In this story, two orphaned witch sisters living in isolation are left without a guardian once again and choose to face their futures in drastically different fashions. Brimming with elemental power and boiling with tension-building contrasts, their earthy tale is one that reveals the best and worst of nature.

Although somewhat confused by the title of the story, I enjoyed its atmospheric presentation, multiple perspectives, and opening line. Thank you, Bookbrowse and Sourcebooks, for providing me with an advanced, complimentary copy to read and review.

The Montevideo Brief is an adventure tale bursting with early nineteenth century colonial intrigue, naval history, and recreational culture. Unfortunately, the story is so overly focused on accurate details that it feels contrived and leads to distraction. While not the light and riveting read that I was expecting, it is educational and enjoyable.

On March 11, 2011, Japan suffered a natural catastrophe that wreaked havoc throughout its communities. The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World is an uplifting tale that not only describes the event's monstrous ferocity and vicious cruelty but also examines the toll that senseless and unexpected loss can exact upon survivors.

I enjoyed this work because it offered a great deal more than just a fictional narrative involving the Otsuchi wind phone. It also permitted a glimpse into modern Japanese culture and demonstrated the extremes of nature's potential. Most importantly, however, it reminded me to acknowledge and respect the elementary math of living — its addition and its subtraction.

Piranesi is the sole caretaker of a very unusual realm. Most of the time, he sets about mapping and observing the world's features in his journals. Twice a week, he meets with and relays his findings to a visitor known as "The Other," a man who is eager to unearth a special knowledge supposedly hidden there. The discoveries they make are very illuminating.

This story is an incredibly evocative and creative interpretation of Giambattista Piranesi themes: architecture, labyrinths, imprisonment, contrasts, etc. It does require commitment by the reader but will leave a lasting impression.

This is a very dark and hazy tale laden with sex, food, and drink. More specifically, it is a story about a rigorous and innovative college experience that promises personal improvement. Applicants to this school, Catherine House, undergo extensive evaluations and must meet very specific standards. Once in, however, they are connected for life.

I do not read horror novels routinely, for real life pretty much has immunized me to their effect, but I could not resist one set in my home state. Even though it did not exude a lot of Pennsylvanian flavor, it was a very creative debut novel. I especially loved the interplay of arts and sciences. The result sent shivers down my spine, especially when considering advancements in medicinal nanotechnology. Psychological applications, if not already in existence, would be truly amazing/nightmarish.

If I had to add my two cents, then I would suggest not sacrificing storyline for atmosphere, developing ancillary characters for definition, and adding more scrapple. Otherwise, I think that this soul-spinning yarn will appeal to many.

While the blurb's concept is intriguing, I do not think that its description of this book as a iDexter/i meets iMr. and Mrs. Smith/i cross is entirely accurate. The story does involve a married couple and multiple murders, but it lacks the same conviction and magnetism. The ending, however, does evoke a thoughtful, raised brow.