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Oh, I loved this one. Gibson’s writing style is just perfect, I’ve devoured every single one of her books and greedily have want more each time. As I mentioned in my review of Evocation, the polyamorous nature of this series made me weary simply because I have never read it before, but I absolutely love the relationship between Rhys, Moira and David. They flesh together so well, and god, that ending? Phew!

I do love how flawed Rhys is. There are instances when we are not meant to agree with his thought process and yet we understand him. Rhys is conflicted and raw and I loved his inner monologue.

A massive thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for an arc of this novel! Cannot wait for Moira’s hot girl summer.

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Let me tell you somethinggg, I definitely felt like I ascended while reading this!!! Also thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I also of course bought myself a copy because I will literally feed off of anything that S.T. Gibson offers us!! (Literally my favourite author)

My fave lil trio is BACK! And I am somehow even more in love with them? But now I also need more of them immediately! Rhys was absolutely Rhys-ing through this and I deeply connected with him on so many levels. Did someone say Catholic Guilt? Because Rhys was going through it and so was I.

Ascension follows on from Evocation and this time we follow Rhys navigating his new role of High Priest whilst trying to balance it with his relationships and every day life. Spoiler alert: it's not easy. And if that isn't bad enough the secret Boston Society is now under fire following an unexpected public ritual that sparks a whole Satanic panic among the community. Through Rhys trying to calm the flames we are introduced to a whole community of people and really get a proper look inside the inner workings and connections within the Secret Society.

Rhys is absolutely struggling in this book and I absolutely adore how his flaws are laid bare for the reader to see. S.T. Gibson always manages to write the most multi-layered characters that you can't help but fall in love with even through their flaws. In fact their "weaknesses" and human qualities somehow make them even more loveable.

Moira is my literal queen I want to be friends with her sooooo badly! Also Leda is so cool I want to be friends with them both! Let me go clubbing with them pleeeease! They are iconic.

Without spoiling anything, the scene with Rhys and his family absolutely hit me in my feels and made me feel so many emotions in a short span of time because I just understood him so much!

To sum it all up because I feel like I've been a bit all over the place as an ocean of emotions (that's just what S.T. Gibson does to me, please let me drown in them I will be completely fine):

This was a spellbinding addition to The Summoner's Circle that I thoroughly enjoyed (a complete understatement). Getting to see how Moira, David and Rhys' relationship grows and evolves is exactly what I was looking for, along with a whole heap of Society drama and a few demons thrown in along the way. It felt exciting yet comforting at the same time? Cannot wait to pick this up again in the holiday season. What more could a ghoul ask for?

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Thank you to S.T. Gibson, Angry Robot, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Ascension in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book. Ascension is the second book in the Summoner's Circle. While it does in some ways function as a standalone plot wise, it is very much a sequel and you really should read Evocation first to understand what is going on with characters, magic, and plot points. While both books follow three POV's, unlike Evocation, where the main plot centered around David, in Ascension the main plot follows around Rhys. This book really does feel like a character study on what can happen when someone achieves power. Rhys is now high priest, and is determined to make a name for himself as he now runs a coven where name means everything and Rhys does not come from a powerful family. There is this saying that "power corrupts" and while that is not always the case, for Rhys who is so determined to make this name for himself, it does corrupt. Rhys gets cocky and starts to take on more than he can handle and from early on you can tell that someone is going to have to go VERY wrong for things to turn around. I am a big fan of stories that focus on character development, so being able to witness Rhys' journey and all that he has to go through in this book was addicting to me. I read this book cover-to-cover, which is rare for me with fantasy books. While there is a plot to this book, the main focus of this book is on Rhys' journey and how it effects Moira, David, and their friends. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all lovers of Evocation and would strongly recommend those who were uncertain about Evocation still given this a try, especially if you like character development based books.

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I was excited to continue this series, but I have to admit this book didn't live up to Evocation for me. I really struggled to get into the story, because I felt like the story was kind of a mess at first in terms of plot and characterization. It felt all over the place and difficult to make sense of in a way that didn't feel intentional. Thankfully, once the plot started to make more sense, I started to enjoy myself a lot more. By then, the focus was more on Rhys, Moira and David's relationship dynamics as well, which I loved seeing explored further.

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S.T. Gibson just writes people so well. We are complicated, chaotic, messy and imperfect and she gets that. Throw in relationships and work and magic all at the same time and watch the chaos unfurl. I think she sees people in such a raw, honest way, and has the uncanny ability to divine who her characters are at their core. The setting of the story is rarely important it's really who is there and what underlying tension there is.
We follow off the back of evocation, where *spoilers* David has passed his Demon on, and seems to be doing considerably better as a person. At least trying to do right even if that's at conflict with his natural instincts. Rhys however, has taken on lead as head priest and it is a lot. To deal with that, his never-ending feelings of guilt, his complicated love life and try and deal with outside interferences. You can imagine how smoothly that goes. And throw in Moira, who's moved from a 'traditional' marriage to polyamory, has a husband dealing with pressure and secrets, and is only 25 dealing with all her own feelings too.
I just loved this. The characters remained true to their core, but also show personal growth which is excellent. It's amazing how Gibson gets across perfectly normal feelings everyone would feel, but with magic, demons and summoning's involved. I loved getting to know more characters, and hints at future issues and set-ups. I actually can not wait for the next one, and to get to know more about our characters and their personal challenges.

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I really don't know how to feel after finishing. I feel like I had the same feelings after finishing evocation, but now I'm even more at loss of words. The first 50% of this book went by so slow, and I wasn't sure what was going to be the main plot of the whole book.

My first and basically only issue with this book was Rhys. Moira and David definitely carried this book while Rhys was just blah. I understand the complexity of his character, but he's still so boring, and so dumb. I'm all for characters who don't always act right, but it was much more easier to read about David acting badly than Rhys. Rhys was just acting so childish and not at all how he was at the end of the first book.

Which brings me to my second point. there is 3 adults in this relationship and HOW NO ONE IS TALKING TO EACH OTHER. so many problems in this book would have been solved by open discussion, and I don't really understand how that poly relationship can be healthy is no one is talking. I mean David and Rhys fight and then David suddenly has another boyfriend?? especially when it has been indicated so many times that there might be something between David and Moira as well. It was also a bit yucky that David entered a relationship with a guy he knew as a minor and while they had (probably) both sided crush.

Moira really carries the relationship and gets nothing but too idiots doing stupid things.

I really liked the last 30% but at that point, it couldn't save the book. It's clear how this series is going to continue but I don't think I can manage one more book of Rhys acting like an idiot. 3,5 stars.

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4.25⭐ rounded down to 4.
(Note: I rated Evocation 4⭐.)

I’m enjoying this series, despite some irritants in the relationship dynamics department. I can’t wait for Moira and Leda’s books!

It’s not often that I like a book that’s about a character I strongly dislike. Most of the time, if I hate a character (looking at you, Diem and Dianna), I’ll be eyerolling so much it’ll be impossible for me to keep reading. BUT, here, Rhys’ downward spiral was so well done, and I liked how no one was excusing him. (THANK YOU! It’s not often that we see consequences to temper tantrums and bad behaviour, in fiction.) In the end, I enjoyed this sequel even more than Evocation, even though the latter was about a character I actually like. We’ve got gothic / dark academia vibes again, a morally-grey MC burdened with Catholic guilt, more meddling demons, and a great portrayal of addiction. Once again, my main issue with this book is the toxicity between the three MCs. At the end of the day, Moira is the only decent character in the bunch, and I really wonder what she sees in the two men --- especially narcissistic and obsessive Rhys. Also, is the curse from book 1 in the room with us? Why is it barely mentioned?

💙 Side characters
💙 Moira and David
💙 Snowed-in plotline
💙 Flawed characters
💙 Faustian bargains
❌ RHYS, seriously what a jerk
❌ Curse from book 1, hello?
❌ Esoteric details
❌ Rushed “whodunit” resolution

Tropes to expect: age gap romance (sort of), addicted to magic, deterioration into darkness, troublesome demons, Catholic guilt

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This one is a little difficult for me because I love ST’s writing, and I love these characters but the book itself felt like filler.

In Ascension we follow Rhys, which might be where my main issue is. He is extremely unlikable to read, and I was way more invested in the scenes without him. Like seriously, David and ESPECIALLY Moira deserve so much better than this guy. I was also a little miffed that the main scandal at the end was totally glossed over. It felt like it never really mattered.

Gibson does strife and drama really well, and there was a lot going on between the characters that kept the book moving and interesting. I like this world where the occult is actively present and I think the different types of magic are really compelling. I hope in Moira’s book there’s a little less stigma around her type of magic, because she seems powerful as hell.

Ultimately, I’m still invested in this series especially since book 3 and 4 follow Moira and Leda (my babies!!)

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🕯️‘There was a reason that the word 'occult' was derived from a Latin word for hidden; most magic was not meant for the masses.’ 🕯️

I would rate this book 4.5 ⭐️

Happy Ascension release day!! I was so so excited to be approved to read this ARC and get to enjoy this book early, as this was a book I was eagerly awaiting the release of! And after reading this I can safely say that my anticipation was well warranted 🤎

This is book 2 of The Summoner’s Circle series- this series is an urban fantasy set in modern-day Boston, following Rhys McGowan, the now high priest of a secret society of sorcerers. It has been his biggest life ambition to become high priest, and not just to earn the title, but to become the most powerful and influential high priest there has ever been. He will stop at nothing to become what he has always dreamed of. However, throughout this book he begins to learn that his insatiable ambition may be his biggest downfall- launching his life in to turmoil, and bringing his wife, partner, friends and other society members down with him.

🕯️‘No matter how badly you want it to be true, you're not a God. You're a human, and you're drowning.’ 🕯️

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the modern-day city setting and the way that characters in the book speak about topics that people in society would now, but with a fantastical twist. The way the author combined aspects of the lives of people in 21st century within the book, such as the characters talking about social media groups for societies of sorcerers and talking in group chats was really cool, because it’s fun to imagine and ask what if secretly magical groups like this are hiding out in our cities now and this is what is is like for them.

🕯️‘Rhys had spent most of his life waiting for the other shoe to drop. The moment too many pleasant synchronicities started aligning, he began looking over his shoulder for the looming specter of tragedy.’ 🕯️

I also really enjoyed the characters- the author explores what is like for the main characters to operate through the challenges of new status and power, magic, demons and instability within their environment and society, whilst also working through the difficulties of their polyamorous relationship. I liked the traits of the characters and how they all balanced others out, and in times of hardship could act as one unit and ground each other and use their different strengths to solve the huge problems they were facing. I really enjoyed getting to see all of their POV’s and how they thought about things from their own perspectives too! My favourite character in the book was Moira- I loved that she was smart, compassionate but also had a hidden feisty streak. I liked that though her husband was High Priest and had the title and known power, she had hidden power in her own right, arguably even more than he did. 🕰️

If you love urban fantasy books, dark academia and dark magic, definitely give this book a read! 🩶

Thank you again to Angry Robot and Netgalley for approving me for this e-ARC! This was very exciting 🥰

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I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to Angry Robot for this opportunity!

I absolutely adored Evocation and was thrilled to read this! I love Gibson's writing, especially how Moira, Rhys, and David are written together and apart.

With this book being about Rhys, I had known it wouldn't be as entertaining and fun as David's story, but I was very curious about Rhys' story nonetheless. His slow descent into a somewhat madness, so to speak, was incredibly interesting to read. And seeing Moira and David's reactions to his darkness was even more interesting. I found myself incredibly interested in a lot of the magical aspects of this book, something I don't find myself drawn to usually. Between Rhys' demons and the use of religion with magic, I am dying to know more and more about the magic system. The relationship drama between David, Moira, and Rhys most certainly took precedent in the plot, which I didn't always mind, but I hope to learn more about the magic in Moira's story.

I will be honest, I was not a fan of the relationship with a past crush of David's. The fact they met when David was 16 and the other man 22 did not sit right with me, especially given it was heavily implied the other man had reciprocated David's feelings back then, even if he was adamant he'd never have acted on them. It severely rubbed me the wrong way and did almost cause me to DNF.

In the end, I did enjoy this. The plot itself was a bit lacking, especially compared to Evocation, but it's still a very good continuation of the series. Fans of the relationship between Moira, Rhys, and David will thoroughly enjoy this, and I'd also recommend this for fans of the ship "meljayvik" from Arcane.

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AHHHHHH This book is so good, even better than the first one!

If you expect a plot-heavy book from S.T. Gibson, have you even ever read S.T. Gibson?? This series, and the vampire ones, they're much more about character, and it works if you are invested in the characters and wow, am I. David–prickly selfishness wrapped around a core of hurt; Rhys–anxiety and ambition in one destructive package; Moira–goodness and kindness in one badass witch. A very authentic V/triad with actual polyam problems and actual polyam joys. Love that for them.

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📙 Ascension-The Summoner's Circle Book #2

By S.T. Gibson-I've read Evocation, gave it 4 ⭐

📅Publication: 7/8/25, Read 7/7/25

🌎 Setting: Boston. MA

Genre: Adult Fic, Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, LGBTQIA+

Tropes: the occult, witches, demons, secret society

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Angry Robot, and S.T.Gibson for this ARC🔮! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

👆🏾 POV: 3rd person, multiple

⚠️: child abuse-past, polyamory, bisexuality, closeted-H, a curse-H carries, self-harm-H, anxiety-H

Summary: Rhys is the newly appointed High Priest of the Society and wants his name known by all in the occult. With his wife Moira and boyfriend David he investigates a summoning ritual done in public raising paranoia about witchcraft. Rhys is secretly harboring 10 demons and receives a call from the angel Michael. Rhys must battle dark forces that want his soul, but he and his partners vow to end any threat that reveals their secrets of mysticism.

Main Characters:
🧙🏾 John "Rhys" Michael McGowan-30, High Priest magician
🧙🏾 David Aristarkhov -30, chief scryer(seer) of the Society, a prosecutor
🧙🏾 Moira-24, a witch who runs an astronomy and tarot business

Other characters:
* Lorena-Rhys's godmother, a priestess of Santeria
* Evgeni-David's father(deceased)
* Antoni Bresciani, Nathan Vo, Kitty Vo-Society members, Rhys's cabinet
* Mary Ann McGowan + Arthur -Rhys's mother+ father
*Cameron-a divinity professor/researcher
*Leda Aristarkhov-David's older sister, a chaos magician
*Amari and Chava-Moira's non-magical friends

*Dion-runs a coven in Salem
*Zachary-a local rabbi/ teaches Kabbalah
*Maximillian Marcos-39, David's crush 15 years ago when they were 22 &16. He was a colleague of David's father, and VP of Ordo Templi Orientis

My Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Thoughts: Overall, this urban fantasy dived into David, Rhys, and Moira's lives with all their insecurities and secrets. They bonded together to help Rhys with his new position and the dark entities who wanted his soul. They had a complicated love life, and I got the feeling something is simmering under the surface with their relationship. Can't wait for the next book!

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I LOVED this book. I would give it more stars if the option was available to me.

Where Evocation was predominantly the story of David, this is the story of Rhys beginning almost immediately after he earns the High Priest position within the society that's so much contested for much of the previous book.

Even though a third book in this series isn't currently listed, the fact that we don't have a resolution for the demon currently residing in Rhys' body, as well as the fact that Moira is now the only main character who hasn't had a book dedicated to her, both make me very hopeful of a third book upcoming in this series. At least one more book!

Thematically and narratively, this book follows many of the same beats of the step by step deterioration into darkness of the main character its focusing on. For me, it's not really the plot itself that gives me so much pleasure, but the way it's written and the characters that populate its pages.

Moira and David's relationship is also significantly different from last book to this one and that one thing changes more than one might think. One could almost say it's completely opposite. I also loved the explicit exploration of polyamorous dynamics as a closed married couple opens up into more of a V shape to make space for David. It's an interesting note that David is gay and therefore we don't have a triad between these three characters, which tends to be the more popular way polyamorous stories tend to be written.

While we do get an introduction of a possible new individual to be included in this polycule with the character of Maximillian, the trio of central characters becomes the main focus. I'm only a little bit sad of the way Max was handled because I would have liked to see Rhys having to deal with a legitimate new relationship forming between David and someone else, but I also get the reason why it ended up being the way it was.

The author's clear knowledge of the esoteric details included and embellished in this story continues seamlessly from what we got in the first one.

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I loved Evocation, and Ascension did not disappoint. The relationship dynamics between the trio somehow got even better in this book? Poor poor sad boy Rhys. The angst. The mood. The drama. I just want to give him a hug. But also shake him a little. I loved seeing the relationships between everyone evolve in this book. David and Moira are such a good pairing. Moira remains the absolute best, and I cannot wait for her book!

Thank you Angry Robot Books for the ARC for review

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4.5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 💫

"Does that make me your girlfriend-in-law?"
"I mean, if you want to be, I -"
"I want to be."

Ascension is the second instalment in the adult dark academia and paranormal romance series, The Summoner's Circle (there is also a prequel novella). Written in multi third person POV the story follows Rhys, David, and Moira as Rhys ascends to High Priest amidst rekindling his romance with his previous lover David thanks to the efforts of Rhys’ loving wife. Yet...ambition grips Rhys to go further than he ever has before and he must be careful for dark forces seek to consume him...

Okay I love this polyamory group so much. The support they have for each other had me in its clutches!

Rhys is a hot mess in this book. He has a lot of self doubt that we didn't really explore in the previous book as the focus was David's hot mess. He has a lot of ambition and it drives him to the point of insanity and we really have to follow his journey to acceptance here...but it is not easy! I liked how this journey applied to both his work, his relationships, and his family.

Moira continues to be MVP. I loved how much closer she is getting to David even though their relationship is more platonic - the hands on waist, kiss of the forehead, GAH! She continues to be a glue that binds the group together as Rhys and David tend to be more hot heads. We see moments where she wonders things but I think more of her struggles will be unpacked in her book. For now, she approached her relationship struggles with poise and firmness - she will not accept Rhys' destructive patterns and I loved it.

David may be cocky and charismatic but he has a bit of his own journey to continue in this book. He is trying to find himself a bit more and I loved seeing that side of him. I wasn't a fan of his romantic journey at times (mainly because I have trust issues with the other partner) but the way he handled it made me really root for him. He is accepting and open and truly has so much love to give. I can't wait to see him embrace his powers more.

"I would be absolutely furious with you."
"But I like it when you're mad; it keeps things fresh."

In terms of spice I would place this book at 4 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. There are about 5+ spicy scenes in this book, with the first appearing around around the 22% mark. Spice isn't super explicit here but you know exactly what is happening. There is a threesome scene at one point that I have been waiting for and delivered. There is also exploration outside of the group BUT these characters do not have a closed relationship. I felt the spice did a good job of reinforcing existing relationships while also exploring the boundaries of new ones or new aspects of others. It was well written and drew me in!

The story itself has multiple layers with the main focus being Rhys as High Priest navigating the new position but his high ambitions threaten everything with seemingly unchecked power bolstered by anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and paranoia. I felt this was approached with care and thought as these were not easy encounters watching Rhys tear his world apart. I felt the balance of Moira and David made it easier to keep going because you knew they were fighting for Rhys. The story has good pacing and plenty of demons and magic to keep you occupied. I loved seeing how this conflict bubbled over into other areas in their lives alongside side characters that felt more present. I expected one of the twists and felt vindicated in my suspicions at the end. The story offers a new tidbit that is quite curious and I am excited to explore it more. The story ends on a note that has me excited to see how we navigate Moira's journey next!

Overall, another excellent edition to this series! Thank you Angry Robot for this arc!

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(4.5/5⭐️)📚 Thank you NetGalley and S.T Gibson for the eArc of ‘Ascension’. I absolutely adored our three main characters; Rhys, Moira and David in ‘Evocation’, so I was thrilled to gain an early copy of the following book in the series. And it did not disappoint. I appreciate that we picked up exactly where we left off, and continued to follow Rhys now in his priesthood era. Great characters, engaging plot. What more can I ask for? I need more, thank you!

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I love a man who worships his wife. Exactly how it should be.

I was so happy to get accepted for this arc, since I was a big fan of the first one. It felt like the perfect sequel. The first book was focused on David and this one on Rhys. It was nice getting to know more about him, his backstory, his struggles and his relationship to others. He's a very complex character and will do anything for the people he loves, even if it takes a toll on him. The romance was done really well too. Rhys deeply cares for Moira and David and I think Gibson did a good job at showing it. I loved getting to see more about Moira and Davids relationship and the strong bond they have together as well.


My only issue is the story felt rushed near the end. It took the entire book to build up the story, figure out the problem and it was solved within like 3 chapters.

I had a good time with this one. Really excited for the third book!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

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In the follow-up to last year’s Evocation, Rhys, David, and Moira continue on their magical (and polyamorous) journey. While this book was mainly from Rhys’s perspective, you do get POV from David and Moira as well. Similar to the first book, this is more character than plot driven. I enjoyed it and look forward to the third in the series.

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Ascension is a dark, lyrical blend of gothic horror and romantic suspense, offering a fresh twist on vampire lore. S.T. Gibson crafts an atmospheric narrative filled with emotional complexity, religious themes, and a moody, almost dreamlike tone. The prose is rich and poetic, pulling you into a story that explores obsession, devotion, and power. While the pacing can be slow at times, the novel rewards patient readers with deeply introspective character work and a haunting, memorable experience. A must-read for fans of moody, character-driven gothic fiction.

I really enjoyed Ascension. It’s the kind of book that lingers, not because of length, but because of the atmosphere and emotional weight. It sticks with you, and you don't want to get out of this amazing world the author created. Gibson's writing is lush and immersive; it feels like stepping into a candlelit cathedral where every word echoes. The religious undertones and gothic sensibility gave it a unique flavour, and I appreciated how it explored power dynamics and devotion without resorting to clichés. On another note, I cannot wait for the third book, and I hope it will be Moira centred (I hope, as it was: book one focused on David, book two on Rhys).
That said, it’s not a fast-paced read. There were moments where the introspection slowed things down a little too much for me, and I wished for more momentum in the middle. Still, the characters were compelling and the mood was so thick and evocative that it kept me hooked. For me it's a 4 out of 5.

| side note : thank you for the trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel, I hope it will be seen more often in all books published. |

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S.T. Gibson is one of my go-to authors and I was so excited about Ascension. This absolutely lived up to the first one and more. She has such a talent for creating rich, deep characters and stories that you can just fall into. If you loved the first one, you absolutely need to pick up the second.

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