Let's start with an undeniable truth: there's no such thing as a bad book from Shelly Laurenston. With <I>Breaking Badger</I>, Laurenston continues her Badger Chronicles series by putting the focus on Mads Galendotter. Mads is a honey-badger/hyena hybrid we've met before in the MacKilligan trilogy, and when she's not playing basketball with Max MacKilligan and the rest of their crew, she and her teammates are completing special ops missions in their spare time. Mads' adventures bring her in contact with with the Malone Brothers, Amur Tigers who are searching for information about their father's murder.

A series of events throw Mads and Finn Malone together, and eventually they connect in more ways than one. Mads and Finn are a fun pair, both low key and fairly calm compared to their friends and families. I was sad to reach the last page, because I really wanted more time with these two.

This book was a pleasure to read, full of the humor one expects from a Shelly Laurenston novel. As a longtime reader of her shifter series, it was a pleasure to see old favorites--Dez McDermott, Lou Crushek, and Mitchell Shaw, and more--make cameos. Part of the fun was discovering how the new characters connected with some of Laurenston's earlier works.

My one complaint, however, is that so much of the story is focused on the MacKilligans. They are wonderful characters, but I went in expecting this book to focus on Mads and Finn, and instead it felt like every other scene we were cutting away to other characters. I hope this book is just doing some table-setting and that upcoming books in the series will spend more time with other members of the honey badger crew. I expect Shay and Keene Malone to be central in the next few books, and we're already seeing hints of who they might be paired with. I can't wait to find out!

While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I did find the plots a bit hard to follow. And I do mean plots. There were at least three, probably more but I lost track of those threads after a while. The characters were great; however, there were just too many. Basically, there was just too much here. I wished she had cut back on some of the plots and saved them for later books so that she could focus on Mads and Finn. She could have kept the plots about her family and the mystery of Finn's father's death but cut out some of the other plots to make this entry a more cohesive book. All in all, I like it and can't wait for more in the series. I just hope the next entries will narrow things down a bit more.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

The badgers are back baby. It's explosive, action, laughs and lots of gasps. This is Mads story. Half hyena and badger she has a unique family dynamic and in her spare time she plays basketball. Throw in the Black Malone clan, the MacKilligan sisters and a coyote, you have a winning combination. This is a one sitting read that you won't want to put down.

Some of your favorites return as well as some new characters. I can't wait for the next installment, hopefully it will be Toks story!

What can I say? Love this one. I can honestly say this author has never let me down, and this one is no exception. Mads and Finn are a great couple, and love the circle of family and friends. Highly recommend, although as this is the 4th book I suggest you read the others first. You wouldn't be lost, but would be much more comprehending of who is who. Highly recommend this book and author.

Breaking Badger was an awesome book. We have lots of action, shifters, more fun with the MacKilligan sisters who never disappoint with their antics. I loved the book, however the was so much going on I had to go read the description to figure out who the book was actually supposed to be about. Then the couple didn't actually have any alone time until 75% of the book was over and we still don't get much of just them after that.

I really like the introduction of the Black Malones they are fun as well. I wish that we got to see more of the older characters besides Cella and Dee Ann. I loved Dez and Crushek small glimpses too, so funny. Dez becomes more like a lion every day.

Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review