While I’ll admit David might be my favourite character of the infamously weird relationship dynamics of Evocation, I was definitely interested in reading this prequel novella that explains a little bit more about Moira and Rhys. Okay actually my favourites are David and Moira, sorry Rhys. I think this novella is fun if you’re just interested in the Summoner’s Circle world, but also if you just generally want to read about a relationship developing. I think one of my favourite parts of the story was the focus on the rough parts of Rhys and Moira’s relationship through a lens of avoidance, but then healing. This is such a magically charged universe, it’s fun to see the ways that humanity and love play equally important roles alongside magic. It also gives some fun backstory of how the two met. Overall, I think this was a fun and pretty easy read, and while I might personally enjoy the full-length novel looks at the world, I think it was cool to jump into Rhys’ and Moira’s heads a little bit early. Also, the art inside is absolutely beautiful!

a wholesome story of a young wiccan couple experiencing their first ups and downs of marriage. i really enjoyed seeing more of rhys and moiras every day life.

This book is a little prequel to Evocation, following mostly Rhys and Moira with a little bit of David. It was a cute little expansion on the characters and if you're a fan of Evocation I would definitely read this to add to your knowledge of the characters. It's the type of story I can imagine being in an omnibus of other short stories relating to the series just to help build the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

To begin with, I absolutely loved <i>Evocation</i>!! Those curious about the event six months ago our trio constantly references in the beginning of that book will be sated with the findings here. We find out just what went down and how things could spiral so terribly between them.

While you don't need to have read that book first, I do think you'll be better off to understand how the occult manifests in this world and the larger histories of our leads. This is largely a domestic spiralling of miscommunication that turns towards the paranormal. Don't expect a sweeping epic about the magic in Boston, as we're staying in the haunted house the couple Moria and David call home.

There's a coldness separating newly married couple Rhys and Moira, something ominous. Something dangerous. Something supernatural. The occult has come calling and fellow secret society member David is brought in to investigate. His intutive connection to spirits and the beyond are desperately needed, the remaining tension between him and his ex Rhys does complicate things however.

Newlywedded bliss has some kinks to work out for two incredibly independent people attempting to build something new together... the drastic differences in their occult practices and backgrounds also is a point of occasional contention. The love is there, and it's real, but a lot of work is needed to keep it alive and genuine. Perhaps that's why the reinsertion of David and some less than savory accusations on his part cause such a rift in their close-knit circle at the society?

Communication is key and supporting a partner where they are at the moment, a lesson both Rhys and Moria are forced to learn and quickly as their haunting escalates. Avoiding points of disagreement or ignoring unpleasantness has a way of coming back to bite, and much harsher with the time to stew in resentment and bitterness.

The art included in the novella is a really lovely addition! It's fun to see how the images of the characters I had in my own head mirrored or differed from the official renderings.

Overall I had a fun time and am looking forward to book 2 in this series. I appreciated the context added to where the trio was coming from in book 1, but didn't enjoy the story nearly as much. The complicated characters and relationships Gibson is known for ring throughout this urban fantasy tale, but it's a bit more singularly focused than what I typically prefer to read.

The art in this was just stunning, and I loved getting to learn more about how Moira and Rhys got together, as well as see the incident that happened with David prior to the start of Evocation.

This was absolutely adorable! I haven't read Evocation yet, but I didn't feel like I was missing too much by reading this first. There's tension between Moira, Rhys, and David that, I assume, is referenced more heavily in Evocations, but not having that background - or not having as much background, because we do get a taste in this novella - didn't deter me from enjoying the story. If anything, it made me even more intrigued to pick up Evocation and get more of these characters. I appreciated the conversations surrounding love, marriage, and feeling inadequate, and I also appreciated the way the S.T. Gibson discusses the occult, and the magical elements associated with these characters.

4/5 ⭐️

This is the prequel to Gibson's novel, "Evocation," which I liked so I was curious to check this out. I don't typically like novellas or prequels but I did enjoy this. This book gives us a look into Rhys and Moira's relationship early on in their marriage and the struggles they face. David also makes an appearance at one point.

I saw some reviews suggesting that you could read this before "Evocation" since it is a prequel. I don't know if I agree. I think you would get more out of this after having read the first book.

Thank you to NetGalley, S.T. Gibson, and Angry Robot for my early access to this.

I loved opening this book and immediately being immersed back into the world of Rhys, Moria, and David and the Boston occult scene. There's something special about being able to remember exactly how you envisioned the kitchen in the previous book. I loved getting a deeper look into Rhys and Moria's relationship, what makes them tick, and especially the flashbacks to how they met. It made me want to re-red Evocation (and also made me rush to check the pub date for Ascension because I need it now). I'm so excited there are going to be 3 more books in this series because I can't get enough of these characters.

I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not the biggest fan of this series, having read book 1 and now the novella, so I will not be continuing on with it.
However; S.T Gibson's writing style is undeniably great. She can keep you interested even when telling you about characters you're not particularly fond of. Despite not having many thing to point at when talking about what I enjoyed, I also have no things to criticize. The characters, plot, overall vibe is not really my thing, but I would recommend it to fellow readers who enjoy occult, modern-time stories much better than I.
This was a 7/10 for me, and the extra half I'm rounding the rating up to is due to the amazing illustrations throughout this novella. They're fantastic, and I hope the artist continues to do art for the following books.

A spooky haunted house novella perfectly sets the tone for a mystical Fall.

I read and loved Evocation by S.T. Gibson earlier this year, so I jumped at the chance to read this little prequel! In it, we get a closer look at our darling newlyweds Rhys and Moira, as well as some intriguing scenes of David. If you haven’t already read Evocation, I would say go ahead and start with this prequel.
It adds real depth to the characters and a closer look at their shared histories.

S.T. Gibson writes intricate and real relationships that draw you in while offering a big dose of the occult and a touch of spice.

I was really happy to be back in this world! I really enjoyed Evocation and was keen to read more of Rhys and Moira's story.

This was an easy, short and entertaining read. I particularly loved the foreshadowing we got to some of the things that happened in Evocation, but only in a way that those who've read Evocation would understand.

Another great story by S.T. Gibson.

This was a short but fun story set before the events of Evocation, and is based around Rhys and Moria, and their house which they find is suddenly haunted. I really enjoyed this, having loved Evocation, and it was a great story to keep me going until the next book is out. I would recommend this to any fans of the author!

I'm very confused about this novella, what was the point of it? It only showed a glimpse into the rocky/toxic relationship between Moira and Rhys - why are they even married. They seemed way better in Evocation and I was expecting something else. Rhys is just very bland, Moira is angry all the time for no reason and it doesn't seem like they should be married?

David is once again the only one doing anything plot-wise, but he's still portrayed like this intruder in their love story (if it can be named that) and no one has any nice feelings about him.

Felt like a novella just for the sake of publishing something in the meantime.

This is the novella to Evocation by S.T. Gibson. As of now, I have not read that book, however, since this is a prequel, I thought I would read this first. Unfortunately, I did not find this to be a success for me. I am not a fan of the newlywed struggles trope and because of that, I think it heavily affected my rating. I am interested in how this plays into the first book of the series, but my standing as of now is to wait to read this book until you have read Evocation.

This was once again just really good. I love what S.T. Gibson does with the world of Evocation, and I especially enjoyed watching Moira and Rhys go through a rough patch and then figure out how to deal with it and resolve it, all while keeping one another in the center of it. The occult vibes this gives were immaculate, and I loved learning more about Moira and Rhys! Honestly, I cannot wait for the next book!!!

Based on the blurb I thought this novella was going to be right up my alley. A couple searching for a way to rid their house of a malevolent ghost from their home? Sounds like an interesting story!

However… I found this story to be quite a bit less compelling than I had expected. The blurb makes it sound like it’s going to be an action packed short story with ghosts and team work but in reality there is a whole load of sitting about and complaining about each other happening.

Obviously, the book still has ST Gibson’s lovely writing style throughout which is a HUGE strength but unfortunately on this occasion I’m not sure this was enough to completely save this for me.

This story really altered my opinion of these characters because they were portrayed quite differently than in Evocation. Moira and Rhys just seemed to be whingeing about each other for 115 pages without wanting to take any responsibility for the situation themselves.

The resolution also felt quite rushed, I know as a novella it has to do things quicker but it felt a little bit too fast to me.

Overall, this is sadly not my favourite by ST Gibson and I could probably take or leave it :/

This Summoners Circle Prequel novela is a fun spooky look into Rhys and Moria’s meet-cute and the troubles in their early marriage alluded to in Evocation. The ghostly plot point makes it a perfect quirky read for spooky season too!

as someone who read the original odd spirits after reading evocation it was definitely a jarring experience, this new and improved version is exactly that it’s improved in every single way. it’s rare to see an author willingly go back and redo books that are not in line with the standards of their new work but you can see the care that was put into this book. the changes in the relationship dynamics, the improvements to the characters tones, and the removal of certain plot twists and how those were replaced and changed were all masterfully done. this book is a huge improvement on the original and it’s definitely worth reading if you want an insight into rhys and moiras dynamic. it was funny, magical, and romantic a great kick off to what should be a truly incredible series.

It takes a lot of commitment to make a marriage between a modern ceremonial magician and a tarot witch work, but when a malevolent entity takes up residence in Rhys and Moira's home, their love will be pushed to the limits.
Honestly it was amazing to jump back into the world Gibson has created. This book was super short which will be my only complaint. But seeing how Moira and Rhys marriage came into fruition was an absolute delight. Seeing their struggles and trials over their concerns of their marriage made me love them even more. The pictures this book held were gorgeous and worth reading this book.
Overall a solid addition to the Summoner’s Circle series.
4 ⭐️
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for an ARC of this book. Y’all are the best. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this books

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for this ARC Copy!

I really enjoyed Evocation so I was excited to see a glimpse of where the characters were coming from. I really enjoyed seeing Rhys and Moira's relationship growth and how they were able to find each other through the trials that they experience in this Novella. I hoped to see more of why the relationship with David was so strained at the start of Evocation but I still got a lot more answers than I had before so I am happy. My only real complaint is it was not long enough and as always I just wanted more.