The spooky season is upon us! And with it comes a need for us to dive into a fantasy world (even better if it’s a diverse fantasy). Which is why we’d love to introduce Katie Zhao’s new novel, Zodiac Rising!
Zodiac Rising tells the story of Descendants of the Chinese zodiac. They’ve been cursed into immortal beings for decades after five of the twelve statues were stolen. Once news of the missing statues resurfaced, four Descendants quickly set out to reclaim their history and break the curse for good.
Interested? We thought so. Here are three of our favorite things about Zodiac Rising! And be sure to check out our exclusive author interview with Katie Zhao!
Book Overview: Zodiac Rising
Content Warnings: murder, death, sibling death, violence, torture
Summary: At a secret Manhattan boarding school, the Descendants of the Chinese zodiac have hidden away since the source of their magic—the twelve zodiac statues—was vandalized and lost to time. Thus, a curse befell the Descendants, and they’ve lived as creatures of darkness . . . until now.
When the lost statues suddenly resurface and a powerful classmate is found dead, all signs point to foul play from the fae. The Descendants finally have the chance to take back what’s rightfully theirs and break the curse. To pull this deadly heist off, though, they must assemble an elite crew:
THE VAMPIRE: After a century of burning hunger, Evangeline is out for blood.
THE SHAPESHIFTER: Nicholas yearns to restore justice to his people—and make peace with his past.
THE MORTAL: Alice seeks the truth of her mysterious heritage, and this mission may be the key.
THE WEREWOLF: Tristan will do anything to break free from the monstrous wolf inside.
Only these four have the power to save the Descendants, but the wrath of the fae waits at every turn. One wrong move and the fate of their kind will come crashing down
Alice’s Fate
In Zodiac Rising, the Descendants have all been cursed into immortal beings: vampires, werewolves, and fox spirits. All except the Zhus, who descended from the boar bloodline and are the only mortal Descendants remaining. Belonging to the House of Boar, Alice enrolls in the Earthly Branches Academy with the hopes of finding information about her father. Going on this heist with Evangeline’s team seems like the best way to get answers. But Alice finds out much more about her lineage than she could’ve asked, including her key role in the decades-old prophecy.
Political Intrigue
As tradition calls, the House of Dragon has long ruled over the High Council of the Descendants. After the death of her brother and Chancellor of the High Council, Evangeline Long must leave the Academy to finish what Julius started. While she and her team are away on their mission, the High Council gets turned upside down. Marcus Niu, a Descendant of the House of Ox, rallies support for a new Chancellor. He even changes the dynamics between the House of Boar students and the rest of the Descendants. More council members join his cause than we’d expect, leaving Evangeline with an uphill battle once she returns.
Different Curses
Beyond the physical curse plaguing the Descendants, we also want to note other curses our characters face within themselves in Zodiac Rising. Evangeline lives in her brother Julius’ shadow, worried that she’ll never be the leader he was. Nicholas Hu’s cursed with his past, and his biggest regret will always be when he couldn’t use his powers to fight against invaders. Then there’s Tristan She, with a shady connection to the Collector that turns into a shackle. And Alice has no idea how much her actions could change the Descendants’ fate.
Katie Zhao’s Zodiac Rising welcomes us into a magical world tied to the 12 Chinese zodiacs, where one’s lineage has the potential to change everything.
Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao is available October 1st, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think about Katie Zhao’s new novel, Zodiac Rising? Are you looking forward to the rest of the Descendants of the Zodiac series? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
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