This Dark Descent

Ages 14 to 18

Steeped in Jewish folklore, The Scorpio Races meets Peaky Blinders in this dual-POV YA fantasy where the daughter of a famous horse breeder, an unlicensed enchanter, and an ambitious heir must work together to win a cutthroat, magical horserace.

The Rusel family is famous throughout Enderlain as breeders of enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her family’s ranch, Mikira Rusel is left with only one option: enter the Illinir, a treacherous, cross-country horserace known for its high death rate as much as its flashy prize money.

To have any chance of success, she’ll have to recruit Ari, an unlicensed enchanter who creates golems in place of enchanted animals, and Damien Adair, a lord in the midst of a succession battle. Both her accomplices have reasons of their own to help Mikira—and their own blood feuds to avenge.

In a world as dangerous as this, will hidden agendas and conflicting desires butcher their chances of winning the Illinir . . . or will another rider's dagger?

About the Author

Kalyn Josephson works as a technical writer in the tech industry, which leaves room for too many bad puns about technically being a writer. She grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, and graduated from Santa Clara University with degrees in Biology and Creative Writing. Currently, she lives in the Bay Area with two black cats (who are more like a tiny dragon and an ever tinier owl). She is the author of the Storm Crow duology as well as the middle-grade series, Ravenfall.

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