I unfortunately couldn’t get into this one. I don’t think that’s totally the fault of the book, I just could grasp on.

As an adult, I very much have to be in the mood for YA and the story has to GRAB me. Not only that, my reading pretty much relies on romance to be a plot somewhere. It doesn’t always have to be the main plot, but I need that feeling present somewhere. I didn’t get that here so my interest flagged.

I think this story will be very interesting to others. There is massive world building. It just wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t venture to even say this is more of a 3.5 but again, not for me.

I liked the world and the characters in this book enough to give it 3.5 stars but one thing about Rogerson's books that always bothers me personally is that they are open-ended enough to leave me frustrated with too many questions. I really liked the main character, all the characters actually, but I would have liked this book to either be longer to tie off more of the loose ends with their stories or make it a duet. There were so many good details in the character's backstories that I loved reading but in the end, served no purpose for the story and the plot wasn't drawn out enough in comparison. The ending felt abrupt. I wasn't disappointed with the way it was wrapped up just how quickly.. Overall, it was good but I'd hoped it would be better.

This was certainly a very very interesting read and not something i was expecting. Its dark and truly atmospheric, and the world building is everything!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

I could have sworn this was meant as the start of a series, but it looks like I was wrong about that? Regardless, I was pretty disappointed in Vespertine. I may have built it up too much in my head, given all the amazing things I'd heard about Rogerson's other work, but I found myself losing interest as this went along. I just didn't find myself particularly invested. The plot didn't blow me away as I'd hoped, and neither did the characters. I know many love Rogerson's books for the romance, and this one not having any kind of shocked me.

Margaret Rogerson never disappoints! As a fan of Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns, I can say that Vespertine is her most complex work yet. If you have any interest in saints, relics, and the exploration of religious magic, Vespertine is a must read.

I went into this book unaware there would not be a focus on romance, unlike in Enchantment and Sorcery. I'm someone who normally NEEDS at least a sprinkle of romance in order to make a book worthwhile. It is truly a testament to this book and the well-developed platonic relationships Rogerson cultivated in it that I loved it so much without having any of this romantic focus.

Having heard mixes reviews from friend about Vespertine I did not know what to expect going into the book. I have mixed feelings after reading it as well. I like the historical and church aspects of the supernatural lore in the story. When it was finished it felt like the first book in a series instead of a standalone. It also reminded me of His Fair Assassins Trilogy which I loved.

This was my first book by the author and I look forward to trying out some of her other novels in the future!

Vespertine is definitely the type of story that feels like fall and has that perfect creepy vibe that it could be told around a campfire. This is the story of Artemisia, possessed by a ashgrim aka fire ghost when she was a baby, she hasn’t known much kindness in her life until she was taken in by the Gray Sisters and has the ashgrim exorcised from her. Due to her burned hands and lack of social skills, Artemisia is more comfortable tending to the dead than dealing with the living. But then, as many hero stories begin, her convent is attacked by the dead and she must wield an ancient relic to save the only home she has known. When she wakes up later on, she and the revenant who now possesses her body strike up a tenuous relationship in order to save their world from the evil hidden just beneath the surface of their world. Now the only known Vespertine, or high priestess able to wield a high relic, Artemisia must unravel the truth beneath what she’s known her whole life and keep herself from being overtaken by the revenant.

This is the fourth book by Margaret Rogerson that I have read and if you haven’t read anything by her you definitely need to go do so ASAP. Her writing style is extremely immersive and her books are generally standalone fantasy novels which I have found to be few and far between (always taking recommendations if you find any). The exception would be Mysteries of Thorn Manor which is a short novella that serves as an epilogue to Sorcery of Thorns. Also, she has some of the prettiest covers, usually illustrated by the well known Charlie Bowater.

Anyway, this book was an experience, which I know I say that about every book but truly. Reading Vespertine, with this super creepy graveyard ambiance playlist that I found was the perfect summer evening vibe. I loved Rogerson’s writing style and being thrown into this world of spirits and nuns who tend to the dead and wield high level spirits in order to defeat other evil spirits. As a Catholic, it was also kind of cool to see how Rogerson based the Clerisy in this novel on the medieval Church and served as an allegory for some of the evils that were going on in the Church at this time (and moden day as well). I will say it took me a few chapters to really understand what was going on because of the way Rogerson reveals information in this book. There is an guide to the spirits at the back of the book which was super helpful….after the fact. I wish that it was in the front but it also would have spoiled some of the later information. But over all I gave this book a 7.14 CAWPILE rating which equaled out to a 4 star rating

The twist on the Catholic Church reminds me a little of a dark version of the Chantry from Dragon Age. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the two lead characters.

Truly one of the best books. Rogerson does it again in a similar vein to Sorcery of Thorns with this dark twist on religion and fantasy. If the reader takes a deeper dive into the analytical behind this book, they will find that it is a very good representation of mental illness and disability portrayed in the form of a hero fighting her demons and falling into friendship with them.
The emotion is raw. The actions are realistic. This quickly became one of my top 10 favorites.

I was so excited for this read, as one of my favorite Tik Tok reviewers loved it, but this was one of the first books we weren't on the same page with. I enjoyed this story and the world building throughout, and found it to be a solid read.

I thought this was a really interesting read. It reminded me a little bit of the His Fair Assassins trilogy, which I also enjoyed. Margaret Rogerson is a great storyteller who really makes you feel like you are in the story, right alongside the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A definite slow-burn but that's not a bad thing! Margaret Rogerson is so skillful in her world-building and storytelling, I'd follow her anywhere. Different from her previous books, especially on the romance front (ie there is none here) but enjoyable all the same.

I definitely understand the comparisons of this novel to a medieval Venom and I was here for it! I really enjoyed the duality of the voice from within who you equally rely on and fear.

Another hit from Margaret Rogerson!

Loved this standalone fantasy! It’s dark, atmospheric, and also heartwarming. I related to Artemisia’s anxiety around people and I loved watching her begin to trust others. There are a couple friendship arcs in this that really filled my heart with that good ache.

The world is complex and can be a little confusing at times, but I still felt immersed in the world. I love the author’s writing and it really shines in Vespertine. I felt like I was walking alongside our characters as they navigate damp and dark tunnels, traverse forests, explore grand cathedrals, and so much more. This was a fast moving plot with lots of action and turns while still being character led.

I especially loved our Revenant. The whole possession concept was executed so well. Artemisia and the Revenant’s interactions were both hilarious and heartwarming. I loved how sassy and blunt they were each other. They added the much needed comic relief to an otherwise dark and heavy fantasy that’s full of things like blood rituals, torture, murder, possession, ghosts, heavy religious themes, depression, trauma, panic attacks, and more.

Also for all the romantics, there is no romance in this book. While I personally would have liked to see a very small romantic subplot, but it does not lack at all for not including a romance. And I love that we have a YA fantasy with no romance since there are many readers looking for these.

I wasn't a huge fan of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, but I wanted to give her another chance with Vespertine. I'm so glad that I did. Vespertine had a completely different feel that her other books. I think she gave so much more detail because it's a series opposed to a standalone.

Rogerson did a beautiful job building the world so that you can envision yourself among the characters. The plot is filled with magic and action and unfolds at a fast pace. While it's 400 pages, it's a quick read because it keeps you gripped, wanting more.

It took me a while to read but I enjoyed it a lot. Another fantasy and since I love fantasies, this book was great for me. It’s about spirits of the dead and how the living control them and the orders of the spirits, like if a powerful person died, their spirit would be a higher level. But there was the element of the relationship between the controller of the spirit and the spirit itself. There are so many elements to this book and I normally do not read books again but this one, I'm game. I didn’t know where it was going but I enjoyed the journey of this book

It took me a while to read but I enjoyed it a lot. Another fantasy and since I love fantasies, this book was great for me. It’s about spirits of the dead and how the living control them and the orders of the spirits, like if a powerful person died, their spirit would be a higher level. But there was the element of the relationship between the controller of the spirit and the spirit itself. There are so many elements to this book and I normally do not read books again but this one, I'm game. I didn’t know where it was going but I enjoyed the journey of this book

I am embarrassed that it took me so long to finally review this book, but here we are.

Even though this wasn’t my favorite Rogerson book by far, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

My main complaint with this book was that I found the pacing to be rather slow. Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens both grabbed me immediately, and I was captivated by both of them from the get-go (especially Sorcery, which is one of my all time favorite standalones). This one took me a while to get into, and I was pretty bored in the beginning. However, when Artemisia and the Fifth Order revenant get stuck with each other, everything changed!

The concept was AWESOME! I loved the idea of relics and the revenants that were bound to them, and that the members using the relics of power risked possession by the revenants contained in them if they weren’t strong enough. The Orders of revenants were awesome too – basically different types of deaths denoted different levels (One through Five, with Five being the most dangerous).

“If there’s one thing I can always rely upon, it’s the reassuring dependability of human idiocy.”

I liked that the main character, Artemisia, was super socially awkward, kind of prickly, and pessimistic toward human nature. It made her easy to relate to. However, my FAVE character in this whole book, hands down, was Rathanael, aka Artemisia’s revenant. I freaking LOVED him!!! Their relationship was the driving point of this book for me. There’s nothing I love more than the enemies to x (lovers/friends/cranky allies) trope. I love that it started out as expected – an evil Fifth Order (aka he’s BAD. Really bad, mkay) revenant trying to take over its human guardian that was strapped with said guardianship. They’re stuck with each other (he was literally stuck in her head), and don’t want to be, and it starts off fueled by hatred and resentment. But somewhere along the way, the started softening to each other. I ADORED their banter and constant sniping, it was hilarious!

“It happens sometimes,” I said colorlessly. “I have a condition.”
“Nice try, but I’ve been called worse.”

I adored it even more when there were points that Rathanael’s humanity grudgingly came out, like when Artemisia said she strongly suspected he’d enjoyed when she got her hair braided even though he’d never admit it. My favorite part about this book was seeing their bond grow! (I might have squee’d a bit when he called Artemisia “my human.”)

“In fact, for a human, you make remarkably few stupid decisions. Only rarely do I want to possess you and bash your brains out against a wall.”

They are one of my favorite platonic fictional relationships I’ve read in a while!