Book about a woman who as a 12 year old was the only person left behind when an entire cult disappeared. She changes her name and starts a new life away from the area she grew up in. But when she becomes a mother herself, she starts to feel anxious again about her past. This is not helped by the broadcast of a Netflix show about the cult. Her husband is unaware of her troubled past. When someone claiming to be her sister turns up, everything changes for her and her new family.

This was a very suspenseful, well-thought out plot. Though the cult theme is quite common in psychological thrillers, this was a gripping story. Couldn't put it down.

The Ascent by Allison Buccola is definitely worth your time. This is the first book I have read by this author but it will definitely not be the last. I felt like I stayed in a state of confusion during the entire book. Just when I thought I had figured out what was happening in the storyline something would totally change and I would go down another rabbit hole of suspicion. The book has a whiplash effect. The storyline changes so quickly that it was difficult to find a place to put the book down because you were just figuring out what changed! After reading the synopsis of The Ascent, I assumed the story was about the after effects of growing up in a cult and how mentally it took a survivor of the cult quite some time to recover and have what we would call a normal life. I was so wrong! If you are a Janelle Brown fan then you will love the ascent by Allison Buccola. Prepare for the unexpected and never assume!
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from netgalley

I really loved this book! The cult angle was interesting, the characters were complex, interesting plot, and it was very well paced. I couldn't tell where things were going to end up and really enjoyed all the twists and turns along the way. The ending made the whole thing come together nicely and it was a 5 star read!

good premise. interesting idea, and the vibes are generally good. the twists are twisting, and characters like the supposedly associated woman. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5 stars)

This book drew me in with its eerie premise, and while the first 15% was a little slow, once the story picked up, I was completely hooked. The dual timelines were such a strong element—I loved how they gradually unraveled the mystery of The Fifteen and Lee’s past, making for an immersive and suspenseful read.

Lee is a fascinating protagonist, grappling with the trauma of her childhood while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy as a new mother. Her paranoia and fear felt so real, and I was constantly questioning what was true and who she could trust. The tension builds beautifully, and even though I found the ending a little rushed, it ultimately wrapped up in a satisfying way.

If you love psychological thrillers with cult themes, dark secrets, and a compelling exploration of identity and motherhood, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you, NetGalley & Random House Publishing, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher at to NetGalley for the ARC. This is a new to me author and this was a fantastic thriller. About a woman who grew up in a cult, and what happens when everyone but her disappears, it was a thriller with twists and turns and kept you guessing. I could not put it down.

I wish I could give this a better review than I will. The intent was there; however, there was a lack of character development and the plot never thickened. There was so much potential for backstory and for more of the past to resurface. I was disappointed in that. The twist with the sister not being the sister was good but that was the only time I was ever “into” the book. There needed to be more information shared about the cult and the reason for the sections in the book. Sadly, I am giving this book 3 stars.

The book was a little slow at the beginning however became more exciting as I read. I would recommend this book to fellow readers.

Allison Buccola’s *The Ascent* is a gripping psychological thriller that blends past trauma, maternal anxiety, and the mystery of a disappearance. It follows Lee Burton, who survived a cult that vanished, and has spent years trying to lead a normal life—until a stranger shows up at her door, claiming to have answers about her past.

Buccola really knows how to create a sense of creeping dread. From the start, we dive into Lee’s fragile state of mind as she deals with postpartum anxieties that make it hard to tell what's real and what's not. The pacing is nice and steady, revealing the mystery a little at a time, which keeps you hooked with juicy twists along the way.

If you enjoy thrillers that dig into identity and the impact of the past, like *The House in the Pines* by Ana Reyes or *The Push* by Ashley Audrain, you’ll definitely want to check out *The Ascent*. Its haunting story and unexpected turns will stick with you even after you finish it.

This book has everything you look for cults and lawyers. It started little slow but 25% in it picked up. I liked the alternating perspective of the past and present and It had combined thriller with heartfelt moments. Overall it was a outstanding novel that I would recommend to anyone. Thanks so much to netgalley for an advanced arc for a honest review.

We follow the POV of our MC Ophelia (Lee) Burton. She was the only known survivor in the disappearance of The Fifteen (basically a cult) decades ago. She changed her name and started over with her husband Theo and daughter Lucy. Her husband doesn't know about her past, but that all comes crashing down when a woman shows up at her doorstep all these years later claiming to be her sister.

This was a pretty solid domestic/cult thriller. The writing style flowed very well. I liked the glimpses into the past. I liked the slow burn leading up to us finding out what really happened. There was some far-fetched stuff that ended up happening (if you know, you know) at the end, but honestly it was a twist I didn't expect, so I guess I call that a win. The mental health struggles blending with reality seemed realistic and ultimately made me feel connected to Lee.

Overall, this wasn't anything groundbreaking, but honestly, it was the palate cleanser I needed. I enjoyed this book. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you Allison Buccola, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Wow! What a crazy good story! This had one of the most twisted endings I have ever read. Did not see that coming at all. This poor woman who escaped a cult when she was young and how she tries to forget but at the same time longs for answers that haunt her.

This was a good book. It had a great mystery. All of us are familiar with cults and how odd they can seem. Lee is a very sympathetic character. However, she also drives you crazy. In some ways, she is not very likable but she is an unhealed trauma victim so some of her actions may be understandable. In the end, more is happening than you realized and Lee also gets her peace. I would hesitantly recommend it. Some great elements mixed in with some not so great ones.

A doomsday cult domestic thriller? Say no more I'm in a I went into this book completely blind & loved it
Ophelia's story had me hooked from the start, turning pages till 3AM € I don't want to spoil this book for anyone it was that good. So just read it because if you're into cult theme then you will definitely enjoy this as much as l did plus it had very relatable motherhood struggles.
AND holy sh*t I did not expect that shocking twist, I am still flabbergasted!! well done
The only thing I would say I needed was another characters POV that's all and honestly I think that is just what I personally prefer.
Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse & @allisonbuccola for the E-ARC

What would you do if you woke up and everyone you lived with had disappeared?

Ophelia (Lee) was 12 years old when her life was turned upside down. No one believed her when she said she did not know what happened. There were no bodies found at the commune she had lived with her mom and sister. Lee is sent to live with a loving Aunt, but some less than receptive cousins.

This story is told in “current” day life of new Mom Lee, with flashbacks to her original trauma, and to traumatic incidents in her life. Lee is very protective of her child due to her traumatic childhood. Unfortunately, she has not been open in sharing her experience with her husband. As the story unfolds, you are left wondering about the sanity of Lee. The ending was mixed bag. How her husband reacted to Lee’s story and his actions were surprising.

This story is engaging, and suspenseful. Twists and turns I did not see coming.

Thank you to Net Galley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was amazing. I would never have guessed the ending even after reading over half of it. A real surprise. The story is a different twist on stories about cults. It starts with the entire group missing during the night except one young girl they left behind. From there the story follows the young girl's life through her childhood and her adult life through marriage and motherhood.

An excellent read and I do recommend it.

This one I couldn’t put down and ended up reading in two days. The Ascent is a story about a woman who grew up in a cult that one day mysteriously disappeared and were never to be found again. She was the only survivor and witnessed nothing that night they disappeared. Fast forward to today, she is a new mother with an infant who she is terrified to let out of her sight for fear she’ll be taken or that her daughter will think she’s never coming back because TRAUMA. Her husband doesn’t know about said cult and a documentary has been produced about it attempting to unravel all her secrets.

Very enjoyable read altogether and good twists. The characters were all kind of annoying but I love a good cult book!

Allison Buccola has earned a new fan. Me! This was an excellently composed book with many twists and turns. Although it moved back and forth across time periods in Lee’s life, I was never lost or confused. Allison created each of the timelines with skill and a seeming understanding about how to build both parts of the story without sacrificing one to the other.

Great characters abound; Lee/Ophelia, Theo, Mona/Maria, even Jacqueline were strong in their roles as they carried their part of the story. Did I like them or hate them? Some of both for each depending on where the story took us.

With just the right touch on the pulse of Jonestown, Lee’s childhood and experiences in a cult-like environment shaped her into an adult person with evident insecurities. She had many self-doubts so it was easy to see and sympathize with her mental health issues.

A great ending to a great book!

The writing style with this novel was wonderful. It was so character driven and just in such detail. I loved this about the book. However, the story just was mundane and nothing was happening until the very end of the book. I felt like I was reading more of a story about a new mom's day to day life rather than a story about cults. I got not creepy factor out of this at all, which is what most cult books try to accomplish. I would read more by this author, but this book really needed some pep and things going on.

3.25/5

I want to start off by saying this is a pretty slow thriller, and I’m not sure I would consider it a thriller.

We follow Ophelia who grew up in a cult. She wakes up one day and everyone has disappeared, and no one is able to find out what happened to the Fifteen. The story progresses between modern day and flashbacks of her childhood. One day she runs into a woman who claims to be her sister Mona, and we go down this journey of trying to figure out if she really is, or if she’s an imposter.

Ophelia wants more than anything for this to be her sister, as this might be her only chance to figure out what truly happened that day. Mona is very sketchy, not someone we can really trust, she appears to lie a lot. We also find out that Ophelia is hiding her entire past from her husband.

Really it’s a lot of back and forward with flashbacks and Ophelia questioning if this is really her sister. At about the 80% mark we finally hit a twist. Is Ophelia correct or is she spiraling like she has in the past. This story had a good idea, it just wasn’t executed well. It would have been nice to have more of a background on the cult. The ending also felt lackluster of what truly happened.