I’ll admit I was initially lured in by the cover, and then the blurb - I mean, a haunting, sapphic gothic story sounded so promising but sadly, this wasn’t for me.

The first chapter really hooked me in but it starts off slow and maintains that pace for quite a large chunk of the book.

There was always this feeling like ‘something’ dark was going on in the background and things didn’t really pick up until the last 80%, by which point the repetition was so obvious it got quite dull.
And then when those ‘somethings’ are finally revealed, they didn’t really have the shock/revulsion factor I was expecting.

And then there’s the ending, which couldn’t have been more abrupt. At first I didn’t believe that was the ending and I must have missed a page, but no. It left me questioning what I’d just read and whether I was supposed to have reached a specific conclusion.

That being said, I like the concept and the themes explored, but overall, this wasn’t for me.

I was intrigued to start reading this book as the description sounded unusual.
The first half of the book read quite slow but, once it started to increase the pace, it finally got interesting.
The elements of botany and dark academia drew me into the story.
I feel there were a few missed opportunities around world building and where the story was going as it is not clear where and when the book is set, and I feel this could have been explored more.
I didn’t connect much with the characters but you could see their growth throughout the book. You could really feel the passion and hunger thanks to some beautiful descriptions.
Unfortunately this book didn’t live up to my expectations, with a very anticlimactic ending which was quite disappointing.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC.

3⭐️ eARC
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group, Francesa May & NetGalley for the ARC.

A gothic fantasy that leans more towards a romance which hints of dark academia - it’s hard to place a what genre this book would be.
It’s also hard for me to review without spoilers but the start of this story had a lot of promise and intrigue. Thora was struggling with grief but had her own secrets and dark history that we come to uncover. I had no idea this would turn into the beginning of a vampire-esque story and the reveal of that was really fun. The pacing slowed right down at about 50% and honestly from 60/70% the repetitiveness was hard to get through. Olea and Thora’s constant arguments then rage/passion filled making up got boring and everytime either snapped I thought ‘oh not this again’.
Pretty much all characters apart from the 2 FMC’s drop off at 60% and maybe some different POV’s would have kept the story going?
I think it lacked world building deeper than the first 20% and would have liked a lot more of this.
Overall it was a good read but I don’t think I’d continue a series

Full to the brim with romance. This book takes you on a journey of longing, curiosity and pride. Thora has so much to give and wants to prove to everyone women can work and been seen in the science/botany world. Reading about these 3 morally grey women will keep you reading well into the night wondering what will happen next. I devoured it

This Vicious Hunger by Francesca May is a gorgeously dark and intoxicating gothic fantasy that pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go. May’s worldbuilding is immersive and haunting, expertly blending elements of the familiar with the eerie and fantastical. The intricate exploration of Thora’s life—steeped in loss, isolation, and a desperate thirst for knowledge—provides the perfect backdrop for a gripping narrative about obsession, poison, and sapphic love.

The chemistry between Thora and Olea is electric, their relationship equally alluring and unsettling. The tension builds slowly, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, May throws in a twist that leaves you breathless. The vivid descriptions of the garden, both beautiful and deadly, echo the emotional and psychological turmoil the characters experience.

While the plot takes a slight dip in pace around the three-quarter mark, the payoff is absolutely worth it. The book explores themes of overconsumption—whether it’s love, knowledge, or poison—and the consequences that come with losing oneself in a dangerous craving. If you’re a fan of gothic romance with a touch of the macabre and a whole lot of emotional complexity, this is one book you won’t want to miss. It’s definitely one of my favorite reads of 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley & Orbit for the chance to review early.

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me - which is really annoying because it sounds like it would be right up my alley. Sapphic, botany and dark themes? Normally a big yes!

I felt like the book was poorly done and repetitive - maybe it gets better further in but I ended up getting 83 pages in and couldn't do it anymore.

The world-building takes the lead early in the story, with a strong focus on scene-setting. I didn’t fall in love with it straight away, but I really enjoyed the concept and would definitely be open to reading more from this author in the future.
At times, I felt confused about where the plot was heading, but there were a few solid mic drop moments that kept me engaged and curious enough to keep going.
One standout element was the LGBTQ+ representation—it was woven into the story naturally and added depth without feeling tokenistic.

Wow! What a book, such a gripping read, I couldn’t put it down. A perfect mix of gothic and romance,
Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, can’t wait to read more Francesca May books

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

What a compelling and disturbing story. It’s so utterly beautiful and yet there’s a strange and constant undercurrent of the macabre throughout. The novel is so insidious, with the main character constantly at risk, even where she herself doesn’t know it. We see a grasping, cruel desire to use her from multiple characters. Her deceased husband disregarding anything that matters to her, a well-meaning friend that still has an agenda, and others who seek to fulfil their own desires. I felt so nervous for the main character. That tension never let up, only grew worse throughout the book.

This novel blends botany and academia seamlessly and saturates itself in gothic themes. A core focus of this book is a secret and forbidden garden, set against a backdrop of academic experimentation. What I found particularly insidious was the main character’s obliviousness to slow and creeping changes around her.

There was so much conflict in this novel, beauty and danger. It was quite thought-provoking as we seek to understand the perspectives of the different characters and the actions they take that perhaps aren’t entirely ethical.

This was a compelling read that was hard to put down. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This Vicious Hunger is a mix of gothic horror, sapphic romance and obsession. I wanted to love it, but ultimately I was disappointed. Although the setting was richly imagined, I found it confusing, hovering ambiguously between a fantasy world and something like 19th century Italy. The story drags at times, taking too long to reach its climax and lingering on atmosphere at the expense of momentum..I also found the vampiric element underdeveloped, it had so much potential but never quite delivered the danger I was hoping for. However, May’s prose is atmospheric and the characters are somewhat compelling, even if their actions are often frustrating. Overall, it’s an entertaining, if uneven, read for fans of queer dark fantasy. and gothic horror.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

After the sudden death of her husband, Thora finds herself with the unexpected and much longed for opportunity of studying botany at university.

However, Thora quickly becomes embroiled not only in the dark experiments of Professor Petaccia but also with the mysterious girl who lives in the poison garden.

Her crammed schedule of lectures and her friendship with Leo quickly fall in second place to Olea and the garden. The more time Thora spends in the garden, the more famished and lightheaded she becomes when she is away from it.

Driven by hunger, desire and curiosity, and manipulated by Petaccia, Thora and Olea begin to realise the true consequences of the garden.

An imaginative, queer gothic tale of death and desire.

This novel turns the traditional ideas of vampires into a science inspired by nature. Further to this, it highlights both the triumphs and tribulations of love and hiding who we truly are.

I felt for Thea as a character, her desperation to find an identity for herself that wasn’t solely presented or shaped by the hands of men was a change of pace. My only complaint is that (in my opinion) she didn’t ever actually come into her own. Thea’s actions and reactions were still done in reference to other characters, I didn’t feel that this idea of freedom and true self-reflection and realisation actually reached our heroine, leaving a number of unanswered questions.

Having said all of this, I did finish it in one day, so that has to say something!

Toxic, obsessive lesbian botanists who turn into vampires all set in a poison garden. Great premise but the execution was a bit lacking for me. 3.5 stars

Thank you to Little Brown, the author and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of This Vicious Hunger to review.

This Vicious Hunger follows Thora, an undertaker's daughter who has grown up surrounded by death. When her husband dies after thirteen weeks of marriage, she doesn't know what to do next. Until a letter arrives from a botany professor at a prestigious school, accepting her to the university to study botany under her, which has been Thora's dream since she was a child. Once there she notices a young woman enclosed in a walled garden of poisonous plants, and is immediately drawn to both the garden and the girl. Under the spell of both, Thora falls into a world of obsession and poison; will she be able to break free?

I'm very unsure about this one! I really liked the gothic atmosphere here; it felt almost thick and moody, which is different from the tone of books that I usually read, so that definitely gripped me. This is definitely a slow-paced book, more driven by descriptions and character interactions than plot, but it was still engaging to read. The descriptions of the walled garden and its plants were so rich and imaginative; I could see the garden in my head as I was reading it. And the mystery of what's going on with Olea and the garden had me very intrigued to keep going to find answers. It felt almost claustrophobic to be in this story, with it mainly taking place in one area with no real way out, and that was super interesting to sink into.

The romance side of this has me in two minds; I did love the yearning and forbidden romance aspect between Thora and Olea. One being outside the walls and the other trapped in the garden made for a great, angsty dynamic, however as the book progresses the relationship changes and becomes more toxic, which seemed a little fast of a change for Thora. Her descent into hunger and obsession seemed a little quick; I would have preferred to see it happen more gradually I think. I also didn't connect with her character very much; she was quite brash and impulsive and would disregard any opinion or wish other characters had just to get her own way, which I didn't vibe with. I especially feel sorry for poor Leo, her friend at the university. Olea was intriguing but she ended up feeling a little immature for me, which does make sense considering her sheltered upbringing, but I just didn't enjoy her character by the end, nor Thora's.

The worldbuilding let the book down for me. We know that this is set in a fantasy world with different traditions and rituals, however we truly don't explore any of that. As it's an isolated setting, we stay in the university, but it would have been nice to at least hear more about the wider world and other customs as Thora is a scholar, but I can see why it was kept quite zoomed in on the university setting. It's just a little nitpick of mine really.

Overall if you love gothic fantasy and toxic lesbians then you'll enjoy this one! It has a very rich, imaginative atmosphere, and an interesting storyline, but just didn't grip me with the characters as much as I wanted.

The synopsis doesn't do enough justice to the story. I honestly do not know what I was expecting going into this book but It was way more than I had anticipated. Every character in this book surprised me in more ways than one. I don't know if this is the finalised version of the book or if there will be more, but I absolutely loved every second. Olea surprised me as well. Her complexity and aversion to change was really a shock to me. As much as I predicted a different ending, this was perfect. I consider this book a love story (not aromance) because the relationship between all the characters goes beyond matters of the heart. That being said, the perfect description of this book is; a sapphic love story fueled by obsession, Curiosity, manipulation and fight for purpose. It is a heartwrenching tale of how Science shuts the door of morality with the excuse of progress.
5⭐️ read

This was a really enjoyable read that I found myself finishing over a couple of days. It is definitely a slow burner which I am not always the biggest fan of, but for this it worked.

This Vicious Hunger by Francesca May is a dark, atmospheric tale of longing, obsession, and the dangerous allure of forbidden desires. Thora Grieve’s world has fallen apart following the sudden death of her husband, leaving her isolated and searching for meaning. When she takes up the opportunity to study botany under a renowned professor, her life takes an unexpected turn.

The novel’s heart lies in the haunting relationship between Thora and Olea, a mysterious woman tending to a secret garden. Their connection is intense and intoxicating, beautifully captured in Francesca May’s lyrical prose. The garden itself becomes a powerful symbol—of growth, decay, and the intoxicating pull of the unknown.

Thora’s descent into obsession, fueled by her desire to heal Olea, adds a compelling edge to the story. The novel expertly blends elements of gothic romance and psychological thriller, weaving themes of beauty, poison, and the price of freedom.

This Vicious Hunger is a beguiling read for those who appreciate slow-burning tension and complex emotional landscapes. It’s a story about the cost of desire and the lengths we will go to for connection—even if it means surrendering ourselves.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This was such an incredible read. The mix of dark academia and hints of the supernatural. I adored the build of tension between Olea and Thora, it reminded me in a lot of places of Carmilla in the BEST way. The way Thora's hunger built and built at the same time was so well done. The lines of love, addiction, and hunger blurring so much for her.

I loved how it explored women in academia and the competition even between them. The ending has me dying to know what will happen next. Such an interesting take on the vampire genre.

A dark and gothic read with a mysterious and thrilling queer romance at it's heart. The atmosphere and intrigue have you turning pages like there's no tomorrow!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc!

Doctrina est vita aeterna, learning is life eternal.

This Vicious Ginger follows Thora, an recently orphaned and widowed woman who, at the behest of her mother in law, was offered a place to study botany at St Elianto under the esteemed Dr Petaccia. Being a woman in academia is challenge enough, but the research that Dr Petaccia is involved with reveals its own challenges and mystery.

I enjoyed the first half of this book quite a lot. The academia vibes were pretty immaculate and the sapphic yearning was wonderful. I enjoy the language that May uses and how evocative it can be. The focus on poisons and most of the story taking place on the moonlight set a wonderful atmosphere as well.

However the pace ebbed and flowed a lot over the course of the book and certain parts became quite repetitive. I found that the repetition of some of Thora's inner monologue (around being both a woman and a widow) became quickly irritating and the tone of the book shifted greatly in the latter half. In honesty, I'm unsure if this is the first in a series but I was left wanting for more conclusion by the end of the book.

The romance was probably the highlight of the book for the most part, but became a little too focussed on the physical. Their discussions and disagreements felt like they could have been resolved or ended within half the time and didn't read as realistic.