Reviews with content warning for Drug use - Hell Bent

I was told Hell Bent had better representation than Ninth House, but I’m not sure that’s true. Like in Ninth House, there were clear attempts to call out racism. In the acknowledgements is even a book recommendation on Yale’s racist history. But unfortunately, there were also moments in Hell Bent that were offensive, regardless of intent. Info about a particularly offensive moment is at the end of the review, under “Slight spoiler.”

At first, I thought I liked the story of Ninth House better than Hell Bent. But after thinking about it, I’m not sure that’s the case. It’s still a very well-written book.

I felt certain reveals weren’t set up as well as the reveals in Ninth House, even though they were set up well overall. I enjoyed the villains in Ninth House more, even though these ones were still engaging.

I love a lot of the characters and enjoyed getting to see more of their backstories and growth. That’s where the book really shone for me. There were many exciting, engaging, and emotional scenes. There was a moment when characters are trying to cover up something they did that had me laughing out loud. The friendships and teamwork were beautiful!

I don’t want to spoil these moments by listing them. But I definitely look forward to the next book in the series!

Slight spoiler:

This was not a big part of the plot, hence why I still gave this book a high rating, but it’s still a big problem.

I thought the protector symbol for Turner, the only major character who is Black, should have been different. I understand the author might not have wanted to compare the only Black character to an animal, but all the other characters had animal protectors. So, it was weird when Turner was the only one who didn’t.

I thought it was disrespectful to use an oak as his symbol, given the violence that involves trees that has historically been committed against Black people in the U.S. I get Bardugo wanted to use something strong and dependable, like a “mighty oak.” But it just doesn’t work and is actually really offensive. I wish she had realized this or someone had pointed this out to her prior to publication.

Content Warnings

raintje's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

stephliljazz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

As second book in the Ninth Gate series I am just hooked to this story. I cannot wait for book three I hope it comes out sooner than later! I don't know how to describe the book without spoilers so I'll just leave it with a couple quotes.

"People shouldn't have to march through the world fighting all the time."

"I will serve you till the end of days."

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morguemoth's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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alexijai98's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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caroline_wavesandpeanuts's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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catpolhamus's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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artemis_growl's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

MOOODS:

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Thriller/Mystery
Dark Academia
Magic
-Contemporary

Trigger Warnings:
Death/violence, glowing c*cks/nudity, drugs, police brutality

Overall spoiler free impression/review:
Alex has found herself in a second book and lost her way and Hell has found it's way in. Is Alex a pretty solider of good or skinny gangly ex-drug user who sees dead people and just trying to survive? I don't know and I don't think anyone does anymore. Her past catches up to her but not really sure it flows. She's a certified ghost seer and demon hunter now but also has a side debt collector hustle. She has good friends ....better than she probably deserves... rounding up ...3/5 stars. Probably closer to 2.75 but I did like the premise of the book still and the idea of Yale, the societies, and the magic...and I did enjoy seeing more of Mercy, Dawes, and Turner...I even liked Tripp, they're what brings the book up to a 3. That being said.... this book felt all over the place and confusing. I switched from audiobook to ebook half way because I was getting confused and I can pay better attention to detail when I'm reading...and it helped.... a very little. The perspective changes sometimes didn't flow well, the pacing was off and very slow, Darlington is only interesting when he is lost and has a weird glowstick, and at the end the book felt a bit anti-climatic,

Setting:
Yale, second year for Alex, and who knows for Darlington since he's been lost in one of the circles of Hell. Yale socialites suck, they're power hungry capitalists, and Alex/Galaxy has discovered she's a Wheelwalker...wahtever that is. She is now playing soldier for good (Sorta) and Knight in Shining armor who is trying to rescue Prince GlowC*ckDarlington.

****PAST THIS POINT SPOILERS***

<<Spoiler riddled review>>

What I did like:
Hear me out....regardless of everything that comes in the...what I didn't like section below...I still rounded up to 3 stars because I really liked Dawes, Mercy, Turner, and Tripps character development. I also just really like the premise of the societies and magic as well as how Alex and Darlington have been impacted by the capitalistic power hungry societies of Yale. I did like how Mercy was brought in, how the excitement of magic and the world brought her in, she's a good friend, but also how she struggled with it at the end. I loved Turner's story, one of the more interesting characters to me and I just like homey Dawes.

What I didn't like:

General WTF Vibes throughout:
This book left me with one thought at the end "WTF." Not the good WTF ...the WTF did I just read. WTF is Alex's character development wanting to be? WTF does this book want to be? Supernatural? Charmed? True Crime? True Blood? Ghost Busters? Or maybe Narcos?

Alex Character Development:
Alex's character development was all over the place. Leigh spends so much time in Ninth House convincing us that Alex doesn't care, is a skinny emaciated ex-addict, morally gray IDGAF about anyone but my own survival throughout all of Ninth House and most of Hells Bent and fails. This results in me not really believing that Alex suddenly will be an agent for good, demon slayer, vampire hunter, protagonist she is implied she will be at the end of the book but also not the guiltless killer she's supposed to be. Alex spends half of her time suddenly not being cleaver enough or strong enough to get rid of her ex-narco LA king pin but can inhale powers from the dead and alive, escape a vampire, defeat demons, get into hell, and rescue Prince GlowC*ckDarlington. We're supposed to think she's a killer but technically...really when we saw the murder scene in LA it was through Hellie's POV. Alex didn't know why she could see dead people or that she could use them to become an avenger... so technically...who has she really killed of her own volition? Belbalm who was trying to suck her dry/kill her? Then she has all these friends she is constantly looking after and caring for? I just don't know what Leigh wants us to think of Alex.

Plot/Magic World:
The different story lines. The time jump didn't make sense in this book. The plot which was save the world from demons and rescue Prince GlowC*ckDarlington was lost at times to the the true crime, vampire hunting, demon slaying, narcos telenoval side plots. Sure, did they all sorta tie together at the end...yeah? Was it too much and felt forced together at the end...also yeah. The random different perspectives didn't flow. The Narcos part felt like it didn't really fit. The magic/world doesn't totally make sense and why don't I really understand what a Wheelwaker is at this point? She can go to hell....she can see ghosts...she can take their powers/energies....and....????

Darlington:
WTF? I'll just leave it at....if we're gonna focus on his very erect glow stick so much...why not just at least give him and Alex a moment. GEEEEEZ.

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