I did a double-take when I saw the cover for The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland during a recent book date with my friend. The premise sounded interesting, but I was a little nervous about the YA energy it was bringing, so I put it back down and we carried on our way. The book must have been charmed because I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I drove back to the bookstore to pick up a copy. And I’m so glad I got my hands on this gruesome little standalone because it was full of kick-ass feminine energy featuring witches and a messed-up murder mystery. Oh, and demons, lots of demons.
A witch, a genius, and a spoiled rich girl decide to hunt down a killer. And if three teenage girls don’t scare you, go ask a woman how her high school experience was. Emer is a witch living on the fringes of society, trying to grant women magic while evading dangerous witch hunters. Zara is a high school prodigy going through a rough patch and has recently directed her mind towards uncovering secrets of the occult. And Jude is a very wealthy teen exiled from her family while she deals with a little demon pact mishap. The three of them all have very different lives and motives, but they will eventually cross paths and join forces when witches all over London are turning up murdered.
While I wouldn’t say Invocations goes hard on the worldbuilding, I do love what Sutherland has created for this mystery horror standalone. The witches have a cool connection with demons that I don’t want to spoil for you, but just know the two powerful pairs work together to create magic in the world. Witches and demons have an interesting dynamic, and the relationship between each witch and their demon is unique. And the witch is an important determining factor behind each spell because their skill level, intent, and methods vary, which makes their world seem more secretive and unknowing. We get just a slice of how a witch’s power can manifest in this story, but it’s sick as hell, and I loved seeing that magic bring about power and destruction.
I was initially a little wary going into Invocations, knowing the story followed three high schoolers, but they made the story all the more powerful. The plot goes batty, and only three girls with nothing to lose and a lack of life experience would make the choices they did. They not only make mistakes, they fuck up, big time. But every move they make feels true to their age and the phase of life they’re in. This story simply would not have been believable if three twenty-somethings were calling the shots. I love the desperation Jude, Zara, and Emer bring to the situation, and the ego teenagers sometimes have in believing they are invincible and won’t have to deal with consequences. Their recklessness and bravery are so much fun, and it made for some wild times when hunting down a witch killer.
Now, I’m not much of a horror reader, but I’ve started to dip my toe into those dark, murky waters. Invocations has a lot of body horror, but it isn’t afraid to add levity to the messed-up situations, especially with Jude’s charming personality and self-deprecating humor. I thoroughly enjoyed the gory, nightmarish scenes. This book loves to corner and trap you with something you really don’t want to believe is real. I wasn’t expecting this book to be scary, but Sutherland had no qualms fueling my nightmares with descriptive details that pick up every bloody detail, whether it be a dead body, gnarly injuries, or horrors from beyond the veil.
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland is a fun joy ride that stinks of sulfur and is soaked in blood. Jude, Zara, and Emer are a badass girl squad that would have intimidated the hell out of younger me. They’re young and imperfect, but the love and loyalty they develop between them is admirable, especially when facing down all manner of supernatural horrors.
Rating: The Invocations – 8.0/10
-Brandee
