I don’t know why, but I was hesitant to pick this book up. Still, as I was about to embark on an autumn trip to Scotland, I thought there was no better time for a cosy fantasy read like this. And boy, was I in for a treat.

The main characters are absolutely delightful, and I really appreciated the wide variety of magical beings and the intriguing magic system. The first half of the book had me hooked like it was literally caffeine, I couldn’t put it down.

But then came the second half, and it turned out to be super predictable. I was honestly quite disappointed; it left a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Such a strong start and such a weak finish. I probably won’t be picking up the second book.

My favorite part of this book was the Mayan mythology, it felt like a really fresh way to include old myths that wasn’t the usual Greek/Roman/Norse myths. Does anyone have any recommendations for other books where Mayan, Aztec or other native Mexican mythology is a central part of the story?

This book has made me realise why I don't like a lot of Dark Academia novels. I love that this book engages with the actual academia, and we get to see it and understand it through the eyes of the protagonists. Other DA books I've looked at, the 'academia' aspect is just relegated to the setting (like it's set in a magic school, everyone has magic, but we don't really learn a single thing about magic unless it's necessary to explain a relationship). And as a grumpy person with a masters degree, I have no desire to just read about students having fun and doing anything but study 😂