James DeMonaco

The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra is a super fun, middle-grade read. This book delivers all the funtastic elements that a children’s story should – it is silly, it is a bit outrageous, and it is full of imagination! Think fun wordplay, wacky inventions, communicating with animals, and an assembly of zany characters.

I really enjoyed the storytelling element in this book. Throughout, bits of dialogue between the storyteller (an adult) and the audience (a show more child) weave in and out, playfully interrupting Jack’s adventure. To me, these bits are reminiscent of The Princess Bride and can be a bit tricky to handle but when done well, add a special flavor to the story. James DeMonaco handled this beautifully and delivered yet one more layer for the reader to ponder and enjoy.

Best of all and perhaps most important, we genuinely like Jack! Jack Bokimble is a character that children will want to root for. Despite Jack having a very special power, he is still relatable in enough ways to connect. He’s our champion, our hero! And honestly, what child wouldn’t want to have the special powers that Jack possesses with his incredible shadow!?

Like any good book, The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra is not without its lessons. Jack must learn how to control his shadow and know when to use it. But the truly meaningful lesson is learning what it means to be different. Here’s a little hint… being different can be such a gift!

Funny, whimsical, quirky, curious and I am ten years old again! I loved this story, I adored our fantastic hero, and I hope to see many more adventures with Jack Bokimble and that peculiar penumbra!

Young and old, children of all ages will enjoy this magical story.
We gave The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra 5/5 stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! show less

Feral by James DeMonaco and B. K. Evenson is a recommended take on a zombie-like apocalypse.

"The world, as it turned out, didn’t end in either a bang or a whimper, but in pus and sweat and infected men emitting unearthly cries as they destroyed woman after woman." This change to the genetic makeup of men happened after a fire at Arcon Pharmaceutical, a research company that was work with living viruses and genetic splicing, released a dangerous virus that only infects men. Now men have show more been reduced to feral, savage beasts who sniff out women to kill them.

Allie Hilts was sixteen when the change happened. Now, three years after the accident, Allie has found a safe place for her and her little sister Kim. They are living with other female survivors in a walled off compound surrounded by land mines and protected by guard towers to kill any feral that approaches. Allie, though, has changed. She is now a killing machine. Rather than staying safe behind the walls, she masks her scent by covering her body with feral blood and goes out to scavenge for needed supplies or to capture a feral. She brings the captured ferals back for Dr. Zeman to experiment on in her attempt to find a cure to save the human race. But something odd is happening and Allie needs to figure out what it is so she can protect Kim.

Feral starts out quickly and gallops off at a break-neck pace full of narrow escapes and action. It is a quick read and you'll finish it in no time at all. Feral reads like a zombie novel, where men are zombies and women survivors. Allie is a clever, resourceful character and it is easy to support her. The narrative is told through multiple points-of-view, with Allie being the dominate character. While some of the other voices make sense (Dr. Zeman, Kim), there are narratives told through secondary characters that muddy the plot and their interactions could have been written into one of the main character's chapters.

I did have a couple of concerns about Feral. Because I was reading a review copy, which I am sure was still an uncorrected proof, I will refrain commenting on the actual quality of the writing. There were multiple problems that were probably corrected for print. The other issue I had while reading was a vague this-is-being-written-to-propose-a-series feeling that I couldn't shake. It would come out in random scenes that were unnecessary, certain characters and actions, and the direction the story took, which was disconcerting and beyond belief even for a men-have-become-zombies novel. This is probably due to a director working with a writer to create the book. Feral is a solid airplane book for me. It is an engaging book that will hold your attention but you won't cry if you lose it or misplace it while traveling.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Anchor Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/04/feral.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1963129095 show less

My thoughts and spoilers: I absolutely loved this book! This was a great story and I wanted to see what happened next and this world was built so well and it was really interesting to imagine this world. It makes me wonder what people think about it being written by two males, but I think they did everything in a tasteful and understanding way. I still want more this book was fantastic.

The filmmakers take what should be an action-packed thrill ride and turn it into an hour-long, slow-burn family drama. We finally get a short burst of Purge action 60 minutes in, but it doesn't last long. Padded and predictable, but far from the worst thing I've ever paid for.