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maddiegyoms's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a book! This book is everything you could ever want from a book about demons, witches, zombies, and witch hunters! Magic and gore everywhere. The descriptions, including the gross and gory ones, are so well detailed that at some points I felt like I could not only picture it but could even smell some of the descriptions! The whole story was so well thought out and executed, just beautifully written. I can't say enough good things about this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Abandonment
jaynellewags's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 Stars
Tropes: Witch Hunters, Found Family, Who Done It, Forced Proximity, Serial Killers
Thank you Netgalley for a eARC of this book.
This book was a whirlwind of a story and I may have stayed up late to make sure that I found out how everything ended up. I don't remember the last time I felt compelled to do that.
This story follows three teenage (17ish) girls that live in London. A killer is on the lose and they are cutting out squares of skin then murdering the women.
Jude is the daughter of a very wealthy man in London, but she accidentally cursed herself. Now everything she owns has fallen into ruin, and her leg is rotting...
Zara's sister has recently died. She is obsessed with the occult and will do anything to talk to Savannah just one more time
Emer writes Invocations. She is an extremely talented witch that lives day to day.
When the girls paths become intertwined, everything will change.
Quotes:
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,"
"I have to die... I need one of you to kill me."
Thoughts:
This book while very gory at times, was such a thrill to read. I loved House of Hollow so when I saw that Krystal Sutherland had a new book coming out I knew that I wanted to read it.
I loved all the three girls all had very different reasons for being involved with the occult. They were all working together originally out of selfish reasons, but their relationship evolved into so much more.
Emer's life was such a mess and I loved seeing her character get a support system, and people that she could count on after what happened was fantastic.
The underlying story of Emer's revenge to kill the people who took her family- the freaking plot twist- holy crap. It was fantastic. I somewhat saw it but the killer... I did not predict that at all.
I loved that there is a HEA with such a dark book. I really enjoy mystery/horror books that get super messy but then everything ends up good.
The relationship between Jude and her father was very interesting.
Tropes: Witch Hunters, Found Family, Who Done It, Forced Proximity, Serial Killers
Thank you Netgalley for a eARC of this book.
This book was a whirlwind of a story and I may have stayed up late to make sure that I found out how everything ended up. I don't remember the last time I felt compelled to do that.
This story follows three teenage (17ish) girls that live in London. A killer is on the lose and they are cutting out squares of skin then murdering the women.
Jude is the daughter of a very wealthy man in London, but she accidentally cursed herself. Now everything she owns has fallen into ruin, and her leg is rotting...
Zara's sister has recently died. She is obsessed with the occult and will do anything to talk to Savannah just one more time
Emer writes Invocations. She is an extremely talented witch that lives day to day.
When the girls paths become intertwined, everything will change.
Quotes:
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,"
"I have to die... I need one of you to kill me."
Thoughts:
This book while very gory at times, was such a thrill to read. I loved House of Hollow so when I saw that Krystal Sutherland had a new book coming out I knew that I wanted to read it.
I loved all the three girls all had very different reasons for being involved with the occult. They were all working together originally out of selfish reasons, but their relationship evolved into so much more.
Emer's life was such a mess and I loved seeing her character get a support system, and people that she could count on after what happened was fantastic.
The underlying story of Emer's revenge to kill the people who took her family- the freaking plot twist- holy crap. It was fantastic. I somewhat saw it but the killer... I did not predict that at all.
I loved that there is a HEA with such a dark book. I really enjoy mystery/horror books that get super messy but then everything ends up good.
The relationship between Jude and her father was very interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Medical content, Cannibalism, Stalking, Abortion, and Pregnancy
nerdybookqueen's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I got this book from netgalley in exchange for a review.
What an amazing adventure. If you enjoyed this author's other work, you'll enjoy this one.
Featuring three povs, these female leads must join together to achieve their goals and solve the mystery underlying the story. I found all three women to be very interesting and compelling characters, featuring unique motives and personalities.
Jude is working to fix the botched deal with a demon, and along the way starts investigating a string of murdered women, all with a similar signature. She meets Zara, a woman trying to find a way to bring her sister back from the dead. Together, they find Emer, the woman who, as it turns out, has written deals-invocations- with demons for all the murdered women so far. And she's not pleased they're turning up dead. Together, they work to discover whose been murdering these women, while trying to find a solution to both Jude and Zara's problems.
This story kept me hooked, every twist and turn in the tale creating an exciting adventure that had me hanging on every word until the end. I also loved the addition of sapphic main characters, enjoying their story and the evolution of their relationship through the tale.
I was so sad when the story ended, but so satisfied, and surprised, by the final act. I've already preorder the book, I loved it so much.
What an amazing adventure. If you enjoyed this author's other work, you'll enjoy this one.
Featuring three povs, these female leads must join together to achieve their goals and solve the mystery underlying the story. I found all three women to be very interesting and compelling characters, featuring unique motives and personalities.
Jude is working to fix the botched deal with a demon, and along the way starts investigating a string of murdered women, all with a similar signature. She meets Zara, a woman trying to find a way to bring her sister back from the dead. Together, they find Emer, the woman who, as it turns out, has written deals-invocations- with demons for all the murdered women so far. And she's not pleased they're turning up dead. Together, they work to discover whose been murdering these women, while trying to find a solution to both Jude and Zara's problems.
This story kept me hooked, every twist and turn in the tale creating an exciting adventure that had me hanging on every word until the end. I also loved the addition of sapphic main characters, enjoying their story and the evolution of their relationship through the tale.
I was so sad when the story ended, but so satisfied, and surprised, by the final act. I've already preorder the book, I loved it so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death
corabookworm's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Zara wants to raise her murdered sister from the dead. Jude is being slowly destroyed by the demons she cursed herself with. And Emer lives in the shadows, writing dangerous curses for desperate women. But those women are dying, brutally murdered and robbed of their magic. The three fierce girls, all connected to the occult in some way, unite to hunt down the killer.
The Invocations was delightfully disgusting and absolutely thrilling.
While Zara’s character felt a little flat to me at times, her love for her sister and her cleverness won me over. I also ADORED Jude and Emery. I was charmed by both Jude’s witty flirting and Emer’s feral fierceness. Reading the interactions between the three of them, and the side characters, made me laugh and cry and blush. (I have a soft spot for angry queer girls, I guess.)
The notes I wrote for myself after finishing this book included “ew but in a good way”, which accurately sums up Sutherland’s bloody body horror. This book definitely isn’t for the faint of heart—some of the descriptions had me shuddering, and the story itself is very dark. But the writing was absolutely delicious. If you enjoy horror books like Hell Followed With Us, you’ll absolutely devour this one.
In terms of plot, the concept was fantastic. A feminist, witchy mystery with demons and murder and sapphics? Yes please. I did predict the big plot twist, but enjoyed the story anyway. Sutherland constructed the mystery incredibly well, and slowly putting the puzzle pieces together was so fun. The slower-paced build-up was worth it for the action-packed climax, and the book had a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, The Invocations was absolutely incredible. Krystal Sutherland has once again created a haunting masterpiece packed full of vicious magic, furious women, and gorgeous writing. I loved it.
The Invocations was delightfully disgusting and absolutely thrilling.
While Zara’s character felt a little flat to me at times, her love for her sister and her cleverness won me over. I also ADORED Jude and Emery. I was charmed by both Jude’s witty flirting and Emer’s feral fierceness. Reading the interactions between the three of them, and the side characters, made me laugh and cry and blush. (I have a soft spot for angry queer girls, I guess.)
The notes I wrote for myself after finishing this book included “ew but in a good way”, which accurately sums up Sutherland’s bloody body horror. This book definitely isn’t for the faint of heart—some of the descriptions had me shuddering, and the story itself is very dark. But the writing was absolutely delicious. If you enjoy horror books like Hell Followed With Us, you’ll absolutely devour this one.
In terms of plot, the concept was fantastic. A feminist, witchy mystery with demons and murder and sapphics? Yes please. I did predict the big plot twist, but enjoyed the story anyway. Sutherland constructed the mystery incredibly well, and slowly putting the puzzle pieces together was so fun. The slower-paced build-up was worth it for the action-packed climax, and the book had a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, The Invocations was absolutely incredible. Krystal Sutherland has once again created a haunting masterpiece packed full of vicious magic, furious women, and gorgeous writing. I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
leos_library's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexism
anna_may's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
readhaileyread's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I had so much fun reading this!
It is dark, witchy, gruesome, and full of angry women who actually do something about it. I really like the messages of feminism, toxic masculinity, and misogyny that are sprinkled throughout the book. This book is also MUCH darker and more violent than I was expecting and is full of body horror (def a fan, but def gross). The serial killer mystery was great and the book had some fun twists.
Overall, this book is like a (really awesome) punch to the face. Krystal Sutherland is amazing. #girlpower
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC!
It is dark, witchy, gruesome, and full of angry women who actually do something about it. I really like the messages of feminism, toxic masculinity, and misogyny that are sprinkled throughout the book. This book is also MUCH darker and more violent than I was expecting and is full of body horror (def a fan, but def gross). The serial killer mystery was great and the book had some fun twists.
Overall, this book is like a (really awesome) punch to the face. Krystal Sutherland is amazing. #girlpower
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
camiandkitread's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“The Invocations” by New York Times bestselling author Krystal Sutherland is a dark, witchy thriller about the women who refused to be afraid of the men and demons who lurk in the night.
The book follows three girls from very different backgrounds: Zara Jones, Jude Wolf, and Emmer Bryne:
Zara doggedly believes in magic because it’s the solution she needs to bring her sister back after she was murdered by a serial killer. If dabbling in the occult will bring her sister back, then that’s what Zara will do. But she needs a guide to show her how to do real magic.
In sharp opposition to Zara, Jed Wolf, is an heiress who has had life served to her on a silver platter. That is, until a deal with a demon went awry and her soul began decaying. Flowers wither, insects drop dead, and monstrous things haunt her nights. If Jude can’t find someone with the skill to undo her mistake, she knows her time is limited.
Emer Bryne is the person both Zara and Jude are looking for. The self-trained daughter of a witch, Emer crafts spells for women in desperate situations that sacrifice part of their soul for enough magic to change their circumstances. Emer has her own dark past, which she fears has caught up with her as her former clients are being found murdered.
Once the three girls’ paths cross, they team up to catch the London Ripper before they end up his next victims.
I’ve seen “The Invocations” everywhere since I attended YALLFest in 2023 and was so excited to read it. I was expecting a clever, spooky tale with witches trying to solve a murder. While “The Invocations” technically delivered, I personally think it’s been overhyped. The style came across as disjointed and it was very difficult to keep track of which POV the chapters changed to.
The three main characters were all distinct in their personalities and had compelling backgrounds. They stayed true to their motivations the whole time and had compelling personal arcs. The plot was interesting and the stakes were high…but it was mostly lackluster. It seemed like it was trying too hard to be dark and edgy, and the characters slid into completely trusting each other a little too fast.
While I didn’t dislike “The Invocations,” I was definitely disappointed. It had all the right parts, but the execution was just slightly off, in my opinion.
I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
ramreadsagain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance digital copy. The below is my honest review.
Krystal Sutherland is really proving herself to be the exception to the rule when it comes to Young Adult literature for me. House of Hollow was excellent and this probably even exceeds that. This book really had that "one more chapter" feel, especially after the 80% mark; I've not stayed up late just to finish a book for so long but this truly had me hooked.
I loved all of the fantasy aspects, the interesting take on witchcraft was a highlight for me, particularly the world building around demons.
The main characters all felt very realistic, which I think is an achievement when you consider their extreme (and extremely different) upbringings. Their flaws felt real, done really well, and created an excellent dynamic between them as well. There was just enough of the romance subplot too, it never took over and I thought it was cute.
Some twists were a bit obvious, while others made me gasp as I only realised connections a couple of lines before our characters did. This to me is the perfect balance, I'm not against obvious twists but also enjoy being completely surprised. I've seen people comparing the 'obviousness' of the twist(s) here to the one in House of Hollow but I saw the HoH one coming a mile off too lol
It's not quite a 5 star read for me, partly because of the amount of convenience they experienced, for exampleSaul the PI available on the phone to provide whatever information they needed at the crucial plot point .
This was such an enjoyable read all the way through and I think that young women and girls will really enjoy this for its (albeit slightly heavyhanded) introduction to some fundamentals of feminism and the history of witch burning. I think the book created a really good balance between "witches are real in this world and they were persecuted" and "witch hunting was a tool used to oppress and control women". I think Zara's motivations too are a really great message and I love how hergrief and the results of bringing her sister back were handled.
Overall I really loved this and I'd absolutely recommend this to urban/contemporary fantasy fans as well as young adult readers.
Krystal Sutherland is really proving herself to be the exception to the rule when it comes to Young Adult literature for me. House of Hollow was excellent and this probably even exceeds that. This book really had that "one more chapter" feel, especially after the 80% mark; I've not stayed up late just to finish a book for so long but this truly had me hooked.
I loved all of the fantasy aspects, the interesting take on witchcraft was a highlight for me, particularly the world building around demons.
The main characters all felt very realistic, which I think is an achievement when you consider their extreme (and extremely different) upbringings. Their flaws felt real, done really well, and created an excellent dynamic between them as well. There was just enough of the romance subplot too, it never took over and I thought it was cute.
Some twists were a bit obvious, while others made me gasp as I only realised connections a couple of lines before our characters did. This to me is the perfect balance, I'm not against obvious twists but also enjoy being completely surprised. I've seen people comparing the 'obviousness' of the twist(s) here to the one in House of Hollow but I saw the HoH one coming a mile off too lol
It's not quite a 5 star read for me, partly because of the amount of convenience they experienced, for example
This was such an enjoyable read all the way through and I think that young women and girls will really enjoy this for its (albeit slightly heavyhanded) introduction to some fundamentals of feminism and the history of witch burning. I think the book created a really good balance between "witches are real in this world and they were persecuted" and "witch hunting was a tool used to oppress and control women". I think Zara's motivations too are a really great message and I love how her
Overall I really loved this and I'd absolutely recommend this to urban/contemporary fantasy fans as well as young adult readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Drug use