Zodiac by Romina Russell | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs.

I’ll start this review with the caveat that I read Zodiac by Romina Russell in December 2014 and I am just now writing the review in May 2015. I am as stumped for an outpouring of words about the book now as I was then, but hey I am on a reviewing roll today so may as well give it the old college try. I am one of those people who used to believe in astrology and my horoscope. I used to think that my horoscope portended all of my character traits as well as what my day or my week would look like. That’s before I realized the horoscopes are really general and if you believe hard enough they are kind of true – because of the whole general thing. So, because of this former affinity for horoscopes, Russell’s Zodiac absolutely peaked my interest.

Rhoma Grace is of the house Cancer (me too, in real life) and she’s a special snowflake. She can read the stars without doing mathematical calculations or using the tool that her classmates use. This is unconventional to say the least. This ability, however, leads to Rho being accepted as a novice and sort of jumping the whole process of learning and instead becoming the chosen one for her people. But, to back up,there has been a catastrophe on Cancer while Rho is at the academy. There was a huge tidal wave, from what I remember, and it killed and destroyed many people and homes. Meanwhile, there’s also an accident at the academy and lots more people die, but somehow Rho and her bandmates survive. So, anyways, Rho eventually becomes the chosen one and there’s a sort of love triangle. Also, kissing and I think there was sex too. So, you know, this book was an okay read.

Here’s what I remember about Rho – she’s kind of a cool character. Not one that I would want to hang out with or anything, but she’s sort of interesting. She is the chosen one after all. I was compelled while reading about her learning of her abilities and how she takes those abilities to read the stars to see that something dangerous, the thirteenth sign is lurking and about to do bad things. No one believes her because she’s young, but somehow, Rho overcomes this to travel to each house of the Zodiac in the hopes of uniting them against what’s coming. I have to admire that, that she just ignores grown ups and does what she knows is best for the galaxy as she knows it.

Hmmm, so I really don’t remember a ton about Zodiac. What’s clear to me though is that it took me awhile to get into. I wasn’t all about the infodumping regarding the various houses of the zodiac and the different characteristics of each house. That was actually kind of boring. I did, however, like the romance and how there were sexytimes. Whatevs. I think once the book picked up and got rolling, it was an okay read. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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