Ninth House (Ninth House Series, 1)

"The best fantasy novel I’ve read in years, because it’s about real people... Impossible to put down." —Stephen King

The smash New York Times bestseller from Leigh Bardugo, a mesmerizing tale of power, privilege, and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite.


Goodreads Choice Award Winner
Locus Finalist

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. In fact, by age twenty, 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 prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. Their eight windowless “tombs” are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street’s biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living.

Don't miss the highly-anticipated sequel, Hell Bent.

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Published Oct 20, 2020

480 pages

Average rating: 7.45

685 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Anonymous
May 04, 2025
6/10 stars
Fantasy isn't really my thing but I was intrigued when I saw that it was set at Yale and about the secret societies.
tayloractuallyreads
May 02, 2025
10/10 stars
IMMEDIATE 5 stars!!!!!! omg this was way better than i expected.
Andee
Jan 26, 2025
8/10 stars
This review will be all over the place, I already know. The writing and world building was wonderful. The character development and the plot was also great. BUT I had to push myself to get through this book because the magic system was just starting to make sense, the last third of the book and I still have so many questions. I feel like there should’ve been a prequel just explaining the magic system. I prefer YA fantasy to adult fantasy and maybe it is just me that really didn’t get it. The plot was great and ended with a good set up for the next book. I went back and forth between 3, 3.5,or 4 stars but decided on 4 stars as I enjoyed the book, once I accepted I wasn’t going to truly understand the magic system or secret society.
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This book is definitely adult and I strongly recommend 18+. Also be aware of trigger warnings: sexual assault, substance abuse, violence, gore, etc.
RealLifeBelle
Jan 12, 2025
I’ll give it 4.5, not 4 but it’s really hard to get a 5 from me. I feel like the red herring (though I knew it was important) went on a bit too long and several characters could’ve been cut out completely.
MidnightCharcuterie
Nov 27, 2024
4.25

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