Review: Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova

 

Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova
Del Rey

Publication Date: July 21st 2026
Hardcover | 560 pages

About Prince of Swords:

"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.

The dazzling first edition hardcover of Prince of Swords 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! 

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 within: 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."

I've been excited to dive back into this world, and Prince of Swords was a fantastic follow-up to Arcana Academy. Prince of Swords wastes no time throwing readers back into the action, which I think is a great way to help us all become immersed in this world once again--it certainly worked well for me, at least, as I was the slightest bit rusty after how long it's been since I read the first book. Fortunately, it was easy to quickly remember our characters and the world and I was right back up to speed before I knew it.  

Clara is a fascinating character to continue to follow, as she is definitely someone who will, at the end of the day, do what she thinks is best for those she loves and the world around her. This sometimes means going against the advice of those around her and being a bit bullheaded about things, and I think that's something that comes with pros and cons and makes for a well-rounded character. I absolutely don't envy the many difficult decisions she has to make over the course of this book, and I think Kova captured all of these aspects really well. 

The romance between Kaelis and Clara is also sure to please many readers. I find that the romance is prominent enough that I think it will satisfy those who really love the romance and relationship aspects of the story, but not overpowering enough for those who don't like the romance as much and just want the other elements of the plot, which I think is the perfect balance and keeps this book feeling firmly fantasy-first.

One of my favorite things has been the tarot card magic system. I feel like it's still one that's a bit hard for me to visualize exactly what they're doing, but it's still just a really cool concept and I have loved learned more about it. I also appreciate how the symbolism of the tarot is actively used in relation to the characters and each one's respective magic usage. And as the magic system continues to develop, so do many elements of the world created in this book, and we learn even more about some background and history that really fleshed out even more about it in a very natural way. 

The stakes are also definitely very high in this book, and it really explores some dark and difficult topics, so be sure to keep that in mind when going into this one. There are so many moving parts, from individual emotion traumas and struggles that many of the characters must tackle to ever-shifting political and social intrigue that impacts so many of the character at different turns throughout the book. The pacing, as a result, is a bit of a mixed bag at times. It is occasionally quite fast-paced and action-packed, but I also think suffers with some much slower areas that brought down the pace quite a bit. That being said, I never really lost interest and continued to have a great time reading it throughout. It's also not the most unpredictable or surprising, but I think it does a really fantastic job of telling a compelling story that will continue to draw readers in.

There are many other things I'd love to talk about with this book, but for hesitancy around spoilers I'm going to avoid most of them and will wrap up with a couple things I didn't love as much about this book.

One thing that pulled me out of the story a few times was with just how many people Clara ended up telling about her rather enormous secret. You can't really have a huge secret that would have horrible consequences if you just keep... telling people. I understand needing to tell certain people for certain reasons, but at the same time, something this important seems extremely risky. It felt like a bit of a disaster waiting to happen, and while I won't say anything about what does or does not happen, I personally just felt a little frustrated and would've preferred more semblance of caution. But I guess Clara is a very bold and brave person, so perhaps it's more a testament to her courage? Either way, it did bother me a bit, and there were just a few too many times where I wondered why people seemed to accept certain things so easily and seemed to have such implicit and easy trust with others, at times.

I also struggled a little bit with how easily Clara just slipped into the role of a teacher. Unless I'm forgetting something from the first book, it felt like a bit of a leap for someone with essentially no teaching experience to suddenly be instructing students who were basically her peers, if I'm remembering correctly. It works for the story and isn't really that big of a deal, but it really did bother me, especially when she had no qualms about it at all and seemed to be a great teacher, as well. 

Overall, Prince of Swords really expands upon many of the strengths of the first book, even if it occasionally falls back on some plot points that feel slightly too convenient at times to keep things moving.  I had a blast falling back into this world and magic system and that ending has me hooked and ready for book three. 

*I received a copy of Prince of Swords courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Month in Review: June 2026

 

Happy Fourth of July (a day early) to those who celebrate!
July has arrived and we are officially halfway through the year (sorry to remind anyone who's feeling a bit weird about that like I am, I'm just trying to face it head-on, haha). It's been a very weird year for many of us, it seems, and a generally rough year for some, but I think there's also been some good things happening so hopefully we can all just keep holding onto that hope and look forward. :)

In personal news, I am finally free! I don't want to be too dramatic, but since January I've either been working multiple part-time contract jobs (mainly January through March) + taking classes or working my new full-time job + taking a full-time class load (I ended taking five classes at the same time as my full-time  job.. it was sort of an accident and then I'm stubborn and stuck it out and boy, I should not have, haha--don't ever do this!), and the classes are finally over and I finally feel like I can breathe again! I haven't felt such relief in a long time, haha. There's still plenty of stressful things going on in life, but at least there are no more assignments looming. I've gotten right back to work reorganizing my ARCs and blog plans/reviews and I'm so excited to have more time again. There are so many personal projects I want to get started on, too, so fingers crossed I finally can!

In reading news, it was slightly slower month for me, but it was also when all of my finals were due and everything was wrapping up, so it wasn't exactly unexpected, haha. That being said, I'm starting to get back into the groove and finding a new routine with my new schedule (and more time!), so I'm excited to get into more books. I was also glad to get started on some July ARCs, so more reviews are in the works as well! 

How was your June and what books have you been reading? How's the new year been? Any reading-related goals?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!

   

# books read: 10

The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I was really excited about this new horror book and it was a fairly solid read! I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped, but I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. 

The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery by Siddharth Kara

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was a really interesting read that I learned so much from--highly recommend it!

The Door in Penrose Forest by Sean David Robinson

Source: Publisher | Format: eARC
Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this one and thought the entire concept was really intriguing--a great read for magical realism-type fans!

The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe by Barry Cunliffe

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was well-researched and intriguing, but I'll admit that it didn't hold my interest quite as much as I expected it to. 

Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Arcana Academy, and since then I've been really looking forward to this sequel. I had a really great time with it and think it was a very solid addition to the series. I'll have my review up closer to publication (which is soon!)

Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past by Sarah Parcak

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was really interesting! I recently took a class on GIS applications and whatnot and this felt like a really great add-on from that class to learn more about everything. If you like archaeology, this is a great read!

Trinity, Trinity, Trinity by Erika Kobayashi

Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This is a translated work of fiction that I'm struggling to know how to describe in just one sentence, so feel free to check out my review to know more about it, haha. It was weird, but I thought worth a read if it's up your alley!

Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan

Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I thought this had a really great start that fizzled out a little for me throughout the middle, but still a fun read!

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: I've had my eye on this one for years, and the recent influx in its popularity around the book community finally got to me and convinced me to finally pick it up.

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a very quick thriller-type read that touches on some extremely relevant and important topics.

To-Be-Finished:

None! (that I can recall...)

 

The Wreck of the Mentor by Eric Jay Dolin

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer

The Door in Penrose Forest by Sean David Robinson

Trinity Trinity Trinity by Erika Kobayashi

The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager

 Posts:

Anticipated June 2026 Releases

Month in Review: May 2026

Anticipated July 2026 Releases

Blog Memes:

Can't-Wait Wednesday:

6/3: The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson, Seven by Joanna Kavenna, & Band on the Run by Robert O'Connell
6/10: The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick, Not With a Bang by Temi Oh, & White Elephant by Jeyamohan

6/17: The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry, Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden, & Hinterlands by Hannah Lucinda Smith

6/24: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw, Prince of Swords by Elise Kova, The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly, & The Savage Landscape by Cal Flyn

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Mulai by Munir Hachemi, Reliquary by Hannah Whitten, & Etna by Paul Yoon

 

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

The Mulai by Munir Hachemi, trans. Julia Sanches

Publication: July 14th, 2026

Coach House Books

Paperback. 176 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Interstellar via Invisible Cities: spec-fic translated from Spanish imagines a utopian way of life on another planet.

Years after the climate wars on Earth, the Mulai have settled into their new home on an unnamed planet. Supplies stopped arriving from Earth many years ago, and the Mulai have found a way to live. But now the people of Earth want to know what happened to the settlers, so they send The Archaeologist.

He finds that they have become a different people: uncannily similar to us but with something radically Other about them. Their language has become more about change than stability, and the ways they eat, reproduce, bury their dead, and understand gender have all transformed into something almost unrecognizable. The Archaeologist feels like his trip is one extended misunderstanding.

With fragments from The Archaeologist’s notes and the stories of Flukeh and Faida, who map both their world and their language, The Mulai offers a glimpse of a world adjacent to ours – one that just may be a model for how to better our own.

From one of Granta’s Best Young Spanish-Language Novelists and author of the celebrated Living Things, and translated by the award-winning Julia Sanches, comes a bold new Borgesian reimagining of what ‘civilization’ might look like.

Drawing on Borges, Le Guin, and Calvino, The Mulai is a mind-bending work of metafiction whose interlocking puzzles resound with Munir Hachemi’s singularly playful and eclectic style."

I wasn't able to fit this one into my June CWW posts, so I'm squeezing it in here because it sounds so good! The concept slightly reminds me of Michel Faber's The Book of Lost Things, which I loved, and I am just always captivated by ideas like these, so I'm excited to read it!

Reliquary by Hannah Whitten

Publication: August 11th, 2026

Orbit 

Hardcover. 300 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"A young woman is lured to her late fiancé's remote island estate—only to uncover eerie family secrets, a haunting past, and a monstrous hunger stirring beneath the sea in this deliciously atmospheric horror debut from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten.

When Claire’s fiancé mysteriously dies of an unknown neurological illness, she’s prepared to sink back into the lonely life she lived before. Orphaned by a freak boating accident in her childhood, she never expected to find connection like she did with Elias, anyway. Their relationship wasn’t perfect—his coldness, his secrets, his strange aversion to the ocean—but what relationship is?

When Elias’s family reaches out—his incredibly wealthy family, from whom he was estranged—and invites Claire to a three-day wake at Harrow Point, their family home on a private island, Claire is given the chance to find family again. To belong to something, just like she’s always wanted. Just like Elias knew she was desperate to have.

Even if that family is a little strange. Even if their coastal home stirs up memories of the accident that killed her parents and sister. Even if Ash, Elias’s older brother, seems insistent on Claire leaving as soon as possible.

As she dives deeper into the world of Harrow Point, she will uncover the nature of her own traumatic connection to the ocean. There is something swimming in the bowels of Harrow Point, and it is hungry…"

A "traumatic connection to the ocean" is very captivating, as is much of the rest of this premise, so I'm eager to check it out.

Etna by Paul Yoon

Publication: August 4th, 2026

Scribner

Hardcover. 208 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Beloved author and winner of The Story Prize, Paul Yoon, is back with the unforgettable story of a working dog, Etna, who, after a devastating war, embarks on an odyssey in the hopes of returning home.

Set in a fictional country in the present day, this is a story told through the eyes of an ex-military dog, Etna. After surviving years of a devastating war, Etna decides one night to leave the men he has fought alongside for years and return home—to the place where he was taken from when he was young, in the thin but persistent hope that if a home exists for him, it might be there.

Thus begins an exhilarating odyssey told through the eyes of a dog as he traverses across ruined landscapes and fights to survive in a world that, even in peacetime, proves to be just as precarious. Along the way, he encounters other animals and humans who are attempting to figure out how to start again. What makes a life when there is no home to go back to? How do we begin to trust each other again after such profound loss?

This is a novel about the power of an idea, about never giving up, and ultimately a novel about finding hope in the most dire of times."

This sounds fantastic, but... if anyone reads it/has read it and wants to let me know if the dog suffers in any way/shape/form, that's going to be the make or break deal of whether I can actually read this one or not, lol. So definitely reach out to let me know if you have!

Review: The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager

The Sea Hide Its Dead by Megan Bontrager
Run For It

Publication Date: July 14th, 2026
Paperback. 368 pages.

About The Sea Hides Its Dead:

"The Descent meets The Ritual in a cult aquatic horror about a group of academics trapped in a sea cave who must reckon with eldritch horrors as they are forced to atone for their greatest sins.

ATONE OR DIE.

Grad student Caro has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but when an opportunity arises to act as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she doesn't hesitate.

Beck assembles a team of academics and professionals to study the ancient sea-based Cult of the Leviathan, and the expedition descends into the sea caves where the cult are said to have dwelt.

But when the cave entrance collapses, trapping them inside, the expedition will find they are not alone in the darkness. Surrounded by strange artefacts and scattered bones, an ancient trial has been set in motion. One by one, the members of the expedition will be tested and forced to atone for their greatest sin. . . or die."

I'm personally a huge fan of the type of horror that features the horror of the ocean, ancient or eldritch things, and throw in a bit of cave-related horror--all of that is absolutely my jam. Books like The Luminous Dead are some of my favorite horrors, so this really seemed like a perfect fit for me. 

I was immediately sold on this concept of a mysterious sea cave/rock formation thing that rises up out of the ocean one with without precedent and that no one can really explain or understand, but it's very clearly something. This story starts off strong: lots of mystery, a tense backdrop, some drama amongst the characters, and a cast of unique characters that all have a variety of hang-ups that they bring with them. Some of these components felt a bit familiar and this is definitely a general setup I've seen done before, but it's one that can work really well so I was very much on board for whatever was to come.

To this book's credit, it really starts off pretty quickly and doesn't take too long to get into things, which I think is a perk because this type of story is one that could easily have a slower start. But this quick jump into action, especially once our characters reach the cave, means that the entire dynamic of the story changed pretty quickly.

Caro, our protagonist, is an intelligent person who is grateful to have this opportunity to explore this new mystery, but she's still doing it stuck under the thumb of Beck, the married professor whom she's also having an affair with. I never found myself particularly invested in Caro herself, but I did appreciate how much depth her character was given and how much it all played into the events of the book, even though it did at times feel--once again--a bit familiar. I really appreciated that she was presented as a very flawed person who makes mistakes and is very aware of her mistakes, but still struggles to overcome them. That felt very real, very human, and very relatable.

I struggled a bit with the rest of the characters involved and didn't find myself caring for them that much. None of them ever really stood out and I often had difficulties remembering who was who, and although there are a handful of characters who we get to know a bit more because of things I can't say because of spoilers, I feel like the emotional threads or interest never went deep enough for me to care enough.. The only character I really wish we had gotten to know more was Mallory, as I found her the most intriguing of all the additional characters and thought she could've added even more to the story than she already did. I would actually have loved to read some of this story from her perspective.

Beck, unfortunately and probably unsurprisingly (especially if you've read the book) was probably my least favorite part of this book. I know he's meant to be annoying, but he felt like such a stereotypical archetype of what he was meant to be that it was almost too annoying. I've read this type of man a million times before: egotistical, arrogant, and condescending to everyone around him. Rather than find him entertaining or as a big obstacle for Caro to contend with, I found it slightly predictable and boring. I am sure that this is my own frustration with this type of character and others won't have these issues, but it did annoy me quite a bit throughout the reading experience.

The horror itself wasn't quite what I expected, but it was very well-written and multi-layered. I liked getting into the background of this sea cave and the lore surrounding it and how it worked, but the horror really leaned into more of a character-driven, psychological horror aspect that wasn't quite as compelling as I'd expected, but still offered a lot of really interesting scenes and food for though. It's the type of horror that really makes the characters--and ourselves--confront the worst parts of themselves, such as their regrets, bad memories, guilt, personal failings, and much more. There's also, of course, plenty external horror that comes in the form of gore and plenty of unsettling imagery that I think was written in a way that felt very visceral and truly horrific, and I applaud the author on creating those elements that really leaned into the horror of it all. However, the emotional and internal horror is really where this book seems to place its emphasis.

I do want to note that I think I quite liked the ending overall, and I think the final direction that Bontrager took the story in worked well with everything that was being done in the story. There are some elements here and there felt a little odd or convenient, but generally I think this was a solid story that told a tale of messiness and horror and wrapped it up pretty nicely--if you can call it that.

With everything I've said, I'm a little mixed on this book overall. I think my expectations didn't quite match up with everything in this book, but it wasn't a bad book by any means. I found that large aspects of it had a lot of promise, such the atmosphere, setting, and general concept, but something about it just didn't quite hit the mark for me. I found the background and mythology interesting, but they never quite grabbed me in the way I would have expected it to, and I almost wonder if it's because it was presented in ways that just never felt entirely cohesive and accessible. I kept waiting for the setting and plot to fully come together and grab me, but it never did. I'm very much inclined to believe this is simple a "me" problem because when I think about this book, every aspect of it sounds like it should be perfect, so perhaps something just didn't quite click with me.

Overall, I can see this working better for other readers, but it's still a really captivating horror with a fantastic premise and setting. If you're a fan of eerie ocean things and ancient cults and character-driven horror and the like, then you will definitely want to pick this one up. 

*I received a copy of The Sea Hides Its Dead courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Anticipated July 2026 Releases

July release are just around the corner, and there are (as ever) a ton of incredible new books about to be released into the wild! I’ve read/am reading a few ARCs and have some reviews lined up and so far it’s looking very promising, so I’m excited to check out everything. As always, I’ve collected a selection of just some of the books coming out next month, so be sure to take a look!

Be sure to let me know which July releases you're most looking forward to (even if it's not listed below) and happy reading, everyone!

The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Not With a Bang by Temi Oh || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Winter Folk by Jen Julian || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mudlark by Mary Helen Specht || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Harbour of Hungry Ghosts by Eliza Chan || July 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw || July 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

White Elephant by Jeyamohan, trans. Priyamvada Ramkumar || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Band on the Run: Xenophon and the First Great Mercenary Army's Epic Escape from Persia by Robert L. O'Connor || July 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier & Scott Westerfeld || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

We Were Forbidden by Jacqueline Harpman, trans. Ros Schwartz || July 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Country People by Daniel Mason || July 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly || July 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hinterlands: The New Cold War Brewing at the Peripheries of the West by Hanna Lucinda Smith || July 21st -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Dragon Has Some Complains by John Wiswell || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Erebus-13 by David Wellington || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Seven by Joann Kavenna || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Savage Landscape: How We Made the Wilderness by Cal Flyn || July 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Our Knives Will Save Us: Dispatches from a White Mountain Apache Chef by Nephi Craig || July 14th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli || July 28th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen || July 7th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated July releases?