Ascension: The Witches of Pioneer Vale by David Combs is a tale about Anne-Marie Carmichael, a loving wife and mother who is highly capable and willing to go to great lengths to protect her loved ones and her farm. The story originated in 1671, and Anne-Marie’s resources are limited, so she makes a pact with supernatural forces to become a protective guardian of powerful magic. Unfortunately, evil doesn’t stop, and Shade, a demonic wolf, lurks in the shadows, looking for a chance to cross over from his realm into this world to destroy it.

In the present day, Anne-Marie seeks to make an alliance with her descendant and meets a sociable, athletic girl, Angelica Brighton, with a great natural talent for magic. They must work together to uphold their family tradition as guardians, protect the world from the shadows, and fight for everyone and everything they love. I really enjoyed the dynamic of the characters. Anne-Marie is powerful, knowing fully well the dangers they face, whereas Angelica has a biting wit and cunning nature, despite lacking experience. Throughout their journey, protagonists abruptly step out of their comfort zone and take on great responsibility without hesitation.

The combination of two vividly distinct personalities was a great feature of this story. Combs shares two perfectly intertwined stories, with entertaining shifts from the past to the present. The story pace was excellent and fluid, keeping you attentive and eager to turn one page after the next. Ascension: The Witches of Pioneer Vale by David Combs is the first book in a series, and I look forward to reading the next volume.

Pages: 251 | ASIN : B07YT1LM4W