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Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alright, I am beginning to see why people are so obsessed with this series. I still don’t completely agree with it but am starting to understand it. My basic opinions on ZA are still the same but as the story progresses, the more I am drawn in.
As the plot advanced, the more I learned about all the characters in terms of back stories and their traits (morally grey doesn’t begin to cover it IMHO), the more interesting it became. BUT this also brought me back to the extremely negative vibes that thread their way through this entire universe. I get that this is dark academia and a bully romance but the more time went by, the darker it seemed to get. And the same badness, toxic behaviours and, frankly, bad decisions (on both sides) kept occurring again and again and again - for over 600+ pages!
However, there was a bright side (sort of). The cleverest thing the authors did was to create two FMCs: one of which is really dark and the other in the throes of that oh so pesky forbidden love / hot for teacher trope. Yeah, I know. Both are dark but one is lighter than the other and so provided a much needed ray of hope in what would otherwise have been an unrelentingly dark tale which would no longer fall into the romantasy genre but would have become a straight up psychological horror that explores the absolute worst of the fae (humanity).
Of course, there is still the spice to consider (and let’s be honest, why else choose to read books of this kind - no judgement) … and in this volume, the level ratchets up from 🌶️🌶️ to 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. But is that why I am still reading, after four looong books? The answer to this question was granted at the end when I began to realise that there were hidden depths to parts of the story that were wrapped in pride and tragedy.
As in the previous volumes, this series might be dark but it is still escapist reading and am curious to see where it goes, especially after the cliffhanger! And now I’m off to start volume 5…
3.75 stars 🤓📚
#ZodiacAcademy #theawakening #zatheawakening #za #zaruthlessfae #ruthlessfae #zathereckoning #thereckoning #zashadowprincess #shadowprincess
#booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookaddict #reading #bookstagram #booktok #bookreview #bookdragon #bookworm #lovebooks #booklovers #booknerd #bookrecs
#fiction #fantasy #EnemiesToLovers #banter #twins #magic #darkfantasy #darkacademia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
The events and plot are starting to get interesting, but the author has an obnoxious repetitive narrative with several characters in the book. Tory makes the same argument over and over again about her feelings for Darius - realistic feelings and actions that make for bad reading. They hate each other, WE GET IT!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really was not sure what to expect going into this series. Yes, it is a bit campy. Does that matter? Absolutely not! The further we get into this series, the more complex the characters become. It's not so black and white. The heirs started out being the literal worst people ever. But now, they are slightly less worse. The love between Darcy and Lance is like everything - I ship them so hard. was getting pretty mad at Tory though. I understand why she keeps lashing out at Darius after everything he did to her. (I would never forgive a guy if he tried to drown me in a pool especially AFTER knowing that he knew it was my worst fear and did it anyway) - Even so I was really hoping that Darius would do more to apologize and prove to Tory that he could change and I was really hoping for Tory to give him another chance All in all, this book series is fun, the characters are complicated and I like when it's not so black and white. There is good and bad in all of these characters - the protagonists and the antagonists. Read this series if you want to laugh and cry and be angry all at once!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Confinement, Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Excrement
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent