Quick Synopsis

A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

Publisher’s 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?

Book Review

Arcana Academy is a romantic fantasy novel set in a world with a tarot-based magic system. Clara Graysword is sentenced to life in prison for inking tarot cards without having graduated from Arcana Academy. Unexpectedly, a prince, who is also the headmaster, offers Clara an escape in exchange for creating an all-powerful card lost to time. To keep Clara’s identity a secret from the king, Prince Kaelis enrolls her in the academy and claims they are to be married. But to enter the academy you must sacrifice part of your future. Secretly, Clara is also searching for her missing sister who began attending Arcana Academy the previous year. 

I am typically not a fantasy reader, but I have been opening myself up to the genre. I do not think I am ready for any epic fantasy, but I adored Arcana Academy.

In Arcana Academy, Eliza Kova creates an intricate and layered magic system based upon tarot cards. Although Kova spends a substantial amount of time world-building at the beginning, the story is full of heists, escapes, deadly trials, and a murder mystery. I never felt overloaded with information and became quickly enthralled. Arcana Academy is incredibly atmospheric while still being filled with action. If you love a dark academia setting, I cannot think of a more fitting novel.

I also appreciated that Arcana Academy does not end on a giant cliff hanger. I found the ending to be a satisfying place to stop, rather than wanting to rage that I have to wait approximately a year for the next installment.

The romance between Clara and Prince Kaelis is not the main narrative driving the plot, but it is also not an afterthought. For me, this balance was perfect. I loved the enemies-to-lovers, fake engagement between these two tortured souls. Their affection slowly burns with a satisfying will-they-won’t-they dynamic. I found it exciting to not know when they would give into their lust and finally make their relationship more.

With elaborate world-building, a romance, and complex plot, I was surprised to find a large cast of well-developed, diverse characters. I loved reading about a female protagonist that was not waiting for someone to rescue her. Instead, Clara is a strong, independent, and willful protagonist. Kaelis never pretends to be something other than he is and embraces his morally grey self. I also appreciated that the side characters are not props or present as tokenism. They too are important to the plot.

Overall, Arcana Academy is an elaborate, detailed novel with a unique magic system, exciting plot, and compelling characters. If you prefer rather straight-forward stories or for romance to be the central plot, you may not love Arcana Academy. Otherwise, I highly recommend the novel and know it will be among my favorite books of 2025.