Wow! Just WOW!!

Elise Kova the magic you have written into this book is incredible!

I loved the magic system, the use of tarot was clever and gripping. I didn't feel like the world and system was being simplified for me or over explained, there was trust that the reader had a brain and could figure out what was happening.

The story and plot was constantly moving, all the cogs played a part in the bigger picture. Nothing felt like it was just for the laugh. There were times I had to put the book down as I was so stressed and just needing to know what happened next! The romance played second fiddle to the fantasy political story, I wasn't sure at the start but Elise Kova knows what she's doing. It was all well balanced.

Clara is such a multi layered character who I was 100% rooting for, even though at times I wanted to scream at her at times! Kaelis I am still to figure out and yet I really liked him, he is potentially a morally grey villain hero type (my guess) but we won't know that till book 2 (maybe?)!! The enemies to lovers is truly hitting in Arcana Academy!! Their relationship was so frustrating, addictive and hypnotising. I want MORREEE!!

This was a very well written fantasy novel with some excellent world building. Characters well developed and the conclusion leaves the reader on a cliff hanger for Book 2. Plot could have been more time-bound / succinct with this a chunky read, but overall would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

#ArcanaAcademy #NetGalley

This story started out really strong and I was intrigued by the world, the magic (tarot magic is such a cool concept!), and the characters. Clara's in a lot of danger, and thrown into an unfamiliar setting where the stakes are high and chance of betrayal constant. There were a lot of different elements alongside Clara learning to use her magic the traditional way, discovering more about her magic and the world of magic, and learning who to trust. Her relationship with Kaelis was really uncertain and he held a lot of power and a lot of secrets. I really liked the found family element that featured later in the story but I didn't enjoy the romance. I didn't feel there was anything between Clara and Kaelis and it required a lot more attention and build up, but instead they're suddenly thrown together as though they can't possibly resist anymore and it felt really forced (I had to skip ahead). I also found the book too long, not enough was happening and particularly the further along in the book I got, the less momentum I felt there was and in the last 30% or so I was ready to be done. A real shame as I've thoroughly enjoyed Elise Kova's books in the past but this one missed the mark for me even though I'd wanted to enjoy it so much as the concept of tarot magic was intriguing.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I loved reading Elise Kova's Married into Magic series, so I was even more excited about this book. It drew me into the story from the very beginning and didn't let go. It is interesting and captivating, and with its immersive writing style, I was able to dive right into the story. I couldn't put the book down! The characters are fantastically written, too, and I loved them. I can't wait to read the second book in this well-written, dark academia, fantasy romance series!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Elise Kova and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have a deep love for Elise Kova's writing. One of the very first indie fantasy series I've read was hers. The Air Awakens has a very special place in my heart, so it was a complete joy to read this ARC, although it took me longer than usual to finish. (Mind you, not because of the book in itself but due to procrastination).

The idea of using tarot cards as a means of magic is absolutely brilliant. I am not a connoisseur of every intricacy of reading tarot cards, so I don't know much about the subject. However, Elise made it easy to understand what each card meant and how they acted as a magic outlet. It was well-developed, engaging, and such an unique magic system.

Clara Graysword is a thief and an illegal arcana who has the special ability to ink cards. This lands her a sentence of a lifetime in Halazar.
Her breaking out of the prison?! was one of the best scenes I read in a long time!
It's not new to have a morally grey character with a tragic background. I loved the fact that she was struggling, learning and getting better in the academy.


Her relationship with Kaelis. Well... I am not very romance-leaning, and as a reader, I tend to give more attention to the world and plot.
I found them very tropy. Maybe I am tired of reading about these enemies-to-lovers-to-lovers that are not truly enemies-to-lovers.
Not saying it was bad, just that I didn't enjoy it as much because it didn't feel original, or their relationship didn't grow organically (Just my opinion). Not that it has to, mind you.

I think I was expecting a bit more, but it feels like a formulaic book like any other romance out there.
I did enjoy it, but it didn't make me scream at the top of my lungs from hating characters or kicking my feet like a little girl giggling from funny scenes.

It feels like a dark academia romance with a cool, intricate magic system and a promising world! There are trials, and a heist, and a search for something that might change the course of the world. It's dark, and that ending? Would it be an Elise Kova book if it didn't leave you waiting for more?!

C&P my review for the audio edition:

3.5 - rounded up.

A magical start to a compelling series!

Once I got into the right mind-set for this (it skewed younger than I was expecting) I quite enjoyed it (though I did skip spicy scenes as that's not for me).

Elise Kova's world-building shines, and I really love the magic system. I would have loved more time with the side characters, and would highlight that this is definitely more heavy on the romance-relationship than friendship-relationship.

Anna Burnett brings the story to life with a vibrant and immersive performance and definitely kept me listening when I might have otherwise taken a break.

Just some fun escapism and looking forward to continuing the series.

This review is based on a proof copy provided ahead of release. All opinions remain my own. Also featured on The Dark Academicals Podcast Season 11.

I was so ready to fall head over heels for Arcana Academy. Tarot-inspired magic? A mysterious, brooding love interest? A secretive, spellbinding school setting? These are all green flags for me, waving wildly. The concept alone is magnetic, and there’s no denying Elise Kova knows how to weave a compelling premise. I was hooked from the blurb:

“A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling romantic fantasy series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

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

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

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

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

And in many ways, this book does deliver. The world of Arcana Academy is intriguing and imaginative, built on a magic system that draws heavily from tarot lore - a personal weakness of mine. It’s a setting that practically begs to be explored in deeper detail, full of potential and possibility.

But as much as I wanted to love this book, I kept feeling like I was grasping at threads that never quite pulled together. The ingredients were all there for an unforgettable fantasy romance, but nothing was quite cooked long enough.

The two leads, Clara and Kaelis, have the makings of a classic doomed-lovers pairing: full of tension, history, and undeniable chemistry. I could see what the author was aiming for; that bittersweet, slow-burn ache of two people who are destined to orbit each other but never fully collide. But what came across wasn’t deliciously painful longing, it was just… frustrating. Their relationship needed more build-up, more emotional texture, and more moments of earned intimacy. Instead, their physical connection seemed to arrive out of nowhere. The shift into steam - particularly the sudden, explicit dirty talk - felt jarring against the otherwise safe, straightforward tone. It wasn’t that it didn’t belong, but it needed more groundwork to make it feel believable.

Character development was another area where I felt a bit short-changed. Clara didn’t go through the full arc I was hoping for and her journey felt a little stalled. And Kaelis, while fascinating on paper, never got the depth or inner conflict I was craving. The same goes for some of the supporting cast and the world itself: brimming with promise, but ultimately left underexplored.

And yet… I didn’t dislike it. In fact, I tore through it. It’s easy to read, well-paced, and there’s a spark to the world that makes me want to keep reading. I’m invested enough that I’ll absolutely be picking up Book Two. Because despite the flaws, there’s something here; an almost-there shimmer of what could become a really special series with more time, polish, and emotional layering.

To put it plainly: I didn’t walk away disappointed in the story itself, I was more sad about the version of this book that could’ve been. The breathtaking, soul-shaking fantasy romance it almost was.

Here’s hoping we get closer to that in the next instalment. I’ll be there, tarot deck in hand.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book on Netgalley.

This is the first book I've read by Elise Kova and I loved it. I struggled to get into it at first as I've struggled with finding the right thing to read but once I got passed the first few chapters I loved it.

Title: Arcana Academy
Author: Elise Kova
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, a tarot magic system, slow-burn, found family, magical trials, secret societies, a badass heroine.
POV: Single POV

This story is set in Arcana Academy where the magic system is based on those who can wield, ink. read or use tarot cards.
Clara is the female lead and she is in prison for using her magic illegally.
The headmaster of the academy helps her to escape.
It took me a while to get into the story but it was worth the effort.
I really liked Clara she was a strong personality and I enjoyed the magic system and the tarot cards were interesting the author did explain some of the use but maybe if the glossary had been at the front especially in eBook form. There were some things I wasn't entirely sure about maybe some of the mysteries will be cleared up in the next book.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher for the Arc.

“This is Arcana Academy. Your future is your tuition.”

What an amazing story!

Clara Graysword had a rough life, she was sent to prison for inking tarot cards, something illegal for anyone that's not part of the elite Arcana Academy. But when she thought she was running out of luck, the academy's headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offered her an escape for a price. He needed her to steal a tarot card from the king. So in order to hide her true identity he brought her to the Arcana Academy and he introduced her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

I loved this! The magic system is super interesting. I know nothing about tarot but I didn't feel like I missed anything. And there's also a glossary of all the cards at the end. I loved that they learn to use tarot cards for magic and the academy was so cool.

There's so much intrigue and mysteries, I was losing my mind with every new reveal. I loved it.

The romance was so good, I was rooting for them. I couldn't stop reading, specially everytime they said something to each other that meant more than what the other thought. I need more of this romance.

That ending!? I thought I predicted how it would end until that last sentence!! I know this one just came out... but is there any news on the sequel? I'm kidding, I'll wait!

This is the first book I read by Elise Kova but I own A Deal with the Elf King so I think I'll put that one higher on my TBR pile! I loved her writting.

I have to say that it took me a while to get into the story, but overall I did enjoy the book. The magic system was my favourite part; it might be a bit difficult to understand at the beginning, but it's really well explained throughout the book.

The romance was my second favourite part. I do love a good slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.
I'm definitely continuing this series — that was quite a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see how it continues!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Arcana Academy but I ended up really liking it. The tarot-based magic system felt fresh and actually made sense which is rare. It wasn’t just window dressing - it had rules, consequences, and a real role in the story. Clara was a great protagonist. She’s sharp, angry in a way that feels justified, and has this resilience that makes you root for her even when she’s being stubborn or making questionable choices.

The romance was slow burn in the best way. Lots of tension and guarded emotions that built up over time instead of flipping a switch. Kaelis is complicated and I still don’t know exactly how I feel about him, but in a good way. The pacing dragged a little in the beginning while the world was being set up, but once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down. The ending hit hard and definitely left me wanting more (especially that cliffhanger!!). It’s the kind of book that stays with you a bit after you finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elise Kova for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

First I would like to say thank you to NetGalley for giving me early access to this book in exchange for a revivew, all opinions are my own.

Wow! This was my first book by Elise Kova and I don’t think it will be my last. I mean the cliffhanger alone! I NEED MORE!

Arcana academy is an enthralling fantasy which catapults you into the rich dark academia setting, but has one of the coolest magic systems I’ve ever read about. It does take a second to understand but Kova does a fabulous job at not making this feel info dumpy.

The Story starts slow and takes a minute to get going but the audiobook definitely helps with this, but once you do get going it’s really enjoyable and you honestly have no idea where the plot is going, I had no idea what was going to happen and don’t for book 2 either. But I am so excited to find out I need it now!

Rating- 4 stars
(E-ARC)
Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton , NetGalley and the author for letting me have an E-ARC of this book.

This book has been one of my ancippated reads of 2025 and I have been really looking forward to reading this book. When I got a early copy, I was really excited to delve in. It was such a unique experience from the world building and even the magic system. The world building was really interesting. I am hoping that in the final copy that a map has been included as I would have loved to be able to refer back when reading this book. The magic system was also really unique. The tarot cards and the history behind the magic and things in the world in the world were easy to understand and even included a glossary at the back where all the magic from the cards was explained. I only found it at the end of the novel but if you are looking for the magic to be explained when reading this will be really helpful for you.

I also especially loved to see the Star Crossed Club where you could really see the fond family shine through. I especially LOVED that there was a character that used a cane throughout. As someone who is disabled herself, the disability reprensation was lovely to see. I can not wait to see more of the star crossed club in the next book. All in all, this book was brilliant and left me on the edge of my seat during the last couple of chapters. I did not predict the ending and left me shook but this book was such a unique and different experience I honestly did not know what to expect. The problem is now- I need book 2 desperately.

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is a darkly enchanting romantasy that hooked me with its creative and genuinely fresh tarot-based magic system. Magic can often feel overdone in fantasy, but tying it to tarot cards and inked spellcasting gave the story a unique and thoughtful twist that felt both strategic and mystical—I absolutely loved that aspect.

I also really liked the characters, especially how Clara’s story was revealed gradually through glimpses of her past, which made her feel layered and real. She starts off closed-off and morally grey, but as her past is slowly unveiled, her motivations and vulnerability come into focus in a way that deepened my connection to her. The fake engagement trope delivers engaging and believable romantic tension—their interactions felt natural and compelling. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding a few characters, which adds an intriguing layer to the story and makes me eager to learn more.

The academy setting is immersive, the magical duels are gripping, and the plot keeps things moving at a satisfying pace. Overall, Arcana Academy is a strong, atmospheric start to a new fantasy series, with standout worldbuilding, compelling characters, and a magic system that brings something truly new to the genre.

I’m a sucker for a fantasy book involving a tarot-based magic system, so I was intrigued to see how Arcana Academy would incorporate it.

Clara’s tenacity and perseverance were enjoyable characteristics to read as we explored the academy and somewhat changed world for her after being imprisoned. However, I also found it difficult to connect and be invested in her journey, as it felt quite action focused for so long that I kept wondering ‘who is Clara’; although, this did moderately improve in the second half of the book. The secondary characters were unmemorable, and while I wanted more substance to them, as this is the first in a series, I suspect they’ll be more development as the series progresses.

There is a romantic subplot and I did enjoy that the book was more fantasy focused with a slow-burn romance; however, Clara and Kaelis seemed to hardly spend any time in each others presence for me to care to root for them.

What I struggled most with was the pacing, feeling both fast and slow in an inconsistent way that the first half especially was difficult to get through. This did smooth out better during the second half of the story.

My favourite aspect of the story was the magic system and worldbuilding. Although there were times where there was infodumping (often during dialogue) and slightly too much information given to keep up with, I thought the worldbuilding was entertaining. I do wish that we were shown the limitations of the magic initially rather than being told them so the reader could experience it as the character was learning. However, the magic system was fun and immersive.

Although there were aspects of this book that I did enjoy, overall, it didn’t grab my attention as I had hoped.

This was a great read. The Magic system was super interesting and is like nothing I have read before. It is complex and fully thought out and you can really see how the world has been shaped around it. The TWIST at the end!? I did not see that coming. I feel stressed but in the best of ways. The characters are flawed, funny and I can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s a book that feels like there could be endless outcomes and the wait for book 2 is already too long!

A wonderful fantasy, loved the tarot aspect and the enemies to lovers! Excellent plotline, great characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fantasy hasn’t been top of my list to read but OMG – how long do we have to wait for Book two? ‘Arcana Academy’ is quite long, but every page is packed with adventure, action, conflict, tension, passion, betrayal, conspiracy, magic, fantastical escapism …
The ending is oh-so cruel!
I shall be more than keen to read the sequel in this series.

I was so hyped for this book, not only was it written by one of my favourite authors, it also combines two of my favourite things, tarot and enemies to lovers. Did it live up to the hype? Mostly.

It's a huge book and it took me quite a while to properly get into it, but when I did, I was hooked. Let's start with the good, I ADORED Clara as a main character, she has vibes of Violet Sorrengail, Nesta Archeron and a pinch of Karou and stands tall and proud as a morally grey, kickass main character. Her unwilling romance with Kaelis absolutely sizzled with chemistry and the spicy scenes were handled like the pro Elise Kova is. The romance developed really well and fizzed with tension, lust and a dash of hatred. I also really, really enjoyed the magic system, it was a beautifully innovative way to combine tarot cards and magical powers in a way that I haven't seen before. I can't wait to learn even more about this system and the world around it.

To me, where this book fell slightly flat was some of the dialogue, it didn't flow as naturally as I would have liked and in some places felt almost anachronistic and out of place. However, this in no way stopped me from enjoying the book. I can't wait for the second book in the series, as I expect, like with the previous Kova series', it will only get stronger as the series progresses.

If you're looking for a magical replacement for HP, or something to fill the hole left by Fourth Wing then this is a great series to pick up and I will be recommending it to all of my fantasy-loving friends.