Waiting for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil? Try These Read-Alikes
V.E. Schwab’s southern-gothic debut, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, was officially released on June 10, sending fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and the Shades of Magic series scrambling for copies. Libraries can expect strong demand from readers drawn to atmospheric, emotionally resonant stories, like this selection of compelling read-alikes that capture the same haunting blend of poetic prose, gothic themes, and deeply human storytelling.
Dig into the full list of read-alikes here.
The Wren in the Holly Library by K. A. Linde
Set in a world brimming with monsters and magic, this dark fantasy romance centers on a mortal girl who must survive a deadly contest inside a fae library. Like Bury Our Bones, it blends beauty and brutality, pairing lush prose with the raw violence of survival. Fans of complicated, morally gray characters and stories with romantic undercurrents tangled in danger will find themselves captivated here.
Sundown in San Ojuela by M. M. Olivas
Steeped in desert folklore and ancestral ghosts, Olivas’ debut reads like a whispered myth passed down through generations. It mirrors Bury Our Bones in its exploration of grief and belonging, layered through queer Latinx identity and a sense of place as character. Atmospheric and elegiac, this novel invites you into a sun-bleached town where the dead speak in dreams—and reckonings are inevitable.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
A queer necromantic murder mystery set in space, Gideon the Ninth may seem like a tonal shift, but it shares the same bones-deep obsession with death, loyalty, and twisted love. With razor-sharp wit and gothic horror vibes, Muir’s world is as intricate and deadly as it is tender beneath the blade. If you appreciated Bury Our Bones for its complex relationships and dark humor, this one’s for you.
City of Ruin by Lindsey Pogue
Post-apocalyptic and emotional, this story focuses on resilience, healing, and the fragile threads of hope in a broken world. Pogue’s lyrical style and character-driven plot offer a grounded yet fantastical experience, especially appealing to those who cherished Bury Our Bones for its intimacy amid devastation. There’s a quiet romance, aching losses, and found-family themes that resonate deeply.
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Urban fantasy meets epic grief in this genre-blending tale. Like Bury Our Bones, it features a protagonist grappling with profound trauma while being pulled into a web of mystery and danger. Maas’s narrative balances high-octane action with slow-burning emotional catharsis, offering readers a heart-heavy but rewarding ride through loss, justice, and rediscovery of purpose.
Ready to be haunted again?
Each of these titles carries the echo of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil in its own unique way—whether through gothic worldbuilding, queer longing, meditations on death, or the eternal ache of memory. So light a candle, draw the curtains, and prepare to be buried all over again in stories that bloom in the dark.