Thanks so much to NetGalley and to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book. This book scratched all the right places in my brain.

This Dark Descent is a dual POV story coming from the points of view of Mikira and Arielle and follows the two girls as they befriend one another as well as Damian and Reid and the four form an unlikely team and band together to win a race against what seems to be insurmountable odds. Mikira makes a bargain to enter the Illinir, a dangerous and often deadly horse race, in order to save her family and their home, and is quickly recruited and sponsored by Lord Damien Adair who, with the help of his friend Reid and Arielle, an unlicensed enchanter secretly creating golems out of her workshop, plan to help her win the race, though they each have something important of their own riding on Mikira's hopeful win.

This book has quite literally everything I could ask for: action, violence, romance, mystery, beautifully written characters and friendships, compelling villains and flaws for even our 'heroic' characters, and *so much* Jewish symbolism and folklore woven in that I was learning new things about the Judaism as I read and loving every second of it. I can't wait to dive back into this miraculous world and to see where our characters find themselves next, especially after that ending!! Hands down one of my favorites so far this year, and I have every intention of getting my hands on as many Kalyn Josephson books as I can now.

I loved this book! It's a perfect YA story for young readers, engaging, inspiring and fantastical! I personally found similarities with Yiddish, which I LOVED!!! Kinnish......Yiddish... and more! Kalyn Josephson did a miraculous job of writing this novel! She held my attention from beginning to end! I loved the female heroines and the strong women in this book! BRAVA!!!! Thank you to Netgalley and to MacMillan USA publishing for the ARC in exchange for this very honest review...I cannot wait to read Book 2!!!

This book had excellent world building and magic concept. I do not care for horses so some of the horse talk got on my nerves. The last few chapters made this book for me. Wow.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my feedback! Having read Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson, I had high expectations for a fast-moving plot, and this book did not disappoint. I read it in one day because the plot kept a fast pace while the varying characters' points of view added more depth to the tale. Normally, a fantasy novel can be pretty transparent, and of course, some of that happened with this novel, but there were a few twists at the end that I did not anticipate, so my hat goes off to Josephson! I was worried that this novel was a remake of Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races but with switching out Jewish mysticism for Irish myth, but I was pleasantly surprised that this took a bit of a different path with the addition of enchantments and the widespread dependence on magic. I particularly liked the flawed relationships that Mikira maintained and the tension of attraction to both a childhood girlfriend and a mysterious male. I also liked the eerie push behind the enchantress's mind as she fought for control. Overall, the character development is average, and there's not much in the way of literary devices for an ELA study, but the plot line will keep many readers enthralled. Enjoy, my friends.

When I read Scorpio races vs Peaky Blinders as a description for this book I knew I was in for it. Using much of Jewish folklore, this action packed novel will keep you turning those pages!

Jewish folklore, political turmoil, magical gifts, enchanted horses, slow burn romance, complex characters… I could go on and on and on. I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Our FMC, Mikira has made a bargain with the biggest power hungry Lord in order to save her family and her father from being indebted and enslaved for the rest of their lives. All will be made right if she can win the Illinir. An annual horce race that is meant to challenge the horse and rider and every rider is out for themselves. Did I mention that they are enchanted horses?? Only problem? Mikira isn’t allowed to ride an enchanted horse! Oh and she has to find a sponsor who will pay for the entry and all the expenses of the race. Thats where we meet the other amazing cast of characters, and they are dark, twisty and you are left wondering about their secrets. This book has so much going on that at times I feel it almost slows down the pacing. You need the info, but sometimes the info felt heavy right during an epic build of a scene.

That is the only reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me. I have never read a storyline like this. I found myself looking up Jewish terms and folklore and I love it when a book provokes new thoughts and ideas. This is an amazing book, I would almost say this is a new kind of Epic Fantasy for me. It’s not this mass multi universe, but it’s a universe full of massive plot, characters and adventure.

I will be reading this series til the end! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I received a free ARC of this from Netgalley. Thank you so much!

I really enjoyed this one! Except for the latter half.

People thought Mikara was too headstrong, but I think she was a good balance of that, and her kindness and sense of justice. Her whole thing in the story is that she is pulled around and screwed over and a pawn in a game between rich man. She had everything to lose, it makes sense she'd react the way she did

Reid...I'm sorry, but I hated him. He was rude when he really didn't need to be, and the way he treated Mikara was horrid. It didn't really matter if he got a little better, he was still horrible. I don't care if Damian helped him when he needed it, he was selfish and cruel. I hated how, even though she states she's aroace (not the term used), Reid is now in love with her (including a stupid "he sees her dressed up scene") and there is implied romance between them. It just felt wrong with him. Although, aroace people can experience romantic attraction, which is implied with Quinn and Mikara, which I much preferred to Mikara and Reid. There was actual chemistry there, and I hope that, if the author goes the romance, Quinn is paired with Mikara.

I loved Ari, she was a wonderful, strong character working to preserve her culture within her family, and her friendship with Mikara was wonderful. Her and Damian's relationship was cute sometimes at first, but I hated how he treated Mikara. He felt no better than the other rich men who wanted to use her. Even if he did some good, I would have rather seen a book solely about women taking down a corrupt system. I hated him by the end.

Spoilers:
And, from the ending, it seems that it is. And I'm glad. Damian is just as cruel as Rezek. Mikara had every right to expose him. And I'm glad she at least acknowledged her mistakes. Something Damian couldn't be bothered to do. I hope Ari leaves him in the next book.

All in all, it was a good book, but the male characters leave something to be desired.

First and foremost I want to thank Fierce Reads for allowing me to have an ARC of This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson. My review is voluntary and my own.

I truly loved this book. The dual-POV of both the ladies was a great touch to it. Both of them were very different, almost polar opposite. Mikira is the horse jockey who truly does not know how to hold her tongue and that is the reason so many things happen to her. Arielle is an unlicensed enchanter using not so legal enchanting who is questioning who she truly is. Then we have the guys, Damien the very mysterious lord who is full of secrets and Reid the best friend of Damien who does not like things dirty but is loyal to Damien. The way it all plays out is just amazing. The character growth, especially with Ari, is great. The description of the world and the races truly made me feel like I was there. And honestly I could not figure out how it was going to end because it would go one way and then bam something else happens instead. I cannot wait for the next book since the way it ended, I was like noooooo. I need to see where all these characters go and who is playing who.

So if you are a fan of YA Fantasy this will be the read for you, I could not put it down even when I was getting tired. I wanted to know what was going to happen.

I went into this apprehensive because I rode horses competitively for years and I don’t normally love the way YA fantasy tends to romanticize some of the most toxic aspects of the sport. But I really loved this iteration of horse-racing. It was dark and enchanting, and I couldn’t help but fall completely into the story. I read this at lightning speed, and I never felt safe setting it down. It’s definitely one I’m going to be screaming about when it releases, because I really adored it.

The world building was expansive and a little mysterious at times, but in the best way. This is definitely a book that’s on the heavier, more thorough side of world building, but it’s done in such a marvelous way that the story still felt fast and never gave me a moment to catch my breath. I could live in this world (actually I’d probably die if I ever visited this world but you know what I mean).

What kept this from being a 5-star read for me was the characters and the writing itself. While I loved Ari, I could not stand Mikira. I did find myself skimming the Mikira chapters at times because I really just did not enjoy her character. I also felt like the writing could have been stronger—especially when it came to making Mikira and Ari’s voices distinct. I felt like there was much left to be desired with the writing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for book 2!

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All views reflected are my own.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

Though I had seen the summary, what I knew about it (and was most excited for) was the 1) Jewish representation and 2) aroace representation. As someone who is a Jewish aroace, I was so excited for this book!

On the Jewish aspect, there was a lot that I liked: the golem, the prayer, the [spoiler], the discussions about how much was from Judaism/Kinnish, and the community we saw Ari had. I don’t see that often in fantastic and it’s one of my many dislikes in fantasy: there’s often fantasy Xianity but rarely fantasy Judaism.

However, there were romances. Neither romance was something I thought really made sense. Though both protags did have a discussion where they mentioned they don’t really feel a certain way about people, seeing one fall into almost instalove and the other in a love triangle was not something I’d hoped for. I think they definitely fall under the aromantic/asexual umbrella, but grey or demi might fit more?
The m/f relationship seemed to rely heavily on tropes that don’t work for me, so I was biased. The f/f (minor!) unfortunately could not catch my attention (and as my aesthetic attraction is to women and non-binary people, I consider myself a lesbian) which disappointed me. Hopefully they grow to change in the next book.

I did like the horse races, cruel as they were, and the friendships! I look forward to reading the next book, but I’d give this book a solid 3.5 stars (knocking .5 stars off for the surprise that it wasn’t aroace, even though that is not the book itself’s fault)

Jewish Folklore meets Fantasy? YES PLEASE.

This was a fast-paced, high-intrigue roller coaster of a ride. With everything from a deadly horse race, to gollem creatures, to political intrigue - this story has it all. The world building was thorough and uniquely written. The magic system has a solid foundation and the potential to be developed into something truly formidable. The characters were enjoyable but could have been a bit more personable (for the readers) in the beginning. Over all, this story is not something you see often and it was beautifully written.

I can’t wait to see where Mikira’s journey takes her!

Older youths will certainly enjoy this adventure.


Thank you NetGalley + Macmillan Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THIS DARK DESCENT balances multiple POVs and storylines in a fast-paced conflict-heavy fantasy by Kalyn Josephson sure to appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo and Roshani Chokshi. The budding romances at the center of the story could have done with a little more development (one felt very insta-love and was never really explained beyond a shared background), but the characters themselves — and their range of experiences and dimensions — more than made up for it. Although several introduced plot devices are still left unexplored at the close, likely intentionally in hopes of a sequel, THIS DARK DESCENT delivers on its thrilling premise.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

Absolutely fascinating. I was enthralled from the start. This is well written and deeplt thoughtful despite the hijanks and adventure. Older kids will love THIS DARK DESCENT and can learn a lot from the folklore

Okay. Wow. That was a ride!

Golem creatures, deadly races, and political intrigue are some of the things this book has to offer. A magic system and world building steeped in Jewish folklore that kept me reading.

Mikira is left with no choice but to compete in a dangerous horse race to save her families lively hood from being taken away by the ruthless noble that presides over her land. Ari, wants safety to practice magic. Damien offers to help them both for his own reasons.

I loved the characters! I think my favorite dynamic was between Ari and Mikira. Their friendship was so precious. They're both trying to survive in a world where they held no power. Ari is tired of being powerless and starts to grow into the power that she does have. Her magic.

The pacing was good with a lot of action and moments to let the characters grow and breath.

Unfortunately, I didn't care for the romance. That said it wasn't a huge problem for my enjoyment of the story. There was politics and the world building that kept me engaged enough to finish the story.

That ending! It definitely has me craving the next instalment!

I recommend this to anyone who likes competition based fantasy with political intrigue.

I have to say, I wasn't really hooked by the first bit of the book, but I kept reading because the idea was so cool and the mythology so different than what you typically see that I needed to keep reading. And, overall, I'm glad that I did. I liked how well-explained and well-done the world building is, because it made it really easy to understand the cultural pieces present in the story. I do think that the magic system needed a bit more, though, as I was left with a handful of foundational questions that were left unanswered. I also really enjoyed Arielle and the way she was characterized and changed throughout the story. I think I liked her even more than the true protagonist, honestly. I think one gripe I do have, though, is that Mikira needed to be a bit more fleshed out, and that she was lacking depth was enough to pull focus while reading the story. I feel like Mikira was really just horses and impulsive choices and I just needed more from her.
Overall, a fun read with a mythology that you don't get to often read much from. A few standout characters with a cool world make this worth the effort, and I can't wait to read more from this author or more in this world (hopefully!)

I wasn’t personally hooked by the hook and I stopped at the end of chapter 1. This is solidly YA where our protagonist has to save her father. Otherwise, he ends up a servant for life and they lose the farm that’s struggling anyway. If she succeeds, she also gets eternal glory and restoration of the family name. Which, I guess the stakes just don’t feel very high to me. I’m not personally invested. It’s so solidly in the YA space that it’s not the right fit for our libraries, because most of our visitors are adults and children through middle grade.

Overall, it’s written well. The cover is gorgeous.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

I am very thankful to have been given an eARC copy from NetGalley and my review will be 100% honest <3

I really enjoyed this book, I think that it is one of the most unique books I've read. I don't know much about Jewish mythology, but you don't need prior knowledge to still enjoy the book. I enjoyed all the characters, specifically Arielle since I relate to her character type more, and Reid because he's my type of male lead haha

Everything is easy to keep up with, you don't need everything plotted out like some other politic-heavy book series.

My only issues are Mikira's childhood friend just popping into existence all of the sudden, as well as Mikira being a bit of a shallow character to me with two traits being her love for horses and her being impulsive.

**4.5 stars**

A thrilling race, magical enchantments and enemies around every corner made this one wild ride.

“This Dark Descent” sees Mikira desperate and willing to bargain with a devil she knows and one she doesn’t finding herself a pawn in a game that extends far beyond the race she needs to win. Ari on the other hand wants to control her power and make good with the demons of her past but under the wrong direction will that strength be used for good or evil?

Turns out I am becoming a big fan of these race like ya stories though I feel this one leans more towards “Monsters Born Than Made” rather than “Scorpio Races”.

I’m not well versed on Jewish mythology but what I did know was interesting to see crafted on the page and how it contributed to the race portion of the story and I would assume foreshadow what’s to come on the political side. The back and forth between these two plot lines was a lot of fun as it kept you guessing whose intentions were good and who was just good at acting.

I really enjoyed the characters and look forward to seeing what happens next as all seem to have their doubts with loyalties up in the air but still within the group dynamic which will make for good fun as it unravels or strengthens depending on the other obstacles in their way.

A super fun read that I look forward to diving into again when the sequel is released.

*Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was my first time reading a book written with Jewish folklore, and it was an absolute privilege to do so. Ms. Josephson wove a beautiful, action-filled story that kept me present the entire time. The world building and character development was well-rounded, and I found myself sad that I was reaching the end of the book. An author to keep your eye on for sure! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

This cover is absolutely stunning. The author introduces us to a great cast of characters. This book is full of action and will keep you on your toes. I highly recommend this one.