Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this book was going to be super creepy, but unfortunately, it was a major disappointment. I could not finish the novel and ended up DNF-ing around 30% in. The plot always felt like it was trying to do something more than it ever accomplished. Maybe the dialogue just didn't connect with me, but I would be willing to try another book from this author in the future.

I thought that I knew how this book was going to play out, based on the first half of the story. However, just when you get into the groove with it, the book picks up and goes in a different direction than anticipated. The paranormal action was done well and held my attention, with a few creepy moments as well.

👻 I had absolutely not idea what I was getting myself into with this one. I’m so glad I can say that I actually really enjoyed this one - a lot more than I was expecting to. I will advice with caution as this book does mention 9/11 quite a bit. I actually enjoyed following Kit, yes she was irritating at times but I think it worked out with the story.

👻 This book has some surprising twists. The ending left me completely shock on so many levels, I was so surprised and wasn’t expecting that whatsoever. The writing was so wonderful, I would definitely read more from this author. I felt instantly drawn into the story and kept flipping them pages. I was guessing what would happen throughout the whole story. So glad I can say I wasn’t disappointed.

👻 The Summoning was such a great story, although there are ghosts I wouldn’t consider it horror (more of a mystery). I was blown away by how much I actually enjoyed it, considering I had low standards. This one was suspenseful but not in a way I would’ve imagined. The suspense didn’t get too into the paranormal side which I actually enjoyed! Overall, this was such a surprising and great read!!

✨Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for the gifted copy!!✨

CW: The 9/11/01 Terrorist attacks and aftermath are discussed and play a large part in the plot.
Two stars.
After reading the blurb, I was expecting this one to be a lot creepier than it was. I'm not sure I got this one... I thought it had a lot of promise, but it never really came together for me. I thought it was supposed to be more of a ghost story, more macabre, more disturbing… more SOMETHING. The dialogue seemed stilted and fake, and I didn't really connect with any of the characters. A lot of aspects of the story could have been developed more -- like Kit's sudden abilities. Were they real? Why did they suddenly appear? Was she haunted? Was it all in her head? The ending was a sort of confusing let-down, and the "twist" just seemed there for shock value. The potential was here… I just wanted more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review The Summoning.

This book sounded so creepy! For those readers who get scared easily, the good news is that this is more of a mystery/light thriller with just a touch of the supernatural. There are a couple of small creepy parts, but they aren't that bad at all.

So go on and pick this one up. Don't be scared!

The character of Kit was not very likable to me. Understanding the position she was in and feeling empathetic for her, I tried really hard to understand her decisions. But there were several that I was very frustrated with, the biggest one....if she needed money why couldn't she go get a regular job? Has she not heard of being a waitress? I don't know...

The mystery was interesting though. The reveals from the author throughout the book kept my interest and had me reading the book in 1 day. The overall story was probably a 3 from me but the fact that I just had to know how it ended was the biggest draw of this story.

Thank you to #PoisonedPenPress for this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a unique book and I've never read anything quite like it before. It sometimes got a little bogged down with multiple storylines, but I really did enjoy it overall. I have some patrons in mind already that I will be recommending this one to. Thank you!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Not a bad read but just not my cup of tea i guess, also felt long for the amount of pages somehow lol but would recommend

I'm not sure what I read because it was so confusing. There were so many storylines and no clear, concise path. I wish the writer had taken a few twists out and made it more streamlined.

I received a free advance reader's copy and am leaving this review voluntarily...

This book was interesting but quite slow at first. Kit was a strong character and well fleshed out. However, during the book, there were some characters who were unnecessary. This made some parts of the story confusing.

The atmosphere was excellently done. It felt like those horrors which I love, the ones which don't rely on blood and gore to scare the reader. It happened in modern times but sometimes I had to actually remind myself of that. The ending was worth the slow burn of the story and it tied everything together in a satisfying way.

Thanks to this book, I would definitely try more of this author's work.

There were some adult situations within this book so I would suggest that this book is read by older teens and adults who enjoy good old-fashioned horror stories.

Such a good morality question inside of this book. I did love that it made me think of how I would try and handle things but I definately saw who the bad guy was from a mile away. Things just were so sketch it was obvious. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a slow burn that I expected to be a bit creepier than it was, but was entertaining nonetheless. I find mediums and the paranormal unbelievable which makes for fairly low stress entertainment. Overall well written if not a bit slow building.

The premise of this book pulled me in immediately! I was really looking forward to a spooky read, particularly around this time of year, but unfortunately, this one just felt confused and a unfocused.

I must admit, the main character in the book was its saving grace! I enjoyed Kit and how she negotiated her life and tried to get herself back on track. She was vulnerable but with a hidden strength that really resonated with me and I genuinely wanted everything to work out for her!

It was the storyline that let this books down for me! It is difficult to review properly without giving away spoilers but this book seemed to be trying to be too many things at once and this, for me, resulted in it becoming confused and that translated on to me as the reader! The spooky aspects of this book were definitely atmospheric and the writing was really good but I couldn't surrender myself to it as there were too any characters that came in and out of the novel without impact or cause and the ending simply left me scratching my head!

This book had so much promise but felt a bit of a let down.

I was excited for this book when I first heard about it and even more excited that I got it from NetGalley to read and review.

Overall the book had some good moments, there were also some very confusing parts. It took until the end for me to really get into the book and see how everything concluded.

This book was not exactly what i thought it was going to be and i am still processing everything.. I am not sure if i would recommend this book to my family and friends or not.. i don't know yet....

Kit capriol is an out of work actress who channels the dead to make ends meet after the passing of her husband Peter on 9/11 . For Kit her seances have always for the most part been a performance . But things are starting to change shadows are lurking in doorways strange noises and things being moved in the middle of the night . Has Kit actually been communicating with the deceased ?
This book hooked me from the beginning . I loved the supernatural elements that it had . There are also tons of plot twists . The ending will surprise readers for sure . Overall this was a great read .
This book is a great read for spooky season 🔮 👻

This book definitely set me up for fall season and I'm all for it! If you like short chapters, suspenseful and spooky, this book is for you! It is a mix of thrill and horror- definitely hard to read at night. For a quick read, I really enjoyed it!

This is one of those books that give you eerie vibes one moment and then “what the heck is going on” feelings the next. Everything seems so bizarre and confusing until it’s not and it all starts to come together to make sense. A great mystery thriller with unexpected resolutions. I highly recommend for fans of Lisa Jewel or Ruth Ware.

The leading ladies narrative is quite strong and well written. In fact, I was sure this was a female author. And was very surprised to learn I was wrong. Props to J. P. Smith for fooling me; and for keenly understanding that strong, smart women can still be nervous or unsure at times. I appreciated the dynamic here of our lonely widow and her struggles; but how she’s persevered regardless. The heroine of the story and her character’s voice is what makes this story for me.

Mystery/Thriller
I was pleasantly surprised by this mystery/thriller (with a hint of supernatural) to it. This is not my usual genre; but I was intrigued by the psychic medium spin and in the mood for something a bit different. I’m glad I read it. While not amazing or perfect; and maybe 3.5 stars would be more appropriate than 4, the reality is that I truly enjoyed the strong narrative voice in The Summoning. The slow burn of the story felt very well paced to me and quite realistic. Added to that the supernatural element tossed in and I was hooked.

The End
The ending is the key to this story and you won’t know what the plot really is until you’re almost done with the novel. Without giving it away, I can say it brings up questions of societal power, gender roles, grief, and the assumption or expectation (if you will) that most people are inherently good. This skewing of people and the ‘goodness’ of our society comes crashing down even as I still asked myself ‘am I sure whose the villain?’ Not because it’s not obvious in the end but because of the blend of the otherworldly with stark, assured realism.

Overall
Clever is the best description for The Summoning. You think you’re reading one type of story; only to realize that maybe it’s not as cut and dry as it seems. A wonderful blend of realism and paranormal. While a few moments felt slightly ripped off (I swear it’s Sleep Away Camp referenced) none of these moments change the impact of the ending. Thankfully I enjoyed the characters a lot, and found the pacing to my taste (which is to say that some might find it a touch slow). I liked how realistic the set-up (and ending) felt given the occult inclusion. This is one you have to read to decide if it’s for you as I can’t say too much because it would spoil the whole experience and ending.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of The Summoning by J.P.Smith.
The premise of this book pulled me into the story. The characters were likable and easy to relate to. The mix of paranormal and ghost was enough to add suspense without making me sleep with the lights on. However, Smith weaves several storylines that are dropped and not tied up with the rest of the book. At the two-third mark of the book I was all in and excited because I had no idea how the story would end. But, the end was disappointing. I really wanted a paranormal twist; something unpredictable that was alluded to but never delivered.

Fake medium Kit Capriol reads the obituaries every morning, looking for potential clients. Her own husband was killed in the Twin Towers on 9/11. She knows all about grief and the hope that it would be possible to communicate with the dearly departed and, although she can't seem to get an acting job, she's very good at convincing her clients that she's receiving messages from beyond the grave.

I've got mixed feelings about this one. At first I didn't like Kit at all, but as I got further into the book I realized that everything wasn't quite what it seemed. By the middle chapters I was really enjoying it, then by end end I wasn't sure what to think.

As I got further into this story line, I became slightly confused on some events happening. Once I got closer to the end, it all made sense! It was such an interesting story and felt completely enthralled in what was going to happen! I had to immediately turn to some friends and get their opinion on the ending. Overall, enjoyed this story!