Well, this lived up to the "toxic lesbian vampire" label. I feel like I will be unpacking it for a few days, but it does a good job of creating lore that incorporates some of the familiar vampire tropes while also creating fresh elements that create something new. I enjoyed Schwab's focus on the women's lives and stories, both from before and then after they were turned, and I liked that at a certain point, we stopped hearing things from certain perspectives as the characters changed. The approach Schwab takes with the slow decay and loss of the things that make us human gives depth to her vampires and makes them more interesting than either a full "they're evil and inhuman" or "awww no, they're just misunderstood creatures" approaches. I'm always going to be here for Schwab's work and this one did not disappoint.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil early in exchange for a review.

The year is 1532, and Maria wants more from her life than the marriage and family planned for her. The year is 2019, and Alice feels alone and unsure what exactly her future holds. The year is 1827, and Charlotte feels like a prisoner to her fate. These women want more than what they are destined for, and they're willing to fight for it - teeth bared.

V. E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors and I am always so thrilled to delve into her world again. Reading one of their books is like a cold drink of water after a long walk in a hot place. Sometimes I don't even realize how badly I've been craving it until it's in my body. Her writing is so lyrical and immersive that I was there the entire time, a first-hand observer to the stories and experiences of these women. For me, their books always read more like movies, in that I can see everything unfurling before me in technicolour. Our protagonists are easy to root for, and our "villain" is so well-created that I sympathized with her the entire way. These are women, fighting for more than table scraps, gouging their stories into the book of life with a knife.

Did I mention: everyone is gay! The vampires are fearsome and vicious, the land is watered in blood and Schwab's prose is so lush I could taste the iron on my lips. I cannot sing enough praise for this book, so I'll stop trying. V. E. Schwab, you have my entire heart.

CW blood, violence, murder, death, emotional & domestic abuse, sex (some questionable consent)

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy*

As soon as I saw that I got approved for this on Friday, I started it immediately. I absolutely LOVED it oh my god!!

Toxic lesbian vampires?? That’s all I needed to know going in, and that’s all I did know going in. And it was so worth it doing it this way.

I loved this book and I hope everyone else does too!!

V.E. Schwab absolutely knocked it out of the park with this book. Similar to Addie Larue in that we're looking into the inconvenient lives of three women, but (in my opinion) so much more compelling. I was so intrigued by this book, and whenever we went to another character's POV, I wanted to know what was going on with the other two.

In this story, we follow three (or four, depending on your interpretation): Maria/Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice. All three are vampires who were turned without fully realizing what that was going to mean for their lives. Maria and Charlotte are "changed" to escape marriage and find freedom, whereas Alice is changed without her consent.

The rest of the story recounts the lives of all three characters up to the point where Alice wakes up as a vampire and has no idea what is going on. It was so fun to see the advantages and severe disadvantages of being a vampire and what women were willing to do to have agency over their own lives.

People say that every V.E. Schwab book is written for a different kind of reader, and this book was absolutely written for me. It's such a fun sapphic vampiric story about freedom, self-control, sacrifice, grief, loss, and living despite all of that sacrifice, grief, loss, etc.

Did it break my heart? Yes. Do I think Alice deserves better? Yes. I hope she's doing all right out there.

This book is not at all what I was expecting, and I loved it! I have a tendency to go into books blindly, and I'm so glad I did because I had zero expectations for this book other than I loved Addie LaRue so I was eager to read another VE Schwab book! I do think some of Maria/Sabine's parts were slow and didn't always connect to the rest of the story, but I loved Lottie and Alice's stories and I felt the book really picked up with their timelines. Overall, I highly recommend this book!

V.E. Schwab's Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is an epic tale of three women vampires who all search for the same thing - love and belonging. The book takes place in three intersecting timelines: Maria (1521-2019), Charlotte (1827-2019), and Alice (2019).

Maria is a young woman in Spain in 1521. She is beautiful and spirited, and prone to being more adventurous and tempestuous than her station as a woman warrants. She becomes betrothed to a handsome Viscount, who takes her from her home to his home far away. She is trapped there by her husband and her mother-in-law, a bird in a cage longing for the freedom to embody her powerful personality.

Alice is an 18-year old Scottish girl in her first semester at Harvard. She is shy and full of anxiety, not just because she is so far from home, but because she is gay and wants to hide it from her suitemates and dorm mates. There is also some tension with her older sister Catty that is woven into her story.

Charlotte is a sensitive young woman living an idyllic life on her family's estate in England. When Charlotte is discovered in an uncomprimising situation with her best friend, she is sent to her aunt Amelia's in London to be groomed for meeting a proper (male) suitor in court. Instead she falls in love with a mysterious woman.

Through a long and winding tale, the lives of these three women eventually intersect and become tangled, driven by love and choices and revenge.

I loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue so I had high hopes for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. I have to admit I was a little disappointed because it wasn't as good as Addie. I enjoyed the book but it was a slow burn - it wasn't until I was two-thirds the way through that it finally hooked me in and became unputdownable. The beginning parts about Maria's life were detailed and long. I know that Schwab was trying to set up the story and that she had almost 500 years of Maria's life to detail, but I think she could have cut a lot of it to bring in the tension of the story sooner. I kept wondering when we were going to get to the point. I've read a lot of books about vampires and was hoping for something a bit different than the standard tropes. Schwab eventually did but I had to slag through a lot to get there.

3 stars for the beginning, 4 stars for the end: overall 3.5 star rating.

Thank you Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own

I am unwell. This was such a breath of fresh air. I went in somewhat blind and was very pleasantly surprised to find a dark, gothic "fantasy" that included a historical three-POV tale of women who were turned into vampires against their will. But don't expect the kitchy stereotypical vampire/romantasy story. In fact, the word "vampire" only appears 4 times in 560 pages. I LOVED that. Instead, the lack of the term allowed the reader to be taken out of what you normally expect from a story about vampires. VE Schwab almost recreates the idea of the undead - she includes some traditional themes and characteristics but adds a few very original twists. I adored the poetic theme - the "bury our bones" lore that is somehow passed down generations but nobody knows why or where it started.

There are angry, vengeful women. There is betrayal. There is an interweaving of their stories. Each character lives their own truth - and it is not always clear what the truth is. The gothic vibe was immaculate. The different POVs were engaging. For such a long book, it was definitely a slow burn, but the writing was so good and the characters were so complex that I couldn't put the book down. It is sapphic, but there really isn't any spice - however - the lack of spicy scenes did not take away from the complicated romantic relationships.

Seriously I will not stop raving about this book. I can't wait to re-read it, and I have not re-read a book since Twilight came out.

Alright book lovers, prepare to be swept away! Today, we celebrate the release of the extraordinary V.E. Schwab's latest masterpiece, "Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil". Schwab has done it again, crafting a narrative that transcends time and emotion, weaving together stories of hunger, love, and rage.

Dive into the lives of María in 1532, longing for freedom and defying destiny. Then, journey to 1827 London with Charlotte, whose tender heart leads her into a world where freedom comes at a steep price. Finally, join Alice in 2019 Boston, a young woman on a quest for answers and revenge.

This isn't just a book; it's an experience. It's about the raw, unfiltered journey of life, from its delicate beginnings to its inevitable end. Are you ready to explore the depths of human emotion and the tangled threads of fate? Grab your copy of "Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil" today and get ready for a reading adventure like no other!

Fantasy • Romance • Light Horror • Queer
🥂 Happy Pub Day • 10 June 2025

♡ Thank you @torbooks for the ARC!

I’m sure everyone has already heard of this book, so I’ll just state that I had high expectations — and they were met!

❥ If you are enthralled by vampires, if you love poetic prose, if you live for strong women who refuse to be victims… read this book.
❥ If you love morally grey villains: read this book.
❥ If you want to be wildly entertained — also read this book 🙌🏽

You will get 3 POVs and it will be a bit unclear at first why we are interested in them and how they are connected… but as we learn more, magic happens.

In some ways one might say it’s just another vampire story, but there’s something about @veschwab ‘s writing and how the subplots come together that made me emotional 🥹 oh, to be human. To love ❥ to taste ❥ to feel ❥ …to live.

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။‌‌‌‌‌|• 🎧 I listened to the first 12 chapters thanks to a preview from @macmillan.audio but read the remainder of the book in print! I enjoyed both, but I will say, the audio features an all-star cast: Julia Whelan, Katie Leung, and Marisa Calin — I would have listened had I had the full audiobook!

This book absolutely RUINED me, but in the best way possible. I was already a Schwab fan, so I wasn’t surprised that I loved this one so much. The writing is rich and eerie, and I got completely lost in the world and emotions of the characters. The feminist themes hit hard, the passion and toxicity were intense, and the heartbreak? Oh, it DEFINITELY hurt. I sobbed a few times while reading this one, and when I hit the last page, I just sat there, emotionally wrecked. If you love toxic lesbian vampires that mess with your feelings, then yeah, I would absolutely recommend this one.

There is no author that writes the dark aesthetic as passionately or beautifully as Schwab does, this book is a masterpiece with so much to say. I devoured this one slowly and then read it again, I just couldn’t let go of these women and the bits of myself I found in them. Schwab creates a world you can get lost in with a poetic feel her writing is captivating, intelligent and filled with delicious metaphors and underlying meaning that pulls you in so deeply you feel how personal this book is to its author. These woman are all so different with their journeys spanning time in multiple narratives but the thread they share I felt runs through so many of us. I adored Alice and resonated with her so much but each character was so vividly depicted it was such a delight to know them. They were messy and sassy with a rage and a hunger for freedom and independence each shown in their own way. The underlying ties to feminism were perfectly written through the stories of these women and I felt seen in a way I loved. The structure of the story was well thought out and executed in a way to let the story unfold slowly but without losing its intensity so you didn’t want to stop turning the pages. I am honored to have been given the chance to read this early I wasn’t prepared for how deeply it would pull me in or for how beautifully it would leave me in the end. This is Schwab’s best work and exactly why she’s my favorite.

I knew Victoria Schwab would be able to break the streak of mediocre reads and I was right! This book was AMAZING. Toxic vampire ex girlfriends? Enraged, complex women who drive the narrative along? Schwab knows how to pack so many punches into one book. I had said in my review of Addie LaRue, but her writing can only be described as delicious and this book did not disappoint in that department! I have been thinking about this book for well over a week and cannot stop thinking on it! Definitely one of her best, which is really saying something because Schwab never disappoints.

This book is not for the faint of heart, as Schwab does not shy away from the gruesome parts of being a vampire. Similar to Addie, she makes you really consider how lonely immortality truly is. And her vampire lore with time eventually killing pieces of you until you are nothing but a monster ready to kill was a great take on the folklore.

I could not recommend this book more!!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an ARC.

4.5 stars

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a stunning showcase of VE Schwab’s talent as a writer. This book immediately consumed me, and it has further cemented VE Schwab as my favorite author of all time.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a lyrical contemplation of womanhood, power, and violence. These characters, with their raw, visceral emotions bleeding onto the page, feel so real. (I am not making vampire puns on purpose, I swear.) I am amazed by the way that VE Schwab managed to give each POV character such a distinct narrative voice. The story would shift from Sabine’s absolute certainty to Alice’s frantic, timid anxiety. Their personalities were so apparent in the different narrative styles of their perspectives.

VE Schwab masterfully weaves together the perspectives and timelines of the three women. Not only was there a really interesting contrast between each woman’s response to her newfound immortality. But there were also moments where the timelines felt like warped mirrors of each other. The parallels between certain scenes make me want to dissect this book.

This book is genuinely a beautiful read. But there was something that didn’t quite work for me. And I still don’t know if I can tell you exactly what the problem was. Every time I think I have pinned down something that I didn’t like, I think about it a different way, and it seems like the perfect choice for the story.

Now I admit that I am speaking as a huge VE Schwab stan. And I can recognize that my rose colored glasses may be making me rationalize away anything that might seem like a criticism of one of her books. Additionally, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue falls in the middle of my VE Schwab ranking. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil truly feels like it is in conversation with Addie. Readers who like Addie the best likely won't share my slightly ambiguous feelings.

The only concrete thing about Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil that I can point to as something that didn’t work for me is the ending. After the slow-building violence and obsession of this story, the ending felt a bit rushed and almost too easy. Now, there is something to be said about the ease of the final confrontation. I can see it as an intentional commentary on the mortality of monsters. But it was a bit anticlimactic, bordering on unbelievable.

I also would have loved to see the three women’s stories intertwine more directly in the present day. I think there is a lot more that could have been done with Sabine and Alice in particular.

That being said, I do love where the story leaves all of the characters.

The strong writing, atmosphere, and thematic messaging make Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil an incredibly enjoyable read. However, I don’t know if this will be everyone's new favorite Schwab book.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was the sapphic vampire book I didn’t know I needed. 6 stars!

Told through alternating timelines, we follow Maria, Alice and Lottie as they navigate the world as women. In the 1500s, Maria dreams of a life outside the confines of her small village. Her beauty is a blessing when she captures the eye of a Viscount, but life as a married woman is just a different type of cage. When Maria meets Sabine, a widow who doesn’t appear to age, she may have found the key to the life she so desires.

The women in this story were all so different, but the theme of freedom and being allowed to chose the life you want for yourself runs throughout and is so powerful. I took my time reading this book and that allowed me to appreciate it so much. It’s hard to say which timeline I enjoyed most because I really did love them all and am glad Schwab shared so much of these characters with us. While this book was long I really can’t imagine any part of this story being removed.

This is my first V.E. Schwab book and I am so pleased that I have her whole backlist to explore. It may finally be time for me to read Addie LaRue.

Thank you SO much to Tor and NetGalley for a review copy.

Sapphic vampires? You already know I’m gonna eat it up. This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking, following 3 women and their histories in both life and death and how they all are linked. This was my first Schwab book and certainly won’t be my last. That ending had me absolutely shook!

Thank you so much to Tor for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A multi timeline/POV historical fantasy with toxic vampires and a stellar plot line

Book Stats:
📖: 544 pages
Genre: Historical Fanrasy
Publisher: Tor
Format: Physical ARC
Series: 🚫

Themes:
🧛🏾‍♂️ :What hunger, rage and love does to people's humanity.
🧛🏾‍♂️: Immortality

Representation:
🥀: Lesbian MC's
🥀: European Setting
🥀: Queer side characters

Tropes:
💗: Vampires
💗: Cat and mouse
💗: Lovers to Enemies


🥵: Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Potential Triggers: domestic abuse/violence, murder, sexism, toxic relationships **check authors page/socials for full list.

Short Synopsis:
Through multiple timelines and POV's a story is woven following Sabine. A young woman who wants nothing but to live a life of freedom away from the expectations of a woman. We follow Sabine through numerous relationships and timelines over the span of 500 years as she learns what it means to be human and then loses her humanity. Leaving a trail of bodies and lost love in her wake.

General Thoughts:
This book was absolutely mesmerizing and captivating. I did not expect it to be as dark as it ended up being, but it was so so good. Honestly, I'm so glad that it was darker in nature because it really added a layer of dread and apprehension to the story. Watching the unraveling of these characters and the intricate way with which their potlines wove together was completely mesmerizing. None of the POVs were boring or unnecessary to me. The themes were tackled so organically within the plot.

Sabine was an amazing character. She was fierce and determined. The slow decent of her character was almost poetic and with the character development Schwab is known for utilizing within her writing. One of the absolute best characters with in the story was undoubtedly Charlotte. I loved how you were absolutely meant to feel one way about her almost to the point where you don't notice some of the more intricate details about her character towards the end. And I'll leave it at that.

I cannot find one thing about this book. I did not enjoy. I will scream from the rooftops as this being one of my absolute favorite VE Schwab books to date.

Disclaimer: I read this book as a physical ARC through the publisher Tor. Thank you to Tor for the free physical copy. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book had such a unique take on vampire lore, and I really loved the sapphic vibes and the complicated, messy characters. The writing was beautiful, and the shifting timelines totally worked for me, which is rare. I got super invested in some of the relationships (Sabine’s with Matteo and Alessandro especially). Some of the sexual violence felt a bit over the top and left me feeling uncomfortable, and I’m still a little sad about how rushed and unrealistic the ending felt after getting to know the characters and the story buildup. I probably would’ve rated this 4 stars at the least if not for the ending. Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars. I couldn’t stop reading, and I’m so glad I picked it up! I’d been really looking forward to reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

Spanning almost five centuries and following the lives of three women, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soul is a beautifully written supernatural story of life and death--and all the myriad places in between. In Spain in the 1500s, Maria desires power over her future but is stymied by the constraints of her gender. When she is given the opportunity to seize control of her life, Maria’s decision ripples outward, drawing Charlotte and eventually Alice into her wake. Schwab crafts an engaging and mature tale of female independence, sapphic romance, and vampires. I didn’t want it to end!

VE Schwab is an amazing storyteller. Fans love her Shades of Magic series, her Villains series, and her 2020 releases, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, was a knock-out instant smash hit. I am so thankful that @leoprny for my gifted advanced copy, I had an absolute blast jumping into Schwab's newest adventure!

BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL is many things, but one major way to describe it is epic. María, Alice, Charlotte. Three women, three centuries, three burning desires—hunger, love, and rage. In 1532 Spain, María dreams of escape from a life where she’s treated as a prize, and when a stranger offers freedom, she takes it, consequences be damned. In 1827 London, Charlotte is cast out after a forbidden moment and finds herself drawn to a mysterious widow, only to learn that freedom has its price. And in 2019 Boston, Alice crosses the world to reinvent herself, but a reckless night unearths old wounds and ignites a relentless quest for truth—and revenge.

This book is a bit on the long side with a bit more fluff in it than I would want in a story, but I definitely wouldn't call it a slow-burn. Out of the three POVs, I really enjoy one more than the other two, but I would like to let you try and figure out which one is that when you're done. This story encompasses centuries of lust, murder, and freedom. Obviously, this book dives into a world that includes vampirism, but the main theme of freedom is the most centric to this story. I think if you like sapphic romance, romantasy, fantasy, or gothic novels, then BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL will be a perfect read for you! This book should be a staple in your 2025 June Pride Month reads!

A perfect combination of Historical fiction, romance, and a slight touch of fantasy. This standalone novel keeps you hooked from start to finish with the most beautiful and poetic ending.

If you're looking for a sapphic romance to read for the month of Pride - this book is for you.

Literally everyone will love this book. It's such a beautiful read and you will fall in love with the "villain" right when you meet them. Was so grateful to receive an ARC of this a few months ago, and I can't wait to see everyone else get excited about this after pub date. I rate this book 4.5 stars but since I can't do half stars that's why it only shows 4.