Ninth House

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

3.5 stars

I read this as it was a dark academia recommendation and I thought the overall premise was intriguing and interesting. This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I have seen that this is quite different from her other series based on what others have been saying.

As we’re thrust into the world of Ivy League secret societies and magic, it’s established quite early on, that protocol, exclusivity, power, order and the intelligence exists within the system. Our main character Alex has a unique ability to see the dead referenced as “grays”. She’s scooped up from her troubled life into a full scholarship at Yale, so that her abilities can be used for the exclusive Lethe House. Through flashbacks we learn that she’s mentored by Darlington, who has gone missing in present time. A mysterious death of a girl close to the University sparks an investigation by Alex. She starts to uncover and realise some truths that could disrupt the whole system and unlock the truth of Darlington’s whereabouts.

I wasn’t always there for the flashbacks, as I felt I got the gist of the background of the MC Alex and her relationship with Darlington. It became a little long-winded for me and some parts could have been cut out. The whole establishment is what I imagine real life secret societies to be, minus the magic, but then again maybe not? Who knows what goes on in them really? I liked how the abuse of knowledge and people's opportunistic tendencies came out to play. The question being do people do it for control or power? Or maybe both?

The murder investigation was the most interesting part to me. Don't get me wrong, some of the magical and paranormal elements were fun to read, but the intricacies of uncovering each part of the murder and how it all came together, left me guessing. There was no way anyone could have guessed what was going to happen. This really borders on a crime thriller in some aspects of the book.

I'm intrigued enough to want to read the second book, but I'm also not in a rush.

Bunny

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really don’t know what I just read! It’s really WTF the whole way through!

This book was weird, dark, funny, sad, thrilling and nonsensical all at once. I really enjoyed the writing style, it was quick paced and when people describe it as a mix between the heathers, the craft, mean girls and Frankenstein, I have to agree. Imagine someone was high and during their trip, they decided to write a book. This is what I imagine that would be.

Samantha attends Warren University, where a clique of girls, who only refer to themselves as “Bunny”, invite Samantha to their Smut Salon one evening. It’s a night of sharing literature or stories of your deepest desires with no judgement. These girls get Samantha drunk, tell her to go capture a rabbit outside and she winds up home with a nasty hangover. She starts disconnecting from her best friend Ava, the clique let Samantha in on their rituals and she becomes a zombie to their cult-like structure. Meanwhile, there are so many internal conversations Samantha is having with her dead mum, Ava, herself… which just adds to the mystery of her mind and what is truth. When Ava tells Samantha she’s thinking about leaving town and disappears, it sends Samantha spiralling as it’s uncovered that things aren’t what they seem to be.

Honestly, I tried so hard to cover what the story entails above, and although it sounds very straightforward, it really isn’t! You are left wondering what this read was all about. It’s very different to most reads you’ll have. You may even think it doesn’t make sense. You’ll wonder why you read it. You’ll have even more questions. It’s also a book that sticks out in your mind because you can’t truly explain what went on. And this is why I think it’s so unique because you either love it or hate it!

“Art is in the eye of the beholder and everyone will have their own interpretation” - E.A Bucchianeri

Catherine House

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started reading this book as it was a dark academia recommendation online. It’s definitely not for everyone. It’s very slow and it’s like having a build up with no reward.

The whole time I was reading the book, I thought how lazy Ines was and the Catherine House was her escape from the bad deeds she’d done prior. She wanted a home to feel safe in and have people care about her. Even if it meant taking advantage of what was on offer. It was three years of no contact with the outside world, but Catherine House could offer everything that was needed within its walls.

This book was dark, atmospheric, explorative, gothic, cult-like and elitist. Everyone at Catherine House are there to obtain a degree but it’s not considered a college or university. It’s always considered a house or home if you will. Every student that passes through are experimented on because the vision is that everyone is connected like an organism that keeps evolving. No matter what they will face in the outside world, they still had Catherine House.

The ending is left open ended, which I took as an opportunity for Ines to truly find in the world what she was looking for. Her time at Catherine House in some ways was pointless, though it allowed her sideways thinking to remain untainted.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book really is a slow burn, so if you’re not up for the intricate world building and blood fest through some vampire trials, then this book ain’t for you!

I’ll just saw wow! That ending OMG. Luckily there’s another book to read as it’s basically a shit show from this point. And I mean that in a nice way!

When Oraya was taken/picked/captured as a child by vampire king Vincent, you immediately ask why. What is so special about this human? Throughout the book, you’re really wondering what Vincent’s motives are. Does he really have a soft spot for her? Why would he train a human to enter a vampire trial? At one point, I actually thought he was waiting for her to come of age so he could make her his wife and they rule the kingdom together. How wrong I was on that!

So a good 75% of this book is Oraya entering the Kejari which is a tournament where the vampire goddess Nyaxia grants you a wish. It's gory, ruthless and relentless. Having a human enter is unheard of but Vincent has trained Oraya her whole life for this moment. He's very secretive of why exactly. Cue in hot vampire Raihn who we find out was once human and he is fully intrigued by Oraya. With his best friend Mische, they form an alliance with Oraya to get through to various stages of the trial.

There's a few twists at the end. I knew what Oraya's actions would be, but I wasn't expecting the actions from Raihn after that. Throughout the whole book Oraya and Raihn have a love hate relationship, and I actually enjoy the interactions they have with one another. It's going to be interesting with how the kingdom's are going to be ruled. I want to dig into the next book as I am now captivated by this story.

All Our Hidden Gifts

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book as it came up as a dark academia rec online. It’s definitely not dark academia and I would class it as more of a paranormal, witchy mystery with hints of horror and folklore.

I enjoyed the concept of this book when Maeve discovers a tarot deck and the mysterious housekeeper card appears in said deck, with a haunting vibe to it. When she gives a tarot reading to her ex best friend Lily and this particular card is drawn. There’s a fight and then Lily disappears. When Lily goes missing your immediate thought is how is this linked in any way to this tarot deck. What is so special about this card and where did it come from?

As Maeve tries to solve this mystery, she delves deeper into witchcraft and the paranormal. She was once a pretty normal teenager and she embraces the supernatural quite quickly. Maeve’s intuition is telling her the housekeeper is involved but she just has to convince her friends that this is real. There are nightmares involving the housekeeper that continues to haunt Maeve’s dreams.

I thought the characters had so much representation from the Filipina best friend Fiona, and Roe exploring his sexuality. There was definitely heavy topics covered in this story and considering this is a YA read, it gave the teenage characters more maturity. You will need to check the triggers as it does deal with homophobia in parts of the story, as well as racism towards the end when Fiona mentions her experience.

There were times when Maeve was frustrating and bratty but she’s a teenager, so I kind of expected it. I enjoyed Fiona and Roe more than Maeve. I thought the characters were developed well and I like them enough to want to keep reading the series.

The book was slow in some parts but overall the story flowed well. I am not sure how the story will continue as I can only suspect that we haven’t seen the last of the housekeeper. Liked how folklore was tied into the story which made it an interesting read.