A review by chronicallyyou
Sorrow and Starlight by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

3.0

So, we’re back for the eighth (!) time at Zodiac Academy, and at this point, the series should probably come with a disclaimer: TW - hundreds of pages of fluff may cause drowsiness and homicidal rage.

Let’s start with the positives because, honestly, there are still some here. I love this series. I do. I swear. The world is captivating, the Fae drama continues, and the stakes (when they're not buried under a mountain of fluff) are actually quite thrilling. There are epic battles, plot twists (one in particular that blew my mind), and dark moments that remind me why I got hooked on this series in the first place.

But then... there's the other 600 pages...

I’m talking about the never-ending fluff that somehow took over the entire book. When did this school for Fae become a soft focus lens of endless cuddles and "let’s discuss our feelings" marathons? Don’t get me wrong, a bit of downtime is great. But this? This is fluff with a capital F-L-U-F-F. And, a book that's over 1,000 pages in length does NOT need a page of fluff. This easily could have been a 400-500 page book.

Where’s the grit? The edge? The danger? I signed up for deadly battles and sizzling romance, not 200 pages of hand-holding and longing gazes. If I wanted that, I’d have read a YA contemporary...

Despite this frustration, I can’t lie: it’s still addictive. I mean, it’s Zodiac Academy.

Here’s hoping Book 9 dials down the fluff and cranks up the action. Also, is this really supposed to end in a HEA...because as of right now, I don't see how that's possible???