Thank you NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for ARC of Zodiac Legacy. I gave it 3.5 stars out of 5. I was really excited to read this novel because I really enjoyed the first novel in this duology, Zodiac Rising. Unfortunately the novel dragged a bit in the middle and then felt like it had a rushed wrapped up ending.
Things I liked about the novel were: Alice's growth was great! She does so much more in this book! The world building expansion into Europe was also well done. A lot of it was in London, but they also expand out a little more. The addition of new characters was also useful in getting ready for the big battle.
Things that made it hard to read: The love story between Evangeline and Tristan...It just wasn't good. It was hard to believe they even liked each other. The amount of time that was spent on explaining how smart Julius was...like EVERYONE was talking about it, ALL the time...and then he got defeated super quickly. Additionally, the way the leader of the Wrathilings was built up over the 2 books and how he was basically invincible...there was wrathlingsin every single groups...and then the way he just brings the fountainheads to the front of the battle so they could be taken back SO easily, just didn't even make sense! And then he too dies very quick. I was also disappointed that Nicolas got killed in the battle. He was one of my favorite characters in the first novel, but in the second novel, he was just a mopey mess that no one would listen to, so I think the author was trying to make him unlikeable so people wouldn't mind him dying. But I think he had a lot more potential. And finally the way the school has all these students with special talents and none of them did much in the story,
I will still recommend this duology to students, because overall they are interesting books, I just had higher hopes for it!

I was excited to pick up this sequel after loving the first book, but it didn’t land for me the same way. While I enjoyed the expansion from New York to London and still appreciate the mix of magic, betrayal, and found-family bonds, the plot felt predictable and leaned more middle grade than YA. I missed the gripping spark of book one, though I did like seeing Evangeline wrestle with the weight of leadership. Overall, this wasn’t quite the right fit for me, but younger readers or fans of fast-paced supernatural adventures may still enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I went into this sequel really excited because I loved the first book and was curious to see what would happen next after that ending. The concept behind this duology is so solid, and I still love the mix of gothic magic, betrayal, and those found-family bonds under pressure. Unfortunately, the execution of this sequel just didn’t land for me the way I hoped.

The story takes the crew beyond New York to London, which I thought was a fun expansion of the world, but overall the plot followed a pretty familiar and predictable path. It made for an easy read, but it didn’t grip me in the same way the first book did. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that this installment leaned even younger than the first, more middle grade than YA, which threw me off a little since I generally enjoy YA stories.

I do still appreciate the premise of the series, and I liked seeing Evangeline struggle with the weight of keeping her cursed people together while enemies closed in from every side. But while I wanted to love this sequel as much as I loved book one, it just wasn’t the right fit for me in the end. That said, younger readers or fans of fast-paced, supernatural adventures might still have a great time with it.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was excited for the conclusion to the Descendants of the Zodiac duology, and I enjoyed the change of scenery as the story moved beyond Manhattan to England.

While the premise is strong, the writing felt more middle-grade than YA, so I may not be the target audience. I’d recommend Zodiac Legacy for younger readers who enjoy dark academia with a magical twist, and I’m still interested in reading more of Katie Zhao’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The concept behind this duology is solid, but the story didn’t quite land for me. The adventure follows a familiar path, which made it easy to get through, though not particularly gripping. I ended up skimming through large parts rather than staying fully engaged. It also felt like the intended audience skews younger, more middle grade than young adult, which may explain why it didn’t resonate as much. Overall, an okay read but not especially memorable.

This is not a duology, it is a trilogy! And Im not mad at it. We rejoin Evangeline and her band of misfits trying to save the Descendants. Big secrets are revealed and a key player is lost. I loved the London imagery and learning more about the Collector and the Wrathlings.
Third book should give us more about the Fairy King and will Evangeline and Tristan have a happily ever after? Loved this book and cant wait to read more from this author! I highly recommend.

Review: Zodiac Legacy by Katie Zhao

This sequel was dark, intense, and full of tension. The Descendants are still cursed, still hunted, and the lines between ally and enemy are blurrier than ever. I loved the mix of gothic magic, high-stakes betrayal, and found-family bonds unraveling under pressure.

Evangeline’s journey is messy and emotional—she’s trying to hold everything together while the world around her falls apart. The characters are haunted and complex, and the London setting adds an eerie edge.

If you’re into dark academia, supernatural twists, and stories that ask what power is really worth, this one’s for you.

Zodiac Rising

I enjoyed the first book, though I didn’t love it. I was curious about what would happen next after the ending. I was given Zodiac Rising as an ARC and was excited to dive in and find out what happens next.

I made it to about 55% and just got bored. I found myself skimming more than reading. This book felt like it was geared towards even younger readers than the first one.

I wanted to enjoy this and have enjoyed many YA novels, so it’s not the target audience that causes my issue. This may be a great read for some, but for me, it just wasn’t the right fit.

I gave this 2 stars because the premise is good, the characters are fun, and it did keep my attention to about the 50% mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the opportunity to view this as an ARC. This review and opinions are solely that of my own.

High stakes battle for returning the decendants back to their full power with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. The duology concluded on a good note, but hopefully we could see some more out of the Fae.

This was such a great book! The story was very well written and had great world building. I would highly recommend this book.

I cancelled plans so that I could continue reading this book all in one sitting! Not only is the story still interesting and filled with didn't-see-that-coming twists, The characters get so much more depth and exploration. Redemption for Evangeline!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

A quick easy read and wonderful continuation. The storytelling was amazing and kept me hooked the whole time.

The conclusion of the Descendants of the Zodiac duology falls into the style of storytelling started in Zodiac Rising. We expand the world to travel beyond New York to London for part of the story, but keep mostly to the same central characters. The adventure plays out in a way that is perhaps predictable but also an easy read. I overall like the premise of this duology, but the one thought that strikes me about the execution is that the target audience feels to be on the lower side of YA, perhaps leaning toward middle grades. I was left curious by another detail, that though this book is described as the second of a duology, the end seems to leave a hook for a follow up.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.