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Worthy of Fate (Realms in Peril)
A.N. Caudle
4.2
An Arcane Study of Stars
by Sydney J. Shields
Published Apr 28, 2026
Categories
About this book
When Claudia Jolicoeur is rejected from the prestigious Cygnus University, her desperation invites a haunting bargain. A mysterious entity named Dorian appears in her dreams, offering her a path to enrollment in exchange for a terrifying price: she must learn to shatter the celestial prison that binds him. Claudia awakens as a student, but her sudden arrival in the wake of a predecessor’s death makes her an immediate pariah.
As rumors of murder swirl around her, Claudia finds herself locked in a bitter academic rivalry with Cassius MacLeod, the High Sage’s brilliant and cold-hearted apprentice. While they trade sharp-witted barbs in the classroom, Claudia secretly hunts for the truth behind a string of century-old disappearances among the school's celestial witches. Each piece of evidence she uncovers suggests she is the next target, forcing her to rely on the very entity she is bound to liberate.
As the lines between her research and her survival blur, the animosity between Claudia and Cassius shifts into a volatile attraction. Trapped in a web of dark academia, ancient secrets, and dangerous bargains, Claudia must choose who to trust before the stars—and the secrets they keep—claim her life.
Available Formats
Audiobook: $0.00 Paperback: $14.59
What readers are saying
Leilani6 Star dark academia × paranormal romance
"6 stars, hands down. Ever since I heard Sydney Shields was coming out with another book, I have been crossing my fingers, toes, legs, and praying to get it in my earbuds as quickly as possible. She has this way of writing that makes me pause - and its no easy feat. My mind is usually nonstop, and I multitask while listening to audiobooks. I locked in because every single word is important. This book cast a spell on me - I felt entranced by Jane Fox's voice, her cadence, inflection, and passion she breathed into these characters & university. She didnt just deliver the lines, she made me feel EVERYTHING. An Arcane Study of Stars is essentially a spell book, a grimoire, set in a fog cloaked academy, where time stands still and moss coats the cobblestones. It is poetry and yearning and madness. We have magic, a murder mystery, found family, and witty banter...holy STARS, the banter. This book made me wish I had a better vocabulary. I understood the words, but I definitely dont speak this way. It was simply beautiful. If you are a lover of intelligent banter, you are going to appreciate this book. I loved every single thing about this audiobook. I need to know what happens next. Some of my favorite quotes: 🌌"Nothing is as transformative as the right book at the right time." 🌌"Because Cassius thinks shes a [....] and worse... an idiot." 🌌"He doesnt answer, because he is a snake. Useless. Adorable, but useless." 🌌"But you dont believe in the stars"..... "I believe in you." 🌌"You think i dont want to tell you? I'd rip my heart out if you wanted to hold it. There's nothing in this world I want to keep from you. I want you to know me the way a writer knows their favorite poem. The way a poet knows their darkest desires." 🌌"You confuse good with perfect. Goodness is an intention. Perfection is an impossibility. Mistakes and failures do not erase your morality. They shape it and serve as a map to your truest self. You are good [...] because you want to be." ........... As always, make sure you check content warnings before you dive in... protect your heart first. (Also, I know this is chaotic.... thats where my brain is in the moment) ["
April 29, 2026
RavenousReadera beautiful gothic fantasy
"This book is rather brilliant. The magic system is unique, the protagonist is compelling and the love triangle fascinating. Claudia is desperate to escape her father and his mechanizations. She applies to Cygnus university to study a magic based on constellations and the stars only to be rejected. Then Dorian a dark and dangerous figure enters her life with a deal with a devil she cannot refuse. She will be allowed into the university but she must free him from his cage. Of course she accepts, finding herself entering late into the year and on the heals of a tragic death. She of course is suspected by many and cruelly treated by Cassius MacLeod, the High Sage's apprentice. She must navigate this world of magic and desire and find instruction to master a dead magic to fulfill her bargain. Because if she doesn't she risks madness and death. This world is rich and dark, beautiful and titillating. It is well written and worth the read. ["
May 17, 2026
