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The Summoner's Circle #0.5
Odd Spirits
Learn more about the characters from The Sunday Times bestselling author S.T. Gibson's Evocation in this gorgeously illustrated prequel novella to The Summoner's Circle series.
It takes a lot of commitment to make a marriage between a modern ceremonial magician and a tarot witch work, but when a malevolent entity takes up residence in Rhys and Moira’s home, their love will be pushed to the limits.
Brewing up a solution is easier said than done when your magical styles are polar opposites; throw a psychic ex and a secret society in the mix, and things are bound to get messy.
It takes a lot of commitment to make a marriage between a modern ceremonial magician and a tarot witch work, but when a malevolent entity takes up residence in Rhys and Moira’s home, their love will be pushed to the limits.
Brewing up a solution is easier said than done when your magical styles are polar opposites; throw a psychic ex and a secret society in the mix, and things are bound to get messy.
3 pages, Audiobook
First published August 7, 2018
102 people are currently reading
11899 people want to read
About the author
S.T. Gibson
16 books4,996 followersS.T. Gibson is a poet, author, and village wise woman in training.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a Masters of Theological Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a Masters of Theological Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 989 reviews
September 21, 2024
This is just the most wholesome lil tidbit of Rhys and Moira’s life, and revisiting them made my heart ache in the best way. Evocation has long been a favourite of mine, so I’m thrilled to have this novella looking into where our trio (kind of) began. Seeing them work through their insecurities and have many a chat about their occult practices I imagine will be healing for many, it’s honestly as if the story itself is a little magic.
October 25, 2024
I knew this novella was going to be short, but I’ve never flown through 115 pages so quickly!
Odd Spirits is the prequel novella to Evocation. While it doesn’t push the plot forward from Evocation, it gives a backstory to Rhys and Moira's relationship such as how they first met and the challenges in their marriage when a strange entity takes over their home. On their quest to reclaim their house, they turn to everyone’s favorite character, David! (NGL, they did David so dirty here when he was just trying to help, lol!)
I absolutely adored the writing style, the pacing, and the beautiful details like the endpapers and tarot card illustrations in every chapter.
Overall, this was a quick, fun read that added depth to the characters and makes re-reading Evocation even more fun the second time around. I highly recommend picking up Evocation if you enjoy stories filled with generational curses, supernatural forces, and secret organizations.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for the E-ARC and the gorgeous finished copy!
Odd Spirits is the prequel novella to Evocation. While it doesn’t push the plot forward from Evocation, it gives a backstory to Rhys and Moira's relationship such as how they first met and the challenges in their marriage when a strange entity takes over their home. On their quest to reclaim their house, they turn to everyone’s favorite character, David! (NGL, they did David so dirty here when he was just trying to help, lol!)
I absolutely adored the writing style, the pacing, and the beautiful details like the endpapers and tarot card illustrations in every chapter.
Overall, this was a quick, fun read that added depth to the characters and makes re-reading Evocation even more fun the second time around. I highly recommend picking up Evocation if you enjoy stories filled with generational curses, supernatural forces, and secret organizations.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for the E-ARC and the gorgeous finished copy!
September 22, 2024
EVERY TIME Rhys calls Moira 'little goddess' I'm convinced my life expectancy increases by a year
rating: 3.5 stars
rating: 3.5 stars
May 6, 2025
such a good prequel
August 18, 2018
I received an eARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review and that had no impact on my thoughts about this story. *trigger warning for biphobia in this novella*
When I read the description of this book on tumblr I was so excited to read it and the first maybe 60% lived up to the hype. I loved Gibson's writing for one thing, it was quite lovely prose without being overly done and was descriptive enough that I had clear ideas of the characters right from the start.
I liked that there was a bit of a dual narrative in the beginning, the central storyline about the mysterious things happening in the house in the present as well as some insight into how Rhys and Moira met through flashbacks. All of this, I thought, was done well. The writing and characterisation reminded me a lot of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, I'd even go so far as to say that Rhys was a lot like I would imagine Adam Parrish would be like if he had never met the Gangsey but had somehow ended up married to Blue.
The plot basically follows Rhys and Moira as they go about their everyday lives as psychics and try to figure out why there are strange things happening in their home. Has Rhys summoned something and failed to banish it properly? Has a ghost randomly decided to take up residence in their study? It all comes to a head when they decide to invite The Society, a group Rhys got involved with at college and who taught him a lot about summoning spirits. This is only a novella so I don't want to give away too much more of the plot for fear of spoiling the entire thing but really there's not a whole lot of plot to begin with.
What I liked:
○ The overall tone and atmosphere created, especially in the beginning
○ The character of Rhys, possibly because he reminds me of Adam Parrish
○ Moira calling out David for being a Leo (see beginning of review)
○ The writing style
○ The message about honest and open communication
What I didn't like:
○ David being sexist for literally no reason and unnecessarily gendering crystals? Like I'm sure it's something that might happen in real life but I thought it was a bit ridiculous
○ Honestly didn't love the way David was portrayed at all to be honest. Sure, jerks happen but
○ Moira in general, I hated her so much by the end of this oh my goodness
What I hated:
○
"Well he is a narcissist."
"He's a Leo."
"That's what I said."
When I read the description of this book on tumblr I was so excited to read it and the first maybe 60% lived up to the hype. I loved Gibson's writing for one thing, it was quite lovely prose without being overly done and was descriptive enough that I had clear ideas of the characters right from the start.
I liked that there was a bit of a dual narrative in the beginning, the central storyline about the mysterious things happening in the house in the present as well as some insight into how Rhys and Moira met through flashbacks. All of this, I thought, was done well. The writing and characterisation reminded me a lot of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, I'd even go so far as to say that Rhys was a lot like I would imagine Adam Parrish would be like if he had never met the Gangsey but had somehow ended up married to Blue.
The plot basically follows Rhys and Moira as they go about their everyday lives as psychics and try to figure out why there are strange things happening in their home. Has Rhys summoned something and failed to banish it properly? Has a ghost randomly decided to take up residence in their study? It all comes to a head when they decide to invite The Society, a group Rhys got involved with at college and who taught him a lot about summoning spirits. This is only a novella so I don't want to give away too much more of the plot for fear of spoiling the entire thing but really there's not a whole lot of plot to begin with.
What I liked:
○ The overall tone and atmosphere created, especially in the beginning
○ The character of Rhys, possibly because he reminds me of Adam Parrish
○ Moira calling out David for being a Leo (see beginning of review)
○ The writing style
○ The message about honest and open communication
What I didn't like:
○ David being sexist for literally no reason and unnecessarily gendering crystals? Like I'm sure it's something that might happen in real life but I thought it was a bit ridiculous
○ Honestly didn't love the way David was portrayed at all to be honest. Sure, jerks happen but
○ Moira in general, I hated her so much by the end of this oh my goodness
What I hated:
○
October 8, 2024
i guess i shouldn’t have expected much from a novella but it was nice to see the origins of Rhys and Moira’s relationship. they’re so sweet and considerate of how the other feels and this showed that it took them a bit to get to where they’re at now. i’ve come to realize that i prefer the relationship when David is included and even though he was in this, it just wasn’t the same. i loved the illustrations added throughout the book cause they were absolutely gorgeous. i’m glad i read this cause it provided more context to the characters and their dynamics but it didn’t do much for me. i’m still highly anticipating the 2nd book Ascension cause Evocation will always remain a favorite book of mine regardless!
➺ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Angry Robot Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
➺ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Angry Robot Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
April 7, 2022
This was painfully disappointing and pissed me off on so many levels.
As someone who jumped at the chance to read more work from ST Gibson after falling madly in love with A Dowry of Blood, I’m letting anyone who is vaguely curious about this novella know now to just skip it entirely and pretend it doesn’t even exist.
We’ll get what I liked out of the way. The magic system and secret society references. Also the cover is very pretty. Done.
Moving on to everything else about this story about a magical marriage in crisis.
Moira sucks. Rhys is spineless. This couple is ridiculous.
The root of their issues stem from a lack of communication, which is the point and the big thing they’re meant to tackle, but holy shit they were fighting over things that should’ve been discussed in the early months when they started dating. How this couple managed to just never fully flesh out Moira’s raging biphobia or how casually judgmental she is of Rhys’ magic practices BEFORE there was a proposal- B E F O R E there was a WEDDING, I have no clue.
The fact that Rhys immediately started apologizing for his negative feelings toward Moira after her paragraphs of blatantly spelling out that she doesn’t like that Rhys is bisexual and how she just doesn’t “get it.”
What a flaming pile of garbage.
Why Rhys is even friends with David doesn’t make sense either, and not because they’re ex boyfriends. David is a misogynistic, condescending, arrogant asshole without a likable or tolerable bone in his body. Why the hell does Rhys need to maintain this friendship ? What is there to positively reminisce about in the years they’ve known each other ???
This reads like a story about teenagers experiencing the aftermath of getting married in Vegas two seconds after meeting.
And we’re supposed to root for these people? You expect me to believe they legitimately had “pre marriage counseling”?
What was dating like for them to just never fully understand, accept, or know one another?
CW: biphobia, brief sexual content, misogyny
As someone who jumped at the chance to read more work from ST Gibson after falling madly in love with A Dowry of Blood, I’m letting anyone who is vaguely curious about this novella know now to just skip it entirely and pretend it doesn’t even exist.
We’ll get what I liked out of the way. The magic system and secret society references. Also the cover is very pretty. Done.
Moving on to everything else about this story about a magical marriage in crisis.
Moira sucks. Rhys is spineless. This couple is ridiculous.
The root of their issues stem from a lack of communication, which is the point and the big thing they’re meant to tackle, but holy shit they were fighting over things that should’ve been discussed in the early months when they started dating. How this couple managed to just never fully flesh out Moira’s raging biphobia or how casually judgmental she is of Rhys’ magic practices BEFORE there was a proposal- B E F O R E there was a WEDDING, I have no clue.
The fact that Rhys immediately started apologizing for his negative feelings toward Moira after her paragraphs of blatantly spelling out that she doesn’t like that Rhys is bisexual and how she just doesn’t “get it.”
What a flaming pile of garbage.
Why Rhys is even friends with David doesn’t make sense either, and not because they’re ex boyfriends. David is a misogynistic, condescending, arrogant asshole without a likable or tolerable bone in his body. Why the hell does Rhys need to maintain this friendship ? What is there to positively reminisce about in the years they’ve known each other ???
This reads like a story about teenagers experiencing the aftermath of getting married in Vegas two seconds after meeting.
And we’re supposed to root for these people? You expect me to believe they legitimately had “pre marriage counseling”?
What was dating like for them to just never fully understand, accept, or know one another?
CW: biphobia, brief sexual content, misogyny
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2024
i do love these characters and their relationship, i just love the magic and moira as a character but this was ok
November 11, 2024
marriage in crisis hatessssss to see me coming, but they will also never not destroy me!!!!
i didn’t read evocation so this novella really gave me no context, but why do we love david 😐 like fuck off i don’t wanna drag someone’s EX BOYFRIEND into the marriage (i unfortunately know how this plays out but his characterization here was not it)
this was genuinely such a good take on fixing a marriage. not communicating can affect ANYONE and i love the way this was handled, i was emo like majority of these 100 odd pages
i didn’t read evocation so this novella really gave me no context, but why do we love david 😐 like fuck off i don’t wanna drag someone’s EX BOYFRIEND into the marriage (i unfortunately know how this plays out but his characterization here was not it)
this was genuinely such a good take on fixing a marriage. not communicating can affect ANYONE and i love the way this was handled, i was emo like majority of these 100 odd pages
November 6, 2024
I love these characters and this world. This particular novella was a little hard to get through because of its subject matter and the fact that its entire plot is covered so thoroughly in Evocation.
Still recommend it, but definitely read it BEFORE the series proper.
Still recommend it, but definitely read it BEFORE the series proper.
April 11, 2021
Uh 🧍🏻if my wife told me she didn’t like that I was bisexual I would Simply Leave.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2020
Short. Sweet. Wonderfully witchy. Loved Loved these characters, especially the growth they underwent in such short amount of pages. Also, loved the fact that this was an established couple, sorting out issues in their marriage. Sometimes, you want romances that show that marriages still involve communication, and trust, and honesty, especially when the wife is a chaos witch and the husband is a ceremonial magician!
did-not-finish
November 12, 2024DNF @ 36%
jk I can't even hate read this novella because I hate Moira/Rhys so much. I can't believe that Rhys is even more of a wet rag in this damn prequel. 😭😑😒
jk I can't even hate read this novella because I hate Moira/Rhys so much. I can't believe that Rhys is even more of a wet rag in this damn prequel. 😭😑😒
November 13, 2025
Really enjoyed Odd Spirits and it's got me excited to jump into Evocation next.
November 2, 2024
“Often, he found himself reliving conversations hours or days after they happened, only then stumbling upon the thing he should have said.”
In this prequel novella to Evocation we follow Rhys and Moira dealing with their first disagreements as newlyweds, and how they deal with everything they decide not to say to each other for fear of breaking what they have. It’s an entertaining short story that, although it doesn’t contribute anything new to the series, offers the reader the opportunity to glimpse the beginnings of their relationship, as well as why at the beginning of Evocation they don’t want to have contact with David (although now that I have read said event, it seems to me that the couple was quite unfair to the medium).
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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April 26, 2021
From the summary alone, this story had a good hook and got me pretty interested. A witchy couple dealing with both a messy situation and a potential poltergeist? Sounds fun!
However, it’s very disappointing after a certain scene. It turns out that the poltergeist isn’t a poltergeist at all but a tulpa - a combination of both Rhys and Moira’s anxieties, insecurities, and other negative feelings combined, and especially since they both come from different studies of magic.
Up till now, there are flashbacks peppered between the main story through chapters which are fine and they’re cute. But, well, and I think this contributes a lot to how I feel about the ending and revelations about the couple. I’m sure the flashbacks aimed to show how opposite both Moira and Rhys are but they fell in love anyway.
But, issues about their past were never brought up until the climax and even that’s questionable at best. Moira admits that she “doesn’t like the fact [he’s] bisexual” and Rhys doesn’t like the fact that… she talks to people in lines and doesn’t seem to realize they’re flirting with her.
So, I have several issues with this so let me try to get to the point.
Rhys invites a group of men from something called The Society, one of whom was an ex-boyfriend of his. When Moira brings up the fact she’s jealous and worried that she’s not enough for Rhys, knowing the kind of man David (the ex-boyfriend) is, she drops the biphobia and it made me view her differently as a character. If you wanted to establish the fact the character is worried or jealous about her husband spending time with his ex-boyfriend, there are way better ways and those lines were completely unnecessary. There’s already the fact that Moira worries she’s not enough for him - why add in the fact that Rhys is bisexual? We can infer that without the slurs.
And I think another thing that bothers me a lot as well is that Moira is seemingly the only person of color so seeing her say all these things towards her white husband… It bothers me a lot more than I’d like to admit. Not to say that people of color don’t hold bigoted views, they absolutely can, but it’s quite the observation that the only woman of color (with a speaking role) is the one saying these things.
I would’ve expected David, the narcissistic Leo, to be that way considering he kept acting like he’s God’s gift to everyone as he’d ‘grace’ them with his presence. And especially since he made it a point to irritate Moira with little to no repercussions except when Rhys “makes” the tulpa attack him. I wasn’t too clear about what happened but it doesn’t matter.
There’s no accusation being made here. Moira, by herself, is a good character in her own right but she feels a bit too small and too compartmentalized compared to Rhys whose own history seemed to be more fleshed out.
I do believe that Moira and Rhys love each other, but with the talks between the jealousy and anxieties and insecurities, I sure wished the flashbacks were utilized a bit better. They don’t have to be all fluff and all happy times and they don’t have to be completely miserable either. The fact of the matter is that no relationship is perfect and while the author may have good intentions to show an interracial relationship, the biphobia took me out where it almost felt that the writing degraded - which could very well be my biases and the fact the biphobic lines bothered me.
Before the biphobia, I did enjoy it, even if it is a bit flawed in places, but it is very disappointing.
And what makes the fallout worse for me is that Rhys is the one who apologizes to her. If you see the warning that biphobia comes up, it does, but there’s no real discussion on it. There’s no real tackling other than, “I’m just jealous” “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Simply put, the thing that took me out the most was the biphobia coming from the speaking woman of color, it wasn’t addressed, and nothing changed.
If Moira had simply said, “I’m jealous of the relationship between you and David” and left it at that, that’s way more understanding than biphobia. Jealousy is something that everyone experiences and especially since they’re a young couple, after going out for a short amount of time, there could’ve been a way to show that okay - maybe they rushed their relationship, and even though they love each other, sometimes, insecurities have their way of popping up (the tulpa).
And honestly, I’m not fond of David on there because he nearly stole the show. Even though his point was to drive the couple closer together, it felt he was trying to drive a wedge more… and he came off looking like a ‘hero’ at the end of it all.
At the end of the day, I think the biggest problem is that not enough is shown - why did Rhys go out with David in the first place, why does Rhys have difficulty with Moira being a bit more chatty than he is? And a lot more questions as well. Once again, “show, don’t tell” rears its ugly head but unfortunately, the biphobia showed itself more.
However, it’s very disappointing after a certain scene. It turns out that the poltergeist isn’t a poltergeist at all but a tulpa - a combination of both Rhys and Moira’s anxieties, insecurities, and other negative feelings combined, and especially since they both come from different studies of magic.
Up till now, there are flashbacks peppered between the main story through chapters which are fine and they’re cute. But, well, and I think this contributes a lot to how I feel about the ending and revelations about the couple. I’m sure the flashbacks aimed to show how opposite both Moira and Rhys are but they fell in love anyway.
But, issues about their past were never brought up until the climax and even that’s questionable at best. Moira admits that she “doesn’t like the fact [he’s] bisexual” and Rhys doesn’t like the fact that… she talks to people in lines and doesn’t seem to realize they’re flirting with her.
So, I have several issues with this so let me try to get to the point.
Rhys invites a group of men from something called The Society, one of whom was an ex-boyfriend of his. When Moira brings up the fact she’s jealous and worried that she’s not enough for Rhys, knowing the kind of man David (the ex-boyfriend) is, she drops the biphobia and it made me view her differently as a character. If you wanted to establish the fact the character is worried or jealous about her husband spending time with his ex-boyfriend, there are way better ways and those lines were completely unnecessary. There’s already the fact that Moira worries she’s not enough for him - why add in the fact that Rhys is bisexual? We can infer that without the slurs.
And I think another thing that bothers me a lot as well is that Moira is seemingly the only person of color so seeing her say all these things towards her white husband… It bothers me a lot more than I’d like to admit. Not to say that people of color don’t hold bigoted views, they absolutely can, but it’s quite the observation that the only woman of color (with a speaking role) is the one saying these things.
I would’ve expected David, the narcissistic Leo, to be that way considering he kept acting like he’s God’s gift to everyone as he’d ‘grace’ them with his presence. And especially since he made it a point to irritate Moira with little to no repercussions except when Rhys “makes” the tulpa attack him. I wasn’t too clear about what happened but it doesn’t matter.
There’s no accusation being made here. Moira, by herself, is a good character in her own right but she feels a bit too small and too compartmentalized compared to Rhys whose own history seemed to be more fleshed out.
I do believe that Moira and Rhys love each other, but with the talks between the jealousy and anxieties and insecurities, I sure wished the flashbacks were utilized a bit better. They don’t have to be all fluff and all happy times and they don’t have to be completely miserable either. The fact of the matter is that no relationship is perfect and while the author may have good intentions to show an interracial relationship, the biphobia took me out where it almost felt that the writing degraded - which could very well be my biases and the fact the biphobic lines bothered me.
Before the biphobia, I did enjoy it, even if it is a bit flawed in places, but it is very disappointing.
And what makes the fallout worse for me is that Rhys is the one who apologizes to her. If you see the warning that biphobia comes up, it does, but there’s no real discussion on it. There’s no real tackling other than, “I’m just jealous” “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Simply put, the thing that took me out the most was the biphobia coming from the speaking woman of color, it wasn’t addressed, and nothing changed.
If Moira had simply said, “I’m jealous of the relationship between you and David” and left it at that, that’s way more understanding than biphobia. Jealousy is something that everyone experiences and especially since they’re a young couple, after going out for a short amount of time, there could’ve been a way to show that okay - maybe they rushed their relationship, and even though they love each other, sometimes, insecurities have their way of popping up (the tulpa).
And honestly, I’m not fond of David on there because he nearly stole the show. Even though his point was to drive the couple closer together, it felt he was trying to drive a wedge more… and he came off looking like a ‘hero’ at the end of it all.
At the end of the day, I think the biggest problem is that not enough is shown - why did Rhys go out with David in the first place, why does Rhys have difficulty with Moira being a bit more chatty than he is? And a lot more questions as well. Once again, “show, don’t tell” rears its ugly head but unfortunately, the biphobia showed itself more.
July 30, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was such an easy and great novella.
Personally felt like a cozy fall read.
Great start to this series💕
This was such an easy and great novella.
Personally felt like a cozy fall read.
Great start to this series💕
October 23, 2025
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
3.5* rounded up to 4*. This will be a review of Odd Spirits, published October 8th, 2024, from the perspective of someone who has also read Odd Spirits, published August 7th, 2018. There is a distinct difference between the two editions, though both share this singular Goodreads listing.
Odd Spirits 2.0 is a novella predating the events of Evocation, the first book in the Summoner's Circle series. It follows the young marriage of Rhys and Moira, two of our three characters from Evocation, as they deal with emotional and supernatural difficulties in their relationship, with David, the third character of Evocation, popping up to both help and hinder them simultaneously.
This novella is very character driven, despite being centered around a mystery plot, and features much more of Rhys and Moira than David. Moira and Rhys are having marital issues--- something is slinking around the house, rotting food and messing with the plumbing and giving Moira a great deal of anxiety, but neither of them are willing to admit that something might be wrong, trying their best to ignore both the emotional cracks in their relationship and the cracks in the foundation of their home.
We also get flashbacks to the first couple of times Moira met Rhys, where they fell in love and their first kiss, a headstrong, no-nonsense kind of country witch crossing paths with a strict, stringent pencil pusher magician. Though originally rocky, both Moira and Rhys fall quickly in love with each other and we see the result being their spur-of-the-moment marriage.
Though it is clear that both of these people love each other, I found myself consistently annoyed by the fact that they wouldn't talk to each other and actually didn't seem to *like* each other all that much. Rhys is a workaholic who ignores his wife until she literally barges into his office after being supernaturally attacked. Moira is confrontational in the extreme with Rhys's ex, but refuses to actually confront and speak to Rhys himself and gives the silent treatment and finds ways to avoid him. Both of them refuse to acknowledge that there is literally SO OBVIOUSLY some sort of malicious entity causing chaos in their lives, and it drove me nuts. I almost wish something bad had happened to one or both of them, to make them realize just how horribly they were handling the situation.
When David is invited to come and figure out what is haunting their home, Moira is combative and rude in the extreme, and David is just as cruel and egotistical as he is in Evocation. Rhys is, as usual, a mess and does the wrong thing several times, from fumbling all over his words when a photograph of him and David appears in their bedroom, to snapping at both of his paramores in front of the members of the magical society.
In the end, David is kicked out, after risking his life to try to help get to the bottom of things, and Moira and Rhys have their emotional explosion at each other. Their long-awaited overflow of communication shows just how little the two are really in tune with each other and how much they are blind to the realities of how the other feels. And this conversation leads to Rhys finally solving their supernatural entity mystery, and saving the day with Moira, saving their marriage and relationship in the process.
So, overall, not as good as Evocation. I think David has the kind of leading character energy that Rhys lacks in every way, and having too little of him in the book really hinders it when you know how closely entwined these three individuals are going to be. The frankly stupid communication issues between Rhys and Moira drove me up a wall and I disliked Rhys more than I already did by the ending.
To touch on the subject of the biphobia present in Odd Spirits 1.0--- where Moira is presented as a heteronormative-upholding country gal--- it is not present overtly in Odd Spirits 2.0. Here is the line from 1.0:
“God, fine! I don’t like that you’re bisexual. I never have.” She continues; “Go ahead, crucify me.” "But I can’t change the way I feel. I’m just so terrified you’re going to wake up one day and decide you don’t want me anymore, because there are certain things I just can’t give you…”
And further; "Where I grew up you were either one or the other, and I know you’ve tried to explain this to me, but I just don’t understand. And then you go off and spend all this time with these men and I’m not allowed to come, and then I realize that you’ve known David forever and that you two to go out…”
And finally; “...I just don’t like the way he treats you and I don’t like how much you let him get away with, and yeah, if I had my way you would never see him again and maybe that makes me a controlling hellbitch but...Rhys, are you listening to me?”
(After which point Rhys offers HER an apology). This is very clearly a character expressing common biphobic sentiments. Below I will share the dialogue that Odd Spirits 2.0 has for that same scene.
“I don’t know if we can do this, Rhys. We’re just different people, and no matter how hard we try, we can never seem to build real trust with each other. Maybe we should take a step back and reevaluate. I just… I don’t know. That’s it."
“Sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if we hadn’t gotten married so young,” “I know that makes me wicked, and I wish I could just be a better wife. But there’s something wrong, inside me. I’m sorry it took me this long to tell you.”
“When I met you, I thought, there he is, that’s the person I’ve been waiting for. But I see you with David and the other guys from the Society and it’s like looking at a stranger. It’s like I don’t know you at all, and I wonder how well you know me, at the end of the day. There are parts of your inner world I just can’t access, and there are things about me you’ll never understand. I don’t know if love is enough to make up for that. I really hope it is, Rhys. I pray for that every day. But I just don’t know.”
So, Odd Spirits 2.0 clearly axed the plot line of Moira being biphobic in exchange for her being insecure and thinking she's wicked for having insecurities. I really just don't know if this is the way to change what was already problematic? My thoughts on this are muddled. But there are the exact quotations, laid out, since 2.0 has to share a review pool with 1.0.
Also, to speak on the quality of the book, I can see why it was re-edited beyond the removal of the biphobia. 1.0 was a mess of clunky descriptions, awkward dialogue, and careless references. It was definitely and clearly a labor of love by the author, but 2.0 shows just how much they have grown and improved as a writer. The prose is very pretty, the descriptions have much more Creepy Cozy Vibe™, and the dialogue has been worked over to sound more natural for the two protagonists. I would like to end off by sharing this final comparison;
From 1.0; "Rhys had shoved the book into a shoebox under his bed where he kept a pack of menthol Camels and a copy of Brokeback Mountain."
From 2.0; "Rhys had shoved the book into a shoebox on the top shelf of his closet where he kept a pack of menthol Camels and his beat-up Hellblazer comics."
If you know me you'll know that John Constantine is one of my favourite characters of all time and I clocked Evocation as having a Hellblazer vibe before I even got my claws on the ARC of it, and being proven right by the text itself is so nice. And the cherry on top is that the Hellblazer comics replace a copy of *BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN,* of all things. Thanks, Gibson. That made me laugh.
Overall, Odd Spirits 2.0 is a vast improvement in quality to the original, but still features some problems with the protagonists and characterization. While it is a good novella to pick up for the fall vibes, I would only recommend reading it if you read AND enjoyed Evocation.
3.5* rounded up to 4*. This will be a review of Odd Spirits, published October 8th, 2024, from the perspective of someone who has also read Odd Spirits, published August 7th, 2018. There is a distinct difference between the two editions, though both share this singular Goodreads listing.
Odd Spirits 2.0 is a novella predating the events of Evocation, the first book in the Summoner's Circle series. It follows the young marriage of Rhys and Moira, two of our three characters from Evocation, as they deal with emotional and supernatural difficulties in their relationship, with David, the third character of Evocation, popping up to both help and hinder them simultaneously.
This novella is very character driven, despite being centered around a mystery plot, and features much more of Rhys and Moira than David. Moira and Rhys are having marital issues--- something is slinking around the house, rotting food and messing with the plumbing and giving Moira a great deal of anxiety, but neither of them are willing to admit that something might be wrong, trying their best to ignore both the emotional cracks in their relationship and the cracks in the foundation of their home.
We also get flashbacks to the first couple of times Moira met Rhys, where they fell in love and their first kiss, a headstrong, no-nonsense kind of country witch crossing paths with a strict, stringent pencil pusher magician. Though originally rocky, both Moira and Rhys fall quickly in love with each other and we see the result being their spur-of-the-moment marriage.
Though it is clear that both of these people love each other, I found myself consistently annoyed by the fact that they wouldn't talk to each other and actually didn't seem to *like* each other all that much. Rhys is a workaholic who ignores his wife until she literally barges into his office after being supernaturally attacked. Moira is confrontational in the extreme with Rhys's ex, but refuses to actually confront and speak to Rhys himself and gives the silent treatment and finds ways to avoid him. Both of them refuse to acknowledge that there is literally SO OBVIOUSLY some sort of malicious entity causing chaos in their lives, and it drove me nuts. I almost wish something bad had happened to one or both of them, to make them realize just how horribly they were handling the situation.
When David is invited to come and figure out what is haunting their home, Moira is combative and rude in the extreme, and David is just as cruel and egotistical as he is in Evocation. Rhys is, as usual, a mess and does the wrong thing several times, from fumbling all over his words when a photograph of him and David appears in their bedroom, to snapping at both of his paramores in front of the members of the magical society.
In the end, David is kicked out, after risking his life to try to help get to the bottom of things, and Moira and Rhys have their emotional explosion at each other. Their long-awaited overflow of communication shows just how little the two are really in tune with each other and how much they are blind to the realities of how the other feels. And this conversation leads to Rhys finally solving their supernatural entity mystery, and saving the day with Moira, saving their marriage and relationship in the process.
So, overall, not as good as Evocation. I think David has the kind of leading character energy that Rhys lacks in every way, and having too little of him in the book really hinders it when you know how closely entwined these three individuals are going to be. The frankly stupid communication issues between Rhys and Moira drove me up a wall and I disliked Rhys more than I already did by the ending.
To touch on the subject of the biphobia present in Odd Spirits 1.0--- where Moira is presented as a heteronormative-upholding country gal--- it is not present overtly in Odd Spirits 2.0. Here is the line from 1.0:
“God, fine! I don’t like that you’re bisexual. I never have.” She continues; “Go ahead, crucify me.” "But I can’t change the way I feel. I’m just so terrified you’re going to wake up one day and decide you don’t want me anymore, because there are certain things I just can’t give you…”
And further; "Where I grew up you were either one or the other, and I know you’ve tried to explain this to me, but I just don’t understand. And then you go off and spend all this time with these men and I’m not allowed to come, and then I realize that you’ve known David forever and that you two to go out…”
And finally; “...I just don’t like the way he treats you and I don’t like how much you let him get away with, and yeah, if I had my way you would never see him again and maybe that makes me a controlling hellbitch but...Rhys, are you listening to me?”
(After which point Rhys offers HER an apology). This is very clearly a character expressing common biphobic sentiments. Below I will share the dialogue that Odd Spirits 2.0 has for that same scene.
“I don’t know if we can do this, Rhys. We’re just different people, and no matter how hard we try, we can never seem to build real trust with each other. Maybe we should take a step back and reevaluate. I just… I don’t know. That’s it."
“Sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if we hadn’t gotten married so young,” “I know that makes me wicked, and I wish I could just be a better wife. But there’s something wrong, inside me. I’m sorry it took me this long to tell you.”
“When I met you, I thought, there he is, that’s the person I’ve been waiting for. But I see you with David and the other guys from the Society and it’s like looking at a stranger. It’s like I don’t know you at all, and I wonder how well you know me, at the end of the day. There are parts of your inner world I just can’t access, and there are things about me you’ll never understand. I don’t know if love is enough to make up for that. I really hope it is, Rhys. I pray for that every day. But I just don’t know.”
So, Odd Spirits 2.0 clearly axed the plot line of Moira being biphobic in exchange for her being insecure and thinking she's wicked for having insecurities. I really just don't know if this is the way to change what was already problematic? My thoughts on this are muddled. But there are the exact quotations, laid out, since 2.0 has to share a review pool with 1.0.
Also, to speak on the quality of the book, I can see why it was re-edited beyond the removal of the biphobia. 1.0 was a mess of clunky descriptions, awkward dialogue, and careless references. It was definitely and clearly a labor of love by the author, but 2.0 shows just how much they have grown and improved as a writer. The prose is very pretty, the descriptions have much more Creepy Cozy Vibe™, and the dialogue has been worked over to sound more natural for the two protagonists. I would like to end off by sharing this final comparison;
From 1.0; "Rhys had shoved the book into a shoebox under his bed where he kept a pack of menthol Camels and a copy of Brokeback Mountain."
From 2.0; "Rhys had shoved the book into a shoebox on the top shelf of his closet where he kept a pack of menthol Camels and his beat-up Hellblazer comics."
If you know me you'll know that John Constantine is one of my favourite characters of all time and I clocked Evocation as having a Hellblazer vibe before I even got my claws on the ARC of it, and being proven right by the text itself is so nice. And the cherry on top is that the Hellblazer comics replace a copy of *BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN,* of all things. Thanks, Gibson. That made me laugh.
Overall, Odd Spirits 2.0 is a vast improvement in quality to the original, but still features some problems with the protagonists and characterization. While it is a good novella to pick up for the fall vibes, I would only recommend reading it if you read AND enjoyed Evocation.
November 3, 2024
Okey, this was nice addition to Evocation, gave us more insight into Rhys and Moira beginning of marriage and was quick and fun to read.
The audiobook narrators were good and it's only three hours so I would recommend it to everyone who read evocation!
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
The audiobook narrators were good and it's only three hours so I would recommend it to everyone who read evocation!
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
November 12, 2024
"I can't even take a bath in peace without some weird shit happening. I'm racking my brain wondering how this could have happened. How could something so nasty have gotten into my house. Especially after all the warding and cleansing we do. And then I remember. My husband thinks it's fun to call up demons for casual chit chats.
Demons...spirits - it makes no difference. I told you summoning circles are dangerous and I've asked you to be more careful."
"A summoning circle, when well cast and properly closed, is perfectly safe." Rhys said.
It was at that moment the portrait on the wall behind him began to weep blood. Moira stood stock still for a moment, frozen by horror and she gave her husband a withering glance."
I want you to do whatever ceremonial shit it takes to fix this, Rhys. She said looking past him to the stained portrait. I'm serious." 😹
💭I'm yet to read Evocation and this prequel offers a sneak peek to newlyweds Rhys and Moira's marital life during its early stages.
A witch and a sorcerer - two polar opposites with very different occult practice.
Enchanting and chaotic. 😹 It is riveting being able to witness them working through their own insecurities and differences.
How they explore and approach their distinctly different magical backgrounds whilst facing
supernatural shenanigans, secrets and shameful revelations.
Love the characters, setting, atmosphere and tone. Plus the different kinds of magical practice incorporated in the story.
Short, fast-paced and character driven prequel novella in the Summoner's Circle series.
Great narration by Joe Hempel.
Tropes:
Haunted house
Summoning circles
Secret society
Psychics and Séances
Marital struggles
Poly rep
Witch magic 🔮✨ sages, crystals, spells, tarot cards
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia 🖤
4✨
Demons...spirits - it makes no difference. I told you summoning circles are dangerous and I've asked you to be more careful."
"A summoning circle, when well cast and properly closed, is perfectly safe." Rhys said.
It was at that moment the portrait on the wall behind him began to weep blood. Moira stood stock still for a moment, frozen by horror and she gave her husband a withering glance."
I want you to do whatever ceremonial shit it takes to fix this, Rhys. She said looking past him to the stained portrait. I'm serious." 😹
💭I'm yet to read Evocation and this prequel offers a sneak peek to newlyweds Rhys and Moira's marital life during its early stages.
A witch and a sorcerer - two polar opposites with very different occult practice.
Enchanting and chaotic. 😹 It is riveting being able to witness them working through their own insecurities and differences.
How they explore and approach their distinctly different magical backgrounds whilst facing
supernatural shenanigans, secrets and shameful revelations.
Love the characters, setting, atmosphere and tone. Plus the different kinds of magical practice incorporated in the story.
Short, fast-paced and character driven prequel novella in the Summoner's Circle series.
Great narration by Joe Hempel.
Tropes:
Haunted house
Summoning circles
Secret society
Psychics and Séances
Marital struggles
Poly rep
Witch magic 🔮✨ sages, crystals, spells, tarot cards
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia 🖤
4✨
September 25, 2024
An intimate prequel novella to Evocation by ST Gibson.
When weird things start happening in newly wed Moira and Rhys’s house, their patience, anxiety, and relationship is tested.
This happens one year after they are married - presenting an honest picture of the domestic. Moira and Rhys are still getting used to each other. Ironing out routines, building communication strategies, and bumping into each other's emotional furniture.
Gibson cleverly shows how the honeymoon period, society’s gushing, personal expectations, aren’t indicative of married life, demonstrating a certain naivety.
"In my experience, places are never the way you remember them," Rhys said quietly, his expression darkening. "Even if you find it the way you left it. You're the thing that changes."
This was short and poignant. The plot is loose - more of a vehicle for exploring Moria and Rhys’s dynamics and issues.
Sadly, the prose was not as beautiful as Dowry of Blood (which has set the benchmark of WOW, drooling), but it does show how vulnerability can be the best and worst of a relationship.
This also had gorgeous coloured illustrations that really brought the characters to life!
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
When weird things start happening in newly wed Moira and Rhys’s house, their patience, anxiety, and relationship is tested.
This happens one year after they are married - presenting an honest picture of the domestic. Moira and Rhys are still getting used to each other. Ironing out routines, building communication strategies, and bumping into each other's emotional furniture.
Gibson cleverly shows how the honeymoon period, society’s gushing, personal expectations, aren’t indicative of married life, demonstrating a certain naivety.
"In my experience, places are never the way you remember them," Rhys said quietly, his expression darkening. "Even if you find it the way you left it. You're the thing that changes."
This was short and poignant. The plot is loose - more of a vehicle for exploring Moria and Rhys’s dynamics and issues.
Sadly, the prose was not as beautiful as Dowry of Blood (which has set the benchmark of WOW, drooling), but it does show how vulnerability can be the best and worst of a relationship.
This also had gorgeous coloured illustrations that really brought the characters to life!
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
September 27, 2024
This was soooooo cute but I just cannot take a ‘love banishes the evil magic’ storyline seriously ever
I felt this a little with Evocation but even more so here, that it’s so obvious Saint’s favourite character is David, and I fear it weakens the story. You can even tell in the illustrations in this which is wild to me.
I felt this a little with Evocation but even more so here, that it’s so obvious Saint’s favourite character is David, and I fear it weakens the story. You can even tell in the illustrations in this which is wild to me.
November 27, 2024
Considering this was a novella or an anthology, it was very good
Imagine that you are two powerful Witch and Sorcerer married and your emotions manifest spirits that could cause you headaches and your marriage to crumble!!!!!!!!!!
I have not read Evocation by Gibson, so I knew nothing of the characters
nevertheless, I did not struggle with knowing them and delving into their background
I loved how we were immediately immersed in the magic world
It was a very well-constructed story with a strong beginning and a strong finish
Imagine that you are two powerful Witch and Sorcerer married and your emotions manifest spirits that could cause you headaches and your marriage to crumble!!!!!!!!!!
I have not read Evocation by Gibson, so I knew nothing of the characters
nevertheless, I did not struggle with knowing them and delving into their background
I loved how we were immediately immersed in the magic world
It was a very well-constructed story with a strong beginning and a strong finish
December 29, 2024
4.5 Stars.
I loved this. Moira and Rhys are great and the plot of this book was so good. I love ST Gibsons writing style. It's made me so much more excited to pick up Evocation which I've had on my shelves for a while now. Love the illustrations as well.
I loved this. Moira and Rhys are great and the plot of this book was so good. I love ST Gibsons writing style. It's made me so much more excited to pick up Evocation which I've had on my shelves for a while now. Love the illustrations as well.
April 5, 2024
So you're telling me you've been dating for two years and haven't communicated a single day of it????
July 15, 2025
More David please!!!!
September 23, 2024
̗̀➛ thank you to netgalley and the author for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
THIS WAS REALLY SWEET!! i really enjoyed reading 'evocation' so i was pumped to have the opportunity to learn more about rhys & moira's life / background and i was not disappointed. this was just very cute, a palate cleanser in a sea of angsty, heart-wrenching books! it was also such a delight to see them working through their insecurities / marital issues, because i think it added a nice tone of realism to a world that is otherwise filled with magic, but without it being too much of a 'problem' (as in, you know those books that abuse angstiness in order to stand out). the author's writing, too, is such a bonus for me!! it's as if every sentence was laced with a dash of magic!! it was a treat to read this novella!! the illustrations were also so pretty!
THIS WAS REALLY SWEET!! i really enjoyed reading 'evocation' so i was pumped to have the opportunity to learn more about rhys & moira's life / background and i was not disappointed. this was just very cute, a palate cleanser in a sea of angsty, heart-wrenching books! it was also such a delight to see them working through their insecurities / marital issues, because i think it added a nice tone of realism to a world that is otherwise filled with magic, but without it being too much of a 'problem' (as in, you know those books that abuse angstiness in order to stand out). the author's writing, too, is such a bonus for me!! it's as if every sentence was laced with a dash of magic!! it was a treat to read this novella!! the illustrations were also so pretty!
June 26, 2025
I didn’t read the original Odd Spirits novella, but I’m very familiar with Gibson‘s work. And it pains me to see that this novella has recently been edited and still reads like a draft. I don’t know what’s going on here?
The dialogue in Odd Spirits reads very stilted. Moira and Rhys are married, but they seem to have only just met. They constantly tell each other things a married couple should know.
“Besides, you know I don’t even like working with spirits; that’s your thing.” (p. 11)
“Well first of all, in my tradition we call it a spell.” (p. 13)
I feel like a spouse would be the first to know that I’m creating a “spell”. Has Moira never crafted (is that the right verb?) a spell in their home at all? But why would she be stashing all her utensils here then? I’m confused.
The narrative also consists of too much telling and this is a repeat problem with Gibson’s novels. It’s such a turnoff and it ruins all the magic. Instead of telling me what the characters are doing, please show me their emotions.
“[Moira] and Rhys had gotten married in the throes of their honeymoon period, and as a result, they didn’t have a wealth of experience navigating conflict together.” (p. 17)
“Still, it was impossible not to notice that she and Rhys were slowly but surely drifting apart, as slowly and surely as her house was becoming utterly inhospitable.” (p. 26)
This paragraph would have made great dialogue. However, we get characters who act and talk like people on their first date.
On the plus side, I think the characters have real personalities, but they are being burdened by hasty writing. Gibson tries to cram too much into too little space. Am I going to try another one of her books? I really don’t know.
Thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to the ARC. All my opinions are my own.
The dialogue in Odd Spirits reads very stilted. Moira and Rhys are married, but they seem to have only just met. They constantly tell each other things a married couple should know.
“Besides, you know I don’t even like working with spirits; that’s your thing.” (p. 11)
“Well first of all, in my tradition we call it a spell.” (p. 13)
I feel like a spouse would be the first to know that I’m creating a “spell”. Has Moira never crafted (is that the right verb?) a spell in their home at all? But why would she be stashing all her utensils here then? I’m confused.
The narrative also consists of too much telling and this is a repeat problem with Gibson’s novels. It’s such a turnoff and it ruins all the magic. Instead of telling me what the characters are doing, please show me their emotions.
“[Moira] and Rhys had gotten married in the throes of their honeymoon period, and as a result, they didn’t have a wealth of experience navigating conflict together.” (p. 17)
“Still, it was impossible not to notice that she and Rhys were slowly but surely drifting apart, as slowly and surely as her house was becoming utterly inhospitable.” (p. 26)
This paragraph would have made great dialogue. However, we get characters who act and talk like people on their first date.
On the plus side, I think the characters have real personalities, but they are being burdened by hasty writing. Gibson tries to cram too much into too little space. Am I going to try another one of her books? I really don’t know.
Thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to the ARC. All my opinions are my own.
November 14, 2024
Evocation is one of my favorite reads of the year and I think about Moira, Rhys and David all the time. So I will read (and love) absolutely everything about them. I can see how this can maybe be seen as an "unnecessary" prequel novella to some people, but for someone like me who will eat up anything about them I really enjoyed this!
September 29, 2024
3.5 / Odd Spirits was short, sweet and exactly what I was expecting. I easily flew through this novella in just one day!
In this prequel, we follow Rhys and Moira as they learn to adapt to their newly married life, and we also get some flashbacks to how they first met and how their relationship progressed from there. I liked seeing the flashbacks as it was nice to learn a bit more of their background and get to know more about their early relationship. However, much like in Evocation, the minute David shows up I immediately loose interest in whatever it is that Rhys is doing (sorry Rhys) because David and Moira’s dynamic always steals the show. I’m definitely not complaining about this because we love to see it, but for some reason I just don’t really care about Rhys and Moira’s marriage nearly as much as I do about David, Moira and the dynamic between the two of them or even the dynamic between David and Rhys. In future, I would really like for Rhys and Moira’s relationship to be explored even further because I do really want to root for them, but they both just seem to radiate far more chemistry individually with David than they ever have with one another.
If you loved Evocation, then Odd Spirits should definitely be one to add to your spooky season tbr, and if you haven’t read Evocation yet, this is your sign!! I very much enjoyed being back in this world with these characters again, even if it was only for a hundred pages or so. I will now go and stare at the wall whilst waiting impatiently for book two in The Summoner’s Circle series to be released, thank you.
Also, side note: after reading some older reviews of this novella, I believe that the original version of it included biphobia, and some other potentially harmful aspects. However, I just wanted to reassure you that this newly revised version no longer includes any of that and it is evident that the author has made a lot of positive changes regarding any previous issues.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an early copy of this one!
In this prequel, we follow Rhys and Moira as they learn to adapt to their newly married life, and we also get some flashbacks to how they first met and how their relationship progressed from there. I liked seeing the flashbacks as it was nice to learn a bit more of their background and get to know more about their early relationship. However, much like in Evocation, the minute David shows up I immediately loose interest in whatever it is that Rhys is doing (sorry Rhys) because David and Moira’s dynamic always steals the show. I’m definitely not complaining about this because we love to see it, but for some reason I just don’t really care about Rhys and Moira’s marriage nearly as much as I do about David, Moira and the dynamic between the two of them or even the dynamic between David and Rhys. In future, I would really like for Rhys and Moira’s relationship to be explored even further because I do really want to root for them, but they both just seem to radiate far more chemistry individually with David than they ever have with one another.
If you loved Evocation, then Odd Spirits should definitely be one to add to your spooky season tbr, and if you haven’t read Evocation yet, this is your sign!! I very much enjoyed being back in this world with these characters again, even if it was only for a hundred pages or so. I will now go and stare at the wall whilst waiting impatiently for book two in The Summoner’s Circle series to be released, thank you.
Also, side note: after reading some older reviews of this novella, I believe that the original version of it included biphobia, and some other potentially harmful aspects. However, I just wanted to reassure you that this newly revised version no longer includes any of that and it is evident that the author has made a lot of positive changes regarding any previous issues.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for sending me an early copy of this one!
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