This was my first V.E. Schwab book and it did not disappoint. Passion, bloodthirsty, love & hatred spread over 400 years. This book follows three young women and their tumultuous relationship with life/death and each other. A really enjoyable read, I can’t wait to read more from this author!

First of all, a big thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, first of all, I need to say that I took a huge gamble with this book - my track record with works by V.E. Schwab is a 50:50 toss of like or loathe. But since I adored "The Invisible Life od Addie LaRue", and we get "toxic lesbian vampires" as the tagline, I took the plunge and was heavily and wholeheartedly rewarded.
4.5 stars from me!!

This review contains general plot spoilers!

We follow the POV of three ladies in different centuries - Maria from the 16th century, Charlotte/Lottie from the 19th century and Alice from contemporary Boston. Over the course of the book we follow them one by one and watch them entangle.
It's a rather slow read in the beginning to set up the actual impact of what is happening (this is the only part which caused me not to give 5 full stars) - however, once the plot picks up the pace, the reader is in for a ride, and oh how wild of a ride it is. We follow Maria and then Lottie through the centuries, interspersed with the current-time chapters with Alice. It is truly well crafted.
The different centuries felt actually distinct from one another, and all the protanonist ladies felt truly distinct.

All of our protagonist ladies are so called "misfits", "other", free spirits with a hunger for freedom and autonomy, and who rebel against the mold society wants to smush them into. It is a cathartic read. (Personally, I have seen much too much of myself in Alice.) Each of them has different reasons for resenting their life and their standing in society, and even though they might seem similar at first glance they are different at its core.

This work definitely deserves the tagline of "toxic lesbian vampires" - their relationships are truly messy and messed up, the dynamics are very unhealthy, occasionally outright abusive and scary, and occasionally hit a tad close to home. (I advise everyone to have a look at the cw/tw)

Schwabs writing in this work captured me. Although i did critisize the pace in the beginning, I find no reproach for the writing itself. The prose is beautiful, and helps you immerse yourself easily.

With over 500 pages I was holding my breath on whether or not BOBITMS would stick the landing - the set up put my expectations up high (and was not disappointed!)

It’s got to be a 3.5 ⭐️ for me. Which I’m sad about because when I started it, I was hooked. Took my kindle everywhere couldn’t put it down. If it had all been like that, beautifully written and utterly intoxicating and addictive it would have been five stars. But there were definite pacing issues the further through the book it went. I couldn’t have cared less about Alice’s sister and her life at home, it just slowed the book down. There were a couple of surprises that got me but towards the last quarter of the book I just wanted it to be over.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor for the chance to read this eARC.
Not for me unfortunately, bored of reading books with a blatant disrespect for Christianity.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story about Sabine, Charlotte and Alice, the young woman caught in the middle between the two of them. It’s a love story, and it’s a story about vampires.

Unfortunately, it’s kind of boring.

I really like V E Schwab, but this book wasn’t it. It starts out with two different POVs - Sabine and Alice. Sabine lives in the past, Alice in our time. They both have things happen to them, but for at least the first half of the book the stories didn’t seem interconnected, which frustrated me. When the connection finally appeared, it was slightly disappointing.
As for the plot - it’s basically just their lives. There’s no saving the world, no big evil. Just some girls doing their best (or worst).

Sabine is a very interesting character. I enjoyed how she took what she wanted and how she wasn’t a victim. But honestly - she was just unlikable. From the very beginning I just wanted to say „could’ve told you that would happen“. I had no sympathy for her.
Charlotte frustrated me with her naïveté and her passiveness. Alice was the only one I actually liked, but unfortunately her storyline was the most boring one.
There were some side characters I enjoyed reading about, but most of them weren’t very memorable.

What I did enjoy was once again the historic aspect of the story, which V E Schwab does brilliantly. Framing the storyline in historical context, passing through the years and places. Very nice, even though I could’ve had even more of that.

Overall - there were some very nice scenes and some parts of the vampire lore were pretty awesome. But the book kind of bored me.

It took a little while to get into this but since then it was fantastic!

The writing made me feel like I was there with the characters. I felt all their emotions!

The back and forth with the characters and the timelines was a little bit of a struggle to get used to.

I felt each character was toxic and flawed but that made them real

Honestly this is V.E. Schwab's best novel yet. It has haunted me. Stuck its feral teeth into my mind and buried its roots down deep. The prose is lyrical, the characters an artful study in loneliness and love, and simmering just beneath the surface is rage at an unjust world. I absolutely adored this novel.

The writing was outstanding. the characters feel raw & real. the prose is lyrical. This book really and truly haunted me and consumed me in the best way that so few books do.

I was very excited to receive this proof as I know each time I read anything by this author I will have a great time and this book hasn't disappointed!
Just like the author has been upselling this book as lasbian toxic vampires and that's exactly what you get along side layers of characters flaws and their struggles. The time stamps really help us to get to know these characters and how deep their story goes.

Sapphic Vampires? SIgn me up already. Thank you netgalley for this arc, this was my first VE Schwab read and I really enjoyed it. I'm excited to read more now from VE Schwab as I now feel like I'm massively missing out!

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc!

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

Honestely, if this doesn't excite you, then I don't know what will.
This book follows three very different women through the centuries, navigating the afterlife in unique ways. The story takes us to Spain, Venice, Rome, England, Germany, France and Boston, immersing the reader in these beautiful places in historic settings. If you've ever read a book by V.E. Schwab, you know that her writing is magical. Her prose has the ability to transport you to different cities and to live life through the eyes of her protagonist. This, and Addie LaRue, are truly peak beautiful writing. I read a lot, and in the endless sea of wonderful books I am confident to pick out this authors work by her distinct writing style.
The story sounded very intruiging, yet I could not help but to feel a little disappointed. This book promises to be fantasy and a sapphic romance, yet I felt that the story excelt in neither of those aspects, Seeing the vampire theme, I expected more lore and worldbuilding, which we did not get - for reasons that make sense in the context of the story, but still. The romance portion of this book starts at about 60 % and is not quite what I expected.
The book promises us the story of three girls, intertwining in the present day. I expected them to have an about equal part in telling the story, but it felt more like a 70/15/15 split, with the last POV beginning at about 60-70% of the book. Following our, as I would call her, main character is interesting, yet I sometimes felt that the story could have been told in a more streamlined fashion. I know that the flowery writing is pretty much the whole point of this novel, but I just cannot help to think that it kinda felt like a drag at some point.
I quite liked the characters and really appreciated their distinct writing. Their personalities really came out in their POVs, with Alice being an overthinker stuck in the past, Maria taking the freedom she always desired and Lottie longing for love. Honorable mention goes out to some of the side characters who made this book really special. I could have read a whole book about the other vampires we meet, especially the ones in Venice - V.E. Schwab, I BEG you for a spin off, please.

Overall, the writing was absolutely absolutely stunning and if you liked Addie LaRue in particular, you will love this one. For me, there was just too little progression in the story and there could have been more background lore. Still, I enjoyed my time reading this one and cannot wait to pick up more of this authors work!

This is only my second book after Addie Larue and it was amazing! I loved the writing style, it made me feel like i was in the story and I continued to stay captivated throughout. I will be reading the rest of this author's books immediately.

I was completely hooked by this one! I loved Maria’s story in particular and when charlottes story collided, it couldn’t have been done in a better way. I loved every single character, from Sabine’s ruthlessness to lottie’s gentle more humane approach. Enjoyed every minute!

My favourite Schwab book to date! Absolutely fantastic!

This book is definitely the soul sister to Addie LaRue!

I adore everything V E Schwab writes, and her books are all unique in their own right! But this book is 100% for the Addie LaRue fans, whilst being entirely its own story! But it has the elements we love: the spanning centuries, all the bittersweet notes and strong female characters!

🩸🌹🩸🌹

Premise:

The book follows 3 women at different time periods, each trying to escape their own kind of pain or societal trappings.

First Maria in the 1500s, who marries for a chance to escape, only to find herself more trapped. But is offered a chance of freedom by a mysterious widow.

And Charlotte in the 1800s, sent to London society for a season to find a husband, despite knowing she prefers women. And seeks out a new friend to help her escape.

And Alice, in modern day, who is running away from her past and meets a stranger on a night out, and wakes up to find her life has completely changed.

And did I mention, it’s a book full of toxic vampire lesbians?

🩸🌹🩸🌹

I was completely hooked with Maria’s story at the start, given her headstrong nature, but Schwab definitely takes us on a journey of corruption and toxic-ness, and soon everything blurs when you try to work out who you are rooting for!

And whilst Alice’s story/nature took me longer to click with, I loved seeing her discover her new found vampirism and how she becomes stronger! And her trying to test out pop culture vampire lore made me chuckle 😅

Charlotte’s story was incredibly strong as well. Especially the darker nature it took, with the toxic relationship / controlling dynamic.

And the way it all came together at the end, was fantastic! It truly was a Schwab-like ending, but I really enjoyed it.

Lastly, I adored the time spanning element of the book. The number of centuries and countries we explore are fantastic! London society was definitely my favourite (but that’s probably just the Bridgeton fan in me 😅)

Definitely recommend for any fantasy fans. Especially anyone who likes a slightly different take on vampire lore! Or if you just like morally grey female characters!

This is going to be my worst review ever because i genuinely do not know what words to put here that will get my words across at how much i love this book!

Thank you so much bookbreak/Pan MacMillian for accepting me as part of the blog tour for this incredible read! I will have my words in order for when my review is due to be posted!

One thing I do know is I will be screaming about this book for the rest of the year and possibly after!

I have throughly enjoyed every V.E Schwab book I've read thus far and this one is no different.

This was such a delicious world to sink my teeth in and I loved it. I don't usually go for historical books but there was a magical quality in the descriptions for each century throughout this book that it kept me enticed.

The characters are so fascinating that I couldn't help be drawn into their stories and want to follow their journey to present day.

Part of me wishes I'd listened to the audiobook because that is one phenomenal cast!

There's a reason this is one of the most anticipated books of the year. Schwab has a true gift for creating characters that cleft their way into our hearts and refuse to leave. This is a book that's dark, disturbing and, like Addie, aches with the lingering desire to be seen and to find a place in a world where life becomes insignificant. It charts the fortunes of 3 young women, all of whom are buried in the midnight soil. Spanning 400 years we follow, Maria, Lottie and Alice as they each face their new fate in differing ways.
Deeply poetic and raw, this novel is a piece of beauty. Terrifying and dark it explores humanity and what makes us human. I found it almost impossible to put this book down. One of my favourite novels of this year, it places Schwab firmly in the top 10 fantasy authors of the century.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

V.E. Schwab’s Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a dark, seductive triumph. An exquisitely written, gothic character study that blends haunting beauty with raw emotional power. Following three women across centuries and continents, this standalone novel offers a visceral exploration of hunger, obsession, and the cost of immortality, all wrapped in lush, lyrical prose that refuses to let go.

Though steeped in vampiric lore, this story is far more than a supernatural tale, it’s a poetic meditation on female rage, longing, identity, and the inescapable pull of desire. Schwab masterfully crafts three interwoven narratives, each distinct in voice yet harmoniously entwined, examining the lives of women who defy, devour, and endure. Their connections unfold slowly, building a hypnotic momentum that crescendos with emotional and thematic weight.

This is not a plot-driven novel in the traditional sense; it is a deeply immersive experience, meant to be felt more than followed. The tension lies in the characters - their yearning, their grief, their destruction. Schwab doesn’t romanticize their darkness; instead, she honors it, showing how power, love, and pain can transform and consume.

For readers who loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or Vicious, this is a natural progression. It's lyrical, brutal, introspective, and unapologetically queer. At times violent, at others tender, it’s a story of monstrous women who refuse to shrink, and of the aching need to belong even as you destroy what you touch.

Schwab has delivered one of her most personal and arresting works to date. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a literary gothic gem, It's sapphic, sensual, and utterly unforgettable. It doesn’t just explore the human condition, it sinks its teeth into it.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil tells the intertwined stories of three women spanning centuries from the 1500's to the present and how each learns to embrace their new life as a vampire.

I adore V.E. Schwab's writing and this was no exception. Each character is written so beautifully and the era is captured wonderfully. If you loved the slow but luxurious writing of The Secret Life of Addie LaRue I know you'll enjoy this book too.

It's an intricate novel with lots of details to take it. The ending felt a little abrupt after spanning the years of these characters but, none the less, I felt enraptured by it. A lush and beautiful book.

I knew from the first page that this book would be astounding. Three intertwined stories of women who fight to live their lives without any regrets. The depiction of the vampires in this book was very refreshing. It followed a similar base to the usual vampire description, but it had a new twist to it that I admired. I think it was the first book in a while in which I couldn't predict what was going to happen next. The ending took me completely by surprise. This story is one of those that will stick with you for years. I've been a big fan of V.E. Schwab's works, but this is definitely my favorite.