Booklist 2023 Editor’s Choice
Paste Magazines Best YA Books of 2023
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?
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BARNES AND NOBLE
INDIEBOUND
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Also available or soon to be available in:
* Italian
* Spanish
* Portuguese
* French
Praise for THIS DARK DESCENT
Booklist Starred Review: Mikira Rusel’s family was once famous in Enderlain for the enchanted horses they bred—horses that ran in races like the Illinir, a dangerous, five-event competition with rich rewards. But now they barely scrape by as their debts rise. When her father is caught practicing illegal magic, Mikira strikes a deadly deal with Rezek Kelbra, the ambitious, manipulative heir to one of Enderlain’s four great houses. If she can win the Illinir on an unenchanted horse—an impossible task—Rezek will forgive her father and her family’s debts. If she loses, he wins their ranch. With no real choice, Mikira finds herself joining forces with Damien Adair, a mysterious son from a powerful family who has his own grudges against Rezek, and Arielle Kadar, a girl who practices an illicit, persecuted form of magic and who can create a golem horse for Mikira to ride undetected. Josephson uses Jewish history and mythology to great effect when shaping her rich, turbulent world, which is surgically built around fragile power structures. Romance, much of it queer, lingers in the background, but the real heart of this series starter is the complexity of its characters: the story unfolds through Mikira and Arielle’s alternating perspectives, and each girl is as purposefully made as Arielle’s golems. An uncommonly arresting fantasy that questions the price of goodness, the cost of magic, and the depths of humanity. — Maggie Reagan
“This Dark Descent runs a breathless and delightfully twisting course full of danger and heartbreak, machinations and magic. I loved it and I can’t wait for more!” — Melissa Caruso, author of the Swords and Fire series
“A riveting, clever Jewish fantasy that had me racing through the pages. With dangerous magic, high-stakes political intrigue, and a stunning cast of characters (and animal companions!), This Dark Descent is sure to leave readers begging for the sequel.” — Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic
“Kalyn Josephson has crafted a rich world and a tightly-plotted story that kept me reading well into the night. Anchored by the emotional nuance of the two leads, this tale of horse-racing, magic, and power is not to be missed.” – Emily Lloyd-Jones, international bestselling author of The Drowned Woods
“Brimming with action, political intrigue, and a touch of romance, This Dark Descent is a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.” – Ava Reid, award-winning author of Juniper & Thorn
“A deliciously dark and fast-paced novel that I could not put down from the minute I picked it up! Full of twists and turns you won’t know who to trust. Josephson is a master at crafting gripping and intense scenes that make you feel as though you are in the middle of the action yourself. Truly an incredible story that you don’t want to miss!” – Joss Diaz, Kepler’s Books
“A breathless exploration of the differences – and lack thereof – between monsters and men, with a glimmering romantic thread woven through secrets, lies, and hidden plots. I read it all in one sitting!” – Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of Give the Dark My Love and Night of the Witch
“Josephson weaves an enchanting fantasy with lore steeped in Jewish culture, a cast of whip smart characters, and more perilous twists and turns than any race track. Hang on to your hats – This Dark Descent is a truly thrilling ride!” – Rosiee Thor, author of Fire Becomes Her
“This Dark Descent transports readers into an epic world of scheming lords and those desperate enough to step into their crosshairs for a chance at survival…I loved it so much, I read it twice!” – Shannon Price, author of The Endless Skies and A Thousand Fires
“This Dark Descent explodes out the gate like an enchanted horse in a death-defying race. A skillfully layered world, high stakes action, and dynamic character relationships rife with complex motivations and compelling backstories unite for a gripping read that kept me utterly absorbed from the first page to the last.” – Nicki Pau Preto, author of the Crown of Feathers trilogy and the House of the Dead duology
OUR DEADLY DESIGNS
The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent, called “a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride” by acclaimed author Ava Reid.
The Illinir may be over, but the race for Enderlain’s future has just begun. The hunt for the old king’s lost heir is on, and the first to find them will win the throne.
Mikira has allied herself with the rebels in pursuit of the lost heir, but the deeper her search takes her, the closer she gets to the royal family’s wicked past.
Ari is struggling to control her own growing power as she grapples with a dark secret that may be her undoing — and the truth behind Damien’s greatest foe.
Damien, the new head of House Adair, joins the race to find the heir and secure the crown. But as his influence at court grows, so does his paranoia and hunger for power.
Reid is trying his best to stay true to the friend who’s always had his loyalty — and the flame who has his heart — while trapped in a web of chaos and lies.
But a darker force is festering in Enderlain’s underbelly, and Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid will need to find a way back to each other — and themselves — before the kingdom is torn apart. Hearts will be broken and new bonds will be forged in this explosive finale to This Dark Descent, where spellbinding fantasy meets Jewish mythology in a cut-throat race for the throne — and Enderlain’s survival.