Galaxy "Alex" Stern is struggling.  She dropped out of school and lives with her drug-dealer boyfriend.  One day Alex wakes up in the hospital to learn that she is the sole survivor in a mysterious massacre.  When she is offered a full scholarship to attend Yale University and become the next Dante for Lethe House, Alex jumps at the chance.  Now at Yale, Alex struggles to reinvent herself while simultaneously monitoring the rituals of Yale's secret societies.  When a local girl is murdered, Alex must discover who is behind it and how she fits into the secret societies before it is too late.

The first 100 pages didn't grab my attention so I put Ninth House down for a month.  When I picked it back up again, I was immediately drawn back into the world and the story.  I love the blend of fantasy and history.  Despite the characters not being very likable, I am intrigued about their future adventures.