While previously vol. 6 had probably been my favorite, volume 9 I think takes the crown. Interestingly enough both of these volumes do not have any of the Festa in them and because of that we seem to get more actual story. This was a super-quick read for me, not only because it's a light novel but because I really did not want to put it down. We get to see a lot more of Claudia's story and some others which for me was great. The Fest is okay, but I certainly like to see the character stories even more than the Festa.
Verdict: If you're this far into Asterisk you probably already like it, this volume for me did not disappoint.