Lucy is in a rush to return to her twin sister, Sarah’s side. She is mentally unwell, refusing to eat, and obsessed with a body groundsmen have pulled from the bog on her estate. It’s 1887, and any sort of untoward behavior from women has them seen to an asylum. Diagnosed with a brain fever, Lucy hopes to be able to nurse her back to health, but Sarah comes back strange and so very, very hungry. She must do her best to figure out what is plaguing her sister before she runs out of time.

This was a very interesting book. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, filled with gore and blood. Lovers of the horror genre will definitely enjoy this one. The story was entertaining and kept me seeking answers as I was reading. I did wish to have more information at some points which I won’t spoil, but that’s my brain wanting answers for everything.

There were a few cliche moments that had my eyeballs rolling, but it is, in its core, a historical fiction so I have to excuse intrepid men I suppose. Check the trigger warnings, this one has a fair few.

Final rating: 3.75 Stars

Recommended if you like: historical horror, body horror

Gothic, queer, vampire books might just be my new favorite. Johanna Van Veen exceeded all expectations with this book.

I usually don’t enjoy books without a strong romance plot line, but found myself thoroughly engrossed in Lucy and Sarah’s story from beginning to end.

This was a beautifully written, vivid tale of two sisters, that will have you gripping the edge of your seat with each page.

Blood on Her Tongue comes out March of 2025, and I will for sure be encouraging everyone I know to run and read it upon its release. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC of this title.

4.25 ⭐

This is a dark, gore-y, twisted read, definitely inspired by the stories of Carmilla and Dracula with Dracula quotes being used to mark the start of each new part of the book. Vampires in a new form.

A story set in the late 1800's where we follow the lives of Lucy and Sarah (twin sisters), Sarah is suffering from an unknown illness and so Lucy has returned to help care for her sister and find the cause. We discover a local bog woman was found and examined shortly before Sarah fell ill - could this be linked to her mysterious illness? With the 'aid' of Sarah's husband Michael and childhood friend turned doctor Arthur, Lucy works to unravel the mystery and fights to protect her sister / not-sister.

Expect lots of secrets, blood, gore, misogyny, and mystery. A really intriguing story that will draw you in, I just felt there was some cherry on the top missing that really pushed it to a full five stars. Overall a great read I would recommend to any readers who enjoy a darker, gothic story.

Wwwwwwtttttttffffffff (/pos)

06/01/25
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5 rounded to 5 stars.

When I saw that I'd been accepted for an ARC of Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna Van Veen I almost screamt. I haven't yet read her other novel, but the premise of this one was deliciously intriguing.

Blood on Her Tongue follows Lucy's perspective as she goes to aid her sister, Sarah, who is suffering from a strange brain fever, one that makes her act strange, have knowledge she shouldn't, and worst of all crave blood.

I'm really not a fan of vampire stories, and this was a delightful take on that sort of trope. I won't spoil, but it is not just your classic vampire novel.
The writing is wonderful. The descriptive paragraphs are so vivid and detailed, and the author perfectly managed to balance descriptive with story-telling. There was never any forced information, although there were some knots left untied. (I quite like this, however. It leaves the book with the air of mystery is deserves)

The ending was perfect. One of my biggest pet peeves in books is endings that feel rushed or forced. I love the choice Johanna made with the ending, even if not everything was revealed.
Thank you so very much to the publishers and to the author for the free ARC of this book. I devoured it in less than a day.

I have been craving a good gothic horror for a while and this book has satiated that hunger. This story was beautifully dark and also surprising. I was expecting a dark vampire read and this was so much more.

Lucy's twin sister, Sarah, is bed bound after an encounter with a body preserved in the peat on her husband's property. While her husband, Michael, thinks it might just be a consequence seeing a corpse had on her delicate, feminine constitution, Lucy knows her scientifically minded sister better than that. Sarah has had some health scares before, and after their aunt died in an asylum, the prospect of losing her to the same cruel system is horrifying. Even their childhood friend and Sarah's current doctor, Arthur, is doubting Sarah's sanity, and her insistence that the bog woman is speaking to her inside of her mind isn't helping. The situation gets even stranger when Sarah dies... and sits back up in her coffin, as if nothing had happened.

'Blood on Her Tongue' is a delightfully disgusting gothic horror novel. Bog bodies are fascinating, and something I've never really seen explored in a horror setting before. Johanna van Veen takes a lot of inspiration from gothic horror, though the gore and language usage feels a bit extreme than what you'd find in a classic novel. If you're sensitive to violence, you might want to skip this book--I'm normally not squeamish, but the eye-horror had me feeling a bit queasy.

Lucy is an interesting protagonist, though not entirely likeable. I think she suits the narrative fine, being a quieter and more passive foil to Sarah, and she definitely grows into her own flavor of strange as the story continues. That said, she is the source of my biggest problem with the novel... I just don't get what she sees in Michael. He's unlikable within his first appearance, but it takes this woman who saves spiders so long to see the guy who throws his dog around for what he is. It does add to the gothic atmosphere of the book--this man who is awful to his wife has such a magnetic pull on her sister, but Lucy's angst towards her inability to be with Michael was the least enjoyable part of the book to me, since he really had nothing going for him.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with 'Blood on Her Tongue', and it felt like a great throwback to gothic classics like 'Dracula' and 'Wuthering Heights'. I definitely want to check out van Veen's previous novel, and I look forward to what she'll write in the future.

The first book completed of 2025 and what a read it was! Original. Inventive. Compelling. Unique. Scary. Gross. Full of twists. Memorable characters. Demented family dynamics. I could sing endless praise about this book. Has quickly become one of my favorite new horror writers.

Take three: Twins. Gothic setting. Hunger. This book has it all, in the most creepy and delicious way! Thanks heaps to @netgalley, @johannavanveen1997 and @poisonedpenpress for early access.

I don’t often read books with this setting - think old European manor houses with lords and ladies and whatever. Victorian era? I have never been interested enough to know. But this novel was different. I mean, besides the horror elements (which are awesome), the setting didn’t jar on my brain. Definitely going to grab My Darling, Dreadful Thing next month.

I just loved how over dramatic this was. It’s not funny, but it is fun. And you can imagine what the trio got up to after they left.

Book Review: Blood on Her Tongue

If you’re a fan of Gothic horror that truly embodies the essence of the genre, Blood on Her Tongue is an absolute must-read. This book was exceptional—every page dripping with an unsettling atmosphere that grips you from start to finish.

I devoured this in less than 48 hours, unable to put it down, and I’m already eager to explore more from this author. The writing is disturbingly vivid and masterfully crafted, creating a sense of dread that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

The author does an incredible job of staying true to the Gothic horror tradition, weaving together chilling imagery, haunting themes, and an oppressive atmosphere that is both mesmerizing and deeply unsettling. It’s rare to find a book that captures the dark beauty of this genre so effectively.

Blood on Her Tongue is everything I love about Gothic horror: dark, disturbing, and exceptionally well-written. This one will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended!

4.5 stars.
This is my first book by this author and it was a great read. The author excels at creating the cloying, creepy dark atmosphere. It was so vivid for me that I could feel and smell the scenes at times. The way the story unfolds including through letters and articles is very interesting. I found Lucy to be a very interesting main character- I wanted her to succeed, felt empathy for her feelings and yet she managed to infuriate me with her choices and actions. No other character had as much depth as her but it was interesting to see how other characters like Arthur and Michael perceived her. The casual misogyny through the male characters spoke volumes and the author uses that deftly while able to show how belittling it must for be for a woman to face that. And yet the same woman then demonstrates her elitist biases when it comes to a maid. This was well done and felt appropriate to the setting.
I loved the story, the atmosphere, the superstitions and complexities of relationships between sisters as well the blurred lines of love.
Thanks for the advanced copy.

A gorgeously twisted dive into gothic horror, Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen weaves a tale of love, rage and the bonds of sisterhood. Lucy is called to her twin sister's side after Sarah is diagnosed with temporary insanity and consumed by anger with an unnatural hunger. But Lucy has secrets of her own and must decide how far she will go to protect her sister or risk losing her forever.

Van Veen is a master of gothic ambiance and the macabre. The dark, visceral descriptions pull you into the heart of the story. Every shadow feels alive, every setting steeped in menace, and it's not just a sense of dread. This story is dripping in blood with moments so vivid they'll make you flinch.

All this creates an oppressive yet mesmerising backdrop for the exploration of societal expectations, mental health, and madness, as well as the bonds between women especially sisterhood. The relationship between Lucy and Sarah is at the heart of the novel, twin sisters whose bond is as fraught as it is unbreakable. Van Veen masterfully captures the complexities of sibling love and rivalry; the fight for your own identity within a relationship with someone who is as close to you as your own self while also asking how far you would go to protect them.

That said the story closely follows established gothic tropes. Those familiar with these story beats may be waiting for a twist that never comes. Some of Lucy's decisions, particularly regarding Sarah and the change she undergoes, felt hard to believe even though they fit the gothic style. While the journey remains engaging, and Lucy's climax in particular is deeply satisfying, the overall conclusion may feel a little lack lustre.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing a DRC in return for an honest review via Netgalley.

Set in the 1800s Netherlands I loved the historical fiction setting with a twist of dark gothic horror vibes. Johanna really sets you into the characters spaces gives your team to feel for the characters. Even grasp emotional attachments for those who could be considered morally grey. It’s a story of grief and what would you do to protect the ones you love.

Gothic, eerie, murky, swampy, unnerving, and completely addictive. Only the smallest teasers are given - enough to keep you hooked. A slow burn horror with characters you aren't sure you like or dislike. The setting is immaculate and you feel chilled the entire time. A slower-paced book overall, but worth the extra push to get through. The horror is certainly there but it isn't exorbitant or excessive.

Highly recommend it overall, especially if you're looking for something gothic that feels like stepping into a musty and creepy old gothic mansion where you aren't entirely sure you're alone. Can't wait to see other readers picking this up after publication date, and hope to see it on a few "most anticipated reads of 2025" lists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen

4.5 stars (rounding up)

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for this review copy.

So while this will technically be my first finished book of the new year, I did start this at the very end of last year. I ate this book up (no pun intended) once I got into it a bit, but it honestly hooked me from the start. If I had had the time when I first started, this would have been a bingeable one day read instead of 3 (as I read 75% of it in one day haha).

This book exceeded my expectations for sure, and was a delightful read. I knew this would be a great read for me, but I didn't realize it would be THIS good. I haven't read other books from this author (but I will be later) and It would have been an easy 5+ stars, but sometimes it felt a little repetitive, so -.5 star just for that. That is pretty minor overall though, which is why I'm okay with rounding up.

The writing was eloquent and beautiful AND perfect for the setting. This was dark and creepy and perfectly gothic. This is a genre and a vibe I constantly look for and strive to find, but rarely do I end up loving the books as much as this one.

The authors writing and world-building really was immersive. I felt like I was swept back to the 1800s. Her writing was really amazing in this, I can't state that enough. The body horror elements were perfect. That is something else I don't often find in horror books, but this one really hit it out of the park.

I love that this was different than almost anything else I have read. This isn't quite vampires per say - but it is enough that its uniquely interesting on its own twists and turns. I absolutely love when books use lore, but make their own ideas with it.

Read this right after watching the new "Nosferatu" film and my god this satiated my hunger ( ;) ) for something similar in book form that wasn't juse re-reading "Dracula". The characters were all flushed out really well, including the unlikable ones, and the twin bond and sisterhood that the author wrote about was very good. I especially liked that it showed a deep and complex relationship, one that wasn't always good.

This story had a lot of layers to it and was a bit of a slow burn mystery that really built up to something crazy and beautiful and while I'm assuming this would be a standalone story, I think it easily continue into more books (though it also doesn't need to, it just would be interesting if it did).

Anyway, again, perfect gothic/horror novel. Very happy I got to read this. I will pick this up at publication and let everyone know how amazing it is. This is a must read for fans of the genre. Everything about this was excellent and perfectly atmospheric. I'll be thinking about this one for a long while.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for the review!

“What is a person if not the sum of all they had ever thought and felt and lived through?”

I somehow finished this before the end of the New Year and what a review I get to start the New Year with! I really enjoyed this book and just absolutely ate this up. I feel so lucky to have received an ARC to read this, I did a happy dance when I saw I was approved (Thank you to Netgalley, the amazing author, and the publishers)! I have to say the vibes I got from watching the new Nosferatu movie is EXACTLY what this book had. It had all my favorite gothic vibes, a writing style I love, letters, obsession and honestly a dash of unhinged women. What else more could I ask for.

I couldn’t the whole time I couldn’t predict where it was going and I just HAD to keep reading! For those of you that are anticipating vampires, I wouldn’t go in with that expectation. This was very unique and for sure something I personally have never experienced in a story before. I can say some of it though does give off those gothic vampire vibes so don’t let that keep you from wanting to read this! The setting was perfect and can I add how deeply impressed I was with the dog body language that was written in this story!!

Ugh, what a book to end the year with. Truly, I don’t want to say more and give away anything that could ruin the experience I had while reading this. Go pick this up as soon as this releases (after checking trigger warnings of course)! I really REALLY need to go pick up the author's other book A Darling Dreadful Thing now!!

Johanna van Veen cannot miss.

When I saw she had a new title coming out, I could not contain my excitement. I read “My Darling Dreadful Thing” back in May 2024 and loved it. The book is brutal and visceral and deliciously sapphic, which is the perfect recipe for a story I am guaranteed to like. “Blood on Her Tongue” followed that same model, with a fresh plot and a unique monster. I loved the dynamic between the main character Lucy and her twin sister Sarah - just as codependent and toxic as was promised. Their relationship was the star of the show, the motivating factor behind every terrible choice made throughout the novel. While the sapphic relationship was a secondary plot point, unlike in “Dreadful Thing”, I still enjoyed experiencing it alongside the horrors.

Johanna van Veen is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me.

Blood on Her Tounge is a dark gothic novel that takes place in the Netherlands, 1887. Lucy and her twin sister, Sarah has always been close. Now Lucy is summoned to her brother in law's estate due to Sarah's declining health. The letters that Lucy has recieved from Sarah in the week prior detail the discovery of a corpse that was found in the bogs on Michael and Sarah's property. Sarah was fascinated to find out what and where the corpse came from and why it had a rock shoved down it's throat and stakes through the torso. Once Lucy arrives she fears the worse for her sister who is on her death bed from a fever that wont come down and also thirsty but not for water. As with My Darling Dreadful Thing, Johanna van Veen paints a grapic gothic horror book that will keep you up at night just to finsih the book. Blood on Her Tongue is a must for anyone who loves books about strong female leads, horror and a bond between sisters that will not falter no matter what happens. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me have an advanced copy of this book.

I loved this author’s their previous book so it’s safe to say that I was very happy to be able to arc read their next one. I feel like this one was even more scarier and eerie than MDDT. The writing is incredible and you’re completely submerged in this gothic atmosphere. I gave this book 4 stars!

thank you netgalley for the arc! sadly, despite the great title, cover and general premise, this was a disappointing story the more it went on. the only merit being it was a fast read, for the majority quick paced but overall a hit and miss for a gothic horror. the book was full of the classic elements of the genre but it feels like the author didn't know what to do with this. the bog had huge potential, too. this is also tagged as historical fiction but having stereotypical and recurring sexist and misogynistic remarks, doesn't make it historical fiction. the sexism (from both male and female characters) was bland, lazy and too much on the nose, too direct and came off as the author going "see, women were threatened bad back then. mental asylums were a thing.", while holding the reader's hand.

the first half of the book was good, there was suspense and it felt like something sinister was happening both with the house, the bog and the characters. but the tone of the book completely changed once sarah resurrected. it was no longer a suspenseful or gothic horror novel but supernatural parody. the characters aren't fully fleshed out, forgettable (anyone that's not lucy or sarah) and too self-aware. there was no rhyme or reason to characters' actions, whole chapters were spend on the issue of not-sarah having to eat. i don't understand why she couldn't go and kill/eat people herself but had to rely on lucy's help. she just waited around for someone else to feed her, while lucy was doing (very poor) mental gymnastics on how to feed her not-sister. i just don't see or understand this reasoning. it feels like a plot hole.

when lucy initially started having suspicions about her resurrected sister, and confronting her about it, i wish sarah had bothered to deny it or gaslighted lucy, played around with the gothic genre a little. not almost immediately give up the act and ask "what gave it away?" and for the two of them to have a series of cringe dialogues intermixed with casual body horror. the elements of body horror in the beginning were good, it added to the atmosphere and the madness. but at one point it was so frequent and random, it became overkill.

the descriptions and dialogues were also too modern, to the point where i had to remind myself that i wasn't reading a present day supernatural YA but a story set in 19th century netherlands. if i didn't know from the blurb that this was set in the netherlands, i would have never been able to guess. everyone behaved and talked like they were english. what was the point of this setting if you aren't going to take advantage of it? there were errors with the dates of the letters and newspaper articles. for example, the letter arthur got from his doctor friend is dated 19 nov 1887, and the story ends with an article from 31 oct 1887 about events that were happening in mid-late november. the article even mentions the evens took place on 19 nov. this could have easily been picked up at beta.

the ending was shallow, too make belief and childish, a gory happy end for sarah and lucy.

I loved the story of this book! Reminded me of my favorite classic, a bit more darker, but that's even better. Set up in a Gothic scenery, we follow two twin sisters and the unconditional love between them. And even when one of them is not sherself anymore, possessed by something, it gets even more extreme and twisted. Really enjoyed the letters and newspaper bits included. There are so many eari and horrifying scenes, it will keep you on edge till the end.