The cover for Margaret Rogerson’s Vespertine is haunting and gorgeous

Author Margaret Rogerson is known for her enthralling YA fantasies that feature complex female heroines and rich, fascinating stories. Her first two novels, An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns are some of the most original tales you’ll find in this genre, and readers everywhere have been rightly anticipating when she might write something a bit larger than a single standalone story.

Well, that time is now. Her next book, titled Vespertine, is due out this Fall and will be the initial installment in Rogerson’s first ever duology. (Insert excited squealing here.) Described as the story of a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against the malevolent spirits of the dead, Vespertine promises a dark fantasy tale that involves ravenous souls, an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic, and a sinister tale of secrets.

Basically, sign me up right now.

You can get a look at the full – gorgeous – cover of Vespertine below.

The official synopsis describes the story as follows.

"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."

If this description has caught your interest, you can actually read the first chapter of Vespertine over at io9 right now.

Vespertine will hit shelves this September. Stay tuned to Culturess for more updates on Rogeron’s newest series!