Arcana Academy was amazing and utterly original. It had an intricate magic system revolving around tarot cards, a corrupt king & ruling class that suppresses the masses, morally complex characters making bargains and betraying each other, thievery & heists, and a slowburn enemies-to-lovers romance that starts out as a fake engagement and is bursting with tension & longing.

Clara is a ferocious, scrappy heroine who will do anything to survive, and will burn down the world for her sister and her crew. Kaelis is the broody, mysterious, brilliant, and misunderstood headmaster of Aracana Academy and second born prince. Clara initially hates him, but as she spends more time with him and comes to understand his motivations and family, she realizes that he isn’t who she thought he was. I would love to have gotten his POV, because he falls first, and is so painfully in love with Clara that he’s willing to take whatever scraps of her that he can get. He was perfect.

This was everything I love about romantasy and dark academia. It had a gothic castle where arcane magic is studied, ruthless students who will do anything to graduate, royal intrigue and a secret battle for absolute power, and the swooniest romance imaginable. The audiobook was narrated by Anna Burnett, and I highly recommend listening to it! She did an amazing job telling Clara’s story and bringing this stunning story to life. Go read it immediately!

Thank you to Del Rey, Random House, Penguin Random House, Libro.FM, NetGalley, and Elise Kova for the ARC and ALC.

📔Aracana Academy
✏️ Elise Kova
📆 July 22
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🖋️magical tarot cards
🖋️ dark academia
🖋️cutthroat school
🖋️pretend engagement
🖋️ enemies to lovers
🖋️ found family
🖋️ thieves & heists
🖋️ political unrest

Thank you to Netgalley, Del Ray, Random House Worlds and Inklore for giving me the opportunity to have a ARC of this book. I very much enjoyed this book. It was captivating and intriguing. I loved the academy setting, the mystery, the magic system and the romantic subplot.
What to expect:
1st person singular POV
Academy/ School Setting
-Enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-mystery/who did it?
-secrets

What I enjoyed:
- The main character was strong and bold. I loved being in her head
- The magic system was easy to follow and was explained effortlessly and seamlessly
-Writing was highly enjoyable
- the romance wasn't forced and the book was not heavily focused on smut.
-side characters were fun and not lackluster
- The pace of the book was perfect

Things that could be improved on:
- Although the magic system was well developed I wish for a tad bit more of the world around them and deeper explanation of some parts.

Final Rating: 4.5*

4.5⭐️

What really impressed me in this book was the magic system - it was so unique, which lead to some very interesting twists!
Clara and Kaelis are true enemies and hate each other, which made their interactions really compelling to read. Their story was a real slow burn , full of mistrust and lies but also longing.
This story had really good elements, with l the academia setting, found family, mystery, a grant-heist. Everything tied together making a really complex and interesting plot, setting up what could be a great trilogy!
Much like Clara, we spend the whole book wondering who to trust , and the end was absolutely mind blowing with revelations - can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this ARC.

What a wild ride this book was! I was gripped from the very first page. The tarot card magic is very unique, the banter, the romance, the world building!! It was all so very well done and I cannot wait to read more!

Elise Kova has done it again, with Arcana Academy, she’s created the kind of magical, slow-burn, tension-filled world that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. This book is the perfect start to what’s shaping up to be an unforgettable romantasy series, and I already can’t wait for more.

Clara is exactly the kind of heroine I love: determined, smart, and just vulnerable enough to feel real. Thrust into a world of arcane secrets and powerful magic, she finds herself at Arcana Academy, where nothing is quite what it seems, and danger lurks beneath every spell.

And then there’s Kaelis.

The tension between Clara and Kaelis is everything. Their dynamic crackles with slow-burning chemistry, unspoken feelings, and that classic enemies-to-something-more energy. Every scene they shared had me holding my breath, waiting for someone, anyone, to make a move or let something slip. Kova builds their relationship with such care, layering the tension in subtle ways that make each moment more meaningful than the last.

Beyond the romance, the world-building is lush and intriguing, with magical politics, hidden truths, and just the right amount of darkness. Kova sets up threads of mystery that you know will unravel in explosive ways later in the series, and the balance between romance, magic, and character growth is spot-on.

Arcana Academy feels like the beginning of something truly special. With Clara and Kaelis at the center, surrounded by a cast of compelling side characters and a rich magical world, this is one series I’ll be following closely. If you love slow-burn romantic tension, magical academia, and a heroine you can root for, this book is your next obsession.

Arcana Academy was a ride. An utterly fantastic, jaw dropping ride that stole my breath and ran away with it. I was deeply engrossed in the story and with Claras character from the first few pages. The tarot card magic system was so unique and transfixed me immediately. I especially loved that each of the cards were featured in the glossary with the explanations of the magic that they held. This only helped to further ground me in the world and allowed me to better understand the magic being cast without taking me from the story. Elise Kova did a phenomenal job of creating a setting that immersed me quickly and completely and had me hanging on her every word. The forced engagement and the dark academia setting further weakened my knees and put me entirely at her mercy. I couldn't look away.
I loved every aspect of this book. The character development, the mystery, the suspense, the pacing, the plot progression, it all worked together seamlessly to create an unforgettable world that I can't get out of my mind. I genuinely felt as though I was in Claras shoes, unsure of who to trust and where to turn for help. I really hope that Kaelis is truly on her side because I think it will break something in me if he betrays her. I really want the two of them to be endgame. This was my first Elise Kova book, but if this level of storytelling is what I've been missing, I know that it certainly won't be my last.

An ambitious start to a new fantasy epic. I enjoyed the complexity of the world and the magic system, it was unlike anything I've read before, and set apart from Kova's other fantasy universe. I'm sure Kaelis will become the new crush of the decade as the spice will draw the romantacy lovers. Still, I felt that the action was a little slow - I get that we're only just cooking, and the sequel will be explosive - but because there's so much a lot of the drama and world building comes through conversations. This series needs a prequel like The Assassin's Blade where we can see how Clara ended up in the prison!

Mystery, magic, mayhem. What a ride this book takes you on! True enemies to allies to lovers. A truly unique yet also kinda familiar magic system. This book was a last from start to finish!

Wow, just wow!! My friend really loved this book and I can see why!! I was addicted!! The plot and characters were phenomenal!! It may be 500 pages but I flew through it!!

I have been a fan of Elise Kova for a long time, since Air Awakens but this one just blew me away. The characters, the plot, the use of tarot for the magic was so on elaborate and on point. I loved the slow burn romance between Clara and Kaelis, Elise Kova lets you get to know the characters as they get to know each other before throwing them together to just let go of all their romantic tension. The academy setting was entertaining with the danger they face from the trials and the requirement to learn their magic to achieve not just their goals but more schooling. Clara has so much to lose and so much to gain through attending the academy including her family. I still have so many questions and absolutely cannot wait for the next book.

4.25 ⭐️

In the beginning, I thought I wasn’t going to like this book but I kept going and I had SO MUCH FUN reading it. I love the magical system that Elise built in this book with tarot cards, like it was so good. LET ME TELL YOU THOUGH, the SLOW BURN, had me gagging. I wanted to die (but in a good way). I’m very excited for book 2 :)

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Del Rey for sending me an E-ARC.

DNF.

I wish I would have liked this one. It had all of the makings for a great book for me. I am sure there are a ton of people out there that have really grabbed onto this one and it makes me sad I didn't have the same experience. I am new to this author and wanted to give it a try because everyone talks highly of her. I don't think this one experience will prevent me from trying other books by her in the future.

The writing for me in this one felt repetitive and I just couldn't find a way to get myself to lock in and continue reading. There were some interesting moments like the prison escape, but overall I just couldn't care about the characters or what their journey looked like.

If you love deep fantasy and intricate magic systems, and dark academia, you will enjoy this book. Clara is a tarot card crafter. The only problem is that it is illegal for her to do so because only those a part of the elite Arcana Academy are allowed to do so. So, she decides to infiltrate it. The academy is ran by a prince, Clara catches Prince Kaelis’ attention. She ends up spying for him. There is a slow burn between the two, with some spice.

There is lots of mystery, political intrigue, and tons of tension. The cover is absolutely stunning! I Think Elise clearly has a vision and envision worlds that are incredibly detailed.

For me, it was a slower pace than I personally normally enjoy, and it had a lot of information to take in. I will still be looking forward to the second book to see where the story goes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Del Rey, and Elise Kova for the chance to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The magic system in the book is so cool!!!! The tarot cards!! Omg. I love a school setting that isn't dark academia (in my opinion). I started this book on a plane and found myself wish the flight was longer so I could read more. Loved the fake engagement.

how am i supposed to go on waiting for book 2 & 3 😀

arc rating & review:

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

now that i’ve had a minute to gather my thoughts. this was absolutely PHENOMENAL. the tension? the world? the setting? the secrets and the magic?? THE TAROT MAGIC?? i mean truly i was stunned by each revelation. this had my neck breaking from the whiplash. it was arguably one of the BEST magic systems ive ever read about. it was intricate but not too complicated. i love anything celestial and things to do with tarot. it truly is some of the most creative and powerful magic types anyone can ever put in a book and i ATE. IT. UP!

let’s talk about the characters. holy shit. i loved all of them. Kaelis 😭😭 i love him so deeply and i absolutely devoured everything he ever said to her. and truly how protective he was of her omgggg. kill me now. and i absolutely adored our fmc so much. Clara you smart, beautiful, powerful woman. I absolutely loved her and her ferocity. she never ever gave up even if she felt outmatched. seeing the world through her eyes was so interesting and i loved how she never let anyone tell her what to do or how to do it. she always made room for her loved ones and did everything in her power to make sure she never had to cry over an empty coffin, ifykyk. she was so powerful and strong in so many ways.

overall this was a great book. the magic was obviously my favorite part of it all. one of the absolute MOST unique magic systems i’ve ever read about. i fear nothing will compare to it. i loved how intricate it was but it wasn’t overly complicated or difficult to understand. the world was so immersive and ruthless. i loved the court politics as well as the interpersonal conflicts. all in all, this was BEAUTIFUL. i hope everyone picks this up. it was truly such a good book. i can’t wait for book 2 & 3. i have a feeling it’ll become a five star series for me.

thank you netgalley & elise kova for the e-arc!! may luck be with you all ;) 💛

3 stars. Thank you for the ARC! This book had an interesting magic system and I enjoyed the academy structure and the curriculum, however… The pacing for this book was awful. It was very, very boring. Sometimes less is more when it comes to details of the day-to-day. This book has SO much going on, to the point where none of it interested me particularly. The romance wasn’t believable, and although I was supposed to *feel* a lot at the end, I didn’t feel anything. The plot twist did throw me for a loop because of the logistics of what happened, but it wasn’t *that* surprising. Altogether, I think this book would have benefitted a lot from heavier editing.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards—a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape—for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time. In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Elisa Kova is the queen of worldbuilding. This book is so rich in so many ways. Brilliant storytelling that pulled me in right from the beginning. I want more! (Oh, and also the cover is beautiful!) An easy 5⭐ from me!

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

The book was very interesting with its complex and pretty unique magic system. I enjoyed the fmc’s character progression, and the plot was fantastic. Only downturn was the romance was kind of meh? There wasn’t a whole lot of interactions between the two mc’s, so the romance was fine just not really that interesting. Regardless a very well done book and I would definitely recommend it!

“Swear to me you will do as I say and stay hidden. Keep your true name and your powers secret. Stay safe. Protect those like you."

Arcana Academy is a captivating Dark Academia fantasy romance novel, with an intriguing and slightly complex magic system rooted in Tarot cards. Each card has unique powers or skills, but still easy to follow if you don’t have any knowledge of tarot cards. The magic system in this world is both fascinating and refreshing, where the magic user, Inks/draws, reads, and then wields the cards. The balance between the power of the cards and the cost they demand adds depth to the magic system.

The forced proximity and fake engagement storyline between Clara and Kaelis creates amazing chemistry, tension, and banter that keeps you turning the page. The book is filled with mysteries to unravel, both the past and present. It has court intrigue, secrets, and a few side quests. The pacing is well-crafted, the characters are complex and well-crafted, and the atmosphere is eerie.

"Each Minor Arcana is governed by an element. Wands are fire, Swords are air, Coins earth, and Cups water."

After her mother’s death, Clara Graysword survives by practicing forbidden magic, a skill restricted to students at the Arcana Academy, where the King holds power over its users. However, when a job goes bad it lands her in prison. A year later, there is a glimmer of hope of freedom, seizing this chance, Clara accepts a deal with Prince Kaelis. Kaelis brings Clara to the Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his soon-to-be bride.

"You are angry, fiery, passionate, often impulsive, and more determined than any creature I have ever met."

I really like Clara’s character. She has exceptional determination, she is a survivor, resilient, and tough. Her loyalty to uncovering the truth behind her mother’s death and her relentless pursuit to find her sister are unwavering.

She has had to conceal her powers and true name from the world, creating an air of mystery that makes it challenging to discern whom she can truly trust.

Prince Kaelis was an intriguing character, filled with secrets, and had his own agenda. I personally loved him; he has a captivating, dark, and mysterious vibe.

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

The romance is a slow burn, requiring the two characters to build trust. However, as things progress, the tension heats up and eventually explodes.

This book captivated me. I can’t wait to reread it to uncover any hidden clues. With the cliffhanger ending, I'm excited to see where the story takes us next.

3.5⭐ rounded down because of my indifference to the romance. Thank you NetGalley & Del Rey for the ARC.

My past experience with Elise Kova's other first books of a series has been generally great. At worst, a solid read. Like these previous reads, Arcana Academy's strength is its gripping plot that hooked me. As a romantasy, the plot hinges on two main aspects: 1) the brewing plan of overthrowing a tyrannical king through the creation of a powerful tarot card, and 2) the romance between Clara the thief-turned-student of Arcana Academy and Kaelis the prince/headmaster of the academy who personally schemed to get her out of prison and roping her in said Overthrowing the King plot. It's the first part that I felt was well done. I was invested in their scheming the whole time and wanted to see them succeed.

As with all the Kova books I've read so far, I'm always intrigued by the worlds she comes up with. In this case, I was captivated by the academic structure and curriculum of the Academy. And of course, the tarot-based magic system was fun. Think Cardcaptor Sakura using magical cards to weave offensive or passive spells. My only quibble is that some of the spells are literal interpretations of the cards themselves, which felt uncreative to me. For example, the Lovers card can make two people fall in love. How groundbreaking. When The Lovers card isn't necessarily tied to romantic relationships.

Speaking of romantic relationships, part of the reason why the romance fell flat for me was because Clara & Kaelis didn't spend enough time together to get me invested. But that's the problem of Kaelis being the headmaster; he's off doing things that don't involve Clara. He's not in her classes, nor does he even mentor her; she has her fellow schoolmates for that. We do read about them being in close proximity with each other when Clara has to spend nights working on her Special Tarot Card and he basically supervises her, but that's not romantic. And bonding over Kaelis' cat isn't enough. Nor is the Fake Engagement ploy in public gatherings where they have to pretend to be in love. To Kova's credit, they're not a terrible couple, but I don't see why they fell in love with each other when Kaelis' best trait is he's not As Terrible As His Shitty Privileged Father & Brother. He wants to tear down the oppressive system in place, but in the meantime has to put up appearances that he's Too Snobbish To Care about the commonfolk. I'm not convinced, nor did I find myself caring about him at all. That said, Kova does write some pretty good and poetic declarations of love.

Clara of course was more interesting; I do tend to like an Elise Kova heroine. I didn't mind that she veered more towards morally grey than simply moral in the second half of the novel, because I think it makes an interesting arc for her. I'm also glad that the motivation towards her own scheming is due to her love for her mother & sister. Women are the motivating drive behind her "selfishness" and not a man, and I'm always down for that. (Especially when said man Kaelis is bland.)

The ending was a curve thrown at me and I'm intrigued to see what happens next! As long as the romance doesn't rise to insufferable levels, I'm definitely down for the rest of the series.