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Cover of Prince of Swords

Prince of Swords

by Elise Kova

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·Arcana Academy #2·Ongoing Series
5.0 on Goodreads (1)

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ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

Tarot magic collides with forbidden desire as Clara and her dangerous fake-fiance prince race to uncover secrets that could shatter their world, with higher stakes and deeper intimacy than book one.

Synopsis

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

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

If Arcana Academy had you white-knuckling through the fake engagement and tarot battles, Prince of Swords cranks everything up. Clara is on the run, Kaelis is unraveling, and the Worldkeepers add a whole new layer of who-can-you-trust paranoia. Kova writes action sequences that read like choreographed dances and romantic tension that makes you forget to breathe. Clear your schedule because you will not put this down.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

5.00 ★ (1)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

560 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2026

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dramatized

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Unknown Narrator

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
enemies to loversforced proximityslow burnfake engagementforbidden lovesecret powerhidden identitysecret alliance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

intenseromanticadventurousmysteriousdramaticthrilling

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

immersivesuspensefuldramaticengagingcinematic

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

high

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

forbidden desirebattle of willspolitical intriguepage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

spy/thiefmorally gray FMCreluctant chosen onesnarky/sarcasticrunaway / on the run

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

brooding princemorally gray MMCsecretly softdark/tortured soul

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

enemies to loverslove/hate tensionfated matesbanterforbidden lovepush and pullonly soft for them

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
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Spice Level 3

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

slow-building tension that delivers with open-door scenes, steamy but not explicit, euphemistic language

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

tensionpossessive/protectiveanticipationeye contact intensitymine declarations

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

possessiveclaiming
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (8)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violencetorturedeathfantasy warfarebrandingforced laborbetrayaloccult themes
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World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasy

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Arcana Academy, the kingdom of Oricalis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

witches/wizards/warlocks

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

tension finally satisfiedferal brain activatedthe angst deliveredadrenaline rush

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

rainy weekendvacationcan't sleep

Arcana Academy

Arcana Academy

#1 Arcana Academy

Prince of Swords

#2 Prince of Swords

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate
PagesHow long the commitment is.560
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2026
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.5.00 ★ (1)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Arcana Academy #2
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