Brutal, blood-drenched, beautiful, and breathlessly alive. This is going to be my best read of the year for sure.

We follow three women as their tale spans centuries and countries, each tale interlinking in ways you don’t expect. Thankfully there’s no ennui ridden vampires lamenting their immortality, no sir, 2025 is the year of Hungry Female Rage Vampires and I am Here. For. It.

This book feels like a natural progression of VE Schwab’s incredible talent, it is insistent and immediate and so, so rich. I can’t wait to read it again.

Absolutely phenomenal. I was so invested in these three interconnected stories, they hooked me in from the very beginning. Schwab’s writing is so considered and lyrically beautiful, while the plotting is pacy and twisty. There are moments of joy, tension, intrigue, and well-measured poignancy. Gorgeous, diverse settings across history and around the globe. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was an unforgettable read, I’m going to be thinking about Sabine, Lottie and Alice for a long time. This will definitely prompt me to read more of Schwab’s backlist this year.

TOXIC. LESBIAN.VAMPIRES! Following three women through centuries and across countries, this is a character study on an epic scale. We first meet Maria, then Alice and Lottie - each of our main characters is introduced with their year of death, and you find out what happened in their lives before and after becoming vampires. Standard lore is adhered to but the title of the book is referenced very poetically to explain the origins of vampirism. This is such an unexpected delight of a book - it's dark and sad and frequently violent but the writing drags you right along with our protagonists, as section by section you are given more and more information regarding their histories. I loved it.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Pan MacMillan for giving me the absolute pleasure of being able to read this ARC.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is not my first V.E. Schwab book and certainly won’t be my last. V.E. Schwab has the most miraculous way of making the ordinary into the profound. The way she writes characters, settings and stories is inthralling and beautiful. You feel transported into her work and so connected to the world she has created.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a gothic, sapphic, epic tale that spans over hundreds and hundreds of years about Maria, Sabine, Alice and Lottie and how their individual stories intersect and diverge. The tales are beautifully crafted depicting love, loss, humanity, inhumanity and the never ending need to find fulfilment. Having individual sections of each woman’s tale never once pulled me out of the story as I was craving to know more of each character and how their lives unfolded and what led to choices that were ultimately made or not made. Everything was so profoundly woven together

Much like The Invisible life of Addie LaRue, this book was thought provoking and will stay with me for awhile. I look forward to rereading it and discovering new things painted throughout and new thoughts it provides. What an absolute pleasure to read.

Thank you Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It has taken me a few days to gather all my thoughts, because… wow. This is Schwab at their absolute best.

The story follows three women navigating the changes that the midnight soil brings to their lives. Three different settings, three time periods, and three very different characters. I don’t want to give any further details, because it is best to let the book guide you through the story.

To no one’s surprise, Schwab’s writing is poetic and enthralling. The story is immersive, full of melancholy, and incredibly well crafted. The characters shine so so beautifully, they’re all flawed and all follow a very well executed arc. I loved the scenes set in Spain, but of course that’s my very biased opinion! 💃🏻

Schwab is not trying to reinvent the genre, so do not go into this expecting a new take on vampires. She is utilising the lore as a tool to tell the story, and the love she’s poured into this book can be felt on every single page.

If you enjoyed Addie LaRue, you will definitely like Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil!

Thank you Netgalley and TOR for the ARC of this book. I loved following Sabine, Charlotte and Alice’s journeys. This book spans centuries and has different POVs. Sometimes this set up can put me off but Schwab does it masterfully. An incredible vampire story but more importantly a beautiful and absolutely heart wrenching love story.

The writing was incredible. There is a fair bit of violence which is unsurprising given the topic but somehow it’s been expertly woven into a love story. I went into this book completely blind having loved Schwabs previous work and this did not disappoint. It’s a passionate and tragic love story with so many themes embedded. An absolute 10/10 and I will be buying it just for my bookshelf.

This is so much more than a Vampire story, it is enthralling. The time periods are so well researched spanning centuries, cultures and continents. However the different stories all melt so seamlessly together. You will need time after this to digest, and I have no idea what to read next because nothing will come close. Amazing.

V.E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors and, of her books, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is one of my all-time favourites. I went into “Bones” with high expectations (because it’s Schwab), but also assuming that nothing could match up to Addie. I should have known that Schwab always delivers.

I devoured this book in a single day. It is dark, delicious, disturbing, sad, compelling, and gorgeously rich. When I was a teenager I read “Interview with the Vampire” for the first time. I didn’t realise until I read “Bones” that this is the book I wished “Interview” had been. It was the book I wanted, desperately, when I was younger where the female narrative was centred. Where the characters, in all their spoiled, vain glory, aren’t victims or plot points or a way to move the story along.

Schwab balances the characters on a perfect tightrope of sympathetic and compellingly awful. (Toxic, as her tagline for this book says.) What makes them sympathetic is how much they WANT. Love. Belonging. Power. I could also feel echoes of Addie here, in this wanting to be remembered. In the wanting to have a story. It’s tragic to see how the humanity bleeds out of Maria (Sabine), because she is so vibrant, so human at the beginning. And Charlotte, whose story starts with love gone wrong, is undone by this in the end. I found Alice the least “toxic” of the characters, but, in some ways, her story is the most poignant. It is established that vampires lose their humanity as they age. Alice is at the beginning of her vampire journey, so everything we have seen happen to Maria and Charlotte is still to come for her.

The word I keep thinking in regard to this book is glorious. I read this books in February, but I have already mentally marked it as one of my best reads this year.

I've had to sit and digest this one for a little bit before I wrote a review to get my full thoughts in order cause oh boy were there a lot about Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. Spoiler: they're all good thoughts.

Oh V.E. Schwab, the woman you are, this was beautiful.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soils follows three timelines across centuries, Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 1532, London in 1837 and Boston in 2019. All three timelines grow together and twist into big gnarled roots that form one big chunky tree of beautiful prose. The branches coming off of each character in the story create little intricacies that create shadows of real people, in real places, doing very real things. Other than turning each other into vampires but more on that later.

What I really loved about this was that, although Schwab has described this as her "angsty lesbian vampire" novel, all of these characters are intricate, they love, they're jealous, and they're angry. They all exist in that morally grey zone, none of these characters are inherently good or evil, they just do things because it's what feels right and there should be more of this!! Give me more!!

The vampire aspect was really well done. So often, it's difficult to write vampires without it being cheesy (I'm looking at you Twilight) or making it so that it doesn't sound like something that has already been done. Whilst, in my head, this was reminiscent of S.T Gibson, it's not a mirror so it stands up beautifully on it's own. Each character has their own distinct voice without it being too distracting or sounding out of place because of the difference in set time.

Huge huge fan of what V.E. Schwab and S.T. Gibson are personally doing for the angsty gay supernaturals at the moment and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book!

I was so excited when this book was announced as I loved Schwab’s books so was intrigued for this one. I love stories with vampires and this one did it so well. The different timelines interwove with each other so well and I had a great time with all of the characters. The structure of the story as well of the pacing was done very well and kept me entertained the entire book.

I've loved everything I've read by VE Schwab so far. And everything she writes just feels so different, completely different vibes.
Fantastic book by an ever fantastic author!

In 1532 Maria is given in marriage to a man she hates. Her sole purpose to provide him an heir. When she meets The Widow, Maria finds a way to be free. A new identity and a new life beckons. A long life.
In present day Alice wakes up after a one night stand feeling different. Her life has been blighted by grief and now she faces a new battle.
The stories of Maria and Alice are separated by centuries but they are inextricably linked. A phenomenal story, that gripped me from the first page!

Schwab has done it again. She managed to write such a simple yet elegant story. At the heart of it, this book is about love. Love and loss and grief and rage. I initially liked Sabine, I found her interesting and complex. I especially enjoyed the scenes with her and other vampires, her time in Venice was my favourite. As the book carried on, I felt the very subtle shift in her character and found myself desperately wanting to read on and understand what was happening.

Charlotte on the other hand, took awhile to warm to. But yet again, a credit to Schwab’s talent for writing beautiful multi dimensional characters, I found myself rooting for her. Alice too, although I found that Alice’s chapters didn’t leave as much of an impression on me as Lottie and Sabine’s.

This book read like a tapestry, the scenes were vivid, the characters rich and every single description was dripping with life. I really didn’t want it to end. I loved every single second of reading this and I loved losing myself in this world of midnights and stolen memories.

I think my entire review for this book could be summed up as “I love it when women…”

This is so beautifully written I just know I’ll be thinking about it for days and someday it will make an absolutely stunning movie. The characters are all so well fleshed out that I have the most vivid images of them in my mind. We follow three women buried in the same soil, and what grows from it is just breathtaking.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is haunting, lyrical, and utterly mesmerizing. From the first page, I was pulled into Schwab’s signature blend of melancholy and magic, where every sentence feels like it was carefully carved from darkness and longing. The story unfolds like a ghostly whisper, carrying themes of love, loss, and the inevitability of time in a way that lingers long after the final word.

What I love most is Schwab’s ability to make the supernatural feel deeply human. The characters, though shrouded in mystery, feel achingly real, and the atmosphere is thick with quiet sorrow and aching beauty. I found myself rereading certain passages just to savor the way she weaves words together.

If you love stories that feel like poetry and ghosts that haunt more than just the page, this one is for you. Schwab has once again proven that she knows exactly how to reach into a reader’s chest and leave fingerprints on their heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

TOXIC LESBIAN VAMPIRES !!! 🩸💀📚🍷🌑🏳️‍🌈

My most anticipated read of the year did not disappoint. I've been waiting to read Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil since 2023 when Schwab was writing it and talked about her "toxic lesbian vampires" when we saw her in Leeds.

* I was gifted an early copy in exchange for an honest review 🫡

I could say this book is like Killing Eve meets Anne Rice meets the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. But that wouldn't quite be accurate. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a deeply rich and unique take on the vampire novel. Eerily familiar and refreshingly new.

I've always loved Schwab's style of writing, but something about the prose in Bury Our Bones is so magical, it practically sings. From Spain to Paris to London to Boston, this tragic tale spans centuries and thousands of miles.

Just when I thought I had a grip on where it was going, the story took a sharp turn. It takes you by the hand down familiar corridors only to suddenly find yourself at the top of a dark staircase, a pressure on your back.

It's about how people can have similar wounds but in different shapes. It's about humanity and how it gets eroded away. It's about the stories we get to tell, and the ones others try to tell for us. It's about hunger.

It's about control. The control men have had over women throughout history. Women taking back that control. The control loved ones have over us, healthy and toxic equally. Taking control over your own story.

I loved my time spent in these pages and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of darkness.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is out 10th June 2025 💀

Haunting, atmospheric, and beautifully written—V.E. Schwab once again delivers a story that lingers long after the final page. Dark, poetic, and full of emotion, this book is a masterpiece of gothic storytelling.

If you'd told me I'd accidentally read a 544 page book about toxic lesbian vampires I'd be like, 'nah bro, I don't have the attention span for that'.

I devoured this book. I let it slowly build and build and kept thinking, 'this doesn't seem toxic...this doesn't seem toxic...'

And then

Oh

This is horrifically toxic. This is all the toxic. This is women through history. This is the worst kind of revenge. This is no one right. Just lots of people living in shades of grey and then... wrong, wrong, wrong.

Read it. It's a treat. It's Lost soul and the Vampire chronicles but with female rage at the forefront. Beautiful.

5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this eArc.

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Themes: 5/5
Emotional: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

This book was everything I wanted it to be. As someone who liked Addie Larue, but didn’t love it, I was a little worried that another character driven book by V.E. Schwab wouldn’t grab me, but I absolutely devoured this and loved every second of it.

The characters are so well written and thought out, and I absolutely loved each one (I mean… I also loved to hate a certain character…) I thought the prose was just fantastic and it kept me hooked every time I picked up my Kindle, and the way each characters individual stories intertwined with each other was just absolutely brilliant. I did think the ending was a little abrupt, but that may just be because I was so immersed in the story I never wanted it to end!

I felt so many emotions whilst reading, particularly anger and sorrow and I just have to give props to Schwab for being able to illicit such strong emotions from me as usually when I read I don’t tend to feel so strongly but there’s just something about her writing that brings out all the emotions in me!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would recommend to absolutely everyone. V. E. Schwab has been my favourite author for a while now and I will read anything she writes, whether that be a novel or the phone book!

One of the best books I’ve EVER read. It captivated me from the first page, hungry for more just like the women in the story. I adored how complex the characters were, they were so multifaceted you couldn’t help but love and hate them at the same time. The writing was flawless, the pace excellent - I devoured this in two days and I was thinking of it whenever I wasn’t reading it (isn’t it ironic how the women were so hungry while I was hungry for their stories?). I ate it all up and still want more!

A very good VE Schwab. Her writing gets stronger and stronger, and she in this book showcases her impeccable grace with words and turns of phrase. A slower start than some of her other books, and much more similar to Addie LaRue than anything else I've read of hers, but once it hit 60% the tension rises as the different timelines weave together. A rich depiction of vampirism, obsession, and what it means to be alive.

Have I come back down to earth since finishing this book? Not quite 😩 This is EVERYTHING!!! Bury Our Bones was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and getting to read it early was the honour of my life 😭🖤

This is a standalone multi-pov toxic lesbian vampire novel and Schwab delivers on EVERY front. We follow three main characters and they are so individually distinct - the prose style shifts for each character and it’s MASTERFUL! This book takes place across hundreds of years and the way V adjusts the prose for each time period truly transports you to each new time/setting. The beautiful writing style really brings the gothic elements to life and this book is such a valuable addition to vampire media.

V was very inspired by Louis and Lestat’s dynamic in The Vampire Chronicles which, as a huge Anne Rice fan, made this book even more incredible to read. These characters have such turbulent relationships and the emotional extremities are captured to perfection. Through our different characters and time periods this book explores female rage, hunger, and the longing for connection throughout the dark stretch of eternity 😩

The story is so intricately crafted and the way the plot weaves together as the narrative progresses is so satisfying. I audibly gasped multiple times and just FELT everything. I’ve definitely got a new favourite V. E. Schwab character, but I’ll let you decide who that it when you pick up the book 😉🫶

This book is turbulent, violent, obsessive, monstrous, and honestly everything I needed from what the premise promised. It’s a book about monsters which feels so very human, and it just spoke to me on so many levels 🥹

Thankyou SO much to @panmacmillan and Netgalley for the e-ARC - you made my entire year 🖤

A beautiful sapphic, vampire story through the ages. I started reading this with no idea of the plot, just as a fan of V.E. Schwab and I completely loved it- highly recommend for fans of her previous work. The concept of “bury our bones in the midnight soil” as a metaphor for vampirism is such a fresh take and supported with such a diverse, richly written cast of characters meant I flew through it.

Honestly, I’m speechless 😭😭😭😭😩😩😩😩

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil had my heart beating out of my chest the entire time. Jaw on the floor. Sweating like crazy. I just didn’t want it to end, I was truly savouring every single page because I was so obsessed with the story, but particularly Sabine. She was actually terrifying but also my favourite, and I just loved as we followed the three girls across centuries and continents to figure out how they’re all connected.

It was just full of yearning, obsession, pining, danger, bloodlust pure hunger. Everything a sapphic gothic lover girly wants in a lesbian vampire story.

It’s Schwab’s best book to date. Pure artistry.

This sweeping gothic epic from VE Schwab has the potential to be an instant modern classic.

From the first page, Schwab's writing is like a breath of fresh air - lyrical and evocative but not 'difficult'. The tale of Maria, Sabine, Alice and Lottie spills out onto the pages and spans several hundred years as the many threads of plot intersect and diverge.

The tales of these women - their loves and losses, humanity and inhumanity - are masterfully crafted. Bury Our Bones is packed with sapphic longing, a neverending quest to find fulfilment and underpinned by something that looks like feminism. The flashbacks to Alice's relationship with her sister added a much-needed exploration of a non-romantic relationship and were some of my favourite scenes to read.

Where, in shorter books, the surprises come at breakneck speed, in Bury Our Bones they unfold almost leisurely, luxuriating in the thrill of the chase. The pace did slow a little too much for me in the middle but it didn't spoil the enjoyment overall. One I think I will want to re-read every few years and I'm sure I'll spot something new every time.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is gruesome, angry and alive. You can feel how much heart and soul V.E. Schwab poured into this novel.
It is reminiscent of Addie La Rue in a lot of ways. It gave me that same breathless anxious feeling while reading it, like you’re lonely and nothing is ever quite enough. Even the ending left me unsatisfied. however I think that was the intention and Schwab has crafted a story where that’s the only kind of ending that fits.

The three different POVs are unevenly split and we spent much of the first half with a woman that is deeply unlikeable, the middle with an unreliable narrator and the ending with a character I was a bit ambivalent about. I especially found myself wishing for more nuance to the main villain..
Much of this story is also quite repetitive, which again I think is intentional but I could see how readers might lose interest.

This book is first and foremost a love letter to female rage and loving women and with that the author definitely achieved what she set out to do.

If you loved Addie and toxic lesbian vampires and murder (seriously, so much murder) sound like you, you will love this. Otherwise maybe skip this one. I am sure this will be a very marmite book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

If I could rate Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab higher than five stars, believe me, I would. I fear I’m nowhere near articulate to put into words how magnificent this story is, but I’ll try!

With Bury Our Bones, Schwab hasn’t just told a vampire story, they have fully immersed the reader in a timeline of events spanning entire lifetimes, centuries and beyond. Never within the space of 500 pages have I felt like I know characters so deeply as I did with this book.

The character development in this book is SO beyond next level, with characters shifting and changing so subtly before your eyes that it’s almost undetectable until the story arc is fully developed. That’s the moment you realise Schwab has been laying incredibly clever signs and hints.

With a take on vampires that’s both classic and refreshing and a cast of characters that you’ll love and hate all at once, Bury Our Bones is an epic and lyrical addition to a well loved fantasy sub genre. I absolutely adored every second and this’ll be one I reread for sure in future!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil has been the most amazing holiday read. I saved this for Easter Break - I had a hunch I’d not be able to put it down - and I’m so glad I could give this all my time.

I grew up on Anne Rice and Lestat was always my gothic favourite, and in my opinion few in modern literature have come close to reaching the same vampiric status (Eric Northman maybe?), but now there are three (THREE!) new undead icons I’ll not forget in a hurry.

This book is a journey through time, places, spaces and cultures; twisty, immersive and highly emotive. Think Addie LaRue meets Interview With the Vampire meets Jane Eyre with a dash of Bridgerton, Gatsby, Florence + The Machine (yes, really!), love, hate and everything in between.

The playlist in my head for this book is 👌✨

I have too many thoughts and don’t want to spoil it, so no more right now. I have preordered a copy - June hurry up already - and suggest everyone does, the first editions will all be signed. I also cannot wait for the audio edition!

Many thanks netgalley for the arc. I love you. Thank you again V.E. Schwab for another simply incredible book!

5 ⭐️
Publication Date - 10th June

This is my first ever time reading a book by V.E.Schwab and wow! This was incredible, absolutely stunning poetic writing.

This books follows three main characters, over split timelines. They are all so well written and the way V.E.Schwab wrote them was incredible, so much depth, so immersive and how their stories came together and interlinked was so clever and well done. The way each character was written, the way their stories were told really allowed you to build a connection with them. Despite the book being about three main characters over three different timelines, the book was well paced and we move between characters enough so that you aren’t reading about one for too long.

Following each character as they navigate through the world, through the YEARS for two of them, reading about their ways, desires, their hunger.. I didn’t want to put this book down!

They’re toxic, they’re messy, they’re feral and I loved every moment and I absolutely devoured this book! 🥀🩸

“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.”

This was outstanding, absolutely brilliant!

Will I buy a physical copy once it’s released? Definitely!

Vampires have always been a favourite of mine since I was young, from Dracula to Camilla to even Twilight, I have loved vampire stories.

The storytelling itself felt as if the narrator had broken the fourth wall by telling us directly what had happened as if they had witnessed it all.

The characters themselves all had their strengths and weaknesses and played them so well, it showed that being immortal is not what it all seemed and that it can eventually take its toll on you and almost make you mad, it may sound fun but it becomes boring and not everyone wants it in the end but there is no way out. (unless a stake threw the heart of course).

The relationship that Sabine and Lottie share is a toxic one, starting sweet but then the partner shows their true selves and there is no escape.

Reading the stories of each character felt like little books themselves and how being queer back in the 16th century, 19th century or even today has its toll whether being accepted or not. It also shows that women aren’t weak, that they can be strong and independent and that men can be cruel in their nature.

This is one I will definitely be recommending again and again to anyone and everyone.

An absolute MASTERPIECE! 🤌🏻 I honestly don’t know where to begin with explaining how god damn incredible this book is. VE Schwab is a phenomenal writer. I literally have no words

I JUST CANNOT. THIS BOOK. I’m not sure I am ever going to be able to write a coherent review. This book was just everything I wanted and more. Such an incredible work of art. V E Schwab is one of my all time favourite authors and I have loved everything that she has written, and I have read everything that has been published however this is definitely one of my favourites if not my actual favourite. The characters were beautiful. I built such a strong connection with each and every one of them and I just love them so so much. The story had me hooked. There is something about Schwab’s writing that has me absolutely mesmerised, I could not put this book down. I could have devoured it in one sitting but I forced myself to take my time because I just did not want this to end. It is one of those books that I could literally start again immediately after finishing. A work of art. I cannot wait for the world to read this book. I am even more excited now to attend Bath to Schwab’s event for this book. I like my reviews to include things to improve, but I can’t. This book filled a hole I didn’t know I had in my heart and I would not change anything about it. I cannot wait to get my physical copy so I can annotate and devour this story all over again. I cannot thank you enough for granting me access to an early copy of this book.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a book I’ve been dreaming of reading for about 2 and a half years, and it absolutely lives up to expectations - and then smashes them. I loved the short story ‘First Kill’, and have beeb dying for more of Schwab’s vampires.

VE Schwab’s writing feels different in every book, and I think this may be my favourite of hers. The story is captivating, the characters both loveable and hate-able, just … This delivers on EVERY point. I cannot wait for everyone to read this world, and meet these characters. I wanted this to go on endlessly.

“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.” 🥀🖤🩸

This was my first V.E. Schwab book and it will absolutely not be my last.

A toxic sapphic vampire romance with the most hauntingly beautiful prose, the way this book intertwines multiple timelines (spanning 500 years no less) yet manages to tie them together with a blood red ribbon was masterful, with intricate storytelling that oozes in feminine rage, tragedy and euphoria.

There was no character in this book that I could pull myself away from, they were beautifully fleshed out from the very first page to the very last, I felt as if I could channel every ounce of their emotions - their grief, yearning, obsession, angst, and pain.

I was utterly captivated by this book and I am eternally grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy. I hope everyone loves this book just as much as I did.

Bury Our Bones In the Midnight Soil was my most anticipated release of 2025. I screamed when I got an ARC. But when you put so much pressure on a book I find it can often disappoint, and so I went into this one tentatively. Mind Blown. This book did not disappoint. It was reminiscent in many ways of Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, rekindling that spark that I felt had been missing in many of other works. The book follows three lesbian Vampires through different points in history. The worldbuilding is a little wishy washy in parts, and the pacing a little messy with the middle struggling. However, the character work in this book is truly masterful. I love a morally grey character, and the substantial timeline the book covers really allows Schwab to show how her characters change over time, weaving in and out of morality, and finding different coping mechanisms for dealing with being a vampire, and the constant thirst for blood. Despites its fairly evident flaws, Bones evokes such strong emotions within its reader and has such well written themes that these flaws are forgettable. Not to mention, Schwab’s prose in this novel is on another level, poetic and evocative in a way that draws you in even during narrative lulls. Like it’s characters, this book is imperfect, but it’s also really really really powerful and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it.

Toxic lesbian vampires meets dark, lyrical masterpiece in all the right ways

I went into Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil blind and if only I had known the ride I was in for! From the very first page, I was completely hooked. This book didn’t leave my side until the final word.

Spanning three timelines - Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 1532, London in 1837, and Boston in 2019, Schwab weaves a haunting and unforgettable tale of three women whose stories are as fierce as they are fragile. Where others often stumble with multiple timelines, Schwab excels. Each narrative is rich, emotionally charged, and seamlessly interlaced.

I felt each woman’s journey in my bones, and their stories will stay with me for a long time.

This was my first V.E. Schwab read and it certainly won’t be my last!

Thank you to BookBreakUK and the team at Pan Macmillan for the advanced copy 💗

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab is a dark, lyrical tale that weaves together the lives of three women across centuries—each story rooted in pain, power, and a hunger that transcends time.

Set in Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 1532, London in 1837, and Boston in 2019, the book braids these timelines together in a haunting narrative where each woman’s life blooms and decays in its own way. Their stories are deeply entwined, layered with longing, vengeance, and an almost feral kind of love.

Schwab’s writing is as hypnotic as ever. There’s a feverish beauty to the prose that makes every page feel like you’re sinking deeper into a dark, mossy forest. The sapphic elements are rich with intensity and complexity, offering both tenderness and toxicity in equal measure.

Personally, I found this book unforgettable. It’s the kind of story that lingers, gnaws at your thoughts, and begs to be reread. A lush, eerie triumph.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

[...] “Once there was a girl afraid of growing up,” [...]
In short, I could just tell you that the book is about vengeful female vampires trying to find ways to indulge their bloodlust and to best enjoy their immortality. And while these things do come up, I feel that the story is much more about the question of what makes us human.

[...] "Time makes poets of us all" [...]
I just adore the V.E. Schwab's writing and the way she seamlessly weaves beautifully written prose about love, loss and loneliness into the stories of our main characters. This is what makes Bury our Bones a timelessly poetic book that itself tells a story spanning across centuries.

[...]“She didn’t know it then, but it turns out a soul is what makes the sun feel warm against your skin, what gives food taste, what makes you feel full."[...]

Three women from three time periods, learning to embrace their new life in the midnight soil. The characters in this book are toxic. If you need likeable characters then this is not a book for you. I found it a compelling read. I did not want to look away. Those who enjoyed Addie LaRue will probable also enjoy this as it felt tonally similar.

V E Schwab describes this book as ‘toxic lesbian vampires’ and while that’s true, it doesn’t go deep enough - this is VE Schwab at her best - frankly, the prose is gorgeous. It’s poetic without being frivolous, it’s the sort of book that lingers in your veins long after you’ve put it down.
Everyone else should take note because this is how you do vampires. It’s not your usual trashy, campy vampire books, which, tbh who doesn’t love those? This is a book that doesn’t focus too much on what happens but how it feels. It is about loss, loneliness, obsession, and of course, vampires who happen to be sapphic.
I actually don’t know how to describe this to you - Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil is nothing short of spectacular. It’s not only my new favourite V E Schwab book, but one of my new favourites of all time.
5 stars, no notes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. This is a incredible book, masterfully crafted with three interwoven stories that each felt like a unique voice, and building up to a highly satisfying climax where all three individuals intersect. Just fantastic in every way!

Absolutely incredible. The characters were great, the love stories were touching and horrifying, the plot unexpected. There were lots of time period changes and lack of chronological order but it all worked very well and I didn't find myself confused about what was going on. Another triumph from Schwab, probably the book of hers that I have most enjoyed, out of the 9 or so I have read. As atmospheric as Addie LaRue but with more energy and drive! Cannot recommend enough!!

I loved everything about this book. The characters were perfect and well fleshed out. I understood their motivations at all times and everything they did made sense which isn’t always the case!

The settings were also excellent, the descriptions were vivid and detailed. The plot flowed well and was well paced.

I absolutlely adored this book. Schwab is an brilliant writer and it shows yet again. Very toxic, very lesbian, very vampire, very good.

Wow what a read!… I was up all night reading this… An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page… Full of mystery and suspense with twists and turns to keep you on your toes, I was completely hooked… Gives you goosebumps

'It is a lie that you only get one story.'

Stunning...
Masterpiece....

I'm a fantasy reader and vamps are my jam so I wanted to read this book because a) Schwab is like a gem, and b) I wondered what her vamps would be like!

This is going to sound strange but i feel like I've grown up, matured like a fine wine, reading this. Will I go be able to go back to my normal fantasy vamps? I hope not, this book is a rereader for sure!

In different places, different times, we have 3 lady vamps and we get to know their stories, their loves, how they survive, their lives and how they are woven together.

To say I'd loved this would be an understatement! Another hit from VE Schwab!

'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.'

Toxic in the most alluring way.

Is there anything V.E. Schwab cannot do?
This era-spanning, sapphic, vampire extravaganza was easily devourable.
An absolute masterclass in character development as you go from cheering for Maria and her freedom to horrified at the posessive monster Sabine became.

Sure, Vampires are sexy. Sapphic vampires are the sexiest. But to take that and ensure that community and humanity is consistently at the heart of a tale is masterful.

V. E. Schwab does it again. Favourite book of the year so far. When I first saw that this story was going to focus on gay vampires I was already sold but it was better that I could have expected. I absolutely loved following all of the main characters and seeing how this life and their circumstances changed them all differently and yet almost the same way. While I’m glad it is a stand-alone I also wish there was more of it.

Lush, gorgeous prose and a gripping new take that pages homage to the greats while doing something new.

V. E Schwabs The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue WAS my favourite book of all time. To say I have many copies of it would be an understatement. You notice the word WAS. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is simply incredible.. This is now my favourite book ever.. I have read many vampire books in my time but this far surpasses any of them.
It sweeps over centuries (Like Addie) but every character is there for a reason and I really could not put it down.
The main three characters interweave as the story progresses and I would love to see spin offs of this book. V. E. Schwab has written a true masterpiece. I thought Addie was unbeatable how wrong I was. Brave seriously the BEST vampire books EVER written. No correction one of the best books EVER written

When I fell in love with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, it cemented V.E. Schwab as one of my all time favourite authors. The trouble with that is that you have huge expectations for any future books that author releases.

When I heard the synopsis of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, I was intrigued – toxic lesbian vampires, it sounded exactly my cup of tea. However, I was a little apprehensive in case my expectations were too high. But from the very first chapter I was hooked. I was excited every time I picked it up and thought about it when I wasn’t able to read (work can be so inconvenient when you’re in the middle of a great book!). Sometimes you don’t realise you’ve been in a bit of a reading slump until a book really grabs you, heart and soul. The physical book is 560 pages, but it felt like half of that as I flew through it, I was just so engrossed.

As with Addie LaRue, BOBITMS has the author’s signature poetic writing style, where you know she has considered every single word. She has said that she intended never to put as much of herself into a book as she did with Addie, but then she put everything she loved, everything she wanted and everything she feared into this one. And I think you can definitely tell how personal it is for her. This makes for an amazing reading experience as the emotions feel almost visceral.

I do not want to give too much of the plot away as I think you are best going into it knowing very little. It follows three very different young women, born hundreds of years apart, and their stories that tangle together. As well as a captivating queer love story, this book has so much depth and covers many serious topics.

I am already looking forward to rereading this book once my physical copy arrives, so I can savour every word, rather than having to rush through it because I was so desperate to know what happened!

I can absolutely see why so many people have given this 5 stars. Absolutely loved it!

I love a gothic fantasy, and I really enjoyed this one. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, I'd love to read this in audiobook format too!

I don't even know where to start with this book!
I was sold on toxic lesbian vampires but that does not even come close to covering the multitudes that this book contains.
I honestly thought that V E Schwab could not surpass Addie La Rue in its greatness but Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil does exactly that and as well as being a sold five star read it has joined the ranks of my favourite books of all time and something I already cannot wait to read again.

Thank you Netgalley for approving my request and nearly giving me a heart attack! I never thought I'd get to read this book early! My opinions are my own.

So this is for sure my favourite book of the year and it's only March. It might even be on my all-time favourites list!

I loved Addie LaRue by the same author and this had a similar poetic vibe - she has really honed her writing style with these novels into such a romantic and mysterious tone.

I loved the timeline jumps and seeing all the powerful/toxic/beautiful women jump out of the page at me. They were so distinct but also so hurt by the world around them, and you really feel it in their voices.

Interestingly, Lottie reminded me of the main character of Claire North's Touch, how much love she had in her for everyone and how little control she had over falling head over heels. She felt so endearing and so frustrating at the same time.

I don't want to spoil anything in this novel, because I think it all needs to be experienced firsthand - but it's absolutely amazing, and THAT ENDING. VE Schwab always blows me away with her endings, I have absolutely nothing negative to say at all.

my first v.e. schwab and i was not disappointed - this is a glorious book. twisty and dark, and dripping with interesting, conflicted characters. delicious.

when I thought I couldn't love Schwab anymore I have been proved wrong. Schwab excels at telling a story. She had me right at the start, and I mean, toxic lesbian vampires? sign me up.
I was immersed in the story, the evocative writing, and omg my heart was feeling everything.
I need to sit on this one and pull my thoughts together! This is one of the easiest 5 stars I've ever given.

’Sabine has walked the earth long enough to know that not all flowers grow well in the garden.
Some thrive, and others wither.
And a wretched few must be dug up before they ruin everything.’

Beautiful and haunting; harrowing and hypnotic: Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil’ is the type of book that swiftly sinks its teeth into you and refuses to let go throughout. Its prose is made to mesmerise whilst its characters are fascinating in a way that’s impossible to pull yourself away from. Admittedly it was a little different than I imagined but its left me utterly besotted regardless of that fact. If you want a new favourite featuring vampires to add to your shelves then look no further.

This book opens up with Maria’s perspective, casting a spell over you from its very first line. Her point of view is fascinating to find yourself engulfed within, beginning all the way back in 1521.Hers is a journey that spans a multitude of years and locations; it’s one that will accustom you to the lore and world of Schwab’s vampires. It’s a narrative with hints of a darker streak from early on although I won’t say more than that. Needless to say she made a fascinating figure to follow though and I utterly adored unravelling her tale. Something about her sections reminded me of ‘Interview With The Vampire’ (the film, not the book as I somehow still need to read it). It’s something in the grand scope and scale of it all; something about the unusual perspective and seeing the bloodshed involved through one of the perpetrator’s eyes. There’s just something about the overall feel of her chapters that I utterly adored.

Alice, meanwhile, is the modern perspective and her story is intertwined with so much longing, grief and complexities. The anxiety portrayal within her first chapter was superb although it did take me slightly longer to connect with her story overall. Looking back I think that’s because it’s spaced out more so than Maria’s story however and once the vampire elements became apparent within her narrative I was utterly hooked upon that too.

Lottie’s perspective features less but is vital to bringing all three threads together. It’s also quite possibly my favourite tale of the lot. I adored all of the narratives but oh how the dynamics involved here called to me. The ties; the obsession; the push and pull of her own nature. Plus the initial setting (after all, who doesn’t love a look at the glamour and trappings of a London Season?). Needless to say I was besotted.

There are lots of other individuals introduced over the course of the novel and no matter how big or small someone’s role they truly sparked with life. There were so many characters that I longed to learn more about; so many personalities or backstories I’d have happily devoured. It’s pretty incredible, in truth, just how real each and every person within this novel felt.

One thing worth noting about this novel – which is also why my review is focusing mostly upon its characters – is that it’s ultimately more character than plot driven. Generally I’d say I’m the kind of reader that priorities plot over characters yet I adored this so please don’t let this fact deter you. There is a storyline woven throughout and it’s riveting to follow in; it’s just one that’s very dependent upon its characters and focuses upon their lives. Particularly some of the toxic ties between some of them...

Similarly there’s a lot of emotional depth to unpack and you can truly feel the passion that the authors poured into this one. There’s longing, love, obsession, grief, anxiety, identity and even a touch of a ‘me too’ side of things at times. All beautifully intertwined around the vampire tale at this books core and depicted in the authors usual gorgeous prose.

Needless to say I wholeheartedly recommend ’Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil’ and simply cannot wait to treat myself to a copy of it. The prose is utterly divine, the characters fascinating, the narrative enthralling and the vampires beautifully depicted. I imagine it will come as a surprise to no one if I admit that I’m hoping for more set within this world one day.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil portrays a story over 500 years of women taking up space, something that was ignored when the story begins. The three characters followed within this story, each carving out a space for themselves despite being told they don't deserve it. They do everything that is right for them, instead of following what is right for the world. To call these women toxic is their birth right, as how could they be any other way in a world that they had to bend to be seen? They care only about their hunger and how they can satiate it. It's mesmerising to behold and empowering to read.

The characters are all toxic in their varying individual ways. They each use that toxicity to carve and crave and grow and crumble.

The writing, as always, is gorgeous. Each word carries a weight and is proportionately balanced by the next. There is poetry to the way Schwab writes, that I will never be exhausted by. My appreciation and awe constantly grows with each novel I read.

This is a novel that will leave you hungry to read again and again. It is not meant to be devoured and digested, but it's beauty, it's journey is best savoured and appreciated again and again, drawing something new for each life it contains. Because it contains many different lives, and just as each left these women hungrier for the next, each read will leave you hungry to enter these pages again.

V.E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors so when I heard her next book was "Toxic Lesbian Vampires" I couldn't wait to read it - I devoured it in just a couple sittings!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is so many things at once: an exploration of complex women; a treatise on how grief shapes lives; a love letter to sapphic love throughout the ages; a commentary of patriarchy; and a thrilling tale of vicious vampires. Whilst some books feel empty without a central 'plot' to follow, Schwab's women are so intricately created that simply following their stories and discovering who they truly are is more engaging than any mystery or battle.

I adored how each of the women were entirely unique, whilst still connected by their hunger. The unveiling of their stories was so perfectly timed that I was simultaneously happy to jump to another timeline while wishing I never had to leave the perspective I was in. What I loved the most was that these were not all 'good' women - their morals were questionable, their actions at times inexcusable, and their thirst impossible to satiate. Schwab has sited the queer undertones of Interview with the Vampire (and the recent TV adaption in particular) as an inspiration, and I can confirm that the twisted relationships found here are truly the lesbian answer to Louis and Lestat.

Vampires are having an incredible 'comeback' at the moment and Bury Our Bones should be at the top of everyone's lists.

I have been waiting so long for this book! I remember Schwab talking about writing it years ago at an Addie book signing in Yorkshire, so I was so excited to finally be able to read it! And as always with everything Scwab writes, it was incredible. The atmosphere, character builds and pacing of the book was perfect. Would recommend this the buyers for sure!

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a vampire book that intertwines the stories of three women, individual but bonded across time and space, through beautifully painted historical settings. And in doing so it becomes a realistic and almost truthful account of what it means to live forever.

This book being described as ‘toxic lesbian vampires’ is the most accurate description you could give this book. I loved seeing the lives of the three women and the multiple timelines. Their lives were entwined in such an interesting and beautiful way and my heart was bursting with all the emotions at the ups and downs of their long (and short) lives. If you love the writing style of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue then you’ll love this.

Oh my life, this book! I'm not usually one for vampires, being squeamish about teeth biting, and blood, and all that jazz...but this book hooked me from page one. The writing is sublime, the prose lyrical, the story seductive and sinister, enthralling, dark, disturbing and heartrending. The novel is told through the eyes of two women - Lucy in the present day, and Sabine in the past - both night walkers, blood drinkers. Abominations in the eyes of some. Vampires in the eyes of others. Page by page, chapter by chapter, I was pulled along towards the inevitable explosive conclusion as the lives (or deaths) of these two women, once lovers, collided - and imploded. Schwab is a powerful writer, able to conjure a visceral sense of longing, craving, yearning - hunger - in only words. Excellent. All the stars, and then some.

V.E. Schwab’s Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a dark, seductive dive into the raw and messy lives of three women, spanning centuries and intertwined in ways that feel both hauntingly inevitable and deeply tragic. This story is an exploration of obsession, power, and the desperate, visceral desire to be remembered.

We follow Maria, Charlotte, and Alice, each of them navigating the complexities of their own worlds and identities, bound by the soil beneath them. Their stories take place in 1532, 1837, and 2019, but Schwab’s use of voice and prose makes these transitions between time periods feel seamless. Each character is uniquely crafted, with distinct personalities and flaws that make them as captivating as they are destructive.

The vampire aspect is beautifully done here, free from the melodrama that often surrounds the trope. Instead, Schwab’s vampires are raw, real, and full of rage—each one a reflection of the desires and hunger that have shaped them. What truly sets this apart, though, is the way Schwab brings her characters to life. They are neither wholly good nor evil, but rather, they exist in that grey space where everything they do feels so much more human—driven by the complexities of emotion, love, and loss. This is a story about longing—whether it’s for love, power, or simply to be seen—and it’s impossible not to get swept up in the emotional current of their experiences.

What makes this novel even more poignant is how Schwab handles the relationships between her characters. The intricate, often tumultuous dynamics bring the full weight of their struggles to life. Their toxic love, jealousy, and thirst for connection unfold with an intensity that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions. You’ll find yourself rooting for them even as you cringe at their choices. It’s raw and intoxicating in the best way.

As a fan of Schwab’s work, I can say this is one of her most emotionally charged and gripping novels to date. Her mastery of language is evident in every line, and the way she weaves together history, the supernatural, and her characters’ inner turmoil is nothing short of mesmerizing. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a must-read for fans of gothic fiction, complex relationships, and unforgettable characters. It’s a novel that will stay with you long after the final page.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars.

V. E. Schwab is an auto-buy and auto-read author, I adore the authors writing style and the stories created.

This story has a dark edge to it and I love how the characters evolve as we get deeper into the thick of their journeys. This book delves into the way women are treated and seen as less than men by society and the people in their lives. The women in this story battle with their place in the world and how they fit, they seek autonomy and a power of some sort to just be themselves.

This book very well depicts how you may get what you want in the end, but it’s never how you envisioned. Power corrupts and tempts, but very rarely gives you the end result you seek. I feel a lot of mixed feelings about the women in this story, but I enjoyed their journeys and the tangled web they weaved.

Looking forward to my next read by this author!

The depressive book slump I am about to enter will be one of massive proportions all thanks to this gifted copy from @bookbreak

Bury our bones in the midnight soil has everything. I dont know how @veschwab did it but she beautifully intertwined historical fantasy, regency, and urban fantasy into one brilliant novel. I could not put this down, even as it sucked out my soul and ripped out my heart. 

You follow 3 separate women through 3 separate timelines as they each find themselves buried in the midnight soil, only to be born again as a feral rose. A feral rose, with blood soaked thorns. This has all the themes of a unique vampire novel, with underlying themes exploring unhealthy, toxic and abusive relationships, war, famine, family and found family. 

This could potentially be one of the best books I've ever read. The way it had my brain and heart in utter knots. 

I am broken, VE and it is all your fault. I expect penance in the form of more fantastic novels in the near future. 

Be sure to pick this one up, especially for Addie lovers, on 10th of June!

#buryourbonesinthemidnightsoil
#veschwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my all time favourite books. It’s a book that makes me feel very special when reading, like I’m experiencing it from the very depths of my soul, stepping into another plane of existence. I reread it every year and I’ve collected many beautiful editions of it.

When I heard V.E. Schwab describing her upcoming release as ‘Addie’s toxic older sister’ I was desperate to read it, to find another story that makes me feel the way that Addie does.

And I’m very glad to say that Bury Our Bones truly did deliver that feeling and more. I was lucky enough to go to an event with Schwab where she talked about the book, about how she wanted to tell a story about women taking up space, about stepping into their own power and letting themselves be seen in all their glory. Those themes are such an important part of the story and from the first breath taking page, I was completely and utterly lost in Schwab’s beautiful prose and agonisingly delicious depth.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to read about strong women with good hearts, who stand up and do what is right. But there is something incredibly satisfying about toxic women, who instead of doing the right thing for the world, do what is right for them. Who demand to take up the space they have been told they don’t deserve, who care only about their hunger, and how to satiate it.

Just like Addie, this is a book that you won’t even begin to be able to scratch the surface of on a first read. I know I’ll be reading it over and over for years to come, highlighting and memorising quotes, desperately searching for myself in the grey of the characters.

I’m so unbelievably grateful to live in a world where V.E. Schwab tells stories.

“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.”

V.E. Schwab has done it again. Obviously as a huge fan I’m not surprised, but what did surprise me is the way she managed to incorporate traditional vampire lore but still add something new. She stays true to some elements but makes subtle tweaks to others and what is left is quite simply, brilliant!

This book has been described as toxic lesbian vampires, which is entirely accurate, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s feminine rage. It’s love and passion. Grief and hope. Friendship, frustration and defiance, all wrapped up in a story that spans multiple centuries, continents and languages. It’s atmospheric and lyrical but brutal and unforgiving - I adored it 😍

The three main characters - Sabine, Charlotte and Alice - are very different but have so much in common. Each of them wishes for a different life, to be free and to be seen. Each of them wants to be loved. All of which makes them relatable, but doesn’t mean they are all likeable. As the story unfolds, and we learn more about the history that links these three women, not everyone’s motives are clear and I couldn’t wait to see how it would end.

This was beautifully written, and despite the story being told from three different points of view, jumping back and forth across a timeline that spanned centuries, it never felt confusing or slow.

I was fully immersed in the story and can’t wait to see readers reactions when it is released into the wild.

All the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher (Pan MacMillan) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

🖤 Blood-drenched, Lyrical & Ferociously Beautiful 🖤

“The world will try to make you small. It will tell you to be modest, and meek. But the world is wrong. You should get to feel and love and live as boldly as you want.”

There are stories that linger—and then there are stories that consume you, sink their teeth into your soul, and refuse to let go. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is the latter. A haunting, blood-soaked tapestry of desire, rage, and the brutal ache of eternity, Schwab delivers something feral, intoxicating, and utterly consuming.

I went into this with impossibly high expectations because The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my absolute favorite books of all time. It hit hard, it resonated deeply, and it’s one I will keep rereading forever. So, naturally, I highly anticipated this—and Schwab did not disappoint.

Spanning centuries and continents, we follow three women—each bound by hunger, by longing, by the cruel weight of time. Schwab’s prose shifts and transforms with each perspective, weaving a hypnotic, toxic, achingly human narrative that is as grotesque as it is beautiful. The way each individual story unfurls and intertwines creates something rich and deeply immersive—never once breaking its hold, always dragging you deeper, making you ravenous for more.

This book is a love letter to monsters—to the women who refuse to be tamed, to the ones who burn, who hunger, who haunt the shadows and carve their own place in history. It brims with yearning, obsession, and a hunger so visceral it left me breathless. It’s a story about womanhood—about being unapologetically no one but yourself, about the defiance of existing on your own terms, untamed, unshackled, and unrepentant.

I devoured this book. I was obsessed—completely, utterly lost in it. It is relentless, violent, intoxicating, and sexy—everything I hoped for and so, so much more. Schwab has taken gothic horror and drenched it in female rage, desire, and the aching, desperate need for connection. It is a story of control—of the power men have held over women, of women reclaiming that power, of the grip that love, obsession, and time itself can have over us.

It is a book of absolute perfection, and I already cannot wait to reread it again.

If you crave stories that feel like a fever dream of blood and longing, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is an absolute must-read.

I’ve always been drawn to books that span the course of a lifetime, and Bury Our Bones takes that concept to an entirely new level by spanning centuries. This novel sweeps across various time periods, following three key characters, and it constantly shifts, tugging at your emotions in unexpected ways.

As I read, I found myself torn between which character I most wanted to follow and learn more about. The way their stories intertwined was so clever and captivating—it kept me hooked from beginning to end.

As always, Schwab’s writing is absolutely stunning. It’s a perfect balance of beauty and accessibility, never too flowery or intimidating, yet rich with atmosphere and vivid detail. The characters feel so real and well-developed, making it easy to get lost in their world.

This book and its characters will linger with me for a long time. I truly felt like I embarked on a journey with them. I absolutely loved it, and I’m so grateful to the publishers for sending me an early copy!

This will contain spoilers

I'll be honest with you, I have just finished the book and I don't know how I feel. I loved it but the haunting lyrical style of the story has left me just sitting here staring into space with an empty head (hello book hangover).

We follow three women, who's lives (and deaths) are intimately linked. These women are affected in different ways by their past and the decisions that led to them being buried in the midnight soil.
Maria/Sabine who doesn't want to be a wife but wants the freedom of position it will give her, her only goal in life is to be free and to live on her terms. Throughout the book we see how she becomes cruel and hollow and her humanity is stripped from her, but looking back at the decisions she made even as a child, I feel like somewhere inside her she was always cruel and selfish.
Charlotte, a reluctant debutante who just wanted to be free to love openly and not be forced to be small for the sake of others. To me Charlotte's main issue is that she was always nieve and a bit of a coward. Her choice was always to run and to hope someone else would deal with things for her, she was selfish in the way she wanted her life to be easy and despite climing to care for others, she allowed them to be fodder for her escape.
Alice, all she ever wanted was to be seen, to be brave, to live up to her sister's shadow. Alice has always been in bewteen, never truly feeling as if she belonged but also not ever being brave enough to face it head on. Maybe in time away from her family dynamic and with therapy, she would be able to feel whole in herself.
All of these women are flawed in different ways and the way vampyrism is used in this book to enhance their flaws is fabulous. Becoming a vampire, a predator of your (previously) own kind is something humans have written about and battled with for years and it is no different here, each woman has her own way of deciding who to kill and the way they justify their doing so. They both want to cling on to who they were while trying to reconcile what they now are and who will they become?

Overall I felt hope, pity, anger and derision for each character in the way they are portrayed, and I feel like Schwab has done a fantastic job of showing humans as the flawed, scared creatures we are. We all just want to belong and be free, the question is: What price are you willing to pay?