Arcana Academy by Elise Kova: Dark Academia Meets Tarot Magic
Clara Graysword is no noble—she’s a petty criminal locked away in Halazar Prison, forced to ink illicit tarot cards for a cruel warden. Her life turns upside down when Prince Kaelis, impressed by her forbidden magic, whisks her from her cell and enrolls her at Arcana Academy as Clara Redwin of Clan Hermit—his betrothed and heir. Tasked with mastering her unique tarot-based powers, Clara must play the part of noble bride while Kaelis pursues a legendary card rumored to reshape reality. With court intrigues swirling and friendships forming in shadowy corridors, Clara must decide who to trust: her scheming captor-turned-savior, her fellow students, or her own instincts.
My Review
Stepping into Arcana Academy felt like sneaking into a candlelit library where every whisper hides a secret. Kova’s blend of brooding corridors, clandestine magic lessons, and simmering romance had me hooked from Clara’s first wary glance at the academy gates. I loved discovering the tarot system—each card reveals a new spell, and Clara’s journey to unlock them felt fresh and unpredictable. Navigating Prince Kaelis’s dual roles as captor and mentor kept me guessing where his loyalties truly lay, and the tension between them crackled hotter than any incantation. While most of the worldbuilding centers on the academy, it’s rich enough to feel immersive. Prepare to close this book with your pulse pounding and a desperate need to know where Clara’s next card will lead.
You can get a copy of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova on Amazon or Bookshop.
If this has you intrigued, read an excerpt from ARCANA ACADEMY below.
Chapter 1 Excerpt Preview
Break or die. It’s one or the other in Halazar Prison. I refuse to do either.
Two guards approach my cell. The man in front is carrying an annoyingly efficient lantern. After nearly a year of not seeing the sun, I’m blinded by mere lamplight.
It’s too soon for them to be coming for me again. I expect them to pass, but they stop at my door. I don’t recognize either guard, but Warden Glavstone is always rotating them out—anyone who sticks around for too long might learn too much.
“Clara Graysword?” Graysword: the name given to all orphaned and unwanted children in Eclipse City. The name I gave when I was captured. The name that told the world I had no family to take down with me.
I lift my chin in answer.
“You’re requested for an audience.” The man raises his lantern higher as if trying to get a better look at me through the bars. Unfortunate for him, as I’ve been left to rot, and my visage reflects it.
“Sounds formal.” My voice cracks, my throat drier than yew ash. “With whom?” The guards don’t answer and instead slip a key into the heavy padlock on my door.
Usually, that lock is undone once per week, and they already came for me three days ago. I’m let out only to be taken to a hidden and cramped closet in Warden Glavstone’s office, where I ink tarot cards for him in exchange for what little comforts can be found in this tomb. But I would’ve done the work even without bartering. It has kept my mind sharp and hands skilled for when I get out of here.
Because, whether by my own skill or from my family coming for me, I am getting out. I refuse to die here.
Excerpt from ARCANA ACADEMY by Elise Kova, copyright © 2025 by Elise Kova. Used by permission of Del Rey, an imprint of Random House Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Ready for More?
If Clara’s story has you captivated, grab your copy of Arcana Academy today. Once you’ve unraveled the first mysteries of the Tarot, come back and share your thoughts in the comments—I can’t wait to hear which card you’d choose first!
You can get a copy of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova on Amazon or Bookshop.
