Wow. This story crept into my soul and then settled into my bones where it will live forever. This. This is how you write vampires! I loved the themes - head, heart, hunger. I truly think I’ll ponder this book for the rest of my life, it’s perfectly haunting and utterly visceral. Bury my bones in whatever soil this came from, I want to relive it again and again.

I knew this would be a super read from page one. As usual Schwab's writing just sinks you into the place and time and you forget you're reading a book. Instead a perfect piece of cinema unfolds in your mind. I devoured this book. When I put it down, I found myself thinking about the characters, wanting to know more. I am officially sick of the romantasy era where sex is used as an excuse not to bother with character development and am always delighted when someone manages to build complex characters, yet the physical side of the relationship is a minor, peripheral element and only written about when necessary. The balance in this was perfect.
This story was dark, decadent and delicious. It took Anne Rice's vampires and gave them curves and claws for the modern age. Perfect!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is at once a one-of-a-kind story, and a book that perfectly inscribes itself in the lineage of Gothic, vampire stories that came before. V. E. Schwab has described it multiple times as a book about toxic lesbian vampires, and I can only agree, but there is so much more to the book than merely this aspect. It’s about lesbians, and the struggle that comes with liking women during periods when it is highly frowned upon and when women have barely any choice in regards to marriage. It’s about toxicity in relationships and codependency. It’s about freedom and agency, and the cost they come with. It’s about time and mortality, like any good vampire story is.

As always, V. E. Schwab executes all these themes with great skill, never being too heavy, and giving us enough that we can do the thinking for ourselves, that we can reflect on our own on what these characters represent and what story they are trying to tell. I greatly appreciated the fact that, in this age of self-censorship and constant respectability politics, Schwab doesn’t shy away from representing women—lesbians, on top of that—doing horrible deeds. Women being toxic, women being violent, women being morally reprehensible. Women not fitting patriarchal standards, women not being soft and pliant, women living for themselves.

In the end, Schwab writes a story of womanhood, of the violence that is too often needed to have agency, of what the world demands of women. She expertly intertwines three storylines taking place in different time periods so that, bit by bit, the entire story is revealed to us. The characters, each with their own, distinct personality, are vivid, moving of their own accord onto the page, imprinting themselves onto the mind until we can’t possibly let go.

I would have liked to have more time with Alice, the third woman in this story, because I truly think she had a lot of potential, but the way the story is constructed makes it so that her point of view is necessarily the shortest. I also would have appreciated it if the ending were longer, more drawn out. As it was, it felt a bit rushed, and the climactic tension did not have enough time to build in my opinion.

Nonetheless, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a brilliant and engaging story that I am sure will appeal to fans of vampires and V. E. Schwab, and is bound to become a staple of vampire literature.

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I love vampires so much, I have such a high bar for them - and these were some messy, bloody, toxic and seductive vampires. I've got another redhead vampire to love alongside Armand now - Sabine did nothing wrong 😔

In all seriousness, Sabine, Charlotte & Alice were each wonderful in their own way. Particularly enjoyed V.E Scwab putting her knowledge of Scotland to good use - Alice' life felt very real to me. Sabine was ruthless and charming and she can eat me if she wants. Charlotte was a throw back to Louis du pont du lac with her dislike of killing humans and gradual hatred of her maker.

The classic vampire references were frequent enough to keep me happy - we don't always have to reinvent the wheel with these things! At the same time these vampires felt uniquely Schwab's. I loved it. If you liked Addie la Rue you will love this - but equally I think if Addie wasn't your vibe, Bones has a bit more grit and action that might keep you hooked.

As a longtime fan of V. E. Schwab, I was so excited for this book, like, sapphic vampires? Yes, please! A Darker Shade of Magic is one of my all-time favorite books, and I adored Monsters of Verity, but lately, I’ve struggled to connect with Schwab’s newer works. Unfortunately, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was no exception.

I pushed through the first 25%, hoping it would click, but I just couldn’t get invested. The characters didn’t grip me, the pacing felt slow, and the writing, while undeniably beautiful, lacked the emotional pull that made me fall in love with her earlier books. The dialogue, in particular, felt sparse at times, leaving me detached from the story.

I really wanted to love this, especially with such a compelling premise, but it just wasn’t for me. That said, I know many readers are eagerly anticipating it, and some of my friends have enjoyed it, so your mileage may vary! If you loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or Vicious, you might vibe with this one more than I did. For now, though, I’m setting it aside.

DNF at 25%

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC.

This book is marketed as toxic lesbian vampires (which it most certainly is), but it is so much more! This novel is character driven, switching pov’s and time period but at no point did the pace falter or the storyline dull. The depth this story provides and the level of emotion behind every character and demonstrated true depth to V.E.Schwab’s writing. It was a truly beautiful exploration of sexuality, womanhood and the meaning of humanity.
A truly unique and absolutely beautiful novel.

What a book this was. Amazing from start to finish. V. E. Schwab threads a story centuries apart, with three strong (super gay and hot) women. I am in love with the dark and twisted ambience throughout the book. Although the ending would have felt short in any other book scenarios, it somehow works perfectly for this book, having read all about the history that got us to this last scene. This is my second book by this author, and I am very excited to go back in her library of already released books to read more of her stories. I definitely recommend if looking for a dark gay vampire story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This is an epic spanning centuries, a story of women shaped by desire, defiance, and the hunger for more. Their lives echo across time—bound by secrets, sacrifice, and the fire of female rage.

From 1532 Spain to 1827 London to 2019 Boston, Sabine, Charlotte, and Alice each make bold, dangerous choices in pursuit of freedom and love. Sabine is driven by her hunger, Charlotte is driven by her heart and Alice her head.

This is a very tricky book for me to review because it is objectively excellent, the writing is as beautiful as always with V. E. Schwab. Lyrical, engrossing and endlessly impressive to me. However, I did not get what I wanted or expected from this book based on the tagline ‘Toxic Lesbian Vampires’. To me this made it sounds like a campy fun sexy kind of book but in actuality I found it deeply sad.

For me the pacing was too slow and chopping back and forth between the FMCs disrupted the flow. If I compare it to the way the story of Addie LaRue jumped back and forth I think the reason this didn’t work for me in the way that it did in Addie maybe was having 3 women’s instead of just one. It’s hard to say.

That being said I was captured and sucked into the story and was invested in Sabine, Charlotte & Alice’s stories. I loved how complex they were as characters. Even though Sabine was meant to be the villain she wasn’t purely villainous, she was so much more and I enjoyed that.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, but I would say that if you’re a mood reader like me, then it’s important to know that it has some deeply sad parts and Is very much character driven with lyrical writing and that is what you should be in the mood for.

How is it that I can be fairly ambivalent to Alien Romance, yet 100% onboard with Sapphic Vampire Whateverthisis?

There wasn’t so much a plot as a meandering journey, but I find myself entirely satisfied.

Lush and atmospheric settings, fleshy, morally grey characters, and lore – both common and not so – made this one of my favourites of 2025 so far.

Thank you so much to the lovely Olivia-Savannah, Book Break UK & Tor Books UK for my beautiful copy and for having me on the tour! 💖

Honestly, I’m not sure if obsessed is a strong enough word for how I feel about this book! It was absolutely brilliant, I loved it so much!

As soon as I saw it was about toxic lesbian vampires I knew I was going to love it and this is definitely the embodiment of I support women’s rights and women’s wrongs 🤣

I got so invested in these three lives (or should I say afterlives 😉) & V.E.Schwab has such a beautiful way of writing that evokes such powerful emotions! I was so enthralled I literally read half of this book in one sitting & I don’t think I’ve ever gasped so much when reading!

I really enjoyed the writing format, it was so interesting how each POV was in a different time period and we got to learn about each of the characters individually before their paths collide.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is an extraordinary read that I loved - it’s time to get back into my vampire phase again! 💖

You had me at 'toxic lesbian vampires' but I stay for another stand out narrative from Victoria. Once again she has written and beautifully poetic tale, centred around three unique women, who have their own voices - even if they are a bit unreliable at times.

Didn't think anything could match Addie LaRue...but then Bones came along.

“We are the echoes of every version of ourselves that’s ever lived. The only difference is whether we choose to listen.”

Three girls. Three centuries. One violet haired girl who weaves herself through each of their lives like a curse, or maybe a prayer. What binds them is not just time but hunger. For freedom. For love. For more.

And the soil? The soil remembers.

This was a tangled, feral bouquet of stories told across generations, braided through bloodlines and buried truths. It follows three women:
María (1521),
Charlotte (1827),
and Alice (2019)
each navigating the weight of love, power, and identity in different centuries, all tied together by one thing: Lottie, the girl with the violet curls and a hunger that defies time.

What begins as a haunting slow burn builds into something hypnotic, drenched in atmosphere and aching with beautiful rot. I didn’t care for Alice for most of the book BUT when I tell you that final 2% hit like a freight train of poetic justice? BRILLIANT. Utterly, bone deep brilliant.

“She is not a ghost. She is not a dream. She is simply the echo of a girl who didn’t get to live the life she should have had. A girl who still wants things.”

🌙 Tropes You’ll Devour:
🦇 Toxic immortal girl obsession
🕯️ Historical sapphic longing
💔 Lover as both salvation and curse
🥀 Haunted timelines + the gothic feminine
🌪️ The “you belong to me in every life” energy

The themes in this book bloomed like bruises. I was so convinced I’d be team Sabine until the end?!
The PAY OFF? I howled.

if you’re the kind of reader who likes your romance tragic, your timelines tangled, and your heroines haunted, you will not stop thinking about this one.

Read it. Then bury it. But know,it will come back for you.

Wow amazing! Had never read anything by this author before but definitely will now. Normally steer clear of anything verging on historical fiction but every timeline was gripping and totally engrossing. A beautiful story, loved it

V.E. Schwab is one of the best authors of our time!


This book will cradle you, draw you in, have its teeth in you, until you are compelled and won't stop reading. Beautiful prose, incredible characters, story that spans centuries, and sapphic, vampire romance, Tell me what more can one want. I loved the learning curve of these women, I loved seeing the world through their eyes, seeing how lives of women changed and haven't changed in 500 years. My only qualm with this book is that after all that build-up, the end feels a little anticlimactic, but I do realise its intentional and serves a goal. Somehow after all these pages read, I needed more.

4.25

V.E. Schwab has delivered a dark, lyrical, sapphic gothic that is equal parts aching, atmospheric, and absolutely feral. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil reads like a love letter written in blood and buried under moonlight, and I devoured it till the early hours of the morning.

At its heart, this story follows three women; Sabine, Alice, and Charlotte. Each of them from a different point in time, each haunted in their own way by the same darkness, the same hunger, and the same weight of being a woman in a world that wants to shrink them.

• Sabine: A girl from a time long buried, married off too young to a man who sees her as nothing more than a womb. Her story is quiet and devastating, until it becomes a slow unraveling of what happens when a woman is denied even the smallest freedoms, when all that’s left is hunger. And darkness. And teeth. Her obsessions consume her and set off a tragic chain of events over hundreds of years.

• Alice: A modern-day student trying to fit in thousands of miles from home, running from a family full of loss. A fun night at a party spirals into a confusing, angering and revealing meeting with a girl who only wants to be loved in the same way she loves.

• Charlotte: The debutante whose love is mistaken for weakness, until it isn’t. A chance meeting at a ball leads to hundreds of years of love, fighting, loss, grief, selfishness and an internal battle. Her need to be loved has disastrous consequences for those in her company and a shadow from the past haunts her every whim.

Each of these women is shaped by the specific expectations of their era; silenced, shamed, or simply swallowed whole. But Schwab doesn’t just let them suffer, she lets them rage.

The sapphic tension is thick enough to carve with a knife. These women fall into love like their victims fall into graves; hard, fast, and with a little murder. The relationships are messy, obsessive, and sometimes straight-up monstrous.

Tropes you’ll find in BOBITMS:
• Toxic sapphic vampire romance
• Found family with fangs
• Generational trauma and societal misogyny
• Feminine rage that doesn’t apologise
• Forbidden love and obsession
• Multi-timeline POVs

Schwab’s prose is sharp, lyrical, and occasionally so intense it feels like drowning in velvet, it’s everything I’ve loved in her other works. One of my favourite pieces since Addie LaRue.

The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars? A few slower sections in the middle where the narrative slightly lags but it picks back up with full, fanged vengeance.

If you’re looking for a bloody tale that blends sapphic yearning, buried trauma, and a healthy dose of toxicity, this one will leave you breathless…

I can definitely see how this would appeal to Addie fans but it was quite middle of the road for me. I think it was a little to character driven which is something I usually struggle with. I can totally see why V.E. Schwab described this as toxic lesbian vampires though

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the review copy, which was provided to me by the publisher.. This fact does not in any way affect my personal opinion of this book. This post contains advertising, and the rights for the book belong to the publisher.

Of course, this is only my personal opinion of the book, and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

This review is somewhat challenging to write…
I think I am falling out of love with V.E. Schwab’s writing style. I loved Monsters of Verity, Vicious and Addie LaRue. The Darker Shade of Magic books had some length overall, and I dragged myself through book two. My hopes for „Bury our bones in the midnight soil“ were high. Toxic lesbian vampires sounded right up my alley, and I was soooo excited for the book. Sadly, I did not hold up to my expectations.
It’s hard to put into words what my problem is. While reading, I had the feeling that I had read a story, not experiencing it. The same feeling that I have when I read old biographies. I had the feeling that I was just following along, and I wasn’t invested in the story. There were no plot twists that made my head hurt in a good way or shocked me. I just read it, and then I was done.
I think you can understand why it’s hard for me to describe what I am feeling.
Besides this feeling, there are some positive notes. I liked the main idea, and I think it was nice to see the characters live through the times. The sapphic yearning was also good, and I got my „Toxic lesbian vampire“ dose. I wanted to continue this story to see how it ends.

Conclusion
I think this would make a fantastic movie, but as a book, it sadly fell flat for me 😦

3.8 stars.

I really enjoyed this story. It was not at all what I thought I was getting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Sabine’s life slowly unfolds within this story and is full of twists I didn’t expect. I didn’t love Alice’s story as much, but grew to love her by the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. The above is a true and fair opinion.

This is my first read by author V.E. Schwab and I was blown away. What a novel.

Set over many different year spans, we meet three very different females and each have their own very heartfelt and intriguing backstory.

I really enjoyed Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, I have never read anything along the lines of something like this novel and I was really invested in the novel.

Its quite a dark, heart-breaking read with elements of vampires which was a completely new experience.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a beautifully written story that shows off V.E. Schwab’s lyrical style. The story follows three women, María, Charlotte and Alice whose lives fracture and entwine across time. Overall, I thought it was a very enjoyable gothic-tinged story with morally complex characters. However I did find the story a little slow in places and felt like I had to push through at times when reading it. You will love this book of you like character driven gothic fantasy with morally gray vampires.