From the Bookshelf of 2025 Reading Challenge…

Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1)

Leigh Bardugo

Start date: March 1, 2024

Finish date: March 31, 2024

Discussion: September 2025 Group Read

Why we're reading this: Group Read for March 2024
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September 2025 Group Read

The House in the Cerulean Sea: Pre-Reading Discussion
By Winter , Group Reads · 7 posts · 32 views

last updated Sep 17, 2025 05:32AM

The House in the Cerulean Sea: Reviews by 2025 Reading Challengers
By Winter , Group Reads · 4 posts · 27 views

last updated Sep 14, 2025 10:27AM

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What Members Thought

Jan 29, 2020 Eileen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, audiobook, 2020-ng-group-challenge, 2020genrechallenge, contemporary, mystery

I listened to this one, and I will admit that it took me a little time to get through the first quarter or so, partly because there was a lot of information as the author created the setting for us, but it's also because the narrators changed fairly frequently, and I think it would have been better if they had just stuck with Lauren Fortgang, who I really enjoy listening to. Additionally, there was a change in timelines, and that took me a while to orient myself so that I could place each scene I listened to this one, and I will admit that it took me a little time to get through the first quarter or so, partly because there was a lot of information as the author created the setting for us, but it's also because the narrators changed fairly frequently, and I think it would have been better if they had just stuck with Lauren Fortgang, who I really enjoy listening to. Additionally, there was a change in timelines, and that took me a while to orient myself so that I could place each scene within the context of the story. However, once I settled into the book, I became engrossed in the universe of Galaxy and Co. and I ended up really enjoying the story.

Galaxy, aka Alex, is a flawed character, for sure, but fairly early on, I started developing empathy for her, as we learned more and more about her growing up years and also about her "talent", which she basically had to deal with on her own. I also wasn't sure I liked Darlington all that much, but as we learn more about what he was doing before he disappeared, you realize that he is one of those idealists and always kept the good of people (and the society) in mind. He was an honorable gentleman, with all that means. Anyway, by the end, I loved the gang of ragtag misfits that Leigh Bardugo assembled for what will likely be a great second book. I am looking forward to getting to know each of them more in future books. What I like about Ms. Bardugo is that she has a way of creating flawed but likable (mostly) characters that you get to know throughout a series.

Overall, I didn't like this as much as the Crooked Kingdom series (but give it time) but I liked it more than Shadow and Bone, mostly because I liked the characters more. Is this another YA novel in disguise of an adult novel? Honestly, even though the characters are in college, I feel like this is a much more serious novel than you would find in a typical YA. I liked the rich history of Yale that Ms. Bardugo incorporated into her novel, including the various houses, and the mixing of fact with fiction makes it really interesting to me. I especially like that she brought up the idea that on the positive Yale can be wonderful in that those who might be considered "weird" by society can find their tribe and they have a rich tradition of high standards and successful graduates. However, on the dark side, class, privilege and entitlement/elitism can rear its ugly head. I suspect, if the future books are equally strong, that I may end up liking them even more, partly because I don't have to spend time unraveling the setting as I did with this one. I hope that Lauren Fortgang will continue to voice the future books, as I thought she did a great job. ...more

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