Books Like Zodiac Academy: What to Read Next for Magical Schools, Rivalries & Addictive Romantasy

Spoiler-light: This guide discusses premises, tropes and reading fit without revealing major endings.

Quick answer: The best books like Zodiac Academy depend on what you want to repeat. Start with Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac for another story in Solaria, Fourth Wing for a lethal academy, Powerless for trials and romantic rivalry, or From Blood and Ash for a long, romance-forward fantasy series.

Choose your next read by the part of Zodiac Academy you loved

Zodiac Academy mixes several appeals that do not always appear together: magical school, elemental powers, bullying and rivalry, a sprawling cast, romance, prophecies and a very long binge. That means a useful read-alike list should match the experience you want next—not merely put every popular romantasy title in one pile.

If you still need the sequence, use our Zodiac Academy reading-order guide first. The recommendations below answer a different question: where to go after you are ready to leave Darcy, Tory and the Heirs for a while.

Fast decision table

If you want...	Try...	Why it fits
More of the Solaria world	Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac	Shared universe, academy setting and a different romance structure
A dangerous fantasy academy	Fourth Wing	Training, rivals, dragons and lethal institutional stakes
Trials plus romantic rivalry	Powerless	Competition, unequal power and accessible YA romantasy pacing
A long romance-forward fantasy binge	From Blood and Ash	Expanding mythology, relationship focus and multiple connected books
Adult fae tension	Quicksilver	Fae danger, sharp chemistry and a more adult tonal lane
A long epic character journey	Throne of Glass	Large cast, escalating scope and a substantial series commitment

1. Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac: best for staying in Solaria

Pick this when the shared world matters most. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti list Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac alongside their Solaria books on the authors' official site. It offers another academy story in the same wider universe, but its cast and relationship structure are different.

Fit check: choose it for familiar world rules and cameos, not because it retells Tory and Darcy's story. Readers who do not enjoy multi-partner romance should check the official description before starting.

2. Fourth Wing: best for lethal-school momentum

Pick this for the academy pressure cooker. Basgiath War College turns training into survival, while dragons, political secrets and a central romance keep the pages moving. The closest overlap is the feeling that school rules can hurt or kill you.

Difference: Fourth Wing centers a military dragon-rider program, not an astrology-based fae academy, and its romantic structure is more focused. It is a strong mood match rather than a duplicate.

3. Powerless: best for trials and romantic rivalry

Pick this for competition-driven tension. The story places an ordinary girl among people with powers and builds attraction inside a dangerous contest. The appeal is easy to recognize if you liked status conflict, tests and adversarial chemistry.

Difference: this is YA fantasy romance with a tighter central premise. It does not reproduce Zodiac Academy's campus sprawl or the same kind of ensemble chaos.

4. From Blood and Ash: best for a long romance-forward binge

Pick this when length and relationship mythology are the draw. The series grows beyond its opening setup into a larger world of bloodlines, powers and connected books. Our From Blood and Ash beginner guide explains where to start and how much commitment to expect.

Difference: it is not a magical-school story. The match is the expanding lore, high-drama romance and ability to occupy a long stretch of your TBR.

5. Quicksilver: best for adult fae chemistry

Pick this for fae danger and adult romantic tension. It works for readers who want sharp banter, magical power and a morally complicated fantasy romance without needing another classroom setting.

Difference: the world and conflict are more concentrated. Choose it for the adult fae-romance lane, not for a one-to-one academy replacement.

6. Throne of Glass: best for epic scope

Pick this for a major character-and-worldbuilding journey. The series expands in scale over time, develops a large ensemble and rewards readers who like alliances, magic and long arcs.

Difference: it is epic fantasy first and not primarily a bully-romance academy series. If you want a broader menu before choosing, compare it with the options in our fantasy romance guide.

How to choose without chasing a misleading similarity

Choose by setting

For another school, prioritize Ruthless Boys, Fourth Wing or Powerless. For a different setting with similar binge energy, consider From Blood and Ash or Throne of Glass.

Choose by romance structure

Decide whether you want one central couple, an ensemble with several relationships, or a multi-partner romance. That choice will narrow this list faster than the word “romantasy.”

Choose by darkness and consent comfort

Zodiac Academy is often discussed alongside bully romance, but not every reader wants its harshness repeated. Check content notes and do not treat “enemies to lovers” as a universal description of consent or tone. Our enemies-to-lovers romantasy guide offers more choices by intensity.

What reader discussions reveal—and what they do not

Readers regularly compare Zodiac Academy with long romantasy series such as From Blood and Ash. A public r/fantasyromance comparison thread is useful evidence that this decision exists, but opinions in the thread are preferences—not canon facts or a quality ranking.

Bookish Closet bridge

The verified Bookish Closet Best Seller collection currently includes Zodiac Academy-themed reader apparel. Product availability can change; the collection link is used instead of inventing a product URL.

FAQ

What should I read immediately after Zodiac Academy?

Choose Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac if you want to remain in Solaria, or Fourth Wing if the dangerous-school element matters more than the shared universe.

Is Ruthless Boys part of Zodiac Academy?

It is a separate series set in the wider Solaria world. It has its own central cast and romance structure.

Is Fourth Wing really like Zodiac Academy?

They share high-risk training, fantasy powers and romantic tension, but their magic systems, institutions and relationship structures differ.

Which option is the longest commitment?

Throne of Glass and From Blood and Ash both suit readers looking for longer journeys. Check current official series lists because publication counts can change.