Before diving into my thoughts on the audiobook version of Evocation, I want to preface this by saying I had already read—and loved—the physical ARC. I requested the audiobook simply to experience this incredible story in a new format. While narrator Oscar Reyes did a serviceable job, his performance didn’t add much to the story for me. The book shines on its own.

And shine it does! I adored this book. I love this trio of main characters, but Moira? Moira?? I’m absolutely in love with her. Moira, Rhys, and David have taken up permanent residence in my heart.

Sometimes, a book finds you at just the right moment in your life and Evocation was that book for me. Having previously practiced polyamory and just recently entered a monogamous relationship at the time of reading, I found the emotional dynamics between Moira, Rhys, and David deeply resonant. Rhys’ struggle and guilt to navigate his love for two people, and Moira’s ultimate willingness to see and accept him for who he truly is, was profoundly cathartic.

If you want to hear more of my thoughts—and get additional insight from the author herself—you can listen to my conversation with S.T. Gibson on the Shit We've Read podcast.

Thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Evocation by S.T. Gibson is a unique fantasy novel that includes a throple, exs to lovers, divination magic, and so much more. As always, Gibson's writing is lyrical and beautiful, and always my favorite part of her novels. As always, though, I find I don't connect with the characters as much as I want to. Moria specifically here felt underdeveloped, I wish she has more depth and felt more like a real person.

I don't think I will continue this series, but I can see why so many people love it! Still highly recommend, especially if you're read Gibson's other work.

The bestselling author of A Dowry of Blood, introduces us to David Aristarkhov, a Boston attorney who moonlights as a powerful medium for a secret society. But David's life of high-powered law and secretive magic is threatened when the Devil himself comes to collect on an ancestral deal. Desperate, David turns to his ex-boyfriend and society rival Rhys for help, but Rhys is now married to Moira, creating a tense and complicated triangle. As the three of them navigate old feelings and dark forces, they must figure out how to save David's soul before it's too late.

When I first picked up Evocation, I was excited. Secret societies? Occult magic? A complex love triangle? Yes, please! And to be fair, the atmosphere absolutely delivered. Gibson’s talent for creating moody, immersive settings is undeniable, and the audio narration was fantastic—it really brought the world to life. I was immediately hooked by the blend of dark academia, library-core aesthetics, and the upper-crust magic of Boston’s elite.

But while the setup was intriguing, something just didn’t quite click for me. The relationship dynamics between David, Rhys, and Moira felt a bit strained and underdeveloped, which pulled me out of the story. Instead of deep, complex emotions, I got more melodrama than I wanted. And while the world-building was strong, it sometimes felt like an aesthetic checklist—like a “dark academia meets bougie Boston” Pinterest board that never fully embraced its own magical potential.

That said, I still found myself drawn to David’s character, and the ending genuinely surprised me in a good way. I’m curious to see where S.T. Gibson takes this series next—there’s a lot of potential for the secret society and its magical dynamics to really shine in a sequel. Here’s hoping Book 2 takes the bones of Evocation and builds something truly spellbinding.

Would I recommend it? If you love dark academia, secret societies, and a dash of angsty romance—sure! I just hope the series hits its stride in the next book.


Evocation is out now. Huge thank you to Angry Robots for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
Tiktok @speakingof.books
Website: SPEAKINGOF.ORG

I finally got around to reading this one and while I appreciated the dark fantasy and occult mystery elements, it turns out I may not have been the target audience. That said, Oscar Reyes’ narration was excellent and brought the atmosphere to life. I’m still interested in exploring more of Gibson’s work and may revisit this book down the line to see if it lands differently.

3.5 stars

Evocation is a compelling blend of dark fantasy and occult mystery. The novel introduces us to David Aristarkhov, a reluctant psychic with a troubled past, who becomes entangled in a dangerous game with the Devil himself.
The world-building is impressive, blending elements of historical occult practices with contemporary settings. The characters are well-developed, with complex motivations and intriguing backstories. The romantic tension between David and his ex-boyfriend Rhys adds an extra layer of intrigue to the plot.
While the premise is promising, the pacing can feel uneven at times. Some parts of the book drag, while others move too quickly. Additionally, the resolution of certain plot points may leave some readers wanting more.
Overall, Evocation is a solid start to a new series. Fans of dark fantasy and supernatural thrillers will likely enjoy this book, but it may not be for everyone.

i have tried a few times to pick this up, but it just not holding my interest. i am so sorry. i am wishing everyone a lot of success for this, but i sadly think this is just not for me.

Thank you to the Publisher for the ALC. This is my honest review.

I was not the target audience for this. It was a mix of the writing style and the characters. They just weren't it for me and felt forced too much. I couldn't get into the story and wasn't happy with it.

Narrator wasn't too bad, but not my preference.

5 ⭐

ST Gibson I am a huge fan! Evocation is one of those books where the writing is so beautiful you almost lose yourself within the world. I listened to the audiobook and was quickly engrossed in this world filled with magic and the paranormal, while still being grounded within a contemporary Boston setting. This book was narrated by Oscar Reyes and it was a 4⭐ narration. It felt a bit bland at times, but the writing and character relationships made me overlook it.

At first, it felt difficult to connect with the struggles between David, Moira and Rhys, but as the relationship started to play out and the issues were exposed, it made me love the book. The plot is a underlying part and issue, however, this is a character driven book that makes you feel for each one of them.

The ending makes me desperate for more of these characters! It was thrilling and I can't wait for the sequel, Ascension, to see where it goes from here.

📖 Secret Societies
📖 POC, Poly & LGBTQ+ rep!
📖 Gothic mystery
📖 Dark Academia
📖 Beautiful prose

Thank you NetGalley, Angry Robot & Tantor Audio for the ALC of Evocation by S.T. Gibson in exchange for an honest review!

I couldn't get into the narrator, unfortunately. The book itself seemed fine, just a case of personal preference.

I loved the style of the writing and was enthralled with the story. Such a fun read I was hooked from the beginning.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Evocation by S.T. Gibson is an amazing and mind bending story. I was supposed to review this novel when I first read this but rated it and forgot. Here I am now better late than never.
I read this novel from start to finish in only 2 days because I could not stop. I needed to know what will happen to these characters at every moment. The magic in this novel was really interesting and I love S.T. Gibson's gothic vibes in all of her novels. It makes the magic feel more monumental.
The relationships between the characters are the focal point and it does not disappoint. The unique connections between the characters only make the magic of this novel even more powerful.
Overall, I recommend this novel to any lover of gothic fantasy with unique magic systems!

S.T. Gibson’s writing feels both familiar and perfectly suited to her stories. There’s a unique charm in how she crafts her characters, allowing readers to fully understand their desires and intricacies. Her character development is so rich that you feel like you could guess the main characters’ favorite foods! In *Evocation*, all three protagonists are delightful and multi-dimensional, making them easy to connect with.

As someone familiar with Gibson’s style, I appreciated even the quieter, everyday moments that deepened my understanding of the characters. However, the pacing wasn’t always fast, which may not work for everyone. Personally, I enjoyed the slower pace as it allowed me to witness the organic growth of their friendships.

The magic system is thoughtfully developed and feels grounded, making it an excellent introduction for readers new to fantasy. Its integration into the world felt natural, enhancing the story without overwhelming it.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Evocation and eagerly anticipate more from Gibson in the future.

This book had some highs and lows. I enjoyed the magic and psychic powers qualities of this book and the group working together to solve the occult problem occurring with David. I did not really enjoy the throuple relationship or the characters at all. Basically it was a lot of cheating and a girl without a spine, and they called it polyamorous. It was a no for me. Also at one point someone touched someone else’s top nipples. Im still trying to figure out what that was 😆

2.75 stars from me, rounded up. I would give ST Gibson another try, as I did enjoy the story line!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley and the author for an arc of the audiobook. The narrator did a great job! I gave my honest opinion of the book in exchange for the arc.

Not exactly my style, thought it'd be more.

Good writing but couldn't connect with the story, unfortunately.

Will keep the rating on the middle because I wasn't the target for this.

This was an absolute hit for me. The writing was excellent and I loved the dynamic between the main characters. There were some great twists and turns and the world building also felt so captivating - the discussions around sorcery and secret societies managed to be fresh and unique, despite having been done many times before.

Always a fan of S.T.Gibson. I enjoy the magical aspect of the occult in his novel. The narrator was great. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC opportunity!

I love Gibson’s work, and I am so excited for this series to continue. This is a wonderful opening to a series that I know is going to be fantastic and full of drama, heat, and hope.

This was a SLOG to get through. The entire time I listened to this on audio, I could never—even for a second—get into it. The plot was completely uninteresting and anticlimactic to me. One of the three main characters, David, is possessed and he collaborates alongside his ex and his ex’s new wife, working through their thorny history, as they eradicate the possession. This had insta-love galore, a boring meandering plot, and characters that were difficult to connect with.

To me and my preferences, it's becoming clearer and clearer that Gibson is a one hit wonder. I miss the themes brought forward in her feminist, vengeful Dracula retelling, <i>A Dowry of Blood</i>. Where is that Gibson? Frankly, I don’t give a shit about stories centering men. At least <i>An Education in Malice</i> had its female leads going for it, and that was also a slog for me. But this didn’t work at all. We had Moira, who was great, but the deepest Gibson delved into making any kind of commentary on the sexism she established in her fictional secret society boils down to “women should be allowed to join us.” Which is shallow at best, but worse when you recognize that a man had to be elevated to a position of power to grant that possibility. Why couldn’t the previous priest sanction that? Why was it still happening in the first place given it is fucking 2024? Why was the paranormal sexism even necessary to the plot at all? Certainly, the trite, shallow resolution of that sexism wasn’t satisfying enough to necessitate it.

Overall, there were a myriad of issues with this. Thematically, this didn’t work for me. I struggled to connect with the characters. The poly romance, while great to see, was utterly undermined by the insta-love. The plot was boring and slow. Gibson’s releases have gotten lower and lower ratings from me and it’s honestly time I come to grips with facts—she had one good book. The rest is just simply not for me.

<b>RATING:</b> 1 star.

I love a good “deal with a demon” book and this did not disappoint. Add in anxiety, bi+, and poly rep? And a haunted house? I’m sold.
David was probably my favorite character. And Moira was a close second.
Oscar Reyes was a fantastic narrator for this story as well.

a hit and miss unfortunately. I was hyped for this from what others were saying but it didn't really do it for me, I couldn't get into the story and really didn't like the main character. it also started rocky for me to begin with, I just couldn't stand his character from the get-go.