Blood on Her Tongue
Horror
Johanna van Veen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ • ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ • ᴘᴏꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ •

I really enjoyed My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen so I was looking forward to reading this one!

I found this book to be quite slow to start with. The letters between Lucy and Sarah did confuse me a little but they soon made sense.

I couldn't put this book down! The plot drew me in and I finished reading it in about 3 hours because I was so eager to find out what really happened to Sarah.

There were many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I kept trying to predict the plot twists but I was wrong every time.

The characters were great and I felt sorry for Lucy. Especially because Michael was so misogynistic and prone to outbursts. I was glad when a certain character got what he deserved. I wish it had happened sooner 😂.

The vibes were perfectly gothic and creepy at times.

Johanna van Veen is a brilliant writer and she has become another of my auto buy authors.

*Thank you to @Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for providing this ARC. This is my own opinion and an honest review, which I am leaving voluntarily*

Unsettling, atmospheric, and quick-paced, Blood on Her Tongue is both a subtle creature feature and a cathartic take-down of period-specific misogyny.

Is this a vampire story? Yes and no. If you’re fresh off the Nosferatu train, you will probably enjoy this, but it’s not a vampire derivative - it’s something less specific than that.

But the mood? The vibes? The tone? The atmosphere? Totally gothic!

This book focuses heavily on women. There are two men in the novel (though granted, there are maybe five, maybe six, women, so it’s not the cast of characters is huge), and both represent dudes on the spectrum of bad guys. You have one who is a sleaze and sees women as disposable, and then the “white knight” guy who thinks he’s a good guy but is using that persona to manipulate. And back in the 1880s, as a woman, sometimes, in order to provide for yourself (given you generally couldn’t support yourself financially), you had to choose between dick A or jerk B. While this doesn’t seem to be more than minor interpersonal conflict and period-specific setting, it really comes in at the end in a way that is immensely satisfying.

In truth, how the male characters react to the women (in particular, the sisters) is what carries the “is she crazy or is this real?” tension in the novel. It’s one of these books that, when you stop to think about it afterward, is far more clever than it seems to be on the surface. Not that it’s silly or something, but a lot of the intricacies or subtitles of the novel come out when you think about it after reading.

I will admit, this insanity aspect, while not the same as in My Darling, Dreadful Thing, felt a bit repetitive to that novel. While the characters and situation are entirely different, the sort of “real or not” question felt a bit too similar to the other book in a way that I wished the conclusion had more of a twist. This wasn't really a problem though, just something because I was aware I was reading a book by the same author, sort of stuck out to me.

Where this book really shines, though, is the descriptions and the setting. It’s creepy and brooding and just feels so dark. The book is packed with body horror, trauma, and death. I didn’t find it particularly scary, but it’s definitely moody and sucks you right in.

The story also has some great curves in terms of plot and red herrings, and it moves at a good clip. Sometimes, gothic novels can be too heavy and drag a bit, but this one never lets up. The story is a bit of a mystery, but I wouldn’t consider this novel a mystery.

The writing is also lovely, with phrases like (and this is from an ARC, so it may be removed or altered in the final version): “To say it broke her heart was an understatement: it maimed a tender, vital part of her.”
There were also some passages that were downright funny.

I really enjoyed reading this book and flew through it. I totally recommend it to gothic horror enthusiasts and/or historical fiction horror readers!

This is Johanna Van Veen's second novel and they've triumphed yet again! To avoid spoilers, I will speak only on the setting and the two main characters. I'll admit, I'm fascinated by bog bodies and that somewhat unique, natural preservation process. Like Sarah, I was drawn in by this ancient creature of earth and rot. The estate is extensive, but not remote. Lucy's loneliness and withdrawal is deeply internalized rather than an effect of the house.

As someone who has a twin sister, there were moments that struck me more acutely than others. Lucy and Sarah are incredibly close, obviously, but their personalities are noticeably different. Sarah is unreserved, fervently inquisitive and mercurial, and Lucy is self-restrained, romantic, but "insubstantial and unfinished." But Sarah, while appearing mad, is sharper than even Lucy expected and Lucy, is certainly not as dutiful and submissive as she seems. After losing Sarah, Lucy looks to a mirror as "the only place I can find my sister", a sister that has become hungry and restless...

It's a passionate, sinister twist on the classic vampire tale, but do not think of it as a simple re-telling. It's always tempting to make presumptions with gothic fiction, but I promise it will leave you shocked and horrified as the story unfolds. It's lightly inspired by Dracula and traditional gothic themes - forbidden love, inevitable tragedy, terrible dreams - but truly Van Veen has created something entirely their own. Of course, I expected nothing less from the author that gave us My Darling Dreadful Thing!

""I'm in your blood, and you are in mine..."

The Netherlands, 1887. Lucy's twin sister Sarah is unwell. She refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically, and is increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse recently discovered on her husband's grand estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity caused by a fever of the brain. To protect her twin from a terrible fate in a lunatic asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister's condition, but it's clear her twin is hiding something. Then again, Lucy is harboring secrets of her own, too.

Then, the worst happens. Sarah's behavior takes a turn for the strange. She becomes angry...and hungry.

Lucy soon comes to suspect that something is trying to possess her beloved sister. Or is it madness? As Sarah changes before her very eyes, Lucy must reckon with the dark, monstrous truth, or risk losing her forever."

Could it be vampires? I think vampires.

This one was a ride. Blood on Her Tongue takes you to a haunting estate in 1887 Netherlands, where Lucy must deal with her twin sister Sarah’s increasingly bizarre and dangerous behavior. As Sarah becomes obsessed with an ancient corpse found on the property, Lucy uncovers a mystery that threatens to tear everything apart.

Van Veen’s writing is dark and unsettling, with slow-burn tension that makes each strange moment feel inevitable. The gothic atmosphere is thick and immersive, pulling you deeper into the madness. It’s got that A24 movie vibe, with body horror, a rich setting, and a sense of unease that didn’t let up. It’s twisted, weird, and keeps you locked in until the very end. I’m already dying for more from this author.

3/5 stars because the author writes so incredibly beautifully.

I was so excited for this book after ready my darling dreadful thing. I such such high expectations and I think that was my downfall.

I love the writing style and the characters but the plot itself just was not for me. I love gothic horror and while I still think this is gothic horror it just was not my cup of tea.

The author is still amazing to me and I will read whatever she puts out next.

Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen is a wild, gothic ride that somehow blends Dutch history, sapphic tension, and weird vampire vibes into one haunting story. As a Dutch reader, I loved spotting the folklore touches—it’s like seeing our heritage get a dark, bloody makeover.

The sapphic romance is slow-burn and deliciously unsettling, and the vampire angle is straight-up bizarre in the best way—less “hot immortal” and more “is she gonna eat me or kiss me?” The writing is darkly poetic, and while some plot points are a bit out there, the whole vibe just works. Weird, eerie, and totally worth it.

Blood on Her Tongue is a gripping, creepy, atmospheric gothic novel that for me eclipsed van Veen’s previous work. The writing so perfectly captured the unease and tenuous line women walked in the 1800s to be independent and smart but not too smart. Not too combative. Not too independent. Definitely not too emotional. And the very real threat of being sent to an asylum.

This is by far the most body horror/gore I’ve read in a novel (I’m a horror novice) but I think it was so well done and fit the gothic atmosphere. If you like stories of women’s rage, mystery, and bog bodies, give this one a shot!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Van Veen's sophomore novel is a gripping Gothic pot boiler. Twins Sarah and Lucy have a toxic bond. Sarah's struggles with mental illness have greatly impacted Lucy. When a bog body is found near their home, Sarah becomes obsessed with the corpse and begins to spiral once again. Lucy comes home to intervene. What follows is a twisty thriller full of lust, betrayal, and bloodthirst.

🩸 Blood On Her Tongue Book Review 🩸

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

Blood On Her Tongue by Johanna Van Veen is perfect for fans of gothic horror and closely intertwined siblings.

This book had me hooked with its rich atmosphere and captivating storyline. It follows Lucy who receives a few strange letters from her sister Sarah. Lucy goes to visit Sarah and her husband. There she finds her sister terribly sick and acting different. She’s hungry but can’t keep anything down…Is something trying to possess her sister?

I honestly had such a good time with this one. It sucked me in!

Read this if your looking for 🥀

🩸 Gothic Atmosphere
🥀 Bog bodies
🩸 Sibling Horror
🥀 Good For Her Vibes
🩸 Gore
🥀 Sapphic

Is this one on your tbr? Catch this one when it releases 3.25.25!

4.5

I really loved this! This author’s debut was excellent and I found her second book to be even better!! This author really excels at creating an atmosphere you can really feel, which contributed to the dark, eerie, and gothic vibes of the novel. I loved how this novel centered around themes of women and madness and I loooooved the ending. So girlboss of the twins. I saw a quote recently that was like any time you want to be mad at a woman, go be mad at a man instead and I really think this book is the epitome of that sentiment. Faced paced, atmospheric, and oh so satisfying. A must read for gothic horror fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and poisoned pen press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

As much as I loved van Veen's previous novel, she somehow managed to top it with this one. She really captured the griminess of the gothic setting, which sometimes gets lost in the aesthetic, and as always her characters perfectly toed the line between bizarre and believable. Katje is best girl.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the early access copy!

Wow. This is an incredible sophomore novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even the icky bits. I'm finding that (thanks to Johanna Van Veen), I really enjoy gothic bog horror. She writes it so well! It feels like I'm watching a penny dreadful movie in my mind, which is honestly amazing. I loved this take on parasitic vampirism. It was wonderful, brava!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an e-ARC of Blood on Her Tongue.

After reading My Darling Dreadful Thing earlier this year, I did not think I would be able to find and read a better book this year. Well, as it turns out, I might have been mistaken.

Blood on Her Tongue is set in the 19th century Netherlands and revolves around twin sisters—Lucy and Sarah. They have been incredibly close since they were children, and now that Sarah has taken ill, Lucy travels to see and help her sister. The situation is, unfortunately, quite dire, and nobody believes Sarah will survive her illness.

Sarah's mysterious illness appeared with the discovery of a bog body—a centuries-old corpse. Sarah confides in Lucy that she is being haunted and possessed by the spirit of the body. But will Lucy believe her sister? After all, she has previously struggled with mental illness (or fever of the brain, as it is called in the book), and so did their aunt.

The sisters are now both facing a challenge: Lucy is trying to save her sister from being sent to an asylum while Sarah is trying to get rid of the ghost inside of her.

Both Lucy and Sarah are interesting characters. Despite being twins, the differences between them become more and more apparent as the novel progresses. I really loved their dynamic, and I also really liked how strong their relationship was—they were both ready to sacrifice everything for the other. While they aren't particularly likeable, I found it incredibly easy to connect with them.

As for the other characters, they were also pretty well written. I do have to say I hoped we would see more of Michael´s and Katje´s past too. I also hoped we would get more of the relationship between Katje and Sarah.

While the plot was quite predictable, as this was a pretty classic gothic horror, I really loved how the story progressed. Similarly to My Darling Dreadful Thing, the writing was breathtaking, but one thing I definitely missed was a true haunted manor.

Blood on Her Tongue starts a bit slow, but the pace slowly increases in intensity as the story progresses, all the way to the grand finale.

I have to say, the way this novel finished surprised me a little. I definitely did not expect such a strong and powerful ending.

Blood on Her Tongue might be a horror, but it explores some deep topics such as misogyny and medical misogyny, mental illness, grief, and family relationships. It also touches a lot on the topic of the “traditional” roles women are supposed to have in society.

I can honestly say Johanna van Veen is becoming my favourite author. Both My Darling Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue are beautiful, atmospheric novels that talk about the horrors of love. I genuinely cannot wait to read her future novels.

SPOILERS--as limited as possible to tell why I lost interest in reading it.
I was excited to receive this ARC. Based on the cover and description, I expected to enjoy it.The begining was slow, and the tone and character actions felt at odds with the situation.It caught my interest with the bog body discovery. There were unsettling details and a sense of danger.

Unfortunately, I couldn't remain engaged with it. There were phrases and ways of thinking that jarred with the era. Many readers won't mind.The ongoing male-female drama got old fast. The crescendos of both men pressing her right when the FMC is supposedly grieving...seriously? 'Forbidden love' MF affairs are extremely popular, as are necro... , cannibalism, and taboo desires. They simply aren't what I seek to read.

I got tired of the prolonged gross-out material. I've read splatterpunk and some extreme horror--it can work well with the right tension and pacing. Here, it was simply repetitive and off-putting. It all felt too static. It wasn't scary, and I've seen more than enough wounds and body fluids IRL.

I was over Lucy after what she did in the fouled deathbed. The long conversation and proposal at the funeral while Sarah clawed to get out felt ridiculous. The book became unpleasant to read.

At 54%, I gave up on it. Nothing against the author and her intended audience, this simply didn't fit what I want from horror.
Many readers are delighted by this author and will be thrilled to read Blood on Her Tongue.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen for the e-ARC via NetGalley for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.

**Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.**

4.5 STARS

I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
There was mystery, complex and interesting characters that you sometimes just didn't like and a delightfully eerie gothic setting and if you know me at all you'll know that's all I could every ask for in a book.

I quite literally devoured this book and I can't wait to see what else Johanna can Veen comes out with!

A fantastic addition to the horror canon. This book is hauntingly beautiful. The sibling dynamic explored in this novel makes for a compelling core relationship. The writing helps bring this strange world to life.

This was such a good book with unique and interesting characters, and plot. I found it an awesome read and would highly recommend.

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC of Blood on Her Tongue.

This novel follows twin sisters, Lucy and Sarah, beginning with Lucy visiting Sarah, who has fallen ill with a mysterious ailment upon the unearthing of a strange body found in the bog. The book is rich with atmosphere, delivering a dark, gothic tone that the author executes very well.

Unfortunately, I’ve decided to DNF this book at 25%. I restarting it twice, giving it two strong attempts, but I struggled to stay engaged with the story and characters. While the writing itself is strong, I found my attention drifting frequently, often needing to reread paragraphs. and at the end of the second attempt, I just couldn’t make it any further to care about the rest of the story.

I feel terrible since I was super excited for this book. I’ve heard amazing things about this authors debut novel, and I’ve recently developed a love for gothic fiction. So in my head this was going to be a great fit. However, I promised my honest thoughts. While it didn’t work for me personally, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy a slow-burning, atmospheric story.

Blood on Her Tongue
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“There was beauty in it still, the way imperfect things can be beautiful, but it was a beauty of a dark and fading kind.”

Netherlands 1887, gothic horror, queer lit, sign me up! Overall I enjoyed this one, but once I was done I honestly didn’t feel like much happened. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling anything, but I felt like the premise had a lot of promise and I wish the author did more with it! I thought for a moment it was giving Mexican Gothic vibes (which I loved) but it didn’t quite reach that and I really wanted it to! I did enjoy the eerie letters between the sisters, there’s some feminine rage, and a lot of talk surrounding mental health, which in 1887 a woman could sneeze and they would stick her in an asylum so I did enjoy watching these women develop throughout the story and the revenge *chef’s kiss*. Now if you like a little horror and not terribly spooky then this may be perfect for you, I just wanted a little more horror because the parts that were very descriptive and creepy I really enjoyed! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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“Please please please come to me my sweet sister I am terrified of what I might do if you don’t.”
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Thank you @poisonedpenpress @netgalley and Johanna Van Veen for this e-arc, it comes out March 25th