I loved this book. Not a short book, but a quick read because you'll be hooked! It is full of action and magic, and refreshingly no romance

This was fantastic. I was very pleasantly surprised. I have tried to read A Sorcery of Thorns several times and couldn't get into so I was expecting to have similar struggles with Vespertine. However, the concept sounded so intriguing and the author's description of the book as 'a medieval Venom starring a nun and a ghost' had me so curious that I had to read it, despite a healthy dose of skepticism, and I was delighted at how good it turned out to be.

Artemisia is a delightful main character despite being grumpy, antisocial, socially awkward, and having the self-care instincts of a withered potato (honestly all of this makes her even more amazing and I loved her so much). She also suffers from anxiety and past trauma and I feel like that was described and portrayed wonderfully. Her dynamic with the revenant is so interesting and progressively gets better. One of the best 'duos' I have read in a long time and I desperately want to see more of them.

There was no romantic element in this novel and I was very grateful for that, a romance would have ruined the overall vibe and atmosphere of the story and it progressed marvelously without being bogged down by a romantic side plot (I love romance in books but sometimes it just doesn't fit and this would have been one of those scenarios). I can see it perhaps becoming more of a thing in any subsequent books but I think this first one benefited greatly from not having that.

This had a very contained narrative. A lot of the fantasy books I have read recently have had multiple POVs and a huge cast of characters- Vespertine didn't. It stuck solely on Artemisia's perspective and there wasn't an over-abundance of side characters, so the side characters that there were, you got to form attachments with and appreciate more. Personally, I struggle whenever a book drops in so many characters into a story (particularly a first book, I don't mind it as much later on when characters have been established) so it was a breath of fresh air that Vespertine was so contained and it kept me more invested in the ongoing plot. In regards to the other characters, I found them intriguing and appreciated the character development in several of them particularly, it was a joy to read. I would have liked more Jean though.

The world-building and the mythological/magic system in this book is stellar and so intriguing and it was explained fantastically and interwoven throughout the novel rather than dropped in large expositional chunks,

In conclusion, I loved this so much and want to see more from these characters and this world.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I loved this book so much!
I loved Margaret Rogerson's Sorcery of Thorns and it is one of my favourite books!
So i definitely went into Vespertine with high expectations.
Luckily the book lived up to them and it's now a new favourite!
I can't wait to see what else this author will write as I'll definitely be buying it!

I really enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns, so as soon as I heard that Margaret Rogerson had a new book out this year, it went on my preorder list. Although it's set in an entirely different world, Vespertine gives me similar sort of vibes. Plucky heroines, "evil" (or are they) spirits and morally grey characters who you're never quite sure whether to hate or not ... what's not to love?

Vespertine was the book that finally got me out of my "I've started back at school and my brain is mush" reading slump. It took me much longer to read than normal, but I blame that entirely on my exhausted brain and not the book itself, and would definitely recommend it.

As a side note ... as an autistic woman, Artemisia definitely reads as autistic to me. She finds eye contact uncomfortable and confusing, she’s been told that all her facial expressions look largely the same, and she struggles with talking to people in unfamiliar situations ... and after making her bargain with the revenant she reflects that the worst thing about it is that it talks so much!

The world building was simple, I really liked the saints and clerics. The use of relics agaisnt the spirits was cleverly done. some parts of the hierarchy was not clear in the beginning but as you read it becomes clearer and we get a better understanding of what Artemisia is up against. There is a great build up towards the ending but it falls flat with just an epilogue. This is something different from the author but fast paced and I really enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this. I got sucked into the fantasy world and liked seeing Artemisia and the demon stuck interacting in the same body, having to work together.

My favourite thing about this book is the dynamic between Artemisia and the revenant – the bickering and reluctantly learning to work together was very entertaining and had this dynamic not worked I don’t think the book would have worked – but Rogerson does a great job. Artemisia is my favourite of Rogerson’s main characters – her backstory & growth was lovely to read.

Loved the world building – it struck the balance of giving enough to get me invested and intrigued but not barraging the reader with useless information. The mythology and, at times, eerie atmosphere was very engaging.

I had slight issues with the ending as I didn’t find it entirely satisfying but also didn’t know this was part of a series so I’m very excited for the next one.

Artemisia is training to be a grey sister, a nun with the ability to make sure the deceased don't return from the grave. Because in Loraille, the dead dont rest. Ever since the Raven King warped the gates of death, every soul that isn't cleansed will return hungry for the living. When returned soldiers breach Artemisia's convent, she must make a deal with a powerful revenant to save her sisters and conquer a growing malevolent presence.

I liked the character that Rogerson develops in Artemisia. She's had a difficult childhood, with the physical scars to prove it, and struggles to interact with her fellow nuns in training, and hates any kind of attention. She just wants to live a secluded life, one where she can hide away from everyone. However, destiny clearly has other plans as she is often thrust into the spotlight and forced into uncomfortable conversations in front of people. I really liked this aspect of her personality, and thought it was thought out and developed well.

I also really enjoyed Artemisia's relationship with her revenant. It's quite often a sassy little miscreant, with a quick quip or a well placed comment to counter Artemisia's self doubts. Their friendship is developed well too, with an undercurrent of danger to it as the revenant sometimes slips in a threat or two. By extension I also liked Artemisia's small circle of (eventual) friends. They all feel well fleshed out, and near the end we see glimmers of true friendship - however I do think they are woefully underused.

I also wasn't keen on the magical system, which at times feels a bit clunky and overwrought. I don't think it needed the addition of old magic on top of the concept of holy relics, possession and various types of revenants. There's a lot going on, and adding another layer on top of a concept that I didn't think was developed fully enough to start with just left the world feeling a bit messy. I could have done with more backstory on the original high order revenants and what they are, as well as the decision behind the Raven King's actions to really understand the plot better.

I do enjoy Margaret Rogerson's writing, and the pacing is great. There are plenty of well thought out action scenes and there's constant new developments and movement of characters to keep the reader engaged. I do get the feeling that this isn't a standalone, given how this ended, which I find a little disappointing. I wanted just that little bit more of a definitive ending. However I'm certainly intrigued enough to continue on.

Really rated this book. Good tension. Great characters. Really phenomenal to have a main character that is scarred (especially given all the very valid current criticism of Bond for using scars for shorthand for evil). Loved the relationship between Vespertine and Rathaneal. Loved the slight twist. Fascinated by mechanics of old magic, religious magic and wielding magic. Love the exploration of friendship, bonds, and loneliness. Strong hints that there will be a book two and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I might. Rogerson's writing is assured and engaging, and the character of Artemesia is well-developed and identifiable. The world-building is strong and it definitely left me wanting more, and I didn't see the twist coming, which is great! I'll definitely look out for the second book.

This is my first book by Margaret Rogerson and I’m impressed. Her writing style and world building is extremely good and I found myself racing through the book. I’m adding the rest of her works onto my TBR for sure! Highly recommend for fantasy fans.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The old magic will take time to fade”
Wow! Margaret Rogerson has never let me down! I absolutely adored this book and was captivated by its deep lore and witty characters.
Vespertine follows the story of Artemisia, a novice nun who, to save her abbey forms a contract with a revenant. A seemingly malevolent & power spirit bond to an ancient relic. On her quest to better understand the spirit & solve the meaning behind the strange attacks across the kingdom she discovers there is something larger moving in the spirit world.
Artemisia herself is a fun no nonsense protagonist and I found myself invested in her & the revenants relationship. The lore behind the spirits and the revenant order fascinated me and I would love to explore more. I don’t know if there is a sequel planned as it doesn’t seem like the authors style but I hold out hope! I would love to explore more revenant lore.
My two favourite characters other than the protagonists ended up being Mother Dolours, an absolute powerhouse of a nun and surprisingly Leander. I never would of predicted I would feel sympathy and appreciating for him when he was first introduced but by the end I grew to love him.
I honestly cannot recommend this authors books enough & I can’t wait to discover what comes next.

An enticing read that builds in the authors already stellar reputation. Vespertine will appeal to fans of Naomi Novik and Holly Black.

Vespertine follows Artemisia, a nun training to be a Gray Sister, someone who cleanses the bodies of the dead so their souls don't rise as evil spirits.

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.

This book was incredible! The characters, the plot, the world - all amazing! Artemisia is socially awkward, preferring the company of the dead to the living, her struggle to say the right things and interact with others was really relatable to me and I loved seeing her overcome this! Her relationship with the revenant was one of my favourite parts and led to some great character development!

The pace was good and I loved all the action. Although it's a longer book it did not feel like it, the world sucked me in and I flew through it! The world was fascinating, with the different spirits, the clerisy and religion all explained really well! This one is definitely another favourite of this year and I can't wait for the sequel!

Overall, fans of paranormal fantasies will love this and I definitely recommend it!

Trigger warnings: Self-harm, anxiety, disordered eating (minor), child neglect/abuse, PTSD

This is a purely action-driven story and unlike the author's previous books, there's no romance which is probably for the best. The book deals with nuns, priests, demons, magic and gave me Warrior Nun vibes. Our protagonist, Artemisia wants to live a life of seclusion, she wants to be a Gray Sister and deal with the bodies of the dead. However, fate has other plans for her. Malevolent spirits have always existed in the world Vespertine is set in but within the first few pages, we see just how evil they could be.

The convent which Artemisia called home for the past seven years is attacked by possessed soldiers and when Artemisia goes to seek the help of a sister, she is unprepared for what's about to happen. This was not the first time a spirit housed itself inside Artemisia's body, the last time it did..it ended badly for her. Artemisia has no choice but to befriend the 'revenant' and help her besieged convent from falling into pieces.

I loved the premise and the atmosphere of the book. What I most like about Artemisia was her relationship with the revenant, the spirit that was inside her. She went from being a recluse to befriending a fellow nun and a soldier. The world-building was a little confusing at first but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the story. My main issue is with the ending; I wanted an ending akin to all the buildup in the story but unfortunately, it wasn't the case.

Overall, if you love a fast-paced fantasy with rich world-building, great dialogue, characters, and writing, then I highly recommend you read this book! Thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

I had a bit of a slow start on this book and I started to really enjoy it halfway through it. All in all, I liked the protagonist, Artemisia, a seventeen-year-old girl raised in the convent of the Grey Sisters where she helps to prepare the bodies of the dead. She likes to be alone and she is a bit awkward, but she also knows how to stand up for herself. Her body is possessed by a spirit and their witty and entertaining exchanges were my favourite parts of the novel. All in all, I enjoyed the story, although it is not my favourite by this author, but I wish there had been some romance.

Having read and enjoyed both of Margaret Rogerson's previous standalones and enjoyed them (Sorcery of Thorns being my favourite of the two), I was excited to get into another of her books and I wasn't disappointed.

The world building was rich, even though at times it felt a little heavy. I had to remind myself that this isn't a standalone so there is time for more world building.

Artemisia was a fun character, and the banter between her and The Revenant was fun to read.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next installment!

I really liked this book. The banter between Artemisia and the revenant had a very Nathaniel-and-Bartimaeus (Johnathan Stroud) feel, even though it did not seem derivative. I also read Artemisia as autistic, and really appreciate if that's what Margaret Rogerson was going for.

My only (minor, in the larger scheme of things) quibble is that the world-building was a bit complex at times, with the different kinds of spirits, saints, nuns, monks, and so on, Old Magic, revenants, etc.. At one point, I gave up trying to make sense of what was happening and only kept reading because of the non-stop action, the conversations, and to find out how nun and revenant would outsmart the evil guys.

I hope this is a series!

(Review copy from NetGalley)

Rogerson does it again with a sensational fantasy adventure that is sure to appeal to many avid readers. The best kind of bookish rollercoaster!!

“Give your kind a century or so, and they'll happily repeat the exact mistakes that nearly wiped them all out a few generations before.”

Genre: #YA #Fantasy

My rating: 5 / 5

Stand-alone book

Margaret Rogerson doesn’t stop surprising me. It’s the third book I’ve read by the author and I can say for sure, that with each of her books she’s growing a lot. This book was written during the pandemic, which has affected author mentally and she shared her feelings through writing (which is visible in her main heroine – Artemisia, who through the duration of the story is regaining her confidence).

Artemisia is training to become a Grey Sister, who clean the bodies of the dead in order to help their souls to pass on. She prefers dead to living people, because latter bully her and call her weird. One day an attack on the convent happens, and whilst Artemisia is fighting to protect the convent she accidentally awakens ancient spirit (revenant), who was bound to the relict of the Saint. She makes a deal with the revenant and he is allowed to posses her.

Dead are coming to the land, and Artemisia has to protect it.

I like authors writing style, she has a gift in creating cosy, enchanting stories! Perfect for this time of the year! Plus it’s a standalone! Favourite part of this book? Revenants constant, sarcastic remarks about humans, I loved the humour in this book, very refreshing. And the whole idea about spirits and powers of the Old Magic! Also the way revenant was making Artemisia to start taking care of herself.

It’s hard to say what I didn’t like in this book. It was pretty much perfect for my liking.

There isn’t romantic line as such, that might disappoint some of the readers.