It's Schwab. Of course it is atmospheric and literary, but the books of late from them are simply fine. The time jumps were VAST and a bit confusing. Didn't even notice the third pov right away. Had to go back and check what I'd missed. A lot of the other chapters were incredibly drawn own. I could do without SEVERAL past occurrences being about her staring at the ceiling while a husband attempts to make an heir. Did we need whole chapters JUST about that and not much else? Came for the lesbian vampires, left with an unfinished plate.

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge V.E. Schwab fan. However, this one was not my favorite of hers. I loved the writing, and it was genuinely so beautiful and lyrical that I couldn't help but keep reading. This was a character-driven story over a plot-driven one. That being said, there were three POVs, and we didn't get a backstory on one of the characters until almost the very end, which I didn't love. Nothing was really happening, and then boom, the ending occurred, but it still unsettled me. I did enjoy her take on vampires, but this one didn't just suck me in (pun intended). It felt like something was missing, and I felt like I was only reading to get to the end. I wasn't attached to any of the three characters, and at points, I felt removed from the story based on the pacing. I know I'll probably be in the minority here, but this wasn't entirely for me. Thank you to Tor Books for the ARC to read and review!

Toxic Lesbian Vampires... need I say more? V. E. Schwab has a way of creating characters, a world, and a story that pulls you in. Its as if you are there. You feel the love, the grief, the pain. This book was everything I had hoped it would be and more!

I DNFed this book at 42% I will pick it back up once the audiobook comes out.

This book does not have a plot and I didn't understand where this book was going. There should be a plot by 42%.

I don't know if Sabine was supposed to be an anti-hero but she was incredibly unlikable and it made it difficult for me to continue reading her story. The book was quite repetitive when it came to the feminist themes which Schwab is usually pretty good at writing. Sabine constantly complained about the same things when it came to men; I would have liked to see more variety in her man-hating.

I wish Schwab had have taken more liberties with her interpretation on vampires. They can go in the sunglight, yay, but what else?

I was bored.

It reads like a dark, addictive sapphic fever dream. If you’re drawn to stories that grip you and won’t let go, this is exactly that kind of book. It’s haunting, intoxicating, and laced with toxicity—a mesmerizing blend of queer longing, obsession, and destruction, all wrapped in Schwab’s signature prose that’s both ethereal and emotionally raw.

Omigod. This book is PERFECTION. I tandem read the arc with the alc and it made for such an amazing, immersive, and transportive experience. I was especially enamored by Maria's/Sabine's story, and Julia Whelan just elevates the storytelling to a whole new fantastic level. It's almost like you're watching a movie. And believe me, I'm not big on books about toxic lesbian vampires, but this book enraptured me, held me captive, and would not let go. Similar to a vampire sinking her fangs into you. Schwab's best book yet.

Bury our bones in the FREAKING midnight soil!!

This book was so good wow. V.E. Schwab really killed it with this one. This book is for all types of vampire lovers, its got a little bit for everyone.
The way this story unravels is unlike any other I've read before. The years are spread out and divided up in a way where you get the full sense of these characters lives within the timespan given without having to read every detail in between.

You have a book that spams hundreds of years and multiple POV's and at no point was I confused. Schwab has a way of writing multiple POV's like no one else. I wish I could write this long drawn out breakdown of why I loved this book but then I'd be giving you spoilers all I can say is - read it for yourself bestie. Its one hell of a wild ride.

A great writer, and a interesting new book. I got hooked on the first chapter and while I trust this author, I was surprised in the way this story was presented. A great read, by a gifted writer and was thoroughly satisfied!

No you're KIDDING ME. I needed this book 10 years ago. I'm a sucker for multiple perspectives and timelines in a book, this was done beautifully. But also gut wrenching in the best way,

In Schwab's most ambitious novel since The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil follows three women turned vampires as they navigate their new experiences as the undead. Sabine, our entry point into this century spanning novel, begins her story in 16th century Spain, married off to an abusive husband after just reaching adulthood. Alice, our modern day college student turned vampire attending Harvard, wakes up to her new undead life after a one night stand. And then there's Lottie, a regency era woman turned vampire who craves love and a life beyond the Ton, who brings the lives of these three women together.

Beyond the vampire lore and slow burning plot, this is a story about desire, the want to feel wanted, and the lives of women who do not fit into the heteronormative world. Schwab's premise of her novel, "Toxic Lesbian Vampires," only scratches the surface of the true depth that Schwab's novel encompasses as she writes of the lesbian experience across many generations of women. Just as these women discover their newfound desire for blood, they also discover desires for companionship, sexual awakenings, and love. And while our three leads come from very different worlds across centuries of time, their lives overlap and intertwine as they experience similar feelings: the loss of their old selves, the hunger for the freedom to live and to love as they choose, and the dread that comes with their so-called immortality. From start to finish, this novel is violent, haunting, and completely addictive, and Schwab masters the art of bringing monstrous tales to life in rich and gory fashion.

I was thrilled to receive a review copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab, as I have always enjoyed her writing. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Darker Shade of Magic series left a lasting impression on me, so I was eager to dive into this upcoming book.

V.E. Schwab masterfully layers her stories, making them nearly impossible to put down. I love a well-crafted vampire tale, and this one does not disappoint. The novel follows three main characters—Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice—whose journeys as vampires unfold in alternating chapters. Their narratives explore their transformations, interactions with the world, personal boundaries, and survival.

I deeply appreciated how the book connects the past to the present, particularly through Maria/Sabine’s chapters, which captivated me from the start. The intertwining of Sabine and Alice’s stories kept me on edge, eagerly anticipating how their paths would intersect. Schwab’s skillful slow-burn reveals and unexpected twists held my attention throughout.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fans of Schwab’s previous works, as well as readers who appreciate historical and sapphic romance stories. If you enjoyed this book, I also recommend checking out Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo’s novels.

The way that this book and Addie LaRue are both about the terrifying threshold between girlhood and womanhood, about yearning to escape womanhood as a prison, to slip through the predatory grasp of men and of time itself to wander the centuries free and unaccosted.

I liked this book. I did. The writing was beautiful. As promised, it was sapphic, and there were vampires. Not only that, its thematic punch is one that I find very personally resonant. What more can you ask for?

Why, then, am I struggling so much to solidify my feelings about this book?

Yes, it drags a bit through the middle and occasionally feels aimless and repetitive, but again: so does Addie LaRue. I think that this is definitely purposeful, evocative of immortality and the relentless grind of time. The problem is I did start to feel a bit disconnected from the story and the characters, and it never fully won me back over. I don’t think I quite like the way this book ends: it feels too easy, too anticlimactic, and it ultimately left me slightly unsatisfied with the arcs of basically all 3 characters. I think the events could have remained the same, but some minor tweaks in the way they were delivered would have left me with the appropriate bittersweet aftertaste.

Still, this was lovely and poignant, sexy, and gory, all in turns, and it’s a story that I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who loved A Dowry of Blood or—of course—Addie Larue.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

V.E. Schwab's new adult fantasy "Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil" is a sweeping lesbian vampire novel that follows the lives of three women and what happens when they collide.

First off, I have got to say that Schwab's other adult novel "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" and I hated it. Like I was mad at the time it took to read it, I was mad at the lack of story, and I was mad at just how nothing really happens in it. But this one, this one. I really enjoyed it. The writing was just so engaging and I could not stop reading when I started. For one, I cared about all the women and their stories. Sabine, Lottie, and Alice were so interesting and such irritating characters. Them being so annoying and dumb and irritating was engaging and interesting because there was a narrative. I also just loved the concept here and I think Schwab did a way better job with the idea of immortality and the costs of it. I just felt this was so much more compelling.

I absolutely recommend this, especially if you found Addie Larue disappointing.

I was hoping to fall in love with this book, just like I did with Addie LaRue, but it never quite fully clicked for me. I liked it, but I also struggled a bit with getting it read. It just never fully captured my attention and I found it to be just too long and a little on the slow side pacing wise. The writing was excellent as always, so I think my lack of interest was more on me than the quality of the book. Character driven stories are just not my thing usually.

This is a sweeping fantasy that covers a lot of time periods as we follow the stories of these three women. I did appreciate the historical aspects of the story and enjoyed the descriptions of the different settings, especially the regency balls. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Boston and Harvard in the present day. I did struggle a bit with Alice’s flashback about her childhood though, they just sometimes didn’t seem to flow with the rest of the story.

I can’t say that I particularly liked the three women, but I did sympathize with them. Maria’s story was pretty tragic, and she is certainly a product of her time period when women basically had no rights. I had a little bit more sympathy for Charlotte, mostly because she had a lot of empathy for others and felt sorry for the ones she killed. Alice was my favorite and I totally got how she felt about being turned.

The story was a pretty straight forward look at these three women’s lives and how their circumstances shaped who they were. As I said though, there wasn’t much plot accept for looking at how their characters changed as they moved through their immortal lives, especially Maria’s and Charlotte’s. The pacing felt really slow to me because of this, and I had a hard time connecting to a story that felt a little on the repetitive side. The stories also took too long to come together, and I felt like Maria’s story took precedent over the other two. I did think the ending was a good one though.

I think I am in the minority on this, but again I don’t think it is the story’s fault. If you enjoy character driven stories with morally gray characters and toxic relationships then this is one you will probably like, especially if you are a fan of the author’s work.

V.E. Schwab's writing is always such a hit! In Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, we follow three POV's and timelines and the hurdles these women have to overcome as they learn to deal with some pretty dramatic changes to their lives. My biggest issue was unfortunately the beginning, it took me longer than I would have liked to really find myself gripped by the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor books for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Told over multiple timelines, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil follows three women who are thrown into vampirism, their rise to power, and the fall of their relationships. Over four centuries, their vampiric minds begin to rot, as well as their actions, spiraling them into dark thoughts and even darker deeds. What would you do to keep the one you love, even as you descent into madness?

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 2/5

Tropes:
Multiple POV
Multiple Timelines
Paranormal Romance

Triggers:
Relationship Manipulation
Murder
Blood Play

My Thoughts:
I really loved this book and much like everything else written by V.E. Schwab, it is beautifully written. Sabine and Charlotte's love story had me enthralled, and this is written so well, that the author had me rooting for them, until I didn't. The darkness and revenge between two of the characters had me on the edge of my seat and begging for more of their completely toxic relationship. I do think the Alice storyline slowed the pace of the book some and I didnt feel as connected to her as I did the other characters. I found myself speeding through her chapters to get back to the other timelines.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, or "you either die after a normal human lifespan, or live for centuries, which is long enough to become the toxic ex you were originally running from." Schwab wasn't kidding when she touted this book as TOXIC LESBIAN VAMPIRES. It was precisely that, and didn't disappoint.

I really enjoyed Schwab's interpretation of the vampire mythos, and Maria, Charlotte and Alice were fun characters to follow, with very different values and attitudes.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab has been one of my most anticipated book releases of 2025, and it did not disappoint. This book took me away and transported me to a new place and time, right out of my reading slump.

The book follows three women living during three different timelines, each struggling to find their story and prove their worth. As their stories overlap, catastrophe ensues, shaping and redefining their very existences. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a dark, fantastical story about toxic lesbian vampires and the world that tries to keep them down.

It’s been a while since I read anything by V.E. Schwab, and oh, how I missed their writing style. Reading this book was like an experience. I couldn’t wait to dive in each time I picked it up and marveled at how well it was written. The words flowed off the page in a beautiful and poetic way that kept me coming back for more.

The pace is a bit slower early on, but the plot is so intriguing that it still propelled me forward. And of course, I couldn’t help but binge the last third of the book so I could find out what happened.

If you’re a fan of dark, fantastical reads, this book is for you. It’s sure to take you away and give you chills. I loved it.

Highly recommend!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil hits shelves on June 10, 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Absolute perfection. I've been following Schwab's writing of this book and she describes it best: toxic lesbian vampires full of feminine rage. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me both so angry and so hopeful.

Here's the thing: Sapphic vampire novels are having a Moment. And I love it. However, not all Sapphic Vampire Novels are created equally. And I have adored Schwab's writing for years and years, but this one just fell flat for me. Maria's story is compelling and beautiful and I could have more of her narrative for ages. And I did really like Charlotte and how genuine, heartfelt and open she was. But Alice was downright unlikeable. I had no interest in her story. She seemed to have little interest in it herself, just kind of drifting from plot point to plot point, happening upon events by chance. And when we leave Maria's story for good, we pivot to Charlotte instead to fill in the remaining backstory. And her efforts to explain the situation to Alice feel awkward and clunky, Alice is rightly angry about where she has wound up, and Charlotte's attempt to finish the rest of the story feel exactly like an author trying to tell the rest of what happens to their characters before the final showdown. And so the climactic confrontation, when it comes, feels utterly insignificant. Because we have spent pages upon pages rehashing the history of two of these characters, coming to care for and understand both of them, and in the end it comes down to Alice. Who I can only think to compare to weak tea that has not been steeped long enough.
I feel like I was strung along getting a beautiful history for 500 pages all for it to come down to 60 pages of nothingness at the end.