Crystal

Where to start? Alex Stern is such a great female main character. She's raw, complex, and unapologetically real. She's been through hell, both literally and figuratively, but never in that whiny, "woe is me" way that so many characters fall into. Leigh Bardugo writes her with grit and heart, which makes her easy to root for even when she's making questionable choices. What love most about this series is that while it's undeniably fantasy, it feels grounded. These are real people who just happen to stumble into magic, and that makes the dark, secret world of Yale's societies all the more compelling. Hell Bent takes everything Ninth House built and turns it up: higher stakes, more dange, and even deeper character moments. It's dark, twisty, and completely addictive.

This book leans more into the mechanics of a typical video game, but I feel like Dinniman explains things well enough that even someone who doesn’t play video games can still enjoy it. I continue to be surprised by how deep these books can get at times.

Carl follows a moral code, and a lot of the story is him trying to balance survival for himself and Princess Doughnut with showing empathy and helping others when he can. That push and pull adds so much to his character and to the world around him.

I also really enjoy the way Dinniman drops in pop culture references. They never feel jarring or out of place, and they add some humor without pulling you out of the story.

Overall, this one was fun, immersive, and surprisingly thoughtful. Definitely worth the read, and I am looking forward to reading the next one!

If you've been on the fence about these books....just take the plunge especially if you are considering the audiobook version! I doubt you'll regret it!

This series is full of beautifully woven threads, and with these last two books, they are begining to come together as one.

At first, I admit I was annoyed that this book sort of goes backwards in time. I immediately understood why I've seen people tandem reading these last two books together. But about a quarter of the way in, I was hooked on all of the new characters and wondering how Chaol and Nesryn would ever be able to pull off bringing re-enforcements to the war when they finally returned. Tower of Dawn is full of introspection, forgiveness of others, and of oneself. It's also about finding yourself, figuring out where you belong in the world, and amongst friends. It's about understanding and trust, and tying together threads of storyline that go way, way, back to the begining.

Just wait till you get to know Yrene better in this book. You'll fall in love with her. The Ruks storyline is just as fantastic, I can't say anymore without spoiling major threads of the entire series for you. So just go read it already!

This is an Audiobook MUST! "Did we really just start a meth war between the goblins and the llamas?!" -Dungeon Crawler Carl

Dungeon Crawler Carl was not even on my radar until my husband downloaded it and then I read a review about hovw awesome the narration was so thought "why not?!".

Personaly, I don't think you have to be a gamer to enjoy this book. I think you just have to be open to incredibly imaginative, sci-fi style writing. But that's just my opinion.

Just try it out. What's the worst that can happen?

A dark, immersive departure from Bardugo’s Grishaverse, and so worth the read!

Alex is tough, flawed, and wonderfully real. Yale’s actual landmarks and secret societies make the magic feel plausible, and the narration keeps you hooked.

Stay through the credits for Bardugo’s interview.

Bring on the sequel!