I was really excited for this book. I loved Addie LaRue and lesbian vampires....what's not to love? I was into it in the beginning, but I started to lose interest and felt like the pacing of the novel fell flat for me. I also felt like I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Following three separate women with such different battles was an intense and worthwhile ride. The flashbacks in Alice's storyline were one of the most effective parts, building a complex and devastating family portrait that gives depth to her current struggles in a way that kept me riveted. The intricacies of each storyline built a robust world and expertly fleshed out characters, making the ending an incredibly satisfying climax.

My queen can do no wrong! Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking! This is probably some of Schwab's best work and it's been so fun to see her writing evolve over the years! I loved the characters and hellooooo toxic lesbian vampires! Such a fun concept and it intrigued me from the start! I'll need some time to process all of my thoughts, but wow was this so good! I think everyone should read this, even if it's your first venture into Schwab and her books!

I was really excited going into this one. The premise was eerie and intriguing, and V.E. Schwab is such a strong, lyrical writer. I wanted to love this. And for a while, I really did.

The past timeline absolutely pulled me in. It was lush, atmospheric, and full of the gothic tension I crave. The setting felt alive; moody, haunted, and deeply unsettling in that slow-burn way that creeps under your skin. The themes of woman’s wrongs were woven so beautifully into the historical context, and I found myself fully immersed in that part of the story.

But… the present timeline just didn’t hold the same magic. I kept waiting to feel that click, but it never did for me. I found myself disconnected, even as the stakes rose. The contrast between the timelines felt more jarring than intentional, and it ultimately made the pacing feel off. I tried to push through, but I hit a point where I realized I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore — and I ended up DNF-ing.

That said, Schwab’s talent is undeniable. Her prose, her atmosphere, her ability to craft something eerie and emotionally resonant — it’s all there. This one just didn’t land for me personally, but I’ll absolutely be picking up whatever she writes next.

Sometimes the right book just finds you at the wrong time — or maybe this was the wrong book at the right time. Either way, I’m glad I gave it a try.

DNF @ 30%. I’m way too far into this book for so little to have happened. Really struggled to get this far

5 beautfiul gut wrenching stars. In a turn of events that would be surprising to absolutely no I loved this book. I mean it's toxic vampire lesbians, what more could you want. My only complaint would be the current timeline felt a little rushed but looking back it took place over max 3 days instead of a couple hundred years.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest reivew.

This book hit me in the chest with a wet thunk. I really enjoyed the multiple viewpoints, and I would be delighted to find out that the author was writing about the other characters mentioned. I want a novel about Ezra. I want more vampire lore that tweaks what we have. I know it was a slow read, and it took me ages longer than I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it every step of the way. I was frothing at the mouth about it to everyone I know, and now I've got a copy coming in for my bookshelf, and I hope it spends it's life actually being passed from friend to friend instead. This felt like a cousin to Interview With a Vampire, in the most sincere and loving way.

I really enjoyed this book! It had angsty sapphic vampires, so really how could I not? It reminded me so much of Lucy Undying by Kiersten White, another book I really loved. I will say that it took me a while to finish it because at times it felt very slow, and I think I was a little unsatisfied by the ending, but overall I liked it and would recommend it!

I loved everything about this book. I loved the call back to old school vampires that are just as vicious as they are beautiful. I loved all the little details that went into vampire lore. I liked that each storyline was special and moved you through history. I do wish there had been more of Alice and maybe less of Sabine since Alice is the most essential character to the storyline. It has big interview with the vampire vibes and I was totally here for it.

Positives:
* Some of Schwab's phrasing is often rapturously ornate. There are lines where I had to pause to take them apart to observe their construction.
* Some compelling characters
* Reminiscent of some of the better Anne Rice
* There was the promise of a broader world in the contemporary section
* I applaud playing around with the "rules" of vampirism

Neutral:
* Once I request a book from Netgalley, I do not look at the blurb again, so I read this cold and was confused what sort of book it was until I was too far into it. "Oh, vampires? I guess-- And the vampire I cared about was immediately killed by the one I hate. I guess I'll see how this develops."

Negatives:
* Schwab's prose can also become so ornate that it is leaden and purple.
* None of the characters I found compelling were perspective ones. Maria/Sabine Jr., Charlotte, and Alice all wore on me, and I would feel drained every time we had to return for even more backstory about them. At one point, we returned from a Charlotte section to the present Alice one. Alice says something snide (not catty), whereupon Charlotte basically says, "Oh, then I guess we are forgetting about your story and delving back into my love addiction for another 60 pages."
* The frame narrative of Alice was dull. It didn't have to be. Select people know about vampires, there is a cafe that had been a bar where blood lattes are served, and there are *psychics*-- Oh, never mind all that. Alice has to whine, and Lottie has to have more toxic ex drama while exclusively banging teenagers.
* No, really, there are human psychics? Would you like to elaborate on that? No? You want to tell me more about Charlotte seducing some poor girl for Sabine to kill? Why are there psychics? Are other supernatural things real?
* You cannot have your vampires drink dozens of people in a night every day for months. Where would all that liquid go? Vampire bats get away with drinking a lot because they are constantly urinating. I was left to assume the mass went somewhere, so Sabine Jr. and crew were continually leaking liquid. Also, you could have had some drama about how people noticed entire towns being literally decimated, but no. Nobody realizes they no longer have any neighbors, and there is a cocky redhead who has just shown up.
* That ending was groan-worthy. That can't have been Schwab's first idea, but it reads like it. After all that build-up, it was frankly a silly solution, and not really in character for any of the three. It requires Sabine Jr. to be so stupid that it is a wonder she didn't trip over her own feet and fall right into an open grave full of spikes. You live hundreds of years and are undone by "Hey, maybe I'll take a shower?"
* Hey, Alice, you have not murdered *as much,* but you *did* kill two guys (which is justified by their being creeps, because the righteous punishment for that is exsanguination). You don't get to be all the way on that high horse.
* Unnecessarily long.
* More could have been done with the historical eras. At the very least, she could do a bit more research so anachronistic things do not occur.
* Was what happened to Catty supposed to be a surprise? I hope not. It was utterly telegraphed the moment she appeared on the page.
* The implicit message of "Lesbians are soulless predators without redemption" might be misconstrued somehow.

As soon as I read what this was about, I could not wait to dive into this. Vampires, Dual timeline. Multiple POV's. Sign me up. I love a book about feminine rage. V.E. Schwab has a way with words that is so mesmorizing. The way that she can pull you into a story and keep you sat the entire time says a lot about her writing abilities. All the characters were very well developed and executed. I did struggle with the pacing a bit in the beginning and felt a bit confused, but once it picked up I was flying through it. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I really enjoyed the unique plot of this story. Truly once I heard toxic lesbians I was like sign me up. I did enjoy the characters, but I felt like there were parts of this book that were just a little slow for me. The ending was great & I adore VE Schwab. I think her writing is always beautiful.

4/5.

I like the melancholy feel of this book. It was tragic and frustrating and the characters were complex. I have a hard time with books where everyone is super toxic and it doesn't feel like there is much resolution by the end, but I appreciated the journey this story took me on. I've read this and Addie LaRue and while I'm not sure Schwab is my exact cup of tea, I understand why she's so reknown in our book world.

What a lush, dark, sensuous and bloody book! This may be my new favorite from VE Schwab. I was completely immersed in this vampire world and was craving my next chance to pick it up. I loved the toxic trio with their bouncing POVs. I especially loved how everything wrapped up. What a delight.

Queer Vampires with yawning, burning NEEDS. The need for more, for control, to wrest their power from the hands of others- a very cool look at eternal beings in a modern world, and what a bottomless desire for MORE can be.

I went into this one knowing it was going to be very different from some of her previous works. The descriptive language really drove you further into the characters own emotions and I truly felt what they were feeling... which led to a lot of anxiety, tension, and yes... hunger. Beautifully written. It did feel verbose in moments, and the ending felt a tad bit rushed. But overall, I really enjoyed it!

This book is a fever dream of vampires, blood, and toxicity, and I loved it. I devoured it as quickly as my schedule would allow. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is my second V. E. Schwab book (first was The Invisible Life of Addie Larue), and the one that has cemented me as a fan. Schwab’s writing is magnetic and her books are hard to put down.

Read my full review here: https://www.blog.melodyemcintyre.com/2025/08/bury-our-bones-in-midnight-soil-by-v-e.html

TOXIC LESBIAN VAMPIRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love you sabine and i love you charlotte and honestly alice girl idc about you

This story is VE Schwab doing what she does best, creating characters that live on in my head even after the book ends. I'm not typically drawn to vampire stories, but for Schwab I'll give it a try. I also don't typically love switching timelines with POVs, but this felt effortless. I was immersed in the story. This is certainly another can't miss read!

This is a dark, powerful story that feels a bit like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — but with vampires and a sharper edge. It follows three queer women, all turned into vampires at different points in history, and their lives are woven together across centuries. Each character is unique and unforgettable, and the story pulls you in from the start.

The writing is beautiful, the pacing steady, and the plot full of emotion and meaning. At its heart, this book is about what we give up to get what we want, and how even good intentions come with consequences. It’s also about the deep human need to be seen and chosen — especially for queer readers. I would have likes the female characters to be more likable- more girl power if you will. There’s plenty of blood and death, but even if vampires aren’t usually your thing, this book is worth reading. Schwab makes it feel both fresh and familiar in the best way.