David is juggling full time work as a lawyer and a thriving private occult practice, as well as attending weekly secret Society Occult meetings.
Rhys is an associate position at a small university library and is the youngest member of the Society, Catholic, and deeply curious about acquiring knowledge.
Moira is Rhys’s wife and is one of the best tarot card readers in the city.

Moira and Rhys had been making painstaking progress towards healing after an incident with David and Rhys. Things were getting better. But then David comes to them for help with fears of a demonic possession. David was the last thing their marriage needed.

Forgiveness wasn't about the person who wronged you, it was about freeing yourself from resentment and moving on with your life.

So far, Gibson has astounded me with her haunting historical gothic writing. Now she has infused that in a modern setting with dysfunctional adults who have a variety of trauma to heal from.
Trigger warnings for physical abuse, recovering alcoholism.

Gibson effortlessly weaves politics of gender, sexuality, and traditional older values compared to newer liberal views and adaptations.

Moira is an astounding woman and I immediately loved her resilience, healing, and love. She takes self-care seriously, and amidst two men who are so ambitious and driven, this contrast serves to show how important it is to care for yourself in such a 24/7 capitalist society we find ourselves in.

Not to mention, the communication in this is exquisite. As well as the trust and acceptance. Gibson writes relationships in such a pure, honest, and open light.

”I love Moira all the way to hell and back. I love her more than money, more than my own pride and ambition. That woman is my home, and I am more than willing to prioritize her— vehemently, if need be. If she tells me she needs something to feel safe, she gets it. End of story."

I did think the ending ruined the book. This was such a character-focused, slow-moving book that the sudden climax and quick end result left me feeling cheated and felt disjointed from the rest of the narrative.

However, Gibson has cemented herself as an auto-buy author - writing the complexities of relationships, emotions, and internal struggle with such insight, armed with atmosphere and life lessons.

Thank you to Angry Robot for providing an arc in exchange for a review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tantor Audio, for my free audiobook for review.

My first experience with S.T. Gibson's work has left me completely enthralled. The lyrical prose made it a delightful journey to connect with the characters. David stands out as my favorite, embodying a life of material wealth but lacking true meaning. The dynamics between David, Rhys, and Moira create a compelling and intricate relationship. This is also my first encounter with a polyamorous relationship in literature, and the author skillfully explores the characters' conflicting emotions. Ultimately, it's a character-driven novel that delves into the complexities of relationships, whether they involve reconciliation or new beginnings.

Listening to the audiobook, I was immediately drawn in by the seductive voice of narrator Oscar Reyes. His narration truly brought David, Rhys, and Moira to life.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and RB Media for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book as one of my most anticipated of the year. I was devastated when I didn't get an ARC, and then elated when I got approved for the ALC a little more than a week before release day.

I was absolutely OBSESSED with An Education in Malice when I read that as an ARC and was drawn in by S.T. Gibson's writing.

Unfortunately, this book just fell a little bit flat for me. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it. This was a really good audiobook and felt that the narrator did a good job.

I just didn't LOVE it like I thought I would. Maybe I went in with too high expectations.

The throuple/polyamory felt forced - I did not feel any passion between these characters, outside of Rhys and Moira as a married couple. It was evident that David and Rhys had a history, and that David and Moira also grew to have a connection, but David's entry into their relationship just didn't seem to fit as well as I would have liked. Honestly, David was kind of an unlikeable character overall for me.

The occult/fraternal/familial deal with the devil aspect of things kept the story interesting enough. The intrigue into what was really plaguing David was what kept me truly engaged throughout this book, and wondering how they would end up breaking the curse,

I will certainly be continuing this series but I truly hope we see more passion in the romance aspect moving forward.

The concept is interesting and the relationships between the characters are the focus but the book has little else to offer --

this book is extremely character driven. Overall, I enjoyed the character moments for the most part, the downside for me was the way the romance was handled. It really felt like Moira got the short end of the stick, while Rhys got everything he wanted. The fact that he cheated on Moira with no repercussions just left a sour taste in my mouth and i could not bring myself to enjoy the book afterwards. It really felt as if Rhys actually liked David, and Moira was just there. He did reassure her how much he loved her but I could just not feel it in the story (classic tell and don't show) It simply did not feel like a healthy way to start a poly relationship.

That being said, the book is very well written and I liked it for the most part, the way the romance was handled is not going to be everyone's cut of tea.

Following David, Rhys and Moira as they try to break a curse and figure out how they fit into each other’s lives, I loved S.T. Gibson’s take on urban fantasy mixed with occult dark academia in this book. The characters are definitely the stand out in this book. Every one of them is so intricate and real and flawed in the most beautiful way. All three characters have so much hurt inside them that they don’t know how to deal with and they fit together perfectly, supporting each other through the other’s weaknesses and showing them that they are loved. The different kinds of love that are explored in this book really makes you understand that all of them are valid and we need all kinds of different love to be able to thrive. I loved the relationship that is built between David and Moira in this book where they fall in love in such a different but equally valid way. I also enjoyed the worldbuilding a lot. At first it feels like there isn’t much intricate world building in this book since it takes place in our world but with magic but I as the book goes on I can see that Gibson has done her research and meticulously built this magical world to fit like puzzle pieces to our world. I love that this is a series and can’t wait to see what S.T. Gibson does with this world.

Thank you Netgalley and S.T. Gibson for an audiobook ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

📖 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐒.𝐓. 𝐆𝐢𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐧
🎧 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐎𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬

“𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦.”

I am a sucker for fantasy stories with magic and psychics! This story sets up a unique world where secret societies for the occult exist.

The book is told from 3 perspectives: David, Rhys and Moira. David is the progeny of a famous family in the world of the occult. When something goes wrong during a job, he calls his ex, Rhys for help. Rhys has recently married Moira, and has great ambitions to become the new head of the secret society.

This was an interesting story. I personally felt like I couldn’t really connect to the three main characters because they lacked development. I wanted to love this book but it felt one dimensional. I think the plot could have benefited from some deeper flashbacks that help to set up the past relationship with David and Rhys.

Moira was probably my favorite character in the story. She loves Rhys so much that she tries to support him through him realizing he still cares for David. I like how she didn’t bow down to anyone, especially David.

The ending was a little lackluster and rushed. The bad “demon” really never had a presence in the book, so the ending scenes just felt empty.

The polyamorous relationship was believable in how it was developed but definitely seems rushed in the end. Both Moira and David loved Rhys so much that they devolved a friendship with each other.

𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 releases on May 28th! The audiobook, narrated by 𝐎𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 was really well done! If you love audiobooks I can definitely recommend this one!

Overall Rating: 3.75⭐️

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🩶 𝘜𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺
🫶🏼 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
💕 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺
✨ 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴
♥️ 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
👀 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺
🔥 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘺 (1.5🌶️)

Thank you to Netgally, Tantor Audio, Angry Robot and S.T Gibson for providing me with this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was my first time reading S.T Gibson and I’m officially a fan.

I was totally in my element as the story unfolded and dove into themes such as occult practices, possession, demons, and curses. The real focus were the relationships, specifically between David (psychic prodigy passed down from his family line), Rhys (a sorcerer specialising in demonology – also David’s ex boyfriend) and Moira (Rhy’s wife who is a gifted tarot reader and astrologer.) As we learn more about the characters, it’s clear there’s unresolved sexual tension between David and Rhys but underneath that sits a deep affection. While Rhys and Moira have an honest, loving, and nurturing marriage. As the story progresses and feelings deepen, we see their relationship transform into that of a polyamorous one.

The POC, LGBTQIA+ and ‘non-typical’ relationship representation was fabulous to see. We get to meet an array of eclectic and diverse characters, which was exciting.

The pacing was slower than expected and I would have enjoyed more supernatural elements and drama…you know, those ‘omg’ moments that keep you reading past your bedtime because you need answers asap. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that feeling. That being said, since there is a second book in the works, I’m hoping this book was more of an introduction and we get more razzle-dazzle in the next one.

I received this as an audiobook review. To begin, I enjoyed the narrator, Oscar Reyes. I had no issue with his narration of multiple characters, including a female.

David is a Boston lawyer with a knack for the occult. He moonlights as a psychic medium preforming seances for a secret society. As David nears his 30th birthday he begins to realize his days maybe be numbered. He also recalls a hushed fairytale told down his ancestral line about a soul selling deal made with the devil.🪦

I thought the characters were interesting with a lot more than just their surface connections. There’s a depth of dark devotion, spice and sadness to the trio’s relationship. Their emotional connection was complicated due to the exes/rivals/lovers link between David and Rhys and the empathic connection between Moira and David. I really enjoyed the banter between Moira and Rhys regarding her crystals.🔮

I enjoyed the incorporation of crystals, birth charts, tarot and mediumship. As well as scrying, channeling, and seances in the books. The shared education between the couples and use to their practices throughout was fascinating to read.🪄

The dynamic of good and evil and the power of love made me continue to read the first book in The Summoners Circle series. I’m curious to see what happens next and this was my first ST Gibson book.🖤🤍

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
#Evocation #NetGalley

Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!!

I’m gonna be honest I was excited to read this one cause I enjoyed Gibsons other books but I was honestly bored. It was so much about the politics of their magic society. Normally, I’d feel like the description of clothes and things feels like dark academia but in between the politics and foot notes of ancient curses I was bored.

There were several parts where the character had dialogue that just described the story and I was like… what is this Scooby Doo?! Like Zoinks if we hadn’t found those clues we’d never have found out the Innkeeper was pretending to be a ghost! Ugh! WTF!

I received an arc audio copy of this book. I really enjoy ST Gibsons writing style and this book did not disappoint. The narrator was also very very good especially for a male speaking in female voices. I’ve never read anything about the occult but I really liked this story and the characters in it along with the side of romance. The characters were all likeable and I found myself smiling at their small moments of peace together. The only thing I wish would’ve been different is the ending, I feel like it wasn’t as climactic as it should’ve been and was hoping for it to be a little more eventful or drawn out. I also see there will be at least one more book and the ending is set up well for it but I’m just not sure how the next book won’t just be a similar repeat of this one. I am interested to see where this goes and how the author will bring new life to a sequel. I’m excited to follow these characters on their next journey and keep reading more from ST Gibson.

This is my third ST Gibson book, and I have come to the conclusion that this author is not for me. While I enjoyed this novel more than Education in Malice because the characters were interesting and the representation of occult practices seems well researched, the focus on the inevitability of the MM romance took away from the actual stakes of the demon possession at the center of the plot. I also appreciate Gibson's representation of queer identities and felt that she does a fair job of depicting polyamory in a positive light.

In listening to the audiobook I had the most difficulty with how the narrator voices Moira. This book really needed a female narrator for her part. Instead of coming across as the strong female character Gibson writes, someone who knows herself and is confident with who she is, the voice acting by this man came across as much more of a stereotype for the woman who needs to be there to hold the men together. I actually stopped listening to this for a while an just read and that made me feel as though I got a better sense of her without the audio.

I do understand why fans of Gibson like here work. It is unique and rich with metaphorical prose. I am normally someone who enjoys character driven novels over tons of plot twists, but here I needed more from the story. At times I forgot about David's possession altogether, and the fix at the end was fairly predictable.

Thanks to Tantor audio and Netgalley for providing an early listening copy for review purposes.

Evocation follows David who is a psychic prodigy that becomes unexpectedly ill. He enlists the help of his ex-boyfriend Rys and Rhy's wife Moira to prevent an ancestral deal before time runs out. This novel is just okay; neither terrible nor spectacular. The backdrop for this novel is intended to be a male only secret society that is home to psychic prodigies, medium and other magical wielding men. The secret society and the magic is not well developed in this novel; it serves simply as a means for convenient plot progression. The two main male characters, Rhys and David, don't pop off the pages as independent entities. They don't have unique voices that clearly differentiate them.
Moira is the saving grace of this novel. She has a unique character, but this is likely because the rest of the female cast is sparse making only brief appearances. Overall, this novel lacks the magic and gothic atmosphere that I would expect from a novel with secret societies and magical abilities.


***Thank you to NetGalley, S.T. Gibson, and Tantor Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. All thoughts are my own.***

Sooooo, I just finished and I am grinning ear to ear. I LOVED it. I was hooked from the first chapter. I wasn't expecting it to be a modern supernatural story with a complex set of characters with messy history and an interesting entanglement. I wasn't expecting to get so invested so fast. Gosh darn it, I really loved this book. I'm apparently a really big fan of S.T. Gibson.

Like her other novel, an Education in Malice, this book does not have the poetic lyrical writing like a dowery in blood had in the beginning, to the point of almost seeming like someone else wrote it if thats the only experience you have with her writing. That was a bit jarring when I read an Education in Malice so I figured i'd point it out for people going into this expecting a similar writing style.

I dont know what else to say. Interesting plot but the characters are really what carries it. Love it!

S T Gibson did it again guys
There’s a polyamory representation that I've never seen in a fantasy book before, I was surprised but in the best way possible.
The plot works so perfectly, I was directly immersed in this story and I just wanted to keep reading.
As always, the writing of ST Gibson is splendid, a pure delight to read

thank you netgalley for the copy

This audiobook was perfectly preformed. The narrator did a fantastic job giving each character a voice. It was clear and easy to listen to. The story was complex and enjoyable. I specifically enjoyed David and Moira’s relationship and bond. I would reread and recommend!

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!

I was very excited to get the audio arc of this work after reading the description, but I quickly realized I had been delusional about liking this book. The premise seemed great, but David's occult practice and his dilemma with the devil is really not what this book is about. The focus of this book is the developing and adjusting to a thrupple for David, Moira, and Rhys. Normally, I would be all about the topic, but that isn't what I was expecting, and it just left a weird effect.

The narrator was fantastic, and I can see the appeal for many other readers especially if they know the focus is not the paranormal but the romance.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story and the chemistry between the characters. I'm so excited to continue the series. As always, there's just something about S.T. Gibson's writing that keeps you enthralled the entire time. By the end of the book, you feel so much for these characters and I'm so interested to see where their relationships go and how they address the big issue that is still hanging over their head. Highly recommend this book, and highly recommend the audiobook - the narrator does an amazing job.

"Evocation," the first installment of S.T. Gibson's new fantasy series, offers a darkly atmospheric and character-focused narrative that both intrigues and frustrates. As a fan of Gibson's previous works, I had high expectations for this book. While it didn't fully meet them, it still delivered on several fronts.

The story centers around David Aristarkhov, a former psychic prodigy turned Boston attorney who moonlights as a powerful medium for his secret society. With his thirtieth birthday approaching, David's life takes a dark turn as the Devil comes to collect on an ancestral deal. Desperate, David reaches out to his ex-boyfriend and secret society rival Rhys for help. However, to get to Rhys, he must first navigate his relationship with Rhys's wife, Moira. As they are thrust together, buried emotions resurface, and the trio must sort through their complicated feelings before the Devil claims David for good.

Initially, I found the slow start and occasionally awkward character dynamics to be detracting. The plot, while intriguing in premise, was rather weak and didn't become a central focus until the final chapters. This pacing made the beginning feel sluggish and less engaging than I had hoped.

However, as the story progressed, the characters' relationships began to develop more fully. Gibson's signature gothic atmosphere, dynamic characters, and complex romances are present throughout, which helped to draw me back in. Despite the slow build, the emotional depth and interactions between David, Rhys, and Moira eventually became the heart of the story, making it a more character-centered narrative than a plot-driven one.

The narrator, Oscar Reyes, did a good job of portraying the characters of David and Moira, but when it came to Rhys' dialogue I was always thrown for a loop due to the deep register he uses. It almost sounded like The Dark Knight's Batman at times, causing me to lose focus on what the character was saying.

While "Evocation" might not have lived up to the high bar set by Gibson's previous works, and a narrator who explored some interesting vocal choices for one of the main characters, it still has plenty to offer fans of gothic fantasy. The character development and rich atmosphere kept me invested, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story evolves in the next installment. S.T. Gibson remains one of my favorite authors, and I'll eagerly follow her wherever her storytelling takes me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Oscar Reyes does an incredible job narrating this book. His silky voice perfectly fits all three POVs that we follow in this book and makes for an audiobook that is really hard to pull yourself away from.

Gibson has written an incredible tale as we follow the lives of David, Rhys, and Moira and see the ways that their lives are intertwined with one another as well as following a through line of complicated generational trauma. This book does a really good job of both setting-up a world that will only acquire more depth as it goes on as well as working well as a standalone story. I am excited that we will be getting a lot more from the world of the Summoner's Circle in the future but feel content in what we have for now.