This book was unique. I just didn't vibe with it. Maybe it's because it felt different from anything else I've read by this author, and I wasn't expecting this more somber-toned story from her.

This book goes to show that I love everything Margaret Rogerson writes. The catholic vibes of this book were on point and I really can't wait for whatever the author writes next. Queen of writing unique standalone YA fantasies.

I love Margaret rogerson’s writing. Sorcery of thrones was so good and this felt in the same vein as her other books. I loved the writing and the world building in this book. Nuns are fun to read about in books when they have magical powers. Plus standalone fantasies are always a plus. I liked the romance in the book. My issue was the ending felt a little rushed, but aside from that I really enjoyed this.

I absolutely loved this book!! Artemisia is a compelling protagonist, her character opening up to the reader as the story unfolds. The revenant is an interesting (and occasionally comedic) character that I began to empathize with as the story went on.

The plot is solid and never left me feeling overwhelmed or bored. The Big Bad reveal is a great twist that I didn’t see coming.

The ending isn’t Happily Ever After. It’s a satisfying close with one slightly loose end, keeping Artemisia’s story going though her tale has been told. She has healing to do and a new path to forge. Anything more would have dragged the story out unnecessarily.

The more minor of the main characters were integral to not only the plot and Artemisia’s character development, but in fleshing out the world. The progression of her relationship with Marguerite felt very natural, considering how they’d started off. Marguerite had a huge effect on Artemisia and her perspective of her own place in the world.

Leander was such a complex character and I thoroughly enjoyed his interactions with Artemisia. He was a really good foil for her, and her for him.

I recommend this book quite highly. It’s a great standalone & a delightful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an eARC for review.

I absolutely loved this novel. Possession was an interesting premise, and I liked that the selection of the sighted is based on actual gifts, not on random choice. While still random, it makes sense. I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author, and this was no exception. The characters were incredibly likeable because they are flawed. They are realistic and relatable.

4.5 stars rounded up! This book was so great and such a pleasant surprise, I devoured it!!!

The book took me so long to read as I was unable to download it prior to it being archived, so I had to wait a while for a library copy and am so happy I decided to still read it.

It’s outside of my typical fantasy reads as it wasn’t a fantasy romance read, but it was action packed and full of interesting magic and intrigue and I found Anne/ Artemesia so compelling. Her relationship with all of the characters, especially one in particular (no spoilers) were really what made the story so incredibly special. Full of heart!

Highly recommend fantasy lovers checking this out. It’s YA, but the writing is top notch. I will absolutely be checking out other works by Margaret Rogerson!!

It took me so long to read this book, I have no idea why, but OH MY GOSH IT'S GOOD.

First: can we talk about that gorgeous cover? I see even more details to it now that I finished the book.

Artemisia is such an interesting character! Not your typical heroine, and I loved that. She didn't want to be one, became something big in spite of her beliefs and what she wanted for herself, but grew into this role.

I loved the vast details of the universe. I loved to see everything unfolded.

I'm not one for open endings usually, but I did like this one!

I read this book as a buddy-read with Lectures clair de lune.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Last year I received an arc of Vespertine. I got through roughly 3 chapters and found I couldn't stand the MC Artemisia. She had too much of a "woe-is-me" and "I'm not like other girls" personality that left me cringing. I couldn't force myself to continue so I abandoned it for over a year. However, it kept popping up in my recommends and after looking through some of the other reviews I decided to give it another chance. I still found the first few chapters to be brutal but as soon as we got through them the entire story picked up, Artemisia personality developed, and I found the story really entertaining.

Pros:
-Vespertine is heavily influenced by Catholicism and has Joan of Arc vibes. It creates a uniquely interesting story that's not really found in other popular YA novels.
-The Revenant 😍It quickly became my favourite character and was the initial reason I kept pressing on despite struggling with the MC's personality.
-The plot kept me on my toes. I was intrigued by the mystery unravelling, the history of the saints, and the mythology that kept developing almost until the very end.
-Character Development was *chefs kiss*. As I've stated, I really struggled with Artemisia in the beginning. As the story continued she really grew on me. This development didn't end with just the main characters. The author did a phenomenal job in making sure that even all of the secondary characters held depth.
-There's no love interest!!!


Cons:
-Artemisia's personality in the beginning. Since I've finished the book, I have a better understanding as to why the author wanted to emphasize these cringey personality traits and her background. But let me tell you, I really struggled to get past it. I have no other complaint aside from that though.

I was left pleasantly surprised with how quickly invested I became during my second attempt of reading Vespertine. It was beautifully written, the characters have enormous growth, and the reader can easily adore them, the mythology is fascinating and rather rare in the YA genre. Since it deals with spirits and thralls I feel like it's a good autumnal read. Vespertine is one of my favourite YA books this year. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a different kind of YA fantasy or just wants to read a YA book without romance for once.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I like the way this book ended and I loved the revenant's reveal. I liked the mix of fantasy and religion in this book.

I am looking forward to reading book #2 and seeing what the future holds for Artemisia and which characters we may see again. I can't find a release date for book #2 and I am hoping I don't have to wait too long to read it. :)

Well, this was super enjoyable! Devoured it in two sittings. I really liked that our female main character isn't one of those TSTL ones. She's smart, capable, resourceful. I liked the character development on her part, as well as on the revenant's part--the one inhabiting her body. Overall, this was great! (I just wanted more romance, which I realize is a lot to ask in a book about a nun LOL.)

I have enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's work in the past (Sorcery of Thorns is my favourite) and I really liked this one. This is the first book I have read of hers that is not a standalone and I am excited to see what happens next. I really liked the characters and this world she created.

This review is laaaaaate.

I was provided an e-arc of this book with the disclaimer that a lot of the repetition would be edited out of the final copy of the book. With that in mind, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

This book was cool, point blank, period. Medieval gothic nuns, spirit possession, demonic plots, and a damaged and flawed female MC all wrapped in a dose of comedy. Vespertine has been compared to Venom, and it does not disappoint -however, it doesn’t have a romantic arc which I found absolutely refreshing. I love a good fantasy romance but it was nice to see a female MC working to save the world that didn’t have to battle for their partner.

The hierarchy of spirits is a bit complex and remembering how they are formed takes a bit of effort but I found that it added a lot to the story and I expect will be quite helpful as this series continues. I look forward to more from this world .

Thank you to NetGalley, Margaret Rogerson, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I gave Vespertine 3.5/5 stars.

The plot is full of magic and magic, though it's still a slower read. There are loads of twists and turns, some even unpredictable which was fun to read! The ending, however, feels very anticlimactic. I know this isn't a standalone so I can understand that not everything can be resolved or given away, but a little more would have been nice (and would help incentivize me to read the next book).

There isn't romance in this book, and that's completely fine, but there is a love interest. I honestly don't think this book needs that kind of help to advance the plot, and it makes the book feel tropey.

The magic system was at times confusing and clunky. There was just so much being added when I felt like the holy relics were fantastic enough as is. It felt messy and underdeveloped.

I liked the characters though, I found them fun and witty. Friendships developed well and I felt like they were realistic and believable.

This book was amazing. I loved the immersive world building and the true to life characters. It was really really good!

I really enjoyed the world Margaret Rogerson crafted in Vespertine. I also really liked the min character, Artemisia and I'm excited to see what's next for her and the Revenant.

Yet another great book by Margaret Rogerson - I found this one to be very unique. As much as I enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns, I think I liked Vespertine a tiny bit more. The difference for me lies in the depth of the characters. This book reads a bit slower and contains more dialogue but as a result, I feel we got to know Artemesia more... We definitely got a better glimpse of her thoughts thanks to the nature of her interactions with the Revenant. I was also surprised because there is no romance in this book but honestly, I didn't miss it!

Speaking of side characters - the Revenant was an amazing one. I loved the witty retorts and the banter between Artemesia and the Revenant. If you loved Silas from Sorcery of Thorns, I think you will like the Revenant just as much. The magic behind the existence of the Revenant and other such spirits was intriguing, as are the complexities of owning a relic with a spirit bound to it - I can't wait to see how this plays out in Artemesia's case.

I loved that this story has themes of mental health throughout. I also appreciated how the humour balanced out the heavier aspects of this one. All in all, a great read and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Rating: 4.25 starts/5
Content warnings: Self-harm, anxiety, minor disordered eating, child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD.

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the ARC for review. All opinions stated here are my own.

Margaret Rogerson continues to release gripping standalone fantasy novels. Just like her past 2 novels, I was able to zip through this in no time. once you are hooked you will not want to put this down until you are finished!

I really loved this book. The voice just jumped out from the page and the spirit that inhabits her is quirky and hilarious. He really made the entire book just that extra bit of special.

Just finished reading VESPERTINE by Margaret Rogerson. I was a huge fan of SORCERY OF THORNS, and had to get my hands on this one ASAP. It definitely didn't disappoint!

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, which is a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on. She would much rather spend her time with the dead then the living.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia is the only nun able to defend it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. A Revenant, a dangerous spirt that threatens to possess her.

Something dark and dangerous has arrived in Loraille and Artdmisia has the only weapon strong enough to stop it, but could loose her soul in the process. Should she give up everything she was taught and work with the revenant?

Rogerson spins a mystery envolving saints, secrets, and the darkest kind of magic. Loved the banter between Artemisia and the Revenant. She had me hooked from the first page, and I can't wait to see where it goes in the next book!

I have read both an Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns an absolutely loved them both but Vespertine wasn't for me. The plot was well developed and the author is an amazing writer but this specific story just wasn't my cup of tea. I would still say this is a good book and would recommend it for other fantasy readers but just wouldn't read it again for me.