3.5 ★
TW: blood, injuries, misogyny, death of family member, murder, mentions of animal abuse (graphic), mentions of abusive relationships (graphic)
At this point, I think I might be cursed. The Invocations, one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, is, unfortunately, a disappointment. It seems like all of my anticipated releases this year have let me down. It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to find a book that I can give 5 stars, and honestly, I feel like I'm never going to find a new 5-star read.
At first, I was really enjoying this book and I thought it was going to become a new favorite of mine. The story reminded me so much of Ninth House, which is my all-time favorite book. The Invocations is like a baby Ninth House, but with witches instead of academia. I found the premise to be intriguing, but unfortunately, the plot was very predictable. I was surprised that the author of the masterpiece that is House of Hollow wrote such a predictable book. All of the twists were too obvious and everything seemed to be going too conveniently for the characters. They barely had to second guess themselves as everything happened exactly how they thought it would.
The writing at the beginning of the story was beautiful, but it became a bit dry as the story progressed. Given how exceptional the writing in House of Hollow was, the writing in The Invocations was a letdown.
Despite my disappointment, Krystal Sutherland is as usual a master at creating the best atmospheres and aesthetics. The atmosphere of House of Hollow was my favorite part, and it was no different in The Invocations.
Overall, I expected more from The Invocations, considering how much I enjoyed it in the beginning. Though I mainly focus on what I didn't like, this book is still a solid read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Our Crooked Hearts, House of Hollow, or Ninth House.
TW: blood, injuries, misogyny, death of family member, murder, mentions of animal abuse (graphic), mentions of abusive relationships (graphic)
At this point, I think I might be cursed. The Invocations, one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, is, unfortunately, a disappointment. It seems like all of my anticipated releases this year have let me down. It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to find a book that I can give 5 stars, and honestly, I feel like I'm never going to find a new 5-star read.
At first, I was really enjoying this book and I thought it was going to become a new favorite of mine. The story reminded me so much of Ninth House, which is my all-time favorite book. The Invocations is like a baby Ninth House, but with witches instead of academia. I found the premise to be intriguing, but unfortunately, the plot was very predictable. I was surprised that the author of the masterpiece that is House of Hollow wrote such a predictable book. All of the twists were too obvious and everything seemed to be going too conveniently for the characters. They barely had to second guess themselves as everything happened exactly how they thought it would.
The writing at the beginning of the story was beautiful, but it became a bit dry as the story progressed. Given how exceptional the writing in House of Hollow was, the writing in The Invocations was a letdown.
Despite my disappointment, Krystal Sutherland is as usual a master at creating the best atmospheres and aesthetics. The atmosphere of House of Hollow was my favorite part, and it was no different in The Invocations.
Overall, I expected more from The Invocations, considering how much I enjoyed it in the beginning. Though I mainly focus on what I didn't like, this book is still a solid read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Our Crooked Hearts, House of Hollow, or Ninth House.