What do you think?
Arcana Academy #2
Принц на мечовете
Най-могъщите тайни на магическите карти!
Добре дошли отново в академия „Аркана“. Във втората книга от тази вълнуваща романтична фентъзи поредица, магията на тарото, заедно със забранени желания, битки и предателства се сблъскват, за да променят света.
Клара Сивомеч е най-издирваната в Орикалис. Преследвана и притисната в ъгъла, този път дори майсторството ѝ в таро не може да я спаси... Докато не се появяват мистериозните Светопазители. Тази тайна организация може би държи ключа към промяната на съдбата на Клара. Ако се осмели да им се довери.
Но най-опасният съюз от всички е този, в който тя вече дълбоко е потънала – принц Каелис.
Каелис, второродният принц на Орикалис и директор на академия „Аркана“, е единственият мъж, от когото не може да избяга – може би защото не иска. Безмилостен, опасен и свързан с Клара от съдбата и желанието, Каелис поставя на изпитание сърцето ѝ, както и лоялността ѝ. Заедно се доближават до най-могъщите тайни на магическите карти... и до истините, които и двамата крият и които могат да унищожат страстта, която вече не отричат.
„Принц на мечовете“ - книга втора от роментъзи поредицата „Академия „Аркана“.
Добре дошли отново в академия „Аркана“. Във втората книга от тази вълнуваща романтична фентъзи поредица, магията на тарото, заедно със забранени желания, битки и предателства се сблъскват, за да променят света.
Клара Сивомеч е най-издирваната в Орикалис. Преследвана и притисната в ъгъла, този път дори майсторството ѝ в таро не може да я спаси... Докато не се появяват мистериозните Светопазители. Тази тайна организация може би държи ключа към промяната на съдбата на Клара. Ако се осмели да им се довери.
Но най-опасният съюз от всички е този, в който тя вече дълбоко е потънала – принц Каелис.
Каелис, второродният принц на Орикалис и директор на академия „Аркана“, е единственият мъж, от когото не може да избяга – може би защото не иска. Безмилостен, опасен и свързан с Клара от съдбата и желанието, Каелис поставя на изпитание сърцето ѝ, както и лоялността ѝ. Заедно се доближават до най-могъщите тайни на магическите карти... и до истините, които и двамата крият и които могат да унищожат страстта, която вече не отричат.
„Принц на мечовете“ - книга втора от роментъзи поредицата „Академия „Аркана“.
576 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2026
About the author
Elise Kova
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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.
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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 1,451 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 2, 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????
May 31, 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
Read
September 10, 2026Elise is a mastermind and I feel like the fool 🙈 RTC ♥️♥️
~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-read: After putting up fall decorations it’s officially time to return to a world of dark academia, tarot card magic, and a certain void born prince 🖤🖤 I might be 25% in already, because what else am I supposed to do when I’m up half the night holding a sick toddler 🎧🥱🫠
~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-read: After putting up fall decorations it’s officially time to return to a world of dark academia, tarot card magic, and a certain void born prince 🖤🖤 I might be 25% in already, because what else am I supposed to do when I’m up half the night holding a sick toddler 🎧🥱🫠
September 2, 2026
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
wish that before i dive right into book two (after literally finishing book one a year ago today (9/2/25)) that i did a reread of arcana academy - i remember that i absolutely adored the first book and it's crazy cliffhanger ending,
but the world building and magic system was very nuanced, and very well done.
i noticed one of the publishing trends last year revolved around tarot magic, and i felt elise kova wrote the best tarot magic system out of all of the books with tarot i had read.
there were a lot of insane revelations and plot twists in prince of swords, and interestingly enough, a lot of rewriting of reality and glimpses of alternate universes.
wish that before i dive right into book two (after literally finishing book one a year ago today (9/2/25)) that i did a reread of arcana academy - i remember that i absolutely adored the first book and it's crazy cliffhanger ending,
but the world building and magic system was very nuanced, and very well done.
i noticed one of the publishing trends last year revolved around tarot magic, and i felt elise kova wrote the best tarot magic system out of all of the books with tarot i had read.
there were a lot of insane revelations and plot twists in prince of swords, and interestingly enough, a lot of rewriting of reality and glimpses of alternate universes.
September 13, 2026
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🃁🀢🀣🀦🀤🂭
Okay so this book absolutely delivered. Clara's growth this time around was so satisfying to watch, going from closed-off to actually letting people in, friends and then finally Kaelis, and it felt so earned. Like, this girl survived so much and came out the other side still capable of trust? That's strength. The banter still hits every time, the representation is thoughtful, and I love how this series keeps using fantasy to comment on real-world politics.
And Kaelis. He is now officially at the top of my book boyfriend list, no contest. His affection is all in his actions, not his words, he just gets her without needing her to explain herself. Morally grey, devoted, protective, patient enough to wait for her to come to him, and somehow still sweet enough to be sickening about it sometimes. He's a cat dad. He's husband material. I don't make the rules. Getting more of his backstory in this book made me understand him (and love him) even more.
Clara and Kaelis together are just, they're each other's missing piece. Soulmates, genuinely. Watching them go from barely trusting each other to becoming each other's safe place was everything I wanted and more. The crater scene? One of my favorite scenes I've ever read, period. Protection, jealousy, yearning, trust, conviction, desire, destiny, it's all crammed into their dynamic and it works. He'd burn the world down for her a hundred times over, and she looks at the darkest parts of him and loves him more for it.
I also really loved Clara's moments with the side characters. Genuinely wish we got more of Arina's healing journey.
The world building is still one of the best things about this series: tarot magic, the academy, the Worldkeepers, the familiar bonds, side characters who actually feel like people. This book builds on everything from book one and I feel so much more grounded in this world now than I did before. The race to collect what they needed, and everything it cost them, wrecked me emotionally in the best way. I had to put the book down more than once just to process.
Spice was just okay for me, honestly, but the banter more than made up for it. Pacing dragged a little here and there, but I love this world and these characters too much to actually care.
And that ending. CRIMINAL. Another cliffhanger, everything I thought I knew got flipped upside down, and the execution was good but could've hit even harder. Doesn't matter, I need book three now. How am I supposed to wait a year??
Quotes: ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ––––––––જ⁀➴
“When it comes to you, nothing. You are my favourite obsession.”
“Belief is sharper than any blade, stronger than even stone. It far outlives the trappings of mortal men. Even of fate itself.”
“I am not even old, but I feel as if I’ve lived a thousand lives. I’m tired of revolutions, of schemes and heists, of waking up and wondering if it’s my last day to be alive and pretending I don’t care. Pretending I’m not afraid.
“Pain can break us. But it can also make us. We are not just pain and not just joy. What makes us as people is the combination of both. Losing either completely is a dangerous thing.”
"I'm so much more than my skin and bones and there's nothing I wont give to accomplish my goals"
"I love you in this world , in the next, I love you until the stars burn out and history is nothing but faded ink on the pages of books that will be never read again"
"You are my destiny and my desire. Even the power of an ancient relic couldn't keep us apart, for here we are"
"You are my love in every age. The keeper of every incarnation of my heart. My reason. My aspiration. My fate. You...you are my world" "And you are mine. Who else would I destroy the world with?”
"This man might be a monster, but he is my monster"
"I would rather die a thousand deaths-suffer a million horrible fates-than exist in one world where you are not mine, Clara"
🃁🀢🀣🀦🀤🂭
Okay so this book absolutely delivered. Clara's growth this time around was so satisfying to watch, going from closed-off to actually letting people in, friends and then finally Kaelis, and it felt so earned. Like, this girl survived so much and came out the other side still capable of trust? That's strength. The banter still hits every time, the representation is thoughtful, and I love how this series keeps using fantasy to comment on real-world politics.
And Kaelis. He is now officially at the top of my book boyfriend list, no contest. His affection is all in his actions, not his words, he just gets her without needing her to explain herself. Morally grey, devoted, protective, patient enough to wait for her to come to him, and somehow still sweet enough to be sickening about it sometimes. He's a cat dad. He's husband material. I don't make the rules. Getting more of his backstory in this book made me understand him (and love him) even more.
Clara and Kaelis together are just, they're each other's missing piece. Soulmates, genuinely. Watching them go from barely trusting each other to becoming each other's safe place was everything I wanted and more. The crater scene? One of my favorite scenes I've ever read, period. Protection, jealousy, yearning, trust, conviction, desire, destiny, it's all crammed into their dynamic and it works. He'd burn the world down for her a hundred times over, and she looks at the darkest parts of him and loves him more for it.
I also really loved Clara's moments with the side characters. Genuinely wish we got more of Arina's healing journey.
The world building is still one of the best things about this series: tarot magic, the academy, the Worldkeepers, the familiar bonds, side characters who actually feel like people. This book builds on everything from book one and I feel so much more grounded in this world now than I did before. The race to collect what they needed, and everything it cost them, wrecked me emotionally in the best way. I had to put the book down more than once just to process.
Spice was just okay for me, honestly, but the banter more than made up for it. Pacing dragged a little here and there, but I love this world and these characters too much to actually care.
And that ending. CRIMINAL. Another cliffhanger, everything I thought I knew got flipped upside down, and the execution was good but could've hit even harder. Doesn't matter, I need book three now. How am I supposed to wait a year??
Quotes: ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ––––––––જ⁀➴
“When it comes to you, nothing. You are my favourite obsession.”
“Belief is sharper than any blade, stronger than even stone. It far outlives the trappings of mortal men. Even of fate itself.”
“I am not even old, but I feel as if I’ve lived a thousand lives. I’m tired of revolutions, of schemes and heists, of waking up and wondering if it’s my last day to be alive and pretending I don’t care. Pretending I’m not afraid.
“Pain can break us. But it can also make us. We are not just pain and not just joy. What makes us as people is the combination of both. Losing either completely is a dangerous thing.”
"I'm so much more than my skin and bones and there's nothing I wont give to accomplish my goals"
"I love you in this world , in the next, I love you until the stars burn out and history is nothing but faded ink on the pages of books that will be never read again"
"You are my destiny and my desire. Even the power of an ancient relic couldn't keep us apart, for here we are"
"You are my love in every age. The keeper of every incarnation of my heart. My reason. My aspiration. My fate. You...you are my world" "And you are mine. Who else would I destroy the world with?”
"This man might be a monster, but he is my monster"
"I would rather die a thousand deaths-suffer a million horrible fates-than exist in one world where you are not mine, Clara"
August 12, 2026
I feel personally attacked by that ending. I love it.
July 9, 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.
November 24, 2025
3.5/5 stars
3/5 spice
Tropes:
💙 Tarot Magic
💛 Found Family
💙Sisterly Bond
💛 Political Intrigue
💙 Dark Academia
4/5 audio
Audio Review:
I really enjoy Anna Burnett’s narration! She has a lovely British accent and engages you with her narrative style. I also don’t mind her narration for male voices, which is always a plus. My only real issue with the narration was how slow it felt. Despite having it on my normals speed (3x 🙈, which is the max speed on Libby), it still felt too slow, and unfortunately I couldn’t speed it up anymore. However, I definitely plan to finish this trilogy via audiobook going forward as I really do enjoy her narration!
Overall, a wonderful production from Books on Tape.
Book Review:
Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with this book. I enjoyed it and also didn’t like it at the same time.
One thing I take ownership over is my memory of the first book was way worse than I thought it was. I didn’t remember literally anyone but our FMC, MMC, and villain. So it made this book way more confusing than it should’ve been. That’s on me though.
Negatives:
- It was slow for the majority of the time, and probably should’ve been edited down a good amount.
- There were multiple words and phrases I took issue with. Almost all of which took place during spicy scenes. The biggest offender to me was “I panted like a b*tch in heat” which I thought was so wildly unnecessary and very demeaning. Then the author also decided to use the “C” word multiple times to describe the female anatomy and there are just so many other words that she could’ve used. I can’t remember if it was used in the first book or not but I really wish it wasn’t used at all.
- Obviously, we have a third book to round out the trilogy but there have been a good amount of plot holes. Hopefully there won’t be plot holes after the next book, but I have a feeling there still will be.
- No spoilers but there were multiple big things they had to do for *plot reasons* that they immediately turned around and threw out the window. It made so many of their actions feel pointless, it was very frustrating.
Positives:
- I honestly really love the overall storyline.
- I continue to be impressed with the tarot magic, it’s very unique.
- Elise is not afraid to kill off characters. While magic can be a convenient shield, there are actually consequences to actions and you really do lose people along the way.
- I like Elise Kova’s writing style a lot, it’s very engaging, even when the story feels slow.
- It ends on a very enticing cliffhanger. I planned to finish the trilogy anyways but definitely am even more excited to do so now.
So for now, I don’t think I can give this book higher than a 3.5 rating, because I did really struggle to enjoy my reading experience for the majority of the book. Part of that is definitely on me though, as I’ve been feeling slumpy.
I never seem to find the time but I would really like to re-read the first two books prior to picking up the final installment when it releases. Hopefully I’m able to do so, because I think that’ll greatly enhance the final book and overall trilogy.
—————————————————————————————
Original comment:
Take me back to Arcana Academy!
3/5 spice
Tropes:
💙 Tarot Magic
💛 Found Family
💙Sisterly Bond
💛 Political Intrigue
💙 Dark Academia
4/5 audio
Audio Review:
I really enjoy Anna Burnett’s narration! She has a lovely British accent and engages you with her narrative style. I also don’t mind her narration for male voices, which is always a plus. My only real issue with the narration was how slow it felt. Despite having it on my normals speed (3x 🙈, which is the max speed on Libby), it still felt too slow, and unfortunately I couldn’t speed it up anymore. However, I definitely plan to finish this trilogy via audiobook going forward as I really do enjoy her narration!
Overall, a wonderful production from Books on Tape.
Book Review:
Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with this book. I enjoyed it and also didn’t like it at the same time.
One thing I take ownership over is my memory of the first book was way worse than I thought it was. I didn’t remember literally anyone but our FMC, MMC, and villain. So it made this book way more confusing than it should’ve been. That’s on me though.
Negatives:
- It was slow for the majority of the time, and probably should’ve been edited down a good amount.
- There were multiple words and phrases I took issue with. Almost all of which took place during spicy scenes. The biggest offender to me was “I panted like a b*tch in heat” which I thought was so wildly unnecessary and very demeaning. Then the author also decided to use the “C” word multiple times to describe the female anatomy and there are just so many other words that she could’ve used. I can’t remember if it was used in the first book or not but I really wish it wasn’t used at all.
- Obviously, we have a third book to round out the trilogy but there have been a good amount of plot holes. Hopefully there won’t be plot holes after the next book, but I have a feeling there still will be.
- No spoilers but there were multiple big things they had to do for *plot reasons* that they immediately turned around and threw out the window. It made so many of their actions feel pointless, it was very frustrating.
Positives:
- I honestly really love the overall storyline.
- I continue to be impressed with the tarot magic, it’s very unique.
- Elise is not afraid to kill off characters. While magic can be a convenient shield, there are actually consequences to actions and you really do lose people along the way.
- I like Elise Kova’s writing style a lot, it’s very engaging, even when the story feels slow.
- It ends on a very enticing cliffhanger. I planned to finish the trilogy anyways but definitely am even more excited to do so now.
So for now, I don’t think I can give this book higher than a 3.5 rating, because I did really struggle to enjoy my reading experience for the majority of the book. Part of that is definitely on me though, as I’ve been feeling slumpy.
I never seem to find the time but I would really like to re-read the first two books prior to picking up the final installment when it releases. Hopefully I’m able to do so, because I think that’ll greatly enhance the final book and overall trilogy.
—————————————————————————————
Original comment:
Take me back to Arcana Academy!
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 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.
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
May 27, 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.
July 20, 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
August 23, 2026
I truly don’t know how to rate this. The first 20% felt extremely YA with all of her declarations of revenge & threats… but this does thankfully (mostly) settle in. Although she continues to constantly tell us how he’s lowering his guard for her alone, vulnerable for her alone, how heavy his voice is with yearning… etc etc etc. A little too much tell & not enough show. Ultimately, it mostly suffers from a lack of proper editing & not trusting its reader enough (& maybe Kova should be leaving smut alone).
‘“I will protect you, and her. I swear it on my life.” Not his name or his titles, because we both know he doesn’t really care about those…but his life. One thing I know Kaelis values.’ Why are we over explaining someone swearing on their life??
‘But we’re not…we’re not lovers, so this can’t be what some call “making love.” Yet I imagine this might be what it feels like. The soft movements. The longing looks, as if he’s across a crowded room and he’s not fully embedded in me.’ Except he’s been declaring his undying devotion to you since the first few pages?? (This is p251)
‘In an instant, I’m panting like a bitch in heat, and I can’t control it—I don’t want to.’ Did no one think to maybe cut this line out??
‘“This…” he continues with a rasp. “This is how I’ll always know you. Change your face, Clara. Change your body. Change the fucking world itself, I don’t care. But I will find you. I will find you in every iteration. I will know you.”’ I know she’s making this into a soul thing after, but no one considering that he’s saying this the moment he enters her?? Like what, you’re gonna do some weird Cinderella situation going round having sex with a load of girls to find the matching..? Editing needed!!
‘It’s a resolution stronger than steel. But a vulnerability I’ve never seen from him before. He’s terrified, yet he’s never been more sure of anything in his life.’ Telling us this is unheard of levels of vulnerability kind of loses its meaning after the first… dozens of times.
ALL THIS BEING SAID, I did really enjoy the second half in particular. The plot itself was great, & there are a lot of seeds planted in book one that develop really nicely here. The payoff on Kaelis & Clara’s relationship when she finally begins to really trust him and realises she’s been protecting secrets for no reason etc etc was well earned. I also really loved the sister relationship & how this is rebuilt, how it affects the both of them. Clara learning she has to offer trust to have a chance of winning was some good character work. We get some very cool magic development, some decently shocking revelations, & there are stakes! The big battle was cool, and the ending shocking but well hinted towards. I really want to read the third book now.
‘“I will protect you, and her. I swear it on my life.” Not his name or his titles, because we both know he doesn’t really care about those…but his life. One thing I know Kaelis values.’ Why are we over explaining someone swearing on their life??
‘But we’re not…we’re not lovers, so this can’t be what some call “making love.” Yet I imagine this might be what it feels like. The soft movements. The longing looks, as if he’s across a crowded room and he’s not fully embedded in me.’ Except he’s been declaring his undying devotion to you since the first few pages?? (This is p251)
‘In an instant, I’m panting like a bitch in heat, and I can’t control it—I don’t want to.’ Did no one think to maybe cut this line out??
‘“This…” he continues with a rasp. “This is how I’ll always know you. Change your face, Clara. Change your body. Change the fucking world itself, I don’t care. But I will find you. I will find you in every iteration. I will know you.”’ I know she’s making this into a soul thing after, but no one considering that he’s saying this the moment he enters her?? Like what, you’re gonna do some weird Cinderella situation going round having sex with a load of girls to find the matching..? Editing needed!!
‘It’s a resolution stronger than steel. But a vulnerability I’ve never seen from him before. He’s terrified, yet he’s never been more sure of anything in his life.’ Telling us this is unheard of levels of vulnerability kind of loses its meaning after the first… dozens of times.
ALL THIS BEING SAID, I did really enjoy the second half in particular. The plot itself was great, & there are a lot of seeds planted in book one that develop really nicely here. The payoff on Kaelis & Clara’s relationship when she finally begins to really trust him and realises she’s been protecting secrets for no reason etc etc was well earned. I also really loved the sister relationship & how this is rebuilt, how it affects the both of them. Clara learning she has to offer trust to have a chance of winning was some good character work. We get some very cool magic development, some decently shocking revelations, & there are stakes! The big battle was cool, and the ending shocking but well hinted towards. I really want to read the third book now.
September 7, 2026
This book takes on a different approach than the first, where Clara was a student at the academy. This time, she’s masquerading as a teacher while in hiding.
I think I liked this plotline more than the first, because some of the aspects I didn’t enjoy were tied to the academical setting and Clara being a student. I also think the ending is setting up for an interesting conclusion.
Some of the weaker aspects did however still show up. I find the magic system too big to easily keep track of and the pacing felt slow at times. I think the book could’ve been slimmed down without losing much substance. The obsession with the cat became a bit over the top. As a dog owner, I can sort of understand, but keep it on a reasonable level. When Clara pretty much stated that Kaelis treasuring his cat made him more attractive, it became overbearing.
Still looking forward to the final book though.
I think I liked this plotline more than the first, because some of the aspects I didn’t enjoy were tied to the academical setting and Clara being a student. I also think the ending is setting up for an interesting conclusion.
Some of the weaker aspects did however still show up. I find the magic system too big to easily keep track of and the pacing felt slow at times. I think the book could’ve been slimmed down without losing much substance. The obsession with the cat became a bit over the top. As a dog owner, I can sort of understand, but keep it on a reasonable level. When Clara pretty much stated that Kaelis treasuring his cat made him more attractive, it became overbearing.
Still looking forward to the final book though.
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 29, 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...
July 31, 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
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 31, 2026
✮ ✮ ✮ 3?/5
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
Super cool tarot card magic system.
Though I was bored at times I actually enjoyed a lot of this.
It was easy to pick up and start reading bc I was already interested in what was gonna happen. It starts off super fast paced and interesting.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 ˚༶˖
This needs editing. There were so many meaningless conflicts that I just didn’t care about and it made the book SO much longer than it needed to be. The characters kept getting off topic and into random fights. It felt like they were doing shit to waste time.
I felt kinda weird about Arcana being fine with Kaelis dating Clara, Kaelis’s brother tortured her for MONTHS and she’s just okay with the brother of the man who abused her dating her sister?? At the very least I would expect her to be a little more skeptical of him…
I literally didn’t care about any of the side characters, I don’t even remember the names of the ones who died. I only remembered the FMC, MMC and the sister, everyone else was forgettable.
There were some… choice words in the vocabulary. I listened to the audiobook so I had to hear “I panted like a bitch in heat” in a british accent on like 1.5x speed. Also the word c*nt was used to describe her 🐱 like 20+ times, I get it!
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 ❀⋆.ೃ࿔
I enjoyed this more than I expected but I was also super bored majority of the time.
That ending was really crazy, I have no idea how Clara’s gonna fix that 😬🤷🏼♀️
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
Super cool tarot card magic system.
Though I was bored at times I actually enjoyed a lot of this.
It was easy to pick up and start reading bc I was already interested in what was gonna happen. It starts off super fast paced and interesting.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 ˚༶˖
This needs editing. There were so many meaningless conflicts that I just didn’t care about and it made the book SO much longer than it needed to be. The characters kept getting off topic and into random fights. It felt like they were doing shit to waste time.
I felt kinda weird about Arcana being fine with Kaelis dating Clara, Kaelis’s brother tortured her for MONTHS and she’s just okay with the brother of the man who abused her dating her sister?? At the very least I would expect her to be a little more skeptical of him…
I literally didn’t care about any of the side characters, I don’t even remember the names of the ones who died. I only remembered the FMC, MMC and the sister, everyone else was forgettable.
There were some… choice words in the vocabulary. I listened to the audiobook so I had to hear “I panted like a bitch in heat” in a british accent on like 1.5x speed. Also the word c*nt was used to describe her 🐱 like 20+ times, I get it!
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 ❀⋆.ೃ࿔
I enjoyed this more than I expected but I was also super bored majority of the time.
That ending was really crazy, I have no idea how Clara’s gonna fix that 😬🤷🏼♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2026
After reading book 1, I was so excited to continue but also aware of some things that really needed to be improved in book 2 for me to actually root for this series. Sadly, after fighting through the trenches while reading Prince of Swords, it did not live up to any of my expectations.
I do really think the premise of this is entertaining. The magic combined with the cards is really interesting and this whole remaking the world thing is such an intriguing concept. But there’s just so much happening around it that I don’t love it as much as I want to love it.
My main issue with this book is the pacing. Between the first 5 chapters and the last 10 ones, nothing actually happens. It’s a lot of Clara not trusting anyone (but then simultaneously way too many people) and going around to collect lore to set up book 3. In between that she works a bit on getting ready to cast the World card but it’s pretty clear from the start that we’re gonna have to wait till the end of the book for that. I was just so incredibly bored. I kept having to force myself to continue reading and pretend to remotely care about any of these reveals when none were as impactful as they could’ve been. Or you were just left with more questions. Like Kaelis finally reveals that he’s void-born. But what the fuck does that actually mean?? Instead of getting an answer we get a sex scene with some very out of place dirty talk lol.
Then there’s the big issue of her identity. Her identity has been compromised so badly that she needs a new one to get up to all of her scheming. The magic isn’t enough so Kaelis suggests to remake her face. They’re both extremely casual about this whole idea. They don’t really seem to research other possibilities. He’s just totally fine with remaking the face of this girl that’s been his future. I’m gonna be honest, I skipped through the entire scene where he actively remakes her face cause the idea made me way too nauseous. (She also dyes her hair pink?? I vaguely remember something about more people having unique hair colours in book 1 but it’s not really mentioned in book 2 so I might be wrong. But still?? Just dye it a less recognisable colour please😭 and zero mentions of her ever having to redye it or anything.) But after they go through all of this trouble, pain, whatever to make her anonymous, she goes around and tells so many fucking people😭😭 And then other people are also able to just tell?? Because this girl is not being stealthy at allll. She’s just behaving like she used to but with a new name basically. Like truly what was the point of all of this😭 except to give me a new trauma💀
Speaking of trauma. The way Clara is just immediately fine after being locked up and tortured for weeks in the prison that she only escaped less than a year ago and was also treated badly in before??? Like bestie got her wounds healed and didn’t think about it again???? Her sister was tortured for even longer and way worse and Clara is upset but like not as upset as I would expect from someone who’s always yapping about how family comes first. And then literally so many people in Clara’s life die, she needs to be around people she was friends with last year but now with a new identity, her lover is fine with remaking her face, her sister is a shell of a person (cause she does react to the torture) and she’s running around at all hours of the day and she’s just fine?? She has a couple of little meltdowns but she barely even mentions that she’s tired??? Girlie is super human or something, idk.
Then there’s this whole trust bullshit. She’s constantly thinking that she doesn’t trust literally anyone. But she does tell them about her different identity, her plans, her connection to Kaelis, her weaknesses. Either trust them or don’t but don’t give me these mixed messages. She also gets so angry at Kaelis that he won’t tell her everything when she’s actively withholding like 5 pieces of important information from him??? And he kinda calls her out but then also just lets her be. Which like no girl, be fucking honest for once.
A smaller thing but still very infuriating. At one point she has this talk with Liam, her former boyfriend and the love she gave up to join the academy. He’s somehow figured out that her identity is fake and she’s actually Clara. He decides that he can’t be trusted incase he gets tortured for information about her so he basically gives her permission to kill him?? And she just does? Without feeling guilty in any way. She just moves on. Even when his wife catches her in the act. Like no can we please stay with this crazy plot for a little bit longer??
The ending was more exciting than the rest of the book but still very predictable. Like obviously she would cast the world and it wouldn’t end like she thought it would and oh no now they have to fix that. It did leave me with a million questions about Kaelis and his motivations throughout the rest of the book.
But I won’t get them answered any time soon because I’m definitely not reading book 3. I am still intrigued but this really could’ve been 300 pages shorter and I just can’t handle it being dragged out for another book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I do really think the premise of this is entertaining. The magic combined with the cards is really interesting and this whole remaking the world thing is such an intriguing concept. But there’s just so much happening around it that I don’t love it as much as I want to love it.
My main issue with this book is the pacing. Between the first 5 chapters and the last 10 ones, nothing actually happens. It’s a lot of Clara not trusting anyone (but then simultaneously way too many people) and going around to collect lore to set up book 3. In between that she works a bit on getting ready to cast the World card but it’s pretty clear from the start that we’re gonna have to wait till the end of the book for that. I was just so incredibly bored. I kept having to force myself to continue reading and pretend to remotely care about any of these reveals when none were as impactful as they could’ve been. Or you were just left with more questions. Like Kaelis finally reveals that he’s void-born. But what the fuck does that actually mean?? Instead of getting an answer we get a sex scene with some very out of place dirty talk lol.
Then there’s the big issue of her identity. Her identity has been compromised so badly that she needs a new one to get up to all of her scheming. The magic isn’t enough so Kaelis suggests to remake her face. They’re both extremely casual about this whole idea. They don’t really seem to research other possibilities. He’s just totally fine with remaking the face of this girl that’s been his future. I’m gonna be honest, I skipped through the entire scene where he actively remakes her face cause the idea made me way too nauseous. (She also dyes her hair pink?? I vaguely remember something about more people having unique hair colours in book 1 but it’s not really mentioned in book 2 so I might be wrong. But still?? Just dye it a less recognisable colour please😭 and zero mentions of her ever having to redye it or anything.) But after they go through all of this trouble, pain, whatever to make her anonymous, she goes around and tells so many fucking people😭😭 And then other people are also able to just tell?? Because this girl is not being stealthy at allll. She’s just behaving like she used to but with a new name basically. Like truly what was the point of all of this😭 except to give me a new trauma💀
Speaking of trauma. The way Clara is just immediately fine after being locked up and tortured for weeks in the prison that she only escaped less than a year ago and was also treated badly in before??? Like bestie got her wounds healed and didn’t think about it again???? Her sister was tortured for even longer and way worse and Clara is upset but like not as upset as I would expect from someone who’s always yapping about how family comes first. And then literally so many people in Clara’s life die, she needs to be around people she was friends with last year but now with a new identity, her lover is fine with remaking her face, her sister is a shell of a person (cause she does react to the torture) and she’s running around at all hours of the day and she’s just fine?? She has a couple of little meltdowns but she barely even mentions that she’s tired??? Girlie is super human or something, idk.
Then there’s this whole trust bullshit. She’s constantly thinking that she doesn’t trust literally anyone. But she does tell them about her different identity, her plans, her connection to Kaelis, her weaknesses. Either trust them or don’t but don’t give me these mixed messages. She also gets so angry at Kaelis that he won’t tell her everything when she’s actively withholding like 5 pieces of important information from him??? And he kinda calls her out but then also just lets her be. Which like no girl, be fucking honest for once.
A smaller thing but still very infuriating. At one point she has this talk with Liam, her former boyfriend and the love she gave up to join the academy. He’s somehow figured out that her identity is fake and she’s actually Clara. He decides that he can’t be trusted incase he gets tortured for information about her so he basically gives her permission to kill him?? And she just does? Without feeling guilty in any way. She just moves on. Even when his wife catches her in the act. Like no can we please stay with this crazy plot for a little bit longer??
The ending was more exciting than the rest of the book but still very predictable. Like obviously she would cast the world and it wouldn’t end like she thought it would and oh no now they have to fix that. It did leave me with a million questions about Kaelis and his motivations throughout the rest of the book.
But I won’t get them answered any time soon because I’m definitely not reading book 3. I am still intrigued but this really could’ve been 300 pages shorter and I just can’t handle it being dragged out for another book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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
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
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