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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
The sneak peek that sank its teeth into me... and left me haunted.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me get an early listen to the first 12 chapters of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab. This has been one of my most anticipated books of 2025 since the moment it was announced—and now I’m even more obsessed.
Spanning three timelines—1532 Spain, 1827 London, and 2019 Boston—this story weaves together the lives of three women grappling with hunger, desire, rage, and impossible choices. Each timeline feels fully realized and distinct, thanks in large part to the incredible audiobook narration. Shiromi Arserio, Eilidh Beaton, and Laura Jennings absolutely nail it, breathing life into the characters and pulling you deep into each era’s mood and rhythm. It’s lush, eerie, and emotionally charged from the first chapter.
The vibe? Very Hungerstone by Kat Dunn—gothic, sapphic, bloody, and slow-burning in the best way. That creeping tension, the ache of longing, the shadows of danger lurking just out of sight… it’s all here, and it’s so good.
But here’s the catch: the preview ends right when things start to really unravel. And now I have to wait until June 9, 2025 for the full audiobook—and honestly, I’m counting the days. I can’t wait to see how the timelines converge, what secrets unfold, and what Schwab has in store for us.
Highly recommended for fans of dark feminist stories, queer historical fiction, and gothic drama that lingers long after you press pause.
Rating: 4.5 stars (based on the 12-chapter sneak peek).
If the rest of the audiobook delivers on this setup—and I fully believe it will—it’s on track to be a solid 5-star listen.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me get an early listen to the first 12 chapters of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab. This has been one of my most anticipated books of 2025 since the moment it was announced—and now I’m even more obsessed.
Spanning three timelines—1532 Spain, 1827 London, and 2019 Boston—this story weaves together the lives of three women grappling with hunger, desire, rage, and impossible choices. Each timeline feels fully realized and distinct, thanks in large part to the incredible audiobook narration. Shiromi Arserio, Eilidh Beaton, and Laura Jennings absolutely nail it, breathing life into the characters and pulling you deep into each era’s mood and rhythm. It’s lush, eerie, and emotionally charged from the first chapter.
The vibe? Very Hungerstone by Kat Dunn—gothic, sapphic, bloody, and slow-burning in the best way. That creeping tension, the ache of longing, the shadows of danger lurking just out of sight… it’s all here, and it’s so good.
But here’s the catch: the preview ends right when things start to really unravel. And now I have to wait until June 9, 2025 for the full audiobook—and honestly, I’m counting the days. I can’t wait to see how the timelines converge, what secrets unfold, and what Schwab has in store for us.
Highly recommended for fans of dark feminist stories, queer historical fiction, and gothic drama that lingers long after you press pause.
Rating: 4.5 stars (based on the 12-chapter sneak peek).
If the rest of the audiobook delivers on this setup—and I fully believe it will—it’s on track to be a solid 5-star listen.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a sneak peek audio arc.
How tortuous. These 12 chapters left me right on edge just when I was falling over into full character attachment.. Why did I do this to myself?! I am so intrigued and we didn’t even scratch the vampire surface!
Seems like some hot messy feminine rage is on the menu and I am ready to EAT.
The narrators were wonderful and made the multiple timelines and jumps easy to follow while staying immersed in each story.
Many thanks to the Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and the author for providing this amazing sneak peak of the first 12 chapters!
When I saw that Julia Whelan was one of the three narrators, I already knew it was going to be incredible. She, Marisa Calin, and Katie Leung all did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life. While still early in the story, I can already tell this is going to be an incredible journey, especially with Schwab’s engaging writing and how the story is being told. I can’t wait to see how these storylines intertwine, and I will now continue to not-so-patiently wait for the release of this!
When I saw that Julia Whelan was one of the three narrators, I already knew it was going to be incredible. She, Marisa Calin, and Katie Leung all did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life. While still early in the story, I can already tell this is going to be an incredible journey, especially with Schwab’s engaging writing and how the story is being told. I can’t wait to see how these storylines intertwine, and I will now continue to not-so-patiently wait for the release of this!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a sneak peek of this book! I am even more excited for its release after listening to the first few chapters of the audiobook. The narrator is excellent, and the story itself is already so beautiful. I can't wait for June, as I plan to buy the book immediately and listen to the audiobook while I read it. Everything about it feels just perfect. I love V.E. Schwab, and she is one of the authors from whom I would read anything at this point. Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for this sneak peek audiobook in exchange for my honest review!
The writing and narration of this sneak peak are very well done and incredibly engaging. 4 stars instead of 5 only because I want to reserve a higher rating (if applicable) for the finished novel. V. E. Schwab knows how to pull readers head-first into a story and has shown that again here. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the release so I can pick this back up and find out what happens.
Please check the trigger warnings as there issexual assault by a spouse within the first 12 chapters.
Please check the trigger warnings as there is
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault
This was an intriguing sample of the book and I can't wait to see how the characters' stories start to come together and how vampirism plays a role. And the narrators are incredible!
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this sneak peak.
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this sneak peak.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow—what an incredible sneak peek! The first 12 chapters of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soul absolutely blew me away!
The narrators—Julia Whelan, Marisa Calin, and Katie Leung—are phenomenal. Each one brings the characters to life with so much emotion and depth, making the story feel even more vivid and immersive. I was completely hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t believe it when I hit the end of the sample—it flew by!
I can’t wait to dive back in with my copy when the publication date rolls around, though I’m already counting down the days until I can do a full re-read with the audiobook because it really brought the story to life. This story is going to be the hit of the summer!
Huge thanks to NetGalley, the amazing author, V. E. Schwab, and the publisher for the chance to experience this early! I’m so excited to see where the story goes next.
The narrators—Julia Whelan, Marisa Calin, and Katie Leung—are phenomenal. Each one brings the characters to life with so much emotion and depth, making the story feel even more vivid and immersive. I was completely hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t believe it when I hit the end of the sample—it flew by!
I can’t wait to dive back in with my copy when the publication date rolls around, though I’m already counting down the days until I can do a full re-read with the audiobook because it really brought the story to life. This story is going to be the hit of the summer!
Huge thanks to NetGalley, the amazing author, V. E. Schwab, and the publisher for the chance to experience this early! I’m so excited to see where the story goes next.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated