3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Odd Spirits is a short, fast glimpse at two flawed characters from Evocation as they try and manage their relationship and a poltergeist.

I enjoyed the magic a lot but it was interesting to read a book that didn’t involve characters starting a relationship and everything being sunshine and roses. They struggled with, and faced their vulnerabilities and insecurities. Are these things that maybe should have been figured out before being married for a few years? Meh. Maybe. Did they seem to not understand each other that well? Possibly. But that’s life. Either way it was enjoyable to read.

Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson is the prequel novella to Evocation, and follows the relatively newly wedded Rhys and Moira as they are forced to confront the relationship issues they’ve been bottling up when a malevolent thoughtform manifests in their own home.

Overall, it’s a very quick read that understandably lacks the tension and stakes that Evocation had—but it is a very insightful exploration into the foundations and dynamics of Rhys’ and Moira’s marriage, and also helps to explain Moira’s initial animosity with David in Evocation.

Also! the endpapers and interior illustrations by Eleonor Piteira are absolutely stunning and set the mood wonderfully.

Big thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the ARC!

Odd Spirits is a quick look into Rhys and Moira’s marriage as they are struggling with a malevolent spirit in their house with a few flashbacks to how they met. This was so cute. I loved seeing more of Rhys and Moira’s back story and how they got to the strong relationship they have in Evocation. Seeing them work through their issues and start to communicate about their needs was great and really made me feel their love. This was the backstory I was missing from Evocation. I loved the small cameo from David as well.

Odd Spirits is a lovely prequel to Evocation. We get to see the early days of marriage for Moira and Rhys. The book covers those doubts and insecurities that can creep into any relationship. I loved the exploration of this with a side of magic and secret society. We get to see the characters even more, flaws are exposed and faced. It’s short, sweet and vulnerable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

I feel incredibly conflicted about this book. On one side, I wish this had come out before Evocation because I think I would have been more interested in this part of the story had I not already read what happens after in Evocation. On the other hand, if I had read this first, I don't know that I would have cared to read Evocation. I feel as though everything I loved about these characters in Evocation was absent in this book. I feel as though the way that David was portrayed in this book was used as justification for how Moira acts in Evocation but even that feels like it was over done for the sake of doing it. I still love these characters, but I definitely think I was just fine without this part of the story

I saw S.T. Gibson and immediately had to request this because I am feral for A Dowry of Blood, but I have to admit I have not yet read Evocation so I don't know to what extent my opinion would have differed if I had.

Moira and Rhys are so terrible at communication it is not only ruining their relationship but has quite literally manifested as a poltergeist in their home. That part was actually really interesting and I loved the variety of magic in this world and used by the characters. But, oh my word, these two could not be a less compatible couple.

It's a solid little gothic book about problem couples, and again whether or not it's improved by reading Evocation I can't say but I don't feel like I was missing context having not read it first.

Odd Spirits was a delightful, witchy novella that I couldn't put down. I loved how it blended the present-day mystery in the house with flashbacks to Rhys and Moira's early days, giving the story great depth. Their journey through the ups and downs of communication in their marriage felt incredibly relatable—haven’t we all faced challenges in connecting with our partners at some point? A short, sweet, and magical read—five stars!

Thank you Net Galley and Angry Robot for this e arc.
I am not going to lie I was very worried I was going to hate this novella due to my distaste for Evocation but I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this immensely. Basically this book is about a sorcerer and witch couple being haunted in their martial home. Truly the story is more of a case study in relationships and miss communication. The stand out for me is Rhys character. He is still a pretentious asshole but he is sweet and caring. I relate to his worries of socializing and people not understanding him. My biggest grip with this book is Moria. If I can be honest she is an ass. I don’t know if ST Gibson meant for this to be but it seems like Moria never changes. She still believes she is right in everything and she so condescending to Rhys it is insane. I would suggest this book to anyone that wants a quick spooky read. Though if you are triggered by miss communication in relationships I would steer clear.

I really enjoyed this novella! I liked seeing some of Moira, Rhys, and David in the events leading up to Evocation, and I really liked reading more about Rhys and Moira's relationship. Overall, I had a good time reading this, and I can't wait for Ascension next year!! :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into the past with Rhys and Moira. Having read Evocation this added so much insight into the rift between the three characters. I also loved that we got the history of Rhys and Moira at the same time. Overall rating is 4.5 and I can't wait for more from this series

I’ve been desperate to read Evocation since seeing Saint on tour for the book earlier in the year. I have been impatiently waiting to read Odd Spirits first as Saint said this would be the ‘premier experience’.

This book is short and sweet, an intimate snapshot into the life of an already established couple. It shows us how vulnerability can be a weakness and a strength.

My interest has been piqued for every single one of the characters introduced. Seeing Saint on tour left me in awe of her confidence and passion - every drop of that is written within these pages. I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

This was wonderful. I loved getting more insight into Rhys and Moira's relationship before the events of Evocation and this has just made me more excited for the next book in the Summoner's Circle series. The illustrations in this were gorgeous and really complemented the story. I loved seeing David again and getting to experience his messy early encounters with Moira.

-thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC

Thank you to Net Galley and ST Gibson for providing me with a copy of this arc.
I’ve always been a fan of ST Gibson’s character writing and I enjoyed watching Rhys and Moira navigate their troubles and a haunting in their first year of marriage. It was a delightfully sweet novella with love and magic. Fans of Evocation will be thrilled to spend more time with their beloved characters in this bite sized book.

Rating: 4 stars
This novella masterfully weaves an overarching theme about the significance of communication in relationships, showing how its absence fosters distance and resentment between individuals. I found it to be an enjoyable mix of charm and subtle eeriness, making it an ideal choice for my September reads. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I find it challenging to award novellas a full 5-star rating. However, this work successfully heightened my anticipation for Evocation. Overall, I found this novella to be a delightful read and would certainly recommend it.

I loved the idea of two magically inclined people living together, married and in a home with completely different practices. I myself practice the same rituals as Moira and loved seeing them hunted and mentioned in this story! Moira’s personality rubbed me the wrong way for awhile but I honestly think it’s because it hits close to home with how a lot of African American women raised in the south are: we’re taught to be independent and not back down from what we want and how we like things so it definitely is hard when you love someone who seems to be the complete opposite of you. The author did an amazing job helping me to connect with the characters and their struggles and I was pleasantly pleased with the ending!

Thank you NetGalley for another ARC,

Odd Spirits, by S.T. Gibson is a prequel novella to Evocation (which is on my TBR) that took my heart by storm. I absolutely loved Rhys and Moira as characters, their relationship with each other and with magic. Rhys calls Moira Little Goddess and, like, god to know that he knows the goddess that he married.

Knowing what I know about Evocation I’m curious to see their dynamic evolve.

S.T. Gibson never disappoints!!! Such an amazing read. Such an amazing plot and storyline. So so so cool!
I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

Odd Spirits is a short prequel novella that takes place before the events in Evocation. I was really looking forward to getting to spend more time with our characters, but this novella fell a little flat for me. For such a short story, it took almost the entire book for anything to happen. I think fleshing this out and adding a little more depth to the story (and giving more time to set up Moira and Rhys’ relationship) would have really elevated this book.

I enjoyed the premise of Evocation, but I didn’t feel it was developed as well as it could have been - especially Moira and Rhys as characters. So I was intrigued to see a prequel delving deeper into their relationship prior to the events of the first book, however this also fell short. This novella sees Rhys and Moira as newlyweds, learning about each other and how to exist in a relationship together, while navigating disturbances in their home, however they barely seemed to even like each other. I was disappointed by the chemistry in this, and found the whole premise be underwhelming - which is disappointing because A Dowry of Blood is one of my favourite reads this year!

I did love the addition of the illustrations, they’re really beautiful and help to set a very atmospheric scene. I think if you loved Evocation, then you’ll really enjoy this one too - just not for me personally.

Thanks Angry Robot for the e-ARC.

When a malevolent entity takes up residence in Rhys and Moira's newlywed home, the two find themselves at their wits end trying to banish it. Easier said than done when they're the textbook case of opposite attracts and the honeymoon phase is beginning to wear off. The two will have to battle to kick out the entity or risk their brand new marriage.

I really quite liked this little novella! I have to immediately say that all the artwork was absolutely stunning and I just loved it. I found myself turning pages just so I could see the next piece of stunning art.

Story wise, about 60% in and I was SO unsure, I was really struggling with the negativity and then BAM, ST Gibson brought the twist and we learn what the entity is in their house and I feel like Gibson just brought everything together. It made it all make sense!! It made me stunned that Gibson had done such an incredible job building that atmosphere. I felt the way the main characters felt!! ST Gibson is so good at creating an intense atmosphere and even in this novella, that remains true.

This is a very quick prequel read, a sweet story that presents the backgrounds of Rhys, Moira, and David from Evocation. Highly recommend you check this out!