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Release-Day Review: In a Badger Way by Shelly Laurenston (Honey Badger #2)

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In a Badger Way by Shelly Laurenston // VBC ReviewIn a Badger Way (Honey Badger Chronicles #2)
Shelly Laurenston
Published: March 26, 2018 (Kensington)
Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon
Review Source: Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Amy

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it may reference previous events in the series. If you haven’t yet started the Honey Badger Chronicles, check out VBC’s review of Hot and Badgered.

Stevie MacKilligan might be a genius and former child prodigy, but many shifters can’t look past the fact that she’s a hybrid. Carrying the last name MacKilligan also makes her, and her sisters, outcasts among their own family. The fact that she’s what amounts to a Honey badger/tiger mix in her shifted form, suffers from anxiety, and a general fear of bears doesn’t help matters either. However, Stevie can’t seem to stop cuddling up to panda bear shifter Shen Li.

Shen is pretty content with doing his job as a bodyguard to a jackal shifter and lounging around eating bamboo. He doesn’t really know what to make of Stevie, but she doesn’t really ask his opinion having already made the decision herself. When Stevie ends up embroiled in a conspiracy involving missing hybrids, Shen will stop at nothing to make sure that no one has to suffer the wrath of the MacKilligan sisters.

I liked that In a Badger Way still enforces the bond between the sisters. More focus is placed on Stevie, of course, but Charlie is still stressing out, and Max’s own story was subtly built up in bits and pieces throughout. Honestly, the sisters are the main proponent of this series. Much to the detriment of Shen and Stevie’s building relationship I’m (sort of) afraid. I like Shen and Stevie together. He’s a good balance—much like Charlie’s significant other Berg—which is good with all the chaos the MacKilligans have in their lives. I wanted more of a spark, but I’m okay with him being the steadfast partner, especially considering all the sisters have to deal with this time around.

Is it strange that I get a feeling of glee any time Charlie, Max, and Stevie have to take matters into their own hands and kick some ass? I find myself smiling every single time someone underestimates them or just plain doesn’t understand whom they’re dealing with. It’s a delight seeing the sisters put people in their place, and with the entire MacKilligan clan, including their misbegotten father, coming together for a funeral opportunities abound.

I felt like the main issue concerning the hybrids gets intermittently lost in the crowd of everything else that happens throughout the story, but it’s hard to fault it too much when, overall, it’s just a fun read. I don’t think every author could pull off the amount of quick changes from one story thread to the next and in the end have things end up so comprehensible, but Shelly Laurenston has perfected this kind of storytelling.

I loved that we got to see more of the MacKilligan family in In a Badger Way, for better or worse, and the not completely unheard of idea that they might care more for Charlie, Max, and Stevie than previously thought. I’m excited to see where Max’s story takes us next because with this group literally anything is possible. No joke.

Sexual Content: Sex

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