shaykay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
You can only hear about this series on TikTok or in the book world. Zodiac Academy was everywhere, especially last year. It has calmed down a bit this year but is still a super popular series. When a series is super hyped, they really intimidate me. Plus, I just haven't been into anything supernatural, and everything I used to pick up has been very contemporary/traditionally published, so Zodiac Academy was nowhere near my TBR. But this year, I've been picking up some crazy random books and decided to dive deep into this series. Now, I went in as blind as I could, but at the same time, I knew a lot about this series because it's been all over the place, and I honestly really liked this book. I felt confused about who was who because the book switches between Darcy and Tori's POVs, and since they are twins and the book keeps going between their POVs, I struggled to figure out who was who. But overall, I get the hype and really like what the story is starting to set up. I hope to get to the point where I can tell the twins apart. Everyone struggles with that, but it does get better in later books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
autumnrain55's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
This was book kept me entertained and annoyed at the same time. I loved the magical aspects to it, and I liked discovering this new world along with the twins. What I didn’t like was that the main girls in this book kept lusting after the men who tormented them. People described this book as a bully/romance, but really they’re extremely abusive and it shouldn’t be romanticized.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I picked this up because everyone seems to be raving about this series, and I was curious.
"The Awakening" follows twin sisters: Tory and Darcy. Tory and Darcy have been in the foster care system since they were orphaned as babies. Now, 18, and kicked out of the system, they are just trying to make enough money to cover rent. But all of those worries seem inconsequential when they find out they are actually the daughters of the Savage King, and they are the rightful descendants of the fae crown. Now they must go through Zodiac Academy to learn about their true home and fight for their birthright.
This book was very fine. There is a lot of violence, nonconsensual acts, and ALOT of bullying, which I had a pretty good idea about before I started reading this. I found the hazing that the other students put Tory and Darcy through to be really off-putting, and the fact that none of the teachers did anything to remotely stop it was disheartening.
This book is definitely HEAVILY influenced by other popular stories, which is fine, but it made the book feel unoriginal.
I do not know if I will continue in this series, but I can now appreciate why everyone seems so enamored with this series.
"The Awakening" follows twin sisters: Tory and Darcy. Tory and Darcy have been in the foster care system since they were orphaned as babies. Now, 18, and kicked out of the system, they are just trying to make enough money to cover rent. But all of those worries seem inconsequential when they find out they are actually the daughters of the Savage King, and they are the rightful descendants of the fae crown. Now they must go through Zodiac Academy to learn about their true home and fight for their birthright.
This book was very fine. There is a lot of violence, nonconsensual acts, and ALOT of bullying, which I had a pretty good idea about before I started reading this. I found the hazing that the other students put Tory and Darcy through to be really off-putting, and the fact that none of the teachers did anything to remotely stop it was disheartening.
This book is definitely HEAVILY influenced by other popular stories, which is fine, but it made the book feel unoriginal.
I do not know if I will continue in this series, but I can now appreciate why everyone seems so enamored with this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Death, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content
obiterocelot's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Read if you love: enemies to lovers, bullies, cheesy fantasy-romances, will they won’t theys, slow burns, dark and dangerous men, vampires, warewolves, Fae, good dialogues, high school setting but it’s actually more like a university and legal, the forbidden professor student interest.
Avoid if you don’t love: trauma bonding, unlikeable characters, anything to do with zodiac signs, frustrating tension, death, occasional C grade writing, Harry Potter but make it hotter.
———
Seth Capella can burn in every circle of hell imaginable but if it’ll lead to more Orion/Darcy scenes please don’t stop Dog Boy
And despite my usual taste being more Tory/Darius I just can’t bring myself to caring about Tory. But Darcy, the sweet summer child she is, must be protected at all costs
Avoid if you don’t love: trauma bonding, unlikeable characters, anything to do with zodiac signs, frustrating tension, death, occasional C grade writing, Harry Potter but make it hotter.
———
And despite my usual taste being more Tory/Darius I just can’t bring myself to caring about Tory. But Darcy, the sweet summer child she is, must be protected at all costs
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Death
bre_reads_and_reviews's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Book review time!!
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Zodiac academy: The Awakening is a high Romantasy story about two twins who have their whole world turned upside down. Brought to another world and finding out that they are the long lost heirs to this world and that they are fae with magic, they must try and survive their first year and to also graduate the academy in order to claim their inheritance and their rightful throne. But things won't be that easy for them. They soon face the four other heirs who will make life a living hell for them. All four also have eyes on the throne and are determined to claim it and rule together. This means they will do anything to stop the twins from graduating.
Where to start with this book. First off, this book was very action packed. I swear the Vega twins could not catch a break. Almost every other chapter something was going wrong for them. There was also a lot of repetition throughout it. Shiver was one of the words that was almost on every other page. I'm fine with it being every now and then but there was a lot of unnecessary shivering going on. Not gonna lie professor Orion had me blushing whenever he showed up. One of my favorite quotes in the book that made me laugh out loud was "I shoved the cash into the back pocket of my pants, scooped up Pete's toothbrush and dunked it in the toilet bowl." This immediately hooked me and loved the sarcastic remarks and banter throughout the book. Some of the bullying got intense throught so forewarning there for anyone who has triggers for that kind of stuff. I'm kind of disappointed that there was no growth with the twins and their powers. They had such power and kept going on how they would learn to harness and wield their powers but they hardly even touched it. Hopefully there will be more of them and their powers in book two. I do love how much fantasy is in this and how descriptive it was. Overall it's gonna be a 3.5 for me. Hopefully book two will be better.
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Zodiac academy: The Awakening is a high Romantasy story about two twins who have their whole world turned upside down. Brought to another world and finding out that they are the long lost heirs to this world and that they are fae with magic, they must try and survive their first year and to also graduate the academy in order to claim their inheritance and their rightful throne. But things won't be that easy for them. They soon face the four other heirs who will make life a living hell for them. All four also have eyes on the throne and are determined to claim it and rule together. This means they will do anything to stop the twins from graduating.
Where to start with this book. First off, this book was very action packed. I swear the Vega twins could not catch a break. Almost every other chapter something was going wrong for them. There was also a lot of repetition throughout it. Shiver was one of the words that was almost on every other page. I'm fine with it being every now and then but there was a lot of unnecessary shivering going on. Not gonna lie professor Orion had me blushing whenever he showed up. One of my favorite quotes in the book that made me laugh out loud was "I shoved the cash into the back pocket of my pants, scooped up Pete's toothbrush and dunked it in the toilet bowl." This immediately hooked me and loved the sarcastic remarks and banter throughout the book. Some of the bullying got intense throught so forewarning there for anyone who has triggers for that kind of stuff. I'm kind of disappointed that there was no growth with the twins and their powers. They had such power and kept going on how they would learn to harness and wield their powers but they hardly even touched it. Hopefully there will be more of them and their powers in book two. I do love how much fantasy is in this and how descriptive it was. Overall it's gonna be a 3.5 for me. Hopefully book two will be better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I didn’t love it. I get why others would, but it wasn’t for me personally. I’m just not a bully romance reader. The lore seems really interesting and the multiple romance partners the could choose is an interesting twist (if it isn’t Tory/Darius and Darcy/Orion in the end though I would be shocked).
Bully Romance, Magical School, 2 🔥
Bully Romance, Magical School, 2 🔥
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, and Cursing
cat202's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
faith99's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Bullying
Moderate: Sexual content
kaiyoung_kop's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Zodiac academy is like if every overused book trope had a baby - and I kinda love it for that
Dead parents ✅
Twins that are very different ✅
Secret heiresses ✅
New world ✅
It was… an experience,
It was like everything in a bad YA novel in a NA scene.
But I was here for it.
I devoured this trash up.
Like it was bad in a good way?
(I know, my standards are so low they are on the floor)
At around half way through the book, I was like, wow Seth is such a golden retriever
Well uhhh… we know how that worked out…
*sighs saltily*
The book condones abuse (?) as in the main characters accept that they are going to be physically, emotionally (and even sexually) abused until they get stronger?
The ‘love interests’ were so fucking creepy.
Eg; Seth (love interest) was licking and sniffing one of the fmc when they first met?
Smh
Also the alpha wolf thing?
*dies in cringe*
At most points, it felt like bad fan-fiction
But in the best way possible
It’s absolute garbage for me, but I love it.
It’s one of those books where you have to recognise it as bad to be able to enjoy it.
It’s just an easy, fun read.
I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with standards
But if you want a quick, bad, fun read to help you escape a reading slump, I would recommend it.
Dead parents ✅
Twins that are very different ✅
Secret heiresses ✅
New world ✅
It was… an experience,
It was like everything in a bad YA novel in a NA scene.
But I was here for it.
I devoured this trash up.
Like it was bad in a good way?
(I know, my standards are so low they are on the floor)
At around half way through the book, I was like, wow Seth is such a golden retriever
Well uhhh… we know how that worked out…
*sighs saltily*
The book condones abuse (?) as in the main characters accept that they are going to be physically, emotionally (and even sexually) abused until they get stronger?
The ‘love interests’ were so fucking creepy.
Eg; Seth (love interest) was licking and sniffing one of the fmc when they first met?
Smh
Also the alpha wolf thing?
*dies in cringe*
At most points, it felt like bad fan-fiction
But in the best way possible
It’s absolute garbage for me, but I love it.
It’s one of those books where you have to recognise it as bad to be able to enjoy it.
It’s just an easy, fun read.
I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with standards
But if you want a quick, bad, fun read to help you escape a reading slump, I would recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Pedophilia, Cursing, Bullying, Alcohol, Abandonment, Car accident, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death
karly_ackley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Blood, and Death of parent