Prince of Swords

Arcana Academy #2

by Elise Kova

Welcome back to Arcana Academy. Tarot magic, forbidden desire, battle, and betrayal collide for the power to change the world in the thrilling second book of this New York Times bestselling fantasy romance series.

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.

Book Two in The Arcana Academy Series

Don't miss any of Elise Kova's enthralling Arcana Academy Series!
ARCANA ACADEMY PRINCE OF SWORDS

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

560 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 21, 2026

About the author

Join 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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Reviews

[Esta · Rating 5 out of 5]

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?

(review to come when I can form coherent thoughts)


﹏﹏﹏﹏

Last minute audiobook ALC approved but expiring soon + most anticipated read = Hi Clara & Kaelis. Goodbye sleep.

[Suirene]

wdym I have to wait until July to see Kaelis burn this world down for her????

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 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.*

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[naz]

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!

[Karly Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead)]

Take me back to Arcana Academy!

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Noi (in & out)]

oh would you look at that

[Kyli · Rating 3 out of 5]

“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!

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cliffhanger!!! What?!?

I cannot get over that cliffhanger!!🤯 Wondering what direction the author will go with for book 3. The story picks up right where we left off in book 1 and keeps you hooked. There are some jaw dropping reveals and heavy losses. There is a lot more spice in this book too. 👀

We get to see a more vulnerable side to Kaelis in this book and we get to see just how powerful he is too. My jaw dropped!!

Clara literally and figuratively has the world on her shoulders. She must make the vessel card, find the secret ingredient for the ink, do everything she can to erase her real name, keep Prince Ravin off of her trail, help her sister remember herself, help the Woldkeepers and figure out her relationship with Kaelis. The list goes on. With her identity known she must go through some very intense changes in order to hide in plain sight in the halls of the academy. With every loss, every decision and every secret, Clara can barely recognize herself anymore. The battles are endless.

Thank you to the author, @delrey and @netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Arie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly the kind of sequel I hope for. 80 chapters flew by, and I felt like I could easily devour 80 more. The story keeps unfolding in unexpected ways, and the author is constantly laying pieces in place without ever making the twists feel obvious.

The tarot-based magic remains one of the coolest systems I’ve come across. It feels fresh, distinct, and the imagery is absolutely stunning.

The romance leveled up in every way. Seeing more of the MMC’s softer side made me love him even more, and the trust these two built felt completely earned.

The FMC continues to be the heart of this series for me. She’s sharp as a blade, impossible to outmaneuver, and carries her scars in a way that feels believable rather than performative.

The ending had my jaw on the floor. There were moments where I started questioning everything and wondering if we’d been looking at the villains all wrong, but the actual reveal still blindsided me. I immediately flipped back and reread it because there was no way that just happened.

Some sequels maintain the momentum of the first book. This one took everything I loved about Arcana Academy and made it even better.

Thank you to Del Rey, Elise Kova, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

I’m still obsessed with the use of tarot in this story, how dark and enlightening the cards can be depending on the wielder and their intentions. In book 2 our characters are scrambling to reach their end goal for the world, but we begin the story in such a dark place and all feels lost for Clara. The story builds upon its foundation of loss and familial ties that cost our FMC so much along the way, but there’s also this bright hope and desperation that seems to keep her going despite it all. Her unfolding romance with Kaelis is so intoxicating and it’s hard to tell who’s yearning for who here.

As we get into the depths of the second of half of this read we are faced with revelations that unnerve our main characters and so much sacrifice it’s hard to see how anyone could bounce back from these choices. The end had me sitting up cause what the helly, we can’t just leave it there?? Book 3 needs to be on my kindle asap.

[Tyler Hancsak · Rating 5 out of 5]

now THIS is how you write a sequel. It is a tornado of action, adventure, development (MASSIVELY) and emotions. Literally ZERO NOTES - this was out of the world amazing!!!

[🧸🎀Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. AM. SHOOKETH OMG. okay. just… WHEW! alright, I’m not gonna even lie, this book had me dropping everything else to read it because I was THAT addicted. seriously, the utter & complete 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 this had on me should be studied because I literally absolutely hated having to put it down. when I wasn’t reading it, I was wishing I was reading it, it is THAT phenomenal I swear. y’all are gonna go absolutely FERAL for this book & tbh it deserves all the love because just DAMN🤯🤌🏼

Kaelis & Clara. they are EPIC in this one! like I can’t count how many times I highlighted what Kaelis said or did because the number is infinite, it does not exist. Kaelis is going in my top 5 all time favorite mmc’s, and seeing Clara start to grow into who she is was incredible, too.

This book gave me heart eyes, it had me sobbing at 3AM, & it had me waking my papaw up because I gasped so hard. I love this more than Arcana Academy, & that’s saying a lot bc Arcana Academy was a 5 star for me. This is in my top reads of the year, y’all are gonna eat. this. UP! the only thing about reading arcs is that I’m dyingggg for book 3 & this one hasn’t released yet lol.

🃏⚔️TROPES IN THIS SERIES:
✧.* true enemies to lovers
✧.* deadly trials / competition
✧.* slow burn
✧.* dark academia
✧.* complex magic system
✧.* touch her & die
✧.* political intrigue
✧.* hidden identity

5⭐️
3.5🌶️

🫶🏼 thank you so much @delreybooks for this #gifted copy!

[Briony (briohnee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Longtime fans of Elise Kova will love the next instalment in Arcana Academy as Elise hits us with every weapon in her arsenal for the sensational sequel, Prince of Swords.

After the cliffhanger of book one, Prince of Swords picks up right where we left off. Everything is going to hell we have so many unanswered questions that may or may not be answered by the end of this book. Homework for readers going in is - Remember your cards, remember the magic, remember the stakes.

Clara and Kaelis’s relationship in this book is somewhat more complex. Without going deeply into any spoilers, we know that the world can be rewritten and so the foundation of their relationship is built both on the dynamic established book one but also different timelines that we have not experienced. Because of this, their relationship can feel Insta-lovey at times. HOWEVER. Kaelis is truly a man obsessed and would legitimately rewrite time and space for the love of his life and there is never a time I will not be about that.

With a lot of this genre, it can feel like the sequel is being stretched out unnecessarily. Whereas, I actually wished we had a whole other book to more deeply explore some of the dynamics that we see on page in Prince of Swords.

The expanding cast of side characters in this story are always fascinating and that is something I always love about Elise’s writings

The magic system is again as always phenomenally done and Elise just has such a fantastic way to help you understand the checks and balances of the magic within the world in a way that is not too dense.

This book took me a lot longer than I was anticipating to read but that is not the books fault. There were several external factors that impacted my reading experience and I have recently realised that reading e-books is not the best format for me.

Thank you to Hachette and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Paulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪? 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣”

i was so, so excited for this book, and i think i might have gone into it with expectations that were just a little too high

the story itself was still interesting, and i enjoyed seeing the world expand as we learned more about the magic system and got to know some of the characters on a deeper level. but overall, it felt like something was missing. while there were a few moments that genuinely caught me off guard, i found the main plot quite predictable, and i was left wanting a bit more depth throughout

the romance between clara and kaelis also didn’t quite hit the same way it did in book one. it felt a little flat to me, and i just needed more of those emotional moments that made me root for them in the first place 🥹

that ending, though… i definitely knew something was brewing, but i never expected that to happen. i was completely shocked, and now we’re left with a huge cliffhanger that’s definitely going to have me picking up the next book to see how everything unfolds

“𝙞 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪”

[Taylor M · Rating 5 out of 5]

So unfortunately Elise I’m going to lock in and have the third instalment written yesterday

[Madison Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. I can’t believe what I read. Need book 3 ASAP.

[Olivia | SpilltheTBR · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 | 2.5 🌶️

Thank you DelRey Books and NetGalley for the eARC, I am so grateful to have this chance. What follows is my honest review!

The story literally picks up from the last line of Arcana Academy. No, I mean, literally not a beat goes by before we are launched in the action. The stress is real high and you know in your heart that it’s going to be heartbreaking too. Prepare yourselves because this one has some dark themes and low moments, but with those low moments, there are highs as well. Check your trigger warnings— your well being is always the most important thing. With that being said, let’s chat my thoughts on characters and plot.

Clara is still one of the most stubborn and strong willed characters I’ve ever had the great fortune of meeting. She makes some questionable decisions in this book. Her quick temper and inability to think before she takes action does bite her in the butt one too many times. Be kind to our girl though because she’s been through a lot, and is trying to piece back all the different aspects of her life together while holding on to some major secrets. Our girl is forced to completely change her identity (no really and it’s gruesome), take care of her sister (poor Arina), navigate 3 separate alliances, AND somehow change the world. Oh and let’s not forget Kaelis, who is the definition of a stage 5 yearner. I love this man so much even with all his secrets. He also has a lot going on and is willing to do anything to stay with Clara— even if that means reshaping the world.

I’ll admit some of the plot development/pacing for me in the beginning of the book was hard to get through. Yes a lot was going on, and it was very heavy, but I struggled with grasping the magnitude of what was happening. Some of the plot choices to me, felt very questionable and convenient, which frustrated me in someway. There were many moments where I wanted to shake Clara and say “girl why aren’t you questioning things a bit more? What happened to think before you leap?!” Then again, it wouldn’t be a Romantasy without that specific trope.

Towards the end, I found myself skimming some of the pages because I was losing steam. This is a BIG book and I personally felt like some of the slice of life moments could have been cut. The ending though definitely set up for a fantastic book 3. I wish I could say I was surprised by the ending, but I was not. I found it to be very predictable. Which makes me feel like a genius because I predicted a lot of this in book one! Boy it’s nice to be right for once 😂 (but I didn’t want it all to be true 😭).

So should this spill into your TBR?
If you were a fan of Arcana Academy, I would definitely dive into this book. I wish I could say it hit the perfect mark for me for a sequel, but it did not in my opinion. However, I am a fan and will be continuing the series because I need to know what happens. Speaking of that and I have booked three now please?? Thanks!

[Em ☽✦ღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO JUST… MOVE ON AFTER THAT ENDING?!?!?!?!?!? 😭😭😭 Elise Kova, you have officially RUINED MY PEACE.

First of all, I need to say the biggest THANK YOU because I was so, so, SO incredibly honoured to receive an eARC of this book. Arcana Academy was already one of my favourite reads, so getting to dive back into this world early genuinely felt like Christmas morning. My expectations were through the roof, and somehow this book STILL exceeded them!!!!

I don’t even know where to start because I am OBSESSED. Being back at Arcana Academy felt like coming home, and I absolutely love how Elise Kova continues to expand this world. The tarot-inspired magic system is still one of the most original I’ve read in ages, and in this book it somehow became even richer. Every new revelation had me highlighting passages like my life depended on it.

BUT CLARA. Oh my GOD Clara. I have never been so emotionally attached to a character. She became so bound up in my own emotions that every single time she doubted anything, I started doubting too. I was genuinely GOING THROUGH IT alongside her. Watching her carry the weight of everything happening around her while desperately trying to figure out who she could trust absolutely broke my heart. I just wanted to reach into the pages and hug her.

And then we have Kaelis… I genuinely cannot cope with this man. The tension? THE YEARNING??? EXCUSE ME?!?! The chemistry between him and Clara is absolutely unreal. Every interaction felt loaded with meaning, and I was hanging onto every single word they exchanged.

I also loved how much deeper this book dug into the relationships across the board. Friendships, rivalries, shifting loyalties, it constantly kept me guessing. Just when I thought I’d worked out who was playing what game, Elise Kova would pull the rug out from under me.

Speaking of WHICH… THE PLOT TWISTS. I was so convinced I had everything figured out. I was sitting there feeling all smug thinking, “Yep, I know exactly where this is going.” Reader. I did not. Every time I thought I’d solved the puzzle, another piece completely changed the picture. The pacing ramps up so perfectly towards the end that I physically could not stop reading. Those final chapters had me absolutely FLYING through the pages.

AND THAT CLIFFHANGER?!?!?!?!?! ARE YOU ACTUALLY KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?! I am genuinely SOBBING that I have to wait because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

This series just keeps getting better!!!! Five stars isn’t enough, and I think this has easily hit my top five favourite books of 2026!!!

[Rebecca Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book by Elise Kova — written in a way only she can. This is the 2nd book from Arcana Academy, which follows a magic school based on tarot deck. It follows Clara (a prisoner disguised as student engaged to the Prince) & Kaelis the Prince who runs the magic academy trying to obtain all the cards to change the world. He must find a way to obtain this goal, find all the majors, and figure out what happened to Clara & how Ravin is fully involved in everything.

A beautiful quote that I loved from this book, “ The World only truly ever answers to fate, not mortal hands. Beware the Fool who would try to contain it.” And another lovely quote, “Keep your name; I’ll give you mine, should you want another. Keep your secrets; give me enough of your days, and I’ll earn them. All I need to go on is the promise of your heart.”

What I love about this book series is the contemplation of wishing for different paths, different circumstances, and how each decision has the possibility of the ripple effect. We never know what changing even the most minor thing can impact in the world and who we have become because of those minor things.

Prince of Swords picks up where the first book left off after so many secrets were revealed while trying to uncover more. Clara finds herself more fully understanding how every decision has a cost, magic will take its tax for its use. She has to discover who is friend or foe after being outted as the traitorous prisoner the end of book 1.

She has to discern between things she grew up learning from her mom and choosing to love one she always thought as an enemy. It’s the kind of life lessons you learn only by living life with experience.

Literal & figurative changes she makes to herself in this installment to hide in plain sight will make us question who we are in our heart & what makes each of us who we are at our core. The beauty in pain & how pain shapes each of our lives is also a great core thing that is explored!

I don’t want to go into too much detail of specific plots, characters or things going on so as not to ruin anything..

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat… feet kicking… screaming, laughing, crying, and maybe even cursing Elise in parts… the best kind of book! The kind you both want to make last forever but also realize you consumed in hours because you couldn’t put it down! Another masterpiece by Elise..

The parts I love about this is it really takes to heart the lessons of tarot - both characteristic/attributes of the cards and if you’re familiar with the cards you’ll see the nuances (both positive/negative) to give the characters & cards associated with it deeper meaning. If you’re unfamiliar with the cards, you’ll still be able to follow perfectly but the more you study certain you cards, you’ll see the genius behind certain character development & situations or uses of the magic system.

I cannot recommend this book enough! I just wish I could read it for the first time again… it’s taken me a while to write this review because I really wanted to sit with it before reviewing & if you’re screaming Elise’s name while reading, you know she wrote the bestest book! And it’s going to be WAY TOO LONG [a wait] before the next book for an inpatient arc reader! 😂

Thank you to Elise, Del Ray, and NetGalley for the ability to get an advanced copy to read/review!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do I even begin after this rollercoaster of an ending??

First off, there is so much more we learn about Kaelis in this continuation of book one. On top of that, Clara has so much on her shoulders: make the needed card (and also find the needed ingredients), help her sister find herself again, help the group her mother led, and also find out what to do with Kaelis. Oh, yeah, and save the world! That is an awful lot for someone to handle. She also has to work through changing who she is as she is a wanted person of interest.

Throughout it all, she has her friends, her stubbornness, and her goals to keep her going.

The magic system is just as I remember it from book one, but a bit more extensive here. I thoroughly encourage seeing it used more in this academic world.

And then there is the insane cliffhanger at the end. I mean, what?! And now the wait for book 3.

[Arealmofbooks_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending.

In true Elise Kova fashion that ending was illegal lol but no seriously, I love how we learned more about certain characters and their relationship with Clara and added more into the world and its history that we didn’t know from book 1

Can’t wait for Book 3!!

[Ozzy☆ |ozzysbooknook|]

GIRL. JULY 2026?!?!?!?!?!???!

[Zoe I.L.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My jaw is on the floor. Elise Kova is a master in plotting, lore building, and character development, and this book proves that in spades, or should I say swords?

I genuinely did not see that ending coming, and I KNEW there was going to be a third book!!! But my god, I never saw that coming. My heart is BREAKING, I am SCREAMING, and I thank Elise Kova wholeheartedly for it. Arcana Academy was excellent and truly one of my favorite books from last year. Prince of Swords was even better, and I do not say that lightly.

I'm just going to stare at a wall for a bit and weep.

6/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley, Del Rey, and especially Elise Kova, for giving me the privilege of reading and sharing my honest opinion for Prince of Swords.

[Jamie Loves Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, Prince of Swords thrusts us straight back into the captivating world established in Arcana Academy, and it does not let go. This sequel expands on everything I loved about the first book while deepening the characters, relationships, mysteries, and dangers surrounding them.

Clara’s development is one of the strongest elements of the story. Her sheer strength and power repeatedly shock those around her, leaving you to wonder whether she has always been capable of such brutality and merely kept it hidden, or whether desperation has forced her to dig deeper than ever before. She has become unwavering in the pursuit of her goals, willing to make difficult and sometimes ruthless choices to protect those she loves and shape the future she believes in. It is a fascinating evolution from the Clara we first met.

Family also plays a significant role, particularly Clara’s relationship with her sister. These moments add another emotional layer to the story and provide greater insight into Clara’s past, her motivations, and everything she is fighting for. Her fear of losing the people she loves continues to influence her choices, even as she becomes increasingly powerful.

Trust remains at the heart of the story. Clara is surrounded by secrets, half-truths, conflicting motivations, and deception at every turn. She must constantly question who she can rely on while learning to trust her own intuition. As a reader, I found myself second-guessing events alongside her, never entirely certain which revelations could be believed or what might still be hidden.

The romance between Clara and Kaelis also deepens beautifully. Their relationship continues to develop through vulnerability, patience, and the gradual dismantling of the barriers between them. The slow burn remains incredibly rewarding, particularly as they confront their secrets and determine whether their motivations and hopes for the future can truly align.

There is no shortage of action, with the Stellis and the King’s Orders creating increasingly dangerous confrontations. The latter portion of the book escalates rapidly as mysteries begin to unravel, loyalties are tested, and earlier details fall into place. What initially appears to be careful groundwork becomes essential to the explosive final act.

Once again, Elise Kova’s creative use of tarot is a standout. The cards and their interpretations are woven seamlessly into battles, strategy, magic, and everyday life. The system continues to feel unique and thoughtfully constructed, with each reading offering possibilities that can shift depending on perspective and intent.

Prince of Swords is an exceptional sequel filled with action, romance, family, deception, and unforgettable revelations. It builds upon the foundations of Arcana Academy while raising the stakes in every possible way. The ending left me stunned, full of questions, and desperate to see how the story will conclude in Book Three.

Five stars, without question.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Penguin Random House for providing the ARC.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Del Rey for the early copy, all opinions are my own. I am doing my best to keep this as spoiler free as possible but will be assuming some familiarity with book one!

I was so excited to get back into the world of Arcana Academy and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed! I loved the new and expanded characters we had the chance to know better and I really appreciated getting to see more of machinations happening behind the scenes in book one come to fruition in this book.

One thing I wasn’t expecting was how much more like steamy book two was than book one 👀 I guess I hadn’t really seen this in previous Elise Kova books so I wasn’t expecting it. This isn’t a bad thing but if you’re a long time fan you might be a little surprised.

The dynamics between Kaelis and Clara? Amazing. I love a man who is down bad and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. I like too that we got more into his vulnerabilities and more of what his motivations were beyond just the basics. Also enjoyed learning more about his past and how it made him who he was, along with the invisible string of fate that was bringing the two together and how the concept of the Chalice and their sacrifices to it played into their story as well. I appreciated too how he was allowing Clara to come to him and wasn’t pushing it beyond her comfort levels. I like how by the end they were more open and in a better place to be a team.

Clara was interesting in this one. I love that she learned to be more trusting, even when that was difficult. But, I also felt like she made some weird choices as well, ones I wouldn’t have expected based on book one but 🤷‍♀️ it did fit though how much she was acting in a slightly less expected version of herself with how much of a corner she was backed into at times. Also with how book 2 ended I am SO SO curious how this is going to be resolved in book 3.

The threads of familial relationships both by blood and chosen were so interesting as they were woven in. Showing the dichotomy of various relationships between family and how they can be a motivating factor to push you together or apart. Also showing how relationships and friendships change over time and accepting that and moving into new phases of life together. Also seeing how you may be close but there’s still tension as an undercurrent because of outside expectations and duties (really thinking of Alor here).

That ending though?! I had an inkling we would be seeing that thread come back, especially as they were crossing the bridge for the last time. But like what do you mean?!? I am stressed and really wishing I had book 3 in my hands but like book 2 isn’t even out yet?! That did not go the way I expected AT ALL!! I had inklings and thoughts that are officially turned upside down and I was truly the meme of the woman with her mouth open in shock as I finished the book. I definitely want to do a reread to find the threads as we go along because that was insane and that cliffhanger almost ended me.

Overall, I loved this one and cannot wait to continue the series. I love Elise’s writing and the worlds she builds, they’re all super unique but have something that makes them feel familiar and like they belong within her repertoire.

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 ⭐️

it has been 3 days since this book finished me (emphasis on finishing ME not the other way around). prince of swords has been my most anticipated read since the day i finished arcana academy (december 17th, 2024) and i could not be happier that this book lived up to every expectation i didnt know i had and more! i finished book one thinking about how i was confident i had finally found my roman empire and that remains true after prince of swords, i finished this book around 11:30 pm on a friday night and had to go lay in my bed and stare at my ceiling fan for awhile and process what the heck just happened and 3 days later at 8:52 in the morning as i write this i am still gobsmacked. i think the ending of this book is probably the most diabolical cliff hanger i have ever read???

there is something so enthralling about elise’s writing, quite honestly i am scared of her brain because of how phenomenal her world and magic system building are, her storytelling in general really. i thought the stakes were high in book 1 but AA was actually childs play comparatively speaking. i felt like i was on the edge of my seat holding my breath every other chapter and every time i thought i was safe elise snatched that seat right out from under me lol 😭

kaelis and clara were so addicting during this book, i felt like they were kind of an after thought sometimes in AA (i knew it was due to foundation laying being a trilogy but still) and BABY WERE THEY FRONT AND CENTER THIS BOOK WOOOOOWEEEE, i lost my damn mind over every single interaction between these two from start to finish. the way these two flourish during this book was everything and more to me. kaelis is THEE book boyfriend, i have never swooned over a fictional man more in my life he is the epitome of romance and courting. the way that it is so clear from the end of book 1 that these two were in love with each other but there was still this push and pull, will they wont they through out book 2 that was so frustrating in only the best of ways oh my god i have never been so obsessed.

i love fantasy books but i just dont gravitate towards them the way i used to unless its on audio bc its just a lot for me to eyeball read these days (takes me like weeks to eyeball read a fantasy these days without pairing with the audio) but this series and elise kova will ALWAYS be the exception. i ended up reading almost 80% of this book in less than 24 hours because i could not for the life of me put this book down.

there is truly so much that happens in this book and i dont know where to even start, id probably be here all day if i tried to?? i am still mostly at a loss for words on 98% of what goes on in this book. its action packed, its hot, its sad, be prepared to be emotional ruined multiple times???? my sentiments remain the same for book 2 that this is THEE fantasy book of the year in my eyes. i dont know how to move on from these two and this series all i know is that i am BEYOND ready already to be torn to shreds with book three. i’ve never been more terrified yet ready to read something in my life. taking gut punch after gut punch in this book and then knowing how it ends???? girl i am SCARED for whats to come.