The next reading of the book club is “Evocation” by author ST Gibson

In the Boston.com Book Club’s July selection, we read the first book in a “captivating and vibrant” urban fantasy series from the bestselling author of “A Dowry of Blood.”

Evocation is ST Gibson’s latest novel and tells the story of David, an influential Boston lawyer with psychic abilities, who must team up with his ex-boyfriend, a wizard, and his wife, a witch, to break a family curse.

Gibson will be joining Lily and Hannah Barrett, co-owners of the romance pop-up bookstore Read My Lips Boston, at our book club event on July 30 at 6 p.m.

Read on to learn more about the book, author ST Gibson, our panel moderators and Read My Lips co-owners Lily and Hannah Barrett, and what critics think of Evocation.

The book | The author | The bookseller | Critics say

What is “Evocation” about?

As a teenager, David Aristarkhov was a psychic prodigy operating in the shadow of his oppressive, occult father. Now, years after his father’s death and approaching his thirtieth birthday, David is content with his life as a lawyer in Boston, while also working as a powerful medium for his secret society.

But power comes at a price, and the devil has come to enforce a pact with his ancestors. David’s days are numbered, and death is at his door.

He hesitantly turns to the only person he has ever trusted, his ex-boyfriend and rival in the secret society, Rhys, for help. However, the only way to get to Rhys is through his wife, Moira. As they care for each other, once deeply buried feelings resurface and the trio try to figure out their feelings for each other before the devil takes David forever.

Who is the author ST Gibson?

ST Gibson is a literary agent, author and, according to her website, a “village sage in training.” She has been nominated for a British Fantasy Award and is a Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author.

Gibson graduated from the creative writing program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and the theological studies program at Princeton Seminary. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her partner and a pampered Persian cat.

About the pop-up bookstore just for romance novels

Read My Lips Boston is an inclusive pop-up romance bookstore showcasing authors and main characters who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA, and more.

The pop-up was founded in February by twin sisters Lily and Hannah Barrett. The two have always shared a love of reading and books, and during the pandemic they developed a particular appreciation for the romance novel genre. But they noticed that the genre’s protagonists were homogenous; most were white, cisgender, heterosexual and able-bodied.

“Because we are disabled ourselves (we are both deaf and have cochlear implants), we didn’t experience many stories growing up that reflected our experiences with hearing loss,” said Hannah Barrett.

So they decided to create “Read My Lips” to fill the diversity gap they saw in the genre.

“Reading is political and reading romance novels is political. The choice of who gets a happy ending in mainstream romance novels is very Disneyfied in many ways. We wanted to create a space where people could feel seen and broaden their horizons,” said Lily Barrett.

Read My Lips hosts a pop-up once a month, highlighting a different local nonprofit at each event. The romance novels cover a variety of representations and a variety of subgenres, including fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary, historical, and more. Most of the books are used (“pre-loved,” as Hannah calls them) and are offered at discounted prices.

The Barretts said the response from the Boston bookselling community and romance novel readers has been “so warm.”

“The conversations we have at these pop-ups bring us so much joy. We get to talk to people who have found this space and feel like they’re finding stories that they can relate to,” said Lily Barrett.

The sisters eagerly discuss Gibson’s novel “Evocation”, especially the occult nature of the story and the decision to set it in Boston.

“Boston has this rich history. It has the potential to be a very good setting for a paranormal novel,” said Hannah Barrett.

What critics say about the book

“With characters as vivid as the story is twisted, Evocation is the beginning of a bold new saga – daring, lurid and delicious.”

– KM Enright, author of “Mistress of Lies”

“Gibson has created a meditation on abuse, grief and the shadows of past lives that delves into the liminal space between what we want and what we deserve, and questions the trust between those who have hurt each other deeper than can ever be erased – all while offering characters that will etch themselves indelibly in your memory, bound by secrets and deals stronger than death itself.”

– Laura R. Samotin, author of “The Sins On Their Bones”

“Stunning and captivating from start to finish, ST Gibson’s ‘Evocation’ is bursting with magic and strong chemistry between its three leads.”

– Morgan Dante, author of “A Flame in the Night”

“Romantic and delicious, Evocation is a delightful start to a new series from ST Gibson. If anyone can keep you hooked with three artfully crafted characters, it’s Gibson. David, Rhys and Moria had me wanting to make a deal with the devil just to get my hands on the second book.”

– Ben Alderson, author of “Lord of Eternal Night”

“Gibson combines the old-fashioned elegance of a secret occult society with the glitz and glamour of modern urban magic to create a dazzling world.”

– Booklist

Join the discussion

Register for a live virtual discussion with author ST Gibson and Bookseller moderators Lily and Hannah Barrett discussing “Evocation” on July 30 at 6pm.

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