I'm starting to thing that only A Dowry of Blood worked for me...

This book didn't really work for me. I hated the writing style, I felt really distant from the narrative and I couldn't really connect to any of the characters nor did I care about any of them. In regards to the relationship, I didn't really see any chemistry between them.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love S.T. Gibson books so much - they’re the perfect mix of the supernatural, dark academia vibes, and the best queer representation. Evocation was not at all what I was expecting, but somehow even better. I had such a good time in this world, and I’m hoping there is second story about the society coming.

David - powerful medium and a workaholic - has been good about leaving his ex alone. Until during a routine medium appointment, he’s possessed by a demon and can’t quite shake it. He then reaches out to his ex, Rhys. Rhys doesn’t want to, but eventually he and his wife - Moira - agree to help David get to the root of his sickness and banish his demons. What starts out as reluctant aid giving, grows to be deep love between David and Moira and a rekindling of love between David and Rhys.

This truly has it all - demons and ancient curses and patriarchal warlock associations and haunted houses and true platonic love and polyamory. The characterization of all three main characters - Rhys, David, and Moira - could have felt undone, but they’re all so distinct and unique and I loved them all so much. There’s also so much growth in what is a relatively short time frame. Rhys and David have a history, and when it’s brought up it doesn’t feel shoehorned in at all, instead a natural part of the story. Anyway this was fun, but also so heartfelt. Lots of TW including active sobriety and childhood abuse plus demon things, but definitely worth a read!!

For me, this book was very average. I enjoyed the occult themes and LGBTQ representation. However, this story just couldn't hold my interest for some reason. Sadly, I don't think this will be a memorable plot or characters for me this year.

This is a gripping and very entertaining read, a urban fantasy according to my heart mixing secret society, something that could have happended in the past, ghosts, past lovers and much more.
I loved all the characters and loved Moira. It kept me reading even the more steamiest part and I'm the Queen-of-Skipping-Steamy-Pages.
I can't wait to read the next novel, I bought the prequel to pass time.
Had a lot of fun and read it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Boasting psychics, secret societies and a haunted mansion, Evocation is an emotional, queer romance that is character-driven and aesthetically pleasing.

The characters are wonderfully well-built individually. David, Moira, and Rhys all felt like fully fleshed-out real people to me. I found their relationships to not be quite as believable, however. With a throuple relationship, there’s a lot to unpack and convince readers of in only 300 pages. While highly ambitious, I don’t know if this quite hit the mark. I applaud the attempt, but I just needed a bit more of them together.

With the story so focused on character work, I found the plot rather slow and lacking. The basic storyline didn’t seem unique enough to really stand out at me.

Stylistically, I enjoyed the author’s diction and syntax. This appears that it’s going to be a series, and I’d like to give book two another chance.

Overall, it took me a little longer than usual to get through, but there were still aspects I definitely enjoyed.

If you’re looking for a moody, gothic, occult story that focuses mainly on romance and aesthetic, then this is just for you!

7 out of 10 / 3.5 stars

I loved this book! And hellloooo, finally some accurate divination! The characters were fabulous, and I am so invested in the story and relationships.

I can't wait for book two, such a strong start to this world.

Slow clap for a thruple!!!

I adored the romance in this book, I couldn’t get enough, I mean obviously I’m here for all of the occult aspects too, but I just can’t help loving love in a story, I did feel a touch disappointed with the end I have to say, but no spoilers here, if it was a bit better it would be 5 stars from me, but it’s a solid 4.5 from me

The vibes of this book are very similar to the Atlas Six. I hated that book. I hate this one. I could not grow to like the characters. There’s no plot. I was bored. Also, Moira deserved so much better. How can she be a side piece in her own marriage and be okay with that? No, thank you. This was such a disappointment.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This review might be bias as I am slightly obsessed with S.T. Gibson’s writing since Lauren and I buddy read A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson last year. Evocation is a slight genre jump as this book is a contemporary paranormal book. S.T. Gibson has become an auto buy author and I know I am going to be reading a book full of the gothic aesthetics I adore and a story I am going to be fully invested in. After reading both A Dowry of Blood and An Education in Malice I knew I was going to be in for a beautifully gothic tale and S.T. Gibson understood the assignment when it came to Evocation.

I loved David, Rhys, and Moira as they work on breaking a curse. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the magical, astrological, occultist aspect of this story. I loved the nature of the story, it’s refreshing to have a curse that needs breaking, but it’s on a personal level rather than save-the-world scale. It gave the characters a chance to breath and express themselves and really weigh the costs of their actions. It was refreshing take as it never felt like the characters needed to take the straightforward way out or act a particular way to get through the story. It also felt more personal, and like I was involved in the story and their lives.


I enjoyed the story and am interested to see how the series develops

This was by far my favorite read of S.T. Gibson (I've currently read Education in Malice and A Dowry of Blood). Gibson is the queen of complicated relationships, but this one felt more realistic than her other books to me compared to the others. I loved the characters, set within an occult community with secret societies and mysterious family secrets.

David and Rhys, exes with a complicated history, are thrown back together to figure out a family mystery causing havoc with David's life, but Rhys and his new wife, Moira, have to navigate carefully to work with David's huge personality. I am 100% planning on reading the sequel, I really enjoyed this one.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! The romance? The communication? The magic? All impeccable! Anything S.T. Gibson writes I read but I think this was her best work yet!

✨Netgalley Review💫

Thank You to Angry Robot and ST Gibson ❤️

May contain mild spoilers -
Another ST Gibson release, another 5 (let’s be real, anything they write is an automatic 6) star read.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
In my opinion, Evocation is a step in a slightly less toxic relationship direction for ST Gibsons works (one of my favourite things about reading dowry & aeim was the toxicity), but that’s not to say these characters aren’t at least a little bit toxic, and it gave me everything I want from flawed characters.
She masterfully blends these flawed and even somewhat problematic occultists, into a healthy and well balanced narrative showing the importance of tenderness(platonic and romantic) and empathy in less than ideal situations.
Rhys, David and Moira have their own careers, lives, ambitions, histories and thoroughly established values so they really do feel like real people. They feel like people I could care about.
The work Saint has done with their prose in this one is equally gorgeous, as it still feels like their voice, but a bit faster and snappier than Dowry/AEIM.
As far as craft goes it’s a showstopper, and I can’t wait to see how this pacing and character driven plot progresses through the other books.
Also, Moira is an absolute gem, a masterpiece. Her empathy towards Rhys’ emotional needs and Davids spiritual needs/trauma is a lovely touch, I find it balances so well with her consistent, firm boundaries and honest communication. Her POV was my favourite so I can’t wait for her book.

ST Gibson does it again! This story follows three people in Boston who are dealing with a mysterious demon trying to wreck their lives. The relationships are tangled, messy, and described so well. This book was definitely more character based than plot based, but the last few chapters held more plot and action at the height of the problem. I would have personally liked a more plot focused story, but for those who enjoy vast character arcs and character focused stories, this is definitely it for you!

Dark academia, gothic horror, fantastic prose & lovable characters mixed together gives you Evocation.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Angry Robot Books for the digital ARC it has not affected my honest review.

Although I'm sure this book will work for others because the writing is lovely, this is where I finally accept that the work of S.T. Gibson just isn't for me. I enjoyed A Dowry of Blood but couldn't get into An Education in Malice or Evocation. I know for other readers this style is hugely enjoyable.

Very sexy, very magical and really quite dark!

Evocation gives us a magical spin on contemporary Boston, inhabited by all kinds of powerful and sexy magic users. Some of them make a living telling fortunes and reading tarot, while others gather in the back rooms of exclusive members' clubs to summon spirits and Demons.

In the centre of this world, two shining lights in supernatural society are David and Rhys. David should be everything you love to hate in a character. He's a rich, smug, arrogant lawyer with a fortune in old money supporting his lavish lifestyle and a natural (or supernatural) talent that has people singing his praises without him ever having to work for it. But there's something strangely likeable about him. I think it's the vulnerability we see emerge in him, the weaknesses, the harsh upbringing that has left him desperate for praise, the pain of past relationships that leaves him unwilling to reach out.

Rhys is very different altogether. Rhys works hard, obsessively so, for what he has, but he's a man driven by ambition, absolutely thirsty for power and influence. Another hard character to like that I was won over by, because of the strength of his love I think.

Honestly, I think it's Moira that made both men feel likeable. From the start, Moira is a goddess among women, a queen with a tarot deck and wonderful taste in outfits. As a side note, this book spends a lot of time talking about outfits, but it's a big part of the characters and I never minded. Moira is awesome, though like David she carries some damage from her past. I think it was her insistence on seeing the best in the men around her that helped sell me on them in the end. I trusted her judgement. She's no fool either, she definitely doesn't wear rose-tinted glasses and calls them out on their bullshit with wonderful regularity.

In some ways, Evocation is a lovers to enemies to lovers tale. It's also a story about dark deals with Demons and the damage they can cause. There's a story in there too about politics, about playing that game and what happens when you win or when you lose. And it's a story about polyamory, about loving more than one person but being honest, being open and being fair, and about exploring what that might mean. For all of its spicy content, the polyamory is firmly rooted in a gentle affection that was really refreshing to see.

Evocation summons up a bold new world of magic and romance, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.

A triangle is the strongest shape.

Eh?? Ehh?????

I enjoyed Evocation a lot more than An Education in Malice, the other S. T. Gibson that I've read. Following David, Rhys, and Moira, the trio navigate a malevolent house, secret societies, and their inexplicable connection to one another. David and Rhys are former college sweethearts who now tolerate one another in the occult/magick circles that they share. When David begins to experience symptoms of a curse, he goes to Rhys and his wife, Moira, for help. And while much of the book is about addressing David's predicament, the book's main foundation is in the relationship between the three.

I liked how Gibson wrote the secret society side of things as well as the creepiness of David's haunted childhood home. It read like a movie and was well-paced, with a resolution that both made sense and felt satisfying.

Things that will get my immediate attention in books:
-anything magic
-anything lgbtqi+
-anything with secret societies
-anything with a curse
-any semblance of rivals to lovers
-pet names (he calls his wife Little Goddess! )
-cover art (call me vain)
Some of things worked better than others but I generally had a good time with this book. I'm excited to see where it goes.

3.75 stars

I think this book will appeal most to readers who are looking for a book with a strong romance plot that also includes some paranormal elements. Romance, character relationships and development are the definite focus.

I thought the occult elements were interesting but we don’t spend too much time on how they work, nor do they drive the story. The characters are interesting and flawed. I especially liked the relationship dynamic between Moira and David and how it evolved throughout the book.

For me, this is a book where you really have to like and be invested in all three of the main characters. Unfortunately, I found that I didn’t really like Rhys as a character and so that’s where my enjoyment suffered. I also typically like a little more plot going on but I did enjoy this book for what it was and I will pick up the next book in the series.

Thank you to Angry Robot for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC. I wasn't able to finish this book as I didn't gel with the writing style, but I read enough to know that the storyline and the themes of this book were interesting and quite compelling. It's all about the supernatural, romance and adventure. I personally loved the relationship between the main characters Moira, Rhys, and David and its development throughout the book.