J. L. Willis
Fall into a world that has been waiting for you.
Ascension Trilogy
In a corrupt kingdom where doctrine is enforced by law, The Old Book is more than just scripture–it is the way of life. While most followers cherish its poetic verses, others seek to wield its power. Words, after all, only hold the meaning we give them.
Haunted by her brother’s disappearance, Mavis Ashbone must navigate a world where faith is weaponized and hope is fragile. When the Veiled Ones descend upon her village, she is dragged into a holy conspiracy steeped in centuries of blood and lies. Her resolve will be tested, and the price of failure is death.
Her captor is a soldier with ghosts of his own. Sworn to an oath that binds him between duty and virtue, he must decide whether the woman who despises him is worth the danger of saving. But Mavis soon learns that survival will demand more than courage—it will demand her soul. And even then, it may not be enough.
“Pray to the gods—they are your protectors. But do not expect them to save you from your own doing.” — The Old Book
When an alleged prophecy is deemed more valuable than human life, Mavis Ashbone is abducted from her village in a ritualistic kidnapping known as the Culling—just like her brother ten years before. Taken to a secret facility, she’s forced into a project that claims to chase the impossible: everlasting life.
Rowan, a commander sworn to the very system that destroyed her childhood, longs for freedom as desperately as she does. Their fates intertwine in defiance, but neither of them are prepared for what awakens between them. As their bond deepens, ancient vows stir, and the line between mortality and divinity begins to blur.
Pursued by enemies, betrayed by kin, and caught in a rebellion that sets a kingdom ablaze, Mavis must confront the truth of who she is—and what she’s destined to become.
From hidden laboratories to the veil between life and death itself, J. L. Willis' Ascension Trilogy is a sweeping tale of sacrifice, forbidden love, and the rebirth of a world that has long forgotten what it means to be human.
Perfect for fans of dark romantic fantasy and mythic epics—where hope is a taut thread, the gods are tangible, and love is inescapable.