The Arcane Arts

by S.D. Coverly

In this thrilling and sensuous dark academia fantasy, an ambitious graduate student and her advisor dive into studying a taboo branch of magic, igniting a dangerous passion between them.

Tucked within an idyllic corner of New England, Newlyn University stands as a bastion for the academic elites. Inside its hallowed halls, students can pursue degrees in medicine, history, technology . . . or the Arcane Arts—the esoteric study of powerful magical forces. Enter Ellsbeth long determined to pursue a graduate degree in arcane mechanicals at Newlyn. Headstrong and driven, she convinces Thaddeus Rawlins, one of the field’s most celebrated professors, to take her on as a student. Against his better judgment, but invigorated by Ellsbeth’s ambition, Rawlins allows her to pursue a thesis on writ magic, the long-forbidden power to control and compel others.

While student and teacher both profess academic interest in the topic, each wants it for their own secret purpose. And they soon discover that Newlyn itself may be hiding the darkest secret of all . . .

As Rawlins and Ellsbeth undertake their clandestine research, their flirtation crosses into uncontrollable desire, which threatens to bloom into something even more love. But when their project begins to spin out of control, entangling them in a destructive web of lust and power, the question can two people who are masters of manipulation ever trust each other?

Genres: Dark Academia, Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Romantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 19, 2026

About the author

Pseudonym for the writing team of Dan Frey and Dana Schwartz.

Reviews

[hannah⁷ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with this eARC!

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I think it would definitely appeal to a different audience...and I was not it. I was fooled by the NetGalley description, which mentioned Babel by RF Kuang. Babel is one of my favorite books, and this was soooooo different. I understood the similarities to Saltburn (which was also mentioned), and yes, this could also be considered as dark academia. But including Babel in the description is 100% going to attract the wrong audience. Also, just because something is "dark academia" does NOT mean it's similar to Babel.

I actually really enjoyed the writing—it was great and flowed very well, but the story itself was a bit strange. First of all, there wasn't really a coherent plot. Most of the book was just the two main characters lusting after each other, which made their relationship seem forced. The romance moved too quickly, so I had a hard time believing the chemistry between them. There were also no stakes, and the characters were bland. I also wasn't a huge fan of the dual POV. Rawlins had a pretty linear character arc, which was boring. I felt like his POV was only there to convince the reader that the romance was working.

I enjoyed the overall feel of the novel, but the romance really ruined it for me. I just didn't enjoy the romantic dynamic between the two MCs, and this resulted in me having to almost skip past some scenes because they made me very uncomfortable. BUT this all depends on personal preference, so some people may really enjoy it. I will say that I don't really think the description did enough to help me understand what this novel was really about. Maybe I didn't interpret it correctly, but I wasn't expecting it to be so focused on the lust and tension between the MCs. It got to the point where the romance took over the novel completely, and it left me constantly wondering whether or not there was actually an end goal.

[megan ◡̈]

saltburn meets babel… 👀

[Heathers_readss · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a dark academia read with a taboo student x professor relationship that is unique then i definitely recommend giving this a try.

I liked the FMC despite her tendencies to be overly stubborn, ambitious, a little bit of a know it all but her passion and determination was definitely fun to watch.

I liked the magic system and the unethical subject / forbidden magic use the FMC chose for her studies. I also liked the email format between the student and the professor there were parts that definitely made me chuckle.

This book had great pacing and I didnt find any parts boring (which sometimes I find is the case with dark academia books).

Fully recommend, thank you for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

[Nelly]

woah this for my shelf <3

[Jennika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: The Arcane Arts: A Novel | Author: S. D. Coverly | Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Why I picked this book:
I received an ARC copy of The Arcane Arts at the Del Rey booth during New York Comic Con. After taking a short quiz, it matched me with The Arcane Arts: A Novel by S. D. Coverly and I’m SO happy it did!

Quick Summary:
Ellsbeth is a prospective graduate student vying for a place at the College of the Arcane Arts at Newlyn University, specifically in the Arcane Mechanicals graduate program. The problem? An unexpected tragedy causes her to fail her Arcanus test, which is only offered once. Desperate, she pleads with the prestigious Professor Thaddeus M. Rawlins to allow her entry—and not only that, but also to let her study forbidden and illegal magic for her thesis.

Professor Rawlins is no stranger to ambitious students, but lately, things have felt rather uninspired. Soon, the two become entangled in more ways than one. They’re both chasing their own ambitions, but can they trust each other, or themselves, with what’s to come? The lines are blurring and danger is lurking at every turn!

What I Liked
1. This story is a sapiosexual’s dream! The dark academia setting is deliciously atmospheric, and the use of magic in such a daring, cerebral way is outstanding.

2. The email exchanges throughout the book add a much needed dose of playful, witty banter.

3. The mystery and intrigue are top-notch! Each character is solving their own puzzle while keeping secrets from the other, creating a tangled web that’s impossible to look away from.

Favorite Quote / Moment:
I’m so tempted to gush about my favorite quotes, but since the publication date is still a ways off, I’ll just broadly mention my favorite scene:
It’s the moment Ellsbeth realizes how much she not only desires but truly needs someone brilliant, and someone she can be utterly and unapologetically depraved with.

Who I’d Recommend It To & Final Thoughts:
I’d recommend The Arcane Arts: A Novel to readers who love dark academia with a healthy dose of spice, wit, and danger. It’s seductive, intelligent, and impossible to put down. I cannot wait for the official release!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book freaking rips. I am so serious right now, stop whatever you're doing and immediately go pre-order this book (or if you're reading this in May 2026, go get it immediately!). The Arcane Arts is the dark academia of my dreams. It's romantic, intelligent, suspenseful, twisty, dark and spicy. I think it's my favorite book of 2025.

I loved:
-Rawlins and Ellsbeth were both such believable characters and relatable in different ways. Their relationship development was completely organic, felt very natural, was extremely romantic, and hot. Their relationship was perfect, I would change nothing about it. Also is it just my history nerd crush or was Rawlins giving Dan Jones vibes? Just me? Maybe I listen to a few too many history podcasts...
-The magic system. It reminded me of Babel, but a little less pretentious, with a little bit of Blood Over Bright Haven mixed in. I thought it was the perfect mix of analytical rigor and flights of fantasy. Perfection.
-The dark and foreboding atmosphere on the campus. At its best, dark academia illuminates the rot behind the ivy-covered buildings, and this one does that successfully.
-The balance between romance, mystery, and fantasy. I didn't feel that one aspect overshadowed the rest. I was swept up in the fantasy, the romance, and the mystery in equal measure.

I didn't like:
That it ended. More! now! please!

This book is billed as Saltburn meets Babel, and while those are appropriate, I think Ninth House is probably a better comparison.

[Ivey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Publisher for the ARC.

I walked into this book expecting something like Blood Over Bright Haven or Babel, both books that I loved. While this book is fantastically written, the story, unfortunately, falls short. This is heavier on the romance element instead of the fantasy element; the magic system, while intriguing at first, is half-baked. There seems to be more emphasis on the relationship rather than the events of the story, which results in disjointed pacing. The ending is very abrupt.

I did enjoy Ellsbeth as a character; I found Rawlins to be pretty boring. However, the set up and backstory was great. The development of their relationship is a bit too insta-attraction to me, which I usually don’t have a problem with, but it makes their intense attraction drawn from each other’s intelligence seem less compelling. I wanted to see a bit more exploration of darkness that surfaces when dealing with forbidden magic. That didn’t really come through for me. The story was simple and the foreshadowing unsubtle; none of the twists took me by surprise.


Like I said, though, this is very well written—lovely prose and some cool character introspection stuff—so it was a breeze to read through. This would probably do well with huge romantasy readers, not huge fantasy readers.

[Ashley (andtheniwasbookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay I loved this. It was so unique while simultaneously being so frustrating, I absolutely ate it up.

This story is about two brilliant, hot people who are bending the rules of magic (and the law) while hiding so many secrets from each other and falling in love anyways.

The writing style absolutely drew me in and kept me in the story. The creative choice to have email correspondences as chapters, some covering certain gaps of time??? I loved that choice so much, it not only highlighted yearning with the characters, but also created yearning with the reader.

This story was such a great, entertaining read with a satisfying ending.

overall: highly recommend
spice: open door

[Rudi Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more the dark academia promised by the first chapters. The sincerity and depth of the relationship between the characters was so potent, whilst pushing the limits of what people would do to achieve their goals.

Excellent.

[Sarah Pirtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 6 star read. My #1 book of 2025 and I hope it will be yours when it comes out in 2026.

Oh my God, I never wanted it to end. I was immediately drawn to this book. It was passion, lust, yearning, ambition, destruction, grief… all wrapped up in a perfectly paced story. I hung on every word of it and couldn’t put it down. Ellsbeth was intensely likable to me. Rawlins was a stand out, deep MMC. I have never enjoyed an age gap until this book. They are truly perfect for one another. The magic system was interesting. The deep wanting they had for one another, but also for power. It was morally grey in all the best ways. You find yourself wanting more power as much as they do. I felt I was in the story. I wanted the passion, power, and resolution as much as the main characters did.
It has been a long time since a book made me feel this way. I want more! Do yourself a favor and pick this book up, you will not regret it.

P.S. the emails are the very best part. Every email exhilarated me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Kalyani · Rating 3 out of 5]

an erotic dark academia with a strong flavor of ninth house. characters you can’t decide if you like but interesting to read about all the same. this book has a student/teacher dynamic which is a big swing for me but I appreciated the ways in which the book tried to wrestle with that power differential and waded into muddy waters even with the romance

[Meredith D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going to preface this with these are my personal opinions and thoughts, and please feel free to disagree with me. There are all sorts of books for everyone, and this one just wasn’t for me.

I’m giving this three stars as I did finish reading, but I want to start with the fact that I was grossly disappointed with this.

We start the book with the ritualized murder of a girl. (Strong start) We then move to a dual narration between Professor Rawlins and Ellsbeth, a grad student studying arcane magic.
What follows is a sordid affair between teacher and student working in an illegal branch of magic. Both are hiding things from each other and are using this illegal magic to further their own agendas.

I’m going to pause here as what follows might be very spoil-ery.

What I hoped for in the entire book was a very unreliable narrator (honestly both being unreliable would have been fantastic) and for bits and pieces of the story start to come together to solve the murder of the girl from chapter 1 -surprise, it’s Ellsbeth’s sister. But this was just a somewhat derivative teacher/student “romance” that was dry on the academia side in a not great way. I didn’t enjoy the fact that we have a 25 yo female and 40+ yo male who COULDN’T COMMUNICATE. Also Rawlins kept talking about how he “was so surprised he was having carnal feelings toward his student at his age” like what man in his 40s isn’t still just ready to go always?

This would have been fantastic if 1. E had truly been so ahead of her time she performed magic on R to have him help her or 2. They were both doing things sooner to solve their problems. Another option could have been that we take the weird sexual relationship out as I didn’t feel like it added to the story in any helpful way possible.

[Cindieslibrary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am very sorry to say that I DNFed this book. It was recommended by the publisher because I liked Arcana Academy by Elise Kova, but this doesn't even come close to that book.

Ellsbeth botched her Arcanus test which is of the utmost importance if you want to study more about Arcane arts. Within the first few chapters it becomes clear that she wants the professor of Newlyn to accept her anyway, without the proper test scores but for her brilliance on this subject alone. She emails the professor directly and pleads her case, which should be fine if not for the flirtatious nature of the emails.

Professor Rawlings is getting bored and rusted in place with what he's teaching and what he's willing to share. He doesn't want to accept Ellsbeth in his program but she is compelling and seems to be very smart indeed. She's even pretty, but that would be a road he doesn't want to go down to.

When Ellsbeth is accepted after numerous emails and an in person meet, she tells the professor what she wants to study.. Writ magic which is forbidden. But with a few kinks in the law you can actually still study and finetune it, if a person where to try it on a willing participant.

The banter between professor and Ellsbeth keeps growing, so he'll be going down that road soon enough..

Not much happening within the first 40% aside from the flirtation and eventually romance.. The course for a forbidden magic was the only thrilling thing. It just wasn't for me.

[Kristi V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO GOOD. I am so grateful to the publisher at NYCC. This arc was a must have and finishing it solidifies why!

Dark Academia ✅
Professor student ✅
Secret society ✅
Cold, crisp fall day to read it? ✅

I could not put this book down. The mystery of the story to the final culmination were all paced and executed really well. I loved the two main characters relationship. Their tension and growth and academic banter was just 🤌🏼🤌🏼. The magic system was so cool and enjoyable to invest in! A great stand alone for a fall day! And those romantics quotes, 😮‍💨. I would just read it for those because 😮‍💨. Would highly recommend!!

[mimi (depression slump)]

Thanks to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Brittany Kilinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good!! When reading this I had a similar reading experience when reading “the scholar and the last faerie door” and “Katabasis” with how it truly explores the magical subject academically within the books writing. I wanted to learn arcane magic while reading this book.

The characters in this book are also similar to the characters in the above books in the sense that the characters search for answers and learning more academically, despite legal/moral obligations, is the most important thing to them.

This had some romance/erotica which was established quickly, but didn’t take away from the main object of them striving for knowledge.

This also had a murder mystery at the centre of it and the things that Ellsbeth uncovers that has to do with her sisters murder.

Overall I really enjoyed this! I’ve seen some mention “Babel” mentioned in their reviews on the NetGalley site - this book is NOT AT ALL like that book (so I’d say go into this not comparing it - as this is completely different to books like Babel, Blood Over Bright Haven, etc).

This book is mainly to do with a forbidden relationship, digging into a subject at an academic level (which some may or may not enjoy), as well as some murder mystery.

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

setting: Vermont
rep: n/a

this was a pretty solid fantasy romance, something I don't usually read, but this didn't feel like the usual cliches. this is dark academia, power, magic, and taboo relationships - ellsbeth is a 24yo grad student and Rawlins is her 45yo tutor, so if that gives you the ick, give this one a miss. I enjoyed their dynamic and the story in general. the pacing was a bit off and the banestooth stuff came in a bit late for me, which had me thinking this was going to be a series (which it isn't, thankfully!). I didn't get a good sense of how magic is used in the world/day to day life, this is very much an academic study of it, enjoyable if lacking a bit of depth; I liked the writing and the relationship and the emails

also, only after finishing am I realizing that the author is a pseudonym for Dana schwartz and Dan frey! that's why it didn't feel like a debut

[Olivia Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saltburn meeting Babel immediately had me hooked as a one-line description.

Would absolutely recommend to the reader who loves dark academia with lacking redeemable characters.
Elsbeth tragically not being able to enter into the Arcane Mechanicals grad program does not stop her! She absolutely blows up the supervising professor Rawlings inbox for a spot while asking to also take part in some dark underground (not permitted) magic on the side.

Loved the emails that lined the entire story and made a difference in the storytelling all together. It was funny and lighthearted break in the midst of the plot.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favourite books last year was a dark academia/fantasy book around the ephemeral arts, so I threw myself headlong into this expecting it to be brilliant. Unfortunately, we really didn’t get on.

We’ll start as always with the good.

I loved the magic system. The titular Arcane Arts were fascinating here and the authors do a brilliant job of making them feel threatening and misunderstood. We’re set in a world of inherent mistrust towards magic due to previous crimes and tragedies, and you feel that mistrust seep into every page. The side plot about secret societies trying to rile up the public specifically to sew more seeds of that unease was also really fun to follow. Even if it was for “vague nefarious reasons, stop looking the MCs are kissing” purposes.

The main plot was… mostly look at these people kissing between purple-prosey discussions of “aren’t we so smart and hot?” But the crime at the core of this story was genuinely compelling. We follow Ellsbeth who enters university after the mysterious death of her sister. Along the way she meets a professor with her same interest in the dark and ephemeral arts.

Okay so I knew going into this book that it was going to be a “taboo” subject; professor x student. I read enough of the reviews and felt comfortable enough that I wouldn’t find it too uncomfortable, and honestly I found it to be done quite well. Initially there’s a bit of a weird power dynamic but as it develops there’s enough genuine respect that I didn’t find it offputting. TAA features a middle aged (so I’d assume 40’s?) professor and a sort of mid 20’s student, meaning not the worst thing in the world given the broader scheme of dark academia books.

My problem is that this is the most instalovey book ever to instalove. Well lust is possibly a kindness, it’s pure lust. Our MMC’s first real thought about the FMC is “she’s hot and she’s smart, fuck.” and there’s minimal development from there.

Ellsbeth was an interesting enough character to follow. Intelligent, burdened by her grief and driven by the search for answers. She’s relatable an unraveling the mystery from her perspective was genuinely entertaining.

Unfortunately, Rawlins fell entirely flat for me. He has little genuine development before a random tragic backstory very far in. He’s got very little too him except “intelligent” and “sexy.” Not the most compelling storyline. Oh sorry, “intelligent” “sexy” and “libido of a rabbit.”

SD Coverly I discovered after beginning my read is an alias of two writers, and while I haven’t been able to confirm it… I have quite strong suspicions on who wrote which point of view. When in the POV of Rawlins, so much of the agency and individuality we see from the POV of Ellsbeth just sort of… poofs out of the book.

As much as I praised the plotlines, unfortunately the credit doesn’t go far. This is because the plotlines were not the centre of the book but the romance and their sex scenes. The interesting stuff was very much a sidebar for these characters having their way with one another, and as I’ve mentioned I only found Ellsbeth particularly compelling.

This book has a strange habit of writing mostly in the close third person 90% of the time, then the interesting bits become really detached. This book has an epilogue which is the most egregious example but at the heart of quite a bit of the rest of the drama, we randomly run out of the heads of the characters. And it felt like we were watching the action from the stands rather than the perspectives, which I found super jarring.

Ms Schwartz I will probably look to read again. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be saying the same for her co-writer.

[Khali Hearon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Del Rey / PRH for providing me with an advance reader copy of The Arcane Arts by S.D. Coverly in exchange for an honest review!

Before I get started, the publisher reached out and suggested that I read this book because I loved Arcana Academy. I loved this book, but it is in no way comparable to Arcana Academy. Arcana Academy is romantasy with tarot card magic, enemies to lovers, in a fantasy world. The Arcane Arts is a dark academia novel set in the modern world, where 'magic' can be achieved through ritual using elements (kind of witchy) and mathematic equations. If anything, I have seen a lot of reviewers compare this to Ninth House or Saltburn. I guess I need to go read Ninth House now!

The Arcane Arts is a dark academia–infused fantasy that blends murder mystery, forbidden magic, and a simmering, morally complex romance. Set within an intellectually rigorous academic environment, the novel follows a world where power—magical, institutional, and personal—comes at a steep ethical cost. This reminded me a lot of Blood over Bright Haven, if you were a fan of that.

From the very first pages, I found myself completely immersed. Although the writing is heavily academic: rich with theory, ritual, and intellectual weight, I was able to follow along easily thanks to the author’s clear, confident prose.

One of the most striking elements is the dialogue, which at times carries a restrained, almost old-English cadence—evoking subtle Mr. Darcy–like energy—that perfectly suits the academic setting. This formality contrasts beautifully with the intimate, flirtatious emails exchanged between characters, which add tension and a sense of forbidden closeness. The romance is both intelligent and seductive, and the spice had me clutching my metaphorical pearls.

As for the characters, Rawlins, in particular, is well written with SO. MUCH. YEARNING. As mentioned earlier, it kind of gave me Mr Darcy vibes with the comments about knee brushing or fingers barely touching. However, he is so much more than a man who yearns for the mmc. He is multilayered, intelligent, and passionate. His emotional backstory has a major influence on his arc and inner dialogue. Ellsbeth matches him well -- she's smart, driven, passionate and at times quite stubborn. Their relationship is one of my favorite parts of the book, personally. It was equally seductive and intellectual, testing the boundaries of both the arcane arts and what they prefer in the bedroom. I wish I could share all of the quotes I highlighted but I'll wait until release day!

Tonally, the novel strikes an impressive balance. It is dark and sexy (some would say kinky) without losing its intellectual grounding. The magic system—especially its moral and ethical implications—will strongly appeal to readers who enjoyed the thematic depth of Blood Over Bright Haven. Power, sacrifice, and consequence are central questions here, and the story never shies away from examining them. The mystery element is equally compelling. The pacing tightens significantly toward the final act, delivering multiple twists that genuinely surprised me. So many unexpected twists that added emotional and narrative weight to the conclusion.

Overall, The Arcane Arts is an intelligent, atmospheric, and seductive dark academia fantasy that expertly weaves together mystery, magic, and [spicy] romance. This was a gripping and memorable read, and I was hooked from beginning to end. I'm sad it's over!

[Bethanie Free · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC read of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Ellsbeth Storer is top of her class and on a one way track to, potentially, career defining success when a deadly vision hits her at the worst time, in the middle of her Arcanus test. But Ellsbeth has never been one to back down from a challenge, her grief becoming a fire that guides her and urges her on.

Thaddeus Rawlins is a professor and academic on the tail end of his success. While he was widely celebrated as a young adult for the advancements he was making in the Arcane Arts, as he grew older he realized success and fame wasn’t all he thought it would be. In all actuality it leads to a dull future of financial safety but no excitement or yearning for life for the foreseeable future.

What Rawlins didn’t see coming was Ellsbeth entering his life and challenging his patience, knowledge, and ability to keep it in his pants. She presents him with a thesis idea on a forbidden branch of magic that could get both of them arrested at best or dead at worst. But the allure of testing the boundaries of Arcane magic and the willingness to get.. tied up in the work by his young ingenue proves too much for Rawlins to resist.

What I loved:

The email exchange was absolute perfection. I found myself craving the moments that the emails appeared. The back and forth between Ellsbeth and Rawlins was very well written and was, by and far, the highlight of the book in my opinion. It gave the reader an insight to what is going through both of their minds as the romance starts.

The overall theme of forbidden desires was spot on. It was in virtually every aspect of the story and it was nice to see that reflected in each person’s storyline in a different way. The debate of using forbidden magic for good vs greed was such a fun struggle to watch the characters go through. Where exactly that line is, what happens once you cross it, and, arguably the most important, how it affects how one views themselves after.

The epilogue!!!!!! Omg, the epilogue was so beautifully written! The ending had me in tears, literally. My heart was breaking so beautifully but I completely understood the need for it. And the epilogue came in and let us view such an incredible and emotional scene from a third party. We as the reader knew what was going on but getting to see it from the outside was such a fun, new perspective.

The only thing I found lacking in the book was the explanation of the magic system. I wanted so much more from it. I read the whole book and still understand virtually nothing about the magic system and how it works. I wanted to know so much more about it, how the rituals work, how it all works together, but was left wanting heavily in that department.

Overall, a fantastic book that I feel could be made a bit better by potentially splitting it up into two or more books to add more detail instead of compacting it all in one book.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For as long as she can remember, Ellsbeth has desired to pursue a future in the Arcane Arts. She convinces her professor to take her under his wing as she pursues the study of writ magic, the power to control others. As their research into this forbidden study deepens, Ellsbeth and Professor Rawlins are emboldened by each other's ambitions and the ways this illegal magic can serve their own desires. However tension grows as they realize their ability to manipulate can be used on each other and trust built on secrecy can so easily fall apart. They soon realize their appetite for power may consume them as they struggle to balance their newfound abilities in a world increasingly less tolerant of such magic. Ellsbeth and Professor Rawlins need to decide when to draw the line, if they'll be able to stop when they do, and if that will be enough.

I gobbled up this book!! The dark academia vibes were immaculate. The prose was descriptive and lush and the story felt immersive from the very beginning. Ellsbeth and Professor Rawlins each had their own individual goals and those subplots were equally as engaging and interesting as the main story. I really enjoyed the alternating POV between these two main characters. It helped to serve the advancement of the story and build a ton of tension which was excellent. I did not find myself looking forward to one perspective more than the other which I think is rare! The magic system was unique and I enjoyed learning more about the rituals as they were designed throughout the story. I enjoyed how every character had flaws and navigating them was a main focus. The book was clearly well thought out.

I WILL SAY early on in the book I told my husband "I don't care how good this book ends up being I'm knocking a star off for the age gap." Obviously you can see that that didn't end up happening because I loved this so much I'm still giving 5 stars. At the beginning of the book I did keep forgetting that Rawlins was so much older than Ellsbeth and when I remembered it pulled me out of the story a bit and felt icky. I had thought initially that the same could've been achieved if he were minimally older but still in a position of power over her which might feel a little less gross, although with later reveals in the book I can see how the age gap was needed. I do think this aspect of their relationship was well handled and realistic and can see how it was a necessary choice to the plot and so I have forgiven.

Ultimately I loved this book and will be talking about it to anyone who will listen. I would recommend for readers looking for a more sultry version of Ninth House!

Thank you to Net Galley, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and the author for allowing me the opportunity to read and review the book. All opinions are my own.

[Heather Pacella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The picturesque campus of Newlyn University, tucked away in pastoral New England, checks all the boxes of a prestigious institute of higher education - with one slight twist. Their specialty is the study of Arcane Arts, where rituals like time manipulation and invisibility are perfected by the most promising students around the world. Once the main driver of forward progress in the world, modern technological advancements have made study of the Arcane Arts a bit obsolete; what was once an exciting area of research has become a staid, quiet field of study. Thaddeus Rawlins, celebrity professor and once-rising star, has felt this stagnation acutely, and he is convinced that there are no more meaningful discoveries left to be made. However, all of that changes when prospective graduate student Ellsbeth Storer charges into his life at the beginning of the fall semester.

Ellsbeth is everything the other graduate students in the program are not - she is driven, creative, intelligent beyond her years, and, most importantly, is willing to conduct her research outside the bounds of the law to devise incredibly exciting (and incredibly illegal) new rituals. She convinces Rawlins to become her advisor as she pursues taboo writ magic, the ability to take over someone and physically control them. As they start their research behind closed doors, a forbidden desire sparks between Ellsbeth and Rawlins, even as they keep secret their true motives from each other. When they find themselves sucked into a deadly web of secrets on the Newlyn campus, they are forced to decide - how much can they really trust each other?

This was a very enjoyable book by writing duo S.D. Coverly. I thought the magic system was extremely interesting, and loved the description of rituals included throughout the story. The discussion of how technology was (negatively) affecting the field was another really cool detail. I also really appreciated the development of the relationship between Rawlins and Ellsbeth as they bonded over their mutual academic interest - the chemistry was definitely there. The one thing that didn't quite work for me was that so much of their communication in the book was via email; it made sense at the beginning, when they were establishing their academic relationship, but it was heavily used later in the story and gave the book a "quirky, contemporary rom-com" vibe, which I felt took away from the darker aspects of the book. However, the ending of the book was perfection (and plenty dark!) - I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick but very well-written dark academia read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a premise I really wanted to love. Dark academia, forbidden magic, moral corruption, and a mysterious death? Sign me up. Unfortunately, while it was an easy and quick read, it didn’t deliver on most of what it set up.

The story follows Ellsbeth Storer, a graduate student studying the Arcane Arts at an elite university, who the renowned professor, Professor Thaddeus Rawlins, to supervise her research into writ magic, a banned and morally dangerous form of magic. As their secret research progresses, so does their personal entanglement, blurring the lines between ambition, power and desire

I knew going in that this featured an age gap romance (FMC is 24 years old and MMC is 45 years old), and that alone wasn’t an issue for me since both characters are consenting adults. What didn’t work was the lack of tension. For a forbidden professor x student romance, there was surprisingly no slow burn or buildup. The relationship jumps straight into instalove, which made the whole dynamic feel flat and, at times, awkward. The early email exchanges between them were actually one of the few moments I enjoyed, but once the romance took center stage, I found myself cringing more than rooting for them.

Because the romance dominated the narrative, the mystery surrounding Ellsbeth’s sister’s death was pushed to the background. This was frustrating, because the few scenes that focused on uncovering the truth were genuinely interesting. There was a moment where Ellsbeth gathers evidence related to her sister’s death that completely hooked me, and I couldn’t help thinking this story might have worked better as a darker mystery or thriller.
The magic system also felt underutilized. The Arcane Arts, especially writ magic, are described as deeply dangerous and morally corrupt, yet we mostly see them in action within the university walls. I never fully felt the consequences or high stakes of this magic, since its impact on the wider world and community was barely explored until the epilogue.

Overall, this was a book with a lot of potential that didn’t quite come together for me. The premise is strong, but the execution leaned too heavily on a romance that didn’t land, at the expense of the darker and more interesting elements of the story.
Thank you to Del Rey Random House Worlds and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Arie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic, intelligent, dark, twisty and suspenseful.

The magic system in The Arcane Arts is highly analytical and academic, more science than intuition, and reminded me of Katabasis. Magic is built on math, physics, chemistry, and experimentation. Ellsbeth, the main character, becomes drawn to an illegal form called writ magic, which allows users to influence and control others, similar to the magic in An Academy for Liars. Fearless and driven by love, she believes this forbidden magic may be the key to uncovering the truth behind her younger sister’s death.

Although the police and university rule her sister’s death a suicide, Ellsbeth notices inconsistencies and refuses to accept that explanation. Determined to find out what really happened, her search leads her to Professor Rawlins, a brilliant but deeply bored academic. Recognizing Ellsbeth’s talent, Rawlins agrees to mentor her, and their relationship quickly becomes intimate. He carries his own secrets, including guilt surrounding a former star pupil and personal motivations for helping Ellsbeth explore writ magic.

The characters are complex and well developed, with Ellsbeth easily standing out as my favorite. However, the story slowed for me at times as Ellsbeth and Rawlins’s relationship took center stage and the suspense of the investigation faded into the background. Many explicit scenes focus heavily on power, control, and submission. While I enjoyed the magical experimentation and ritual work, I personally wanted more emphasis on the mystery during this portion of the book.

Fortunately, the slower moments don’t last long. The story delivers unexpected twists, an epic and satisfying resolution, and a strong dark academia atmosphere. I especially enjoyed the dual POV structure and the email exchanges, which added humor and personality.

Overall, this is a dark, obsessive exploration of power, privilege, forbidden knowledge, and the danger of influence. Despite a slower middle for me, I found the characters compelling and the ending rewarding. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy dark academia with explicit spice and morally messy characters.

Thank you for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the poor man’s ninth house (or perhaps the instant-gratification-man’s ninth house? if that makes sense to anyone else but me), and let me be clear that i don’t mean that in a disparaging way. it’s hard to hold a candle to leigh bardugo, and i don’t think this version of the common storylines/themes (rituals and secret societies and cover ups and a grittily determined young woman at the middle of it all) quite measures up to alex stern’s journey in ninth house. however, if you’re the kind of person who wants to see a little less drawn-out slow-burn and a little more BDSM on page, allow me to introduce you to ellsbeth storer and thaddeus rawlins. these two cannot keep their hands off of each other to save their lives. genuinely.

i had a good time with this, overall. i found the descriptions of rituals and magic to be very interesting within the world, and loved how there was enough thought put into the worldbuilding to analyze how certain magical fields would survive alongside modern day inventions. i loved the mention of rituals going out of vogue as technology developed (like shakespearean voice projection rituals fading with the invention of microphones!).

the romance was decent – i could definitely feel their chemistry. personally, i feel like they fell into their torrid affair a bit quick, but i’m always an advocate for a slow-burn, so that’s my own personal opinion. i’m sure there are a lot of people who will be big fans of their dynamic, and i did enjoy how the magic and rituals led right into their developing connection (although i got a little tired of it eventually, but i came more for the fantasy than the lowkey erotica that kind of got mixed in, so that’s a me thing yet again). i will say, BIG fan of how their relationship turned out in the end. nobody wants to commit to things like that anymore! i enjoyed that part of it for sure.

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[letsgosupernova · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you so much to the del rey team for sending me this arc via netgalley.

after a prologue that literally made me cry and scream with rage, i expected a lot more of the book than a story carried out 25% of the time via flirtatious email.

our fmc is (as is typical in dark academia) extraordinarily brilliant and wins approval for the things she wants most in life despite lacking very necessary requirements. oh, and she’s pretty too? she’s a unicorn.

i saw in the blurb that the mmc was going to be a professor, but maybe i’ve been fortunate to read more fantasy based dark academia where nepotism typically places an mmc of a more equal age next to our brilliant fmc — that was not the case here. and unless it’s done VERY well, typically i do not love age gap romances. and there was a very disturbing scene in the middle when practicing a forbidden magic that seemed very out of touch for what is going on in the world today (and yeah, i know he was “horrified” … but then she gave him permission to feel those things and destroyed validity for many victims. my personal opinions here.)

despite these initial flaws, i was ready to dig into the mystery (remember that tear jerking prologue?). but … aside from mentioning it on the occasion … there is almost no resemblance of seeking truth & answers. instead we dive headlong into a forbidden romance AND magical studies. the stakes i was expecting are nonexistent and i struggled to even know the point of the novel even at 56% of the way in.

the prose reminded me of the atlas six, in that it leaned heavily into the high-handed academic nature of the dark academia genre. it wasn’t difficult to read, but it wasn’t particularly enjoyable either.

this one was just not for me, but i can see how it might be enjoyable to lower stakes dark academia readers.

[lovingbooksandart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The arcane arts was one of my most anticipated release of 2026 and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint me.

Ellsbeth, 24 years old, is ready to be the new student of Arcane Mechanicals at Newlyn University. Her dream come true but also an opportunity to discover the truth beyond the sad loss of her little sister.

Ellsbeth was a great discover. She's ambitious, stubborn and reckless. A brilliant mind and ready for anything to get the recognition and the success she knows could achieve. I wouldn't say morally ambiguous, she's so human and you, reader, could empathize easily. To help her in her research about writ magic, an illegal and dark branch of Arcane arts there's Professor Thaddeus Rawlins.

If you love teacher X student trope you'd love this book. It's so well written...the bantering and flirting ahhhhh...amazing. He's brilliant, ambitious and yes he's charming and definitely not a saint. There's a big age gap but personally it wasn't a problem: together they complete each other. Their e-mails and study sessions were the best parts. And yes it's spicy but not so much and it's well written.

It would be a 5 star reading but something was missing. The dark academia vibes were chef kiss. The fantasy subplot it's so curious and with so much potential I needed to know more and more. Romance prevails and I loved the ship but the settings and the writ magic deserved more chapters. The mystery, the rituals and paranormal subplot beyond the loss of Ellsbeth sister become relevant only in the ending. A more balance would be the icing on the cake.

If you appreciate Keri Lake and Runyx you would love this reading. Really recommended!

Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey - Random House and the author for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review

[Lια ☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ★

This has to be one of the best student–professor romances I’ve read. I loved how the story didn’t shy away from the academic world they both inhabit; it was thoroughly explored, and it made their dynamic feel grounded and authentic rather than just a convenient way to add a “forbidden” layer to the plot. Even from their very first email, before they ever spoke face to face, you could feel the chemistry between Rawlins and Ellsbeth. Their banter was sharp, witty, and so intellectually charged that I was living for every exchange. The way they challenged, inspired, and pushed each other in a field they’re both so passionate about was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. And then, of course, the fact that this field of study is a forbidden form of magic they absolutely should not be exploring… yeah, I was hooked from the start.

The writing was incredible, and the balance between romance and mystery was spot-on. The tension and chemistry practically leaked off the page. The exploration of right vs. wrong, desire vs. duty, and temptation vs. consequence was done so well that even I started questioning everything. Including my own sanity at one point lol.

My only complaint is that I wish a few things had played out differently towards the end, but overall, it was such an amazing story. I’m happy with how everything wrapped up, even if a part of me wishes we had gotten just a little more.

Read if you like:
• Dark academia
• Student/professor
• Age gap
• Forbidden magic
• Secret Society
• Saltburn meets Babel

✣ Huge thanks to S.D. Coverly, Del Rey & NetGalley for the ARC.
✣ Release date: May 19, 2026.