Arcana Academy
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Jul 22, 2025
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
“Magical from nail-biting beginning to shocking end!”—Danielle L. Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood
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.
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 One of The Arcana Academy Series
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Simmering romance, broody dark academia aesthetics, and an inventive magic system combine in YA author Kova's fascinating adult debut (after Dragon Cursed). Petty criminal Clara Graysword has been trapped in Halazar Prison for nearly a year, languishing in her cell unless she's inking illegal tarot cards for the warden, a magic that only the highly trained elite are meant to have access to. Then comes a visit from Prince Kaelis, who learns of her ability and offers her an opportunity to escape the prison—though it comes with strings attached. Kaelis enrolls her in Arcana Academy, where he is headmaster, to formally hone her talents, and introduces her to everyone as the noble Clara Redwin of Clan Hermit, his intended bride. It's all part of Kaelis's desperate hunt for the rarest tarot card, considered by most to be a myth, in order to remake the world. Unsure of who to trust—least of all her future husband—Clara attempts to navigate the perils of the court and academy. Kova's characters are well-shaded and her tarot-based magic system feels fresh and exciting. The worldbuilding here is largely limited to the confines of the academy, leaving much to explore in future installments. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas are sure to be pleased.
