Evocation was first book from The Summoning's Circle and also my third reads from the author. I am sure this is not my last read.

"The devil knows your name"

The story following psychic prodigy, David with his old family curse. The premises to get dark secret academia/society with curses and dark magic also sprinkled with ex lover to friends trope successfully grabbed my interest.

This queer fantasy gave us perfect combination between beautiful narration, interesting characters, gothic element, sensual and perfect polyamorous romance with good portion of supernatural elements. It is takes time to warming into the world and plot but totally worth our reading time.

Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot Publisher for granting my wishes, a copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 28 May 2024

it’s definitely a good enough story but i think it lacked the depth her other books had in my opinion.

it felt lighter and less serious, maybe it’s the polyamory relationship, or maybe because i didn’t really see the details of the magic in the way they were trying to save david, it was all very superficial for me.

even tho i’m not very into polyamorous romance i kinda enjoyed this one, it felt natural and not at all forced so i’m glad for that, and since it will be more of this story i do consider reading the next book when it comes out.

rating: 3 stars.

S.T Gibson NEVER MISSES!
Evocation is a witchy, occult fantasy with polyamory, the utmost tension, astonishing writing and characters that you can't help but fall in love with!!! First and foremost, I endlessly adore the way that S.T Gibson has the capability of writing a flawed character that by the end, you will adore with everything in you. David, you have my heart. Her writing is endlessly as eloquent as it is shocking ~ she has such a capability of enchanting a narrative that leaves me FLOORED every time. The tension between all of the characters and her explorations on polyamory are always so fascinating and addicting, I loved them all.

This is absolutely a MUST READ for autumn, I'll be thinking about this one for a very long time.

*4.5 stars*

A absolutely delightful and magical start to a series. I have always been a huge fan of S.T. Gibson's writing and this was no surprise to read that this one flowed lyrically and the character dynamics were so unique. I can't wait to read the next book to see where the characters grow and how the story will continue. This book isn't for everyone, however it very much was for me. I had a fun time reading it and I loved the relationship messiness in this one. S..T Gibson always manages to write the most unique relationships and I love recommending these queer books to people so much.

Unfortunately, I just didn’t vibe with this book. I didn’t like the characters, I wasn’t impressed with the magic system, and the pacing was off.

Thank you for an advanced copy.

Perfection. The book was so atmospheric, atmospheric, the characters beautifully imperfect. There was nothing I didn't love about the book. I Bought 3 editions of it, and recommend it to everyone.

Can't lie, I didn't love this book, I'm not a fan of the throuple, felt like Moira was being left behind... just not a fan and probably won't continue with this series.

This was alright.

I had really high hopes for Gibson, after really enjoying Dowry of Blood, but this tarot-infused, occult-inspired polyamorous fantasy romance fell a bit flat for me.

I was intrigued by our main character, David Aristarkhov, a psychic prodigy who was raised by a cold and calculating father, and then grew into both a gifted member of an occult brotherhood and a recovering alcoholic. His ex-boyfriend Rhys, and Rhys' wife Moira were a lot more two-dimensional. They were very clearly good people, but they weren't very interesting and I never felt like they were worth getting to know (which is good, because exposition on them felt incredibly surface level.) When David is plagued by having to pay the price for a deal his ancestor made with a demon, I was invested in how they were going to break this generational curse. This was, after all, the conflict of the book and the primary motivator for David to get back in touch with Rhys.

Gibson seems to forget that she has this plot, because most of the book devolves into David, Rhys and Moira figuring out if they're polyamorous, what those feelings could mean and how they can go about it ethically. If this sounds really interesting to you and you could care less about curses and demons, then you are the target audience for this book. Gibson even goes so far as to name drop "Polysecure" by Jessica Fern, as a good book on the subject. This is all great, if you are looking for a book teaching you how to navigate polyamorous relationships. It did make for a much less interesting story however, since it took away from the characters figuring out how to break David's curse, and realistically, interesting characters are fallible, make mistakes, and don't have to be shining examples of what a polyamorous relationship is like.

In the end, this was fine. I was happy when the book ended, because as a fan of Gibson's, this was a disappointment. Sadly, I will go back to just recommending Dowry of Blood.

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately found that this book was nothing special and not very memorable. The plot follows David Aristarkhov, who is a well developed character, having to seek help from old friends to survive his deal with the devil.

I am a massive fan of dark academia, but for me this was my least favourite book I’ve read from S.T. Gibson as I found it slightly boring at times, however it did pick up towards the end.

3.7

I liked this a lot. More than I liked An Education in Malice. This kept my attention the whole time. Didn’t go into detail on sorcery aspect. Good relationship development. I really liked each character.

I expected this to lean towards a throuple and not polyamory. Relationships were really interesting and intriguing. A couple spicy scenes. Not very long and not explicitly descriptive. Vague terminology.

Didn’t feel like a high climax story. Doesn’t give full closure. Gives relationship closure/HEA.

I didn’t turn the pages because of the plot. Good storytelling and characters.

First of all, I wanted to thank NetGalley and Angry Robot for sending me an e-arc of Saint Gibson's latest release.

4.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

I'm kind of falling behind on my reviews, but I'm slowly getting back on the tracks (I'll hopefully be more consistent from now on).

Saint Gibson is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite authors. I'd read anything she writes, even if it's her grocery shopping list. She just has a great way of portraying the intricacies of relationships that I find fascinating: whether it is obsession, lust, friendship, love... I think they're pretty spot on and shine specially in Evocation, where David's bargain with the devil is not the most important part of the plot but the relationships between all the characters: Moira, Rhys and David. Looooved them all to pieces (Moira you're the brightest star), and can't wait to read the following book of the series! Might also even consider buying myself a second-hand physical copy, those special editions have me foaming at the mouth. Also, I hope on the next installment we can see a bit more magic, even if it's just for show since I'm a sucker for witches.

I love A Dowry of Blood and An Education in Malice so much, so Evocation was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. The cover is gorgeous, as well as, the special editions that have come out. This had excellent marketing.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I felt no attachment to the characters. They came off as flat and boring. I was not invested in the story or interested in the relationship dynamics of the characters. I tried to pause this book and go back to it, but I simply could not get into it or get through it. I decided to DNF it..

I'm sure there are readers out there who will enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an e-arc and audioarc through Netgalley all opinions are my own.

Sadly this book was not for me. I did not enjoy the narrators different voices for the characters.

I didn't really like the characters or the story. I'm sad since I loved Dowry of Blood, but I also didn't like Education in Malice. What that says about me I dunno.

The book was boring and didn't grip me. I didn't like any of the relationships or dynamics in this book.

LOVE LOVE LOVE S.T. Gibson, and was so excited to read this new series from her. Overall, I did enjoy this, there was just something missing? I just couldn't get fully immersed in the story, the characters were all a bit too... perfect? They were all flawed, but felt like walking tropes at times? I'm having trouble putting my finger on it... I just expected Rhys, Moira and David to be a hell of a lot more messy (and to be honest) toxic than they were. Their coming together was almost too easy. I did like the overall story though, and enjoyed their dynamics with one another. I am intrigued about the prequel Odd Spirits, and am hoping I get all the messiness I was expecting in this book there lol. I am still invested enough to see where this series will go, and will prob read the sequel as well when it's released.

dnf unfortunately
i’ve read a few reviews that the polyamory was not done the way i expected, gutted because i love gibson’s works and was looking forward to it
thank you for the arc!!

I had a lot of hype going into this book and I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. I didn’t feel invested in the relationships and I had a hard time staying engaged during the book. Not a fan of cheating in relationships and it seemed so neatly packaged how they suddenly move on??? I got so annoyed that I ended up DNFing. I think this book and its tropes were not for me, but other readers may enjoy this book more.

(4.5) 🌟

Evocation is a story of connection, of human relationships that intertwine with each other, of raw confrontations and dynamics that will leave the reader with a feeling of comfort. The author's prose is what manages to connect all these points in a fascinating way. S. T. Gibson has a special touch for portraying unforgettable characters and with this work it has been no different.

This story carries an impenetrable energy. Sharp and fresh, it is original and rich in plot. A secret society that attributes the power of divinity, of magic, for its own purposes, but also for knowledge. And that is what the characters, the author, manage to highlight. That dark tint that melts between the volumes of learning, of memories, of demons and visions. It is fascinating to read. I admit that I feel that it lacked a bit of the academic vision that all readers were waiting for. This cool, gothic tinge that could have stood out a little more and balanced it with the main concept: David's curse.

But what stands out most about Evocation are the characters. Moira, Rhys & David. Three incredible people who are opposite poles, but who converge in the same chaos, the same feeling that leads them to coexist. Three characters that leave the reader hungry for more, hungry for knowledge about their future.

Evocation is a book that I will recommend without hesitation. And I'm dying to know what other secrets S. T. Gibson has up her sleeve.

Thank you to NetGalley & Angry Robot Books for this ARC.

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @angryrobotbooks for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me preface this review by saying that this was my first book by Gibson and it hasn’t deterred me from her other works.

Gibson’s character work is incredible and her ability to create realistic dynamics is an incredible gift. David was my favourite character because I am nothing if not a sucker for a sarcastic asshole with a hidden vulnerability.

I just didn’t feel overly thrilled by this, but I wasn’t overly bored. The writing style and slower pace just didn’t work for me and I felt the plot to be rather lacklustre, opting to concentrate more on the romance aspect of the book. If the characters had been weak I’d have DNF’ed very quickly.

An incredible example of incredible character work which has me intrigued enough to venture into Gibson’s other work, I might revisit this once I’ve explored the rest!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

still not sure how i felt about this one. i honestly think i have to go back and give it a reread because i don't think i fully understood what was going on. i enjoyed the dark, gothic vibes and the writing was well done. but i think i just wasn't grasping the entire story.

This story follows David as he tries to reconnect with his ex-boyfriend Rhys, when strange things start happening. Rhys is now married to Moira and they are all trying to get past something that happened six months prior in order to save David's life. The reader goes through a secret society, tarot reading and unexpected bonds.
I didn’t find this as intense as the author’s other books, but it was captivating all the same.