Received as a free digital arc from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Okay…. First of all, obsessed. And second of all, still freaking obsessed! This is my first time reading any book written by Elise Kova and let me just say I’m officially a huge fan and about to go buy every single book she’s ever written. I already have the special edition of this book pre ordered and gonna stare out my window and sigh pitifully until it arrives in July!

Enemy to lovers, magic tarot cards, a dark prince, pretend engagement, excellent world building, spice that was absolutely spicing 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️, and an ending that leaves you in shock.
Add it to your TBR because it’s a must read!

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is a vibrant and ambitious start to what promises to be an engrossing series. Earning a solid four stars, the novel impresses with a richly detailed world and an innovative magic system centered on tarot cards—one of the most creative I've encountered in fantasy literature.

From the outset, the book introduces a unique blend of magical academia and high-stakes adventure. Although it took me a little while (about a third of the way through) to fully latch onto the narrative, once I did, the story swept me along. The plot deftly weaves together multiple intriguing elements: a magical academy that challenges its students with perilous trials, a high-energy heist, complex political maneuvering, and a slow-burn mystery that leaves you with plenty of questions to ponder long after the final page.

One of the standout features is the tarot card magic system. Kova manages to infuse the concept with originality and depth, presenting it in a way that feels natural rather than overwhelming. The balance she strikes—providing enough detail to make the magic feel authentic without burdening the reader with excessive exposition—is truly commendable.

The characters add further layers to the narrative. Clara, the resilient protagonist, embarks on a tumultuous journey after being freed from a grim fate in prison by the enigmatic Prince Kaellis. Their arrangement—a fake engagement that soon grows more complex—adds a deliciously dark twist to the story, as Kaellis’s own ambitions and secret machinations slowly unfold. Alongside these central figures, the narrative excels in portraying found family dynamics and multifaceted relationships that enrich the plot. Not going to lie she started to REALLY bother me as the story progressed BUT I look forward to some character development.

While the romance is engaging and well-crafted, I did find that some of the explicit scenes felt more like a box-checking exercise than an organic part of the story. The spice, while not unwelcome in a fantasy romance, didn’t quite integrate as seamlessly as the other elements, and at times, it seemed forced.

Overall, Arcana Academy is a refreshing and ambitious entry into the fantasy genre. Elise Kova has ventured into new territory with a compelling mix of magical innovation, political intrigue, and personal vendettas, setting the stage for an exciting series. I eagerly await the next installment, even if the wait feels a bit too long at times!

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

The start to another amazing series from Elise Kova! This book has the perfect combination between plot, romance, suspense, everything! You don't know who to trust or believe and there are so many things happening that it keeps you on your toes from start to finish! And that last sentence...I need book 2 immediately!

The story follows Clara, who escapes from prison where she was being held for illegally preforming magic. But through a series of lucky events instead of being thrown back in prison, she is suddenly an initiate to the exclusive Arcana Academy and engaged to a prince (who happens to be the headmaster). Lots of secrets will be revealed and more questions will be raised about Clara's magic, her family, and her past, as she works with who she once thought was her enemy, and may still be...

Arcana Academy

This story hooked me immediately and I was intrigued by the tarot card magic. However, the story seemed to drag a bit for my liking and I really felt zero chemistry from the MC’s. I struggled to care about the FMC. This book may be perfect for those who love deep world building and dark academia.

3⭐️

OSD - July 22, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for a copy of the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

First I want to say thank you for allowing me to read this ARC.


I want to start by saying I am no stranger to Elise Kova and her writing, with that being said. I think this might end up being one of my fav books of hers.
Let's start with the basics. This book is like if One Dark Window, had a shadow daddy lover boy, set in Hogwarts.
The setting was beautifully written, I could very clearly see what she was describing and it was gothic, gorgeous, and magical.

Clara is what I would call a standard FMC in these types of books. Tortured past, living on the street, making due with a found family of misfits, tragic story of losing her mom, most of the book she is semi looking for her sister who also enrolled in the academy, but disappeared. She's got special powers, she's a badass, she's also kind of wishy washy in how she feels cause she's so guarded but wants the enemy so much. I didnt hate her, I just found her generic.

Kaelis to me is an enigma. I don't know where he stands, with the cliff hanger in the book I really don't know where he stands. I want to like him, but I don't know if we are suppose to believe him.

I do like that the author is willing to actually kill people off, letting their deaths be tragic and abrupt. That's refreshing.

The side characters, almost all of them, I could throw away. I had trouble remembering who any of them were because I had no emotion connection to any of them except Silas.

I loved it, I will read the whole dang series.

4.5 stars

*** ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

I loved the concept and world building of this book. It took me a minute to understand the magical system, but once I did, I was all for it!!

The execution of the plot and the way the characters were built was also so very good! I finished the story and immediately wanted the next book!

I really enjoyed this at first! The tarot card magic was so interesting, especially as someone already interested in tarot. I always love an academy setting!

I liked Clara, but slowly found myself not caring about her. This being in first person POV was also a struggle for me. I never connected with Kaelis, especially as a love interest. Their romance was awkward and confusing... and honestly not really a romance? I found their relationship to be very strange and wanted more from them. Not physically, which was a bit cringey for me, but they felt so disconnected the whole book. I think the "fake dating" aspect could've really been played up.

As far as the plot, it was alright. A lot of it seemed very random. My favorite parts were definitely anything having to do with the cards - inking, reading, wielding, rules, dueling etc. I just wanted a bit more. More from the characters, more explanation of the worldbuilding, more from the romance. I didn't feel anything towards any of the characters which made it hard to be really invested.

That being said, I would recommend trying it out if you are a fan of Elise Kova and enjoy tarot.

Dark academia meets tarot magic with a side of fake engagement? Yes, please.

Arcana Academy pulls you in from the first page with its atmospheric setting, high-stakes magic, and the kind of tension-filled dynamic that makes fantasy romance so addictive. Clara Graysword is the scrappy, clever heroine I love—wielding illegal tarot magic and constantly walking the fine line between survival and disaster. The premise of her being roped into a fake engagement with Prince Kaelis (who is, of course, broody and powerful) to infiltrate the academy is chef’s kiss, I ate it up.

The magic system, built around tarot cards, feels fresh and immersive, adding layers of intrigue to the already high-stakes plot. Arcana Academy itself is dripping in dark academia vibes, secret plots, and the kind of elite magic politics that always keep me hooked. Clara’s dynamic with Kaelis is sharp and engaging, full of banter, distrust, and just enough tension to make their chemistry sizzle.

Why not five stars? The pacing lagged a bit in the middle, and I wanted even more depth in certain character relationships, but overall, this was a compelling start to a series that promises magic, danger, and some deliciously complicated romance.

If you love dark academia, morally gray love interests, and tarot-infused magic systems, Arcana Academy is worth the read! Can’t wait to see where Book Two takes us.

If you like being dropped into a world, this will be your jam! I personally struggled to connect with the very indecisive but also stubborn FMC, as she changes her mind a lot. I wanted to like this book because the writing itself is good, I just am personally not a fan of the miscommunication trope. Instead of enemies to lovers this felt more like enemies and lust/we're in love but too prideful to admit it.

OMG the fact that I got to read this book as and ARC and now have to wait to find out what happens!! I am shook!!

Elise Kova is one of my favorite authors. The way she writes fantasy and magic is truly so whimsical and astounding. This is some of her best work yet! I was hooked from the very beginning.

The magic system in this book was amazing. The concept of swords, cups and coins having their own domain with each number in the stack corresponding to a different ability. I found myself so interested that I highlighted passages and noted down what each tarot card meant.

The story itself is so well written, everything means something and at no point did I feel like this was boring at all. The magic school part of this whole story was really well written. I found myself invested in the other students Clara interacted with and their classes where they learn various things.
If you love books like Harry Potter or a School for Good and Evil... this is pretty much and incredible adult version that you'll love!

The enemies to lovers concept in this was really well written, and the slow burn was so good. I truly didn't think Kaelis and Clars would get along, let alone be falling for each other. I also liked that their relationship wasn't the forefront of this story rather than being a subplot. As they're all connected to a much larger story.

Overall if you can't already tell this is my top read of the year. I love this book so much!

I’m giving this book 3 stars.

Arcana Academy is the story of Clara Redwin, a talented arcanist who has the ability to ink tarot cards that allow those who use them to cast a one-time magic spell. She is imprisoned for using her ability illegally, and making the cards available to common people, who are not allowed to have magic. When she sees an opportunity to escape the prison, she takes it, only to find out that her escape was orchestrated by Prince Kaelis, second-born of the king, and headmaster of Arcana Academy, the official training grounds for arcanists.

The world-building is immaculate. I admire how much work Kova put into thinking about the tarot and how each card would manifest magic. The battle scenes where cards are commanded and their powers displayed are exciting and fascinating. The academy itself is so interesting, and I enjoyed learning about the lessons.

Unfortunately, despite all the good things it had in its favor, the book didn’t always hold my interest. I can usually finish a book in two or three days if I am really engrossed in it. This book took me a month. I could put it down in the middle of a chapter, then not come back to it for hours…or even days. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but they didn’t always stand out enough that they were distinct in my mind.

There is a budding romance in this book between Kaelis and Clara. An enemies to lovers trope. I have no objections to that. But, it seemed jarring in spots to have pages and pages of explicit sex scenes. If the book was foremost a romance, then those scenes wouldn’t have felt so gratuitous. I’m sure they were well-written, but, honestly, I skipped over them because I wanted to get back to the main plot line. And, honestly, the dynamic between Kaelis and Clara was a little off-putting. She’s a student but she gets special privileges because she’s engaged to, and supposedly sleeping with, the headmaster. I think the fact that she was a student, even though she’s 20 or 21, made me feel like I was reading a young-adult fantasy novel, and maybe that’s why the romance and sex scenes didn’t feel right.

Still, despite that, the story was interesting enough that I will read the second book in the series when it’s published.

I have a feeling that this book is going to be one of the top romantasy reads of the year. The yearning, enemies to lovers, slow burn, twists and turns; all of it was so engaging. I love Kaelis and Clara but wish we got a little more in terms of side characters and their own backstories to add to how everyone is intertwined. The magic in this book is very unique to anything I’ve read and really makes the setting feel otherworldly. This book really encompasses all my favorite things: fantasy, dark academia, betrayal, plot twists and THAT ENDING. I can’t imagine waiting to find out what happens next…

“Break or die. It’s one or the other in Halazar Prison. I refuse to do either.”

Clara “Graysworld” has been sent to Halazar prison for illegally inking, selling, and using tarot cards without first graduating Arcana Academy and being placed with a clan. I love the above quote because it provides an insight to Clara’s resiliency and will to live. This becomes a theme for the novel as she continues to propel herself forward in this cruel world that is the Orcalis Kingdom.

Our story begins at the prison when she is summoned by Prince Kaelis. The Prince is the 2nd son of King Naethor, spare heir the kingdom, and headmaster of the Arcana Academy. Clara knows that the Prince has not come to save her for some altruistic reason; he has a reputation of being a cruel, cold-blooded killer who is rumored to have annihilated an entire clan and possibly murdered her mother. Clara also has reason to believe that he is the one who sent her to the hell-hole that is Halazar prison..

Prince Kaelis admits that he wants to use Clara and her masterful abilities of inking cards to his own advantage. He devises a plan for her to escape Halazar prison and become an initiate at Arcana Academy…. and his betrothed to further ensure her safety. Both agree to work together but remain suspicious of the other’s true intentions and question what secrets they may be hiding.

The story is a dark fantasy, filled with magic, tarot cards, evil plots, sinister characters and of course, forbidden romance. I admire the way Elise Kova writes her protagonist, Clara. She is fiery, witty, strong willed, flawed, and passionate; a multi-dimensional character I am rooting for! I am excited for her newest series and look forward to Book 2.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

SPOILERS

“Arcana Academy” offers an interesting promise of magic related to tarot cards which I found very unique. This read had me staying up late on a Friday night and reading all day Saturday so without purposely dropping a pun, I was sat for this book.

Think of this story as “Six of Crows” meets “Throne of Glass” meets “The Prison Healer.” With this in mind, it didn’t feel all that different in that the FMC is taken out of a prison and then popped back in.

Let’s speak to the characters. Starting with Clara, I thought she was a cool character, though annoying a lot of the time. I understood her desire to bring back her family but she lacked maturity for a character who was apparently street smart. As for Kaelis, I was easy prey to his charm. I did question myself for a bit - is he just misunderstood or actually very charming bad guy? Regardless, I need more scenes between Kaelis and Clara!

I desperately need the sequel and require Elise Kova to pop that sequel directly into my hands! Overall, “Arcana Academy” was an immersive story. I just wish the glossary was at the start of the book - it was hard to keep up with the different abilities of the tarot cards.

3.75 rounded up! ⭐️

Arcana Academy was a magical trip into an immersive dark academia world! fans of tarot inspired magic, politics, and slow burn romance should be on the edge of their seats for this one.

Clara is a prison escapee and underground magic wielder with skills far surpassing “arcanists” of her age. She’s pulled out of prison by the prince whose family imprisoned her and forced to enroll in Arcana Academy, the kingdom’s elite institution to hone arcane magic. it’s survive the trials to be the best of the best, or die trying. (there’s so much more, but i don’t want to hint at any spoilers- check out the trope list at the bottom if you’re inclined)

Elise Kova’s writing is so immersive and detail oriented, I’ll admit that at times it made the story feel more slow paced. this is the main reason it wasn’t a five star read for me. despite this, I absolutely loved the multifaceted characters and how the world was set up for huge expansion in future installations.

Fans of Arcane (the show) and Ninth House will devour this one!

tropes & highlights:
- tarot inspired magic system
- trials
- academy setting
- found family
- slow burn + enemies
- forced proximity / engagement of convenience

The magic system in this book is among the coolest I’ve ever read! Well developed and detailed without feeling like it’s all been dumped on you at once!

While it took me a minute to get into this one (around the 30% mark) once I was invested I couldn’t stop reading! This was a great start to a series and I still have so many questions!

What's to love…
- (REALLY COOL) tarot card magic system
- Magical academy with trials
- heist
- found family
- fake engagement with a dark prince
- political machinations
- mystery (I still have SO many questions)
- SLOW BURN
- New Adult (21 yo FMC) with spice

What's not to love…
- at times I felt like the plot was doing THE absolute most, prison break out + magic academy + heist + trials. I wish we would have focused on a single (or even two) main plots.
- The pacing was not ideal - a slow start, an action packed and fast middle, and then we slowed again towards the end.
- I could have done without the spice tbh - it felt like it was added just to have an explicit scene and check the spice box. I’m totally ok with spice when it adds to the story but this didn’t really do that for me.

🌶️ - Ch. 50 & 52 are the only chapters with explicit scenes, if you prefer you could easily skip ch 50 and avoid most of the spice. The scene in 52 is fairly brief.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In Arcana Academy, Elise Kova introduces readers to a mesmerizing world where magic and deceit intertwine. The story follows Clara Graysword, a resourceful young woman who has navigated the dangerous underbelly of Eclipse City through thievery and illegal magic. After a heist goes wrong, Clara faces a lifetime sentence in prison for her unique ability to ink tarot cards—a skill only bestowed upon the elite practitioners at the prestigious Arcana Academy.

Just as hope seems lost, Clara's fate takes an unexpected turn when Prince Kaelis, the enigmatic headmaster of the academy, offers her a way out. His plan? To use Clara as a pawn in his scheme to steal a powerful tarot card from the king, which he intends to use to resurrect a legendary card long thought to be lost. To keep her close and protect her identity, Kaelis introduces Clara as his fiancée, plunging her into a world filled with arcane magic and royal intrigue.

As Clara navigates her new life at Arcana Academy, she grapples with her complicated feelings for the prince she initially swore to despise. In a place where every choice can lead to dire consequences, Clara must determine whether to risk her heart and power by trusting him or take matters into her own hands. Arcana Academy is the beginning of an enthralling fantasy romance series, filled with mystery, adventure, and a touch of forbidden love, making it a captivating read for fans of magical tales and royal court intrigue.

I had 10% left of this book to finish last night before bed and would not be mollified until the last page was read. An absolute brilliant, unique fantasy novel by one of my favorites. If you have never read a novel by the Elise Kova, then you need to grab one of her books TODAY (any one) and you can thank me later. Her world building, plots, and characters never disappoint. Arcana Academy is no exception to this rule.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group for the eARC in return for an honest review. I was royally entertained.

Don't know about you, but I have had my fill of academy novels, and if it had been any other author, I might have passed this one by. BUT, this was a Kova novel so...and thank goodness it was because this isn't your average academy fantasy novel. While the MFC does go to an academy for gifted students who can access a very specific kind of magic provided to them by the arcana (yes, think tarot), she is an adult and there is SPICE (hello Kaelis head master of Arcana Academy...my newest book boyfriend). This is an enemies to lovers and a GOOD part of the novel they are slow burning their way into the sheets, but when they do...perfection. Except this novel doesn't just focus on the romance and that had me turning the pages even faster. The plot and world building are marvelous and you will get sucked into Clara's extreme situation and a heist that surely is leading up to a "world" changing, mind-blowing climax.

This is a MUST read, but the series isn't done yet!!! I highly recommend any of Kova's amazing series and some are finished. Don't wait!
5 out of 5 stars
No friggin regrets!!!! Not one.

This is a tough one. I reality enjoyed the tarot magic and dark academia style setting. But the romance part was hard to connect to. I was going to call it slow burn but idk if they really get there emotionally.

In the first half of the book, there was so much info being shared. All in smart ways, but it felt like my brain couldn’t and in all the cards, houses and clans at the same time.

I definitely felt compelled to finish though, so that’s speaks for itself as well!

✨Book Thoughts ✨
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
Pub Date: 7/22/25

Kova intertwines a unique tarot-based magic system with elements of dark academia, trials, and an enemies-to-lovers romance, creating a very intriguing story. While the world-building took a little to understand, the story’s depth and character development make it a compelling read. The tension between Clara and Kaelis is a steady simmer, driving the plot through unexpected twists and turns. I can’t wait to see where the story heads next as this one leaves us with a huge cliffhanger.
Thank you to @netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Read If You Like
⚔️❤️Enemies to Lovers
👿❤️‍🔥🗡️Revenge Plots
☀️🌙Tarot
🖋️🏛️Dark Academia