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A review by breabooks
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is going to be THE fantasy book of 2025. Dark academia, tarot magic, banter, and romance make this my hands down favorite book of the year.
Clara is a rogue Arcanist - someone who can in and wield the magic of tarot cards. She is handed down a life sentence for illegally inking cards and helping other rogue Arcanists escape the kingdom. Acarana Academy’s Headmaster and second-born Prince, Kaelis, is her unlikely “savior” when he helps her escape Halazar prison. There are a few caveats to his aid: Clara must aid him in creating an all powerful tarot card by joining Arcana Academy as a first year student and pretending to be his betrothed. One mistake and she could end up dead or worse: back in Halazar prison.
I’m not sure where to begin with this one. The book is a chonker but rightfully so. There is so much plot crammed into about 500 pages. This says a lot as Kova’s earlier novels are just as complex but less than 400 pages. The magic system is incredible. I was afraid that it would be similar to One Dark Window what with it being cards, but it’s not even close. As someone who knows absolutely nothing about tarot cards it was confusing at first, but was crystal clear by the end. If you enjoyed the complexities of When the Moon Hatched you will eat this story up.
The characters are beautifully complicated. Clara and Kaelis absolutely hate each other. Their witty hate-filled banter is some of the best I’ve ever read. The side characters are anything but one-sided. The tension-filled angsty romance is well-written, plus the chapters with spice can easily be skipped for those who don’t wish to read it.
I’ll willingly admit I’m a tad bit biased because I adore Elise Kova. Butttt if I look at this book from a lens of “I know nothing about this author” I still find it fantastic. The creativity of the story and the refreshing uniqueness of the magic system are brilliant. I’m going to spiral until the second book releases. I almost (emphasis on almost) regret the gifted early copy from Del Rey because I’ll have to wait well over a year for the second book.
Clara is a rogue Arcanist - someone who can in and wield the magic of tarot cards. She is handed down a life sentence for illegally inking cards and helping other rogue Arcanists escape the kingdom. Acarana Academy’s Headmaster and second-born Prince, Kaelis, is her unlikely “savior” when he helps her escape Halazar prison. There are a few caveats to his aid: Clara must aid him in creating an all powerful tarot card by joining Arcana Academy as a first year student and pretending to be his betrothed. One mistake and she could end up dead or worse: back in Halazar prison.
I’m not sure where to begin with this one. The book is a chonker but rightfully so. There is so much plot crammed into about 500 pages. This says a lot as Kova’s earlier novels are just as complex but less than 400 pages. The magic system is incredible. I was afraid that it would be similar to One Dark Window what with it being cards, but it’s not even close. As someone who knows absolutely nothing about tarot cards it was confusing at first, but was crystal clear by the end. If you enjoyed the complexities of When the Moon Hatched you will eat this story up.
The characters are beautifully complicated. Clara and Kaelis absolutely hate each other. Their witty hate-filled banter is some of the best I’ve ever read. The side characters are anything but one-sided. The tension-filled angsty romance is well-written, plus the chapters with spice can easily be skipped for those who don’t wish to read it.
I’ll willingly admit I’m a tad bit biased because I adore Elise Kova. Butttt if I look at this book from a lens of “I know nothing about this author” I still find it fantastic. The creativity of the story and the refreshing uniqueness of the magic system are brilliant. I’m going to spiral until the second book releases. I almost (emphasis on almost) regret the gifted early copy from Del Rey because I’ll have to wait well over a year for the second book.