I really enjoyed the premise and overall idea of this book, but the pacing and narrative was repetitive and went on far too long.

Genuinely love this book so much! As a fan of Interview with the Vampire, this book felt like a sapphic version of the classic Anne Rice series. We have hot vampires being toxic to one another, what more can anyone ask for?! On a different note, I did find myself struggling to actually get into the story, the first 17% of the story was kinda meh, BUT it picks up drastically and the rest of the book definitely makes up for that lag. Each character was really well through out, they all had different nuances that really show us how different they really are when described from other characters POV’s. Overall a really great book that I highly recommend!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the pre-release copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab.

I absolutely loved this one. The intertwining narratives following three female leads and all the different time periods was so entertaining. I especially loved the development of each character, and really enjoyed seeing the effects that such a long, long existence can have on the mind.

I've never been disappointed by a Schwab book, and this one was no exception to that rule. I've been trying to go slowly through her back catalogue so I don't run out too quickly, but I'm almost done with them all, which is devastating. I'll have to start *gasp* WAITING for the new releases.

Anywho, highly recommended. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Oh this ate (literally 🤭) thank you so much to Tor for the eARC of my FAVORITE author’s newest release!!

This is the love child of my favorite VE Schwab books with sapphic vampires, it’s like this was literally made for me!! It has the methodical approach of Addie LaRue, taking us through time and characters as we watch women come to terms with their queerness, the patriarchy, and their vampirism. But it also carries the raw violence of Vicious as we see centuries of slaughter and a descent into madness that can only be described as horrific and tragic (Victoria wasn’t kidding when they said that this was toxic lesbian vampires, again madeeee for meeee).

One thing that really worked was how the vampires were relatively “lore” accurate so we didn’t need to have a lot of mechanics explained and this allowed us, as readers, to steep ourselves in the characters. You could just FEEL the feminine rage radiating off the page. The women (especially our historic two) get to find a sense of vengeance in their violence against others. They literally are HUNGRY. Not just for blood, but for brutal justice. We also have the time to explore each character’s connection to their own brand of queerness and how they were perceived and treated in each time period. I still can’t get over how unapologetically this was with that theme.

This book was 500+ pages and I wanted even more. I want to erase my brain and reread it immediately. It was achingly intimate, violent, and poetic. You feel the characters bleed into each page and each other. I was dangerously enthralled from the moment I began. VE Schwab is someone I truly believe will be studied for their character work and storytelling.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I anticipated. The vibes and concept were really intriguing and enjoyed the writing style, but it was far too long and drawn out considering how little actually happened. It became a big of a drag by the end and I was ready for it to be over.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books, and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil on June 10, 2025.

V.E. Schwab will never not write a gorgeous book. The prose in Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was decadent yet sharp, creating an impressive atmosphere and tension. I loved Schwab's approach to vampires (specifically how they're never referred to by that name, but as "feral roses" planted in the midnight soil). And if you want messy, interpersonal relationships between lesbians played out for over 500 pages, this is 100% your book.

However, I think the story could have been a decent chunk shorter, or maybe with some more modern-day action interspersed with our two flashback POVs. As it was, I struggled through the POV of our modern-day protagonist, Alice, and found myself wanting to skip through her sections just to get back to Maria and Lottie. Their stories both captured me, and both characters demonstrated tremendous growth (or perhaps decay?) over time.

But that brings me to my second gripe: the pacing at the end of this book. I loved Charlotte's story so much, but it was a huge chunk of the last 2/3 of the book, and I think it would have benefited from being spread out like Alice and Maria's were. We don't even see Maria's perspective in the final third of the book, which is a shame, because I would have loved to see what went on inside her head after she fully gave into her bloodlust and madness. We only ever view her worst years through Charlotte and Alice's lenses.

Overall, this book explores the messy and complicated relationships we live and fight and die for over the years, and if you love character-driven stories, you'll likely eat this one up.

TL;DR:
I really had fun with this historical, sapphic, violent vampire story. (4.5 stars on StoryGraph)

Summary:
Following three women from different points in time -- 1500s, 1800s, and 2019. Sapphic, vampiric spiral into madness. We are seeing the story of how the 3 women's lives intertwine & how vampires are involved in each of their stories.

Ideal Reader:
Anyone who likes vampire stories with some tweaked vampire lore, following queer characters (sapphic, in this case) and enjoys historical fiction.

Writing:
The writing was solid, sufficient, serviceable. Nothing extraordinary for my personal tastes as far as the use of language.

Characters:
The character development was solid here. One character in particular we get to see a lot more of her story, and see her personality and behaviors change over time and it was fascinating to me. We're kind of watching a slow descent into madness.

One of the characters we follow for a lot less time (in her life) and in the first half of the book her chapters were less interesting to me, but even in the short time we see her, we end up with quite a bit of character growth and by the end I really enjoyed her.

One of the women learns how to wield her looks and male desire to get what she wants, and she feels empowered from this, until she learns that in a patriarchal world there is only so far a woman can wield that "power" -- it's a false power when it comes down to it, is essentially what she learns.

Plot/Pacing:
I thought the pacing was pretty solid, though the first half did take me quite a bit longer. Once we got to around 60% and things were picking up, I finished the book in about a day. And THE ENDING?!?!?!? I thoroughly loved how it ended. I think it was pleasantly surprising.

Themes/Content Warnings:
I think there were themes of love, abuse, obsession... definitely themes of freedom and personal agency, but also of power and how it can corrupt. And just loneliness and how that affects mental health...

Memorable Quotes/Standout Moments:
"Her husband laughs, a barking sound with all the softness of an ax. She will learn, in time, how well he wields it, how efficiently it cuts."

When a timeline spans centuries and features multiple characters at its core, keeping the reader invested can be a challenge—but my attention never wavered with Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. I rooted for every character, flaws and all, and by the end, I found myself wishing for a hundred more pages. V.E. Schwab’s gift for character development shines on every page. She captures emotions that are nearly impossible to articulate, yet I found pieces of myself in each character. It’s the best vampire read since Twilight.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eArc!

I loved Addie LaRue. I've other V.E. Schwab books. I feel like I had high expectations for when starting this novel, because what could go wrong? Vampires, set across timelines, and a great author sounds like a sure bet. Nope.
The pacing felt off kilter and while the stories blended well at the very end, the beginning was disjointed. The middle dragged on, with nothing truly going on. It did wrap up nicely, an attribute to quality writing.
I did not feel any connection with the characters, wishing they had more depth to them. They didn't make me feel anything other than annoyance. Each and every character was so incredibly toxic, I found no redeeming qualities to them. While I will probably be in the minority of people, this novel felt like it was a "safe" wanna-be sapphic vampire rip off.

The story of three young women throughout history who wanted freedom from the expectations of their lives. That freedom comes at a cost and not all of them are willing to pay it. Spurred on by revenge/hunger, love/desire, and simply rage at not being given a choice, the three women pursue their goals.

I loved this take on tragic and toxic lesbian vampires. The writing is beautiful and the journey through complex emotions and archetypes for each of the three women was enjoyable. I do think it could have been either a little faster or potentially a little shorter, but I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a dark atmosphere and morally grey characters.

Told in different timelines, as well as alternating POVs, this story was engrossing from the very first page. While I did find the pace to be a bit slower at times in the book (which is why it is not a solid 5⭐️ read for me) I loved the story and the storyline. Alice is a Scottish college student living in America, looking to find her place in the world. She meets a young woman who may be her great love, but what she experiences takes her on a storied journey back to the 1500s.

I enjoyed the women characters in this story, and particularly loved the way the author created a story that transcended 500 years. The writing was beautiful and the atmosphere created was vivid. I think it is best to go into this story blind so I am trying to not share to much. But if you are a fan of this author, dark magic and shocking endings, grab this book!

I'm finding it really difficult to put my finger on how I'm feeling about this one. I wanted SO badly to be absolutely obsessed with it–I was so so excited about the premise: toxic lesbian vampires sounded right up my alley! Plus, Addie LaRue is probably my favourite book of all time. However, I honestly struggled a bit trying to get through this book, especially around the halfway mark. I should also note that I usually don't like multiple timelines and that there are very few exceptions. For me, this one started to feel quite repetitive. The characters themselves were very interesting and distinguishable by their own personalities, morals, and backgrounds, but not in their experiences if that makes sense? It felt like I watched them all go through very similar things in their separate timelines and I'm thinking that that's primarily why I began losing interest. Each of their transitions into vampires and their respective adjustment periods wasn't unique enough to the others to require such detailed descriptions and drawn-out chapters, for example.
I am, however, very glad I kept pushing through because the last 25% really pays off. As the pace picks up, we see all three timelines come together in a way that is rewarding and satisfying. I always love the existential questions V. E. Schwab's books bring up. I also loved the writing, atmosphere, and character development throughout, as well as every sprinkle of sensual moments and sapphic yearning. Overall, if we ignore the mini slump I experienced in the middle, this book was a good time. It pains me a little to say it would have been a 5 star read had it been pared back a bit to allow for better pacing, but I'll take what I can get!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Read This Book If…you love toxic relationships that last for centuries!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Queer fantasy
Spice Level: 1/5🌶, closed door
Setting: 1500s Spain, 1800s England, present Boston
POV: multiple, 3rd person, present tense
Tropes: morally grey, lovers to enemies

My Thoughts:
This was such a visceral tale about hunger and immortality! It is a slower, meandering story like Addie La Rue, but I think it’s well worth it in the end.

We follow three sapphic women-turned-vampires throughout history. I found some of the timelines/storylines much more intriguing, but they eventually wove together. The ended will leave you holding your breath and waiting for release.

VE put some fun twists on the typical vampire lore, which I appreciated. It could be vicious at times, but I never found it too gory. While I preferred Addie, I still really enjoyed this one!

Memorable Quote: “She is a flame in the dark, and the night is full of moths.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

I’ve had an interesting reading journey with Schwab’s works. I started off with her “Shades of Magic” which is probably in my Top 10 favorite fantasy series of all time. So that’s a high bar right there! As I continued to read her books as they’ve come out, there are many that I’ve enjoyed but they’ve never quite reached this original high. Partly, I’m starting to see that the “Shades of Magic” series might have been the exception rather than the rule as far as her fantasy writing goes. Those books were fairly classic portal fantasy. More recently, her fantasy stories have become more abstract, often blending historical fiction and a high emphasis on lyricism and philosophy. All of this is good as well, but, from a pure enjoyment point of view, nothing tops the absolute blast of “Shades of Magic.” This is all a long way of saying that her most recent book is pretty much more of the same, which will either really work for you or remain a bit of a struggle, similar to the reception of “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.”

There’s no denying Schwab’s talent as an author. The words flow from the page, beautifully depicting a variety of different settings and time periods. We travel around the world in this book, visiting places like Italy, France, London and Boston. The story also spans several centuries (as one would expect following leading characters who are immortal vampires). These lens’ gave Schwab ample time to flex her literary muscles. And while she didn’t necessarily seem to have much new to say regarding vampires and the plight of living forever (we cover many of the greatest hits re: vampires like the disconnect from their humanity, the sense of purposelessness, etc. etc.), all of what she did cover was gorgeously depicted. Even in some of the lulls in pacing I still found myself pausing over a beautiful turn of phrase.

So, in many ways, much of this felt very familiar to “Addie LaRue.” Other than the focus on vampires, we had a bit of a retread in format, with the book jumping from historical time periods to the present. There was also a bit of familiarity to be found in the themes I’ve mentioned above, in that some of these same topics (what makes a life worth living) were also covered in her previous book. I get when authors really feel called to write about certain topics, but, for me, much of this felt a bit too familiar. I will say that this is largely a subjective point. I don’t dislike this sort of literary fantasy story, but as I mentioned at the top, I’m still hankering for a return of Schwab’s epic fantasy books, so to read two books in a row that felt fairly similar…it was a bit of a let-down for me. Others who enjoy literary fantasy more will likely be thrilled by this book!

I do think the pacing was a bit off in this book. That or it needed an editor who could have paired the story down to a more manageable length. As a fantasy reader, I’m more than happy to pick up massive tomes. But this book comes in over 500 pages long, and it feels like it. There were long sections in the middle of the book where there simply wasn’t much happening. This is a slow book, intentionally so, but there were definitely portions of the story that felt unnecessary. It was a relief to get to the back half where things began to pick up more.

As for the characters, well…I struggled a bit here as well. Instead of following the three equally, there was definitely one character who read as the main character more than the others. However, I struggled to connect with all three, feeling oddly distanced from them. In some ways, they felt more like vehicles for Schwab to explore the themes she wanted to cover (very good, important themes, but themes none the less!) than as fully fleshed out characters themselves. I also really struggled to enjoy the ending and will be curious to see how it is received by other readers.

So, this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. This book definitely felt like a book that Schwab has been long wanting to write; it felt personal and important, and I’m always happy to see writers reach a point of popularity where they are more free to pursue the stories they are aching to tell rather than the ones the publishers think will sell. However, I have to come at it from the perspective of a reader, and as a reader, I didn’t love this book. I can appreciate its merits, but it wasn’t my favorite style of fantasy, and I struggled to connect fully to the story, all the worse by its lackluster ending. I do think that readers who enjoyed “Addie LaRue” will very much connect this one (I’m just one of those weirdos who liked “Addie LaRue” but didn’t necessarily want more of the same).

Rating 7: Beautifully written and covering important themes; however, as a story, I struggled to enjoy my time reading it.

Link will go live on The Library Ladies on June 6

Whatever V.E. Schwab casts her writer’s eyes on turns into a precious metal or gemstone. This holds true even when the subject matter seems well worn and sucked dry, ahem, we are talking vampires here. And here in a standalone novel, she pumps wonder and life into a small snaking line of them, starting with the story of Maria (her original name), a striking young woman, born in the 16th century in Santo Domingo de la Calzada who is viewed as chattel by her loathsome Viscount husband. She is trapped, but what happens when the offer of a near impossible escape is offered? Or Charlotte, in 19th century England, a carefree compassionate beauty with forbidden tastes, who is reluctantly sent to London to learn the restrictive graces needed before being presented to society. She ends up learning so much more. As readers, Schwab dances and drinks with us through centuries, countries, and continents and introduces other links in the chain of the undead, each character powerfully developed. She excels at both the sensuality and specificity of time and place, from Venice to Paris to London to New Orleans to Boston, eventually honing in on the present time and another shy lost young woman. The morality and rationale of the requirements for the vampire’s survival, along with the inevitable corruption of time and power are discussed and dissimulated, among each of the characters, and often in violent gruesome scenes that are near impossible to shed….as is this remarkable book.

Did not disappoint. Toxic Lesbian Vampires is absolutely the perfect way to sum up Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. With three separate but completely intertwined stories, Bury Our Bones is a tale of obsession, absolute hunger, desire, and what happens when nothing is ever enough. This was easily one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it did not fail to disappoint. This story is the complete opposite of Addie LaRue, but I think it will easily become one of my new favorites and new recommendations. It is a dark and rage-filled story, but each POV has something that I think everyone will be able to relate to. Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice all feel so real and relatable in the best and worst ways. There are so many nuances to this story that I can't wait to reread it and be able to talk to others about it. Filled with grief and rage and love and hunger and revenge, Bury Our Bones in The Midnight Soil is an easy 10/10 for me. Thank you so much to Tor and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Toxic lesbian vampires didn’t disappoint. This is very much an Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Schwab that we’re seeing on these pages. The story is the background to her obsession with immortality and the rot of a long life and how desperately the characters and the author seem to want to convey that they can make a mark on the world. Well written as always and a satisfying ending.

Sapphic vampires was definitely something I needed in my life.

Schwab's writing is mesmerizing as always but my interest between the POVs wasn't evenly distributed.
The strong ending didn't fully redeemed the book for its slower part.
I do still think it's a must read for anyone would enjoyed Addie Larue.

Bury Your Bones in the Midnight Soil is an saga of women's wrongs. sapphic love, and vampire lore that will captivate many readers.

The story is about three women in three cities over three different periods in history (1500 Spain, 1800 England, and modern day Boston) and Schwab weaves them together delicately. The story is dark and toxic in many ways, capturing the yearning of eternal life, wanting more than what you have, and how far one will go to get it. It is also atmospheric - I was fully immersed in the story and felt all my senses were attuned to the descriptions. There are constant conversations and themes around desire, grief, anger, womanhood, obsession, control, and survival. I think what Schwab does so beautifully is captures the slow descent into madness and how the vampiric hunger corrupts the minds of the characters. Watching Sabine become more monster than (wo)man was both intriguing and hard to read.

The pacing was not my preference and most of the action happens after the 60% mark. I found the middle to be a bit long winded surrounding Sabine and the ending felt rushed to me. Spoiler, but I wanted Sabine, this epically old and strong vampire, to be much harder to thwart and kill. I wanted more from the resolution, but in a way the ending fits the characters and captures the grittiness of life, but I would still recommend this if you like flawed character driven stories.

Vibes:
Vampires
Historical time periods
Queer/sapphic romance
Family relationships
Yearning
Women's wrong
Coming of age

CW: gore, death, suicide, manipulation, emotional abuse

5 million stars. this book knocked my socks clean off. I knew it was going to be good and it didn't disappoint. VE Schwab is one of my favorite authors to exist ever. This was the definition of yearning. This is a book everyone needs to read.