First of all, I do love Johanna van Veen. My Darling, Dreadful Thing was a book for me; I adored it. This is a great novel, and the writing is absolutely beautiful, but I just didn't connect with this as well as her first book, hence the 4 stars.

I absolutely adore the way van Veen writes her women. Their unique personalities, their relationships, and their power are so grounded and fleshed out. I found her characters more likable in My Darling Dreadful thing; I fell in love with multiple people, and felt so invested in them. But I always care for her leads, more so than most stories I read. They are human, and their experiences are written so well that you understand and relate to their emotions without needing to be told.

In recent horror, I have had a hard time feeling connected to the characters, and as a result those books and the horrors within do not resonate. Johanna van Veen had me open mouthed; it is genuinely difficult to read some of the events her leads undergo. I found myself absolutely grossed out a few times, which is an experience I appreciate in the genre. Another thing I particularly enjoyed was her subversion of tropes and expectations. This book hands you its 'answer' on the first page of Part 1, and yet it is much less literal and obvious than you might think. I was sure I knew what was wrong with Sarah, but the answer was much more complex and no less interesting.

The author proves her deft hand similarly in her usage of adages such as crying over spilt milk. Lucy asks, "God, was she cursed to always run after the facts, never ahead of them, condemned to clean up messes but never able to prevent them? No matter. Crying over spilled milk didn't put it back in the bottle. All one could do was throw a rag in the puddle to soak it up, then give the surface a good wipe to prevent it from becoming sticky and smelling sour." This book takes tropes and clichés and makes something that explores humanity in new and thought-provoking ways.

Lucy, Sarah, and a third character (who I will not spoil) are incredible women, ahead of their time: independent, educated, supportive of one another, patient, conspiratorial. Our narrator Lucy's intelligence and strength are so obvious in her small moments. Nearly every page of this novel was vital to her character and to the story's development, so it was a fast, easy, and entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed Blood on Her Tongue, and impatiently await more from van Veen.

Massive thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital review copy / eARC. I received access to this novel with the request for an honest and unbiased review, which I did my best to provide.

Do I have a new favorite author now?! Both of her books have been absolute bangers. She manages to capture the smallest, most delicate human reactions while at the same time describing something incredibly horrific in a beautiful way. The plot lines and character relationships are so strong and propel the story forward. There were a couple of huge surprises in the book as well. This book really hit everything for me: mystery, horror, lgbt+, strong and complex female characters and action and intrigue. What more could you want? This is the best book I’ve read this year thus far! Highly recommend this book and anything written by one of my new favorite authors.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I think it's time I accept that vampire stories just aren't for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I knew I’d love this and I totally did! From the very beginning I was hooked. It immediately fills you with a sense of… oh no. .. and then you get to watch it slowly unfold in the most gothic, eerie, darkest of ways.

I really like the way this was written. Easy to read, not overly done but I was GLUED to my seat. That’s hard to do for me but this is how you write a creepy horror thriller!

Being very vague so I don’t spoil anything, I love when *that.* happens in books and not all is as it seems. YOU might think you know but the character has to figure it out and watching Sarah figure out the clues of her sister was so fun. Highly recommend!

Johanna van Veen’s *Blood on Her Tongue* is an atmospheric and gripping gothic horror that lingers long after the final page. Set in the shadowy Netherlands of 1887, the novel follows Lucy as she struggles to uncover the truth behind her twin sister Sarah’s descent into madness—or perhaps something far more sinister. Sarah’s obsession with a centuries-old bog corpse and her violent, unexplainable hunger create a deeply unsettling and haunting mystery that kept me riveted.

Van Veen’s writing is richly evocative, making every detail of the gloomy estate and Sarah’s transformation disturbingly vivid. The sisterly bond between Lucy and Sarah is at the heart of the story—messy, loving, and heartbreakingly real. As Lucy fights to save Sarah from both a possession-like force and a patriarchal society quick to label her "mad," the book deftly explores themes of autonomy, family, and power.

The horror elements are masterfully done, blending unsettling body horror with chilling suspense. The story also offers sharp commentary on how women’s struggles are magnified in oppressive systems, adding depth to the terror. If I had one small critique, it’s that Lucy’s acceptance of the supernatural came a bit too easily, but it hardly detracted from the experience.

*Blood on Her Tongue* is a beautifully crafted, deeply unsettling novel perfect for fans of gothic horror. Johanna van Veen cements her place as a modern master of the genre. Highly recommended!

I can't begin to describe how much i loved this book. I have to be honest, i was really excited to start this book when i first heard what is was about, i do love a gothic horror story.

In this book we are presented with very serious topics, these are showed in a way where you start to ask yourself what is logical and what is not. I enjoyed so much the way a mental illness can be and how much it can affect your loved ones. I must say that in some moments i was infuriated with Lucy, her persona did make me kind of mad in some ways but overall i loved her very much.

As someone very close to her sisters i can relate a lot with Lucy's and Sarah's relationship being so strong and knowing that in the end it is them who you will always chose no matter what. In regards of the other characters in this story, i hated Michael, i tried to understand him as someone who was also grieving but each time i liked him less so i can't be sad with how he ended.

I found the way in which the author carried out the story of the parasite simply fascinating. It was incredible to see how they took a way of referring to something vampire-esque and portrayed it that way. I was very intrigued in knowing more about their species. Overall i can only say that i loved this book so much.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and everyone else involved that made it possible for me to acquire this ARC.

Macabre, dark, gothic and just beautiful, everything I have come to expect from this author and her writing style. She knows how to create this dark seductive atmosphere

A dark gothic novel with a mysterious bog body, strong sisterly bond, female rage and the ever-increasing stench of rot, I mean what’s not to love.
It was very atmospheric and although I didn’t find it overly gory (but check warnings) there were parts that made me a little squeamish (especially as I have a thing about eyeballs.). For me, the true horror was, once again, seeing how easy it was for men (especially at the time) to just get rid of a woman by locking her in an asylum.

I love that it left things mysterious enough to wonder if it was really something supernatural or a psychological issue after all.

This is my first time reading Johanna van Veen but after this I’ll definitely be adding My Dark Dreadful Thing and any future books of hers to my wishlist.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗟𝗘: 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗕𝗬 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 𝗩𝗔𝗡 𝗩𝗘𝗘𝗡
𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝚄𝙱𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽: 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙲𝙷 𝟸𝟻, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ. ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ. ʜɪꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴠᴀᴍᴘɪʀᴇꜱ. ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱʏ. ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ. Qᴜᴇᴇʀ-ꜱᴏᴍᴇ.
📖ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠

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

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:
I read Veen's debut novel, "My Darling Dreadful Thing" and I was impressed and a little sad with that ending. This one was also good, a little confusing at the start and I tend to find historical books also confusing especially when they focus on a historical part I have no idea about. This one was also good, not as much as the debut but it was good and really intriguing. The whole blood aspect had a different spine to it because until now I am still confused if it was vampire or a bug or an a flesh-eating and blood drinking bacteria, it has to be because that was the portrayal.

The sisterhood was a little crazy and the relationships as well. The ending was so bloody but that is expected because it says "blood on her tongue" in the title. There is so much information in the cover and title and when authors put thoughts into such details without giving spoilers, I always fall in love. Just amazing thinking and beautiful art.


𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

Blood on her Tongue by Johanna van Veen
Release Date: March 25th
Four Stars and a half stars

Last week, I had my first introduction into Johanna van Veen’s works when I read ‘My Darling Dreadful Thing’, now on completing ‘Blood on Her Tongue’, I can safely say I will probably read anything this author writes.

‘Blood on Her Tongue’ is a gothic horror, and I could easily see it becoming a classic of the genre or made into a film (or both). There are so many ways I could describe how this book felt to me; dark, gruesome, atmospheric, twisted, gripping and so many more.

The writer has this wonderful knack of feeding the readers tiny bits of information at a time, which guides us through the story and getting to know the characters. I also felt the world building was top tier, and I could very easily imagine myself as a fly on the wall while reading this one.

I would recommend this book over and over to anyone who is a fan of gothic horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Johanna van Veen, my new gothic horror queen, delivers a beautiful book once again, so quickly after her astonishing debut, My Darling Dreadful Thing, which I adored.

Set in 1887 Netherlands, Lucy receives troubling news about her twin sister, Sarah. Sarah, who is happily married to her wealthy, attractive husband, or so Lucy thought, seems to be falling deeper into an inexplicable obsession with a corpse unearthed from the bogs within her husband's estate (I refuse to name said husband and I have honestly forgotten it already). This is a point of urgent concern for Lucy as her monologue hints at ominous dark events in the past involving Sarah's state of mind. Thus fearing for her sister's well-being, Lucy rushes to care for her.

From this point on, the mystery deepens, the isolation of these gothic women become increasingly claustrophobic, and the horror is gritty and messy, both physically and psychologically. This story perfectly highlights how violence or any form of perceived weakness shown by oppressed communities, women in this case, are magnified and twisted in a patriarchal world, while violence on them can be easily disguised as "care". This is a world where women's wrongs are, well, objectively wrong... but what choice did they have?

Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the eARC. I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Vampires have always fascinated me. I saw the original *Nosferatu* at a young age, and I was smitten. I'm one of those fans who can never get enough of the brooding vampire ready to drain my blood. When we think of vampires, we usually envision the same characteristics, but this book offers a fresh perspective on the genre. Johanna is about to turn our conventional understanding of vampires on its head.

My first experience with this author wasn't very good, but I couldn't resist giving a fresh vampire tale a chance, and I'm really glad I did. Johanna presented unique ideas and introduced elements that we hadn't encountered before in this genre. The story was mesmerizing and haunting from the very beginning. This book was deliciously eerie, and I couldn't get enough of it. With each turn of the page, I felt my blood coursing through my veins, and my heart raced wildly. There wasn’t a single dull moment.

'Blood on Her Tongue' was a phenomenal story and one I won't easily forget. This is one gothic horror story that I would let bleed me dry!

I support women's rights and women's wrongs. This book made me (once again) so grateful i was not alive in the 1800s because I would have definitely been sent to an asylum. I felt every feeling and the characters all felt so real to me. I would have liked for it to be a little bit longer though because it was quite fast paced for me.

(Review also on goodreads and storygraph)

Plot: 5
Characters: 4.5
Writing: 4.5
Entertainment:5
Overall: 4.75, rounding to 5 because I inhaled this book in one day

Method: NetGalley (Thank you to everyone involved for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.)

This book was absolutely haunting. The small details really pushed it over the edge, for me. I’m a very squeamish person, and those gory body horror elements were just the perfect amount to make me uncomfortable and almost nauseous if I let the “movie” play in my mind too much, but they weren’t bad enough that I considered putting the book down. Despite a RAGING headache while reading this (it’s just now occurring to me I probably shouldn’t have read the entire thing on my phone) I powered through and read the entire thing in a day. I cannot remember the last time I read for so long straight. Typically I can only manage a couple hours at most.

This book just had all of the vibes. A creepy gothic manor in a dark spooky bog where they find an unidentifiable body buried in the most hauntingly peculiar fashion. The overall theme of madness set in a time where a woman could be deemed mad for… really anything. The message about the power of sisterhood and exactly how much you would endure for your sister.

On top of that, the characters were just so real. Every one of them were dynamic with clear motivations and different opinions. Even down side to characters like the lady on the train and another doctor who we only saw in a correspondence with one of the main characters. My only complaint isn’t even really a complaint, but I just feel like Lucy gave in to what was happening a hair too easily. She does wrestle with it, but I wanted to see just a little more.

I really could talk about this books for a while, but the last thing I’ll mention is the fact that I really didn’t know where anything in this story was going, and that’s so rare for me. I’m entirely too analytical when I read and it ruins the mysterious elements for me every time. But I actually had the distinct thought while I was reading this that I was having so much fun I didn’t actually WANT to try to guess what was going to happen. And even if I had, I wouldn’t have come up with half of the story. It was just beautifully crafted, and you can tell the author wasn’t just putting down whatever sounded good. She absolutely wrote this with intention.

I had never heard of this author before, though apparently her other work is very popular, so I suppose that’s going to have to go on my TBR for this year!

even though this is a three star, i am truly so disappointed. I loved My Darling Dreadful thing by this author last year, and I was so excited to read the early copy of this one. These characters are flawed, but also really annoying and whiny. We get it, the love between sisters can be all consuming--especially with a twin. The horror aspect of this was not scary at all. It was a little grotesque though so I will give it that. More often than not I felt bored, but it was written well so I can't say I hated it. Reading this story solely through Lucy's lens did it a disservice and it definitely could have benefited from exploring someone else's inner monologue. I will read from this author again, and hope that this was the fluke and not her first novel.

Blood on Her Tongue
4/5 rating
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review—a huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley.

Gothic, atmospheric, and nasty. This was my first read of 2025, and we’re starting the year strong!

Reminiscent of ‘The Woman in Black’ by Susan Hill and J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s ‘Carmilla’. Blood on Her Tongue chronicles Lucy's journey to help her sister Sarah, who has a rare brain fever that causes her to act strangely, know things she shouldn't, and have some odd cravings.

The sibling relationship between Lucy and Sarah is by far the highlight of this novel. There is a lot of frustration and resentment between the two, but also so much love and loyalty; the other characters' interactions pale in comparison.

If you are looking for your typical copy-and-paste vampire novel, this is not it. I wouldn't say there is necessarily a “twist” in this novel, but (without getting into spoilers) it took a route I was not expecting, which I found very original and refreshing!

Overall I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely be picking up ‘My Darling Dreadful Thing’.

This book as as beautiful and unsettling as the cover is, with beautiful prose, complex characters and a few truly nauseating scenes. The complex and complicated relationship between the main character and her twin sister was explored in such a gripping way.

Rating: 1.5 of 5, rounded up

I spent a lot of time in grad school reading gothic literature- partially because that was my professor specialized in. I never really appreciated it until I took a journey into what modern authors are doing with the gothic themes and settings.

Blood on Her Tongue is the first book I have read by Johanna van Veen. Much like Caitlin Starling, who's upcoming novel is my most anticipated release for this year, many folks have been recommending My Darling Dreadful Thing to me. However, Blood on Her Tongue left me with much to be desired.

I struggled to connect to any of the characters in this book. They were all very flat, one dimensional. Lucy and Sarah had a good dynamic but it felt very "same" throughout the duration of the book. [See spoiler bar below to see why this is concerning...] It was hard to feel for any of them. They all had weak motivations and few redeeming qualities.

Additionally, this was advertised as a queer read. I would not, by any circumstances, call it a queer read. If anyone who has read any of my reviews before and have heard me speak about the reaching I love to do with potentially queer narratives: I can't even reach with this one.

Queerness is a staple in gothic literature. It is that feeling of "otherness" and anxiety that comes with being queer in a time where it was not the safest that makes it a gothic theme. That type of anxiety was not fully present. I suppose one could stretch and view Lucy as queer for her lack of desire to marry, but it is incredibly surface level with no real exploration. Being a book released in 2025, I would expect there to be more exploration of sexuality: either explicitly or implicitly. If I were to be generous, I would point to the hysteria of the women in the narratives as being in line with the portrayals of lesbianism and overall queerness in traditional gothic narratives. Except this isn't a 'true gothic narrative' it is a modern take on gothic-ness. (I'll loop back to this later...)

van Veen does any excellent job playing into the decay and madness throughout the novel, but misses core elements of anxiety about progression that gothic novels need to succeed. Gothic novels, by nature, tend to be slower. It takes to build the unsettling nature of humanity and depravity. The beginning of the book was fast, suspenseful. It was difficult (in the best way) to determine where the looming danger was coming from: Was it the men? Was it the home? Was it the bog? Was it the bog body? Was it Sarah or Lucy, themselves? As a setting, Blood on Her Tongue succeeded in adhering to the most basic and standard of gothic themes.

Yet, there were many instances where this book felt like it slogged on after a specific plot point [spoiler: Sarah's Resurrection]. Nothing truly happened. None of the questions and anxiety presented at the beginning of the novel remained. I've seen a few others mention how this point marked a transition in the book, and I would agree. From that point forward, I felt like the gothic themes faded into the background and were only present as an approximate time (end of the 19th century- a time of transition and anxiety for many in the Western World). With that being said: while the writing style was good, it felt too modern and too English. I had forgotten that this book was meant to take place in the Netherlands during the 19th century. The cadence of the characters and overall prose was too modern. It felt like an imitation of women's gothic staples like The Yellow Wallpaper or Jane Eyre. It is objectively good writing; it is simply anachronous.

Overall, I didn't hate the experience. I think if you are someone who can overlook some errors with the inconsistent timeline (in a linear book...), enjoys modern writing in a 'historical fiction', and don't like any queer themes in your 'queer' book you should give it a try. All harshness aside, van Veen is an incredibly talented writer and her prose is a delight. It seems like Blood on Her Tongue may not be my cup of tea.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Johanna van Veen for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

When her twin sister gets seriously ill, Lucy rushes to her side. Upon her arrival, she discovers that Sarah's illness might be of a troubling nature and far more violent than she had suspected. Lucy's investigations then lead us through a questioning of the very definition of our humanity. The scientific approach of the classical myth of the (never thus named) vampire is efficiently clever and enjoyably bloody. Mental health, social status of women, strong female bonds are at the center of this gory gothic story that brilliantly uses and subverts the classic tropes of the genre to question our society and our complex human relationships. Johanna van Veen signs a satisfying and nuanced hommage where women are not preys.

Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen is a haunting and atmospheric tale steeped in gothic terror, folklore, and the unbreakable but dangerous bond between sisters. Set in the bleak, mist-covered farmlands of the Netherlands in 1887, the novel skillfully blends historical realism with unsettling supernatural elements, leaving readers questioning whether they’re witnessing demonic possession or the slow unraveling of a fragile mind.

Lucy and Sarah’s twin dynamic is the emotional heart of the story. Lucy’s fierce loyalty to her sister, despite their growing estrangement and the ever-mounting terror surrounding Sarah’s strange affliction, feels raw and authentic. Their bond is as much a tether as it is a trap—what lengths will Lucy go to in order to save her sister, and at what cost to herself? Van Veen captures the complexities of sisterhood with precision: love tangled with jealousy, guilt, and the desperate fear of being left behind.

The mystery at the heart of the novel—the ancient corpse unearthed on Sarah’s estate—is deliciously sinister. Van Veen’s use of Dutch folklore adds a chilling authenticity, giving the narrative a sense of dread that feels deeply rooted in cultural myth. The descriptions of the skeletal remains, the whispers of something older and malevolent lingering in the estate’s walls, and the oppressive atmosphere build an almost claustrophobic tension. The estate itself, with its dimly lit corridors and cold, unyielding stone, becomes a character in its own right—a decaying witness to the events unfolding within.

The creeping transformation of Sarah from a frail, fevered woman into something feral and ravenous is handled with subtlety before exploding into visceral horror. Van Veen never leans into gore for shock value; instead, she masterfully conjures dread through small but terrifying details—an animalistic look in Sarah’s eyes, her sharp, sudden movements, the eerie things she says with unnerving calm. Lucy’s helplessness as her sister becomes more unrecognizable is gut-wrenching, and it’s impossible not to feel her desperation.

What elevates the novel is its ambiguity. Is Sarah truly possessed by something ancient and monstrous, or is this a tragedy born from grief and mental illness? Van Veen toys with these possibilities, keeping readers teetering between the rational and the supernatural. Lucy’s internal monologue only heightens this uncertainty—her own secrets, her repressed fears, and her growing paranoia make her an unreliable yet utterly sympathetic narrator.

If there’s any critique, it’s that the pacing slows in the middle, as Lucy’s investigation into the corpse’s origins becomes bogged down with historical exposition. While the lore is fascinating, some readers may find these sections a bit dense compared to the more intimate horror of Lucy’s interactions with Sarah. However, the payoff is worth it as the final act delivers a crescendo of emotional and narrative intensity.

At 4 stars, Blood on Her Tongue is a gripping gothic thriller that lingers in the mind like the memory of a fevered dream. Johanna van Veen’s prose is lush and immersive, painting the Dutch countryside with vivid, somber strokes while unraveling a story of sisterly devotion, ancient evil, and the fine line between sanity and madness. Fans of The Silent Companions, The Haunting of Hill House, and dark folklore-inspired tales will be captivated by this chilling exploration of love, horror, and the devastating truths that lie buried in the past.