Supernatural twisted

The Invocations 

Krystal Sutherland

390 pages, Paperback, First published January 30, 2024

Three young women find themselves bound together to battle a supernatural force. Each has their own agenda in the pursuit of magic and if they don’t find a way to come together the consequences will be dire.

Jude Wolf has money and stupidly has bound a couple of demons to her soul, and it has not gone well. She has a gaping, festering, rotting wound that will not heal and if she can not find a way to reverse the curse, life is looking bleak. Zara Jones, sister was murdered, and she will do anything to have her back. She has thrown herself into learning everything about necromancy. Emer Byrne is trying to live off the grid and writes magical invocations that will provide protection for women in trouble. The problem is that someone is murdering the women Emer has provided assistance to and is removing their protective charms. It is here that the three women’s worlds collide as each needs assistance from the other.

The world that Sutherland has created is interesting and realistic. The occult elements come across as natural and really well devised. You are thrust headfirst into the story and the situations each of the women are in. There is enough backstory for you to grasp their reality and challenges without being bogged down in detail. I have to admit the story was darker than I expected but that was okay as it amped up the danger. The characters are well crafted and their motivations are truly genuine, as not everything has to be about the greater good.

The Invocations is a really different take on the world of the supernatural and those who try to navigate their way through it.