Review – Bite Me (Pride #9) by Shelly Laurenston

Publisher: Brava
Publish Date: March 25th
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots. When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise.

That’s where Vic Barinov comes in—or his house does. Vic can’t step outside without coming back to find Livy devouring his honey stash and getting the TV remote sticky. It gets his animal instincts all riled up. But he’ll have to woo her at high speed: all hell is breaking loose, and Livy is leading the charge…
This blurb came from the author’s website.

Hi. My name is E and I am addicted to Laurenston’s writing. While that statement was hopefully amusing it is all together true. Laurenston has developed a reputation for me of providing over the top characters who amuse, intrigue, make me gasp for breath, and give me hours of entertainment. She is my goto author when I need to sit and giggle over characters who are unashamed of their feelings, temper, skills, and superior place in their own worldview. As much as I love Laurenston I had mixed feeling when I approached this story. One on hand I was super excited to see how Livy would approach life as a central character because I loved her presence in Wolf with Benefits. On the other hand I didn’t want to start reading because Laurenston announced she was taking a break from her Pride series after this installment and I was not ready for this world to end. I did appreciate how Laurenston tied up one ongoing plot thread but left things and certain unpaired individuals open in case she decides to come back and revisit this world.

Livy’s character, when she was introduced in Wolf with Benefits, was probably one of the most over the top of all the characters I have met through Laurenston’s writing. However, she seemed slightly two dimensional or maybe two faceted so I was hoping I would catch a glimpse of who she was behind the “Honey Badger don’t give a F*ck” reputation. I absolutely loved getting to know her. Livy showcased a full range of emotions and leaps of logic that confounded other shifters on a regular basis. Add in her family and I never quite knew what to expect. I loved how she usually said exactly what she was thinking because she never had an ulterior motive or tried to fool people into thinking she was something other than a honey badger. I also loved how determined she could be once she had a mission.

Vic was another character I was extremely interested in. I had an idea that he and Livy might make a match when I was reading their scenes but he not only seemed on the rather calm side for a hybrid, he never once shifted but handled everything as an oversize human. However, he never seemed fazed by Livy and her honey badgerness when they worked together. I loved seeing him in this story. How he slowly transitioned from co-worker, to friend, to more. His hybrid quirks really made me giggle as they were revealed bit by bit under Livy’s influence.

I think Livy and Vic have turned into one of my favorite parings. They provided me with fits of giggles between their interaction with their family and friends not to mention their one on one time. They also worked really well together when it came to protecting or avenging their own. I melted when it became evident that as much as Livy might puzzle Vic, he accepted her as she was and only ran interference when absolutely necessary. Livy also accepted Vic and his quirks, egging certain aspects on depending on the situation but not making him feel self-conscious.

Like usual, Laurenston did a great job with the secondary characters. Those I was already familiar with maintained their entertaining personalities and the newcomers didn’t shirk when it came to individual distinctness mixed with species traits. I really enjoyed how the honey badgers used all of their nefarious family skills throughout this story in support of Livy even though she refused to make her living like the rest of them. Their creativity certainly added to the honey badger mystique and added a nice sense of finality to a particular long standing plot thread.

While I did not want to start this story because it is the last Pride installment for now I think Laurenston ended on a high note. I enjoyed seeing a few old friends, meeting new ones, and have lots of hopes that she will return because there are plenty of characters whose lives need changing. Laurenston has provided me with years of enjoyment through new Pride series releases and re-reads I have high expectations for whatever Laurenston does next.

I give Bite Me an A+

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