3,5* rounded up.

This series is difficult for me to rate and review, it seems. I loved Evocation and disliked Odd Spirits.

Ascension contains elements of what I enjoyed in Evocation - the magic, the development of the main relationship, and David's history (he's my favourite character of the main throuple). It also (re)introduces interesting secondary characters. I absolutely adored Leda in this one and still don't know what to think of Max.

But I don't particularly like Rhys so a book focusing on him was bound to not exactly disappoint but not engage me that much. The central plot was also not really interesting for me until about half of the book. And I'm starting to be fed up with what worked for me in Evocation because it was the first novel in the series and I was getting introduced to the characters - namely, the constant characterisation that is spelled out over and over again to drone into the readers that Moira is this, Rhys is this and David is this. I got it for the first time ffs. I like seeing it in action, which, to be fair, I'm getting a plenty, but I find the spelling out unnecessary.

I'm still curious about the resolution of the overarching plot (which didn't move forward at all in this book) so I will read the conclusion. I'm also curious if Max will reappear.

I absolutely love S.T. Gibson’s writing- Evocation hooked me, and Blood of a Dowry is still one of my favourites to date. Ascension is a brilliant follow-up that dives deeper into all the messy magic, power plays, and complicated relationships I was obsessed with in book one.

Rhys stepping into his High Priest era? Iconic. The tension, the rituals, the vibes- immaculate. Dark academia meets demon drama and I am so here for it. If you loved the first one, this absolutely delivers. Bring on book three!

🌟🌟🌟.5 / 5

Thank you so much S.T. Gibson and NetGalley for the Arc!

I enjoyed the book. Moira is still my favourite character, and she's still just as amazing, and can't wait to see if there's a 3rd book just about her. David is still grand and a really great character! I love them both equally and really enjoyed them in this second book. They’re my absolute faves and the best characters, and I will die on that hill. They just have that special connection that makes me love reading their chapters. Absolutely loved more of the magic in this book and liked seeing more of the other characters part of this magical community.

Okay, with that being said, I cannot stand Rhys here. In the first book he was okay, and I felt iffy about him, but not enough to really make a solid judgement. But with this second book, it really just cemented how much I disliked him.

If Rhys has a million haters, I'm one of them.
If Rhys has 50 haters, I'm one of them.
If Rhys has 1 hater, I'm one of them.
If Rhys has 0 haters, I'm dead.

His whole I have to prove to everyone that I'm someone, that I'm a name to be recognized, just irked me so much. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because I could sympathize with wanting to prove that you are someone and work your way towards being that someone. But his constant need for that and his lack of admitting when he was too far in just made me dislike him more and more. And how he got snippy with Moira when she was only trying to help him during that conference call after the newspaper thing. RED FLAG AF!

Over all, I really enjoyed the book and had a lot of mixed feelings about reading it, but if I’m being honest, I would still reread it.

In Ascension, S. T. Gibson illustrates a gothic story rich in candor, love, and revelation.

Dare I say, Antonio and Kitty are fighting for first place as my favs in this series!?
This series is not for the faint of heart. Often times, I needed a break because the dumpster fire that was Rhys nearly gave me hives! My boy was struggling this book.

One thing I really respect about this book is that it delves deep in the inner-workings of polyamorous couples. So often in other stories, couples are thrown together and they don't have to work at it. I find that unrealistic. Moira, Rhys, and David had to struggle and the multi POV chapters helped the reader to understand their logic behind their actions. I loved getting glimpses into Moira's thoughts because her revelations about herself had me chomping at the bit. CHOMPING!

🩸 multi POV
🩸 Sexual fluidity
🩸 LGBTQ
🩸 FMM intimacy
🩸 Demons
🩸 light intimate power play
🩸 slow burn

Thank you S.T. Gibson, Angry Robot, and NetGalley for an ARC of Ascension.

When I read Evocation I fell in love with the characters. David, Rhys and Moira were such wonderful characters to follow and I've been STARVING for more of them. I devoured this book in about a day and honestly? I think I loved it more than Evocation which I didn't think was possible. Despite my love for a drama queen, i.e David, Rhys story was just as capitative as Davids and kept leaving me going "just one more chapter". The developments in the Romance were enjoyable but the conflicts were also well thought out and made sense for the characters and didn't at all feel forced or shoe horned in. S.T Gibson as she has done before wove a beautiful story with real and flawed characters that just leaves you wanting more and more and more. Ascension is one of the best things I've read all year and will keep me recommending this series until the end of time itself.

This is my most anticipated read of the year and it absolutely did not disappoint. Rhys’ is the man we all needed. Reading about his backstory and his desire for both power and love then seeing both come true is complicated, given the struggles presented in this book. Very excited for what’s next for these characters!

S.T. Gibson… never a letdown, and this book is no exception. Evocation was my favorite novel of last year so I was nervous that the sequel wouldn’t live up to expectations, but I should have known better. I loved getting to know the other characters better, and I loved even more the further development of the world. The pacing was ideal, as per S.T. usual, and the plot was so interesting. Very excited for the next book!

Ascension is the sequel to the occult fantasy Evocation by ST Gibson. Rhys has always been ambitious. Now the High Priest of the Society, he wants to establish his rule and make a name for himself in the occult world alongside his witch wife Moira and psychic ex-boyfriend turned rival turned partner David. But when a random scandalous ritual puts the public eye towards the occult world of Boston, Rhys suspects sabotage and he in turn goes back to familiar ground by taking on more demon summoning to carry the weight. As the pressure mounts, his relationship with Moira suffers while an old acquaintance of David’s draws him away.

If Evocation was David’s book, Ascension is Rhys’. While the book continues the story, it delves deeper into Rhy’s background and psychology as pressure builds from within and without. Like Evocation, this is a very different fantasy and is heavily focused on the central relationship (between Rhys, Moira and David) with the fantastical society aspect serving as the backdrop. This book feels even more like a family drama, if an unconventional one, and I think I just needed a bit more fantasy. It’s not as dark but just as entertaining.

I liked Evocation a bit more because I just liked David more. Rhys isn’t as compelling or sympathetic of a protagonist as David because it felt like all of his problems is of his own making. While he is definitely understandable, he is also frustrating. This whole situation was just a gross overreaction from Rhys that nearly fractures the society and his relationship. David though was great and I really enjoyed his new entanglement and the drama of it all with this age gap/power balance dynamic. Polyamory is complex, and this book does not shy away from it now that it’s gotten even more complicated with the developing relationship between gay David and straight Moira turning into an MMF situation with added spice.

Ascension is a character driven, drama first occult fantasy that challenges its unconventional protagonists.

*Thank you to Angry Robot Books for the eARC via NetGalley

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book. I loved Ascension; it was even better than Evocation to me, and I think it's because the relationship between Moira, David, and Rhys felt like it was getting much more fleshed out. (Despite all their issues.) I really look forward to Moira's story next!

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book continues the story of Rhys, David and Moira as they grapple with their interesting relationship and demons in Boston. Rhys is under immense pressure and just as many demons as the new high priest. David is dealing with someone from his past reemerging and Moira is simply dealing with the two of them.


This book centers on Rhys and he really goes thru it. He’s bitten off a lot more than he can chew as the high priest and truly has to humble himself in order to save himself. I enjoyed leaning more about the rituals in the Society and I loved getting more interactions with Kitty, Nathan and Antoni!

Overall, I enjoyed the story and characters and I felt that it was an easy and quick read. The plot did not really pick up until the actual last bit of the book but it was worth it! Excited for Moira’s book!

I was so so so excited to get this book because i loved the first one so much. Ryhs, Moira and David have new demons to catch an battel in this one and of course they will be doing it together.
I genuinely enjoy reading about their relationship dynamic so much. I do have to say as much as I enjoyed reading about that and the new characters it did feel a bit confusing in the middle of where this story was going to go but the end was good at explaining it so I cant be to fussy about that. I will most definitely be adding this as a physical book to my shelf as well. I liked it a good continuation form where we felt of in the first one.

Absolutely loved the first book in this series and was so excited to read this one. And it did not disappoint! I just love the dynamic between the main characters and how well they fit together. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

Ascension takes a more introspective turn than I expected, but in a way that felt earned. This time around, we’re fully inside Rhys’ head as he steps into his role as High Priest and grapples with power, identity, and the strain of being pulled in too many directions, by his lovers, his coven, and the spirits he’s trying to control. It’s definitely more of a character study than a plot-heavy sequel, but I found that shift interesting, especially given how much the first book set up.

Rhys isn’t always the easiest character to like, and that’s kind of the point. He makes questionable choices, carries himself with a mix of arrogance and vulnerability, and is clearly spiraling in some moments. But watching him struggle felt honest, even when it was frustrating. There’s real depth in how the story explores ambition, burnout, and the cost of power, both magical and emotional.

The relationships remain a central focus. I do wish the dynamics between the trio were a little more balanced. Moira feels slightly sidelined here, and David and Rhys have such a tense push-pull that it can be hard to root for them at times. Still, the emotional messiness works in the book’s favor, and it never feels like drama for drama’s sake.

One of my favorite aspects is still the way magic is tied to belief, ritual, and personal history. Gibson weaves together religious imagery, occult practices, and the politics of magical institutions in a way that feels lived-in and layered. Even when the external plot quiets down, the world never stops feeling active.

This isn’t a sequel that’s trying to top the first book in scale. Instead, it digs into the aftermath and the personal cost of everything that’s come before. It’s more internal, more chaotic, and in some places more uncomfortable, but it left me even more curious about what comes next, especially if the spotlight is shifting to Moira.

Ascension is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel with a strong sense of mood and emotional depth. S.T. Gibson explores themes of faith, obsession, and identity through a dark, gothic lens that’s both poetic and unsettling. While I didn’t connect with every character choice and the pacing felt slow in parts, the writing kept me engaged. The blend of theological horror and queer romance is unique and compelling, and I appreciated its bold, introspective tone. It’s not a light read, but it’s one that lingers. Fans of character-driven, moody stories will likely find a lot to love here.

call me alexis because this book had me screaming NO DAVID for the entire first half

I knew when I read the synopsis for Evocation that I was going to love these books, but I did not realize how quickly I was going to fall in love with the series.
everything is so perfectly connected and all the details are so purposeful, this is a book that you can tell the author has taken the time to meld with their story. I'm not saying that to shade other authors but there are some books out there that feel so disconnected from the author and didn't get the time to mature into something beautiful.

the use of power and dominance throughout the story, not only as a fun tool in the bedroom but as a way to give the charcaters a level of depth is so well done it makes me want to cry. for rhys especially in this book as he struggles with the power of being the new high priest and balencing where the lines of his realm end.

also i was very happy to see some of the wiccan world of magic being represented and finally getting to understand some of the things everyone is always talking about. listen i love learning about all these different avenues of the supernatural (especially brujeria and santeria coming in the next book in 2027...) but seeing some of my first love of wiccan culture was a special treat just for me <3

thanks to netgalley and angry robot for the arc

I picked up the first book in this series on a whim because I am a sucker for sprayed edges, and thank god I did. I loved the first and I was so excited when the author announced arcs for this one were open. Definitely did not disappoint. I had a lot of questions after Evocation that I felt satisfied with after I finished this book. I am not a huge fantasy reader because I just don't always feel like learning a whole new world and cultural practices, so I was very refreshed that was not the case in this series and it is just an occult fantasy set in this world.

I’ve loved ST Gibson since reading A Dowry of Blood, and despite the Summoner’s Circle series being quite a different type of story it is still just as gripping in terms of characterisation and intrigue. Ascension picks up where Evocation finishes off but this time Rhys is more in the spotlight. I’d been quite intrigued about Rhys since Odd Spirits and loved that it was finally his time to shine. Whilst the pacing is quite different to Evocation it worked for this story. The characters are developed well, even though we’ve been through two stories with them already they still remain fresh here. The writing is still descriptive and atmospheric and pulls you in from the first page. I can’t wait for the fourth book (third full novel) to be released!

The first book in this series took me by surprise and ended up being one if my favourite reads in recent months. It felt refreshing and also complete to a point where the idea of a sequel felt like it could shatter what had come before. I couldn’t be happier about being wrong. The book takes everything that worked in the first and dials up the emotional stakes that underpin the magical layers. The characters grow and the author is never scared to push them into darkness, while always inviting the reader into the depths of the turmoil through writing that feels both cosy and cinematic at the same time. Moira continues to be the beating heart of the story and her development is a joy - the next book focussing her means I’ll no doubt be hooked again. The book had me gripped, unable to put it down and the wait for what comes next will no doubt be torturous. The book fills a space, exploring layers of queerness, complex relationships and more, all while being a fine balance of emotionally warm and delightfully dark

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the first book of this series and the relationship that was building between the three characters Rhys, David, and Moira, so I was very excited to see what was coming next out of them. When I learned that this next book was more focused on Rhys versus David in the first, I was a little bit more apprehensive and I think after having read the book my initial response was valid. David and Moira are still by far my favorites, and I loved seeing their friendship continue to bud and grow, and I was also interested in learning about how the three of them navigated their poly relationship.

Honestly, when the book starts out and it seems like things are working flawlessly between them I was almost disappointed because obviously they have not gotten to that point by the end of book 1. Plus, the best part of David and Rhys’s dynamic is that they are terrible people. As the book continued into the plot things started to get meatier and I was happier, I could see the tension building, but I really started to get annoyed with where things were going with Rhys. The choices he makes throughout are inherently selfish, and I did find myself cringing through the sections in his point of view.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and the writing, how the supernatural was balanced with the interpersonal. I feel like the characters are very well-built out, and I liked learning more about Rhys’s backstory and the depth of the arcane in the world in general. But Rhys as a character irritated me, and I feel like the resolution and his forgiveness happened far too easily, and for that I give this 4.5/5 stars.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed reading this, although Rhys is arguably the least likeable of the main trio, so a Rhys-centric book is hard work at times. It's tough to spend a lot of time in his head and watch him make so many bad decisions. That said, I appreciated his character growth over the course of the book. I would have liked to see more progression in the exploration of power exchange, but hopefully we'll get more of that in the future.

If I'm going to continue with this series (and, look, I am), I need to accept that the plot is always going to be secondary to the relationships. I really like the portrayal of unconventional relationship structures and how the characters navigate them - it's genuinely refreshing to have main characters negotiating polyamory and its complexities in a way that feels realistic - but they do spend a lot of time doing that while the plot loosely unfolds in the background and then gets rapidly resolved near the end.

One thing I can't get over is how young these characters are. Maybe I'm just ancient, but a lot of the institutional power stuff would feel more convincing to me if these characters were like... 10 to 15 years older. The way Max is treated as being "older" when he's only 6 years older than David was especially odd to me.

Moira is, obviously, the best character, so I'm looking forward to (I assume) a Moira-focused book 3. Her relationship with David is a highlight within the overall relationship dynamic, and I look forward to seeing how that keeps evolving.