ARC and ALC review
Release date: 22 July

4,5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arcana Academy was such a fun, addictive read. If you love dark academia, enemies-to-lovers tension, and unique magic systems, you’ll probably fall in love with this one like I did.

The world-building is intricate and immersive think court politics, forced proximity, magic, and a deliciously slow-burn romance simmering under it all. One of my favourite elements was the tarot-based magic system. It’s clever, complex, and sometimes feels like a puzzle in itself. I loved the concept of tarots.

And let’s talk about the characters because honestly, Kaelis owns my heart. He’s the epitome of a morally grey man: mysterious, dangerous, layered, and…he has a cat. Chef’s kiss. Every scene with Priss the cat added this unexpected softness that made me love him even more. I fell for him straight away and only wished we’d had even more moments between him and Clara. Their dynamic is true enemies-to-lovers: crackling tension, mistrust, and that slow, torturous build that finally explodes into something undeniable. I could have read twice as many scenes of them circling each other.

Clara herself is a smart, determined heroine. She’s strong-willed, resourceful, and at times flawed in ways that made her feel real. Watching her navigate the academy’s secrets and her own hidden past kept me hooked. And the found family element, especially her friendships both inside and outside the Academy, gave the darker parts of the story a lovely balance.

If I had any tiny wish, it would be for even more interactions between Clara and Kaelis. The chemistry is amazing, but I was always craving more of their banter and tension.

Overall, Arcana Academy is a standout romantasy that delivers on atmosphere, magic, and angst. If you enjoy:
✨ Dark academia settings
✨ Tarot magic systems
✨ Morally grey love interests (with cats)
✨ Slow-burn enemies to lovers
✨ High-stakes trials and secrets

…this belongs on your TBR immediately. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next especially after that ending!

My first read of June was Elise Kova: Arcana Academy. This is an arc copy from NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ebook!

The cover is beautiful, and the story was so captivating that I ordered the book in hardcover. I have heard the author's name many times before, so I started this story with confidence! I was not disappointed, I can definitely say that the first part of the Arcana Academy trilogy was the best read I have read this year so far! And with that, Elise has become one of my favorite authors!



The world building is brilliant, I haven't read anything like it before. The characters are interesting; they don't leave me alone for a minute. And then there's the Dark Academy theme!!! I have a lot of questions. I'm really looking forward to the sequel!



I recommend it to:

🠞 Those who like the Dark Academy style

🠞 Those who like it when there's pure hatred between the two main characters and yet they have to work together.

🠞 Those who love it when the morally gray character is a heartbreaking guy

🠞 magic, tarot cards

🠞 a fight for survival

🠞 fake engagement

This book gets ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me.

ARCANA ACADEMY - ELISE KOVA

What. A. Book. If you read romantasy/romantic fantasy, I guarantee that you've already heard of this one.

Arcana Academy features so many of my favourites within the genre, including dark academia, slow burn, enemies to lovers, high-stakes trials and tasks, deadly secrets and found family.

While it ticks a lot of boxes for most readers, Elise Kova has also created a brilliant tarot-based magic system, where each card can be wielded with powerful effects. But it doesn't stop there, as each card can equally backfire with disastrous results, while others require sacrifices. I found the magic within this book addictive and I was more than a little awestruck by its intricacy.

Clara is the protagonist, and she's pitted against Kaelis, the young headmaster with a dark and vicious reputation. This is true enemies to lovers, and there's a fair bit of spice too. I always enjoy books that feature complex characters, where you're constantly questioning their true intentions and motivations. If you like that too, you'll enjoy Arcana Academy.

The pacing is excellent, with ebbs and flows that create just the right amount of buildup for key scenes and moments, all leading up to a cliffhanger that'll make you question your ability to wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Elise Kova, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Release date: 22 July 2025

Review score: 5/5

TWs: d*ath, injury detail, torture, s*xual content, imprisonment

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and sadly it didn’t live up the expectations for me. I loved the synopsis and the magic system in this book, and although it started strong, there was an overall lack of depth and consistency to the writing and a number of things that didn’t work for me. Too little plot involving the actual academy, too many side characters who played no part to the storyline, too little interaction between the FMC and MMC to make the development of their relationship believable, and overall too long.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Elise Kova, Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for this arc!

I haven’t read a fantasy that has swept me up quite like this in a long while! Arcana Academy was a cross between Throne of Glass and a sexy Harry Potter and I loved it!

The whole tarot magic system was so unique and like nothing I’ve ever read before. It did take me a little while to follow the ins and out of the magic - imagine me discovering the glossary at the end that explained it all AFTER I’d finished the book.

While I was expecting this to be a bit romance heavy, the relationship between Clara and the mysterious headmaster Kaelis was a minor storyline and I kind of like that it wasn’t the whole plot of the book. The tension was sexy and it was an incredibly slow burn that was so satisfying when they finally gave in to each other!

The element of found family was another favourite aspect of this book - there was so much to be found from Clara and the Starcrossed Club, to her peers at the academy to a few surprises along the way.

And that ending!! I need Book 2 immediately.

All in all I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a complex but gripping fantasy romance. I have a feeling this might be one that everyone is talking about in the months to come…

This review is for Arcana Academy by Elise Kova which releases in the UK on the 22nd July! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Hodderscape for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve loved the authors previous works (especially the Bridge Kingdom series) so as soon as I saw this was available to request I had to jump on it! The magic system sounded super unique and interesting so I couldn’t wait to see what they did with it.

The magic system ended up being super cool and actually one of my favourite parts of the novel. I loved the use of tarot and how making/inking the cards was also part of their power. The setting and writing was also beautiful, I’m a sucker for a magical school.

The characters were also really interesting with the brooding, dark haired headmaster who also happens to be a prince and the stubborn, strong and determined Clara who grew up on the other side of the tracks hiding from his family. He and Clara fought so hard against their feelings, it made me want more of them. The tensionnnnn!!

This book was also filled with a bunch of action which kept it nicely paced, with the trials Clara had to go through at the academy, the heist, the secrets. I was kept in my toes for a lot of the book and that ending???? I honestly can’t wait to see what happens next. Cannot recommend this enough, it’s lives up to the hype I keep seeing about it and more!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this book. There are a lot of good or interesting things in there, but I have also quite a lot of complaints. So I decided to write a bullet review, I think it will be easier!

Things I Liked:

1)The Magic system. It is tarot-based, and I think that, so far, it’s my favorite tarot-based system. It is complicated, and at the beginning of the book, things seem really overcomplicated, but the system works, and it is fascinating, and the more you read, the more you become accustomed to it (as it should be). And it is pretty cool, too.
I really enjoyed the fact that they have to ink the cards, and the way in which they can wield them was fascinating.
2)The Magical School Setting. I love magical school, so this is not really surprising. Sure, I would have loved to see a bit more of the lessons and proper school things, but we still get a bit of them, and the school is a magical place, with some dangerous (but beautiful) places!
3)Kaelis. Yes, I am predictable. But Kaelis is good. I don’t know if I will remember him in a couple of months, but he was good. He is intriguing. He is not the most original character ever, but he is coherent, and he is a good one!
4)Clara. To be honest, she is kind of a mixed bag. I liked her most of the time, but a lot of the things she did, or didn’t do, left me baffled. She is strong-willed, she is powerful, and she is resourceful. I admired all these qualities in her, and I also like her voice, because she is the narrator. We live the story through her eyes, and I enjoyed it.
5)The Plot. Especially the ending. It is a bit strange, because this is not really a kind of ending I particularly enjoy, but here it worked really well, because the author took some unexpected decisions with her story (at least, unexpected to me. I thought things would go a certain way, and they didn’t. And I was, strangely, quite happy with this).

Things I complained about:

1)The Professors at the school. The school is a new institution. It’s 3 or 4 years old, something like that. I don’t remember exactly. Before arcanists learnt from other arcanists in their Houses so… I hoped to see professors who love their job, that have a bit more of passion for it (since they are not doing the same things over and over since the beginning of the time) and also I hoped to see them being less rigid in their teaching, because if before the learning wasn’t codified, it means that how you can ink the card, for example, vary between group of arcanists. Sure, the basics are the same, but if there isn’t a centralized educational system, things shouldn’t be so uniform, but the teachers at the academy are quite rigid. Like this is a famous institution as old as time itself. This is not the case, and I was hoping to see the idea of a new school developed in some ways, but we see it used only for its plot value, while world-building-wise is treated like an old and prestigious school. It is not a big thing, but I was disappointed.
2)Clara. I liked her on the whole, but she is a really intelligent woman. She is quite smart, but she doesn’t ask the right questions. And it was sooooo unnerving. For example, the one that drove me crazy while reading was that Clara is not using her real surname. And that’s understandable. 100% so. But… but she used different surnames during her life, because her mother always told her to never, ever use their real surname. Because it was dangerous. Once Clara is at the academy and she starts to learn more about the magic and the tarot and the politics, the obvious thing to do, at least to me, would be to try and understand why her true family name is dangerous. How it fits in all this tapestry of magic and politics and plots. How is her family linked to all this? But… nope. She constantly repeats that her true name is a secret (a secret that a lot of random people know, by the way), but she doesn’t know why, and she doesn’t really care. Sure, things start to change toward the end, but still… I thought learning who she really is would be a tad more pressing to her.
3)They don’t share info. It’s not really the miscommunication trope, but it is quite similar. I hated this so much! And sure, I get that they don’t really trust each other, I mean Clara and Kaelis (but to be honest, it’s more a Clara thing), but they are working together and things are pretty dangerous for both of them, so why don’t they share more info?!? It’s always so annoying.

This last thing is not really a complaint or a comment on the book, but I’d love to read a book where the MCs have the same vibes/energy of Clara and Kaelis, but they are not enemies. They are amicable rivals who trust each other and are ready to bring the Kingdom down. Burning and screaming. What a couple like this could accomplish if their energy were all concentrated on their scope (while trying to win a silly competition between them, maybe) and not to dissimulate and hide info and things from each other?? I think that a book like this would be amazing!!

Anyway, I had fun reading this one. I enjoyed the magical atmosphere, and I was quite invested in the characters. Also, the magic system is a big plus!

One of my favourite reads of the year!!

⚔️ Dark academia
🔮 Tarot magic
⚔️ Forced proximity
🔮 Court politics
⚔️ Fake engagement
🔮 Magical trials
⚔️ Sloooooow burn

I ate this book up. Arcana Academy is packed with delish angsty tension, some of the coolest magic I've read in a while, a smart-mouthed FMC just trying to survive and a Prince who needs her help for a dangerous mission.

Outside of the characters - all of whom I adore, especially our found family - there is such intricate world building happening here that I found myself so immersed in the story. Whether we were at the prison or exploring the dark and unassuming corners of the Academy, I always felt like I was standing there right beside Clara.

The tarot magic and the lore surrounding it was also so refreshing to read. I've read some fate based magical systems before, but the way they train and use tarot in this book felt so unique to me and I couldn't get enough - give me more trials and more battles in book two please!

And of course, there is a romance burning in the background throughout all of this. For their own reasons, Clara and Kaelis hate each other for the majority of the book and while the slow burn nearly killed me, I couldn't get enough of their feisty banter, lingering looks and the way they eventually come together.

3.5 ⭐️

I'm finding that i love a card based magic system, and this one does not disappoint. It's very, very complex (there is a glossary in the back thank god) and there were times when I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information we're presented with. Once we reach the major leagues of the magic, i found myself really drawn into the plot.

One of the best parts of this book for me was claras friendships both inside and outside of the academy. There are a lot of side characters, and it took me a while to get them all straight in my head. I was surprised that a character I didn't love at the beginning became one of my favourites.

I'm quite surprised that the romance here is actually what I'd consider to be slow burn. Don't get me wrong, the chemistry and tension are insane but the feelings side of things is definitely still in progress. The hate/ lack of trust situation makes for some excellent will they and should they moments.

Some of my favourite moments for our leads were the ones involving priss the Cat. Little moments of fun and teasing in an otherwise quite dark world.

There were sections, especially during flashbacks or illusions, where I got completely lost. But that may be down to me being a tad sleep deprived. The book, in general took me a long time to read, I'm usually a fast reader but you really have to make sure you're absorbing everything with this one. Otherwise you're going to miss something important.

Overall, I liked it. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel given the ending. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What would you do if you had the chance to change everything?

Clara is faced with that very choice in a wild adventure that sees her stifling her abilities, unpicking the threads that lead her back to her family and navigating who she can really trust in an academy filled with secrets.

Magic systems built on tarot, political dealings that influence Clara’s every decision and a prince that potentially had a hand in her mother’s murder, Kova has the recipe for a thrilling fantasy that leaves you guessing.

After that ending, I’m truly on the edge of my seat waiting for the next.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC❤️

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
But I wont be Finishing this book. This was Kind of boring to me. DNF at 21%.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow !! Arcana Academy was a fantastic read! 🔥 Elise Kova blends magic, tension, and romance into a fresh, addictive story. The Tarot-based magic system🃏 is clever and immersive—I loved how it shaped the world and the characters’ choices.

The dynamic between Clara and Kaelis is the highlight—an enemies-to-lovers trope done right. 🤭 Their chemistry crackles with unresolved tension, and every interaction had me hooked. Clara feels real—flawed, relatable, and compelling—while Kaelis is a mystery I couldn’t get enough of. 😌

The plot balances magic, politics, and personal stakes well, with enough twists to keep things unpredictable. If you like dark academia with a unique magical twist, this is a must-read!" And if you loved One Dark Window, I just know you will love it! 🙄

As an avid fantasy reader, it is hard for me to come by something that sweeps me off my feet and surprises me. More often than not, I have heard about all the tropes, magic systems and political intrigues of countless fantasy books - BUT ever so often, there comes a story that completely captures my mind, body and soul.

Arcana Academy was that story.

Right from the start, I was thrust into a cruel scene where our main character Clara finds herself in the most horrendous prison known in her world, which is ruled by the cruel Oricalis family and feels hostile, unfair and cold. I was instantly rooting for her, because i AM a sucker for a feral woman with lots of trauma and hidden talents. She fought dirty, was too smart for her own good and made decisions that fit her character so well. I liked her a lot and loved seeing her change and question her own beliefs throughout the course of the story.

Her enemy, Kaelis Oricalis, was a worthy counterpart to her, with just as many witty comments, smart remarks and a well thought out backstory, that made me question more than once who the REAL enemy of the story is. He is your classic "dark and brooding" MMC and you can never go wrong with that in my books.

Their dynamic was filled with tension, yearning and distrust. I could never guess where their story was going and was screaming at my Kindle screen for them to finally make up their damn mind and just kiss already.

But what was undeniably the star of this book was the magic system and the plot. Wielding tarot cards as weapons?? Never heard of anything cooler. The magic wasn't overwhelming and really well thought out. Elise did a fantastic job bringing the fight scenes to life, explaining the intricate rules of the cards and awaken a desire in me to get into tarot card reading ASAP.
This was only supported by a killer plot line with lots of secrets between our main characters, lots of things at stake and more than one reveal that made me gasp.

There is only one thing left to say: READ. THIS. DAMN. BOOK.

So grateful to have had the opportunity to read this one early—and it delivered everything I wanted it to! 🔥 From the first page, I was hooked on the magic, mystery, and swoon-worthy tension.

🪄 Tropes & Vibes:
– Magical academy
– Enemies to lovers
– Found family
– Hidden powers
– Dark academia aesthetic
– Slow-burn romance 💘
– Secret societies & ancient magic

🔮 What it’s about:
Set in a secretive school for the magically gifted, Arcana Academy follows a girl with a dangerous secret and a boy sworn to expose it. As tensions rise and magic stirs, they’ll have to decide if they're enemies—or something much more.

AND THAT ENDING?! 😭 It left me reeling—I am now DESPERATE for book 2. Someone please time-travel me to the release date. 😩🕰️

Thank you so much to Hodderscape for the opportunity to read this e-arc. Sadly this book just wasn’t for me. I got around 30% through and unfortunately had to DNF as I just wasn’t vibing with it, which I was genuinely gutted about, as this was such an anticipated read. Everything felt a bit superficial - the plot felt very thin, and even at the point I stopped reading, it felt like things were being drawn out unnecessarily, and I was losing interest and really having to force myself to read. Clara is an intriguing character, but I just felt there wasn’t much depth to her, or Kaelis for that matter. I loved the idea of the magic system, and the use of tarot felt a bit more unique, but it did feel like it was a bit complex. Overall this just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I can really see other people enjoying it. And I will definitely be giving other books by Elise Kova a go, and I would potentially circle back to this in the future.

I have decided to DNF this book at 31%. I was super excited to read this as I love an academy story. However I found this really hard to get into. There is so much going on that I have found it hard to understand all the different elements (tarot, clans, clubs, houses). The concept is really interesting I just feel there is too much being put into one book. There is a lot of information given at a time which has made it very hard to follow the story. The writing is very atmospheric and did make me want to keep reading but I feel I am not fully understanding the plot.

Cool Magic System and Hate/Love Romance, but Not Without Flaws

I had a bit of a slow start with this one. The writing style felt a little disjointed at first - very “I did this, I did that”- and I found it hard to settle into. But as the story went on, either it improved or I just got used to it, because I definitely became more invested.

The plot was engaging, and the magic system (based on tarot) was really unique, even if it took me a little while to wrap my head around it. It’s the kind of world-building that grows on you, and by the end, I was fully intrigued.

I liked the main character overall, though she did frustrate me a few times. Still, she felt real, and I appreciated that. And I have to admit, this book made me realise I might enjoy a bit of drama in my romance because I was very into the whole “I hate you / I love you” dynamic. Give me that tension any day.

Overall, the plot was interesting, and there were definitely a few moments that had me gasping - especially the ending. Now I just need to know what happens next!

Ok, so there's definitely some Tarot Card books around, like, I loved the Shepherd King Duology book, but this.. this is a tarot card magic system!

I adored everything about this, the character growth, the academic setting, the magic system, it was like this was written specifically for all the things I love.

I loved the amount of spice in it, and I have a soft spot for Kaelis in my heart now, he;s just been dealt a bad hand (see what I did there? card reference?) I also have about a million theories on book 2, I was hoping for more answers however I'm assuming I'll get them in book two, I just have to be patient.

Thank you for this book, I loved it!

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova follows Clara Graysword, a thief with a rare talent for magical tarot inking, who strikes a deal to infiltrate a prestigious academy by posing as the prince's fiancée. Set in a dark academia world rich with tarot-based magic, the story blends political intrigue, class tension, and a slow-burn romance as Clara navigates secrets that could change everything.

This was a fun read! I always enjoy a magical academy setting especially when combined with the trials aspect. Clara was a strong FMC and the build up of her relationship with Kaelis was satisfying. The tarot card based magic system was nice but I did find it hard to keep track of what all of the different cards were supposed to do so I gave up trying pretty quickly. Pacing-wise, I think it suffered a bit around the middle, but the ending was full of action and pulled everything together well.

A couple of things didn’t quite land for me. I had a hard time buying into the 22-year-old headmaster plotline, he could have easily been aged up without losing any of the story beats. And while the Star-Crossed Club sounded important on paper, we didn’t get much of their actual backstory or emotional weight on the page, it felt like we were told they mattered but I didn’t really feel it. Clara also made a few naive choices about who she let into the club’s inner circle, which didn’t totally track for someone meant to be cautious and clever.

A solid start and I look forward to the sequel!