Zodiac Academy Books in Order: Complete Series Reading Guide (2026)
Every Zodiac Academy book in reading order — the main 8-book series, the extended universe, and where to start with Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti's Fae world.
The Zodiac Academy series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is one of the most popular dark academy romantasy series in the BookTok community — eight books following twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega as they discover they are Fae royalty and must survive a dangerous academy, navigate complicated enemies-to-lovers relationships, and claim the throne of Solaria before darker forces take it from them.
The series must be read in order. There is no shortcut. The story is a single continuous narrative across eight books, and each instalment builds directly on the events of the last.
Quick answer: The Awakening → Ruthless Fae → The Reckoning → Shadow Princess → Cursed Fates → Fated Thrones → Sorrow and Starlight → The Rising King
The Main Series — All 8 Books in Order
| # | Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Awakening | 2019 | Start here — introduces the Vega twins and the four Heirs |
| 2 | Ruthless Fae | 2019 | Romantic tension escalates; world deepens |
| 3 | The Reckoning | 2020 | Where the series begins to pay off the setup |
| 4 | Shadow Princess | 2020 | Scope expands beyond the academy |
| 5 | Cursed Fates | 2020 | The darkest instalment; plot accelerates |
| 6 | Fated Thrones | 2020 | Romantic arcs reach their most significant developments |
| 7 | Sorrow and Starlight | 2021 | The most emotionally intense book; penultimate |
| 8 | The Rising King | 2021 | Series conclusion |
What Is Zodiac Academy?
Zodiac Academy is a dark fantasy series set in Solaria, a world of Fae ruled by the stars. Magic in Solaria is astrological — each Fae’s powers are determined by their star sign, with different signs granting elemental, psychic, or physical abilities.
The premise: Tory and Darcy Vega have grown up in the human world, in poverty, unaware of their Fae heritage. They are summoned to Solaria and told they are the lost heirs to the throne — a throne currently held by the families of the four most powerful students at Zodiac Academy, known as the Heirs. The Heirs have every incentive to see the Vega twins fail. What begins as an enemies story becomes, over eight books, something far more complicated.
The four Heirs:
- Darius Acrux (Dragon Fae) — assigned to Tory
- Orion (Vampire/Phoenix Fae) — assigned to Darcy
- Caleb Altair (Vampire Fae)
- Seth Capella (Wolf Fae)
- Max Rigel (Siren Fae)
(Note: there are five Heirs in the series — a group of five powerful students who initially torment the twins.)
Start Here: The Awakening
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening is the first book and the only entry point into the series. It introduces Tory and Darcy, establishes Solaria and its astrological magic system, introduces the five Heirs, and sets up the central conflict — two girls with no power in a world designed to crush them before they can claim what is theirs.
The first book is primarily setup. The romantic tension is present but not yet developed into anything more. The world-building is extensive. Readers who want immediate payoff may find the early books slow; readers who are patient with long series will recognise the groundwork being laid for a very large story.
The series is available on Kindle Unlimited, making it cost-effective to read all eight books digitally.
The Extended Solaria Universe
After completing the main series, readers who want more have substantial options:
Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac — Retells the events of the main series from the perspectives of the four Heirs. For readers who found the Heirs compelling antagonists and wanted more of their internal experience, this series is the answer. Best read after the main series to avoid spoilers.
Darkmore Penitentiary — A trilogy set in the Solaria universe featuring a different cast of characters in a prison setting. Connected to the main series world but accessible for readers familiar with Solaria.
Other Solaria novellas and companion books — Peckham and Valenti have published extensively in the world, including holiday specials and character-focused shorter works.
Is Zodiac Academy Worth Starting?
The honest answer depends on your reading preferences:
Read Zodiac Academy if you like: Long series with slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, dark academy settings, astrological or elemental magic systems, and emotional intensity that builds over multiple books.
Look elsewhere if you prefer: Standalones or shorter series, lighter fantasy without dark themes, quick romantic payoff, or traditional publishing production values. (Self-published books sometimes have minor editorial inconsistencies.)
For readers who find their people in the BookTok romantasy community, Zodiac Academy is considered essential — it is one of the formative texts of the genre as BookTok developed it, alongside ACOTAR and From Blood and Ash.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to read all of Zodiac Academy?
The eight main series books range from approximately 420 to 590 pages each, totalling around 4,000 pages. At an average reading pace, the full series takes two to three weeks of consistent reading. Many readers report consuming the series much faster than that.
What is the Zodiac Academy age rating?
New Adult — mature themes, explicit content, violence, dark romance. Not appropriate for younger teen readers. The series is popular with readers 18+ and older teens comfortable with mature content.
Do I need to read all eight books?
The series is a single continuous story — stopping partway through means leaving the story unresolved. If you start, plan to commit to all eight. The series has a genuine conclusion in The Rising King.
Are there any Zodiac Academy books that can be read standalone?
No. The main series must be read in order from book one. The extended universe books (Ruthless Boys, Darkmore Penitentiary) have more entry-point flexibility but are still best understood with knowledge of the main series.
For more romantasy series guides, see our BookTok books roundup and our books like A Court of Thorns and Roses guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read the Zodiac Academy books?
Read the main series in publication order: The Awakening → Ruthless Fae → The Reckoning → Shadow Princess → Cursed Fates → Fated Thrones → Sorrow and Starlight → The Rising King. The story is one continuous narrative across eight books and cannot be read out of sequence.
How many Zodiac Academy books are there?
The main Zodiac Academy series consists of 8 books, concluding with The Rising King. The extended Solaria universe adds the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series (retelling events from the Heirs' perspectives), the Darkmore Penitentiary trilogy, and various novellas — bringing the total Solaria content to over 30 titles.
Is there a spin-off series to Zodiac Academy?
Yes — the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series retells the events of the main series from the four Heirs' perspectives, adding significant depth to characters who are antagonists in the main series. Darkmore Penitentiary is a separate trilogy set in the same Solaria world. Both are best read after completing the main eight-book series.
What age rating is Zodiac Academy?
Zodiac Academy is classified as New Adult — it contains mature themes including dark romance, explicit content, violence, and emotional intensity. It is not appropriate for younger teen readers. Most fans are 18+ though the books are also popular with older teens who are comfortable with mature content.
Is Zodiac Academy connected to other Caroline Peckham series?
Zodiac Academy is set in the world of Solaria, which is shared with all the extended universe books. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti have also written separate series (including Harlequin Crew) that are not connected to the Solaria universe.
