Actual Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

I feel in love with The Summoner's Circle series the moment I met David on the first pages of Evocation, so to say I was anxiously awaiting this sequel is an understatement. I couldn't wait to head back to Boston.

While Evocation was a fast-paced whirlwind and introduction into this beautiful, magical world, Ascension digs deeper into the soul of our our lead for this novel, Rhys. Trying to find your place in the world is hard enough, but add in the unsumountable weight of Catholic guilt and the universal desire to be beloved for your contributions, only make it more difficult. The journey Rhys goes on is heartbreaking, relatable and rewarding in the end.

The tandem-style storytelling that Gibson utilizes in this series adds a complexity to each emotional hurdle that keeps the the book progressing. David continues to grow as a character, Moira is on the precipise of her book next and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Most of all though, watching this relationship evolve and grow has been such a joy and I love them dearly.

Here's to me re-reading these books for the next 2 years while I wait with baited breath for the next book!!

First I wanna say thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for an early copy of Ascension! Man, S.T. Gibson never misses and she is an auto-buy author! This second installment of the Summoner’s Circle is just as fabulous as the rest!

I never thought I would be interested in reading a poly relationship but the way Gibson writes them you’d never know it is such a taboo thing.

Deserves a 4.5 star rating but NetGalley doesn’t let me!

First and foremost - I had forgotten how much the name ‘Aristarkhov’ makes me roll my eyes. We get it, he’s wealthy and Russian.

That aside - this was much better than the first book, and didn’t suffer the usual second book slump that trilogies tend to.

This book was focused on Rhys now that he’s High Priest. The poly aspect was really well done - I was a tad worried at one point near the beginning that David was going to decide he wasn’t gay and end up with Moira as well, but I needn’t have worried. David and Moira’s friendship/relationship was really nice to watch develop.

There was absolutely no movement around the overall plot point of Rhys’ blood curse demon. Like it was mentioned in passing maybe twice? So I’m interested to see how that resolves itself in the next one, especially with it (presumably) being focused on Moira.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

I enjoy The Summoner's Circle series so much. This series is like a soap opera, but make it gay and poly. These characters have so much drama, and Ascension was peak messiness. This is a character and relationship driven series. IMO not a plot driven series. I thought there was going to be a lot more action in this story with the way things started off, but I was just getting relationship high drama. So if you want to read about the woes of polyamory with pretty unlikeable (but loveable) characters, this will be for you. If you want a plot forward fantasy series, this may not be for you. But it IS for me, and I would die for David Aristarkhov. And S.T. Gibson will forever be an auto buy author for me.

More poly demon summoner drama and I was here for it. I’m not really sure how David was the less messy one this time, but it was nice to see him not falling apart and drinking himself to death the entire book. Rhys- on the other hand- baby get it together!!! The first book had more rituals and summonings where this one focused more on the relationships and what Rhys is putting himself through after absorbing the Aristokhov demon AND becoming the high priest. With all that, no wonder he’s a bit off. I liked getting to see more of Leda and I loved getting to see a spicier side of Moira this go around. Speaking of spicy, there was some spice. I feel like the more Gibson writes, the spicier the scenes become. I just finished another book of theirs and holy fireball. The ending left me with a few questions, so I’m wondering if there another book in the series or are we just meant to fill in our own blanks? Either way I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the free advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.

I loved Evocation and I think that Ascension falls into the “second book syndrome” a little bit. That being said, it was very necessary since the magic system is so intricate.
I loved the continuation of Rhys, Moira, and David’s love story, but also the further discovery of the new roles they have within the occult society. The romantic moments between all three characters were very sweet and you could feel the affection in the writing.
I’m really excited for the third book! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

After book one I was really excited to see where book two went but it just felt like it was going nowhere. Rhys was annoying me even more than he did in book one. I like Gibson’s writing style but these characters just aren’t for me. I thought they’d grown on me by the end of book one and I had genuinely been excited to continue this series but dang, it felt like being back at square one.
A DNF for me, unfortunately.

I could not get into this at all. I found it to be boring and tedious. I struggled with the first book but thought surely the second will be better. I was wrong. Overly descriptive so much so it was a chore to read through.

A massive thank you to Angry Robot, Netgalley and S.T Gibson for providing me an e-copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review. I was thrilled to see my approval message come through, which it felt like a full (summoners) circle moment *ba-dum-ching* as I was fortunate enough to previously receive book one, Evocation as an arc as well.

I’ll start off by saying that this was very much Rhys’s book and centred around him stepping into the role of High Priest.

The story itself was shrouded in suspense and mystery which had me hooked as an unknown occultist leaves threatening messages by way of mock-sacrificial public rituals. Rhys and David call upon the other society members to help locate the culprit and the meaning behind these sinister acts.

As someone who has read a lot of books centred around more traditional relationships, it was intriguing reading about a polyamorous one and I felt like I was constantly learning. Gibson did a fantastic job at portraying this romance and exploring each individual character in depth.

Speaking of characters, it was nice revisiting our mains; sassy David, sad boi Rhys and the ever-so patient and nurturing Moira. I equally enjoyed meeting new characters, particularly Leda and Maximilian.

The trigger warnings are worth noting as it depicts a few and there was a self-harm scenario which snuck up on me. The vibes were on point, from its magic system, occult practises, secret societies and dark academia atmosphere.

Publication date: 8 July 2025

4.5 stars. This book picks up shortly after the events of Evocation and is Rhys's book. We still get Moira's and David's POVs, though, which I love. We get to see their relationships evolve, and even get to know some of the side characters a bit more, like Leda and Antoni. But this book is focused heavily on Rhys and his desire for power, while also facing his inner demons. I love how this author writes their characters. They are all strong in their own way, and they deal with conflict in a very real manner. I absolutely adored Moira in this book as well. She has to deal with two very head strong men but she doesn't take either of their shit. I cannot wait for book three which is Moira's book. Overall this was such an outstanding sequel. I adore these characters.

**Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot for providing this ebook. All opinions are my own.**

Ascension takes place six months after the events of Evocation and we start with Rhys trying to cope with his new position of the High Priest in the Secret Society while also trying to juggle his relationships with his two lovers - Moira and David. It has been Rhys's dream to rule over the society as long as he can remember, but this new role might be more than he can handle. His every day life is also soon rocked by news that a ritual has been performed in public and everyone is now wondering who is at fault. That makes Rhys worry, especially because he delves even more into spiritual world by constantly summoning demons to help him and not thinking about possible repercussions that might affect him and those around him.

I like that Ascension further explored all the romantic relationships and friendships between characters. It was especially interesting to see the dynamic between Moira and David as their connection is quite different from what Moira/Rhys and Rhys/David have. I like that all the relationships evolved in their own way. I didn't like David that much in Evocation, but I think Ascension revealed more about him that made me relate to his character more. I feel that Rhys was more prominent in this book and it was interesting to see how he dealt with the situations that he put himself in, although sometimes it was tiring as well. Moira remains fabulous as always, she's definitely still my favourite. I also quite enjoyed getting to know more of Antoni, I liked that he was more present this time. As for the occult plot/the mystery, it was good, although it didn't feel like the main focus (except mostly for the scenes with Max) of the book, so I didn't mind it much. Overall, this was a good read and I'm excited to see what's next for this series.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was so excited to get to read the sequel to Evocation, and S.T. Gibson did not miss. In this book, we focus more on the perspective of Rhys and his inner trials, as well as his outer trials. I think it was fascinating to learn more about the society and the magic system in general. I like how we focused more on world-building in this book and the establishment of certain mechanics. I think Rhys is a very interesting character to focus on, and there is a lot of inner turmoil within his head that we, as readers, get to explore. It was also great to see David and Moira again, and I loved their further development and their relationship among the three of them.

Overall, 4 stars!

To be perfectly honest, despite being a loving and devoted fan of S.T. Gibson, I hadn’t actually read Evocation or Odd Spirits until receiving this ARC. However, undeterred, I was excited by the idea of just doing a full on, old fashioned binge read of all three one after the other. In hindsight, this was probably the best way to approach Ascension, as it does pick up pretty much right where Evocation leaves off.
Personally, I feel like the highlight of this series is the characters, and I really love how Ascension builds on the relationship dynamic between David, Rhys, and Moira. It’s a good follow-up, as they’re not completely settled in their feelings for one another, nor are they entirely comfortable when it comes to discussing their relationship with others, but the book does present this very organic progression as all three of them attempt to figure it out.
Where Evocation definitely feels like it’s addressing the group dynamic a bit more, Ascension seems to more singularly focus on Rhys’ personality and faults, his imposter syndrome and feelings of inadequacy, and how that affects his relationships with both Moira and David, as well as his appointment as the new High Priest.
Overall I liked the narrowing of the focus, as it made Rhys a lot more relatable and entertaining, even in some of his worst moments and decisions. The fact you were in his head so much made his choices feel less sporadic than they would have if the story perspective had been more evenly divided.
I think it should go without saying that I absolutely recommend this series, but I do advise reading it in narrative order and not publishing order, i.e. reading Odd Spirits first. As reading Evocation first actually spoils the conflict and conclusion of Odd Spirits.

Thank you to NetGalley and @angryrobotbooks for the ARC of Ascension by ST Gibson! 🖤 This book had me feral. I was SO happy to be back with my favorite poly couple 🖤❤️💛 and their relationship? More complicated and delicious than ever.

The stakes in this book were HIGH 🔥 and we finally got a glimpse of the gritty underbelly of the magical society 🪄👁️. Moira is still my queen 👑 and David—sweet, loyal David—is right behind her 🥹. Rhys… had to work for my love this time 😮‍💨. Between the Catholic guilt ✝️ and the boy stupidity™️ he almost lost me—but the character development?? Absolutely worth it 🙌

This is the sequel to Evocation and it raises the bar on everything. Magic, tension, emotional damage 😭, and those ✨polyamorous feels✨ that ST Gibson writes so damn well.

I need Moira’s book next. I will be unwell until then 🫠

📚 Ascension releases July 8 and yes—I preordered it so fast just to have my ✨trophy copy✨ on the shelf.

I loved this so much! While Evocation was still a five star read for me, and I was already so attached to our beloved trio, my only wish for Ascension was to dive even deeper into this magical world, and I was so happy to get a more in depth look into the Society, their politics, their struggles, and both inner and external conflicts.

Ascension picks up where Evocation left off, with Rhys newly instated as High Priest. You would think it'd be his dream come true, but we soon learn that trying to lead the Society brings a lot of struggles, and he has lots of loose ends to tie up, as well as trying to save them from financial ruin, public scrutiny, among other things that keep happening.

S.T. Gibson is doing a fantastic job at writing character driven stories. It's amazing to see how much they've all grown. Well, Moira's always been a reliable goddess and an anchor for the guys, but I'm so proud of Rhys battling his demons (quite literally!) and emerging victorious and on a whole new path, leaving me curious as to where the next book will lead us. And while Ascension was more Rhys focused, David's also had plenty of things to deal with, and he demonstrated character growth and maturity. Also, David and Moira? I love how far they've all come into this polyamorous relationship of theirs, and it's great to see that the three of them have fallen into a rhythm that works for all.

All in all, I enjoyed this even more than Evocation, and while it didn't end on a life shattering cliffhanger, it'll definitely keep me on my toes until the next book comes out!

3.5 Stars

Thanks to Angry Robot, Netgalley, and St Gibson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ascension continues the series with a noticeable shift in tone and focus. Where Evocation was fast-paced and plot-driven, Ascension is quieter and more introspective, focusing on Rhys and his internal struggles. This sequel leans heavily into character psychology, exploring perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and the crushing weight of responsibility in a deeply personal way.

This instalment moves at a slower pace, prioritising emotional depth over external conflict. While I never felt bored, the story lacked the urgency and suspense of the previous book. It's very much a "Rhys vs. Rhys" narrative, with fewer clear stakes or antagonistic forces driving the plot. I often found myself missing the high drama and magical chaos that made Evocation so compelling.

Rhys takes centre stage here, and while his descent into demon overload and self-sacrifice is thematically rich, it was also, at times, frustrating to read. His issues felt largely self-inflicted, making it harder to empathise with him at times compared to David in the first book. That said, the portrayal of Rhys hitting rock bottom and slowly trying to rebuild himself is one of the most honest and thoughtful parts of the book.

David and Moira also return and evolve in meaningful ways, both within their throuple dynamic and individually. Watching all three of them grow—together and apart—was rewarding, and I'm especially excited to see Moira shine in her own story next.

While the romance was more believable this time around, it still lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. The complex and messy relationships kept me engaged, but I wanted more chemistry, more spark. The emotional tension between characters was sometimes overshadowed by their internal monologues and conflict.

I appreciated the additional insight into the different magical sects, which added texture to the world. However, the plot felt a bit meandering at times, and the lack of a strong external force made the story feel somewhat adrift. Still, the magic system and setting remain intriguing, and I’m curious to see how it evolves in future books.

Ascension is a thoughtful and introspective follow-up that trades high-stakes adventure for a deep dive into mental and emotional turmoil. While it didn’t hit quite as hard as Evocation for me it’s still a solid instalment with strong themes of growth, accountability, and recovery.

I’m very excited for Moira’s book and to see where this story will go next.

I LOVED Evocation and I immediately added this sequel to my TBR as soon as I finished it. Ascension brings us back to Boston and the secret occult society that Rhys now rules over as High Priest. Rhys, David and Moira have a poly relationship that works for all three of them, and they’re genuinely happy together, until an act of vandalism on the Boston Commons threatens the society and everything Rhys cares about.

LOVE the fact that this series is set in Boston!! (A certain beloved bookshop even makes an appearance!) The society and what they actually DO is at the core of Rhys’ book. While the first book kind of brushed over everything but the politics as Rhys and David fought for the High Priest position, we get more demon summoning scenes, why they do it, and the different forms of magic they utilize in tandem with that process. Don’t worry, Ascension brings back all our beloved side characters; Antoni, Kitty, Nathan, Leda etc. and there’s plenty of scenes with them. The sequel expands upon the world, introducing us to other major players in Boston’s occult scene, one of whom has a past history with David and is a slightly older love interest!! Like Evocation, the book starts off slow, but it picks up towards the end. Rhys’s ambition and the selfish decisions he makes in this book made me want to strangle him, but the fact that he’s a genuinely flawed character was refreshing, and he eventually comes to his senses. There was some really cool magic in this book and the ending is a game changer (in more ways than one). I was left with at least one burning question and I’m hoping this means that S. T. Gibson has plans for a book focused more on Moira. If that’s the case, I desperately need it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC. And thank you S. T. Gibson for continuing this series!!

Rhys takes upon himself to fill the evocation spot at the club of sorcerers he and David run. We get a bigger glimpse into the status of the club, the details around it, the character involved in it, and how Rhys plans to take over and make it amazing. The issue is Rhys is way in over his head and is running on self-doubt, trauma, and stress (aren’t we all?). This made his character depth incredible and really allowed me as a reader to understand more of Rhys’ motives and weird actions and things he does.

I was so happy for David in this book, I really began to enjoy his character more than I ever thought I could, as I already fell in love with him in Evocation.

When I tell you this is an amazing continuation of the characters, their story, and what’s next in store for them, St Gibson did a truly wonderful job giving the reader the answers they were seeking from the prior works with these amazing characters. I cannot understand how truly dynamic these characters are, they pop off the page and have a special place in my heart.

I need to vent about Rhys slightly in this review because he stressed me out SO much:
-Rhys gets in WAY over his head and those that love and care for him get WORRIED, which, as they should.
-Rhys is a bit reckless with what he considers to be good protection methods for dealing with realllllly intense summonings, like, DONT, please use protection, you stress me out
-I love his character so much but I also want to sit him down and slap him and make him chill

When I tell you Moira is my favorite, she’s my favorite. I was able to see some of the character art in the Novella that supplements these two stories and I am so here for Rhys and Moira. She doesn’t put up with it, but she also is such a solid rock and foundation. She could have easily been a brat and unsupportive, but she is genuinely I think the most mature out of all of them.

Alright, time for the content and twigger warnings so y’all know what you are singing up for. This book does dive into some darker themes, but it’s done with the execution of a wizard, because St. Gibson is magical, and so it truly ads depth to the story. I will not be admitting how many times I cried while reading this one. Be prepared to be ripped in half.

Long story short I do not have the proper words to describe how much I loved this book, these characters, the cover art, like everything. I am so picky when it comes to MM romances, like. SO PICKY. ST Gibson has my heart and I need to read everything this author writes immediately.

CW TW:
-Religious struggle and distress
-Self harm
-References to past child abuse
-Biphobia and polyphobia
-Explicit sexual content
-Ageplay (super light, i had ZERO issues with it and I will dnf dark romance and others for weird age play, this one is nothing too wild)
-Sexual themes of dominance and submission
-Disordered eating behaviors
-Attempted blackmail
-Marijuana use
-Drinking and smoking

Thank you Angry Robot and Net Galley for the ARC. I am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

Ascension raises the stakes in every possible way. Rhys has power, love, and prestige—but nothing comes without a price. This sequel is darker, steamier, and more emotionally tangled than Evocation, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

From demon-summoning chaos to complicated polyam dynamics, the tension is palpable, the pacing addictive, and the character growth is intense. Rhys walks the line between devotion and destruction, and watching him unravel under the weight of his own ambition is equal parts heart-wrenching and hypnotic. 😈🕯️

S.T. Gibson delivers again with lush prose, morally complex characters, and a magical world that feels raw, queer, and achingly real. If you’re craving urban fantasy with grit, glamour, and soul, this series is your altar.

Boston's favorite occult polycule is back and messier than ever.

This one oscillated between a 3 and a 5 star read at times, taking me through some serious emotional highs and lows. Going into the book, Rhys was my least favorite of the trio just by nature of David and Moira being so compelling from the get-go. I was convinced that that wasn't really going to change with this one, and there was a point where I even would've said I disliked him while reading it, but Gibson managed to pull me back in by the end. I've definitely warmed up to this tortured Catholic loser now, cheers!

Just like with the first book, the plot takes a back seat to the character arcs and relationship developments. Gibson did a good job of keeping me guessing and questioning my own judgment as Rhys became a less reliable narrator with each turn of the page. I had a hard time getting into things with the first half as I watched everything hit the fan, but I was glued to the words once the dust settled and we could start tackling these problems.

We also get introduced to a couple of new characters and all of these messy character dynamics that have me seated for book 3! Very curious to see where we go from here. Since the next book should be Moira's book, I am extra excited to see my queen take center stage.