The Awakening (2019) Ruthless Fae (2019) The Reckoning (2019) Shadow Princess (2020) Cursed Throne (2020) Fated Throne (2021) Heartless Sky (2021) Sorrow and Starlight (2022) Restless Stars (2024)
⚡ Pace: fast · 🎭 Emotions: dramatic, intense · 🚪 Entry threshold: medium · ⭐ Why read: addictive drama, dark magical world
Some stories throw you into chaos from the very first moment, and this one begins with a revelation sharp enough to overturn a life: what if everything you believed about your past was a lie? When twins Tory and Darcy Vega discover their true heritage, they are pulled into a world ruled by elemental magic, ancient rivalries, and a hierarchy that never forgets who belongs at the top. Zodiac Academy is not a gentle invitation – it’s a plunge into trials, alliances born out of necessity, and classmates who would rather see you fail than breathe. How do you find your place in a kingdom that greets you with hostility? And what if the power awakening inside you is both a gift and a threat?
The first book lays the emotional groundwork for the entire nine-part saga: trust that forms reluctantly, pride that’s easily wounded, and power that comes with a price. The Academy itself becomes a character – unpredictable, demanding, pushing the sisters toward strengths they didn’t know they had. As Tory and Darcy navigate their classes, confront bullies, and question the motives of the four celestial heirs, the reader senses a larger storm gathering beyond the school walls. Are the twins meant to rule, or are they simply pieces in someone’s unfinished game?
With every challenge, the tone of the series emerges: sharp, intense, and charged with the tension of fate colliding with choice. This opening installment doesn’t reveal the full sweep of the saga, but it makes one thing clear – stepping into your power is rarely safe, and even more rarely simple. Especially when the world around you is waiting to test every weakness.
📚 Did you know 📖
The Zodiac Academy saga became a true phenomenon on Kindle Unlimited, amassing hundreds of millions of reads and achieving cult status among fans.
The sister duo, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, is often hailed as “the most successful partnership in self-publishing.”
The Academy’s world is rooted in astrology, where each element is tied to a corresponding zodiac sign, creating a distinctive magical system.
Set in the same world are two additional series – Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac (2020–2021, 5 books) and Darkmore Penitentiary (2020–2022, 3 books).
Readers have dubbed the series “Harry Potter for adults,” but infused with the intensity of romantic dark fantasy.
Set in the same world are the series Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac (2020–2021) and Darkmore Penitentiary (2020–2022).
Legend has it: the authors deliberately weave fan-favourite memes into the narrative and even poke playful fun at their readers through character dialogue.