3.5 stars

There is a lot going on in this book, and that makes sense as it is the first of a series. It did take me about 33% to get into it, but once I got there it gripped me more. I put the book down for probably a month before I picked it back up to finish, but I am glad I did. I will read book two.

There is no doubt that this book is distinctly Fantasy/Dark Academia. I wouldn’t even classify it as romantasy since it’s slooooow burn with more chemistry/attraction and only a few small instances of spice. I appreciated that about it though. The plot (while a little convoluted) was front and center. The relationship between Kaelis and Clara, while prominent didn’t deter from the plot, it added to it. You’re going to get magic, enemies (both personal and academic), intrigue, and a plot to bring down the throne.

For the book taking place at an Academy, I felt as though there were very little schooling/teaching/learning that was mentioned or explained. I think I might have liked a bit more of that and a little less of her purposefully running off on her own or pissing off Kaelis. That's just a me thing though.

There is a lot of world building, and I like that in a fantasy series. There is still so much mystery surrounding Clara and Kaelis. I would have loved to have a deeper dive into Kaelis, but since the book was from Clara’s POV, we only see him through her eyes. Now, Clara & Kaelis both had issues in my opinion. It was hard to connect or root for either of them. They both carry a lot of secrets and they are both so distrustful of people and each other that I never felt as though I was reading about the “real them.” It being the first book makes it more understandable. There are a LOT of loose ends when it comes to understanding either character, their motivations, backgrounds, magic, or personalities.

Now the magic system was cool. It was as though the author had read One Dark Window, took the tarot cards to a whole other level and made it her own. I did have a hard time following the intricacies of it, but that only makes me believe that the author put a lot of time and effort into creating something wholly her own. I’m sure by book two I will have a better handle on it.

There are still a lot of side characters that were brought into book one that I hope will make their way into book two.

Overall - I liked it, but I didn’t love it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and DelRey for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

I absolutely devoured this book. Elise always manages to leave my jaw on the floor and screaming for more, and Arcana Academy is no different. We've got a dangerous and dark magical academy, unique and intricate magic, a forced proximity fake engagement, antagonists to lovers, found family, and breathtaking reveals.

This world is incredible. The magic is so unique, and I'm really in awe of how intricately built the magic system of tarot cards is. Then you have the houses at the school, and the clans outside the school. There's so much going on, and I know we haven't learned all there is to know yet. At times, some things didn't make senses and I thought I was spotting a hole....and then I got to the end of the book and realized there's a REASON! I am rabid to find out more in the next books.

Clara and Kaelis--just wow. We start the book thinking he's definitely the bad guy....but is he? He and Clara have scorching chemistry, and their relationship progression is sloooooooooow yet incredible. I was screaming at them to KISS ALREADY for much of the book. Clara has so much to unpack and learn, and they're both holding back a ton still, but they are absolute fire together.

No surprise since this is an Elise Kova book afterall, but that cliffhanger had me screaming. But this is the first time I've ever had to experience one without being able to immediately pick up the next book, and I do not know how I'm going to survive a year until the next book.

Highly recommended!

As a long time Elise Kova fan I had big expectations going into this book. I really thought I would love and devour this book. But let me tell you I struggled and sadly this book only ended up being a 3 ⭐️ read for me. Now don’t come at me with pitch forks yet. Even though I struggled I enjoyed the book and I’m 100% planning on continuing with the series. But I probably won’t be rushing out to secure the sequel once it does arrive. Now with that being said my review for the first book, Arcana Academy.

Arcana Academy is dark academia fantasy novel focusing around Tarot Magic. This book basically feels like if Harry Potter and the Prison Healer series got together and made a book baby. The biggest I thing I struggled with was the world building. Learning the tarot card magic, the myths, the political system. It is a lot and extremely overwhelming. And for the first book you are immediately thrown into it. To top it off, the amount of main and side characters is insane. Everytime I think I have every character figured out I have to go back and make sure I had the right person. Plus trying to keep straight whose nobility, which house everyone belongs to and past connections. Because of all the these factors I had to stop and put down the book multiple times just to take brain breaks. And because of that it definitely got frustrating especially when I just wanted to focus on Clara & Kaelis.

Speaking of Clara & Kaelis as individuals they kinda drove me up a wall. Clara in particular, the amount of time I wanted to bang my head against the wall for her not catching such obvious signs was infuriating. Kaelis I had an easier time with. And I hope we get it dive deeper into his character further in the next book. The best thing about these two for me though was their slowburn romance. I think the two of them are stronger together and make a really good team. I’m curious to see where their relationship goes In the next book especially after that ending.

Overall, even though this wasn’t my favorite Elise Kova book. I still enjoyed it and still recommend it. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Del Rey Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

4.5/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Dark academia meets slow burn enemies to lovers with a unique magic system!

This is a brilliant dark academia fantasy book with a magic system where characters wield magic from tarot cards, which was different and felt unique.

The FMC, Clara, starts her journey in prison and after a prison break finds herself enrolled at Arcana Academy where she must master her wielding skills, while trying to uncover the mysteries of her family. Unsure on who to trust at the academy and surrounded by enemies, Clara finds herself bound to one of those enemies being the schools headmaster who also happens to be the prince.

This book is great for lovers of dark academia who also want some slow burn romance on the side! This was my first Elise Kova book and it was such a great read.

Elise Kova had been an author. I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. And I’m so happy I started. Arcana Academy has an intriguing and unique magical system and a world filled with political intrigue. The Tarot Magic system was really cool and having them assigned to individuals captured my attention and kept it the entire time. I also found the choice of love interest to be intriguing. A prince that is also a headmaster. I wasn’t sure in the beginning how that was going to work out, but I will never doubt Elise ever again!
I found the pacing to be very consistent and it was easy for me knock it out in one sitting. I am so curious with where this is going to go I am highly anticipating the next book and can’t wait for it to be here’! Until then I will reread and can’t wait to get my hands on the audiobook to experience it in a different way.
Thank you to Del Rey for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A slow-burning romantasy with an academic setting and complex magic system.

While it’s first-person and the writing is accessible enough, the world and the intricacies of tarot can be confusing. The book is also longer than I’d like, the plot is somewhat predictable, and there are way too many side characters to keep track of.

That being said, I have no doubt this will have a rabid audience. I could see the book appealing to Fourth Wing fans.

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elise Kova has completely bewitched me with Arcana Academy. From the first page, I was pulled into a world brimming with danger, deception, and a unique magic system rooted in tarot cards that felt both ancient and inventive.
It’s dark academia meets magical survival school, with an edge that kept me turning pages late into the night!

We follow Clara, a fierce heroine who’s yanked from prison only to land in a deadlier cage, an elite academy where failure isn’t just embarrassing, it’s fatal. Every assignment is a test of strength, every ally could be a traitor, and every moment she hides her identity is a gamble with her life. Enter Kaelis, the second prince, the enigmatic headmaster, and Clara’s fake fiancé!! Their dynamic? Electric. Messy. Utterly addictive.. 😍

Found family, deadly trials, masked intentions, and characters you’ll mistrust even as you root for them??Arcana Academy is full of sharp edges but also soft moments. It’s an high stakes fantasy where every choice cuts deeper than the last!

If you’re a fan of morally gray characters, tarot magic, enemies to allies tension, fake relationships with real emotions, and an academic setting laced with danger.. you need to enroll in this series ASAP!

Thank you to Del Ray for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I’ve already pre ordered a special edition! 😍

Badass woman weaponising tarot cards? Sold!! The groundwork laid for the plot didn't feel too descriptive/boring. The action remains suspenseful and honestly, got me on the edge of my seat. You wish everything will go their way even if you know it won't because... girl, this is book one let's be real haha.

All in all, this gave me quite a book hangover and I'd partake in it over and over for the first time if I could.

Devoured!! Finished this baby in less than 24 hours, I was that hooked. This book is so much fun. The book description and cover drew me in. I was intrigued enough by the tarot card magic and let myself go along for the ride.

Clara and Kaelis? Loved it.
The setting? The magic?
The tropes are done so well.

I cannot say enough good things about this book, so I preordered two copies. Is it an original book? No, but it's familiar paces done in an immersive, fun way.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

DNF at 32%

The concept of this book seemed really interesting and I was excited to read it. Unfortunately, I soon found myself bored and struggling to get through it.

The magic system is intriguing but it isn't enough to make me pick the book back up. The pacing is so slow I was having to force myself to read it and then struggled to get through 10% in the time it would using take me to read a quarter of a book of this length.

Sadly, I just don't want to read any more at this time. I might try again in the future but the plot, characters, world and magic system haven't hooked me and the pacing is slower than me walking up a steep hill.

OMG! The buildup to this story is a slow one, but it's worth it! Once it picks up the pace, it is a speed run through the end of the book, but in a satisfying I need the next one way. K and C are a great set of mains that I cannot wait to see unfold even further in the next book.

✨Arcana Academy✨

Author: Elise Kova
Release: July 22, 2025

My first read by Elise and HOLY MOLY. I loved it so stinking much. This new series gave me Harry Potter, Yu-GI-oh!, and Iron & Embers vibes with its dark academia, school houses & initiations, cut throat assignments, as well as its unique tarot card style magic. I haven’t read a book with this style of magic and it was SO COOL and insanely intricate! I applaud Elise for how much depth went into this system.

In AA, we follow a singular first person POV from our FMC, Clara, who is full of secrets, hiding her identity, and imprisoned for illegal tarot card inking. But when our MMC enters, the second Prince and headmaster of AA, Kaelis, Clara meets someone who rivals her in purpose, secrets, and risk. Elaborate plans, ambiguous characters, and a super slow burn take us through these pages as Clara is pulled from prison and thrust into the academy where failure equals death; her identity equals death; and her past equals death. Everyone is out for themselves, knowing who to trust is difficult. But allis are found in the most unique of ways- even ones she thought she hated.

I REALLY enjoyed this and I truly need book two soon because I have SO MANY QUESTIONS that need answers. The plot is intricate and twisting and so fun. I found this story really refreshing.

Tropes you may find in AA are fake engagement, prison break, tarot card magic, enemies to reluctant allis to lovers?, forced proximity, academia setting, wound tending, found family, political/court intrigue, hidden identities, slow burn to medium spice- emotionally focused, morally grey characters, plot twists, and an intriguing cliffy!!

Thank you to Elise, Netgalley, and Hodder & Stoughton for this gifted arc. I am SO EXCITED for book two!!

This book got me out of a serious fantasy slump! Arcana Academy was made for the witchy tarot girlies. Beyond the slowest of the slow burn romance and morally grey MMC, the world-building was impeccable and I love-hated the fiery, sometimes irrational FMC. Reminiscent of some of our favorites but still very unique in its own right, Arcana Academy brings some of the war college vibes and lovable cast of Fourth Wing combined with the political intrigue/power and class struggles of Red Queen. The book ends on a crazy cliffhanger so cliffhanger haters, beware! Some of the writing felt over explained or repetitive making it feel a little more YA than I was hoping for which is why I couldn’t quite give this 5 stars. I 100% will be reading the next book and probably adding a trophy copy of this book to my library!

Great for fans of Elise Kova and fantasy romance! Kova has crafted an intricate world with tarot card magic at the center. It was the most unique part of this book. Aside from the magic system, however, the plot felt predictable at times.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

arcana academy was a highly detailed and immersive, filled with tarot inspired magic, politics, with a SLOW BURN romantic subplot.

the magic system was so fascinating and well developed, for how detailed it really is it did not feel like an info dump. the way the characters used it helped explain it and i loved seeing it in action.

i enjoyed clara’s journey through this first book as she is pulled out of prison by the second prince (oh kaelis...i have some thoughts about him), enters an engagement of convenience, and forced to enroll at arcana academy where it truly is survival of the fittest. i love the family that she has built for herself both outside and inside the academy. kaelis was so interesting and it was only book one but his character development was chef’s kiss. it was exactly what i wanted.

i have always really enjoyed elise kova’s writing style. this one felt a bit slow paced at times which is the only reason it is not five stars. the characters all around felt multifaceted and i am excited for the world continues to expand in the next installments.

as i am writing this review i am realizing they are lowkey giving reylo but that might also just might be a me thing.

tropes + highlights:
- complex magic systems
- morally gray characters
- heists
- found families
- slow burn + enemies forced into alliances
- academy setting + trials
- fake dating with high stakes
- “i hate that i want you” style chemistry

✶ thank you netgalley and del rey for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review ✶

Arcana Academy is a fantastic start to a new fantasy series with an intriguing magic system! Clara has spent the last year in prison for illegally inking tarot cards, which is supposed to be only practiced by graduates of the Arcana Academy. She is abruptly placed into a scheme with the school’s headmaster, Prince Kaelis, to discover a long-lost card and pose as his betrothed for safety.

This might be my favorite magic system I have read in a long time! I found it easy to follow along with as we were introduced to new cards and couldn’t wait to learn more. The battle scenes using cards were so cool!

The pacing of the story was perfect and I never grew bored while reading. There was always something new being unveiled and danger afoot. Everyone is this book has secrets and I feel like there is so much more to dive in to with the rest of the series!

I’ve read a few other books from Elise before and was expecting her signature slow-burn romance, but was pleasantly surprised with how Clara and Kaelis’ relationship developed in this first book! They are definitely still on the lust end of the scale currently and have a ways to go before we see a happily ever after. There is also a lot of trust that needs to be gained but I understood why they are both so hesitant to let any feelings show. They had some serious tension and steam in this book, and a lot of potential for the rest of the series.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and need to know what happens next! I just know Elise has some tricks up her sleeve and can’t wait to find out more. I would definitely recommend to any dark academia/fantasy lovers out there!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publsihing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this in 6 hours it was insane!
The magic system in unique, dark academia is the perfect setting for this story and Elise knows how to write in a way that grips you and won't let go until you finish!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc! What an absolutely engaging read! The tarot-based magic system is incredibly unique and well thought out. Clara is a strong and relatable protagonist whose journey from prison to the Arcana Academy immediately pulls you in. Her complex relationship with Prince Kaelis, the brooding headmaster, develops with just the right amount of tension and reluctant connection.

I appreciate how the dark academia setting enhances the magical elements rather than overwhelming them. The world-building is rich without being excessive, and the political intrigue adds depth to an already compelling narrative. The fake engagement trope is handled well and doesn't feel forced or predictable.

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is an absolute gem—a brilliant blend of dark academia, inventive magic, and emotionally grounded storytelling. From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked. Clara Graysword is a fierce, smart, and deeply human protagonist whose rare gift of inking magical tarot cards makes her both powerful and vulnerable. Her journey from prison to the shadowy halls of Arcana Academy is filled with high stakes, political tension, and emotional depth. I loved the dynamic between Clara and Prince Kaelis—the slow-burn romance was full of tension, banter, and genuine growth. The enemies-to-lovers element was perfectly paced and never rushed, making their connection feel earned and incredibly satisfying. The world-building is rich and immersive, especially the tarot-based magic system, which felt fresh, unique, and beautifully detailed. Every trial Clara faces at the academy reveals more about her strength and heart, and I couldn’t help but root for her. Elise Kova has created a world that feels dark, dangerous, and irresistible, and I’m already counting down the days until the next book. If you love magic, mystery, and complex, emotionally driven characters, Arcana Academy is an absolute must-read.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. This one took a little bit to get into, not because it wasn’t interesting but the magic system is a little complicated and there are a lot of characters that you need to keep track off. Once I got a hang of things, I needed to know what would happen. This is probably one of the first academia that I have actually enjoyed. There were some parts that I guessed and were pretty predictable but overall looking forward to the next book.