Welcome back, folks. Remember when I posted part one and I said I’d have part two up shortly? Well…pretend that didn’t happen. That said, if you need any context for how I’m choosing these titles, check out the post I made for the other six signs.
September 23- October 23: Libra, the Scales
“How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With The Universe” by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Libra is known for many things—a propensity for balance in each aspect of their life, a penchant for stylish things, a desire to keep the peace. For Libra’s duality, I liked the dichotomy this book sets up between how Star and Moon, two sisters, live their lives; specifically, Star’s superstardom vs. Moon’s wallflowerdom, and the friction from that. I also felt that the “oh no, he’s hot” aspect with Santiago was very “Libra”—while they are very perceptive and intelligent folks, that perception means it’s hard to miss when someone who initially annoys you has…positive qualities. (Or, like, objective hotness.) Coupled with Libra’s attempts toward balance and fair judgement, this story felt right up their alley.
Moon is on a tour bus, but she’s not the star. That honor goes to her twin sister—named….well, Star—whose photos Moon takes, whose merch Moon sells, and whose space Moon shares. Moon’s talents often go unnoticed in comparison to her mega-famous sister’s work and popularity, and she is often looked down upon because she’s had sex before—while her sister is a “purity crusader” on the internet. Due to this, Moon’s ego takes a hit, but when she meets Santiago, her new merch-table buddy, sparks of many kinds fly.
Libras, I hope you enjoy this relationship-driven story about stardom and lack thereof. The story is about a romance, yes, but it’s also about all the things around that romance, and more importantly, the people within it.
October 23-November 22: Scorpio, the Scorpion
“Where Sleeping Girls Lie” by Faridah
Scorpio…the spookiest of all the signs. Actually, I’m not sure why Scorp’s always stuck as the emo one, when the true emo is Pisces—it’s probably because Scorpio often represents hidden or below-the-surface things. They’re often described as pensive and thoughtful; they’re able to cut to the heart of an issue rather than dancing around it. They don’t fear the uncomfortableness of the truth as much as they understand the danger of going without truth.
That’s one of the reasons I chose this book, which takes great care in confronting serious topics such as sexual assault, suicide, and death. Sharing one’s experiences with these is often made taboo, but, as this book sets out to demonstrate, not speaking on them allows their impact to fester and grow power. These subjects are incredibly important for us as readers to seriously consider, so that we are able to learn from the stories, choices, mistakes, and experiences of the characters.
Sade, our main character, is a teen just trying to keep on keeping on despite a decade and a half (plus change) of horror and trauma in her life. After her father’s death of a sudden heart attack, she seeks a means of escape. Enter Alfred Nobel Academy, an elite boarding school populated by the wealthy and powerful–or, at least, their children. Sade is an observant character, always picking up things that might (or might not…) aid her in her quest. Her quest? Find her missing roommate—the roommate who all of Alfred Nobel thinks she made disappear.
This book is gripping. I love mysteries, but only when they make me wonder from the get-go—and this book delivers. I also found the characters to be compelling, especially Baz, Persephone, and Sade herself. Their storylines drew me in, of course, but more than that, I felt a deep connection to Sade’s narration as someone who deals with anxiety and flashbacks myself. I feel that this book is an ally to anyone dealing with something serious that they feel powerless to struggle against. This story is not messing around when it comes to the darkness of academia.
November 22-December 21: Sagittarius, the Archer
“Burn Down, Rise Up” by Vincent Tirado
I chose this book because, like Sagittarius, it is so memorable. The plot is juicy from every angle–on every page, whether Raquel is pining for her longstanding crush, investigating an urban legend, or learning the history of her hometown and neighborhood, her story is so engaging. I think I read this book in an hour and a half.
This book is set in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City, in the life of a girl named Raquel. Her mom works at a nearby hospital—unfortunately, after a strange meeting with a patient, Raquel’s mom falls ill. This only adds to the stress Raquel’s under, due to disappearances in the Bronx that are going uninvestigated due to the cops not caring to find the Black victims. Raquel’s crush, Charlize, has a cousin go missing at the same time Raquel’s mom gets sick, and the girls start investigating–uncovering an urban legend that traps its victims in a hell from the past.
Despite the supernatural elements of her story, Raquel is a normal teen, which is really refreshing in a YA novel. She’s nervous around her crush, she has her ups and downs with her friends, and she loves her parents despite the difficulty of their relationships. Even though this book is fast-paced, it never goes so quickly that the characters themselves are lost in the action.
I also learned quite a bit about the history of the Bronx through reading this novel, which is another reason it spoke Sagittarius to me. They’re always seeking adventure, whether through action, romance, or the breathless pursuit of knowledge. Guess what, Sagittarius–this book has all three!
December 21-January 20: Capricorn, the Sea goat
“Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo
I think of Capricorns as very straightforward and driven people; the kind of person you’re grateful to have in a group project…or leading your heist team.
As a cardinal sign, Capricorns are good leaders, often best by example. They can be cunning, with a keen eye for details, but many have found difficulty with the personable aspects of leading. In a Capricorn’s eyes, focusing on others’ perception of them is a waste of time when there’s work to get done! This brings me to my main point: Sorry, not sorry—Kaz Brekker has the strongest Capricorn Sun energy I’ve ever picked up on. (Scorpio moon and Leo rising, if you were wondering. I will not be taking notes on my astute observations.)
Like other earth signs (Taurus and Virgo), Capricorn finds comfort in knowing it’s financially secure. In this story about an impossible heist and its remarkably compelling team–think Ocean’s Eleven but, like, with magic–Kaz Brekker seeks comfort, control, and some form of solace in the process of securing his finances. He prioritizes this quite strongly, obviously.
January 20-February 18: Aquarius, the Water-Bearer
“Hell Followed With Us” by Andrew Joseph White
I am such a sucker for Aquarius folks–they are so unique and witty in a way only an air sign could be. (Yes, Aquarius is an air sign, despite being signified by the ‘water-bearer’!) Usually, people define Aquarians by not defining them and just calling them “the weird one”. Which…to a degree, is honestly pretty valid. They’ve usually got a perspective most people don’t think from, just like our author here.
Like many of Andrew Joseph White’s books (shout out to my little bro for getting me his adult debut for Christmas), this story does “weird trans stuff” in the best way. Benji, our main character, escapes from the ecofascist cult that created Armageddon–as in, the end of the world–that raised him. He finds himself on his own, dodging the cult’s attempts to find him, until he runs into a group of queer teenagers who spend their days defending each other. At first, they are a safe haven unlike any he’s ever found, but soon he wonders whether their magnetic leader has a few too many secrets behind his pretty face.
I picked this book for Aquarius because, aside from the super cool cover art, I felt that it might speak to people who often feel as though they are completely misunderstood by the world around them. Benji’s experience is, of course, colored by his life as a trans boy, and his story can connect with people who have completely different–yet sometimes eerily similar–life stories. In a time when transgender people are facing what the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is calling the beginning to middle stages of a genocide, I believe it’s more crucial than ever for trans people to see themselves represented in media, and cis people to witness the trans experience as not strange and incomprehensible but as yet another branch on the great tree of life.
February 18-March 20: Pisces, the two fish
“Mirage” by Somaiya Daud
“Mirage” by Somaiya Daud is one of my favorite books I’ve read in a while, YA or otherwise. The prose is beautiful, despite the horror of the world Daud constructs so vividly. Connections to Moroccan culture are communicated with love and care, so much that I felt a sense of nostalgia for something I’d never experienced.
Amani is a poet, first and foremost, but the Vathek empire’s occupation of her home makes it impossible for her to pursue her adventurous, literary dreams. Still, she and the rest of her community make do; they find joy where there is none, and they celebrate their ancient traditions despite sneering Vathek propaganda. On the night of Amani’s participation in her coming-of-age ceremony, Vathek soldiers violently interrupt the event, scanning each and every young female face in the room until they land upon Amani. Turns out, she’s a dead ringer for the half-Vathek, half-Andalan crown princess Maram…a despised ruler, emblematic of everything Amani hates. And they want to use Amani’s body as Maram’s double.
The Moroccan-inspired sci-fi cities are memorable and touching, rendering the fear Amani feels even more.
What makes this book Piscean? As the final member of the cyclical Western zodiac, Pisces represents the culmination of everything that’s come before it. This sign is wise and perceptive in ways others aren’t, having experienced the growth cycles of all other signs. Pisces has a choice with this wisdom: to uphold the patterns put in place by those preceding, or to use their unique understanding as a lens to dream through.
Amani’s capability to dream of better for her people, despite the terror and despair of the situation the Vathek empire has put them in, is deeply inspiring; her passion for the connection she feels to her culture, her ancestors, her traditions, despite the empire’s intention of wiping it out, is greatly moving. She chooses to express herself through the creative outlet of poetry, despite the danger, because it means so much to her as a connection to her people. Her actions speak to an understanding that art, love, and identity cannot be stamped out in the way a violent genocide would wish.
Piscean strength comes from their ability to see all sides of an issue. To understand that not everything is quite as it seems. To hold onto reality while daring to dream of a better one. This is what makes them such good poets, and what makes them so crucial to listen to as dreamers. They’re not afraid to say, “but what if we could?”
So here it is, my long-overdue and longer-winded take on YA novels and zodiac signs. Even if you’re just scrolling to see which one you’d get (I see you, and you are not alone), hopefully you got something out of it.
