The way S. T. Gibson is quickly becoming a new favorite author... This is probably my most anticipated book of hers so far. I loved the blurb from the moment I first laid eyes on it. I knew I was going to eat this up.
I particularly enjoyed how it addresses the issue of communication in a couple's relationship, but it also refers to topics such as addiction with the respect and sensitivity it deserves. My only complaint was the dynamic between the main characters. Although I overall liked it, I found it inconsistent at times and borderline unrealistic.
I love how she writes her characters and how you can relate to them even if you have nothing in common.
Highly recommended.

What to expect:
- Queer romance
- Polyamorous rep
- Gothic, dark academia vibes
- Secret societies
- Exes to rivals to lovers
- Tarot cards, magic, curses

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pub Date 28 May 2024

Thanks to NetGalley, Angry Robot and the author for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

An excellent start to a new series. I was so excited to read Evocation as I love everything that ST Gibson writes. The characters and their relationships were fully fleshed out and the magic system was great.

thank you to angry robots for an arc of this book!!

evocation is a rollercoaster of queer polyamorous occult melodrama and angst. let me tell you it’s all of those things and more. this book is full of delightfully messy and colorful characters. from moira rhys’ take no nonsense astrologer wife (a black witch who is cherished by her husband and not portrayed as a bitch for being defensive and knowing her worth? a 10/10) she is funny and often emotional taking up space as the heart of the trio. constantly by her side is her husband rhys the sorcerer he is pragmatic and endlessly loyal to moira. their marriage and the the tumbles it takes along with the way was delightful to read about because it brought us to david. the witty and debonair psychic ex of rhys was the star of this book in every way. from wondering what demon is plaguing david and his blackouts and rooting for his recovery from his blunder with rhys and subsequently moira all of the twists and turns david’s story took was gripping. the plot was engaging the characters solo were easy to root for her but i would be remiss if i didn’t mention how the expertly crafted romance wasn’t the true center of this book. it is not easy to find books where the author treats all the dynamics in a polyamorous relationship as equals. glaringly and typically there is a overwhelming favorite and a least favorite in the dynamics being explored but saint gibson has managed to avoid that cliche with overwhelming ease. from the steady and devout love taking place with rhys and moira, the passionate and electric mess of david and rhys’ reconnection, to the beautiful and surprising platonic connection between david and moira (queer platonic relationships taking an equal seat to the romance yes please). the connections in this book where expertly crafted and well paced no one’s relationship felt rushed or overly drawn out. cutting myself off here at the risk of spoiling the book by accident but i implore you if there’s a book you pick up this year make it this one. it’s magical it’s sexy and it’s messy and dark in a way this author has perfected.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Evocation, a gothic paranormal story full of demons, childhood trauma, complicated relationships, and broody men, presents three main characters with such full presences and unique dynamics that they jump off the page.

I loved our three mcs and the relationships they had with one another, and I would gladly pick up two more books about them just to see where they go.

However, I felt that the world-building and magic system were sorely under-explored and not well fleshed out so that the paranormal aspect of it all was more of a backdrop than something integral to the storytelling.

I really love S.T. Gibson's prose and I think I'll continue to pick up her books. The pacing made for a quick, engaging read and overall I would recommend to fans of paranormal, gothic, and dark academia reads.

Evocation has a dark academia occult feel, there's different types of magic practised in different ways. David is a strong psychic who was brought up as a prodigy child, he is a high flyer, great job and full of charisma, he's also been cursed by the devil with an old family curse and now the devil is ready to collect. Rhys who is David's ex is a sorcerer who has been working hard and fighting for his place within the occult and then there is Moira, Rhys wife who is witch with strong psychic abilities that she uses to read the tarots. David brings in both to help with the investigations and research of his curse that's taken a sudden deathly turn.

There's a great dynamic between the trio David, Rhys and Moria. They all had a great connections with each other, each one different and complex. I enjoyed seeing them work together while trying to balance out their relationships and feelings.

I enjoyed the story, I'm a big fan of S.T Gibson writing and how they bring the story and characters relationships together.

I do wish the story was a little more fast paced, because there is a slow burn it felt that all aspects of the story were just a little too slow, so it was hard to become fully immersive in the story. The characters do make the book and I loved all three of them and I'm definitely invested enough to continue on with the series, I need to know how the relationship is going to progress between the three main characters.

It would have also been nice to see a little more of the devil and the curse, we only see rumours and hearsay of what its about and we don't really get a confrontation with the devil so I'd love to see more of this built on in the next books.

Thank you to Angry Robot Books for gifting me an e-arc copy of this. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.

I’m slowly becoming convinced that Saint Gibson can take a plot from literally any genre and write it beautifully! I loved the angsty and dramatic nature of the characters, and inclusion of so many witchy elements!

Evocation was a fun start to a new S.T. Gibson series, but it had a slow beginning. It took me a little longer than I’d hoped to learn and care enough about our three main characters. However, once I did, I flew through the rest! As always, Gibson’s writing is gorgeous—lyrical but not challenging prose. However, there were some parts in the beginning that felt a little heavy-handed and difficult to parse out, like the lengthy descriptions of the Society members.

David, Rhys and Moira each felt well-rounded and interesting, with their own backgrounds and distinct motivations. Although all three are deep in the spiritual world, I appreciated the different “sects” of work they occupied, along with the boundaries and rule-breaking each adhered to. It made the occult elements flow naturally through the story, instead of feeling shoe-horned in for plot purposes.

There was so much tenderness in the novel, too. Topics like childhood abuse, domestic disputes and alcoholism were the undercurrents to the story, and things definitely get heavy at times. I adored Moira’s character for her role in navigating these elements, specifically—she seemed like such a grounded, sweet soul.

Gibson yet again breaks from tradition with a polyamorous relationship that felt genuine and tender. By the end, I had a goofy smile on my face. I’ll eagerly await the next chapter in this series!

S.T. Gibson has such a hold on lush evocative writing intertwined with complex and compelling characters, I have yet to read a book of hers that has left me wanting. Every character is so well fleshed out I loved and hated them in turn at several points, and I can't wait for more in this world.

⭐️ 3
🌶 2

Sadly, this story wasn't for me. Perhaps I went into it with too high expectations, because I feel let down. It's not a bad book, it's just mediocre.

Part of my issue is that I expected a lot more overt use of occult magic, as this is marketed as a fantasy novel. But barring the last 15%, this story felt far more like magical realism to me.

Considering the author researched enough to use specific occultism terminology, very little of it was actually explained for the reader and even less was utilised by the characters. I had to resort to googling certain words as the author neglected to provide details within the story.

If you like books that are more about occultist, dark academia vibes than plot and character-driven, this is probably for you. The characters are messy, angsty and flawed, and their interactions with each other reflect this.

For me, it felt like the plot took almost halfway through to kick in, and it was weak and drawn out unnecessarily. The big plot twist at the end was very obvious and the delivery felt flat to me because of this.

The marketing of a throuple romance is actually (in my opinion) misleading. Without spoiling anything, it's not the MMF relationship I was led to believe. The few times there was spice, it felt like it was added in to appease readers rather than to add to the story (except the last spicy scene, which was loooooong overdue).

Overall, the world building, the magic system, the character growth, the romance and the plot all had the potential to be great but didn't quite get there.

It was a very interesting reading. It’s a very unique dark gothic mystery book with funny banter and quite an exquisite duo but it was a bit lacking concerning the plot that was a bit flat and did not grip me. I think the characters saved the book and don’t get me wrong it’s still a good book but very character driven which I was not expecting so I was a bit disappointed

I’ve loved Gibson’s previous works and Evocation is continuing the trend - blending their sumptuous writing into a modern setting, rife with rumbling tension and a seething character study.
This IS slow paced (until the final 10%) and won’t be for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve seen other reviews comparing it to an adult Raven Cycle and I think that definitely holds up. Excited to see more!

Evocation by S.T. Gibson is due to be released in May 2024 and like everyone who has even heard an inkling about this book, I was desperate to read it. Let’s be honest S.T. Gibson is one of those authors who have that way of building and developing such gothic, atmospheric, occult worlds that you are immediately drawn in and bewitched. In Evocation, Gibson takes on the challenges of everything from the occult and deals with the devil, to polyamory, abuse and so much more however, be warned the characters are the central focus in this first book in the The Summoner’s Circle series, with plot coming as a secondary fast follower.

Central to the whole story are David, a high flying, highly strung, psychic child prodigy, Rhys (David’s ex,) the hard working, determined scholar, determined to make his way through work, grit and determination that far exceed his psychic/occult abilities and Moira, (Ryhys’ wife and goddess!) Moira is truly a grounded, earth nature, witch and psychic with such beautiful abilities, I would challenge anyone not to love her. The story primarily revolves around David and the drawing in of Rhys and Moira into an investigation into a mystery psychic illness that is plaguing David, and ultimately putting his life at risk.

I would say that if you loved The Raven Boys, this is definitely the book for you. Gibson puts the majority of the focus on the characters, how they change and adapt throughout the storyline that begins with true antagonism, passive and micro-agression that blocks their developing relationship until the situation they find themselves in challenges this and opens them up to new dynamics that are very interesting and entertaining to observe.

I can truly say that I totally fell for this family, and whilst I came for the plot of Evocation, I totally stayed for the characters! There were a few bumps in the road but, I’m no expert on polyamory relationships and am definitely not one to judge but, I will be here waiting for the next book in the series, I can’t wait to see where it takes Moira, Rhys and David next.

Thank you so much Angry Robot Books and Netgalley for sharing this arc with me in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the e-ARC!

4.5★’s - this book was a tremendously fun read! I love a good grumpy/mean-to-everyone-to-keep-them-away/martyr type character, and we get that from David here. He’s also clearly not a morally pure guy—his clear flaws of classism and self-centeredness (among others) keep him believable.

The plot and mystery of this book were both interesting and fun, but the stand out moments were the character relationships. Our main trip was heartbreaking and amusing in equal turns - each duo was going through it for different reasons. There was just so much angst potential between all of them that was artfully executed. I could be upset with a character for hurting another one, while fully understanding why they would do that. David was my favorite, because I love that character archetype, but Moira was a surprise stand out, between her bad-assery and her empathy. Rhys was well fleshed out as a character, but not my personal favorite, though I appreciated the interactions with him.

The writing of this book kept me engrossed- relatively straightforward, without flourishes that broke me out of the immersion or slowed down the momentum. As soon as I started the book, I wanted to keep going until the end. We got a satisfying ending, but also an ongoing problem to solve, which leaves me anticipating the next book!

I will be posting my review on my book Instagram within the next week - once that is done, I will update this to reflect the link

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I absolutely adored this book, Ms. Gibson literally can not do any wrong. Boston? Secret societies? SOLD. I will highly recommend this one, especially to those that loved Ninth House, very similar vibes and I'm here for it. Now just to wait until I can get my hands on a physical copy! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

I had very high hopes for Evocation as I received the arc for An Education in Malice and absolutely loved it. I went into this with the same expectations of devouring it in a single sitting, but I found the story to be very lackluster and not at all exciting. The three main characters — David, Rhys, and Moira — are all very thought out and descriptive, and I love ST’s ability to write characters. However, the conflict between the three felt so childish and petty that I didn’t care at all about it. As for the occult, supernatural elements, they were few and far between. The plot moved glacially slow and most of the chapters were filled with mundane scenes that did nothing to further the plot. I felt myself dreading to continue at about 35% in and had to fight to continue. Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for the arc.

4.5 stars from me.

I really loved the creepy occult vibes and it was different to what I've read before.
Moira is now my comfort character and I want her to be my friend.

I got a bit bored in the middle but the chemistry between all the characters and the growing tension between David and Rhys had be gripped.

I really enjoyed David's character ARC and his and Moira's dynamic. Such a beautiful relationship and I loved the poly exploration.

I would read this again and S.T. Gibson is now one of my top authors! I've loved everything she's written so far and can't wait to see what's next!

Loved the vibe and the characters. The main trio has my heart. But the magic and the pacing the story was a little off for me. The magic (spells used) felt very vague. It just happens in a lot of scenes, and for me makes it feel like a incomplete part of the story. And therefore I feel that the story should have been a couple pages longer, to flesh out the magic. And for me this effected the pace of the story as well. In the end they use magic (and there is no backstory behind it) and they just find the right spell out of gut feeling to fight the demon. These sort of scenes took me out of the story. Besides that I really enjoyed the book, characters and the authors writing.

Thank you netgalley for granting me the arc for this book.

David struggles with the ghosts of his past who literally haunt his home and a myth that spoke of a deal with the Devil turns out to be the truth. He finds himself suffering from episodes of possession and seeks his ex-love, Rhys' help. Rhys and Moira have been focusing and healing their marriage when Rhys gets the phone call from David desperate for help. With all guards up will Rhys and Moira help David who has a history of pushing everyone away. I loved the quote 'You don't need to make yourself smaller in order to be worth of blessings.'

I really enjoyed the relationship that built between David and Moira and the connection they shared. This was an easy, cosy read and focused on the tension between loves with a side of plot.

This was 3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

To start, this book was so different from “a dowry of blood” that I kind of struggled to believe it was written by the same author. And honestly, I was just kind of bored reading it. It picked up around 40%, but some chapters and passages were still just so dull and unnecessary. Also, I don’t know why/how, but the characters felt older than they were. Supposedly they were in their mid/late twenties, but they could have easily and more believably been in their 30s based on the action, their professions, and their interactions. They just felt older and more mature than they were supposed to be. The story is very character driven, something I apparently don’t really like.

This is a book about three magical people: David, Moira, and Rhys. David is possessed by a demon after an old demon deal someone in his family made. So why do I after having finished the book not know anything about demon possession? There is almost no action in this book, and I don’t understand why, because it could have been so much more.

Moira is by far the most interesting character. She has her own opinions and even though she says she’s a people pleaser, she still doesn’t take shit from Rhys (her husband) or David. I would have liked to know more about her and her family's history with magic.

I did not like David at the start of the book. He comes across as an arrogant prick, who’s also kind of prejudiced. But he does show a deeper connection and more nuance later on, so he kind of grows on you, and he does develop into someone kind of likeable.

I don’t like Rhys at all though. He never got over David (they dated first) and he’s still in love with him. So I’m mad because he should never have gotten married when that was the case. Like yes, he loves Moira, but he even says it’s nothing like when David looks at him. I just don’t like this love triangle at all. And Moira is much more graceful than I would ever be. Also Rhys’ parts of the story were the most boring. I honestly felt like he didn’t really contribute anything other than a whiny, egotistical presence.

To build on that, I felt like the poly relationship came out of nowhere from Moira. I guess it was ok that she was the one to broach the subject, but it happened after Rhys and David had kissed multiple times (which is cheating in my book). I feel like it could have been better if it was clear that hey had been thinking about and discussed a poly relationship earlier on, and not as a result of one of them cheating.

Overall I think I might not have been the best audience for this book. I can see how others might like it, but I need it to be more plot-driven and this was a 99% character-driven book. Since I didn't like the characters all that well, it's not a surprise it was a 3-star read for me.

I was very excited about the premise of this book! I’m always intrigued by secret societies and occult practices. Overall I found Evocation to be entertaining and enjoyable. Everything flowed at a decent pace. The MC’s were all flawed but lovable in their own ways. The story was very character driven, and I enjoyed watching the relationships between characters grow and evolve through the book. As someone who quit drinking several years ago, I appreciate characters who struggle with substances and exploring how it affects their lives and the ones they love. The direction the story took at the end set up a lot to be explored in the rest of the series. Ultimately it was a good book and solid start to a series, but I did feel like it was missing that extra spark to make it a 5 star read for me.