An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J. Shields Published by Redhook on April 28, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
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I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
From Sydney Shields, the breakout author of The Honey Witch, comes An Arcane Study of Stars, a historical dark academia fantasy filled with ancient secret societies, a swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers romance, and dangerous deals made after dark. Perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Atlas Six.
When Claudia Jolicoeur is rejected from Cygnus University, a devilish stranger named Dorian appears in her nightmares and offers her a bargain: he will get her into Cygnus if she learns how to free him from a prison of stars. He takes a bite of her soul to seal the deal, and Claudia wakes to a letter from the High Sage of Cygnus stating she will take the place of Odette Dufort, a Rhetoric student who passed away.
Her arrival raises suspicions, rumors that she had a hand in Odette's death spread like wildfire, and Cassius MacLeod, the High Sage’s apprentice and Claudia's fellow Rhetoric student, seems hellbent on humiliating her. Determined to clear her name, she searches for any evidence that could prove her innocence. When someone—or something—starts slipping her pieces of Odette’s diary, Claudia uncovers a horrifying truth: over the last century, celestial witches at Cygnus have been murdered. Odette was one of them, and Claudia could be next. For her own protection, Claudia needs to free Dorian—and fast.
By night, she studies the stars, slowly unraveling the mystery of Dorian's prison. By day, she and Cassius wage rhetorical war as debate partners in class. What begins as a fierce rivalry devolves into something deeper, darker, and dangerously sensual. As Claudia inches closer to the truth, she must decide: would trusting Cassius be the last mistake she ever makes?
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An Arcane Study of Stars is a beautifully told YA enemies to lovers dark academia novel. It has a bit of everything you could ask for; a magic school focused on the gods and the gifts they bestow upon their disciples. A whodunit as we slowly unravel who the villain is behind the killings at the school. We even get a blossoming romance. I really enjoyed the main character, Claudia. She is no shrinking violet; she stands up for herself. She did make a bargain that turns out to be more than expected though and I was wondering if she would be able to complete it. I hope there will be another book in this series because this one was such a great read. If you are looking for a YA dark academia, you need to try this book!
