Featuring incredibly rich world-building, this is a DENSE read! Kova writes such delightfully twisty morally grey men, but it’s her equally complex female characters I live for. Clara isn’t kind, she isn’t a hero, she isn’t even particularly likable at times. What she is? Driven, loyal, powerful, and mad as all hell.

In a world where arcanists (magic users) are oppressed and commodified, Clara has had a hard go of it, and she’s had about enough. When the prince who authored all her woes whisks her off to his fortress academy and enlists her help in changing the world, she embarks on a path that will force her to question everything she knows.

The tarot card magic system is intricate and unique, and I immensely enjoyed every fight scene. The enemies-to-lovers romance between Clara and Prince Kaelis unfolds in a believably unconventional manner, but the plot is driven by the mystery of the world and the motives of the people therein.

The pace slows during the middle as we learn more of the workings of the Academy and the overarching society, but it all builds to a gripping final arc that has me anxiously awaiting the next book! Highly recommended for readers of fantasy and romantasy, especially fans of the author’s Air Awakens series.

*I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review*

Arcana Academy is an addictive read and the start to Elise Kova’s new series. The setting is dark academia with a unique, tarot-based magic system. From the first page, the story pulled me into this world of danger, secrets, and high stakes.

Clara Graysword, our main character, is forced into a fake engagement with Prince Kaelis, the most dangerous man at Arcana Academy. To find her sister, she goes along with this arrangement as her best chance to search for her. Navigating the halls of the academy, Clara must use her wits and magical skills to uncover the truth and to find her.

The magic system is centered on inking and wielding tarot cards. When I got to the end of my ARC I found a glossary which would have been helpful to skim through while I was reading the book. The magic system is well written and original. I absolutely loved it, along with the immersive world-building. Some of the chapters may seem dense, but this is a complex world, and this book is setting everything up for the second book in the series. Which I can’t wait to get my hands on!

Arcana Academy is a magical read that immediately pulls you in. I loved how fresh and imaginative the magic system is and how it adds a lot of depth to the plot. This book is perfect for fans of romantasy and dark academia. I can’t wait for the rest of the books in the series to come out!!!

I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to read this book and it’s entirety before it expired but what I did read was absolutely amazing and had me hooked. I can’t wait until this actually comes out.

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Arcana Academy (The Arcana Academy Series Book 1)
🎴 Releasing July 22, 2025

In a world fraught with power imbalances, constant peril, and tyrannical rule, Clara survives the underworld thanks to her talent, cunning, and luck.

After getting caught using illegal magic, she faces a lifetime of imprisonment. A surprising ally in the form of a villainous and calculating Prince and headmaster of Arcana Academy presents another option: enroll in the academy, pose as his betrothed, and help steal from the king.

Thrust into the very place she was warned to avoid, Clara faces opposition, intrigue, and a dangerous draw to the enemy.

Tropes:
🎴 Tarot Magic
⚠️ Enemies to Lovers
🙌 Bada$s Heroine
🖤 Shadow Daddy
💍 Fake Engagement
📚 Dark Academia
🔥 Slow-burn Romance
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found Family

Clara is a force of nature. She’s clever and determined, but hardened by her harsh circumstances and secretive upbringing. Our broody headmaster and spare heir Kaelis keeps his intentions closely guarded, judiciously wielding secrets as currency.

I loved the tarot card magic and how integral it is to the story and series. The author also explores greed, betrayal, and the struggles of trying to change the world for the better.

Arcana Academy weaves an imaginative, plot-heavy tale with engaging characters, immersive world-building, and a slow burn enemies to lovers romance!

Beyond grateful to the author, Random House Publishing Group, Del Rey, and NetGalley for the review copy opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.

DNF at 20%. The first 10% was intriguing. I liked the prison escape part, and the villain. But then the story became very predictable, and I don’t feel like the characters have any depth or nuance. I just don’t care to figure out what happens.

4.75⭐
2🌶

Did I just read the fantasy that'll take over everyone's summertime reading?? I think I may have.

Arcana Academy is a whirlwind of magic, history, secrets, dark academia, tension, and found family. The tarot-based magic system is captivating and unlike other fantasy books I've read in recent years. Mix all this with riveting storytelling and you have the recipe for a top-tier read!

Clara, my GIRL. Her wit, strength of conviction, and trust in herself are inspiring, fortifying qualities that make her a fierce FMC. She knows who she is, and she's not afraid to show it.

Kaelis... this MAN. Truthfully, I was concerned I wouldn't like him for like the first 25% of this book. His morally grey demeanor and unflinching commitment to his princely façade almost convinced EVEN ME that he was unlikeable. However, once Clara got her claws into him and they began working together in earnest, once they saw one another as more than a thief and an arrogant prince, I fell head over heels for yet another shadow daddy. Go figure ;)

The beginning quarter of the book has a lot of world-building, magic explanation, history, and plot buildup jam-packed in recollections from Clara. While interesting, it may feel like a lot at times, but I promise it's worth it. Once the ball starts rolling and the cards start flying, you'll be glad she introduced you to so much so early.

Also, be ready for a slowwwwww burn with an exceptional payoff. This is enemies to lovers at its best, in my opinion, and the chemistry/tension between Clara and Kaelis will leave you seeing stars.

This was my first read by Elise Kova, and it most certainly just began my dive into her backlist (as well as anxiously anticipating book 2 of AA. Because EXCUSE ME, this ENDING...?! SOS!!

*Thank you so much to Elise Kova and Del Rey for a copy of Arcana Academy and the opportunity to leave my honest, voluntary review! All thoughts and opinions are my own!*

I have been meaning to try something from Elise Kova for awhile now, but have been hesitating since they seem like YA and I just can't relate anymore.

But even though Arcana Academy is set in a school, the initiates are in their 20s and I figured I'd be okay.I have to say, aside from a few small bits that seemed familiar from other fantasy books, this was pretty entertaining.

The magic system was interesting, but also a bit complicated to keep track of, given the number of cards in a tarot deck.

The enemies-to-lovers was more realistic than some other romantasies in that it wasn't some insta-love or insta-lust. It's a slow burn into some spice.

The book ends with a few surprises and cliffhangers, so I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I am a huge fan of Elise Kova's books! I've been a fan of her "Married to Magic" series for the last few years, so I was excited to read this eARC.

Clara is an orphan who, when we first meet her, was in jail for illegally inking tarot cards. Mainly motivated by her love for her sister, Arina, and because she was blackmailed into a marriage of convenience by the prince, she has to attend the magic academy.

I was intrigued by the plot. I was curious about how the tarot card magic would work and I was happy with how it played out. The plot was a mixture of "Harry Potter", "Throne of Glass" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!" which was also fun.

There were times when I felt a bit overwhelmed with all the worldbuilding; some of the magic system went over my head and there were a lot of side characters to keep track of. In saying so, it didn't affect my reading experience too much.

Elise Kova is the queen of romantasy! I loved the slow burn and tension between Clara and Kaelis. I appreciate good relationship development and I was not disappointed.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to more book by Kova!

3.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley, Elise Kova and her Publishers for the ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the premise is really interesting, and the magic system totally hooked me. It felt like a mix between Harry Potter and One Dark Window, and I genuinely loved how it was done. It’s creative, well thought out, and probably my favorite part of the entire story. I was also super thankful for the glossary, it made it much easier to follow all the details.

The writing style is pretty simple and easy to read, which made the book approachable. But personally, I like stories that give me time to sit with emotions and connect with the characters on a deeper level. That didn’t really happen here and it made me feel a bit distant from everyone, especially the main character.

There are a lot of side characters, which helped make the world feel full and alive, but it also made the pacing drag at times. The story builds slowly, and I struggled a bit between the 20% and 40% mark. It felt like not much was happening, and it was hard to stay engaged. That said, things really picked up after that point. The pacing improved, the world started to open up more, and the mystery finally began to unfold in a way that pulled me back in.

The prologue and early chapters were intriguing, but honestly, the best part of the book was the last 30%. The reveals were great. I didn’t see some of them coming and everything started to fall into place in a really satisfying way. I was so glad I stuck with it.

I’m genuinely excited to see where this story goes next. If I had one wish, it’s that the main character had been a little more proactive. She clearly wanted answers, but her actions didn’t always reflect that, which was a bit frustrating at times.

All in all, while the book had its ups and downs for me, the magic system was a standout, and I’m definitely curious to see what happens in the sequel.

Elise Kova has entered the dark academia and romantasy chat, and what a cool book to start.

It begins with our main character, Clara, in jail. The beginning hooks the reader in pretty quickly. It's a whirlwind of breaking out of prison, being manipulated into a magic academy, and survive the trials. Like all first books, there is A LOT of world building. The magic system is just so interesting. Clara has the ability to (illegally) ink tarot cards and each card offers a specific skill. Kaelis, on the other hand, tries too hard to be this mysterious, brooding, bad-boy type. He reminds me a little bit of Aldrik from Air Awakens like a same-person-different-font style. Even though it's a pretty slooooooow burn, I wanted the enemies to stew just a little longer.

Overall, if you've ever enjoyed her other series like Air Awakens or Loom Saga, you will also enjoy this one! Elise Kova brings her flair to the genre and no one does cliffhangers like she does. As a proud Tower Guard member, I'm excited for the next installment! Overall 4.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars! This book was gifted to me as an ARC however my opinion is my own. Minor spoilers. It took me a minute to become invested in the magic system but once I did I was on the edge of my seat the rest of the way. The plot and characters were refreshingly unique and I loved seeing Clara’s imperfections portrayed on the page. I of course devoured the tension between Kaelis and Clara and learning to know Kealis’ sweet side. Another aspect I always enjoy is when the characters have external forces or moral values that push them to make hard choices and they have to sacrifice their own hearts desires. I’m excited to be tortured some more with the next book and hope Clara and Kaelis find their way back to each other even though I fear that may be a hard ask. Also the last sentence!!!

Arcana Academy has very ambitious world-building and a delightful "new adult" 20-something academic focus rather than middle-grade/YA Harry Potter, but it's all a bit too narratively messy for my liking, unspooling information chaotically, rather than logically building upon itself. Perhaps there are just too many characters and factions and rules to keep track of, i.e. our lead Clara and her 3-4 different last names, the various clans (one of which has been eradicated) and what each is responsible for in the kingdom, the four minor arcana houses at the school, the various major arcana (20), the various groups of academy initiates and students, the professors, all of the royalty, all of the secret hiding archanists, our lead character Clara's former love interest Liam, her dead possibly murdered mom, her missing sister, her prison warden, a suspicious man that lives below the school, a legendary figure named the Fool, the different numbered cards/suits and what each one does, etc. I appreciate that the novel's lore is all built on the back of a tarot deck, but it gets confusing. I feel like there could have been a condensing or streamlining or clearer build – either within the school, or the greater world.

The tarot magic is fun, particularly the battles with different cards (it reminded me of the Sciel character in the Expedition 33 video game) – but it just makes for very complex storytelling that doesn't always land. And the complications of Clara having a faux-engagment to Prince Kaelis is only made weirder because he is also the headmaster of the Academy, so rather than having a simple, progressively more complex "magic user starts at magic school and gets better at magic" story, Clara is getting special treatment all the time, is far more advanced than any of her fellow students, and seems alienated from almost everyone around her.

While I think Elisa Kova is an ambitious author and I'd be intrigued about reading the next book in this series, I hope that now that she's figuratively laid (almost all) her tarot cards on the table, the next book has a cleaner, propulsive story engine, not bogged down in exposition.

To start this off, I picked this ARC because the world-building sounded incredible. I loove the idea of a tarot based magic system and the way the author explains it and how it works really appealed to me. I can easily see this magic system being my favorite things about this book. That being said...

The style of writing is a bit rough for me personally. There's just something about the tone and voice that makes me...bored? Uninterested? Which is a shame because the story matter and world-building should be right up my alley, and it is.Perhaps it's the first person perspective dragging it down for me, or I should say the way this first person is written, as I have read some I liked before. Though I will say that would be a subjective opinion on my part. In any case, I had a hard time getting through the first few chapters, though I wanted to keep going to give it a fair shot. The main character just seems very matter of fact, hard, maybe lacking in personality, or at least a personality or perspective I enjoy. She's just a little flat, which may not bother other people but it does nothing for me.

Speaking of doing nothing for me, this prince is also giving me nothing. Again, pretty subjective opinion but in the beginning I'm kind of like. Eh, whatever. Very standard evil scheming royal. That in itself works for some people but I suppose it's just not my type. Maybe he gets more interesting later but I don't feel like sticking around classes and trials to find out, unfortunately.

I believe there are good bones here and this will really speak to a lot of people, probably ones more so into romantasy as a whole. I think it has much more going on than some books which are romance first, fantasy second, especially with the tarot magic. I enjoy a good romantasy once in a while but it's not my main genre. I got 10 chapters in before I decided I didn't care enough to continue. Not bad but nothing outstanding and ultimately just not for me (especially with the wealth of my TBR these days T-T).

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the E-ARC.

Thank you so much Elise Kova, Del Rey, and Penguin Random House for the eARC of Arcana Academy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I just finished reading Arcana Academy by Elise Kova and my mind is officially blown. Readers, I absolutely loved this book! It’s high-stakes, has vicious trials, takes place in a treacherous gothic magical academy, contains a white-hot slow burn romance, and ends with a cliffhanger you’ll fall right into! I know I couldn’t get enough I don’t think you’ll be able to either.

One of the most interesting and fun parts of the book for me was the magic system. It’s based on tarot cards, but with a twist. Students at the academy not only use the cards to read the future, but can use the powers of each individual card to duel other students. To be honest, I don’t know much about tarot cards, but Elise Kova was able to weave enough knowledge of the cards into the story that I didn’t need any background knowledge to understand what was going on.

Also, the slow burn romance!!! If you’re a fan of smoldering looks, accidentally on purpose touches, förced proximity, and fake romance you’re definitely going to want to add Arcana Academy to your tbr! I think I actually yelled “kiss her already” at least a few times, but the wait for the spark to finally ignite was so worth it!

Bottom line: I won’t be surprised if Arcana Academy is your newest romantasy obsession!

In the pages, you will find:
🃏A tarot based magic system
🤫A secret identity
💍A fake engagement
⚔️Vicious trials
🪢Förced proximity
🔪A cutthroat magical academy
❤️Romance
🌶️Spice
🤝Found Family
📖The first book in the Arcana Academy series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Arcana Academy is a magical, fast-paced adventure that had me hooked from the first chapter. Elise builds a richly imagined world full of secrets, power struggles, and a cast of compelling young characters. The academy setting is both enchanting and dangerous, and I loved unraveling its mysteries alongside the protagonist. There’s a nice blend of action, intrigue, and emotional depth. While a few plot points felt a bit rushed or underdeveloped, the overall story was exciting and immersive. A strong start to what I hope is a longer series—I’ll definitely be reading the next one!

This was a completely addictive, unputdownable story that hooked me from the first page and kept me reading. The characters were so well developed and interwoven, I love how imperfect they were. The plot had it all, suspense, bit of mystery, romance, distrust, and magic. While the plot was completely different, it reads a lot like the Fourth Wing. A must read for all those looking for a new trilogy. I cannot wait for the second book.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

To be honest, I found this to be boring. There is no real spark in any of the characters except the heroine - and unfortunately, she's all impulse and whim rather than intelligent decisions. It has very modern phrasing which also feels incongruous in a fantasy setting. It was hard to finish this; but I imagine that since it has a shadow daddy love interest, it will be popular.

Story: Clara is an orphan with a strong forbidden power in a very dangerous city in which she is an outlaw. When she is finally captured, she spends a year in jail until finally released by none other than the second son of the King: Kaelis. Turns out, he needs her power and is willing to pose as her fiancé if she will attend his academy and help him. But he has a secret goal in mind and Clara has hidden agendas of her own.

The tarot aspect is cute and the author does a decent job of weaving it into the story/world building. What we have in this first book is unique snowflake with big power must go through the power ups training to use it best. So she learns more about the academy, searches for her missing sister who also managed to attend there (despite neither being eligible) and annoys the shadow daddy prince.

I was taken out of the fantasy setting quite often with modern phrases - e.g., "Excuse you!" when being picked up abruptly. It made the heroine sound like a bratty spoiled entitled teenager rather than someone who has lived by their wits and knows how to be careful. This led to a lot of tell but not nearly enough show - there were far too many chances taken, too many "too stupid to live" decisions made, and not nearly enough demonstrating that she was resourceful. If anything, her unique snowflake power got her out of a lot of situations - how can you argue with having 'luck' on your side for everything?

The love interest, Kaelis, was barely even there. More of a cardboard cutout than a person. The longer you went in the book, the less interesting and effective he became. All his reasonings for the actions he did were pretty flimsy and silly - and this is the guy who is supposed to save the world? And this is the best plan he can come up with? Nor did I find much in the way of attraction other than for the usual "you're hot, you're sexy, lets do it" type of situation.

There were far too many logic holes to really enjoy this. I disliked every character and this could have REALLY used some strong side characters with interesting personalities. If a side character was introduced, they were straightforward and there only to push a narrative.

I did finish this but I won't be following it further. It was very hard to slog through this, even with the more interesting tarot set dressing. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

4.5 stars

Clara Graysword is an orphan living with her sister, Arina and found family in Eclipse City, Kingdom of Oricalis. She inks tarot cards illegally for income. She lands at Halazar Prison after a bad commission and rots there for a year, all the while inking cards for the warden on the sly. Prince Kaelis Oricalis (Headmaster of Arcana Academy) visits her to condemn her to the death penalty and locks her in a partially stocked inking room. She is able to use her arcanist talents to leave the prison. Kaelis recaptures her and brings her to his tarot card magic school - Arcana Academy and promptly informs her she must pretend to be his betrothed if she wishes to attend or go back to Halazar Prison.

This book hit so many of my hopes. I enjoyed Clara, the fmc. She knew her strengths and how to use them. She had a strong found family and family whom she loved. She knew how to fight. The male main character, Kaelis was your classic broody, mysterious, yearning, powerful heart throb and enemy turned...?

Some Tropes I think You'll Delight In As Well...
- Secret Society
- Tarot Card Magic
- Badass FMC
- Found Family
- Forced/Fake Engagment & Dating
- Dark Academia
- Slowest of Slow Burn Romances
- Enemies to Lovers
- Lovable Side Character
- Unexpected Ending

Arcana Academy is currently scheduled to become part of a trilogy.

Some quotes I enjoyed...

"Love me, hate me, but only look at me like my existence sets you on fire" - Clara

"Knowledge is power and I need to choose when I'm going to let those arrows loose from my quiver." - Clara

"If to bring about a new world- a better world- I must be the villain, if I must do evil things for the greater good, then so be it. I'll play the part now and be reborn a hero in my next life." - Kaelis

I absolutely adored this book the characters, the setting, the plot, the magic system it is perfection. I was hooked on the magic system alone, where inking and wielding the tarot cards gives you specific powers based on the cards. Granted, it did take me some time to understand the cards and their powers; hopefully, the physical copies have a glossary of some kind to help break it down. I will read any fantasy book that has a unique magic system, and Arcana Academy delivered.

The characters are exciting and intriguing, with their own secrets waiting to be revealed. Clara, as the FMC, has a shadowy history that doesn’t completely get revealed, but I so desperately want more! Prince Kaelis is also full of surprises, and he definitely fulfills that dark, moody MMC that we all love to call a book boyfriend.

The setting gives a fantasy dark academia hybrid that I really loved such a smooth mixing of both that I could barely put the book down. My only critique, really, was that the first 20% or so of the book just felt kind of slow, and it was a rough introduction to our FMC that could have used a bit more balance in her descriptors and who she is as a person within the story.

I loved this book. I cannot wait for the next one!