Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

One of the best books I have read this year- take a pinch of Dan Brown, a dollop of Lev Grossman and a smattering of Deborah Harkness and you begin to get a feel for the genius of Leigh Bardugo. She has created a kick-ass character with a checkered past who is asked to attend Yale on scholarship and all she has to do is use her gifts to help govern the secret societies and of course, everything goes wrong. She is tough, she does not always get along with people and she sees dead people (grays). Expertly written, perfectly paced and chockful of creepy ghosts and secret rituals - this book will appeal to a wide audience and I'm sure Yale will see a surge in applications. I sincerely hope someone has purchased the movie rights and there better be more where this came from Leigh Bardugo. This is her first book for adults but older teens will want to read this.