Prince of Swords by Elise Kova - Romantasy Book Review

We left book 1 on quite the cliffhanger. In Prince of Swords, Clara is in more danger than ever before, imprisoned again, and is ready to burn the world to the ground to rebuild it. There’s hope, but it’s balanced on so many things.

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I’m not going to lie, for the first 25% or so, I wasn’t LOVING this book like I loved Arcana Academy – that was one of my only 6 star reads for the year in 2025. Don’t get me wrong, I was still enjoying it, but it just wasn’t hitting the same. I think it was the fact that the world is already built so you’re not learning new information, and it felt somewhat slow to start with. But fortunately by the end, I was addicted just like I was with Arcana Academy.

And the ENDING. I finished it last night and I dreamed about it. I can’t say much for fear of spoilers but it has left me reeling and scared and excited for the next book.

Our MMC Kaelis remains morally grey throughout and I was constantly on my toes trying to figure out whether he or Clara are going to betray one another in some way. I just want them to trust each other and tell the truth but that’s also the last thing I want them to do – it’s a complex relationship and even though each is holding back something (or a lot of things!) throughout the book, I was still desperately rooting for them. There are parts that are utterly heartbreaking in their relationship in this book, and I felt them so strongly.

I loved the deeper bonds that are built with characters in this book. While most of the characters that become important in this instalment were present in some way in book 1, they become far more significant in this one. Again, there are some heartrending moments, but the new relationships balance these out well.

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I really enjoy the magic system in this world. While it’s complex and quite unique, it’s not difficult to understand as it’s well-realised and explained. I feel there’s more to it than we, and most of the characters, know, which will be interesting to uncover in the final book. Now it’s time for the long wait until book 3…

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.