This book has numerous representations that I adored: Jewish, bisexual, and asexual rep.

This is a masterful conclusion to a stellar duology that gives everything you want from a finale. Josephson not only raises the stakes from the first book but manages to keep the plot moving at a breakneck speed while pulling her characters through increasingly complex, darker layers of their world due to their own choices and fears. The first book laid down intricate world-building and a unique magic system, and this one takes it further, filling in every shadowy corner with history, danger, and intrigue.

Josephson’s characters are deeply flawed, incredibly relatable, and sometimes downright exasperating—but that’s what makes them so compelling. Each of them is dealing with personal ambitions, old loyalties, fears, and tangled secrets that have a way of pulling them apart even as they’re trying to find their way back to one another. The theme of unity in the face of chaos feels so genuine here, even if it takes quite a while; you can sense the real stakes of the decisions they’re making, and how crucial their bonds are for holding back the forces threatening to tear their city apart. This is a story about strength through unity, especially in a world that tests it at every turn.

On top of the well-developed characters, I loved the infusion of Jewish mythology—it’s refreshing and lends a distinctiveness to the series that enhances the magic and lore. The diverse representation is authentic and weaves seamlessly into the story, adding to the world’s complexity. It’s rare for a duology to feel this complete and satisfying, and this doesn’t miss a beat. This book wraps up the story with such an intense mix of heartbreak, hope, and triumph that it solidified its place as one of my all-time favorite YA duologies.

My only complaint is that we didn't get enough of Reid.

Thanks so much to the author, the publisher, and TBR and Beyond Tours for the complimentary copy and the opportunity to read and review. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
I struggled to get invested in this book. While book one had the excitement of the Illinir Races and Ari’s discoveries with her magic, this book seemed to drag on and on until the last quarter of the story. Then everything came together for a riveting and worthwhile ending.

I pushed through mainly to find out what was happening with Ari and her magic and her connection to the Heretic. I was bored with Damian’s political chess game maneuverings and Mikira’s work with the rebellion. All of it was important, of course, but this book felt like it had pushed aside the best aspects of book one (high stakes horse race and character interactions and banter) to further a bigger, albeit unnecessary plotline. I almost wish This Dark Descent had been a standalone.

This would have been a 3-star read for me, but the ending plus the world building bumped my opinion a half star higher. I still think fans of Six of Crows will enjoy this duology and Damian really reminds me so much of Kaz Brekker if Kaz had ambitions beyond being king of the Barrel.

Our Deadly Designs is book two in the This Dark Descent series by Kalyn Josephson.
An intriguing high-stakes novel that moved quick and kept me engaged throughout the whole story, a page-turner that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

First off, more sequels need small recaps of the previous book(s) at the beginning, because the quick summary of the previous book in this one was soooooooo helpful.

That being said, I enjoyed this book much better than its predecessor. I think a big part of this was the pacing was so intense. Once you get past the 35%-ish mark, it’s like go, go, go, and I couldn’t stop reading.

I loved Ari’s character journey and her allowing herself to forgive herself and confront her fears. Her friendships with Mikira and Reid also just fill my heart with joy, it’s so wholesome.

I honestly think I like the platonic relationships in this story more than the romantic ones. Which brings me to…

This might be a hot take, but I honestly love Mikira and Damien’s complex relationship. It’s by no means romantic, but they are so similar but handle that in a different way, I actually wish they had way more time on the page together. I just think they could be grudgingly best friends if they had enough time.

Very much like how the ending sequence played out, again, the plot felt very cinematic. Also enjoyed the resolve of Mikira’s “love triangle” with Reid and Talyanna, I was shocked about how it turned out, but not mad about it in the slightest.

Overall, really enjoyed this book, recommend this duology!!!

This was a fantastic conclusion to the duology. It was fun to see the story from more than just the girls points of view. Although there was an introduction with a reminder of what has happened so far, I would not recommend skipping book 1.

Our Deadly Designs was a magnificent read. As the sequel and final book in the duology it did a great job with the limited space it had. I really wish it had been a trilogy so that it had the room to breath that it deserved. Despite that it was a great read. Fast paced, action packed, and packed with plenty of twists. What I loved the most was the overall message of not letting fear guide your life. That those that live with a collective generational trauma should not let their actions be informed by it or risk inflicting the same horror on others.

Once a fearsome team strong enough to defeat all the odds, Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid are crumbling under the pressure. With Damien's fight for the power to make sweeping changes in Enderlain coming before anything else, Mikira resolves to join up with the rebels while Ari seeks to free herself from the dark magic controlling her. Reid, desperate to keep things together as much as possible, finds himself caught in the crosshairs.

However, the Heretics are rising once more. And it's going to take all four of them working together to save the kingdom from another Cataclysm.

I cannot express how much I love this duology. Jewish fantasy in YA is practically unheard of, and the only time I cried during this book was a tender moment centered on Jewish mourning customs. Seeing my culture reflected in the pages of these books is beyond words. And it's not just the Jewishness! Kira's asexuality and her loved ones' acceptance of who she is was beautiful and comforting; a representation hard to come by in any kind of novel right now.

These characters are lovingly crafted. You can't help but root for them even as they make glaring mistakes and failures in communication, because they are so real. I'm a sucker for imperfect characters slowly developing into their best selves and Josephson does an incredible job with her characterization. All in all: This is a beautifully crafted story with a satisfying ending. I dock a star because even I can only take so much of the miscommunication trope...

I really loved This Dark Descent so I was very excited to read the sequel. However, I feel slightly let down because of the relationships tampering out and no tournament to increase the stakes. From the first book I really enjoyed the dynamic between Mikira, Reid, Arielle, and Damien so I was sad that there wasn't a lot of them together. I did enjoy the addition of getting to know Talyana, Shira, and Eshlin more. I especially love the Ace storyline going on with Mikita, Reid, and Talyana. Their dynamic and banter was greatly needed. For the most part I just found the plot dull, confusing, and not as entertaining as the last book. I felt like the world building took a turn for the worst and left me more confused. I still don't fully understand the differences in magic binding with the books, bloodstones, and chimeras, nor how the heretics are able to transfer magic and take over a person. Which also made the ending even more confusing by revealing Jenest as a harbinger and then not giving any other details regarding what exactly that means... I would have liked Ari's sister Rivkah and Mikita's sisters more involved in the story (and less of Rezek honestly) because to me it didn't make sense for Mikita's dad to just up and leave Mikira to fend for herself and for Arielle to constantly leave Rivkah behind.

I thought the universal themes of forgiveness, corruption, friendship, and trust were expertly crafted between characters and throughout the storyline. I just felt like some of the emotion was missing for me because I didn't feel as connected to the characters or invested in them as I did in the first book. I also found myself quite bored at times, like in certain places the pacing was off and could have benefited from more showing and less telling. I appreciated that the plot wasn't predictable, but at the same time, all the added magical elements and heretic takeover made it so confusing that I could even come up with a solid solution other than killing them all. Overall, compared to the first book, I didn't like this as much due to the added plot complications, relationship/friendship dynamic changes, and lack of connection.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I honestly had trouble getting into this book after the break in between reading the first. I liked it a lot, I just felt like something wasn't fully clicking into place for me. I think these books are best enjoyed back to back.

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all thoughts and options are my own*

I was absolutely THRILLED to receive this ARC as I gave the first book, This Dark Descent, 5 stars.

Overall, this was a very solid sequel with compelling characters you want to root for, a gripping plot and a satisfying conclusion.

I don't say this very often but I almost feel like this duology could have benefited from being three books instead of two. There were two main plots in this story that, at times, felt more like they were fighting for dominance rather than working harmoniously together.

I love Damien and Ari’s relationship and I felt like they both had great character growth. I don’t think there was enough Mikira and Reid scenes and I’m still unsure how I feel about Talyana.

Overall this was an amazing 4 star sequel and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson - eBook ARC from NetGalley

Returning to Enderlain felt like reuniting with old friends—Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid bring all the found-family vibes you could hope for! This time around, the stakes are higher, the pace is quick, and there’s no chance of getting bored. Kalyn Josephson really nails that balance between fantasy and thriller here, adding a deliciously dark layer to the story.

With torn kingdoms, dark family secrets, and the mystery of a lost heir to the throne, there’s plenty of drama to keep you turning the pages. Plus, the unique touch of Jewish mythology woven into this fantasy world makes everything feel fresh and unforgettable. And just when you think you’ve figured things out, we finally uncover the truth behind Damien’s arch-nemesis.

Our Deadly Designs was even better than book one—which is saying something!

I liked the first one fine, but was underwhelmed trying to get into this one. I’ve had a lot of issues with multi-POV books anyway, and this one didn’t captivate me, especially with the additional POV that wasn’t in the prior book

I was so excited after book 1 to hopefully get more of a Reid romance because I was really looking forward to him getting more time to shine but this just wasn't it. His storyline was what kept me going and I'm sad he didn't get more romance.

I thought I would like this more than This Dark Descent because there isn’t a tournament in this one, but I think the author’s writing just isn’t for me. The plot drags on a bit and I’m just not very invested in the characters or their relationships.

That said, I think there are interesting themes in this about the nature of power, forgiveness, and government corruption, that you wouldn’t necessarily see in most YA novels about rebellion. I also really enjoyed the Jewish culture and folklore.

If you liked the first book, you’ll likely enjoy this, but if you were mixed on it, there isn’t much here that will change your feelings.

Thanks to Macmillan Kids for the ARC. Straight political fantasy isn’t always my favorite, and I was hoping for more Kinnish (Jewish) references. But I enjoyed being back with these characters.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was so looking forward to the conclusion of this story. I really fell in love with these characters quickly and I think one thing this book was lacking was the banter I came to enjoy so much. The characters were split up for the majority of the story but this also gave us more insight to how they functioned on their own. Wonderful character development and a great conclusion that leaves us with hope for the future.

First I want to thank Net Galley for the ARC
I read This Dark Descent last year and I’ve been really excited to read this book! I’m happy to say it did not disappoint by any means!
I think overall I enjoyed the 4 main characters dynamic way more in the first book, and I really wish it carried out more in this one. I felt that Damion was really whiny and it becomes annoying but the 2 FMM and Reid CARRIED! I LOVED all the political intrigue in this book it was really fun!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan, for making my entire year by allowing me an eARC copy of my most anticipated 2024 release in exchange for an honest review!

Where do I even begin with all the things I loved about Our Deadly Designs 😫 This is the second duology from Kalyn I have devoured, and ODD only further solidified Kalyn as a favorite/auto-buy author.

Marketed as The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races, This Dark Descent (book 1) involves a deadly horse race full of (literal) backstabbing, political maneuvers, and magic we only begin to see the depths of. ODD (which graciously has a recap of book one) takes a storyline with already high stakes and intrigue, and ramps it up to a crazy new level I couldn't have anticipated, but enjoyed SO MUCH! This sequel has magical beings trapped inside some of our characters, an MC bulldozing his own life in hopes he can create a better kingdom, an MC willing to give up the family she just reunited to fight for her country, and a hunt for the lost heir to the throne.

I teared up super early on (chapter 3), cried (book 1 also made me SOB), and audibly gasped several times during my read. One of the biggest compliments I love to see is when people forget they're reading, and ODD gave me that feeling. I was so sucked into Enderlain, I forgot about everything else. It also just amazes me how much the plot progressed from the beginning of book one and that it all somehow fit so perfectly into only two books. Kalyn is so talented 😫

While the high-stakes plot left my head spinning in the best way possible, the characters shone so much more in this sequel and truly came to life. Ari and Mikira will always be my favorites. How they each chose to fight for what's right and all they gave up in pursuit of that squeezes on my heart. They are two of my favorite characters ever. If I had to choose, Mikira's humor makes me love her just a little more (don't tell Ari I said so!). The ending was very satisfying, so don't misunderstand me when I say no part of me wants to leave these characters behind. I just enjoyed my time with them so much, I need more!

The climax was thrilling, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The romance and friendships were endearing. A certain character's redemption ARC was the OMG SCREAMING kind of amazing (which i will never forgive you for, Kalyn 😭). The internal battles the characters fought were just as well written and thought out as the literal life-is-at-stake battles going on. Somehow, there were so many little funny moments that fit perfectly with our cast of characters, which may be a big reason I'm so reluctant to say goodbye to them.

Read if you like:
-Jewish mythology inspired fantasy
-A cast of characters fighting for what is right
-Old magic characters unravel the details of
-Magical beings bonding to people
-Learning to love oneself
-Found family & beautiful friendships
-ACE representation
-Political maneuvering
-High stakes
-Character redemption ARCs
-A hunt for a lost heir & a fight for the throne

Kalyn Josephson's The Shadows Between Us is a thrilling conclusion to the This Dark Descent trilogy. This final installment delivers on the promise of the series, weaving together a complex tapestry of political intrigue, forbidden love, and supernatural elements.

Josephson's world-building is exceptional, drawing inspiration from Jewish mythology to create a unique and captivating setting. The characters, both familiar and new, are deeply flawed and complex, making their choices and struggles all the more compelling.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The relationships between the characters are explored with depth and nuance, particularly the complicated dynamics between Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid.

The author's writing is evocative and atmospheric, creating a sense of danger and mystery that permeates the story. The climax is both thrilling and emotionally satisfying, bringing the series to a fitting conclusion.

If you're a fan of dark fantasy with a touch of romance, The Shadows Between Us is a must-read. It's a captivating and thought-provoking novel that will leave a lasting impression.

I received this book as an ARC.

I had not read the first book in the series prior to receiving this ARC. I read through both books and found that this book did not offer much more to intrigue me than the first one. While I think the idea of the book was interesting, I still was not that engaged with any of the characters and could not contain my interest in the individuals or story as a whole.