Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Ascension by S.T. Gibson. The first book in this series showed promise, and I enjoyed the prequel novella. So, I’ve been looking forward to picking this sequel up. Did I enjoy it? Read on to find out! 🙂

From bestselling author of Evocation comes it’s hotly anticipated and spellbinding sequel, where Rhys steps into his new role as High Priest. A perfect read for lovers of urban fantasy.

Now the High Priest of Boston’s famed and secret Society, Rhys McGowan has a lot on his shoulders. With the help of his adoring witch wife, Moira, and his newly rekindled relationship with psychic boyfriend, David, Rhys is destined to become the most powerful High Priest ever. 

However, Rhys’s insatiable ambition may be his undoing…

The second book in the bestselling Summoner’s Circle series sees beloved characters return for an all new dark and enthralling adventure.

My thoughts about Ascension are very similar to my take on the first book with a few important differences. Once again, it is necessary to note that this book is mostly focused on the characters and their relationship dynamics. The urban fantasy elements were very much in the background again, maybe even more so in this story despite a few really cool developments.

The plot of Ascension was a bit too light, as well. I wish the characters had spent more time actually investigating the inciting incident. All they did was worry and have a few meetings. lol. I was also surprised that the characters didn’t seem all that interested in resolving the hanging plot threads from the first book. If I was Rhys, I’d be spending a lot of my time trying to get rid of the demon I’d bound to myself, but I guess he thought one more wouldn’t hurt for now. 🤷‍♂️ I get that the story was meant to be character-driven, but a little more balance by having the characters do something other than talk to each other would have gone a long way.

Speaking of the characters… I liked them in Ascension even more than in Evocation. This was clearly Rhys’s book, and his struggle with the need for control and power rooted in his anxiety and self-worth issues was compelling. His ambition knew no limits until it almost ate him alive. Most of the “problems” in this book were a result of Rhys’s spiraling anxiety and his inability to rely on others for help. He learned some important lessons over the course of the story, though. It was nice to see him grow as a person and the impact that growth had on his relationships.

The messy throuple was back in Ascension, and they were just as messy as ever. Rhys’s issues caused a lot of tension between the three of them. However, I found them to be a much more believable unit in this book than the first one. This story had a lot of little moments that really built the intimacy of their relationship, and it helped things feel more organic and a lot less forced. They were still trying to figure out how to balance the relationship between the three of them, and I think by the end they found a good, healthier dynamic. I’m curious to see how their relationship continues to evolve in future books, especially since the next one supposedly centers on Moira.

I also want to take a minute to address the writing in Ascension. I love Gibson’s writing. Unfortunately, whoever proofread this book really let the author down. There were SO MANY errors in this book that it became distracting. It wasn’t just all small typos either. There were whole phrases where the words were out of order. Sentences were missing words. It was just way too messy for a finished book.

Overall, Ascension was a solid sequel to Evocation. It continued the pattern of being an interesting character study wrapped in urban fantasy elements. However, if you’re not a fan of character-focused stories with only a hint of plot, this probably isn’t the book or series for you. All things considered, I rate this book 3.75 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Ascension by S.T. Gibson. Have you read this series? Let me know your thoughts on this latest installment down below in the comments!