Member Reviews

It's a short novella that introduces you to the characters of evocation, and I read it before starting the main story. I really enjoyed the couple dynamics and the story, and I'm so glad I read it!
I really liked the glimpses I got of this world, and it made me so excited to jump into the main story.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Angry Robot and S. T. Gibson for the chance to review this.

I honestly mistakenly thought that this was a standalone and have not read Evocation (although this has escalated it towards the top of my tbr). While the story definitely has its moments that would have been enhanced by a glimpse of these characters in the future from the rest of the series, it still stood on its own as a fun read with likeable leads. Rhys and Moira had a compelling relationship that is no doubt in a much stronger position in the main series. The book is also beautifully illustrated!

Was this review helpful?

I probably should have read Evocation before reading this, as I felt a little adrift at times. It was like reading fan fiction for a fandom I don't belong to. As such, I'm hesitant to claim my reactions to the book as something readers who've consumed and enjoyed Evocation should heed. I found it lacking tension and cyclical, with too much focus on miscommunication and too little on actual depth of reasons for their relationship. Still lovely, and I will be picking up Evocation sometime in the near future to see what I missed.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this novella to more of a background on Rhys and Moria. I love the characters, and this story provides a good development of them. I flew through the pages and read this is one sitting. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC
4 star

Was this review helpful?

It was nice to see the origin of Rhys and Moira’s relationship however it felt like this novella was pretty unnecessary. It was just okay, I also did not appreciate Moira's very apparent biphobia and her use of religion to try and justify it. I absolutely loved the writing of A dowry of blood, this authors other work, but this writing just did not feel the same

Was this review helpful?

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Was this review helpful?

I thought this was a well written prequel/novella to Evocation. After reading this, I am definitely going to have to get Evocation. I think the characters and plot line were well done, but I was just hoping for a longer book. It kept me hooked from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the next installment. I recommend this to others for reading.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Angry Robot Books

Was this review helpful?

Odd Spirits is a prequel to Evocation, and this version is the final, fully edited version of the story. We follow Moira and Rhys, a witch and a sorcerer. The newlyweds are experiencing a haunting that threatens their happiness and their marriage.

God it felt good to read something that I was excited to pick up. It's a world I know, a cast that I already care about and it was just so easy to read.

As a prequel, I think it's pretty good. It's plot stands as it's own thing, and we get more insight into Rhys as a character, and some interesting backstory. If you loved Evocation like I did, it's a fun, quick read.

Was this review helpful?

This book is a must read if you have read or want to read Evocation. I am not just saying this because it's good, it gives you vital information about the characters' shared history that you need to understand their dynamics.

I reread Odd Spirits when it became traditionally published, in case there had been any significant changes. To my knowledge this was not the case and I can't say that you need to reread this book if you have read the original self-published version.

Overall Odd Spirits is a charming little novella that uses the occult to tell a love story, much like its sequel Evocation.

Was this review helpful?

I have fallen in love with S. T. Gibson's writing this year and I will read whatever they publish. This was not exception and I honestly wish this was released before Evocation because that would've made me so much more hyped and interested in reading Evocation.

I think is a perfect prequel to a series, and I think you should read this before reading Evocation. Because you are introduced to two of the main characters that are in Evocation, and you learn more about their backstory and their relationship and marriage. I wish I had all the knowledge I gained from this book about Moira and Rhys' relationship/marriage because it just would've made me so much more intrigued on how it would be developed in the sequel.

So, to make this short, read this before reading Evocation! You can read it in a day, and it is the perfect little novella which explores relationships/marriage, how to deal with exes, haunted houses, and different ways of practicing magic!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this little novella, this is a prequel story, to the book Evovation, and this story is hinted at in Evocation, but never really explained there. So I am glad we get the full story in this novella, In this story we also get to know Rhys and Moira a little better. We learn about how they met and how they dealt with their creation, This is such a fun story and it also includes beautiful illustrations. that makes the story even more appealing.
I would suggest starting with this story before you read Evocation if you have the chance!

Was this review helpful?

This is my second read by S.T. Gibson. I read A Dowry of Blood a few months back and absolutely fell in love with everything about it. The writing and the storytelling, the immaculate vibes - it had me go and mark multiple of Gibson’s books as wanted reads. So when I saw Odd Spirits pop up on here, you bet I ran to apply for it.

However, reading it.. I felt a little bit underwhelmed? I knew, going in, that this was going to be a prequel novella to The Summoner’s Circle series and I imagined I was doing myself a favour reading it, before diving into Evocation. Having read Odd Spirits now, I genuinely think I should’ve waited. I don’t feel that you get a proper grasp on the characters in the novella and their backstory, and I caught myself rereading a lot of bits and pieces. What I did get to know about the characters (and the plot of the novella) was intriguing and I still look forward to diving into the series as a whole.

Overall, the writing is really good and I do enjoy the way S.T. Gibson writes and tells a story, there’s no question about it. I’ll probably go back and reread Odd Spirits once I’ve read Evocation (at least), and maybe it’ll change my opinion on it.

Was this review helpful?

As much as i devoured “a dowry of blood”, and loved getting to see carmilla and laura in a whole new vein of dark academia through “an education in malice”, i simply couldn’t get past Moira’s biphobia.

I would’ve understood if it was a character arc and growth for her, but i didn’t see that. Maybe it gets worked on in “Evocation”, which i haven’t had the pleasure of reading yet.

Was this review helpful?

Short and sweet is the best way I can describe this novella. I really enjoyed a glimpse into Rhys and Moiras lives before evocation. I think it was a fun short read. Thank you to NetGalley and angry robot books for the opportunity to read this arc for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

What happens when a warlock and a witch marry and move in together? Well, sometimes nothing, wouldn’t that be a short book? 😉

Odd things are happening in the lovely house of Moira and Rhys. Cupboards slamming, mirrors falling. Things disappearing.
In the beginning, they are brushing it off. Uncanny things happen every day in their house.

Since they know it is not themselves, they sort of place the blame on the other. In the beginning, it is just annoying, and then they get scared. Which I imagine takes a lot when one is used to spirits visiting in the first place.

I found the book almost like a love story. We get to know how they meet and fall in love. And I think they are adorable. I can understand that they do not want to bother the other with their ‘stuff’. Then, when we switch over to the current day, it gets almost scary. OK, the reason I say almost and not actual scary is that I am used to having these entities being around.
This might be a little scary for those who are not used to such entities. It might give them the "heebe jeebes"?😂 (I probably didn't spell that right).😂


Another thing I enjoyed was the artwork. There are a few illustrations of scenes in the book. I love that, I felt I got to know them better. In addition, there is a tarot card to every chapter.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks so much to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the arc!

I loved this soo much!
I loved the insight we got from Rhys and Moira´s life together. The way they move through their insecurities and emotions is so powerful. It really resonated with me and made me quite emotional. To be able to be so vulnerable with someone else is such a magical thing. (even without using actual magic :) ) To be able to understand where the other person is coming from ans showing empathy. Not giving up and knowing when it´s worth fighting for.

I liked Evocation and was interested to see where the series is going, but Odd Spirits made me a fully-fleshed fan of the Summoner´s Circle. And i can´t wait for the next book in the series, Ascension, to come out next year!!!!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the early copy of Odd Spirits. I enjoyed this short magic book novel; the artwork was so beautiful. It was nice to see how all three characters interacted with each other before the event of Evocation happened. Thank you for this wonder book.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute little edition to The Summoners Circle series, but it was only ok for me. I usually really enjoy S.T Gibsons writing but this was just the miscommunication trope as a novella. We still get lots of cute Moira and Rhys moments, and I enjoyed reading about their origin story. I think its a pretty true characterization of what the early part of a marriage, or any relationship, can be like. I did find myself yelling at the book at times, and parts of the book can be a bit redundant. Maybe it would have been better to read before Evocation because there’s a lot of crossover. I could see how some people would enjoy it, I didn’t find it really added to the plot line of the series so I’m glad it was a short one

Thanks to Netgalley and Angry Robot for providing me with a free e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Was this review helpful?

Fresh off the enjoyable read of Evocation, Odd Spirits was a wonderful little look into the history of the world and characters of the world of Evocation by S.T. Gibson.

This short but sweet Novella by S.T. Gibson is a prequel to Evocation and ties into the same world with a focus more on Moria and Rhys with zero of Davids POV, making it a way to more center ourselves with the leads for the upcoming books in the series. This look back at the fracture of the relationship between David, Rhys, and Moria gives us more details on Rhys and Morias marriage, Davids relationships with them both, and the mess that caused them to all be at one another's throats at the start of Evocation.

The writing follows the same style as Evocation, being more modern and interpersonal focused then some of S.T. Gibson's prior works but with a heavy focus still on the world and fleshing out a beautiful and deeply evocative world for the setting of the story. The entire novel feels slower paced but that is most likely to-do with it being both a prequel and part of a much larger series.

I would recommend this to you if:
- You enjoy modern fantasy
- You enjoy reading about diverse relationships and characters
- You care less about magic systems and more about the outcome
- You want to read Evocation or have read it
- You enjoy character-based novels with the plot being tied to them

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

Was this review helpful?

me loving the entire summoners’ circle series with my whole heart 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

this was a wonderful novella to chomp down in a day. rhys and david and of course the beauteous moira are absolute forces of characters. seeing more of their origin story mixed with a tale of demonic problem solving was such a delight. i could read no plot just vibes about these three for days.

absolutely feral waiting on book two, ascension 👁️👁️

Was this review helpful?