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Cover of This Vicious Hunger

This Vicious Hunger

by Francesca May

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·spoiler

Why Read This?

A gorgeously written sapphic gothic fantasy steeped in poisonous plants, obsessive desire, and atmospheric dark academia -- if you love lush prose, toxic yearning, and cottagecore-gone-wrong vibes, this delivers on atmosphere even if the plot meanders

Synopsis

From the author of Wild and Wicked Things comes a dark gothic fantasy about two young women struggling to find the freedom of choice in a world where their path feels predetermined. Turning to each other, they soon find themselves sinking deeper into a world of beauty, poison, and the insatiable quest for knowledge. Thora Grieve finds herself destitute and an outcast after the sudden death of her husband only a few weeks into their marriage, but a glimmer of hope arrives when a family friend offers her spot at a university to study botany under a famed professor. Once at the university Thora becomes entranced by a mysterious young woman, Olea, who emerges each night to tend to the plants in the professor's private garden. Thora soon discovers that a mysterious illness prevents Olea from leaving the garden. Hungry for connection, Thora befriends Olea through the garden gate and their relationship quickly and intensely blossoms. The visceral connection between Thora and Olea unlocks an obsessive desire in Thora as she throws herself into finding a cure for Olea's ailment. But is this really love or is it merely lustful intoxication? Thora's finally found the freedom to pursue her deepest desires, but at what cost?

At a Glance

3.11 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
Endingspoiler
PairingF/F
Romance Pacingslow burn
Energyhigh

Top Tropes

forbidden lovesecret relationshipdark academia romancefirst love

Mood

darkgothicseductivemysteriousintense

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

3.11 ★

Page Count

432 pages

Published

2025

Primary Genre

Gothic Romance

Pairing

F/F

POV

First Person

Romance Pacing

Slow Burn

Cliffhanger

spoiler

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Standard

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

Writing Style

lushgothicseductivedreamydarkemotionalpoetic

Story Pacing

slow

Emotional Weight

heavy

Energy Required

high

Vibes

sapphic dark academia with poisonous plantsgothic obsession and toxic yearningintoxicating forbidden connectionhunger as metaphor for desire and knowledgelush prose meets body horror

Characters

FMC Archetype

widowbookworm/scholaroutcast/lonersurvivor

MMC Archetype

N/A

Relationship Dynamics

forbidden loveobsessive love interestpower imbalanceslow burnshe falls first

Spice Details 🌶️

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Spice Level 4

Spice Style

intense / passionateemotional / lovingslow / sensualdark / taboo style

Getting Steamy

touch starvationlonging glancesbody worshiptensionanticipationeye contact intensity

Bringing the Heat

None
Browse more books by spice level →
addictionviolencedeathdeath of loved onetraumatoxic relationshipsgriefcaptivityimprisonmentbody horror
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World & Setting

World Type

gothichistorical

Primary Setting

academy / campusmanor house / estate

Fantasy Creatures

Representation

sapphicqueer

Reading Context

Emotional Payoff

Best Time of Year

autumn

When & Where to Read

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