Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC.

With Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, V.E. Schwab delivers a gripping and heartfelt novel exploring themes of yearning, eternal life, and the silent pain of wounds that have lasted for centuries.

Maria, Charlotte, and Alice are three women from separate time periods, each drawn together by a mix of darkness, desire, and a mysterious cursed land. Though their lives are separated by centuries, their stories gradually intertwine, creating a powerful and personal narrative that spans generations.

V.E. Schwab has a remarkable talent for creating characters that feel genuine—flawed, relatable, and powerful in their vulnerability. That’s exactly how I felt reading Addie LaRue, especially with her poetic, beautifully crafted writing style.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is really about how memory and who we are connect, and what it means to take control of your own story. It talks about the weight of the past, chasing after love, and finding the strength to decide who you want to be—even when time and fate seem to be in control.

The only downside is a small factual error: unfortunately, you can’t actually see the spires of Canterbury Cathedral from Margate, which was a little distracting for those familiar with the area. But this doesn’t take away from the overall power and beauty of the novel.

This novel is haunting, beautiful, and something you won’t be able to forget.

This was excellent. I did not know what was going to happen to these women to begin with but really enjoyed their background stories, each so different but we'll told. The characters were strong and individually interesting and then .........

Thank you to Net Galley and V.E. Schwab for the ARC.

Plot 4.25/5
Characters 4.5/5
Ending 4.5/5
Interest 4.25/5

Overall 4.25/5

-I have always loved V.E. Schwab’s books. And this is no exception. She has a way of writing stories where we only get the full picture at the very end of the book. Usually, in movies specifically, I don’t often like this because I get confused, even bored. But it didn’t happen in this book. I was amazed at the storytelling aspect of the book and combined with the great plot, I got an amazing book. The different perspectives evolving depending on the time period, the events and the introduced characters was so well done.

-Maria was such an interesting character. Through the centuries, we really get to see her revolution from being a human woman trapped to be a wife to a man she doesn’t love to then her being this all powerful vampire. Truly, I loved her evolution. Alice and Lottie were interesting as well but I didn’t feel like we knew them all that well despite having their backgrounds sort of. In a way, we didn’t actually get to see them live those lived unlike Maria / Sabine where we saw her live every moment. If that makes sense.

-The ending of the book was where I was truly bamboozled. Like I said, we never truly got the whole picture until the very end of the book so when everything unraveled, it was amazing. From jaw dropping to amazed, I had loads of reactions.

I really liked the writing in this book. But I found it really hard to want to pick up the book. The writing was beautiful and it hasn’t put me off reading this author but this book just didn’t work for me.

"It is hard to know what one is capable of, until it becomes a matter of necessity. But I hope I'm not forced to find out."

OKAY MS. SCHWAB. She WROTE this book though. I feel like it's been a lifetime (or actually several??), but not a bad way. I was drawn into the story and lost in it almost immediately. The imagery and word choices, every word, they are so purposeful, Schwab playing with your mind on every page, toying with the edges of ideas you already have forming before you even realize she's done it. From the first page Schwab lays little crumbs and you can't help but to snap up every one, eager and searching for the next. It's part of what makes this book unputdownable. I love the way she incorporates what we already know to be common vampire lore without overcomplicating the "magic", but also still making it completely her own. There is a lot of wrestling with the meaning of life and death, what you do with both, how you answer to them, which I found to be a meaningful layer to the overall story, which also explores love, loneliness and grief. Each of the characters have left an imprint on me, even the ones that only grace a few pages. Their parts all so meaningful no matter how small. Every word I think of to describe the main trio, I feel also describes the story itself so well. Bold. Passionate. Layered. After all this is a complicated love story with high stakes (no pun intended). Every angle that V.E. Schwab approaches, she tackles so fully. I was constantly left in thoughtful reverie, trying to decide who is right, who is wrong. Following the metaphor of being "buried in the midnight soil" throughout the book is like a scavenger hunt. The entire concept is pure poetry and it's laced through every part of this book so beautifully. I think the word "vampire" is only used like 4 times in the whole book and I found that to be very impressive. There are so many more specific things I want to say, but I fear they will give away too much of the flow and turn of events throughout the book, so I guess you'll just have to read it yourself!

I absolutely adore V.E. Schwab! I was lucky enough to see her talk on her paperback tour for Addie Larue where she mentioned her next book was going to be ‘lesbian vampires’ and I could not stop thinking about it. And here we are.

I am obsessed.

This book is another home run for Schwab. She continues to dominate in the genre and keeps going from strength to strength. It was everything I needed and more. Her prose is electrifying. She had me hooked from the get go and I could not put the book down!

Toxic lesbian vampires? I can’t think of anything more perfect! Schwab has such a talent for creating complex characters you hate to love and love to hate, and will keep you changing your mind how you really feel about each character. The way she wove together each of their stories was magnificent.

I cannot wait to yell about ‘Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil’ to everyone I can because it is incredible and utterly unforgettable.

I half read and half listened to this one!

Loved it! The characters/ timelines/ everything. I'm a big Schwab fan.

Didn't feel like a long book either.

Great narrator too.

Thanks to the publisher for the aAlc and eArc received through NetGalley!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the early copy!! I’m not a vampire book girlie at all, but V E Schwab as always managed to write something to completely immerse myself in. When she says “toxic lesbian vampires” she REALLY means it but for some reason I adore reading about horrible women killing it, literally and figuratively. I had a hard time connecting to one of the three main characters, but I LOVED Lottie, and this book featured such a satisfying villain origin story as well. Would definitely recommend to anyone, even if vampires aren’t necessarily your cup of tea- believe me, you’ll like this

I’m going all teeth, no apologies. If you’re looking for a rage-soaked, morally complex sapphic vampire tale that leans into the cycles of grief, violence, and power, this is it. Schwab’s latest is a slow, character-driven spiral through centuries of history, trauma, and desire, told in prose that’s equal parts sharp and syrupy, always ready to draw blood.

We follow three queer women, Sabine, Charlotte, Alice, each trapped in their own era (1532, 1837, 2019), each carving out space for themselves in worlds that want to cage them. Schwab doesn’t flinch from the toxic or the violent. If you want your vampires messy, angry, and bound by threads of love and grief that transcend time, you’ll find yourself at home here.

Immortal women fighting for autonomy, stitched together by shared hunger and trauma, cycling through abuse and revenge, always reaching for something that tastes like freedom. Pain and power passed down like inheritance, always returning, never quite healed.

But, and it’s a real “but”, this is a book that asks for your patience. The pacing drags at moments, especially through the middle, and the heavy, character-first focus means plot sometimes takes a back seat to atmosphere and introspection. Schwab’s writing is lush, and she knows how to twist a knife with a single phrase.

If you need a neat resolution or a tidy bit of catharsis, look elsewhere. But if you want to linger in the ache, if you want a book that’s unashamedly queer, obsessed with the messiness of womanhood, and unafraid to gnaw on the bones of love, loss, and fury, then this is for you.

TL;DR:
Rich, poetic, and gloriously toxic. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes transcendent, always ambitious. Come for the vampires, stay for the rage and heartbreak. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for the right reader, it’ll be the most important book they pick up all year.

3.75 overall rating.
3/5 for the story.
4/5 for the writing.

this was such a unique and beautifully written book. bury our bones in the midnight soil follows three women, vampires and lovers, whose lives unfold through rich storytelling, and i found it nearly addictive. their individual stories were captivating and detailed, and i loved how immersive the atmosphere felt. the writing was absolutely stunning, smooth, and incredibly easy to get lost in. i would honestly read 10,000 pages of v.e. schwab’s prose.

that said, the ending didn’t quite land for me. the final act felt rushed and left me a little confused. i was hoping for more clarity and connection between the characters as their stories came together. there was a lot of potential in that closing section, and i wish it had more emotional impact and meaning.

overall, a really enjoyable read with incredible writing and atmosphere. this was my second schwab book, and i’m absolutely reading more of her work this year. big thanks to netgalley for the arc!

it’s really hard to rate this book.

schwab’s intricate character work, layered relationship dynamics, the fresh yet classic take on vampire lore, and the ability to bring so many different settings to life — all of it was done beautifully. i felt completely immersed, and i love their writing style so much.

but after a while, i couldn’t help feeling a little bored, which makes me sad to admit because i don’t get bored easily. the pacing felt very slow for about 70% of the book, and the ending didn’t feel quite rewarding enough. it wasn’t until the final section that the plot started to feel like it had real direction. i don’t mind character driven stories at all, but i need a bit more plot running alongside to stay fully engaged. some parts of the first half felt unnecessarily drawn out, and the use of the three POVs felt slightly uneven at times.

that said, i honestly think i read this at the wrong time. i’d just come out of a huge reading slump, and i have a feeling i would’ve appreciated this story more if i’d been in a better reading flow. despite my mixed feelings, it’s still a beautifully written exploration of power, hunger, and what it means to be a woman. there’s a lot to admire in that. so, i don’t have it in me to rate this lower than 4 stars.

thanks pan macmillian and netgalley for the e-ARC.

A dreamy and obsessive sapphic vampire tale - my favourite read of the year so far, no contest!

This is the story of three women, three vampires throughout history. But under that, this is a story about cycles of violence and toxic relationships, about the expectations and practices society uses to cage women, about grief, love, loss.

The prose is rich, syrupy and sharp in turn, with phrasing that often took my breath away. The characters are vibrant, their lives will break your heart. This story is also so unabashedly queer. It's everything I hoped it would be, frankly.

If you like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, if you like Interview with the Vampire, pick this one up!

I really had high expectations this and there was moments where I loved the. I mean toxic lesbian vampires?? Yess please, but I just struggled staying interested which lasted throughout the entire book. The writing was beautiful and the characters were so complex and interesting but I just couldn’t follow the plot and I feel like I just forced myself to read this the majority of the time and it took so long. I feel like this is kind of a marmite situation. It will either reallllly works for you or it doesn’t and unfortunately it just didn’t for me

This review is for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab which releases in the UK on the 10th June! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor for giving me an eArc and physical copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

All I heard was that this story was toxic lesbian vampires written by V.E. Schwab… so you know I signed up IMMEDIATELY.

I love Schwabs writing style, and this to me felt like a blend of Addie with the feeling of timelessness as well as the jumps between past and present, and a splash of Vicious with all the violence and toxic emotions (or lack of). It does start pretty slow, but is also pretty steady throughout the whole book. So much happens throughout the story, especially when we get to see the past of the older vampires, it does keep you well enthralled!

The characters were also super well written, with most being angsty and angry and full of hatred for the world and the circumstances it has left them in. Some scenes were a little overwritten with a little too much prose for me, but it did also flow well with the story so it didn’t feel too out of place. I did empathise with Alice, especially towards the end when she realises that she was just used, and her death was for nothing. I also really liked the memories we see from her, where we also get to see why she feels so lost.

The ending was a little anticlimactic and mostly the reason I’m only giving this a four star. After like 93% of buildup, and for it to end that way… it was a little disappointing and was hoping for something a little better. As it also had taken so long to get to that point as well, it just fell a little flat for me and didn’t really fit with the rest of the book.

However overall, I did love this book and would 100% recommend this to any vampire lovers out there. Especially if you love the toxic, violent and angsty ones.

Schwab has, once again, knocked it out of the park.

This twist on the familiar vampire story, told through the shifting perspective of time and the women raised within, was haunting and poetic and brought into sharp new relief.

I loved watching how a singularity affected each of the character's differently, how their circumstances shaped them each to face it uniquely, armed with their own set of tragedies and horrors, and the reality of what it is to be AFAB in a world defined by men.

Do you want sapphic vampires, stories about toxic exes, and female rage and revenge spanning across 500 years? Then look no further!

“Bury Our Bones in The Midnight Soil” follows three women from three different time periods: Sabine (1532), Charlotte (1837) and Alice (2019). We see the harsh lives some of our FMCs face in their current eras, the ultimate tipping points, the coming to terms with their new existences as creatures of the night, and the eventual convergence of all their stories. It’s a horror book that doesn’t feel too horrific (FMC’s eating habits and topic matter aside), and it leans more heavily in the historical fiction camp for me.

It’s dark, poetic, and so compelling that you have to keep reading. Well done, V.E. Schwab!

[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]

4.5 ⭐️ V.E. Schwab is a master at character study. This story follows the intertwining lives of three women over the span of centuries. It follows each of their journeys as they navigate being a vampire, what it means to live forever, to lose one's humanity, and the control (or lack of) that they have in the face of desire and hunger. What would you do if you suddenly had eternity at your fingertips, but as a monster? Can you hold onto your humanity, and still remain good, or do you let yourself go to your new self? This story tackles the big questions through the eyes of three toxic lesbian vampires. It's beautifully written, and I imagine will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for the arc!

This is everything you want it to be. Mysterious vampires getting up to mysterious things. At some points the pacing was a bit clunky and felt like it would have benefitted from a little more time spent on it, however, I enjoyed the book enough to look past this.

"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."

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a haunting exploration of immortality, desire, and identity. Set across three distinct periods, 16th century Santo Domingo, 19th century London and 21st century Boston. We follow the intertwining lives of three very different queer women across these centuries. Maria is an fierce, independent woman fighting for autonomy in a world made for men. Charlotte, a young woman who wears her heart on her sleeve fights for queer love against societal constraints. Alice tries to find her place in the world while coming to terms with grief. Their stories, and consequences, are intricately connected through a shared, toxic bond that transcends time and place.

This is a slow-paced, character-driven novel that moves between different time periods, gradually revealing the lives of its protagonists and the threads that bind them. The women at the centre of the story are richly layered and morally ambiguous, their immortality offering a lens through which to examine how time shapes identity. A central theme of hunger runs through the narrative—not just the physical need for sustenance, but a deeper, more urgent craving for life, love and, above all, freedom.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the eARC to review.

I have very much enjoyed this author's other works, and several of them I have read numerous times but when hearing the subject matter of her latest I did approach with some trepidation. I have a very, very low tolerance for gore, and discussions of the inner workings of the human body, and one can imagine that a book about vampires might be one to contain all of this in spades. Sadly, I was right and sadly, I just can't continue with this book to its completion at this time. However, due to Schwab's masterful writing, the most intriguing plot and some of the most toxic (read fabulous) characters I've ever had the pleasure of meeting I did make it half way and can confidently give it 4 stars, secure in the knowledge that for many people this will be their book of the year!

Note to publisher - Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early, and I apologise that I wasn't able to finish it at this time. I hope that I will one day so I won't post this review elsewhere in case in the future I can post one on actually finishing it. I will be hand selling it though as I think it will very much be a lot of people's cup of tea (but a bit too much throat munching for me!)