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"Hot and humorous." --USAToday.com

Petite, kind, brilliant, and young, Stevie is nothing like the usual women bodyguard Shen Li is interested in. Even more surprising, the youngest of the lethal, ball-busting, and beautiful MacKilligan sisters is terrified of bears. But she's not terrified of pandas. She loves pandas.

Which means that whether Shen wants her to or not, she simply won't stop cuddling him. He isn't some stuffed Giant Panda, ya know! He is a Giant Panda shifter. He deserves respect and personal space. Something that little hybrid is completely ignoring.

But Stevie has a way of finding trouble. Like going undercover to take down a scientist experimenting on other shifters. For what, Shen doesn't want to know, but they'd better find out. And fast. Stevie might be the least violent of the honey badger sisters, but she's the most dangerous to Shen's peace of mind. Because she has absolutely no idea how much trouble they're in . . . or just how damn adorable she is.

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 26, 2019

1045 people are currently reading
5427 people want to read

About the author

Shelly Laurenston

45 books7,889 followers
Originally from Long Island, New York, Shelly Laurenston has resigned herself to West Coast living which involves healthy food, mostly sunny days, and lots of guys not wearing shirts when they really should be. Shelly Laurenston is also The New York Times Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, creator of the Dragon Kin series. For more info on G.A. Aiken's dangerously and arrogantly sexy dragons, check out her website at www.gaaiken.com.

Pseudonym G.A. Aiken

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,125 reviews
Profile Image for Corina.
861 reviews2,536 followers
January 24, 2023
This book belongs to one of the most craziest and funniest shifter series ever.  A roller coaster ride of epic and hilarious proportions. Unfortunately I would not recommend reading In a Badger Way as a standalone. In fact this series includes so many cast members from the (Pride Series) that prior knowledge of this series is needed for an enjoyable experience. So please, just jump onto the Shelly Laurenston bandwagon and enjoy the ride from the beginning.

As always, it took me a little to get into a new Shelly Laurenston book. The rather large amount of cast members always overwhelms me a bit until I'm comfortably settled into the Pride world and remembering all my favorite couples, and their quintessential quirkinesses.  Also, just to put it out there - the author writes the most diverse cast you could imagine. Furthermore, I would love for an artist to put them all on paper. I'm a huge fan of bookish fanart and seeing these characters brought to paper would be amazing.

Of course as soon as I got over the first 20% hump I was hooked, and didn't want to put the book down again.

For one thing the author has a very engaging way of pulling the reader into her shifter world. Everything from OTT characters, outrages situations, hilarious and laugh out loud moments - it all made this book an excellent and entertaining read.

Moreover nothing in this book can be described as predictable.

The women in these Honey Badger Chronicles are fearless, bold and spunky.  The situations they get into are especially entertaining. In fact they are beyond anything you could imagine - because nothing has ever been written quite like this series. It's quite the adventure and pretty addicting.

So, if you are in the market for something outrageously funny, different and unique - you better grab the first book, The Mane Event and prepare to be dazzled. I've had the pleasure of enjoying this author's work for years now, and although it seems her books become more bold and daring with each release - I can't imagine a life without her stories.



___________________________________

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Profile Image for Miranda Reads.
1,589 reviews166k followers
March 10, 2021
description
In this world there are humans and shifters - and the humans don't know the shifters exist.

And among the shifters there's the usual - wolves, bears and the like. And then there's the unusual ones - like hybrids honey badger-tigers.

Stevie and her siblings are all hybrids of different types (they share a father but their mothers are all different). And that has caused a lot of backlash from the purist shifter world.

Despite their differences, the siblings MUST find a way to stick together and stay alive.

Especially when Stevie discovers a plot that just might end it all.

This was a really entertaining second book in the Honey Badger Chronicles.

I loved revisiting this world and all its wild and crazy energy.

The siblings are just as high-energy and ready-to-fight as before - which ensures that there never is a dull moment in this series.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Shen and Stevie - they compliment each other fairly well.

One of the things that did throw me out of the story slightly was that Stevie was too good at things - and it stifled the growth of her character.

Overall, it was fun read.

This was sent from Kensington Books

YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Profile Image for Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession.
1,223 reviews3,672 followers
October 24, 2019
In a Badger way was better than the first book. I laughed so hard at this book that a few times I had tears running down my face. I loved the hero Shen. He was sexy, and laid back and of course a cute panda. Stevie the heroine was my favorite of the sisters. She is just so odd and funny. The plot was better this time. The book flowed better than the first one. I had a lot of fun reading this book. I can't wait for Max's book.
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,646 followers
May 4, 2019
The first book was funnier, but this was still awesome. Just what I needed after reading 25 crappy books in a row.

So, the story is about three sisters who are batshit crazy and that is their best quality. This book focuses on the youngest, Stevie, who is a neurotic genius that can shift into a godzilla-like killing-machine, but is afraid of everything. Her older sisters protect her in a way that leaves a lot of dead bodies behind. Sometimes she has to be the voice of "reason":

Sister: "We always fight back and we lay waste. But we don't kill family for no reason."

"No, no," Stevie was quick to cut in. "We don't kill anyone for no reason."

Her sisters stared at her for what Stevie considered way too long .....

Sister: "Right, right. We don't kill anyone for no reason. Exactly right."

Stevie swung her finger between her sisters. "It bothers me I had to clarify that for you two. Just so you understand the look of disappointment on my face."


Did I mention that they are on the way to a family gathering?



The sisters live in a neighborhood of bear shifters and Stevie is deathly afraid of bears. Except one bear: Shen. Shen is a panda shifter and Stevie follows him around telling him how cute he is. I really can't blame her. That's not crazy at all, it's just science. Pandas are the cutest things to exist on the planet. If you hate a panda, you are truly evil and need to be eradicated from this planet.


No, more like Panda-haters gonna die.

For whatever reason that most guys feel this way, Shen is not thrilled that Stevie pinches his cheeks and follows him around calling him "cute." Pshhh, fragile masculinity alert!
Shen is actually extremely chill and... yes, cute.... but he's a badass, dammit!


Aww, look at that cute little guy with his panda-gun! Isn't that adorable? Who's a good boy? You are!

There is a really complicated storyline going on in the background, so you need to read the first book. Also, there are a lot of outlying characters that I feel like must have had their own books in other shifter-series by this author, but I was able to keep up in spite of not having read them.

This book had everything I needed: violence, humor, explicit sex, and pandas. Add in a cocktail and chocolate and you've reached Nirvana.
Profile Image for Aisling Zena.
634 reviews516 followers
April 3, 2019
3.25 stars

Meh, maybe it was a good thing I got rejected for this. I didn't feel any chemistry or attraction between Stevie and Shen. For a Shelly Laurenston book this was downright slow. Too many guest appearances from her Pride series and too many POVs. I love her writing and her chaotic characters but this one just didn't do it for me. And I'm incredibly bummed out it didn't...

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17/2/19

Got rejected by Netgalley for this, though I don't know why since I was approved and reviewed some of her other books...

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Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
2,961 reviews780 followers
March 1, 2020
I've been patiently waiting for this book ever since I read the first in the series. Charlie, Max and Stevie are some of the craziest and badass heroines I've read. I get such a kick out of women who grown men fear.

I would suggest reading Hot and Badgered first. There are many side characters in this series with the main focus on the three sisters. This one features more of Stevie but where Stevie goes, so does Charlie and Max.

This was very entertaining with some pretty outrageous scenarios. I can't tell you how much I laughed out loud reading this.

There is also a lot of violence. I feel that's to be expected with as many shifter breeds that are featured, but this is a step above. These women will do anything to keep each other safe and they are more than capable.

The romance aspect is on the slower side but it just as entertaining. Stevie has decided that she and Shen are dating and he doesn't really have a say in it. They are a perfect match. Stevie is neurotic and Shen is as calm as can be.

I loved the glimpse we got of Charlie, Max and Stevie as they were young girls. It explains so much as to why they have grown up to be the way they are. I'm really looking forward to Max's story next.
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,265 reviews476 followers
June 18, 2021
In a Badger Way by Shelly Laurenston
Honey Badger Chronicles, Book 2. Paranormal shifter romance although the romance itself is only in the last quarter of the book. The antics are mostly sister and family related. Best read as part of the series but can be read as a stand-alone. Large cast of characters.
Undercover science experiments, mafia style family connections, shifter forages and burrowing.

Crazy, funny and entertaining. This story doesn’t have a slow speed throughout. Stevie loving pandas is hilarious and her affection for Shen is adorable. His thinking that he is a Giant Panda and should be a bit more scary is charming. The entire family hoping for the death of the sisters thieving father is laughable because none of them would take the steps necessary. All the various family quirks make this story a rollicking good time.

My only disappointment was Shen and his total lack of understanding of the blooming romance. On the plus side, his consistently seeking, chewing, crunching and consuming bamboo was comical.

I enjoyed the audiobook version which amped the humor and made the story come alive.
Profile Image for Erth.
4,457 reviews
July 13, 2019
I had a really hard time getting into and staying in this book. Once again Ms. Laurenston has fallen into the hole of too many points of view. She is usually good with the shifter series', but her other series definitely falls prey to that problem.

Other than the geniuses, everyone seems remarkably dumb and completely uninformed about anything outside their day to day lives. Ms. Laurenston usually makes this fun, but it fell flat for me because there was nothing to counterbalance it.

The body count is surprisingly high for this kind of book. At one point Max talks about killing people and mentions that sometimes when she kills (on purpose) people die who don't necessarily deserve it. This is too coldblooded for me coming from a character I'm supposed to enjoy.

I found the plot confusing and kind of random. It seemed shoehorned into the story to break up endless scenes in which the sisters beat the stuff out of each other.
Profile Image for Marta Cox.
2,842 reviews211 followers
February 25, 2019
Four and a half
Having read the snippet that was previously made available I'm very happy to have finally received the full length version of this book. I have to start this review by saying the joy of reading about these slightly mad honey bangers cannot be overstated. I absolutely loved the first book when Charlie the eldest sister ended up living in a neighbourhood full of bears . Now the author is allowing Max and Stevie to come forward and she's starting with little, quirky, high functioning Stevie and Shen the adorable panda is about to have his hands full !
Stevie has issues and no mistake but the ever calm Shen whilst being more than a little perplexed by her antics just keeps falling down the rabbit hole that these three crazy sisters live in .
This set the tone for all the mayhem to follow and if you want laugh out loud moments coupled with shocks galore then this book definitely delivers. However I will state that if it's a really strong romance led plot that you enjoy then you might be a tad disappointed because whilst this couple do become heavily invested in each other the majority of this story is really about the absolutely bonkers world that these shifters live in . It's fast, crazy and addictive with something peculiar always around the corner and I'm left waiting for Max because surely her story will be a humdinger. So if slithering snacks, death or anal glands terrify you then you have been warned !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Profile Image for Tucker Almengor.
1,035 reviews1,667 followers
May 24, 2020

Many thanks to Kensington Books for a free copy in exchange for an honest review
"Gaining control of something is not the same as eliminating it forever.

The chaos continues and it was so. much. fun.

So, what's this book about?
Petite, kind, brilliant, and young, Stevie is nothing like the usual women bodyguard Shen Li is interested in. Even more surprising, the youngest of the lethal, ball-busting, and beautiful MacKilligan sisters is terrified of bears. But she’s not terrified of pandas. She loves pandas.

Which means that whether Shen wants her to or not, she simply won’t stop cuddling him. He isn’t some stuffed Giant Panda, ya know! He is a Giant Panda shifter. He deserves respect and personal space. Something that little hybrid is completely ignoring.

But Stevie has a way of finding trouble. Like going undercover to take down a scientist experimenting on other shifters. For what, Shen doesn’t want to know, but they’d better find out. And fast. Stevie might be the least violent of the honey badger sisters, but she’s the most dangerous to Shen’s peace of mind. Because she has absolutely no idea how much trouble they’re in . . . or just how damn adorable she is.

At this point, I can say with certainty that, in my opinion, this book and this series is not a romance series. Sure, there are romantic relationships and there is one sex scene but this book is mostly family drama and honestly, if I were the publisher, I may have marketed it as so... Kind of like a shifter version of Crazy Rich Asians.

I loved the continuation of the MacKilligan sister's story. I always love the ridiculous situations they get themselves into.

I will admit that this book, although enjoyable, felt a bit like the last book but with Stevie and Shen rather than Charlie and Berg. Kind of formulaic.

Overall, this book was not as fun as the first book but I still really enjoyed it!

-----------

Review to come

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Profile Image for Kiki.
1,217 reviews672 followers
March 27, 2019
I didn’t like Stevie in the first book and there wasn’t a reason to like her in this book either.

For a smart woman she was insanely dense. I also feel Max and her just took advantage of Charlie and her strength and support and went behind her back when it didn’t suit them.

Stevie’s protecting her dad and all the worthless POS got really old really quick.

On top of that I felt there was ZERO chemistry between Shen and Stevie. He was trying to set a date with a human and almost flirted with another woman after we were told he reacts sexually to Stevie’s touches. There was no wooing or no courting or no bonding, unlike Berg and Charlie. Basically Stevie decides they’re in a relationship, after a while throws her naked self to him, that’s finally how they end up having sex. No mate vibes, no protective instinct, no possessiveness from hero. Nothing.

If max, who’s annoying as shit begin with, ends up with her whore of a friend Dutch, i might have to throw in my towel with this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ivy Deluca.
2,368 reviews328 followers
March 26, 2019
description

I loved this screwball crew of shifters and I’d love to be a MacKilligan sister. But I digress.

In a Badger Way, this latest addition to the spinoff, The Honey Badger Chronicles, features middle MacKilligan sister Stevie and Shen, a Panda shifter that works as a bodyguard, and before he realizes it, he’s swept off his feet by this unusual hybrid and the chaos left in her wake. And yes, romance happens.

In a world of hybrids, Stevie is part tiger, part badger and alot of mental issues. I like that Ms. Laurenston made Stevie self-aware as well as actively working on those issues throughout the book. It’s part and parcel of her, but it’s not the entire sum of her parts. Shen plays the slightly befuddled beta type hero well and I liked their chemistry. Their Firsts are done well and the edge of screwball comedy that colors this entire story is right up my alley.

If I had to quibble, this isn’t a story that would be easy to just jump into if you haven’t read the first book. If you’re not a person who enjoys a story with a full plate of diverse characters that you may or may not recognize and following multiple storyline threads, this may not be your cuppa. Also, while the romance is present, it is not romance-centric. There’s simply way too much going on around Stevie and Shen.

The relationships between the sisters is truly the heart of these books, and I’m fascinated by the ‘verse that Ms. Laurenston has built, beginning with her Pride and Pack Challenge series. This motley group of shifters keeps growing and expanding with each book in a way I never quite expect, which I think is fantastic. I don’t hesitate to recommend it, and as long as she keeps writing it, I’ll keep reading it.


**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**


For more reviews, visit


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Profile Image for Beth.
3,174 reviews292 followers
March 14, 2019
Laurenston didn't disappoint in this amazingly imaginative and outlandishly funny edition to the Honey Badger series. Oh, how her mind works! A twisty tale of shifters, with such amazing and distinct personalities, colliding on the pages to make a fantasy filled plot that will have you laughing out loud, routing for the underdog or maybe even a wild dog and falling away into the world of make believe.

But in the end, you had me at Honey Badger!

I received only an excerpt of IN A BADGER WAY back in Jan. 2019 and of course, as with all Shelly Laurenston books, I . WANT . MORE . Laurenston has the ability to write Laugh Out Loud humor combined with serious, strange and the completely outrageous...and I loved it all...

I received a full copy of IN A BADGER WAY from Kensington Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. IN A BADGER WAY is set for publication March 26, 2019.

My Excerpt Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Shelly Laurenson
Series: The Honey Badger Chronicles
Sequence in Series: Book 2
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN-10: 1496714377
ISBN-13: 978-1496714374
Genre: Humor | Fantasy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Way-Hon...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-a...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/in-a...
Profile Image for Carol.
1,375 reviews261 followers
May 8, 2019
4.5 stars.
See below word definition as this pretty much sums up my entire feelings about this book!!!!!
🎈 WACKY🎈
(adjective) informal
funny or amusing in a slightly odd or peculiar way.
synonyms:
zany · madcap · offbeat · quirky · outlandish · eccentric · idiosyncratic · surreal · ridiculous · nonsensical · crazy · absurd · insane · far out · fantastic · bizarre · peculiar · weird · odd · strange · cranky · freakish · funny · amusing · comic · clownish · loopy · loony · mad · dotty · nutty · nuts · freaky · batty · potty · goofy · bonkers · crackpot · screwy · screwball · oddball · way-out · off-center · off the wall · dippy · cuckoo · kinky · barmy · daft · kooky · wacko · bizarre

💖I AM TOTALLY LOVING THIS SERIES.👍💘

It is the "Monty Python" of Paranormal Romances.
monty python please GIF

Oh, did I not mention that it is totally absurd and "f*ckin" hilarious to boot!!!!!!!!

Can't wait for Max's story.
Profile Image for Under the Covers Book Blog.
2,840 reviews1,343 followers
March 26, 2019



I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Shelly Laurenston returns with a new installment in the Honey Badgers Chronicles. Whenever one of these books come out, I’m always very eager to read them because I know that they will be a breath of fresh air from the normal books that I read. Although still technically a Paranormal Romance, it’s clear that Laurenston has her own distinct way of doing things.

What was interesting about this book was that she used a lot of different POVs to tell her story and while you may think this is a typical and perhaps normal thing for authors to do, what’s unique about this book is that she tells the story through the eyes of a lot of secondary characters or perhaps characters that you wouldn’t normally expect to hear from.

This was something kind of unique to me because it offers the book something entirely different than what’s out there and also showcases the ruthless aspect of these honey badgers. If you think they are over the top now, wait ‘til you see them through the eyes of a “normal” person. Shelly really made her character look like freaks.

There’s a ton of action and mature content in this book, which makes me wonder if Laurenston reads many other books in her genre because I honestly couldn’t see any similarities. She really makes this book wholly her own and it’s more special because of it.

*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Ann❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
Profile Image for Annie .
2,503 reviews941 followers
March 28, 2019


Shelly Laurenston returns with a new installment in the Honey Badgers Chronicles. Whenever one of these books come out, I’m always very eager to read them because I know that they will be a breath of fresh air from the normal books that I read. Although still technically a Paranormal Romance, it’s clear that Laurenston has her own distinct way of doing things.

What was interesting about this book was that she used a lot of different POVs to tell her story and while you may think this is a typical and perhaps normal thing for authors to do, what’s unique about this book is that she tells the story through the eyes of a lot of secondary characters or perhaps characters that you wouldn’t normally expect to hear from.

This was something kind of unique to me because it offers the book something entirely different than what’s out there and also showcases the ruthless aspect of these honey badgers. If you think they are over the top now, wait ‘til you see them through the eyes of a “normal” person. Shelly really made her character look like freaks.

There’s a ton of action and mature content in this book, which makes me wonder if Laurenston reads many other books in her genre because I honestly couldn’t see any similarities. She really makes this book wholly her own and it’s more special because of it.


Read my review at Fresh Fiction
Profile Image for Christa.
901 reviews81 followers
August 14, 2019
8/14/19 on sale for 2.99

Stevie’s book was everything I hoped it would be. It’s full of the same humor of book one, it’s got a lot of tough love between sisters, and I feel like it needs to be said again, it’s just so funny. Shen, the laid back panda, is a great match for the anxious Stevie. In the last book, Stevie tells Berg to “stray dog” his relationship with Charlie. Stevie, being part tiger, stray cats her relationship with Shen. He takes her out to lunch as a friend, she decides they are dating, and that’s that. I loved seeing Shen’s protests of “we aren’t dating” and everyone else just raising an eyebrow and going “sure you aren’t.”


If you’re looking for paranormal romance, this book might not be what you are looking for. It’s heavy on action and humor. But the romance is almost a side plot. If you want a funny urban fantasy, this is the one for you.
Profile Image for Kate.
2,258 reviews355 followers
March 23, 2019
4 Physics Stars

I got a snippet/sneak peek and just needed more so it only got 3 stars. But getting the whole Stevie & Shen experience was a whole lot of fun.

Stevie Mackilligan is slightly unhinged, scared of bears has bouts of depression but she is a prodigy of science and of music. And with her sisters she is unstoppable. But hybrids are going missing and being experimented on and it is time for her to step up.

Shen got into the madness of the MacKilligan sisters while protecting another prodigy. He is the most laid back person ever but then again he is a panda, so cute but once you get them wild you better watch out.

I love that the author goes out of the realm of possibilities when it comes to shifters very few branch out when it comes to involving more than cats and wolves. And here it is no different. A panda, I mean how frigging cute is that and a tiger badger.

This is one crazy ass book with a lot of banter and all in all bloody hilarious. I got to say though that sometimes it was just a tad too much with the mayhem going on just gotta roll with it though.
If you want a pick me up book then this is for you, you got to read a book one though to get the full experience.
Max the crazy knife wheeling Asian MacKilligan sister is next.




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Profile Image for Firstpella.
785 reviews
March 24, 2020
Since laughter is the best medicine, Laurenston needs to write a pill a day - laughed so damn hard and continuously through the telling of the latest story in Crazy Shifter Land, I’m innoculated against at least the common cold for the next 12 months I have to wait for the follow up story.

Buried in here is a lovestory if the reader needs one, Stevie & Shen, but these tales are not romances. They’re stories about family, siblings, parents, cousins, and most preciously those we choose to create families with, friends. Standouts - Irene, Blayne, and my boy, Kyle.

Laurenston is joy.
Profile Image for Angela (Angel's Book Nook).
1,659 reviews966 followers
April 25, 2019
In a Badger Way is book two in the Honey Badger Chronicles series by Shelly Laurenston.

This story was fun! We spend a lot of time with other characters; like the Jean-Louis Parker family. We also see a lot of previous characters interwoven into the story. It was fun to get all these characters that I’ve liked from the Pride series and the first book of this series. If you aren’t familiar with the cast, then it can be a bit much and overwhelming.

I have really enjoyed the banter/arguing that goes on with the couples, families, and friends. It’s normal for the Pride series and the Honey Badger Chronicles, but this time around it was a bit to much…. It needed to be toned down.

I LOVE Shen our adorable panda, but wasn’t to found of Stevie. The romantic relationship between Shen and Stevie was eh. I wasn’t feeling it. Stevie was just to pushy. She kept saying they where in a relationship or we are going on a date or yes, we are boyfriend/girlfriend, but Shen kept saying NO. She had no respect for him. It was I deiced and it’s yes we are. It all felt forced.

The plot continues with the evil Aunts that are still out to get the sisters, as well as another relative is now gunning for them, and we get another side story of a mad shifter scientist experimenting on hybrid shifters. Their was no one plot line to focus on. We don’t get much progress in any of the plot lines and the mad scientist isn’t really focused on until the end of the story.

In a Badger Way focused more on the drama then on the romance. It was still enjoyable read, but not my favorite from Laurenston.

Rated: 3 Stars

angelsgp-seethisreview-blure
Profile Image for Lady Heather .
1,310 reviews774 followers
August 14, 2025
Publication Date: March 26, 2019

Nobody writes strong, sassy, sarcastic characters like Shelly Laurenston.

I don't know where she gets her ideas for her stories or how she writes her dialogues, but I know I like it.

This book had me laughing out loud more than once.
The situations these characters find themselves in and the shenanigans they pull are a little over the top, but they work.
This was a fun read.
Stevie and Shen were a great couple to read.
They were perfectly matched even though he didn't know that he and Stevie were a couple for a better part of the book.

Great story!
Great writing!
Amazing characters!

Shen
 photo panda pic 2.jpg

Stevie

 photo honey badger.jpg


"I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review."
Profile Image for *The Angry Reader*.
1,473 reviews337 followers
March 24, 2019
I adored this when I originally read the first few chapters. 5 stars. But reading the entire thing now I just could not immerse myself in the story. Whether it’s because I’m in the midst of a Veronica Speedwell thing. Or because I continue to struggle with contemporary romance. Or because I’ve read too much Laurenston I just keep thinking about other things during this read.

I like the MacKilligan sisters. I loved Charlie and Berg’s story. Here it felt like too much focus on other characters. We had at least 3 story lines going on. We had visits from a bunch of our favorite couples.

Nothing felt fresh. Everything felt frantic. And I just couldn’t get off the page and into the story.




****Review of first few chapters****
I got a little sneak preview of this from Netgalley bc the first book in this series is one of my #Bestof2018. I cannot wait to read about Stevie and Shen - and all of their friends. Laurenston is amazing and funny - telling sweet, charming stories that brighten my mood. I’m stoked for the rest of this.

Profile Image for Marishka.
465 reviews60 followers
April 8, 2019
I hate to say this since I've been looking forward to this book - but I didn't like it at all. There was way way way to much jumping around with everybody and their mamas POV. It made my head hurt. For someone who hasn't read the Pride series I was very confused at times about who people were and what the damn connection was. I hope she cuts down on their appearances in the next book. Add in to that there was no real chemistry between Stevie and Shen. There was hardly any romance. But that might have been fixed if we actually got to spend time with them and not everybody else.

I said this in my review of book one. But I strongly advise reading the Pride series first. I didn't and regret it. And in saying that I'm not gonna read it at all now since I know how they end up.
Profile Image for Somia.
2,065 reviews171 followers
March 28, 2019
This second book was much better than the first book in this series, it felt more coherent and neither of the main characters got lost in the sea of secondary characters. I did enjoy seeing so many of the characters from previous books, although there were a lot of them.

The book was very slow to start but about 24% in to it, I really started to smile, and found myself keen to read more. The magic I’ve come to expect from Laurenston wasn’t laced throughout the book for me, but it was a nice one time read. Stevie and Shen were cute, but as a couple I don’t know they just didn’t stand out.

I love how resilient honey badgers seem to be, and I hope Stevie’s dad gets what he deserves – the scene at the funeral had me thinking really can someone be that obtuse and unaware of those around him and the vibes in the air – I was hoping someone would chuck something at him.
Profile Image for Yodamom.
2,173 reviews215 followers
August 4, 2019
3.5 Not my favorite, but it had some fun parts. i do love the Panda shifters
Profile Image for Ang -PNR Book Lover Reviews.
1,779 reviews145 followers
March 15, 2019
Honey Badger Chronicles, takes place in the same world that the Pride series, and from what the author has recently came out and said this series, is continuation of the Pride series, but with new blood and characters and new direction. Honestly when I read the first book last year I could see that for myself, this world is one if not my favourite world that's been created.

This has to be hands down, one of the funniest and craziest stories I have read in so long, probably since I read the last book in the series. Unfortunately I would not recommend reading In a Badger Way as a standalone. This book has so many cast members from the pride series, even some of my favourites like Blayne and Bo.

I have the prior understanding and highly enjoyable experience from reading all of Shelly's books for me to love and adore this book for what it is. I HIGHLY suggest you to jump into the Pride series.

I don't know how the author does, it but she nailed this book and it really does have everyone it it, I couldn't keep the excitement down when they brought in Miki who is from the story Go Fetch another series called the magnus pack.

As I jumped back into this world, I was a little overwhelmed because so much is happening, but with Stevie and Shen are the main focus, we also get Max and Charlie, Kyle and his family and more. Literally a plethora of amazing characters. The Wild Dog nights are back * Insert Confetti*

I loved how engaging, and the way Shelly can pull you into her shiftier world. The MacKilligan sisters Charlie, Max and Stevie are three bold, fearless, kick ass women you will ever read about. they get into some strange and entertaining situations, and have the oddest family.

Stevie is a hybrid shifter, and in the previous books, you know that some shifters are not welcoming on that fact. Stevie is a Honey Badger/ Tiger. And is humongous. What I adored was that the relationship between Stevie and Shen, just happened. Its really funny to watch it all unfold. Shen is a PANDA shifter, and he loves bamboo, Shen is the cutest, and hes damn sexy and strong the perfect mate for Stevie.

In this one, they are trying to track down the scientist who are experimenting on hybrids. But also we have the girls family of honey badgers here for a funeral. the plot and twist are fun and I am here for the next one.

I love that this shows us the bond that the sisters have,they all care for each other and worry for one another. I can not pick who max will be involved with in the next book.

I know that this book or the series might mot be for everyone but for the fans I think everyone will love it.

Action, Shifters, Fighting, Wild Dog Nights, Hybrids, Romance, Humour and more!

5 Fantastic Stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for *CJ*.
4,965 reviews608 followers
April 16, 2022
"In a Badger Way" is the story of Stevie and Shen.

Another entertaining and hilarious addition to my favorite shifter world. This time, the heroine is a hybrid honey badger with anxiety issues and a high IQ, who finds herself cuddling the uber cute and bamboo loving panda shifter hero. There's loads of action, drama, anal gland exposing, some cute sex scenes with a very natural way their relationship just cementing itself.

Safe
3/5
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books392 followers
March 26, 2019
A volatile honey badger- tiger mixed breed shifter with an off the charts IQ and a zen giant panda shifting security expert tangle (aka get tangled up) on an assignment to find a shifter scientist who seems to be experimenting on his own kind for some secret purpose. This second of the honey badger sisters to get her story introduced a new to me author and series and told by a long familiar narrator.

In a Badger Way is the second book in the series. I didn't read/listen to the first book or the original Pride series, but I had no trouble jumping in with this book. I could tell that much had gone before it and a great many characters seemed to already have gotten their stories, but the new main characters and plot allowed me to do fine.

I admit that I had expectations going in after reading several book pal's reviews of the earlier book and the earlier series. I knew it was going to employ a lot of humor and also many shifter types who bore strong resemblance to the animals they shift into. And, this was there from the beginning. I enjoyed the sisters' camaraderie and the craziness that comes with their honeybadger nature and the antics they get up to. It was fun seeing relatively calm Shen Li start to lose his cool around vivacious Stevie.

There is a crowd of characters and the story is told from several perspectives. I kept up just fine with all the changes, but I also felt like this story slogged in places because there was so many extra plot threads going on around Shen and Stevie. Early on, the mission is clear and yet it took some time to get going on the mission. Part of this is because Stevie is unstable with her shifting issues and she has anxiety attacks (she's terrified of bears even though she shifts into a two ton hybrid that could shred them). But, part of it is because there are some side stories going on that I found distracting rather than helpful though I never actually disliked those minor story threads. Sometimes maybe something was supposed to be funny, but, no funny bone was tickled for me.
I can't say that I liked several of the characters, but it was obvious that they were meant to be annoying or unlikable like the snooty jackal family or the human doctor.

I do want to go back for the first story though because I enjoyed Stevie's sister and her mate together along with the bears.

I found the romance pair were an adorable couple. Shen resisted longer than Stevie. He'd started out concerned about mental health issues and protecting her so he ignored any whiffs of attraction. But, Stevie had a honey badger's stubbornness and kept at him.

Charlotte Kane is a narrator I've enjoyed under a different alias. I like her voice and her narration style. She had a bunch of characters of all ages and genders which she sorted out well. I did wish that Chen Li had an Asian accent because of his heritage, but it wasn't a deal breaker or interfered with my enjoyment of the story.

All in all, I had a good time and want to get the other two Honey Badger Chronicles and their zany adventures. Those who enjoy exciting shifter stories with a strong humor element and a variety of shifters should give this book/series a try.

My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha).
2,093 reviews363 followers
March 27, 2019

In a Badger Way was one of my most anticipated reads/listens of 2019. I fell in love with Hot and Badgered last year and couldn't wait to get more of the MacKilligan sisters! Stevie, the youngest sister, is bat crap crazy (literally). She has a serious panic disorder-if you startle her or stress her she turns into a 2 ton badger tiger hybrid. Charlie and Max, her sisters, are very protective of Stevie because she is brilliant and kind of a mess. I was not sure how Stevie could be the heroine. I mean, who would be able to be in a relationship with Stevie? Enter Shen.

A giant panda shifter enters a house full of bears and he is a body guard to a weasel. Nope, not the start of a joke! Shen is super chill. He is the yin to Stevie's yang for sure. He is swept into the MacKilligan chaos because he is assigned to protect Stevie's prodigy friend, Kyle.
"I like my toes. You can't be a dancer and have pretty toes. And from what Kyle has told me...you have some fucked-up hooves."

What I love about this series is how ridiculous it is! Stevie is this genius girl whose life is a total disaster in every area except science. Max is a psychopath (I mean that literally). Charlie is a compulsive worrier. They are surrounded by a slew of crazy characters and I love it all. It's just a mad cap story that is delightfully entertaining because you simply cannot fathom what will happen next. And how can you not love Shen? He is so tranquil even when things get a bit tumultuous. I also loved that Stevie gets her panic disorder under control a bit. I really felt that she would never be a good match for Shen if she was still so neurotic she couldn't function normally. His zen does help her keep from going bat crap crazy!
Gangsters soon learned the local nuns were not to be fucked with.

I adored the audio for Hot and Badgered. In a Badger Way was narrated by a different narrator. Kane was good, but it didn't quite have the same magic as Odom brought to book one. Still, a great listen that I recommend!

  POV: 3rd
  Tears: no
  Trope: shifters, opposites attract, dysfunctional family
  Triggers: none
  Series/Standalone: series
  Cliffhanger:
  HEA:




The Bewitched and Bewildered series by Alanea Alder (the same level of hijinks and hilarity)...then you will probably like In a Badger Way!

 


In a Badger Way
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