tarot card-based magic, elite academy, a fugitive hiding in plain sight, fake engagement with an enemy that is a prince. all sounds good in hindsight, but the execution was very lacking it ended up felt mostly boring. the repetitiveness was maddening, this book could've been way shorter without sacrificing anything important parts.

i couldn't bring myself to care about Clara, her ultimate goal was selfish but at any chance she got she would immediately play savior. suuure dude. meanwhile Kaelis was dark and brooding and "an enemy" only in theory. ok he's cocky and intimidating sometimes but his actions never showed that he's actually evil. the romance felt like the author forced to stretch the "true enemies" situation for as long as possible but there's no actual built-up nor tangible chemistry that lead to the "lovers" phase. suddenly they all over each other because naturally *eye roll*.

also if this is meant to be for adult why make Kaelis 23??? what's stopping the author from assigning older age for him??? his frontal lobe hasn't fully developed yet and you want me to just accept that he's a headmaster and a founder of an elite, prestigious academy??? whatever i guess.

i truly wanted to like this but I can't. when I contemplated to dnf because I didn't care about anything anymore at some points, I was too far in so I just dragged myself through. it ended in a cliffhanger but i don't think i'd read the sequel.

as for the audiobook, the narrator has a pleasant voice and I generally liked it, except she didn't really express emotions strongly so sometimes i felt the narration a bit flat... but if it wasn't for the audiobook I wouldn't be able to finish this book so that's something.

overall it's not bad per se, but nothing stood out to me either.

4.25 ⭐️

Arcana Academy is an incredible start to a new fantasy romance trilogy by Elise Kova. Fans of The Will of the Many will find familiar elements—rich world-building, political intrigue, and layered character dynamics—enhanced by the added allure of a slow-burn romance.

The romantic subplot is charged with tension and desire, perfectly complementing the central narrative. That said, the execution of the more intimate moments felt somewhat stilted, lacking the fluidity and emotional depth that defined the build-up.

Overall, this is a captivating and promising series opener, and I can’t wait to see where Kova takes these characters next.

Audiobook ARC provided by Hodder & Stoughton Audio in exchange for an honest review.

⭐ 4.25/5

I absolutely devoured this audiobook! The narrator’s voice brought the world to life in such a vivid, captivating way — it was a pleasure to listen to from start to finish.

The magical world Elise Kova created is rich, intriguing and full of originality. The unique magic system based on tarot was one of the highlights for me. I loved learning about the different cards and how they tied into the plot — it was a fresh and clever approach to magic. The academic setting is another big win: it gave me serious magical school vibes, which I always enjoy.

The story had me hooked with just the right amount of mystery, and although I saw the final twist coming, it was still satisfying and well executed. The forced marriage trope? A huge yes from me — and it’s introduced right from the beginning! I do wish there had been more romantic tension or interaction between the main couple, but I’m hoping that will develop further in book two.

Also… can we talk about the cat? Loved her. Absolutely stole every scene she was in.

If you’re into romantasy with a strong setting, solid world building, academic magic, and a sprinkle of fate and romance — this is for you. One of the best romantasy debuts I’ve read (or listened to!) this year.

I’m already counting the days for book two!

Tension filled fantasy, with magic based around tarot cards. Academy yes, but a lot of the action isn’t about the Academy it’s self. A quest for control, but the players are not all what they seem. Who will end up surviving as secrets are revealed and collaborations fray? The beginning of the audiobook starts with a description of how the magic works with the tarot cards. But I have to say there is a lot of info before you know anything about the story. So maybe better to come back to this later. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This is one of my most anticipated release of the year and guess what this one is not for me(atleast for now). So I got into this book thinking about dark academia setting and all. But 15% in I was not even feeling connected to the book or plot or characters or anything! I just didn't get what was happening in the book at this point and I felt like reading it would be wasteful!

But since this was one I was so excited to read I'll definitely give it a try in future maybe but right now this is not what I thought it will be!

This was my first book by Elise Kova, and while I didn’t fall in love with it, there were parts I really appreciated.

The magic system was the standout for me. It was clever, layered, and full of potential. I actually found myself more curious about how the magic worked than what was happening in the plot, which says a lot.

That said, I had a hard time staying engaged. The story moved slowly, and I never really connected with the characters. They felt a bit flat, which made the stakes feel low and the emotional moments fall short.

Still, I’m kind of tempted to continue the series just to see where the magic goes. It wasn’t a bad read, just not one that fully pulled me in.

After loving the digital copy I thought I’d like to try the audio book. I really enjoyed it and found the narrator easy to listen to.

3.5 stars

I’ve had a bit of trouble rating this book, on the one hand I did enjoy it on the other it had some frustrating facets to it.

So, what I liked:
The magic system, I loved the familiarity of using Tarot as the magic system and then upping the ante to make it really kick ass.
The setting, Dark Academia is one of my favourite Fantasy sub genres.
The pacing was good, I was never bored and a good amount was covered in this, the first book.

What I found frustrating:
The repetition - being told something more than once is par for the course but being told things over and over and over again is just plain annoying.
The disparity between actions and narrative going unexplained - so, for example being told in the narrative that Clara is strong and independent while being told that Kaelis is a stinker of the highest proportions but the Actions of both characters belie this. This is fine, it happens sometimes for very good reasons but the reasons do need some explaining and that is what’s missing. Arcana Academy is billed as an adult romantasy but the treatment of the characters was far more reminiscent of a young adult book, nothing wrong with a piece of young adult fantasy, I’ve read many but if I choose to read an adult book my expectations are different.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy (both electronic and audio) in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. This audiobook was phenomenal. I absolutely could not stop listening to it. This book in an academic setting and the narrator’s voice was everything. It really brought the book to life. I can’t wait for book 2.

Thank you so much to Hodderscape and Netgalley for ALC of this phenomenal book!

[3.5 stars] The concept of Arcana Academy really intrigued me: tarot-based magic, a dark academia setting, and a mix of political intrigue and slow-burn romance? Sign me up. And to be fair, the magic system truly delivered. It’s one of the most original I've come across in a while. The inking process, magical clans, and structure of the society were fascinating, and the last twist definitely left me curious about book two.

However, the audiobook experience brought down my overall enjoyment. Anne Burnett's narration was technically fine, but emotionally flat. Every moment, whether tense, witty, or heartbreaking, was delivered in the same monotone voice. Clara, the MC, is supposed to be clever and fiery, but that never came through in the performance. Dialogue often blended together because there wasn’t much differentiation between characters, which made it hard to stay immersed.

On top of that, the pacing was uneven. Some scenes dragged with excessive detail, while important character motivations and emotional developments were glossed over or delayed. Clara’s growth felt limited, and the hate-to-love romance didn’t feel entirely earned, it leaned more on “she hates, he pines” than a satisfying mutual development.

That said, the bones of a great series are here. The magic system is compelling enough that I’ll continue with the next book, but in print next time.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

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! The narrator did a great job and was easy to listen to!

I so wanted to love this and was looking forward to a dark academia fantasy, but it sadly fell flat for me.

The magic system was interesting and very unique, (I love tarot cards) but it wasn’t enough to carry the book. The characters were bland and the FMC had too much internal monologue. I really struggled with the pacing. The introduction into the academy was way too long and I just lost interest. Too many random side characters to distinguish who is who.

The narrator would have benefitted from another cast member as it was hard to discern when a male character was speaking most of the time.

I don’t even know where to start. I wanted to love this so much!
I got approved for the audiobook via NetGalley just as I finished another one, so I immediately dived in.

I was already SO hyped after going through the glossary. A magic system based on tarot cards? Uh, hell yes?!!!

But once I got through the first few chapters, my excitement started to fade.
The book just felt like it was going on and on. At one point, I even looked up how many pages it had because it felt never-ending. And that says a lot coming from me—I've listened to audiobooks over 30 hours long without being bothered.

While I understand why this book is/will be hyped, it just didn’t work for me.

I barely felt any connection between the characters—it was all so flat. I wasn’t even rooting for anyone or anything. And if you know me, I love a good romantasy and enemies-to-lovers... but *sigh* this was just disappointing.

The tarot-based magic system is still very original, and honestly, that’s the only reason I gave it two stars. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series.

Anyway, this review feels super negative, but if you’ve enjoyed Elise’s previous books or love a classic-style fantasy, I’d still recommend giving it a shot.

This was my first Elise Kova book, and while this one wasn’t for me, I’m not giving up on checking out her other work!

A quick note on the narration since I received the audiobook ARC:
This would’ve been so much better with a different narrator. Sometimes I didn’t even realize a male character was speaking because her tone barely shifted. It often felt flat, at times even monotone. I’d like to say I might’ve enjoyed it more if I had read the book myself, but… given how long it felt, let’s just leave it at that 🫣

I'm not in general a romantasy reader, however I love all things tarot so I want to give this a go.
This book delivers a magic school setting, with a well thought out tarot magic system and decent world-building.
The romance is enemy to lovers but the tension builds nicely and is well drawn out. I definitely want to read the next one.

3.75. I was looking forward to Arcana Academy as it sounded interesting with the Tarot Card system. I thought the narrator was really good and helped, I definitely wouldn’t have got through this book if I wasn’t listening to the audiobook. I did find it very long, too long I feel. I felt it was repetitive at times as I thought maybe I had jumped back on the audiobook and was re-listening to a part I had already read. I’m not sure if I will continue this series. I do feel that a lot of people will love this series though so I would recommend it to the right people.

4.5⭐

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova came out on the 22nd, and I can only tell you READ THE BOOK. And then please come back so we can talk about it, I seriously need someone to fangirl about it with. 20 hours of the audiobook passed in a blink of an eye and left me wanting more from the story immediately. My non-existent patience is already craving for the sequel and ✨answers✨ because OHMYGOD what was that ending. 😭😭

I've never been too knowledgeable about tarot cards, but the premise of the story really made me curious about them. Author made such a smart and interesting magic system by using them as the pillar and the tool of it.
Academic setting really played a big part in understanding how things worked with cards and utilizing them, but also showed us the social structures and dynamics of the world. Also I think we're all fans of an academy full of secrets and hidden magic within its walls, which is also explored through the story.

There was not a single slow or boring moment, Clara was always off to some new shenanigans and sneaking around the academy and I had so much fun "following her around".
She is such a well written charcter and her inner struggles, as she kept uncovering the truth and having a hard time deciding who to trust, really felt more than justified. Clara is definitely one of my favorite fmcs I've had the pleasure of reading about - she's strong in every sense of the word, has a great wit and intuition, she's skillful, has a big heart and is determined beyond any and all limitations. She was pretty cocky, and rightfully so. Dar I say I love my female protagonists a little overpowered (I'm begging, let her stay that way).

Her relationship with Kaelis was such a fun tug of war from the beginning and I really appreciate how there wasn't insta anything. This wasn't a slowburn, but they didn't get past the we're-enemies phase quickly either, which I really, really appreciate. The tension between them slowly kept growing and becoming a bigger part of the narrative at a perfect pace. The denial phase on both their parts though was my favorite.

Kaelis was also such and interesting character and what I loved about him... Well, I actually loved everything about him, he was literally the blueprint of the top tier mmcs. His lines had me giggling in the middle of the street as I was doing my errands and probably had me looking crazy.
I mean, dark hair? Check. Mysterious, dark past? Check. Has ulterior motives? Check. Morally grey? Check. Constantly scheming? Check.
Can't wait to see more of him in the next book. 🤭

The part that left me with more questions than answers was about Clara's family. It was a constant mystery and a driving force for Clara. Trying to solve both her mom's murder and her sister's disappearance was heartbreaking, but there were such sketchy vibes to it and I really can't wait for the rest of the story to tie it together.

This was a first book in the trilogy and I think it perfectly set up the world and the story for the next two, and I'm so looking forward to finding out what's in store for the characters.

The narrator, Anna Burnett, did such an amazing job at portraying Clara and conveying every single emotion and thought she had, and it goes without saying for the other characters. The writing itself was addictive, but the narration added another layer to it as well, I really couldn't stop listening. She has such a pleasant voice and I'll definitely be seeking out other audiobooks narrated by her.

Thank you very much Hodder and Stoughton Audio and Netgalley for an ALC ✨💜

I will never stop thinking about the magic system in this book. I have never read anything like it!
Right from the start of the audiobook I found myself rewinding any time I felt I has missed as much as 10 seconds of the book. I was so invested in this truly unique idea and absolutely adored how the story played out.

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
⚜️ tarot-based magic system
🖤 enemies to lovers
⚜️ betrothal of convenience
🖤 forced proximity
⚜️ he falls first & harder

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
When Clara is given an opportunity to escape from the prison she is being held in, she takes it - only to fall straight into the hands of the man responsible for putting her there, Prince Kaelis. Kaelis claims to need her skillset, so enrols her in the cut-throat Arcana Academy instead of sending her back.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
This was such a fun & easy read, and I flew through it! Whilst I had both the e-arc and the alc, I ended up listening to most of it because I found the narrator so easy to get along with!

I absolutely loved the tarot-based magic system - it felt so unlike anything I had read before, and I’m excited to see where Elise takes this in the next book. Whilst I did wish I had a comprehensive glossary for all the cards (the one included is annoyingly patchy!) the book is not overly complex in terms of world-building.

This is a classic romantasy enemies to lovers, and I loved the tension between Kaelis & Clara at the start! Kaelis is supposedly evil (🙄) but he was definitely my favourite character! Even if Clara is blind to it, he falls so hard 😭 Clara’s blinkers & narrow mindedness did annoy me a bit towards the end, but I’m hoping her character growth comes in the next book! 😅

What let it down slightly for me was the development of the romance between Kaelis and Clara - it just felt a bit lacklustre? I needed big emotions given the stakes, and for me it all just fell a little flat and didn’t really go anywhere. I wanted more so that the ending would hit harder!

I enjoyed the audio of this especially, and I think it helped me through some of the more complicated tarot parts! It’s a single narrator, but I thought she did it really well 👏🏼

I totally picked up this book because of the cover, but I have no regrets at all. Arcana Academy completely delivered, and I loved it!

It has everything I want in a fantasy read: a magical school, intense challenges and one of my favorite tropes: fake dating. The tarot-based magic system felt super original and really pulled me in. I haven’t read anything quite like it before, and it made the whole world feel fresh and exciting.

The chemistry between Clara and Kaelis was really well done. The tension felt so real and natural, and I was constantly wanting more of their scenes together.

I also listened to parts of the audiobook, narrated by Anna Burnett. I had to bump up the speed a bit, but she did a great job bringing the story to life. Switching between reading and listening actually helped keep me even more hooked.

I can totally see this turning into a hugely popular series, and I’ll be first in line for book two.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜱᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴇ, ꜱᴀʏ ꜱᴏ ɴᴏᴡ, ᴄʟᴀʀᴀ. ᴏʀ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɴᴇ.”

Clara Graysword has been rotting in prison for using outlawed magic✨ tarot based, powerful, and very much illegal. The man who helped put her there? None other than Prince Kaelis, brooding heir to the throne and now the headmaster of Arcana Academy. So imagine her surprise when he offers her a deal freedom in exchange for pretending to be his fiancée and helping him navigate a deadly magical rebellion from within the school walls. She should hate him. And she does. But oh, the tension.

This book thrives on that perfect storm: forced proximity, betrayal, power imbalance, and a fake engagement that’s so charged you can practically feel it in the air. Kaelis was giving me Cardan Greenbriar vibes🤤
You will be feral by the end. My only gripe was with the audiobook and narrator; I couldn't distinguish between characters and that made it difficult because it barely felt like there was a tone change.

And let’s talk about the tarot based magic system and Arcana Academy giving all the Hogwarts feels. Magic here is pulled from tarot cards, with readers channelling power through suits like Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles. The way Elise Kova wove this into the plot feels intricate without ever being overwhelming. Whether you’re fluent in tarot or completely new to it, it’s accessible but layered enough to feel fresh and exciting. The characters are flawed, and it made the found family even more beautiful.

✨Tropes I adored:✨
🔥Enemies to lovers (true enemies)
🔥Fake engagement
🔥SLOOOOOW burn
🔥Forbidden magic
🔥Found family
🔥Dark academia vibes
🔥Trials + rebellion

The worldbuilding is lush, the tension is exquisite, and the writing? Totally addictive. Some scenes leaned a little heavy on monologue, but honestly, I didn’t care. The rest had me flipping pages like my life depended on it.

This book was a masterclass in tension and world building, it had me spellbound from page one.

This one’s going straight to one of my 2025 favourites shelf.

Thank you so much @hachetteaus and @netgalley for the eARC