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Arcana Academy #2
Prince of Swords
I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis's most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara's fate. If she dares to trust them.
But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she's already deeply ensnared Prince Kaelis.
Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can't escape - maybe she doesn't want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot . . . and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.
Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger's edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.
To change the world, Clara must risk everything - her power, her beliefs, and her heart.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis's most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara's fate. If she dares to trust them.
But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she's already deeply ensnared Prince Kaelis.
Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can't escape - maybe she doesn't want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot . . . and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.
Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger's edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.
To change the world, Clara must risk everything - her power, her beliefs, and her heart.
Audible Audio
First published July 21, 2026
About the author
Elise Kova
51 books18.4k followersJoin Elise's mailing list to never miss a giveaway, release, sale, and more: https://elisekova.com/subscribe/
ELISE KOVA is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions. She lives in Florida and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.
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ELISE KOVA is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions. She lives in Florida and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.
Say Hello!
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 942 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You know those series where the sequel makes book one even better because you realise book one was playing the long game all along and book two makes everything click into place?
If anything, this series in my opinion is the opposite of middle book syndrome, whatever that is. It’s left me feeling like what on dog’s green earth did I just read, while simultaneously kinda euphoric and exhilarated, with a huge book hangover, clawing my fingernails into the dirt as I dangle on a very big cliff to be honest, someone help? Not to be dramatic but the ending is pretty diabolical.
Of course I can’t speak to everybody else's individual experience but I rated Arcana Academy a commendable 4 stars when I read it last year. I found it was a dense world with a lot of information to dispense and digest. In hindsight, I suppose I rated book one as though it were trying to achieve the same thing as a standalone novel, when in reality I owe book one an apology, I wasn’t familiar with its game (of laying the foundation for something much loftier).
But look, enough about the technical stuff. KAELIS. Our cinnamon roll purple-ish-haired monstrous prince dude with fathomless eyes and buckets of yearns. He delivers in the sequel big time and became even more interesting the more I learnt about him. I just adore everything about his character trajectory in Prince of Swords. If you were intrigued by him in the first book, then there’s a good chance book two will up the ante for you. I fear I can’t say more. Anyway, perhaps this is your sign to just read Prince of Swords if you enjoyed book one.
Some other minor notes: I found Clara’s character growth of allowing people in, from friends, to Kaelis really satisfying too. Banter is snappy and witty, j’adore. Amazing thoughtful representation again in this book too. Fantasy has always been a way to interrogate our own world and I think the political commentary and undertones are also well done (i.e. the king/monarchy are oppressive and they use enforcers to hurt and harm and we all know who and what that represents in real life).
Finally, I did an immersion read of listening and reading an e-pub and I must say, Anna Burnett the narrator killed it, she is perfect for Clara. Her tone is captivating yet kind of dry and restrained which is how I imagine Clara’s voice would be like if she was a real person.
If you couldn’t already tell, then yes I highly recommend the sequel to everyone who enjoyed book one. It's made me appreciate the first book more in hindsight, because it beautifully tied together the enigmatic yet deliberate earlier plot choices and foreshadowing while adding more edge-of-your-seat intrigue. Hopefully the final book 3 sticks the landing. I’ll be interested to see everyone’s reactions to this one.
Thanks so much to Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder & Stoughton Audio & Netgalley for the ARC & the ALC.
1. Arcana Academy: ★★★★☆
2. Prince of Swords: ★★★★★
﹏﹏﹏﹏
Last minute audiobook ALC approved but expiring soon + most anticipated read = Hi Clara & Kaelis. Goodbye sleep.
If anything, this series in my opinion is the opposite of middle book syndrome, whatever that is. It’s left me feeling like what on dog’s green earth did I just read, while simultaneously kinda euphoric and exhilarated, with a huge book hangover, clawing my fingernails into the dirt as I dangle on a very big cliff to be honest, someone help? Not to be dramatic but the ending is pretty diabolical.
Of course I can’t speak to everybody else's individual experience but I rated Arcana Academy a commendable 4 stars when I read it last year. I found it was a dense world with a lot of information to dispense and digest. In hindsight, I suppose I rated book one as though it were trying to achieve the same thing as a standalone novel, when in reality I owe book one an apology, I wasn’t familiar with its game (of laying the foundation for something much loftier).
But look, enough about the technical stuff. KAELIS. Our cinnamon roll purple-ish-haired monstrous prince dude with fathomless eyes and buckets of yearns. He delivers in the sequel big time and became even more interesting the more I learnt about him. I just adore everything about his character trajectory in Prince of Swords. If you were intrigued by him in the first book, then there’s a good chance book two will up the ante for you. I fear I can’t say more. Anyway, perhaps this is your sign to just read Prince of Swords if you enjoyed book one.
Some other minor notes: I found Clara’s character growth of allowing people in, from friends, to Kaelis really satisfying too. Banter is snappy and witty, j’adore. Amazing thoughtful representation again in this book too. Fantasy has always been a way to interrogate our own world and I think the political commentary and undertones are also well done (i.e. the king/monarchy are oppressive and they use enforcers to hurt and harm and we all know who and what that represents in real life).
Finally, I did an immersion read of listening and reading an e-pub and I must say, Anna Burnett the narrator killed it, she is perfect for Clara. Her tone is captivating yet kind of dry and restrained which is how I imagine Clara’s voice would be like if she was a real person.
If you couldn’t already tell, then yes I highly recommend the sequel to everyone who enjoyed book one. It's made me appreciate the first book more in hindsight, because it beautifully tied together the enigmatic yet deliberate earlier plot choices and foreshadowing while adding more edge-of-your-seat intrigue. Hopefully the final book 3 sticks the landing. I’ll be interested to see everyone’s reactions to this one.
Thanks so much to Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder & Stoughton Audio & Netgalley for the ARC & the ALC.
1. Arcana Academy: ★★★★☆
2. Prince of Swords: ★★★★★
﹏﹏﹏﹏
Last minute audiobook ALC approved but expiring soon + most anticipated read = Hi Clara & Kaelis. Goodbye sleep.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
That ending, I'm so discombobulated, what the hell happened, I can't do this.. I fear I stared at the wall for like half an hour..
I actually read the ebook and listened to the audiobook at the same time and that was honestly such a good experience. I was completely immersed in the world and it made the story much more emotional. The audiobook was wonderfully produced and I absolutely loved the narrator.
After how book one ended, everything got resolved better than I ever dared to hope, but it was still such a dark place to be in.. We got destruction, pain, secret societies, mistrust, allies, some much needed answers, family, more card magic, some heat, death and even more questions..
Kaelis, that man went to the top of my list of book boyfriends, his devotion was simply unmatched. There's nothing better than a morally grey man completely obsessed with her. He protected Clara, understood her, waited for her to come to him and the way he treasured her, absolutely no notes!! We finally found out some things about him and I understand him so much more now.
Clara finally learned how to trust more and I loved seeing it. She trusted herself, found her home and had to make some pretty tough decisions..
I love them both so much, we really got some beautiful moments here. We saw them struggling to trust completely to finally letting go. They became each other's safe place. That scene at the crater might me one of my favourite scenes ever!!
The protection, the jealousy, the yearning, the trust, the understanding, the conviction, the bond, the desire and the destiny. She saw the darkness in him and loved him even more!!
"𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓷 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻."
This world is simply amazing, the tarot cards, the academy setting, the vibes, the secondary characters, the Worldkeepers, the familiar bonds, the love and the loss..
The race to get everything they needed to change the world and what they had to sacrifice to do it was quite eventful.. I have gone through so many emotions reading it. I had to stop and collect my thoughts quite a few times..
The pacing did feel off at times, but I love this world and these characters far too much to be bothered by it. I would easily read a thousand more pages of them just existing.
Again, that last chapter was so unexpected, how did we even get there, I need book three!! I would give anything to be able to read it now, I can't stand the fact it ended like that.. How can I wait a year??
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Hodder & Stoughton and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an ARC and an ALC.*
I actually read the ebook and listened to the audiobook at the same time and that was honestly such a good experience. I was completely immersed in the world and it made the story much more emotional. The audiobook was wonderfully produced and I absolutely loved the narrator.
After how book one ended, everything got resolved better than I ever dared to hope, but it was still such a dark place to be in.. We got destruction, pain, secret societies, mistrust, allies, some much needed answers, family, more card magic, some heat, death and even more questions..
Kaelis, that man went to the top of my list of book boyfriends, his devotion was simply unmatched. There's nothing better than a morally grey man completely obsessed with her. He protected Clara, understood her, waited for her to come to him and the way he treasured her, absolutely no notes!! We finally found out some things about him and I understand him so much more now.
Clara finally learned how to trust more and I loved seeing it. She trusted herself, found her home and had to make some pretty tough decisions..
I love them both so much, we really got some beautiful moments here. We saw them struggling to trust completely to finally letting go. They became each other's safe place. That scene at the crater might me one of my favourite scenes ever!!
The protection, the jealousy, the yearning, the trust, the understanding, the conviction, the bond, the desire and the destiny. She saw the darkness in him and loved him even more!!
"𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓷 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻."
This world is simply amazing, the tarot cards, the academy setting, the vibes, the secondary characters, the Worldkeepers, the familiar bonds, the love and the loss..
The race to get everything they needed to change the world and what they had to sacrifice to do it was quite eventful.. I have gone through so many emotions reading it. I had to stop and collect my thoughts quite a few times..
The pacing did feel off at times, but I love this world and these characters far too much to be bothered by it. I would easily read a thousand more pages of them just existing.
Again, that last chapter was so unexpected, how did we even get there, I need book three!! I would give anything to be able to read it now, I can't stand the fact it ended like that.. How can I wait a year??
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Hodder & Stoughton and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an ARC and an ALC.*
July 23, 2026
“𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.” 𝑯𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓. “𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕, 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒋𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏.”
HOW DARE THAT'S HOW IT ENDED!!!
Since this is book 2, I won't give out any spoilers, but seriously this series is packed with fantasy, romance, and the plot is really thickening in this book. The way it all comes together from the first book really impressed me!!!!! Normally, Book 2 in a series has this pretense that it's going to feel rushed because it's a continuation of the first book, so they pack it with all the new stuff on top of the old. I didn't feel rushed with this one AT ALL! Yes you have new things that you learn.. but it has the same foundation of the first. I have to say I was super impressed with the way the plot evolved throughout the book 🔥
Kaelis is just as delicious as he was in Book 1 😮💨 and his feelings toward Clara, the world, and the academy not gonna lie won some major brownie points with me. The way I highlighted SO MUCH of his quotes towards his devotion to her (H O T) 🥵.
Meanwhile, Clara... what a baddie✨ She does EVERYTHING in her power for peace, and you can even see it in the way she handles certain situations in this book. Like any baddie, she forgets the rules and consequences, which honestly makes me love her even more 😭 even if her decisions HURTS ME. YES I AM TALKING ABOUT TWO IN PARTICULAR.
The book overall is super entertaining, and the world of magic cards and how the battles revolve around those cards is SO UNIQUE. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT. I cannot believe the ending we got this time around, and I cannot wait for the conclusion of this trilogy. PLEASE READ. THANK YOU. 😭
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ❀*･ THE WAY I AM SO EXCITED Kaelis is so hot - if anyone sees anime and watches Witch Hat Atelier this literally has the same concept but romantasy and they draw play/tarot cards!!
Thank you Del Rey for my eARC!
HOW DARE THAT'S HOW IT ENDED!!!
Since this is book 2, I won't give out any spoilers, but seriously this series is packed with fantasy, romance, and the plot is really thickening in this book. The way it all comes together from the first book really impressed me!!!!! Normally, Book 2 in a series has this pretense that it's going to feel rushed because it's a continuation of the first book, so they pack it with all the new stuff on top of the old. I didn't feel rushed with this one AT ALL! Yes you have new things that you learn.. but it has the same foundation of the first. I have to say I was super impressed with the way the plot evolved throughout the book 🔥
Kaelis is just as delicious as he was in Book 1 😮💨 and his feelings toward Clara, the world, and the academy not gonna lie won some major brownie points with me. The way I highlighted SO MUCH of his quotes towards his devotion to her (H O T) 🥵.
Meanwhile, Clara... what a baddie✨ She does EVERYTHING in her power for peace, and you can even see it in the way she handles certain situations in this book. Like any baddie, she forgets the rules and consequences, which honestly makes me love her even more 😭 even if her decisions HURTS ME. YES I AM TALKING ABOUT TWO IN PARTICULAR.
The book overall is super entertaining, and the world of magic cards and how the battles revolve around those cards is SO UNIQUE. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT. I cannot believe the ending we got this time around, and I cannot wait for the conclusion of this trilogy. PLEASE READ. THANK YOU. 😭
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ❀*･ THE WAY I AM SO EXCITED Kaelis is so hot - if anyone sees anime and watches Witch Hat Atelier this literally has the same concept but romantasy and they draw play/tarot cards!!
Thank you Del Rey for my eARC!
Want to Read
January 29, 2026wdym I have to wait until July to see Kaelis burn this world down for her????
June 20, 2026
Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova
Book Blurb: I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara’s fate. If she dares to trust them.
Rating: *****
Feels: Invested, Excited, Pleased, Surprised
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark Academia, Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance
First published July 21, 2026 : 560 pages
Themes & Setting: I just love this setting soo much. First off I love a dark academia vibes and having it blended with tarot magic is just wild fun. Being able to collect tarot cards to remake the world, a secret societies protecting that information and all the drama of a charged political environment makes for an entirely amazing cant put down read !!!
FMC: Clara is true, fascinating and in search of a world that gives her what she is looking for ....
MMC: Kaelis - The devotion, the darkness .. delicious. No notes.
Conclusion: I’m blown away again by this book series. This is the kind of book that keeps me up late at night reading and puzzling for days after. I love the intricate use of magic through tarot cards and how it’s used for every day things, healing , fighting and even spice !! Clara is such a strong true character and I loved seeing her continue her adventure and find out more about herself and her history. Kaelis is just such a mesmerizing person to play across from her. His obsession with her as well as their complex relationship makes the read so very fascinating. I am totally enraptured by all the amazing side characters that i may be a bit too attached to a few of them !! This read was magical and I don’t know what I’m going to do having to wait for book 3.
Favorite Quote: This man offers me my enemies still alive so that I may bring them death. That's how I know he loves me.
This book has:
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Morally Grey MMC
Forced Proximity
Rebellion
Academic Setting
Unique Magic System (Its sooooo cool)
Political Intrigue
Touch her and die
Found Family
Hidden Identity
Book Blurb: I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara’s fate. If she dares to trust them.
Rating: *****
Feels: Invested, Excited, Pleased, Surprised
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark Academia, Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance
First published July 21, 2026 : 560 pages
Themes & Setting: I just love this setting soo much. First off I love a dark academia vibes and having it blended with tarot magic is just wild fun. Being able to collect tarot cards to remake the world, a secret societies protecting that information and all the drama of a charged political environment makes for an entirely amazing cant put down read !!!
FMC: Clara is true, fascinating and in search of a world that gives her what she is looking for ....
MMC: Kaelis - The devotion, the darkness .. delicious. No notes.
Conclusion: I’m blown away again by this book series. This is the kind of book that keeps me up late at night reading and puzzling for days after. I love the intricate use of magic through tarot cards and how it’s used for every day things, healing , fighting and even spice !! Clara is such a strong true character and I loved seeing her continue her adventure and find out more about herself and her history. Kaelis is just such a mesmerizing person to play across from her. His obsession with her as well as their complex relationship makes the read so very fascinating. I am totally enraptured by all the amazing side characters that i may be a bit too attached to a few of them !! This read was magical and I don’t know what I’m going to do having to wait for book 3.
Favorite Quote: This man offers me my enemies still alive so that I may bring them death. That's how I know he loves me.
This book has:
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Morally Grey MMC
Forced Proximity
Rebellion
Academic Setting
Unique Magic System (Its sooooo cool)
Political Intrigue
Touch her and die
Found Family
Hidden Identity
August 12, 2026
I feel personally attacked by that ending. I love it.
July 10, 2026
Diabolical cliffhanger award goes to Prince of Swords by Elise Kova 🤯 how am I supposed to wait for book 3 when this book isn’t even out, yet?!
🗓️ ARC Review. Pub Date: July 21, 2026 🗓️
🎁 ARC gifted to me by Del Rey
What to expect:
⚔️ Fantasy romance
⚔️ 1st person POV
⚔️ Tarot-based magic system
⚔️ Dark academia / academy setting
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
I LOVED Arcana Academy—it's one of my favorite reads of 2025 and I rated it 4.5⭐—so I had extremely high hopes going into this sequel. Overall, I had good time! I loved being back in this world and being reunited with these characters.
The dark academia setting & vibes vibes mixed with a tarot-based magic system are two of the many reasons I love this series. It's unique and refreshing, and I like that this book really builds these two elements further on top of what we already knew in book 1. I feel a lot more grounded in this world than I did in Arcana Academy.
Elisa Kova really puts us through it with Clara and Kaelis. One minute I'm swooning and the next I'm biting my nails because I'm wondering if someone is going to betray someone. This is totally a personal preference, but I REALLY wish we had Kaelis' POV. Maybe that's something we'll get in book 3...? While we got to know a lot about Clara and Kaelis' characters in this book, I definitely feel like I know Clara more than him. I know some of that is intentional based on how this story is progressing.
Ultimately, I rated Prince of Swords lower than Arcana Academy. This gives a littttttle bit of "middle book syndrome" (this is book 2 of a trilogy), and I feel like I've been reading a lot of books suffering from second book syndrome this year. And I mainly say that due to the series of events and the pacing. In my opinion, this book almost felt like we took some steps back when it comes to the action. The beginning starts off strong (even though it is VERY dark), but then it felt like we did an uno reverse card and ended up back in a similar position to how we did in book 1. This caused the story to drag a bit for me near the middle. I was ultimately hoping for more continuous action sprinkled throughout the story, which we got at about the 70% mark and then I flew through the end/couldn't put it down.
While I think some of the ending was a little bit predictable, I did NOT guess that last chapter. I'm very nervous and excited to see how she ends this trilogy.
🗓️ ARC Review. Pub Date: July 21, 2026 🗓️
🎁 ARC gifted to me by Del Rey
What to expect:
⚔️ Fantasy romance
⚔️ 1st person POV
⚔️ Tarot-based magic system
⚔️ Dark academia / academy setting
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
I LOVED Arcana Academy—it's one of my favorite reads of 2025 and I rated it 4.5⭐—so I had extremely high hopes going into this sequel. Overall, I had good time! I loved being back in this world and being reunited with these characters.
The dark academia setting & vibes vibes mixed with a tarot-based magic system are two of the many reasons I love this series. It's unique and refreshing, and I like that this book really builds these two elements further on top of what we already knew in book 1. I feel a lot more grounded in this world than I did in Arcana Academy.
Elisa Kova really puts us through it with Clara and Kaelis. One minute I'm swooning and the next I'm biting my nails because I'm wondering if someone is going to betray someone. This is totally a personal preference, but I REALLY wish we had Kaelis' POV. Maybe that's something we'll get in book 3...? While we got to know a lot about Clara and Kaelis' characters in this book, I definitely feel like I know Clara more than him. I know some of that is intentional based on how this story is progressing.
Ultimately, I rated Prince of Swords lower than Arcana Academy. This gives a littttttle bit of "middle book syndrome" (this is book 2 of a trilogy), and I feel like I've been reading a lot of books suffering from second book syndrome this year. And I mainly say that due to the series of events and the pacing. In my opinion, this book almost felt like we took some steps back when it comes to the action. The beginning starts off strong (even though it is VERY dark), but then it felt like we did an uno reverse card and ended up back in a similar position to how we did in book 1. This caused the story to drag a bit for me near the middle. I was ultimately hoping for more continuous action sprinkled throughout the story, which we got at about the 70% mark and then I flew through the end/couldn't put it down.
While I think some of the ending was a little bit predictable, I did NOT guess that last chapter. I'm very nervous and excited to see how she ends this trilogy.
July 24, 2026
While I didn’t love this one quite as much as book one (which earned itself a STRONG five stars from me), I still enjoyed the ride! I listened to the first book and while that was a highly enjoyable experience, it was so nice to physically read this book because the way I used that glossary 👏🏻 I love the magic system Elise Kova has built in this world.
But I REALLY fell in love with Kaelis in the first book and boy oh boy did I fall even harder in this one. He is so 👏🏻 down 👏🏻 BAD.
The pacing felt a bit off, which was whatever, but really the main thing I didn’t like in this one was Clara’s decision making at times. To be fair, she has big choices and it would suck to be in her shoes, but she had me really side eyeing her at times because the logic wasn’t there.
But overall, this sets up the third book nicely (and torturously), and I can’t waittttt.
But I REALLY fell in love with Kaelis in the first book and boy oh boy did I fall even harder in this one. He is so 👏🏻 down 👏🏻 BAD.
The pacing felt a bit off, which was whatever, but really the main thing I didn’t like in this one was Clara’s decision making at times. To be fair, she has big choices and it would suck to be in her shoes, but she had me really side eyeing her at times because the logic wasn’t there.
But overall, this sets up the third book nicely (and torturously), and I can’t waittttt.
July 21, 2026
Sometimes hope is the cruelest thing of all.
After the finale of Arcana Academy, Clara finds herself back in the prison she swore never to enter again. But this time, knowing her sister is imprisoned there as well, hope begins to bloom where only despair had existed before.
One of the strongest aspects of this installment is Clara’s emotional journey. Her relationship with Kaelis is strained by the deep distrust she carries toward almost everyone except her sister and the members of the Starcrossed Club. Watching her slowly realize that she cannot carry every burden alone, and that trust has to be earned as well as given, felt believable and satisfying. That said, truth seems to be more of a theoretical concept for our protagonists. Clara demands honesty from everyone around her while rarely extending the same courtesy herself. I also struggled with a few of her decisions. Although she has always been morally grey, some actions didn’t quite feel consistent with the character I had come to know.
The loss of Kaelis’ futures was absolutely heartbreaking, and the implications of remaking the world make the stakes feel terrifyingly uncertain.
Eliza Kovas masterfully builds a sense of unease throughout the final third of the book. I found myself reading slower, almost reluctant to turn the page because I was bracing for betrayal, death, or both.
She delivered. And then some.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be staring at the wall while frantically looking up the release date of the final book.
After the finale of Arcana Academy, Clara finds herself back in the prison she swore never to enter again. But this time, knowing her sister is imprisoned there as well, hope begins to bloom where only despair had existed before.
One of the strongest aspects of this installment is Clara’s emotional journey. Her relationship with Kaelis is strained by the deep distrust she carries toward almost everyone except her sister and the members of the Starcrossed Club. Watching her slowly realize that she cannot carry every burden alone, and that trust has to be earned as well as given, felt believable and satisfying. That said, truth seems to be more of a theoretical concept for our protagonists. Clara demands honesty from everyone around her while rarely extending the same courtesy herself. I also struggled with a few of her decisions. Although she has always been morally grey, some actions didn’t quite feel consistent with the character I had come to know.
The loss of Kaelis’ futures was absolutely heartbreaking, and the implications of remaking the world make the stakes feel terrifyingly uncertain.
Eliza Kovas masterfully builds a sense of unease throughout the final third of the book. I found myself reading slower, almost reluctant to turn the page because I was bracing for betrayal, death, or both.
She delivered. And then some.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be staring at the wall while frantically looking up the release date of the final book.
July 31, 2026
4.5 stars
Currently Reading
November 24, 2025Take me back to Arcana Academy!
July 21, 2026
4.25 ⭐
ATTENTION EVERYONE: Book one, Arcana Academy, was playing the long game! It’s only now that I’ve finished book two that I realise it was setting up SO much for the absolutely diabolical ending of book two. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW! (kind of), but also, NOOOOOOOOOO! Be warned: the new information you get at the ending will make you stare at the wall for a bit to process all the events that happened over these two books. Like, what do you mean you remember, but still did THAT?! Was it all fake? What parts were real? 😩
What I loved:
🃏the action!
🃏the trust that was so carefully gained
🃏the secrets that were revealed
🃏the lengths Clara goes through to keep her secrets
🃏they/them representation
🃏the tough and sometimes tragic choices made
🃏the big What. The. F?!!! ending 💥
We get so much more of Kaelis in this book, and I absolutely loved learning more about our dark, mysterious, morally grey MMC and his past. Seeing him be so incredibly sweet and supportive while Clara navigated some major changes completely melted my heart. I also loved watching Clara grow and finally learn that it's okay to accept help from the people who love her.
The audiobook - Anna is the perfect narrator for this book and for Clara’s voice. I loved her English accent and the emotion she brought to the story. Speed x1 was pretty slow for me, so I listened at x1.75 speed, which of course cut the listening time almost in half.
Pacing was better. Sometimes a little cruisy but so much action to keep you engaged. The magic was streamlined and easy to follow. The spice uses words like c*nt, and c*ck, which at times feels at odds with the English-accented narration, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Chapter 34 - what a cheeky and infuriating bastard! 🤭
Will I continue the series and read the final book? 100% yes! Should you read this if you were on the fence about Arcana Academy? If you enjoyed the overall story and setting of book one, then yes, I think it’s worth a read. It gave me Silvercloak vibes.
Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton Audio, Elisa Kova and NetGalley for gifting me with an Advanced Listening Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
ATTENTION EVERYONE: Book one, Arcana Academy, was playing the long game! It’s only now that I’ve finished book two that I realise it was setting up SO much for the absolutely diabolical ending of book two. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW! (kind of), but also, NOOOOOOOOOO! Be warned: the new information you get at the ending will make you stare at the wall for a bit to process all the events that happened over these two books. Like, what do you mean you remember, but still did THAT?! Was it all fake? What parts were real? 😩
What I loved:
🃏the action!
🃏the trust that was so carefully gained
🃏the secrets that were revealed
🃏the lengths Clara goes through to keep her secrets
🃏they/them representation
🃏the tough and sometimes tragic choices made
🃏the big What. The. F?!!! ending 💥
We get so much more of Kaelis in this book, and I absolutely loved learning more about our dark, mysterious, morally grey MMC and his past. Seeing him be so incredibly sweet and supportive while Clara navigated some major changes completely melted my heart. I also loved watching Clara grow and finally learn that it's okay to accept help from the people who love her.
The audiobook - Anna is the perfect narrator for this book and for Clara’s voice. I loved her English accent and the emotion she brought to the story. Speed x1 was pretty slow for me, so I listened at x1.75 speed, which of course cut the listening time almost in half.
Pacing was better. Sometimes a little cruisy but so much action to keep you engaged. The magic was streamlined and easy to follow. The spice uses words like c*nt, and c*ck, which at times feels at odds with the English-accented narration, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Chapter 34 - what a cheeky and infuriating bastard! 🤭
Will I continue the series and read the final book? 100% yes! Should you read this if you were on the fence about Arcana Academy? If you enjoyed the overall story and setting of book one, then yes, I think it’s worth a read. It gave me Silvercloak vibes.
Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton Audio, Elisa Kova and NetGalley for gifting me with an Advanced Listening Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2026
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
I liked this sequel better than the first book, which is not a very common thing for me when it comes to reading series. The plot had some slower moments but it was overall steadily paced and fast enough to keep my attention (in a heatwave, that’s an accomplishement). It was intriguing and had some engaging twists. I still was not a big fan of the main male character, he was a little bit of a coward and a hypocrite at times. But Clara was interesting enough and some other characters were as well. The romance was on the lusty side unfortunately, it felt quite smut-heavy for a book by this author which was a small unpleasant surprise. But the plot and the magic system weighed more in my reading experience. I definitely recommend this adult romantasy trilogy (small spoiler I guess but it said at the end that the story will end in the next book and I think that’s great). It’s on the darker side, which is something that I like, and it’s gripping and well-written.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
I liked this sequel better than the first book, which is not a very common thing for me when it comes to reading series. The plot had some slower moments but it was overall steadily paced and fast enough to keep my attention (in a heatwave, that’s an accomplishement). It was intriguing and had some engaging twists. I still was not a big fan of the main male character, he was a little bit of a coward and a hypocrite at times. But Clara was interesting enough and some other characters were as well. The romance was on the lusty side unfortunately, it felt quite smut-heavy for a book by this author which was a small unpleasant surprise. But the plot and the magic system weighed more in my reading experience. I definitely recommend this adult romantasy trilogy (small spoiler I guess but it said at the end that the story will end in the next book and I think that’s great). It’s on the darker side, which is something that I like, and it’s gripping and well-written.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
remind-me-once-out
December 28, 2025oh would you look at that
Did Not Finish
July 27, 2026This pains me because I loved book one SO MUCH😭 I read 150 pages of this and it’s giving nothing burger😭The pacing is wild and there’s not really an overarching plot. Rip me
July 25, 2026
3.5⭐️
It pains me to say this, but I enjoyed this book a lot less than the first one...
It's a pretty long book, and I was bored for most of it, almost right up until the ending, even with all the "shocking" twists. Clara annoyed me the entire time. She keeps the fact that she swapped one of the golden cards while demanding complete honesty from Kaelis. She changes her face to hide her identity, yet she tells almost every person she meets who she really is, while still refusing to tell Kaelis the things he actually needs to know.
The deaths of the supporting characters didn't affect me because I never had enough time to get attached to them. And it was obvious from the start that, since this is a trilogy, once the World card was used at the end, it would unleash something the characters would spend the entire next book trying to fix.
That's honestly the main reason I'll be reading book three, because I'm curious to see how the author is going to pull all of this off. The idea of rewriting reality is genuinely fascinating, and the magic system continues to be one of the strongest parts of the series.
Overall, though, I'm just sad this turned out to be another sequel that didn't live up to my expectations.
It pains me to say this, but I enjoyed this book a lot less than the first one...
It's a pretty long book, and I was bored for most of it, almost right up until the ending, even with all the "shocking" twists. Clara annoyed me the entire time. She keeps the fact that she swapped one of the golden cards while demanding complete honesty from Kaelis. She changes her face to hide her identity, yet she tells almost every person she meets who she really is, while still refusing to tell Kaelis the things he actually needs to know.
The deaths of the supporting characters didn't affect me because I never had enough time to get attached to them. And it was obvious from the start that, since this is a trilogy, once the World card was used at the end, it would unleash something the characters would spend the entire next book trying to fix.
That's honestly the main reason I'll be reading book three, because I'm curious to see how the author is going to pull all of this off. The idea of rewriting reality is genuinely fascinating, and the magic system continues to be one of the strongest parts of the series.
Overall, though, I'm just sad this turned out to be another sequel that didn't live up to my expectations.
August 4, 2026
we're back with clara in the immediate aftermath of the events that happened at the end of arcana academy. clara has seemingly lost everything she worked so hard to build during her time in arcana academy and kaelis is nowhere to be found. desperate to avoid repeating her past, clara is going to try to do what she does best: survive.
to put it simply: kova did such an excellent job with this book. seriously, second book syndrome? elise kova doesn't know her. the pacing was fantastic, there was always something happening that made you want to keep reading. she continued to expand upon the world built in arcana academy, new facets of the tarot card magic system emerging that make the universe and story even more captivating.
this book made me adore kaelis more than i thought was possible. talk about supportive, steadfast and absolutely lovesick man. he was so understanding of clara and her journey. speaking of clara.. my GOD she was really going through it. i was stressed for her throughout the entirety of the book. 🥲
"𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘪 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴. 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯."
also ms. kova i cannot believe you did us like that with the ending?! i'm pretty sure you shaved 5 years off of my life.
to put it simply: kova did such an excellent job with this book. seriously, second book syndrome? elise kova doesn't know her. the pacing was fantastic, there was always something happening that made you want to keep reading. she continued to expand upon the world built in arcana academy, new facets of the tarot card magic system emerging that make the universe and story even more captivating.
this book made me adore kaelis more than i thought was possible. talk about supportive, steadfast and absolutely lovesick man. he was so understanding of clara and her journey. speaking of clara.. my GOD she was really going through it. i was stressed for her throughout the entirety of the book. 🥲
"𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘪 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴. 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯."
also ms. kova i cannot believe you did us like that with the ending?! i'm pretty sure you shaved 5 years off of my life.
Currently Reading
August 10, 2026────────────────────
˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
i’ve been waiting to read prince of swords following the diabolical ending of arcana academy. i have a number of long-awaited unanswered questions i demand answers to!!!
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˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
i’ve been waiting to read prince of swords following the diabolical ending of arcana academy. i have a number of long-awaited unanswered questions i demand answers to!!!
follow me on: instagram
July 30, 2026
No, no, no! I can't believe this. The ending left me in tears. How could everything turn out like this? I need the next book ASAP!
Full review: https://mika-no-sekai.blogspot.com/20...
Full review: https://mika-no-sekai.blogspot.com/20...
on-pause
July 25, 2026I embark on my cruise today and decided to immersive read this along with another book for the week! 🌊📚
Book 1 dragged quite a bit in the middle, but that ending had me immediately wanting to continue the story. I’m really hoping this one has a better flow from start to finish!
Book 1 dragged quite a bit in the middle, but that ending had me immediately wanting to continue the story. I’m really hoping this one has a better flow from start to finish!
August 13, 2026
This book was so well written. I loved the whole concept or diving into the tarot card world more. The two characters and their story followed well from the last book! That ending so suspenseful I can’t believe there’s another book have to wait longer lol highly recommend
June 22, 2026
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I had such high hopes going in after loving Arcane Academy so much. The characters were strong, the magic system was deep and intricate, and the world felt alive in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish.
So it breaks my heart to say I did not enjoy this sequel at all. I found myself not wanting to pick it up or push through, which is never a good sign. For a 560-page book, I don’t know how virtually nothing happens. It’s a continual spiral of the same beats over and over, and by the halfway point I was just waiting for something to change.
The characters became dull and lost everything that made them special in the first book. The wit, the depth, the relationships that felt so earned all of it seemed to disappear. The romance fell completely flat and felt like it was going through the motions rather than building toward anything meaningful. I was left feeling hollow and disappointed. To top it off, the ending didn’t feel like a surprise or a reward for slogging through it. It felt unearned, and it left me not wanting to continue in this series.
So it breaks my heart to say I did not enjoy this sequel at all. I found myself not wanting to pick it up or push through, which is never a good sign. For a 560-page book, I don’t know how virtually nothing happens. It’s a continual spiral of the same beats over and over, and by the halfway point I was just waiting for something to change.
The characters became dull and lost everything that made them special in the first book. The wit, the depth, the relationships that felt so earned all of it seemed to disappear. The romance fell completely flat and felt like it was going through the motions rather than building toward anything meaningful. I was left feeling hollow and disappointed. To top it off, the ending didn’t feel like a surprise or a reward for slogging through it. It felt unearned, and it left me not wanting to continue in this series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 🌟 Book, 5 🌟 Audiobook
Firstly, that ending was quite diabolical. We have a huge cliffy, so how are we supposed to wait for book 3 when this one isn't even out yet?
This book had so many elements of a romantasy I love. It is set in a dark academia setting, with secret societies, strong sibling relationships, a great found family, an extremely intelligent female protagonist, and a male protagonist who speaks poetically.
The Magic System & World-Building
Whilst the world-building is extremely dense and I still don't fully understand the Arcana magic system, I still LOVED the story. There is a handy glossary at the back of the book to help you digest the information (and tell you what each card does). I loved how the cards were used in such a unique way in this book.
The FMC: Clara
Clara's character grows so much. After that ending in Arcana Academy, she has a lot more people she needs to protect, and the weight on her shoulders has increased. I watched her slowly let people in and open up. I loved the found family dynamics, and the banter between Kaelis and her was hilarious. I loved that he turned out to be more multi-layered, since we don't know much about him. I do think that the set-up for his character in book 3 is going to be exceedingly exciting.
The way Elise Kova writes is so beautiful, lyrical, haunting, mysterious... I could come up with 1000% more adjectives to describe this book. If you love romantic literature, dark academia, secret societies, and a man who yearns like a European troubadour, pick this book up! lol.
The Audiobook
I did an immersion read (ALC + e-ARC), and Anna Burnett's British accent was so captivating and simultaneously restrained. It brought out all the things I love about Clara and her baddie FMC characteristics.
🩷 Tropes:
🔮 Tarot-based magic system
🏛️ Dark academia / academy setting
⏳ Yearning
💬 Banter
👑 Court politics / oppressive monarchy
🗡️ Betrayal tension
😭 Emotional damage
🩷 Character development
💀 Touch her and die
👑 You're Mine
🌶️ Spice:
Open door — 2/5
Recommendation:
If you enjoyed Arcana Academy, this sequel will hit the spot for you. I highly recommend the immersion read with the audiobook. If you love Nightshade by Autumn Woods, One Dark Window (for the tarot card magic), or A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez, or even Fourth Wing — but with more elevated writing — you will love this book.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC, and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the ALC.
Firstly, that ending was quite diabolical. We have a huge cliffy, so how are we supposed to wait for book 3 when this one isn't even out yet?
This book had so many elements of a romantasy I love. It is set in a dark academia setting, with secret societies, strong sibling relationships, a great found family, an extremely intelligent female protagonist, and a male protagonist who speaks poetically.
The Magic System & World-Building
Whilst the world-building is extremely dense and I still don't fully understand the Arcana magic system, I still LOVED the story. There is a handy glossary at the back of the book to help you digest the information (and tell you what each card does). I loved how the cards were used in such a unique way in this book.
The FMC: Clara
Clara's character grows so much. After that ending in Arcana Academy, she has a lot more people she needs to protect, and the weight on her shoulders has increased. I watched her slowly let people in and open up. I loved the found family dynamics, and the banter between Kaelis and her was hilarious. I loved that he turned out to be more multi-layered, since we don't know much about him. I do think that the set-up for his character in book 3 is going to be exceedingly exciting.
The way Elise Kova writes is so beautiful, lyrical, haunting, mysterious... I could come up with 1000% more adjectives to describe this book. If you love romantic literature, dark academia, secret societies, and a man who yearns like a European troubadour, pick this book up! lol.
The Audiobook
I did an immersion read (ALC + e-ARC), and Anna Burnett's British accent was so captivating and simultaneously restrained. It brought out all the things I love about Clara and her baddie FMC characteristics.
🩷 Tropes:
🔮 Tarot-based magic system
🏛️ Dark academia / academy setting
⏳ Yearning
💬 Banter
👑 Court politics / oppressive monarchy
🗡️ Betrayal tension
😭 Emotional damage
🩷 Character development
💀 Touch her and die
👑 You're Mine
🌶️ Spice:
Open door — 2/5
Recommendation:
If you enjoyed Arcana Academy, this sequel will hit the spot for you. I highly recommend the immersion read with the audiobook. If you love Nightshade by Autumn Woods, One Dark Window (for the tarot card magic), or A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez, or even Fourth Wing — but with more elevated writing — you will love this book.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC, and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the ALC.
August 11, 2026
Summary
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5
Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 2.5/5
Elise Kova is an absolute MASTER of a story teller!
But also who hurt you? And why did you need to hurt me like that?!
Prince of Swords picks up almost immediately after Arcana Academy, with Clara Graysword in a dangerous position being captured and the story wastes very little time throwing her back into the chaos of Oricalis, with new alliances, secrets, and questions about the history of tarot magic slowly coming to the surface.
I loved how much deeper the world became. The tarot magic isn’t just a cool concept in the background anymore (and the most interesting magic system I’ve read) we learn more about the Major Arcana, the Worldkeepers, the history behind the magic, and the forces that have shaped Clara’s fate.
Lots of the mysteries introduced in the first book start to connect, which made me constantly question what was actually true and who we could trust. My heart was in my throat for most of this book!
And then there’s Clara and Kaelis 🥵🥵 Their relationship is definitely one of the biggest parts of the story. Kaelis is still the ruthless, morally grey prince we met in the first book, but we get to see much more of the person underneath that exterior. Their relationship becomes more intense as Clara is forced to decide how much she can trust him, especially when his secrets and his connection to her destiny come to light. And casting tarot in the bedroom was diabolically hot 🥵👏 bravo Elise!
The ending, though… WHAT?! 😭 I genuinely did not see that final twist coming. I am both dreading and yearning desperately for book 3
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5
Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 2.5/5
Elise Kova is an absolute MASTER of a story teller!
But also who hurt you? And why did you need to hurt me like that?!
Prince of Swords picks up almost immediately after Arcana Academy, with Clara Graysword in a dangerous position being captured and the story wastes very little time throwing her back into the chaos of Oricalis, with new alliances, secrets, and questions about the history of tarot magic slowly coming to the surface.
I loved how much deeper the world became. The tarot magic isn’t just a cool concept in the background anymore (and the most interesting magic system I’ve read) we learn more about the Major Arcana, the Worldkeepers, the history behind the magic, and the forces that have shaped Clara’s fate.
Lots of the mysteries introduced in the first book start to connect, which made me constantly question what was actually true and who we could trust. My heart was in my throat for most of this book!
And then there’s Clara and Kaelis 🥵🥵 Their relationship is definitely one of the biggest parts of the story. Kaelis is still the ruthless, morally grey prince we met in the first book, but we get to see much more of the person underneath that exterior. Their relationship becomes more intense as Clara is forced to decide how much she can trust him, especially when his secrets and his connection to her destiny come to light. And casting tarot in the bedroom was diabolically hot 🥵👏 bravo Elise!
The ending, though… WHAT?! 😭 I genuinely did not see that final twist coming. I am both dreading and yearning desperately for book 3
July 22, 2026
With the way sequels have been going this month, I wasn't too hopeful that this book would live up to the first one.
But who knows why I doubted Kova! This story continues seamlessly from the first book.
Kova's writing is so good because I found that I remembered our MCs and side characters without having to do a reread of the first book.
I love the "Who can we trust?!" feeling that Kova keeps us in, all while showing off almost cinematic Tarot card magic.
I’m currently at only 20%, but can’t wait to update my review with my finals thoughts.
Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
But who knows why I doubted Kova! This story continues seamlessly from the first book.
Kova's writing is so good because I found that I remembered our MCs and side characters without having to do a reread of the first book.
I love the "Who can we trust?!" feeling that Kova keeps us in, all while showing off almost cinematic Tarot card magic.
I’m currently at only 20%, but can’t wait to update my review with my finals thoughts.
Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
July 22, 2026
A stunning sequel to Arcana Academy.
This book picks up where the last book left off, throwing us right back into the action.
Clara has ben captured by Ravin and dragged back to the very prison she narrowly escaped from. Fortunately, this time, she isn't there long.
All the puzzle pieces presented to us in book one slowly come together in this one. The tension continues to build, especially between Kaelis and Clara. Their connection and attraction are undeniable. Clara tries to fight it, just as she tries to keep from depending upon anyone outside her close inner circle, but in the end she learns to trust and depend upon others - slowly letting herself open up to those around her.
Kaelis, our smooth-talking blue-haired devil, takes up the mantle of the prince of yearning in this one. He is unwaveringly patient with Clara and tries to help her in every way he can, even knowing there secrets and doubt between them.
There is so much more I want to say, but I think most of it would enter spoiler territory, so I shall refrain.
Prince of Sword is a book that delivers action, romance, and plot-twists galore. It is steadily paced with compelling characters you can't help but to root for. If you love your fantasy with plenty of romance, this is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book picks up where the last book left off, throwing us right back into the action.
Clara has ben captured by Ravin and dragged back to the very prison she narrowly escaped from. Fortunately, this time, she isn't there long.
All the puzzle pieces presented to us in book one slowly come together in this one. The tension continues to build, especially between Kaelis and Clara. Their connection and attraction are undeniable. Clara tries to fight it, just as she tries to keep from depending upon anyone outside her close inner circle, but in the end she learns to trust and depend upon others - slowly letting herself open up to those around her.
Kaelis, our smooth-talking blue-haired devil, takes up the mantle of the prince of yearning in this one. He is unwaveringly patient with Clara and tries to help her in every way he can, even knowing there secrets and doubt between them.
There is so much more I want to say, but I think most of it would enter spoiler territory, so I shall refrain.
Prince of Sword is a book that delivers action, romance, and plot-twists galore. It is steadily paced with compelling characters you can't help but to root for. If you love your fantasy with plenty of romance, this is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2026
2.75⭐️ This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, but I have to admit I liked the first one more.
This book felt so long, and there were definitely moments where I found myself skimming pages. 😴
Clara was so annoying in this one! She didn’t annoy me much in the first book, but in this one she was even more stubborn, and sometimes it drove me crazy… The whole storyline with her sister just wasn’t interesting to me, and it took her way too long to admit how she felt about Kaelis.
The romance… I did enjoy it, BUT I honestly felt like they had more chemistry in the first book. There were some really sweet moments between them, and we finally got what we’d been waiting for… but still, something felt missing.
The ending was good. I was flying through those last chapters. Could I see the twist coming? Kind of. Was I still surprised? Also yes.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I definitely want to read the third one. But there were too many slow, boring moments for me, and book one is still better.
(One thing I really appreciated, though, was that the chapters were short—it made the book a bit easier to get through.)
This book felt so long, and there were definitely moments where I found myself skimming pages. 😴
Clara was so annoying in this one! She didn’t annoy me much in the first book, but in this one she was even more stubborn, and sometimes it drove me crazy… The whole storyline with her sister just wasn’t interesting to me, and it took her way too long to admit how she felt about Kaelis.
The romance… I did enjoy it, BUT I honestly felt like they had more chemistry in the first book. There were some really sweet moments between them, and we finally got what we’d been waiting for… but still, something felt missing.
The ending was good. I was flying through those last chapters. Could I see the twist coming? Kind of. Was I still surprised? Also yes.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I definitely want to read the third one. But there were too many slow, boring moments for me, and book one is still better.
(One thing I really appreciated, though, was that the chapters were short—it made the book a bit easier to get through.)
August 7, 2026
Even better than book 1 🙌💫🤯
This was such a wild ride and I need 7-10 business days to recover. I am knackered in the best way possible, outside of spending the night with Kaelis and a full deck of tarot 😉 Not only do we get constant tarot magic and world-building with the histories of this world, but we spend so much time with the characters! The magic system is impeccably developed and I could spend many many books just hanging out in this universe to learn more about it. Clara and Kaelis continue to struggle with trusting one another and those around them but love prevails. Their constant doubts heavily influenced me as a reader and I still don't trust anyone. That being said, some of the declarations Kaelis makes to Clara had me kicking my feet and blushing. When I say he is down bad, y'all don't even know! There is so much devastation and heartbreak in PoS -- Elise received her payment of readers tears from me in full this year. I have many questions and that ending was absolutely bananas. While I loved the fantasy and the amazing world Elise has developed, her intimate scenes with K&C were exceptional. The use of tarot in the bedroom was next level 🤌and I need book 3 immediately because what do you mean that was the end of book 2?!
I loved everything about this and it's a rare thing when the second book in a trilogy raises the bar in such a way!
Overall, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|🌶️🌶️🌶️
I did an immersive read and the audiobook narrator truly captured Clara and her internal struggle spectacularly 💕
This was such a wild ride and I need 7-10 business days to recover. I am knackered in the best way possible, outside of spending the night with Kaelis and a full deck of tarot 😉 Not only do we get constant tarot magic and world-building with the histories of this world, but we spend so much time with the characters! The magic system is impeccably developed and I could spend many many books just hanging out in this universe to learn more about it. Clara and Kaelis continue to struggle with trusting one another and those around them but love prevails. Their constant doubts heavily influenced me as a reader and I still don't trust anyone. That being said, some of the declarations Kaelis makes to Clara had me kicking my feet and blushing. When I say he is down bad, y'all don't even know! There is so much devastation and heartbreak in PoS -- Elise received her payment of readers tears from me in full this year. I have many questions and that ending was absolutely bananas. While I loved the fantasy and the amazing world Elise has developed, her intimate scenes with K&C were exceptional. The use of tarot in the bedroom was next level 🤌and I need book 3 immediately because what do you mean that was the end of book 2?!
I loved everything about this and it's a rare thing when the second book in a trilogy raises the bar in such a way!
Overall, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|🌶️🌶️🌶️
I did an immersive read and the audiobook narrator truly captured Clara and her internal struggle spectacularly 💕
August 1, 2026
Okay, once again, Elise absolutely knocked me on my ass with another diabolical ending.
I really enjoyed this one. The pacing was still a little inconsistent for me, similar to book one, but the sheer number of truths that were uncovered about the world, the magic, and the rulers completely made up for it. I loved peeling back the layers and discovering that nothing is truly as it seems. Watching just how far those in power will go to erase history, rewrite the truth, and manipulate the world to serve their own selfish agendas was both fascinating and infuriating.
I also loved seeing Clara grow into herself. She's becoming so much more confident and capable, and her character development has been one of my favorite parts of the series. And don't even get me started on the push-and-pull between Clara and Prince Kaelis. They had me absolutely obsessed one minute and wanting to rip my hair out the next. The tension between them is unreal.
But that ending? Absolutely FOUL. Elise really looked us all in the eyes and chose violence. I need the next book immediately because... WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! I refuse to accept that ending
I really enjoyed this one. The pacing was still a little inconsistent for me, similar to book one, but the sheer number of truths that were uncovered about the world, the magic, and the rulers completely made up for it. I loved peeling back the layers and discovering that nothing is truly as it seems. Watching just how far those in power will go to erase history, rewrite the truth, and manipulate the world to serve their own selfish agendas was both fascinating and infuriating.
I also loved seeing Clara grow into herself. She's becoming so much more confident and capable, and her character development has been one of my favorite parts of the series. And don't even get me started on the push-and-pull between Clara and Prince Kaelis. They had me absolutely obsessed one minute and wanting to rip my hair out the next. The tension between them is unreal.
But that ending? Absolutely FOUL. Elise really looked us all in the eyes and chose violence. I need the next book immediately because... WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! I refuse to accept that ending
June 17, 2026
“𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝔂 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾.”
I had super high expectations going into this because I adored Aracana Academy, and unfortunately Prince of Swords didn’t quite match up.
It starts and we immediately get thrust back into the action which I appreciate! But then it seemed to stall or start to get repetitive. It didn’t really start to cook until around the 60% mark, then I was invested! It’s just a shame it felt like work to get there.
The tarot card magic system continues to feel cool and unique, and there are a lot of moving pieces to this plot.
“𝓘𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓸𝓯?”
“𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾? 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓸𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷.“
Clara.. kind of annoyed me. Mainly because of the sibling storyline and the way her words and actions didn’t align.
“𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓾𝓵𝓰𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮.”
Kaelis can forever do no wrong in my eyes. I love how intelligent and arrogant he is, combined with this brief moments of doubt and hurt. It felt like we got to know who he is a little better (he’s still a secretive tortured soul though!)
Overall, not bad but just not the follow up I was hoping for. But UGH that cliffhanger ending!!
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC read!
I had super high expectations going into this because I adored Aracana Academy, and unfortunately Prince of Swords didn’t quite match up.
It starts and we immediately get thrust back into the action which I appreciate! But then it seemed to stall or start to get repetitive. It didn’t really start to cook until around the 60% mark, then I was invested! It’s just a shame it felt like work to get there.
The tarot card magic system continues to feel cool and unique, and there are a lot of moving pieces to this plot.
“𝓘𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓸𝓯?”
“𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾? 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓸𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷.“
Clara.. kind of annoyed me. Mainly because of the sibling storyline and the way her words and actions didn’t align.
“𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓾𝓵𝓰𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮.”
Kaelis can forever do no wrong in my eyes. I love how intelligent and arrogant he is, combined with this brief moments of doubt and hurt. It felt like we got to know who he is a little better (he’s still a secretive tortured soul though!)
Overall, not bad but just not the follow up I was hoping for. But UGH that cliffhanger ending!!
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC read!
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