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.

This was such an action filled book! I absolutely loved the characters and the journey they went on. The plot was creative, interesting, and exciting. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

DRC provided by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kalyn Josephson introduces us to a diverse and loveable group of characters in her new young adult adventure-fiilled book, gloriously inspired by Jewish mythology. Each chapter was a like a shot of adreline.

Synopsis:

The Rusel family is well-known in Enderlain for their ability to breed magical horses, but despite their reputation, they are struggling with mounting debts. In a desperate bid to save her family’s ranch, Mikira Rusel has no choice but to compete in the Illinir, a deadly cross-country horserace that is famous for its dangerous obstacles and high mortality rate, as well as its impressive prize money.

To stand a chance of winning, Mikira must enlist the help of two unlikely allies: Arielle Kadar, an unlicensed enchanter who creates golems instead of using enchanted animals, and Damien Adair, a nobleman embroiled in a fierce succession battle. Both of her companions have their own reasons for wanting to assist Mikira, but they also have their own personal vendettas to settle.

In a world as treacherous as this one, it remains to be seen whether hidden motives and conflicting interests will destroy their chances of winning the Illinir, or if another competitor’s blade will be the one to end their dreams of victory.

Thoughts:

Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent is a promising action packed start to a new young adult fantasy series with dual POV between the two female protagonists immersed in Jewish mythology. While there are certainly positive aspects to the book, there are also some shortcomings that prevent it from being truly exceptional. While the plot and characters are solid, I didn’t find them particularly captivating or awe-inspiring. That being said, the story does have a good flow and is easy to follow. However, in my opinion, there are several areas in which the book could have been improved to make it a more enjoyable read for audiences.

Despite the author’s efforts to clarify the workings of the magic system, I found myself left with a multitude of unanswered questions. For instance, it was unclear whether enchanters were a rare breed or if anyone could learn to cast spells. As a result, I was extremely frustrated during the first half of the book, as the author only provided minimal explanations about how the magic system worked. It wasn’t until the start of the second half of the book that I began to receive a bit more information, but even then, my concerns were not entirely resolved. While the author certainly made an effort to explain the workings of the magic system, I felt that there were still many gaps in my understanding of it by the time I reached the end of the book.

In terms of world building, This Dark Descent left something to be desired. I often found myself picturing scenes from Peaky Blinders or The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, a series that I absolutely adore. While the character dynamics were well-crafted, they didn’t particularly stand out or impress me in any significant way. While the characters were certainly likable and engaging, they didn’t bring anything particularly unique or exceptional to the table.

In my opinion, the author intentionally portrayed Mikira as a hot-headed and impulsive character, which made her difficult to sympathize with at times. While the family tragedy was certainly the driving force behind the plot, I didn’t feel particularly invested in Mikira’s personal stake in it. The interactions between Mikira and her sisters and father lacked depth and didn’t provide enough emotional resonance for me to truly care about their situation. Additionally, I found myself confused by the sudden romantic tension between Mikira and Quinn/Tarlyana, which was introduced abruptly and fizzled out just as quickly. Furthermore, the revelation that Tarlyana was actually Mikira’s childhood best friend, who had not been mentioned previously, felt like a convenient plot device rather than a well-developed character arc. Overall, while there were certainly elements of Mikira’s character that were interesting, I found her to be somewhat underdeveloped and lacking in depth. Another unconvincing thing for me was how Mikira was willing to use a horse in a series of races which had really high stakes without getting familiar with the horse at first. I don’t know horses but I know cars. If you don’t know what you are driving like the back of your hand that’s a recipe of disaster.

Arielle was a standout character for me, and I found myself sympathizing with her situation and invested in her character arc. Her backstory was well-crafted and had enough dark elements to provide a sense of suspense and intrigue, which kept me engaged and eager to see what would happen to her moving forward. However, I didn’t find the romance between Arielle and Damien to be particularly compelling. Their chemistry felt lukewarm at best, and I wasn’t fully convinced by their relationship. Toward the end of the book, the author attempted to provide more depth to their romance by including snippets of Damien’s perspective in Arielle’s chapters, but I didn’t feel like this did much to enhance their chemistry. While I appreciated the effort to flesh out their relationship, it ultimately fell short for me.

I thought Reid and Shiba were excellent side characters, and I enjoyed their presence in the story. Similarly, I found Rezek and Loic to be well-crafted villains, and I appreciated the depth and nuance that was given to their characters. The portrayal of court and great house politics was also intriguing, and added a much needed layer to the story. However, there were some weak points in the politics that I won’t go into detail about.

In general, I would say that This Dark Descent is a good book with plenty of potential. However, I do believe that the plot, characters, and world building could all benefit from further development and strengthening. While there were certainly some positive aspects to the book, such as the solid foundation of the magic system and the well-crafted villains, there were also areas that could be improved. With some additional attention to these areas, I think that the series has the potential to really shine.

I loved this! I loved the Jewish folklore inspiration and it was incredibly enchanting! This was a breath of fresh hair! I don't read many unique fantasies anymore but this was a well needed palate cleanser! The world, characters, magic was all amazing!