This was great! So much happens, but in such a fascinating way!

The magic system was interesting - tarot cards having powers, think One Dark Window except that the option for creating more cards depends on whether or not a person has the magic and skill to ink new ones. It makes the magic fights just as much a dance of wit and ingenuity in the use of tarot cards as it is in having cards to begin with.

Our protagonist Clara Graysword has the magic, power, and skill to ink and wield tarot cards, and it put her in prison for illegally inking tarot cards which only legal for students and graduates of the Arcana Academy. The majority of those graduates are usually limited to the upper echelon of society aka nobles.

Prince Kaelis offers to free Clara from prison in exchange for her cooperation. He brings her to the Arcana Academy where he is headmaster, so he can keep an eye on her and her abilities. Clara is introduced as Kaelis' fiance to further cement her standing among the noble students.

Clara is cocky and arrogant but her abilities gives her cause to be so. She is street smart and cunning after having survived in the underworld of Eclipse City. She is loyal to her found family whom helped her survive the underworld and continues to give her reason to survive and escape. Clara is so sure of herself it gets annoying at times. It seems like there is no real room for future personal growth despite her teeny tiny flashes of doubts here and there.

I immensely enjoyed the parts focusing on the academy - the students, the classes, the teachers, and the trials Clara and her year mates have to go through to master their magic. Seeing the way the cards are used is phenomenal, and the way it was written made it a movie in my mind.

The way Anna Burnett narrated the story and characters is *chef's kiss*.

I will definitely read the sequel. I recommend Arcana Academy to those who are into dark academia, sophisticated magic systems, and found families.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Elise Kova, and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the audiobook in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was immediately hooked by this book! The magic system was so cool, using the power of tarot cards which ranged from small magics to world changing ones. Our MC Clara was a sassy and tenacious young woman with a drive to survive as well as the secret skills to do it.
And that ending! Definitely left me needing more!

Lovers of enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake relationship tropes along with interesting and unique magic will love this one.

Arcana Academy has one of the most interesting magic systems I've encountered in a while, with the use of tarot cards rather than spells. I also loved the setup for the main romance. It was a great combination of fake dating and enemies-to-lovers that will appeal to a lot of readers! Mysteries were unfolding slowly throughout, keeping the sense of intrigue high.

Despite all of this, I wasn't as gripped by the story as I'd thought I would be. I seem to be in the minority, but I felt that the romance was a bit underdeveloped. Even though it was technically a slow-burn, it didn't feel as satisfying as it should have. I also found the FMC to be quite childish at some points even though she was supposed to be in her 20s.

I listened to the audiobook alongside reading the ebook and the tone of the narration was fantastic. Unfortunately, some of the dialogue was difficult to follow due to the lack of differentiation between character voices. Nevertheless, this was an inventive new fantasy world and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story progresses in further books.

4.25⭐
2🌶️

.Enemies to lovers
.Secret identity
.Found family
.Fake dating/engagement
.Forced proximity
.Hurt/comfort
.Single POV

This book was a really pleasant surprise. I went into it completely blind. I only saw the author, the title, and the cover and thought, I have to read this. And honestly, that might be the best way to dive into a book: no expectations, no idea what’s coming, and then suddenly you're having way more fun than you expected. That’s exactly what happened here.

The premise is super intriguing. It’s set in a world where magic comes from tarot cards, and the story takes place at a highly competitive academy where students will do anything to secure their place. The world building is detailed but not overwhelming, so it’s easy to follow even if you’re new to fantasy. Plus, the story kicks off right in the middle of the action, which makes it easy to get hooked from the start.

There are a few slower parts where the pacing dips a bit, but I listened to the audiobook, which helped the story flow more smoothly. I’m not sure if I would’ve been as patient during those moments if I’d been reading the physical book.

I love a strong, clever female lead, and this one definitely delivers. No damsels in distress. The male lead is morally grey and sometimes ruthless, but he clearly has a soft spot for the FMC. The side characters are also well developed and all serve a purpose in the story.

Of course, it ends with a big cliffhanger, and because I never learn, I’ve started yet another unfinished series that left me desperate for the next book. But since this was an advanced copy and it hasn’t been published yet… I’ll be waiting.

Highly recommend this if you're into dark academia, a rich magical system, secret plots, and a touch of romance.

I have been following Elisa Kova since 2022 and I've loved majority of her books. I'm feel really guilty therfore for not liking this book as much. It took me weeks to get past the first 10%.

It did get better and I enjoyed the story and some plot points I can see coming in the future but it was oddly paced. I think it was also very one dimensional with it being first person and there not being much banter or interaction with other characters. I loved the side characters in her magic series and air awakens but they all fell flat here.

The magic system is a unique twist on the tarot cards that I have read so far. I imagine the action playing out like gambit from wolverine / deadpool 3. However, it was still confusing....

ARC and ALC review
Release date: 22 July

4,5 stars

"Arcana Academy" by Elise Kova is the first book in the series with the same name.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the advance digital and audio copies of the book.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Before reading the book all I knew was that it is a fantasy with romance and tarot cards are part of the plot.

Clara is a young woman that was sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards.
This power is reserved to Arcanists, students from nobility that go to the elite Arcana Academy.
Prince Kaelis is the academy's headmaster that offers her a deal to get her out of the prison.
He gives her a new name and brings her to Arcana Academy, introducing her as his fiancé.

I think that the world and magic is very interesting.
There are many cards that offer different powers and the students can only use some of them.

Clara has a traumatic past and suffered a lot in the prison, but she is very strong and has a lot of secrets.
Her skill with inking tarot cards is very helpful and her abilities with wielding cards was important during the trials.

I did not like Kaelis in the beginning as I did not know what are his intentions.
Also, it was annoying that he kept threatening to bring Clara back to prison.
But he is a complex character, with a mysterious past and slowly I started to like him a lot.

I switched from the e-book to audiobook when I needed to multitask.
The audiobook is narrated by Anna Burnett and I liked her voice, but I felt the need to increase the narration speed in some parts.
Especially in the first part of the book, the pace is a bit slow and it was easy to get distracted while listening.

Fortunately, in the second part of the book there is enough action, as well as many twists and secrets that kept me entertained.
Lately I prefer to imerse read when possible, to get the best experience of the story.

The romance part is a very slow burn with a bit of spice in the last part of the book.
Clara and Kaelis have chemistry and tension, but they are denying their feelings.

The other characters are also written well and many of them hide secrets.

The ending was intense and it surprised me.
I will definitely continue the series!

I was absolutely devastated when this ended. It's such an entertaining and well crafted world. A thief liberated from prison by a mysterious man who is both a Prince AND a headmaster. She then joins his school and becomes his fake fiancee. There is a unique magic system, found family and tonnes of yearning. If I have a criticism, it is that I felt the book ended just as it REALLY got going. I'm willing to concede though that that might just be selfishness for more immediately on my part!

This book wasn’t for me unfortunately
The audiobook narrator wasn’t good for this, she had a flat monotone for everything, whether the FMC was eating breakfast or finding out heartbreaking information it was the same tone.
She was just reading the book not acting, which I didn’t enjoy.

This was my first Elise Kova book and now I think I need to read all of her backlist titles because I had a great time with Arcana Academy

The characters were perfect! I love the mystery she wove into all characters so that you never really know who is good and who is the bad guy. Everyone seems to have different motivations and they are slowly revealed over time.

I know it’s unfair to say, when toll the first book isn’t even out, but I cannot wait for book 2, I will be stalking socials to see when the next release is because my copy will be living in the naughty corner until then I NEED ANSWERS!!

Thanks to NetGalley for an early review copy

Arcane Academy is a masterclass in immersive fantasy. From the very first chapter, the world bursts to life through intricate lore, deeply layered storytelling, and a narrator who nails every beat.

The worldbuilding is rich and absorbing, with a storyline that keeps you on edge, eager for every reveal. While there’s a subtle thread of romance, this story leans firmly into the fantasy realm. And it does so beautifully.

The narration in this audiobook is absolutely brilliant. The voice performance elevates the experience, making the characters and magic feel tangible and unforgettable.

Highly recommend for fans of romantasy with a fantasy-forward approach. If you crave detailed lore, strong character development, and a story that sticks with you. Don’t just read it. Devour it.

Are you willing to pay the cost to enter Arcana academy ?

You will need to sacrifice an element of your future, it could be your future soul mate, good health or fortune.

3 reasons this dark academia book will be your new obsession:

1. Tarot card magic system, it gave me One Dark Window vibes🃏

2. A fake engagement to the headmaster of the academy, and wait for it , his also the reason you were in prison for a year. Hello enemies to lovers & slow burn 🔥
3. This quote: “Love me, hate me, but only look at me like my existence sets you on fire . . “

**Its been hinted this will included as the July book pick in a popular special edition book box** 🃏

“We’ve all killed our futures with our own bare hands just to get this far. What makes you think anyone would have any qualms about ending you?”

Thank you NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Audio narrator was fantastic!

Ooof. What is up lately with these highly anticipated supposedly great adult fantasy reads? I don’t think it’s me at this point. I’m going to give this 2.5. There was a major disconnect here for me and why did it come off so YA, I get the main characters are 21-22 but it was very adolescent feel.

The entire time I was just utterly bored. It was so wordy to the point I actually would zone out… we just seemed to keep going in circles and it was almost like Daphne from Scooby doo- always the damsel. That’s the only way I can explain my annoyance .

I will say the enemies were definitely enemies, my oh my I even hated him with a bleeding passion. Me just yelling “don’t look at him, don’t think like that! He’s awful!! “ But alas “he’s attractive” so let’s just ignore everything, sigh. Very typical Romantasy, very tropey. I had hoped for less Romantasy and more fantasy here and it’s not that.

I will say the world building had a ton of opportunities here but the characters ruined it. I may have to try this off of audio at a later time. No major complaints I just didn’t connect, if all felt the same when listening to it, no distinct characteristics or major voice changes between. It didn’t feel impactful or exciting. I ended up DNFing around 65%, and this is a long book so I struggled for that much.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early audio copy in exchange for a review. Better luck next time.

5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been desperate to read this book since I first heard Elise Kova had written a dark academia Romantasy. I love dark academia and the married to magic series is one of my favourite comfort reads so I knew this was going to be great. It surpassed even my expectations and has one of the coolest magic systems I have ever read.

I really liked Clara as a main character, she’s smart, gifted and has good reasons to be bitter and skeptical about the world. I loved the setting, Arcana academy is everything I want in a magic school with convincingly high stakes for failing the challenges.

Anna Burnett’s narration was lovely to listen to, I particularly liked that she didn’t attempt a deeper masculine voice for Kaelis but from her tone I still always knew when he was speaking. My only concern with listening to this rather than reading a physical copy was when I heard the detailed glossary at the start I was worried I wouldn’t be able to remember what all the cards were for but they were well described in the story when used so I was never lost. I will still buy a physical copy to refer to when I re-listen ahead of book two ☺️

I really enjoyed listening to this ALC, thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this early.

dnf at 30%

though the narration was alright, it was very monotone and no unique voices were used for different characters which was on occasion confusing.

aside from that, the characters + dialogue were fairly juvenile for an adult fantasy and it was stopping me from becoming fully invested in the story. i tried to push through but kept putting it down and i think it’s simply not the book for me, but if someone were looking for an intro fantasy that’s easy to understand i would def recommend!!

Arcana Academy had a solid mix of magic, mystery, and teen drama, but it wasn’t quite the knockout I was hoping for. The world-building had its moments, classic magical academy vibes, but some things felt a little too vague for me. The romance was definitely swoony, though I wanted a bit more depth. The main character was likable and showed a lot of growth, but I wasn’t as attached to her as I’d hoped. That said, the second half really picked up, with a few twists that kept me hooked, and the chemistry between the characters was on point.

Narrated by Anna Burnett, the audiobook was a treat. Her voice really brought the characters and world to life, making even the slower moments more engaging. The pacing in her narration was spot on, especially during the more tense scenes, which helped to build the suspense.

It’s got a lot of the right elements: magical secrets, sizzling chemistry, and an intriguing world, but I just wanted more from the characters. If you’re into magical academies and romances that leave you wanting more, this one might be worth checking out.

Now, I’m curious to see where it goes next!




Ask ChatGPT

First I wanna thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this great audiobook in advance.
And it was fantastic!!!
I LOVE the magic system with the tarot cards, it was so different and interesting. The academy and the Houses in it made my remind of Harry Potter. The cuts through trials reminded me of Divergent with the Dauntless initiation.
The world building is also really good and I could really see all of it in my mind. As for the characters,, I love how sassy, smart and fierce our badass FMC Clara is. Kaellis got a bit on my nerves at the start but I knew I would like him and yes, as the book went on, I really started liking him more and more. The slow burn isreally a sloooooow burn. It got me soooo frustrated how much they were denying what was obvious. As for the other characters, I like her Starcrossed friends and I adore the friends she made at the academy like Luren, Sorza, Drisdin, Alor.. I hate Eza and I'm happy he got what he deserved 🙌🏻
As for the ending, I was jaw dropped. I didn't see that coming. I thought it was gonna be a way. I feel for Silas and for Clara. And that revelation about Rahim, WHAT??? And that very last sentence about her sister left me shook.
This is a thousand stars book in all aspects. Plot, worldbuilding, characters, writing...
I can't for the next one.

t took me a lot to read this book, not because I didn’t want to, but because I knew I’d finish it too soon, and then I’d want more. And I wouldn’t be able to continue until the next book is out. So I pushed starting this story as much as I could, and now I’ve finished, and I don’t know what to do with my life.

I really liked the world building. If Zodiac Academy had a tarot-based magic child, this would be it. The magic system reminded me of Gambit from X-Men, and I was obsessed.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, she’s 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 out, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her a deal: freedom in exchange for helping him steal a powerful tarot card and recreate a legendary one long lost to time.

To keep her identity hidden and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep could send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds the prince she swore to hate might not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world and her heart? Or will she take it all for herself?

The vibes? Think morally gray heroine with a past, a broody prince you don’t trust but want to sink your teeth into anyway, and an elite academy full of danger, trials, and hidden agendas.

The romance is slowburn with a capital S. I’m talking yearning, lingering looks, emotional confessions. Elise knows exactly how to make us suffer in the best way.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton, Elise Kova, and NetGalley for sending this book my way in exchange for my honest opinion. I am so glad I ordered the special edition, because I knew I’d need it as a trophy on my shelf.

Now, please, could we have some more?

One Dark Window meets Harry Potter!

Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards - a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy. She is offered her freedom in exchange for helping the academy's cold headmaster, Prince Kaelis. Her identity is a secret and sheer presence is explained away by her engagement to the second born Prince.

Clara is brash and bold. Highly emotional, yet loyal to those she loves. She also has more power than others and is a great thief and very capable.

Kaelis is cold, calculating, controlling…. Or maybe he’s protective, ambitious, hurting and hiding. He also has a pet cat, Priss.

This was exceedingly sloooooow burn. You are on your hands and knees with a torch for mere crumbs. But these crumbs are akin to luxury chocolate or truffles or caviar.

<b>“If to bring about a new world—a better world—I must be the villain, if I must do evil things for the greater good, then so be it. I’ll play the part now and be reborn a hero in my next life.”
</b>
Saying that, I needed more romancing before the main event. It was all very slow and then BAM. And how they got together was not my favourite.

There is a lot of world building to get your head around - the tarot cards magic, the myths, Clara’s past, her family, her old friends and gang. Then you have a lot of names from students to nobility to past connections.

I did love the concept of the tarot card magic system but wish there was more explanation. Maybe diagrams - perhaps this will be added in for the final copy.

Clara didn’t stand out to me as a heroine. She is a very typical romantasy protagonist and Kaelis was the brooding yet misunderstood romance.

Physical arc gifted by Del Rey.

Everything you love about a magical academy setting with fake dating and dangerous tests. Arcana Academy reimagines the magic of the tarot cards in such a unique and fascinating way. A tarot-lovers DREAM!

Actual rating 4.5.

Ahh this was epic! I haven’t enjoyed a fantasy novel this much since the Fourth Wing/Serpent & Wings of Night series,

I was initially drawn in by the stunning cover, but the story, magic and romance kept me hooked. I loved the characters of Clara and Kaelis (along with plenty of the smaller characters), and the chemistry and tension between them was hot, but not too cheesy like some romantasy can be. Basically, I can’t wait for book two!

Audio narration was also excellent.