Hell Bent

The follow-up to Ninth House, Hell Bent tells the story of Alex Stern’s determination to restore the Virgil to her Dante at Lethe. Lethe is ninth house introduced in the first novel, the oversight house at Yale University, where long standing tradition means that eight powerful houses, or societies, use the arcane and magic to alter reality or prognosticate or otherwise guarantee their alumni continue to live lives of privilege and prosperity. Lethe observes their rituals and workings to keep them both unobserved by outside eyes, and also undisturbed by the occult, any ghostly forces that would interrupt or play havoc with the magic integral to the ceremonies and rites being conducted in secret by these eight houses inside Yale University’s venerable tombs and classroom buildings. Alex Stern’s mentor at Lethe,Daniel Arlington, is sucked through a portal of some kind in the middle of the first book. With the assistance of Lethe’s Oculus, Pam Dawes, Alex is determined to rescue Darlington and bring him home. The circumstances surrounding this random accident are suspicious and Alex isn’t having it. Working against this goal are many obstacles, ranging from past to present. There’s blowback from Alex’s lurid and unsettling past as a strung-out teen in California; there’s the distrust and resistance Alex and Dawes encounter from the adults in the Lethe organization, from the Lethe-liaison police detective with whom they worked to solve a murder in book one, Ninth House, to the faculty and university administrators within whose imprimatur they must work, who discourage investigation and sadly shake their heads and write off a young man’s loss—his assumed death—as an unfortunate hazard of the job. Determined as Alex and the reluctant team of other characters who join the quest are to bring Darlington home, their objective becomes enormously daunting, nearly unthinkable, when it becomes clear that they must steal back Darlington’s soul from hell itself, and that they won’t be the first Yale students to make the trip to the underworld and back. What price will they pay to save Darlington, Lethe’s “golden boy” who was intentionally sucked into the demonic realm? The action is fast-paced, urgent, and suspenseful. It cost me as a reader to go slowly, to savor the story instead of devour it. This novel builds a rich and layered world with a strong central narrative objective (getting Darlington’s soul back) which is further enriched by all sorts of extraneous and intertwined complications: —like the reappearance of Eitan, the West Coast Israeli drug kingpin who ensures Alex’s compliance in working for him by obliquely threatening her mom’s well-being; —like Alex’s realization that the spirits of the dead, the Grays she’s always seen, can speak to and through her and can even momentarily hijack her body to talk to living people; —like the fact that human souls can be ripped out of bodies, and a such a body can return to the regular world, sans soul, to hang out in a warded circle in his childhood home, naked, beautiful, bearing glowing golden badges of demonic indenture, featuring horns, and a robust erection; —like the fact that vampires actually exist(!); and —like the inclusion of Alex’s roommate, Mercy, who has not hitherto been aware of the magic suffused into the fabric of her university, into the elaborate Darlington rescue plan— all these twists and turns, make the story both more relatable—life throws complications at us constantly, even when we are in the midst of Big Things—and also more complex, lending the book the wonderful, fully-developed richness that readers so love and expect from Leigh Bardugo’s novels. This second Alex Stern novel is an easier read than Ninth House, I thought, because the time line is relatively straightforward. I reread Ninth House before launching into Hell Bent (I often reread a novel before I read its sequel), and I was once again struck by Leigh Bardugo’s use of a wildly fractured narrative time line. The reader has to piece together what has occurred to get to Alex’s enrollment at Yale, then figure out Daniel’s a sense and what caused it, and how the past has shaped him almost as much as Alex’s has shaped her. Reading it feels disjointed, complicated, disassociated, something like being in a fugue state—like waking up on a stained mattress and not knowing how one’s best friend could be no longer alive, or how the room around one became splintered and wrong and littered with the blood-splattered remains of people one knew, all while one was apparently unconscious. I loved this novel, its predecessor, and I am eager to find out what happens next, though the wait for book three will no doubt be agonizing. I recommend this novel—and this author—wholeheartedly. Hell Bent is 100% great read.

Alex and Dawes have concocted their plan to get Darlington out of Hell. The supplies are gathered, the date is set, the people are assembled. But Alex needs to face all her demons if she hopes to retrieve Darlington and return from Hell alive while also getting to the bottom of the darker forces at work in New Haven. 5 Reasons to Read 🕯️How does Bardugo make Alex and Darlington so romantic without them even doing anything remotely romantic? She’s so good at that subtle stuff. 🕯️Spooky, atmospheric, and properly staked rituals. Success does not feel assured. 🕯️Dark academia woven superbly with the plot. 🕯️Fantastic dialogue. 🕯️Linear timeline. The way Alex faces her past and deals with her guilt and role in what happened to her best friend is aptly gut-wrenching and cathartic. I was glad to see that Mercy got some page time considering what happened to her last book. The resolution of the faculty murders was just a tiny bit too convenient, but it got the job done.

After thoroughly enjoying Ninth House, I couldn’t wait to continue Alex Stern’s story in Hell Bent. Returning to the world of Yale’s secret societies felt like stepping back into a place that was both familiar and full of new dangers. At first, I found myself a little thrown off by the way the story bounced between different events, timelines, and perspectives. It felt more fragmented than its predecessor, and I occasionally wondered where everything was leading. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that this structure was not only intentional but necessary. As the pieces began to come together, the shifting narrative created a richer and more rewarding reading experience, allowing the larger story to unfold in ways that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Leigh Bardugo expands the world established in Ninth House while raising the stakes considerably. The mysteries run deeper, the supernatural elements become even more compelling, and the relationships between the characters continue to evolve in meaningful ways. Alex remains one of the most intriguing protagonists I’ve encountered in recent fiction, and watching her navigate increasingly dangerous situations kept me fully invested. What began as an interest in secret societies has become an appreciation for the entire series. Hell Bent builds upon everything that made Ninth House memorable while carving out its own identity. By the final pages, I was completely absorbed and eager to see where the story goes next. If you enjoyed Ninth House, Hell Bent is a worthy successor that rewards patience and delivers another fascinating journey into the hidden world beneath Yale’s surface.

What a fantastic sequel! This book had me hooked from beginning to end. It was thrilling, full of mystery, and kept me constantly wanting to know what would happen next. One of my favorite parts was watching the characters grow… not just individually, but as companions. Their relationships felt deeper, and I loved seeing how they evolved together throughout the story. My heart still aches for everything Alex (Galaxy) has been through, but I also love the strength she’s found because of it. She’s become one of my favorite female protagonists, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. Even while I was on vacation, I kept sneaking away to read “just one more chapter.” 😂📖 That’s always the sign of a great book for me. Another 5-star read from Leigh Bardugo! I can’t wait to see where this series goes next. 🖤✨

Dark, clever, and utterly immersive—Hell Bent delivers exactly what I was hoping for after Ninth House. The stakes are higher, the magic is messier, and Alex Stern continues to be one of the most compelling (and morally gray) protagonists I’ve read in a while. Bardugo leans hard into the occult side of Yale’s secret societies this time, and it’s both fascinating and disturbing in the best way. The plot is dense and sometimes a little chaotic, but it fits the story—this world isn’t meant to be neat or comfortable. There were moments where the pacing slowed and I had to reread sections to keep everything straight, which is the only reason this isn’t a full five stars. Still, the character development, the emotional weight, and that ending? Worth it. If you liked Ninth House, you’ll absolutely want to continue Alex’s story—just be prepared for a darker, more intense ride. Can't wait for the next book in September!!

I loved it! Book one left me wanting more and book two exceeded all my expectations. I highly recommend it.

Bummed because there is a marking on the left side of the front cover. I don’t mind the little rumpled ends of the dust jacket but bummed about the (I’m not sure what to call it) skid mark /distressed/abraison on the front. - story wise - 5 stars. On ny favorite list. this is the sequel to ninth house and I cannot stress how much I adored this series (hoping there is a third but could be just the two and it’s tied up nicely) check trigger warnings ! During the fall I do re reads of my favorite books to finish out the year and this series has been my October read the last two years. It’s kind of intense - but it is so well done and such a nice change up from all the spicy books I read. Such a nice mix of occult and magic but with academia and just the perfect amount of what ifs, and could be. I love Leigh Bardugos works - but this series is my favorite.

I went into this thinking it would be the second and last installment of this series. If I had known I'd never have picked this up. The book is totally addictive and then it ends mid-air. And I'm thinking... Noooooo!!!!! She did not just do this. And no hint of a book 3 in sight. But the plot is amazing. The characters are mostly interesting - a couple of them are downright lovable, the evil forces are sadistically, cunningly, cruel. And I would love it all were it not for the heroine who is oh, so obtuse, oh, oh, oh oh, sooooooooo obtuse, she crashes through the walls into the kingdom of dumb. She is so dumb - there I've said it. And I hate main characters who are dumb. Call her an anti-hero, it's no excuse, she is dumb. The only thing interesting about Galaxy Stern is her untapped potential. The suspense that comes from watching her go from one bad decision to the next sometimes feels like a cheap, overused trick of authors the world over that need their characters to be dumb so they don't have to work as hard creating brilliant challenges to the level of brilliant characters. It's easier if a character causes her own obstacles - it requires less ingenuity for authors to cause mischief that way. Example - no spoiler: the heroine goes to the house of the big bad wolf, runs away, leaves her things behind. Doesn't tell anyone (not even those who share her home) - leaving everyone exposed to the big bad wolf, who anyone will tell you has a big bad nose and can follow you home. OR you discover you have magical powers and even discover there is a name for what you are, and you live in a house with a magical library, and yet... you do not look up what you are. OR you keep on repeating the same mistake, over and over, and over though people have told you it's a big mistake, and you know it's a big mistake, but you are lazy and can't be bothered to learn how to not make the same mistake again. OR.. and this is my pet peeve in any book that uses this move: you keep quiet for the most inane reasons, and withhold essential information from allies. I tell you, just dumb. And yet... I still love it and will be looking out for the next book in the horizon, hoping it comes soon.

It has everything you need in a fantasy/ mistery book. It is not repetitive, or including romance just to fill in some gaps. If you're into the occult, you have to read this 👌

Bought the hard cover on sale, fantastic deal. Good read, paper and cover is mid grade at best. At full price I would not be impressed.

Hell Bent was incredible from start to finish and I loved it so much more than Ninth House. It was a wonderful storyline and I'm in awe of the incredible characters that we've gotten to know further in Hell Bent. I loved all the insights into their past and what shaped them as people. I'm very curious to see what Dead Beat will have in store for us. Nevertheless, this book is filled with heavy subjects, so make sure you're in the mood for it when you read it. I'm now going to dive into something fun and light-hearted to balance it out.

Yess to anything Leigh Bardugo! the book was in good condition and floppy and the story is as addicting as book 1!!!

Dark, smart writing that sucks you in. Great characters and development. A fantastic read.