Elise Kova does it again. The queen of fantasy is back. This book did not disappoint, you need to pick it up!

OMG that ending!!! Elise! You cruel, cruel woman!

Arcana Academy was such a good time! We get to follow FMC Clara as she navigates her way out of escaping prison, entering trials to join Arcana Academy to become a real arcanist, finding out what happened to her sister, and oh yeah joining in on a scheme concocted by a deliciously dark prince that will literally change the world. All in a day’s work for our girl!

Clara was really bad ass, so feisty and brave and willing to do the wrong thing. That sounds silly but in a lot of books the heroes often are about doing the right thing but Clara was pretty refreshing when she had no qualms about being selfish in her revenge plans. Prince Kaelis is something I can’t quite put my finger on. He keeps almost everything close to his chest, he doesn’t care for many people at all except his cat, Priss. Which of course shot him up a few hundred notches in my book. But he was really soft with Clara from the beginning, his heart was hers for the taking. I feel like there’s a lot more to Kaelis and we only got to scratch the surface in this first book. I also got a bit frustrated with Clara and Kaelis’s “we hate each other, this will never work” bit but their banter was fun and the sexy times made up for it. The secondary characters were fun too. I absolutely adored Silas and Alor but wish we got to know the rest a bit more.

The best thing about this book has to be the magic system. Tarot cards that are wielded like weapons and certain people can wield special “Major” cards. It was so fun and entertaining reading through the dueling and training scenes, the system really captured my attention!

Arcana Academy ends on quite the cliff hanger too so beware! Overall a really great book to start this new series off, I’m so excited to see what happens next! Thank you so much to Del Rey for gifting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Arcana Academy is a gripping mix of magic, adventure, and romance. Clara, a thief with a rare ability to ink tarot cards, is thrown into Arcana Academy after a failed heist lands her in prison. The mysterious Prince Kaelis offers her a way out—if she helps him steal a powerful card from the king. As Clara navigates the academy's dangerous politics and her growing feelings for Kaelis, she must decide who to trust and whether she can control the power she's been given. With plenty of twists and tension, this book is perfect for fans of magic and forbidden romance.

Book: Arcana Academy
Series: Self Titled, Book 1
Author: Elise Kova
Completed Series: No
Genre: Romantasy
Format: ARC eBook

Storyline/Plot:
I was really looking forward to this book. The first half of the book is amazing! I went to sleep and actually dreamed about it. The magical system was intriguing and I was captivated by how everything was going to play out. Then the angst came. And came. And came. I think the amount of distrust between the two main characters was overplayed for my personal taste.

Favorite Characters:
I liked Silas. I found him intriguing and heartbreaking at the same time.

Spice:
It’s mainly kissing until you reach around 80% of the book. Then it gets interesting only to completely backtrack which I found frustrating.

Triggers:
It’s all fantasy, but some gory scenes lost family, imprisonment, work camps


I'm haven't posted it to my account and will not post on GoodReads until a month after the release date

I had a very interesting rollercoaster experience with this book. I must say that it took me until about the 15% point of the book to find myself with a comfortable reading pace. In the beginning, the glossary will be your friend. The reader is immediately immersed in this world of clans and kings. You find out information as our FMC, Clara, does. So, characters she hated or disliked, I found myself feeling the same way. I can appreciate that aspect of Kova's writing.

However, I wanted to DNF the book in the beginning because our MMC, Kaelis, is quite unlikeable. Also, he has an unclear character description, contradictory at worst and confusing at best. Some characters are introduced by appearance, which felt like the details were copy and pasted from the author's notes. I'm not sure I feel emotionally attached to any of them, except Silas. Lastly, when Kova's writing wasn't in its groove, I felt lost, wondering if she was keeping her facts straight. She does, and ties up many ends, so don't worry: keep with the story.

Past about 40% of the book, I was hooked and needed to know more of the drama/plot of the story. Luckily, I felt like the magic system, which is based off of tarot cards, was thoughtful and well-executed. I really enjoyed that a lot of this book has relevant story, instead of filler or frivolous writing. I could feel the dedication that Kova had because the plot is not rushed.

The spice was nice and long enough! It doesn't overpower the story at all!

I think that once I came to the realization that the story melds to unreliable narration, I increased my rating. There are high stakes, action scenes, and I enjoyed reading a "year" in this Academy. I already miss the world, and can't wait to see what happens in book 2.

eARC of this book was graciously provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published July 22, 2025.

This is a really good read. The kind where you're a little angry when it ends because it's over and the next book isn't out yet!

The world-building is solid and the magic system is unusual, but the characters are what really make it. Clara is strong and smart and flawed enough to be interesting. She starts the book with a prison break and things only get more complicated from there. The romantic interest is a well-done enemies-to-lovers, which I think is one of the hardest to pull off without causing reader eye-roll. I believe it's being marketed as "new adult," but if you enjoy fantasy at all you will want to read this one!

Read via NetGalley for no consideration other than an honest review.

I was absolutely in awe of this book! I loved it so much it left me desperate to read the next ones! The world building and character profiles in this fantasy novel are so well written you feel like you're immersed in every line! I already find myself needing book 2! There are themes of friendship and love, trust, betrayal and a slow burn romance its everything you need from a magical fantasy. This is looking to be my favorite book of 2025! Dont hesitate read this book!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Elise Kova and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

And now i wait for the next book, and this one is not even released yet!

This is my first book from Elisa Kova, and i feel like i need to go back and read some of her other works. This story was well written, the plot and world building was understandable, interesting and well thought out. I am excited to see where the next book goes.

-Unique Tarot Magic system
-Academia setting
-Fake engagement

Thank you Netgalley and Del Ray for the Arc

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

I thoroughly enjoyed Arcana Academy by Elise Kova! One of the standout aspects of the book was the incredible world-building and magic system—I found it absolutely brilliant. The lore and depth of the world drew me in, making it feel immersive and full of possibilities.

The romance in the story was a slow burn, but surprisingly, that didn’t bother me as much as I expected. There were plenty of other engaging plot lines unfolding, which kept me hooked and distracted from the pacing of the love story.

Kaelis was a particularly intriguing character. His willingness to be seen as the villain in order to oppose his father and fight for the world was fascinating. I loved the complexity of his character, and let’s not forget—his cat was amazing!

Carla was also enjoyable to follow as a protagonist. I liked uncovering the mysteries alongside her, particularly those surrounding her mother and sister. I have my own theories, but there’s still so much left to uncover in this world, and I’m eager to learn more.

The book ends on a massive cliffhanger, leaving so many questions unanswered. I can’t wait to see how Kaelis and Carla’s relationship evolves and how their journey continues. Overall, Arcana Academy is an exciting read, and I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment!

I really enjoyed this read especially the fantasy within this story

I was hooked from the first page and I highly recommend this book for everyone to read

This was a strong start to the series with a unique, tarot-based magic system and a dark academia vibe that really worked. The world-building was solid, and I loved how morally grey everything felt—you’re left unsure who to trust, which kept things interesting.

The pacing dipped a bit in the middle, but the last 10% was fantastic—exactly what you want from a series opener. My only real gripe was Clara’s red eyes. They’re described as crimson several times, but no one seems to find that odd, which felt like a missed opportunity (maybe it’ll matter later).

Overall, great atmosphere, intriguing magic, and a lot of potential for the rest of the series. I’m definitely curious to see where it goes next.

What happens when the man you've sworn to ruin becomes your co-conspirer? Clara finds herself escaping prison and enrolling in the Arcana Academy where she will learn how to "properly" wield her tarot magic. But in order to succeed, she must pretend to be engaged to the second prince--who is her sworn enemy. Good read.

This was a very cool start to this series.

I’ve read a lot of Elise Kova and always enjoy her works. This felt like a bit of a departure while still being all the usual good stuff she brings to fantasy.

The magic system was extremely unique. I especially like that I do not have a CLUUUUUE who to trust at the end of this book. Which side is right and which is wrong? I think the truth is that it’s not that simple. I find that to be really refreshing. I genuinely don’t even know if our FMC or her love interest are doing what is right or wrong. That made for a very fun read.

The pace was good though maybe not perfect: I got a bit bored in the middle. But man, the last 10% was excellent, which you want in a series opener. It’s an oddly small thing, but I had one hang-up that I can’t get past: Clara has red eyes. Literally. Her eyes are described multiple times as crimson. And NO ONE acts like that’s odd. But also, NO ONE else has weird colored eyes. It’s not like we’re living in some alternate universe where everyone has every color eye possible. She has red eyes, so that must be significant… but also it’s not significant enough for ANYONE to think twice about it. I mean, it wasn’t even enough to identify her as the missing prisoner, you know? The book read no differently than if her eyes were brown. But then why red?! I didn’t get it. I hope that is explained in the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Arcana Academy was such a wonderous whirlwind of a story. I am so excited to see how this series goes. The mystery, the magic and the villain vibes kept me reading way into the night. As usual, it'll be another year until I'm transported back into Clara's world and I can't wait!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the amazing incredible opportunity to read an advanced copy. The above opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the tarot-based magic and the dark academia setting—the atmosphere was spot-on! I can see why this book is compared to One Dark Window and Harry Potter.

The slow burn didn’t bother me; I actually like that. But I struggled to connect with the characters. I just didn’t feel anything for them, which made it hard to fully immerse myself in the story.

Still, I see a lot of potential in the series. The magic system was unique and really well done, so I’m curious to see where it goes next!

Loved this!! Arcana Academy has a unique magic system and Kova builds an amazing world! The romance is slow burn and builds in this story where the FMC truly has the most legitimate reasons to hate her fiancé.

Let's start with the good. The magic in this book is interesting - it comes from tarot cards, which Arcanists can read, ink, and wield. The idea of an academy for those with powers is also intriguing.

The actual execution of these things, though? Less great. I had a lot of questions and confusion throughout. About the Academy, about the relationship between Clara and Kaelis, about the Star-crossed Club. It was likely intentional, to be mysterious and encouraging you to keep reading; I found it annoying. Some of my questions will probably be answered in the next book, but I'm not sure if I care to wait that long.

4 stars for the ideas, 2 stars for the execution.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review

The dark academia x tarot card love child I didn’t know I needed! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy. Not only is the cover gorgeous, but the magic was compelling and intriguing. This is one that will need to be added to my shelves.

This book consumed me from start to finish! I loved learning the magic of this world throughout the course of the story. Very unique and different from the magic in other fantasy series. Sprinkle in a misunderstood prince, dark academia, and a woman who just wants to protect her family - you’ve got an epic story you won’t want to put down!

I felt this book would be better if I knew about tarot cards. I know absolutely nothing about them and I feel I didn't get much of an explanation for almost a quarter of the book.