Crank Palace

Dashner, James. Crank Palace. 2020. 166p. ISBN 978-1626015678.

The Maze Runner series features a lot of memorable characters, but one of the most compelling was Newt, who eventually dies in The Death Cure. But the time Newt leaves the Berg to the time he is found by Thomas was left unexplained. Until now. In Crank Palace, Newt escapes the Berg, intent on not letting his friends see his descent into madness as the Flare begins to eat his brain. He soon meets Keisha and her young son Dante in the suburbs of Denver. They try to escape the Cranks, those who are far too gone with the Flare, and those who are infected and already showing signs of madness, but the three of them are captured by agents of the government and, despite killing one of the agents, are shipped to a place called Crank Palace, instead of being executed.

It soon becomes clear to Newt that his reputation as being one of the Maze Runners has already reached the Palace, and it seems that someone important is eager to keep him alive as long as possible. A riot at the Crank Palace forces the staff to evacuate, and the residents take the opportunity to flee. Keisha has an old cellphone that still works, and she's received word that her brother and her daughter are safe in a suburb of Denver. Newt agrees to go with them to make sure that they arrive safely. WICKED is not quite done with Newt however, and as the Flare progression gets worse, Newt will have to confront his worst enemy one more time ...

Told from Newt's perspective, Crank Palace opens a window into the mind of a Flare victim. Newt fights his demons as his mind sinks away from him, giving the reader a bittersweet opportunity to once again spend time with a beloved character. Fans of The Maze Runner must read this story to round up their view of Newt and his friends!

All the Crooked Saints

Stiefvater, Maggie. All the Crooked Saints. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9780545930802. Available both on the library shelves at FIC STI and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

In a dusty desert corner of mid-1960s Colorado stands Bicho Raro, a small ranch populated by the extended Soria family and by pilgrims, people who have come to Bicho Raro seeking miracles. Members of the  Soria family possess the unique ability to perform miracles. The first miracle reveals the truth about a person. The second miracle frees that person from that truth. There are three types of pilgrims: Those whose first and second miracle happen almost simultaneously, those who need time to deal with their issue and accept the truth, and those who never complete the second miracle. Travelers from all over the United States come here, sometimes with nothing but a sense of desire for change, guided here by the pull of miracles.

Daniel Soria is the current saint, but when he falls in love with Marisita, who is perpetually under a cloud of rain, and refuses to remove her wedding dress. Sorias and pilgrims are not supposed to mix, and anytime a Soria has attempted to help a pilgrim things have gone bad for the Soria, and three lifesize wooden statues of Soria ancestors demonstrate that. Having endangered himself, Daniel runs to the desert so his family cannot help him.

Beatriz and Joaquin Soria are cousins, and they have built a pirate radio station out of an old pickup truck. Cruising the desert at night, they broadcast a low signal to whomever is listening in their corner of the desert. When it becomes clear that Daniel took a radio with him and is listening to them, the cousins decide to keep broadcasting and invite Marisita to sit down for a live interview. Beatriz is emotionless and rational, much like her father, but deep down, could there still be hope for her? Joaquin wants to become a professional broadcaster, but who in the desert will ever hear his voice and give him a chance?

Pete is on his way from Oklahoma to Bicho Raro because he saw a sell ad for a pickup truck. He’s picked up by a disc jockey from Philadelphia, who’s also pulled towards Bicho Raro for his own reasons. A hard worker, Pete is the only person at the ranch who is neither a Soria nor a pilgrim. All he wants is to purchase the truck, but now it’s used as a radio station. And why is Beatriz so alluring?

As miracles are performed, and the Soria family struggles with rescuing Daniel from the desert, a disparate cast of characters works through their issues and darkest fears, hoping to ultimately find themselves and shed what holds them back from a better life.

Stiefvater once again offers a masterful book with excellent character development and an engaging plot. Fans of The Scorpio Races and of the Raven Boys will enjoy this standalone story of a dysfunctional family with a hint of paranormal activity.