Summary

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5

I enjoyed the narrator for this one but it was sometime difficult to distinguish between her character voices.

No because Elise… where did you find the audacity to leave the end of the book like that?! I’m still flipping the page back and forth looking for the next chapter!

I absolutely loved this book! It took me a hot minute to get myself fully immersed but once I did I was literally flying through this. This is dark academia fantasy at its finest!

The Tarot magic system was so fresh, intricate and super unique to read. The world building was lush and descriptive. It’s was so fast paced and packed full of magic, challenges, deception, a deliciously slow burn enemies to lovers romance and a heist that had me on the edge of my seat.

There were some super important messages weaved throughout like how grief changes your perception of everything and drives you down paths you never intended to take. As well as the monarchy’s fear of powerful individuals to the point where those most powerful are the most controlled and restricted to use only by the crown. As well as the conditioning done to those individuals to enable that.

The concept of ‘the greater good’ is frequently examined as well as how harmful and hard this can be to accept as an individual in great pain.

I am chomping at the bit for the next book and not sure I’ll ever sleep again until it’s in my hands!

Arcana Academy kicks off a new trilogy with a unique tarot-based magic system, magical trials, and a fake engagement full of slow-burn tension. Clara is a criminal inker of magical tarot cards, and is given a second chance when Prince Kaelis offers her freedom if she pretends to be his fiancée and joins Arcana Academy to help steal dangerous cards from the king.

I was instantly drawn into the world and fascinated by the unique magic system. While the variety of tarot cards and their specific uses occasionally left me a bit confused, I found it easy to go with the flow and still thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I especially loved the political intrigue, both within the royal family and among the various clans, which added depth to the story and is something I’m excited to see explored further in the next book. I’m also eager to watch the central mystery unfold and to uncover the twists and revelations that are surely coming. The romance element is a slow burn, which worked really well for me, it complemented the main plot without overshadowing it.

I thought the audiobook was a fantastic way to read this book. The narrator did a great job and was easy to understand even when I sped it up. I'll definitely be reading the next books via audio!

Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for this eARC to review.

I am obsessed!!! I loved this so much more than I though I would. The magic system is so unique, the world building is perfect for the first book in a series, and the characters are so well developed that I quickly fell in love with them. I can't wait to read the next book!

The narration was amazing!

3.5/5

I'll start by saying that I love Tarot so I was super excited to read this one. The idea of a magical system inspired by tarot is so unique and had so much potential and I think Elise Kova made a very complex and intriguing magical world. I hope it is further explored and developed in the sequel as I think it is a very solid base for a fantasy story. The worldbuilding is not very complex but it's intriguing. Also the academy setting and the trials are always super fun.

I think the weakest point of the story was the romance, which I wouldn't be too upset about it had this not been marketed as a romantasy. I did not feel much chemistry between Clara and Kaelis. I like them as characters but I don't think their relationship had developed enough to make to jump to romance, it happened too suddenly.

Kaelis reminded me a little of Cardan in that he is a pawn and also of Jude in that he is always scheming. In the end we are left with the ambiguity of his intentions, especially towards Clara. He is definitely an unreliable gray character and I love that.

I liked how Clara reminded me a bit of Jude with the scheming to betray, however I found that he leaned on her emotional side a lot more. Logically, I'd support Kaelis plan to use the World card rather than Clara's, however I can see where she comes from.

I'm still confused about some of the history of this world (could be because I listened to the audio instead of reading it on page, some details get lost sometimes when I do the audio). I figured some things out in the end but there are a lot of unanswered questions that I'm looking forward to see answered in the next book.The cliffhanger does give us a lot to look forward in the next book, which I love.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton for the ALC I received to listen to this audiobook!

Arcana Academy is brilliant, a tribute to Elise Kova’s writing and world building. The whole book just becomes more and more magical until you’re left wondering how on earth Elise dreamed all do this up. It’s incredible, but not overwhelming. I loved the pacing and all of the academy life it’s genuinely so captivating learning about all of the magic and world building Elise has woven into this story.

The narrator of this book was also amazing, I found her voice and dictation easy to understand, though I did find myself lost multiple times just because of the complexity of the book. I think that is just a side effect of having so many nuances in the magic, as it uses the tarot deck and every card has a different use as well as all of these secret magical world details that are uncovered on the way. All in all it was a really enjoyable listen and I just could not stop!

Although the book was so phenomenal, I did notice I didn’t quite connect fully with the FMC and MMC, but it could be due to all of the mystery in the book, or maybe a little disconnect with the narrator and the character voices. It definitely didn’t take away from the books experience at all as I was still on the edge of my seat the whole time and cannot wait for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio and Hodderscape for the ALC!

This was not my first Elise Kova but it is my favorite so far!

I really liked this one and I need more now! The fact that we'll have to wait makes me sad, haha.
This book had a very cool magical system and I've never read anything like it before!
I really liked both main characters but especially Clara and the world building was great!

This audiobook is solo narrated by Anna Burnett. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've listened to something she's narrated but I'll have to check out other books she's narrated! I really liked her! She did an amazing job!

Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio and Hodderscape for the ALC!

🎧Book Review🎧

Arcana Academy
Elise Kova

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the first book in this new and exciting Arcana Academy series and as soon as I spotted this, I knew I had to grab a copy to read asap!
Having always been fascinated by tarot, I was immediately drawn in by the name and front cover and as ever, I went in completely blind.

Although strongly connected to the tarot that we know and love, there is a unique magic system here that allows arcanists to be able to not only read the cards, but also ink them and wield them in battle too.
This was such a unique system and I loved that certain people represented certain cards which meant that the over-arching power would go to the one who could collect all the majors.

This sounds confusing, but honestly, this was so well written that it makes it easy for us to learn along with the students as we read and follow each step in their first year at the academy.

We follow Clara, who at the beginning is imprisoned for illegally inking and welding cards - having never been to the academy to learn.
But Prince Kaelis, headmaster of the academy, comes to offer her a deal that she really can't refuse.

I went on such a rollercoaster with this read - all the emotions were there and I was completely hooked from the start.
The story unfolds gradually, but always with a sense of excitement - there were so many different threads that this really doesn't give you time to put it all together yourself - but each piece falls into place skillfully, revealing plot after plot and leaves us wondering just who we can trust.

I adored both Clara and Kaelis!
Clara was so down to earth and completely determined to do things her own way despite everything else that was going on.
Kaelis' journey was strong with each betrayal adding another layer to his personality - constantly flipping me between trusting him and not.

The build up of the tension not only with the overall plotline, but with the relationship between Clara and Kaelis was so frustrating - but so understandable.
I could tell that Kaelis was smitten right from the start, but it took forever for the two to actually own up to the feelings they had.

I loved this so much and couldn't stop listening....and when I got to that ending!
What a shock!
I'm already chomping at the bit to get hold of book 2 and find out what happens....



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Wow – what a magical surprise this book was! I had the chance to read (well, listen to) Arcana Academy as an ARC, and honestly? I’m already obsessed. If you love unique magic systems and fresh worldbuilding, this is absolutely a book to put on your radar.

The standout element for me was the tarot-based magic system – it’s hands down one of the most original concepts I’ve come across in a long time. I adore when a fantasy book brings something truly new to the table, and this one nailed it. The way duels are fought using cards, the strategy behind combining different arcana, and the idea of crafting a card that doesn’t even exist yet… it’s all so brilliantly imaginative. I couldn’t get enough and honestly wish there had been even more card magic scenes!

The story itself is equally compelling. There’s a sense of mystery and an overarching mission that promises a much bigger arc across the series – which makes me both thrilled and slightly frustrated, because now I have to wait for book two! 😩

On the romance side, this is very much enemies to lovers meets slow burn. The tension is there, simmering beneath the surface, but it’s only toward the end that the emotions really start to bloom. I loved the pacing of that relationship – no insta-love, just chemistry that gradually builds.

If I had one complaint, it’s simply that it was over too soon. I’m so glad I got to experience this story early, but the downside of ARCs is that now I’m desperate for the sequel… and I can’t even reread book one with everyone else yet, because it hasn’t released! 😅

All in all, Arcana Academy is a captivating, cleverly written fantasy with a unique twist on magic that I’ll be thinking about for a while. Highly recommend for fans of dark academia vibes, magical schools, and tarot aesthetics.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the ARC of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova.

I really, really liked this series start! I think this will rank as a super strong romantasy addition to 2025's releases. I would put it at the level of Quicksilver, Onyx Storm, and Shield of Sparrows. The story is well written, the magic system is interesting and innovative, and there are a lot of depths still to discover in later books in the series.

I listened to the audio, which was very well-done, and I both hated pausing the story but also wanted to savor it longer over multiple days.

I think this will be a slam dunk for romantasy readers.

Bits I loved:
- Really, really interesting magical system that I'm excited to learn more about. In the book characters use a tarot based arcana system, where cards can be read, wielded, or inked through magic and where the elements of how the magic were created still live on in society. It's fascinating and I can't wait to see how else Kova dives into this in the next book. It's also interesting how people who can wield arcana, royal or not, end up being slaves to the system to serve the wealthy either through being assigned to a clan to do their works or assigned to the mills to make the materials. Being magic isn't exactly a gift, which is also an innovative take.
- The romance for Clara and Kaelis is very, very slow burn and well-done.
- A great heist plot plays out that is very entertaining to read and keeps Clara connected with found family.
- The story is complex with multiple plot points playing out -- Can Clara make it at the academy? Can Clara find her sister and her friends after her release from prison? Can Clara steal the King's tarot cards? Can Clara and Kaelis pretend to be engaged to avoid her return to prison? Can Clara determine what happened to her mother? Can Clara figure out what it means to have luck on her side? They may not all have the exact right level of balance for where the story is at where it ends, but they set the place and the tone and they give us enough information we need for the story to expand in the sequel.
- Great ending in the last 12% of the book. I can predict a few items of what I think will happen and how it connects with parts mentioned in this book, and I think it has a lot of continuining potential.

The bits that grated on me are small and I think will correct themselves in the next book in the series:
- Kova takes on the academy setting, which does feel a bit played out across romantasy/fantasy. Similar to my issue with Fourth Wing, in adult level romantasy/fantasy, an academy setting only serves the characters briefly if they are to grow as adults. In Fourth Wing's second/third/future books, I saw/see no reason why characters should cling to a classroom setting and continuously capitulate to professors/authority at their ages especially after the results of the first book. In Arcana Academy, the academy is darker in that any failures lead to the arcanists being sent to the mills to work until their death, while pushing that its benefit is that as students excel through each year with a sacrifice to the chalice that their powers will grow. Past that, the academy is odd in that, it was created and run by our MMC who is only 23, it's ruthlessly competitive to get into houses vs slavery even though it seems like having more functional arcanists would benefit the populace instead of killing them in work camps to make the materials they need for their arcanist society to function. It felt like a means to an end from the moment it was mentioned and Clara joins, and for it to continue past the first book would be a mistake given how the entirety of the story plays out. Clara's worries as a character are never about if she will make it through the academy's selections - that's not the point of the story - so to have such a reliance on that for a background plot when I don't think it will play as much to the larger story just felt like a lost opportunity.
- Clara is a character that stands in her own way. I know Kova has written more young adult than adult genre books, and I think Clara maybe hasn't fully shed Kova's expertise of a young adult mindset vs an adult mindset. She only makes assumptions of other people, or people will tell her things and she never asks the follow-up questions that would actually help her to know. She obsesses over bringing loved ones back to life, which is fair and understandable, but when told why a different orientation would help everyone as opposed to just her she can't see why her needs aren't first. She does feel a little bit like a Mary Sue at times - as both an inker, a wielder, a thief -- she even knows it's her own hubris that had her imprisoned the first time - and while I don't mind her being confident, I do think it often feels like her motivations are in the wrong spot for the situation she is facing. Kaelis feels much more mature than her, even for only 3 years older.
- The last 12% or so of the book packs a major punch. I did feel like a few of those punches were saved solely to be "gotcha" moments in a way that just felt more oriented for shock value than if Clara had actually tried to learn about other people or asked questions to help herself. Other punches from it were excellent, but one or two were a little frustrating.

Wow! Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is an absolute rollercoaster ride of an action packed romantasy! It has it all, enemies to lovers, dark academia, a thrilling magic system based on tarot cards, and so much more!

Clara, the female protagonist in the story us most definitely not your sweet little innocent, from being imprisoned to enrolling in the kingdom’s magical academy, she truly brings a morally grey element to the story, her own unique survival skills and of course luck as she traverses the different sides of the law but, to achieve this she is obliged to take part in a fake engagement with Kaylis, second son of the king and headmaster of Arkana Academy!

The world-building around the academy and the kingdom itself is strong, supported by well structured development of supporting characters with whom Klara develops relationships. The magic system alone is unique and plays a central role in the plot, you could say the cards are characters in themselves! And it was an absolute delight to read about a magic system that definitely brings something new and fresh to the fantasy magic world!

The plot, politics and structure of the academy combined bring you on a rollercoaster of a ride all the way to that thrilling cliffhanger ending that already has me desperate for book two in the series!

The narrator does an excellent job on bringing the story to life and it was thrilling to listen to this absolutely magical story!

Thank you so much Hodderscape, Hodder & Stoughton Audio and NetGalley for sharing the audiobook arc with me in exchange for my honest and sincere review.

You better buckle up—because this book was an absolute rollercoaster.

I split my reading between the audiobook and ebook, and I have to mention the narrator’s phenomenal performance. They embodied Clara exceptionally well and had me gripped throughout in a way only the best narrators can.

Story-wise? 🔥 Slow burn with gripping tension.

Secrets, betrayals, and stakes so high it felt like one wrong move would implode everything. Just when I thought I had it figured out—another twist that knocked me sideways. (THAT ENDING?)

And THE chemistry. The enemies-to-lovers arc was executed in the way I love. The banter, longing, unraveling of emotional walls— addictive.
And that spicy scene? Let’s just say it hit 🥵

Thankyou to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC and Arc

An enthralling, addictive, unputdownable fantasy romance which gives you dark academia, new world building, tarot magic system, with Enemies to Haters to… well that’s for you to read and find out… So where was I with the list… oh yes…. Fake Engagement, Royal Politics, magical Academy, and so much more!

This book even with the new world and lore for me to grasp was a dream read. I was invested from the first chapter and was sad when I saw I had reached the end of this book.

Warning the book ends on a cliffhanger that had me screaming “NOOOOOOO!! WHAT??” And now the wait begins for book two!

Favourite Quote: I had so many, however as I don’t like to give spoilers… these two are the ones I will share…

“You should think of me as a man who will do whatever it takes to get what I want.”

“I know what I am. I know how the world sees me, and that they aren’t all wrong. To be honest most of the time I don’t even care. If to bring around 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 the hero in the next life.”

Spicy Level - 🌶️🌶️

Note: Please read and review all trigger warnings before reading any recommended book. We love to read for our pleasure, so keep your mind, and emotions safe!

Audio Book Available
Publisher: Hodder&StoughtonAudio | Hodderscape
Narrator: Anna Burnett
Publication date: 22Jul2026

TLDR; fake engagement, dark academia setting, slightly chosen one vibes, cliffhanger ending

Nearly 21 year old Clara is rotting in prison when an audience with Prince Kaelis who put her there offers her a chance of freedom. She flees, only to be caught by the prince. Kaelis offers Clara his protection and a chance to become a student at Arcana Academy, all she has to do is pretend to be his fiancée and help him steal some tarot cards from the king.

Once this was set up, we follow Clara through the academic year with the usual problems of an newbie in a magical school. She's soon meeting a bully, doesn't easily get on with the classmates and teachers, and has trouble finding whom to trust. Her alliance with the prince, who's headmaster of the academy, doesn't help her either.

The middle of the book drags due to the many secondary characters that need to be established and the world needing to be built. The magic system is partially explained and things that didn't make sense at the beginning of the book suddenly take on some semblance of a shape. Clara finds her footing in the academy and in her relationship with Kaelis; there are even a couple of spicy scenes. Then the last 20% see the plot pick up speed only to end in a cliffhanger.


I had an advanced readers copy of the audiobook narrated by Anna Burnett.

Arcana Academy is a truly magical fantasy romance. I absolutely adored the wielding of tarot cards, this is very much central to the plot and offers a fresh idea to the genre.
The FMC is a survivor, morally grey and appears to have luck on her side. The MMC comes across as intelligent with a hidden agenda, I loved the mystery of him. The romance was enjoyable with a fake engagement, enemies to lovers and a heist thrown in.
Academy vibes are strong throughout, there are classes, various high stakes challenges and overall a good balance between academia and the relationships with the other students. There are a some interesting side characters offering more depth to the world and plot. I really liked the world and the politics, I cannot wait for more chaos to come. The ending wrapped up well, was build up to and totally what you want in a series - satisfied and yet left wanting more.
The narration is absolutely enthralling and exciting to listen to, highly recommend to bring this magical book to life.
This is definitely going to be very popular as it’s the same beloved tropes and vibes but with such unique magic it’s a standout.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Spectacular - give me 14 of them right now. It was a pleasure to read/listen to this book - it's so rare to come across something with a unique magic system, and it feels like there's still so much to learn!

Arcana Academy balances subterfuge, trials, found family and romance really well. There are so many sub-plots and stories that I hope we get to explore in the next book(s). The FMC and MMC also have fun enemies-to-lovers chemistry, and I'm here for it.

My only teeny-tiny challenge with the audiobook was that sometimes it was difficult to tell characters apart because there was no shift in tone/accent/pitch, which I've become used to.

Thank you for the ARC - I couldn't stop, and can't wait for my book trophy to arrive. So excited to find out what will happen next.

This is the first book by Elise Kova that I've read and it certainly won't be the last!
Right from the beginning I was completely drawn into Arcana Academy and I listened to it within just a couple of days.
The magic system is brilliantly unique, the book has fantastic pacing and I loved how different all the characters were.

The audio narration was fantastic and made for an enjoyable listening experience! I would definitely listen to more audiobooks read by the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton Audio for this arc.

I really enjoyed this, I found the plot engaging and interesting and while I wouldn't necessarily say the characters are good people I wanted to know more about them.

There was a lot going on and so I am glad I picked this as an audiobook as I found it easy to follow and the narrator did well to add emotion to the story as a whole. I also very much enjoyed some of the characterisation of the FMC that was built through the narration.

I would definitely recommend trying out this audiobook if you are looking for a fantasy romance to pick up.

I actually enjoyed the beginning, so I'm sad the rest felt pretty dull.

But lets start with the positives. While taking inspiration from One Dark Window when it comes to the magic system, I felt like Kova put her own spin on it, so it didn't feel like a copy and paste. The word however could've been a little fleshed out more. Ecplise city is one part of the kingdom but the significance is lost on me. The politics and clans on the other hand were very well explained and an aspect I enjoyed.

Now to what I didn't like:
The characters didn't feel fleshed out enough. Both the MC and Love Interest seemed bland to me.
He is supposed to be a dark, mysterious shadow daddy, and that was all there is. I couldn't name one character trait, thought he MC likes to call him cunning just because the prison break plan was good. Okay, I need more to establish that as a character trait. I guess we can't because he's so mysterious and doesn't share his plans. Which as far as I could tell consists of Clara taking all the risks.
The chemistry between them was non existence and I didn't feel anything at all. It seemed like they only started liking each other because they made out once at it felt great. Also, I am personally not the biggest fan when the couple has sex in the first book when it's a planned trilogy. To me it was too soon, especially because their connection lacked any depth.
The academy setting could've been great but since everything with magic just falls into Clara's hands and she had an incredible easy times made it completely unimportant and kept me from becoming invested.

Now what I really hated:
The blatant COPYING of QUOTES from other media. Here some examples.
"I am the crown" (House of Dragons)
"If you wanted to see me naked, you could've just asked" (Vampire Diaries)
"A prince is never late, everyone else is simply early" (Princess Diaries)
If it happened only I might have believed it was an accident but at this point it just seems deliberate. Also the Love Interest being called void born because he's born on the longest night of the year was lifted of ACOTAR.

The narrator was great!

The magic system was really cool and I’m a big big fan of Elise Kova’s writing but I did find myself getting a bit frustrated with how cliche their dynamic is. The cruel prince who has a soft spot for the chosen one etc etc etc. it’s a great trope but when the supporting characters/dynamics/characterisations are all really cliche/bland I struggle to care.
The magic system was really cool, but the training was all very surface level and felt less about learning about magic and more and progressing the romance. A fun read but I wanted more :(((

The narrator was fantastic though, really really solid audiobook I really enjoyed it I’m not sure I would’ve finished the book had I not been listening to it!!

This book put me through so many emotions..
The magic system was so unique, I never read anything like this before. I absolutely loved it, it was such an amazing story.
I had to get the ALC too, because I couldn't wait to reread it!! It's absolutely one of my favourite reads of this year.

Arcana Academy was founded to teach and control Arcanists, those who have the ability to ink, read and wield tarot cards and their magic. Power only reserved to those under the crown.
Clara was imprisoned for using it illegally. Until Prince Kaelis, dark and enigmatic headmaster of the academy, helps her escape, gives her a new name and a place in his academy as a first year student. She will be his bride-to-be and help him steal the tarot cards from his father, cards that are key in creating a powerful card, a card that can change worlds. He is her enemy, one she swore to hate, but there is more to him than it seems. Some choices will be hard to make..

I absolutely loved Kaelis, it's always the tortured souls that get me. He and Clara fought so hard against their feelings, it made me want more of them.
But this book was so much more than that, with the trials Clara had to go through at the academy, the heist, the secrets. Clara was strong and determined, but so stubborn. I loved her even when she drove me crazy.

I loved the audiobook too, the narrator did a great job. It was very slow though, I had to listen at 3x speed for it to be at my liking, when I usually listen at 2x, max 2,5x. But other than that, it was well done and I really enjoyed it.

I'm not gonna lie, the beginning was slow, it took me a while to get into the book, but once I did, it didn't let go. I was consumed by it.
I have so many questions still, I simply don't know how I'm going to survive until book two. That ending...
I promised myself I would stop starting series that aren't finished, but here I am, once again, with questions I won't get answers to for quite some time.. I can't make myself regret it though, I loved this book far too much for that.