Zodiac Academy Reading Order: Books, Novellas & Extras
Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is one of the biggest romantasy series on BookTok, and one of the most confusing to read in order. Between the main story, a bridging book, novellas and alternate points of view, it is easy to lose track.
Start with The Awakening and follow the numbered books through Restless Stars, reading Beyond the Veil after book 8. This guide explains where the extras fit, introduces the world and characters, and helps you choose what to read next. Book 10, On the Cursed Day of Christmas, is a festive follow-up to the completed main story.
Spoiler note: The book-by-book section only covers each book’s setup, and we keep the later books deliberately vague.
Zodiac Academy Reading Order
For a first read, this is our recommended path through the main story. The decimal numbers identify companion books; they do not replace the numbered novels.
| # | Book | Reading note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Awakening | Start here |
| 2 | Ruthless Fae | Main story |
| 3 | The Reckoning | Main story |
| 4 | Shadow Princess | Main story |
| 5 | Cursed Fates | Main story |
| 5.5 | The Big A.S.S. Party | Optional novella; after book 5 |
| 6 | Fated Throne | Main story |
| 7 | Heartless Sky | Main story |
| 8 | Sorrow and Starlight | Main story |
| 8.5 | Beyond the Veil | Bridging book; after book 8 |
| 9 | Restless Stars | Main story finale |
| 10 | On the Cursed Day of Christmas | Festive follow-up; after book 9 |
Origins of an Academy Bully, The Awakening As Told by the Boys and Live and Let Lionel are additional companions. For an uninterrupted first read, we suggest saving the prequel and retelling until you finish the main arc. Their placement is a reading preference, rather than a required step between the novels.
Table of Contents
About the Authors: Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Zodiac Academy is written by two sisters, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, who co-write from the English countryside. Fans know them as the “Twisted Sisters,” a fitting name for two writers whose books are full of dark romance, cruel rivals and sudden twists.
Both are #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling authors and co-own the publishing house King’s Hollow. Alongside fantasy, they also write contemporary dark romance, but Zodiac Academy is the series that made them a BookTok phenomenon.
Fun fact: the series was originally published under the name Supernatural Bullies and Beasts before it became known simply as Zodiac Academy.
The World and Characters of Zodiac Academy
The series is set in Solaria, a kingdom ruled by Fae. At Zodiac Academy, your star sign defines your destiny. Every Fae belongs to an Order, from Vampires to Dragon Shifters, and students learn to control elemental magic.
- Tory and Darcy Vega: twins born in the month of Gemini, raised as orphans in the mortal world. The story begins with their alternating points of view and later expands to other characters.
- The Celestial Heirs: Darius Acrux, Caleb Altair, Max Rigel and Seth Capella. Raised from birth to rule Solaria together, they see the Vega twins as a threat to everything they were promised.
- Lance Orion: a professor at the academy whose past is tied closely to the Heirs.
- Lionel Acrux: Darius’s father and one of the most feared Dragon Shifters in Solaria.
- The Savage King: the twins’ late father, King Hail Vega, whose reign still casts a shadow over the kingdom.
Book-by-Book Guide: The Nine Main Books
These books follow one continuing story, so read them in numerical order. The covers below show current editions; older editions can look different without changing the order.
1. The Awakening
Tory and Darcy Vega have spent their lives scraping by in the mortal world. Then they discover they are Fae, daughters of the Savage King and heirs to a throne they know nothing about. To claim it, they have to prove they are the most powerful Fae in Solaria, and they are sent to Zodiac Academy to do it. The Celestial Heirs have no intention of letting two newcomers take what they were raised to rule, and the academy quickly becomes a battleground.
When to read: Start here.
2. Ruthless Fae
Picking up right after book 1, the twins have been pushed to the brink by the Heirs. Leaving is tempting, but they decide to stay and fight back, quietly and cleverly, so the Heirs never see it coming. The rivalry deepens, and so does the tension between the twins and the boys they are supposed to hate.
When to read: After book 1.
3. The Reckoning
The week of The Reckoning has arrived, the assessment that decides which freshmen keep their place at Zodiac Academy and which lose it forever. Senior students are tasked with making the freshmen’s lives as hard as possible, and the Vega twins are the biggest targets of all.
When to read: After book 2.
4. Shadow Princess
The Heirs will stop at nothing to drive the twins out, but darker forces are now at work in Solaria. This is where the series starts to widen beyond academy rivalries into something far more dangerous.
When to read: After book 3.
5. Cursed Fates
After devastating events at the academy, the twins face a darker world. Lionel Acrux wants to hurt them, the Nymphs threaten the entire Fae race, and simply surviving each day becomes the goal.
When to read: After book 4.
6. Fated Throne
The struggle for Solaria’s throne grows more dangerous as Lionel Acrux’s ambitions threaten the twins’ future. The story moves further beyond school rivalries into a fight for the kingdom, with the cost of earlier choices becoming harder to escape. We are keeping the details light here so the turning points in the earlier books stay a surprise.
When to read: After book 5, with The Big A.S.S. Party as an optional stop after book 5.
7. Heartless Sky
The fight for the throne continues, but reaching it means more than growing stronger. Loyalty, relationships and the threat of war put the characters under increasing pressure. Read this immediately after Fated Throne: it continues the same story, and its setup reveals major developments from the earlier books.
When to read: After book 6.
8. Sorrow and Starlight
The characters face the aftermath of everything that came before, while the struggle for Solaria keeps widening. This is another direct continuation rather than a fresh starting point. Once you finish it, move to Beyond the Veil before Restless Stars for the fuller picture.
When to read: After book 7.
9. Restless Stars
Restless Stars concludes the central fight for Solaria’s throne. The final confrontation brings the long-running conflicts together, so this is the payoff to the books that came before it. It ends the main story arc, but it is no longer the last numbered title: book 10, On the Cursed Day of Christmas, follows the completed main arc.
When to read: After book 8 and the bridging book, Beyond the Veil.
Zodiac Academy Novellas and Companion Books
0.5. Origins of an Academy Bully
A prequel set five years before The Awakening, focusing on Orion and a younger Darius Acrux. It gives extra context for their past and their connection, rather than continuing the Vega twins’ story.
When to read: Optional. It comes first in the timeline, but we suggest saving it until you know the characters; reading it after the main arc keeps your first read simple.
The Awakening As Told by the Boys
This retells the first book through the male characters’ perspectives, including Orion and the Heirs. It adds scenes and motivations that the twins cannot see, so it works as a companion to The Awakening, rather than a substitute for it.
When to read: After The Awakening at the earliest. Our suggestion is to save it until after the main arc if you want to keep the first read focused on the twins’ experience.
5.5. The Big A.S.S. Party
A novella featuring Geraldine and Max at a party during the events of Cursed Fates. It is an optional detour for readers who want more time with the supporting characters.
When to read: After book 5, Cursed Fates, and before Fated Throne.
8.5. Beyond the Veil
This full-length bridging book runs alongside the events of Sorrow and Starlight from beyond the Veil. It adds another side to the story and clues that lead into the conclusion. It should not be grouped with the short, optional novellas.
When to read: After book 8 and before book 9. The publisher specifically warns that reading it before book 8 would spoil that book.
Live and Let Lionel
A collection of bonus scenes from the series, with introductions from Lionel Acrux. It revisits events and characters across the story rather than acting as the next main novel. Treat it as extra material for established readers.
When to read: Save this until after book 8.5 at the earliest. If you want to avoid interrupting the finale, our recommendation is to read it after Restless Stars.
10. On the Cursed Day of Christmas
A festive return to Solaria, set after Restless Stars. The publisher describes an illustrated advent-style hardback with 24 chapters to open during the countdown to Christmas. This is a follow-up adventure rather than a replacement ending for the main arc.
When to read: After Restless Stars. This festive follow-up takes place after the main story’s ending.
Is Zodiac Academy Worth Reading?
If you love addictive, character-driven romantasy, it is easy to see why this series took over BookTok. Here is what readers love, and what to know before you start.
What readers love
- Two sisters, an expanding cast. The story starts with the twins’ perspectives and grows to include other characters, with romance and shifting loyalties woven through the wider conflict.
- Bingeable pacing. Chapters end on hooks, and the series is driven by its characters and relationships, which makes it very hard to put down.
- A magic school with real stakes. Houses, Orders, elemental magic and brutal assessments give it a dark academia feel that grows into an epic fight for a kingdom.
What to know before you start
- The early bullying is intense. Books 1 and 2 lean hard into bully romance, and the Heirs are genuinely cruel. If that is not for you, know that the series changes a lot as it goes on.
- It is long. The nine-book main arc, the bridging book and optional companions add up to thousands of pages. It is a substantial commitment if you prefer shorter series.
- It is for adult readers. Expect violence, strong language and steamy scenes.
Reading Order Options: The Whole World of Solaria
Zodiac Academy is part of a bigger shared world. If you fall in love with Solaria, there are more series to explore:
- Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac: a five-book series set around five years before Zodiac Academy.
- Darkmore Penitentiary and Sins of the Zodiac: series that connect to the world later on.
The authors’ series page explains that Ruthless Boys, Zodiac Academy and Darkmore Penitentiary can be read as separate series, with crossover references for returning readers. If you are new, we recommend reading Zodiac Academy in the order above, then exploring the connected series. If you prefer the wider timeline, Ruthless Boys comes first, followed by Zodiac Academy and then Darkmore Penitentiary. You do not need to switch between series to follow the twins’ story.
Zodiac Academy FAQ
How many Zodiac Academy books are there?
The central arc has nine numbered novels, plus the bridging book Beyond the Veil (8.5). There are also prequel and bonus companions, including Origins of an Academy Bully, The Big A.S.S. Party, The Awakening As Told by the Boys and Live and Let Lionel. Book 10, On the Cursed Day of Christmas, is a festive follow-up to the completed main arc. Counts vary depending on which extras a list includes.
Where should I start?
Start with The Awakening, book 1. You can read the prequel first for timeline order, but it is not required to begin the main story.
Can I skip the novellas?
The short novellas and bonus scenes are optional. Beyond the Veil is different: it is a bridging book with clues for the finale, so we recommend reading it after book 8 and before book 9.
Should I tandem-read books 8 and 8.5?
They take place during the same stretch of the story, but you do not need a tandem read. For a first read, follow the publisher’s instruction to finish book 8 before Beyond the Veil, which avoids revealing events too early.
Is the Zodiac Academy series finished?
The central story concludes in Restless Stars. That does not mean there are no further books: On the Cursed Day of Christmas continues with a festive adventure after that ending.
Is Zodiac Academy young adult or adult?
It is written for adult readers. Expect intense bullying, violence, strong language and explicit sexual content. The academy setting does not make it a children’s or younger-teen series.
Do I have to read Ruthless Boys first?
No. It takes place earlier in Solaria, but the authors say the connected series can be read separately. Read it first if you prefer the wider timeline; start with The Awakening if you mainly want the twins’ story.
Who are the main couples?
Both Vega twins have their own romantic storylines. We are keeping the pairings out of this guide so you can discover them as you read.
Books Like Zodiac Academy
Finished the series and need something to fill the Solaria-shaped hole? Try these:
- Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti: the authors’ prequel series, set in the same world.
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: an assassin, a deadly competition and a hidden royal identity. See our full reading order.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: dangerous faerie courts and a romance that defined the genre.
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: a brutal war college for dragon riders, where failing can mean dying.
- The Folk of the Air by Holly Black: a cruel faerie prince, court politics and an enemies-to-lovers slow burn.
- Powerless by Lauren Roberts: an Ordinary girl hiding among the powerful Elites in a set of deadly trials.
- From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout: a sheltered Maiden, the guard sworn to protect her and a kingdom built on secrets.
- Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas: adult urban fantasy with Fae, angels and a modern city setting.
- Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco: a witch seeking revenge and the Prince of Wrath she bargains with.
For another journey into Fae courts and connected fantasy worlds, explore our Sarah J. Maas reading order, covering ACOTAR, Throne of Glass and Crescent City.
Want even more dark magic? Browse our list of 10 gripping dark urban fantasy books.
Sources and updates: Reading order checked on 6 October 2026 against the authors’ series page, publisher listings, the Beyond the Veil reading note and the book 10 announcement.
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