"Readers will be hooked from the first line of this lyrical and suspenseful mystery/fantasy (part thriller too) of a brave and compassionate girl. DeStefano artfully concocts a moving and multilayered tale that is an effective mix of genres and tones, at times contemplative and philosophical yet also macabre and psychologically sophisticated. Love, loss, and hope are at the heart of this exciting read." -- Kirkus Reviews "A harrowing debut. DeStefano has an observant eye." -- Publishers Weekly on WITHER "A concoction of tension and love with a cliff-hanger ending." -- School Library Journal on PERFECT RUIN: THE INTERNMENT CHRONICLES BOOK 1 "DeStefano has created a perfect storm--intertwining plot, characters, and setting beautifully. This is a page-turner, and waiting for the next book will be hard, hard, hard.

" -- Booklist on PERFECT RUIN: THE INTERNMENT CHRONICLES BOOK 1 "The perfect book to hand to readers looking for the mysterious and spooky." -- Booklist "DeStefano creates a beguiling world through haunting images and descriptions. An eerie, moving story about 'that murky place between this world and the one that comes after it.'" -- Publishers Weekly "Startlingly dark. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the vivid characters with rich internal lives. Readers who enjoyed A.J. Paquette's Rules for Ghosting and Grave Images by Jenny Goebel will want to give this title a try.

" -- School Library Journal "The voice of this dark but often funny novel is as pragmatic as Pram, matter-of-factly acknowledging truths its characters need to know, even when those truths are unpleasant. Fans of Holly Black's Doll Bones may well enjoy this creepy, character-based tale." -- The Horn Book.