of sketchy lions. Brendon has two children with the Llewellyn Pride, and they’re two adorable but rambunctious children. Ronnie was ordered to stay with him until he got released, but she didn’t bet on him coming down with the shifter fever, and wrecking havoc on New York City… and her panties.

Ronnie Lee Reed is a fun she-wolf who’s decided it’s time to settle down and stop getting into trouble, a difficult task to accomplish while babysitting feverish lions who can’t keep it in their pants (and when your best friend is Sissy Smith). Plus he’s crazy sexy. What’s a she-wolf to do, but to keep him around until she gets bored?

Ronnie’s head tilted to the side. Is he…? Yup. He was doing the mambo. Paws crossing over paws. Head bopping to the beat. Thick, regal mane waving in the cold December air. He actually wasn’t too bad. For a big cat doing the mambo.

While I loved Ronnie and her outrageous—and sometimes illegal—sense of fun, I crushed harder on Brendon. He’s just too cute not to love. Laurenston has a talent for creating some cute and furry heroes. He’s über sensual yet adorably silly. He was the cause of a lot of giggle-snorting on my end. LOL.

THE MANE EVENT was freaking awesome. I strongly urge all shapeshifter/paranormal romance junkies to pick this book up. It’s totally worth the laughs, cuteness, and furry fun! show less

Like the last few books, How to Drive a Dragon Crazy has a time skip, the action picking up ten years after the events of the last book. Izzy the Dangerous has spent most of that time fighting in various wars and has achieved the rank of General, while Eibhear has been sent off to join the Berserker dragon division of the Queen's armies - the Mi-runach. Both have grown taller, fiercer and more vicious than before and sparks fly when they come back into contact with one another.

I'm a little show more conflicted about this one. There was lots of fast paced, action packed plot, amusing lines and scenes and plenty of romance. But. It was Izzy and Eibhear. When I first read the second book, About a Dragon, I couldn't wait for this book. Izzy and Eibhear were adorable and I was totally shipping it. But book four, Last Dragon Standing, had Izzy sleeping with Celyn and their plot was just all downhill from there. Izzy deserves better. Much better. And I never really felt like Eibhear actually redeemed himself from how he acted in the last few books since. Which disappoints me not just for the sake of Izzy who is one of my favourite characters, but also for Eibhear who was one of my favourites. So I didn't love this book. It's still a good book. It's well written and kept me flipping through the pages - but I always felt like it just never reached that next level it would have if I rated the relationship between them.

I did like the further insight into Rhi and the twins. I really hope the next book has more of their journey because they are bloody hilarious. 4 stars, because I just can't give 5. Izzy deserved better. show less