Hell Bent

This sequel was off to a slow start for me, with some slight confusion due to the chapters being different periods of time during that year for Alex. However, once I settled into it, it picked up just as Ninth House did, and I was rushing to finish the book so that I could find out everything as soon as possible.

I would have loved to see some more development between the characters - there were always little hints and teasers, but nothing more ever developed from them. Especially between Alex and Darlington, as the author kept throwing at us like a bouncy ball.

Maybe in book three?

Rating: 4.5

If the first book could be boiled down to world building and dread, then this book is a big shift forward.

The themes are still dark, but you get the sense that Alex has hit rock bottom and is pushing towards something better. She allows herself to hope, and this really softens how bleak everything gets. This really picks up right where the first book left off, and you don't have to wait long for more action.

The audiobook was mostly great, I just didn't enjoy the few chapters from the male narrator as much, and wish Lauren Fortgang could have read those as well.

Would recommend. Will continue to read.

The first 20% or so took a bit to get into, but after that I flew through this book. This series is such a fun concept and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. I also appreciate the level of cliffhanger in this book too. Like she left the door open to write more but I wouldn't be upset if she didn't.

Meeeh.

The pacing issues I had with the previous book are still present here but in a lesser degree. I’m starting to suspect there’s a page count Bardugo needed to hit so we got all this unnecessary information and back-and-forth. Was it really necessary to go to hell THREE TIMES? I get not succeeding right away to have the story progress and to add to the idea that this was an impossible task. But wouldn’t it be better to have the gang be close enough but not being to enter, instead of having some inexperienced 20-somethings and a cop come in and out willy-nilly?

Once again, there are unnecessary graphic scenes (more Hellie abuse, really? the rabbit, really?). Fortunately, it was not as much as the previous novel so I’m thankful for that.

Mercy having a more prominent role this time was fine but once again, there are no visible consequences of the events of the previous book or the ones that happened in this one, for that matter. I honestly can’t fathom her having such a carefree disposition about finding out Yale’s magical secrets, especially since she has been directly affected by them.

Also, her being an expert on the artifacts and magic overnight to the point she is on par with Dawes and Darlington? Really?

Also, WHY, AFTER A YEAR OF TORTURE, TRAUMA AND FINDING OUT HE KINDA KILLED HIS PARENTS THE FIRST THING DARLINGTON THINKS ABOUT IS HOW HORNY HE IS FOR ALEX? SERIOUSLY?????

I liked the inclusion of the new supernatural creatures, though.