Loved the hook and premise. The book was a bit slow to start but picked up after that! Would read whatever’s next.

I have seen this book floating around everywhere and on everyone’s TBR. So I just had to dive into it immediately and it was everything I could hope for. I can see this becoming the next big thing!

I’ve enjoyed some of Elise Kova’s books in the past but holy crap is this one GOOD! The magic system was so well thought out and easy to follow (thank you for a glossary of the tarot cards). I’m a huge fan when magic systems come at a cost, and this is one of them. The world building was easy to follow and creates such an air of mystery even up to the end of the book. With such a large cast of characters, it can sometimes be difficult to follow and keep track of who is who, but that wasn’t the case for Arcana Academy. Each character had their own traits and quirks that set them apart from others, as well as their own importance to play. The tension between Cara and Kaelis was beautifully written as well. I’m curious to find out if they’re endgame or not, and how this relationship evolves in the next book. Overall, this was an intense dark magical academia read and I will be eagerly anticipating the next book! A nail bitter all the way to the end and I’m sure it’ll continue until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I've read most of Elise Kova's work and this one by far was her best work in my opinion for fantasy, the world building was unique and the plot twists were ones that if you managed to figure them out then you paid close attention plus a bit of guesswork. The whole time I was reading, I was trying to figure out how each part of the puzzle works into each other and for myself that makes an enjoyable read. The complex magic system was genuinely new and unlike most other ones by use of the tarot card deck being imbued with magic for the arcanist's use. The scenes between Elisa and Kaelis always had you on the edge of your seat to see if they'd give in, however I just wish we had a bit more time with the two of them given the story though it was a bit understandable.

Overall this was a fantastic read and I'll be eagerly awaiting the second book whenever it gets published.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
🃏🗡️🖤⛓️‍💥✨🃏🗡️🖤⛓️‍💥✨🃏🗡️🖤⛓️‍💥✨🃏🗡️

The way I’m still waiting for that physical galley to be in my hands as promised😭✋ but alas I’ve only gotten the e-arc which I’m still so incredibly thankful for because I got to read one of my most anticipated reads by one of my favorite authors!

This is the first time I’ve seen Elise Kova branch out to something very different in her world of writing and boy was it a ride! I enjoyed it so much that I’m just waiting for book 2 to be in my hands but I actually have to WAIT?? Now I regret reading it early because it means I have to wait LONGER *sigh*.

~This is Elise Kovas first fantasy romance with graphic adult content about a girl named Clara who was released from rotting in prison by a charismatic prince, Kaellis who strikes a deal with her. Become his bride and pretend she’s absolutely in love with him to help him reach his goal- and then she would never have to go back to the prison. She ends up becoming a student at a school called Arcana Academy in which the prince owns and wants her to participate in the trials (for his gain) as she is one of the best tarot card users he’s ever come across. She agrees to all this to avenge her mother that she believes he killed, and find her sister that went missing.~

This book wonderfully crafted the use of tarot card magic system. I was so astound with the way Kova created this use of magical abilities that it was mostly my focus on the book in navigating and understanding that system. Although she claims it’s a romantasy, I myself would argue that it leans more on just fantasy then considerably a “romantasy”. Although there is romance that I absolutely adored, it didn’t really seem like main focus as I could tell the author had more intrest in just building this world.

*might have slight spoilers here*
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
In terms of charcaters I loved Kaellis and Clara both individually. There’s no denying that Kaellis is that typical big bad and brooding mmc, however, there was a touch to him I found to be completely Elise Kova style. In fact there’s a good chunk of the time he reminded me of Alarik from ‘Air Awakens’ and that just made me reminisce on why I love her work so much. There were also many other characters I enjoyed that I found to be fascinating that you’ll meet such as Alora, Silas, and Myrion and whom charcater that peaked my intrest.

As for romance, it was SLOW burn for sure. I personally felt there was a lot of yearning from the MMCs side, but you can also say twords the end of the book it lead to “we’re just doing this to let it out of our system” so I feel like we didn’t very get much one on one moments between the two lovers. Every chapter I read I was waiting for Kaellis to come back because he made the story intresting 😭. But given this is a trilogy- I’m hoping and praying there won’t be another male love intrest- but I’m guessing it was done on purpose since there two more books left and we will see a better romance development later on! Also I’ve never seen Elise Kova step up her game in steamy content- there was only two small scenes but DAMN I almost questioned if I was reading a Elise Kova book🔥

That being said this is book 1 from a trilogy, I’m so beyond excited to see where this goes next because this book did not disappoint!! Lowkey feel like Vahlla and Alarik in another universe.

Tropes🃏:
-enemies to allies/sorta lovers
-marriage of convenience
-tarot cards magic
-close proximity
-betrayal
-found family

If you like:
-one dark window
-arcane
-sorta critical role vibes

I absolutely devoured this! I went in with virtually no understanding of Tarot, but I'm a big Elise Kova fan, so of course I was excited. This novel does a great job of introducing the reader to the concepts of Tarot through an incredibly unique magic system. And, of course, there's a prince with questionable morals, a jaded young woman who just wants her freedom.... This is a great pickup for any romantasy lover!

I really enjoy Elise Kova's work. She has a way with storytelling that keeps me reading until the very end. I have never DNF'd one of her novels before and I reckon I never will.

Arcana Academy is some of her best writing yet. It's quite a bit lengthier than she normally writes but most of the length is quite welcome. I will say that there were times when the descriptions just went on and on and I found myself skimming them quickly (such as a random room or table being described, details on decor, etc.,) As well, one fault of the author that she carries through almost all her novels is side characters. Writing meaningful side characters has never been her strong suit (aside from the FMC and MMC there will typically only be 1 or 2 characters somewhat fleshed out) and this shows in Arcana Academy- which is a pity because I can tell that found family is supposed to be one of the leading tropes at play here. Unfortunately both sets of found family (Clara's previous crew and her new academy crew) are fairly unmemorable and any drama related to said family had zero impact on me as the reader. Another complaint I have is towards our FMC, Clara Graysword. So many bad things happen to her because she does not think before she acts and its incredibly frustrating. All I can think is that perhaps she is not the brains in her family and her sister reserves that title. But seriously, sometimes the things Clara would think were so childish or stupid that It made me wonder if she's being an unreliable narrator herself. I suppose time will tell when I read the next installments (which I will definitely be reading).

That was a lot of criticism but I wanted to get it out of the way. This is genuinely a very strong book from the author and I couldn't put it down. The magic system is unique and interesting (tarot cards, how cool) and I'm a big fan of the mysteries at play. Clara may have annoyed me at times but is a compelling character to read. Also, I very much enjoyed the romance and thought the two *spicy* scenes present were well done. Finally, during the last 30 or so pages of the book my heart was absolutely racing, I was gripping my kindle so hard. This is a story I'm truly invested in and the ending quite literally had me on the edge of my seat.

I've skimmed some other reviews and found people comparing Arcana Academy with Deadly Education and even One Dark Window. I would also like to hesitantly throw in Six of Crows as well- because I can tell that Elisa Kova was really pushing for a found family + heist angle- and it almost worked.

star rating: 4/5
actual rating 3.8/5

Fantastic start, well done, I think many readers will enjoy this story.

This book is great for fans of Naomi Novik’s Deadlt Education series and Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series. Great world building that doesn’t distract from the overall plot. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House, & Del Rey for the early copy.

As someone who has been reading Elise Kova's books since 2022, it amazes me just how every book she puts out continues to be better and better. Arcana Academy blew me away with the world, the characters, the romance, and the magic system. The book had me hooked from the very beginning. If you enjoyed Fourth Wing, you will LOVE Arcana Academy. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy when the book comes out.

Full review to come/review to be posted on IG& Goodreads on release date.

Will admit that the first 1/3 is a bit hard to get into but once you're past all of that it really kicks off. Lots of world-building and lore involved and of course, the tarot card magic that I absolutely love. The romance here is enemies to lovers, will-they-won't-they, and will keep you on your toes. Plenty of secret plots, political intrigue, and family drama amongst others. Overall felt like a YA/New Adult read, but don't let that turn you away; there are indeed a couple of steamy not spicy scenes.

4.5 rounded up.

A couple of tropes & genres I enjoyed so if you like these then this would be perfect for you.
- enemies to lovers
- found family
- tarot card magic
- unique world & lore
- dark academia

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore & NetGalley for the e-ARC for an honest review

Thanks for the advanced copy of this amazing book! The relationships are very realistic and I loved the bond between all the characters ! The relationship between the main couple was written really well! I would recommend to anyone who enjoys academic stories it’s a dash of magic! I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

I would give my first born child to have this copy in my hands right now because after reading the netgalley I need this beauty in my hands. This was one of my most anticipated reads and I finally got to read it. This was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. A fantasy romance with high stakes, marriage of convenience, AND TAROT CARDS? No one understands how this was the PERFECT fantasy read. Clara got released from prison through the prince in order to marry him and pretend she’s in love with him-so he can gain something out of her tarot reading, while she gets to be out of prison and avenge her mother. In this we get found family and suspenseful trails. SWOON worthy romance that literally led to some steamy moments that I was shocked to see Elise kova step her game up but I’m not complaining. UGH this book was just so good. At the same time I’m disappointed I got to read it early because that means I have to wait FOREVER to get the next book in my hands. I LITERALLY CANT WAIT!!!

When i read the air awakens series, I finished the entire thing in a weekend. But since then, I have felt like elise's books (like married to magic) start strong and then peter out about halfway through. Since it has happened for multiple books now, I was a bit hesitant about this series. It states it has found family, which is one of my favorite tropes, so I decided to try it.
This book is interesting. It reminds me of One Dark Window a bit. I didn't feel the found family trope at all, I'm honestly not even sure what it's referring to... her old gang or the kids at the school, because other than Luren and a bit of Silas i didn't feel any connection to any of them. The romance is average, it needs more build up to be considered a slow burn, though I do like the FMC and MMC a lot (and he had a line in this book that had me laughing out loud). The ending was really good and I will read the next one because I'm interested in where it goes. All in all, I felt like this was more of the elise I originally fell in love with, though it's not fully there yet.

4 ⭐

Clara Graysword is a talented thief with a knack for illegal magic, but after a mission goes horribly wrong, she’s sentenced to life in prison. Her unique ability to enchant tarot cards catches the attention of Prince Kaelis, the mysterious and slightly arrogant director of the Arcana Academy. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse: help him steal a legendary card from the king to recreate an all-powerful tarot card, and he’ll give her back her freedom.

To keep his plans under wraps, Kaelis introduces Clara to the Academy under the pretense that she’s a first-year student and… his fiancée. (Yes, you read that right.) Suddenly, Clara finds herself navigating a world of political scheming, mind-bending magic, and closely guarded royal secrets, all while trying to figure out where her loyalties lie and dealing with the annoying, undeniable pull she feels toward the prince she’s supposed to hate. But the power they’re chasing might just change everything, for both of them.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t know what to expect since I’ve never read anything by this author before, but it was such a pleasant surprise. The world-building is rich and unique, the characters are layered and interesting, and the tarot-based magic system is absolutely fascinating. The story is packed with political intrigue and mysteries that kept me hooked the entire time.

The enemies-to-lovers romance ? Perfection. It’s got just the right mix of tension, slow burn, and emotional depth. Clara and Kaelis’s dynamic is sharp, unpredictable, and full of chemistry. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I’m already counting down the days until the sequel. Arcana Academy is the first book in what promises to be an amazing trilogy, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes. It’s set to release on July 22, 2025, so mark your calendars !

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

SO I love Elise Kova. I've read a lot of her books, and enjoyed most of them, the Loom saga being my absolute favourite. So when I heard about this one coming out I was constantly checking Netgalley to see if it was available, and it finally was! And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. There's something about the way Elise writes that keeps you on tenterhooks but not in an annoying way? You don't feel like you're just waiting for the reveal because you're so interested in what's currently going on too. That is the case with this book.

I will say, I didn't think the first 5-10% was particularly strong. I didn't immediately feel connected with any of the characters, it was definitely more of a love-them-as-you-get-to-know-them sort of thing. I also felt like the start felt very similar to Harry Potter (putting something in a chalice, four houses with distinct personality traits) but it's not something you can really avoid when writing magic school books. After those initial doubts, Elise's individual touches and her signature twisty storylines came in, and I felt much more into the book. I'm also not hugely into romantasy as a genre. I like my books to be fantasy with a small side dish of romance, so I was a bit worried this would be too focused on the romance for me, but I think she's woven it in really well. It's not the main story, but it's an important part of the story.

Overall I'm giving this 4 stars for pure enjoyment, great story and the ENDING. I can't wait to read the next one. Thank you to Netgalley and Del Ray for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review!

I don’t even know what to say. If this is not THE Romantasy of the year. I love tarot card based fantasy’s to begin with but Elisa Kova surpassed my expectations. Even the academia part was perfection. I am counting down the minutes until the next book!

Arcana Academy hooked me right at the beginning and didn’t let go!

This book is full of secrets and twists, and for every question Clara answers several more pop up. The biggest question of all is who can she trust, and if she gets it wrong the consequences will be devastating for her, her loved ones, and even the kingdom.

Arcana Academy has fighting and friendship, intrigue and mystery, magic and family, and an enemies to lovers romance where the enemies can’t stand each other. While it is a dark academia book, it also has light and hope.

I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

I just finished about 30 seconds ago.

My mind is blown. That was incredible!!!!

The magic system, the world-building, the characters, the mystery, the action, the slow burn??!! - everything was perfection.

WOW. Just wow. This is a 6 ⭐️ read for me. I cannot WAIT for the next one!

WOW! I l LOVED this. It was so unique and engaging. With the dark academia vibes, the complex world-building, and magic system…it was just so unlike anything I've read recently. My first five star read of the year. Super refreshing.

It will certainly be an unusual choice for book club but will add great variation for our book club in a bag program.

Elise Kova is fantastic at enemies to lovers. The dark prince who also wants to help people and the prisoner he frees who wants to save her found family are fantastically developed and their attraction is palpable throughout the book. I’m very excited to see where this series goes and excited to see her get traditionally published!