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Book Review: Cursed Fates (Zodiac Academy #5)

Rating: 4 stars

After the devastating events at Zodiac Academy, we have to deal with this darker world we’re faced with. Lionel seeks to hurt us, the Nymphs seek to hurt the entire Fae race, and between all of it, we just have to try and survive each day as it comes. I’m afraid of everything falling apart, but it looks like it already has.

After reading Shadow Princess, I didn’t think life for the Vega twins and the Heirs could get any worse. But turns out I was wrong. Things got much worse in Cursed Fates, but I continued to read on as I found myself wanting to see what would happen next and what everyone would do as their worlds started falling apart. I really enjoyed what I read because I felt like there was a lot in this book in the series I didn’t expect to happen, and I finally felt like the twins and Heirs were actually on the same side as I believe they all finally realized who the real threat to the throne is.

What I enjoyed about reading the fifth book in the Zodiac Academy series was seeing the different relationships between all of the Heirs and Darcy and Geraldine as they were working to try and change fate. In particular, I felt like Darcy was starting to form a good relationship with both Darius and Seth in this book especially after everything that happened as this book continued. I also enjoyed seeing Darius and Tory’s relationship continue to grow as you start to see how much they both care about each other despite their denial of how they felt for so long. You finally get to see all of the Heirs and twins working together as the Heirs finally find out the truth about what’s going on and I’m happy about it. I’m happy about it because it means there’s still hope that things can get better for all of them despite how bad things continue to get. And things got really damn rough as this book went on.

While Tory’s character annoyed me in Shadow Princess, I feel like she didn’t annoy me quite as much in this book. I don’t know if it’s because there was a point in this book where she was willing to admit her mistakes with regards to everything that happened between her and Darius and she actually realized she didn’t hate him as much as she once did. It was almost like they finally gave her character more development in this book than its predecessor to where she wasn’t complaining all the time and making as many bad decisions. She also was starting to actually listen to what people were saying to her instead of immediately jumping to conclusions and realizing that maybe the people around her are just trying to help her. I also feel like Darcy also went through some growth as well, though maybe not nearly as much as Tory. But I feel like her growth came through the way her relationship with Seth turned out once he was honest with her about how he actually saw her. I feel like once that conversation happened, the dynamic of their relationship changed for the better and she started to realize that the Heirs weren’t completely bad.

I will say however, that one character I wasn’t pleased with when reading Cursed Fates was Orion. While I understand the choice he decided to make regarding his relationship with Darcy, I still wasn’t happy with him making that decision. I feel like a big part of that for me is because I honestly believe that if he hadn’t made that choice, this book wouldn’t have ended the way it did. I say this because I feel like with the way things turned out, he’s needed by everyone now more than ever, but he made a big choice that resulted in him being somewhere where he’s of no help to those who need him most. I do still like his character because you can see how much he and Darcy love each other and their relationship is one of my favorites in this series. But I feel like in this book, he made all of the wrong choices which resulted in things turning out the way they did.

Another thing about Cursed Fates I’m not at all pleased about is the ending. I feel like each time I read a book in this series, I’m no longer surprised that something bad has happened to the characters. I’m at the point where I expect it. However, that doesn’t mean I want these books to always have a dark ending because I don’t. I especially didn’t like this book’s ending not only because of what Lionel does to Tory but also because of the pointless death that’s at the end of the book too. The death of a character I stopped caring about many books ago as he’s someone who I feel like didn’t have that much of a role in this series. Yes, his family has been helping Lionel with his evil plans and he was able to help get insight into what they were planning, but I feel like his overall character was just there in the books. As a Fae, he wasn’t all that strong in comparison to his peers at the academy and he just didn’t add all that much to me with the story either. He was a character I originally liked when he was introduced but as the books went on, I felt like he didn’t add anything to the story and like I would’ve never noticed if his character never appeared in these books. So seeing him die despite everything else that was going on didn’t add much to the story for me other than being relieved that nobody else had been killed. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading Cursed Fates. When I think this series can’t get any darker and things can’t get worse, the next book in the series always ends up proving me wrong. But I’m excited to continue reading this series to see what happens next.  

6

Book Review: Shadow Princess (Zodiac Academy #4)

Rating: 4 stars

After the events of the Lunar Eclipse, Tory and Darcy must learn to deal with the darkness which shadows their lives.

With a secret binding them to Darius and Orion, they must find a way to all work together for the greater good. But some things are easier said than done…

The fourth book in the Zodiac Academy series, Shadow Princess, is the darkest book in the series so far. It’s dark due to Darcy and Tory finding out about the secrets Darius and Orion have been keeping from others but also because of what power they’ve gained after the events of the Lunar Eclipse. All of this overshadows everything in this book because while Darcy and Tory discover their Orders, they also have to keep them secret or else their lives will be in danger. But of course, with the way these books in this series typically go, that’s all easier said than done as they begin to learn about the new power they’ve gained and work together with Darius and Orion to try and find out what’s going on.

There’s a lot with this book in this series that packs a punch in comparison to the ones I’ve read so far. As a reader, it steered me on to wanting to find out what was going to happen next. Especially with trying to keep what they now know a secret from everyone around them while trying to survive everyday life at the academy like nothing else was going on.

I enjoyed reading Shadow Princess because I was interested to see what else would happen with the twins and all of the Heirs. Like the previous two books in this series, we also get multiple points of view in this book, which I continue to appreciate since I feel like I’m really invested now in reading this series and seeing how it all turns out. And I find myself starting to like the Heirs a tiny bit more when I’m able to see parts of this book told from their point of view. I don’t know what it is about them, but they are such interesting characters and I feel like this story wouldn’t be quite as interesting for me to read without them.

I continue to love how magic gets brought into these books and seeing Darcy and Tory continue improving with their abilities. I especially loved one of the new characters who’s introduced to this series and how he helps the twins with being able to wield their Order forms without giving away what they truly are. There’s just something about the magic in this series that really interests me and makes me want to learn more about this world and the inhabitants of it.

What I will say about Shadow Princess though is that there are some things I didn’t particularly care for with it. Not enough for me to drop my rating because I was still engaged with the overall story and wanting to find out what happened. But enough for me to bring it up here at least. One of my criticisms of this book has to do with Tory and her actions throughout. I overall like her character through most of this series because she doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap and is strong despite what she’s gone through. But I felt like in this book, she just kept making one bad decision after another and wasn’t listening when other people (her sister Darcy included) were telling her “Hey, you need to not do this.” The best example that comes to mind for me is her messing around with the shadows when she’s not practicing control over them with Darcy, Orion, and Darius. Messing around with them to the point where she almost gets seriously hurt but then continues messing with them even after that happens. This annoyed me when reading this book because it almost felt like her character development was regressing a little, almost like she was being too headstrong.

Another criticism of this book that I have is the way it ends. The last couple chapters of the book were really sad and difficult to read, and I hated it. As I’ve already started reading the next book in this series Cursed Fates, so I know what happens next, I found these chapters made me feel almost emotional just because of how badly things ended in Shadow Princess in comparison to the other books in the series, which also had some dark endings too. But none of them made me quite as emotional as with this book. While I understood why things happened the way they did and what got us to this point, I didn’t like it because I wasn’t expecting it. I think I’m at a point where I’m hoping that things will turn out okay for everyone despite that I know there are still several books left in this series left to go for me to read. So I know the chances of any of these books having a happy ending is slim to none, I still find myself wishing things would go right for everyone at least once.

But despite Tory’s regressing character development and the way this book ended, Shadow Princess was still an enjoyable read for me and I’m excited to continue reading the rest of the books in this series to see what happens next.       

3

Book Review: The Reckoning (Zodiac Academy #3)

Rating: 4 stars

The answer to your question will be revealed on the Lunar Eclipse. But when finding the truth, don’t let the shadows take you.

The week of The Reckoning has begun. And senior students have been tasked with making the freshmen’s lives pure hell as they prepare to take their fateful assessment.

With the Lunar Eclipse on the horizon, Tory and Darcy have more to worry about than just passing their exams. A dark plot is unfolding, and the shadows are drawing closer…

Every time I read a book in this series thinking it can’t get any better, I’m proven wrong. The Reckoning, the third book in the Zodiac Academy series following Ruthless Fae, continues where its predecessor left off. Like the previous books in this series, I found myself hooked from beginning to end wanting to know what would befall Tory and Darcy next.

What I enjoyed about reading The Reckoning is getting to see the magic throughout the book as I felt like as a reader, I saw more of it in this book than the previous two. From the encounters Tory and Darcy experienced during Hell Week to the Elemental Trials they had to undergo in order to pass the Reckoning so they can continue learning at Zodiac Academy, there was a lot of magic as a reader I saw, and I loved every minute of it.

I especially loved it when Tory and Darcy found out more about what was going on with Darius and Orion and what they were up to as I felt like that helped shaped how everything was going to turn out by the end of the book. Not to say I expected how this book would end because I didn’t (at all), but I felt like it made sense as we knew something else was going on outside of the academy and I knew we’d find out what it was eventually.  

I also feel like with this book in the series out of the ones I’ve read so far, there was also a whole lot of character growth. Not only with Darcy and Tory but I felt like all of the Heirs grew in their development in their own ways too along with Orion. I especially enjoyed seeing the point of view of the Heirs in this book in the series more than the last because you got a little more insight into what was going on regarding the Nymphs. I also enjoyed seeing what happened at the fair from different perspectives, despite how things turned out regarding a character in the story I liked up until this point in the series.

My favorite part of The Reckoning, however, would have to be the end of the book. Not only because there was a twist in the story I didn’t see coming, but we also finally find out what Order Tory and Darcy are, and we discover the truth of what Lionel was trying to do on the Lunar Eclipse. Yes, the ending of this book is extremely dark, but we finally know what Order the twins are and that makes me excited to find out what all they both are capable of. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Reckoning, the third book in the Zodiac Academy series as there was a lot that happened that kept me reading to find out what’s going to happen next. From Hell Week to the twins undergoing Elemental Trials and then discovering their Order, there was a lot this book in the series offered for me to enjoy. Can’t wait to read the next book in the Zodiac Academy series, Shadow Princess, to find out what happens next.  

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Book Review: Ruthless Fae (Zodiac Academy #2)

Rating: 4 stars

They tried to break us. They almost did. But we’re not going anywhere.

The Celestial Heirs think the stars are on their side. But they don’t know what’s coming. Fighting them one on one isn’t an option so we have to be stealthy. Remaining under the radar won’t be easy, but if we pull it off, they’ll never suspect our involvement when their lives start falling apart.

Besides, they’ve already taken us to the brink of hell, what more can they really do?

With Ruthless Fae, I discovered I enjoyed this book in the series better than its predecessor, The Awakening for a number of reasons. What I enjoyed about reading this book in the series is that the twins decide to no longer take the Heirs shit lying down. Instead, they find little ways to enact revenge against them for what they’ve experienced without them ever suspecting either of them being involved. I love this because I feel like its exactly what I was hoping would happen at some point in this series. And I love the ways in which they get back at them because it definitely brings them down a peg even if it doesn’t end up making them fall apart completely.

What I also enjoyed when reading this second book in the Zodiac Academy series is getting to see even more points of view besides Tory and Darcy. We also get some of the story told through one of the professors at the school along with each of the Heirs, which I really enjoyed as I felt like these perspectives gave me a better understanding of them and the decisions/choices they made. I was happy to see it especially because I learned more about their characters and actually got to see their reactions to the things that happened to them because of the twins. It made me see them in a different light and understand why they’re acting the way they do. While I don’t at all excuse their behavior in The Awakening, I’m also a person who’s willing to give people another chance as long as the person actually puts in the work to show they are learning from their mistakes and won’t act the way they were before again. So seeing the Heirs characters actually develop and change in Ruthless Fae without them completely changing certain aspects of their character made me excited to see what more will happen with them and the twins as the series continues.

Another aspect of this book in the series I really enjoyed was seeing the relationship between Orion and Darius. You know there’s something story wise that’s going on between the two of them, but I feel like you learn what it is exactly in this book. I like seeing their relationship because it shows the connection between their two families and explains why we see them together as frequently as we do. Same with seeing the relationships between all of the Heirs, Darius included, and each of their families. Seeing the family dynamics between the Heirs and their relatives really helps explain why these boys are the way they are throughout Ruthless Fae and why they have to act the way they do towards the twins at the academy. You don’t see too much in the dynamics story wise except with Darius and his father Lionel who I have a feeling is going to be playing a major role as this series goes on.

I also loved how fast this book is in comparison to The Awakening. Yes, there was a lot that happened in the first book, but I feel like things really start developing story wise in Ruthless Fae. Especially with Tory and Darcy’s magic as I feel like near the end of the story they really start coming into their powers when the attack happens at their school. I feel like in this book in comparison to its predecessor Tory and Darcy are finally coming into their own with their powers and how they can use them.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Ruthless Fae, the second book in the Zodiac Academy series. I feel like while the story is still dark things are getting better for Tory and Darcy despite the threat of the Heirs and the enemies I’m sure they’ll encounter outside of the school. I also appreciate that the Heirs as characters are developing, and we get to see some of their perspective on what’s going on at the academy. I’m excited to continue reading the next book in this series The Reckoning to see where things go for Tory and Darcy and see how their relationship with the Heirs continues to develop as the series goes on.        

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Book Review: The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1)

Rating: 3.5 stars

You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you’re one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it’s in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we’re a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn’t get the memo. Which means we’re totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn’t made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we’re already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help that they’re the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They’ve only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they’ll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can’t expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we’ve been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today’s horoscope: totally screwed.

The Awakening, the first book in the Zodiac Academy series, was a fantastic read from start to finish. It started off slow when I began but as the story went on, I found myself immensely interested in the world Tory and Darcy found themselves in. This book was a very fast-paced, interesting read as it went on. And I found myself feeling for Tory and Darcy so much as they went through a lot once they arrived at Zodiac Academy.

What I enjoyed about this first book in the Zodiac Academy series is the world the main characters are in. I enjoyed learning about the academy, about the four elements and seeing the students when they were in their Order showing off what they were. I found the magic within the pages of this book very intriguing, and I wanted to learn more about it. I enjoyed learning more about this school and those who attended it despite everything that happened within this book’s pages. Its an interesting school with a variety of characters with their own unique personalities and I felt myself drawn into the story being told about them.

I especially enjoyed seeing this book shift back and forth between Tory and Darcy’s point of view. As the main characters of the story seeing a world they didn’t grow up in, it was cool to see how in awe they were of the world they found themselves in and of the magic they found flowing within them. It was also great to read a story told from the perspective of a set of twins who you were able to easily tell apart due to their difference in personality and how they handled the situation they both found themselves in. You could also tell from their perspectives how close the both of them are to each other since growing up they had nobody to rely on but each other. And I really enjoyed seeing that, especially with how difficult the Heirs at the school made their lives once they arrived there.

Speaking of the Heirs, I found myself feeling both intrigued and disgusted by them throughout this book. I’m intrigued by them as they are interesting antagonists in this story, and I find myself wanting to learn more about them. I want to learn more about what they are and their upbringing as I feel like that would give me a good understanding of why they act the way they do throughout this series. At the same time, however, I’m also disgusted by them and their actions throughout The Awakening. I feel like all four of them are terrible people and I don’t feel like they deserve what they have. As I read this book, I found myself interested in learning more about them, but found myself excited to see Darcy and Tory make them pay for how terrible they acted towards them and anyone they deemed below them.

And that’s one of the things about this book I didn’t enjoy when reading it: seeing the amount of abuse and bullying Darcy and Tory underwent by the Heirs. Anytime I thought things couldn’t get worse for them, the Heirs proved me wrong at every turn. As a result, even though I enjoyed reading this book and am continuing to read the rest of the books in this series to see how it all plays out, I strongly warn anyone who can’t handle reading books that have abuse, violence, and assault  against reading this book and this series. While I know I can handle books with these topics as I’m fine reading stories that are dark and take on heavy subject matters, I know that’s not the case for everyone so want to at least warn anyone reading this who might be considering picking up The Awakening, the first book in the Zodiac Academy series.

I still recommend this book as I find those topics need to be discussed in books without flinching away from it but want to let those who might not want to read about them know so they don’t pick up this book and find it affecting their health. This book not having any sort of warning about this is another criticism I have regarding it as I feel like people who don’t feel comfortable reading about any sort of abuse need to know ahead of time before they start reading this book so they can prepare themselves before delving into the story. Nonetheless though, I enjoyed reading The Awakening and am looking forward to continuing this series to see if Darcy and Tory are able to get back at the Heirs for everything they’ve done to them and to see how it all plays out.          

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