books, birth charts, & birthday cake | book recommendations based on my birth chart

Hello again, friends! I hope you’re doing well, and if not, I hope brighter days head your way soon! So, the day has come (yet again): it’s my birthday! This year I’m turning 29, which is…ummm…well…it’s an age? Listen, I still haven’t even really processed that I’m an actual adult, let alone that I’m now a year away from 30 (ohmygodohmygodohmygod)! Anyhoo, aging woes aside, I wanted to do something fun here on The Blog to celebrate, so I decided to recommend books to y’all based on my birth chart (since birth charts are, ya know, related to your birthday). I actually had the idea for this post almost five years ago (wow!) and in the years since I’ve never seen anyone else come up with the same idea, so I’m pretty excited to finally get this post down on (metaphorical) paper! So come along with me as we explore the planetary aspects of my birth chart and the books that I think go along with each one!

Before anything, the most important thing to say: Free Palestine!!! Since the Nakba, The Israeli government has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people. This HAS BEEN a decades long thing, but now in the age of social media, more and more Westerners are being made aware of the truth of this situation. This is genocide. Now is not the time to sit idle and ignorant. The people of Palestine are begging us to educate ourselves, spread information, take to the streets in protest, and call our government representatives, in addition to donating to medical and relief organizations if possible. The following are some resources where you can do just that, and I am begging you to please do so:

• Decolonize Palestine
• Anti-Racism Daily: Stop The Genocide in Gaza
• Save Palestine Carrd
• Arab.org: Click to help Palestine
• Medical Aid for Palestinians
• Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
• @sbeih.jpg (Subhi)
• Refuser Solidarity Network

FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE ✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼

sun in sagittarius

She is good, idealistic, enthusiastic, and warm-hearted. She is independent, having a taste for travel and freedom. She is curious and fair-minded.

Cafe Astrology

Sagittarius (such as Yours Truly, lol) are known to be the enthusiastic, humerous, and philosophical wanderers of the zodiac. A little known side of Sagittarius is that we are generous and loyal friends, as well. The book series these traits remind me most of is The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, largely because this description reminds me of Gansey, who I’ve always related to a lot. Gansey just embodies all of the aforementioned traits so well! He’s curious and academic, but still very much an adventurer, and is loyal and generous—just like a Sagittarius!

moon in libra

She is sociable and popular. Good judgment, she is intelligent and reasonable, liking social pleasures. Agreeable and fair. She values feedback.

Cafe Astrology

This was a tough one because I associate my Libra moon with my being an extrovert but still being pretty “sensitive,” and most main characters in books are typically more introverted. In the end, I decided to recommend This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede, because although the main character, Alessa, can be slightly anxious and very sensitive (I think as a result of her ADHD, which is so relatable for me as a fellow ADHD girly), she definitely reads as someone with more extroverted tendencies. Alessa is very sweet and sensitive and just wants to make friends, but she also feels very awkward in her own skin—traits which are part of her ADHD coding, if you ask me lol! I definitely relate to her a lot, both in an ADHD girly sense and in a Libra moon girly sense!

aries ascendant

People with Aries Ascendants are direct and quick. Their first instinct is to do, rather than think. Planning ahead? Forget it. Aries rising simply charges forward without much ado. This position does not make a person aggressive. Forthright, yes, but aggression is too strong a word for these natives. They have a youthful, direct manner that sees what it wants and generally goes for it.

Cafe Astrology

When I think of my Aries ascendant, I’m reminded of how up-front and direct I am in my communication and of how I’m also a very action-oriented person in my responses to life in general. These traits remind me a lot of Spensa from Skyward by Brandon Sanderson, so I’m gonna recommend that book. Spensa is very bold and brash and direct, and she lives in a society that values bravery above all else. Sounds lilke the perfect society for Aries ascendants to me!

mercury in scorpio

She is extremely observant and astute, always reading between the lines and looking for the real meaning behind things. Passionate in speech, excellent at strategy. Natural psychologist.

Cafe Astrology

I largely associate this placement in my chart with the fact that I’m deeply curious and relatively intuitive, and have a great affinity for quickly making connections between disperate ideas, making me very good at discussion and debate. Given this is the way my Mercury in Scorpio tends to manifest, I think a great recommendation for this placement is The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. In particular, this placement in my chart reminds me a lot of Parisa Kamali, the telepath of The Atlas Six. Parisa is not only discerning due to her telepathic ability, but she also leverages the knowledge she gleens using excellent strategy.

venus in scorpio

Sensual and passionate. Passions run hot and cold. Full of ardor and desire where the partner needs to be able to match her level. Can be jealous and possessive. If disappointed or deceived in love, she can become bitter. Usually very loyal.

Cafe Astrology

This was a tough one because I don’t read much romance and I feel like this placement calls for romance because it tells that I am a deeply romantic and intensely loving person. So instead, I’m choosing a fantasy with an angsty romance subplot because the intensity of the storyline in these kinds of books tend to make the romances even more intense. That said, I’m going with Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco, which I actually think fits a Scorpio vibe really well! After all, this book is dark, angsty, intense, and full of sexy romance!

mars in leo

This position of Mars gives a drive for significance. Mars in Leo individuals possess a strong need to create in some way–and they are determined that their lives have not only meaning, but significant meaning! This is a particularly vital position of Mars. Passions run high, and so does desire. There is a strong will that gives these natives much staying power.

Cafe Astrology

This placement feels very personal to me, because I’ve always felt that I need to live a meaningful life (whatever that means, lol), and my life has been a struggle to find that meaning, be it in big ways or small. So, for this placement I’m choosing one of my all-time favorite books: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The reason behind this choice that I think a large part of the story in the book is about Evelyn fighting to live a meaningful life on her own terms.

jupiter in scorpio

She attracts the most good fortune when she puts her “all” into a project or undertaking, and uses her magnetic powers to heal others. Enthusiastic for deeper studies and meanings, all that is taboo or mysterious, psychology. Values decisiveness, intensity, willpower, commitment, and strength. Very strong problem-solving nature, cutting to the chase. Science and research may be prosperous avenues.

Cafe Astrology

This placement reminds me that when I try my best and put genuine effort into doing things, I typically achieve my goals. It also reminds me that a lot of my luck lies in being “a people person,” who’s relatively intuitive and able to help others also achieve their aims, in part due to my pragmatic and direct approach to problem-solving. So, to reflect these traits I chose The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi! Specifically, I’m thinking of Hypnos, who I think has many of these same traits.

saturn in pisces

Misanthropic, with a sullen humor. She likes to live in solitude, in contemplation, preferring to work alone. May be suspicious of the intention of others, religions, faith. May suspect that others’ innocence or compassion is insincere.

Cafe Astrology

Honestly, this is the only part of my birth chart that I don’t relate to. Ah well, ya win some and ya lose some I guess hahaha! That said, I still need to recommend a book for this planetary placement, so I’m going with The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid. The book has a lot of themes of religious and ethnic persecution, and both of the main characters are more of the “loner” archetype in their own way, hence why the book reminds me of this placement. While The Wolf and the Woodsman wasn’t for me, a lot of other readers really enjoyed it, so if it looks like your thing then definitely check it out!

uranus in capricorn

Can have some problems accessing her intuition, since common sense often dominates. A great battler. She has so much power that one thinks nothing can defeat her. Her mission in society and in the world can mean everything to her. May question traditions and can be very open to redefining the meaning of success and to changing up traditional approaches to career and status.

Cafe Astrology

Uranus is actually the first of the “generational planetary placements,” meaning it, Neptune, and Pluto dictate the attitudes of certain generations, rather than the specific attitude of a person. The strong activism-focused nature of my generation (which is the very last of the tail end of Millenials) and our tenacity in that activism is often attributed to this placement in our charts. So, it seems only natural to pick a book by and about marginalized individuals that focuses at least a bit on systemic injustice, such as Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. Legendborn is not only a fabulous and fun YA contemporary fantasy, it also focuses a good deal on the topic of systemic racism, as the main character—Bree—is studying in an advanced pre-college academic program set at UNC Chapel Hill, where she falls in with a magical and old society with some sinister sectrets of its own. It’s a great read in all regards—both the fantasy aspects and the realistic aspects are carefully crafted—and it’s definitely a must read!

neptune in capricorn

She is discerning, wise, and sensible.

Cafe Astrology

The descriptionn of this placement was pretty short, so it could’ve gone a lot of ways but I ended up choosing Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko for it. To avoid getting into too many spoilers, I’ll just say that the main character of Raybearer ends up assuming a role where her wisdom, good sense, and discernment are highlighted attributes.

pluto in scorpio

Fear of betrayal. Sensual and passionate.

Cafe Astrology

Another short description of a generational placement, I’m actually choosing a “problematic favorite” of mine to recommend for my Pluto in Scorpio: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones. Although Wintersong has an…at best questionable message about sex and female worth, it’s definitely a guilty favorite of mine, in part due to Jae-Jones’ gorgeously evocative writing making her love story between a mortal girl and the Goblin King really stand out. It definitely falls on the older end of the YA scale, but if you enjoy beautiful writing and an atmospheric love story, it may be worth checking out.

So, that’s all I got for ya today, pals! I hope you enjoyed this post and found a recommendation or two. As for myself, I’m looking forward to what this new year of my life will bring. You know, socially imposed aging woes aside (after all, what is age if not a social construct? lmao!), I have a feeling this 29th year will be a good one! Most of my 20s were spent feeling like a teenager all over again, but I think I’m slowly starting to feel more sure of myself, little by little, day by day. After all, to quote a Christmas classic, 🎶Put one foot in front of the other, and soon soon you’ll be waliking cross the floor! Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking out the door!🎶 Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a good book and a delicious slice of lemon blueberry birthday cake with my name on them! Until next time, dear friends…

Learn more the author of this post:

Lila @ Hardcover Haven

Lila is a 30 year old anthropology student and lover of literature who's been book blogging for an eternity. Her hobbies include reading, singing, writing, arts and crafts, and snuggling her two cats, Snoopy and Clementine.