This was like a solid 3.5 stars for me. The premise of the story was incredibly interesting and the magic system appealed to me. The characters though fell pretty flat for me and the dialogue was not my favorite. Dialogue is everything to me and when it falls short I really struggle to get into stories. I love a good slow burn but this just wasn't one that had good build up in my opinion. It has a decent cliffhanger so just be aware. Overall, interested to see where the series goes.

I loved this story! A fascinating magical world with tarot magic, hidden identities, dark academia vibes, and lots of twists and turns. The pacing was great and I was fully invested in the characters & found family. That’s not even touching the wonderful enemies-to-lovers romance with forced proximity and a fake engagement. The romance between Clara and Kaelis was chefs kiss and I’m obsessed. I need the next book and I’ll be patiently waiting for more.

I really enjoyed this book. And I loved Clara! She breaks the law, gets thrown into prison, escapes from prison, threatens a prince, is forced to attend Arcana Academy, gets into a fake engagement with the headmaster, kills her ex in front of the whole school, lies about her identity, and plots to commit treason. You know, just girl things.

I love that we got to see a lot of Clara living her life at the academy. She attends classes, practices magic, makes friends, and so on. The academy teaches inking, wielding, and reading of tarot cards, and it was neat to see Clara experience all three aspects of tarot magic throughout the story.

The tarot magic is really neat and unique. Each of the four suits represents a basic element, and each requires a specific material’s powder to ink. I love the depth that Kova gave to creating this magic system. A lot of real tarot history was incorporated into the narrative. I actually learned a lot because I didn’t know much about tarot before starting this book, but the story had me getting out my tarot deck that I’ve never used and looking at the cards and reading about each of their meanings. There’s also a helpful glossary at the back of the book that explains what each card’s magical ability is when wielded.

The spice in this, while only in the last 15% of the book, was the most explicit spice I’ve read from Elise Kova. I didn’t love that—I appreciate most of her books not being over the top with detailed spicy scenes. This honestly felt like she was writing for the current market. I know she has said that the publishers are making her add more spice into the new versions of the Married to Magic series that was originally self-published but is now getting republished through Del Rey, so I bet that’s also what happened here. It’s frustrating that the publishers dictate what an author can do in their own books; <i>Arcana Academy</i> would have been just as good with less spice, or with closed-door spice. It just felt like unnecessary fan service here. I’m not faulting Elise for making the scenes so gratuitously explicit but I am blaming the publishers.

I have read over ten books by Elise Kova, and I can tell that her writing has improved significantly since she wrote her first series. <i>Arcana Academy</i> felt so much more developed and well written than [book:Air Awakens|23127048], which I also enjoyed so that’s not a diss; it’s just that this book is a huge improvement compared to that one, and that’s a good thing.

I don’t know how many books are going to be in this series, but I’m excited to go on the journey of reading them all. <i>Arcana Academy</i> left off on a HUGE cliffhanger that actually made me angry because the next book isn’t out yet and I desperately want to know what happens next.

If you like academic settings, unique magic systems, tarot, strong sibling relationships, fake engagements, an untrustworthy love interest, and a fierce female lead, definitely check out <i>Arcana Academy.</i> It was a lot of fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

What a fantastic fantasy romance where the magic system is based on tarot cards!

Clara Graysword has been stuck in Halazar prison for over a year for illegally inking tarot cards, a privilege allowed only to those who have graduated Arcana Academy. When Kaelis, second son of King Orcalis, offers her a bargain – help him steal tarot cards from his father in exchange for her freedom – she accepts. He then takes her to Arcana Academy as a new initiate of the school and his bride-to-be.

This was my first Elise Kova book. I loved the magic system and the lore here. The romance is a slow burn. Clara is feisty and Kaelis is morally grey. I loved them together and can’t wait for book 2!

4.5 stars

As a big fan of Elise Kova's Loom Saga, I had high hopes for this one.

It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I did very much enjoy it. The magic system is unique and rather interesting to learn about. Though there were times when I was a touch confused about the why behind everything. Nevertheless, the book was fast-paced and engaging until the bitter end.

The romance was a slow-simmering thing, and I low-key loved it. The anticipation, the waiting, the inevitable fall. I'm genuinely so pleased the author didn't completely torpedo their relationship with a betrayal. The door remains open, even if only a small crack.

I will say the surprise reveal at the end was pretty predictable. If there's one thing I learned from growing up watching soap operas with my mother, no one is dead unless there is a body.

Overall, this book was entertaining, and I am looking forward to seeing where this story takes us.

WOW !! This book blew me away. I loved it so much. I could not put it down, The writing was great and the magic system/world building was explained very well. It was a really unique story. I loved the banter between the two leads. Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers, morally grey characters, and romantasy. Read this book right now!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

In general, this was a decent fantasy/romantasy read. There's adequate world building (tarot cards - which kinda felt like 'One Dark Window') and we get the standard morally grey guy that proposes a fake marriage and a tough FMC that is trying to find her sister, figure out who she really is, and survive in this realm.
There were parts that I liked though it didn't grip me. I don't know if it was just that tarot cards aren't really my jam or if I didn't get the slow burn AS much as I'd like. But it just felt like a mid-range read. The ending picked up and if book two were available, I probably would've jumped right in to figure out how it all ends.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5⭐

Readers who relish morally gray characters, intricate power plays, and a romance that simmers beneath constant danger will find Arcana Academy irresistible.

I loved this book sooo much!!! From the first page, I was completely hooked and didn’t want to put it down for a second. Arcana Academy has everything I crave in a dark fantasy—danger, forbidden magic, slow-burn romance, and a main character I couldn’t stop rooting for.

The magic system in this book is honestly one of the coolest I’ve ever read. Tarot cards are usually a fun extra in fantasy books, but here, they’re the heart of the story. The way Elise Kova wove them into the world, the magic, the politics—it just worked so well. It was deeply integrated into the world, the stakes, and the characters’ identities. You can tell Elise put a ton of thought into the system and lore, and it made everything feel real.

Clara Graysword is a phenomenal heroine. She’s sharp, scrappy, and unapologetically flawed. I loved seeing her navigate the perilous waters of Eclipse City and the deadly politics of Arcana Academy. And Kaelis is everything you want in a dark prince - mysterious, powerful, maddeningly complex. Their chemistry is absolutely electric. The tension, the hesitation, the longing—it builds and builds, and I’m so curious to see where their relationship goes next.

As a huge fan of dark academia, I was completely enthralled by the gothic school setting, the magical lessons, and the trials. It had the perfect balance of danger, mystery, and beauty. The ending left me reeling—in the best way possible. I’m already desperate for the next book!

If you’re into slow-burns, morally grey characters, and immersive worldbuilding, Arcana Academy is a must-read!

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Del Rey for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just finished this book a few hours ago and my jaw is still on the floor. What Elise Kova put in this book was absolute magic. The academy setting, the magic system, and world building is so intricately woven throughout her book. The tension between our Kaelis and Clara will have you at the edge of your seat. I absolutely cannot wait for more of this series.

Thank you so much to DelRey and Netgalley for the eARC of this book!

Wow the premise of this pulled me in!

Arcana Academy throws the reader into an atmospheric dark academia fantasy world, rich with stunning world building, a unique magic system, and a great slow burn romance.

What worked for me:

- The world building was stunning, I really felt like I was a part of the setting, immersed in the politics, high stakes and magic of it all
- The magic system was incredibly unique, I’d never read anything like it before! The strategic decisions, the meaningful choices make it that much more interesting to read.
- The romance! I love a slow burn romance! The tension, the complexity, the drama of it all. Chefs kiss!

My only slight issues which blend together were the pacing, and the fact this is very busy book. I get it though, at almost 600 pages in a series there’s a lot to pack in, just be prepared to be a little overwhelmed!

I can’t wait until the next installment!

I really enjoyed this first book of Elise Kova's new dark academia series! It has such a unique magic system and intriguing world building, The romance was swoony and a slow burn! After the ending, I can't wait for the next book!

Summary: After being caught escaping a life sentence in prison, Clara is given an opportunity by the Prince - join his academy and pretend to be his betrothed, or go back to her sentence. But when Clara arrives at the academy, her sister is missing, she is faced with jealous courtiers
and students, and her feelings begin not to feel so fake towards the Prince.

Rating: 5/5
Spice 1/5
Narration: 3/5

Tropes:
Slow Burn
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Magic System

Triggers:
Blood
Violence
Death
Blackmail

My Thoughts:
Elise Kova weaves a magic system unlike I have ever read before! Inking, reading and wielding tarot cards are all different skills, in
which Elise provides a thorough explanation without making it overwhelming for the reader. As an auto buy author for me, Elisa Kova
continues to blow me away.

I read all of this, in hopes of combatting my reading slump, to no avail. The world building here is dense and the characters are dull. The romance also made zero sense.

This was a 4.25 ⭐️ read for me.

I heard from others that the felt that it was quite slow in the beginning and then jumped into the action, but I felt that there was some serious time spent world building that was super important for the story now and the sequels to come. The tarot magic system was done in a unique way and it was fascinating seeing it played out in an academy setting.

Clara and Kaelis had great chemistry from the start and the hate to love element was there, though the hate was more on Clara’s side in my opinion. The story wove together past and present timelines really well and I’m excited to see where it goes. This was my first Elise Kova book and I really enjoyed it and will be reading more from her. The ending landed on such a huge cliffhanger and I can’t believe we have to wait until the next book (hopefully not too long a wait).

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for a copy of this ARC for an honest review.

My Review of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is the first book in her new The Arcana Academy series. It’s also the first book of hers I’ve read.

Arcana Academy has a different take on fantasy where the magic system is based on the ability to cast spells — all based on tarot cards.

The entire magic system is pretty interesting and at the same time a bit hard to follow. There is a glossary of the different types of spells a caster uses. I personally think it would have been better at the front — but with an e-ARC, it would still be difficult to reference.

The romance is pretty standard. I can’t call it an enemies-to-lovers trope. It’s more like hate-to-fūck buddies, unless the MMC is in love with the FMC.

Is it possible for there to be so much going on but then nothing happening at all?
The book ends on a cliffhanger. I think I could have thrown my e-reader across the room when it ended.


Some Additional Thoughts (Spoiler-ish)

In their first year at Arcana Academy, students go through three trials:
* The first trial is before they even enter. They must face the chalice and give up a tarot card — a card that represents their future. They then have to confront what they will be losing. If they pass, they’re allowed into the Academy. If they fail, they’re branded and sent to the mines.

* The final trial involves passing two out of three tests: drawing a tarot card, reading tarot cards, and battling/wielding using their cards and other spells. At the end, the king or queen of one of the Academy’s houses selects students to join them for the remainder of their time. If no one selects a student, they’re branded and also sent to the mines. (Very Harry Potter Sorting Hat vibes, but way darker.)

There’s also a rebellion happening in the background. Some magical users reject the Academy’s structure — especially the idea that casters must face the chalice or give a card to the king, who seems to be consolidating absolute power.

Beyond that, there’s more going on than meets the eye:
* A mystery involving the FMC’s mother and sister
* A viscous prince (the MMC) who might not be what society has painted him to be — he might even have feelings for the FMC.

Why the Magic System Gets Confusing:
The tarot-based magic is used in both classes and combat (wielding/casting), but each person also seems to have one major magic tied to a specific card or spell. Without prior knowledge of tarot, and without easily referencing the glossary (especially in an e-ARC), it’s hard to keep track of:
* What each card does
* Which spells exist
* Who has which abilities
* And how all that fits into the world’s rules

ARC Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. While some elements didn’t fully work for me, I appreciated the creativity and unique worldbuilding and am curious to see where the series goes next.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an ARC for my honest opinion

If you like dark academia, romantasy, forced proximity, morally gray MMC, enemies to lovers, fake engagement and one heck of a cliffhanger.

What would you do if the man who killed your entire clan was the one that helped you escape prison and tells you that you will be his future bride? Oh, and he will help you unlock your power? What would you do?

In this book you will meet Kaelis, he is headmaster of the academy, but he also has a lot of secrets as well. He is grumpy, smart as hell and sexy af. However, he is also the man that threw Clara into prison for just trying to survive the world that she was living in. Clara is a real baddie. She is smart, she trusts her intuition, she is strong with her magical abilities. I like that she is still on the edge about who to trust and what is real and what isn’t real. I loved these characters by the end of the book, I didn’t like Kaelis at first, I thought she was an a$$ but after getting to know him I started to like him a lot and that ending of the book was like WHAT!! With Clara, I loved her from the start of the book, I want to be friends with her in real life, she is so brave with what life gives to her and is learning to deal with everything.

The plot was fun, refreshing to find a different magical system in a book that I haven’t seen before (tarot cards), getting to understand why the characters were fighting for their lives and seeing Clara doing whatever she can to find her sister. I loved that we got to see the darker side of the school but at the same time the beauty of the school too. However, if you’re looking for an ending that will leave you without questions and needing the next book.

I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot and things that happen, just know that I loved this book so much and I can’t wait for the next book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to review this book.

After leading a life of crime, one mistake has landed Clara in prison. For life. But luckily for her, the headmaster of an elite academy offers her a job she can’t refuse - and her escape. In order to hide her true identity, she is introduced as the newest first year student… and his bride-to-be.
•
•
The magic system in this book is one of the more unique and detailed systems I’ve come across. I adore the similarities and interpretations of tarot, and the interwoven learning that goes with it. The academia element of the book, and the challenges the students face, provide action-packed scenes that really gripped me.

The main character, Clara, is certainly determined and capable. She has a shadowy backstory that creates an aura of intrigue and I enjoyed getting to know her character alongside her.

Kaelis, the void-born prince and headmaster, is a typical brooding love interest. I would like to learn more about his character and backstory, but I suspect that will be more prevalent in future books in the series.

Overall, it was a solid read, and I will definitely pick up the next one when it’s released because I MUST know what happens next.

If you’re interested in dark academia, romance and tarot then I would absolutely pick this up.

This was my first Elise Kova book and I am in AWE of her brain power and imagination. The magic system (tarot cards) were a little beyond my comprehension at times and this book is definitely big on establishing the world and characters, but it made me that much more excited for the next books in the series.
It definitely took more brain power than what I was in the mood for, but the mystery and layers of the story had me invested and thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading. I know it may be a while for the next book but this got me so excited to read Kova's backlog!