Challenge Corner discussion

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.

Ch. 10 (view spoiler)[ I'm really liking this so far! I love the world and how everything is explained. I love the friendship between Rho and Nishi. I hope we find out more about Rho's mom and why she left. I also hope she figures out how to be the Holy Mother without losing herself. I think Leyla gave her great advice. And I smell a ship happening between Rho and Mathias! (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 22 (view spoiler)[ I wish the other house guardians were more open to listening to Rho about the threat from ochus. I wish she could somehow record what happened on her ephemeris as proof. I'm also unsure of how I feel about this love triangle. I don't have a side. I really like Hyson and I think he and Rho could be good friends. I also like him because he's a libra like me! I wonder if Mathias will ever stop being an ass to Rho, cause if not he's gonna need to go. (hide spoiler)]
Ch. 34 (view spoiler)[ Of course it would take a damn disaster for Rho to be believed. I'm pissed that Charon faked the evidence against Rho. Also Rho needs to realize that the Marauds are likely apart of the same cause as Ochus. I can't believe Hyson and Rho had sex, but I also freaking ship them so much!!! I'm really glad that his status as guardian of Libra wasn't outed in that horrible meeting. Mathias can fuck off (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[ God everything that happened in that last council meeting thing was just ridiculous! They can't blame Rho for other people betraying them, that's not her fault. Also I kind of hope Mathias is dead. I'm so glad Stanton is alive! (hide spoiler)]

3.5 hours (view spoiler)[honestly Rho needs to fucking get over Matthias. He was shitty to her and she should be with someone who will treat her well and build her up. Also her whole I can’t get involved with the resistance facade was such utter BS like grow the duck up. You are a leader whether you like it or not. Just because you failed once doesn’t mean you give up. ERILS ideas about ochus are interesting and he might be on to something but at the same time I want ochus to not be the big bad. (hide spoiler)]

6 hours in. (view spoiler)[Okay finally people believe Rho and she’s starting to get over her failure complex. She was so annoying. Also I hate how hung she is on Matthias. HES FUCKING DEAD GET THE FUCK OVER IT. I love Hyson but idk if Rho deserves him anymore honestly. I wish more had happened on the ochus front besides him being right about Capricorn being attacked. (hide spoiler)]

8.5 hours. (view spoiler)[Well at least people believe Rho about the ochus threat now. But idk what they’re gonna do about it since they basically know shit. Plus the Maraud is everywhere. This whole Riser business is very interesting and I hope they can get rid of the stigma of it. It would be nice if people could choose their sign. Also Matthias just ugh 🙄🙄🙄 WHY COULDNT HE STAY DEAD THE PRICK (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I can't believe she is STILL torn between Matthias and Hyson. HYSON IS CLEARLY THE BEST! Plus Matthias has some hardcore PTSD, he needs to figure his own shit out right now. He doesn't need Rho's drama for one second. I'm worried for Hyson, because He loves Neith like a father and I don't think he'll be able to deactivate him even though he should. (hide spoiler)]

The audio was about 10 hrs and 50 mins so I tried my best to do 25%, 50% and 75%.

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RESTARTING APRIL 15TH 2020
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25% - (view spoiler)[I forgot how depressing this book starts off before things get underway. Maybe that's one of the reasons I've had trouble finishing this series. I really love the first book when I get into it, and when we fully meet Hysan, but the beginning of this novel and each of the following ones are hard to read at first. (hide spoiler)]

35% - (view spoiler)[Okay, now that Hysan is fully in the picture I feel a lot better. I think I identify with Rho because I've always been looking for people who support me, and when Hysan shows that he is willing to listen, my heart melts a little bit. Especially now, when I finally have a solid group of friends who trust me. I don't feel like I need to convince anyone to listen anymore. That's why I love Hysan. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[And then everything speeds up and I fall in love with Rho's character development all over again, and how everything connects back to the Maw on Stanton's birthday and I realize I'm reading this for RHO. It's not about Mathias, who I hate more and more with every read. It's not even about Hysan or Nishi, although I love them to death. It's pure teenage angst, and I love it. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Every time I read this I start off thinking it probably isn't going to be as good as I remember it. I don't know why; it's not like that for a lot of series, but for the Zodiac novels it just is. I'll admit the book takes a while to get into at times, but at about halfway, I'm suddenly as immersed in the world as I am with the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books. (hide spoiler)]

April 20 - 17% - The first few chapters of this book were a struggle for me because I kept trying to decipher what everything was. What is an ephemris, why would they need cute space suits, what is an astro-calculator thing? Why is any of this important?? Once I embraced my lack of understanding the story moved much better.

April 21 - 29% - Whoa things just zipped right along! (view spoiler)[ Did the moon just blow up?! Did she just agree to be Holy Mother guardian without a second thought??? Also, Mathius sounds precious. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

April 22 - 56% (view spoiler)[ I really like seeing these interpretations of the different Houses. The literal observances of the houses and the more subtle pieces. Gemini is so cleverly detailed but also kind of creepy. Virgo is a little harder for me to envision but I think that’s intentional. (view spoiler)[

April 23 - 83% (view spoiler)[ the one time I didn’t want a love triangle in a book! This feels so unnecessary and I’m annoyed with Rho. You picked your guy (Mathius) now stick with it and kick butt! Why must it always turn into a love triangle?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ Well that was an unexpected ending on several accounts! Cowardice and de-thronging? Dead brother alive on the planet? Does that mean I can have hope that Mathius is still alive? I sure hope so! (view spoiler)[

Not sure if I'll start the second book today or tomorrow but I'm ready to see what comes next! (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

24% (view spoiler)[ Here we go on another adventure! When I started this book, I thought it was going to be a lot of woe is me stuff from Rho but I'm glad to see she hasn't lost her fight. I can't tell if I want to believe that the Ochus character is trading sides or playing tricks.

I'm still holding on to my unrealistic hope that Mathius is alive. We'll see how that treats me. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

April 30 - 33% (view spoiler)[ cool, let's battle! I'm loving Sagittarius and all the different ins and outs. The different technologies are cool too. I'm curious to see how the story of the Trinary fits into this.

April 30- 64% (view spoiler)[ YES!! I was right and I will literally never doubt myself again. Like on anything. Because I was right about Mathias haha. Spoiler> (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[It's only now after reading a lot of books where the protagonist goes into depression but then it's not really touched upon, or where it could be more, that I realize this is one of the aspects I love about the Zodiac series. Rho is a very real character, and from the beginning of Wandering Star, Rho deals with this depression and guilt, and I just love that Russell addresses this as a very real thing. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[One of the great things about this series is, on every reread, I've forgotten the sequence of events and how everything unfolds. I really want to finish the series once and for all, for the first time. I'm very impressed by everything that happens. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[Deke's death always hits me hard. Especially how we get a double whammy with Twain, a likable character who we don't really know, and then Deke right after that, in the same scene. (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED (view spoiler)[Okay but seriously, Rho needs to figure out this love triangle thing. Do I have to spell it out? (view spoiler)[H - Y - S - A - N! (hide spoiler)]. But in all honestly I love Rho's character development in this novel. (hide spoiler)]

May 1 - 82% (view spoiler)[ Holy Helios is about to my new phrase, it's so fun! Ok so after the mind fuck of Deke's death and finding Mathias, now we are on a new planet and mending our folks. But wait, then there's another festival thing (wrestling??) and Rho is gonna lose her marbles, when boom Aryll! I knew he was slimy little lizard dude. I bet he didn't even actually lose his eye, there's like a built in camera or something. Don't hurt Hysan!! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

100% I loved how this book tied up! (view spoiler)[ the last quarter where they are trying to catch Aryll and figure things out on Scorpio felt a bit rushed but I am happy for it. I love that last encounter with Ochus. Yes, Risers! What up! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

23% Rho girl what are you doing now?

42% (view spoiler)[ this new political group is interesting. I also assume that being a Leo, Blaze has crazy wavy hair like a mane. I hope Nishi hasn't forgotten Deke already. I also hope that Rho lets Mathius go be with Pandora and fix things with Hysan. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

76% (view spoiler)[ Nishi is all sorts of caught up in this tomorrow party. something fishy is definitely going on, although I think stan is 100% paranoid. I really want my own Pegazi (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

100% (view spoiler)[ Definitely the best book in the series so far, in my opinion. It had such a great balance between describing the new planets, the relationships between characters, and the war itself. Nothing overshadowed another. Also, I'm a sucker for quotes and Crompton's speech at the ball was glorious! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Last book in the series and I just got it from my beautiful virtual library. God, I can't wait for libraries to open again....

Will start my reread of tomorrow. So excited!

16% (view spoiler)[I don't know why I always lose interest when I read this book. Maybe it just starts to follow the path exactly of the first two. I know I've finished this before but I honestly remember like three things. I still love the characters, although I think Rho is making some really bad choices with Mathias. (hide spoiler)]

30% (view spoiler)[Of the worlds we've visited so far, I really like Aquarius. I don't remember much about it from my previous reads but the way they accept the land as belonging to the pegazi first, that really speaks to me. Personally, I'm a Pisces but cusp Aquarius, although I know your House doesn't depend on your birth sign in this universe, but if it did, it would almost fit.

I do really hate that she keeps pushing towards Mathias. I am glad he's starting to realize he can be with someone from a house other than cancer, but I hate his conflicting feelings intermingling with hers. I feel like, at the beginning of the novel, all three main Cancrians lose some of their flair, and maybe that's primarily because of the double love triangle revolving around Mathias. (hide spoiler)]

60% (view spoiler)[Okay, now I'm about to take everything back because I forgot how deep this gets into the feelings and everything. I have to admit I've been feeling the same way about the Tomorrow Party as Stan, and that's not just because I've read this before.

One thing I really appreciate is how the characters are coming more into themselves by realizing that they can be someone else. Both Rho and Stan's spying, for instance, shows that they aren't holding only to the Cancrian standards of trust and love anymore. (hide spoiler)]

70% (view spoiler)[Damn, I forgot about all of the plot twists that are thrown in after the parties. I'm super impressed with Russell's writing and the way Rho handles all this new information. I love how this novel is much more centered on female friendship, this is something we don't see enough in fantasy or science fiction. I love Rho and Nishi and Pandora so much! (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[I absolutely love this and part of me feels like I need to start Thirteen Rising ASAP even though I have three other books planned for buddy reads and various challenges. (hide spoiler)]

Starting Wandering Star today; can I still use this thread? Or should I request a new one?

I think so if it's still open. And do you mean Thirteen Rising?

Celia wrote: "I think so if it's still open. And do you mean Thirteen Rising?"

bahah yupp! I have the BR link saved as Wandering Star *face palm*

I've been resisting starting and really getting into this for years, but now I'm willing to finally get started for real.

25% (view spoiler)[I thought that the tension between Rho and Hysan wouldn't be there this time with the love triangle out of the way, but the way things are going, it's the first time that it actually makes sense to me. I think Hysan needs to take more time for himself and stop expecting Rho and himself to be the hero all the time in order for this to really work. (hide spoiler)]

40% (view spoiler)[ Okay my girl, WYD? I mean, if I was in that position, I just don't know what I'd do. But honestly probably same. Kinda with her on Hysan and Mathias right now too, but also not. Meanwhile Pandora's really coming into her own as well. She's probably my second favorite, after Nishi or Hysan. Although like I said, Hysan might not be retaining that status. But neither is Rho, so... ?

But okay, if this was me a few years ago and one of the only people I was sure I could count was in danger and only I knew the extent of her pain, I might be making rash decisions like Rho. I see a lot of myself in her, too. Still, this makes the spoiler I read that (view spoiler)[Nishi dies (hide spoiler)] even more maddening. (hide spoiler)]

65% (view spoiler)[Don't know how I feel about what just went down. So she's a traitor... but then she's not? No convincing needed? And what about Hysan? Like, I REALLY want them together, but I'm so mad at both of them right now. Nishi is the true hero in this story. (hide spoiler)]

68% (view spoiler)[She did NOT just tell Hysan that! (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED (view spoiler)[What an emotional roller coaster! I don't know how I feel about this book but the series as a whole is a new favorite and rock for me. The tension is hard and the fact that ALL of Rho's family - Deke, Stanton, Nishi, and finally her mom - are taken away from her. I'm so glad I finally finished this. (hide spoiler)]

I’m on my library’s waitlist for the last book. I’m excited to see how it ends!

Kim wrote: "I’m on my library’s waitlist for the last book. I’m excited to see how it ends!"

So far Rho is driving me crazy, and a few months back I accidentally read a spoiler that makes me really pissed, knowing what's to come, but I'm really excited for this too.

Hot tip: if you don't get the edition with the epilogue, you can read it for free on Amazon by searching the book and then searching "epilogue." The story doesn't feel complete without it but it was added on a year after original publication, so my edition didn't have it. The Amazon edition is missing a page but it still makes the story more complete than without the epilogue.

Actually, I find it amazing that I wanted to read this for a long time, but first got hooked by reading the first few chapters on Epic Reads, struggled for years to find and then own all four hard copies, and then the end of the book drives me right back to the internet for the final piece. The irony!

Celia wrote: "Kim wrote: "I’m on my library’s waitlist for the last book. I’m excited to see how it ends!"

So far Rho is driving me crazy, and a few months back I accidentally read a spoiler that makes me reall..."

She's been driving me nuts for most of the series haha. So impulsive! Just got the lend, starting it tomorrow :)

Looking at the chapter listings and it does not show the epilogue so thank you for the tip!

Kim wrote: "Celia wrote: "Kim wrote: "I’m on my library’s waitlist for the last book. I’m excited to see how it ends!"

So far Rho is driving me crazy, and a few months back I accidentally read a spoiler that ..."

Yeah I put in my review "I really wish this had an epilogue" and then I happened to be on Amazon looking up a word for a different challenge and realized there was epilogue-sounding passages I hadn't read. Apparently, the book was published in 2017 and the epilogue was published 2018, probably because of reader demand. I asked for the book for Christmas the year it came out, so I ended up with the copy without the epilogue. But yeah most of it's on Amazon

(view spoiler)[ this Stan flashback is breaking my heart. why did i start this end of the series?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

This last novel was hard for me to get started with too. Over two years before I actually read it I think, Lol

I see what you mean by how she's on your nerves. I really just want to shake her haha

Honestly.

37% (view spoiler)[ oh snap, Rho getting Hysan arrested; Pandora keeping her secrets and now Ophiuchus! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

53% (view spoiler)[ what is Aquarius up to with his "i'll be your parent" speech?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Kim wrote: "53% [spoilers removed]"

That part was crazy!

91% (view spoiler)[ first nishi now rubi1/1 agh!! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

100% ok. wow. what an ending! it feels like an end with a beginning so I'm not sure if it was missing the epilogue. (view spoiler)[ however, i loved the battle scene and wasn't even really that made that Rho's mom died because at least it created a bond between her and Gamba. (view spoiler)[

Celia, did the one you find show as a final chapter or titled "epilogue" because i was on chapter 43. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

4% (view spoiler)[ hmmm this is giving me Harry Potter vibes (hide spoiler)]

19% (view spoiler)[ Its kinda weird that the explosion killed everyone at that concert but Rho and her friends miraculously survived (hide spoiler)]

31% (view spoiler)[ Why make Rho guardian when they don't even believe her (hide spoiler)]

70% (view spoiler)[ Someone must have been spying on Rho throughout this whole journey and planned this. I suspect Charon is behind the Sagittaran conflict and maybe Ophichurus is behind all of these (hide spoiler)]

85% (view spoiler)[ I think this mission is bound to fail (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Opiochurus must be the one behind Marad (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ ugh why why. Why is Rho always doubting herself??? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19 (view spoiler)[ this is getting so brutal and please spare me from the torture scenes (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[ I knew Mathias isnt dead. I knew it (hide spoiler)]

13% (view spoiler)[ damn this book actually predicted 2020 😂😂 and pisces are being quarantined (hide spoiler)]

48% (view spoiler)[ when does this book starts to get good? I am bored reading about them talking and preparing for the ball

I miss Hysan (hide spoiler)]

97%

(view spoiler)[wat the hell is going on??cant even trust anyone (hide spoiler)]