Member Reviews
This was a really, really good book.
It gave me Hawthorn Brothers, mixed with Throne of Glass, mixed with Amelie Wen Zhao vibes. It felt original, fast paced, and had a great magic system.
Mikira is a strong willed, female main character who will do anything to save her family from the feudal lords.
As this is a dual POV Arielle Kadar is our other protagonist. Equally as strong and steeped in magic our young sorceress has secrets of her own to protect.
The two girls are thrown into the world of the upper class when House Lord Damian Adair agrees to sponsor Mikira in the races to win her family freedom.
It’s got a wonderful fantasy world filled with Jewish folklore and the perfect balance of romance. There were lots of layers to the the plot and I honestly couldn’t keep with all the betrayal and murder!! I’m so so so excited to read the next book and see where things go!!
This was such a strong start to the series and one to add to your tbr 🎉
This was intense! I loved the found family vibes as our four characters got to know each other. I really wish we'd gotten to see more of Reed though. He was my favorite.
It surprised me, when political intrigue took over the story in the second half. Like it was building behind the scenes in the first half, but our two POV characters didn't see it for a while.
All of the characters felt real and like people I would like to know. They were captivating.
I have no idea what happened in that final whirlwind at the end, except that I need the next book now, please. I need to see them mend the rift between them.
The characters all had this dark side to them, and they reminded me a lot of the gang in Six of Crows. Which is a compliment because that's one of my favorite books because of the characters.
This was so much better than I was hoping and I definitely need more. It was like the best mix of Six of Crows and Ashlords and Bonds of Brass. Found family, Characters with dark sides who are still noble and compelling, magical horse racing, and political intrigue.
The audiobook performance was good but it lessened the tension a bit for me.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Book Press for providing an early copy for review.
When I first won the ARC for This Dark Descent, I didn’t know if I actually wanted to read it. The cover displayed a horse while the blurb talked about a horse race. I know horses are majestic, but that’s just not in my interest wheelhouse. You’re probably asking yourself “Why did you enter a sweepstakes for the book then?” I enter all contests to win anything free. Free is free. Lol
I won this ARC back in the spring of 2023 during Yallwest. It has taken me until the end of the year to actually pop it open and read it. And, honestly, it was only after I read two other middle grade books by this author that I really decided to give this book a try. I’m glad that I did though. She seems to be a solid writer and author for me. But, I rant. Let’s get to the book.
This Dark Descent is about two young women coming into their own power in the fictional city of Veradell. One, Mikira, was born and bred in Veradell while the other, Arielle, recently immigrated to the city. These are the two main characters. They couldn’t be more opposite. I think the only thing they have in common is that they are both female. Mikira is short and wiry while Arielle is tall and curvy. (Those are book quotes.) Mikira is quick to anger while Arielle holds her emotions in. Mikira wears her heart on her sleeve and shows her anger on her face, but Arielle shows nothing while anger bubbles inside her. Pivoting to comics for a second, but they’re relationship and personality differences are akin to Batman and Superman or Captain America and Ironman. It’s a relationship where outside forces and circumstances have thrust two people together that have absolutely nothing in common other than a common goal. In this case that common goal is to live free from the threat of power from Veradell’s ruling houses.
In Veradell, there is the royal family, the Anthir (think Knights/Police), and the ruling houses. The ruling houses are basically the rich who ensure the rules of law are forever in their favor. One exception to this is House Adair, or so we are led to believe. House Adair is run, unofficially, by Damien Adair, the second youngest son of the official ruler of the house. We are led to believe that Damien is not like other rules in Veradell. With his closest companion Reid at his side, Damien thrusts himself into the lives of Mikira and Arielle. They don't trust each other, but they make bargains to obtain a common goal, taking down Rezek Kelbra, the main villain of the book. And, because Rezek Kelbra is such an evil and awful person, each character, especially the main characters, descend into the darker side of themselves to best him. But, what do they become because of this? And, do they actually best him? That’s the real question.
The plot of this book is convoluted, but in a good way. There are many plot twists and turns to keep you interested. It is told in a dual point of view between Mikira and Arielle, but it feels as though Arielle actually gets more time in the book than Mikira does. This book has quite a few tropes. None of them are too over the top. Is there angst? Yes. Are there romance tropes? Yes, however, there isn’t too much of it that it takes away from the actual plot of the book. The only trope that bothered me was all of the secret keeping. All the characters were keeping secrets from each other. That trope reminds me of all the CW shows, and that kills a little bit of the genuineness of the plot for me.
All in all though, I am anticipating the release of the sequel.
I read This Dark Descent in early October and was so happy about how much I was vibing with it and that I was getting some exciting fantasy in a post-Fourth Wing and pre-Iron Flame world. It was the exact perfect amount of intrigue, action, pacing, and originality I needed in the midst of a mini reading slump.
I’m not well versed at all in Jewish folklore (I know surface level things from The X-Files and Supernatural that are probably inaccurate), but that being a heavy part of this story was fascinating. The horses, the magic—all the fantasy aspects were great.
I loved the pacing of this book. From the synopsis, I was worried we’d get one nonstop horse race, but the races are split up with adequate healing/practice time in between each of them. I did struggle to see some of the stakes at some points because of that, but I do prefer it to the alternative of a nonstop go go go deadly race. The breaks give us time for the plot to develop.
The ending?? Had me shook. I was so relieved to find out this is going to be a duology because I definitely need answers. I loved these characters, but some of them I still hadn’t quite figured out by the end. I need to know where their minds are what their futures hold with each other.
This was such a fun, immersive, high-stakes, high-paced novel—I loved following the characters with their different motivations, learning about their world, and holding my breath for the conclusion. A great page-turner!
This story kicks off with a quick start and doesn't let up for the whole book. Mikira to save her family, enters a deal with Damien and the big race, but is it the best choice? Enter magical horses, a competitive horse race and some unrequited feelings, and I was completely immersed. I loved the main cast of characters and loved the back and forth between Mikira and Arielle. I couldn't put this book down and cannot wait for the next.
I loved this book. Give me all of Jewish mythical creatures and combine them with some of my favorite aspects of some of my favorite books.
I loved the parallel relationship building and how all of the tension that built impacted all four of the main characters. I loved the shifts in POV throughout the book.
The cliffhanger makes sense and has me excited for book two!
thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.
I really liked this audiobook. The story was very well written as well. I have read similar books like Monsters Born and Made but this one was much better.
What I loved most about This Dark Descent was how it felt like a heist. The way every character had a stake in the outcome. The way they slowly began to trust each other and work together. The friendships that formed, the romantic attachments the blossomed. Excited to see where this author takes the next installment.
Jewish Inspired folklore
High Fantasy
Sacrificing FMC
Blood feuds
High stakes
LGBTQ+ rep
Swoon worthy romance
I have loved Kalyns writing style since her very first book. While I enjoyed this story and being back in Kalyns writing, I was expecting more from it. I needed something even if I can’t put my finger on what it is. This is easily a great start to a YA series but I’m hoping for more in the next installment.
I need you all to know about this book because it was just absolutely stunning. I am head over heels in love with it.
Usually I don't like to compare books to other books, but seriously: this gave me some of the same feelings as Scorpio Races did. I connected with the characters on another level entirely, I felt their pain and their joy and their heartbreak, and I was rooting for them constantly. plus, they both center around horse races, although the races and ideas are completely different and unique to each book.
I don't want to give too much away with this, honestly. going in blind and experiencing it for yourself is the way to go. all I knew was that it was fantasy and horses, and I loved every moment of discovering the nuances of the plot, the richness of the world (extremely well-built), and the depth of the characters. It is truly an adventure from beginning to end, and I am waiting with bated breath for the next one to come out.
I was sold on this premise alone. Every ten years the citizens gather for a treacherous horse race that ends in prize money and a high body count. Secrets, dangerous games and winning at any cost had me hooked.
Thank you #macmillan and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange kfor an honest review.
I flew through this one! I loved the Jewish rep and how it was woven into the story. The pacing was great. The characters were great! Overall, loved it!
I really enjoyed this and I think many teenagers will, too. I'm glad to see an uptick in Jewish mythology, and I am an absolute sucker for a horse race. The world was vivid, the characters were likeable, and the pacing was quick and easy.
I am still in my dreaded reading slump that has lastest almost half of the year by now, and the cure for it has been and always seems to be super fun books that I can lose myself into for a few hours. And this one just did the trick perfectly. I just adored the world in this book so much and I had the best of time loosing myself in this world and seeing what would happen next.
Oh my goodness I loved this book so much! It reminded me of Six of Crows and The Gilded Wolves books mixed with the Scorpio Races. It was fast paced and I couldn't put it down! I really can't wait for the next book!!!
Based on Jewish folklore, this YA fantasy is centered around two main POVs. There's a lot going on, and it feels like everyone is using each other.
There's a lot of violence in this book and it feels like the first third is different from the rest of the book. The characters are morally grey and the magic system needs to be explained more. I know there's a Book 2 so I'm sure more will be explained about the books, and political intrigue.
This might have been a good story, but there were too many names and too many people to go along with those names to know who was who. A list of the families and relationships at the front of the book would have helped. The background of the background that set the premise of the story was not well established. I received an arc from NetGalley and am under no pressure for a positive review.
Two vulnerable women. One bold usurper. Together, they can bring an entire kingdom to its knees—lest it crushes them first.
Mikira wants to win the Illinir race to free her father from House Kelbra and bring prestige back to her family name again. Arielle wants to become a licensed enchanter and see how far her power in creating golems can go. And Damien wants House Adair to defeat House Kelbra once and for all. Hellbent, he recruits Mikira as his racer and Arielle to create the golem Mikira will ride. To victory or death is up to Mikira, but Damien and Arielle will do whatever it takes for her to win—even if it means giving into their dark desires…
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What book officially broke my Fourth Wing slump? THIS ONE! It might not have dragons in it, but it’s got so much to offer by way of magic. Kinnish magic vs Enderlish religion, enchanted animals vs golems, warring rich families, turbulent revolution on the rise, and two incredibly strong female MCs that you’ll equally admire and adore. This may not have been 1st POV which is my #1 preference, but Josephson’s writing is so rich and engaging that I didn’t care and just allowed myself to get swept away by the world she created. I can’t wait for book 2 and urge everyone to read this. Absolutely won’t regret it!
I adored This Dark Descent. Horse books always get my attention, and the addition of "magical horse"- take my money. I'm a huge fan of everything Kalyn writes including Ravenfall and The Storm Crow Series.