Zodiac Academy: The Awakening Review

Title: Zodiac Academy: The Awakening

Book Number: 1

Author(s): Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Originally Published: July 13, 2019

Genre(s): Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Fiction

*This review does contain small spoilers, though they are not entirely plot related.*

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Despite the fact that I don’t read as much as I used to, I still enjoy reading when I have the spare time outside of writing. Usually, I’m a thriller/mystery type of person, and I thoroughly enjoy reading crime- such as the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.

Though, I also happen to be a lover of the zodiac signs, and anything to do with them. I start every morning with reading my daily horoscope to see how the stars say my day may go, as many others do as well. Some find theirs on their phone, through Google, or even in the Newspaper if they still print them in it.

So when I stumbled upon the zodiac academy series in Barnes & Noble, it passed my usual test of deciding on if a book is intriguing enough to read: open the book to a random page somewhere in the middle, read the page on the right, and if I’m tempted to turn the page its worth trying to read.

What I didn’t expect when I finally got the chance to read the Zodiac Academy series, was to be completed engulfed in it. The genres that the series falls in are just some of the genres that have never really interested me, but Peckham and Valenti managed to write in a way that the romance in it wasn’t something that turned me off.

I loved Harry Potter growing up, and I always wanted to go to Hogwarts. Now? I would give anything to be fae, and go to Zodiac Academy. Sure, the nymphs may be a problem, but as long as I avoid them and never go anywhere alone, I think I’ll be just fine.

When it comes to plots and subplots, they are woven together perfectly, and paced at just the right speed. Each page left me holding my breath, while every chapter left me aching for more. I was sucked into the story without an option, but I've never been happier.

With the different love stories the two main characters, Darcy and Tori Vega, have, you can never get bored and you're always wanting to know who is going to do what next. Are they finally going to get what they want, or are they going to have to work even harder for it?

Do the girls get their crown? Do the boys stop antagonizing and trying to harm the Gemini twins? Does Orion push away the obvious regulations of the student/teacher dynamic and let his feelings take over? Will the twins end up leaving Zodiac Academy?

The book sparks so many questions, but thankfully I'm on book three. Currently, there are 8.5 novels, one even being the first novel, "Zodiac Academy: The Awakening" rewritten from the boy's point of views. It's no wonder this series has taken the world by storm, leaving all of us on our toes.

Despite the fact that the series is something I wouldn't normally read, it's probably the best novel series I've read since "Maximum Ride" by James Patterson, the series that got me into writing to begin with. The twists and turns always leave you holding your breath, wondering who you're going to meet next, or who is going to end up in some trouble.

If you're looking for a fantasy book with a cup of romance and a few dashes of paranormal happenings, and a pinch of the zodiacs- Zodiac Academy: The Awakening is the book series for you. It's a fast paced read despite the numerous pages, and you'll find yourself engulfed in the characters, as if you've been lifelong friends since you can remember. I know I can't wait to finish the series!