Elise Kova strikes again with a beautiful handcrafted world that will keep you glued to the pages. Not only does she hook you from the first chapter but continually throughout the book.

Never thought a romantasy would spark an interest in the Tarot world but here we are. Such a fascinating way to build up a fantasy world and innate powers and power-wielding. Wish I'd gotten to know some the characters a bit more and in depth but hopefully that's to come in the next book. Cannot wait!

So we follow Clara who’s in prison illegally inking taro cards and wielding magic that only a handful of people can through Arcana Academy. She manages to run from the prison after meeting Prince Kaelis, because she’s meant to be killed. Eventually she finds herself in Arcana Academy after her failed try of running away, ends up with new fake identity, and somehow engaged to Kaelis. They have to work together because Clara doesn’t want to go back, and both need to find all the taro cards and change the world for the better (hopefully).

Okay, honestly? The book isn’t bad, I think I’m the issue. Anyways, I liked it but I didn’t love it and it’s devastating for me because this was one of my most anticipated reads.

I couldn’t love Clara or Kaelis, I liked them just never grew more than that. I couldn’t even buy their love story, idk why. But the magic was interesting, the thing I found most appealing to me was how they were working their magic through the taro cards. This one was chef kiss, 10 out of 10. And I hope we can learn more about Kaelis and his magic in the next book, because he stayed a mystery.

Clara, I love her dedication to her loved ones, but I was questioning her a lot. And she gives that type of chaotic energy that goes from good reckless to bad reckless.

The plot twists tho, these I liked a lot. They didn’t surprise me but they were good addition to the plot + preparing us for the second book.

Also, we have yearning, slow burn, enemies to lovers that kind of feel like one, first kiss around the middle and in second part the sexy time, but they don’t have real confessions, we have secrets, enemies, interesting world and magic.

I’d say if you like unique magic system, trials in academy setting, powerful magic users, trickery every step for survival and slow burn romance, give it a try! It might surprise you and you might love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC! I appreciate it!

DNF - Sorry!!

Bland characters, flat dialogue, and it's reading to juvenile for me... I can't get behind it!

Very sad to not be enjoying this one because the combination of the magic system and academy setting sounded right up my street!!

There's just nothing that makes me want to pick this up anymore... sadly!

Such a great read, cannot wait for the second installment. This book had suitable suspense, had great character building and as a personal fan of the tarot, it was great to see it used as such an integral part of the storyline. Fantastic.

Normally I’m a very character-forward reader who enjoys a good world or a good magic system. The characters in this book, while pleasant enough, didn’t hold my attention the way the magic system did, though. And it’s quite a magic system! With divination, devastation and imagination, the cards in these decks are weapons. A sword is more than a suit, it’s either a weapon or healing; coins can give boosts or bruises, aces are elemental powers capable of great harm … and that’s just the minor arcana.

They’re used a little like pokemon, with each card being able to be pulled from its deck by its wielder and used for a variety of purposes, but each deck is still different; some are drawn by individuals, others buy or trade for cards. Clara is a rare person who can use any ink, any powder to draw cards, something no one else can. She’s also trapped into an arranged marriage with Prince Kaelis, the man who sent her to prison for the past year of her life, and she — of course — hates him.

It’s the rivals to lovers trope but it’s an actual rivals to lovers story. Clara is being used by Kaelis, who holds her life in his hands; he’s using her and she chafes against it, trying to find ways to use him in return. While they have a good solid chemistry, the book isn’t all about Clara thinking about how hot Kaelis is, but thinking about how to get away from him. The attraction is there, but it takes a back seat to the plot — which is a heist story as well as a dark academia story in a school where the bully trying to kill her may actually kill her. And the final duel between she and Eza, her bully, is very well done both with magic and with character.

Clara isn’t just angry, she’s also sensitive, scared, mourning the death of her sister and mother, the death of her life and her freedom in this school, trying to make friends, trying to get by and survive. She’s a strong character with plenty of room for growth. Kaelis is the younger prince with a tragic past; he’s an asshole, and that’s not just a shield he puts up to protect himself. He is, in fact, an asshole. But when he falls for Clara he falls hard, as a flawed person who makes mistakes.

For all of their forced proximity moments, this is a slow burn with very good communication. Clara tells him what she wants and how she wants it; Clara is also the one to take the lead in their first time. Neither are virgins, and there’s no shame for that, no purity culture, just two people who understand one another having really good sex. There are things I want to see more of, such as reversed cards and how that comes into play, but I’ll probably have to wait for the second book for that.

This has all sorts of plot threads tangled together with only a few of them starting to come unraveled at the end of the book. The magic system is so very fun and well thought out; the world building is a little on the light side, but enough slips through the plot and magical portions of the story to make this feel like a real living, breathing, complicated world. The writing is good, the banter is good, and I can’t wait for the next book.

Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

I first read Elise Kova's series, Air Awakens, a few years ago and loved it. I was excited for the opportunity read her new series, Arcana Academy, and I certainly enjoyed this one too. Swipe for the book synopsis.

The world building and character development were wonderfully done. I felt immersed in this world immediately and enjoyed all the characters and what they brought to the story.

The magic system! I loved the use is tarot cards and the three disciples of this system (inking, reading wielding). The fight scenes had you anxiously awaiting the outcome and there was so much happening in each one. Nevertheless, it can be confusing when trying to decipher everything. I definitely appreciated the glossary of spells in the back.

Clara and Kaelis... Talk about a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. I appreciated it in this book because it allowed us to get to know the characters. The banter was spot on and I loved their interactions. Clara is badass and shows her strengths in so many ways - I liked seeing her hold her own without the MMC having to save her.

The ending is why unfinished series are hard for me! I don't know what I'll do until the next one comes out! We had so much happening in the last 20% that I wasn't ready for it to end.

"Don't weep for an empty coffin. Don't exhaust yourself over something that might not come to pass."

Thank you to @Elise.Kova, @NetGalley, and @DelReyBooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

5 stars and beyond!

A fantasy with compelling world building and a unique magic system based in tarot cards, set in an Academy that gives Hogwarts vibes! Our main character, Clara, has learned and practiced the intricate magic of wielding, inking, and reading the minor tarot cards illegally outside of the Academy. At the Academy, she uses her talent in the high stakes trials students participate in for their spots in Academy Houses, while also uncovering past secretes and forming plots to change the world.

Fast paced and enthralling, with a major ending!

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of Arcana Academy in exchange for my honest review.

It’s another five-star read for me this May, and I already know this one is going to live rent-free in my brain for a long time. If you’re someone who grew up with Harry Potter but have since let it go due to a problematic author, and you’ve been craving that same magical academia nostalgia in an adult fantasy setting… Arcana Academy was written for you. But let me be clear: this book is not YA. It’s deliciously adult, with a tension-filled slow burn and a 3/5 spice level that doesn’t ignite until around the 85% mark. And when it does, it delivers. The build-up? Absolutely worth it.

The premise hooked me immediately: in a world where magic is inked onto tarot cards, Arcanists must enroll at Arcana Academy by age 20 or face being "marked" and sent to the ink mines—a brutal death sentence. The academy itself is housed in an ancient castle and serves as a tool of control by the crown. But even entering the school doesn’t guarantee safety. First-year trials are cutthroat, and only those who pass become full-fledged students, eventually assigned to a clan or royal post to help maintain order in the kingdom.

The school is divided into four houses based on the minor arcana: Cups, Coins, Wands, and Swords. Each house favors certain traits (e.g., determination in swords) and admission is limited and fiercely competitive. Honestly, the school setup had me feeling all kinds of nostalgic in the best way.

What I’m obsessed with, though, is the magic system. Tarot-based magic? Yes, please. Only select people can successfully ink cards, and each one holds a unique power. Minor arcana correspond to elemental magic (e.g., Cups = water), and the major arcana? Let’s just say they’re powerful and integral to the plot. I won’t spoil anything, but I found the system layered, fascinating, and fresh.

Our FMC, Clara, is a scrappy, determined heroine who escapes prison after being jailed for illegally inking cards in search of answers about her mother’s mysterious death. She’s caught and thrown back into the orbit of Prince Kaelis, the void-born second son of the king and headmaster of the academy (yes, that dynamic). To avoid returning to prison, Clara agrees to a fake engagement with Kaelis in exchange for her help with inking powerful major arcana.

The tension between Clara and Kaelis is everything. Think Violet and Xaden (Fourth Wing) meets Jude and Cardan (The Cruel Prince): manipulation, secrets, forbidden feelings, banter that had me giggling and kicking my feet. Kaelis is the perfect morally gray prince with a flair for drama. His fashion sense alone? ICONIC. A total diva, and I loved every second of it.

The last 20% of the book? Absolute chaos (in the best way). I was fully stressed, heart pounding, and screaming through the final chapters. The twists just kept coming. I barely had time to breathe before the next bomb dropped.

I genuinely believe Arcana Academy has major potential to blow up on BookTok if it gets the attention it deserves. I’m beyond thrilled I got to read it early, and I’ll be screaming about it from the rooftops until release day and beyond.

I'll be honest, I did not expect to love this book as much as I did! The magic system was so cool and so well-explained, it was so easy to understand and keep track of even though I know nothing of tarot. I loved the world the story is set in and I am so eager to find out more about its past. This was quite different from anything I've read recently and I enjoyed it a lot.

Kaelis is such a complex character, I loved getting to know him and I can't wait to see the side of him we're sure to see in the next book. Speaking of the next book, this book is not even out yet and I am craving the next one. Arghh! Anyways, I am looking forward to learning more about Kaelis's past as well. I suspected his motivations from early on but figuring out how he got to this point is going to be a lot of fun. I normally don't like the teacher (or in this case, headmaster) and student dynamic but this book was so well written that it did not put me off.

I was expecting the very last plot twist but expecting it did not take away from the story for me at all. There were a lot of other twists that I did not see coming as well so I was still surprised in the end.

Objectively, I think the book was well paced. However... we could get rid of all the time jumps and turn this into a 1000 page book and I would have read every single page gladly. I loved Elise's writing style, her books have been on my TBR for a while but this was a perfect introduction.

Thanks to Del Rey and Netgalley for this ARC!

This is an incredible start to a series. The magic system is unique and well done. I had no prior knowledge of tarot and was never confused, which I was worried about. I found myself frustrated with Clara at times, but she is a strong FMC and had me laughing several times. Kaelis was the sassiest and my favorite kind of MMC. Their tension was well written and enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite so no complaints there. I can’t wait to see how this series continues!

I really enjoyed the start to what I think will be a great series. The world building and magic system was so interesting. The magic system in particular was something I haven't really seen before and I enjoyed learning about. Despite it being a longer book there weren't many spots that felt slow, it was an easy read. The twists were good and kept me guessing, every time that I thought I had something figured out something happened that proved me wrong. I'm looking forward to the next book!

beyond excited to see this books hit my inbox- this is one of my most anticipated books of 2025 and i will be sure to post my review on all retailers!! 💞

Thank you for ARC 🥰

The synopsis caught my interest immediately.

I loved the magic system and how tarot cards were used.

The story at times was slow paced for me but when things were happening, things were happening.

I’m ready and NEED to know what happens next after than ending.

”𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓃𝑜 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝒸𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓅𝑜𝓈𝓈𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔.”

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read Arcana Academy before its release date.

I’m sitting here REELING. The first 100 pages of this world swept me away. The next 50 had me so confused and honestly, at times, wanting to quit… but just because I didn’t understand the tarot magic doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth reading, so I kept on.

GUYS. The academy was everything. I could hear the footsteps, see the flickering candles, I felt like I was the one in the trials. Holy 💩.

The romance… oh my.
“There is no world in which you do not possess my very being.” 🥹🥹🥹 STOP IT RIGHT NOW. I LOVE THIS PRINCE.

Our FMC Clara is everything I love as well. Her past was ROUGH and she is still brave and strong and fierce… and absolutely hilarious.

That cliffhanger will have me thinking for days and weeks to come.

So 10000 times yes, I recommend reading this book. If you feel like you’re too confused to continue somewhere around page 150, do yourself a favor and push forward!

Thumbs up on this take of a magical academy and enemies-to-lovers/slow burn story. I would have liked the secondary characters to have more shape and the narrative structure used for the ending always leaves me less likely to return to a series rather than more, but I also saw it coming by halfway into the book. Many clues dropped throughout were not solved by the end point, which did, to its credit, occur at a natural, or at least expected, point in the story.

I had trouble keeping track of some of the very minor characters, but found the magic system easy to follow. The shift in the main characters’ relationship was abrupt. I’m coming out of it a little ambivalent I think because the stage was set, but actually very little was revealed in this first act. I think, for me specifically, I needed the characters to figure out more or for more to be revealed about them to form any kind of attachment to them.

Other things that I like or that sparked my interest would move into spoiler territory, which I’m not looking to do here. It did its job, as series setups go. Check it out to see if this one is for you. Though I’m not a fan of present tense storytelling, I’d try other works by this author. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for the chance to read this ARC!

The writing feels young and naive and there are some holes in the plot but I’m hopeful that as the series progresses, the holes will close up. I’m excited to continue reading this series!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eArc!

Arcana Academy contains a unique magic system, true enemies to lovers (back to enemies?), and plenty of mystery. I love all things Elise Kova, and this was no exception. The tarot card magic was a unique and interesting system to learn and comprehend, but it left me wanting to learn more. I loved seeing how Clara expertly wields her cards. And the headmaster Kaelis, our MMC, was broody and mysterious and I need to know everything about him now! There are so many secrets yet to be uncovered in this series and I need the next book yesterday!

I've been waiting for a book like this all year! Fantastic worldbuilding, fun characters, enthralling magic system, steamy love story, what more could I ask for?

"Arcana Academy" is everything I want in a romantasy: a fierce heroine with a dangerous secret, a magical world that feels alive on every page, and a swoony, sharp-tongued prince I’m already too obsessed with.

Clara Graysword is a survivor through and through. Born into the criminal shadows of Eclipse City, she’s clawed her way to freedom with wit, grit, and a gift for magical tarot cards that could land her in chains—or worse. When she’s sentenced for illegal card inking, I thought things couldn’t get worse... until Prince Kaelis shows up with a proposition: fake fiancée, high-stakes heist, and entrance into the legendary Arcana Academy.

The story wastes no time pulling you into its intricate magic system, where every tarot card holds real, tangible power. The world feels layered and lush, full of unspoken rules, ancient secrets, and enough court politics to keep me flipping pages long into the night. The Academy itself is like if "Scholomance" met "The Magicians"—a place of beauty and danger, where knowledge is power and power is deadly. I was hooked.

And Kaelis? He is 100% a diva and I love him for it. He’s secretive, strategic, and way too pretty for his own good—and his slow-burn tension with Clara had me screaming. Their dynamic balances sharp banter with real emotional depth, and the fake engagement trope? Chef’s kiss.

Clara is no damsel—she’s clever, morally grey, and constantly calculating her next move. But what makes this story shine is how her choices are always tinged with vulnerability. You feel the stakes.

This is a book that doesn't hold your hand—it trusts you to keep up, and rewards you with twisty reveals, high-octane action, and a cliffhanger that made me physically clutch the book.

If you’re craving fast-paced fantasy with bite, romance with teeth, and a fresh magical system that actually feels new, "Arcana Academy" is your next obsession. I’m counting the days until the sequel drops.