Review of ‘The Awakening’ (Zodiac Academy #1) by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. A novel that combines elements of magic, intrigue, and school drama, set against the backdrop of a fantastical Fae realm. Whether you’re a fan of zodiac mythology or just love a good supernatural tale, ‘The Awakening’ promises a thrilling adventure. In this review, we’ll explore the highs and lows of the story, character dynamics, and what makes this book a must-read.
Author’s warning: This is a dark, bully romance – don’t go expecting a sweet school for magic with friends around every corner. Fae fight for everything they own and Zodiac Academy is a cutthroat school for students aged 18+ where only the strongest prevail. There’s no Dumbledore here to save anyone’s ass and Lionel Acrux will give Voldemort a run for his money in the evil dictator category. So hold onto your stardust (broomsticks not required) and get ready for a bumpy ride.
“Tears never did anyone any favours, but sometimes they just needed to fall.”
– The Awakening
Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
‘The Awakening’ by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is an entertaining fantasy with vivid characters, an interesting plot but a slow start
Synopsis
You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.
If you’re one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it’s in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we’re a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.
Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn’t get the memo. Which means we’re totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.
Air. Fire. Water. Earth.
No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn’t made us any friends so far.
As the rarest Elementals ever known, we’re already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help that they’re the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.
Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They’ve only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they’ll stop at nothing to succeed.
We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.
We can’t expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we’ve been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.
Today’s horoscope: totally screwed.
Review
I went into ‘The Awakening’ with no idea what to expect. Despite hearing about this book many times, I didn’t have a clue as to what it was really about.
The beginning was pretty slow, and it took a while for the story to grab my attention. However, once the main characters, Tory and Darcy Vega, landed in the Fae realm, everything became really interesting. The authors did a fantastic job of immersing the reader into a magical world where each character’s abilities are tied to their zodiac signs. It still isn’t entirely clear to me what the influence of the zodiac signs on the characters’ abilities and order is. I hope this will be explored more in the next books.
This book was so entertaining. It was far from perfect, but man did I have a good time. I listened to the GraphicAudio dramatized adaptation of ‘The Awakening,’ and that made it 10 times better in my opinion. I absolutely love dramatized adaptations, and this one was so good. It definitely helped that I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the book because it was such a dramatic book. Having all the characters voiced by different actors felt like watching a movie.
One aspect that stood out, though not in a positive way, was the bullying. It was really bad in this book, and I hope it lessens in the coming books because it was intense in book 1. The extent of the bullying made me not like the Heirs at all, despite their importance to the plot.
My favorite characters were Darcy and Orion. I can’t wait to figure out what happens between them and all the other characters. Their interactions added a lot of intrigue to the story.
I snickered quite a few times while listening to this book. It was funny hearing about “Faebook” and mortal celebrities like Miley Cyrus being Fae. I honestly laughed quite a bit. The book also had its cringey moments where I had to pause the audiobook for a couple of seconds to process what just happened before I could continue.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. Definitely would recommend the dramatized adaptation because I really enjoyed myself. No, it’s not the most intricate book to ever exist, but I had fun, and sometimes that’s all that matters. If you’re looking for a read that’s entertaining, a bit dramatic, and filled with magic and humor, ‘The Awakening’ is worth checking out.
Rating
8/10
Details
- Trigger warnings: Intense bullying, sexual harassment, ignored refusal of consent, degrading treatment, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, stalking, death of a parent, car accident, toxic relationships, murder, kidnapping, and abandonment
- Representation: Side character of color
- Genre: Fantasy (young / new adult)
- Pages: 496
- Publication date: December 13, 2019 / July 26, 2024
- Publisher: Dark Ink Publishing / GraphicAudio
- About the author: Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti are sisters and co-authors who have crafted numerous fantasy and paranormal novels. Known for their intricate world-building and engaging character dynamics, their books often feature strong heroines, magical realms, and captivating plots. They have built a dedicated fan base with their immersive storytelling and imaginative worlds.
With love,
heavenlybookish 