Zodiac Academy Reading Order: Where New Readers Should Start Without Spoiling the Series

Spoiler-light guide: This article explains where to start and how the connected Solaria books fit without revealing major relationship or endgame twists.

Quick answer: Start Zodiac Academy with The Awakening, the first main-series novel about twins Tory and Darcy Vega entering a dangerous Fae academy. For a first read, the easiest path is simply to continue the main Zodiac Academy books in order. Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, side novellas and expanded Solaria reading orders can add background and Easter eggs, but you do not need them before Book 1.

Which Zodiac Academy book should you read first?

Start with Zodiac Academy: The Awakening. This sounds obvious until search results and reading-order graphics start placing prequels, alternate POV books and connected Solaria series above the actual entry point.

The Awakening introduces Tory and Darcy Vega, twins who discover they are Fae heirs and are taken into a magical academy where elemental power, status and the Celestial Heirs immediately make their lives complicated.

The easiest first-time reading strategy

If you want the least stressful route, read the main Zodiac Academy sequence straight through. Current reader discussions repeatedly confirm that people enjoy the story perfectly well this way, even when they discover Ruthless Boys or the novellas later.

The expanded universe is there to deepen the experience, not to turn starting Book 1 into project management.

Do you need Ruthless Boys before Zodiac Academy?

No. Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac takes place earlier in the shared Solaria world and adds useful background for characters and Easter eggs that later appear around Zodiac Academy. Many fans recommend reading Ruthless Boys after roughly the first few ZA books, but others finish the entire main series first and still follow the story without a problem.

If reverse-harem romance is not your thing, you should also know Ruthless Boys has a different relationship structure from Zodiac Academy. Do not force yourself through five extra books solely because a TikTok chart told you there is one optimal path.

What about Origins of an Academy Bully?

Do not start there just because a platform labels it as an early-numbered installment. It is supplemental material, not the cleanest introduction to Tory and Darcy's main story. New readers are better served by meeting the academy through The Awakening first.

Are the novellas required?

Most side stories are optional for understanding the main spine. They can add alternate POVs, jokes, character history and extra scenes. That makes them valuable if you are already invested, but optional does not mean "bad" and required does not mean "better." Choose based on whether you want momentum or maximum context.

Why are there so many reading-order charts?

Zodiac Academy sits inside a larger connected universe with character crossover, prequel material and side stories. Once a fandom realizes books overlap, people naturally build chronological and Easter-egg-maximizing orders. That is fun for rereads. For a first read, it can make a simple question look much harder than it is.

Who should use the expanded reading order?

Use an expanded Solaria order if you love character backstory, crossover recognition and seeing references land in approximately chronological context. Use the simple ZA-only path if cliffhangers make it impossible for you to stop a series halfway through. Both are valid reading experiences.

Bookish Closet bridge

Bookish Closet currently has a verified Zodiac Academy Sweater and a verified Celestial Heirs Sweater for readers who have already accepted that Solaria is about to become a long-term commitment.

If you mainly love Zodiac Academy for the magical-school chaos, you may also like our list of books like Fourth Wing. For more series you can choose by mood, trope and commitment level, see our fantasy romance reading guide.

FAQ: Zodiac Academy reading order

What is Zodiac Academy Book 1?

Zodiac Academy: The Awakening is the correct main-series starting point.

Should I read Ruthless Boys first?

No. It is a connected prequel-era series and can be added later for extra context and crossover Easter eggs.

Can I read all of Zodiac Academy before Ruthless Boys?

Yes. Many readers do exactly that and then explore the connected series afterward.

Are Zodiac Academy novellas required?

Most are supplemental rather than essential to following the main plot, although fans may recommend specific extras for additional perspective.

Why are there different Zodiac Academy reading orders?

The Solaria universe contains connected series, novellas and overlapping characters, so readers build different orders depending on whether they prioritize simplicity, chronology or maximum Easter eggs.