This book is undeniably rich and deeply evocative, I was glued to these pages and these women. They are toxic and I love them for it, the stories of firing for independence and searching for that feeling of belonging were the most prevalent.

This book is bloody and loving in unique ways. I adore Schwab’s writing always and this particularly spoke to me, with the whimsy of Addie Larue and the bloodthirsty violence of vicious! I will be reading this again and again to learn more about each of these characters!!

I honestly cannot put I to words how much this book scratched my brain and warmed my heart despite the constant anxiety it gave me. I hope you all love it at much as I do!!

Content warning: blood, death, murder, mind control

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

This is definitely a story about toxic lesbian vampires, and they are MESSY. If you stick with the multiple POVs and timelines, Schwab has set up a great payoff on how all of the stories come together.

Spanning centuries and continents, Schwab takes readers on a journey. Most of these characters aren't meant to be likable so while there is definitely a villain, there really isn't a heroine in the traditional sense. The main characters are interesting, but I would have loved to learn more about some of the side characters.

The pacing is slow, but overall this was a solid read.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tor Books in exchange for an honest review.

I considered rounding up on this because one element of the ending was incredibly satisfying, even as the other begged for some (a lot of..) belief. But overall? This was just okay.

In concept, though, this is very appealing; hence requesting it. And Schwab's writing is easy to get lost in. But where this failed for me was how little I felt for any of it. And unfortunately I also found these very different women felt a little too similar for all the distance between the time periods, particularly Sabine and Lottie, though maybe that's a factor of, you know, the patriarchy. And maybe that's why, in the end, we got the ending we did -- despite that it seemed like they were on opposite ends in how they viewed life and morality. Either way, their similarities, the fact that I don't think I liked any of the three, well, it made it all feel very long. And this was already a long book to begin with.

Overall, the hook is very much there : if you're looking to immerse yourself in a story with toxic lesbian vampires, jumping between both time and place, look no further. As always your mileage will vary.

2.5 stars

DNF….Schwab is still one of the best story tellers to me but this one just didn’t keep me interested. I was a bit bored ughhh I hope others love this one.

at first i thought this was gonna be my favorite schwab by far, but by the end i felt… unsatisfied.

what i liked:

- lesbian as hell
- really lovely prose
- some interesting historical settings that i enjoyed sinking into
- poignant meditation on vampirism as a state of bottomless hunger
- i thought alice’s character, and the themes of sisterhood and social anxiety, were really well-done

what i didn’t:

- plot-wise, it dragged for me from about 30% until 90%. i didn’t mind the timeline jumps and multiple POVs, but the characters didn’t have clear goals for much of the story and the pacing felt off
- i had trouble making sense of maria and lottie’s character development over the course of the book
- the (hetero) sexual trauma at the start of the book made sense for the story, but it’s always a bummer to pick up a lesbian book and be faced with that almost immediately

i think those who are in the mood for a slow, character-driven book about a bunch of toxic lesbian vampires and their self-destructive shenanigans will enjoy this read most.

Thank you to NetGalley, author V. E. Schwab, and Tor Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Absolutely DELECTABLE!! Vampire stories are SO back between this and Sinners this spring!! I have my partner Leah to thank for persuading me to read her favorite author, who happens to be Schwab. As a picky reader when it comes to fantasy, I was hesitant last year diving into her work but ended up devouring the Shades of Magic trilogy (plus the start of Fragile Threads) and Addie LaRue. I am now thrilled to report that I have a new favorite, and I think Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is easily Schwab at her best of what I've read so far. Her character work is spectacular, and I was truly on the edge of my seat reading about Maria, Charlotte, and Alice. Each one of them is so unique yet the way the story unfolds unifies them in a beautiful way. Right now upon finishing the book, I do think my favorite was Charlotte's story, but again, this book does not work without all three women and their stories. There were a couple of twists I did not see coming (even though this is not necessarily a "mystery" book), and I found myself reflecting on the book and characters any time I wasn't reading it. Schwab's strength, though, lies in her prose for me; this book does not shy away for the horror and gore of the vampires, yet there are so many alluring scenes that practically leapt off the page. Her descriptions are so vivid, and again, even as not a big fan of vampires, I was invested fully in the story, characters, and settings. I also loved that this story is so unapologetic in its queerness and specifically, lesbianism. Bury Our Bones celebrates sapphic love on every page and sapphic women and isn't afraid to be bold about it. This story works so well BECAUSE these are sapphic women; it's not just a great story WITH sapphic women. My one minor critique is that I do think for such a lengthy book that had me invested in all the characters, the ending was a bit abrupt and left me with a few questions. From what I understand, this is a stand-alone read, so I would have liked to have a bit more time to sit with the ending or see it explained a bit more. However, this doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the read, and I know that I will be thinking about Maria, Charlotte, and Alice for a while to come.

Firstly, thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the advance review copy!

This book has been my most anticipated read since I went to a stop of the Addie LaRue tour and V. E. Schwab said the words “toxic lesbian vampires.” And wow, did it ever live up to the anticipation.

As always, V. E. Schwab’s writing is beautifully crafted, creating an almost tangible atmosphere that wraps around you as you travel through this story. Following three women through their lives (and deaths), the twining of their stories and how they braid together is perfect.

This is one that will definitely be staying with me for a long time, and I will be recommending it to pretty much everyone I know.

V.e Schwab never fails to write compelling women. The difference between Maria learning to be a vampire in 1500’s and Alice in 2019 was very interesting. I will be making this a staff pick at work!

It took me a hard time getting into it 😔 it was me who wasn't in the right mood for this book. I’ll try to re read it later

well this book was incredible!!!!!!

lesbian vampires, stories across many many centuries, and lots of drraaammmaaa?? sign me up.

VE Schwab could write anything and I’d probably love it so this was really not a hard bar for her to meet but the way this story was told kept me hanging on her every word. It almost had elements that reminded me Addie but more dark…and haunting? It was perfect.

I actually am struggling to figure out how best to review it because this one just was so good. So read it OKAY?

thank you to the publisher for the earc and gifted finished copy!

REVIEW: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab 4.5 Stars

“Bury my bones in the midnight soil, plant them shallow but water them deep, and in my place will grow a feral rose, soft red petals hiding sharp white teeth.”

I was thrilled to receive the ARC of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab because I had loved reading Addie LaRue, also by Schwab. These two books gave me some similar vibes.

I’m going to try to keep this simple, because I thought going into Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil blind made it more interesting. There are many characters throughout the book, but our main protagonists are Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice. Each character’s story begins in a different period and place, such as 1521 Spain, 1827 London, and 2019 Boston. I enjoyed the amount of detail we get about each character and how their lives weave together. There is even a bunch of supporting characters who really shine and add to the story. The theme revolves a lot around freedom, loneliness, and mortality. The writing is beautifully crafted and full of whimsy, sensuality, and emotion. Even with this book being over 500 pages, it was so engaging that it felt like a quick read.

One thing that can be confusing at times is that this isn’t a linear story, and it presents multiple points of view. It becomes more natural when you get to know the character more, but it can be a struggle earlier in the story. I also thought the ending just needed a bit more to it. It just didn’t feel totally complete.

Thank you, Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Wow! V.E. Schwab knows how to give you excellent, flawed characters but also how to give you a story about life and taking chances. I love Schwab’s writing and I loved this take on a vampire love story from her! This was most definitely giving lesbian Lestat and Louis a la Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire and that is one of the reasons I loved it SO much. I will say it was very slow-paced for me, but the payoff was excellent.

I did not finish this title. I struggled with the timeline and the length at which some characters were covered and others were not. I found the scene changes to be too chaotic and confusing. It felt like scenes were drawn out for far too long. The writing itself was good. I know this highly anticipated book and I liked V.E Schwab's other title the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but this story feels much to drawn out. This may just be a personal preference so I do want to highlight that most people will probably love this story. It's descriptive, mysterious, and dark.

idk how to explain this book except to say it grabbed me by the soul, dragged me into the dirt, and whispered poetry in my ear while I cried. like??? who gave the author the right to write grief, love, and rot that beautifully??

the vibes?? gothic. haunted. feral. there are lines in here that felt like they reached into my chest and rearranged my organs. every sentence was art. every metaphor? unhinged in the most delicious way. i’m talking “highlight every other line” levels of obsession.

also this book didn’t just have atmosphere...it was the atmosphere. like i could physically feel the damp, the decay, the memory. i’m going to be haunted in the best way possible.

if you’ve ever wanted to feel like a ghost in your own life while also experiencing something weirdly healing, congrats. this is the book.

would bury my bones in this book tbh.

Let me know if you want to turn this into a TikTok voiceover script or an Instagram caption!

I knew this book was going to exceptional when I heard it was about toxic lesbian vampires but it exceeded all my expectations! This book absolutely enchanted me and it’s a new favorite.

V.E. Schwab is such a beautiful writer her words immersed me into the story and I couldn’t put it down. The characters were written so well that even their wrongs had me rooting for them. The writing was so vivid that I could feel their pain, love and rage.

I really liked the jumping of timelines and different stories it really kept me on the edge of my seat. I do think the ending was a little anticlimactic. It felt like plots were being rushed towards the end of the book. Overall this was addictive and so lovely I can’t wait for my copy to come in the mail!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is the toxic lesbian vampire book I didn't know I needed. As with all of her books, Schwab has created fascinating, complicated characters that I cared about deeply. Her storytelling is gripping, and I was eager to know how the story would end. The book follows three women at different points in time, exploring themes of rage, a hunger for something one is not supposed to want, and what it means to be free. I loved this story and can't wait for others to read it, so I have someone to discuss this brilliant book with!

3/5
A toxic lesbian vampire novel following three women drawn together by love, hunger, and immortality—its freedoms and its burdens, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is V.E Schwab’s twist on the vampire chronicle for a new age. Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice, three young queer women from vastly different periods of history are made eternal in the desperation for a new life—connected through their desires to revel in a new one. One by one they fall prey to an endless hunger neither of them can satiate and an emerging loss of their humanity. At the center of this is Sabine, creator and tormentor, whose centuries-long reign is about to be buried. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a saga of blood and rage. Just as these women reveled in their freedoms through blood and violence so too did I revel in the telling. V.E Schwab has always had a way with words and I was easily swept away by the first half of this gorgeous novel. The other half is where things got a bit tricky. With a jagged shift in pacing I’ll admit that it was a challenge to ride the momentum through to the final act. Thematically, this novel appealed to me, but at the same time I’m not convinced it had anything new to say. I love women driven to become immortal because they seek autonomy, and exploring how immortality can become a prison of its own. Female rage, desire, queerness, all themes that were taken in hand through this saga, yet much like these vampires themselves I found I still hungered. Bury Our Bones was an entertaining, elegantly written tale, but the method of story, the characters represented, and the themes ultimately had me craving for more and left only to hunger endlessly.

V.E. Schwab came for my soul with this one
This book isn’t just about vampires…it’s about rage, hunger and desire. Told through the lives of three queer women across centuries, Maria, Charlotte, and Alice, this story had layers.
If you’re into gothic vibes, queer historical horror, and feminine rage, you definitely will want to pick this one up.

“𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥.”

🥀🪦🌱🩸🫦

I had quite the reading experience with this book. At two different points I wanted to call it quits. The pacing was pretty slow and I wasn't interested in any of the characters...BUT I pushed forward because I love Schwab's writing and knew there was a chance it would get better 🫶🏼

Feminine rage, hunger, blood, and centuries of longing—Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a story of three women bound across time, exploring the cost of freedom and its sacrifices. Schwab's writing is like no other. It's haunting and immersive. You can feel the hunger, toxicity and desire on every page. It wasn't until about 60% that I started to really get into the story. The interconnectedness of Maria, Charlotte and Alice is what intrigued me and I loved how it all came together. It's hard to choose a favourite character, but I think Charlotte (Lottie) was my fav! Once I finished the book, I was in awe of Schwabs ability to dissect identity and humanity through these women.

If you enjoy sapphic romance, vampire lore and character-driven stories, this one's for you!

Pub Date: June 10th 🎉 Thank you @netgalley and @torbooks for the gifted e-ARC!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
✔️ multiple timelines
✔️ a violent game of cat and mouse
✔️ toxic lesbian vampires
✔️ hunger, angst & rage
✔️ interconnected stories

Vampires and a bit of history?! I'm all for it.

This book has easily become one of my favorites by VE and one of my favorites overall. The back and forth of the timelines to really capture who the characters are and how they fit together was perfect. I loved the evolution of Sabine and Lottie as they journeyed through the decades. The attention to detail in how timelines progressed to get us to modern day was really well done. I also really enjoyed how the dialogue evolved, to fit the characters current time period. Each new era was extremely well executed.

The toxicity and chemistry between Sabine and all of her "pets" or victims, can be felt through the pages.

There were so many times when you felt a variety of emotions throughout this novel. At times you could feel the giddiness of Charlotte and the joy that was robbed from her. The rage that Sabine often felt that was never really warranted. The betrayal and hurt that Alice feels from day one of her new life. There is a bit of a sad undertone to the whole novel, just at the prospect of lives lost, in more than one way. The use of the poem throughout really brought all of the emotions to life, how it applied to each of them differently.

This is a perfect read for Pride month as it encompasses how through the times the acceptance of their female relationships both progress, but also very much stays the same.

Overall I thought that this was an excellent book, just the right amount of spice, horror, and history. Will definitely be recommending!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.