I never thought I liked fantasy, but oh my goodness this book is absolutely phenomenal.

From the first chapter, I was enthralled. I'm absolutely speechless. I've never read anything by this author before, but I'm going to check out others because if this is anything to go by, I am going to hit my ambitious annual reading goal in no time.

I don't know what to say - however I do know, this is going to be an instant best seller and I can't wait for the second in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an ARC, I took a chance on this and I'm grateful because this is my book of the year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The academy creates the perfect dark academic background where students are forced to endure trials, with enough romance and heist elements to keep it interesting.

I absolutely loved the world-building and the setting of the academy. The student body is split into four houses composed of the suits of Minor Arcana, which have their own priorities and personalities, and the dynamics between these and that of new students joining those was fun. The scene that stuck with me the most was the initial trial to enter the academy: students pull tarot cards and have to choose one to sacrifice, giving up an element of their future. I loved this concept, and it has been the one scene that really stuck with me.

The best part for me was the magic system. It was such a breath of fresh air to have a magic system based on tarot cards, each with their own ability and limitations upon the user. It was so innovative and fun, and made scenes with combat absolutely fascinating. I was more invested in learning more about the magic than I was in the love story.

It finished on an absolute cliff-hanger, which has left me counting the days until book 2.

* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. *

THIS BOOK IS MY NEW OBSESSION!!! This book was deliciously steamy romantasy, with super super cool magic system I could talk days about!

Thank you Hodderscape so so much for this arc! I loved this book so much that Im almost sad I had the arc, because now I need to wait so much, before the next book, and after that plot twist at the end, I'm not sure I'm able to wait that time !

This books was such perfect enemies to lovers book, and also perfect start to a romantasy series! It was relatively fast paced, with super interesting and high stakes plot. After reading one dark window last year, it was so fun to read more tarot card magic system books. And this one still had such unique vibe to it. Im already so intrigued to learn more about the world and the magic.

We had such interesting side characters (and main character!!! loved reading about her and her thoughts) and the found family vibes were perfect!! The enemies to lovers between our main character and the love interest was perfect, with all the tension, hot moments, bit of forced proximity, everything a girl can hope!!

All this left me yearning for the next book, and hoping time will go faster so I could have it already.

full 5 stars, I love it!!

This was a really difficult one for me to rate because I think the story concept is actually great. I worried when I started that a magic deck of cards was going to be a copy of One Dark Window but to be fair to this book it is its very own magic system. I think it could have been a good book but it just wasn’t written brilliantly.

The book could genuinely have been halved. There is nothing left for the reader to infer, everything is completely spelled out, and if you didn’t get it the first time it’ll be repeated, multiple times. The information that you actually need clarification on (and don’t get) is very confusing: the decks of cards go ace to ten and then Page, Knight, Queen, King and suits are Cups, Swords, Coins, Wands - and every single one of these cards does something different, there is not a chance anyone could remember all their powers. Then there are extra cards on top of this inked in different ways and there are different versions of those cards depending on how they are inked??! The houses of the academy reflect the suits but there are also nobles and clans and royals and I got so lost at times.

At certain parts it did really grip me and I started to get into it, and then it would quickly lose me. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it, and yet I think I would give the second book a go because I hope that now the whole story is set out we’d start getting into some really good bits. I suspected the info at the end reveal to be true but I was still like ooooooo.

Small thing, couldn’t not read Bristara as Barista 😂

A world built around tarot cards is definitely a unique setting, the magic system and even their religious beliefs are all tarot based. Clara has landed herself in prison for illegally inking tarot cards and is in no shape to refuse when the headmaster of the academy offers her a deal to help her escape – unfortunately this involves becoming his fiancé! She also ends up enrolling in the academy, to formally learn how to ink tarot but this proves to be quite a cutthroat environment! This is a fantasy full of romance but also stacks of intrigue and drama. I loved how they battled using cards and Clara is quite stubborn and has her own agenda, but you can’t help root for her to be right.

I AM UNWELL. Holyfknairball that was hands down my favourite read of 2025 so far.

Straight away I was hooked. How it starts with the FMC in prison and is immediately pulled out by the dark mysterious MMC who has need of her but who also might have killed her mom and put her in that very prison. The drama is thick and I was very much into it.

LOVING the tarot cards magic system. The length of time taken to “ink” as in paint a card in beautiful detail adds to the cards power and how cards can only be used once and then it’s destroyed. Each card suit also needing its own unique pigment. Power differences between Major and Minor cards. GAH I loved everything about this magic system!

I also love the deadly school setting. “Pass the tests or die” similarly to Fourth Wing and On Wings of Blood (minus the dragons and vampires) but exponentially more interesting. Arcana Academy is fascinating.

The world-building and political intrigue was immaculate! There is still so much mystery that is yet to be uncovered that book 2 can’t come soon enough!

Elise Kova has instantly become one of my auto-buy authors. Her writing was spectacular and this world she created was a masterpiece.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elise Kova, Hodder & Stoughton and Hodderscape for the gifted arc. It was magnificent.

Please please please consider me for an arc of book 2 in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the e-ARC!

This book had everything I love - a magic school, trials and an interesting magic system.

The magic system was unique and woven into the story so well, I loved the use of the tarot cards - especially in battles and trials throughout. The story progression was great and I don’t feel the story lagged at any points, I was fully immersed and invested throughout.

I loved the fmc, Clara. She’s exactly the kind of protagonist I love: strong, loyal, and endlessly determined. Kaelis was a fascinating mmc, I couldn’t decide if I loathed him or loved him, and their dynamic kept me hooked. The slow burn and tension was built up so well through the story. I wish we’d seen Kaelis’ POV at some point in the story because he was down bad for Clara but it also added so much to the will they/ won’t they so I’m just hopeful for a bonus chapter at least🤭

I cannot wait for the next book!

The downside of reading an ARC….. I need book 2 before book 1 is even released!! I loved the magic system in this fantasy, and the fact that the characters had a bit more darkness to them than the usual enemies to lovers. All in all, this was just a fantastic story that had me needing more right till the end!
Can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I had a good time with this! I really enjoyed the magic system, though I think some more obvious rules laid out sooner regarding using the cards would have been welcome. The story is definitely what I enjoyed most from this book, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where we go from here.

The beginning sequence with Halazar felt very atmospheric and vivid in terms of setting, but the rest of the book could have definitely used more description of setting, as I felt like I was making a lot of it up for myself. I definitely feel the world building was a weak point; I know so little about the world we’re in, how the clans interact with each other, how society functions, and so on. I would have felt a lot more immersed had this been focused on more.

The characters felt somewhat shallow; I feel like I know very little about them beyond Clara wanting to find her sister and Kaelis wanting The World. Clara’s motivations felt very back and forth, particularly regarding her emotions towards Kaelis. I understand it is a very push and pull relationship, but it made her character feel very wishy washy. I would love to see some more in depth characterisation in future books, especially as I feel like the bones of some really good characters are definitely there, but they currently feel more like genre stereotypes.

Overall, this is a book I enjoyed more for the plot and fun factor rather than anything technical about it. This won’t stop me from reading the rest of the series (I’m genuinely really looking forward to them), but I think I will be disappointed if the characters and world building aren’t better detailed in future entries.

Beautifully enchanting, giving Caravel vibes this was a joy to read. Thanks for approving me. Mysterious and magical this had it all

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodderscape and author Elise Kova for this eARC

Wow, just WOW

I loved this book so much!
The world building, the characters, the Magic System! Perfection and an absolute joy to read!

This was my first Elise Kova book despited having quite a few of her books, that I just never got around to reading, and I am so impressed! These just shot straight to the top of my TBR.

The writing is so immersive and the world building so detailed without becoming boring or info-dumpy. The magic system is something I have never seen and think it’s such a cool idea and our characters are all so well developed, well written and loveable in their own way.
The plot was well thought out and kept moving at a nice, medium pace - I didn’t feel bored for a single page, which is saying something in an over 500 page book!
I can not wait for book two, to spend more time with these characters and uncover the mysteries and clues of this world!

Excellent world building and magic systems combined with a stella romance. Elisa has done it again with Arcana Academy, a book I couldn't down and felt fully immersed in.

This book was the best type of surprise from page one. The world and world building is exceptional, and the level of detail for each is perfect. The story is complex enough to be captivating, whilst maintaining an air of mystery with twists peppered nicely throughout. The relationship between the two main characters is perhaps a little obvious and confusing at times, with a classic 'will they won't they' that somehow becomes confusing even to the author themself. Regardless, this has stayed with me for days after finishing and I am hugely excited about book 2.

It’s in the cards that you’ll love this moody, epic romantasy centred around an academy for magic tarot readers.

When I first read the synopsis for Arcana Academy I knew I was going to be hooked. In an academy for tarot wielding magic users, our main character Clara is on the hunt for answers while also caught in a fake engagement with her enemy, the broody Prince and headmaster of the school, Kaelis. We are immediately immersed into Clara’s world, Eclipse City and Halazar prison where she serves a lifetime sentence for illegally inking cards. We follow her as she is entered into the Arcana Academy, struggling with the high stakes challenges posed with her own private scheming leaving her unsure of who to trust.
I loved the world that Elise Kova created. The inventiveness of tying the magic system to tarot cards is unique but also central to the overall shaping of the story. I look forward to what the cards may have in store for us in future books. The relationship between Clara and Kealis is deliciously slow burning, with Clara not sure whether she can trust her betrothed prince and their plans together while gradually starting to fall for him. The build of tension between them had me kicking my feet with glee whenever there was any payoff. The final pages of this book arrived far too quickly and the closing scenes had me wishing I could use magic myself - to turn back time and read it again, or speed along the next book so I could continue reading. A brilliant recommendation for any romantasy fans and for those that like their books to have dark, magical academia vibes.

This was my first novel from Elise Kova and oh my, it won't be my last!!!

I adore a fantasy/romantasy with a dark academia setting and this did it in a way that was ethereal, twisty and completely tension filled. the magic system surrounding tarot cards was as unique as it was fascinating and the micro trope of 'the curriculum but it's trying to kill you,' was so fun to navigate. the love interest too!!!!!! at every given opportunity, I wanted to read this book... it was ALL I could think about! this is my EXACT taste in fantasy I had the time of my life (I'm scared to see how long I need to wait for book 2)

Arcana Academy is undoubtedly perfect for lovers of dark academia fantasy, the celestial, ENEMIES TO LOVERS (they truly hate one another) and fantasy series that you will just want to binge!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Arcana Academy is a spellbinding mix of magic, danger and slow-burn romance that delivers everything you would expect from Elise Kova. With her trademark worldbuilding and a heroine who is both cunning and complex, this book is a strong start to what promises to be an addictive fantasy romance series.

Clara Graysword is a brilliant protagonist. Her life on the fringes of Eclipse City, surviving through illegal magic and quick thinking, gives her a sharp edge that makes her journey to Arcana Academy all the more gripping. The concept of magical tarot cards is unique and adds an intriguing layer to the magic system, which is both mysterious and well developed.

The false engagement trope is done with flair, and the tension between Clara and Prince Kaelis is palpable throughout. I enjoyed the push and pull of their relationship, especially as Clara begins to question her loyalties. The romance builds steadily, never rushing, which makes the emotional payoff more satisfying.

This book offers a good balance of political intrigue, magical action and character depth. The academy setting is rich with secrets and layered dynamics, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Clara’s story unfolds.

Fans of fantasy with strong heroines, forbidden magic and a touch of enemies-to-lovers tension will find plenty to love here. I’m already eager for the next instalment.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I have just finished this book and loved it. The characters are so likeable and you really want to
Keep reading to follow there story. I would highly recommend this book if you like academia and fantasy it is a must read.

Arcana Academy has a totally intense and complex magical system. A world that is run using magic wielded through the use of tarot cards, under the control of the crown. Clara has been put into halazaar prison for illegal use of wielding tarot cards. The second born Prince and also headmaster of Arcana Academy assists her escape and then entraps her to him under the pretense of a fake engagement for her to help him draw magical tarot cards in his quest to overthrow his father and obtain the ultimate tarot cards “The World” card. During her time tied to Prince Kaelis at the Academy Clara uncovers the death of her sister in the academy, the people responsible for the death of her mother and sister. Warring with herself over her distrust of the Prince and her growing feelings for him. The end of this book had a twist that I was not expecting, ending on a cliffhanger ready for book 2. I would have given 5 stars if it weren’t for the fact that I feel this wouldn’t be a book for beginners of dark academia as the magic system was so complex.

“But no matter how dark the night, I refuse to give up hope of the dawn.”

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone 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?

Clara has been through Hell and back, yet she is still feisty, stubborn and incredibly sassy. From start to finish, she is a brilliant character! I loved seeing her fighting for a place amongst the others, not for their benefit but for herself. She is in a crappy situation, but she makes the most of it - even making friends along the way. I really liked seeing Clara stand her ground, closely guarding her secrets even if it were much easier to give them up. She fights for what she wants and I couldn’t help but admire her tenacity. And also laugh at her wonderful wittiness! I just hope we get to see more of that in the sequel!
I felt for quite some time that Kaelis was hard to read. He is incredibly guarded and that made it hard for me to get a read on him. He is in a precarious position as headmaster of this prestigious school, but is also sticking his neck out constantly for Clara simply so he can commit treason! I did find myself warming up to him more as the book progressed - which is always good! - and I did find myself interested in what he would be doing next. His protectiveness coming out more and more was a big bonus. I loved seeing him all mama bear/alpha wolf to ensure Clara’s safety. Will we see more of this in the sequel? I bloody hope so!

I was not entirely sure what to expect when picking up this book but knowing the success of the author’s other fantasy works, I had hoped I was in for a treat! The plot for this story is incredibly rich and soaked in a magic system that is unique and delightfully unpredictable. The world is awash with political intrigue and mystery which I found incredibly engaging, my attention snagged on what could unfold. I will say that it is very wordy for me. As a massive fantasy reader, I love a thick book but I did feel at times that perhaps a little trimming here and there would not have gone amiss. This would have enhanced my enjoyment further and prevent any niggles or feelings of not entirely moving forward. The characters were brilliant. I loved that everyone had background to them, ensuring further realism and depth to the story. We get to see a lot of different personalities - both from Clara’s past and Kaelis’ too. Seeing the contrasts in people and their approaches to the events taking place and how they wield their magic too! Kova really did a brilliant job on the characters. The romance was wonderful here as well. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers but when they’re still effectively hating each other and giving in to their feelings? Ugh, perfection! The level of angst was unparalleled and the moments of spice we got too… wowee! But holy crap, that ending took my breath away. And now I have to wait an untold amount of time for the sequel?! *drops to knees and screams*

Overall, Arcana Academy is a magical book I certainly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on 21st July and is available now on Goodreads.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This was my first Elise Kova book and… I get the hype now. I went in not knowing what to expect and came out completely hooked. If you like a mix of tarot magic, dark academia, enemies-to-lovers energy, and a morally grey main character—you need this book.

Clara is such a strong lead. She’s sharp, guarded, and honestly just done with everyone’s nonsense (relatable). I loved that she’s powerful but not perfect—her decisions actually feel risky, and she’s constantly having to weigh survival vs trust. Her dynamic with Kaelis (the prince/headmaster with serious brooding energy) was chef’s kiss. The fake dating trope between them had me fully invested, and the slow build of their relationship was so satisfying.

The tarot-based magic system is super original, though I did have to slow down a few times to wrap my head around all the rules. But once it clicked, I loved how detailed and different it was. There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve, but it’s worth sticking with.

There’s a lot going on—politics, secrets, found family vibes—and the tension ramps up so well. And that ending? Rude. I need the next book now.