Zodiac Academy Guide: Spice, Reading Order & Age Rating

If you’ve spotted Zodiac Academy on TikTok or Goodreads and wondered what all the buzz is about, you’re not alone. This guide cuts through the noise to give you the facts: spice level, reading order, and age rating.

Books in series: 12 main books · Authors: Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti · First published: 2019 · Average Goodreads rating: 4.1 / 5

This series has six key facts right up front. Here they are.

Is the Zodiac Academy a spicy series?

What is the spice level of Zodiac Academy?

Reader communities consistently describe the series as very spicy. On a scale where 5 is full-on explicit romance, many fans assign it a 4 or 5. One review on MommyThrives gives the series a “4 spice” rating, confirming the high-heat reputation. The books feature open-door sexual encounters woven into the fantasy plot, not fade-to-black scenes.

How explicit are the romantic scenes?

The romantic content is detailed and explicit. Scenes include graphic language and descriptions that go well beyond what mainstream YA would allow. In a Facebook reader group, participants warned that the books are not appropriate for a 14-year-old because of explicit sexual content. The tone is frequently described as “bully romance” with enemies-to-lovers dynamics.

Do the books contain mature content?

Yes, aside from sex scenes, the series includes graphic violence, emotional manipulation, and morally grey characters. The labeling as dark fantasy romance signals that mature themes are central. The Goodreads reading-order list categorises it among adult fantasy romance rather than young adult.

The implication: this series is not for readers seeking fade-to-black romance.

Is Zodiac Academy YA or adult?

What age group is Zodiac Academy for?

Every reliable publication and community source classes the series as adult. A Reddit discussion on r/zodiacacademy confirms that it is not intended for teens. The language, sexual content, and violence place it firmly outside YA brackets. It is often shelved under New Adult or Adult Fantasy Romance on platforms like Amazon and Goodreads.

Confirmed adult fantasy romance series

The publisher, Simon & Schuster, lists the series without any YA label. The official Simon & Schuster series page markets it directly to an adult audience. No major bookseller or library classifies it as Young Adult. Readers under 17 should expect content that goes well beyond what is typical for YA.

The pattern: any reader expecting YA-level content will be caught off guard by the explicit themes.

In what order should I read Zodiac Academy?

Complete reading order of Zodiac Academy series

The main series consists of 12 books published from 2019 onward. According to Capitalize My Title, the first novel is The Awakening (2019), followed by Ruthless Fae (2019) and The Reckoning (2019). The sequence continues with Shadow Princess (2020), Cursed Fates (2020), Fated Throne (2020), Heartless Sky (2021), Sorrow and Starlight (2022), Beyond the Veil (2023), and the bonus novella Live And Let Lionel (2024). Book 9, Restless Stars, is scheduled for October 2026.

• The Awakening (2019)
• Ruthless Fae (2019)
• The Reckoning (2019)
• Shadow Princess (2020)
• Cursed Fates (2020)
• Fated Throne (2020)
• Heartless Sky (2021)
• Sorrow and Starlight (2022)
• Beyond the Veil (8.5, 2023)
• Live And Let Lionel (bonus, 2024)
• Restless Stars (book 9, 2026)

Should I read the prequel series first?

The prequel series Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac is set five years before the main events and contains five books. The recommended approach from Bookish Goblin is to read the first three Zodiac Academy books, then switch to Ruthless Boys, then continue with the main series. This order preserves character introductions and plot reveals. An alternative is to start with the prequels to build world context.

Are there spin-offs and in what order?

Beyond the main series and prequels, the authors have written the Darkmore Penitentiary series, which shares the universe. A retelling titled The Awakening as Told by the Boys offers the male perspective. The Goodreads reading-order list includes 20 books and novellas for completists.

What is Darcy’s curse in Zodiac Academy?

Who is Darcy?

Darcy Vega is one of the twin protagonists of the series. Alongside her sister Tory, she is a newly discovered fae princess forced to attend Zodiac Academy. Her powers are tied to the earth and darkness, and she is the quieter, more reserved twin.

What is the nature of her curse?

Darcy carries a curse that causes her immense pain and loss of control when she uses her power. The curse is linked to a traumatic event from her past and is a central obstacle in her character arc. It manifests as a dark force that threatens to consume her if she pushes her magic too far.

How does the curse affect the plot?

The curse drives much of Darcy’s internal conflict and her relationships, especially with her love interest, Orion. It becomes a key plot device that forces the twins to seek solutions across multiple books. By the later volumes, the curse has far-reaching consequences for the fate of the fae realm.

Is Zodiac Academy age appropriate?

What is the recommended age for reading Zodiac Academy?

Based on content analysis and reader consensus, the series is not appropriate for readers under 17-18. The Reddit community explicitly advises against it for a 14-year-old due to explicit sexual content. No official age certification exists, but the narrative and marketing place it firmly in the adult category.

Content warnings: explicit sex, violence, language

The books contain graphic sex scenes, frequent strong language, and depictions of violence including torture and death. The dark fantasy genre means characters often act from morally questionable motivations. These elements are consistent across all 12 main books.

Parental guidance advice

Parents and younger readers should treat the series as equivalent to an R-rated film or a TV-MA show. There is no Common Sense Media entry currently, but MommyThrives calls it “highly explicit” and notes it is “definitely not for kids.”

The catch: younger readers and their guardians should treat this series as adult content, not a teen fantasy.

“The Zodiac Academy series is a bestselling dark fantasy romance that follows twin princesses as they compete for a throne.”

— Goodreads series description

“These books are objectively terrible — poor writing, repetitive plots, but somehow addictive.”

— Reddit user on r/fantasyromance

The pattern is unmistakable: Zodiac Academy is a polarising series that pushes boundaries in both content and length. For any adult reader who enjoys high-stakes fantasy with explicit romance, the series delivers a bingeable experience. For a younger reader or anyone uncomfortable with graphic material, the warning signs are abundant and consistent.

For a reader in the United States (where the series is most popular), the choice is clear: treat Zodiac Academy as adult content, check the spice level before starting, and follow the publication order or the prequel-first path depending on your tolerance for chronological jumps.