The Monsters In Your Neighborhood by Jesse Petersen


Monstrosity, Book 2

Synopsis: As one of Frankenstein’s Creatures, Natalie Gray knows that unique parts sometimes make up a great whole. Still, leading a diverse support group for monsters—now including Cthulhu!—isn’t an easy task. Especially not since the internet arrived.

New York City embraces the different and the bizarre. Still, even for such a fun-loving city, the supernatural and monstrous might be a bit too much. It’s been six months since the members of “Club Monstrosity” overcame the most recent spate of anti-monster violence and they’ve reestablished their routine of meeting in a church basement once a week to (ugh!) talk about their feelings. Still, they also know a war against them is brewing.

Natalie and Alec (the werewolf) have begun dating, and the mummies Kai and Rehu are tighter than a bug in a…well, bandage. But when modern means (YouTube, Twitter, bits and bytes) are used to chilp away at the solidarity of these ancient monsters, it’s up to Natalie to save the day. #MonstersInNewYork may be trending on Twitter, but this girl’s trending toward saving the day…somehow.

Review: After the end of the first book I was curious to see what Jesse Petersen had for us for the rest of our small group of “monsters”. And I must say that I am far from disappointed.

We find all the characters that we had the chance to discover in the first volume, including Natalie and Alec as they are now together in everyday life. Natalie has now taken the place as the leader of the group like Bob and tries her best to help everyone. But the routine is hard to take especially now that Van Helsing has declared war. Our group seems quite anxious over their next move and do not know what they can expect from them. So when Drake is stabbed and that a video featuring another Frankenstein’s child is put on social networks, their world collapses, including Natalie’s. Indeed, our young heroine thought she was the only extant creature on earth, and learning from reliable sources that this is not the case will totally undermine her world. So she asks for help from the last person she would have thought to contact: Igor, the former assistant to her father. But that’s not all and the return of Hyde seems to complicate things.

It is with great pleasure that I found Natalie and Alec and I was happy to see how their relationship had changed. They are really cute together and also very close to one another. They protect, help and support each other no matter what happens. This novel also allows us to learn more about her past and her life and I must say it was really interesting. Kai and Reu are welded back more than ever and determined to do what they have decided even if Reu seems to have understood that behave badly sometimes doesn’t solve anything. Linda is of course always irritating although I was a little sorry for the way people behave with her. However we can also understand them as she always does something really annoying. And we also have another new character, Pat. He is much more intriguing and different than any others we have discovered so far. But I must say that I was completely surprised to see Igor, the former Frankenstein’s assistant become immortal. I did not expect to meet him but it was a really interesting character to understand and I wonder if we will then have the chance to see him again later in the story.

I was curious to see how the war would unfold for our characters. I expected a great battle, a war, but not at all, it is even better than that. In today’s world, war can be used with social networks and people’s fears over what they can not explain. Jesse Petersen has perfectly managed to modern tools and to handle them to create an intriguing battle of modern times.

It was a very good new novel, containing many tracks that I did not expect. I advise you to start the series and rediscover the protagonists that we all know. This is an explosive cocktail of characters!

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The Monsters In Your Neighborhood de Jesse Petersen (VO)

Monstrosity, Tome 2

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : En tant qu’une des créatures de Frankenstein, Natalie Gray sait que les pièces uniques font parfois un grand tout. Pourtant, mener un groupe de soutien pour divers monstres, y compris maintenant Cthulhu!- n’est pas une tâche facile. Surtout pas depuis l’arrivée d’Internet.

New York City embrasse le différent et le bizarre. Pourtant, même pour une ville qui aime s’amuser, le surnaturel et monstrueux est peut-être un peu de trop. Cela fait six mois que les membres de « Club Monstrosity » ont surmonté la vague la plus récente de violence anti-monstre et ils ont rétabli leur routine de réunion dans un sous-sol de l’église une fois par semaine pour (ugh!) parler de leurs sentiments. Pourtant, ils savent aussi qu’une guerre contre eux se prépare.

Natalie et Alec (le loup-garou) ont commencé à sortir ensemble, et les momies Kai et Rehu sont plus serrés qu’un insecte dans un … eh bien, bandage. Mais lorsque les moyens modernes (YouTube, Twitter, bits et d’octets) sont utilisés pour détruire la solidarité de ces monstres antiques, c’est à Natalie que revient la tâche de sauver la journée. #MonstersInNewYork est peut être tendance sur Twitter, mais cette fille a tendance à sauver la journée … en quelque sorte.

Avis : Après la fin du premier tome j’étais curieuse de voir ce que Jesse Petersen nous avait réservé pour la suite de notre petit groupe de « monstres ». Et je dois dire que je suis loin d’être déçue.

Nous retrouvons donc tous les personnages que nous avons eu la chance de découvrir dans le premier tome, notamment Natalie et Alec qui sont à présent ensemble dans la vie de tous les jours. Natalie a maintenant repris la tête du groupe de soutien que Bob menait et essaie de son mieux de les aider. Mais la routine est difficile à reprendre notamment maintenant que les Van Helsing leur ont déclaré la guerre. Notre petit groupe semble assez anxieux par rapport à leur prochain mouvement et ne savent pas à quoi ils peuvent s’attendre de leur part. Aussi quand Drake se fait poignarder et qu’une vidéo mettant en scène un autre enfant de Frankenstein est mise sur les réseaux sociaux, tout leur monde s’écroule, notamment celui de Natalie. En effet, notre jeune héroïne pensait être la seule créature encore existante sur terre, et apprendre de source sûre que ce n’est pas le cas va totalement ébranler son monde. Aussi elle demandera de l’aide à la dernière personne qu’elle aurait pensé contacter, Igor, l’ancien assistant de son père. Mais ce n’est pas tout et le retour de Hyde semble encore compliquer les choses.

C’est avec grand plaisir que j’ai retrouvé Natalie et Alec et j’étais contente de voir comment leur relation avait évolué. Ils sont vraiment mignons ensemble et aussi très proches l’un de l’autre. Ils se protègent, s’aident et se supportent l’un l’autre quoi qu’il se passe. Ce roman nous permet aussi d’en apprendre plus quant à son passé et sa vie et je dois dire que c’était vraiment intéressant. Kai et Rehu sont de retour plus soudés que jamais et bien décidés à faire ce qu’ils ont décidé bien que Rehu ait l’air d’avoir compris que se comporter méchamment ne résout parfois rien. Linda est bien sûr quant à elle toujours irritante bien qu’on ait un peu pitié de la façon dont les gens se comportent avec elle. Cependant on les comprend aussi parfaitement car elle n’aide pas à les faire changer d’avis. Et nous avons aussi un autre nouveau personnage, Pat qui est bien plus intriguant et différent que tous ceux que nous avons découvert jusqu’à présent. Mais je dois dire que j’ai été complètement surprise de pouvoir rencontrer Igor, l’ancien assistant de Frankenstein devenu immortel.  Je ne m’attendais pas à le rencontrer mais ce personnage était vraiment intéressant à comprendre et je me demande si nous aurons alors la chance de le revoir de nouveau dans la suite de l’histoire.

J’étais curieuse de voir comment la guerre allait se dérouler pour tous nos personnages. Je m’attendais à une grande bataille, une guerre, mais que nenni, c’est encore mieux que cela. Dans le monde actuel, une guerre peut se faire à l’aide des réseaux sociaux et de la crainte des gens par rapport à ce qu’ils ne peuvent expliquer. Jesse Petersen a parfaitement réussi à mettre les outils modernes et à les manipuler de façon intrigante pour créer un combat des temps modernes.

C’était un nouveau très bon roman, renfermant de nombreuses pistes auxquelles je ne m’attendais pas. Je vous conseille de commencer la série et de redécouvrir les protagonistes que nous connaissons tous.  C’est un cocktail de personnages explosifs !

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Interview – Jesse Petersen (+traduction) ~ Giveaway

We’re happy today to have on the blog a wonderful author: Jesse Petersen. She has already written a great series about zombies: Living with the Dead. And if you don’t know it, you really need to! It’s really fun! But today I’ll present you her new series: Monstrosity! This one was so interesting, you can even read a review here. The first book: Club Monstrosity will be out on April 29th and the second is for July. Thanks to the author for this nice interview!


Nous sommes très heureuses aujourd’hui d’avoir Jesse Petersen sur le blog. Elle a déjà écrit une très bonne série sur les zombies, dont deux tomes sortis chez Milady. Si vous ne la connaissez pas, essayez! C’est vraiment très drôle. Mais je vais vous présenter aujourd’hui sa toute nouvelle série: Monstrosity ! C’était vraiment un très bon premier tome et vous pouvez lire un avis ici. Le premier roman : Club Monstrosity sort le 29 Avril et le second est pour Juillet. Merci à l’auteure pour cette jolie interview.
————–

Hello ! Thank you so much for coming on our blog today ! Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Thanks so much for having me! I’m Jesse Petersen, I write funny urban fantasy about zombies and monsters. I’ve also written romance under another name. I’ve had nearly 40 books published. I live in Tucson, AZ (USA) with my husband and our two cats.


When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I never assumed I’d actually do it, of course, but with my husband’s support, I decided not to go back to graduate school as originally planned and started writing full time.


How many books do you intend to write for this series?
Club Monstrosity currently is just two books. There’s always a possibility for more, but that’s the plan at this point. We’ll see what happens when the first book comes out in April here in the U.S.


Was it difficult to write the first book? How long did it take? 
It wasn’t any more difficult than any other book. All books are really fun to write, but also challenging. If it wasn’t challenging, it would hardly be worth doing it. I write books in about 6-8 weeks. That’s how long CLUB MONSTROSITY took.


How did you end up writing Urban Fantasy books? Is there any other genre that appeal to you?
I had a story in MARRIED WITH ZOMBIES that wanted to be told. I write romance under another name, so that pretty much fills the time I have to write between the two.


Can you tell us a little something about the first book? And the second one?
In CLUB MONSTROSITY we find a support group of monsters, their stories altered and bastardized by authors and directors, who meet in a basement in New York. When they start getting murdered in ways identical to their “stories”, they have no choice but to figure out who might know their identities. THE MONSTERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD continues the monsters’ stories.


Is there a character more difficult than the others to write?
I really love all my characters in CLUB MONSTROSITY. Natalie, a Frankenstein’s Monster and Alec, a Wolf Man, are my leads and they are just tons of fun! I also have Drakula, a Swamp Creature, a Mummy and a bunch more monster characters. I love them all so much, they’re just fun to write.


Who is your favorite character in the series?
Probably my heroine, Natalie. She’s really trying to figure out if she can be a monster or not.


Did you need to do a lot of researches for your books?
I create my own sort of universe, which doesn’t really require research as much as just continuity in what happens and how things work. With real places like New York, obviously it has to make sense.


Is it difficult to mix so many creatures in the same novel? Mainly with so famous characters? Where did the idea come from?
Not really, they’re all monsters trying to deal with the same monster-issues. It really gives them a common bond. My initial concept really came from the idea of them having a support group. Everything else blossomed from there.


How do you find your titles? Did you imagine them all when you started the series or do you brainstorm each time?
Club Monstrosity was my original title. The Monsters In Your Neighborhood was a collaboration between my fabulous editor and I. It’s really about capturing a mood or a feeling.


Do you write full time? If no, do you hope to eventually do so?
I do. Have since 1999!


Have you ever been in France?
No, I’d love to go, though.


Questions by Mutinelle for the Living with the Dead series:


Why did you choose to write about Zombies and marital problems? They don’t often get along.
That’s sort of the fun of it. Who would think a zombie apocalypse would save a marriage? That makes it funny!


Was it difficult to create a post-apocalyptic world? To create Zombies? What inspire you?
Not really. MARRIED WITH ZOMBIES follows a certain set of tropes set up in most zombie stories (whether movie or book). I did that on purpose to play with those.


Do you have other stories in mind?
Club Monstrosity and The Monsters In Your Neighborhood come out in the US in April and July respectively. I don’t know if they’ll be translated in French, but they should be available for those who are able to read English (the publisher holds and sells foreign rights, I have no control over where those rights sell or when). After that, we’ll just have to see!


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Bonjour! Nous vous remercions beaucoup d’être venue sur notre blog aujourd’hui! Pouvez-vous vous présenter en quelques mots ?Merci beaucoup de m’avoir invité! Je suis Jesse Petersen, j’écris des romans de fantasy urbaine assez marrants sur les zombies et les monstres. J’ai aussi écrit de la romance sous un autre nom. J’ai eu près de 40 livres publiés. J’habite à Tucson, AZ (USA) avec mon mari et nos deux chats.

Quand avez-vous réalisé que vous vouliez être écrivain ?Je n’arrive vraiment pas à me souvenir d’une époque où je n’avais pas envie d’être un écrivain. Je n’ai jamais pensé que j’en serais effectivement un bien sûr, mais avec le soutien de mon mari, j’ai décidé de ne pas retourner aux études supérieures, comme prévu initialement, et j’ai commencé à écrire à temps plein.

Combien de livres avez-vous l’intention d’écrire pour cette série ?CLUB MONSTROSITY comporte actuellement seulement deux tomes. Il y a toujours une possibilité d’en avoir plus, mais à ce stade, c’est ce qui est prévu. Nous verrons ensuite ce qui se passera lorsque le premier tome sortira en avril, ici aux USA.

Était-ce difficile d’écrire le premier livre? Combien de temps a-t-il fallu ?Ce n’était pas plus difficile que n’importe quel autre livre. Tous les livres sont plaisants à écrire mais c’est aussi un challenge. Si cela ne constituait pas un défi, cela ne vaudrait guère la peine de le faire. Quand j’écris des livres je mets 6-8 semaines environ. C’est le temps que cela m’a pris pour écrire CLUB MONSTROSITY.

Comment êtes-vous arrivé à écrire des livres fantasy urbaine? Y a-t-il un autre genre

qui vous plaise ?
J’avais une histoire dans ZOMBIE THERAPIE qui voulait être racontée. J’écris de la romance sous un autre nom, donc cela occupe une grande partie du temps que j’ai à écrire entre les deux.

Pouvez-vous nous dire un petit quelque chose sur le premier tome ? Et le second ?Dans CLUB MONSTROSITY on trouve un groupe de soutien de monstres, leurs histoires sont altérées et avilies par des auteurs et metteurs en scène, qui se réunissent dans un sous-sol à New York. Quand ils commencent à se faire assassiner selon un mode opératoire identique à leurs «histoires», ils n’ont pas d’autre choix que de trouver celui qui pourrait connaître leur identité. THE MONSTERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD est la suite de CLUB MONSTROSITY.

Y a-t-il un personnage plus difficile que les autres à écrire ?
J’aime vraiment tous mes personnages de CLUB MONSTROSITY. Natalie, un monstre de Frankenstein et Alec, un loup-garou, ce sont mes personnages principaux et ils sont vraiment amusants! J’ai aussi Drakula, une créature des marais, une momie et un tas d’autres monstres en plus. Je les aime tous tellement, c’est un plaisir de les écrire.

Qui est votre personnage préféré dans la série ?Probablement mon héroïne, Natalie. Elle essaye vraiment de comprendre si elle peut être un monstre ou non.

Avez-vous besoin de faire beaucoup de recherches pour vos livres?Je crée mon propre type d’univers, ce qui ne nécessite pas vraiment de recherches il faut juste que ça reste dans la continuité de ce qui se passe, comment les choses fonctionnent. Avec de vrais endroits comme New York, il est évident qu’il doit y avoir un sens.

Est-il difficile de mélanger tant de créatures dans le même roman ? Principalement avec des personnages si célèbres ? D’où vient l’idée ?Pas vraiment, ce sont tous les monstres qui essayent de faire face aux mêmes problèmes de monstres. Cela leur donne vraiment un lien commun. Mon concept initial est vraiment tiré de l’idée de les avoir dans un groupe de soutien. Tout le reste est venu à partir de là.

Comment trouvez-vous vos titres ? Les avez-vous tous imaginés quand vous avez commencé la série ou vous êtes-vous pris la tête à chaque fois ?Club Monstrosity était mon titre original. The Monsters In Your Neighborhood était une collaboration entre mon fabuleux éditeur et moi. Il s’agit vraiment d’une question d’humeur ou de feeling.

Écrivez-vous à temps plein ? Si non, espérez-vous un jour faire ?Je le fais. Depuis 1999!

Avez-vous déjà été en France ?
Non, je serais ravie d’y aller, cependant.

Questions posées par Mutinelle concernant la série Zombie Thérapie :
 
Pourquoi avez-vous choisi d’écrire une série à propos de Zombies et des problèmes conjugaux? Les deux ne vont pas vraiment de pair.C’est dû au côté amusant de la chose. Qui aurait cru qu’une apocalypse zombie permettrait de sauver un mariage? C’est assez drôle!

Était-ce difficile de créer un monde post-apocalyptique ? Pour créer Zombies? Qu’est-ce qui vous inspire ?Pas vraiment. ZOMBIE THERAPIE suit un certain nombre de codes que l’on retrouve dans la plupart des histoires de zombies (films ou livres). Je l’ai fait dans le but de jouer avec eux.

Avez-vous d’autres histoires à l’esprit ?Club Monstrosity et The Monsters In Your Neighborhood sortent respectivement aux États-Unis en Avril et Juillet. Je ne sais pas s’ils vont être traduits en français, mais ils devraient être disponibles pour ceux qui sont capables de lire l’anglais (c’est l’éditeur qui détient et vend les droits à l’étranger, je n’ai aucun contrôle dessus et donc j’ignore à qui ces droits sont vendus ou quand). Après cela, nous devrons simplement voir !

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Merci à Jesse petersen, vous avez la chance de gagner un tome du MARRIED WITH ZOMBIES en anglais dédicacé. C’est le premier tome de la série Living with the Dead. Le concours est international! Vous pouvez trouver l’explication pour l’utilisation de rafflecopter ici. Pour ceux qui n’ont pas twitter vous pouvez aussi partager sur facebook à la place en mettant le lien. Cliquez ici pour voir mon avis du livre. Vous avez jusqu’au 5 Mai.

Thanks to Jesse Petersen, you can win a signed copy of the MARRIED WITH ZOMBIES the first book in the living with the Dead series. The giveaway is international! You can read a review of this book here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves #45

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Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

 Jeux de Fauves (Anita Blake, 17) – Laurell K Hamilton

C’est le cadeau répugnant d’un vampire tueur en série qui m’a incitée à  m’intéresser à Las Vegas. Mais la situation est pire que je ne le pensais : plusieurs officiers de police et un exécuteur ont été assassinés. Épaulée par trois marshals, dont l’impitoyable Edward, je dois mener l’enquête. Heureusement qu’il est là pour couvrir mes arrières, car tout porte à croire que c’est un tigregarou qui a fait le coup. Or, ces derniers sont très puissants dans la Cité du péché, ce qui signifie que je risque bien de prendre quelqu’un de haut placé à rebrousse-poil…
 Thank you Sullivan McPig!
Enemy Within (Enemy, 1) – Marcella Burnard
An intergalactic cold war-and some heated passion- from an inventive new voice in futuristic romance.

After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father’s scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn’t want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn’t built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father’s ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari’s past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin’s sights. If she hasn’t been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he’s convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can’t afford the desire she fires within him and he’ll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

 

Immortal Eclipse: New Adult Immortal Eclipse – Sherry Soule

A devoted fashionata and practical New Yorker, Skylar Blackwell doesn’t believe in the supernatural—until she inherits Summerwind Mansion. . . .

When her uncle is brutally murdered, and the cops seem uninterested in following up the case, Skylar journeys to California to seek answers. Her search for clues is soon overshadowed by haunting nightmares of a young woman also murdered in the house.

Now the inhabitants of Summerwind are mysteriously dying, leaving no evidence as to how or why, and Skylar finds herself in a deadly race against time to expose the killer—before they strike again.

The problem is . . . whoever it is may not be human.

Armed with only wit and Pradas, Skylar begins questioning the servants, but the growing list of suspects includes the sexy and brooding caretaker, Dorian, a man desperately trying to forget his tragic past. And a major distraction for Skylar.

Determined to play detective—instead of the fashion police—and unravel the dark history of the mansion, Skylar is plunged into an otherworldly mystery that not even she can explain away. As the boundaries between reality and dreams blur, Skylar’s greatest challenge is to stay alive long enough to learn the truth.

The Monsters In Your Neighborhood (Monstrosity, 2) – Jesse Petersen

As one of Frankenstein’s Creatures, Natalie Gray knows that unique parts sometimes make up a great whole. Still, leading a diverse support group for monsters-now including Cthulhu!-isn’t an easy task. Especially not since the internet arrived. New York City embraces the different and the bizarre. Still, even for such a fun-loving city, the supernatural and monstrous might be a bit too much. It’s been six months since the members of “Club Monstrosity” overcame the most recent spate of anti-monster violence and they’ve reestablished their routine of meeting in a church basement once a week to (ugh!) talk about their feelings. Still, they also know a war against them is brewing.
Natalie and Alec (the werewolf) have begun dating, and the mummies Kai and Rehu are tighter than a bug in a…well, bandage. But when modern means (YouTube, Twitter, bits and bytes) are used to chilp away at the solidarity of these ancient monsters, it’s up to Natalie to save the day. #MonstersInNewYork may be trending on Twitter, but this girl’s trending toward saving the day…somehow.

No Angel No Angel – Helen Keeble

Rafael Angelos just got handed the greatest gift any teenage boy could ever dream of. Upon arriving at his new boarding school for senior year, he discovered that he is the ONLY male student. But what should have been a godsend isn’t exactly heaven on Earth.

Raffi’s about to learn that St. Mary’s is actually a hub for demons-and that he was summoned to the school by someone expecting him to save the day. Raffi knows he’s no angel-but it’s pretty hard to deny that there’s some higher plan at work when he wakes up one morning to discover a glowing circle around his head.


A Cursed Embrace (Weird Girls, #2) A cursed Embraced (Weird Girls, 2) – Cecy Robson

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twenty-something girls—with one tiny exception: They are the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that made them, well, a little weird…

After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome.

To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters.

The Brokenhearted The Broken Hearted – Amelia Kahaney

A teenage girl is transformed into a reluctant superhero and must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become.

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage…and her duty to uphold it.

The Chaos of Stars The Chaos of Stars – Kirsten White

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Merci à Zendarstak: 

Cat & Bones (Chasseuse de la nuit, #0.5;Chasseuse de la nuit, #4.5;Chasseuse de la nuit, #6.5) Cat & Bones – Jeaniene Frost

Retrouvez la Chasseuse de la nuit dans trois inédits !
Cat et Bones sont de retour dans trois aventures qui vous feront découvrir vos personnages préférés comme vous ne les avez jamais vus.
Du passé trouble de Bones à ses retrouvailles familiales inattendues, embarquez pour un voyage captivant en compagnie de ce couple explosif qui n’a pas fini de vous faire rêver.

Ce recueil comprend les nouvelles suivantes : Home Sweet Home, La prime et Un plat qui se mange froid. 

Traquée (Waynest, #1) 
 Traquée (Waynest, 1) – Jess Haines

Quand le chasseur devient la proie…

Le job de détective de Shiarra Waynest est déjà dangereux d’ordinaire. Il le devient davantage quand elle doit accepter un contrat susceptible de renflouer ses caisses vides… s’il ne lui coûte pas la vie. Dans une ville où rôdent la magie et les nonmorts et où vampires et loups-garous ne sont pas toujours ce qu’ils semblent être, Shiarra va devenir une arme secrète dans la bataille entre le bien et le mal… que cela lui plaise ou non.

Touch of the Demon (Kara Gillian, #5) 
 Touch of the Demon (Kara Gillian, 5) – Diana Rowland

Kara Gillian is in some seriously deep trouble.

She’s used to summoning supernatural creatures from the demon realm to our world, but now the tables have been turned and she’s the one who’s been summoned. Kara is the prisoner of yet another demonic lord, but she quickly discovers that she’s far more than a mere hostage. Yet waiting for rescue has never been her style, and Kara has no intention of being a pawn in someone else’s game.

There’s intrigue to spare as she digs into the origin of the demonic lords and discovers the machinations of humans and demons alike. Kara is shocked to discover that she has her own history in the demon realm, and that the ties between her and the demonic lords Rhyzkahl and Szerain go back farther than she could have ever imagined. But treachery runs rampant among all the lords, and she’s going to have to stay sharp in order to keep from being used to further their own agendas. The lords have a secret that dates back to earth’s ancient history, and it could have devastating repercussions for both worlds.

Yet more than anything else, Kara’s abilities as a homicide detective will be put to the test—because this time the murder she has to solve is her own. 

The Spellman Files (The Spellmans #1) The Spellman Files (Spellman, 1) – Lisa Lutz

Meet Isabel “Izzy” Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to “Get Smart” reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors — but the upshot is she’s good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family’s firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people’s privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman. Part Nancy Drew, part Dirty Harry, Izzy walks an indistinguishable line between Spellman family member and Spellman employee. Duties include: completing assignments from the bosses, aka Mom and Dad (preferably without scrutiny); appeasing her chronically perfect lawyer brother (often under duress); setting an example for her fourteen-year-old sister, Rae (who’s become addicted to “recreational surveillance”); and tracking down her uncle (who randomly disappears on benders dubbed “Lost Weekends”). But when Izzy’s parents hire Rae to follow her (for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of Izzy’s new boyfriend), Izzy snaps and decides that the only way she will ever be normal is if she gets out of the family business. But there’s a hitch: she must take one last job before they’ll let her go — a fifteen-year-old, ice-cold missing person case. She accepts, only to experience a disappearance far closer to home, which becomes the most important case of her life.

Riveted (Iron Seas, #3) Riveted (Iron Seas, 3) – Meljean Brook

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magical—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on an airship, searching for her sister and longing to return home. But that home is threatened when scientific expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard, looking to expose Annika’s secrets. Then disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, with their very survival depending on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam 

 

Club Monstrosity by Jesse Petersen


Monstrosity, Book 1

Synopsis: Natalie’s one of Frankenstein’s creations and works in a New York City morgue. So of course she needs therapy. She and her friends—er, fellow monsters—have formed the world’s most exclusive, most dysfunctional support group. What could go wrong?

Undetected in the modern world and under pressure to stay that way, Natalie Grey, Dracula, Bob the Blob, and others (including the fetching wolfman Alec) meet regularly to talk about the pressures of being infamous in the Big Apple. Topics include how long it’s been since their last sighting, how their “story” creates stereotypes they can’t fulfill, and—gasp—sometimes even their feelings. But when their pervy Invisible Man, Ellis, is killed in a manner reminiscent of the H.G. Wells novel, it’s clear someone’s discovered their existence and is down for some monster busting.

Led by Natalie—and definitely not helped by Hyde’s bloodthirsty tendencies—the members of Monstofelldosis Anonymous band together for security and a little sleuthing. And maybe—maybe—if they don’t end up dead, they’ll end up friends somewhere along the way.


Review: I really enjoyed the “Living with the dead” series by Jesse Petersen, so I immediately wanted to get into this new one when I discovered its existence. I must say that the summary also really intrigued me. Why is that? I admit that I only had to read “ Frankenstein’s creations ” , “Dracula”  and “Hyde” … What an explosive mix would you say? And it is exactly that! I was very surprised to see so many famous people in the same novel, and I was curious to see how they were all able to interact. And I can say that Jesse has managed to write a really nice book.
 
Natalie is one of the many creations by Frankenstein, but does not really accept her condition as “zombie”, a word she hates. She wants more and she would love to live like other people and not have to worry about her condition as “monster.” However, she must be very careful not to reveal herself to humans and therefore she must constantly hide her scars. As she tries to improve her existence, she is part of a small group of people, monsters like her, trying to adapt in the world. They often do some sessions to talk about their concerns and their desires. We meet many other characters like Alex the werewolf who must constantly shave himself as he has fur everywhere; Linda, the woman with green scales who is the most emotional of all the group; and Jekyll and Hyde, I do not think I need to present them. They are perfect, like the characters we know from the books and movies; Drake, the new name of Dracula who is determined to do as he pleases; Kai, the resurrected mummy and even Van Helsing. Convinced? I really enjoyed the presence of these highly colored characters. They are very different but always here to support each other. But when the president of their club, Bob disappears and when the invisible man is found dead, panic sets in, causing the concern of all. But our characters are far from giving up and are determined to understand what’s happening and to find out who is behind it.
   
All the characters are interesting to explore and I must say that there is only one who has irritated me a little and it’s Linda. She is a sensitive young woman who cries at every opportunity and would do anything to solve the problems by themselves. We would love to occasionally shake her so she realizes that life is not perfect. Unlike her, the other characters are very dynamic. Of course, we can only love our true main character, Natalie. This is a young woman who easily hides her emotions and she is strong and courageous as well as very sensitive. We would be able to help her to have her dream life but it is impossible. She will team up with the exasperating and also very charming Alec, in their investigations. They are together a very nice duo and we wondered how their relationship was going to change because I have to say they are very talented for denying their feelings. But their association will allow them to understand the workings of the disappearances and to bring a complicity they never suspected. Kai is for me the most complex character in the novel. Indeed, it is easy to hate her at the beginning of the story by her attitude so arrogant and haughty, but we realize through the chapters that she is much more than that and she only waits for the right moment to reveal herself.
 
 
It was a very good first novel for a series that I will follow now. The plot is really well built and I was surprised by several points throughout the story. If you want to discover or rediscover the legendary characters we know, I recommend this book.

 

Club Monstrosity de Jesse Petersen (VO)


Monstrosity, Tome 1

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : Natalie, l’une des créations de Frankenstein, travaille à la morgue de New York. Alors bien sûr, elle a besoin d’une thérapie. Elle et ses amis, plusieurs monstres – ont formé le plus exclusif groupe du monde, un groupe de soutien dysfonctionnel. Qu’est-ce qui pourrait mal tourner?
Inaperçus dans le monde moderne et sous pression afin que cela reste de cette façon, Natalie Grey, Dracula, Bob le Blob, et d’autres (y compris l’irrécupérable Alec, homme-loup) se réunissent régulièrement pour parler de la pression d’être tristement célèbre dans la Big Apple. Les sujets traités parlent des dernières fois où ils ont été découverts, comment leur «histoire» a pu créer des stéréotypes qu’ils ne peuvent pas remplir, et in extremis, parfois même de leurs sentiments. Mais quand leur pervers homme Invisible, Ellis, est tué d’une manière qui rappelle le roman de HG Wells, il est clair que quelqu’un a découvert leur existence et s’est mis en chasse des monstres.
Dirigée par Natalie et certainement pas aidés par les tendances sanguinaires de Hyde – les membres de la bande Monstofelldosis Anonymous s’allient ensemble pour leur sécurité et un peu d’enquête. Et peut-être, peut-être, s’ils ne finissent pas morts, ils finiront amis quelque part le long du chemin.



Avis : J’ai beaucoup apprécié la série de zombies de Jesse Petersen, je me suis donc tout de suite lancée dans cette nouvelle quand j’ai découvert son existence. Je dois dire que le résumé m’a tout de suite intriguée. Pourquoi ? J’avoue qu’il m’a suffi de lire « création de Frankenstein », « Dracula », « Hyde »… Quel mélange détonant me direz-vous ? Et c’est exactement cela ! J’étais très surprise de voir autant de personnages célèbres dans un même roman et j’étais curieuse de voir comment ils allaient pouvoir tous interagir. Et je peux dire que Jesse a réussi un joli mélange.
Natalie est une des nombreuses créations de Frankenstein, mais n’accepte pas vraiment sa condition de « zombie », mot qu’elle déteste. Elle aimerait plus que tout vivre comme les autres humains et ne pas avoir à se soucier de sa condition de « monstre ». Il faut cependant qu’elle fasse très attention à ne pas se dévoiler aux humains et doit constamment cacher ses cicatrices. Pour essayer de remonter la pente et  de vivre au mieux, elle fait partie d’un petit groupe de personnes, des monstres comme elle, qui essaie de s’adapter. Ils font donc des séances assez souvent pour parler de leurs soucis et de leurs envies. On rencontre ainsi de nombreux autres personnages : Alex le loup-garou qui doit constamment se raser pour ne pas se voir pousser de la fourrure partout ; Linda, la femme à écailles vertes qui est la plus émotive de tout le groupe ; Jekyll et Hyde que je n’ai-je pense pas le besoin de présenter et qui sont parfaitement à l’image des livres ou films que l’on a pu lire ou voir ; Drake, le nouveau nom de Dracula qui est bien décidé à ne faire que ce qui lui plait ; Kai, la momie ressuscitée  et même les Van-Helsing. Convaincus ? J’ai vraiment beaucoup apprécié la présence de tous ces personnages hautement en couleur. Ils sont très différents mais font tout pour se supporter les uns les autres. Mais quand le président de leur Club Bob disparait et qu’un membre l’homme, invisible se retrouve assassiné, la panique s’installe, provoquant l’inquiétude de tous. Mais nos personnages sont loin d’abandonner la partie et sont bien décidés à comprendre ce qu’il se passe et surtout à trouver qui est derrière tout ça. 
Tous les protagonistes sont intéressants à découvrir et je dois dire qu’il n’y en a qu’un qui m’a un peu irrité et c’est Linda. C’est une jeune femme sensible qui se renferme sur elle-même à la moindre occasion et qui ferait tout pour que les problèmes se règlent par eux même. On aimerait beaucoup de temps en temps la secouer pour qu’elle se rende compte que la vie n’est pas faite ainsi. A l’inverse les autres personnages sont vraiment très dynamiques. Bien sûr, on ne peut qu’aimer notre véritable personnage principal, Natalie. C’est une jeune femme qui cache facilement ses émotions mais qui sous une apparence forte et courageuse est aussi très sensible. On aimerait pouvoir l’aider à avoir la vie qu’elle rêve bien que ça soit impossible. Elle fera équipe avec l’exaspérant et aussi très charmant Alec, dans ses enquêtes. Ils font tous les deux un très joli duo et je me demandais comment leur relation allait pouvoir évoluer car il faut dire qu’ils sont très fort pour le déni. Mais leur association leur permettra de comprendre les rouages des disparitions et de faire naître une complicité qu’ils ne soupçonnaient pas. Kai est pour moi le personnage le plus complexe du roman. En effet, on la déteste facilement au début de l’histoire de par son attitude si arrogante et hautaine, mais on se rend compte en progressant à travers les chapitres qu’elle est tout de même bien plus que ça et qu’elle n’attend que le bon moment pour se dévoiler.
C’était un très bon premier roman pour une série que je vais suivre à présent. L’intrigue est vraiment bien construite et j’ai été surprise par plusieurs points tout au long de l’histoire. Si vous avez envie de découvrir ou redécouvrir des personnages mythiques je vous conseille ce livre.

 

Flip this Zombie by Jesse Petersen


Living with the Dead, Book 2

Synopsis: The Zombie Apocalypse has been good to Sarah and David. Their marriage is better than ever. They communicate well, share responsibilities, and now, they’re starting a business. ZombieBusters-for all your zombie extermination needs.
There are lots of zombies and that means lots of customers…Except one of them doesn’t want the zombies dead, he wants them alive and ready for experimentation. Mad scientists make for difficult clients and this time, Sarah and David might have bitten off more than they can chew.



Review: I admit I do not read a lot of books featuring zombies. A reason? Not even one, I do not know why it’s the case. This is why I really enjoy immersing myself from time to time in this kind of stories.

We find again with a great pleasure our young couple Sarah and David, always lively and hilarious. Sure, their relationship has evolved since the first volume, but they are still arguing over nothing. It must be said that in this world, we can always find a topic to bring up. We therefore follow the duo who, after creating their small business to kill zombies, deals to exterminate nests where anyone needs them. The world is gradually built accordingly and refugee camps have emerged. Although it is always difficult and complicated, people are doing what they can to live a normal life. And while they keep hope, David and Sarah are hired by a scientist to bring some zombies to find a cure to this disease. And well, everyone has only one desire: to believe him for good.
 
But when some bionic zombies appear, nothing goes as planned. But Sarah is intrigued and absolutely wants to learn more about them. In addition to our small group, we can count Robbie, an intelligent and independent boy to complete our amazing trio. I really enjoyed this character upon arrival. He always says what he wants and is confronted to situations unlike any other boy at his age. He was able to bring a little more to the story, changing this trio to something like a family, and it is quite touching. Of course for a boy at his age, we see that he has still grown up too fast.
 
We also have many questions about the work of our scientific, but we discover the truth at the end of the book. We understand the concerns of David but it is true that we are attracted by the prospect of Sarah and we would like to make it all happen according to her desire.
 
This volume opens up some great possibilities for the rest of the story and I must say that I’m curious to see what will happen in the third volume. Discovering if there really is a wall and a new life somewhere else. It is a world filled with violence but also people who are struggling to survive. I enjoyed this book, like the first one, this is really a very good story of zombies.