Ninth House, Alex Stern #1 by Leigh Bardugo

Good evening, lovely book readers! Today, I’m excited to share my review of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, the first novel in the Alex Stern series, a dark and mysterious duology. This was such a fascinating read, filled with layers of magic, ghostly intrigue, secret societies, and a thrilling murder mystery. Leigh Bardugo has once again proven why she’s one of my favourite authors.

Review:

First off, I’m a huge fan of her Grishaverse books, and having read those, her writing style feels familiar and engaging. Even though this novel ventures into adult fiction, her trademark ability to weave complex, immersive worlds remains intact. Ninth House is Bardugo's first adult novel, but it flows seamlessly, making it an easy transition for fans of her young adult works. Despite the darker, more mature themes, Bardugo’s writing is approachable, and I had no trouble getting into the story.

The plot itself is quite unique. We follow Alex Stern, who is pulled into the secret societies of Yale University, where magic, ghosts, and dark rituals are at play. There's so much going on in this novel—it’s part dark academia, part supernatural thriller, and part murder mystery. The book touches on everything from demons to death and the hidden power structures behind elite secret societies. The eerie, atmospheric tone sets the perfect backdrop for the mysterious events unfolding at Yale, and the whole concept feels fresh and unlike anything else on the market right now.

At about 450 pages, this is a well-paced read, though it did take me a bit longer than usual to finish since I was feeling under the weather during part of the process. Still, the story itself kept me intrigued all the way through. The structure of the novel is really clever, too, switching between present-day events and flashbacks that give us deeper insight into the characters and their motives. One of the highlights for me was the way Bardugo handled the different points of view—especially the flashbacks from Darlington, a key character whose presence is felt throughout the book even though he's mostly absent in the present timeline.

The twists and turns were excellent. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Bardugo threw in a major plot twist toward the end that I did not see coming. I love when a book keeps me guessing, and this one did just that right up to the final page. The open ending leaves you desperate for the next book, and I’m excited to see how Bardugo wraps up the story in Hell Bent, the second and final book of the series.

If you’ve read her young adult books, you'll find Ninth House to be a little darker and more mature, but it’s still Bardugo at her best—rich world-building, complex characters, and a compelling mystery at its heart. I especially loved the blend of dark academia with a paranormal twist. The Yale setting, with its ancient rituals and elite societies, gives the story a sophisticated yet haunting atmosphere that’s perfect for fans of the genre.

All in all, I gave Ninth House four stars. It’s a gripping, atmospheric read with a lot of layers, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. If you enjoy dark academia, supernatural mysteries, or stories about secret societies, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

Plot:

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

Up next for me is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, which I’ve been eagerly anticipating. I’ll be diving into that next week, so stay tuned for my thoughts on it soon! And as always, if you have any book recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments below.

Thanks for reading, and happy reading to you all!