Zodiac Rising (Descendants of the Zodiac)($19.99Value)

Description

Magic meets dark academia at a New York boarding school that’s hidden from mortal eyes. When a student is killed over priceless treasure, the Descendants of the Zodiac assemble a crew to avenge their classmate's murder and heist back what's rightfully theirs. Perfect for fans of A Deadly Education and Legendborn . “A rollicking heist adventure.” —Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night At a secret Manhattan boarding school, the Descendants of the Chinese zodiac have hidden away since the source of their magic—the twelve zodiac statues—was vandalized and lost to time. Thus, a curse befell the Descendants, and they’ve lived as creatures of darkness . . . until now. When the lost statues suddenly resurface and a powerful classmate is found dead, all signs point to foul play from the fae. The Descendants finally have the chance to take back what's rightfully theirs and break the curse. But to pull off this deadly heist, they must assemble an elite crew: THE VAMPIRE: After a century of burning hunger, Evangeline is out for blood. THE SHAPE-SHIFTER: Nicholas yearns to restore justice to his people—and make peace with his past. THE MORTAL: Alice seeks the truth of her mysterious heritage, and this mission may be the key. THE WEREWOLF: Tristan will do anything to break free from the monstrous wolf inside. Only these four have the power to save the Descendants, but the wrath of the fae waits at every turn. One wrong move and the fate of their kind will come crashing down. . . . "Zhao weaves together supernatural politics, teen drama, and a fusion of Western and Chinese mythologies to deliver an intriguing series start with great potential ." — Publishers Weekly " Plucky humor and a packed storyline keep the pages turning in this urban fantasy .... will certainly leave readers begging for the next installment." —School Library Journal " Zhao's character building is nothing short of impressive , laying out alternating POVs with distinct backstories....this story is all about the characters and whether they, as individuals, choose to assimilate or reclaim their roots." — Booklist “ Zodiac Rising is the epitome of what fiction should be , especially for the young reader: a portal to a new world with struggles that mirror our own and a spark of hope for what our society could be.” — BUST Magazine Katie Zhao is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned a BA in English and political science in 2017 and a master of accounting degree in 2018. She is the author of the Dragon Warrior series, How We Fall Apart, Last Gamer Standing, and the Winnie Zeng series. She's a passionate advocate for diverse representation in literature and media. 1 Julius Julius Long was no stranger to being thrust into unexpected, potentially dangerous situations. In fact, he was something of an expert on navigating—­and evading—­danger. For decades now, Julius had guarded the legacy of the wealthy Long family, one of Manhattan’s most powerful players, which had primed his abilities to improvise and survive perilous plights by the skin of his teeth. It was shortly after sunset on a school night, and Julius had cut class to come out to the glittering Brooklyn Bridge to wait for someone who might not show up—­or, worse, someone who might show up to put an end to him once and for all. Julius had told no one about his plans for the night. Not his combat teacher, Elder Hou, who was doubtless already worried by Julius’s unexplained absence. Not his Talons, his eight-­member gang, who were at his beck and call and who controlled the streets of Chinatown. Not even his younger sister, Evangeline. Oh, he’d left a note behind for Evangeline—­he couldn’t shake off the thought that this dangerous decision might be his last. Strolling into what was almost certainly a trap was a rash and irresponsible gamble on his part—­a move that was most unlike him, the levelheaded Chancellor who headed the High Council at Earthly Branches Academy. Julius hadn’t slept or fed on blood in days. He didn’t really need the sleep, as vampires could operate fine without rest, but he found himself regretting not downing one last blood bag before heading out tonight. Well, it was too late for regrets now. No matter what, Julius would see through his duty to his people, the Descendants. “Gou, Ji, Yang, She, Long,” Julius said into the shadows, as he had been instructed. Dog, rooster, sheep, snake, dragon. For a long moment, only silence answered. Then the quiet was broken by the sound of chatter. A pair of people, a homeless man and woman by the looks of their disheveled clothing, walked by. They threw Julius a curious look. “What’re you looking at?” Julius grumbled, and the pair hurried off. Annoyance welled within Julius as he gazed upon the abandoned building in front of him. It was once the site of the Fulton Fish Market, but now the old building stood silent, left to