AKA the post about the books you need to drop everything and read right now. I’m not kidding. Everyone needs to get the fuck on this.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, and Hell Bent the second in the adult/new adult series that was released last month, tells the story of Galaxy “Alex” Stern — a young woman who can see the undead and ends up as the newest member of the freshman class at Yale University . . . by way of a multiple homicide tragedy. Alex has joined the world of the paranormal secret societies at Yale as a member of the Ninth House — basically, an oversight job to make sure the good ole boys of the eight secret societies of Yale don’t do too much damage during their weekly occult rituals.
Maybe this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea. But I ensure you it probably is. It’s dark academia at its best with characters you’ll fall in love with. Alex is mostly sharp, sometimes ugly, edges and you’ll root for her through and through.
If you need more incentive, Amazon is making a TV show out of the story. Also, Stephen King loves it too.
The best fantasy novel I’ve read in years, because it’s about real people. Bardugo’s imaginative reach is brilliant, and this story―full of shocks and twists―is impossible to put down.
-Stephen King
Leigh Bardugo is a beautiful writer (she is also the author the YA series Shadow and Bone and The Six of Crows duology) — the prose is pointed, haunting, and smart.
I can’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but Ninth House is a book that will stay with you. At least, the vibes certainly will. I remember seeing Leigh at a book event in Austin in the fall of 2019. It was a three-year wait for the sequel but well worth it and I had the joy of rereading Ninth House last weekend and Hell Bent this week. Like Stephen said, they are impossible to put down. I love losing sleep over a good book.
And I think loved the sequel more than the first. The images will haunt me. In the best way possible. Also, this is the creepiest book cover I’ve ever seen (below). And the payoff for it. Uffda. We are lucky to be alive with storytelling this good.
You rescue me. I rescue you. That’s how this works. To pay your debts, you had to know who you owed. You had to decide who you were willing to go to war for and who you trusted to jump into the fray for you. That was all there was in this world. No heroes or villains, just the people you’d brave the waves for, and the ones you’d let drown.
–One of my favorite, non spoiler, quotes from “Hell Bent”
Please more people read this so we can talk about the ram horns and the ballroom. You’ll know what I’m talking about.
With Love,
Natalie