Dark academia with a pinch of occultism? Sign me up! ‘Evocation’ is the first volume in a new series written by S.T. Gibson and it does not disappoint - this novel tells the intricate story of David, Rhys and Moira who find themselves battling an ancient family curse.
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Even though it’s a multiple POV novel, being David’s book, we’ve got a private view to his thoughts and feelings throughout it all. He and Rhys used to be lovers, but being two forces of nature (literally and figuratively), they turn into rivals and snap at each other every time the opportunity arises. However, deep down, their feelings are not gone and when things start going south, David goes back to his number 1 person. Only, this time, there’s also lovely Moira who affects him in a very unexpected way and becomes so important for him that he can’t stay away. I loved how genuine their interactions were and how love takes priority to physical attraction, but low key I feel that there’s a lot more chemistry we’re going to see in the following volumes. Chapter sixteen lives in my mind rent free and you can’t tell me otherwise.
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I’m happy the novel didn’t end in a cliffhanger, my heart is not strong enough for those, but I still can’t wait to see how the story unfolds and how will these dynamics work between the three of them. Thank you @angryrobotbooks and @stgibson for the copy!

Evocation fell somewhat flat for me and I'm so bummed because I've been really hyped for this book!

There was so much promise but it's like nothing fully managed to get there. The characters were interesting but a bit lacking, their chemistry didn't work for me, the poly aspect felt really toxic and full of jealousy until the last few chapters, and I would've loved more insight into the magic.

My favourite part of the book was Moira and David's friendship in the latter half of the book. I could've probably done without Rhys entirely though, he didn't really add anything and felt like a bad husband to Moira and bad friend to David.

3.5 but I round up because I did thoroughly enjoy reading it.
I loved the setting, the characters and the dynamic between them.
But, I am left on my hunger. I wanted more magic, more foul play. More exploration when it came to the relationship.

Thank you so much to Angry Robot and ST Gibson for this ARC!

Well, I must say, this book lived up to my excitement! It's the first book I read from the authour, what I saw on social media about the book hooked me up instantly. Like I said , I wasn't disappointed.
The book doesn't wait to reveal its plot (or the why of David ill being). I tend to prefer slower book on that regard, but since Evocation is more focused around the relationships (at least it is how I understood it), it didn't bother me that much. Seeing David, Rhys and Moira navigate their feelings, past and present, all the while figuring out what is going on with David was fascinating to me. The love between Rhys and Moira, husband and wife, was warm and touching, beautiful in their openness and their boundaries, too. Rhys and David, with their shared past history, full of shards... they touched me a lot, I wanted them to work through this and get close again. And David and Moira! Such kindness seeping through as time passed! I love them and their friendship, how they build it bit by bit. This tryptic of a relationship was really well managed, I must say, with balance and no one left behind. It is hard to find that kind of book.
The characters are well enough constructed to my taste, with their strenghths and weaknesses, each of them, inner and outer struggle. Rhys annoyed me in his reaction and how he reacts to David, especially when David needs him, but since I felt it was something done on purpose and something he has to work on, I accept it like that. Moira was a peculiar delight, given than female characters as protagonists are often annoying to me. Moira wasn't. Like, at all. I love her and her kindness and strength, how she navigated her bond with David and the one between David and Rhys, with emotions and intelligence. I need more female characters like that.
The universe and the magic were interesting too, diverse, picking things into various faith, traditions and belief. I would have liked more of it, more development.
Side characters are nice too, feeling like they exists on their own.
The writing was easy to read, flowing effortlessly, conveyed the characters' emotions like it should.
Some moment were a bit too quick for me, but not as too annoy too much, it's a minor enough thing.
I liked the ending too, how it felt like closing a chapter on their life before opening for the next.
I have to admit I anticipated more magic and plot around it, with a stronger univers development. I had the shift that excpectation to focus on the relationship side, which was good enough to hold by itslef fortunately.
I'll be happy to see more of Rhys, Moira and David !

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book.

Evocation is a dark academic book that deals with the occult, a secret society and a trio of characters that are easy to fall in love with. I would be reading this book on my lunch break and would hate the fact that I had to return to work instead of continuing to read. The setting is absolutely perfect for snuggling with a blanket and hot drink.

Speaking of the characters, they were such a delight to read about! David is the medium and you may have thoughts about him in the beginning, but trust me, that will change. Rhys is a research king and is also David’s ex. I personally am a fan of exes having to work together, as well as being rivals. The final addition to this trio is Moira, she is Rhys’ wife but more importantly an astrologer. The dynamic between the three is complicated and messy but then you watch them all grow and it is magnificent. I giggled a few times during some of these conversations.

What I felt did let the book down, is there is this rivalry for high priest but we do not see too much of the society outside of meetings where they chat within their clique. I would have liked to see more variation or additional plot in regards to the society, for me this would have created more tension in the rivalry. Hoping this is the case in the sequel.

Whilst I was invested in this book and the characters, I did not feel as much intensity in the plot as I would have expected with this synopsis. This is very much a personal preference of mine and the writing is excellent. You really get to deep dive into the lives of these characters and their backgrounds whilst being slowly introduced to the occult world.

I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for everyone to be introduced to these characters.

Unquestionably beautiful! S.T. Gibson never disappoints with their stellar romance and amazing character dynamics. I've never seen an author do such an outstanding job at crafting captivating and intricate relationships with diverse dynamics. This book features polyamorous relationships, and that is one of the best examples of polyamory in fiction. The characters are not perfect, and how to work towards the relationships.
Call through the main characters feature meaningful character traits and backstories. I really connected with David as we see how his upbringing and trauma led him to be the man he is today. He had a very difficult life, and we see that reflected in the way he treats others and himself. His development throughout the story is profound and meaningful. He doesn't have change for the sake of the plot; you see actual growth in his actions, especially towards Rhys. I love that the characters meant that they were bad for each other and needed this growth and time to be able to come back to each other.
So excited for more books in this world. I NEED to know what happens next!

A huge thank you to the publishers and the author!!! I was beside myself when I realized I would get to read this early.

I inhaled this book and wrecked my eyes staying up too late reading.

It’s been a long time since a book grabbed me like this

S.t. Gibson is everything atmospheric and poetic that I need in my messy/loving relationship books that serve a compelling system of magiks and mysticism.

Do I have a new problem child to love? Yes I do. And I would dare anyone to take him away from me

A little blurb

when the Devil comes to collect on a deal David’s ancestor made, he reluctantly reaches out to his ex-boyfriend Rhys for help. However, to get to Rhys, David will have to befriend Moira, Rhys’s wife. The trio gets a little too close for comfort as they combine their powers to unravel the century-old curse, and if they don’t break the curse by David’s thirtieth birthday, he won’t live long enough for everyone to figure out their feelings for each other.


Truly a great book in a time where I think we often find the market saturated in xyz books but this one stands alone for me in this field

Best Magiks, Tarot, Witchy, Mysticism book taking place in academia in a while

Evocation is such an atmospheric, immersive, and intricate novel. I was immediately gripped and fascinated by both the magic system in which it is set, and the characters. The magic system was slowly unravelled, as was the secret society, and the relationships between our three main characters and those surrounding them slowly shed walls of secrecy and confusion.

I absolutely adored the author’s writing style and ability to take us right into the story with the characters. The novel was dark in places, both in respect to the magic and curse, and the themes that were discussed throughout. The depth of the characters and the plot line that was the result of this really blew me away.

I’d recommend this to anybody that is looking for a book with fantasy, mystery, trauma processing and high stakes. There was also queer representation done really well and themes of polyamory and boundaries within marriage. The spice was just an added sprinkle of fabulous, in my opinion.

I’m already desperate for anything more from this author!

Gracias a Angry Robot Books y a S.T.Gibson por darme un arc de Evocation.

La verdad no se qué decir de este libro, estuve un mes leyéndolo por lo mucho que me costaba avanzar. Me parece que la idea está muy buena, pero la manera en la que está escrito no me terminó de atrapar.
No quiero decir mucho porque el libro todavía no salió, pero todo el tema de la maldición parecía que tenía bastante potencial y quedó todo muy secundario y resuelto así nomas, hasta te diría que por eso este libro no tiene mucha trama que digamos.
Con el tema romance, no compré este poliamor, me dio más vibras a pareja abierta jdkdk además siento que una de esas partes era mucho más interesante de leer y la misma autora cayó en ello, no me dio para que me emocionen por igual los dos vínculos. Los exes to lovers ganan por goleada, igual Moria me gustó y adoré su vínculo tipo platónico con David, pero su relación con Rhys no me daba la misma emoción que la de Rhys con David y tiene SENTIDO, porque ellos eran un matrimonio tranqui ahí y después con los otros dos tenias peleas, eran exs, tensión, angst, etc.
Tenia mucha emoción de leer el libro porque a dowry of blood fue de mis lecturas favoritas del año pasado, pero este no cumplió mis expectativas. Para destacar, mi personaje favorito fue David! me pareció maravilloso y creo que va a ser lo que más voy a recordar de este libro, aunque no me fascinó, puede que él quede bastante en mi.

S.T. Gibson can do absolutely no wrong and I forever love her writing. I cannot wait to see where this series goes! David is a beautifully flawed character and I am so heavily invested in his arc and the romance between all three characters.

The thing that makes Evocation shine is its main characters. Rhys, Moira, and (especially) David are amazing, complex and lovable characters that I couldn't get enough of. Sadly, this is the biggest thing Evocation has going for it as a novel. The plot dragged, the setting and magic felt uninspired and there wasn't enough tension to keep my attention. The themes it dealt with were handled interestingly and carefully enough; I enjoyed it, but something about this novel just felt missing.

Big thanks to Saint and the team at Angry Robot Books for the e-arc!

Evocation is an urban paranormal book with a polyamorous relationship that really emphasizes its wonderful character dynamics.

David Aristarkhov is a physic prodigy whose has been leading a life as an attorney and medium for a secret society. All of his ambitions have culminated to him reaching for the position of High Priest of his society as he reaches thirty. However, his ex Rhys also wants the position, and they have had a rocky relationship since they broke up. When David suddenly finds a malevolent demon has entered him, he must reach out to the only person he trusts, Rhys. Rhys and his wife Moira, a powerful witch work together to safe David's life, but find that feelings are starting to build and must figure out how to untwist their relationships.

This was definitely a very character forward book that really focuses on the development and feelings of all three main characters. Due to that, it was a little tough for me to become interested at first, but over time the book definitely won me over and I was invested. The pacing felt relatively slow at first and also tended to pick up and slow down throughout the book. The setting itself was atmospheric and very urban, with a dash of paranormal and witchiness. In this world, the paranormal is quite real and people have many different skills regarding that, whether that is seances, evocation of sprints, intuition and more.

Again, the characters here are just absolutely amazing, and the way that the author writes them just wins over your heart. David is a bit of an asshole, but he truly does care about Rhys and grows to truly care for Moira. He's just a lonely guy who has struggled with his upbringing and has to learn to trust others. Rhys is just someone who is so determined to protect those that he loves and Moira is the true sunshine in this book. All three of them really complement each other and the way that they support each other and grow with each other was beautiful.

It is a polyamorous relationship, but I believe that Moira and David are more platonic, but do love each other. I love how comfortable the book depicts their relationship and how seamlessly they are able to be with each other. The book didn't end with everything resolved, so I am interested to see how they will continue to grow. I'm excited for the sequel!

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

I don't know if I can properly put into words just how amazing this book was. I am a long time fan. of ST Gibson's writing. I read A Dowry of Blood a while ago and continue to re read that story every October. This author's ability to create a world that is just so immersive and well developed is just unmatched. I enjoyed the balance of the three main character's personalities in Evocation. There was mystery, there was romantic tension and there was the perfect dark academia vibes to get me in the head space for fall.

Thank you so much ti angry robot and NetGalley from my arc here's me honest review from the heart.

This book comes out 2024 and is the frist book in the Summoners Circle Series.

The prose we get from S.T.Gibsion is absolutely fantastic. We are following David an almost 30 year old and is LGBTQIA and has a family curse and the now the Devils come to collect so David seeks out his Rhys . I love how Moria,Rhys wife is such a strong woman and firece. The dynamic between all three are well thought out and I feel as if am watching a show on my head the story comes to life that much.

I like how each of the main characters have dedicated chapter Rhys,Moria and David and we view from thier perspective.

This is a series I highly recommend to read and I cannot wait to see where this story takes us.

#Evocation #NetGalley

Evocation is a witty, charming and heart-filling book and I’m fully obsessed. The demonic curse is a wonderful mystery to watch unfold and I loved diving into the power dynamics of secret societies and the occult.

The story’s strongest assets are definitely the characters – David, Moira and Rhys are all utterly fascinating in their own right and even more intriguing in various combinations with one another: David and Rhys, David and Moira, Moira and Rhys. I’ve loved watching them collide and come together, was enraptured by the evolution of their individual relationships throughout the book.
Their key moments are emotional heavy hitters and they’ve left me both wringing my hands and squealing with joy.

Overhaul the book is a fantastic, fun read and I would highly recommend everyone get their hands on it as soon as they can!

Thank you so much to S.T. Gibson and the team over at Angry Robot Books for making it possible for me to get an early electronic copy of the book!

#ManifestingEvocation

"Goddess incarnate. Witch of my heart." If there was one thing I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish, it was Rhys' enamoring way with words.

Although the book started slowly, Rhys and Moira instantly bewitched me, the latter especially. The first few chapters established everyone's roles and dynamics, allowing me to judge them as characters. Moira was a delight to read, with each chapter revealing a new likable quality that had me falling in love even more.

Rhys and David were both such princes, though the book could have ended sooner if they had received therapy and more physical contact as children. Nonetheless, I enjoyed them individually and together as they worked through their complex relationship.

Rhys' and Moira's marriage was one of the most refreshing relationships to read about, especially with communication and domesticity. The evident love they had for each other just seemed to grow with each chapter, and I felt like my heart could burst at times. They didn't radiate forced chemistry, but instead, desperation to cling onto each other and repair past troubles to maintain their foundation and love. David and Moira's platonic friendship was also just as heartwarming, making it seem as if they were soulmates in a different regard.

I know very little about spirit summoning or the rituals and spiritual practices in this book, so the plot didn't engage me. I looked forward to the characters' interactions more than the story development. The resolution of the plot itself also felt weak, like those cliche tropes where the villain gets defeated by the "power of friendship." However, I chose to look past it since I enjoyed the trio so much and give the book a 3.5/5.

S.t. Gibson truly has a way with words and storytelling and always sets the mood and dark atmosphere expertly. I deeply resonated with the main three, Moira especially on a spiritual level. I appreciated how they entwine and how at the end, they're still dissecting how they fit together.

This was so unexpected!
At the beginning I was not to into Moira and Rhys, I just could not like them AT ALL. As I said many times, David is a hard person to like but damn it, it was so easy to like him here, warts and all if you get me.

I was absolutely fascinated by the Aristarkhov legend and how it plays out, it really got me hooked. I would have liked a bit more of David actually discovering the whole thing, and we definitely needed more Lorena, she was the true goddess here and I loved her as a mother figure, even if we didn't get a lot of her. Also loved Leda and I can't wait to see more of her and the chaos magic, because that sounded fascinating.

The dynamics between the three protagonists were difficult but at the same time fascinating as it really brings David out of his many protective layer and exposes his heart to the reader and I found somewhat of a kindred spirit there.

It was nice to see that the marriage partners had open communication about the poly thing, would have loved it more if they extended that courtesy to the third, because it really felt like David would have benefited from a nice long talk about the dynamic before being right in the middle of all the turbulent feelings.

In conclusion, if you are into "lovers to rivals to lovers", "enemies to friends to lovers", a bit of a toxic dynamic that maybe gets resolved into something better and a whole lot of family trauma this one is for you.

I knew I was going to love this book from the first paragraph — and I was absolutely right. I devoured it quickly over a few days, which I don't normally do, especially on e-reader. The story is fast-paced and engaging but it's the characters and their dynamic with each other that fully sold me. S.T Gibson does such a fantastic job with banter and sexual tension, as well as creating strong-platonic relationships. It was a really exciting start to this new series and world, and I'm intrigued to see what will happen next!

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.