I love Schwab, and Addie Larue is one of my favorites. I want to love this story, but it was too long. The first 40% was incredibly slow and boring. The last 20-30% were good but the conclusion I actually
Would babe liked more exposition.

V. E. Schwab never misses, and this toxic lesbian vampire novel is truly one of her best yet!

There are not a lot of books that can confidently depict an abusive lesbian relationship, while exploring elements of female rage and power, but this does just that. I think it will be empowering and healing for any queer woman who has ever gone through something similar but has only ever seen these relationships explored through a heterosexual lens. Moreover, despite their flaws, these characters are impossible not to root for. They're sexy, they're powerful, they're a little unhinged, and even when you question their actions, you understand them deeply.

This is the perfect combination of Addie LaRue and Vicious, and I will be talking about it for a long time.

Listen, when VE Schwab colloquially called this book Toxic Lesbian Vampires, I wasn't actually expecting it to be as absolutely SPOT ON as it was. The way she weaved together the three narratives was remniscent of previous books, and still it was fresh. Knowing that this was born in her mind from the barren spot where Addie came from, really gave creedence to the spooky and otherworldly vibes abutted to the real world.

I would love to interview her on my podcast for this book, not only because I love her writing, but because she is a master of her craft wrapped in a humble exterior.

She’s done it again! How incredible! And how does she do it?!?!?! The people are going to EAT THIS UP! It makes me happy that this book is given to us.


She’s a Queen and she’s truly done it again.

✨ R E V I E W ✨

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ .5

Thank you so much to @torbooks for the extremely anticipated e-ARC!

VE Schwab has done it again! Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil very much has similar feels to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Though it feels quite slow in the beginning, once the pieces begin to fall into place, the story is so riveting and atmospheric.

Schwab wrote on @goodreads, “After Addie, I swore I’d never put so much of my actual self into a book, and then I went and did this. Stripped down to my heart and bones and built a novel out of it. Everything I loved and everything I wanted and everything I feared.”

I read this after finishing the book and can honestly say I felt this as I read it. I know I said to myself at some point, “This feels DEEPLY personal.” Schwab literally paints the page with so much feeling that you can damn near taste it. Smell it. Feel it in every possible way.

And the sapphic-ness all around. CHEF’S. KISS. It’s like the sapphic sort-of-romantic-but-also-not-at-all tragedy I didn’t know I needed. But I feel like I’m getting borderline spoiler-y here, so let me stop while I’m ahead.

Aside from being beautifully sapphic, the overarching story of what it means to be a woman and literally seeing womanhood evolve over the centuries is amazing. I already see a re-read in my future.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil publishes 6/10 and will be the perfect pride month read, unless you choose to save it for October. 👀

This is a story about women, about coming out, about being yourself, and about women taking power for themselves. Beautifully written with wonderful feminist themes, but I never really felt attached to the story. From what I read about V.E. Schwab in interviews, I can see her in this book and how her experiences shaped this story. I do not want my 3 star rating to belittle her experiences or the experiences that other women have gone through. However, I just felt like I've read this story before and the lack of balance between the three women's stories bothered me. I wanted more from Alice the most because her story interested me the most. Overall, I would recommend this book to people, but it just wasn't a love. This will be a book people talk about for a long time.

What a different (in a great way) read. Not at all what I was expecting and I was truly horrified by most of it. But days later I’m still thinking of this book and also did not guess the ending correctly (I accurately guess endings of most books so this was a really pleasant surprise). Highly recommend

Three different female vampires, three different time periods, one cohesive storyline. Something about the way V.E. Schwab writes makes me feel whimsical. Even if the book is about bloodshed.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys V.E. Schwab and Leigh Bardugo. The subject matter is dark but corresponds so accurately to the struggle that women had and have in society that you find yourself saying "good for her" when they commit their dark deeds. I don't want to ruin the story, but I was hooked from the first page and didn't want it to end. I hope the next readers are too.
If I had a small constructive criticism to make it would be that the ending did not have enough backstory to it. What exactly made one person triumph over the other? But other than that, chef's kiss. I savored it!

How do I even express how much I loved this book?! I was lured by the promise of toxic lesbian vampires and I was given it and so much more. What a beautiful, sexy, sad story.

First off, thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this!

Secondly, this is my eighth V E Schwab title and it hit just like the others. This one is for my vampire friends, for the ones who support women's rights and women's wrongs, and the readers who yearn for unlikeable characters.

BIBITMS follows three young women on their journeys in the midnight soil (aka vampirism) and the way they each handle the unwieldy powers of immortality. Maria was a force to be reckoned with and I never felt like I got enough of her story. Lottie was a soft heart with sharp teeth & made me sit and think about the world for a moment. And Alice...Alice just kinda hurt my heart. The whole novel hurt me in various ways and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

This novel showcases the entire spectrum of human emotions and morality, and the way different people in our lives change us, for the better and the worse. No spoilers, but my flabbers were gasted. MULTIPLE times.

As I neared the end of this one, I thought it was a solid 4 stars, maybe a 4.5. And then the ending happened. And it rocketed up to 5 stars because THAT blew me away. No spoilers, but I support women's rights and women's wrongs

Superb, immersive writing. I loved the character development and the alternating stories. Even though the book is long, I feel like you never get bored. There's a lot of story packed in there.

Schwab has done the impossible - she has made vampires cool again. A beautiful and heartrending take on the vampire legend from the author of the equally bittersweet The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. The plot revolves around three different women, all of whom are struggling against something keeping them pinned down - when they suddenly receive this curse/gift granting them tremendous power, eternal life, and constant hunger. An epic and satisfying tale spanning centuries and the globe - Schwab brought tears to my eyes more than once.

V is a forever favorite of mine and I died when I received this early copy!

I love the premise, the violent love, the strong women, and the twisted goals they try to achieve. Schwab's writing, as always, is beautiful and you can feel her heart beating on the page.

The three MCs were totally different, yet all desire the same thing. To live a life of their choosing. To be loved and to be able to love on their own terms.

My only hiccup is the ending. It moves much faster than the rest of the story and seems too easy a resolution. We follow these characters over hundreds of years and then come to a crashing stop within minutes.

An epically dark and sapphic tale of three women across time, united by their shared vampirism. All three women are flawed and desperate, all eager to escape the bonds society has put on them - instead of being a wife, mother, stuck in a small town, never experiencing what life has to offer. The stories of each woman across their lives (in one instance, one that has lasted for hundreds of years) entwine with each other, but you are still able to get a sense of who they are (and were), both alive and dead. I loved learning their histories, their desires, and their struggles. It was a really interesting glimpse into what same-sex attraction has been like, across time and cultures, and how being buried in the midnight soil (aka becoming a vampire) brings both a freedom to these women, and also chains them in an entirely different way. I loved this book, and honestly wish it were longer. I haven't liked a book about vampires this much since Anne Rice!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Publishing June of 2025.

I will continue to read anything V.E. Schwab writes, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my top recommendations to customers. I didn't love this book as much of that one, but my statement holds true. The characterization was so strong and I loved Alice's arc. This book is for anyone who loves morally grey characters, rich and lush settings, and toxic exes that just won't let you go — and learning how one might get to the place where it's impossible to leave the ones you love behind, even when they hurt you. While some parts felt half-baked, I still found this to be an engaging page-turner and will likely order it for my store.

I loved this! Atmospheric and riveting, with three complicated characters that make up the main cast. This was a joy to read.

This was really fun but also a bit muddy for me. The characters were not like able and yet I couldn’t help but stay transfixed. I liked it but it wasn’t my absolute fave. I think it’s a fun addition to the vampire canon.

This is an absolutely incredible work. Schwab has created an intensely feminist story, that shows the lengths of which women will go to find the freedom they seek. Though this book touches on all the classic vampire aspects, it take it to a new level with both the way in which they feed and immortality. Feeding is like sucking away the life of the person through their blood. It gives a glimpse of life for the Vampire and it is vtal to their survival to be given these glimpses. Ironically, the more they feed the farther they get from humanity. On the same vein (lol see what I did there), the longer they survive the more monstress they become. Time erodes their humanity and creates an actual monster in their place. This is the evil step sibling to Adddie LaRue. With Addie we see her expand and almost become more human with time. In this, time makes them worse. The characters were delight to read through every bad decision they make. They're easy to root for and Schwab easily connects you to them. My only complaint is that the ending did not have the emotional impact I hoped it would. It felt rushed and tied up too quickly when I wanted to spend time with the characters at their tragic end. Overall, I adored this book and was completely enamored with the prose and way Schwab strings words together. She writes in a way that makes you believe she's had her own brush with immortality.

*Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil* by V. E. Schwab is an enthralling and haunting exploration of loss, love, and identity. Schwab's storytelling prowess shines through in this emotionally charged and atmospheric novel. Set in a dark, mysterious world where the lines between life and death blur, the narrative follows a group of compelling characters navigating a realm of secrets, betrayal, and powerful magic. Schwab’s prose is rich and evocative, pulling readers into a world that feels both ominous and beautiful. The book is full of twists, with deeply personal stakes that add layers of complexity to the plot. Themes of family, sacrifice, and self-discovery are explored with sensitivity and depth, making for a truly immersive experience. *Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil* is a spellbinding read that will linger long after the final page, showcasing Schwab’s unmatched ability to craft unforgettable worlds and characters. A must-read for fans of dark fantasy!

Entertaining, atmospheric, and propulsive. I absolutely loved Addie LaRue, and while this didn't soar to the top of my 'Best of' list like that book did, I enjoyed it. I thought the moral ambiguity was thoughtfully and compellingly explored, and I liked how I'd find myself rooting for one character initially, then against her down the line. I found the ending clever if a bit abrupt; I was least invested in the modern-day storyline for most of the book, but I think the ending justified including it. (Keeping this intentionally vague!) I have no doubt this will do well at the bookstore and I look forward to discussing it with customers. Thanks to NetGalley and TOR for the ARC.