"Magical from nail-biting beginning to shocking end!"--Danielle L. Jensen, New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood

A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

The dazzling first edition hardcover of Arcana Academy will feature gold foil page edges, designed endpapers, two interior black-and-white maps, a custom-stamped case, and a premium dust jacket with foil--while supplies last!

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards--a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape--for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world--and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

Book One of The Arcana Academy Series

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Published: 07/22/2025
ISBN: 9780593726341
Pages: 576
Weight: 1.93lbs
Size: 9.25h x 6.13w x 1.44d

Review Citations: Library Journal 03/01/2025 pg. 7
Publishers Weekly 05/26/2025