Zodiac Academy 8.5: Beyond The Veil

“She wasn't going to break. She was rallying herself for the fight of her life, and I was right there beside her, urging her on.” Beyond the Veil - this book is the book that I didn’t know I really needed until I got the opportunity to read it. This book is not only the bridging book from 8 to 9, but this book helps to mesh the bits and pieces that we witnessed in 8 but truly had no idea what was going on. This book? It answers a LOT. It’s for sure the glue that mends not only loose ends but broken bits of our souls after being completely shattered from the previous books. I’m gonna do my very best to talk about vibes alone as to not spoil it!! 🫡 This book has less POVs, focusing on a select few characters that I DESPERATELY wanted to learn about - and thankfully I got it!! We see the other side, literally the workings of things beyond the veil, and how these dearly departed gave it their all to protect their loved ones with hearts still beating. I honestly couldn’t put it down. 🤣 There were two POV chapters I struggled with, but listen - trust the process. By the end of that second one… I was like 👁️👄👁️ BRUH. We get some really epic lore and facts about things we knew about, but didn’t really KNOW about. It was really cool and an awesome little twist!! This is the first zodiac book in a LONG TIME that didn’t make me break down at the end - this one was honestly a bit lighter than the latest ones too!! I laughed a lot, I did cry, I got second hand embarrassment, and now I’m left feeling hopeful and ready for the final installment of Zodiac Academy. LETS GOOOOOO!!!!

Well written as expected but as this book is written to the place at the same time as book 8, it’s a bit drawn out. This one is from the perspective of those beyond the veil. There are some very funny chapters and there is additional knowledge and introduction to new characters. Some have stated to read this as a tandem read with book 8 but if you do that, there will be some major spoilers. I definitely don’t recommend reading it as a tandem for that purpose. Overall, a great book.

"Beyond the Veil" serves as a bridging novella in the Zodiac Academy series, taking readers to a realm beyond life, where characters grapple with their unfinished legacies and seek ways to influence the living world. While I am a devoted fan of the Zodiac Academy series and its richly developed characters, the novellas have always felt somewhat lacking compared to the main entries. The premise is intriguing—following characters who have passed on as they watch over and attempt to assist those still battling in the mortal realm. This offers a unique perspective and provides answers to lingering questions, ensuring that readers are well-prepped for the final book. Despite these critical connections, the execution of these novellas often feels like an unnecessary detour rather than a vital component of the story. Some of the vignettes within seem to add little to the overarching narrative, serving more as filler than as substantive, meaningful content. This can be frustrating for readers who are eager for progress in the main plot and character development. However, the writing duo of Peckham and Valenti continues to impress with their imaginative settings and the emotional depth they bring to their characters. Their ability to draw readers into the mystical and tumultuous world of Zodiac Academy is undeniable. "Beyond the Veil" does provide essential context and sets up key elements needed to fully appreciate the series finale, making it a necessary read for fans. Overall, while "Beyond the Veil" is not the strongest installment, and personally, it was just okay for me, it remains an important link to the climax of Zodiac Academy. It's recommended for completists and those committed to seeing every angle of the story, even if some parts do not contribute significantly to the central narrative.

It was a slow start, I did enjoy the book towards the end, I love meeting the new characters from the past like Hail, Merrissa and Azriel

I did love most of this book but I honestly was so confused about the REN/Felisha story that I don’t even know how it related still to be honest.

Holy crap?! Will the twins ever catch a break? At first it was a little slow reading rhis one. Widh a lot of it like a replay of the previous book. But the end. Holy crap.

I really wish I would’ve skipped this one. It was mostly just a repeat of book 8. Part of It was okay to see how the spirits interacted in it all. I just think that it would’ve been better to just have added that into book 8 instead.

Beyond the Veil is a story I didn’t realize I wanted or needed. But oh my stars, it is probably one of my favorites of the series and it is one you cannot miss while reading this series! The story takes places alongside book 8, Sorrow and Starlight. But this time, we are getting the points of views from those who are, yep, beyond the Veil. Those we have lost throughout the series and some before the series started and we have yet to meet have returned to show that though they may be gone, they are doing what they can to fight alongside their loved ones from beyond. Among those many faces are Darius, Hail, Merissa, Azriel, Catalina, and so many more. Both new and old faces. And this story was just everything. You’ll laugh and cry and cheer with them as they fight so hard to be with their loved ones and help them in just the smallest possible way. And so many are parents who wish more than anything to be there for their children. Like I said, this takes place side by side book 8. We’ll see so many favorite moments as they witness it themselves and how they wish they could help and honestly do in many cases no matter how slight. So many extra truths revealed as well. Along with stories of origins that I didn’t expect but loved. It was such a special treat to get their point of views after wishing to know them so much better like Hail and Merissa. It is also a delight to see them interact with their friends and even frenemies. What I would give to see them all reunited in the land of the living for a moment just to get some extra fun scenes! There are also so many fun moments in between the serious and I couldn’t put this story down. With so much more things learned, the final book is going to be one epic finale and I cannot wait for it!

I was lucky enough to win an arc from the authors, thank you! ❤️ This book is definitely filled with the Zodiac Academy magic of the previous books in the series, I devoured the book like the rest and couldn't put it down and started reading it as soon as I got it even though I was preparing to go to work 😅. Reading about the interactions between certain characters beyond the veil definitely gave me some OMG 😱 moments that were filled with laughter and pull on your heartstring moments. It also ties really nicely with book 8 and gives you another perspective that you may not necessarily have been expecting. I really liked reading more about the parents as we only got a small glimpse in the previous books and it makes for some entertaining moments when you get insight into their thoughts on things relating to their children. Excited to see how it all ends and how certain events in this book will affect the final book 🥳 and damn the stars suck! 😒

Loved every single part of this book

Ich liebe die gesamte Reihe. Mittlerweile habe ich die gesamte Reihe mit allen Büchern plus Novellen gut 10 mal gelesen. Sowohl auf englisch als auch auf deutsch, die englische Version gefällt mir allerdings besser. Auf deutsch klingen die Charaktere sanfter irgendwie anders. Ansonsten kann ich nur sagen, dass die Schwestern es schaffen die Handlung zum Teil überraschend und unvorhergesehen zu gestalten. Wenn man dazu neigt, sich stark in die Charaktere hinein zu versetzen sollte man leidensfähig sein... Sie gehen nicht zimperlich mit ihren Charakteren um. Aber ich liebe es!

I loved absolutely everything about this book! It made me feel every emotion just like every other ZA story and I didn’t want it to end. Such a great idea to do a beyond the veil, it was really cool to get to know some of the characters that we would have never gotten otherwise. Can we get a BTV look at every book now? A surprise from the book is how much I love Azriel Orion, I mean I shouldn’t have been surprised as his son owns my heart but he was A+ and his comments on Lance’s relationships were amazing. I could gush all day about this book but instead I’ll just say read it and enjoy!

Dentro do prazo, bem embalado