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Magnus Pack #1
Pack Challenge
What's an Alpha Male to do when he meets the Alpha Female of his dreams?
Step one, hide all sharp objects.
All Zach Sheridan ever wanted was to become Alpha Male of his Pack and be left alone. What he definitely didn't need in his life was some needy female demanding his attention. What he never saw coming was the vicious, scarred female who not only demanded his attention but knew exactly how to get it.
Sara Morrighan knew this was the best she could expect from her life. Good friends. A nice place to live. And a safe job. But when Zach rode into her small Texas town with his motorcycle club, Sara knew she wanted more. She knew she wanted him. But after one sexy encounter with her dream biker, everything is starting to change. Her body. Her strength. That new thing she's doing with the snarling.
Even her best friends are starting to wonder what's going on with her. But this is only the beginning. Sara's about to find out her life was meant for so much more. And Zach's about to find true love with the one woman who makes him absolutely insane.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, and strong violence.
Step one, hide all sharp objects.
All Zach Sheridan ever wanted was to become Alpha Male of his Pack and be left alone. What he definitely didn't need in his life was some needy female demanding his attention. What he never saw coming was the vicious, scarred female who not only demanded his attention but knew exactly how to get it.
Sara Morrighan knew this was the best she could expect from her life. Good friends. A nice place to live. And a safe job. But when Zach rode into her small Texas town with his motorcycle club, Sara knew she wanted more. She knew she wanted him. But after one sexy encounter with her dream biker, everything is starting to change. Her body. Her strength. That new thing she's doing with the snarling.
Even her best friends are starting to wonder what's going on with her. But this is only the beginning. Sara's about to find out her life was meant for so much more. And Zach's about to find true love with the one woman who makes him absolutely insane.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, and strong violence.
342 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2006
About the author
Shelly Laurenston
45 books7,715 followersOriginally 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
Pseudonym G.A. Aiken
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July 12, 2018
Squicky buddy read with Anne. So what are you waiting for? Go and read her review now!
A word of warning: explicit sex scenes will be discussed in this review. If that makes you uncomfortable either don't read "incriminating evidence #3" or just walk away from this review and quietly close the door behind you. I'd advise you to stick around (believe me, it's worth it) but hey, it's your life.
So. I've read a lot of crappy books in my life. But let me tell you, this is majorly craptastic. It gives the word crappy a whole new dimension. Man do we have a winner here!
Where to start?! Oh yes, I know. First allow me to congratulate myself and give myself a big pat on the back for actually finishing this book. I did it. I'm so proud.
When I started reading this book I expected something in the vein of Dragon Actually : light and funny with batshit crazy yet lovable heroines and silly sex scenes thrown in. Excuse me while I smack myself upside the head here. Same author, different pen names. Now I know why *facepalm*
Before you decide to give this book a try, be aware that there are side effects involved that may cause severe bodily harm:
► Eyerolling until your eyeballs pop out of their sockets.
► Screaming internally until your vocal cords decide some actual shrieking and screeching would be nice, which will most certainly result in losing your voice for a few days.
► Banging your head on your desk until your grey cells come out of your ears.
This book? Never a dull moment.
♦ Incriminating evidence #1: Lovely Ladies Inc aka Bitches R Us.
The female characters in this book?Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE. I can deal with silly. I can deal with crazy. I can deal with violent. I can deal with snarky. I can deal with sarcastic. I cannot deal with girls who treat each other like crap just for kicks. Especially when said girls are supposed to be best friends. They are stupid, superficial and pathetic. They have zero self-respect. And they address each other in the most charming way:
► Bitch ✓ Wonderful array of adjectives here: crazy, dumb, mean, cheap, vicious… Take your pick, it's on the house!
► Slut ✓ Option a: bar slut. Option b: biker slut.
► Whore ✓ Option a: crack whore. Option b: fucking whore.
► Piece of shit ✓ Simple yet effective. Love it.
Delightful girls I tell you. They love to slap each other too. And keep promising to beat the shit out of each other. But hey, that's gun-carrying, mean Texas bitches for you.
But wait! In case you didn't get that all women are bitches, let Zach, the charming male mc, hammer it into you. According to this lovely piece of work, females are either: toxic, crazy, dumb, petty, power-hungry, stupid, loud or psychotic bitches. But hey, that doesn't mean the guy doesn't appreciate a ripe piece of ass when he sees one. I think feminism just committed suicide.
♦ Incriminating evidence #2: I'm-a-golden-retriever-heroine Inc aka TSTL is Me.
So here we have lovely Sara (not Sarah thankfully enough. Phew, that was close!). She lives in a town ruled by wolves. Pretty much everyone in town is (check all that apply) growling/snarling/sniffing around all day. A pack of wolves watches over her. They howl to at her at night and she howls right back. Does she think this is strange? Nope. Does she think it's weird that a big, lone wolf watches her every move at night? Of course not, that's perfectly normal. Does she believe her friend when she tells her werewolves exist? Oh please don't be silly. Meet Sara Morrighan. Clueless doesn't even begin to cover it.
But you know what makes Sara truly irresistible? She seems to think she is so freakingly cool, dangerous and ass-kicking when she gets drunk. Atta girl. I'm pretty sure feminism committed suicide again.
♦ Incriminating evidence #3: Subtle Sex Scenes Inc aka Crazed Rabbits on Crack R Us.
I'm all for down & dirty sex scenes but some things are better left to the imagination. TMI Shelly Laurenston. Does that mean anything to you? I mean there are graphic descriptions and then there are GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS.
But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Before we get to the juicy bits (bad pun totally intended) let's build things up with some delicate foreplay. I should have known something was wrong when dear old Zach started envying a banister (yes, a banister) Sara was straddling. But hey, who am I to judge? If the guy has a banister fetish it's his problem, not mine. Right. Then he seems to get off watching Sara sliding on a bar stool: "He thought about her doing the same move to his face." Okay then. Poor Zach, it's not his fault Sara drives him nuts: "she looks like she could suck a golf ball through a hose." Right. What's a guy supposed to do? Apart from "taking the discussion to the bathroom where he could fuck the answer out of her" or "grabbing the woman, bending her over the bar, and fucking her within an inch of her life?" Told you it was all about delicate foreplay.
Enough time wasted people, let's get to it (foreplay is overrated anyway). The sex scenes in this book are so badly written they almost end up being hilarious. And you know you're in serious trouble when the lovely heroine starts growling (no werewolves! No werewolves!) things like "fuck me, you shit." Hahahahahahaha! Oops. Sorry about that. I have a weird sense of humour. Anyway, dear old Sara does get creative with the "fuck me" lines so at least I got a good laugh out of it. But I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, time for TMI. I think I shall be lenient and use spoiler tags beyond this point. You're welcome.
Even Miley Cyrus doesn't approve. And that's saying a lot.
I honestly think watching rabbit porn would be a bigger turn on than reading the sex scenes in this book. Shelly Laurenston, congratulations. You have just been awarded the Unsexiest Sex Scenes Ever Trophy.
Oh wait, I almost forgot Sara's secret orgasmic weapon! Because you all want to know what it is right?
Now that's what I call creative writing.
I have the second book in this series on my Kindle and masochistic little me is actually thinking of reading it. Who knows? I might get lucky. It might be much worse than this one.
· Book 2: Go Fetch ★
A word of warning: explicit sex scenes will be discussed in this review. If that makes you uncomfortable either don't read "incriminating evidence #3" or just walk away from this review and quietly close the door behind you. I'd advise you to stick around (believe me, it's worth it) but hey, it's your life.
So. I've read a lot of crappy books in my life. But let me tell you, this is majorly craptastic. It gives the word crappy a whole new dimension. Man do we have a winner here!
Where to start?! Oh yes, I know. First allow me to congratulate myself and give myself a big pat on the back for actually finishing this book. I did it. I'm so proud.
When I started reading this book I expected something in the vein of Dragon Actually : light and funny with batshit crazy yet lovable heroines and silly sex scenes thrown in. Excuse me while I smack myself upside the head here. Same author, different pen names. Now I know why *facepalm*
Before you decide to give this book a try, be aware that there are side effects involved that may cause severe bodily harm:
► Eyerolling until your eyeballs pop out of their sockets.
► Screaming internally until your vocal cords decide some actual shrieking and screeching would be nice, which will most certainly result in losing your voice for a few days.
► Banging your head on your desk until your grey cells come out of your ears.
This book? Never a dull moment.
♦ Incriminating evidence #1: Lovely Ladies Inc aka Bitches R Us.
The female characters in this book?
► Bitch ✓ Wonderful array of adjectives here: crazy, dumb, mean, cheap, vicious… Take your pick, it's on the house!
► Slut ✓ Option a: bar slut. Option b: biker slut.
► Whore ✓ Option a: crack whore. Option b: fucking whore.
► Piece of shit ✓ Simple yet effective. Love it.
Delightful girls I tell you. They love to slap each other too. And keep promising to beat the shit out of each other. But hey, that's gun-carrying, mean Texas bitches for you.
But wait! In case you didn't get that all women are bitches, let Zach, the charming male mc, hammer it into you. According to this lovely piece of work, females are either: toxic, crazy, dumb, petty, power-hungry, stupid, loud or psychotic bitches. But hey, that doesn't mean the guy doesn't appreciate a ripe piece of ass when he sees one. I think feminism just committed suicide.
♦ Incriminating evidence #2: I'm-a-golden-retriever-heroine Inc aka TSTL is Me.
So here we have lovely Sara (not Sarah thankfully enough. Phew, that was close!). She lives in a town ruled by wolves. Pretty much everyone in town is (check all that apply) growling/snarling/sniffing around all day. A pack of wolves watches over her. They howl to at her at night and she howls right back. Does she think this is strange? Nope. Does she think it's weird that a big, lone wolf watches her every move at night? Of course not, that's perfectly normal. Does she believe her friend when she tells her werewolves exist? Oh please don't be silly. Meet Sara Morrighan. Clueless doesn't even begin to cover it.
But you know what makes Sara truly irresistible? She seems to think she is so freakingly cool, dangerous and ass-kicking when she gets drunk. Atta girl. I'm pretty sure feminism committed suicide again.
Drunk-Sara was fun. Drunk-Sara set things on fire. Drunk-Sara grabbed groping men by the balls and squeezed until they passed out.So it seems our dear heroine needs to get her aggression under control. No problem. That non-werewolf biker (there are no such things as werewolves you silly) will gladly "fuck the aggression out of her." Hey don't look at me, I'm not the one who wrote the freaking book. Well, if I'm to be completely honest here Sara isn't that hopeless. Why? She has a secret orgasmic weapon you see. But more on that later.
♦ Incriminating evidence #3: Subtle Sex Scenes Inc aka Crazed Rabbits on Crack R Us.
I'm all for down & dirty sex scenes but some things are better left to the imagination. TMI Shelly Laurenston. Does that mean anything to you? I mean there are graphic descriptions and then there are GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS.
But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Before we get to the juicy bits (bad pun totally intended) let's build things up with some delicate foreplay. I should have known something was wrong when dear old Zach started envying a banister (yes, a banister) Sara was straddling. But hey, who am I to judge? If the guy has a banister fetish it's his problem, not mine. Right. Then he seems to get off watching Sara sliding on a bar stool: "He thought about her doing the same move to his face." Okay then. Poor Zach, it's not his fault Sara drives him nuts: "she looks like she could suck a golf ball through a hose." Right. What's a guy supposed to do? Apart from "taking the discussion to the bathroom where he could fuck the answer out of her" or "grabbing the woman, bending her over the bar, and fucking her within an inch of her life?" Told you it was all about delicate foreplay.
Enough time wasted people, let's get to it (foreplay is overrated anyway). The sex scenes in this book are so badly written they almost end up being hilarious. And you know you're in serious trouble when the lovely heroine starts growling (no werewolves! No werewolves!) things like "fuck me, you shit." Hahahahahahaha! Oops. Sorry about that. I have a weird sense of humour. Anyway, dear old Sara does get creative with the "fuck me" lines so at least I got a good laugh out of it. But I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, time for TMI. I think I shall be lenient and use spoiler tags beyond this point. You're welcome.
Even Miley Cyrus doesn't approve. And that's saying a lot.
I honestly think watching rabbit porn would be a bigger turn on than reading the sex scenes in this book. Shelly Laurenston, congratulations. You have just been awarded the Unsexiest Sex Scenes Ever Trophy.
Oh wait, I almost forgot Sara's secret orgasmic weapon! Because you all want to know what it is right?
She couldn’t explain it, but her old wound had somehow become a giant G-spot on her leg.Yep, that's right, her old leg wound does the trick every time. Didn't expect that did you? Touch my scar! Touch my scar! Wheee!
Now that's what I call creative writing.
I have the second book in this series on my Kindle and masochistic little me is actually thinking of reading it. Who knows? I might get lucky. It might be much worse than this one.
· Book 2: Go Fetch ★
October 9, 2016
Yes, this book made as much sense as that picture.
Okay, we have a woman in a small town in Texas (yay, Texas!) who:
is a werewolf who doesn't know she's a werewolf, living in a town of werewolves
was attacked by mountain lions in her youth, so she's scarred
has two best friends who act like 12-yr old girls trying to be badass
works in a motorcycle shop and is surrounded by bikers
listens to German techno music
goes to raves - wearing camos and a cowboy hat.
Ooookay. Of course a pack of werewolves who are a biker gang-slash-rave promoters are in town and they are there to protect her and help her become her wolfy self. We think. They are also putting on a huge rave in the woods.
Living in Texas, and being around some of these small towns, I can say with authority that there is nothing redneck bikers like better than some pumping techno rave music with a European DJ.
Let's get on our Harleys and roll, y'all!
So, yeah. A little strange. But, I like strange sometimes, like in the latest books by this author with the crazy Nordic people. It's just that this book didn't have actual likable characters to pull this one off. Instead of funny and quirky, the main girl and her friends just came off as bitchy and immature. They were the kind of girls you avoided in high school because they thought it was funny to call each other sluts and to loudly talk about their sexual antics.
Also, the sex was too much and too icky. It was like a gas station bathroom. Sure, the basic functionality is the same as a nice bathroom, but there is a definite feeling of squeamishness and the hope of getting through it as fast as you possibly can.
The good thing about this book: it was short.
February 1, 2015
Buddy read with o0Sarah0o!
Check out her review HERE.
K. I read Go Fetch! a little while ago, and sort of thought it was decent, except for some of the squicky sex scenes. But I kept wondering if I should have started with the first book...first, you know?
So, here we are.
The good?
I finished it quickly, which means I thought it was a very readable book. Laurenston is a talented writer, in that she can keep my eyes moving along the page.
I also like the way scars or 'handicaps' are treated in this author's books. You routinely run into characters (like Sara) who have visible scars, one eyeball, maybe missing an ear... And yet, it's not something that their lover ever has to learn how to see past. Usually they (like in this book) don't think anything about it, or find it sexy that they got injured in battle, or are so used to one-eyed people running around that it's just par for the course.
It's cliché, but beauty really does start on the inside and work it's way out.
I just farted out a glitter rainbow with that one, didn't I?
Muahahahaha!
The...not good?
Awful sex. Awful.
I guess Laurenston's idea of true love means he has a constant hard-on for her, and her vaginal walls drip with juices every time she sees him.
Of course, having sex for hoursandhoursandhoursandhours?
That means they're truly meant for one another!
*sigh*
You young gals go right on ahead, but when smoke starts pouring out of your clam, you'll wish you'd listened to me!
Occasionally, (but not as much as in Go Fetch!) the author had descriptions of things that made me sit up and laugh.
Such as:
He could practically hear her clit twitching from where he stood.
Really? What the hell is wrong with it?! I think she may have confused it with something else, because I've got one of those things, and it has yet to start randomly twitching.
Just sayin'.
My other big problem with this was the idiotic bitchiness.
Sara and her two best friends acted like they were 12 years old, and not just normal 12 year girls...the (even more) annoying kind that are trying to look cool by loudly talking about their need for tampons.
You remember those girls?
They called each other sluts and bitches, but only to prove that they knew what the fuck those words meant. In their minds, they were badass chicks who pushed the envelope! They were rad!
Everyone else avoided them like the plague, because they were jackasses who bragged (always during lunch!) about getting fingered by the weird high school boy who worked at the gas station.
Yeah. You remember those girls.
Well, lucky for us, there appears to be a series of books written about them.
They call each other names and slap each other (for hours) to show their love. It's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cunts.
Cute!
For about 10 seconds.
Apparently, they also have no idea how to interact with other people without hitting or insulting them, either.
Soooooo.
How are any of them even alive at this point?
Oh, well naturally, it's because the entire world finds these qualities adorable in other human beings...right?
I don't think I'll continue with this series, unless Sarah cons me into another Squicky Buddy Read.
Check out her review HERE.
K. I read Go Fetch! a little while ago, and sort of thought it was decent, except for some of the squicky sex scenes. But I kept wondering if I should have started with the first book...first, you know?
So, here we are.
The good?
I finished it quickly, which means I thought it was a very readable book. Laurenston is a talented writer, in that she can keep my eyes moving along the page.
I also like the way scars or 'handicaps' are treated in this author's books. You routinely run into characters (like Sara) who have visible scars, one eyeball, maybe missing an ear... And yet, it's not something that their lover ever has to learn how to see past. Usually they (like in this book) don't think anything about it, or find it sexy that they got injured in battle, or are so used to one-eyed people running around that it's just par for the course.
It's cliché, but beauty really does start on the inside and work it's way out.
I just farted out a glitter rainbow with that one, didn't I?
Muahahahaha!
The...not good?
Awful sex. Awful.
I guess Laurenston's idea of true love means he has a constant hard-on for her, and her vaginal walls drip with juices every time she sees him.
Of course, having sex for hoursandhoursandhoursandhours?
That means they're truly meant for one another!
*sigh*
You young gals go right on ahead, but when smoke starts pouring out of your clam, you'll wish you'd listened to me!
Occasionally, (but not as much as in Go Fetch!) the author had descriptions of things that made me sit up and laugh.
Such as:
He could practically hear her clit twitching from where he stood.
Really? What the hell is wrong with it?! I think she may have confused it with something else, because I've got one of those things, and it has yet to start randomly twitching.
Just sayin'.
My other big problem with this was the idiotic bitchiness.
Sara and her two best friends acted like they were 12 years old, and not just normal 12 year girls...the (even more) annoying kind that are trying to look cool by loudly talking about their need for tampons.
You remember those girls?
They called each other sluts and bitches, but only to prove that they knew what the fuck those words meant. In their minds, they were badass chicks who pushed the envelope! They were rad!
Everyone else avoided them like the plague, because they were jackasses who bragged (always during lunch!) about getting fingered by the weird high school boy who worked at the gas station.
Yeah. You remember those girls.
Well, lucky for us, there appears to be a series of books written about them.
They call each other names and slap each other (for hours) to show their love. It's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cunts.
Cute!
For about 10 seconds.
Apparently, they also have no idea how to interact with other people without hitting or insulting them, either.
Soooooo.
How are any of them even alive at this point?
Oh, well naturally, it's because the entire world finds these qualities adorable in other human beings...right?
I don't think I'll continue with this series, unless Sarah cons me into another Squicky Buddy Read.
June 23, 2013
”You belong to me, but I belong to you. Even before you marked me, I belonged to you… as much as it annoys the shit out of me.”
Okay, I give in...I'm a sucker for a shifter story. I love the whole dynamic of the mate for life thing, there's almost always a great storyline, and most importantly they are always hotter than hell. That whole claiming thing...gets me every time. This story was no different.
This story starts out with Sara, drunk in a bar, stirring up her normal amount of "Drunk-Sara" trouble. Little does she know she's playing a very dangerous game that night. If it wouldn't have been for her "pretty boy" rescuer and her crazy friends she could have been in a whole lot more trouble than making out in an alley with a stranger.
"You're to picky. Because I remember a few interested individuals that weren't too bad. Troy."
"Too strict."
"Fred"
"Too Neat."
"Bobby Joe."
"Too Tall."
"Mike."
"Too short."
"Wait. There's still my personal favorite. Kenny Ray."
"Too Nice in bed."
"I bet Zach's not nice at all. In bed or out."
Zach has sworn no women will ever make him weak or hold him down. He has plans for his life and he's not about to let the love for a woman get in the way of them. But every since he was groped and kissed by the sassy little drunk girl at the bar he can't stop thinking about her. However, he has one mission, protect the girl, turn her and go on about his life. But something has changed and changes even more the night he watches her howling with the wolves on her front porch.
After being invited to a party by the new bikers in town, Zach is apart of, Sara and her friends are a little hesitant to go but decide it's something they have to see. Once there, they end up having a really good time until Sara is talking with Zach and becomes in unbearable pain. He rushes her away and tries a little "experiment" on her to see if it will help her. What happens next is a surprise to everyone.
Sara has no idea that she's a shifter and it's up to someone to tell her, however she ends up finding out without being told. I expected her to freak out a little more than she did, but she took the news quiet well. Of course, finding out she's a shifter is the least of Sara's problems at the moment. Turns out others are after as well and unlike Zach's Pack, the others want her dead.
"I've found that it's never the animals you have to worry about, Miki, It's the humans."
"I'll remember that when we find your torn, headless carcass."
This book was awesome! Yes, the first night I read it I passed out at 9%, but that is only because I was dosed up with Benadryl. Once I started today, I could not stop reading. The characters were amazing. OMG, Sara, Angelina and Miki said the funniest things to each other. I loved Sara's sassy attitude and how her girls knew one another and always had each others back and could second guess what they would do next. The chemistry between Zach and Sara was scorching hot. And that claiming scene,...wowza!! Did I mention I love when these shifters do their claiming, ahaha. If I was going to complain about anything, it would be that it was too short and left me wanting more in the end. Lucky for me, there are two more stories in the series so that should make me feel better, but they aren't about Sara and Zach and I felt like I barely got to know Sara and Zach and then the story was over. I still recommend, especially if you like shifters and paranormals. :)
Okay, I give in...I'm a sucker for a shifter story. I love the whole dynamic of the mate for life thing, there's almost always a great storyline, and most importantly they are always hotter than hell. That whole claiming thing...gets me every time. This story was no different.
This story starts out with Sara, drunk in a bar, stirring up her normal amount of "Drunk-Sara" trouble. Little does she know she's playing a very dangerous game that night. If it wouldn't have been for her "pretty boy" rescuer and her crazy friends she could have been in a whole lot more trouble than making out in an alley with a stranger.
"You're to picky. Because I remember a few interested individuals that weren't too bad. Troy."
"Too strict."
"Fred"
"Too Neat."
"Bobby Joe."
"Too Tall."
"Mike."
"Too short."
"Wait. There's still my personal favorite. Kenny Ray."
"Too Nice in bed."
"I bet Zach's not nice at all. In bed or out."
Zach has sworn no women will ever make him weak or hold him down. He has plans for his life and he's not about to let the love for a woman get in the way of them. But every since he was groped and kissed by the sassy little drunk girl at the bar he can't stop thinking about her. However, he has one mission, protect the girl, turn her and go on about his life. But something has changed and changes even more the night he watches her howling with the wolves on her front porch.
After being invited to a party by the new bikers in town, Zach is apart of, Sara and her friends are a little hesitant to go but decide it's something they have to see. Once there, they end up having a really good time until Sara is talking with Zach and becomes in unbearable pain. He rushes her away and tries a little "experiment" on her to see if it will help her. What happens next is a surprise to everyone.
Sara has no idea that she's a shifter and it's up to someone to tell her, however she ends up finding out without being told. I expected her to freak out a little more than she did, but she took the news quiet well. Of course, finding out she's a shifter is the least of Sara's problems at the moment. Turns out others are after as well and unlike Zach's Pack, the others want her dead.
"I've found that it's never the animals you have to worry about, Miki, It's the humans."
"I'll remember that when we find your torn, headless carcass."
This book was awesome! Yes, the first night I read it I passed out at 9%, but that is only because I was dosed up with Benadryl. Once I started today, I could not stop reading. The characters were amazing. OMG, Sara, Angelina and Miki said the funniest things to each other. I loved Sara's sassy attitude and how her girls knew one another and always had each others back and could second guess what they would do next. The chemistry between Zach and Sara was scorching hot. And that claiming scene,...wowza!! Did I mention I love when these shifters do their claiming, ahaha. If I was going to complain about anything, it would be that it was too short and left me wanting more in the end. Lucky for me, there are two more stories in the series so that should make me feel better, but they aren't about Sara and Zach and I felt like I barely got to know Sara and Zach and then the story was over. I still recommend, especially if you like shifters and paranormals. :)
June 20, 2012
This book wasn't bad, but it felt like a lot of the same thing - sex, sex, and more sex.
Unlike the characters in this book, my world was not rocked by their constant world-rocking sex and physical attraction. The "romance" comprised mainly of the main characters' finding each other insanely hot and rip-your-clothes-off desirable. I just couldn't see what they saw in each other...other than their emphasis on the other person's being a "hot piece of ass." Most of their scenes (once they got past the open distrust and wariness of the first 1/3 of the book - distrust laced with pent up lust, of course) end up with them naked and humping. After the fifth "slipped his fingers in my pussy," my eyes began to glaze over in the sex scenes. Because the majority of the book is the sex scenes, that was a lot of eye-glazing, to be frank.
I never thought I'd say it, but what it boils down to is this: less sexytimes, more storytimes, please.
Oh yeah, and a group of female friends who can show their affection beyond just calling each other (and themselves) bitches, sluts, and whores would be a nice touch, too. I'm not opposed to the language; I was just bored by the repetitive nature of it. With not much else to show their relationship or affection, it was annoying and felt rather contrived.
Unlike the characters in this book, my world was not rocked by their constant world-rocking sex and physical attraction. The "romance" comprised mainly of the main characters' finding each other insanely hot and rip-your-clothes-off desirable. I just couldn't see what they saw in each other...other than their emphasis on the other person's being a "hot piece of ass." Most of their scenes (once they got past the open distrust and wariness of the first 1/3 of the book - distrust laced with pent up lust, of course) end up with them naked and humping. After the fifth "slipped his fingers in my pussy," my eyes began to glaze over in the sex scenes. Because the majority of the book is the sex scenes, that was a lot of eye-glazing, to be frank.
I never thought I'd say it, but what it boils down to is this: less sexytimes, more storytimes, please.
Oh yeah, and a group of female friends who can show their affection beyond just calling each other (and themselves) bitches, sluts, and whores would be a nice touch, too. I'm not opposed to the language; I was just bored by the repetitive nature of it. With not much else to show their relationship or affection, it was annoying and felt rather contrived.
December 10, 2016
The reader meets the very feisty Sara Morrighan with her girlfriends at a bar, where Zach Sheridan, Beta of the Magnus Pack, has ends up saving her from an attack. Sara has facial and physical scarring from an attack by a Pride that left her parents dead, so Sara has learned to make due with Mr. Right Now rather than hold out hope of some happily ever after.
But there is an attraction between Zach and Sara, and when they become intimate, it begins to reveal things about Sara’s true nature. The more time they spent together, the more Sara became stronger until those who meant her harm decide to finish what they started all those years ago.
This audiobook was entertaining. It was fully of aggressive women and aggressive men (shifters). This story alternated POV between the hero Zach and the heroine Sara so it gave us just a little insight into both. Sara used her snarky mouth to hide her pain and vulnerability. After all her secret pain and the scars was something even her best friends could protect her from. It was in Sara’s unity with Zach that allowed her maturation into who she was supposed to be. Since this story was short, there wasn’t a lot of character development but there was a small introduction for the series to build upon. I plan on continuing with the series.
Tantor Audio *** Amazon US *** Barnes & Noble ***
Special Thanks to Tantor Audio for the audiobook given in exchange for an honest review.
But there is an attraction between Zach and Sara, and when they become intimate, it begins to reveal things about Sara’s true nature. The more time they spent together, the more Sara became stronger until those who meant her harm decide to finish what they started all those years ago.
This audiobook was entertaining. It was fully of aggressive women and aggressive men (shifters). This story alternated POV between the hero Zach and the heroine Sara so it gave us just a little insight into both. Sara used her snarky mouth to hide her pain and vulnerability. After all her secret pain and the scars was something even her best friends could protect her from. It was in Sara’s unity with Zach that allowed her maturation into who she was supposed to be. Since this story was short, there wasn’t a lot of character development but there was a small introduction for the series to build upon. I plan on continuing with the series.
Tantor Audio *** Amazon US *** Barnes & Noble ***
Special Thanks to Tantor Audio for the audiobook given in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2010
Ok. Ummm... No.
I think the polite way to put it is that this was an "interesting take" on the werewolf theme.
I wanted to like Sara, but it was hard to. She was all over the place but I settled for just not liking her. Zach didn't even seem to like her, and I had to agree with him but then he went and fell in love with her, so I was left by myself on the not-liking front.
Lots of disrespectful chit-chat that is more annoying than it is cute. Lots of rough-ness, especially rough sex. It felt out of place and unnecessary. When I was reading this I was thinking that these people were acting like a bunch of 15/16 year olds would if they were openly looking to "mate" and had pack wars. They were too "cool" but really just seemed like jackasses.
The first part of the book was slow. Lots of attitude while Zach watches over Sara and Sara becomes progressively more scared of her attraction to Zach and Zach keeps asking if she is coming to the 'party' (whoo).
And who Raves extensively, in this day and age, in North America? Seriously.
Will I read the rest of this series? I don't know why I am signing up to read more about Miki, but yes I will SKIM the other books. Hopefully they get better.
I think the polite way to put it is that this was an "interesting take" on the werewolf theme.
I wanted to like Sara, but it was hard to. She was all over the place but I settled for just not liking her. Zach didn't even seem to like her, and I had to agree with him but then he went and fell in love with her, so I was left by myself on the not-liking front.
Lots of disrespectful chit-chat that is more annoying than it is cute. Lots of rough-ness, especially rough sex. It felt out of place and unnecessary. When I was reading this I was thinking that these people were acting like a bunch of 15/16 year olds would if they were openly looking to "mate" and had pack wars. They were too "cool" but really just seemed like jackasses.
The first part of the book was slow. Lots of attitude while Zach watches over Sara and Sara becomes progressively more scared of her attraction to Zach and Zach keeps asking if she is coming to the 'party' (whoo).
And who Raves extensively, in this day and age, in North America? Seriously.
Will I read the rest of this series? I don't know why I am signing up to read more about Miki, but yes I will SKIM the other books. Hopefully they get better.
November 9, 2018
Pack Challenge is the book that pretty much began my intense stalkerish behavior of all things Shelly Laurenston/G.A. Aiken. Her books are bloody, snarky, and fun with kickass heroines and alpha heroes who are up to the challenge of holding on to an alpha female.
I love a strong heroine and Sarah is the epitome of that. She’s broken physically but never gives up. She doesn’t wallow in pity over her injuries, the horrific pain she’s constantly in, or even her scarred face. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and is intensely loyal to her friends. She’s also freaking funny.
Zach had no idea what to do with Sarah. He had enough going on dealing with the she-bitch from hell who is leading his pack. He knew he needed to take over but he wasn’t ready yet. Zach was perfect for Sarah in every way—strong enough to be by her side, man enough to let her do what she needs to do.
Sarah had no idea what she was much less who Zach’s pack was to her, but she needed to catch up quick since unfinished family history had come calling to finish her off.
I enjoyed every bit of this hilarious, action-packed book. As bloody as it was, it was fun to read, plus the heat between Zach and Sarah was intense, which added the cherry on top of this yummy ice cream sundae of a book.
Rating: 5 Hilarious, bloody, snarky and fun Stars
I love a strong heroine and Sarah is the epitome of that. She’s broken physically but never gives up. She doesn’t wallow in pity over her injuries, the horrific pain she’s constantly in, or even her scarred face. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and is intensely loyal to her friends. She’s also freaking funny.
Zach had no idea what to do with Sarah. He had enough going on dealing with the she-bitch from hell who is leading his pack. He knew he needed to take over but he wasn’t ready yet. Zach was perfect for Sarah in every way—strong enough to be by her side, man enough to let her do what she needs to do.
Sarah had no idea what she was much less who Zach’s pack was to her, but she needed to catch up quick since unfinished family history had come calling to finish her off.
I enjoyed every bit of this hilarious, action-packed book. As bloody as it was, it was fun to read, plus the heat between Zach and Sarah was intense, which added the cherry on top of this yummy ice cream sundae of a book.
Rating: 5 Hilarious, bloody, snarky and fun Stars
June 6, 2011
Eh. There are reasons I'm not a huge PNR fan, and this book contains more than a couple of those reasons. Some PNR kicks it up a notch and actually gives us a bit of plot and character development along with the sexy times. And some doesn't. This book falls into the latter.
I find it to be a major cop out when characters are so crazy sexually attracted to each other because of their shifter half, even thought they don't know each other and/or can't stand each other. So they don't know squat about the other person, and the little bit they do know they hate, but...
Hey! I need to jump your bones! NOW! Because I am wolf! Hooooooooowl!
So basically, the author doesn't have to try to create a believable relationship because
Hey! I am wolf! I must mount you!
Ok, so we have these 2 characters who can't stand each other, but really want to rub on each other for no reason other than the wolf bit. So they finally succumb to their hormones, and have a wild night of crazy, rough, animal sex. Guess what? Now they love each other! How romantic is that? And when I say crazy, rough, animal sex, I'm being literal--there was no kindness, no tenderness, no gentleness. Not even a teensy bit. But did I mention that they're in wuv? Soooooo believable.
And throw in the fact that the chick talks about her own sexual organs using the word "pussy" repeatedly. I guess I'm a prude, but it grossed my shit out. Honestly, male would walk into the room, and female would think to herself, "Holy shit. My pussy is so wet." :vomit:
And...male repeatedly called female wonderful terms of endearment like "crazy bitch", "insane bitch", "psycho bitch", etc. while he was screwing her. I think it was supposed to be funny, but I just thought it was stupid.
Oh, and don't let me forget the chick's two best girlfriends. Holy shit--what a bunch of psychos. Was this supposed to be an example of healthy female relationships? Because all they did was fight and insult each other. Little friendship tip: Telling your friend she has a fat ass is not being "honest", it's being a cruel bitch.
I find it to be a major cop out when characters are so crazy sexually attracted to each other because of their shifter half, even thought they don't know each other and/or can't stand each other. So they don't know squat about the other person, and the little bit they do know they hate, but...
Hey! I need to jump your bones! NOW! Because I am wolf! Hooooooooowl!
So basically, the author doesn't have to try to create a believable relationship because
Hey! I am wolf! I must mount you!
Ok, so we have these 2 characters who can't stand each other, but really want to rub on each other for no reason other than the wolf bit. So they finally succumb to their hormones, and have a wild night of crazy, rough, animal sex. Guess what? Now they love each other! How romantic is that? And when I say crazy, rough, animal sex, I'm being literal--there was no kindness, no tenderness, no gentleness. Not even a teensy bit. But did I mention that they're in wuv? Soooooo believable.
And throw in the fact that the chick talks about her own sexual organs using the word "pussy" repeatedly. I guess I'm a prude, but it grossed my shit out. Honestly, male would walk into the room, and female would think to herself, "Holy shit. My pussy is so wet." :vomit:
And...male repeatedly called female wonderful terms of endearment like "crazy bitch", "insane bitch", "psycho bitch", etc. while he was screwing her. I think it was supposed to be funny, but I just thought it was stupid.
Oh, and don't let me forget the chick's two best girlfriends. Holy shit--what a bunch of psychos. Was this supposed to be an example of healthy female relationships? Because all they did was fight and insult each other. Little friendship tip: Telling your friend she has a fat ass is not being "honest", it's being a cruel bitch.
August 23, 2020
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I used to read this author's work a lot but over the years I've lost track of her books and I'm behind on a lot. So I figured I'd start back up with her books and when I saw this series was on Kindle Unlimited it seemed like the perfect place to start. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would and I had a hard time getting into it. It's the first in a series and yet everything was written as if I was supposed to know all about these shifters and their pack. Spoiler alert, I did not. So from the beginning I was already feeling lost and from there the story seemed to move at a very fast pace that didn't leave a lot of room for things to be explained in detail. I can say I liked the relationship between the characters and for that it was an enjoyable read. Getting to see their banter in parts was brilliant and it really drew me to them.
Overall, this could have been a better reading experience for me and I'm not sure I'll come back to this series. There were some side characters that intrigued me and for that I might give it another try but for now I'm stepping away.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I used to read this author's work a lot but over the years I've lost track of her books and I'm behind on a lot. So I figured I'd start back up with her books and when I saw this series was on Kindle Unlimited it seemed like the perfect place to start. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would and I had a hard time getting into it. It's the first in a series and yet everything was written as if I was supposed to know all about these shifters and their pack. Spoiler alert, I did not. So from the beginning I was already feeling lost and from there the story seemed to move at a very fast pace that didn't leave a lot of room for things to be explained in detail. I can say I liked the relationship between the characters and for that it was an enjoyable read. Getting to see their banter in parts was brilliant and it really drew me to them.
Overall, this could have been a better reading experience for me and I'm not sure I'll come back to this series. There were some side characters that intrigued me and for that I might give it another try but for now I'm stepping away.
April 29, 2009
I really, really disliked Sara! I don´t have a problem with alpha females in general, but she was over the top. Too harsh and too b!tchy (no pun intended) for my taste. I liked Zach a little better but, by the end of the book, I wasn´t so sure if he truly loved Sara. I don´t know, something about them didn´t "click" with me, and that´s a problem when it comes to a romance book.
The story was easy to read, quick paced and funny (I even laughed out loud a couple of times), so I´m not giving up on Ms. Laurenston yet.
The story was easy to read, quick paced and funny (I even laughed out loud a couple of times), so I´m not giving up on Ms. Laurenston yet.
March 28, 2013
4 stars
Sara’s new found freedom from her crazy bitch grandmother; she is finding it harder and harder to enjoy her life. The pain in her leg is getting worse and the only way to remove the pain was to drink it away. The night she stuck her tongue down the throat of her “pretty man” set everything in motion that would change her life forever. Zach show up on the back of his bike with the rest of his pack, and their friends see the sexual tension coming off the two. Her two crazy best friends have a difference in opinion, Angie will stop at nothing to get the two together while Miki will stop at nothing to convince Sara she can’t trust the big handsome biker.
Now that the grandmother is out of the picture there are others who want to hurt her and Zach will do anything to protect the pack and that includes Sara even though she doesn’t know it yet. Sara is floored with her reaction to Zach, every time he is near, her body takes over and she turns into some kind of “whore”. The way he looks at her is so different, she not used to guys like him looking at her as if she was the hottest piece of ass in the room, rarely do guys look past the scar and the limp
Zach realizes there is something about Sara that calls on ever primal instinct he has buried deep, no matter how hard he fights his reaction, Sara is proving to be everything he wants but doesn't need in his life. Sara drives him up the freakin wall, you never knew what she was going to do or say, each day her body changes, she is stronger much more aggressive. Zach knows he need to move quickly and protect what’s his
All that aggression and rage, turns into some hot love fest and they do everything they can to mark each other, trying to prove dominance over each other
Sarah is going through the change faster than what anyone ever expected and on top of trying to guide her through it and facing challenges for alpha positions they have to deal with the Pride. They came to finish what they started
Really good short yummy paranormal read, loved the fact that Sara was a little crazy and as alpha as Zach was, made for the perfect pair. There was a little bit more emphasis on their primal instincts that their human ones, it was very animalistic, which made it hot in its own unique way. No biker MC story here, just a bunch pack of rave-riding-shifters ;) Her friends were hilariously crazy but you gotta love them, Miki’s story is up next, her and her Viking god ;)
”You belong to me, but I belong to you. Even before you marked me, I belonged to you… as much as it annoys the shit out of me.”
Sara’s new found freedom from her crazy bitch grandmother; she is finding it harder and harder to enjoy her life. The pain in her leg is getting worse and the only way to remove the pain was to drink it away. The night she stuck her tongue down the throat of her “pretty man” set everything in motion that would change her life forever. Zach show up on the back of his bike with the rest of his pack, and their friends see the sexual tension coming off the two. Her two crazy best friends have a difference in opinion, Angie will stop at nothing to get the two together while Miki will stop at nothing to convince Sara she can’t trust the big handsome biker.
“Dear God, woman. Are you talking about him fucking the aggression out of me?”
Now that the grandmother is out of the picture there are others who want to hurt her and Zach will do anything to protect the pack and that includes Sara even though she doesn’t know it yet. Sara is floored with her reaction to Zach, every time he is near, her body takes over and she turns into some kind of “whore”. The way he looks at her is so different, she not used to guys like him looking at her as if she was the hottest piece of ass in the room, rarely do guys look past the scar and the limp
Oh, man… no one had ever kissed her like this. This man’s tongue owned her. And he knew it, too.
Zach realizes there is something about Sara that calls on ever primal instinct he has buried deep, no matter how hard he fights his reaction, Sara is proving to be everything he wants but doesn't need in his life. Sara drives him up the freakin wall, you never knew what she was going to do or say, each day her body changes, she is stronger much more aggressive. Zach knows he need to move quickly and protect what’s his
“Is this you being all in charge?”
“Where you’re concerned, I am in charge.”
“Are you happy in your land of delusions? Are you king there"
"You’re an asshole.”
“And you’re a psychotic bitch.” His head dipped down and he dragged his tongue across her nipple, causing her back to arch. “But I’m pretty sure I could fuck that right out of you.”
All that aggression and rage, turns into some hot love fest and they do everything they can to mark each other, trying to prove dominance over each other
She rode him with her mouth, the sound of her sucking and growling and his moaning the only thing heard in the room. And that’s when he decided— she was his. He was going to claim her and claim her now.
Sarah is going through the change faster than what anyone ever expected and on top of trying to guide her through it and facing challenges for alpha positions they have to deal with the Pride. They came to finish what they started
“My first change? You mean I’ve popped my change-cherry?”
Really good short yummy paranormal read, loved the fact that Sara was a little crazy and as alpha as Zach was, made for the perfect pair. There was a little bit more emphasis on their primal instincts that their human ones, it was very animalistic, which made it hot in its own unique way. No biker MC story here, just a bunch pack of rave-riding-shifters ;) Her friends were hilariously crazy but you gotta love them, Miki’s story is up next, her and her Viking god ;)
April 22, 2015
Zach Sheridan is more than stunned when he finds the girl he is looking for is a full body woman with attitude and no clue of what she is, a shifter. Zach is in line to become the Alpha of the Magnus Pack, and the last thing he needs is a distraction but every instinct he has is telling him to make Sara his and it is only a matter of time before he loses the fight he has internally telling him no.
Loved this book, Sara is tough as they come having had a not so easy childhood with a crazy grandmother. Some really funny moments in this book, I gave it a 4.75 just because Sara's friends argue a lot in the book and it distracted from the overall story. Although looks like the next one is going to be an excellent read.
***Reread I was curious about it because I had recently reread Go Fetch and Here Kitty, Kitty. Out of the series thus far Go Fetch is still my favorite but this one is pretty fantastic too. Zach is all bad boy and Sara is not quite sure how to deal with him. A fluke of events keep pushing them together causing cataclismic results.
Loved this book, Sara is tough as they come having had a not so easy childhood with a crazy grandmother. Some really funny moments in this book, I gave it a 4.75 just because Sara's friends argue a lot in the book and it distracted from the overall story. Although looks like the next one is going to be an excellent read.
***Reread I was curious about it because I had recently reread Go Fetch and Here Kitty, Kitty. Out of the series thus far Go Fetch is still my favorite but this one is pretty fantastic too. Zach is all bad boy and Sara is not quite sure how to deal with him. A fluke of events keep pushing them together causing cataclismic results.
November 24, 2012
Wow! This book was a lot of fun to read and I just loved the interaction amongst the characters. Usually you have the scarred alpha male hero, so it was great to have a scarred alpha heroine. I found my self cheering for her character because even with her insecurities, Sara turned out to be one strong alpha girl. Sara also had two friends that were just laugh out loud funny at times. Miki is the genius and Angelina is the pretty one. Their books are 2nd and 3rd in the series. The characters are all crazy, yet endearing. Zach, the upcoming alpha male of his pack, is so in denial about his attraction for Sara. He's chasing her one minute and trying to rationalize it away the next. I highly recommend this book to all paranormal lovers. It's a short read with a ton of action and the right amount of heat!
March 19, 2008
Hot book. The first in her "Pack" series.
Sara is scarred from the attack that took her only remaining parent, her father, from her when she was 10. She's already figured out that no man will want a too-big, agressive, scarred woman as a wife. Good thing she's perfect to be an Alpha wolf's wife!
Zach likes pushy women just fine...to screw that is. He's perfectly happy to run a pack and has no desire to find a mate, settle down, and raise pups. Good thing he's about to meet his dream woman. Now if only he was smart enough to recognize her...
Sara is scarred from the attack that took her only remaining parent, her father, from her when she was 10. She's already figured out that no man will want a too-big, agressive, scarred woman as a wife. Good thing she's perfect to be an Alpha wolf's wife!
Zach likes pushy women just fine...to screw that is. He's perfectly happy to run a pack and has no desire to find a mate, settle down, and raise pups. Good thing he's about to meet his dream woman. Now if only he was smart enough to recognize her...
June 24, 2013
Who doesn't love some bikers, shifters and hot sex? nooot this girl lol
March 30, 2021
In this read Laurenston gives us cranky alpha wolf Zach and Sara a heroine that doesn't need much reason to kick ass.
Enjoyed the sarcasm between the heroine and her two best-friends.
There was some oomph lacking when it came to the MCs relationship and interactions. Sex was a tad too much in this one, found myself skimming through in all my reads.
Overall this re-read was entertaining although not to the same level as other books by Laurenston.
Enjoyed the sarcasm between the heroine and her two best-friends.
There was some oomph lacking when it came to the MCs relationship and interactions. Sex was a tad too much in this one, found myself skimming through in all my reads.
Overall this re-read was entertaining although not to the same level as other books by Laurenston.
July 6, 2014
I never expected a paranormal book to be this funny. This is one of the laugh out loud funny books I've read in a long time. The humor is adult and current. If you're offended by profanity then please do stay away from this book. The banter between the heroine and her two friends had me laughing so hard. That was quite an unexpected treat.
This is a story about a female wolf shifter who is unaware of her heritage. She's the kind of heroine I love. Smart, feisty, strong without being a ball buster. She's scarred and walks with a limp, so she's not your conventionally pretty heroine. The hero is a tall, dark motorcycle riding wolf shifter. He's ultimate alpha male, but doesn't go far with his chest-thumping or possessiveness. The story is set in a small town in the west where it seems most of the people are shifters. I would read more books from this author. This was the first book of hers I read. I like her style and humor. Highly recommend this book for those who like paranormal fiction.
This is a story about a female wolf shifter who is unaware of her heritage. She's the kind of heroine I love. Smart, feisty, strong without being a ball buster. She's scarred and walks with a limp, so she's not your conventionally pretty heroine. The hero is a tall, dark motorcycle riding wolf shifter. He's ultimate alpha male, but doesn't go far with his chest-thumping or possessiveness. The story is set in a small town in the west where it seems most of the people are shifters. I would read more books from this author. This was the first book of hers I read. I like her style and humor. Highly recommend this book for those who like paranormal fiction.
March 16, 2011
This book is a hot mess.
I have never before encountered an author who creates such unlikable characters. Cripes!
The first book I read by Shelly Laurenston was Beast Behaving Badly. The heroine was one of the most irritating, hyper, unlikable characters I've ever seen in a romance novel. (For the record, I thought the hero-polar bear was adorable, thank God).
But that was before I read Pack Challenge. In this book, the hero, the heroine, and all her side-kicks, are equally horrible. The hero Zach is horny and single-minded, and totally lacking in any leadership qualities as far as I could see. He is supposed to become the alpha male of the pack, but he spends the entire book worrying about getting it on with Sara, the heroine. Not such a hot leader. He borders on being disrespectful to her because of his extreme horniness, something I don't like in my heroes.
Sara, the heroine, is a sarcastic, snarky bitch. She is emotionally stunted due to her upbringing by a vengeful and hateful grandmother. She is so immature (as are her best friends) I thought perhaps I was reading a YA book. Speaking of the word "bitch"-- Sara and her 2 side-kick girlfriends, Angelina and Miki, spend most of the book insulting each other, calling each other "whore," "bitch," and other terms of affection. Their maturity level appears to be stunted at the tweenie-I'm-10-years-old-level. Miki and Angelina's other favorite activity is getting into slapping, screaming fights. I wanted to bang both of them over the head with a cast-iron skillet.
I am flabbergasted by this book. It is well-written, the pacing is excellent, the storyline was engaging, and the shapeshifter paranormal aspect was superb. I love shapeshifter books, and Laurenston does a great job with the animal instincts and pack behavior. But it's extremely difficult to stomach a book where the major characters are unlikable jerks.
The worst part of the book for me was the final-declaration-of-our-love scene. Zach is attempting to tell Sara he loves her (which is freakin' hilarious, since all these two have done for the entire book is ball each other...how the heck they've "fallen in love" has escaped me), but he keeps getting distracted by the sight of her naked arse. Sara answers a ringing phone, and has a chirpy conversation with her bud about how Zach is trying to profess his love for her. Cute, right? No, not really. Not charming, not cute, unless you are maybe 8 or 9 years old. These two are now the alpha leaders of this wolf pack? This pack is so totally screwed.
After just finishing Molly Harper's adorable werewolf book, this one fell flat for me. The humor and characters were too immature for an adult paranormal romance. If anyone knows of a Shelly Laurenston book where the characters are more likable, speak now or forever hold your peace. I'm willing to give her one more chance, but I want a sure thing. (If the hero has a beard, that would be a bonus! hee hee).
Grade: C+
Stymied,
Penelope
I have never before encountered an author who creates such unlikable characters. Cripes!
The first book I read by Shelly Laurenston was Beast Behaving Badly. The heroine was one of the most irritating, hyper, unlikable characters I've ever seen in a romance novel. (For the record, I thought the hero-polar bear was adorable, thank God).
But that was before I read Pack Challenge. In this book, the hero, the heroine, and all her side-kicks, are equally horrible. The hero Zach is horny and single-minded, and totally lacking in any leadership qualities as far as I could see. He is supposed to become the alpha male of the pack, but he spends the entire book worrying about getting it on with Sara, the heroine. Not such a hot leader. He borders on being disrespectful to her because of his extreme horniness, something I don't like in my heroes.
Sara, the heroine, is a sarcastic, snarky bitch. She is emotionally stunted due to her upbringing by a vengeful and hateful grandmother. She is so immature (as are her best friends) I thought perhaps I was reading a YA book. Speaking of the word "bitch"-- Sara and her 2 side-kick girlfriends, Angelina and Miki, spend most of the book insulting each other, calling each other "whore," "bitch," and other terms of affection. Their maturity level appears to be stunted at the tweenie-I'm-10-years-old-level. Miki and Angelina's other favorite activity is getting into slapping, screaming fights. I wanted to bang both of them over the head with a cast-iron skillet.
I am flabbergasted by this book. It is well-written, the pacing is excellent, the storyline was engaging, and the shapeshifter paranormal aspect was superb. I love shapeshifter books, and Laurenston does a great job with the animal instincts and pack behavior. But it's extremely difficult to stomach a book where the major characters are unlikable jerks.
The worst part of the book for me was the final-declaration-of-our-love scene. Zach is attempting to tell Sara he loves her (which is freakin' hilarious, since all these two have done for the entire book is ball each other...how the heck they've "fallen in love" has escaped me), but he keeps getting distracted by the sight of her naked arse. Sara answers a ringing phone, and has a chirpy conversation with her bud about how Zach is trying to profess his love for her. Cute, right? No, not really. Not charming, not cute, unless you are maybe 8 or 9 years old. These two are now the alpha leaders of this wolf pack? This pack is so totally screwed.
After just finishing Molly Harper's adorable werewolf book, this one fell flat for me. The humor and characters were too immature for an adult paranormal romance. If anyone knows of a Shelly Laurenston book where the characters are more likable, speak now or forever hold your peace. I'm willing to give her one more chance, but I want a sure thing. (If the hero has a beard, that would be a bonus! hee hee).
Grade: C+
Stymied,
Penelope
February 14, 2011
^^SOCIALLY CHALLENGED!^^
What a surprise Pack Challenge was, I thought I would kinda like it but I ended up liking it a lot. It won’t be for everyone, because the females are a little bit unrefined, and the story is far from spectacular. I did laugh though and I came to a realization, that I really enjoy my h/h unrefined (by unrefined I mean; brass, bold, and without polish).
Sara has scars on her body and in her heart. She finds it hard to trust, and only has a handful of close friends. She lost her parents at a young age and the scars on her body are proof of her survival. As the immense pain caused by the accident, which left the scars on her body, intensifies, Sara is finding it hard to pretend anymore. How long can she keep up the drinking, and finding reasons to get in to bar fights? Until a group of bikers show up on her home turf, and the sexy Zach makes an appearance. Sara starts feelings things, and she is feeling like an animal.
Zack does one thing and one thing only protects his pack. He has job to lookout for a female who has no idea she is a shifter, and he is finding himself wanting this woman with a serious chip on her shoulder (more like a branch). Zack knows Sara is one-step from crazy, but he wants her bad. He came to Texas to do job, not to find a mate and her crazy friends.
Therefore, to add some action, another bunch of shifters wants Sara dead in the name of pride, honour, revenge and all that. A crazy lion shifter cannot let bygones be bygones. Sara deals with being a wolf shifter like pro, which explains why her fuse is so short and easily combustible. In addition, why she feels like an animal when it comes to Zack and all she wants to do is rut, rut, and rut some more.
I liked the fact that Sara is one crazy B.I.T.C.H, with an attitude problem and no manners to speak of. Sometimes all these perfect heroines becomes tiresome, here’s a woman with flaws and all that. Zack is sexy, and knows how to throw down, nothing surprising here. I look forward to her friend’s book cus they be crazy. I realized that I like my women crazy *who know*. This is light fluffy and will go buy in no time, if you looking to laugh a little then this book is for you.
What a surprise Pack Challenge was, I thought I would kinda like it but I ended up liking it a lot. It won’t be for everyone, because the females are a little bit unrefined, and the story is far from spectacular. I did laugh though and I came to a realization, that I really enjoy my h/h unrefined (by unrefined I mean; brass, bold, and without polish).
Sara has scars on her body and in her heart. She finds it hard to trust, and only has a handful of close friends. She lost her parents at a young age and the scars on her body are proof of her survival. As the immense pain caused by the accident, which left the scars on her body, intensifies, Sara is finding it hard to pretend anymore. How long can she keep up the drinking, and finding reasons to get in to bar fights? Until a group of bikers show up on her home turf, and the sexy Zach makes an appearance. Sara starts feelings things, and she is feeling like an animal.
Zack does one thing and one thing only protects his pack. He has job to lookout for a female who has no idea she is a shifter, and he is finding himself wanting this woman with a serious chip on her shoulder (more like a branch). Zack knows Sara is one-step from crazy, but he wants her bad. He came to Texas to do job, not to find a mate and her crazy friends.
Therefore, to add some action, another bunch of shifters wants Sara dead in the name of pride, honour, revenge and all that. A crazy lion shifter cannot let bygones be bygones. Sara deals with being a wolf shifter like pro, which explains why her fuse is so short and easily combustible. In addition, why she feels like an animal when it comes to Zack and all she wants to do is rut, rut, and rut some more.
I liked the fact that Sara is one crazy B.I.T.C.H, with an attitude problem and no manners to speak of. Sometimes all these perfect heroines becomes tiresome, here’s a woman with flaws and all that. Zack is sexy, and knows how to throw down, nothing surprising here. I look forward to her friend’s book cus they be crazy. I realized that I like my women crazy *who know*. This is light fluffy and will go buy in no time, if you looking to laugh a little then this book is for you.
February 21, 2011
FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC! SCORCHING HOT EROTICA!
This book was the greatest read, I haven't ever laughed so hard in my life from a book. I literally had tears running down my face at some of the interaction between Sara and her two friends along with the Magnus Pack. I was hooked immediately and couldn't put the book down. Sara and Zach's romance was perfect and their erotic scenes were totally HOT! I loved Sara's kick ass attitude and action and her friends were just as awesome. Zach made the perfect Alpha male. Shelly Laurenston now has a new fan, I look forward to jumping right into the next book in this series.
This book was the greatest read, I haven't ever laughed so hard in my life from a book. I literally had tears running down my face at some of the interaction between Sara and her two friends along with the Magnus Pack. I was hooked immediately and couldn't put the book down. Sara and Zach's romance was perfect and their erotic scenes were totally HOT! I loved Sara's kick ass attitude and action and her friends were just as awesome. Zach made the perfect Alpha male. Shelly Laurenston now has a new fan, I look forward to jumping right into the next book in this series.
April 7, 2018
4 stars.
Sexy and captivating paranormal romance. Compulsive reading. Fabulous author.
See my review for this series under book three "Here Kitty, Kitty".
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sexy and captivating paranormal romance. Compulsive reading. Fabulous author.
See my review for this series under book three "Here Kitty, Kitty".
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 23, 2017
Good paranormal story
I don't usually read a lot of paranormal romances, but I really liked this one. The reason I didn't give it more stars was because of the disjointed transition from the heroine and hero's POV. It would've been nice of there was a couple of lines of space to show the transition. I had to keep reading the paragraphs again to understand it. Not sure if this is a kindle formatting issue and if it is different in the paperback version.
I also thought all the hinting of the reason for Sara's scars were too much and when the reason was finally revealed it wasn't fully explained like why the Pride let her live, etc. There was a hint as to why her grandmother was a bitch, but I didn't think the reason was fully explained either or it seemed too thin.
I will probably read the next book. I'm interested in what Miki's big mouth will get her into and how Conall will handle it.
I don't usually read a lot of paranormal romances, but I really liked this one. The reason I didn't give it more stars was because of the disjointed transition from the heroine and hero's POV. It would've been nice of there was a couple of lines of space to show the transition. I had to keep reading the paragraphs again to understand it. Not sure if this is a kindle formatting issue and if it is different in the paperback version.
I also thought all the hinting of the reason for Sara's scars were too much and when the reason was finally revealed it wasn't fully explained like why the Pride let her live, etc. There was a hint as to why her grandmother was a bitch, but I didn't think the reason was fully explained either or it seemed too thin.
I will probably read the next book. I'm interested in what Miki's big mouth will get her into and how Conall will handle it.
July 18, 2010
Just a comment before I even read this book, I wish it were just about 1/2 inch longer on the bottom. I'm just saying.
Fantastic book. I just love Sara, Miki and Angelina. They are so funny and great together.
Sara is a girl who works in a motorcycle shop. She meets Zach at a bar where Miki is the bartender. Angelina has some kind of shop, but they don't really talk about it. Sara gets drunk, some guys try to kill her, Zach saves her and Sara kisses him as thanks. Now he can't get her of his mind. The Pride that killed her mother and father are after her and Zach is trying to save her because her mother and father where in his Pack. Although Sara knows nothing about this because Grandma didn't tell her. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. Would you recommend this book.
Fantastic book. I just love Sara, Miki and Angelina. They are so funny and great together.
Sara is a girl who works in a motorcycle shop. She meets Zach at a bar where Miki is the bartender. Angelina has some kind of shop, but they don't really talk about it. Sara gets drunk, some guys try to kill her, Zach saves her and Sara kisses him as thanks. Now he can't get her of his mind. The Pride that killed her mother and father are after her and Zach is trying to save her because her mother and father where in his Pack. Although Sara knows nothing about this because Grandma didn't tell her. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. Would you recommend this book.
December 24, 2015
I started out with Laurenston's Pride series and fell in love. I had to read about the Magnus Pack especially with her latest Pride book out "Wolf with Benefits" that brings back a little scene of the Magnus Pack.
"Pack Challenge" is a hysterically funny, incredibly hot, PNR erotica novel. Laurenston is an excellent writer. The dialogue is snappy and realistic for the characters. The plot is smooth and moves at a good pace. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and look forward to their story's being told.
"Pack Challenge" is a hysterically funny, incredibly hot, PNR erotica novel. Laurenston is an excellent writer. The dialogue is snappy and realistic for the characters. The plot is smooth and moves at a good pace. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and look forward to their story's being told.
November 29, 2022
Die besten Freundinnen hier betiteln sich non-stop als Schlampe, Hure oder Ähnliches. Die Mädels sind natürlich alle total hart drauf und lieben sich total, die bitches. Es gibt nur brave Mädchen oder Huren/Schlampen. Gott bewahre, dass eine Frau Sex wollen kann. Zack, direkt eine Hure. Ugh. Der Hauptcharakter ist clueless hoch 10, fast wie Grace aus Crave. Nur halt in aggressiv. Und der Schreibstil? "Alleine der Gedanke an ihn lässt meine Muschiwände enger zusammenrücken." Uff...
August 25, 2016
I liked this book for what it was. It's not deep, but it's fun. I liked the characters, the friendships between the main character, Sara, and her friends, and the dynamic between Sara and her love interest.
September 30, 2010
Bloodthirsty, but full of fun and alpha shifting pnr yumminess. This one wont be for everyone- she says "bitch". alot.- but I'm def. sold on this author! :P
October 26, 2012
*Originally read 3/24/11 - 3/26/11*
*Reread 3/18/12*
Hilarious! I'm so glad I got lured into rereading this series again.
*Reread 3/18/12*
Hilarious! I'm so glad I got lured into rereading this series again.
January 15, 2019
Great pacing, laugh out loud funny, insanely hot sex scenes, and some gruesome violence. Loved it.
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