“The Nine: Alder House” is the second book in a trilogy by Kes Trester. The novel continues the journey of college student Blake Wilder as she becomes deeply entrenched in the world of The Nine. “Alder House” further fleshes out The Nine as a society while exploring the highs and lows of being associated with the paranormal. I was a massive fan of the first book, so I had high hopes going into the second. Did it live up to these expectations? Let’s talk about it.
“The Nine: Alder House” picks up where “Origins” left off, with Blake having just found out her younger sister, Jordan, is also a Nine, her talent being a telepath.
When Jordan shows up on her doorstep, having run away from home, Blake tries to help her navigate the world of The Nine. At the same time, her boyfriend, Nicholas Thorne, has returned to England, where he is vying for the title of telekinesis regent following the mysterious death of the previous regent. On top of all of this, some framed her friend, phantomist Jessie McCabe, for a murder outside his club.
One day, Nicholas’s ex-girlfriend, Julia Martin, calls Blake to tell her Nicholas is in trouble. So, Blake travels to The Nine’s ancestral home, Alder House, to support him as he prepares for the fight of his life. There, she uncovers secrets about the Nine and herself. She also must navigate an intricate web of secrets, murder, and corruption if she hopes to come out of it all alive.
Overall, “The Nine: Alder House” does an excellent job of expanding upon the world of The Nine.
We learn more about the structure of The Nine’s leadership, the various rituals of The Nine, and how deep the conflict between those who believe in the old ways of The Nine and those who want to bring The Nine to the public goes. Blake continues to be an excellent POV character. Not only is she generally an enjoyable and exciting character, but her fish-out-of-water status means that she often voices many of the same concerns we, the reader, may have about the ways of The Nine. She clearly doesn’t fully agree with their ways, but she also can’t deny the connection she now has with them.
Like the previous book, the characters do a great job keeping the book engaging.
The love triangle between Blake, Nicholas, and Jessie continues to grow deeper, with Blake struggling to come to terms with her relationship with both. Nicholas cares deeply for Blake but is forced to keep her at a distance due to his growing involvement within The Nine. Conversely, Jessie wants to get closer to Blake, with the line between his interest in her and his interest in her expanding powers blurring further.
“Alder House” also introduces several new characters, making the book more interesting. Julia is initially set up as a potential romantic rival for Blake. But it quickly becomes apparent that despite her feelings for Nicholas, she respects his choice and only wants to help him navigate his new roles in The Nine.
Blake’s sister, Jordan, is also a fun new addition to the series.
Unlike Blake, who spent most of her life feeling alone and confused, Jordan can immediately connect with other Nines thanks to Blake and quickly finds her footing in the world. The book separates the sisters for a while, and I wouldn’t say I like this choice. The dynamic between the two as they learn to reconcile their differences and find this new common ground is entertaining, and I would have loved to see more of it.
Henry Thorne, Nicholas’s father, is also a pretty exciting addition. We get to see firsthand the relationship between him and Nicholas. And it’s clear he takes his job as Chancellor of The Nine seriously. His priority is The Nine and his control over it. And he’s willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to maintain that control.
Like its predecessor, “Alder House” is relatively short, covering 287 pages.
Despite this and the various storylines, it still manages to tell a very compelling story despite this. It does take a slight dip in quality during the Alder House arc. Some fun twists are set up here. But many of them feel like they’re only in service for the next book. Once Blake returns to California and the main murder/mystery ramps back up, I enjoyed the book a lot more.
Overall, I think “The Nine: Alder House” is an excellent second book in the series. It does a great job of expanding the universe while also keeping the characters relatable and engaging. I’m excited to continue my journey with these characters. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Featured image via anotherxlife on Unsplash
