Absolutely stunning vampire story about lesbian inter generational relationships & control. Fantastic characters, the story felt like centuries and a new bright reflection on the first vampire book Carmilla.

A MASTERPIECE!!!!

I have to admit it was a bit slow at the beginning and I almost dnfed it, but it picked up around the middle and after that I couldn't put it down. The vibes are immaculate, the characters are well fleshed out and the plot is just so well thought of.

Amazing work from Schwab!

Absolutely brilliant! I devoured this book, another highly anticipated book for this year and I say it lives up to its hype! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

”As if love and horror could not go hand in hand.”

I LOVE the way VE Schwab writes characters it’s like they have this brilliant huge brain and just understands how people work. This skill is so clear in Bury our Bones. Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice are all so distinct and well thought out. No matter what happens and what any of them do, you get such a feel for the way their minds work that it comes together perfectly. You get toxicity, passion, HUNGER, and desire for freedom. Also, lesbian vampires !!!

I think this one is for the Addie Larue and Vicious fans. Not to oversimplify though because Bury our Bones is unique, don’t get me wrong. But it is paced similarly to Addie Larue and has similar themes of loneliness etc, tracing through a long period of time. But also has that the air of toxic connection that we see with Evervale.


Thank you NetGalley and Tor, Pan Macmillan for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

Absolute masterpiece, this is 100% my favourite Schwab book. The characters are so messy and amazing I could not put this down

Wow, just wow. It takes an enormous amount of talent as a writer to weave a story with as many moving parts as Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil and make it seem effortless to the reader. V E Schwab, I am in awe of you.

I've seen this book being marketed a lot as 'toxic lesbian vampires' and whilst it is that, I think it's a tad reductive because it is SO much more. What this book actually is, is a beautifully woven historical fiction novel with folkloric vampires that spans over four centuries and explores three very different women and the way their individual stories become intertwined. It is a delicious tale of hunger, passion, selfishness and life, and it is just brilliant.

Once again, WOW!

(Full review coming on my TikTok tomorrow)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for this ARC!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is the perfect vampire novel. We follow the POVs of three women as they navigate life and death, a story spanning nearly 500 years.
I don’t want to say much more, because this is a novel that is hard to summarise without spoiling anything.

Once, as I was still in the middle of reading, I described this book as “the sort where the journey is the goal”, and I would still largely agree with that assessment. While there is a clear end to the journey, and it becomes apparent what this end will be as you follow the story, I would argue that the things we have read before getting to this ending were what really made the book.

Schwab takes us on a trip through history, full of flowery descriptions and lush scenery. If you liked her other work, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue”, I imagine you will like this book too. However, if you read Schwab more so for her more fantasy heavy works, like the Shades of Magic series, and didn’t care for Addie LaRue, I’m not sure this book will be your favourite. The point here is less action or setting up an intricate world.

I, however, had a fantastic time with this book. I love anything vampire related, and enjoy reading the lore different writers choose to adhere to, which they choose to add or leave out, and Schwab’s version of vampires as powerful beings with supernatural abilities was certainly right up my alley. I also enjoyed other ways that the author chose to make vampires seem more creature than human, but no spoilers here ;)

Another element I really liked was how unapologetically lesbian this book was. While I’m personally partial to the bisexual vampire trope, I greatly enjoyed the way these vampires' experience of sexuality was portrayed. I recently read an article on the uniquely lonely experience of growing up as a lesbian in a world that favours male centeredness, and with large parts of this book being set in the past you may be able to imagine how this loneliness is only exacerbated. Each of these vampires’ lesbianism was unique, partially as they are products of their time, but also because they each had their own likes and dislikes (iykyk) and things they looked for in a partner.

As always, Schwab also excels at giving each character in her multi-POV books their own voice, almost to an extent where certain characters seemed to have been written in a different style, which made for an immensely enjoyable experience.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes lesbians, toxic vampires, and beautiful writing that transports you to beautifully luscious sceneries throughout history.

Schwab's writing is as evocative and well structured as ever, but this just wasn't for me. I feel like the direction this went in was predictable and similar to other stories with this specific concept (not going to spoil it but you'll know what I mean), and the characters ended on pretty much the same note they started. There were bits I did enjoy, especially characters' relationships with each other and the excellent portrayal of female rage. If you like gothic fantasy and slow-burn romance, don't let me stop you reading this.

V.E. Schwab has crafted what I think is her most powerful and emotionally resonant novel yet with Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. A dark, atmospheric, and incredibly written character study that spans centuries and continents. At its core, this is a story about three very different women, Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice. Their tangled lives unfold across centuries, from 1500s Spain to modern day Boston. The result is not just a vampire story, but a deeply moving exploration of love, rage, grief, and the cost of freedom.

The handling of multiple timelines is so well done, immersing the reader in eras long past and making the centuries feel seamless. The Gothic settings, from Venetian streets to shadowy mansions adding to the characters' vivid inner lives. Each voice is distinct and easy to follow along with: Sabine, the relentless hunter; Charlotte, the romantic caught in the middle; and Alice, the newest vampire who has unwillingly been drawn into their game.

I saw this book marketed as “toxic lesbian vampires” and I was already sold, and though it is definitely that, it is also so much more. It deeply explores the historical experiences of women. It’s not just about blood and immortality, but about how women seeking freedom have been branded as monstrous for daring to want more.

This is not only now my favourite V. E. Schwab book, but also one of my favourite books of all time. If you enjoyed Addie Larue then you will LOVE this!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for the ARC!

I don’t know whether to give it 4.5 or 5 stars, I liked it a lot. The writing was amazing, exactly what I was expecting from V. E. Schwab. I really enjoyed the story and how it progressed throughout the years. It was really interesting to see how all of these three women interlinked their fates. And I was surprised to see how Sabine went from a character I was supporting with all my heart to the villain of the story.
I was really moved by the subjects the author tackled, such as the hardships of queerness and toxic relationships and how hard it is to get out of them and to realise what is happening. Everything was put together really well and I could not let the book down. I was taking my time reading it because I wanted to enjoy each and every word. All in all, it was a great book, definitely something that everyone needs to read.

‘Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil’ is a rich and anger fuelled character study focusing on three very different lesbian vampires. The narratives span from 1500s Spain to 2019 Boston so there is over 500 years of drama for the reader unpack.
The messy relationships between the three main characters tangle together to create a dark and destructive environment - V.E. was not lying when they said the lesbians get TOXIC. I got to know the main characters really well and felt a lot of empathy for them throughout the book. Sabine – the hunter, Charlotte – the lover and Alice – the witty and distressed new vampire. I was completely engrossed in the three women’s independent histories as well as their overlapping relationships.
I would recommend you approach this book when you’re in a literary fiction mood rather than a fantasy mood as despite it being marketed as a fantasy book I feel the literary fiction label better suits this novel. 'Bones' is a rich and meaningful, character driven novel in which the characters just happen to be vampires. There is vampire action involved, don’t get me wrong, but this is not a fast paced, action packed fantasy publication and I think it’s important to know this before reading.
I will continue to bask in the stunning writing and female rage of ‘Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil’ for a long time to come. This books is about to be everywhere and you really don’t want to miss out on this one!

“Did you find someone brave enough to love you?”
“Sabine is not one to dwell. But Charlotte cannot help it. Just as she cannot seem to shed the grief, or guilt, the weight of things.”
“She doesn’t yet know that her own heart has ceased to beat. That what she feels now is nothing but an echo of a stolen pulse, a rhythm borrowed for the time it takes to drink. That as quickly as it ends, she will be raked by thirst again, not only for the taste of blood itself, but for the drum it beats inside her.”
““I am being honest, Charlotte. You cling to the suffering, you make it yours, as if you think you must. As if you think that it will somehow keep you human, but it can’t, because the human part of you is dead.””

V.E. Schwab is an auto-buy author for me, and this book only cemented that. It’s over 500 pages, and I devoured it in just a few sittings - and still somehow wanted more. The second I heard it was inspired by Florence + The Machine, I was in. Rage, toxicity, darkness…and yet it’s all rendered so hauntingly, achingly beautiful. THIS is the vampire book I’ve been waiting for.

Schwab takes the best of Addie LaRue and Vicious and melds them into something bold and unforgettable. The characters are messy, flawed, fully alive. The prose is sharp, emotional, and lyrical without ever feeling overdone. It reads like a blend of gothic fantasy, historical fiction, paranormal, and contemporary - and it works. It really works.

The structure is ambitious, with three POVs and a non-linear timeline, and the story itself is exquisitely layered. If I had one complaint, it’s that the pacing drags a bit in the first half - possibly because of all the timeline shifts. But the final third absolutely delivers. It made me cry. It made me furious.

This is a read that will stick with you long after the final page.

3.5 Stars.

I don’t really want to do a plot synopsis here cause I think how little you get from the synopsis of the book is probably good. Basically, I went into this book expecting messy queer vampires throughout different centuries and you should too.

Now, it’s been a while since i’ve read a v e schwab book but i really enjoyed her earlier work and so i was excited by this pitch. i got into a reading slump shortly after i started this book (not because of this book, just life), but still, it took me probably two months to get through the first 50% of this book. That’s my main criticism. This is without a doubt an atmosphere above plot fantasy, but it took me a long time to begin to care about the story because it felt like there was none. Don’t get me wrong, I think the themes that are touched upon by association, specifically freedom as a woman, queerness and humanity, are interesting. But it just took to long to get to a point where I actually cared. Around the 50% mark, everything changed for me. This is when our third main character gets introduced and yes, this remains a primarily atmospheric and not plot driven book, as a reader you start to connect the dots, character developments starts to happen and the relationship dynamics that emerge are worth keeping on. The more you read, the better it gets. The last 40% of this book I read in a day and it ended up being the kind of book where I don’t eat because i don’t want to stop reading to cook. Granted, I think the plot resolution was slightly predictable but it didn’t matter cause the second half of this book got me to care about the characters. So, yes, I think if you don’t need a plot driven book you might enjoy this. If you’re a queer woman who is into atmospheric books then you’ll most definitely love this. For most people, i’d say the book is definitely worth a shot because the latter half is very good, but i’d read it when you are in a great reading space so you reduce your likelihood of struggling through the first half.

(on a last note, i think what really threw me off too was the different time scales of the different povs in the first half?)

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Schwab did it again
This is another brilliant novel with beautiful prose
The settings span decades
The characters are devine
And the story I devoured
Pick it up, you're in for a treat.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil has that classic V.E. Schwab atmosphere—moody, lyrical, and filled with deeply introspective characters. The idea of three women connected across different centuries (and different versions of obsession, love, and immortality) is really intriguing, and the settings—from colonial Santo Domingo to modern-day Boston—are beautifully drawn.

That said, the story didn’t fully click for me. The pacing felt slow at times, and while I loved the themes it explored, it dragged in places and lost momentum. Some plot points didn’t land as strongly as I hoped, and a few character arcs felt rushed toward the end.

If you liked The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and don’t mind a slower, more reflective read, you’ll probably enjoy this one. I appreciated the ambition and the writing, but overall it left me a bit mixed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.

V.E. Schwab’s Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a haunting, genre-defying masterpiece that weaves together centuries of longing, love, and vengeance into a single, mesmerizing narrative. A breath-taking, spine-chilling triumph. Schwab’s signature lyrical style shines, balancing poetic beauty with razor-sharp tension. Thematically, the book explores power, agency, and the ways women are forced to navigate—or shatter—the cages built for them. There’s a hypnotic darkness to the storytelling, with undercurrents of horror that never feel gratuitous, only inevitable. The novel unfolds across three timelines, each with a fiercely compelling heroine: Maria, Charlotte and Alice. Blending historical fiction, gothic horror, and dark fantasy, Schwab crafts a tale as lush as it is brutal—a story about the hunger for freedom, the cost of immortality, and the rage that lingers when both are denied. A great read for anyone looking for a well written morally ambiguous cast of characters.

I have pretty much read all of V E Schwab’s books and I have never been disappointed by the prose and writing that truly delivers such depth of emotion, whilst weaving the complexities of humanity and other into enduring and captivating stories, so of course I had to get my hands on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.
Told from multiple perspectives Maria/Sabine, Alice and Charlotte this is a story that crosses centuries, gravitating towards an emotional and captivating conclusion. If you read and loved Addie Larue, then Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is the reincarnation with bite!
Whilst the plot develops slowly at the start, the pace picks up as the story progresses, and as a reader I was pulled into the messy complexity of human emotions and finality compounded against an eternity of ever dwindling emotion and empathy.
I can’t say that this is my favourite of Schwab’s writing but, I can say that I’m sure it will go down well as it brings to life sapphic vampires, multiple timelines, and flawed female protagonists demanding what they want irrespective of the consequences.
Thank you so much Pan MacMillan, Tor and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

One of the easiest 5 stars I've given. Knew in chapter 1 it was going to be a 5 star read.

For those that wished for a darker, bloodier version of Addie Larue, this is the book. the way @veschwab starts a book in the 1500s and ends it in 2019 so fluidly is honestly just incredible. Sometimes spanning hundreds of years in a book can feel a bit disjointed or all over the place. But not Schwab. She makes you feel like you're in a dream watching the lives of the characters float by seamlessly.

This book is full of lust, want, freedom and heartbreak.
Out in the U.K 10th June, I urge everyone who loves the idea of a sapphic vampire epic romance to grab it, it's very addictive 🩸

Thank you @netgalley @panmacmillan @torbooksuk for this e-arc.

4.25 ⭐️
this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 and i’m so happy i got sent an arc. i really enjoyed this book, gimme more lesbian vampires.
v.e.schwab has a way with words and she knows how to write my thoughts on paper istg. what the women in this book feel and their struggles are something i also struggle with. the need to being seen, wanting to be loved, thinking there’s more to this life, not wanting to settle, wanting to live many lives to the point of being desperate to become something more. i feel lost, but being able to see how Alice or Lottie overcome these fears gives me hope that things can be better.

sabine is a total bitch. from the beginning i knew she was too selfish, too vain, too powerful. she was going to better the villain of the story and even though there were some parts in which i was rooting for her, she made me so mad.
alice had to go through so much with her family drama and her sister being a bit complicated, but she grows throughout the 2 (?) nights after she discoveres what happened to her. i only wanted to give her a hug because i also want to be seen and not to be so introvert and awkard.
lottie, my baby, she doesnt deserve the toxicity she has to endure. she only wanted to be loved, to have someone by her side and everybody keeps betraying her.

this book is slow paced, you get to know the characters in depth and it reminded me to addie la rue. maybe a bit too much and thats why it’s not a 5 stars read. i felt like the motivations for this characters a bit too similar to addie and having read these books back to back felt a bit repetitive. but this book was surely a ride and i will probably re read it in the future

This is a story of three women, from three different places in time.
One who runs towards her fate, hungry to embrace it.
One, less willing, but with no other way to escape the smothering confines of her time.
One unwitting, who never has a choice.
VE Schwab opens a doorway for each of these girls, inviting them to dance across the ages as their lives bloom and intertwine. They will claim gothic mansions, the streets of Venice and the London season as their playground, sparkling and shining until the gilding starts to fade and crumble.
This story and its characters had me gripped from the moment I started reading. Sabine, Lottie and Alice will compel you to follow them all the way to the very end. I loved it.
If you think you’ve had enough of vampire stories, think again.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil releases on 10 June.
With thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan Tor for the chance to read an advanced copy.