I filtered through so many thoughts and emotions I don't even know how I'm going to get through everything in this review. I am so grateful that I had the privilege to receive this book as a free eARC as I had so much fun and can't wait for the next one.

Kuxtal Academy follows not-so-estranged siblings Mira and Koa as they are reunited at an elitist academy after a tragic event. Along the way they find love, learn about each other, and uncover dark societal secrets. With an extremely confusing yet incredibly intriguing magic system, you have to start paying attention right away because it is deceptively easy to get through. 

I absolutely love so many things about this book's premise. I was particularly connected to the idea of a society abandoning the old gods, and worshipping a new singular figure now deeming the old belief as taboo. It reminds me of a project I did in my uni class a year ago with a very similar idea and I love this take and depiction of colonialism and cultural erasure being present in a fantasy novel. The history behind the demonization of old religious practices is one of the reasons I love learning about old mythologies and this book was a treat to me. 

I love the relationship not just between the siblings but their respective partners as well. I am a slut for a man who is irrevocably whipped for the woman he loves and this book is chock full of that. The relationship-developing scenes happen mostly with Koa and while I loved watching him learn to love someone other than his sister, I was left craving more Mira scenes. It felt like almost every time I would get her scenes it would be at the very beginning or tail end of what could have been a great relationship-developing moment that I never got to see. I really hope that now that Koa's story seems at least partly wrapped up, the next book will centre a bit more around Mira especially with her powers emerging and that sus ass phone call her man had.

My only real issue was that sometimes the writing could be confusing and almost feel incomplete. Obviously, as I read this as an arc things may have been revised and changed for the official release, but as it stands now there would be times when it would feel like something was missing. Some vital word or sentence that would connect points A and B to help me fill in a gap that was causing me to reread sentences trying to make out what exactly was happening or who was supposed to be talking at that moment.

Despite anything that may have bothered me I did truly love the story. The book ended on a very much illegal cliffhanger that I am currently still recovering from and I can't wait to see what else is to be revealed about the world and its magic.