Review of ‘Arcana Academy’ (Arcana Academy #1) by Elise Kova. Discover the dangerously enchanting world of tarot magic, forbidden power, and slow-burn romance in this gripping start to Elise Kova’s newest fantasy series. Arcana Academy blends magical academia with royal intrigue, delivering a story full of secrets, betrayal, and a heroine who isn’t afraid to gamble everything for her freedom.
‘Arcana Academy‘ by Elise Kova is a spellbinding tale of tarot magic, royal deception and slow-burn romance
Synopsis
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?
Review
Step into a world where tarot magic isn’t just real, it’s illegal. Arcana Academy by Elisa Kova kicks off a new fantasy series packed with high-stakes heists, forbidden powers, and a reluctant romance set against the backdrop of royal ambition and magical academia. If you’re craving a story with a unique magic system and a morally gray heroine trying to outwit a manipulative prince, this one’s for you.
Clara Graysword has survived the streets of Eclipse City using quick hands, quick thinking, and an outlawed form of magic known as “inking”: binding spells to tarot cards, a craft reserved strictly for the powerful elite trained at Arcana Academy. After a job goes wrong, Clara is sentenced to life in prison… until Prince Kaelis, headmaster of the very academy that condemns her, makes an offer. He needs her skills to steal a card from the king and forge a mythical, long-lost tarot. To keep her close and undercover, he brings her to the academy as his fake fiancée and newest student. But as Clara is drawn deeper into Kaelis’ plans, she’s forced to choose between loyalty, power, and maybe even love.
When I say I loved the magic system in this book, I mean it. The tarot-based magic felt fresh and imaginative, and the way Clara used her inking abilities was so vivid and fascinating. Every time a card was used, I was hooked. There’s something about mixing divination with combat spells and political power plays that just worked. Honestly, I couldn’t get enough of this part of the story. It’s what kept me turning the pages when the plot started to lag a little.
Now, let’s talk about Clara and Kaelis. I liked both of them individually, but their chemistry didn’t click for me right away. The romance felt a little rushed emotionally (especially considering the fake engagement setup), but it was also oddly lacking in tension early on. That said, once they started spending more time together and let their walls down, their dynamic got a lot more enjoyable. And when their romance did finally bloom? Let’s just say it was worth the wait. That payoff hit in all the right ways.
My biggest struggle with this book was the pacing. At over 500 pages, it felt like a chunk of it could have been trimmed. There were several detours and side quests that didn’t feel necessary, and some repetition like the constant mentions of Clara’s last name pulled me out of the flow. I found myself skimming in parts, hoping the plot would get back on track. It’s not that the content was bad, just that it didn’t always feel essential to the story.
But let’s end on a high note: the ending was really, really good. It pulled together the threads in a way that made me excited for the next book. Despite the slow middle, the final chapters picked up the pace, amped up the stakes, and reminded me why I got invested in the first place. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.
Final thoughts
Arcana Academy is an intriguing start to what could be an epic magical series. While it stumbles with pacing and could have benefited from a tighter structure, the unique tarot magic and slow-burning romance kept me engaged. If you’re into fantasy worlds with a criminal edge, royal schemes, and a heroine who isn’t afraid to steal the spotlight, this might just be your next obsession.
Rating
7/10
Details
- Trigger warnings: Imprisonment, manipulation, mentions of past trauma, violence, use of blood in magic, and emotional coercion
- Themes: Power and corruption, freedom vs. control, found family, identity, forbidden magic, and slow-burn romance
- Representation: While not heavily focused on diverse identities, the story centers a strong, morally gray female lead navigating class divides and political power structures
- Genre: Fantasy (adult)
- Pages: 553
- Publication date: July 22, 2025
- Publisher: Hodderscape
- About the author:
Elise Kova is a USA Today and internationally bestselling author. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions. She lives in Florida and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.
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