Is there anything S.T. Gibson can't write? Evocation proves her exemplary storytelling skills and writing prowess. Being a fan of Gibson since A Dowry of Blood, I am biased but Evocation was such a delight to read that I can't help but sing its praise; an amazing first book in a new Fantasy series. Teen psychic prodigy, now renowned Boston attorney, David Aristarkhov lives the life he's always wanted, finally free from his abusive, occultist father. Or so he thought. The Devil does not like those who skip on their debts and now he's returned to collect the Aristarkhov ancestral debt right from David. With reluctance, he calls his ex-boyfriend and Society rival, Rhys, for help, but the only way is through his wife, Moira. As both now live in each other's care, one wonders what fate has in store for them. I absolutely fell in love with the plot; the mystery, the Gothic aspect that makes you look to find the Devil hiding behind every corner. Gibson has such a unique ability to write heavy subjects with such delicacy and sincerity that there isn't any maliciousness behind her words. Rather, there is a space for learning and understanding the situations of each character and what forced them there. The world-building was amazing, with a clear and atmospheric world that seemed both real and mythical at the same time. It pulls you in and almost lets you roam around her world in your imagination. But what I loved the most was the character building; each character felt unique with no overlapping with the others that made them feel bland or predictable. Each one was a delight to read and see them develop as characters; they wear their virtues and faults like armour and don't shy away from them being a part of themselves. S.T. Gibson's Evocation was a deliciously Gothic, Dark Academia beginning to a series that should be on everyone's shelves. I thoroughly recommend the novel to any Dark Academia fans, those who adore Dark Fantasy and any fans of Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern series, Naomi Novik's The Scholomacers series or Jay Kristoff's Nevernight Chronicles. Thank you, NetGalley and Angry Robot for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review

4.5 stars, rounded up On paper, Evocation isn’t my kind of book at all, but I was completely won over by it and drawn into the story. At its heart, it’s a very impressive and well written romance novel that revolves entirely around the relationship of its main characters. Whilst the setting did feel a little superficial to the story at times, the quality of the plot and character interactions meant I was happy to overlook this, despite not being a particularly avid romance reader. Evocation is set in Boston amongst the wealthy elite who dabble in the occult and hide in plain sight. A lot of the characters come from the world of finance and law, and attend secret societies in their spare time whilst offering up other skills to-hire such as seances, tarot readings and banishing of spirits. The undertones of wealth that most of the characters exude adds a real sense of luxury to the plot, and personally made it more believable - those not bothered by money troubles seem perfectly at home with the idea of gallivanting off for days in the pursuit of a loved one or a bit of plot progression. It must be said the world didn’t do a lot for me, and the occult societies and magical members all took a back step in the story in favour of the plot at hand. This lack of focus on the world normally rankles me, but S.T Gibson showed such skill in writing the relationships of the lead three characters, that I found myself not really minding. Two of our characters, former lovers David and Rhys, are both influential members of the same society, and are jostling for position as the head of the group approaches retirement. With Rhys’ new wife Moira joining the scene as a talented trader in the occult in her own right, the trio spend the book trying to unpick their feelings for each other, and work out how they want the others to fit into their lives. The raw mix of emotions the characters go through in the story, and the emotional turmoil they go through trying to work out what they want, was wonderfully written and was the real highlight of the story. Evocation is an easy recommendation to any romance or romantasy readers, and I’m intrigued to try out more of S.T. Gibson’s work!

If Harvey Specter (Suits) and John Constantine had a baby, it would be David Aristarkhov—who can close a case both in the courtroom and in the spirit world (with equal parts charm and sarcasm). Evocation is a brilliant blend of sharp wit, complicated adult relationships tangled in shared history, secret societies, and just the right amount of occult mystery. S.T. Gibson delivers a gripping read that’s equal parts clever, dark, and thrilling—perfect for fans of fast-paced supernatural thrillers with heart.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :) When a family curse threatens David's life, he must turn to the only person he's ever trusted; his ex-boyfriend Rhys. Which means he also must open his heart Moira, Rhy's astrologer wife. What an incredible book! I loved the relationships between the characters and the intricate web we were weaving to connect them all. David and Rhys's interactions felt so raw and real, and I felt a special affinity to the bond David and Moira developed throughout the story. This is very much a character-led piece, please don't go in expecting an epic sweeping fantasy plotline, becuase that's not what this is. The magic system is interesting and compelling, and whilst I was left with some questions, I am happy to wait for answers, as this is only book one in a series. I hope we might delve a little further into the rules of the magic system in future books. Again, I must reiterate how wonderful this story is! I absolutely fell in love with the characters and I implore everyone who loves beautiful character-driven fantasy worlds to pick this one up!

I’m actually so sad to have finished this. I always enjoy Saints writing and this one didn’t disappoint. Evocation is the first book in The Summoners series and follows David an occultist whose life is threatened due to an old family curse. He has no choice but to reach out to his ex-boyfriend Rhys who is now married to Moira. This a lightly gothic tale about complicated characters, magic and secret societies with an exes to rivals to lovers romance. I loved the relationships between David, Rhys and Moira and just found this to be such an enjoyable read to the point where I didn’t want it to end! I can’t wait to read the rest in the series and have already preordered Odd Spirits which is the prequel book.