In this book, we follow Clara, a young woman who is serving a life sentence for the unsanctioned use of arcana magic. Having been there a year, she is shocked to be offered an exchange by Prince Kaelis, the man she believe to be responsible for her imprisonment and for the death of family members - attend his elite Arcana Academy as his betrothed and be set free from prison. He believes her skills are essential in helping him overthrow his father, and Clara is hoping that she’ll be reunited with her sister upon entering the academy, so they form an unlikely alliance.

In theory, this should have been something I really enjoyed, even if I don’t quite buy a 22 year old as Headmaster of an elite academy 😂 The world building had a lot of potential and I quite liked Clara as an FMC - while she was emotional at times, she also showed some maturity and wasn’t insufferable in the way a lot of romantasy FMCs can be. However, for a reason I can’t quite pin point, I just felt no connection to any of the characters and, consequently, I wasn’t particularly invested in the plot. There were a couple of fairly major events that took place and I felt nothing. I also was pretty ambivalent towards the romance. HOWEVER, I did really enjoy the ending of this book and it hooked me enough that I’m now intrigued to see what happens in the next one…

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

‘Arcana Academy’ follows Clara, who has ended up in prison for the crime of inking magical tarot cards - a feat reserved only for those of the Arcana Academy. After a year’s imprisonment, fortune seemingly smiles upon Clara as Prince Kaelis, second-born son and Headmaster of the Academy itself, offers her a deal: in exchange for escape from prison and a place at the Arcana Academy, she will help him steal a powerful card from the King. Oh, and she also has to pretend to be his betrothed…

Writing:
First person narrative, Clara is an excellent protagonist. Smart, competent, but with a heart that constantly wars with her head, she made for a fun perspective to follow. The writing was pretty accessible, not overly complex, and easy to get into.

Setting:
Set in an elite academy within a fantasy city, so par for the course. I really enjoyed exploring the depths of the Academy, with all its hidden mysteries - I mean, is it even a magical academy if it doesn’t have secret tunnels?

Characters:
Clara, as I said, is a great protagonist. She is flawed enough that she doesn’t feel OP (always a risk in these sorts of things) with plenty of emotions that are constantly battling with her rational, ever-scheming mind. Kaelis, our MMC, is dark, brooding, and allegedly evil - but of course, he’s a big softie inside - why wouldn’t he be? He was definitely an interesting character and certain reveals towards the end of the book have me curious to find out more of his past. Our supporting characters, including the Star-Crossed Club and other initiates, made for a nice ensemble, though some were not strong enough in their own right to be memorable (I had to keep flicking back to remember who they were). However, big shout out to Alor, who became more and more interesting as the plot progressed, and my boy Silas, who intrigued me greatly.

Romance:
The central romance was… I mean, it’s not groundbreaking, is it? I enjoyed the back and forth the two of them had, and THAT scene at the soirée was pretty damn hot. The two initially had chemistry that I felt fizzled out towards the end. I am, however, intrigued to see how their relationship changes after the events of this book.

Magic system:
I honestly did not know what to expect from a magic system designed around tarot, but I actually loved it. I thought it was well-designed and super fun, and it blended well with the plot.

Plot:
Academic trials, subterfuge, and many, many secrets meant this was a fun romp. I enjoyed uncovering the mysteries surrounding the Major Arcana, and how this affected Clara’s journey. The subplots were woven in well, and added depth to the main story. I feel the 3rd quarter of the book lagged a little, but it picked up nicely for an action-packed climax and pretty great cliffhanger.

Overall:
Interesting magic system, great main character, with notable side characters, and a plot that kept me guessing. This was a fun, fantasy romp that I enjoyed, and I am almost guaranteed to pick up the sequel.

Recommendation:
If you want a mix of dark academia, court politics, and a unique magic system based around tarot cards, this book will be a great read. The romance was pretty good, though nothing groundbreaking. This series has a lot of potential and I think fans of lighter fantasy romance will have a lot of fun with it.

Final rating:
4 🌟

Thanks to Netgalley, Elise Kova and

DNF at 23%
Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. The magic system and academy had some really cool ideas but I just really struggled to get invested in any of the characters and just never felt like picking this one back up. Might be one I pick up again at a later point!

“𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭.”

I had never read something by Elise Kova before - Arcana Academy was a pleasant surprise. I tend to get a bit bored within the romantasy genre (“I’ve seen this before”), however the concept of the magic system is so unique in this book, it wasn’t an issue. I was entertained from the beginning until the end. Although the pacing was a bit off at the start, as soon as the focus shifted more onto the Academy itself, it got a lot better in my opinion. That cliffhanger was brutal and I’ll now impatiently wait for book 2.

the vibes ™:
- tarot
- enemies to lovers
- deadly trials
- academia
- nothing is what it seems
- reminded me a bit of caraval

Arc supplied by NetGalley and Hodderscape for a fair review!!!!

3 stars

I enjoyed the atmosphere and the ambience however this book genuinely felt so long which surprised me bc 500ish pages isn't too long however this felt like a slog for the last 50% which made me care less about the book

This was such an enjoyable book. It was intricate, tense, and mysterious. The magic system was so different and refreshing, I really enjoyed discovering all the new cards and their powers. I loved the dynamic that Clara had with the other characters, notable mentions of course Kaelis. There was also variety in the friendships she had and I was always debating who she could really trust... There was politics and secrecy and I just ate it all up, I can't wait for book 2!

This book might as well have been written for me.

Magic school setting, deadly trials, a tarot-based magic system, fake engagement, found family, intrigue, and twists—I absolutely ate this up.

Granted, none of these elements felt particularly new, innovative, or groundbreaking, but they came together in exactly the way I want my fantasy-with-romantic-plot (I am not comfortable calling this Romantasy as the main focus is not the romance) to feel. It reminded me more of old-school fantasy than so many of the recent releases that blur together because they all read so similarly that it becomes impossible to remember which book was which after a while.

It was refreshing to have a FMC who is cocky and sure of herself, but not in an I’m-not-like-other-girls kind of way. Just as refreshing was a MMC we can never be entirely sure is truly on her side, his side, his family’s side, or what-is-actually-going-on-here —but who is so clearly all in for her, even if Clara can’t see it herself. Refreshing to have two adults in a fake relationship admit that there is something there and actually act like adults (though honestly, I wouldn’t have minded a bit more tension—and Clara, if you decide you don’t want him… I’ll happily take him).

The tropes and microtropes here hit all my favorites, but it was also fun to see a teacher-student dynamic that wasn’t framed as a forbidden romance.

I’m hoping for more backstory on Kaelis in the next book since so much about him was left unanswered, and I’m definitely looking forward to some reunions that are sure to come. Admittedly, Priss will steal the show every time she’s on the page, as she did this entire book — and she really deserves her spotlight (and all the cuddles).

This reminded me at times of The Atlas Six with the academic atmosphere and deadly school trials, and a bit of Enchantra in its elaborate setting and labyrinthine mansion vibes.

This was my first Elise Kova book, and I am looking forward to reading more!

— Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own and reflect my honest reactions. —

I really enjoyed this book. This was my second book by Elise Kova and I am very grateful to have been given a proof copy of what was a really entertaining read.

The magic system is honestly one of my favourites ever and I loved the dark academia aspect (which is new for me), with all the houses and the trials and the glimpses into the academy classes were so fun.

Another bonus for me is that although this is a series, and it can be read as a standalone, I am loving that in the very series saturated market. I will however continue the series

I love an Elise Kova book, this however, did not meet my expectations.

Was it good? Absolutely, the setting, the magic system, the storytelling, all phenomenal. The last few chapters had me holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. Clara’s luck has truly managed to run out and the Death reveal was unexpected. You cannot allow yourself to get attached to anyone because the cards may silence them at any moment.

The one thing I was missing that I usually have no issues with - the characters. I genuinely have no emotional attachment to Clara or Kaelis. The pacing was incredibly slow, I could skip entire passages and not miss any of the important details because a lot of the description was inherently unnecessary to the plot. This gave me long periods of time where I was just bored waiting for the next relevant thing to happen.

Am I going to read book 2? Yes, I love Elise Kova and you can never tell where her books will end up. I’m expecting massive redemption now that the world building has concluded and the plot can unravel without hindrance.

A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC, this is my honest opinion.

So, I had super high expectations because it just sounded like something I would like, and the magic system sounded really cool , but even though there were parts I genuinely enjoyed, the whole thing ended up feeling kind of… underwhelming.

Let’s start with the good: the magic system is incredible. Genuinely one of the most creative and well developed systems I’ve read in a while. I loved learning about the different types of cards, how they’re used, the differences between Minor and Major, you can tell the author put a ton of thought into it. My only complaint is that I wish it had been explained more clearly, especially during the action scenes. Since the FMC already knows how to use the cards, we don’t really learn with her, so it got a little confusing at times. Still, definitely the strongest part of the book imo.

Now the not-so-great stuff.

The characters just didn’t work for me. The FMC and MMC had potential in the beginning, but they both kind of fizzled out. I think the author wanted the MMC to be something he didn’t end up being, meaning: another copy-changesomething-paste of Rhysand, probably, a moody shadow boy -which I don’t mind AT ALL if you know how to deliver- but he ended up feeling kind of bland? I kept waiting for him to be something and it just never really happened. Same with the romance. I could see the author trying to make Kaelis seem obsessed from the start, but it was missing actual tension or meaningful moments between him and Clara. Their interactions mostly revolved around card talk, which, while interesting, didn’t help build any chemistry. By the time we got to the big kiss scene, I just didn’t really care.

There were also too many side characters, and they all kind of blurred together. I could never keep track of who was who, especially in scenes where a bunch of them were talking at once. None of them felt distinct or fleshed out enough to leave an impression.

As for the plot, it dragged more than I expected. I’d seen reviews saying it really picked up at 30%, so I was holding out hope, and then realized I was already at 50% and still waiting for things to really get going. There were moments that kept me intrigued, but by the end, I was mostly just ready for it to be over.

The cliffhanger was good though, I kinda gasped, and I’ll definitely pick up the second book. I just really hope it’ll be more than this.

But the magic system will still be my Roman Empire. So freaking good.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐ 4.5 stars ⭐

This is the first book I read from this author and, apparently, now I will have to go through her entire back catalogue because I loved it so much.

I didn’t find the world-building elements groundbreaking, but the way those ideas are applied felt very fresh and original. A magic school? Yes, we have already seen that, but I really enjoyed the classes and how everything was structured. Tarot? I have also read some books with card magic, but I loved how the writer included the inking, the sourcing of the materials and all the lore regarding the Major Arcana.

The pacing was a bit irregular, since there were a lot of small time jumps in the book, which resulted in an unevenly distributed plot throughout the story. That also made it seem a bit slow at the beginning, while nearing the end, there wasn’t a moment to catch my breath. Nevertheless, this didn’t bother me much because I was very invested in what was happening at all times. I also did see the final plot twists coming, but I still enjoyed them quite a lot.

My favourite aspect of the book was the romance. It was phenomenally well-done and full of tension. I loved how Clara tried push the prince away and how she coped with the clashes between what she felt for him and what she knew about Kaelis… or thought she knew.

The characters felt three-dimensional and had interesting background stories. I am really looking forward to knowing more about all of them. However, I would have liked to understand the villain and their motivations better. I hope we get to read about that in future books.

Overall, I loved Arcana Academy so much. I found it captivating and unputdownable. The setting and the aesthetic felt really magical! I would recommend this to anyone who loves magic schools with unique magic systems and wants to read a romance story full of angst.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape and Elise Kova for the eARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

5 stars!! Elise has absolutely outdone herself with this one! I’m not sure where to even begin with how much I loved it from the start right until that ending!!! The magic system is completely unique and it was one of the things that instantly drew me to the story and it was developed so well that even if like me you have zero knowledge of tarot you can still understand what the cards mean and are used for. The world building was superb and I’m honestly so excited to see more of the world and the academy with its seemingly endless passageways! This is one of my top recommendations for the year I need everyone to go read it now!!

Really enjoyed this book, the romance was perfect the pinning and yearning *chefs kiss*. The magic system was unique, I loved the use of the original meanings of the tarot cards and the physicality of the tarot cards being used. The character development was really good, Clara was very interesting. Definitely look forward to the next book.

A new staple of the genre, this was an action packed, romantic, energetic adventure that will leave you thinking about it for days on end once it is finished.

3.5 stars!

I was SO excited for this book, it sounded SO very up my alley and I've read (and loved) Elise's work before and have really enjoyed her writing style. The plot and worldbuilding were definitely well-developed, I really enjoyed how unique the magic system was and I thought it all worked well in the magical academy backdrop. I LOVE the idea of tarot card magic and people being able to imbue them with magic. I will say that at times things felt very slow to progress and I found it hard to sit and read this for longer periods of time, so it did take me quite a while to get through. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it did feel longer than it actually was!

I was so curious to learn more about our main characters in this one, and whilst it was fun getting to know Clara and learning more about her backstory, I'd love to explore her magic more in the next book! Prince Kaelis was so cold and calculating, I was veryyyy curious to find out more about him - I'm still quite curious to find out more about him in the next book, I don't think we realllyyyyy dug deep here, but it is only the first book in the series and I am keen to see how things progress! The romance itself was quite a slow burn, but when things REALLY picked up it felt a little as though it came out a little too strong since we were only really being fed crumbs beforehand y'know?

I definitely think that there's plenty of potential for the next books in the series, and I am SO excited to find out more about the magic system!

Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for my e-ARC via NetGalley!

I really enjoyed this book in the end, I did find the beginning very slow and difficult to keep my interest, but at 75% I could put it down!! And oh my god the ending!!

I must admit, I was completely captivated with this book, but there were definitely some hmmmmm moments. For instance, Kaelis as a headmaster at only twenty-three, the peculiar insta-love chemistry between Clara and Kaelis and the utterly ridiculous dirty talk they shared!

On the other hand, the magic system was brilliant, and I particularly enjoyed the school-based setting that allowed us to explore and learn about it in depth. I thoroughly enjoyed the house system and and those trials! *chefs kiss*

However, I felt that we didn’t have enough time to develop any connections with any of the numerous side characters. There were so many!

I have so many unanswered questions, but I’m hopeful that they’ll be resolved in the next book. I’m already eagerly anticipating book two, especially with that cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this title.

3.75/5

Arcana Academy ticked all the boxes for me. It had a very intriguing magic system (one of my favourite parts of the book!), a dark, broody love interest, adventure, and a dash of mystery. I finished the book and thought, yes, that was just a good, classic fantasy romance. The perfect level of yearning, a strong plot independent of the romance, and lots of secrets and surprises with plenty of room for more in the next book!

Following Clara, an Arcanist (someone who can make use of magic using tarot cards), as she escapes prison at the machinations of the second-born prince, the novel follows her as she enrols in Arcana Academy. While the romance - or more the yearning - was one of my favourite parts of the book, I also thought the Academy setting was intriguing - a half-forgotten castle that has hidden depths, magical dimensions, and hidden nooks -need I say any more? The tarot magic was wonderfully done. I don’t know whether I just love the imagery and art implicit in using cards with specific motifs, but the idea of having these intricately drawn pieces of art that can funnel magic filled me with joy. And I also want to reassure those who know absolutely nothing about tarot (as I did): you don’t need to have any prior knowledge in order to understand the magic!

There were a few elements of the novel that I wished had been fleshed out more - I was expecting a greater presence of dark academia, more lessons, scenes with classmates, and so on. I would have liked more fleshing out of some side characters (beware: there are a lot of characters introduced in this book, which can be a bit confusing to follow at first). Additionally, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the prince being the headmaster of the school yet being so young - I am expecting there is much more to this, as I have many questions about the prince in general.

However, overall, this was an enjoyable read and I recommend it to those who like a more old-school-feeling fantasy romance with magical tarot! As with many fantasy series, this book has a killer ending, and I am eagerly waiting for the next!

The moment I read the synopsis for this book, the concept grabbed my attention, as someone who likes all things magical I really liked the use of tarot.
This was a world I was drawn into very quickly, great characters with strong personalities and friendships. It reminded me of the camaraderie of another group of characters in a different series. Extremely well written, with clear descriptions which don’t leave you confused like some fantasy.
I loved how the story and the relationship between Clara and Kaelis built steadily as the book progressed. I wasn’t however expecting the plot twist at the end!
Thoroughly brilliant…. When’s book 2 out?!
4.75 ⭐️

A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

Elise Kova strikes again!!

What a fantastic start to a new fantasy series!! The book starts with our FMC Clara in prison for inking illegal tarot cards, which already had me in a minor chokehold. Flowing into some intricate and in-depth world building, the magic system begins to unfold and while at first it felt dense and difficult to wrap my head around, once it clicked I. WAS. LOCKED. IN!

At no point did you feel like Clara counted herself as down and out, and I LOVE that in a FMC! Not even when she met Prince Kaelis, the head of the Academy and man I would love to throw in prison myself. The tension and angst between them was apparent almost from the start and it felt like a true "I cannot stand you" enemies-to-lovers dynamic. While I eat up morally grey characters, there was a detachment to Kaelis that was hard to break down to see the man underneath.

I loved the tarot magic system and while they may not have cemented themselves as a god tier book couple for me, I really liked the progression of their story. I felt like I was right there along with Clara, trying to figure out who was trustworthy and how to navigate existing with the Majors.

I was already planning to get a physical copy and now it's a must! Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton, for this eARC via NetGalley and to Elise!