Sutherland’s writing is beautiful. The imagery she provides is outstanding. The story however- absolutely boring. I had hoped this one would be an improvement over House of Hollow, but to me it wasn’t. Both written elegantly but the plots just aren’t interesting enough. I’m not sure if she’s just trying to hard to make it this gruesome story that has shock value and is failing, but the overall story is not satisfying. The characters she portrays are well developed, and I did appreciate their relationships with one another. Especially given the fact that these characters are pushed together as strangers who become friends. If you’re really into witches and the occult, it’s worth a read, but if not I say it’s one to skip.

I’ve been very much looking forward to this since loving House of Hollow! And it did not disappoint.

The Invocations is very dark and has necromancy, the occult, mass murder, a serial killer, talks of substance abuse, child abandonment, and I’m sure even more that I’m forgetting. Which I’m all for but it definitely toed the line for a YA read. But oh that marvelous feminine rage. I loved these characters! Jude, Zara, and Emer were all equally fascinating and had a unique voice. They’re here, they’re queer, and they’re angry. I thought the romance was a nice touch and I loved how everything came together in the final act. I did find the pacing to slow down a little too much in the middle of the book but I was definitely invested and enjoyed the story. I’m always looking for more urban fantasy so I really liked the modern London setting. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a spooky, witty, dark witchy read.

"There is no need to fear if you are a man. You own the darkness. It is your space."

We love our four-letter-name girl crews! Sutherland does it again with this story, a grotesque sapphic thriller served up on a bloody platter of found family and generous helpings of girl rage. I think fans of Jennifer's Body will especially love what The Invocations has to offer.

Zara, Emer, and Jude are three young women who find each other—right in the nick of time—as they struggle with loneliness and isolation and bucking against the patriarchy, each determined to right the wrongs that have been committed against them. While I didn't love this one as much as House of Hollow (HoH being a masterpiece, IMO), I thought the atmosphere and character relationships within The Invocations were just as strong, though the plot reveals were more predictable and themes more heavy-handed than I normally prefer. Still a solid 4.25, though.

Somewhat related, the eARC I received contained a formatting issue in which every word that contained 'ff' or 'ft' had those letters blanked out (more than you would think!), which created a very jarring reading experience. My rating has nothing to do with the formatting directly, but I did need to call out that these particular formatting issues did frequently take me out of the story since I had to try and piece together what was being communicated on the page.

Examples:

"...emerges from the restaurant looking mi ed."
"...skin to gra over the gaping wound Emer le when..."

Additionally, several words would be missing at the very start following a scene break, so I just had to miss out on things or try to piece together using context clues, if possible. But like I said, I didn't let the formatting affect how I rated, but it did negatively impact how deeply I was able to immerse myself in the story.

Beyond everything else, Sutherland paints such visceral atmosphere that you can almost smell and taste the rot and putridity—her writing powerful and evocative in setting the scene and creating a certain tone:

"She kneels and places her palm against the earth. There is so much anger here. It boils out of the ground. It congeals in the roots of trees."

"Men do not know what it feels like to be hunted. Men do not walk alone on dark streets and think about fingers closing around their throats or their skulls thudding dully against the pavement."

Her writing is as sharp and appealing to all senses as it always is, which I enjoy.

The witchcraft and demons-based magic system along with the serial murder plot immediately hooked me and I was invested in these young women. There was one character reveal during the last ten percent or so that I was pleasantly surprised by, and then I was satisfied with the story's ending. I mentioned Jennifer's Body and the climax brought that same energy and I was here for it.

Pretty much I'm reading whatever Krystal decides to write next!

This book takes you on a journey with the occult and then some. You really felt for the 3 ladies and their journeys. It was interesting how everything intertwined. This was a very fun book to read and I never knew exactly what was going to happen next. Lots of action and adventure. My only criticism is that the affected hand after Jude’s “incident” was inconsistent.

Wow what a ride!!!
I already loved Krystal Sutherland’s
Writing so was excited for this book! Once again she didn't disappoint!

This is a paranormal YA horror that is grotesque and this novel delivers a storyline and has witchcraft and horror!

There are 3 POVs in the story and it was easy to love them all! You really get to know all the characters!

I will continue to read all by this author

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review!

When murder ties the lives of three young girls together, they’ll do anything to stop the murderer, and help themselves along the way.

I loved House of Hollow, as many have, so reading The Invocations early truly was amazing. I’ve sat on reviewing this book because I just can’t think of the words to accurately describe how I feel about it. This book has all of the things I love and I enjoyed every second of it! This book is not for the squeamish, it’s incredibly gory and worth even minute of the gore.

I adore Krystal Sutherland’s writing. There is this ability to capture the mood of the story that is so unique to other writers I’ve read before. It’s poetic and beautiful.

This book is marketed well as a YA paranormal horror. The plot of the book is well thought out. The beginning took off a little slow but picked up fairly quickly. The decision to make this multiple POV was a great. The voices are unique, reflect the speakers individual personality and story, and really help see multiple sides to the same story. The setting of the book really adds to the ambiance of the entire thing.

Our trio of main characters: Jude, Zara and Emer. Incredibly well written. I loved following along with them individually and collectively as a whole within the plot. Each girl has their own motivation within the greater concept. Theory to execution was spot on. They are empowering and witchy and I love the sapphic element, though I wish it had held a larger plot line for how it’s marketed.

Overall, another solid book by Krystal Sutherland, landing her on my must read list.

The Invocations is a haunting sapphic thriller filled with mystery, magic, and feminine rage.

It follows three female protagonists. Zara is an Oxford schoolgirl desperately seeking any means necessary to revive her murdered sister. Jude is the daughter of a billionaire and is irrevocably cursed. As Jude’s curse wrought destruction, she becomes desperate to restore the life she once knew. Emer, an orphaned witch with a tragic past and incredible power to craft invocations, is the only one who can help them both.

When I first caught wind of this book I was immediately drawn in and had high expectations. While it did have a bit of a slow start for me, when it picked up…it PICKED UP. I’m newer to mystery thrillers, but this did not disappoint. It was eerie, dark, and a little gory.

It’s set in modern times which sometimes lent itself to some cringy references. However, that might be a personal pet peeve. When a book has fantasy elements, it’s hard to marry in real-life elements without them feeling like a bit of a caricature.

All in all, I truly enjoyed the journey with all its twists and turns and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group for providing an advanced digital copy for my honest review.

Wow. What a book.
I already adore Krystal Sutherland’s House of Hollow, so it was kismet that I receive The Invocations as my very first ARC read.

And it did not disappoint!
A paranormal YA horror that is delightfully grotesque and desperately hopeful, this novel delivers a powerful commentary on patriarchy while spinning an entrancing tale of witchcraft and horror.

The book is told by three POVs, and I loved them all. While perhaps a bit exaggerated in their personalities (welcome to YA, where everyone is the best at everything) the characters really make the book for me- brash and beautiful Jude, brainy and tenacious Zara, powerful and badass Emer. Their individual stories are compelling, but their group dynamic is simply *chef’s kiss*!

It’s a murder mystery, it’s a paranormal story, it’s feminist literature, it’s horrific and gruesome- it’s a five star read in my opinion!

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Group for providing an advanced digital copy for my honest review.

The Invocations was such a surprise. I knew going into it that it was probably a book I was going to enjoy. I mean, queer witches? Yes, please. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I would fall in love with these characters.

I loved Jude, Zara and Emer so much. I loved their dynamic together. I loved Jude’s wittiness, Zara’s loyalty and Emer’s strength.
Apart they were intriguing characters, but together they are unstoppable.

The Invocations is a horror book, but it is also about empowering women and fighting against misogyny.

Overall, I loved this book and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

The Invocations is a sapphic and dark thriller filled with fierce female characters, witches and demons.

The topic of toxic masculinity is brought to the forefront with a good dose of female rage driving it. This is a fast paced novel with lots of witchy goodness shining through.

We are introduced to our three young women - Emer, Jude and Zara who band together to try uncover a serial killer who is targeting women. All three women are fascinating in their own right and together they are a force to be reckoned with. They are determined to ensure justice is served.

Krystal Sutherland has firmly cemented herself as an autobuy author for me when I’m looking for a dark, twisty read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review the Invocations in advance!

Just based on the blurb, I could tell I was going to like this book and I was not disappointed. I don't normally read thrillers/mysteries but I really enjoyed this one. Some parts were a little grisly and there is some body horror, but it never felt gratuitous or too much.

All of our main characters (Jude, Emer, and Zara) were great and well written. I really liked that we were introduced to them separately and by the time they meet they are fully fleshed out characters that I was already attached to. Emer and Jude were my favorites, but I also related a lot to Zara. Their interactions were so good, and I loved the banter they had in the friend group.

I love how this book included a lot of social commentary, but in a way that didn't feel like preaching or dry. It just felt like the author was acknowledging things that we all already know to be true. As with almost all books- some parts did feel predictable, but I didn't mind that at all. I also felt like the pacing was really good, this was definitely a page turner that kept me engaged the whole read.

Thanks to Penguin for this ARC!

I’m not gonna lie this had a bit of a rocky start - the formatting of the arc was pretty bad which I don’t hold against the author, but that alongside the writing style and excessive modern references made it take some getting into.

There are three different POVs for our MCs - Emer, Jude, and Zara, and once things started coming together I started enjoying it a lot more. I loved each of the girls for different reasons and I think the author did a great job of making them stand out from one another. I also loved the female empowerment aspect and how relevant it was.

The witchy vibes were great, it was creepy and sometimes gruesome, the serial killer mystery was very gripping and surprising, and overall it really won me over in the end.

Thank you to Penguin Group for the ARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lot of fun - I really enjoyed the multiple POVs of our three main characters Emer, Zara, and Jude. All three ladies have quite different backgrounds and motivations: Emer is a witch whose family was killed by witch hunters when she was just a child and she helps women become more powerful using her magic, Zara lost her sister last year and will do anything to get justice, and Jude is the daughter of a wealthy and well-known man yet was cast away after a bad curse. The three join cahoots to track down the serial killer / The London Ripper who has left a trail of dead women, several of whom have gone to Emer for help.

I had a hard time getting into it at first as it's very much set in present day so there's lots of modern references like Instagram, Reddit, OnlyFans, Enola Holmes, GoodReads, etc, but after I got over that it was a lot of fun following these three ladies through their various adventures to find the killer. The ending definitely was surprising to me!

I would absolutely recommend this read to fantasy witch lovers who like a good murder mystery filled with laughs - it's very amusing and the multiple POVS are terrific. There isn't much for romance but there's some teasing throughout - all three ladies are lesbians and there's a lot of GIRL POWER and undertones of female empowerment throughout the piece. There's even mention of how only girls can have magic, which includes trans women because magic is recognized through the soul not the body

I don't know if Sutherland can write fast enough for me. I absolutely adored House of Hollow and was literally beside myself when I got the approval for this novel. I love her take on horror and I think there is a dearth of really good YA horror. She strikes the perfect balance between mystery, fear, curiosity, and wit.. Zara, Jude, and Emer continue the trend of this author writing absolutely bad you know what strong female characters. I could not have been more delighted to dig into this. This novel, compared to her first, is a bit more dark, with a bit more violence, but ultimately is even better. Cannot wait to get a physical copy in my hands.

I knew from the dedication "For the angry girls" that this was gonna be good. And overall this is an excellent YA entry to the "female rage" category of books.

Vibes:
This is definitely channeling a little bit of The Craft here, with the girls coming together from different walks of life and forming their own little coven of sorts. It's definitely a modern setting but it's a foggy night and you're walking by yourself and the streetlights are flickering just enough that you can't help but be a little spooked (even if you don't want to admit it), or you're crashing a derelict hideout with your friends and everyone's acting just a little cooler and tougher than they actually are.

The Writing:
The thing that stood out to me the most in House of Hollow was how atmospheric the writing was-- very woodsy but mouldering and full of sour decay. I think that this book could still be atmospheric, but it's much lighter in this department than its predecessor.

I think that the multiple POVs are used to good effect, and while I normally dislike present tense I found that it didn't bother me at all here, so she did an excellent job using it for the story.

Plot:
I'm not gonna pretend I'm a genius for fully figuring out the plot and twists of the YA story, it's not for me as an adult and I've encountered similar stories before. But I really think that teenage-me would've eaten this up. And I do think this book had something to say that is ultimately a little blunt and obvious for me, but I think would be empowering and appreciated for the target audience.

Personal Pet Peeve:
I always feel just a little uncomfy when books are set in our world and refer to real people in history, but alter them ever so slightly by the world's magic. So when a history lesson on Elizabeth Bathory is incorporated as an example of someone possessed by a demon and that's why she committed all the murder she did... I like that it can help introduce a new reader to real history. But I don't like wiping away her real culpability. The history might be more ancient and built up in myth, but it's still real people's lives who were affected. I feel just as outraged when franchises try to lean into the mysticism surrounding the Holocaust. So I just personally do not like this being included in books, ymmv. It doesn't affect the overall plot or characters or anything.

Overall:
In the end I think this was a fun, sapphic, witchy book that accomplishes what it set out to. It's full of female rage and eat-the-rich vibes but very appropriately aimed at a teen audience. There were some genuinely good scenes that will live rent free in my head. Bael!

This book! I mean, the witchy vibes mixed in with the very real idea of how witchcraft and its bloody history have deep roots in the fear of powerful and intelligent women. This whole vibe mixed with a modern-day setting, three great characters that personally I just loved, and the fight against witch hunters and all that stands for made for the best read. (Once, again, that's my opinion, I have no idea of the author's intentions.)

This just resonated with me, and I also think this specific time period for me created the ideal reception of this story. Which, btw, can there please be a sequel?

The three main characters have some things in common, and some other things about them that make each girl very unique, for better or worse. Jude is the daughter of a well-known multimillionaire but has been shunned from her family after a bad curse. Her family, however, believes her absence is due to drug use, and it sometimes seems that could be the case with Judes' irredeemably charismatic and yet incredibly aggravating attitude. Zara used to be the best student in her high school, but now is failing her classes while being caught shoplifting books on the supernatural in her search on how to resurrect her murdered sister, Savannah Emer is possibly my favorite character, but it's really impossible for me to choose, She is living day by day pretending to be a student at Oxford. She furiously exercises, toning her body into a machine, while also endlessly increasing her knowledge at the library. I'm not going into much detail here because I love going into books blind and being surprised by every reveal, no matter how early. But, suffice to say, there is more to Emer than this seemingly simple existence.

Wow, I haven't carried on about just characters like this in a review for a while now. Like I said, I really went in with an open mind like I try to do with many things, and I think being open to learning more about these characters and drifting with the magnetic storytelling really helped me enjoy this from beginning to end.

Highly recommend!

Out January 30, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC of this book.

I read a sample on BookishFirst and was immediately drawn in. The premise of the story is that only women are allowed magic. In order to get it, they need a curse writer to write an invocation that is seared into their skin. Each invocation trades a piece of your soul to a demon who gives you the power you've requested.

The story is told from three very different points of view. Emer is a curse writer and comes from a long line of witches. Sadly, her coven was murdered by witch hunters and she's been in hiding ever since. Zara's mother abandoned her and her sister when they were young and then her sister was murdered leaving Zara alone and searching for her killer. She's decided to turn to necromancy in the hopes of bringing her back. Jude is your quintessential spoiled rich girl who dabbled with the occult and managed to curse herself. She's been hunting for a witch ever since to break her curse. When witches start getting murdered, their paths cross and our story really begins.

Part murder mystery, part supernatural tale, part allegory on how men always try to break down women when they come into their own power, this was one of my five star. reads of the year. I couldn't put it down and I know that I will be thinking about this story for a long time.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Fans of house of hollows - I can NOT decide if I like this more or not. It’s so good! The dark vibes are there, with a bit of gore and creepiness. The main character we follow keeps it interesting at all times. This is a YA book but it didn’t read like a YA book! I recommend picking up if you want to take an eerie book to escape to, or for fans of VE Schwabs YA ❤️

“The Invocations” by Krystal Sutherland is about three girls and a killer. Emer, who is a witch who sacrifices parts of her soul (invocations) to women in need. Jude, who is suffering from a spell gone wrong curse and is in need to a witch. Zara, who is trying to find her sister’s killer and has been trying to find a witch in order to do that. A killer is on the loose and is killing Emer’s clients and Emer wants to know why. The girls strike a deal to work together so they all can get what they want.

The book is good, I love the idea of girls having to stand on their own and doing what needs to be done. They rely on each other instead of male characters which is nice. I don’t like multi POV’s books very much though because it become a little too chaotic at parts. The book also has chunks of boring parts. It is a good book though; I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.

-Multi POV
-Magic
-Murder

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
Pub date: January 30, 2024

When Zara’s sister is murdered, it’s more than she can bear. Raised by a woman who saw the potential in her, Zara knows that there’s more to the natural world than most people can see.

Jude is a rich girl, by anyone’s standards, but falling in line with the rest of her siblings by countless other mothers, has never been easy. When she dabbles in magic and accidently binds a demon to her, it begins to slowly eat her from the inside out. Cast out from the family home, she lives with the knowledge that everything around her is dying along with the decrepit state of her soul.

Emer Bryne was raised with witches until the witch finders came and slaughtered them all. Emer, raised by her cousin in hiding, makes spells that steal a part of the soul. But the women she sells them to are willing to pay that price for the power it gives them.

When these three women meet, it’ll set them on the path of a murderer. Someone who knows Emer’s work and will stop at nothing to have it for themselves. Each woman has a reason to stop this killer but together, they form a trio that could be unstoppable.

Sutherland incorporates the power of sisterhood with an unlikely trio while building a magical world where anything is possible and proving that blood doesn't always make you family. Each character’s unique personality stood out yet worked brilliantly with the others.

Suspenseful, thrilling, and magical!

My thanks to Penguin Teen for this gifted copy!