Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!
I am a sucker for dark academia, and this story of a heist attempt to get back stolen artifacts representing the Chinese zodiac is a page turner. Filled with a fantastic cast of characters, my only beef (which is actually not a beef at all) is that I didn’t realize this was the first book of a series-there are some major plot points left hanging to be finished up later on. Can’t wait to see where it goes!

I got about 20% into it, but this novel just wasn't for me. The premise is interesting, and the cover is beautiful, but the world-building didn't come together as I'd hoped. The dialogue also reads as much younger YA, which was surprising since some of these characters had lived over a hundred years. Thanks for the ARC!

I had a herd time finishing this book. It started interesting enough but after a certain point I found it slow. Every time I put it down I didn't have the desire to pick it back up. The characters read too much like annoying teenagers. There were a few bright spots with the story though,

This had a really interesting premise and while it took me a bit longer to really get connected with the characters and their stories, I found myself still intrigued and rooting for them. There's an interesting discussion around one's culture and being "___ enough" for one's culture/heritage which was really well done.

- DNF Review
- Hard to Follow
- Wordy
- Confusing

Due to the Unfair and Negative Nature, I won't post this review anywhere

Zodiac Rising was a disappointment; I wish I could say otherwise.

This is the first book in Zhao’s newest YA fantasy series, Descendants of the Zodiac. It’s based on the Chinese zodiac, which was something that instantly appealed to me. The synopsis gives off nostalgic 2010s YA vibes — namely The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, which I also didn’t enjoy, so I guess we’re not surprised why I didn’t like this one as much as I hoped I would. But I’m a firm believer reading tastes change over the years, and sometimes that nostalgic vibe? It works out, like it did with Fourth Wing*. I mean, that one didn’t with the sequel, but at least it was good fun.

*It’s not my intention to compare Zhao to Yarros or vice versa; Fourth Wing just turned out to be the first book that popped up into my head in recent books that give nostalgic YA vibes of the early 2010s.

Zodiac Rising was not it. So where did it go wrong for me?

The writing felt… bland? I was talking about this with a friend while reading this and they put it as “very baby fanfic writer” which I feel sums the writing pretty accurately (except I don’t read fanfiction so it’s choppy and not flowing well). The plot and pacing felt off, and I don’t think the writing style helped either, even if it was easy to read when I actually sat down and had no other books available to read without WiFi; it ultimately felt like the book was dragging its shoes in the sand.

The characters? Honestly, I don’t remember any of them, outside of maybe Tristan. And an unknown character that we get introduced to at the beginning of Part Two that gave ominous villain vibes. They didn’t seem to have anything other than surface-level personality.

The world? It feels like there’s a lot going on and some of the logic doesn’t make sense. I feel like this is my biggest pain point in books that have this nostalgic vibe.

We have this secret school in Manhattan (Earthly Branches Academy) where the descendants of the Chinese zodiac have been hiding in since the twelve zodiac statues got vandalized and five of them were stolen, resulting in everyone but the House of Boar getting turned into various creatures. That’s dandy and all, but what truly grinds my gears here is we have the High Council going to school for like 100+ years, just like… all the other students?

It’s like they have nothing else better to do — surely there’s only so much content about Vampire Nutrition and Advanced Mandarin that you can go through before it just starts getting repetitive. And they’re the high council leading the descendants. There’s got to be better things than attending classes, but I honestly just got a Mean Girls vibe if there was a plot to overthrow them from one member.

I think if I read Zodiac Rising ten years ago, I’d probably have a much better time enjoying this and wouldn’t question the writing or world building choices. But for now? I just didn’t vibe with it, and I feel like I was in denial for longer than I wanted before I decided to call it quits.

While this premise read amazing and something I would very much enjoy this one was just ok. There were too many things that just didn't make sense such as if these "kids" were immortal why in the world are they going to school? I think this could have been amazing but just felt choppy even for a fantasy I questioned to much instead of being immersed into the world.

Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao is a thrilling and immersive blend of mythology, fantasy, and urban adventure that’s just begging for an Arcane-style animated series on Netflix. With its complex characters, high stakes, and intricate world-building, this story would look stunning brought to life in a visually captivating animated format, much like Arcane.

Set in a secret Manhattan boarding school, the novel follows a crew of four unlikely heroes—each from different mystical backgrounds—as they race against time to reclaim the lost Chinese zodiac statues and break a curse that has plagued their kind for centuries. With a vampire, shapeshifter, mortal, and werewolf leading the charge, the diversity and depth of the characters make for an ensemble cast that's rich with potential for emotional storytelling and intense action sequences.

The dark, atmospheric tone and the mystery surrounding the fae and the curse would translate beautifully into the kind of gritty, visually stunning animation that Arcane is known for. The high-stakes heist, combined with a deep exploration of each character’s personal struggles and motivations, would keep viewers hooked, while the vibrant magic of the zodiac statues and fae would shine in a visually striking animated world.

This series has all the elements of a perfect Netflix hit: action, mystery, a touch of romance, and a complex mythology wrapped up in a visually spectacular package. Zodiac Rising is a must-read for anyone who loves supernatural adventure with a side of dark intrigue, and it’s absolutely perfect for an Arcane-style animated series.

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.

“This book was fantastic! From the first page, I was hooked by the compelling storyline and richly developed characters. The writing was engaging, and the themes resonated deeply with me. I found myself savoring every chapter and wishing it wouldn’t end. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve closed it. Highly recommended to anyone looking for an unforgettable read!”

This was an enjoyable read! The mystery kept me guessing and I could see teens loving this. I'm excited to see where this goes next.

This was absolutely amazing!

I loved being transported into a world of magic, mystery, and Chinese mythology that had me completely hooked.

The premise alone reeled me in—secret Manhattan boarding school, Descendants of the Chinese zodiac, hidden magic, and a curse? Sign me up! But it’s the characters who truly stole the show. Evangeline, Nicholas, Alice, and Tristan each bring their own unique struggles and strengths to the story, making their journey an absolute thrill to follow.

The crew assembled to break the curse is just phenomenal:
-Evangeline, the vampire carrying a century of hunger and secrets.
-Nicholas, the shapeshifter on a relentless quest for justice and redemption.
-Alice, the mortal determined to uncover her mysterious heritage.
-Tristan, the werewolf fighting to control the beast within.

As the first book in a series, Zodiac Rising does a fantastic job of setting the stage, introducing the main cast, and laying the groundwork for an epic adventure to come. And the illustrations? Next level! They didn’t just bring the story to life—they added a stunning visual depth that I couldn’t get enough of.

10/10 I can't recommend this enough!! I long for the sequel.; it will be an agonizing wait :(

It has the potential to be a great series, but I found myself struggling to get into it and the plot at parts, was predictable and the writing very formulaic which annoyed me because it felt cliched instead of unique.

Loved the book from the first page to the last page and every page in between. Loved all the twists and turns throughout the story

DNF at 50%
I’m extremely disappointed that I didn’t like this one! The premise sounded interesting, I love anything involving the Chinese zodiac. However there was too much going on and not enough explanations or interesting characters to carry the story.
Firstly, there were a lot of mythology and paranormal events going on but nothing was explained very well. The politics as well was questionable and hard to read through. (Immortal teenagers are in charge but still go to school and run stuff from the school? That doesn’t make sense.)
Secondly, the characters and writing were pretty bland. I Especially didn’t like our main female, Evangeline. She would say she shouldn’t do stuff but she still would. So she can acknowledge her bad acts but doesn’t care and does it anyway. The writing was a lot more telling than showing and the characters were flat and one dimensional. I didn’t care for a single one.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the chance to read this book!

(All DNF’s get 3 stars due to me not finishing the book)

This was a good read! Revenge, heist, betrayal, all the things needed to make an epic story. Really enjoyed the characters

Aggressively mid! I think the original idea was good! It’s a fun premise and I love both fantasy academia AND a heist, so this really should have been something I enjoyed. But there was distressingly little academia, and, in full honesty, that’s probably for the best because otherwise I’d have to think about the fact that all these very old people are just…going to class? The heist was also not really planned out. Overall, an interesting premise poorly executed.

I really thought I would be into Zodiac Rising but I started it and stopped it probably ten times. I unfortunately had to DNF it at 15 percent. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was super entertaining. I loved the mystery and writing style the author used. I can see this being a favorite for some of my older students.

DNF @ 50%

I was really excited about the premise and its many aspects that appealed to me: dark academia, magic, Chinese folklore/ mythology, paranormal creatures, fae, family curses, a heist, social commentary. Unfortunately, I think there were just too many disparate elements that didn't quite fit together coherently. There was a lot of infodumping, flashbacks, backstory, that interrupted the present-day narrative, and some of it raised logical and/or logistical questions that took me right out of what immersion I had managed. (Like, why is a hundreds-year-old vampire who is purportedly in charge of the Descendants spending most of their time in classes, and why are they treating the school like a higher authority that they answer to?)

So even at 50% when we were finally ostensibly getting some action and the "main plot" kicking off, I found that I was just not invested enough in the characters or the worldbuilding or the overall story to continue. I was also not a big fan of the writing style, which is of course purely personal preference but still a major factor in the decision to DNF or not.