Part of the fun of Wednesday Wildcards is the whiplash—in the best way. One minute you’re craving dark academia fantasy, the next you want medieval historical fiction, and somehow you still have room for a spicy enemies-to-lovers romantasy with deadly trials. This week’s five random picks deliver exactly that: big vibes, bingeable pacing, and plenty of “just one more chapter”.
Below you’ll find a spoiler-free overview of each book, plus the main reasons to read—with SEO-friendly genre cues to help you match your mood.
1) Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
Best for: dark academia romantasy, tarot magic, fake engagement, magical school intrigue
Spoiler-free overview
In a gritty fantasy city where survival takes sharp edges, Clara Graysword is sentenced to prison for committing the ultimate magical offence: creating inked tarot cards—a rare power tied to the elite Arcana Academy. Her way out arrives in the form of the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, who offers freedom… for a price. To keep her close (and hidden), he brings her into the academy under a scandalous cover story: she’s both a new student and his bride-to-be. What follows is a heady mix of arcane secrets, royal politics, and slow-burn tension in a classic dark academia fantasy romance setup.
Main reasons to read
Tarot-based magic system that feels fresh and thematic
Dark academia setting with secrets, status games, and magical rules
Fake engagement / forced proximity done with high stakes
A heroine with street-smarts and survival instincts (not a sheltered chosen one)
Ideal if you search for: romantasy dark academia, tarot magic fantasy, magical academy enemies to lovers
2) Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
Best for: literary historical fiction, medieval Bruges, faith & mysticism, beguines, feminist-leaning historical drama
Spoiler-free overview
Set in thirteenth-century Bruges, Canticle follows Aleys, a stubborn, bright sixteen-year-old prone to religious visions. When an unwanted marriage closes in, she runs; finding refuge among the beguines, an independent community of religious women who live beyond direct Church authority. As Aleys learns what belonging and purpose can look like, larger forces gather around her: forbidden scripture translations, power-hungry religious politics, and rumours of miracles that attract dangerous attention. It’s atmospheric, intimate historical fiction with a strong sense of place; markets, canals, community; and the looming pressure of institutions that don’t like women stepping outside approved roles.
Main reasons to read
Vivid medieval historical setting (Bruges feels lived-in)
Fascinating lens on beguines and women-led spiritual communities
Explores faith, agency, love, and sacrifice without feeling like a lecture
Great for readers who like richly researched fiction with emotional immediacy
Ideal if you search for: medieval historical fiction, books set in Bruges, religious mysticism novels, beguines fiction
3) Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Best for: dark romantasy, enemies-to-lovers, political fantasy romance, post-war stakes, “touch her and die” tension
Spoiler-free overview
In Rose in Chains, the war is over; and the wrong side has won. Princess Briony Rosewood is captured when her home falls, stripped of her magic, and sold at auction into a brutal new reality. The twist in the knife: she’s purchased by Toven Hearst, a scion of a family infamous for controlling magic… and someone tied to her past feelings in a way that’s anything but simple. This is dark romantic fantasy with big emotional swings, high tension, and a romance dynamic that leans hard into enemies-to-lovers and moral pressure-cooker choices; while keeping hope flickering in unexpected places.
Main reasons to read
A genuinely propulsive dark romantasy premise (post-war, power imbalance, survival)
Enemies-to-lovers chemistry with unresolved history and sharp edges
Intrigue around magic control, status, and what power costs
Perfect for readers hunting: spicy fantasy romance, dark romance fantasy book, romantasy enemies to lovers
Strong “can’t-put-it-down” energy for fans of emotionally intense fantasy romance
(Note: this one’s openly pitched as darker; worth checking content notes if you’re sensitive to certain themes.)
4) Hollow by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Best for: dark romantasy, cursed forests, deadly competitions, monstrous princes, high spice, twisty cliffhangers
Spoiler-free overview
If your ideal read is “enter the haunted forest and try not to die”, Hollow is calling. Once every fifty years, The Great Hunt begins; an event where Champions enter a cursed woodland to chase a prize that can change fate. Ferris Creed isn’t a warrior or Fae; she’s entering because it’s her only hope. Inside the trees, the rules are brutal, the spirits are watching, and the most dangerous obstacle is Prince Bane; a shadowed figure tied to the terrifying Hollows. Expect a dark, seductive fantasy romance packed with warnings, bargains, and the kind of tension that thrives in the shadows.
Main reasons to read
High-stakes competition + cursed setting = instant momentum
A rebellious FMC who relies on deception, grit, and nerve
Dark atmosphere: spirits, whispers, rules you shouldn’t break
Romantasy readers who search for dark fae romance, deadly trials romantasy, spicy fantasy enemies to lovers will feel at home
Promised ingredients: plot twists, cliffhangers, dark humour, and spice
5) The Ascended by Bree Grenwich & Parker Lennox
Best for: epic romantasy, divine trials, twins, vengeance arcs, deadly competition for power
Spoiler-free overview
In a world where divine power leaks into mortal hands, Thais Morvaren has survived by mastering deception; and hiding a rare gift: she can forge weapons from starlight. When her ability is exposed, she’s forced into the Trials of Ascension, where those with divine power face a stark choice: ascend or die trying. The stakes intensify when her twin brother is pulled into the trials alongside her, and Thais’ fear hardens into purpose: she wants revenge on Olinthar, King of the Gods. But taking down a god may require becoming one; and getting tangled with a dangerous prince whose secrets run deep.
Main reasons to read
Trials framework (competitive, brutal, addictive)
A heroine with a standout power: starlight weapon-forging
Sibling loyalty under pressure (twins in a deadly game)
Epic romantasy vibes for readers searching: divine trials fantasy romance, gods and mortals romantasy, epic romantasy series
Promises both power escalation and romantic danger
Which one should you pick up first?
Want dark academia + tarot magic? Start with Arcana Academy.
Want historical fiction with mysticism and medieval politics? Pick Canticle.
Want dark, emotionally intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy? Go for Rose in Chains.
Want cursed forest trials + monstrous prince energy? Hollow is your move.
Want epic divine Trials + revenge plot? Choose The Ascended.
Books Featured in This Article
Arcana Academy
by Elise Kova
“Magical from nail-biting beginning to shocking end!”—Danielle L. Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in BloodNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 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
Canticle
by Janet Rich Edwards
A masterful debut novel following a spirited young woman's explorations of faith, agency, and love in thirteenth-century Bruges. Aleys is sixteen years old and unusual: stubborn, bright, and prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, Finn, a young scholar, have been learning Latin together in secret--but just as she thinks their connection might become something more, everything unravels. When her father promises her in marriage to a merchant she doesn't love, she runs away from home, finding shelter among the beguines, a fiercely independent community of religious women who refuse to answer to the Church. Among these hardworking and strong-willed women, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of belonging: a life of song, meaning, and friendship in the markets and along the canals of Bruges. But forces both mystical and political are at work. Illegal translations of scripture, the women's independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop--and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger, a danger that will push Aleys to a new understanding of love and sacrifice. Grounded in the little-told stories of medieval women--mystics, saints, anchoresses, and beguines--and introducing a major new talent, Canticle is a luminous work of historical fiction, vividly evoking a world on the verge of transformation.
Rose in Chains
by Julie Soto
THE INSTANT NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Featuring hardcover exclusive character-art endpapers and a foiled board design while supplies last. HE'S HER GREATEST ENEMY ... AND HER DEEPEST DESIRE 'A dark fever dream of a fairytale. Rose in Chains is a heart-pounding, spellbinding, forbidden love story that kept breaking my heart and putting it back together again' Stephanie Garber, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Broken Heart 'Lush, complex, and utterly engrossing' Rebecca Ross, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals 'Absorbing, unique, and addictive' Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author 'A delicious, darkly tender slow-burn romance' Brigitte Knightley, author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy 'The scintillating romantasy of my dreams. The all-consuming, captivating chemistry between Briony and Toven has changed my life' Lindsey Kelk, Sunday Times bestselling author of Love Story The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead. Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Princess Briony Rosewood is stripped of her magic and auctioned off to the highest bidder. She's sold to Toven Hearst: scion of a family known for their cruel control of magic - and her long-time, and unresolved, infatuation. Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help - and hope - may yet arise in the most unlikely of places... New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto crafts a lush romantic fantasy that's filled with intrigue, magic, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance. 'An intoxicating tale of forbidden love' Sarah Hawley, USA Today bestselling author of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon 'Dark and steamy, beautifully written, magical and nuanced, and completely unforgettable' Thea Guanzon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars 'Captivating magical world, tension-filled intrigue, and riveting enemies-to-lovers romance' Abigail Owen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Games Gods Play 'Dark and gripping and full of twists and turns' Nisha J. Tuli, international bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen 'A darkly luscious, unputdownable romantasy debut. Soto weaves together a complex and captivating world of magic, lust and longing' Kate Golden, USA Today bestselling author of A Dawn of Onyx *Sunday Times number 1 bestseller w/c 8 July
Hollow
by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
The new dark Romantasy from the bestselling authors of Zodiac Academy, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is a heady cocktail of Summoners, seduction and spirits, set to get your heart racing and feet kicking.“The twisted sisters have done it again! This darkly captivating fantasy romance is a must read. The twists and turns left me speechless, and I could never predict what was coming next. Five amazing stars.” - Jaymin Eve, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author “With their signature flair, Peckham and Valenti weave together deadly adventure and smoldering attraction to give us a story that's as lush and dangerous as the very force threatening to consume their characters. Rich, immersive, and utterly compelling.” - Helen Scheuerer, The Sunday Times bestselling author Don’t listen to the whispers of the woods. Don’t trust the man cloaked in shadow. Don’t earn the wrath of the scattered spirits. Don’t go out after dark. The Great Hunt begins once every fifty years and only the Champions willing to face death to shatter the curse dare to enter. The Champions…and me. I’m no warrior, no swordsmith, and certainly no Fae, but the forest is my only hope. To enter those trees is to walk willingly to my demise. But I need the boon the forest will grant the winner and I’m willing to risk it all for a chance at claiming it. I just never expected to face him beneath those trees. The beast who strikes fear into the desperate people of all lands. The monster who commands the legion of Hollows and makes our plight a thousand times worse. The Hollows are empty of all things but none are so heartless as him. Prince Bane intends to be the death of me. But I have an oath to fulfil before I’ll let him have me. And I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve it. I am Ferris Creed and I’m going to unite the lost spirits who once bound the wandering trees in place, return the scattered amulets to the core of its corruption, and use the winner’s boon to change my fate. Come wretchedness or torment, through trickery and deception, I will get what I came here for. And no one will stand in my way. Not even Prince Bane. *** Hollow is a dark Romantasy from the bestselling authors of Zodiac Academy, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It is a heady cocktail of Summoners, seduction and spirits, set to get your heart racing and feet kicking. There will be a ruinous, black hearted love interest, a rebellious, ruthless FMC, plot twists, cliff hangers, dark humour and a healthy seasoning of make-you-blush spice. It is not for the faint of heart. All those who enter the forest are bound by its terms – will you walk willingly into the dark? ***
The Ascended
by Parker Lennox, Bree Grenwich
Revenge demands the ultimate sacrifice. When twins Thais and Thatcher are thrust into the deadly Trials of Ascension, they'll navigate brutal competitions and forbidden desires, discovering some secrets are worth dying for—and others are worth killing for.In a world where divine power bleeds into the mortal realm, Thais Morvaren has mastered the art of deception. To her seaside village, she's just a fisherman's daughter, serving oysters to summer tourists. In secret, she hides her ability to forge weapons from starlight—a power that would force her into the deadly Trials of Ascension.But when a priest's ritual exposes her divine heritage, Thais is seized and conscripted into the trials against her will. Now trapped in a competition she never wanted to enter, she transforms her fear into purpose: to kill Olinthar, King of the Gods—the father whose divine touch proved fatal to her mother.To take down a god, she must become one, even if it costs her everything.What she doesn't expect is her twin brother's powers suddenly manifesting, forcing him into the trials alongside her—leaving Thais to protect more than just herself.Worse still, the selection ceremony binds her to a mentor: Xül. A necromancer prince with blood-soaked hands, a sharp tongue, and dark secrets of his own. From the moment they meet, sparks fly. He's insufferably arrogant, she's stubborn to the bone, and neither has any intention of yielding to the other... or to the heat between them.Each trial survived brings her closer to godhood, but beneath the spectacle of competition, something ancient and malevolent stalks the shadows of the divine realm—a darkness that threatens to unravel the heavens themselves.Thais may have been forced into the Trials seeking survival, but she'll finish them seeking vengeance.And the cost of godhood is rising.Because some stars aren't meant to be weapons.Some stars are meant to fall.