โ๐๐โ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ช๐๐ ๐๐-๐ช๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ง. ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฉ โฆ ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ โฆโ
Sometimes you just want a fun braincandy read to devour and sometimes you want a rich, well-developed and immersive dark fantasy tale to get totally lost in, and somehow Elise Kova delivers both at once in Arcana Academy. I mean, a dark academia romantasy with some mystical tarot magic and a deliciously sloooow-burn enemies to lovers romance through a false engagement? Say less, please.
Now, when we first meet our fierce babe Clara Graysword, she is not exactly thriving. See, she got caught inking tarot cards, a rare power exclusively reserved for the elite practitioners at Arcana Academy, which has landed her in prison with a lifetime sentence. But then (OH BUT THEN!!), the dark, enigmatic headmaster of the Academy, Prince Kaelis, offers her a surprising escape and whisks her away to the Academy, where sheโs thrust into a cutthroat world of arcane magic and royal intrigue. The only catch behind this incredibly kind offer? Sheโll have to help him with his own schemes and pretend to be his happy bride-to-be, all while trying to survive the dangerous trials and tribulations of being a first year student at the Academy. What could go wrong, right?
Honestly, I have always been and will always be a sucker for a good magical school setting, so I immediately loved the whole atmosphere of the dangerously alluring Arcana Academy with all its dark secrets. I mean, itโs not like Kova reinvents the wheel in terms of this trope, but the vibes were vibing real hard and I was just so here for all the quintessential school bullies/rivalries, cruel teachers and tentative friendships that you can expect from this type of setting.
And you know what? At no point did Arcana Academy even come close to feeling derivative or predictable, because the intrigue and imagination just bleed off every page. I really loved discovering all the hidden corners and dark secrets of the Academy and its inhabitants together with Clara, and the whole concept of the card inking and mystical tarot magic just had me completely entranced. Now, did I ever really grasp all the intricacies of the magic? No, I sure did not, but I think that was more a me-problem rather than due to any lack of development or skill on Kovaโs part; just my pea brain being too tired to take it all in.
But what truly makes Arcana Academy stand out from the crowd for me is the fact that I actually really enjoyed Clara as a FMC, especially because she didnโt fall into the โtoo dumb to liveโ category like so many of the other protagonists in romantasy do. Yes, sheโs brash and stubborn and probably a bit too curious and snarky for her own good, but her actions always matched her strong personal motivations, and I personally felt like her bold audacity only helped keep things interesting for me. And then add to that her mysterious backstory with unexpected roots (who wouldโve guessed?!) and lots of tragedy, which just made her all the more compelling to follow.
Also, do not get me started on the delicious tension and banter between Clara and Prince Kaelis as they navigate their dangerous alliance and fake engagement, I ate it uppp! Heโs admittedly not the most well-developed love interest ever, but I will always be trash for a tortured man who is down bad for a woman he shouldnโt love, so donโt mind me swooning over him in all his broody, snarky, and unfairly sexy glory. Moreover, I have been calling Arcana Academy romantasy because that is how it is marketed, but I honestly think it feels more like a dark fantasy with some great romantic tension and a tiny bit of hot steam sprinkled in at the end. Like, the slow-burn is burning REAL slow, but fuck me, if the crumbs of pay-off we get arenโt just delectable!
Now, the side characters admittedly fell a bit flat for me compared to Clara, which hindered both my investment and the emotional impact of the story a bit for me. Moreover, the pacing is wobbly at best with its choppy, hectic start, slow middle section and then bombastic high-stakes ending, and I think Arcana Academy overall doesnโt fully earn its 500+ pages. That said, I effortlessly breezed through this book, especially with the help of the immersive and brilliantly narrated audiobook (thank all that is holy for a female narrator in romantasy who doesnโt sound whiny!), and the wild ending definitely hooked me in for book 2; bring on the trauma and emotional turmoil!!
This might have been my first book by Elise Kova, but it certainly wonโt be my last because I had a blast with this. Arcana Academy was somehow exactly what it was promised to be but then also really exceeded my expectations, and I think especially fans of Carissa Broadbent or Rachel Gilligโs One Dark Window will find a lot to love here. So, whether you are in the mood for some dark fantasy brutality, charmingly pretentious dark academia vibes or addictive romantasy fun, Arcana Academy will deliver it all, and then so much more. What a wild ride.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Aracana Academy is scheduled for release on 22 July 2025.
