Lee grew up in a cult. When she was 12 her family vanished and she was the only one left behind. Lee has tried to distance herself from her past but there is a documentary about the cult she grew up in gaining popularity. This is making it really difficult to hide her past.

Mostly I enjoyed this book. I thought Lee had an interesting back story. I was a little disappointed with the ending. There were a few loose threads that I wish would have Ben tied into the ending.

I really liked this one. This was a gripping psychological thriller that slowly builds tension and angst throughout. Suspenseful with a bit of unreliable memories and the lingering trauma of past choices.

The protagonist’s inner turmoil and unraveling mental state are portrayed with nuance, keeping me questioning what’s real and what’s imagined. While the plot is deliberately paced—and occasionally verges on being a bit too introspective—the resolution was intense and I wasn’t expecting it to go where it went.

Perfect for fans of moody thrillers that trade breakneck twists for slow-burn suspense and psychological depth.

Thank you to Random House publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lee Burton was born into a cult. When she was twelve, everyone in the group vanished without a trace, but Lee survived. Twenty years later, Lee has a new life with a husband and new baby. While motherhood is a struggle, her life is generally without drama. Suddenly someone from her past life shows up on her doorstep and Lee begins to question everything she has ever known about her life. She has kept her past from everyone but now it all has to come out.

This book was very twisty. I don't love an unreliable narrator (or even questioning if the narrator is reliable) which made it hard for this to be a standout read for me. Overall it's a great twisty thriller if a sleep deprived mother questioning her reality doesn't put you off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of The Ascent.

The book starts out when 12 year old Ophelia wakes up alone in the residence. She was part of a cult, Jacob's Hill which included her mother and a younger sister. She looked through the woods for The Fifteen, but never found them. Eventually the police found her and after questioning her, turned her over to her Aunt and Lee went to live with her them, meeting two cousins for the first time.
The story alternated between 20 yrs ago and the present. While living with her cousins, Lee was very much the outsider and her cousins involved her in situations which emphasized her differences.
In the present, Lee is a new mother trying to balance this role with that of the dutiful wife to her attorney husband. A reporter has picked up on The fifteen disappearance and Lee, being the only survivor, is a part of that.
When she meets a woman claiming to be her sister, Lee carefully tries to find out what happened to the rest of the members.
This book had several plot twists, which were well developed and surprising. The characters were believable, and fully fleshed out. The tension in the book was Lee trying to maintain a safe, stable environment for her child, and uncovering the truth about her family's disappearance.
I found that the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and will definitely share it with my book clubs. There is a lot to discuss about this bool.

I didn't realize this book was a thriller. I expected to hear about the inner workings of a cult from Lee, the survivor left behind. This story was about the survivor and the ways in which she was affected by being left behind. I don't want to give anything away but I will say that the book took quite a twist. I couldn't put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the complementary ARC. This review is my own opinion and not coerced in any way.

Special thanks to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of thos book.

I love a goid "cult book". Unfortunately this book was not for me. IThe Asscent has 2 timelines with the main character Lee, once Ophelia, as the only survivor of a cult.

I really wish this book elaborated more with the cult and the aspects of that. Instead we are left with Lee, in her present timeline married to this jerk, with a baby, Than a mysterious stranger shows up on her door.

I'm sorry to say I did not like any of the characters in this book and not in a good way like "oooòoh I loved to hate so-and-so in this book", but just in the way I really did not like any characters. . I feel like this could have been a much better story. It had all the components of one, it just was a descent for me.

This was a fun, thrilling read. I felt like the cult potion, while an ongoing storyline, I didn’t feel that it was as significant as I anticipated.

I found the relationship between the main character and her husband a little hard to believe with so much secrecy and just accepted details about each other’s lives. The book did a great job of exploring how one’s desire for a different relationship with someone from your past can impact your judgement in the present.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

This one pulled me in from the very first chapter — the pacing was spot on, with tension that built steadily and never let go. It’s a unique story that still gave me those eerie, unsettling vibes reminiscent of the show The Servant (if you know, you know).

I absolutely live for a book that dips its toes into cult-ish territory, and The Ascent delivered just enough of that mystery to keep me fascinated. The twists? Let’s just say I audibly gasped more than once — the kind of reveals that make you stop and reread a line just to make sure you saw it right.

While there were a few plot holes and questions left hanging, they didn’t take away from the overall ride. This is one of those stories where the atmosphere, characters, and back story outweighed any small flaws.

Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something psychological, a little creepy, and full of surprises.

3.5 stars rounded up. In the past: Ophelia lived with her mother and younger sister in a commune/cult deep in the Pennsylvania countryside, and one morning when she was 12, she woke up and everyone had disappeared, leaving her behind. In the present: Lee is a new mother who is still haunted by the mysteries of her past. Struggling with unhealed trauma and lack of sleep, Lee has intense fears of losing her daughter, Lucy, rendering her incapable of leaving the baby in anyone else’s care. When a stranger appears in Lee’s life claiming to be someone from her past, Lee finds her need to protect her family at war with her desire for answers about her history.

The Ascent is a deeply psychological story that focuses on the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma and dysfunction, as well as on the mental and physical toll of early motherhood. I thought Allison Buccola captured those aspects well through the character of Lee, which made her easy to sympathize with. It also provided justification for some of Lee’s more volatile choices, which otherwise would have seemed downright reckless without that context. Her anxiety and paranoia, as well as the naivete born out of a desire to resolve the mysteries of her past, all made sense.

The narrative alternates between Lee’s childhood as a member of the Jacob Hill cult, when she was known as Ophelia, and the present. I am fascinated by cults, both imaginary and in the real world, so I couldn’t get enough of the sections in the past. I wanted more focus on Jacob Hill – their origins, belief system, rituals, etc. – which I think would have added so much texture to the story. I do understand that Lee’s memories, experiences, and impressions were incomplete due to her age, but I definitely wanted Buccola to lean in to the culty aspects of the story a bit more.

I was also somewhat disappointed with the direction the book ended up taking. For me, the domestic suspense/drama of it all felt expected and cheapened all of the really interesting psychological stuff that Buccola had developed in the narrative. I know it will appeal to most readers of psychological thrillers; I was just looking for something more nuanced and not so over the top. Still, The Ascent is a well-plotted book that manages to be both propulsive in its pacing and meditative in its themes, exploring the reverberating effects of trauma, the suffocation of new motherhood, and all the ways memory and reality can converge and diverge. Thank you to Random House for the complimentary reading opportunity.

Allison Buccola is so good at the slow burn, and when this one spiraled, I was fully invested. I love a cult story, and the thing is that this is only kind of that- more it is about the lingering effects on someone who felt left behind by the group, who didn't necessarily WANT to leave it. The last third or so of this is unputdownable.

I love reading books about cults and motherhood, so this was a fun, entertaining read for me, that was right up my alley! However, I was left disappointed and confused by the ending. It seemed like she had the answers all along-- so I am confused about the whole premise of the story. It seemed like the ending was wrapped up too quickly, with lots of questions left unanswered for this reader.

Are you looking for a domestic thriller with dual timelines and a doomsday cult involved to read during your summer vacation?! Then The Ascent by @allisonbuccola is for you 💙

The main character, Lee, is the only survivor of a cult that disappeared off the face of the Earth when she was a child. Or at least that’s what she thought until her little sister shows up on her doorstep 20 years later. This was such an interesting story and the twist at the end was surprising. It is a great read for vacation or by the pool this summer!

A very intriguing thriller focusing on a mysterious cult that shockingly disappeared over twenty years ago. But not everyone disappeared, one survivor remained and is currently living a quiet life with not even her husband being aware of her upbringing. She continues to quietly wonder where her family went and if they will ever come back to her, when one day a woman shows up claiming to be her sister. Lee's life is turned upside down at that, as she struggles to make sense of what is reality and if she is telling the truth.

I truly enjoyed Allison Buccola's writing and felt both storylines, past and present, very vividly throughout the entire book. I quickly read this one, eager to determine just what is going on!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

This book is out NOW-grab it asap!

The Ascent - Allison Buccola

A woman who grew up in a cult must decide if she can trust the stranger claiming to have answers to the dark mysteries of her childhood

Twenty years ago the members of a reclusive cult, dubbed The Fifteen, disappeared, leaving behind a twelve year old child, the sole survivor. The mystery of their disappearance has never been solved.

Twenty years later, in the midst of a documentary commemorating the unsolved case, Lee Burton, has kept her secret safe , from her husband and her friends. But when a woman shows up claiming to be her long lost sister, Lee is forced to confront her past while try to protect her 10 month old daughter.

A very twisty thriller with an unexpected ending.

Where does a cult go when it disappears? That’s the question Lee Burton, aka Ophelia Clayborne wonders in Allison Buccola’s newest stand alone thriller.

When Lee was 12 years old she was found wandering the side of the road looking for the charismatic Chris and his followers, known as ‘The Fifteen’. Where is her mother and sister and how could they have left her behind to face the world alone? Luckily enough,Lee is taken in by a distant aunt and lives with her two cousins. But how can she learn to trust when her whole world has been shattered? Lee eventually puts it in the past and tries to move on with her life. She marries Theo and now has a seven month old daughter. But motherhood is so very hard and she is so overprotective that the lack of sleep allows paranoia to set in. Then, after 20 years have passed, her sister, Mona shows up! Could it possibly be true? Can Lee trust this woman? She seems to know so much of the past. And why is Theo becoming more and more distant?

As Cousin Clara attempts to participate in a documentary about The Fifteen, Lee finally begins to find some peace, but not without a few barriers in the way. As she searches for answers, she learns much more about herself, her identity and her place in the universe.

I loved this book! As a Delco girl through and through, I lived only 5 minutes from any of the towns she wrote of. I could just picture the woods that The Fifteen used to use to practice their getaway. All that made it seem like a story someone was actually telling me while walking the trails. The writing was clear and concise and led to a very enjoyable read. I think this is my first Allison Buccola novel, but it won’t be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

The Ascent by Allison Buccola is ultimately a story about how far someone will go to get answers. Lee Burton has created a new life with her husband and baby girl. Twenty years ago, a cult disappeared and she was the only member left behind. A stranger shows up on her doorstep claiming to be someone from her past which sends Lee on a wild chase to fill in the holes of her life.

The story is told in two timelines, Lee as a child and as an adult, and deals with her struggles with mental health stemming from the trauma of her life in a cult. This book will have you questioning everything but the middle dragged for me. Lee isn't a particularly likeable person and her actions are questionable at best. I wasn't expecting the twist but ultimately felt like this story wasn't for me.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

This book had all the elements of a five star read for me - cults, new motherhood and a stranger at the doorstep. Unfortunately, I just cannot finish it. Currently at 63% and not interested in moving forward.

This was really interesting but also really slow - also I’ve been reading a lot about mothers and babies lately and it’s really not my fav topic to read about so others may find those chapters more interesting than I did . At about 60% there is an unexpected twist and then the book gets quite exciting and has a good ending

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This release has been on my "upcoming releases" spreadsheets for almost 2 years. The summary had me so intrigued because I love anything cult related. Unfortunately, this was quite the letdown. However, I could see this being recreated as a television series.

Yes, Yes, Yes! All of the Yes's!! I LOVED this book!

Ophelia was the lone survivor from Jacobs Hill. She was part of a cult as a child. The Ascent switches between current time period and during her time in the cult and right after the disappearance of all of the members except her.

Current time period she is married and has a 7 month old. With a baby, she has been struggling with her past and keeping her daughter Lucy safe.
Her sister, Mona, shows up one day and Ophelias husband wants her to be cautious as he believes shes on drugs.

There are a lot of different tropes going on here: cults, mental health, marital issues etc..
But i think it all flows so well.

I didn't want to put this down. It hooked me right away!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.