**3.5 Stars**

This was my first experience with a book from this author, and I really loved her style of writing. In regards to the book, I found the first half was a bit of a slow burn with all the character development. But once I got to the second half, it really picked up and became way more thrilling. I started to enjoy it a lot more then. The only thing that bugged me was that I still don't have a clear idea of what went down with The Fifteen which was a bummer.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for allowing me to read this ARC.

I'm pretty obsessed with cult books, so it feels like I've read every novelized version of them by now. However, The Ascent by Allison Buccola was a completely new take on the cult. Focusing on a woman who was "left behind" when her childhood cult disappeared and is dealing with the fallouts from new attention from a Wild Wild Country type documentary that just dropped 20 years later, I was obsessed with each page of this book. Must more of a psychological thriller than I was expecting, I truly did not not what to believe throughout some of the book. I loved it.

I found the first half to be a bit of a slow burn - it’s mostly character building. The second half is when it became more interesting and suspenseful, the pace picked up, and I really started to enjoy it.

Lee growing up in Jacob’s Hill was a significant part of this story but I did wonder if there was anything more to it. Or if it was just that.. a story - a part of her past. There are bits and pieces of Lee’s past mentioned in little detail throughout, leaving you with a lot of curiosity surrounding what actually happened. However, it’s possible the author may have wanted it to be this way to keep you guessing. The “twist” did surprise me though which made the story much more interesting.

As I was nearing the last few chapters I was worried there wouldn’t be closure. However, I was satisfied with the ending and felt there was just enough information to feel the story come to a close.

Ooh! This is a good one. A mystery about a vanishing cult, yes please.

Years ago, Ophelia was somehow left behind. The reclusive cult, later referred to as The Fifteen, disappeared without a trace in the middle of the night. Her mother and little sister vanished with them. Now all grown up, she has become part of a family again, this time as a wife and mother. Yet the questions from her childhood abandonment still weigh heavy on her current life. Then one day a stranger walks into Ophelia’s life bringing with her a chance to reveal all the answers. But at what cost?

This book had my attention right from the beginning. Ophelia as the sole POV had me trying to figure out if she was a reliable narrator right up to the very end. Allison Buccola delivered up a great read. I look forward to her next book.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I am intrigued by cults so as soon as I found this book on NetGalley I knew I had to read it.

The Ascent is told from varying past and present perspectives of Ophelia, a woman who was born and raised in an isolated cult reminiscent of Jonestown outside of Philadelphia, and one day she woke up as a 12 year old girl and everyone was gone. The book follows her in her present life as a married mother in Philadelphia living a "normal" upscale life with a loving husband and tells in flashbacks the story of how she was raised by an aunt's family and gradually re-integrated into society.

In the present day Ophelia is struggling with the trauma of her childhood after she gives birth and as she is coping with that, a woman shows up out of nowhere claiming to be Ophelia's long lost sister which reignites beliefs that Ophelia long struggled with, that her family and the others are out there somewhere and maybe she can see them again.

I enjoyed the method of sharing her story which was through flashbacks although I felt they could have been fleshed out more. While it's believable that someone who went through an experience like that would have a difficult time as a teenager and be bullied, I found it very two dimensional how everyone except her aunt thought she was a horrible monster and was somehow responsible for the actions of the cult. I found it perplexing as well that as the story moves on through the present- and there is a plotline about true crime reporting in this- that even as adults people think that she as a child was responsible for the cult. It's true that both on the internet and in real life, people have truly horrendous ideas and hold women and children responsible for things beyond their control, however it strained credulity that "everyone" would think this, particularly considering the rest of the information that the characters have.

It was also perplexing and infuriating at times how poorly Ophelia and her husband Theo communicate, however this was of course a plot device, and also some of this could be explained away by Ophelia's trauma (which she does address actually in regards to some of the poor communication). The plot and story move very quickly though and while there are some loose ends, I generally thought it made sense and aside from some of the strangely two dimensional characters, particularly in Ophelia's childhood, there were supporting characters who were very believable as actual people.

The plot twist and ending was excellent and was not at all anything I would have guessed. I also found the ending to be lovely as Ophelia finally comes to terms with the truth of what really happened to her when the cult left her. It again strained credulity in areas that I won't share as it's a spoiler, however, it was still a great place to end and for the reader to lay aside any disbelief.

Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

This book had so many things that I love. Pennsylvania! Cults! Philadelphia--Go Birds! Lawyers! (Do I love lawyers? No, but I am a lawyer so I will offer some token enthusiasm.)

It started a little slow (the narrator's whole I-can't-let-my-baby-out-of-my-sight-oh-my-god schtick went on for a little too long in my opinion), but once it got rolling it did not relent. I was hooked. I was very surprised by the twist and satisfied with the ending (though the ending did feel a little rushed).

However, there were a few aspects of the plot that left me wanting more. I wanted to know more about her relationship with her cousins and I wanted them to be humanized and less black and white (e.g., I think it would have been great for her to reconcile/grow closer with Rachel at some point). I wanted to know more about what happened in Pittsburgh, because I feel like that was barely explained. I wanted to know what, exactly, the narrator could have been diagnosed with during those episodes. I will note that I am glad the book wasn't bogged down by too many flashbacks to the cult. I hate constant switching between flashbacks/present day, and I enjoyed Buccola's light touch with those.

I have such a special place in my heart for lawyers-turned-authors (like Allison Buccola). Mainly because I would love to be a lawyer-turned-author. But alas. I'm glad Buccola made that career shift because this is a great book. I will read her previous novel at some point.

*THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE FOR THE ADVANCED READER COPY**

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end; I even found myself skimming in the last quarter of the book just so I could find out how it all worked out in the end. The "twist" of the novel felt surprising but earned, something that feels increasingly more difficult in the thriller genre. My only quibble (what makes this a 4 star rating instead of 5) is that the depictions of the layout of Philadelphia were very unrealistic, in terms of Lee's ability to walk between those neighborhoods while pushing a stroller.

I went back and forth about rating this book. I enjoyed the story, found it compelling enough to hold my interest, and was satisfied with the ending. All good.
I have a hard time, however, when characters who are supposed to be intimately connected act like it's normal to have little to no
information about their partner's background and either excuse or ignore things that real people would absolutely call out. It really takes me out of the story, so I would probably give this book closer to a 3.5
Overall, I would have liked the characters to have more depth and feel more real, but I would recommend for the story and the writing (character flaws aside).

I love true crime and have a slight fascination with cults. This book delivered on both.
The whole time this story has you feeling so sorry for Ophelia and what she went through. This broken girl. Reading all she has been through and people taking advantage of her.

The twist/ending was great but I wanted it all not to be true and she have her ever after. She does just differently then i envisioned.

Thanks for NetGalley for the ARC. Truly an enjoyable book.

I really liked this one. It was odd and off-kilter and a blend of mystery, family drama, and gaslighting tale that I quite enjoyed because I had no idea where things were going! I probably should have seen it coming, in hindsight, but didn't - and that made it all the more fun for me as things began to roll out. I liked the characterizations here a lot, as well as the teasing out about Jacob's Hill and the secrets of Lee's past. I also found her struggles with new-motherhood to resonate well and true. There is a lot to think about here, as far as the meaning of family, the source of anxiety, and the challenge to be the person we want to be rather than the one the world wants us to be/insists on us being. It made it a more thoughtful read than I expected, and I enjoyed that also.

The Ascent

I had never heard of this author before, but based on the description of the book, I was excited to read this one. I was intrigued from the very first page.

This book follows Ophelia (Lee, Fee-uh) and her life after escaping the cult she grew up in. The main story is 20 years after she left and has a few time jumps.

Present day, Lee is married to Theo and has a 7 month old daughter named Lucy. After having her daughter, Lee has a difficult time separating herself from Lucy, which has negative effects on her marriage.

Although I liked this book overall, it left me wanting more.
1. I wish there was more to the storyline of her upbringing. I personally think it would have added more to the story and gave the reader a better understanding of why Lee is how she is.
2. The “twist” of Maria and Theo seemed a little unnecessary to me.
3. This could be just me, but I didn’t fully understand what actually happened to The Fifteen.

Again, I did enjoy this book. I thought the writing style and storytelling was pretty good.

For me this was a perfect, perfect train book. What is a train book, you ask? I take the Northeast Regional from NYC to RI frequently, and my favorite thing to do on the train is get lost in a thriller that makes the time fly by. Allison Buccola’s novel did just that! Set in Philadelphia, the novel follows a young mother named Ophelia (Lee) who was a member of a “reclusive commune” (i.e. a cult) as a child. One day, every single member of the cult vanishes, never to be found again—except for Lee, who was left behind. A woman claiming to be Lee’s long-lost cult-sister reappears one day, setting in motion a chain of events that triggers anxiety and paranoia in Lee, and unravels the seemingly “normal” life she’s worked so hard to build for herself. Bonus points to Allison Buccola for having Lee attend college in Pittsburgh (my hometown) and dropping what I think is the very first Giant Eagle reference I’ve ever read in a novel.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House for my review copy!

I really enjoyed this book it was a quick, engaging and easy read with some fun twists. It is definitely a thriller but also touches on some deeper topics. I am glad it was written from only Lee’s POV allowing the reader to really understand her struggles with her own thoughts and to be understood in a world where she was left behind.

This book went in a totally different direction than I expected - and I loved it. Ophelia is the perfect unreliable narrator and I was second guessing the truth the entire time. I felt as though the ending wrapped up too quickly for my liking, I was left with a few unanswered questions. I did not see the twist coming whatsoever (which is rare for me). This book is a strong 4/5 for me, it was a great read!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! Unfortunately, this joins the few books I have DNF'd recently. I felt like the book was more character driven, which is typically not my preferred reading theme. I prefer a book more plot/situation driven and this book mainly revolved around characters, to the point I would sometimes forget what the book was actually about.

If you prefer a more character driven book, this would be an excellent read, I however, just do not prefer reading that way.

I am really glad I read this book. I love stories that involve cults and mystery. Most of all loved the main character, I love her and really cared about what happened.to her. Liv. She was a well rounded character who goes on a journey to face her past and find herself of someone totally new in the end. I won't give anymore away. This book is written in dual timelines and has a lot of twists and turns. I would definitely recommend to other.s

I was drawn to this story because the theme was cults, which I am a sucker for. But The Ascent was much more than that. How much does our childhood shape us? What can we overcome, and what pulls us back?
Ophelia grew up in a cult, and was the only one left after some sort of incident. She has spent her whole life trying to overcome this trauma, but has she finally found another survivor? Or is her past pulling her back in?

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an arc of this book. This unfortunately, was just not good. It really did not focus on the cult aspect as much as it should have. Instead it revolved around the main characters modern day family until around 55% of the way into the book when something interesting started to happen, only to be snuffed out by a completely chaotic and rushed ending. This should have been a DNF for me, but I stuck it out. I don't think I'm interested in anything else by this author unfortunately.

I have always been fascinated by cults. Jonestown. Helter Skelter, manic panic. But this time it’s brought into a new light. With the Ascent we see it from the pov of someone who lived there and had a somewhat normal upbringing. It is hard to imagine that being the case knowing the end all of these things, but it was a pleasant switch up from the darkness they tend to carry.

Ophelia is just a little girl when her family goes missing one day at the compound. 20 years later her sister returns to her.
A mother herself now, she will do anything she can to keep her daughter safe. Because things are not what they seem.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
A really good read.

4 ⭐️

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC! I honestly thought this was a great novel. It’s intriguing, entertaining and suspenseful. Great dialogue and storyline featuring a courageous female protagonist. I thought the ending was confusing, but definitely worth the read. I highly recommend,