The Invocations is the type of book I live to read. Love to read. The kind of book that when I open it during my ARC reading I do a fist pump and congratulate myself on finding an absolute gem of a novel that speaks to me on every level–that resonates with me on a molecular level. 

The Invocations is the kind of book I read the ARC of, then buy a physical copy of and put on my bookshelf so I can read it and show it off and recommend it to people again and again. 

Am I the “target audience”? Heck no. I’m in my mid-40s. The Craft came out the year I graduated high school. Buffy the Vampire Slayer came out the year after. I was a fan of the movie before the show, for pete’s sake. My own era of witchery came and went before I even had my first kid. You know what has come and not left since then, though? My anger. My rage. My fear. My fear of men. My rage at systemic patriarchy. My anger at myself for still being so afraid, even though I know there’s still so many reasons to be afraid every single day. (Then there’s more rage). It’s those feelings that make this book something I completely vibe with, along with how much I adored every single female character within. 

Krystal Sutherland pulls no punches with her female characters and I’m loving it. I’m never here for females who approach this world like it’s not out for our blood. I’m never here for female characters who think we’re safe or who are complacent. Jude, Emer, and Zara are all angry at the world in their own ways and none of them are complacent about it. They’re all trying to fight in their own ways. Sure, in the beginning they’re all fighting in self-serving ways–but when they find a common cause and common enemy (hint: it’s a man) they band together to stop it. They fight through pain, blood, sweat, tears, dirt, and more. They sacrifice. Because they know no one else will. 

It’s not an easy book to read. My belief is that books like this shouldn’t be an easy read because women’s lives aren’t easy. Books like this remind us it’s okay to be angry. That we can be angry. That we should be angry. And it does it in a glorious, gory, blood-soaked, demonic way. I loved it.  

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.