Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is an incredible read filled with in-depth characters and an amazing plot with mystery.

The story follows a strong female lead, Alex Stern, a recovered drug addict getting accepted by the University of Yale without having the qualifications. Finding herself suddenly getting swept into a world of secret societies, magic, grays, and danger, she tries to solve a mysterious corrupt murder that could challenge everything she thought she knew about her world. As she unravels the mystery, betrayals, murder and a haunted past reveal themselves. 

This was a truly astounding dark read not for the faint of heart. Touching on topics such as drug addiction, overdose, some mentions of sexual assault and overall themes of violence. This is meant for a more mature audience.

Nonetheless, Bardugo has the incredible ability to show real relationships, the good and the bad, showing how toxic they can become. But also the stable ones, the friendships, and the tragic romantic affairs open readers’ eyes to real-life situations. You can’t help but shed a tear for the mastery and depth of this book.

This book was an astounding read leaving readers anticipating the next book in the series, Hell Bent, the newly released sequel and Alex’s next adventure. Just reading this book can allow readers to tell just how much blood, sweat and tears Bardugo put into this book. 

For any avid readers looking to get out of that wretched book slump, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is a good place to start.