David was looking at him like they were twenty again, like they might be able to get it right this time, orbiting each other’s spheres without burning too hot or swallowing each other alive.”

Evocation is a captivating exploration of the lives of three occult practitioners set in Boston. This book is mostly character-driven and is a beautiful portrayal of queer and polyamorous relationships. It also explores themes of sobriety, relationships between exes, and magic societies!

🌈 Queer rep: primary characters - MM main pairing, MF platonic romantic pairing, poly MMF situation. Secondary characters - trans woman, bi/queer sibling, nonbinary person (very brief), poly MFNB trio.

Many many thanks to angryrobotsbooks for the arc!

I had heard of S.T.Gibson before reading this book,a dowry of blood was advertised everywhere as the perfect book to read for the spooky and fall season. To say that i was hyped about getting an arc of Evocation would be a understatement. I was simply ecstatic. And so with a heavy heart i have to say that i unfortunatly didn´t really vibe with this book. For a book that´s supposed to be about magic and the devil this had almost none of that. Only in the third part of the book did the magic come in. Way to late! We learned as good as nothing about the world. Where is the worldbuilding? Are we set in modern world or is it medieval? Is there anything inherently unique about this world? The chemistry between the three main characters that are supposed to end up in a poly relationship is non existent. I could not relate or sympatize with any of the characters. At times it felt like I was reading fan fiction (and not the good kind).

Those were all the things I didn´t like about the book, now to the good things. Giving that the worldbuilding was non-existent, you didn´t have to get over the 100 page mark that´s typical for fantasy novels, where they throw all the worldbuilding and characters at you. This world felt weirdly familiar almost like you already now these characters, and you´re just reading an novella or short-story about some side quest.
Also I blew through this book. I read it in two days. I coud not put it down!

Overall this book was a hit or miss for me. I am interested to see how this series is moving forward and how the relationship between the three main characters will evolve.

Evocation is a fast-paced and addictive read full of magic, curses and morally grey characters. It didn’t take me long to be pulled into this story and although it’s not an action packed adventure, I enjoyed following the characters as they learned, grew, and worked together. I will say that the synopsis does kind of spoil a major plot point that it takes ages to get to in the book, so I found that a bit of an odd choice.

The book has triple POV, giving all the MCs their time to shine. The characters themselves were what really drew me into this story. David was kind of horrible but also so full of love for his friends. Rhys was determined and serious and I absolutely adored Moira. She was so wholesome and caring. I liked seeing these chaotic disasters figuring things out together, and their connections to each other were explored in such a good way. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in the next book!

I’d recommend picking this one up if you like:
🔮Summonings
🔮Poly relationships
🔮Second chances
🔮Bad decisions
🔮Curses
🔮Unlikable main characters and also wholesome main characters
🔮Tragic yearning

A big thank you to Angry Robot for letting me read an early copy of this book.

The only way I can think of articulating St Gibson's writing style is 'emotionally beautiful' and 'effortlessly romantic'.

Where 'A Dowry Of Blood' is heartachingly lyrical, poetic and melancholic, 'Evocation' is intimately emotional and so beautifully human.

I absolutely fell in love with all three main characters equally. Polyamorous relationships are my favourite to read but generally only when they are a polycule. However, the amount of time dedicated to emphasising the power and importance of platonic (borderline romantic) love had me absolutely hooked from page one. I was so invested in watching these characters grow together and work out the dynamic that was true for their story. As someone who is on the Ace/Asexuality spectrum, I've recently learnt how important platonic relationships are to me so this was the perfect timing and so validating

The plotline was captivating enough add value to the relationship rather than hinder it (if not a little predictable and obvious at times). This definitely feels more character driven than plot and is executed wonderfully. I was even invested in the side characters and the sprinkling of their stories.

The representation in this book !! As a therapist with a lived experience of anxiety, I love reading representations that feel realistic/true which is exactly how I felt reading Evocation. Not to mention the ethnicity rep and LGBTQ+ rep.

The only critiques I have are:
- the climax felt a little anti-climatic and somewhat easy? It didn't feel "magical" enough.
- There was only one moment where the character development felt like it regressed a little and seemed inconsistent however this appeared to be for the purpose of plot and smoothed out nicely within the same page or two.

Even with this in mind, this is absolutely a 5 star read for me. Reading this with rain as my backdrop and a warm cup of tea felt wistful yet comforting.

A million thanks to Angry Robot and ST Gibson for this ARC!

Uhmmm wow, I absolutely loved this. The characters??? I'm in love with all of them somehow??? Especially David though, because let's face it-- everyone's a little in love with him. Ok, Moira too (Rhys sure knows how to pick 'em).

Due to the main conflict of the book, David definitely seemed like the main *main* character, it felt like he was the sun and everyone orbited around him. I loved this as he was my favorite (an intelligent sad boy with issues he's working through? this is my literary kryptonite), and his POVs were great to read. I love how his inner monologue is in direct conflict of how most people see him, and I loved his growth in this book.

I also loved Rhys (David's sorcerer ex and rival in their secret society) and Moira (Rhys' wife and astrologer/witch). Their communication was so refreshing to read. I loved how Moira was such a badass in literally every part of the book, she radiates confidence and just had a general self-assuredness that was so nice to read.

I loved the journeys of our cast of MCs, and how they figure out how/if they can fit into each other's lives, and what a friendship (or more?) could look like. This book was very character focused, and ST Gibson did a great job at creating these characters and fleshing out their very real chemistry. I would have loved more details on the different types of magic that are mentioned, and I hope we get more about the world in the next book.

Overall- easily 5/5, loved this, will read anythign ST Gibson writes.

TW/CWs: discussion and depiction of alcoholism, an addiction relapse, smoking, marriage in trouble, discussions of child abuse (physical and emotional), discussions of infidelity, life threatening magical curses, consensual sexual content [these are from the author]

I think that as the three characters in this novel fell in love with one another, I was just as equally falling in love with them, because I adored every single character in this book, from the very minor characters to the main ones. The complexities of the magic system was also really interesting, and I like how there was a difference between having inherent magical “sight” and having the ability to do spells simply out of studying really hard and trying a lot. Overall a really good read, and I can’t wait to read more of the characters.
I think if I had one complaint, it would be that there were some points where I wished that the characters had moved faster, but I think that that’s less of a problem with the pacing than it is me wanting them to get together and find out what was going on sooner. To be entirely honest the anticipation was half of the fun, and this is the first of a series anyway, so there will be more of the characters eventually.
In conclusion this book is going to absolutely drive me insane and I love everyone in it so much (and when I care about a rich white guy whose house looks like an IKEA showroom (a direct quote) than you know the writing is in fact really good)

Thank you so much to the publisher for this arc!!!!!

Honestly, this was a journey with David, Moira and Rhys. But can I have a short story with them or another book with them???!!!!!!!!! I want to spend more time with them. I feel there is so much more I have not read about their relationship. I really enjoyed everyone's point of view. Rhys is SO DOWN BAD for Moira. I love that for her! David softening up to Moira was too cute.

I think I will return to this review because I devoured this book. I have not done that in a while.

Thank you to Angry Robot Books for my arc!
i'm still blown away that I was chosen to read this early!

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this but i was pleasantly surprised. the story is told in multiple perspectives and i couldn't put it down. Although i do wish that we did get some flashbacks as to why David/Rhys had a falling out instead of being told in hearsay. I also really loved Moira, she was a very calming presence compared to Rhys and David. I will say i wasn't that invested in the romance aspect. I was more intrigued by the actual seances and the secret society aspect.

I'm looking forward to the sequel!

this book was the most delicious thing on my tbr since i first learned about its existence

polyamory is such a fascinating concept to me and i keep reaching for books that explore it in different ways. evocation certainly scratched an itch for me there. i was so enraptured by the chemistry between the characters, it kept pulling me through the story, wanting to see more of them.

i do feel like david was certainly the star of the show but i would be lying if i said i wasn't just as fascinated by moira or rhys. i'll probably spend hours thinking about each of them, picking apart traits and motivations. i had So Much Fun with them and could definitely feel how well-loved all three of them are by the author. and now i'm sort of obsessed with them. i don't know.

saint gibson certainly maintained the standard set by a dowry of blood, and i couldn't have been more delighted to see that their writing here felt just as smooth and devastating. as for the plot, i think it was less of a point than the actual characters and the relationships between them, which hurt my rating for a star but honestly, i wouldn't say that it was in any way underdeveloped or underwritten. the change of pace closer to the end of the book felt a little sudden but, overall, the main plot line was executed pretty well in my opinion, especially considering the powerful characters it was meant to act as a backdrop for. at some point it felt like the stakes were going to be higher, but that might just be my weird expectations of everything even remotely fantasy

as it is, i enjoyed the experience immensely and can't wait what else the author can offer in her future works

p.s. i think, you should also read odd spirits, maybe even before this one, for some context

eARC was sent to me by @angryrobotbooks and all thoughts are my own)

Overall I really enjoyed the book. I read it today and it was kinda cold and rainy out so it kinda fit the vibe. It is a great mood read.

One thing I really enjoyed was the flaws of the characters and how they were written. I found myself sympathetic but also frustrated with the characters but I enjoyed that as it felt very engaging. It was interesting how the story played out and how they got there. I related to David a lot during the reading and found myself drawn to Rhys and Moira. At times it could get a little slow but I found myself always wanting more. It draws you in like Moira, David, and Rhys are drawn together. I liked how the relationships unfolded and how the characters struggled through certain plot points and issues.

This is not a grand all encompassing read but one that focuses on a small group of people that are drawn together because of a curse. It is a hauntingly charming (is that a thing?) tale and I cannot wait till book two!

Thank you so much to Saint and Angry Robot for allowing me access to Evocation as an ARC! S.T. Gibson is the kind of author whose writing follows you once you've finished their books, and Evocation is no exception. I think I'm biased because of my love for a Dowry of Blood, but I think that Evocation is a lovely start to what will be an excellent series. I did find the pacing to be a little different than I was expecting, but I loved seeing the dynamic between David, Rhys, and Moira come to fruition. I cannot wait to see the direction Saint heads with this series; occult magic, secret societies, and a healthy dose of polyamory can never go wrong. I'm so glad to have pre-ordered a physical copy and can't wait to see the final product!

This is a story which is told from multiple perspectives and has an interesting hook.
It made for easy reading, but there was nothing about the style, or prose, that impressed me. There was a repetitive nature to the writing, which was wrapped up as whimsy. I think a good edit could iron that out and make it an overall better reading experience. I was surprised when I got to chapter three and found a week wrapped up into a paragraph. Why did the writer not give us a glimpse into David’s world? The court room and how he deals with his work life / other job balance? Instead there was a week wrapped up in an uninteresting paragraph. Instead of seeing David’s annoyance, I was told about it and it was at that moment I grew more disappointed.
When a writer skips things as though they are boring, I begin to wonder if what I am reading is boring.
This book read more like a film, I think it would make an interesting film and if it ever transitions to the screen, I would watch it.
It’s a slow burn with exposition driving you into wondering when something is going to happen. Demons, magic and curses, should be interesting, but overall, this one was not for me.