The Big A.S.S. Party

Zodiac Academy #5.5

by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti, Bridget Bordeaux (Narrator)

Once upon a moon, the wild wind whispered in my ear that the true queens were returning to Solaria, and I made it my mission to open up their path to the throne so that they could slip right in like an oily oyster.

Now, on this most special and wonderous of days, the very day of their birth–I will prove myself to be the most loyal and dependable of their followers. Though of course, Venus is in my chart, and Lady Petunia has caught sight of the bothersome barracuda once more.

Max Rigel is my most sinful of temptations, the shark in the dark who wishes to lure me to his sea cave, and I don’t know if I’m Fae enough to resist him for long.

But one thing is for sure. I will make certain the Vegas get the big A.S.S. party they deserve for their birthday, or I’ll die trying. Succulent squids be damned!

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Novella, Paranormal

3 pages, Audible Audio

First published August 2, 2020

About the author

I'm a #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Zodiac Academy series. I write all things dark romance, from fantasy to contemporary, high school bully to mafia, there's bound to be a book for you!

Me and my sister Susanne Valenti now write books together and we've built the most amazing, fun, crazy reader group on Facebook which we would LOVE you to join. Be the first to get teasers of upcoming books, plus interact with us daily, asks us questions, make friends with other book junkies and find your reader home.

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For all business inquiries please contact us at>>

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Reviews

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fucking love Geraldine. She’s so under appreciated and it kills me.

“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝?"
"𝑾𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝑮𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅," 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧.
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆."

I am rooting for this ship.

And the gifts for the twins was adorable but Tory’s gift in particular was so freaking precious Oml 😭💕💗🦋

[caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

i honestly couldn't tell you what i just read.
i love geraldine, right, but this was... too much. if i never have to read geraldine smut again, it will be too soon. but clearly it's working out for her so slay!

BUT THE TORYDARIUS CRUMBS?! i was living for that. the bracelet and the quartz and awhhhh there goes my heart again 🥹
every cute moment between them feeds my heart and also shoves the knife in a little deeper.

[Poppyflowerjj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/ 5⭐
2/5 🌶️

I laughed my butt off reading this. It’s really just Geraldine’s POV and Max. Geraldine is who i'd wish to be my spirit animal. I love her as a character and wish i could be real life friends with her.

This kind of sums up Geraldine and Max -

"If you're barnacle enough then come and follow me and show me how well your haddock can do the ocean jive."

"I dunno what the fuck that means, but I'm in," he purred seductively, his voice like a trout in a sea storm.”

...

[ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this felt like being 3 margaritas deep with your funniest friends. I absolutely LOVEEE Max and Geraldine 🤭 she’s too funny for this world

[Phuong ✯ · Rating 3 out of 5]

– 3.5 stars

In this novella we get to see more of Max and Geraldine's relationship and I have nothing to criticise about, other than that when I read it (directly after finishing #5 Cursed Fates), I was feeling extremely down and couldn't fully appreciate Max and Geraldine's awesomeness. These two are basically the comic relief of this series, every time it gets too heavy Max and Geraldine are coming through for the laughters and I couldn't appreciate it, cause the time period that this takes place is one I don't want to talk about EVER. I miss a certain someone so much. 😭

I'm still happy that we finally saw & celebrated the birthday of the twins! It's about time and everyone who was there made the best out of it.

"So give me that time," I said. "Two years. Two years of you and me to fuck and fight and fall in love and be all the things we won't be able to be once oyu walk down that aisle. Give me that time to try and convince you that that life isn't what you really want. We don't ever have to talk politics, we don't even have to tell anyone if you don't want to. Just let it be me and you, at least for a little while."

At least my besties Darcy and Seth's friendship is thriving even if everything else is going to shit!

┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
SUPERNATURAL BEAST AND BULLIES

#0.5 Zodic Academy: Origin of an Academy Bully – 3.75 stars
#1 Zodiac Academy: The Awakening – 3.5 stars
#2 Zodiac Academy: Ruthless Fae – 3.75 stars
#3 Zodiac Academy: The Reckoning – 4.5 stars
#4 Zodiac Academy: Shadow Princess – 4.25 stars
#5 Zodiac Academy: Cursed Fates – 4 stars
#5.5 Zodiac Academy: The Big A.S.S. Party – 3.5 stars
#6 Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne – 4.25 stars
#7 Zodiac Academy: (...) – tbr
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Gerry as a side character in the main series, her contributions are priceless…but I felt mildly seasick reading the sexploits between herself and fishboy in her PoV 🙈

The birthday party was adorabubble and had everyone shining – especially the gift from D and I legit lol’d so hard at the Rock trap…lowkey makes what Gabriel does to him in the next book even funnier 🤣

Thanks to @Lien’s review I stumbled upon the bonus Chapter of Seth & the Moon (LINK) for a smidge more lolz before what will undoubtedly be absolute heartbreak in the next book 🤦

1 month to go…but first I’m going to take a side trip back in time & visit Aurora Academy + teenage Noxy 😈

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So damn cute and funny 😆 I love this series.

[ann ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

max and geraldine just get each other they are just such a cute couple 🥺

[Redhead Haze · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Oh, silly boy,” Geraldine said as she looked down at me with wild eyes. “You didn’t think you’d be in charge here, did you?”

This is a short story, happening during the fifth book, Zodiac Academy: Cursed Fates. The POVs are shared between Geraldine and Max and it starts with two chapters that show us what happened between them on the night where the Moon was in charge, fast forwarding to the birthday of the Vega twins and the surprise party that awaits them.

“Lead on, good man,” I encouraged.
Max drew closer to me, his warm breath dancing across my neck. “Oh no, Grus, I’m not a good man at all,” he breathed. “And if I get you back to my bed tonight, you’re going to find out just how bad I am.”
“I’m not sure if declaring yourself as bad in the bedroom is the best way to tempt my night garden into action,” I teased as he tugged on my hand insistently and I started walking.
“I’m not… I didn’t mean I was bad like bad. I meant bad like…like I dunno. Like the way people say bad when they mean good,” Max said with a frown. 
“Oh you mean how my dear Princess Tory calls me badass but doesn’t mean I’ve got a case of the squirty squirrels?” I asked. 

I loved the insight we got into the relationship between Geraldine and Max, the result being that I am officially shipping them harder than ever. And they are really an amazing combination: funny, warm and challenging, with a different sort of rawness and emotional effects. We also get a glimpse at the beginning of the friendship between Seth and Darcy, more angst from Darius and Tory and the chance to stay in this magical world a bit longer, while waiting for the next book to be out.

"This pest of a poodle was sneaking up on you to do some dastardly deed!"
"I was not," Seth balked. "I just came here to talk to Darcy. Alone if you don’t mind."
"I do mind! I mind as much as a tomato minds when it is denounced as a vegetable even though it is clearly a fruit!"
"No offence, but are you on something? Because I wanna try it."

Also, clearly Seth has a point. I love Geraldine with my entire heart, but I wasn't sure I understood half of the things she was saying. Could you imagine parts of her chapters used for a Cambridge exam? That would be hilarious and torturous at the same time.

"What the fuck just happened?" Darius asked as he looked down at the cake we'd all spent the morning baking with a frown. 
"We just got Grussed," I said with a grin. "You don't know what the fuck happened at first but once you get used to it and just go along for the ride, you'll find yourself having the time of your life."

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

1.) The Awakening ★★
2.) Ruthless Fae ★★
3.) The Reckoning ★★★
4.) Shadow Princess ★★★★
5.) Cursed Fates ★★★
6.) Fated Throne ★★★

i really can’t with this novella’s title, but let’s just pretend we don't see and move on. so this is around 100 pages and stars max and geraldine, who are two beloved side characters in the zodiac academy world. we get to see them finally realize that they really do like each other, even if their wishes for the throne might go against one another, and we also get to see them throw darcy and tory a birthday party. (which very weirdly enough, is also the day i read this story!)

geraldine just always makes me laugh, for better or worse, and seeing max obsessed with her is just a really sweet dynamic. also seeing the twin’s love her, is just very heartwarming. i really did have fun with this, but you by no means have to read this to understand anything new about the series. But it was so worth it to read about some charm bracelets, i won’t lie.

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♡ buddy read with my mom lol

[Literally Lesia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Цю новелу дійсно без проблем можна пропустити, адже глобально вона не є важливою для сюжету. Розумію, чому багато читачів після 5 частини беруть відразу 6, однак я отримала велетенське задоволення від читання. Вона мене розслабила і подарувала усмішку, яка не сходила з обличчя протягом всього процесу читання.

Так, ми опиняємося в голові трошки скаженої Джералдіни, тому під кінець я вже сама так почала говорити, як вона, але це додало «свіжості» всій історії. Також ми більше дізналися про її життя та наміри, а також почули прекрасне зізнання від Максі-боя.

Нар��зі я відпочиваю від циклу, відновлюю енергію, так би мовити, але оскільки все-одно постійно думками в Соларії - новела ідеальний варіант, щоб і з одного боку бути там, і з іншого не паритися і не думати про сюжет. В цілому, рекомендую.

[Марія Маргуліс · Rating 4 out of 5]

Це трішки посміятися між істериками від основних книг.

[Lucie V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We just got Grussed," I said with a grin. "You don't know what the fuck happened at first but once you get used to it and just go along for the ride, you'll find yourself having the time of your life."


"If you're barnacle enough then come and follow me and show me how well your haddock can do the ocean jive."
"I dunno what the fuck that means, but I'm in,"

I do adore Geraldine, but I am thankful this novella was not longer. While I find her way of speaking and her intensity hilarious, it is just weird to read smut with talks of sea cucumber and barracudas involved.

"I say we dig a big hole and bury her in it," Seth suggested before turning and licking the icing off of Caleb’s cheek which earned him a half-hearted punch to the ribs.
"She's got earth magic too, genius, she'd just escape," I pointed out.
"I never said bury her alive," he said, waggling his eyebrows like an idiot.

This novella did make me laugh though, and it was funny to see more of the Heirs and the twins in this sweet spot where they were not truly enemies anymore, but they were not at war and fighting for their lives either.


0.5 Origins of an Academy Bully ⭐⭐⭐
1. The Awakening ⭐⭐⭐
1.5 The Awakening as Told by the Boys ⭐⭐
2. Ruthless Fae ⭐⭐⭐.5
3. The Reckoning ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
4. Shadow Princess ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
5. Cursed Fates ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5.4 Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐


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[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't understand half the shit that comes out of geraldine's mouth but i still liked this cause i missed them so bad 😭😭

[Fahmida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geraldine's dictionary would probably heal me.

(Rooting for Maxy boy and Gerry!!!)

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A lady makes him earn a taste."

After crying over book 5 ending it was what I needed and the way I was giggling and laughing while reading this is enough to know that this one was just perfect.

Ahhh this was so cute and hilarious 🥹💘 after waiting for more of Geraldine and Max this was exactly what I really needed. And I still want more of them. They are just so cute together and sassy hilarious Geraldine is the best match for Max. The tension and banter betweem them is just 💅🏼🤌🏻


"You're gonna make me work my ass off for you, aren't you?" Max groaned as he finally gave up on trying to boost my lust.
"Are you saying you're not up to the challenge?" I suggested with a wily eyebrow.

Geraldine is such a badass 💅🏼🔥


"And if I get you back to my bed tonight, you're going to find out just how bad I am."
"I'm not sure if declaring yourself as bad in the bedroom is the best way to tempt my night garden into action,” I teased as he tugged on my hand insistently and I started walking.

Long live Geraldine Grus!


I also loved that Max is not trying to deny what he feel for Geraldine but actually wants her in his life and is also ready to prove her that. I just love Max more and more with each book 💘


"I couldn't get enough of this girl, I felt like she'd wormed her way under my skin like a splinter I never wanted to remove. I just wanted her to keep working her way deeper and deeper until she pierced my heart and stayed lodged there forever."


And since I'm a Torydarius addict so this novella was what I needed after that brutal ending of book 5. I ate up all the torydarius crumbs and they were just so 💘 He baked a cake for her birthday with the heirs' help and even bought a gift for her to let her know 'he only belongs to her' 😭💘 I'm falling in love with Darius every damn day of my life.


"No one fucks with my girl on her birthday."

He calls her MY GIRL 🫠🥹


"I don't think I'm suited to a gentlefae," she said with a shudder. "Tall, dark and devastating seems to be my kryptonite." I glanced at Darius as the edge of a smile touched his lips at her words.

He's a goner for Roxy Vega and I'm a goner for Darius 💞💘💗💖💓💕


"Darius was standing close enough to Tory for them to be sharing body heat without quite touching each other. Instead of watching any of the fireworks, his gaze was fixed on her."

They are my everything 🫶 EVERYTHING!

[lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

”She was worth the risk. So I was going to take it.”

stop why are max and geraldine so adorable 🥹

i lovedddddd the toryxdarius crumbs!!

did i cry when they talked about how sad darcy has been? 💔 yes

[jess.manora · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sehr es auch manchmal geziept hat. Das war fun!

[Grace Btrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

God Fkn Dammit! How did this book manage to make me laugh my ass off and cry at the same time?
Seriously? What's with this series? EVEN THE NOVELLA? Huff

On another note, how the twisted sisters managed to write this many chapters from Geraldine POV and stay true to her character and dialogue (internal and external) baffles me.
I don't understand half the shit I am reading, trust me I try. But it's so damn hilarious it hurts.
Geraldine deserves a medal and trophy for being 🥇 the most dedicated and truest of friends in the whole of Solaria 🥇.

And, as much as I am not really a Max fan, you know I am rooting for him.
I swear, Max and Geraldine are end-game, and I won't have it any other way.

Special mentions:
Darius is quickly climbing up book-boyfriend ladder with his gift-giving ideas and gestures.

[Nainika Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to process that the main guy who I’ve been hating has to chase after the badass girl who refuses him. I loved this too much

[jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

i love geraldine but if i have to hear lady petunia or read their smut again im done.

torydarius crumbs are everything n more 😩

darcy n seth have the cutest friendship (even tho i still don’t forgive him)

all this novella did was want to make me cry knowing what i know now 🥲 i’m not prepared for za 6

[buket · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swept past Max, brushing my hand down his strapping chest, my Lady Petunia calling to him in that moment and making the rains pour in a deluge down on her lawn. Well soak my vegetable patch, I am weakened by this foxy flounder. I will have to keep my whelks away from this libidinous lichen tonight!

I’M ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH GERALDINE

“So give me that time," I said. "Two years. Two years of you and me to fuck and fight and fall in love and be all the things we won't be able to be once you walk down that aisle. Give me that time to try and convince you that that life isn't what you really want. We don't ever have to talk politics, we don't even have to tell anyone if you don't want to. Just let it be me and you, at least for a little while.”

ONE SHIP. GIVE ME ONE SHIP THAT IS HAPPY I’M BEGGING YOU YOU EVIL SISTERS I JUST NEED TO SEE MY BABIES HAPPY

[Kendall (worst reading slump of my life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute little read between max and Geraldine. I love them together so much and I’m rooting for them so hard!

[mors · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tbh I only enjoyed the dialogues from Darius and Tory 🤷🏻‍♀️

[avi ౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I love this novella so damn much??? LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN MAX AND GERALDINE ARE THE CUTEST COUPLE!!!!!! The way she gives him cutie names is insane. Max is literally like Xander and Grayson from the Inheritance Games, and Gerandine is literally Maxine from the Inheritance games

☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏.𝟓: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 [𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫]✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐: 𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐞 ✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟑: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 ✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟓: 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟓.𝟓: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐀.𝐒.𝐒 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 ✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟔: 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 ✩✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟕: 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐤𝐲✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟖: 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟖.𝟓: 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥 ✩✩✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟖.𝟓: 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥 ✩✩✩
☑ 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟗: 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ✩✩✩✩✩

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short and fun!!

[n ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love geraldine and max

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice lil sweet treat after being kicked in the ribs repeatedly by book 5. The shit that comes out of Geraldine is truly insane but she continues to be an icon 💅

[Karla Martínez]

mAX, TE AMO

[elle ☾]

geraldine smut took 10 years off my brain health