Synopsis: Twin girls Tory and Darcy are tossed from family to family in the foster care system after losing their parents to a house fire while they were babies. Just as they escape this system after turning 18 they are greeted by a shadowy stranger claiming to be a Professor and informed that they possess magical powers. Deciding that they have nothing to lose, the girls agree to attend a university in another realm, Solaria, and soon learn that the are the rightful heirs to the throne. But everything is not as cut and dry as it seems and they are forced into a battle of good and evil.
My Review: Anyone who was captured by the Harry Potter series as a child and has since grown up will be similarly entranced with this series. This is the slightly risque, dark, and mysterious compliment that we have been waiting on to continue our dive into the world of fantasy and magic. The added twist of including the astrological aspects like star signs makes it more interesting and gives a refreshing change from other academy focused novels. Everything is there that we expect from vampires, werewolves, and dragons to more mysterious creatures that we don't hear about often in fantasy novels like hydras, sirens, and medusa. Zodiac Academy is pulsing with all kinds of creatures who are ripping at the seams with unbridled power and desire. Literally feeding off of each other and in a constant struggle to maintain power all the characters have quite an interesting stake in the whole story.
We are first introduced to our main characters, twins Darcy and Tory, who are living in our normal world until they are suddenly thrust into the world of magic and told that they are rightful heirs to the throne of a mythical world called Solaria. Opposite them in the struggle of good and evil are The Heirs, who are the sons of the currently appointed rulers. The Heirs are four exquisitely handsome young men/creatures who are bursting with power and masculinity. Throughout the book we are presented with characters with mysterious traits who are eventually revealed as creatures such as sirens, vampires, and even a pegasus. There is such a mystery surrounding which of these creatures are good and which are evil that we are constantly left on the edge of our seat as we watch the twins navigate their world. As we watch Tory and Darcy attempt to master their powers, accept their fate as rulers, and also figure out just what kind of creature they are we become more attached to them and their distinct personalities.
Towards the ending as the negative powers circulating become more evil and deadly we are shown that Solaria is in such a dangerous situation that it needs Tory and Darcy to rise to the occasion and accept their throne. But there are those, like The Heirs, determined to get them out of the Academy and it seems like there may be some darker and more powerful players standing behind them. The big questions we are left with is just who is good and who is evil and also just what kind of creatures are Tory and Darcy themselves. This book moves at a fast pace and is rather easy to follow but the reader must pay attention to the switch in point of view between Tory and Darcy throughout the book. Overall this was an excellent read, hard to put down, and surely every reader will be hungry for the next book of the series.
My Rating: 5 stars
About the Book:
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Author: Caroline Peckham and Suzanne Valenti
Publish Date: August 2, 2019
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