Johanna van Veen is officially my new go-to when it comes to gothic horror. This book was delicious! Blood on Her Tongue is bound to be on my mind for a long time. Why did I like it so much? Well...

Let's get into it-

Characters- Twins have a special place in horror. We often find a pair of off-putting twins between the pages of a horror novel or on the big screen. While it might not be a revolutionary concept, I do love a good twin story, even if its been done before. I also love a story about sisterly love, so Van Veen is hitting a two-for-one here. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every character in this story, but none more then our main character Lucy and her twin sister Sarah. I found Lucy to be endearingly odd, and Sarah to be a fascinating character both before and after being "possessed". From their interactions to their complex feelings towards one another, everything about these two worked for me. The other characters filled out a memorable cast , with each personality adding their own spice into the story. 4.5/5

Setting- I absolutely adored the Netherlands as a backdrop for this story. The bog, the house, it all felt so wet and cold and horrible in a way that suits the gothic genre perfectly. 5/5

Premise- This not-quite-possession story was so unique and fascinating. I really enjoyed the scientific path the story took, and felt that it added an extra special layer of horror. Lucy's resigned understanding of her sister's condition and her instinct to save her despite her distasteful changes felt entirely believable to me, and I had no issue supporting her decision. 4.5/5

Horror- I felt that the horror elements of this story were handled masterfully. Because I was able to understand Lucy's decision to help her sister, watching as she planned to "feed" her was all the more sickening, because it felt like a necessary conclusion. This story comes together like a train-wreck in slow motion- you know where it's going, you know it will be gruesome, and yet you can't tear your eyes away for a moment. 5/5

Johanna van Veen has cemented her place on my roster of authors to watch. As far as the modern gothic goes, she is the queen in my eyes, and I eagerly await whatever it is she writes next. Blood on Her Tongue was a delight to read, through and through.

Blood on Her Tongue is the second novel from My Darling Dreadful Thing author Johanna van Veen. Atmospheric and beautifully written, this is a novel that drips with Gothic themes and aesthetics, from the historical time period to the gloomy bogs from which the mysterious corpse at the centre of Sarah’s sickness emerges. But those hoping for the eerie, things-that-go-bump-in-the-night variety of Gothic horror, be warned: Blood on Her Tongue is gory and visceral, filled to the brim with spilled blood, sharp teeth, and a vicious hunger.

Lucy’s love for her twin sister - or at least what remains of her - is the driving force behind the novel, a searing and violent examination of the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love, and the ways that, if they so choose, they can manipulate that love.

Prior to Sarah’s illness, Lucy had been sent away to work as a companion to the elderly Mrs. van Dijk. It’s clear that Lucy and Sarah’s relationship is deeply dysfunctional, with Lucy almost disappearing into her sister’s bolder personality, constantly putting her needs above her own, and this role is a clear lifeline thrown to her by those around her, one that is offered again and again throughout the novel. But Lucy’s attachment to her sister is all-consuming, and the reader’s early sympathies with Lucy’s attempts to protect Sarah from the men in her life (and not unjustifiably so) becomes increasingly hard to maintain, as Lucy rationalises more and more of Sarah’s unhinged behaviour, contemplating darker and darker acts in order to keep her twin safe. Or maybe that’s just what it’s like with sisters - can someone confirm?

As such, Blood on Her Tongue walks a delightfully uncomfortable line between a Van Helsing-esque urge to stop whatever vampiric-like force has its grip on Sarah, and the rather more fun alternative of muttering “good for her” when Lucy and Sarah finally - perhaps inevitably - get on the same blood-soaked page.

Blood on Her Tongue is a serious contender for my book of the year. It certainly won’t be for everyone, and you’d be hard pressed to find as unlikeable a core duo as Lucy and Sarah but there’s just something appropriately parasitic about it, gripping me and refusing to let go. And I’m more than okay with that.

This books was super atmospheric and will be a great fall read. It was so hard to put down and very easy to visualize. I love seeing women allowed to be evill and not be shamed for it. I also loved seeing justice be served and the evil men in this book destroyed.

I think I found my next auto-buy author! The way she creates the atmosphere, the way she describe the madness, fears, the darkest parts of humanity is mesmerising. I can’t wait to read her next book.

Very gothic and eerie

I loved Sarah and Lucy's relationship as twins that constant back and forth near the end of "shes a monster but shes my sister" type.
The bog body was such a cool concept and unusual aswel which just made the book more interesting. The mixed media aswell was so fun, it was since to have a wee break between chapters to read a long letter that gives you more insight into Sarah before she got ill.

I will say though that I enjoyed the middle probably the most, I just feel like the beginning was quite slow and then at times the end was too fast and too much was happening but either way I did enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC

I think maybe this author just isn't for me, unfortunately. I can objectively understand the hype, but for some reason I haven't enjoyed their books as much as everyone else seems to.

This was sp atmospheric but also the wildest most unhinged book I read in a while. The FMC is messy! I think this book really lends itself to the gothic horror sphere of literature. It definitely gave me the feeling of isolation, dreary weather and melancholy that I loved in Dracula and Frankenstein.

Blood on Her Tongue is vampire horror as it was always meant to be: marked by excess in all aspects. It is seductive past the point of enjoyment to the point of frantic pain; curiosity-inducing to the point of relentless obsession; decadent, but like a fruit on the knife’s edge between ripe and rotting. As you may have guessed, I really loved this book.

From a craft perspective, Van Veen’s prose is clean and haunting, and blends well with the gothic themes of stagnation and decay. It isn’t anachronistic, and rather lends itself to the suspension of disbelief and allows the focus of the narrative to be on the protagonist Lucy’s character arc or the story’s plot progression. There are lovely turns of phrase, but never is the prose purple, and I think the most effective passages are when the focus is on the visceral (I’d say “the body horror scenes”, but that would be ignoring that the sex scenes have much the same effect of forcing the reader to look at something uncomfortable).

I was also a big fan of the thematic resonances of this story. It’s one deeply centered on the nuances of womanhood, and what the right sorts of it are (given the socio cultural context of the setting). We get glimpses of the criminalization of queer identity (Aunt Adelheid’s institutionalization), socioeconomic realities (whether one is a disabled widow with no family who must pay for companionship to get by, or an impoverished relation who’s too highborn to work but must still rely on a male relative’s charity to maintain one’s lifestyle, or a serving woman, or a wife who’s husband is a philanderer and chauvinist, there’s no outcome where a woman’s financial position is truly secure and independent), the axis of sexuality/desire (Lucy’s desire for Michael is shameful and mirrors her sister’s ill and perverse thoughts about the bog woman), and so much more, all as a secondary focus to the horror. Or, rather, a glimpse of a horror story all the more haunting for its roots in reality.

The horror of the story was brilliantly done. The unsettling closeness of the sisters, the weirdness of the supporting cast, all of the characterization lends to the things feeling slightly… off. Couple that with a rainy, boggy landscape, a gloomy old mansion, and the Heroic era of medicine making it so attempts to fix medical catastrophes just make them worse, and you have one spooky setting. The suspenseful pace made the 300+ pages of the book fly by even as the body- and psychological horror scenes kept me rooted in place.

Most of all, I loved Lucy as a protagonist. I loved the places where she was steadfast to the point of madness, especially because they contrasted the many places where she was passive, and her inaction caused problems to escalate. I love her blind devotion to her sister, and the way she’s ready to love ugly things but shies away from the gentle, easy ones if they’re not what she truly wants. Her consistent nature made it so her choices were easy to see coming even as they escalated in intensity, which was a point of anchoring and comfort for me as I made my way through the disquieting world/plot (yes, even when Lucy’s actions were themselves disquieting!).

I recommend Blood on Her Tongue for fans of A Dowry in Blood, Paris Paloma’s song “Labour”, and any woman who’s felt her skin to be a cage in our patriarchal society.

Well well well. What the f**k?
It's weird, it's grusome, it's explicitly detailed to the point of shuddering, but it was bloody great.

I was in suspense at finding out what was happening. I couldn't help but continue on, even when cringing at some of the more horroresque elements, to get to the conclusion.

The writing was brilliant; gothic, lyrical and with good flow.
The only thing that let it down for me was it got a bit slow in the middle, but I can recognise that this was to increase tension.

I think I’m done with Dracula retellings for awhile.

This one takes a sapphic bent and uses a scientific approach to the vampire lore, which might have been interesting, but the histrionic nature of the narrative was off putting and slowed the pace. The setting was compelling, but not enough to keep the story going.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

A perfect read for those who loved The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling and Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu!

Blood on Her Tongue delves into the unsettling bond between twin sisters, Lucy and Sarah, set against the backdrop of 1880s Netherlands. When Sarah becomes mysteriously ill after an obsession with a bog body found on her husband's land, her condition deteriorates, leading to violent and cannibalistic behaviors. Lucy embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind her sister's transformation, confronting themes of family loyalty, body horror, and the supernatural.​

Van Veen's writing is immersive, blending psychological distress with vivid descriptions of grotesque transformations. The novel's structure, with its repetitive beats and claustrophobic setting, amplifies the sense of dread. The inclusion of queer history adds depth to the narrative without distraction. Just like her novel, My Darling Dreadful Thing, Blood on Her Tongue is atmospheric and crawls into your bones, compelling you to keep reading.

Another great read from Van Veen! I thank the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read & review this book!

Thank you to @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Yes, I read an ARC of this one, so my review is quite late, but this one totally deserves the attention. Johanna van Veen is back at it again with another atmospheric, gothic horror banger! This slow burn is dark, eerie, and beautifully written, keeping me drawn into the story from beginning to end. With some body horror, this had me saying, “omg eww… but okay what happens now?” 👀😂

This sophomore novel from Johanna van Veen solidified her as an author I will always be excited about. If you want to experience a book with body horror, bogs, sisterly love, a dog, madness, vampire vibes, and a skin flake, then read this one!

This is the second novel I've read by Johanna Van Veen, and it just confirmed to me that she is, in fact, one of my favourite authors. I do not naturally gravitate to horror, but when I have, it is usually to authors such as her. Before you read this novel, be sure to read the forward; it does prepare the reader for what lies ahead. Yes, it is creepy, yes, it is bloody, but it's also a whole lot of fun. This novel will keep you entertained from start to finish. In fact I was so intrigued that I read it in a day!
Set in what I believe to be the Victorian era, Lucy receives a very unsettling letter from her twin, Sarah. Sarah's letter is incoherent, pleading, and desperate, and her handwriting is beyond agitated.
Sarah's letter was soon followed by her husband's letter, requesting Lucy come to Sarah's assistance.
Lucy isn't completely surprised by this; madness, after all, does run in the family.
When Lucy arrives, in an effort to discover the cause of her sister's madness, she begins to read Sarah's journals. These journals aren't just a person's recollection of the day's thoughts and events; they are also scholarly in nature. It seems a body has been found on the property, but not any body, a Bog Woman wonderfully preserved centuries after her demise. Sarah's obsession over the Bog Woman seems to have ignited her madness, so much so that we, the readers, start to believe that she may, in fact, be possessed by the Bog Woman's spirit because soon Sarah ceases to be Sarah as Lucy has known her to be.
As with most Victorian stories, the male characters are far from sympathetic. For instance, Sarah's husband is dismissive, condescending, and extremely narcissistic, which makes him an unsympathetic character. However, Van Veen does not paint the sisters as sympathetic characters either, but it does get the readers rooting for them at the end.
This novel is highly atmospheric. It is gruesome, suspenseful, and quite humorous at times (to the expense of a couple of characters). I enjoy Johanna Van Veen so much because, despite the heavy themes, the plot is gruesome fun. If you are not a fan of body horror, maybe stay away from this one, but if you enjoy a good, gruesome, spooky tale, you'll definitely enjoy Blood on Her Tongue.

I absolutely loved this messed up little book.

We follow our protagonist, Lucy, as she visits her twin, Sarah, who is extremely ill. She tries to figure out the cause of Sarah's condition and discovers it might be tied to a mysterious body that was pulled out of the bog, a rock lodged between her teeth...

This was such a unique take on vampires and I loved every second of it. I'm already a little obsessed with vampire media, so to have something this fresh is wonderful. The imagery, the prose, the love between two sisters, this book had it all. And, as always, men turn out to be the biggest monsters of them all. 5/5!

Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen is a gothic horror novel set in 1887 Netherlands. It follows twin sisters Lucy and Sarah, whose deep bond is tested when Sarah becomes obsessed with a centuries-old corpse and starts exhibiting strange, ravenous behaviour. Lucy uncovers dark secrets about her sister and herself, as she fights to save her sister from madness and supernatural forces.

The premise, the Cover, as well as writing and setting are very intriguing. I immensely enjoyed the letter correspondence between the sisters, unravelling more and more about the mysterious corpse Sarah found in the bog and became obsessed with. Their relationship is close, but also codependent, as Lucy barely feels like a whole character for the majority of the story, she feels empty, directionless and obsessed with her sister (and her husband). Sarah, being the more passionate one, offers a bit more to the reader, although in the end both fall flat as also highly unlikeable. They justify even the worst of behaviour, and for me, it crosses the border of relatability. The men in this book are even more flat and basically all bad, a lot of this can of course be directed to the time the novel is set - but the mix between these bland bad men and the self-righteous egoistical sisters does not make an appealing blend. They just all end up unlikeable and the book despite it all feels quite emotionless.
I did enjoy the gothic setting and atmosphere, although it could use some more purple prose and melancholy.

Overall around 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

It's the late 1800s, and something sinister is afoot with our protagonist Lucy's twin sister Sarah.

Locked away in her husband's estate for the protection of herself and others, is this another case of the sexist disease <i>hysteria</i> or something far more real... and dangerous? Secrets and even stranger hungers plague Sarah, resulting in incredibly odd and occasionally violent behavior. Her letter begging for help couldn't have prepared Lucy for the reality of the situation, of how far her sister's mind deteriorated.

A long-dead body Sarah was obsessed with to a frightening degree make the likelihood the woman would be sent to an asylum all the more likely. Such interests are not for finely bred ladies, of course her mind shattered her husband cries. Out of sight out of mind, better to keep her oddness far, far away. Her previous bouts of mental malaise the final nails in the metaphoric coffin for her sanity. She's become convinced the bog body discovered on the grounds is out for blood, specifically hers.

Can Lucy solve the mystery of what's happening to her beloved sister before it's too late? These strange cravings and obsessions must be part of a greater plot... they must be. Sarah can't truly be mad! Just how far is Lucy willing to go as things spiral out of control? What will she do if Sarah has become something else entirely? How far do the bonds of sisterhood reach before snapping?

Much like the ghost story of van Veen's novel <i>My Darling Dreadful Thing</i>, the author has shown an uncanny ability to weave horror, fantastical elements, and a historical setting into an all-consuming wonder. Her last novel is one of my favorites from 2024, which made the chance to read this ARC a real treat and honor! I'm unfortunately a bit late to the game due to some personal things, yet don't let this delayed review misconstrue my excitement to read this story.

Vampiric fiction, especially of the Gothic variety focuses heavily on power imbalances and obsessive longing. The desires long buried within finally given freedom in the light of day. The acceptance that to have power and eternal life someone else must pay the price to keep the scales of reality in balance.

In this novel, the vampire tale is blended with the mystique of bog bodies and Victorian obsessions with the dead. Autopsies and discussions of mummies were commonplace for the wealthy looking for a bit of intellectual stimulation. The uncanny acts and ramblings of Sarah could be warning signs she's turning into a creature of the night, yet the desire to understand the unknowable via the sciences make most in this novel believe she's suffered a mental collapse.

Those sensitive to discussions of mental illness and those afflicted being treated poorly should be wary reading this book. This is done with purpose to shine a light on how those who are a bit odd or need extra help—especially women—were locked away or tortured instead. This is a Gothic Horror novel so things do get quite dark, yet never gratuitously so. The pain and cruelty has a purpose to open one's eyes to both the past and the present, it isn't there to revel in the abuse of women.

This was a great, spooky, harrowing read! Lucy and Sarah as main characters of this story was so perfect — their dynamic, their resentment and love for each other, all of it was fantastic. The supernatural element was squirm-worthy but excellent, and loved Lucy readiness at having to deal with it by virtue of her sister being at the centre. This is a brutal and unapologetic book, and definitely feels like the epitome of celebrating womens' wrongs. If that's the kind of book you're looking for, BLOOD ON HER TONGUE will not disappoint!

give johanna van veen full ability to write whatever she wants. this is a horror book with some real nasty moments, but it’s also incredibly FUN. like, i was giggling to myself at some points. and i love any horror that celebrates women — their rights AND their wrongs, and there’s plenty of both to be found here. just an excellent little novel.

I really enjoyed this spooky story! The family dynamics were interesting even without the supernatural element, but I loved the twists and turns too. I liked the back and forth with the letters from Sarah in the beginning, as they gave me a chance to know who she was under normal circumstances vs what she became. Definitely recommend this unsettling book!

Haunting and richly atmospheric, this novel weaves together folklore and female fury in a voice that demands to be heard. Van Veen’s prose is lyrical and razor-sharp, pulling you deep into a world where truth and myth blur. It’s a fierce, unforgettable story that lingers like a whispered warning.