Vespertine 01

I stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing this book and I regret nothing. Rogerson’s Sorcery of Thorns was my favorite read of 2019, and I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting to see what she’d do next. This gorgeous, atmospheric series starter does not disappoint! Born with the Sight, Artemisia was trained by the Gray Sisters to subdue spirits. When her convent is attacked, she comes to its defense by taking up a revenant: an ancient, violent spirit. Now on the run — and on the trail of dangerous Old Magic — Artemisia will need to work with her sarcastic passenger if she wants to save the world from the restless dead. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.

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.

“Filled with atmospheric details hinting at the era of Joan of Arc….Rogerson (Sorcery of Thorns) deftly blends a coming-of-age tale and mythic quest in this dark fantasy.” Publishers Weekly

“A splendidly dark story….Rogerson's third YA novel contains a wonderfully ghastly mythology, and a plot that crackles with tension….An excellent bet for fans of Robin LaFevers's Assassin Nuns and Garth Nix's Old Kingdom.” Shelf Awareness

“Amid escalating danger and an unfolding mystery, Rogerson unveils a grim and intriguing world with a rich, plot-relevant history inspired by late-medieval France....A dark and enthralling journey." Kirkus Reviews

Margaret Rogerson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.