From Powells.com
Hot new releases and under-the-radar gems for adults and kids.
Our favorite books of the year.
Staff Pick
The Sorias are a family of miracle workers whose gifts have turned sour. The recipients of their miracle-performing stay stuck halfway between the miracle and the darkness that is being drawn out of them, leaving a mass of suffering pilgrims on the Soria ranch. That is, until the day Pete Wyatt shows up at their door, setting off a chain of events that will change everything, from saints to owls to the very nature of what a miracle truly is. Recommended By Aubrey W., Powells.com
I don't have the words to describe this book, except to say that it feels like finally reaching home in the middle of the night after a long journey and finding that someone has left the porch light on for you. Stiefvater deftly straddles the line between magic and magical realism, populating her porch light world with a cast of unforgettable characters that you will love like family. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com
This story, about a family that can work miracles on the pilgrims who are drawn to them, is about what it takes to trust and love a person completely. The writing sings a tale of the dance of life, and should be read by teenagers and adults. Recommended By Richard C., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Here is a thing everyone wants:
A miracle.
Here is a thing everyone fears:
What it takes to get one.
Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.
At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.
They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.
Review
"The language of legend and magical realism suffuse this sprawling and intimate novel; while the book's tone is all its own and Stiefvater remains a summarily confident wordsmith, the setup, which sees a volatile family wrestling with unpredictable magic and forbidden romances, echoes her Raven Cycle books fairly closely. Dense, tricky, and thought-provoking." Publishers Weekly
Review
"...[Stiefvater] well-captures the rural, mountain West and the Latinx culture that provides the foundation for the Sorias' twilight world. True history blends with traditional and fanciful folklore as fallen saints find salvation in the lyrical power of family, community, and rock-'n'-roll." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Thoughtfully paced with intriguing characters, ill-fated romance and complicated family relationships, All the Crooked Saints will satiate fans who are always eager for new Stiefvater work, while bringing new ones into the fold." BookPage
About the Author
Maggie Stiefvater is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the novels Shiver, Linger, Forever, and Sinner. Her novel The Scorpio Races was named a Michael L. Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association. The first book in The Raven Cycle, The Raven Boys, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and the second book, The Dream Thieves, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. The third book, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, received five starred reviews. The final book, The Raven King, received four. She is also an artist and musician. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their two children.