This Dark Descent is an intricate, captivating fantasy for fans of The Scorpio Races and Six of Crows.

While the story itself focuses on a treacherous horse race called the Illinir, this story (much like The Scorpio Races) is about much more than the horse race. There is magic and romance, secrets and betrayal. I love the world Kalyn has created, especially pulling inspiration from Jewish folklore. It has all the darkness and shadows of the Grishaverse but includes more modern technologies and fascinating magical creatures with both the enchanted horses and golems.

The characters were fascinating as well, and I love all the varying relationships and dynamics that develop throughout the novel. This book really keeps you on your toes as the plots weave together and more and more is revealed. At first, I wasn’t sure what the significance of the title was, but by the end, it’s obvious that This Dark Descent is an excellent match. If you’re a fan of characters dipping their toes into morally gray subjects, this is the book for you.

There were a few moments that left me feeling a little disappointed (it felt like there might be one too many things the book was trying to do), but overall the world is immersive, the characters are intriguing, and the plot is thrilling. I look forward to seeing what happens next in book two.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for YA fantasy with a darker edge.

3.5 stars overall

When Mikira's family is threatened by a ruling house and her father imprisoned, it is up to her to do what she can to save them. She makes a deal with her father's captor that if she is able to win the Ilinir horse race on an unenchanted horse, he will free her father and leave her family alone. Her only chance to do so is to find a generous benefactor who will sponsor her in the race. But will aligning with one manipulative political family to escape another leave her and her sisters any better off? Or has she doomed her family with her rash action?

I enjoyed the racing portions of this, along with some of the character development/relationship growth that occurred between the main characters. I had a difficult time at some points keeping the point of views separate and following the politics of the world the author has created. Overall, a decent read, and one that will find an audience with general fantasy readers.

I received a DRC of this from the publisher.

I knew from the first few chapters that this book is exactly my cup of tea. Lots of worldbuilding details to keep track of, but the characters and their dynamics are well worth it!

This book is perfect for fans of Ashlord’s, The Scorpio Races, and Hunger Games. I definitely recommend for any of my horse girls out there and dystopian lovers. This will have you questioning who the good guys are and who you should be afraid of. This is perfect for if you wanted the race to last longer in Ashlords then what it did. I will say the beginning felt a bit rushed but I loved that we followed both of the girls POV and not any of the boys. I enjoyed all the twist but I did yell at the characters a couple times because I was getting mad at them. I also felt like one character had a 180 near the end of the book that I didn’t think fit her character at allll. This is the first book I have read from this author and I definitely want to check out her back list now. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Roaring Book Press.

This Dark descent is a wonderful YA Fantasy novel, and I had a fantastic time reading it: compelling from the first page, I flew through this exciting tale of dangerous bets and challenges, secrets and betrayals.

Why you should preorder it already:
✨ for the exciting premise: a deadly competition woven with enchantments and danger; the fight against class inequalities, religious discrimination and war; the friends we find in unlikely places, and more;
✨ for the perfect pacing: it’s fun and compelling without ever getting boring BUT without neglecting emotional moments (which is why I often can't love books that move at brakeless speed: I need slower moments to allow an emotional connection to the characters to develop, and This Dark Descent delivered);
✨ for the characters: LISTEN, I’m so in love with them, okay??
- First you’ve got Mikira, our impulsive but immensely likeable horse rider who’ll stop at nothing to save her family;
- then Arielle, who’s always wanted to be an enchanter but what if she loses herself to the darkness in the process?
- What can I say about Reid, our grumpy emo-boy, except that he’ll bark at you but *will* make you tea every day and patch you up, that he hates dirt, loves animals (WIDGET!!! VERY GOOD CAT) and BLUSHES (I love him ok)
- Finally: Damian, the mysterious young noble who gives hope to Mikira and Arielle but whose motivations are murky—should they trust him? Only the future will tell 👀
✨ for the friendships!!!!! I especially loved Mikira and Arielle getting closer 🖤
✨ for the LGBTQIA+ rep: Mikira is bisexual, Arielle is demiromantic; this is very much a queernorm world;
✨ for the fascinating enchantment-based magic system infused with Jewish folklore (including golems) : I can’t wait to dive into it more in the sequel;
✨ for the animal companions, obviously 🥺

The ending had me on the edge of my seat and to say I CANNOT WAIT to read the sequel would be an understatement. I need more from this world, more from these characters, and I’m convinced many of you will feel the same. Highly recommended.

cw: death (including of a parent), torture, blood/gore, injuries/injuries details, religious discrimination and xenophobia, animal cruelty

Are you looking for a book with...

- Magical high stakes horse racing
- Peaky blinders meets the Scorpio Races
- Jewish based magic and folklore
- Dual POV diverse characters
- Dangerous secrets and unbridled power

This Dark Descent is an upper YA book that brings all the gritty atmosphere of the underbelly of a city mixed with the highlife of the upper elite. It has great morally grey characters, some even unlikable..but honestly in the best of ways that really made them all the more interesting.

This is a great book for fall and if you like horse elements in this story, then this one is for you. I love that danger was always lurking around every corner which made for a really fast paced book when everyone has something to lose. Every character is a little hell bent with something to prove which makes them interesting and when you bring them together the group dynamic is fantastic to read.

With multiple potential romances, hot headed arrogant male leads )but also softer ones), and never knowing who to trust. This Dark Descent is one to add to your TBR.

I LOVE Reid. More of him please.

"I will never tell you to not be angry. When the world has taken so much form you, sometimes anger is all you have left. But if you do nothing with it, it will consume you."

Can't wait to see where the next book takes us.

This was an interesting read! Two female POVs is not usually what I read, but I really liked the storytelling & writing in this one. Some character choices frustrated me at times, but would definitely still recommend.

This Dark Descent, written by Kalyn Josephson, is an exceptionally captivating fantasy novel that delves into thought-provoking themes such as the true value of goodness, the consequences of wielding magic, and the profound complexities of human nature.

I have loved this authors writing since The Storm Crow and man am still a fan!! This one was a fabulous story that I couldn't put down. I loved the feel of the tale and the setting. The characters were all there with all the feels and man I need the next one now!! I really hope that Josephson sometime in the future does some kind of New Adult Fantasy because man this couldn't have been any better other than with a hint of spice.

This book had me from the very first line: “Horses will speak to you, if only you listen.” As a life-long horse girlie, I knew I was going to fall in love with this part of the story being so prominent. I somehow completely forgot that this book had to do with horses by the time I started reading it and I was so freaking excited once I realized it.

This story has everything you could want and all the points are so well-developed. It is a lot to take in in the first few chapters, but once you start to immerse yourself into the world it is truly captivating. This has the depth of an adult fantasy that many readers want.

The lore and worldbuilding are so rich and intriguing. All the different kinds of magic and ways that it is used throughout the book was so fascinating. There’s political intrigue and power dynamics and issues of class and race. The story world really comes to life and is so engaging. The action-packed plot was perfectly paced.

I absolutely love our two main characters Mikira and Arielle, which we get dual POV. They are both fiercely independent and the feisty heroine type that is so endearing to me. Even the side characters are fun and exciting. I fell in love with the boys as soon as they graced the page. All the characters are complex and nuanced.

As an avid young adult fantasy reader, I’m always a little skeptical going into a new book in the hopes that it is not just another formulaic feeling story. And wow this did not feel like that at all. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy readers. I can easily see it becoming the next phenomenon in this genre and I can’t wait to continue the series.

And, y’all, this cover is freaking stunning! I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book when it comes out!

Description
The Shadows Between Us meets Six of Crows in this spellbinding new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding action, where the eldest daughter of a renowned family on the verge of ruin joins forces with a mysterious, rogue enchanter and a handsome, ambitious heir to win a deadly race.

Mikira Rusel’s family has long been famous for breeding enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her ranch, Mikira has only one option: she must win the Illinir, a treacherous horserace whose riders either finish maimed or murdered. Yet each year, competitors return, tempted by its alluring prize money and unparalleled prestige.

Mikira’s mission soon unites her with Arielle Kadar, an impressive yet illicit enchanter just beginning to come into her true power, and Damien Adair, a dashing young lord in the midst of a fierce succession battle. Both have hidden reasons of their own to help Mikira -- as well as their own blood feuds to avenge…

Steeped in Jewish folklore, This Dark Descent is a pulse-pounding new fantasy full of forbidden magic, sizzling romance, and epic stakes. In a world as dangerous as this, will the need for vengeance butcher Mikira’s chances of winning the Illinir … or will another rider’s dagger?

Josephson's return to YA is a lyrical adventure about people searching for the dark parts of themselves to survive. Showing continued strength since her debut, this start of a new duology holds strong promise for fans of current fantasy trends with morally gray characters, clever world-building, and impossible risks.

Mikira wants glory, Arielle wants safety, and Damien knows to set the pieces in play. Drawn into more danger, the three must unite in a cross-country race with enchanted horses. But they're not the only players. Dark, incredible magic is sparking to life, something powerful enough to bring down entire noble houses.

THIS DARK DESCENT is perfect for readers of Leigh Bardugo, Margaret Owen, Allison Saft, and Aden Polydoros.

NetGalley provided a copy. All opinions are my own.

(Further disclosure, I am a St. Martin's Publishing Group employee. A copy was given to me pre-employment.)

Horse racing meets hunger games in this YA fantasy novel, This Dark Descent. Not to mention a corrupt political system founded on a feud between rival lords. Despite the initial allure, I found connecting with any of the main characters hard. The women in the story are depicted as brave, independent, and resilient, yet they BOTH fall for men that manipulate them the entire story. The magic system and world-building needed more depth and felt incomplete in some areas. For these reasons, the book wasn't my cup of tea, but I am glad to have read this author's work and would give more of her books a go!

Thank you, Kalyn Josephson and Macmillan publishing house, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

DNF at 50% - I was pretty excited for this one, because one of the main character's grandmas was a Jewish horse breeder and you know what? SAME. I just couldn't get into it, though. It wasn't bad, it just didn't grab me (despite an obvious connection to the story). I was really not loving the burgeoning romance(s) and I wanted more horse racing. Like I said, I didn't actively dislike it, but I put it down and was like, maybe I'll come back to it. That was months ago so I'm calling it. I'll still recommend it to teens who can't get enough fantasy, though. 2 stars.

Thanks to Roaring Book Press and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.

Hmmm… Lots of feels with this book! It is rich and sumptuously written. It has layers and layers yet to be explored, and it has contradictions - both complimentary and challenging.

The story is told from two female characters POV. Mikira, the daughter of a horse-breader who can imbue enchantments into the horses he raises. The kingdom they live in, however, is under the thumb of five very powerful and corrupt noble houses. When the noble house that controls Mikira’s family decide they want her family business and take her father as an indentured servant (slave) which leaves the rest of the family with nothing, Mikira makes a deal to free him - she must race in a brutal, nation-wide horse race that the nobles hold every 10 years. BUT, she must do so on a horse void of any enchantments (all the other horses have them). It’s basically a death sentence for her but it is also the only hope she has of freeing her father and saving her family.

The second POV is from a young foreigner named Arielle, whose homeland has been destroyed and who is hiding from a past too horrible to acknowledge. Arielle also holds a highly forbidden form of magic that will assuredly get her killed if the powerful houses discover.

Enter the third main character, Damien. A lord of one of the lesser, but still powerful houses, who is in a very vengeful rivalry with another, more powerful noble house. Damien finds Mikira and Arielle and offers them both a deal they can’t refuse. He will sponsor Mikira in the race and give both young women the thing they most want, IF they help him in his quest to accomplish his goals.

Thus begins an absolutely riveting tale with all the things that make an action-packed story unforgettable! There is loyalty, deceit, love, betrayal and a host of other twists and turns that wrench the heart in innumerable ways.

In fact, this book is an HUGE five star read, IF one isn’t bothered by the weird and infuriating switch in Mikira’s character near the end (obviously, I’m one that it REALLY bothered!) The author has created her character to be honest, loyal and frank. She has a bit of a temper and when there is a problem she addresses it head-on. We see that - and admire it throughout the first 2/3 of the book. Then, suddenly, her character flips a complete 180 and does exactly the opposite! Not only does she not confront the person in question (Damien) but she holds suspicious evidence for absolutely no apparent reason that I could fathom. This, of course, creates the setting for the big final twist, but it goes so far against her character that I was extremely disappointed. It just didn’t make logical sense for the character the author created in the first place.

Still, I would highly recommend giving this story a try! It is such a richly penned and intricately developed story that the experience itself is well worth the read!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Absolutely loved the representation in this book! It made the book even better for me. Can't wait to recommend to others!

I think this is a perfect read for young adults who are looking for stories based on Jewish traditions and beliefs. It's a fun and action-packed tale. I feel it wasn't for me, as some of the exposition and pacing in the beginning felt a little awkward and clunky to me, so I struggled to get/stay immersed. I ended up deciding not to finish, but I do encourage other readers to give it a try and decide for themselves.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

This Dark Descent is a fantasy that follows a young girl name Mikira who needs to save her family's ranch by entering a challenging horse race. The story is full of enchanting magic and adventure.

This book, unfortunately,  was not for me. Although the writing was good, I didn't enjoy the dialogue. I felt like it pulled me out of the story multiple times. It couldve been because I didnt like the characters as much, so it was hard to like the dialogue.

The story had everything I look for in a fantasy like adventure,  magic, and  betrayal but it didn't stick for me. Another issue I had was with the magic system, it needed more clarity.

Unfortunately this book was not for me.

Give me anything Jewish fantasy/lore (in this case, everything Kinnish) and I will gobble it right up. Really enjoyed this one!