This book is different from the ones I have read from this author in the past. Do not get me wrong, that does not mean there is anything wrong with this title. The characters were all well designed, the magic system is similar to others but the author goes deeper and makes it different, the story is well paced, and the banter is witty and funny. Overall this book was a great read but unlike so many of fantasy books out there I do not see a romance in this (yet??) which to me is just fine.

Love ghosts and stories with supernatural elements? Then this may just be the book for you! This new book by Margaret Rogerson tells the story of a sisterhood of nuns who are trained on how to handle ghosts/spirits.
The main character, Artemisia, is training to be a Gray Sister. This is a nun who cleanses the bodies of the recently dead so that their souls can pass on to the next world. If a cleansing is not done, the souls stay on Earth as spirits. There are different classes of spirits and, depending on how a person died, the soul comes back as a particular type of spirit. The higher the ghost level, the more dangerous that ghost is. But Artemisia has a secret of her own, unknown even to herself - she has a special affinity for the spirits, and was once possessed when she was a child.

One day Artemisia's convent is attacked by possessed soldiers. In order to defend and protect her fellow nuns, she awakens the ancient spirit that has been bound to a saint’s relic and kept imprisoned there because this is a very dangerous spirit called a revenant. By releasing the revenant, it takes control of her body and Artemisia uses it's extraordinary power to defeat the possessed soldiers. However, Artemisia soon finds herself locked in a battle for control of her body with the revenant who has possessed her. Only a vespertine, a priestess trained in how to handle a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. However, all knowledge of vespertines has been lost to time, leaving Artemisia to turn to the revenant itself for help - but can she be trusted?

There is wonderful world-building in this story, and lots of action with strong female characters. The story moves quickly and is a fast read.

Verspertine! Unlooked for saviour!

A novel replete with all those tropes that make for a riveting fantasy read. There’s evil crouched and waiting in the unliving, a chosen one, Artemisia of Naimes—a novice in a convent dedicated to the Gray Lady, and articles of power. All set in a believable medieval type fantastical world.
Loraille is a land where ancient spirits have been bound and contained, where the relics of saints have been placed in reliquaries. These are weapons the revenants, the higher order spirits want to destroy.
The spirits or revenants are trying to control humans. The imagery of young Artemisia, fighting the revenant that attempted to take her over is primordial. But Artemisia has well and truly grown up in the School of Hard Knocks. To say the least the revenant is surprised. This battle reminded me of Bujold’s Penric.
I loved the way the drama and interplay of characters build. Then there’s Confessor Leander who tries to bend Artemisia to his will, testing her awareness of various levels of spirits. He wants to send her to the Clerisy at Bonsaint to be trained. All Artemisia wants to do is flee. Artemisia firstly mistrusted the priest. Then she despised him. Later that morphed into hatred.
Her journey away from the influence the Confessor leads her into danger and horror. Fighting an army of spirits in what would be called the Battle of Bonsaint. A powerful spirit is returning. Who or what is behind this?
The cover gives some idea of who Artemisia might become. It seems she’s a Verspertine, a priestess who can wield a higher order relic in the fight against the various orders of spirits. A gripping fantasy, a powerful read, written for Young Adults but beyond that, a jolly good book that easily crosses all age dictates.

A Simon and Schuster Children's ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I thought the premise of this book was super interesting. But unfortunately I grew bored with the story and decided to DNF around 50%. I tried multiple times to get back into the book, but I was unable.

My biggest complaint is that I wasn't sure what the point was. The conversation between Artemisia and the Revenant was interesting but...halfway through the book that was basically all that was going on. I wasn't even quite sure about the battle? What was going on there? I don't know.

Take my review with a grain of salt, but this story just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I wasn’t expecting to love Artemisia as much as I did. If executed poorly, possession can be an uncomfortable premise, especially when the dynamic is between young characters and vastly older, larger-than-life beings (in this case, Artemisia and the revenant). In this novel, however, their relationship was actually my favorite part.

From the start, I recognized the parallels between Artemisia and Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who supposedly followed divine guidance to lead France to victory during the Hundred Years’ War. Artemisia’s training to be a Gray Sister is preceded by her traumatic childhood with her biological parents. Glimpses of her mistreatment dot the story; they don’t delve too deeply into that period of her life while still clearly shaping her current mentality. Even after the revenant possesses her, Artemisia retains her surliness, though it’s softened, which I loved. She refuses to let society diminish her, and though she can be abrasive, she aids her community, all while grappling with what it means to be elevated as a saint at such a vulnerable age.

The revenant matches her surliness, but it also provides her with the support system she needs but had failed to build with her family and fellow trainees. In this sense, their relationship is beautiful. The revenant helps Artemisia realize that there is nothing “wrong” with her, and Artemisia, in turn, helps the revenant process its extensive, grief-heavy past. Despite this, there’s no explicit romantic involvement—which, again, is a welcome departure from the sexualization of many possession storylines.

I also appreciated the development of the relationship between Marguerite and Artemisia. As I so eloquently put in my notes while reading, “we love besties with opposite dispositions”—and we love female solidarity! Marguerite serves as a stabilizing presence throughout Artemisia’s journey, and without Marguerite, I think Artemisia might have slipped into the dreaded “not like other girls” trope.

For me, these character relationships did overshadow the plot. Although I was fascinated with the worldbuilding—religious commentary and an intricate hierarchy of spirits and their powers!—the plot felt less gripping. Not slow, since this was a very quick-paced read for a 400-page fantasy, plus individual scenes were still compellingly suspenseful, but anticlimactic. These little scenes felt like they were accumulating toward something much greater, so the climax’s resolution seemed surprisingly easy for the protagonists to accomplish.

This book is so atmospheric and I loved it! The magic system with relics and souls was phenomenal. And the crows! I adore them, especially Trouble! The main character, Artemisia, is flawed in the best possible ways. Epic read!

CONTENT WARNING: death, blood, violence, self-harm, trauma, brief mention of off-page suicide

I kind of just skimmed the blurb before impulsively requesting this book just because I’ve loved everything else that Margaret Rogerson has written. And even though I didn’t really understand what to expect, I wasn’t let down at all. In fact, I quickly got sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down. It turned out to be one of those books that I couldn’t decide if I wanted to read it as fast as possible to find out what happened, or read it slowly and savor it. Turns out, I ended up reading it super quickly.

Artemisia is a super flawed protagonist, and I loved her. She isn’t pretty, she isn’t sociable, she isn’t easy-going. She’s rather intense, she’s traumatized by her early experiences in life, but these characteristics make her independent, tough, and stubbornly determined. And as it turns out, these qualities also make her uniquely qualified to coexist with a revenant — a malevolent spirit that has been bound to the finger bone of a saint.

The entire story takes place within the confines of a religious organization. It’s strongly reminiscent of the church, although it’s dramatically different than the church that we’re familiar with. Instead of the patriarchy, this church is female-led and prays to a female goddess. In addition, they’re actively involved in fighting evil; not just with prayers but with swords and other consecrated items. The world-building was intriguing, and I found the whole concept of the church to be fascinating.

I was constantly surprised by the twists and turns in the story. The pace was consistently fast, and I never got bored. Just when I thought I had a character figured out, it turns out I didn’t know anything at all. There was a strong emphasis on developing friendships, and this book is the perfect example of a strong fantasy story that doesn’t need a romance subplot, yet is still successful and engaging.

As I read, I had thought that this was a standalone. Upon finishing, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that this is the start to a new series. The end of this story finished with a satisfying wrap-up, but still left a little opening to the next one. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing where this goes in the next book.

Once again Margaret Rogerson has created a really interesting world. This story is much darker in feeling which is portrayed really well by the cover. Artemisia is a rather dark soul even before a revenant takes residence inside of her body. Possessed by an ashrim, an evil spirit, when she was a child, her parents kept her locked in a shed for years. It was only by burning her hands in a fire that she removed the spirit, but the horrors of her past have left scars, both internal and external. I really liked her evolution from solitary scared girl to a young woman who decides to fight instead of surrender to evil.

Written during the pandemic I drew a parallel between the spirits ravaging Artemisia’s world and the virus which is ravaging our own lives. Artemisia stepped out of her comfort zone, her solitariness, and leaned on the people around her and trusted in others to help her fight her battles. In comparison, I wish our real world chose to fight the virus together instead of skirmishing individually about vaccinations and masks. However, unlike my world and all that’s going on within it, it was nice to see her conquer evil. The way the novel ended I felt like the author may have left the door open for another book? I kind of hope so. I am now invested and would love to see where these characters lead us next. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

A whirlwind of incense, spirits and blood, VESPERTINE is dark fantasy at its finest. Once again Rogerson shows off her prowess at intricate world-building and obvious delight in giving voice to traditionally ghoulish characters.

First, a big thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the e-ARC!

Now, Vespertine had me hook more or less from the beginning. Sadly, life got in the way of me quickly reading this one like I very much wanted to, but finish it I have!

This book definitely sounded interesting from the beginning, but the summary didn't read like something I'd prefer, but I really enjoyed this!

I really loved that Artemisia wasn't your typical heroine. I can't go too much into detail about that, as I consider that particular detail a spoiler, but between that and the relationship she builds with the revenant is just so amusing. The transition and character arc that Artemisia follows doesn't feel forced or jarring, but rather a smooth transition from who she starts off as, her plans to become a Grey Sister, to what she has begun to become - what her world needs her to become.

The world building was so interesting, and I love how it's essentially been built around this pivotal point in history where the "dead" and the living have to find a way to co-exist.

While I love quite a few side characters, I do wish they had been fleshed out a little more. That said, Artemisia and the revenant weren't as lacking in fleshing out. The relationships between the characters were tentative, but they're supposed to be, as Artemisia is written at being better with the dead than the living.

Recommendation: If you're looking for a book with ghosts or one with paranormal aspects to it, this is a good choice! I don't read a lot of ghost/paranormal stories, but I have read a good number, and I haven't seen anything quite like this worldbuilding before. Also, if you love sidekicks that have a little lip on them, who do a decent job at banter, this might be for you, too!

I will say - I don't know if it was just me and what I was going through while reading this, but some areas of the book seemed a little confusing, and how we got from the beginning to the end of those scenes was a bit unclear. However, the author has updated her review of the book on Goodreads to clarify that the e-ARC lacks a lot of editing that was done between the release of the e-ARCs and the final copy of the book, and, from the limited experience with her previous works I have, I do believe that won't be an issue in the final copy, but it's worth noting on the off-chance it isn't "fixed".

**IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK WITHOUT SPOILERS, SO BE SURE YOU'VE READ THE BOOK OR DON'T CARE ABOUT SPOILERS BEFORE CONTINUING!**

I love how Rogerson wrote Artemisia. It related to me in a way I don't think any other MC has, so I'm so grateful that I got to read it early and review it!

I love the slow unfolding of the revenant's [specific] identity, alongside the slow building of the relationship between Artemisia and the revenant. I loved their banter, how they reluctantly looked after each other, and eventually protected each other.

I love the progression of Leander throughout the story. How he progressed from a stranger with the power to control Artemisia's future to the enemy to someone Artemisia hopes to see again.

I'm intrigued to see where the sequel goes, as this book isn't a standalone but does tie up the events in the this book satisfactorily. At this time, on Goodreads and on her website, it is unclear how many books are planned in this series as it's confirmed as not being a standalone, but no number of books is yet established. Regardless, I'm looking forward to reading the final copy, and to read book two!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED! I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in, I got to explore through the eyes of our main character and this is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

Per the author: Trigger warnings
Self-harm, anxiety, disordered eating (minor), child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD (traumatic experiences in past). None of the abuse or trauma is sexual in nature. Very brief suicide mention in the epilogue, concerning a character from the past who never appears in the book.

I loved this book. I mean, I expected to love this book, as I have loved each of Margaret Rogerson's previous books, but this one was... different. It was gorgeously atmospheric and the characters and world sprang to life before my eyes. The main character struggled around people, displaying many of the traits one finds in autistic people. Many of the traits I'm quite familiar with.

Artemisia doesn't know how to talk to people or act around them. Often, they respond to her overtures in fear or horror and she has come to hate being around people and to believe that she is incapable of befriending them.

Rathanael changes that. As she shares her consciousness with him, listening to his snarky remarks, she comes to trust him and eventually to trust a chosen few people who *aren't* in her head. The experience of having him in her head changes both of them for the better and it was a delight to watch it happening.

The worldbuilding was fascinating -- such a gray and miserable world of revenants and death somehow still hanging on to hope. I like where Margaret Rogerson chose to end the story -- her endings can be abrupt, but this one felt right. There is still a lot of possibility left open for sequels (which I imagine there will be, as this is listed as book 1 on goodreads). Yet the main conflict was still resolved in a satisfactory way.

It wasn't just the world that felt fully realized and fleshed out -- the main characters did too. Even the recurring ones with hardly any speaking parts felt like real people that I would recognize if I passed them on the street. I'm not sure how Margaret Rogerson managed that -- my vote is sorcery -- but I am impressed by her craft all the same.

It's proving a bit difficult to wrench my head away from that gray, shadowy world and back into the real world. My house is currently drenched in sunlight, which is particularly disorienting. I find myself wanting to jump back into the book and follow Artemisia and Rathanael into their next adventure.

Despite Margaret Rogerson's comments about how she struggled with this book and how awkward she finds the writing, I thought it was beautiful. Honestly if the writing in this arc is what she considers stilted and clunky, I am even more in awe of her craft.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, and Turn the Page Tours for providing an e-arc for review.

(My Blog Tour post will be on Oct 5 on https://whimsicaldragonette.wordpress.com/ and https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/whimsicaldragonette - direct links below)

I am so glad this isn't a standalone like Margaret's other works because this story is everything! I love the character development, the amazing world she has built, and the concept of managing the dead is not written enough!

Sorcery of Thorns is such a favourite of mine, so I was really excited to see Margaret Rogerson had a new book - Vespertine.

Artemisa is a Grey Sister and works with nuns to prepare the dead for their final rest. She had a traumatic childhood and the convent has been a refuge for her. However, that peace is shattered when an army of possessed soldiers attacks her home and she is forced to use a powerful relic to save the convent. The relic forces her to share her body with a rather snarky revenant and after their successful rescue, they realise that more mayhem is afoot and have to remain together to save the land.

Vespertine is a darker read than her other books, but I still found this book really engaging with lots of humour interwoven throughout. The banter between Artemisia and the Revenant was just delightful and it was so fun to read about them getting to know each other and learning where their boundaries were. The development of their relationship was a really nice parallel to their individual growth and I can’t wait to see where the future takes them.

The world building for this book was also amazing and I found the magical system really intriguing along with the ins and outs of the demonarchy. And if you’ve ever read a book by this author, you’ll know that her world-building is just so beautifully rich and this book is no different. I think I’ll need to do a reread soon just to appreciate the nuances of the world here.

At the end of the day, I really can’t say no to a magical fighting nun!

The book is available now!

Thank you to the publishers for the arc.

CW: Past child abuse and neglect, self-harm, violence, loss of loved ones, anxiety and PTSD. Brief mention of suicide for a character that doesn’t appear on page.

#margaretrogerson #vespertine #YAFantasy #bookmages

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for a review.

Vespertine follows Artemisia, a nun training with the gray sisters to battle spirits and purify the bodies of the deceased so they cannot later rise as spirits. Artemisia carries her own past traumas and due to this she never quite fits in and has trouble connecting with people. This all changes when her village is attacked and Artemisia is forced to form a bond and share her body with the Revenant.

I've seen this book described as medieval Venom and I cannot think of a more perfect description because that's exactly what you're getting. Medieval Venom meets Joan of Arc. The best thing about this book is undoubtedly the banter. The banter between Artemisia and the Revenant had me cackling out loud and the growing bond between them kept my interest piqued. There really isn't much romance in this book, which was a bummer for me because I enjoy a good fantasy romance, but honestly the bond between Artemisia and the Revenant was so entertaining that the story didn't really feel like it was missing much.

I appreciated that Artemisia's past trauma wasn't brushed aside and it manifested in the way she carried herself in the world and how she interacted with people. There are moments when she discusses how talking to a group of people is much scarier than rushing into battle, and honestly I can relate. Artemisia is a strong character and watching her growth and her slowly forming bond with the Revenant was so much fun.

This book is perfect for the fall season, lots of fog and graveyards and churches. Very atmospheric. Overall I really enjoyed it and I am thrilled to know that it will be getting a sequel.

This book is perfect for the spooky season and packs a punch with nearly non-stop action. The pacing was on the faster side, and overall a great flow without too much or too little to the plot.

Artemisia is a rather frustrating lead in my opinion, but all of the supporting characters really brought it together and helped her grow. Of the characters, the revenant was my favorite. Very snarky, always going NUN!

I can’t help but love the talk of ancient relics and the mystery behind what was driving the ravenous spirits.

If you are looking for a fast-paced, action-packed, mysterious magical journey, you will want to pick up a copy of Vespertine!

I readily admit to adoring a character who gives everything of themselves to a cause. Not because they have no fear, nor because they think only they know how things should be, but because they can't live with themselves by not intervening. We meet Artemesia when she is but fragments of a person, a neglected and malformed spirit with such a yearning for connection. Despite a traumatic start in life, her heart is still kind- even if it is hidden behind a frightening exterior. Once she is thrust into action, unwittingly taking on the mantel of Vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a an ancient and powerfully magic relic, she gives everything of herself in order to stop a terrible evil ravaging the country.

Power ancient relics are often nothing more than objects in a story, but here the relic has power because a revenant is trapped/imprisioned in a moldering old fingerbone of a long dead nun. Feral, desperate, and full of rage, our Revenant is a wild thing trapped in Artemesia's head. No one but her could have withstood their attack and fight for dominion of her body. Artemesia had battled with a possession for the first several years of her existance, this is a fight she was born for, and slowly, because they are both slightly mad, they forge a symbiosis built on precious trust and friendship. Two beings who could have looked at mankind and justifiably seen monsters, still saw that people were worth saving.

Vespertine is a beautifully crafted story filled with magic, mythology, adventure, and fascinating characters. Villians who may have more to them than you believed, and ravens- lots of ravens.

A HUGE thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and of course the author for the electronic advanced reader copy I was fortunate enough to receive!

~ A story in which a human girl learns how to be human via possession by a malevolent spirit ~

I love that Vespertine gives us a heroine who struggles with belonging and whose alienation is central to her character, yet at the same time the reader can relate to her so well. Throughout her journey from nun to saint, the reader is able to connect with her plight in a very personal way, as we have all faced loneliness, abandonment, and despair to some degree. It was beautiful to watch Artemisia’s trust and confidence grow throughout the book as her relationship with the revenant developed; I especially loved the tender moments in which the revenant reminded her to take care of herself. They were small moments, but very touching all the same.

Some of what I love most about MR’s books was missing (i.e. romance), which was a little sad for me only because I adored the romantic relationships she’s written about in her previous works so much. However, the lack of romance did not detract from the book itself! MR did a wonderful job of creating a complex relationship between Artemisia and the revenant (as well as other characters) that was compelling and fascinating to watch shift throughout the story.

No spoilers of course, but I also found the antagonist to be very interesting! I’m incredibly intrigued to see where the sequel takes that and how the plot develops further.

All in all, I couldn't be happier with this book! Margaret Rogerson continues to be one of my favorite authors, and I’m so ecstatic for the world to get the first installment of the Vespertine series (duology? trilogy?) on 10/5!

Disclaimer: I received the e-arc and finished book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Vespertine

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Book Series: Vespertine Book 1

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, religion based

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Mcelderry Books

Pages: 387

Recommended Age: 15+ (Scars, Religion, Death, Plague, Possession, Gore, Violence, Animal Gore, Animal Death)

Explanation of CWs:

Synopsis: The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

Review: The book was okay for the most part. I thought the character development was fairly well done and the plot was intriguing. The book had good writing for the most part and I loved the back and forth between the relic and Artemisia.

However, there were a lot of things I didn't like about the book. The world building was lacking in my opinion and I really wanted to know more about what the world looked like rather than just travel through it rapidly. I thought the book was really hard to get into. The book jumps into the story and doesn't do well at explaining the context or why certain things happen. The magic isn't explained at all. The book is fairly heavy handed on some religion and it's hard to know which one it's based on when there's little context clues. Lastly, the book reminded me a lot of Emily Duncan's Wicked Saints books and I really hated being reminded of that book. Overall, the book is bland. I say it time and time again that books where most of the plot is only told via the book blurb is not a good book and time and time again I prove myself right. When the author does more to explain the book on Goodreads via an update than the book does for 387 pages, that says, to me as a reader, that the book cannot hold its own.

Verdict: Not for me, but maybe for you

This book was an entirely unique experience from page one. I couldn't help but be sucked into the story and unable to read anything else. 

Artemesia, the main character, is a nun. Not just any nun. In this world, nuns are responsible for making sure that dead bodies brought to them, don't come back--as evil spirits. They're called Gray Sisters. And the spirits they encounter can be levels one, through level five. 

Artemesia, from the beginning, has a noticeable talent and skill at her job. And yet she is different than the other girls. This is due to her past--being possessed as a small child. Because of this, and her ability to fight that possession, Artemesia is special.

She is tested beyond all, however, when there is an attack on the convent and she must harbor the Revenant--a stronger spirit than she's ever encountered. 

I wasn't expecting to like the revenant. But the relationship between the revenant and Artemesia served to bring a certain amount of levity throughout a story with a pretty serious plot. 

This is a little outside the box for me, as there was no romance in this story. But, that wasn't as big of an issue as I would've guess because I absolutely loved the characters, setting, and plot of this story without the added romance. It was incredibly intriguing and captivating. 

This was the absolute perfect story to read during the fall season. And, that it's the first in a new series, leaves me eager for more!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book! My review will be live, at the given link, on October 5th.