“Is there anything more dangerous down here?” It seemed to consider the question. Then it said, “ME”.
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:
This isn’t a book world I would want to live in, but the cover is gorgeous! I finished Vespertine recently and it was an easy 5 star for me. I immediately fell in love with the writing and the main character. It started off strong with action right away and didn’t disappoint the rest of the way. I really enjoyed the inner dialogue of the main character and her growth throughout the story. The ghosts were terrifying and I loved very minute of it. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Lovely Reader Girl 