An Arcane Study of Stars Published by Orbit on April 28, 2026 Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, Fiction / Occult & Supernatural, Fiction / School & Education
Pages: 512
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Goodreads
Reading Challenges: All booksFrom Sydney J. 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 Atlas Six and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
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?
Celestial Magic
I went into An Arcane Study of Stars expecting moody dark academia, star magic, and a deliciously tense rivals-to-lovers romance—and to be fair, it absolutely delivers on that vibe. But while the atmosphere sparkles, the story itself didn’t always hit as hard as I hoped.
The premise is undeniably compelling: Claudia makes a dangerous bargain with a mysterious entity to gain entry into a magical university, only to find herself tangled in secrets, suspicion, and a rival who may be more than he seems. It’s gothic, seductive, and full of intrigue on paper.
And honestly? The setting is the standout. The dark academia aesthetic is rich with secret societies, morally gray magic, and late-night studying under star charts. It’s all there, easy to sink into. The tone leans lush and dramatic, with a slightly chaotic, almost fever-dream energy that fits the story’s themes of obsession and ambition.
But where it faltered for me was in the execution.
The pacing felt uneven, especially in the middle. Some sections dragged with heavy exposition or repetitive emotional beats, while others rushed past moments that should have had more impact. I wanted to feel the weight of Claudia’s choices, like the killing of her father and possibly the man she was to marry. Especially the soul-bargain, but it sometimes felt glossed over in favor of vibes rather than depth.
The romance is definitely a focal point, and unfortunately, it’s also where the book struggled the most for me. The story leans into a sexual, BDSM-coded dynamic, which to me seemed unnecessary and more of a plot device to prove that Claudia, even though she says she is a good girl, really is more of a corrupted kind of character that is addicted to physical punishment. I felt it was overdone and really did not add anything to the story.
Character-wise, Claudia is interesting—driven, flawed, and a little reckless—but I didn’t always feel fully connected to her. I felt that she was flat where she should have been more devastated when she killed her father to get to the school. It was glossed over as she entered, covered in blood. The supporting cast also felt underdeveloped, especially given the university setting’s potential for layered relationships and intrigue.
That said, I can absolutely see why people will love this book. If you’re here for:
- dark academia aesthetics
- morally gray characters
- rivals-to-lovers dynamics
- dreamy, star-soaked magic
…it’s going to work much better for you.
For me, though, it was a case of style over substance. Gorgeous vibes, intriguing ideas—but I wanted more depth, tighter pacing, and especially a more thoughtfully developed romantic dynamic to really make it shine.
Final rating: 3 stars — atmospheric and addictive at times, but not quite as impactful as it could have been. I loved the first half of the story, but the second part was where I struggled.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
