The Invocations, Krystal Sutherland
The Invocations, Krystal Sutherland
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The Invocations

Author: Krystal Sutherland

Narrator: Kit Griffiths

Unabridged: 13 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/30/2024


Synopsis

From the author of New York Times bestseller House of Hollow comes a darkly seductive witchy thriller where, though both men and demons lurk in shadows, girls refuse to go quietly into the night.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Three girls, one supernatural killer on the loose . . .

Zara Jones believes in magic because the alternative is too painful to consider—that her murdered sister is gone forever and there is nothing she can do about it. Rather than grieving and moving on, Zara decides she will do whatever it takes to claw her sister back from the grave—even trading in the occult.

Jude Wolf may be the daughter of a billionaire, but she is also undeniably cursed. After a deal with a demon went horribly wrong, her soul has been slowly turning necrotic. It’s a miserable existence marred by pain, sickness, and monstrous things that taunt her in the night. Now that she’s glimpsed what’s beyond the veil, Jude’s desperate to find someone to undo the damage she’s done to herself.

Enter Emer Byrne, an orphaned witch with a dark past and a deadly power, a.k.a. the solution to both Zara’s and Jude’s problems. Though Emer lives a hardscrabble life, she gives away her most valuable asset—her invocations—to women in desperate situations who are willing to sacrifice a piece of their soul in exchange for a scrap of power. Zara and Jude are willing, but they first have to find Emer.

When Emer’s clients start turning up dead all over London, a vital clue leads Zara and Jude right to her. If a serial killer is targeting her clients, Emer wants to know why—and to stop them. She strikes a tenuous alliance with Zara and Jude to hunt a killer before they are next on his list, even if she can’t give them in return what Zara and Jude want most: a sister and a soul.

About The Author

Krystal Sutherland is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of House of Hollow, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares and Our Chemical Hearts, which was adapted into a film by Amazon Studios. Her books have been published in more than twenty countries and nominated for the Carnegie Medal and YA Book Prize, among others. Originally from Australia, she has lived on four continents and currently calls London home.


Reviews

Goodreads review by emma on February 12, 2024

magical dark academia horror about scary girls...it felt fated that i would like this book. and i did. for a while. in fact, i LOVED!!!! the first pages of this — so atmospheric and intriguing, and unlike anything i'd read since ninth house, a book high i've been chasing for years. unfortunately i do......more

Goodreads review by mimi (taylor’s version) on February 03, 2025

Take me seriously when I say this is the new Manifest of Feminism, starting now. You're not wrong, this is a book about witches and magic, but calling it a metaphor wouldn’t do it justice. The Invocations is a critic to the world, the mere explanation of how misogynistic the world is and how men are......more

Goodreads review by Nilufer on December 27, 2024

Krystal Sutherland has undeniably secured her place as my auto-approved author with the extraordinary and unique "House of Hollow"! When I saw her latest release, excitement coursed through me, and without delving into the blurb, I jumped headfirst into the journey solely guided by the captivating c......more

2024 reread- yeah, this is just really damn good! ____________________________________ I liked House of Hollow pretty well, but The Invocations is even better. Queer, witchy, dark, and driven by female rage, this paranormal serial killer mystery goes hard and delivers on the ending. Three young women......more

This was grim, I loved it......more


Quotes

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Praise for The Invocations:

A 2025 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
A 2025 Texas TAYSHAS Reading List Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection

★ "Sutherland (House of Hollow) pits three teens against a monstrous evil in this devilishly bewitching novel steeped in dark academia and set in a fantasy London where only women wield magic. Vivid descriptions, mellifluous prose, expert pacing, and a slow-burning romance keep the tension high and the pages turning while intimately written character arcs probe themes of misogyny, grief, and dynamics of gender and power...the twisty, haunting tale unveils the chilling social inequities that disempower women."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “Dark, twisty…and beautifully written…Readers will find themselves rooting for this ragtag team of wannabe witches [and] speeding through to reach the explosive, satisfying ending. Hand to mature readers who like a little LGBTQIA+ romance with their witchcraft and necromancy."—School Library Journal, starred review

"An empowering story about women fighting back against the violence of men and making the choice to forge one’s own path in a hostile world, in addition to a grotesque murder mystery sprinkled with demonic deals. Readers hungry for their next dark, witchy, feminist read will have plenty to feast on here."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Three young women team up to track down a serial killer who’s targeting witches… Sutherland expertly weaves together their lives in intricate and fascinating ways. Filled with feminist rage and a sprinkle of queer romance, this lushly written tale methodically builds to a heart-pounding confrontation…The evocative body horror, distinct and compelling leads, and twisty plot will keep readers immersed in this grisly story. A thrilling and exquisitely grotesque showcase of young women taking charge."—Kirkus Reviews

“A gorgeously twisted modern fairy tale that shimmers with magic and mystery, The Invocations is thrilling, irresistible, and unforgettable.”—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"This is pitch-dark academia at its best and most captivatingly haunted: by demons and dead languages, occult magic and richly imagined supernatural disaster. If you’ve ever dreamed of leading a magic-touched double life in England’s most history-heavy places, The Invocations is your next obsession."—Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

The Invocations is stunning. Perfectly plotted, gorgeously written, with a heart-pounding finale that will leave readers gasping. An intricate, twisty, brilliant book that pulls you in from the very first line and refuses to let go until the final page. I loved it.”—Katherine Webber, bestselling author of Twin Crowns

“Lyrical, grotesque and pulsing with feminist rage, this is sapphic horror at its very finest. Sutherland is a luminous (albeit slightly terrifying) talent.”—Laura Steven, author of The Society for Soulless Girls

"Sutherland’s Invocations has been one of my favorite reads of the year. This story is exceptionally crafted. Equal parts visceral and haunting, its twists and turns will lure readers in, and its compulsive plot will keep them engrossed until the end."—Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy