Where do i even begin. This book was incredible. I knew from the synopsis alone that it was going to be a 5 star read from me- magic school setting? check. enemies to lovers? check. unique magic system? check. TAROT CARDS? CHECK.

Arcana Academy had everything I love in fantasy romance and there was absolutely zero chance that i would not love this book.

The book begins with Clara Graysword imprisoned at Halazar for inking tarot cards without the proper requirements to do so. Enter Kaelis Oricalis, prince of the Oricalis Kingdom and headmaster of Arcana Academy - where archanists learn how to read, ink, and wield tarot cards. Their lives get entangled when Clara ends up at Arcana Academy and from there a delicious and yearnful slow burn enemies to lovers begins.

Not only was the romance top teir, the world and its magic system was so fleshed out and thoughtfully explained, it is truly the most unique and interesting magic system i have ever read about.

Between the characters and the magic system and the world, the plot was so well developed it kept me gripped from page one. All of the elements worked so well with each other in this book and I am so sad there is nothing else in this series to read right now (especially after that ending).

Arcana Academy
by Elise Kova
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5

Okay, this review took me way longer to write than I expected.

First of all, I’m a long-time fan of Elise Kova—ever since I tore through the Air Awakens series, I’ve devoured everything she’s written. So I went into Arcana Academy with high expectations… and for the most part, it delivered.

The Worldbuilding:
This was hands down my favorite part of the book. I loved the magic system—tarot-based magic is a trope I’ll never get tired of, and this execution was so fresh, creative, and well thought-out. The academy setting instantly had my heart (I am who I am), and the way the world’s rules and structure were woven into the narrative felt seamless and immersive.

The Plot:
The story pulled me in from the start and didn’t let go. Between the magic, the mystery, and the classic “learn your powers at a magical school” vibe, I flew through this book in record time. I do wish we had spent a bit more time in actual classes—it’s a personal favorite trope of mine—but what we did get was solid and engaging.
Yes, it was a bit predictable, but honestly? That didn’t bother me. The journey was enjoyable enough that I didn’t mind guessing a few of the twists ahead of time.

That said… the ending. Without spoiling anything, it left me disappointed. Not in a cliffhanger way—I love a good cliffhanger—but in a “wait, that’s where we’re going with this?” kind of way. It pulled my overall rating down more than I wanted it to.

The Characters:
Kova has a real talent for creating characters that feel distinct and easy to connect with, and that shines through again here. I really liked the ensemble cast and enjoyed getting to know them.

However, our two leads were a bit of a letdown. Kaelis was so clearly not the bad guy he’s made out to be, so the enemies-to-lovers dynamic never really landed for me. I wanted more tension, more surprise, and more build-up.
As for Clara… she frustrated me to no end. She’s supposed to be this clever, underground inker, but her choices often had me yelling at the page.

(Mild spoiler alert):
The whole situation with her not using her card?? GIRL. WHY.
It made no sense to me at all.

That said, the side characters were a highlight and added a lot of depth and charm to the story.

The Romance:
It was sweet, it was satisfying, and it hit all the right notes for me. Despite my issues with how the enemies-to-lovers arc was handled, the chemistry was there and I genuinely enjoyed watching the relationship develop. Definitely one of the book’s strongest elements.

The Writing:
As expected, Kova’s writing style worked its usual magic. It’s smooth, immersive, and perfectly suited to this kind of story. The dialogue flows well, the pacing keeps things moving, and her descriptive flair makes the world feel vivid without ever bogging things down.

Final Thoughts:
Despite a couple of frustrating character choices and a rushed ending, Arcana Academy was a fun, fast-paced read that gave me everything I love—tarot-based magic, a magical school setting, and a dash of romance. I had a great time with it and am already excited (and a little nervous) to see where book two goes!

Highly recommend if you’re into:
✨ Magic academies
✨ Tarot-based magic systems
✨ enemies-to-lovers

3.75 stars rounded up!⭐️

What to expect:
Headmaster x student
Fake engagement
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Magic academy
Tarot based magic
Secret identities

We follow our FMC, Clara, who has spent the past year in prison for illegally using tarot magic. She’s unexpectedly freed—broken out, in fact—by our MMC, Kaelis, the second-born prince and headmaster of Arcana Academy, where students train to harness their magical abilities. In exchange for her freedom, Clara agrees to a fake engagement with Kaelis to help him track down a powerful tarot card known as The World, which holds the ability to rewrite reality itself.

I found the magic system incredibly interesting, though the pacing could’ve been more balanced—some parts flew by way too quickly, while others felt like they dragged. That said, I really enjoyed it overall. The ending was a bit predictable, but still managed to hit hard with a brutal cliffhanger. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stroughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This dark academia romantasy really gripped me from the start, it’s high stakes from the get go! Totally unique tarot based magic system, shadow wielding headmaster, deadly trials and slooooow burn enemies to lovers with a side of fake engagement 🔥 Thank you Hodderscape for this arc! I loved every twist and turn if this and can’t wait for book 2!

We follow the story of Clara an illegal arcanist and her journey to uncover the secrets of her family and take revenge on their fate. To do so she must enter Arcana Academy and make a deal with Kaelis the headmaster..who is also the man she holds responsible for her mother’s death.

The magic system in this is completely unlike anything I’ve seen before. I loved this tarot based magic, the concept of wielding cards as weapons was so incredibly unique and complex and honestly I now want to go out and find a deck! The idea of layering different cards to wield and not to mention the process of inking the cards on top of the traditional reading of them, fully captivating!


✨ Dark Academia
✨ Trials
✨ Tarot Magic
✨ Fake Engagement
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Enemies to Lovers

Thank you for this eARC!

After being imprisoned for a year for illegally practising tarot-based magic, Clara is freed by Prince Kaelis, only to be forced to work with him to ink the most powerful tarot card—the World.

Clara as a protagonist is fascinating—strong, but completely out of her depth. Focussed on her goal of finding her sister, but distracted by a hundred other duties and promises. Untrusting, cynical but never defeatist. She felt like a real person, and one I always rooted for.

Kaelis was an interesting character—I wanted to know more about him, and didn’t get answers about his motivations until quite late in the book. I wasn’t initially a fan of the relationship between him and Clara, but the more his secrets were revealed (and the more page-time his cat received) the more I was sold on it.

I really enjoyed the magic system—especially with the unfolding of the major arcana, and the cost of using those powers. I love magic that comes with a price and thought this was a really original spin on it.

The plot required some suspension of disbelief (especially Clara’s escape from prison) but it was fast-paced and never lost my interest. I’ll definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out!

I was hooked straight into this story and couldn't stop reading about these characters.

From the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, to the unique magic system, this book had it all.

It was my first Elise Kova novel and I'm incredibly glad I started with this one! I think it's definitely going to be booktok's next big hit!

I was fascinated by the world building and the magic system. It's incredibly unique and thought out which added to the overall intrigue of the story.

Whilst the romance is definitely at the forefront of this story, I did still really enjoy the fantasy aspects as they are just as important.

This is SUCH a fun concept, and I find myself genuinely excited for the next instalment. The idea of tarot card magic was great but perhaps a little over-explained in a way, and at times I found myself skimming pages that were a continuous info-dump.
I enjoyed the interactions between Clara and Kaelis and often looked forward to these parts.

3.85 ⭐️

I was sold on this book purely by the elements of tarot being involved in the magic system. Also an enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, and a juicy slow burn??? Sign me up right now.

I must say the main things that made me thoroughly enjoy the book consistently throughout was the tension between Clara and Kaelis. The hatred they had for each other with the underlying blossoming of affections for one another was perfectly executed. I like how they didn't fall right into being in love, there was alot of complexities to each other that fed into how they reacted to one another. I also loved the aspects of the tarot cards. The meanings of each one were super unique, and they way they could be used and the potential for the damage they could bestow was also intriguing.

I won't lie from the first couple of chapters. I knew this wasn't going to be a five-star read for me. I just felt the book had too many things that stopped me from being 100% hooked into this world and these characters and therefore rating this any higher.

The first thing I didn't vibe with is the consistent repeating that Kaelis is one with the shadows. Like this was only needed once, I think the more the book progresses, the less we get if this is great.
Secondly, there were moments in the plot that felt lacklustre.I don't want to mention spoilers, so it's not ruined for others, but there were definitely so scenes not needed that offered nothing to where the plot was going and there were scenes that did add to the plot but were kept short.

I think with how the book ended, it would be interesting to see where book 2 will take this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review ❤️

This book was a slog to get through. The magic system was overly explained, feeling like an info dump, and the characters lacked depth. The romance between the main characters went from animosity to spice with no real build-up, making it feel forced and unconvincing.

Arcana Academy throws you headfirst into a magical world of politics, power, and slow burn romance. A prince “rescues” Clara, a criminal arcanist, from prison—but only after making her do the actual escaping.
He then dumps her into a magic academy so she can be legally trained to help with his mysterious mission.

Clara is fierce, bold, and impulsive. She’s clever, but often selfish and narrow-minded.
Kaelis is our MMC, he’s brooding, misunderstood, and a ridiculously sexy headmaster (because of course he is).

The plot starts strong, dips in pace a little as the world-building kicks into overdrive, and then finishes with an explosive bang. The magic system is super original, but also slightly overwhelming, there is a lot going on in this sense.
The romance is a seriously slow burn where you’ll most likely find yourself screaming for them to kiss.

The ending was gripping, I couldn’t put it down. The cliffhanger was exactly what I’d hoped!
A really enjoyable read which has locked me in for book two.

"If to bring about a new world - a better world - I must be the villain, if I must do evil things for the greater good, then so be it. I'll play the part now and be reborn a hero in my next life."

Another book has joined my favourites list. Arcana Academy is outstanding! It is descriptive and immersive. I love the concept of magic being tied to tarot cards with the different cards having different effects. The definitions of the different cards at the back is a very welcome addition.
This is definitely a slow burn enemies to lovers - which I love. Clara and Kaelis, with that ending, I really need to know what is next for them.
As well as I need more information on her last name and why it is such a secret. I have suspicions, of course, but hopefully more gets revealed in book 2 because you know I am eagerly anticipating it now.

If you love magic schools, this one is for you.

I loveeeddd this book! I'm a sucker for fantasy magic school vibes, and add in an enemies to lovers romance plot and I'm hooked. The concept of harnessing magic through tarot cards was fascinating to read and I particularly loved the card wielding scenes. I can't wait for the sequel!

I really wanted to love this book—Elise Kova + dark academia + magic + fake engagement? Sign me up. And to be fair, the tarot-based magic system was super cool and definitely the highlight for me. It felt original and had real stakes, which I always appreciate in fantasy.

But... the pacing. Oof. It dragged so much that I kept checking how much I had left to go. I’m all for a slow burn, but this felt more like a slow crawl. I also struggled to connect with Clara or feel any real chemistry between her and Kaelis. The banter? Kinda awkward. Like, trying-to-be-spicy-but-ended-up-cringe awkward.

There is a lot of mystery and political intrigue under the surface, and I can see why some readers would be hooked by that. It just didn’t fully land for me—maybe because I never quite clicked with the characters emotionally.

Still, I love Elise Kova’s writing in general, and the concept is solid. This one just wasn’t my fave. I’ll be sticking with her other series for now.

This book has simply reminded me why Elise Kova is one of my favourite authors and an auto buy. Holy crap I devoured this. Not only was it easy to read, but I found myself not wanting to put it down. Gripping in the best way.

From the very first page, I was absolutely enchanted—drawn into a richly imagined world where magic lives and breathes through tarot cards, and where danger and desire are two sides of the same coin.

Clara is a protagonist you can’t help but root for: stubborn, smart, scarred, and endlessly determined. Her voice carries the story with strength and heart, and experiencing this new world through her eyes made the dense, intricate lore feel effortless to absorb. I never once felt lost, even as Elise Kova introduced layer upon layer of history, politics, and arcane rules.

The tarot-based magic system is, in a word, brilliant. Basing the magic on reading, inking, and wielding tarot cards was not only creative but also executed with precision and clarity. It gave the book a unique flavor that set it apart from any other fantasy I’ve read. Every card had weight, every ritual meaning, and every choice consequence. It’s the kind of system that feels lived-in and believable, with so much potential to expand in future books.

And then… Kaelis. Brooding, brilliant, morally gray perfection. The push-and-pull between him and Clara had me screaming into my pillow—their chemistry is pure fire. Their relationship is complex, deeply emotional, and gorgeously slow-burn. And yes, the romance absolutely delivered, with moments that made my heart race, ache, and soar all at once. If you love tension-filled, enemies-to-lovers dynamics with a dash of royalty, betrayal, and forbidden longing—this is it.

But what truly elevates this book is that it’s not just a romance, or just a magic school setting—it’s a political chessboard, a coming-of-age story, a heist, and a rebellion-in-the-making, all rolled into one. From the high-stakes academy trials to the jaw-dropping final act, I was hooked. I didn’t want to eat, sleep, or do anything but keep reading.

By the time I hit that final page? I was wrecked. That cliffhanger?? I don’t even have words. Elise Kova, how dare you—and also thank you, because this might be one of my favorite series starters ever.

Are you willing to pay the cost to enter Arcana academy ?

You will need to sacrifice an element of your future, it could be your future soul mate, good health or fortune.

3 reasons this dark academia book will be your new obsession:

1. Tarot card magic system, my pack of Uno cards are looking at me and I’m questioning could I secretly be magic? 🌟
2. A fake engagement to the headmaster of the academy, and wait for it , his also the reason you were in prison for a year. Hello enemies to lovers & slow burn 🔥
3. This quote: “Love me, hate me, but only look at me like my existence sets you on fire . . “

Thank you NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.


“We’ve all killed our futures with our own bare hands just to get this far. What makes you think anyone would have any qualms about ending you?”

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I liked reading the other books written by Elise Kova so when I found out she wrote a book with a dark academy vibe I couldn’t wait to start reading this book.

Let’s begin with the positive because I have plenty to tell about the negative points.

I love the magic system, it was the reason why I kept on reading this book, it was intriguing but because the pacing was very low, I couldn’t hold my attention to the story long.

Now for the negative points..

The pacing was really bad, if you can read books with a very, very, very slow pacing than I think you can like this book but it really didn’t work for me. Besides that, I felt no connection with the main characters and no chemistry between the love interest, besides that, the supposed banter felt cringe.

I like the other books written by this author, so I’m going to stick with those books.

Elise Kova, you had me at "Magical school", "tarot" and "Slow Burn"... but you kept me with Prince Kaelis!
"There is no world in which you do not consume my very being"

My lord what a book. What an ending?!

I knew I would love this book from page 1, but I don't think I was prepared for the hold this book now has on me. I need book 2, like yesterday.

My thanks to Elise Kova, the publishing team and Netgalley for allowing me to read this. Can't wait get the physical copy in my hands <3

I bet you read the blurb and thought "I know what's going to happen". I bet you saw "engaged to a Prince who is also a Headteacher" and thought this was trope overload. I bet you thought "it's just another romantasy, it can't be that special".

You're wrong.

You have no idea what's going to happen, because just as you think you do something spins you around until you're dizzy and realise the plot has shifted in an entirely new direction. You will fall in love with Prince Kaelis and begin to understand why this world would sit a Prince in such an unlikely position, and how important it is. And most importantly you will learn that the Arcana Academy is incredibly special and the journey you're about to go on will blow your mind.

The way the magic of this world is linked to tarot is absolutely genius and well crafted - I adored how integrated it is into the very fabric of the world. The characters are flawed, beautiful, and entirely three dimensional, meaning you will happily go from screaming at them to kiss to wanting to give them a good slap in the matter of pages. The spice, whilst certainly heightened by the slow burn, is delicious and will leave you (and Clara) wanting more.

Whether you're a fan of Dark Academia, Romantasy, unique magic systems, tension-filled romances, or all of the above - this is a book you need to read.

This is an intoxicating mix of Dark Academia and Romantasy with the most unique magic you've ever read!

Thank you Net Galley & Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this early!

This was everything you could ever want in a fantasy book - Found Family, Prison breakout, secrets and rivals and a magic school!
The magic system was so refreshingly different - took a minute to figure it out but its such a good system - the world building is excellently done.
There was couple of points where i thought it was a little slow, but after finishing i realise its all relevant and it gave me time to understand the world a bit better.
I wasn't completely sold on the love interest at first - I felt like he could of worked harder to win her over.
Lots of Harry Potter/One Dark window vibes and a sprinkle of Throne of Glass!

Can't wait to see where the story goes after that ending i have so many questions!

This could be THE fantasy of the year! Everything was so well-written and the pacing never let up! The magic system and worldbuilding were unique without becoming tedious or unoriginal.
Read it for the romance (quite spicey!), found family, magical academia/dark academia with trials and fake engagement.