Okay this book was so much fun! Was it perfect? No. But it featured a strong female protagonist, unique magic system, and strong world building. It was fast paced and instantly hooked me from page one. Many times I feel like books set in an academic setting like this end up feeling more juvenile than they are intended but Kova did a great job balancing adult themes against the background of an academy without it feeling like I was reading about a bunch of teenagers masquerading as adults. This story also featured strong and well rounded characters as well as a compelling mystery. The twist and turns throughout the story kept me guessing the whole time. Plus I may or may both have screamed at ending. Sorry neighbors.

I'm excited to see where the rest of this series goes!

Secret Identity
Tarot
Heist
Dark Academia

Reminds me of her A Trial of Sorcerers series but darker and obviously more adult. I really enjoyed this book a lot. I knew at 4% this would be a highly rated book for me. A lot of times with books I can see where a story is going but I genuinely could not with this one. The magic is so unique and I loved reading about the wielding of the Tarot cards. I savored this book and I did not want it to end. This is Elise’s best book to date. Hands down her best. The tension between Clara and the MMC was top notch. Priss was obviously the star of the book (iykyk). You are not ready for the journey this will take you on. I literally screamed out loud when I read the last line!! I need the sequel now!!!!

*Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review* I have a love/hate relationship with this book. It’s a big book, even in ebook format, and it took me almost a month to get through this book. It took me until about 3/4 to figure out why. I loved the magic system, it was well thought out, unique, interesting, and I wanted to read more about it. I absolutely love the MMC, Kaelis. Morally grey, misunderstood, but also mysterious. I wanted to read more just to learn more about him. I loved all the secondary characters, even those that would traditionally be labeled the ‘bad guys’ were intriguing. Now the MFC, Clara, I was kind of indifferent to her. The mystery to her background was interesting, the parallels between her and Kaelis were interesting, and they’re both morally grey characters but without giving the story away, Clara is very self centered, I give a little leeway with this what she's gone through, but up against Kaelis's past parallels, her reasoning was weak for me which made her hard or me to like. As she is the primary narrator I could only get through a few chapters at a time as she was a very ‘me me me’ character and just not very likable for me. The plot is intriguing and kept my interest but having Clara as the narrator made it a slog, as well as the slow world building with lengthy descriptions. Then at the 3/4 mark the book picked up really quick, there was passion, action, sudden twists and turns and then .... CLIFFHANGER!!!! Ugh. Now I need the next book.

I did not know I could love Elise's books more! I was so pleasantly surprised by the tarot based magic system and it having this degree of depth to build a great story on. This had my favorite tension between romantic leads where we believe Clara when she thinks she's not in love even though we know better. I loved the penultimate scene where Clara thought she'd be slammed for her treachery but that wasn't what seems to be truly happening at all. I would love for book 2 to have Clara being fought for just as much as book 1 and building on this irony where she doesn't understand the depth of the loyalty she has in her corner

A dazzling fantasy romance with nail-biting twists!

“Arcana Academy” follows Clara Graysword, a wielder of a magical tarot cards, after she lands herself in a false engagement with Prince Kaelis, the headmaster of a mysterious academy.

Kova’s tarot-based magic system and academic setting immediately sucked me in to her unique storyline! I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of Clara. She is a fierce and driven fmc that is very protective of her friends and family. I was rooting for her from page one as she went from one high stakes environment to another, navigating a world of high society politics and arcane magic. This world is brought to life by Kova’s highly immersive writing and attention to detail.

That being said, this book’s biggest pitfall is the overwhelming amount of information thrust upon readers as the world expands. Each tarot card has different spells associated with it. As interesting as I found this, the first person narration brushed over their distinctive qualities because of the character’s pre-established familiarity with magic, which resulted in a heavy dependence on the glossary. Staying on top of the spells was made more difficult by the introduction of the academy’s vast history, its rules, and the characteristics of the different houses initiates could pledge. What’s more, there were a lot of side quests, illusions, and heists that Clara took on. Numerous side characters were introduced in relation to each subplot, but none were fully fleshed out or memorable. Trying to keep track of everything bogged me down and simply became too much. My hope is that the pace of book 2 will pick up now that I am more acquainted with the world.

Clara and Kaelis’ uncertain alliance is what ultimately kept me turning pages. They are true enemies and I loved watching their fake engagement spark very real feelings. The tension and mutual pining born from their restraint is positively heart-stopping. With trust being one-sided, their relationship is quickly put in jeopardy. I am eager to find out if they can repair it in the next installment!

ARC Review
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Release Date: July 22, 2025

From the very first page, Arcana Academy casts a spell you won’t want to break. Elise Kova delivers a masterfully layered tale of forbidden magic, reluctant alliances, and smoldering slow-burn romance set in a rich, tarot-fueled world that’s equal parts dark academia and high-stakes fantasy.

We follow Clara Graysword—a fierce, sharp-tongued Arcanist imprisoned for wielding outlawed tarot magic. Her freedom comes at a steep cost: a forged engagement to the brooding, enigmatic Prince Kaelis, who also happens to be the headmaster of Arcana Academy. Their partnership? A calculated ruse. Their chemistry? Anything but.

The tarot-based magic system is absolutely brilliant. Each card holds power, each spell has consequence, and the way Kova unveils the intricacies—gradually and with purpose—makes the world feel vast, original, and utterly immersive. I was fascinated by the strategy involved, and the academy’s mysterious, shadow-drenched halls kept me flipping pages long into the night. The guide at the end breaking down the cards was such a clever touch—wish I’d seen it before I started my own scribbled notes!

Clara is a heroine you can’t help but root for—stubborn, driven, clever, and just reckless enough to keep things interesting. Watching her navigate deadly trials, brewing conspiracies, and tangled emotions was completely gripping. And Kaelis… let’s just say he’s the kind of morally gray, tortured royal who infuriates you, intrigues you, and eventually earns your whole heart. Their enemies-to-lovers arc sizzles with tension, and the payoff is perfection.

Kova expertly balances high political intrigue, magical duels, and found family dynamics with deeply emotional character work. Every subplot, from the Academy’s deadly trials to the whispered betrayals in royal courts, had me fully invested. The pacing starts slow as the world unfolds, but once it picks up—there’s no stopping. And that ending? I’m still recovering. The last sentence gutted me. I need book two immediately.

Some content warnings to note: death, violence, blood, grief, and light sexual content.

Final Thoughts:
Arcana Academy is an enthralling start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. If you love dark academia, tarot-based magic, angsty slow-burn romance, found family, and high-stakes drama, add this book to your TBR now. Kova’s world is spellbinding, her characters unforgettable, and her cliffhangers? Brutal—in the best way.

A big thank you to Netgally, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and Elise Kova for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 34%
If you had asked me after chapter 1 if I would love this book I think I would have said yes. I thought the tarot magic was interesting and was intrigued by it but never fully felt like I understood how it all worked as the story began to progress. It also felt like a lot of info dumping about the world and the magic that got quickly lost in my brain. I also didn't feel a strong connection to the main characters and kept forgetting who the side characters were. I think this story had potential but it just didn't hit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an e-ARC copy of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova! 🪄🃏✨

This was my first Elise Kova novel and it did not disappoint. What draws me into a story is always the uniqueness of it, and this is definitely one of a kind. A world and magic system based on Tarot cards? Say no more. The premise of this was absolutely fantastic and executed masterfully.

We follow our main character Clara, who has been imprisoned for partaking in the illegal activity of inking tarot cards - something only those who have graduated from the Arcana Academy are allowed to do. In order to survive she has to strike an unlikely alliance with a certain Prince. Clara embarks on a journey of seeking vengeance, honing her skills as an Arcanist in the infamous Arcana Academy and playing the role of a bride-to-be. As the story unfolds we're met with plenty of twists and interesting side characters. I can tell how much I enjoyed a particular book based on how long it takes me to read it. I finished this in 3 days not because I'm a fast reader, but because it was so intriguing and the pacing was fantastic! I didn't feel bored or overloaded with information and the complexity of the magic system is revealed in a way that doesn't feel like an info dump.

The balance between the story and the romance was also one of my personal highlights. One didn't overpower the other and the tension between our two main characters was drawn out really well. I'm not a fan of insta love and this definitely wasn't! A honourable mention also goes to the found family and friendships, it really tugged at my heartstrings at certain points in the story.

The ending left me spiralling with so many unanswered questions but I'm so excited to continue this series and see what's in store for book 2!

🪄 Tarot based magic system
🃏 Dark academia
🪄 Reluctant allies
🃏 Enemies to lovers
🪄 Found family
🃏 Trials

Wow, I really ended up loving this one by the end! The dark academia vibes and unique magic system were on point and I thought the idea of inking and wielding tarot cards with power was spectacular (very reminiscent of The Shepherd King duo if you loved those). It’s no surprise that I absolutely ate up the slow burn, enemies-to-allies-to-lovers romance and enjoyed seeing the character development throughout (especially with our MMC Kaelis). I needed his POV as their relationship was progressing and thought his story was particularly interesting!

I will say I thought the pacing was a little off when I started reading - everything happened so quickly at the beginning of the book, then stuttered to a stop and slowly picked back up. Additionally, I enjoyed the found family aspect the FMC Clara had with the Starcrossed Club, I just wish we had more establishment of their friendships, because I didn’t find myself getting invested in that group at all. This could have been achieved with a few well-placed flashbacks, maybe? It also took a bit for me to understand the different suits and powers the tarot had, so there was a lot of going back and rereading on my part. Despite that, the last half of the book kept me on my toes and I had a hard time trying to predict what would happen next. I’m looking forward to book two and seeing how things play out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spellbinding, Sharp, and Completely Addictive

This book grabbed me from the very first page and did not let go. Clara Graysword is the kind of fierce, morally gray heroine I live for—clever, scrappy, and armed with forbidden magic in a world that wants to see her fail. The gritty underworld of Eclipse City colliding with the dangerously glamorous halls of Arcana Academy makes for the perfect high-stakes fantasy setting.

The dynamic between Clara and Prince Kaelis is electric. From reluctant allies to fake engagement to something much deeper, their chemistry crackles with tension and slow-burn intensity. Every secret revealed and every stolen moment had me turning pages at lightning speed.

The worldbuilding is lush and original, especially the magic system built around inking tarot cards—it felt fresh, eerie, and powerful. And the political intrigue? SO good. Every chapter layered new twists, betrayal, and impossible choices that kept me guessing to the very end.

If you’re into Fourth Wing-level drama, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a heroine who just might burn the world down to save herself, this is the fantasy you’ve been waiting for.

Perfect for lovers of dark academia, unique magic systems, and slow burn romance.

Elise brings her skills with slow burn romance, character development, and twists and turns that will keep you turning the page to her adult fantasy debut! This story follows Clara, a skilled Tarot magic wielder who was locked up for illegally drawing and distributing tarot magic, which is closely regulated by the crown and all who wield must graduate from the Arcana Academy, or else risk life working at the dust mills that generate tge pigment for tarot drawing. She's locked up for a year when an unexpected opportunity allows for her to escape, and for an unfortunate arrangement with the second Prince of Oricalis, and coincidentally the Dean of Arana Academy.

Over the course of the year, Clara and Kaelis must navigate politics, classes, and their own feelings as they world to make the world what they believe it could be, all while trying to figure out if they should actually trust each other and who the real enemy is.

This book was so unique and well written! I absolutely loved the unique application of tarot and even though I didnt know much about tarot going into reading this and felt it was very well explained plus a glossary was provided. I also always love how Elise is able to develop complex and grey characters on both the "good" and the "bad" side, it really makes for a deeper connection to the characters and makes the story seem more real!

Clara and Kaelis's relationship is definitely a slow burn, as Clara finds him and his family responsible for a lot of the pain shes experienced in her life (justifiably so). As the book progresses she can tell that all it's not what it seems and she develops feelings for him but grapples with her inherent inability to trust people. They do also have some spicy scenes, but I appreciated that Elise allows for the relationship to develop before jumping into spice, it makes it more real in my opinion.

I really would have loved to have some chapters from Kaelis's POV, I feel like Clara has a very specific view of the world and she is not an inherently trustworthy narrator and would love to have a little more insights into the inner workings of tge court and the academy from his POV as well.

While I do love their romance and their relationship and do think it can get to a good place, I think that it needed a few more dedicated scenes for them to get a little deeper and for their relationship to be more believable. I found it a tiny bit difficult to believe that she loved him at the end when there were weeks at a time they didnt see each other. Just I definitely believe and liking i believe but love I dont just yet. However, I know how Elise works and shes very good at developing those bonds further in the 2nd and 3rd books to where they are believable matches and fantastic love stories and I cant wait to see where she takes this!

I can't wait for book 2 and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!

I enjoyed Elise Kova's Air Awakens series, so I was excited to dive into this one! While the world and first parts of the book drew me in, I didn't end up staying too attached overall and found I didn't care about...well, anything. I can see the appeal to a lot of romantasy readers and highly recommend--but I think it's about time I admit to myself that I'm not the correct reader for romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions in this review are my own.

3.75 stars. This one is a difficult one to rate as I enjoyed parts of the book but felt let down by other parts of it. It did also take me two weeks to read (when normally I could consume this in like 4 days max) and I had to restart twice though that is kind of on me for starting this in the middle of a busy life period. I am interested in reading the sequel and do believe this is a "trust the process" kind of book. I do love Elise Kova's work and I know this will get there, I just felt like this was a kind of a rough polish to a new series.

Let me start with what I loved the most, the magic tarot card system and the academy setting. Both of those were extremely strong and detailed. I enjoyed every instance that there was a duel/action sequence or when she learned a new skill. The academy was alive, vibrant, and held secrets which was a major boon to the atmosphere of the novel. 100% the biggest strength of the book. Honestly if it had stayed in the academy the entire time (with maybe branching to another area once or twice but no more) then I think it would've served better to the overall plot and pacing but I'll get to that later in the review.

I am going to talk about characters really quick the first being the MCs. I did like them a lot in the beginning but overtime, maybe around the 30-40% mark, they kind of lost all bite to me both personality and romance wise. Their romance was somewhat believable but I feel like it needed more moments of development for me to trust that thats they feel how they feel. Now about the side characters, there were too damn many. I honestly lost track of who was who and what clan and this and that. It just became noisy. I am honestly still not sure who was really relevant to the MCs/plot and who wasn't. This was a kind of middle of the road problem for me.

Now for my biggest thing I struggled with: the plot, pacing, and the multitude of unanswered questions. Point blank this had way too many plot points vying for page time with a lot of it going seemingly nowhere (for now) with pacing all over the place. I know this is again a trust the process but I still felt like major revelations would happen and it would just be dropped, moved onto the next sub plot point, but then never brought up again. I think I struggled to see why it was needed or relevant and I get sometimes that is part of the mystery but there needs to be answers to at least a few things to feel satisfied whilst still eager for the next set of pieces of the puzzle to be unveiled. It was a lot of leading one by a rope when dropping gumdrops every few feet as bait would've been more effective while still giving me a sense of gratification. The first will have me hesitant to get into the van but the second won't even have me caring that the van is now going off the bridge. Just give me more gumdrops.

All in all, I enjoyed it but not as much as I wanted. Could've used more fleshing out on the characters and plot to round out the strength of the magic system and academy setting.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley the ARC. Arcana Academy is an enemies to reluctant allies romantasy with a tarot-based magic system. The tarot-based magic system was fun to read and so was the tension and banter between the two romantic leads. I did have trouble sympathizing with the motivations of the main male lead. I also wish the author had spent more time setting up the dynamics between Clara and her family and the Starcrossed Club besides just flashbacks.

Am I the problem??

This book follows a trend for a lot of books that have released recently that I don't personally enjoy. The book starts off with a bang, then comes 60% of the book that is just a slog, and then there is an exciting final 20% that ends on a cliffhanger to get people to buy another book.

I was so excited about this book and I have loved so many other books by Elise Kova, but this book has me thinking that maybe I just don't enjoy dark academia books. The repetitiveness in the descriptions and explanations were giving me deja vu. So much of this book felt like filler. I really loved the premise of this book, but the strange pacing had me struggling to keep going. Luckily I had both an e-book advanced reader copy and an advanced listening copy so I was able to tandem read to get me through the middle portion of the book with the slow pacing.

I enjoyed Clara and I had a good time watching the romance in this book unfold. Kaelis was somewhat of a sterotypical MMC in an enemies to lovers book, but I still enjoyed him. This is a fake engagement, enemies to lovers, He owns the school and is making her attend story and I thought the relationship dynamics were fun and exciting.

The end of this book has me craving a stand alone book rather than a series. I felt like the ending was exciting and fast paced and had me feeling a bit of hope for this story but it was so fast paced and then ended. I don't know where this story is going to go after this book and I find myself struggling to care. This isn't a book I would want to reread and I feel like I'm probably going to forget a lot of what happened before the next one comes out. I'm just sad because I feel like there was so much potential here and it just fell flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Libro.fm for the advanced copies.

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!!! This book had me on the edge of my seat CONSTANTLY! Arcana Academy was told from the POV of Clara and starts with her in prison for illegally printing and trading in the craft of tarot. Which is a magic craft highly regulated by the royal crown and only those who have gone to the Arcana Acadamy and work for the Royal family or Noble family are allowed to use the magic. Although for Clara, this magic has been something she has been taught to use since before she could write. Her mother was diligent in teaching her and her sister the ways of tarot and warning them away from the Arcana Academy and the Royal family. After Clara's mom dies, she is forced to use tarot to keep her and her sister off the streets, this is what leads her to her current stint in prison. Whilst in prison, she is being forced to ink cards by the Warden which leads Kaelis, the second void-born prince, to come to the prison to punish both her and the Warden for breaking the law. Kaelis declares she will be executed, and she decides at this moment she will be escape. This choice leads her right into Kaelis's trap, and she is now forced to help him find the world whilst attending Arcana Academy as the long-lost Hermit noble and his new fiancée.

This book was bursting at the seams with themes and tropes that everyone loves -
-magical trials
-heists
-found family
-secret societies
-fake engagement
-SLOW SLOW BURN
-Dark evil prince
-morally grey FMC
-tarot card magic system (which was so cool and unique)
-grumpy x sunshine
-secret identities
-dark academia

I really enjoy this book and read it so quickly. It was a lot of world building, but it mostly centered in one place. I really loved the dynamic between Clara and Kaelis and it was truly the best part of the book!! I could not wait for the moments where they would interact because it was such good writing, I would be absorbed into their story. I loved seeing Clara grow as a character within in the academy and using what her mother taught her and what the academy taught her and combing them. The reader definitely sees her become more rational with her decision making than she was at the beginning. The academy made her less emotional in everything she did and more calculated which I think made her more successful. I must admit she was not totally perfect; I hated the way she treated Kaelis when she so obviously knew he had fallen for her, but I do think she was more focused on ignoring her feelings than his feelings. This book was quite long and very complex to fully encapsulate into a perfect review, but it has been hard for me to pick up another book because this one was so good. I cannot wait (literally) until book 2 this book ended on a cliffhanger, and it was so amazing that I must know what happens next. This was my first Elise Kova books and now I have to go devour all her other books. If you love a good romantasy with a complex magic system and complex characters this is the book for you! There were so many moments my heart was racing because I just felt that something bad was going to happen and I was TERRIFIED. I loved this book and cannot wait to get the physically book in my hands.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! So good, so much happening in this book and so many twists. I wish I had the next book to read right now.

Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for the opportunity to read this eARC.

✨Tarot Cards, Dark Academia & High Stakes ✨

This feels like it could be one of the next standout fantasy/romantasy series. It blends dark academia, academic rivalries, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a truly original magic system. (At least for me)! 🧡

The world-building is expansive—classroom learning, magical trials, secret passageways, four different house suits, and a large cast of characters. 😳

At times, it was a bit overwhelming, and some scenes could’ve been broken down and fleshed out a little better but there’s a lot of potential here, especially for a first book in a series. 🙂‍↔️

The magic system was a definite highlight. It’s tarot-inspired and centers around inking, reading, and wielding magic—complex, creative, and worth the extra time to absorb. I found myself checking the glossary now and then, but it added to the depth in a good way. 🃏

The book is long, and there’s a lot going on, but I still really enjoyed the experience. And that ending? A serious cliffhanger- I’m already anxious about how long the wait for book two might be—but I’ll definitely be picking it up when it arrives. 🫶

✨ What to expect ✨

✨ a lot 🤭
✨ heavy world building and magic system 📖
✨ FMC that’s cocky and suspicious of everyone 🤨
✨Academy/school setting with secrets 🤫
✨Trials and Battles 🃏
✨ Sacrifices 👀
✨ Fake marriage 😏
✨ Trusting the enemy 🔥

Thank you so much to Elise Kova, the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🧡

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Worlds for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars - This is a unique and exciting story that had my heart pounding.

Clara is a prisoner, locked away for illegally performing tarot magic. The prince Kaelis resposible for her impersonment helps her escape under the rouse of a false engagement in exchange for the promise of a favor only she is capable of. Clara is forced to attend Arcana Academy, a school where Kaelis is the headmaster and Arcana magic is taught. Clara must win approval from the royals, discover the truth of her past, pass the endless trials set forth by the academy, and figure out what Kaelis truly wants from her, or risk being thrown back in prison.

This has a forbidden romance, academic but high stakes trials, found family, and a unique magic system. I think this will be a huge hit for fantasy fans.

My only complaint would be the tarot magic was hard to understand at first, and I felt as though I was trudging through the explanations at the beginning. However, the glossary at the end of my eARC was very helpful! I wish I had realized it was there earlier. I will warn this ends on an intense cliff hanger, I am already dying for the next book!!!

4.25

I really loved the tarot aspect of this, as it really gave the world an interesting twist with magic wielding. The academy setting, and the tests within, weren't battle royales, which I also liked quite a bit. This grabbed me from the beginning and I was excited to keep reading.

The pacing worked well overall, though I felt at times that time passed a bit too quickly during pivotal times. For instance, Clara and Kaelis would get closer, and then weeks would go by without much acknowledgement.

I did adore Kaelis and how he was generally very straightforward. He wore his heart on his sleeve, despite the preconceptions he had to deal with. Clara, however, kept focusing ultimately on how hot he was and how good the physical aspect could be, despite him showing her true affection. It pulled me out of the romance some.

IClara was also too obsessed with her mother's death, to the point she would waste an opportunity to create a better world simply to bring her back. This even knowing that her mother was a very active part of risking her life to smuggle people away from the mines, and surely understood the consequences of being caught. Her mom never sounded warm and loving, but solely focused on her cause, which made it less interesting to figure out who might have wanted her dead. No matter what Clara learned, she remained largely the same, with fairly shallow motivations that weakened the character.

There are also dozens of side characters, and we get to know a handful of them, but that handful don't necessarily seem to be as important to Clara as those we learn little of. I expected some twist in regards to the StarCrossed Club, but perhaps just not yet?

I am certainly interested in the rest of the story, and thought the world created was immersive!