5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for my digital review copy

ST Gibson has done it once again. Absolutely enthralled me with her characters.

This book was very character driven, which I know may not be for everyone, but I absolutely adored it.

The book focusses on David and his ex boyfriend Rhys, and Moira (Rhys' wife). It was so fun to read about their dynamics and how it changes and I loved the relationship that developed between Moira and David so much.

I loved the descriptions of Moira's outfits so much and I'd love to see them recreated.

This book does also deal with heavy topics (abuse, addiction), so I would recommend checking content warnings first.

An urban gothic fantasy romance staged around the occult that features a polyamorous romance with plenty of mystery. I adore S.T. Gibson as an author and love her writing style. I really wanted to love this, but overall, I found it to be extremely disappointing. The character development is nonexistent; there is no growth or development of any of the characters from beginning to end. The characters themselves felt very two-dimensional, and none of the relationships between the characters felt real. The polyamorous relationship is really Rhys just cheating on his wife. There is zero chemistry between the characters. The world-building and magic system are lacking. The readers are told they are in the occult or they performed the ritual, but nothing is actually shown. The way David's alcoholism is portrayed and how he is treated during the relapse is disturbing and honestly disgusting. The ending is rushed and anticlimactic.

This is the 3rd book by ST Gibson I've read and by far the most enjoyable one! There's an actual story and progression of characters - more please! A married couple, Rhys and Moira and Rhys' ex-boyfriend David are all magical practitioners. When it becomes clear that a legendary curse has befallen David they must all find a way to work together to remove it. I liked the interplay between the 3 main characters, I felt that all their behaviours were realistic and in keeping with their personalities. There is quite a lot of mention and progression to polyamory in the book, I'm interested to see where the next book in the series will take this - it's believable that Rhys and David have unfinished business after a messy breakup but as to if Moira would be fine with them recoupling I'm needing a bit more convincing. The magic was well mixed in with the relationship drama.

A fun setting and an easy escapist read that I ultimately wished either had more character or more plot. While David and Moira felt incredibly well developed, Rhys felt more like a linchpin than a person in his own right and for a book so clearly meant to be heavy on character, that left a sagging middle that the plot didn't feel built to carry. I'll happily keep going with this series and I have hopes that all the elements will deepen over time, but I wanted a little more messy electricity based on the marketing.

David Aristarkhov is fiercely ambitious in multiple arenas: his career as a Boston attorney, his moonlighting gig as a powerful medium, his desire to be named high priest of his occult fraternity. He is shaken out of his confident pursuits by the realization that he is becoming possessed by a demon, and turns to his ex-boyfriend and now rival, Rhys. He must first win over Rhys's new wife, Moira, a powerful witch in her own right who is deeply suspicious of the man who put her husband through so much emotional turmoil. The three characters are increasingly drawn to each other as they try to solve the mystery of how to save David's soul.

This book had so many elements that captivated me: the luxurious dark academia vibe, the polyamorous relationship exploration and dynamics, the secret occult society, the mysterious mansion complete with library full of priceless rare books. The plot was almost incidental; this was very much a character-driven book. I was smitten with Moira; I would love to see a sequel revolving around more of her story.

Thank you so much to Angry Robot and Netgalley for this ARC to review!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

I really enjoyed this, but did not end up liking it as much as I hoped I would. The prose is, as always, fantastic, the worldbuilding is fascinating and the premise really cool (I'm always a sucker for any type of "deal with the supernatural stories").

However, while I did like the characters and enjoyed reading their dynamics, there is a bit too much telling and not enough showing - we're constantly told that they're powerful, sharp, composed... but we have very few occasions to see them demonstrate those qualities. Moreover, they're the only magic users we really see in action, so it's hard to believe that they're extraordinary when we don't have anything to compare them to.

Overall, definitely recommended, particularly if you've enjoyed the author's other books, and I really look forward to the next book in the series!

David is an Aristarkhov. His family is incredibly wealthy and are well known in the occult world. He doesn’t like to ask for help, and he definitely doesn’t like to show any signs of weakness.

Rhys is an academic. He was introduced to the Society by David. All Rhys wants is to be named High Priest of the Society. David and Rhys have a complicated history which makes Society meetings awkward.

Moira is a witch. Her mother, and grandmother were witches too. She runs a business reading palms and laying out tarot decks. Moira and Rhys are married, and Moira does not like David.

David and Rhys haven’t spoken in 6 months. However, when David runs into trouble, he doesn’t know who else to turn to but Rhys, and by association, Moira.

This book has my whole heart, I am absolutely in love with how it was written. I love that it is written from 3 points of view.

The way the story progresses is just perfect, I felt so invested throughout the book. I can’t recommend this book enough!

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for granting me access to this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

ST Gibson can do no wrong. I live for her writing style. It’s lush and sensual and eloquent. I’ll read anything she writes.

I love messy relationships. I’m straight as can be, but I love her queer romances.

I’m so excited that we’re getting special editions of this book and I will put them on my shelf with pride.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc!!

Where to even start! I fell in love with Gibson's writing with her first novel, then absolutely loved her most recent one, An Education in Malice. There was no surprise at all that I loved this as well.

First, the writing is just as phenomenal, and the book interested me immediately. All the characters have a certain depth that made me incredibly interested in them throughout the novel, especially David and Rhys. I found the plot extraordinarily enticing and fell into the world of magic and spirits just as quickly as the characters have done. Gibson did a grand job creating an atmosphere that very well sucks you into its fantastic insanity, as well as creating a relationship between the two main characters that had me obsessed with how their story would play out the more I read.

Not one part of this book was lacking in any department, and I adore Gibson for truly mastering the art of storytelling. After finishing this, I am already patiently waiting for the next one bc I am S.T. Gibson's biggest fan!

Sadly this book wasn't for me. When I was 30% in and there still was not plot, I realized the story was a bit like Atlas Six - purely driven by the interactions of characters. Atlas Six also didn't work for me for the same reasons: I did not care about the characters at all, and so I kept hoping an interesting plot would kick in. Same here.
David was okay, with Rhys there was not enough 'there' there, and Moira... I don't know. I get the feeling that the female characters in Gibson's book are written as if they had an agenda, when really they are just being done dirty by men.

If you care for the characters and their relationships, I'm sure you'd like this book. The writing style is engaging enough.

For me it's 3/5 stars.

I'm very grateful to Netgalley and Angry Robot to have granted me the wish for the eARC.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Going to start with, S. T. Gibson did it again!
I am head over heels for this book. The kind of good where I dreaded finishing it because I just wanted it to drag out a little longer. S. T. Gibson develops her characters so incredibly well and this is no exception. David has stolen a little soft place in my heart and deserves a safe space and all the love!

So I’m starting to think that S.T. Gibson is kinda sneaky as a writer. She gives you these unique and original dark academic supernatural stories but underneath that they are really stories about great relationships and amazing characters. This one is no different. We meet David, (a cocky and sarcastic wealthy lawyer who also moonlights as a medium for a secret society), Rhys (his rival and ex-boyfriend), and Moira (Rhys’ wife and the balancing force for them both). This love triangle was impossible not to get swept up in. The gothic atmosphere of this book was in line with Gibson’s other popular works like Dowry of Blood and Education in Malice and while the beginning of the book starts slightly slow once I got into the story I couldn’t stop. Gibson is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you Angry Robot and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Evocation is actually the first book by S.T. Gibson that I've read. Dowery of Blood and An Education in Malice have both been on my radar, but I haven't had the chance to read either yet. After Evocation, I will definitely be moving both higher on my priority list because I am absolutely enamored!

Evocation starts by introducing us to the three main characters: David, Rhys, and Moira. All three are quickly compelling characters and there is some (initially unexplained) conflict between them that had me hooked early.

In the first few chapters, we learn that Rhys and Moira are happily married, Rhys and David are bitter exes (friends to lovers to enemies to ???), and David and Moira have had a relationship of distrust.

A paranormal mystery brings the married couple back into contact with David. Then, the plot gets started and builds to some amazing character and relationship growth.

Evocation is largely a character-based urban fantasy. All three main characters are magicians (David is a medium, Moira is a witch, and Rhys is a sorcerer) and two of them are part of a magical secret society but the world feels very grounded in reality. The plot largely serves as a catalyst for character and relationship development but it was engaging and I loved the gothic horror elements involved.

The true strength of the novel really lies in the characters and the relationships. The characters are diverse and complicated, and all three main characters have growth arcs that I thought were incredibly well done. There's also a small cast of supporting characters that add a lot to the story (including even more diversity).

I highly recommend this book and I'm really looking forward to future releases in this series. I truly can't wait to see more of these three characters and this world that S.T. Gibson has created!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this upcoming release! I want to start this by saying honesty is the best policy. Also, opinions are something everyone is entitled to.
Going into this book, my excitement couldn’t have been higher. This is one of those authors where I would read anything and everything they put out. Though this book is messy in the best way, it is not in the same caliber as her other work. It’s written plainly, which isn’t bad, but very different from the authors past work.
So please, give this a chance. Espérate the artist from the art, and take this story at face value.

Evocation exceeded every expectation I had and some I didn't know I even had, too!

Prior to reading this amazing story, I had read several of the reviews since I'd recently lost a close family friend and was attempting to avoid certain topics. (And incase you're wondering, any deaths happened in the past and off-page.)

I was a bit surprisesd at seeing few of the reviews commenting on the lack of explaination into David's past and the ending of his relationship with Rhys. Now, I'm not one to take reviews as gospel, but it was surprising as their interactions eluded to their past and eventually everything was explained by David and Rhys.

While I loved Rhys+Moira and Moira+David, I wasn't exactly a fan of past Rhys and his various hang-ups when it came to his relationship with David. But without their past, there couldn't be a present or a future...

While David does have some internal hiccups and personal hurtles to overcome, I'll be interested to see how Rhys evolves to become the supportive partner David clearly needs.

4.5/5

S.T. Gibson has a way of writing beautiful complicated relationships, the love between the characters difficult to define. Love can take so many forms, sometimes messy and painful, unable to be easily categorized. Evocation explores these different relationships with an interesting, likeable trio of main characters. The character dynamics and relationship development are the star of the show.

While I had largely figured out the mystery of the supernatural plot early on, it served as a good backdrop for what is largely an excellent character and relationship driven book. I hope that future books in the series explore the different styles of magic more thoroughly, I want to know more about how each character's personality interacts with their chosen field.

"Evocation" unfolds in the Boston occultist underground, and the novel's quiet grittiness around a cast of psychics, occultists, sorcerers, witches, and mediums was definitely a highlight. David, a rich medium, is possessed by a demon with ties to his Russian ancestors from the 16th century. To save himself, David enlists the help of his ex-boyfriend Rhys and Rhys's wife, Moira. This leads to intriguing *shenanigans* that had me on the edge of my seat.

This is a well-crafted queer fantasy novel with a focus on character development

David, a high-strung lawyer and medium, experiences an abrupt loss of his usually boundless magical powers. Seeking answers, he turns to his ex-boyfriend and magical society rival, Rhys, accompanied by his astrologer wife, Moira. Together, they embark on a quest to solve David's magical troubles.

Witnessing David's character arc unfold was especially satisfying. He stands out as my favorite character of the three, and I really enjoyed witnessing his development throughout the book.
While the growing polyamorous dynamic among them is evident, Moira and Rhys's marriage became my most liked relationship.

While the book successfully depicts the evolving three-way relationship, it lacks significant action and worldbuilding. I would have liked a lot more plot, some more things happening outside the relationship. More plot development beyond the relationships among the main characters would really make this book a new favorite. Additionally, a deeper exploration of the magic system and world understanding would have been appreciated, and I hope these aspects are explored in later books of the series.

A slow/medium-paced character-driven book. The plot, 3 characters coming together to break a generational demon curse, is often sidetracked to focus on the relationship between the 3 MCs.

S.T. Gibson has written well-developed, complex, and loveable characters with their own beliefs, ambitions, and struggles. The relationships felt genuine and were handled well. The relationship between Moira & Rhys, in particular, is one of the healthiest relationships I've read; full of love, trust, communication, and well-established boundaries.

I can't wait to see where the story goes in the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley & Angry Robot Books for the early copy.

Dark academia, gothic horror, fantastic prose & lovable characters mixed together gives you Evocation. David, Moira & Rhys are a wonderful addition to S.T. Gibson's track record of well written characters. David's character growth over the course of the book was natural thanks to Moira and the start of their friendship (then relationship) was a standout for me. Moira deserves the world!

* Actual rating: 3,5 ⭐️

I’d have to start this review by stating that however I felt this book wasn’t for me, it wasn’t necessarily bad in any kind of way.

Gibson’s lyrical prose was present which is also the case in her previous works however I feel like it didn’t fit here as well as it did in her other novels. The modern setting was kind of hard for me to get into but it grew on me throughout the book. Another important thing to know before reading is that this one is a (very) slow paced book.

Onto the plot itself; I really enjoyed the spiritual aspects but I wished that there had been more of it. However, this book is the first in a series so I’m sure that we’ll see more of it throughout the next books. I think the focus of this book was more on the relationship(s) between the characters. Let’s talk a bit more about them.

I didn’t like Rhys, I had this feeling that he was very indifferent and not “real”, as if we haven’t seen his true nature yet. His character felt really bland.
Moira is such a sweetheart and I think if she existed irl that we’d be besties but honestly, she deserved better. I’ll talk more about that later.
And finally, David. In comparison to Rhys, he actually feels like I’m reading about an actual person with flaws and all. A person that makes mistakes but also learns from them and grows.

Rhys and Moira are married but I didn’t feel the spark between them and when David then kind of joined their relationship, it felt more as if Moirq was just a bystander and it felt more as if Rhys got his way and Moira just accepted it.


Overall: There is potential, a lot of it but I feel like it hasn’t been completely tapped into but I am curious to see how the series evolves and I’ll be reading the other books in the future.


Thank you to Angry Robot & Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc.