Your Complete Guide to the ‘Zodiac Academy’ Books & Characters

If you don’t want to spend the next few weeks — cough, months — of your life hopelessly obsessed with a dark fantasy series, you might want to leave now. Save yourself while you still can. Because Zodiac Academy is the latest romantasy series, penned by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, to have us in a chokehold, keeping us busy until the release of ACOTAR 6 later this year — at last!

This is by no means young adult fiction. It’s a lengthy, mature series that isn’t afraid to lean into slow-burn romance, kill off your favorite characters, or include explicit, detailed sex scenes. Alongside its darker paranormal elements, it also leans into plenty of humor, with silly, chaotic moments like discussions about bagels and unexpected pop song references.

It’s packed with just about every romance trope you can think of, plus an overwhelming cast of characters and a rich, complex fantasy world. In short, this is not a beginner-friendly fantasy series.

To help, we’ve created a complete guide to the characters and reading order of Zodiac Academy, including basic details up to the second novel so you can dive in without too many spoilers. Have you read Zodiac Academy, and would you recommend it to others? Let us know in the comments.

Zodiac Academy reading order

Just about every modern romantasy series comes with a reading order that feels like it requires a full degree to decode. (Cough cough, the Tower of Dawn tandem read.) But don’t worry, we’re not about to put you through that kind of chaos here.

Instead, we’ll break down the simplest and most straightforward reading order for Zodiac Academy, including the novellas, so you can skip the confusion and get straight to enjoying the drama, magic, and chaos of Solaria.

How to read the Zodiac Academy series:

The Awakening (Book 1)
Ruthless Fae (Book 2)
The Reckoning (Book 3)
Shadow Princess (Book 4)
Optional: The Awakening: As Told by the Boys (Book 1.5)
Cursed Fates (Book 5)
Fated Throne (Book 6)
Heartless Sky (Book 7)
Sorrow & Starlight (Book 8)
Optional: Beyond the Veil (Book 8.5)
Restless Stars (Book 9)
Optional: Live and Let Lionel

The Awakening: As Told by the Boys (Book 1.5)

Despite being Book 1.5 and offering alternate perspectives on the first novel in the Zodiac Academy series, this installment is best read a few books later. It reveals key perspectives and plot details you wouldn’t have been ready for this early in the story, and it’s also worth holding off until your feelings toward the Heirs have softened just a little.

For that reason, we recommend picking it up after finishing Book 4. By that point, you’ll not only have the context needed to fully appreciate it, but you’ll also be in need of a lighter emotional breather from all the darkness.

Beyond the Veil (Book 8.5)

The events of this installment take place alongside Book 8, meaning you can either tandem read both novels or dive into it immediately after finishing Book 8. It follows several key characters in the afterlife and contains major spoilers for everything that comes before Book 9.

For that reason, it’s best approached once you’ve reached that point in the series, so you can fully understand the emotional weight and plot reveals without anything being spoiled prematurely.

Live and Let Lionel

This isn’t a novella in the same way as the other companion books in the Zodiac Academy series. Instead, it’s a full 100,000-word collection of bonus content, featuring multiple short stories set across the timeline of the main series.

Across more than half a dozen stories, you’ll find moments set before the series begins, during key events, and after major plot points. Some offer alternate perspectives on scenes we’ve already seen, while others explore entirely new moments that happen off-page.

While it’s not essential to the main storyline, it’s best enjoyed after finishing the entire series for maximum impact and context.

Expanded Zodiac Academy universe

If you’re not quite ready to leave Solaria and return to the mortal realm, why not dive into the Zodiac Academy spinoff novels instead?

The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac is a five-book prequel series set before the events of The Awakening. However, we recommend reading it after finishing the main series. Doing so allows you to fully appreciate the characters and their arcs without running into spoilers along the way, while also deepening your understanding of the world you’ve just spent so much time in.

1. Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac (5-book prequel series)

2. Darkmore Penitentiary (4-book sequel series set 10 years later)

3. Sins of the Zodiac (Current ongoing spin-off series)

All the major Zodiac Academy characters, explained

Darcy Vega / Gwendalina

At first, the Vega twins can be a little tricky to tell apart. They’re identical, readers don’t know much about them yet, and to make matters even more confusing, they each go by different names than the ones they were born with. That’s because their names were changed in the mortal world, where they were raised separately in foster care.

Darcy, who was born Gwendalina (or Gwen), is one half of the powerful twin duo. Like her sister, Tory, she wields all four elements, making them the first Fae in history capable of controlling every element.

Since the twins aren’t allowed to join the same House at Zodiac Academy, Darcy chooses House Aer after mistakenly assuming Seth Capella is the kindest of the four Heirs. There, she forms a close friendship with Diego.

One of Darcy’s defining traits is her blue hair, which she dyes as an act of rebellion. She originally chose the color after a devastating betrayal, wanting her hair to resemble the shade of a bruise. The look becomes so intertwined with her identity that Orion gives her the nickname “Blue,” and it sticks throughout the series. Darcy also becomes Orion’s Source, a bond that allows a powerful vampire to claim someone as exclusively theirs, preventing any other vampires from feeding from them.

Compared to Tory, Darcy is quieter, gentler, and more trusting. She’s slower to anger and often sees the best in people, making her the softer half of the Vega twins, even if she’s just as powerful.

Tory Vega / Roxanya

The other half of the formidable Vega twins, Tory was born Roxanya, though a certain dragon enjoys calling her “Roxy” just to get under her skin. She’s older than Darcy by just a few minutes and has always felt responsible for protecting her younger sister. Like Darcy, Tory commands all four elements, but she chooses House Ignis, believing she’ll be able to shield Darcy from the intimidating Heir who rules the Fire House. There, she befriends Sofia, who becomes one of the twins’ most loyal friends throughout the series.

Tory becomes Caleb’s Source, and the two share plenty of flirtatious chemistry before their relationship grows more complicated. Outside of magic, Tory has a passion for motorbikes. During her time in the mortal world, she regularly stole and sold bikes to make extra money, and she loves going for long runs whenever she gets the chance.

Unlike the more openly trusting Darcy, Tory is fiercely independent, stubborn, and slow to let people in. Beneath that tough exterior, however, she’s carrying deep emotional scars. One of her biggest fears is deep water, something that’s evident from her very first Water Order class. The reason behind her phobia is later revealed: Before discovering she was Fae, her ex-boyfriend deliberately drove their car off a bridge and left her to drown. She survived only because a stranger pulled her from the water, but the trauma never left her, and over the course of the series, her fear is repeatedly exploited by her enemies.

Darius Acrux

Darius is one of the four Heirs, the firstborn children of the Celestial Council, raised to eventually rule Solaria. Since the deaths of the King and Queen (the twins’ parents), the Councilors have effectively governed together, having been trained from childhood to take on their future roles. Darius, along with Seth, Caleb, and Max, was encouraged to bond with the others like brothers, and their magic was even awakened early so they could stay ahead of their peers. His second element is water.

As a Dragon, Darius refuels his magic by touching gold, which also fuels his intense possessiveness over his wealth and possessions. He is hot-headed and stubborn, though that streak softens when it comes to his younger brother, Xavier, whom he is fiercely protective of, especially from their father, Lionel. Lionel is cruel and abusive, often taking his temper out on Darius, shaping much of his anger and volatility. Darius is also the Head of House Ignis at Zodiac Academy and is renowned for his mastery of fire magic.

He is betrothed to his second cousin, Mildred Canopus, in a political arrangement designed to preserve the dragon lineage. He is also forcibly bonded to his best friend, Orion, through an archaic magical practice. Despite his obligations and temper, Darius frequently clashes with Tory… and finds himself increasingly drawn to her.

Seth Capella

Seth is the Air Heir and Head of House Aer, with earth as his second element. He is also the Alpha of his wolf pack, and as a wolf, he recharges his magic by running beneath the full moon. Wolf culture is deeply physical and affectionate, with strong pack bonds that often blur traditional boundaries of intimacy. Seth has six younger siblings and manifested early in life, as is common among werewolves. His childhood was marked by trauma after he was sent to survive alone in the wild, an experience that left lasting scars.

At the start of the series, Seth is in a relationship with Kylie Major, a Medusa, who is unaware of his non-monogamous tendencies. He initially targets Darcy under false pretenses, pretending interest in her in order to kiss her and then cut off her hair while being filmed. This is an act intended to humiliate her and break her confidence.

Seth is openly bisexual and has relationships with both male and female Fae throughout the series.

Caleb Altair

Caleb is the Earth Heir and Head of House Terra, with fire as his second element. He is a vampire who must drink blood to refuel his magic, and he chooses Tory as his Source. What begins as a practical arrangement quickly becomes more complicated as more develops between them, though Caleb is taken aback when he realizes she’s not interested in anything beyond sex.

One of the most powerful vampires in Solaria, Caleb is naturally solitary, as most vampires tend to be. Despite this, he makes an effort to push past his instincts in order to support Seth, whose Order requires physical touch and closeness. Their dynamic reflects Caleb’s struggle to balance his nature with loyalty to his friend.

However, Caleb’s past continues to haunt him. A few months after his Awakening, while out drinking and low on magic, he was with a girl who asked him to bite her. He lost control during the feed and nearly killed her, tearing her throat open. His mother managed to save the girl and quietly paid off her family to keep the incident secret, but the experience has left a lasting mark on him ever since.

Max Rigel

Rounding out the fearsome foursome is Max, a powerful Siren whose magic is fueled by siphoning — and manipulating — other people’s emotions. During Siren Enhancement lessons, he uses his abilities to uncover Darcy and Tory’s deepest fears in an attempt to drive them out of Zodiac Academy. He is also regularly required to perform a Siren Song, which compels others to kiss him in order for him to replenish his magic. Because of his Order, Max experiences the emotions and pain of those around him with heightened intensity, which makes him deeply empathetic and constantly focused on easing the suffering of others wherever he can.

Max is the Head of House Aqua and wields both air and water magic.

Later in the series, it is revealed that Max is the illegitimate son of Tiberius Rigel and the late Serenity Northfield. The woman he believes to be his mother is actually his stepmother, who has long preferred her own biological firstborn, Ellis, and has wanted him to take Max’s place. Despite the circumstances of his birth, Tiberius is fiercely devoted to Max and has always treated him as his rightful Heir from the moment he was born.

Lance Orion

Lance is the students’ Cardinal Magic teacher at Zodiac Academy, known for his perpetual grumpiness, chronic lateness, and a noticeable affinity for bourbon, which he often uses to self-medicate. He is the son of Stella and the late Azriel, and has a sister, Clara, who is also deceased. Stella is a staunch supporter of Lionel Acrux, and it is later revealed that she is also romantically involved with him.

Once an aspiring Pitball player, Lance’s dreams were cut short when Lionel forced him into becoming Darius’ Guardian. Bound by this role, he is required to stay close to Darius at all times and protect him above all else, physically suffering when separated from him for too long.

Despite his reluctance, Lance trains Darius in dark magic, preparing him for the day he will ultimately confront and kill Lionel. He wields both air and water magic and was formerly Head of House Aer during his time at Zodiac Academy.

In his personal life, Lance maintains a casual relationship with Francesca Sky, an FBI agent and Nebula Ally. He also shares a Nebula Ally bond with Gabriel Nox, who is one of his closest friends

Gabriel Nox

We first meet Gabriel Nox in Book 2 of the Zodiac Academy series when he arrives to replace Astrum as the new Tarot professor. He is a Harpy, a highly protective Order whose members recharge their magic at sunrise. Gabriel wields both water and earth magic, making him a formidable presence at Zodiac Academy.

Later in the series, it is revealed that Gabriel is the Vega twins’ half-brother. Their mother had him years before meeting their father, Hail Vega, but his existence was kept secret for his protection. Although Hail welcomed him into the family, Gabriel was publicly presented as a ward the family had taken in, masking his true parentage.

Gabriel also possesses the gift of sight and is prophesied to become one of the greatest seers in history.

Sofia Cygnus

Just like her parents, Sofia is a Pegasus, meaning she recharges her magic by flying through the clouds. Her only element is fire, which places her in House Ignis at Zodiac Academy.

Sofia begins her time at Zodiac Academy alongside the Vega twins and quickly becomes an invaluable ally, offering to help them navigate the complexities of the Fae world. Her guidance and willingness to share information make her one of their earliest and closest friends. Kind, steady, and fiercely loyal to both Darcy and Tory, she remains a trusted presence throughout their journey.

She later begins a relationship with Tyler Corbin, another Pegasus at the academy.

Diego Polaris

Due to air being his only element, Diego is assigned to House Aer alongside Darcy. At the start of the series, he has not yet discovered his Order and possesses very little usable magic, leaving him uncertain of his place at Zodiac Academy.

We later learn that Diego comes from a difficult and emotionally abusive home life. He is bullied by his mother and uncle, with very little support or stability. The only consistent source of love and care in his life is his grandmother, who knitted the beanie he is rarely seen without, a small but meaningful symbol of comfort in an otherwise harsh upbringing.