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Arcana Academy

by Elise Kova · Arcana Academy #1

2025 · 553 pages · Random House

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Fake DatingForced ProximityEnemies to Lovers
4.0Goodreads
4.3Amazon
4.0romance.io

Ratings link to their original sources; spice is sourced from romance.io, Hotlist readers, or clearly marked estimates.

Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️· via romance.io ↗
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What Makes It Hot

📹 Mentioned by 2 BookTok creators

💬 Mentioned in 10+ Reddit threads

📖 36k+ readers on Goodreads

What Might Cool You Off

⏳ This series may not be complete yet — 1 of 1 books published

About this book

Clara's thieving days come to an abrupt end when she's arrested for the one crime she can't escape: wielding forbidden tarot magic that only the elite Arcana Academy is supposed to possess. Just when a lifetime prison sentence seems certain, the academy's mysterious Prince Kaelis offers her an impossible deal—help him steal a legendary card that could reshape the world, and she'll go free. To keep her close and hidden, he enrolls her as a first-year student while announcing they're engaged, plunging Clara into a glittering world of magic, politics, and danger where one wrong move could destroy everything. As Clara navigates this treacherous new life, she discovers that the cold, calculating prince might have depths worth understanding—but trusting him could be the riskiest game she's ever played.

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sultrydangerousyearningmysteriousintoxicating

Dark academia meets forbidden romance with moody indie, gothic electronica, and sultry R&B. Think atmospheric tension, smoldering chemistry, and dangerous magic—like Hozier meets The Midnight and FKA twigs. Ethereal yet edgy, intimate yet sinister.

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📹 Seen on BookTok

@thtgrlreadstiktok· loved it

“If you like things like Zodiac Academy, Harry Potter, this has tarot card magic in it. So it's got a different magic system in it. Very well written. This has really good plot. It's got really good buildup.”

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@novelswithannatiktok· loved it

“If you are looking for a tarot card magic system, pick this up. I cannot wait for the next book. I sat down and read this in one sitting. I could not stop.”

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💬 Join the Discussion

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Magical Academy-like books with slowburn/romance subplot? - Reddit

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