historical possessive love story with dark themes

Written beautifully, this book is more about human connection, grief and female empowerment than a simple "sapphic romance with vampires".

I think that's where I went wrong, seeing it described that way made me enjoy the book less. Not because it's a bad book as it definitely isn't. It's just not the kind of book I usually enjoy.

I will say I found the ending to be anti climactic, and over too soon. There's probably a lot of deeper meaning and metaphors throughout the pages but it wasn't for me.

FMC's: all around 17-19 in appearance
Although does not read as YA

Bury our bones in the midnight soil is a brilliant new female vampire novel by V E Schwab spanning centuries and examines relationships over such lengths of time. Combined with the usual murderous activities of such beings. If this sounds like your thing then I definitely recommend.

A gothic tale of vampirism, desire, and insatiability, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil spans centuries, intertwining 3 women's stories as they come into their own. Dark and twisting, this novel is equal parts beauty and violence with the richly lyrical prose VE Schwab has come to be known for shot through with toxic choices and dark deeds, each scene rests on a knife's edge that will have readers devouring the book immediately.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

V.eSchwab is one of my favourite authors and this did not disappoint. I loved that even though it’s a vampire book it kept me interested and it was quite unique. The vibes were all there and a few twists thrown in too.

Toxic lesbian vampires... Need I say more?

I did really enjoy this one! The book gave a lot of backstory into the characters, how they lived in different eras, how a young lesbian woman would have been treated in the 1800s Vs through more modern times.
I thought the way a "vampire" is said to be grown from the midnight soil a far better analogy than using the word vampire every time.

I became very attached to each of the characters... Even when they become more and more unhinged but still not ever wanting to be alone.

I can also say the most heartbreaking part of seeing a vampire in love with a human and understanding that love will never last 💔

I will say for those going into it wanting something more saphic, this does read more like a YA with a bit of heat thrown in now and again, however for me, that was not a deal breaker!

Also with no spoilers but... THAT ENDING!!
This is why I love V E Schwab!

I was lucky enough to have an eARC copy of this book, however I had already pre-ordered prior to reading and now I can't wait to have my own copy! Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a chance to read!

Thank you to V. E. Schwab, Pan Macmillan | Tor, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think this needed to be brutally edited down - the pacing was clunky and off, the characterisation felt flat (I didn’t really care for any of them and I love a unlikeable character), and the book seemed to be all aesthetic with no substance. Sure, there were lots of beautiful sentences but there were too many! It definitely falls victim to repetition. I can also think of at least two characters and about 100 pages that could have been cut almost completely.

Saying that, I did enjoy the historical aspect and the different locations. Maria and Matteo were interesting and I liked the dip into a sapphic regency romance. I did manage to finish it but had to push past the urge to dnf.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. V. E. Schwab’s writing is beautifully crafted, haunted by visceral imagery & luscious detail. Metaphors & similes are used with such uniqueness that you would never have thought to associate them & yet somehow they describe the essence of the idea perfectly. I’ve been a huge V. E. Schwab fan since reading Addie LaRue, captivated by such a densely descriptive writing style that has the ability to make me think & feel for even the most morally ambiguous characters. Thus, I was elated to get my hands on an ARC of this before release & found myself gripped from the start. I’d check the time, & a whole hour had flown past without my knowledge due to being so engaged in the story. However… I struggled with the pacing of this book from about the 45% mark. The interchanging POV’s were captivating but at times didn’t feel like they were progressing the plot in any way. At times I even questioned what the plot was & where it was even intending to go, leaving me confused & frustrated for a change of pace. Despite being beautiful, the writing felt slow & left me bored & anticipating the next hook in the action to draw me back in. I’m not sure this change of pace ever really came until the 80% mark, at which point the pacing took a full 180* which resulted in it feeling rushed & somewhat forced. The characters, which had felt larger than life & for which I’d been so drawn to, suddenly became words on paper again & I found myself skimming the end of the book just to finish the story. Finally, the ending was wrapped up in a way that didn’t seem feasible for how the rest of the story developed, that is to say it concluded way too easily. Overall, I think this had so much potential, & I understood the societal issues that it was choosing to address, however the execution in my opinion was not to the standard I would expect from having read many of V. E. Schwab’s other works. I would like to make it known that I did still enjoy this book, I just wish I had been able to love it. Rating: 3.75🌟

I am a huge fan of both V E Schwab and vampires, so when I got approved for this arc, I was over the moon.

This story perfectly encapsulates the imperfect morality of vampiric characters, following stories across different eras and walks of life. Both Maria and Alice come from completely separate worlds, and yet their stories intersect through their shared desperation, isolation, and bloodlust.

It's difficult to wholeheartedly root for any of the characters in this book, but it still reads as a strongly character-driven narrative. There were a few places where I found myself slightly lost - particularly given how many different timeframes come into play - but on the whole, this was a highly original and engrossing read.

If you're looking for something dark and spooky, this is sure to fit the bill, and it powerfully asks the question: what does it mean to no longer be human?

Books with similar vibes: Lucy Undying by Kiersten White, A Dowry of Blood by S T Gibson, and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first VE Schwab book, but I can assure you it won't be my last. This book is apparently 500+ pages but I devoured it in a few nights.

All of the characters in this are beautifully flawed and I love the progression from moral, to morally grey, to morally black.

This is set in a time spanning the 1500s to present day and from many different countries. Each place and time was beautifully written and immersive and just made the stories come to life.

I love a multiple POV book, and this is how you do it. Each woman had their own voice and I went through so many emotions reading this (and said "good for her" a lot).

I can't say if you like X you'll like this because I've not read anything like this before. It's a story of love and loss and female rage and sapphic vampires. If that sounds good, you'll love it.

This was perfection. The writing, the characters, the plot line EVERYTHING.

. And this is why VE Schwab will always be one of my favourites authors of all time. Zero notes, highly recommend you all read this, we have Vampires, Sapphics Vampires - do I need to say anymore? Ok more, The book is like a fine wine, it got better the further in you read. We have three characters who are all different, but the way Schwab wove the stories together to create this beautifully written and spellbinding book. A book about strength, three women from three different timelines and backgrounds, spanning many years and countries. Schwab as always captivates you in her web of words that you want to stay cocooned in forever.

This is why they are in my top five favourite authors of all time and everything they write I will read.

All I knew going in to this book was ‘toxic lesbian vampires’ and that it was focussed around three women in different time periods, I had no real expectations and didn’t realise I was about to read a new favourite book.

Schwab’s writing was so immersive, so incredibly and beautifully written that I could get lost in her words for hours. It is delicious and captivating and I wanted to savour every single word.

BOBTIMS was simply put - an incredible read. Told from the perspective of three women; Maria, Alice and Charlotte throughout several time periods in history. I felt like I was existing in each time period Schwab introduced, I was fully immersed and invested in the lives of these women. Schwab swept me up in the decadence, the darkness and the strength each of these women and their experiences all whilst throwing in the supernatural world of vampires.

The tangled web of story that Schwab takes you on, ends with a distinctly satisfying finish that I’m still thinking about several books later.

I’m not sure anything I were to write to review this book would do it justice, so mostly I just want to say - read it. Schwab is one of the most INCREDIBLE story tellers and this story was perfection.

This is my first Victoria Schwab book, and oh my God, it was perfect! I loved it so much! Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil features three different timelines and characters. Victoria Schwab's writing is captivating and lyrical. Her characters are well developed and complex. They were so toxic, and readers could feel their emotions while reading the story. This book is so sapphic and dark, and it was beautiful. I can't recommend it enough. I also heard that this is sort of a darker sister to the author's other book, Addie LaRue, which I think will be my next read from her. I can't wait to put this book on my shelf. You need to pick up this book immediately too. Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan / Tor and V. E. Schwab for sending me an eARC of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil in exchange for an honest review! (When I tell you, I screamed when I got this ARC!)

4.75 stars

Bury Our Bones follows three women throughout their lifetimes (and death-times?) in three different settings and three different time periods. Their lives have been intertwined for centuries. It’s incredibly gothic and sapphic, and has twists that definitely keep you on your toes.

Ultimately, Bury Our Bones In the Midnight Soil is a story about love, loss, longing, humanity, inhumanity, grief, and it’s brutal, bloody and full of feminine rage.

If I’m being honest, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is not the typical book I would pick up - but if V. E. Schwab writes it, I will read it. I was hooked from the start, and found myself thinking about the story and the characters when I wasn’t reading the book! Schwab’s writing is so beautiful and immersive - it pulls you into the story and leaves you wanting more whenever you’re not reading it. My only tiny critique is that the ending felt a little rushed for me.

I’d recommend this, but I’d also suggest checking out the trigger warning for this because it is about toxic lesbian vampires after all (and it’s definitely toxic)!

“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.”

Where to even begin with this book?! Captivating, sensual and oh so beautiful, Schwab delivers a delicious tale of three women, spanning over centuries, and how their lives are inevitably entwined

I could not put this book down! I'm going to keep my review short because it's best to go into this blind but toxic lesbian vampires really is the perfect tag line for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.

The story follows Maria, Charlotte and Alice over different timelines. The pacing allows the story to unfold at a slower but not boring pace. We all love a slow burn don't we?! We see the struggles and suppression that the women go through. The hunger (literally and figuratively) they have for life. Bury Our Bones is filled with desperation and loneliness; grief and love; anger and vengeance.

Buried underneath all of the rage and toxicity though is a story about women wanting to find where they fit into the world without compromising who they are. The hunger for life never really dies...even when you're dead...

I was lucky enough to read this early on the readalong with Book Break, thank you so much Book Break and Tor Books for the ARC.

Looking at my highlights to prepare for writing this review had me falling in love with this book all over again. It’s a sumptuously gothic, queer, emotional, feminist masterpiece. As always, this will be vague but I hope to convince you to pick this up (if you’re not already, which is unlikely!)

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil combines comfortingly familiar vampire lore with the fresh and unique: a decidedly botanic take on our blood-sucking friends which I absolutely loved, and gave this book such a raw and deep quality. The imagery, smells and settings had me so immersed, it’s slower-paced but every page and turn these characters took felt intentional. For the clever reader, there’s so much to uncover and you’ll find so many links, metaphors and foreshadowing, and the way it all ties together is so impressive.

Schwab’s signature poetic prose weaves 3 distinct POV’s belonging to 3 very different women, all in shades of morally grey. This was honestly the most stunningly real depiction of the nuance of women I’ve ever encountered - they can be messy, selfish, they don’t always act the way you want them to and they each handle their situation in different ways.

I’m not even going to say unlikeable, because who said that female characters always have to be nice? Sometimes characters are fascinating because they’re not nice and we seem to allow this for male characters more than we do female. One of them was my favourite for this reason - she takes what she wants, she’s brutal and we love her. In fact, I loved them all for their uniqueness.

I laughed, I gasped, I raged, I cried. Definitely a new fave!

DNF at 29%

I was looking forward to reading Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil as a new release with lesbian main characters but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. My main criticism of the book is that a lot of the characters felt very two dimensional to me so I wasn't that interested in what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

V E Schwab never misses! Another fantastic book, complex characters, multiple timelines and LESBIANS! Occasionally the pacing was slow but overall a brilliant read.

5/5 Stars - A seductively dark, sapphic vampire tale that sinks its teeth in and doesn’t let go

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is another triumph from V.E. Schwab. Her writing is, as always, fantastic - poetic, haunting, and effortlessly immersive. It’s sexy, it’s dark, and it’s absolutely addictive. This isn’t your typical vampire story; it’s a slow, unsettling descent into desire, death, and everything in between.

The story is uniquely structured, driven entirely by its raw, flawed characters. It doesn’t follow a traditional plot structure; instead, it’s deeply character-driven. You’re not so much following a narrative as you are living alongside these characters as they drift through their beautifully tragic lives.
Each point of view comes with its own distinct voice, and Schwab masterfully shifts her style to reflect the nuances of each character. The result is a book that feels layered and intimate, with a tone that’s both sexy and dark in all the right ways.

It’s messy, manipulative, vulnerable, and so real it hurts. The emotional dynamics are jagged and unflinching - there’s no glamourizing the dark undercurrent of obsession and control. You’re left unsettled, a little haunted, and completely enthralled.

It’s not a book for readers looking for fast-paced action or tightly wound plots, but if you love atmospheric storytelling and deeply emotional character work, this is absolutely worth the read.

This book doesn’t just bite - it devours. And honestly? I loved every bloodstained page.

Schwab's delicate, lyrical prose did not disappoint and there were some gorgeous passages in this novel but unfortunately the rest of it really didn't work for me which came as a huge surprise.

The characters felt predictable and pretty flat, the pacing made it difficult for me to really immerse myself in any of the multiple perspectives and the plot just wasn't grabbing me. Reading other people's reviews I definitely seem to be in the minority here and it might just be that this book wasn't right for me at the minute, but it hasn't put me off reaching for any of Schwab's other works which I have always enjoyed in the past.

2.5 rating rounded up.

V.E. Schwab has the innate ability to have me so immersed in her writing that I physically feel the impact of every word. I fell so deeply in love with Addie, I had it tattooed. So, when I was accepted for this arc, I knew I had to both mentally and emotionally prepare myself.

Nothing could have prepared me enough for Bury Our Bones.

“Once there was a girl afraid of growing up. When she was a child, she was a giant, free and large and boundless. But growing up, she knew, meant becoming small, small enough to fit in a man’s open hand. No longer a person at all, but a trophy, a trinket.”

A sapphic telling from the perspective of women throughout time. From the 16th century through to modern day, the times may have changed, but men have not.

An Interview with a Vampire, but the queer undertones are no longer subtle. They are screaming throughout this haunting and powerful story of Maria, Charlotte and Alice.

Centuries apart, but in typical (and brilliant) Schwab style, they effortlessly overlap. It depicts the history of arranged marriages, the social season throughout the regency era, and navigating college all while exploring sexuality. It’s toxic. It’s gothic. It’s perfect.

“But Maria has known, all her life, that she is not meant for common paths, for humble houses and modest men. If she must walk a woman’s road, then it will take her somewhere new.”

More than anything, Bury Our Bones is about freedom. Freedom from expectations. Freedom from judgement. Freedom to explore what you want and who you are. But as all three women discover, freedom comes with a price and the longer your soul submits to the darkened urges, the harder it becomes to chase the light.

“Is it life, if there is never death to balance it? Or is it brevity what makes it beautiful?”

Alice was by far my favourite character throughout. It was more of a realistic (as realistic as a story about lesbian vampires can be) telling of having that choice of freedom taken away from you. Allowing herself to indulge in a part of herself that she has resisted for so long, only to rise from a memorable experience to a lack of a heartbeat and an insatiable thirst.

“Alice is no fool. She was raised on good books and bad TV, and she knows what this looks like, but she also knows that it’s not real. It's not real, and yet she is, and she’s not sure how to square the two, and there is a word she will not use.”

The metaphor of the midnight soil, yet death calling to death, provided another, deeper layer to those seeking freedom. How being free in many ways, does not provide freedom for all. The slaughter and the urge to cure a thirst that never leaves yet always has you seeking more.

The writing sunk its teeth into my heart and didn’t let go for 500+ pages. I understand what Schwab meant when she said she put her whole self into this book. It left me hollow and wanting more. It left me wanting to bury my own bones in the midnight soil and reside there while I processed the ruin.

“Those grown in the midnight soil are never alone.”

Thank you ruining every other book for me. For redefining the standards of fantasy and vampiric romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc in exchange for an honest review.