Zodiac Academy (Zodiac Academy Series, Order to Read Books)

Zodiac Academy is a dark fantasy romance series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. The story follows twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega, who discover they are long-lost Fae heirs and must attend Solaria’s ruthless Zodiac Academy to claim their throne.

The books introduce us to a world filled with elemental magic, brutal trials, political corruption, and intense relationships. The series features morally grey characters, slow-burn romance, bullying elements, multiple POVs, and a storyline that grows darker and more complex with each book. Power, destiny, betrayal, found family, and survival are major themes.

Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
This series is not for children. It contains mature themes, dark romance elements, violence, and content intended for adult readers.

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Zodiac Academy (Zodiac Academy Series, Books 1–8)

Zodiac Academy (Complete Series by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti)

Zodiac Academy Series
Authors: Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Publisher: Dark Ink Publishing
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance, New Adult Fantasy
Years of Publication: 2019–2022
Total Books: 11 total (9 main series)
Series Status: Complete

Audiobook Narrators: Multiple readers

Our Rating of This Series

The Awakening_Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Zodiac Academy Series by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Order of Reading)

Book 1: The Awakening (2019) — Tory & Darcy Vega enter Zodiac Academy and meet the powerful Four Heirs.
Book 2: Ruthless Fae (2019) — The Vega twins fight back as their powers grow and enemies close in.
Book 3: The Reckoning (2019) — Trials intensify, alliances shift, and the true danger of Solaria becomes clearer.
Book 4: Shadow Princess (2020) — The twins face devastating losses and uncover deeper secrets about their past.
Book 5: Cursed Fates (2020) — War looms, relationships fracture, and betrayals cut deep.
Book 6: Fated Throne (2020) — The Vega sisters rise stronger than ever as rebellion ignites.
Book 7: Heartless Sky (2021) — Destiny tightens around the twins as enemies unite against them.
Book 8: Sorrow and Starlight (2022) — The final battle for Solaria decides the fate of the Vega twins and the entire realm.
Book 8.5: Beyond the Veil (2023) — This is a bridging book, which should be read after book 8. A lot of the events take place during the events of book 8 (in the land of the dead).
Book 9: Restless stars (2024)
Zodiac Academy: The Awakening As Told By The Boys — This story covers the events from The Awakening (Book 1) but this time, it is told from the point of view of the Heirs and Orion.

Common Acronyms for This Series

ZA — Zodiac Academy
TA — The Awakening
RF — Ruthless Fae
TR — The Reckoning
SP — Shadow Princess
CF — Cursed Fates
FT — Fated Throne
HS — Heartless Sky
SAS — Sorrow and Starlight

Main Plot & Characters

Tory Vega (Roxy or Roxanya Vega): She is one of the last surviving Vega heirs. Tory is rebellious and has a fiery personality. She has a strong affinity for Fire and other elements (later develops multiple abilities).
Darcy Vega (Gwendalina Vega): She is Tory’s twin sister and the second Vega heir. Darcy is kind-hearted, empathetic, and becomes a lot more fierce through the series. Like Tory she controls multiple elements.

The Four Heirs (Solaria’s future Kings)

Each heir rules one cardinal direction of Solaria.

Darius Acrux: He is heir to the Dragon throne. Darius is dominant, ruthless, and loyal to his friends. He is a major love interest for Tory.
Caleb Altair: He is a vampire. Caleb has a complicated bond with Tory in earlier books.
Max Rigel: Max is a Siren heir. He is loyal to his friends and known for siphoning pain.
Seth Cappella: He is a werewolf heir. Seth is hyper, clingy, and has chaotic energy. He also has a complicated relationship with Darcy.

Other Major Characters

Professor Lance Orion: He is a professor with strong influence over early events. Orion has a major plot involvement with Darcy and the Heirs.
Lionel Acrux: He is Darius and Xavier’s father. Lionel is one of the primary villains. He is power-hungry, abusive and manipulative.
Geraldine Grus: She is the Vega twins’ most loyal friend. Geraldine is overly dramatic and hilarious. She is the leader of the Almighty Sovereign Society (A.S.S.) club.
Gabriel Nox: He is a close friend of Professor Orion. Gabriel can see glimpses of the future. He is extremely important to Vega destiny.
Xavier Acrux: He is Darius’s younger brother. Xavier is very kind and becomes very important in the later books.
Clara Orion: She is Orion’s sister and a guardian to Lionel Acrux.
The Nymphs: They are major antagonists in the series. The Nymphs are tied to ancient prophecies and the Vega twins’ fate.
Diego and Sophia: They are Darcy’s friends from early academy days.
Rosalie Oscura: She is a werewolf who attends Aurora Academy. She is part of their Pitball team.
Roary Night: He is the leader of the shades gang. He was a prisoner at Darkmore Penitentiary. His brother is Leon.
Ethan Shadowbrook: He is the leader of Lunar Brotherhood gang. He was also a prisoner at Darkmore Penitentiary.
Sin Wilder: He is a prisoner at Darkmore Penitentiary. Sin is a loner and likes to keep to himself.
Melinda Altair: She is Caleb’s mother.
Hadley Altair: He is Caleb’s brother. His elements are fire and earth.
Antonia Capella: She is Seth, Grayson and Athena’s mother.
Tiberius Rigel: He is Max’s father. He is married to Linda.
Grayson and Athena: They are Seth’s siblings. Grayson and Athena are twins. Their elements are air and earth.
Ellis Rigel: She is Max’s younger half-sister and daughter to Tiberius and Linda Rigel.
Principal Nova (Elaine Nova: She is the headmistress of Zodiac Academy.