⚡ Quick Answer: The correct Zodiac Academy reading order is nine core books — The Awakening through Restless Stars. Spice level: High/Explicit (18+). How much of the wider Solaria universe you read depends on your commitment level — Fast, Core, or Completionist. Pick your path below before you start.
📑 Table of Contents
📖 What Is Zodiac Academy About?
Zodiac Academy follows twin sisters Tory Vega and Darcy Vega, who discover at eighteen that they’re lost Fae princesses of a hidden kingdom called Solaria. Written by sister duo Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, the series is a dark bully romance set at a magical academy, where the twins have to out-power four hostile Celestial Heirs — Darius Acrux, Max Rigel, Caleb Altair, and Seth Capella — while a corrupt council tries to keep them off the throne.
It’s the series that made #BookTok lose its mind, and the tonal comparison people reach for most is “Gossip Girl meets Harry Potter” — glossy, vicious, and a lot spicier than either.
💡 Good to know: This is strictly a fictional fantasy world built around Western astrology and fae mythology — it has no connection to any real-world religion or belief system.
📖 The Core Zodiac Academy Reading Order (Just the 9 Books)
If you only want the Vega twins’ main arc, this is the complete Zodiac Academy books in order, publication order, no spin-offs required:
| # | Title | One-Line Hook |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Awakening | The twins learn they’re Fae royalty — and everyone at the academy wants them gone. |
| 2 | Ruthless Fae | Alliances shift, and the Heirs’ hostility starts curdling into something else. |
| 3 | The Reckoning | The trials begin, and the twins’ magic starts breaking every rule Solaria has. |
| 4 | Shadow Princess | Lionel Acrux tightens his grip, and the political stakes turn genuinely dangerous. |
| 5 | Cursed Fates | Secrets from the twins’ past resurface, forcing the whole group to pick sides. |
| 6 | Fated Throne | The war for Solaria’s crown stops being theoretical. |
| 7 | Heartless Sky | Losses pile up, and the “why-choose” dynamic gets tested under real pressure. |
| 8 | Sorrow and Starlight | Runs in tandem with Book 8.5 — see the note below before you start this one. |
| 9 | Restless Stars | The finale to the main Vega twins storyline. |
⚠ Note: Sorrow and Starlight and Beyond the Veil (Book 8.5) happen at the exact same time from different points of view. Most fans switch chapter-by-chapter between the two for the full emotional effect — read Book 8, Chapter 1, then Book 8.5, Chapter 1, and so on. Reading Book 8 straight through first works too, but you’ll re-experience some scenes rather than see them unfold in real time.
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📚 Shop the 9-book set — scroll or tap the arrows:
📖 Where the Novellas Fit (Skip-Safe vs Spoiler-Heavy)
Not every Zodiac Academy novella carries the same weight. Here’s what’s genuinely optional and what isn’t:
✅ Safe to Skip
- Origins of an Academy Bully (0.5) — backstory flavor, no plot-critical reveals
- The Awakening as Told by the Boys (1.5) — a retell from the male leads’ POV, purely a bonus perspective
- On the Cursed Day of Christmas (Book 10) — a holiday-set epilogue after the main arc closes
❌ Don’t Skip
- The Big A.S.S. Party (5.5) — sets up relationship beats that later books assume you already know
- Beyond the Veil (8.5) — this is not optional; it’s the other half of Book 8’s story, not a side story
🧭 Choose Your Path: A Decision Tree by Commitment Level
This is the part no other Zodiac Academy reading order guide gives you: a branch, not a single list. Pick the lane that matches how deep you actually want to go into the Solaria universe.
Path A — The Fast Path (~2–3 weeks)
Just the 9 core books, in order. Zero spin-offs, zero novellas except the mandatory Big A.S.S. Party and Beyond the Veil. Best for readers who want the Vega twins’ story and nothing else.
Path B — Core + Essential Novellas (~1 month)
All 9 core books plus every “don’t skip” novella above, read in publication order. No spin-off series required. Best for readers who want full plot coherence without the extra series commitment.
Path C — Full Lore-Completionist Route (~2+ months)
Everything: the 9 core books, all novellas, Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac (5 books, read after Book 3 — the prequel cast crosses into the main story from Book 4 onward), then Darkmore Penitentiary and Sins of the Zodiac once the main academy arc wraps. Best for readers who want the complete ~20-entry Solaria timeline and maximum emotional payoff from every character cameo.
💡 Good to know: If you’re choosing Path C, read Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac after Zodiac Academy Book 3 rather than before Book 1 — it prevents spoilers about which prequel characters survive into the main series.
📖 Is Zodiac Academy Finished in 2026?
Yes. The main Vega twins storyline is complete across the 9 core books, closing with Restless Stars. Book 10, On the Cursed Day of Christmas, is a holiday-set follow-up rather than a continuation of the central conflict, which means this is now an evergreen, fully-mapped series rather than one you’re reading mid-release. The wider Solaria universe keeps expanding through Darkmore Penitentiary and Sins of the Zodiac, set five years after the twins’ story ends.
📖 Content Warnings & Age Rating
Zodiac Academy is explicitly written for readers 18 and over. It contains explicit sexual content, graphic violence, bullying, psychological manipulation, and dark academia power dynamics that go well beyond a typical YA magic-school setup.
⚠ Note: This is not a series for teen readers. If you want a magic-school fantasy with a lower heat level, our Divine Rivals age rating guide covers a YA-appropriate alternative with a full breakdown of its spice level.
📖 Zodiac Academy vs Similar Series
Here’s how Zodiac Academy stacks up against the other series readers usually compare it to when deciding what to read next in romantasy:
| Series | Core Books | Trope Focus | Heat Level | Completed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zodiac Academy | 9 | Bully romance, why-choose | High | Yes |
| ACOTAR | 5 | Fae courts, enemies-to-lovers | Moderate–High | Ongoing |
| Fourth Wing (Empyrean) | 3+ | War college, dragons | High | Ongoing |
| Haunting Adeline | 4 | Dark/stalker romance | Very High | Ongoing |
📖 What to Read Next
Once you’re through the Solaria universe, here’s where to go depending on what you loved most about it:
- Loved the fae-court politics? Start with our ACOTAR review.
- Wanted more dragons and war-college stakes? Read our Onyx Storm and Empyrean Saga review.
- Craving something even darker? Our Haunting Adeline review breaks down the controversy and content honestly.
- Want a slower-burn, tournament-driven fae story instead? Try The Serpent and the Wings of Night review.
- New to romantasy entirely, or want lighter entry points first? Our 15 best books for beginners guide is a good place to start.
- Need a full palate cleanser after nine books of Solaria drama? Switch genres entirely with our Fool Me Once review — a twist-driven Harlan Coben thriller that’s nothing like a fae academy.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Zodiac Academy in?
The Awakening, Ruthless Fae, The Reckoning, Shadow Princess, Cursed Fates, Fated Throne, Heartless Sky, Sorrow and Starlight, and Restless Stars — that’s the full 9-book core arc in publication order.
How many Zodiac Academy books are there in total?
9 core novels, plus Book 10, several novellas, and the Ruthless Boys, Darkmore Penitentiary, and Sins of the Zodiac spin-off series — roughly 20 entries across the whole Solaria universe.
Do I have to read the novellas?
No, but two matter: The Big A.S.S. Party (5.5) and Beyond the Veil (8.5) affect plot and character understanding directly, so they’re not truly optional even though they’re technically novellas.
Is Zodiac Academy finished?
Yes — the main Vega twins arc is complete at 9 books. Book 10 is a holiday-set follow-up, and the Solaria universe continues through separate spin-off series.
Should I read Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac before or during Zodiac Academy?
Read it after Zodiac Academy Book 3. The prequel cast starts crossing into the main series from Book 4 onward, so reading it earlier risks spoiling character fates.
Is Zodiac Academy appropriate for teens?
No. It’s written for readers 18 and older, with explicit sexual content, graphic violence, and dark bully-romance themes throughout.
