#Fated throne

[mzradyer]

vega bitch x dragon boy

tory vega and darius acrux from zodiac academy by caroline peckham and susanne valenti

[iambecomeyourvillain]

and they were ✨best friends✨

[maddiesflame]

Tory Vega headers

like/reblog if saved © maddiesflame

[torydarixs]

no one can and will ever do enemies to lovers like torydarius did

[voidchimeras]

y’all remember when i started reading zodiac academy? well i just finished book 6 and now i’m gonna get my feelings hurt with heartless sky

[astateofjess]

Zodiac Academy 1-7

I had a system in place of how I like to read and review the books I read throughout the year and Zodiac Academy totally obliterated that system.

Under normal circumstances, I would read a book and then review it immediately after so that everything was still fresh in my mind. Yet, I could not put Zodiac Academy down long enough in between books for me to sit down and blog about it. I was wholly invested in the series.

So let's go ahead and unpack all of my emotions, thoughts, and opinions on all 7 books. Having read all 7, I think I'm gonna divvy them up in groups. Books 1-3, 4-6, and 7.

Book 1 was rough, and I can see why people are immediately discouraged in continuing with the series. THE!!! BULLIES!!!! WERE!!! BULLYING!!!!!!!!!! When I tell you my jaw was on the FLOOR over how much trauma was inflicted! Did I develop a bullying kink? MAYBE SO. This book left me in utter shock and so angry that I had to continue the series. Getting through Book 1 rewards you with Book 2 & 3. The angst, the tension, the spice!!!! There's still some bullying but this is really where the series starts polishing a bit more in my opinion because the relationships are developing and you start rooting for certain characters as their backstories are revealed.

Books 4-6 were some of the most traumatic books I have ever read. I was left sobbing, crying, throwing up, screaming, throwing my kindle across the room, and venting in the discord book club I'm in. After spending 3 full books with these characters, I became fully enthralled by them and couldn't think of anything else. These books have a lot of very sweet, tender moments only to then sucker-punch with an extremely emotional and devastating scene. THE WHIPLASH I FELT!!!!! It was intense in the best and worst way possible and I'm still trying to figure out how that is. They had some of my favorite scenes of the series though, so the pain was DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

Book 7. After brewing with these emotions over the span of the last 6 books, you feel bliss. You feel happy. THE FLUFF IS FLUFFINGGG!!!! It almost feels too good to be true, and that's because it is... because BOYYYY DOES THIS BOOK HURT. I have no words for what book 7 made me feel in the end. Just when you thought that you couldn't possibly be hurt any worse than what you went through in Books 4-6, you get SMACKED DOWN with the weight of feeling absolutely broken over what your faves are going through. The sacrifices that are made, the decisions that are forced, the pains of war!!!!

With all of that being said, this series is not for everyone and that's okay!!! This series CAN be extremely cheesy at times, and it IS extremely BRUTAL in the way it treats both the characters and the readers. As a lover of both cheese and pain, it was right up my alley.

Zodiac Academy was a fever dream to read, but I'm so glad I made the time to read it because these characters are some of my favorites now. [redacted] + [redacted] are my favorite couple and on par with my love for Nessian. If THAT doesn't tell you how much I love them, then I don't know what else will.

[laurrrrrrrrra]

I feel like I have a false sense of hope that something good may actually be happening in this book right now.

[meeghanreads]

WWW Wednesday — 31 January 2024

Hello bookworms!! Welcome to this week’s WWW Wednesday — 31 January 2024!! WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words, where you answer the three following questions: What did you recently finish? What are you currently reading? And, what do you think you’ll read next? Let’s see what I have been reading… (All images will link to Goodreads if you click on them.…

[demaparbat-hp]

No war au: first time meeting each other at a diplomatic event. zuko, crown prince of the fire nation kisses the hand of katara chief of the southern water tribe.

Beyond diplomacy.

[dcxdpdabbles]

the photo au just has me thinking that lady gotham is shipping dead tired and i love it

(it's a change of pace from her shipping dead on main so that's cool too)

"King Phantom," Danny jumps, not expecting the raspy voice to call from the dark alley he was passing. He turns his gaze to the shadows, squinting as a woman made entirely of smoke and tar takes form, towering over him like the skyscrapers of her city.

His head barely reaches the knees of her dark grey dress. Her outline flickers in the air as if she is nothing but the smoke of a flickering candle about to be blown away.

Despite her aristocracy beauty- her high cheekbones, her smooth skin, and lovely dark curls that fall along her shoulders- her presence inspires a terrible amount of dread.

Around him, people continue to walk by, unable to see her but sensing her all the same. Danny quickly moves off the street, entering the alley of darkness- at once, the city's noise is silenced while the two power ghosts are muted in a safe little bubble.

"Lady Gotham," He greets, bowing his head slightly. It's not quite a nod, for that would be too dismissive of a noble lady, but it's not a complete bow, for that would mean she is higher ranked than he.

"How are you enjoying my domain, your majesty?" Lady Gotham breathes her voice, sending chills down his spine.

"It's lovely. My sister and I are truly enjoying exploring it. I particularly enjoy photographing the scenary." He says, keeping the unease out of his voice. Her black-painted lips pull upwards into a smirk as if amused by his attempt at diplomacy.

If there is one thing Danny has learned, it is that while he is the King Of Ghosts, that doesn't mean he has absolute power- politically wise. Many entities have domains for centuries that have, through those years, earned nobility status among the ghosts.

He couldn't just scorn the noble ghosts. Even Pariah Dark- the most potent ghost of all time- was defeated the first time when the nobles- later renamed Ancients- banned together to take him down.

Lady Gotham was not among those Ancients, but Danny knew she could quickly call upon her allies and dethrone him just as easily. If Danny is a King, she would be the Queen of a neighboring kingdom just gearing up for war if he fumbles his manners.

"Is it truly the scenery that catches your fancy? Surely, there are far prettier things to look at in my domain?" Lady Gotham's voice is soft, like the humming of a gentle river.

Danny blinks, thrown by the question. "I can't say I understand, my Lady. What pretty things do you speak of?"

She flips open a fan, hiding half of her face as her black coal eyes stare at him with an appraising glint.

Above them, a hiss of a grappling hook springs out, and Red Robin flips over their heads in pursuit of a fleeing car. Danny's finger twitched with the huge to pull out his camera and finally get a meme-worthy shot of the teenager.

Alas, he can not do so, for he is speaking to a ghost noble who could use his careless behavior against him at the next afterlife high society meeting.

Lady Gotham's eyes crinkle in amusement. "I speak of what I find amusing but what others find shocking. What can be entertaining but others call fascinating. After all, trying to capture one's faults is where true beauty is found."

Danny fights to keep his face pleasant even if he has no idea what she means. She speaks in riddles, at least. That's what it sounds like to him.

He should introduce her to Clockework. They would have a good time talking in circles around each other.

"That's an interesting outlook, my lady." He settles on. She hums, then snaps her fingers. In front of Danny, a paper appears, floating in swirls of smoke.

"My King, I have existed long before humans found this plot of land and bestowed the name Gotham onto me. Yet I find myself lacking in any solid evidence of my precious people. I can interact with their world, but I can never truly step into it. Especially the Waynes. They have done so much for me through generations, and I can't even greet them properly." Lady Gotham's words may sound sad, but her tone only implies amusement. Danny is instantly weary. "I was wondering if I could ask that you- the bridge between both worlds- would do me a favor to remedy this."

The paper floats closer, and on it, Danny can see it is an invention for the Wayne Charity Gala. His name is printed on the guest list, asking that he join them for his donations to the art programs around the city.

Danny never made such donations because the Fenton's are far from wealthy enough to do so. Lady Gotham was behind this, as she could interact with the world but not the humans. Getting money for the programs under his name would be child's play.

He couldn't say no, per the norms of high society, and he knows she is well aware of this. Lady Gotham has cornered him.

"What is the favor, My Lady?" He asks, pocketing the invitation even though his insides are twisting.

"I only ask for a photo of each current Wyanes." She says, her voice now the sound of falling rain on the city. "Each photo should be the of them individually, for it will be what I display in my lair as their portraits."

Oh, she just wants pictures? Danny could do that!

"Of course." He says, smiling easily up at her. "I shall have that done for you."

"Excellent. I shall await the gala with anticipation."

Danny leaves the alley wondering if he will have a suit nice enough for the event. He'll have to contact Kitty- she was raising fashion designer before her untimely death on Johnny's bike- surely she will know what to dress him in.

He wanders around the city for a few hours, trying to get better shots of the buildings and accidentally getting one of Nightwing mid-sneeze. He giggles at the camera, unaware of Lady Gotham sitting in her haunt in the dark clouds above the city, standing over a three-dimensional model of Gotham City and covered in figures of real-life citizens currently residing in her town.

"Hmmm, Jason hasn't had an embarrassing photo today," She mutters, pushing the figure of Red Hood in front of King Phantom's glowing figurine's path. Her gaze falls on Red Robin- her little Tim- as it moves across the city following the live model's movement.

His figure is also glowing, not nearly as brightly as the King's, but the fact it shares the King's glow means the King has unknowingly claimed him.

She hopes that pushing them together in his civilian forms will allow the two to realize their hearts have been given to one another.

"How romantic." She sighs, floating onto her stomach and kicking her feet. "A King in love with a Knight. Society pushes them apart, but their love will conquer all."

"Sister, must you behave in such a childish manner?" A voice cuts in, and Lady Gotham's face twitches. She turns her head to watch her brother's shift between adult and child.

"Brother. What brings you here?" She asks, unbothered by his comment.

"Can I not visit my dearest little sister?" Clockwork asks, reaching over for a one-sided hug. She returns it with a smirk. "Especially when she messes with the life of the King."

"I do not know what you speak of." She huffs, turning her head back to the humans on her board. Around her, thousands and thousands of miniature models appear as she watches everything that is meant to be for the humans.

"Karma, you know better than to interfere with King Phantom's life, especially if it's something as silly as his love life-"

"Ah ah, brother dearest. You are in charge of time, and I control fate. " She grins. "I can guarantee that they are fated to be. I know it."

Clockwork rolls his eyes, shifting into an old man. "You let humans call you Lady Gotham. I highly doubt you know anything."

She hums, grinning as King Phantom's figure drops into a crouch, pointing a mini camera at Red Robin. Quickly, she leans forward to adjust the vigilante in an alluring position, knowing it will cause the King's heart to flutter when he develops the photos.

Clockwork clicks his tongue. "Honestly, don't you have anything better to do?"

"You should leave your tower more often, Brother. Maybe you could find a date and not nag your younger sister constantly." She taps her lips. "That young John Constinune was rather interested in you-"

"I am leaving!"

She laughs. "You can't run away from fate, brother!"

"Watch me!"

Oh, she plans to; after all, what is more amusing to fate than to see people try to defy her? Either they succeed, which is fascinating to watch them conquer all her trials, or they fail, which is entertaining enough to watch them fumble.

Master Post Link

[mzradyer]

blue x starboy

darcy vega and lance orion from zodiac academy by caroline peckham and susanne valenti

[boooochi]

battle of camlann (colourized)

[alicentflorent]

“Team Black or Team Green?” What about team smallfolk overthrowing the monarchy that are are carelessly flying around on weapons of mass destruction and committing war crimes because of their entitlement over a damn chair when neither side are giving two shits about the people they are supposed to govern

[torydarixs]

"people can go from people you know to people you don't" = torydarius

[lady-embers]

Sarah can turn around relationships/buildup for couples pretty fast, despite any amount of buildup for them.

Look at Chaol and Aelin.

Look at Feyre and Tamlin.

Look at Dorian and Aelin/Sorscha.

Look at Azriel and Mor.

Sarah can introduce a couple meant for endgame and tell their story in one book.

Look at Chaol and Yrene. Yrene was a very minor character at one point yet became a bigger character in just one book with Chaol and helped significantly in the end of the series.

Look at Nesyrn and Sartaq. This relationship was built upon in just one book as more background but they still stood out on their own.

The other side might say they have 3 books of buildup but do they really when you look at the scenes and context within?

Also look at these facts:

Sarah introduced Gwyn to us in ACOSF. A new character who she made equal to Azriel.

Sarah wrote potential for Gwyn and Azriel in ACOSF. If you want to deny it, that's fine, but it's there.

Sarah has the typical endgame banter, shared history, competitive behavior between Gwyn and Azriel.

Sarah spent ONE book and ONE bonus chapter dismantling any "potential" buildup of previous characters to make way for a new endgame couple. The true endgame of Gwyn and Azriel.

[biseugen]

I don't fgo post in a long time but OH MY GOD IT'S BEEN 84 YEARS