Readers…gather round.
We have long awaited a fail-proof method of sniffing out something new to read. You’ve probably tried everything: recommendations from friends and family, the viral hype of a BookTok series (or three), and Goodreads recommendations. All these have been…well, not unhelpful…but here, today, in the form of this blog post, I offer you the most reliable method of choosing a new read: following the stars.
Okay, okay, I jest; even as a consumer and lover of astrology, I recognize that it’s a pseudoscience (defined by Oxford as a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method). However, astrology is a lot of fun to partake in, so long as you’re doing it safely (i.e. not quitting your job or moving across the world because a horoscope recommended it), and it can be a super fun way to get artistic, outfit, or other inspiration (we love you, Pinterest)! I’m channeling that chill, enjoying-it-lightly energy today with this list of these six books I associate with the first six sun signs of the Western zodiac. (Part II coming soon!) And of course, while these are designated to zodiac signs in this post, I recommend reading through all of them to see which one captures your imagination best.
Those who are passionate about astrology might also be alarmed that I’m basing this entirely off a sun sign when that’s only a fraction of someone’s birth chart. To that, I have nothing else to say but sorry—I’m no professional, and this is strictly for fun. Besides, sun signs are part of someone’s Big Three for a reason! Aside from representing a person’s ego and the way they interpret themselves in their world, sun signs also have a lot to do with the energy that ‘shines’ from a person.
Finally, let me define a couple of terms that will come up a lot in this post! Refer to them if you’re curious about what I mean when I’m referring to them.
The element of a sign refers to its association with one of the four classical elements—fire, earth, air, and water. The twelve signs rotate through the four elements in that order and repeat when they’re done—a fire sign’s season will always be after a water sign’s and before an earth sign’s, and so forth! The energy of an element is directly related to the descriptor of a sign’s personality—fire signs are often bold and brash in varying ways, earth signs are known to be grounded, air signs are cerebral and creative, and water signs flow alongside the tides of life.
An element’s modality is sort of the font style™ of the sign. A sign can be cardinal, which is a sign that begins a season (spring, summer, autumn, or winter) and is associated with leadership and the spark of new ideas. They can also be fixed. These signs are generally associated with the “full swing” of these new ideas and the ability to persevere. The final modality is the mutable modality, which is associated with flow, change, and the ending of seasons.
Finally, a ruling planet is a planet associated with a zodiac sign. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are the actual planets considered here, but the sun and moon also rule two signs (Leo and Cancer, respectively!). Planets preside over aspects of life—Mercury over communication and transportation, Venus over aesthetics and beauty, Mars over conflict and action…if you’re familiar with the mythological namesakes of each planet, it’s pretty straightforward! If you’re still a little lost, no worries—I’ll go into more detail on what they mean when I describe them in relation to each sign.
Onward ho, astrologers!
March 21 – April 19: Aries, the Ram
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Most of the books I chose for these signs were difficult to land on. This one, though? Split-second decision.
Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac, is associated with drive and passion, a willingness to do hard things, and a strong belief in oneself. Aries is the first fire element! As the ‘baby’ of the Zodiac, Aries is known to be a touch impulsive when overconfidence sets in—they like to jump into things, and are decidedly not the type to settle for second place. Also, as the cardinal sign that starts the season of spring, Aries can be associated with the birth of new ideas and beginnings; plus, Aries‘ ruling planet is Mars, named for the Roman god of war and agriculture (are you sensing a theme here?).
TL;DR, I headcanon Wu Zetian of Iron Widow as an Aries sun, and that’s why I picked this book.
Other awesome things about this incredible universe include a world based on Medieval China. While of course not one-to-one, Zhao implements many classic elements of Chinese mythology and culture—in fact, the whole story has been referred to as a loose reimagining of the story of Wu Zetian, the first and only recognized female emperor of China, and her rise to power. Zetian herself is a complex character whose actions align with her motives…which themselves may not always align with the readers’ morality. You’ll gasp. You’ll laugh. You’ll probably shed one or two tears. But at the end, you’ll probably find yourself rooting for Zetian…for me, it was because of her well-driven need to liberate the people around her from a society that treats women as second-class citizens. For you, it might be her formidable character and commanding presence.
April 20th – May 20th: Taurus, the Bull
What’s Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park
I went for low-hanging fruit on this one—many people associate us Taureans with a dear love of food. Not to speak for all of us, but…what can I say? I resonated with the synopsis on so many levels. You’ve got a main character who is driven and intelligent, but who knows her dreams don’t align with her family’s wants for her. (Not sure that last part is a Taurus thing, but I felt that!) Despite this, when she’s scouted for her favorite teen cooking show, she decides to take the plunge and pursue her aspirations.
Those of us with our Sun sign in Taurus are known as hard workers and immovable objects—Taurus is a fixed sign, meaning that it’s associated with stamina and tenacity. Where cardinal signs like Aries begin a season, fixed signs such as Taurus and Aquarius represent the highest point of those seasons—when coupled with Taurus‘ symbolism of dedication, hard work, and an appreciation for the arts, many Taureans wind up in the spotlight, just like Jackie! (We’re kind of the Leos of the Earth signs. )
I connected with Jackie’s story because it doesn’t shy away from the hard things. The gloss of getting to go on her favorite cooking show is not all it seems; the COVID pandemic affects her as one might expect, and she also faces anti-Asian racism from others. Her story is not perfectly rounded; it has to face her struggles before we can yell “Cut!”. For Taureans like me, who are much more comfortable in—well—comfort, this is a good reminder that very little can come without struggle or hardship and that we’ve gotta leap sometimes when we want to go above and beyond.
May 20th – June 20th: Gemini, the Twins
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Ah, Gemini! They get so much flack for being “two-faced” when in reality, they are simply complex individuals like the rest of us. Gemini, our first air sign and mutable sign, is thought of as flighty; they’re bumblebees flitting from flower to flower. They’re also heavily associated with intelligence and deep thought. You may be able to guess their ruling planet based on this description—Mercury, a planet associated with speed, communication, and sharp wit. Gemini is also a mutable air sign—an air sign’s association with intellect and communication merged with a mutable sign’s willingness to adapt results in a highly malleable personality, which is probably where they get that “two-faced” stereotype from.
The Geminis I’m lucky to know are perceptive, witty, and always have some sort of plan. The main character, Jani, might not fit that last category, but she’s definitely the type to peer around her surroundings and take them all in, as shown by vivid descriptions of the hotel’s luxury. She’s nosy, which is one of my favorite traits in a main character—how am I supposed to know what’s going on in your universe if you’re not going to investigate it?—and it gets her into a shocking amount of trouble.
Vivacious and inquisitive Geminis, I hope you enjoy this story. If it’s not quite your bag, check out one of our reference desks and see if we can help you find a book you’ll enjoy–there’s nothing we love more than readers’ advisory!
June 21st – July 22: Cancer, the Crab
This is My Brain In Love by I. W. Gregorio
This recommendation for the sensitive, emotionally tuned Crab comes from someone you may recognize from other teen programs and blog posts at DBRL—the organizer of our March Madness event and the creator of such feminine rage lists as this one—the all-around awesome Dana B.! Her recommendation came with the remark that this is one of the most emotional books she’s read.
Cancers, another of my personal favorite Zodiac signs, are associated with a deep connection to their emotions. This may have something to do with their ruling planet being our very own Moon (no, it’s not actually a planet, but for astrological purposes it’s considered one!), who itself is associated with the human subconscious and emotional experiences. In fact, we all have a moon sign that helps to describe how we interpret, process, and respond to our emotions! Cancer, a cardinal water sign, represents loyalty, cultivation of a supportive home life, and intuition—those whose Sun falls in this sign are often described as emotionally intelligent homebodies.
While our characters might not be homebodies, a great amount of their stories have to do with a sense of home and how to nurture it—whether that be the saving of a beloved family restaurant or the creation of a home through connection with others. They go through emotional turmoil on several levels. Readers will connect with the characters’ journeys as they struggle with mental illness, changing dynamics around long-standing fixtures like the restaurant, and the terrifying, wonderful feeling of falling in love. If you’re the teary type of Cancer, make sure to have some tissues handy!
July 23rd – August 22: Leo, the Lion
Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite
A Leo who trusts in and respects themself is an unstoppable force. As a fixed fire sign, Leo’s energy is summed up best by the idea of a bonfire in full swing: the smell of smoke wafting away (and hopefully not right into your face); the feel of warmth from the fire and friends’ laughter; the rich and textured taste of a perfectly toasted marshmallow. A fixed sign, Leo is capable of continuing on and following through with projects in an energetic and effective way. Ruled by the sun, Leos know they’re born to be leaders in some way. Many of them pursue the spotlight, and many others lead quietly with good examples.
That’s what I get from this book. Despite Kalothia’s initially sheltered life, she is quickly seen to be a determined and charismatic individual who is ready to take on a mountain of a task for the sake of herself and her family. Like my favorite Leos I know, she might not be the one to start a fight, but as soon as she’s thrown into one, she’s determined to finish it. As a random commenter on this Reddit thread put it, “Leos are known to go after what they want, but are [best associated with] defending what they have.”
Leos are similar to Taureans in that they both enjoy life’s luxuries—another reason I chose this book. Look, I’m a sucker for “x character starts out in a small town/area with a modest amount to their name and ends up at a palace dealing with court politics and wearing sparkly dresses” (Boy, I need to figure out a name for that trope.)! It’s a lot of fun to live vicariously through a character’s experience—so I hope that confident and bold Leos will find an engaging read in Kalothia’s story and this amazing worldbuilding.
August 23rd – September 22nd: Virgo, the Maiden
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Virgos are known as wise, thoughtful, and admittedly a little persnickety. For this reason, they’re often stereotyped as snobbish or stuck-up, but I feel that a more apt description is thorough. They don’t care to see a task half-done, and they’re willing to put whimsy to the side to be able to follow through with their goals. They’re stereotyped as smarty-pants, too, but I think it goes beyond simple knowledge; Virgos are often willing to pursue knowledge (or a point) beyond where others may stop. They enjoy the investigation as much as (if not more than!) the answer.
One of my favorite Earth signs, Virgo, is grounded in reality while still being able to accept new information as needed. Their pursuit of truth can lead them to places they never expected! They’re a mutable sign, meaning they’re often more inclined to go with the flow and bend rather than break. This reminds me of Bree in Legendborn because of her ability and willingness to adapt and her tenacity in learning new things—especially, of course, the practice of magic.
I also find Virgo to be a sign that intellectualizes—read: over-intellectualizes—their emotions. Reading through a character’s experiences with difficult emotions is one of the best ways I’ve come across to work through my own. Bree’s journey through grief, especially as it connects to the magical world she explores, is one of the most notable things about Legendborn’s storytelling.
I hope that analytical Virgos will enjoy the acclaimed writing and worldbuilding in this series. Their naturally inquisitive nature will lead them down this book’s various rabbit holes alongside the main characters. Perfectionist Virgos, I hear you and I see you—if you don’t vibe with this book, there are a thousand other dark academia books here at DBRL to tickle your fancy, so dive into our stacks whenever the want finds you.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed your journey through the stars. Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment—I’m already compiling the list of books for Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces!
