Book Review ‘Arcana Academy' by Elise Kova (a review of what was, and what could be)

This review is based on a proof copy provided ahead of release. All opinions remain my own. Also featured on The Dark Academicals Podcast Season 11.

I was so ready to fall head over heels for Arcana Academy. Tarot-inspired magic? A mysterious, brooding love interest? A secretive, spellbinding school setting? These are all green flags for me, waving wildly. The concept alone is magnetic, and there’s no denying Elise Kova knows how to weave a compelling premise. I was hooked from the blurb:

“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 romantic fantasy series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.
Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job goes 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?”

And in many ways, this book does deliver. The world of Arcana Academy is intriguing and imaginative, built on a magic system that draws heavily from tarot lore - a personal weakness of mine. It’s a setting that practically begs to be explored in deeper detail, full of potential and possibility.

But as much as I wanted to love this book, I kept feeling like I was grasping at threads that never quite pulled together. The ingredients were all there for an unforgettable fantasy romance, but nothing was quite cooked long enough.

The two leads, Clara and Kaelis, have the makings of a classic doomed-lovers pairing: full of tension, history, and undeniable chemistry. I could see what the author was aiming for; that bittersweet, slow-burn ache of two people who are destined to orbit each other but never fully collide. But what came across wasn’t deliciously painful longing, it was just… frustrating. Their relationship needed more build-up, more emotional texture, and more moments of earned intimacy. Instead, their physical connection seemed to arrive out of nowhere. The shift into steam - particularly the sudden, explicit dirty talk - felt jarring against the otherwise safe, straightforward tone. It wasn’t that it didn’t belong, but it needed more groundwork to make it feel believable.

Character development was another area where I felt a bit short-changed. Clara didn’t go through the full arc I was hoping for and her journey felt a little stalled. And Kaelis, while fascinating on paper, never got the depth or inner conflict I was craving. The same goes for some of the supporting cast and the world itself: brimming with promise, but ultimately left underexplored.

And yet… I didn’t dislike it. In fact, I tore through it. It’s easy to read, well-paced, and there’s a spark to the world that makes me want to keep reading. I’m invested enough that I’ll absolutely be picking up Book Two. Because despite the flaws, there’s something here; an almost-there shimmer of what could become a really special series with more time, polish, and emotional layering.

To put it plainly: I didn’t walk away disappointed in the story itself, I was more sad about the version of this book that could’ve been. The breathtaking, soul-shaking fantasy romance it almost was.

Here’s hoping we get closer to that in the next installment. I’ll be there, tarot deck in hand.