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When the Bones Sing
From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead.
The past three years have been tough for Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered.
17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up.
Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the monstrous Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting the dead with their families to give them some peace.
Lo doesn’t know peace, though. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they’re the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn’t buried with their bones; it’s hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.
The past three years have been tough for Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered.
17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up.
Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the monstrous Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting the dead with their families to give them some peace.
Lo doesn’t know peace, though. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they’re the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn’t buried with their bones; it’s hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2025
169 people are currently reading
23263 people want to read
About the author
Ginny Myers Sain
4 books1,041 followersGinny Myers Sain lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has spent the past twenty years working closely with teens as a director and acting instructor in a program designed for high school students seriously intent on pursuing a career in the professional theatre. Having grown up in deeply rural America, she is interested in telling stories about resilient kids who come of age in remote settings. Dark and Shallow Lies is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
March 24, 2025
In a Nutshell: A YA Paranormal-Fantasy-Mystery about a teen girl who can hear the bones of the dead. Amazing atmosphere, great use of the setting (The Ozarks), interesting characters, average mystery, simplistic plotting. Recommended to YA readers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
☠ Fabulous description of the Ozarks. It’s very clear that the author loves and respects the mountains. Her words bring the location to life.
☠ The atmosphere, whether in the dark mountains or the murder scenes or the mysterious howls or the supernatural shadows. Brilliant and vivid!
☠ The small-town vibes of Lucifer’s creek, and its myriad denizens with their varying attitudes towards superstitions and religion and xenophobic attitude towards hill people. Added well to the claustrophobic feel of the book.
☠ Dovie as a character is perfect for her age. Strongwilled, brave, and impulsive. I love how she has her head on her shoulders for the most way and considers her talent a natural skill than magic.
☠ The two grandmas in the story: Dovie’s Grandma Fern and Lo’s Grandma Pearl. Both so unlike each other in beliefs and yet such interesting characters who could do anything for their grandchildren.
☠ Lyrical writing that made me pause and ponder many times, especially in the first half.
☠ Decent pacing despite the descriptive prose.
☠ The concept of the magical humming of the bones of the dead. I wish this had been explored more, but like all good fictional magic, it stays unexplained and intriguing.
☠ The Ozark Howler! Hadn’t heard of him before, so it was great to learn about the mythical cryptid.
☠ That fabulous title and the cover art!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
👻 I was worried that the book would turn into a typical YA Romance the minute Lo came on the picture. Well, it does happen but not for a long while. However, there is a hint of a love triangle. This development bugged me as there was absolutely no need for it. YAs might feel differently about this inclusion.
👻 While most of the conversations in the book are quite well-written, there is a good deal of secret-keeping in the second half. This gets a bit annoying after a point.
👻 The ending was okay in terms of its reveal (I guessed the guilty party even before the halfway mark), and with an extended infodump confession, a bit tedious. However, I did like the revelations and was also surprised by a couple of details.
Bookish Nays:
👺 In certain scenes it's tough to understand why the youngsters do dangerous things on their own instead of asking reliable adults for help. Yeah, I know… Typical of a YA book! But these events should have been penned in a more convincing manner.
👺 It was quite easy for me to figure out the identity of the villain as the overall approach is a bit too straightforward. I wish there had been multiple suspects in parallel instead of having the light shine on the characters one at a time.
All in all, this is quite a good atmospheric read. Had the mystery been handled more cleverly, I would have rated it higher. But the book might work better for the right age group. The murders and the spooky vibes make this a good fit for older YAs, aged 15+.
Recommended to lovers of YA mysteries with mild fantasy and paranormal vibes.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing the DRC of “When the Bones Sing” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
In the last three years, more than two dozen people have disappeared in the hiking trails of Lucifer’s Creek, a small town in the Ozark mountains. There’s never any clue about what happened to these hikers, until seventeen-year-old Dovie hears the bones singing, calling her to dig them up. Dovie’s special skill is the only way the sheriff can discover the location of the dead.
Several people believe that it is the Ozark Howler, the mythical monster, who is doing away with the visiting hikers. But despite her skill, Dovie doesn’t believe in magic, or in the Howler, or in her best friend Lo’s claim that he is being haunted by dark shadows. However, when the murders don’t stop and Lo’s mental state worsens, Dovie knows she needs to do something before another hiker is killed.
The story comes to us in Dovie’s first person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
☠ Fabulous description of the Ozarks. It’s very clear that the author loves and respects the mountains. Her words bring the location to life.
☠ The atmosphere, whether in the dark mountains or the murder scenes or the mysterious howls or the supernatural shadows. Brilliant and vivid!
☠ The small-town vibes of Lucifer’s creek, and its myriad denizens with their varying attitudes towards superstitions and religion and xenophobic attitude towards hill people. Added well to the claustrophobic feel of the book.
☠ Dovie as a character is perfect for her age. Strongwilled, brave, and impulsive. I love how she has her head on her shoulders for the most way and considers her talent a natural skill than magic.
☠ The two grandmas in the story: Dovie’s Grandma Fern and Lo’s Grandma Pearl. Both so unlike each other in beliefs and yet such interesting characters who could do anything for their grandchildren.
☠ Lyrical writing that made me pause and ponder many times, especially in the first half.
☠ Decent pacing despite the descriptive prose.
☠ The concept of the magical humming of the bones of the dead. I wish this had been explored more, but like all good fictional magic, it stays unexplained and intriguing.
☠ The Ozark Howler! Hadn’t heard of him before, so it was great to learn about the mythical cryptid.
☠ That fabulous title and the cover art!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
👻 I was worried that the book would turn into a typical YA Romance the minute Lo came on the picture. Well, it does happen but not for a long while. However, there is a hint of a love triangle. This development bugged me as there was absolutely no need for it. YAs might feel differently about this inclusion.
👻 While most of the conversations in the book are quite well-written, there is a good deal of secret-keeping in the second half. This gets a bit annoying after a point.
👻 The ending was okay in terms of its reveal (I guessed the guilty party even before the halfway mark), and with an extended infodump confession, a bit tedious. However, I did like the revelations and was also surprised by a couple of details.
Bookish Nays:
👺 In certain scenes it's tough to understand why the youngsters do dangerous things on their own instead of asking reliable adults for help. Yeah, I know… Typical of a YA book! But these events should have been penned in a more convincing manner.
👺 It was quite easy for me to figure out the identity of the villain as the overall approach is a bit too straightforward. I wish there had been multiple suspects in parallel instead of having the light shine on the characters one at a time.
All in all, this is quite a good atmospheric read. Had the mystery been handled more cleverly, I would have rated it higher. But the book might work better for the right age group. The murders and the spooky vibes make this a good fit for older YAs, aged 15+.
Recommended to lovers of YA mysteries with mild fantasy and paranormal vibes.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing the DRC of “When the Bones Sing” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
March 5, 2025
I’m clawing my eyes out with amount of analogies here. Every page there are multiple sentences where something is “like” something else. I remember this happening in Ten Thousand doors of January and it is SO DISTRACTING!! Why on earth can’t things be just as they are and not like something else every 10 seconds?
The premise is fascinating and I was excited to read a tale of a girl that could hear bones singing to her. What I got was the start of that but a foul mouthed teenager who starts to have a romantic interest. Where’s the supernatural creepy story go?? It felt like the author was all over the place on storyline. GR had this as a horror book (which is why I chose it) and I completely disagree. Southern-gothic but just kind of flopped for me.
Super bummed this did not reach anywhere near the expectation I had for what it was presented like…
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
The premise is fascinating and I was excited to read a tale of a girl that could hear bones singing to her. What I got was the start of that but a foul mouthed teenager who starts to have a romantic interest. Where’s the supernatural creepy story go?? It felt like the author was all over the place on storyline. GR had this as a horror book (which is why I chose it) and I completely disagree. Southern-gothic but just kind of flopped for me.
Super bummed this did not reach anywhere near the expectation I had for what it was presented like…
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 24, 2024
I was beyond excited about this book, When the Bones Sing, by Ginny Myers Sain. It's a Southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl who can hear the bones of the dead - excuse me, what!? ✨
This book is truly one-of-a-kind, and its premise captivates you from the very first page. The author excels at crafting rich character development, ensuring that even the side stories feel fully fleshed out and engaging. As I delved into the narrative, my gut instantly became suspicious of who the 'guilty' party might be very early on. My hunch was correct; however, the intricate plot elements and connections that led to the climactic reveal kept me enthralled. The author masterfully weaves in surprising twists that add layers of complexity, skillfully building suspense and creating an atmosphere of doubt. I trust when others read this, they'll find themselves questioning their assumptions and shifting blame onto different characters, making for an exhilarating reading experience.
Even though there was a section that didn't appeal to me as much—mainly due to my own expectations and a hint of disappointment stemming from my hopeful anticipation—I can wholeheartedly say that I enjoyed every aspect of this book. Its intricate characters and engaging plot kept me captivated, and despite that personal misalignment, the overall experience was truly gratifying. This book is just SO unique, not to mention the title is perfect, and the cover is absolutely stunning - you will definitely want to add this to your TBR. The expected publication date is March 04, 2025.
Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for an ARC of this upcoming YA mystery/thriller. All thoughts are my own! 🖤
This book is truly one-of-a-kind, and its premise captivates you from the very first page. The author excels at crafting rich character development, ensuring that even the side stories feel fully fleshed out and engaging. As I delved into the narrative, my gut instantly became suspicious of who the 'guilty' party might be very early on. My hunch was correct; however, the intricate plot elements and connections that led to the climactic reveal kept me enthralled. The author masterfully weaves in surprising twists that add layers of complexity, skillfully building suspense and creating an atmosphere of doubt. I trust when others read this, they'll find themselves questioning their assumptions and shifting blame onto different characters, making for an exhilarating reading experience.
Even though there was a section that didn't appeal to me as much—mainly due to my own expectations and a hint of disappointment stemming from my hopeful anticipation—I can wholeheartedly say that I enjoyed every aspect of this book. Its intricate characters and engaging plot kept me captivated, and despite that personal misalignment, the overall experience was truly gratifying. This book is just SO unique, not to mention the title is perfect, and the cover is absolutely stunning - you will definitely want to add this to your TBR. The expected publication date is March 04, 2025.
Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for an ARC of this upcoming YA mystery/thriller. All thoughts are my own! 🖤
March 21, 2025
'W𝐇E𝐍 𝐓H𝐄 𝐁O𝐍E𝐒 𝐒I𝐍G' Is a full length young adult murder mystery book by new to me author Ginny Myers Sain. I’d seen this pop up a few times on my socials, and the cover is eye catching, one quick read over the blurb and the rest is history, not my normal kind of book I tend to go for but it’s good to try something new now and then.
This pulled me in straight away, getting entangled within the storyline effortlessly like this author wove her magic over me and put me in a trance..
Where like a puzzle 🧩 we followed the little breadcrumbs the author threw our way, trying to piece it all together to uncover the killer that was killing all the outsiders who hiked up the trails deep in the mountains.
A few thrilling unexpected twists and turns, had me sitting on the edge of my seat, so well done, because it had me guessing throughout.
March 29, 2025
3.2 Stars
One Liner: Great atmosphere but... repetitive
Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas
A seventeen-year-old Dovie comes from a long line of women who could hear the dead bones sing. She doesn’t believe in magic until she begins to hear the songs. In the last three years, many people have gone missing from the trials in the Ozark Mountains.
Some think it’s the Ozark howler snatching people, though Dovie doesn’t agree. She doesn’t listen when her best friend Lo says he is haunted by shadows. Her only focus is on leading the local sheriff to the dead bones. However, Lo knows the shadows belong to the dead people, and they want justice. Can Dovie and Lo find the killer before more deaths occur?
The story comes in Dovie’s first-person POV in the present tense.
My Thoughts:
The book starts with a bang. We see Dovie hearing the ‘song of the bones’ and follow her. Right away, we also see the superstition and bias against ‘witches’ though even the police seem to wait for the bones to sing to her instead of actually doing their job.
Dovie is your typical seventeen-year-old, meaning she thinks she knows the best, her emotions are intenseeeee, she is dramatic, and well… you get the gist. Despite the repetition, it wasn’t too bad being in her head. Though I initially sympathized with her, the constant ‘I don’t believe in magic’ got boring. After the initial quarter, I could increase my reading pace. That made the book quite enjoyable.
I admit I liked Lo a lot more, though we don’t get a lot about him. There are only a few things the FMC has to say about him and those tend to go on a loop. The other guy is… I don’t know. He’s just there.
The atmosphere is the biggest strength of the book. It is amazing! I could feel the dark forest, the stinky Lucifer Creek, the humidity, the weight of uncertainty and fear, and the presence of the howler. Still, I wish we got a wee bit more of the supernatural element. The setting is ripe for a proper horror mystery.
Coming to the mystery, it is okay. Rather strange that the most important question doesn’t even occur to the FMC until someone points it out. Or maybe it aligns with her teen personality where she is the center of the universe. Anyhoo!
The reveal is rather underwhelming. The topic is great. No doubts there. There’s even some foreshadowing but the focus is on the sub-mystery. The main one needs a bit more detailing and an extra touch of darkness to drive home the point.
However, I did like the execution of Brother T’s role. It is quite stereotypical what with the Christian brother intent on converting ‘witches’ and ‘hill people’ but given how extensively such events occurred (and occur) around the world, I don’t mind it being shown in books. That said, he gets a lot more limelight than necessary. Maybe he was used as a smoke screen but not really needed.
I would have rated this higher if not for the supposed ‘love triangle’ that had no place in the book. It is nothing more than exotification on one side and silly curiosity on the other. Imagine being surrounded by death and you prioritize kissing someone. How romantic (not)! Remove this attraction/ complication from the plot and nothing changes. My rating would have been higher.
There’s an epilogue which I do like. It ties up the loose ends. Since mine is an ARC, there wasn’t an author’s note. I’d have liked to know about the forest and its local lore.
To summarize, When the Bones Sing has a great premise and starts well but meanders into an average YA mystery with drama, romance, and a touch of supernatural.
Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #WhenTheBonesSing
One Liner: Great atmosphere but... repetitive
Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas
A seventeen-year-old Dovie comes from a long line of women who could hear the dead bones sing. She doesn’t believe in magic until she begins to hear the songs. In the last three years, many people have gone missing from the trials in the Ozark Mountains.
Some think it’s the Ozark howler snatching people, though Dovie doesn’t agree. She doesn’t listen when her best friend Lo says he is haunted by shadows. Her only focus is on leading the local sheriff to the dead bones. However, Lo knows the shadows belong to the dead people, and they want justice. Can Dovie and Lo find the killer before more deaths occur?
The story comes in Dovie’s first-person POV in the present tense.
My Thoughts:
The book starts with a bang. We see Dovie hearing the ‘song of the bones’ and follow her. Right away, we also see the superstition and bias against ‘witches’ though even the police seem to wait for the bones to sing to her instead of actually doing their job.
Dovie is your typical seventeen-year-old, meaning she thinks she knows the best, her emotions are intenseeeee, she is dramatic, and well… you get the gist. Despite the repetition, it wasn’t too bad being in her head. Though I initially sympathized with her, the constant ‘I don’t believe in magic’ got boring. After the initial quarter, I could increase my reading pace. That made the book quite enjoyable.
I admit I liked Lo a lot more, though we don’t get a lot about him. There are only a few things the FMC has to say about him and those tend to go on a loop. The other guy is… I don’t know. He’s just there.
The atmosphere is the biggest strength of the book. It is amazing! I could feel the dark forest, the stinky Lucifer Creek, the humidity, the weight of uncertainty and fear, and the presence of the howler. Still, I wish we got a wee bit more of the supernatural element. The setting is ripe for a proper horror mystery.
Coming to the mystery, it is okay. Rather strange that the most important question doesn’t even occur to the FMC until someone points it out. Or maybe it aligns with her teen personality where she is the center of the universe. Anyhoo!
The reveal is rather underwhelming. The topic is great. No doubts there. There’s even some foreshadowing but the focus is on the sub-mystery. The main one needs a bit more detailing and an extra touch of darkness to drive home the point.
However, I did like the execution of Brother T’s role. It is quite stereotypical what with the Christian brother intent on converting ‘witches’ and ‘hill people’ but given how extensively such events occurred (and occur) around the world, I don’t mind it being shown in books. That said, he gets a lot more limelight than necessary. Maybe he was used as a smoke screen but not really needed.
I would have rated this higher if not for the supposed ‘love triangle’ that had no place in the book. It is nothing more than exotification on one side and silly curiosity on the other. Imagine being surrounded by death and you prioritize kissing someone. How romantic (not)! Remove this attraction/ complication from the plot and nothing changes. My rating would have been higher.
There’s an epilogue which I do like. It ties up the loose ends. Since mine is an ARC, there wasn’t an author’s note. I’d have liked to know about the forest and its local lore.
To summarize, When the Bones Sing has a great premise and starts well but meanders into an average YA mystery with drama, romance, and a touch of supernatural.
Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #WhenTheBonesSing
January 22, 2025
A Southern Gothic supernatural thriller about a girl who can hear bones sing to her; say no more. This story had all the makings for me, and I enjoyed it right down to the spine-chilling ending.
A teenage girl named Dovie lives in a small Ozark town in Arkansas where can hear the bones of dead sing to her. In Lucifer's Creek, more than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails without a trace. Seventeen-year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic, even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear bones sing. However, for the past few years, she has been hearing the bones sing so loudly and persistently and they won't stop until they are dug up. Some believe it is the monstrous Ozarks Howler snatching them up. But Dovie doesn't believe in the Howler or the haunting shadows that her friend Lo sees. All she believes in is her intuition that leads the local Sheriff to the bones. Her desire is to reunite the families with the bones of their loved ones so they can find peace. Lo doesn't know peace, though, as the shadows follow him everywhere. The truth of their deaths isn't hidden in their bones but somewhere deep in the hills. Lo and Dovie must unearth it before someone else is killed.
I loved the storyline and its dark, eerie vibe between Dovie's magical gift and Lo's haunting shadows. Their friendship and love interest brought it all together for me, and I was rooting for them to the very end. I am looking forward to reading more by Ginny Myers Sain.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A teenage girl named Dovie lives in a small Ozark town in Arkansas where can hear the bones of dead sing to her. In Lucifer's Creek, more than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails without a trace. Seventeen-year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic, even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear bones sing. However, for the past few years, she has been hearing the bones sing so loudly and persistently and they won't stop until they are dug up. Some believe it is the monstrous Ozarks Howler snatching them up. But Dovie doesn't believe in the Howler or the haunting shadows that her friend Lo sees. All she believes in is her intuition that leads the local Sheriff to the bones. Her desire is to reunite the families with the bones of their loved ones so they can find peace. Lo doesn't know peace, though, as the shadows follow him everywhere. The truth of their deaths isn't hidden in their bones but somewhere deep in the hills. Lo and Dovie must unearth it before someone else is killed.
I loved the storyline and its dark, eerie vibe between Dovie's magical gift and Lo's haunting shadows. Their friendship and love interest brought it all together for me, and I was rooting for them to the very end. I am looking forward to reading more by Ginny Myers Sain.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 17, 2024
Goosebumps! Especially towards 85 percent of the book!
Wow! I am quite impressed with the book. I really love it when the characters are honest about themselves and their feelings, especially when it comes to high stakes YA fantasy. The writing exactly provides this for which I am really quite happy with.
The writing is really fast paced and not a word wasted I say!
Dovie can feel the skeletons of mysterious dead bodies until she united them with their loved ones.
Shadows keep haunting her best friend, Lo, until he has to find answers for the mrdered hikers.
More people are disappearing for the past few years and now they have to do something about it using their gifted (or are they cursed?!) abilities to find the truth and prevent further harm.
I just couldn’t stop reading the book and it is perfect for the spooky season! Wish the book was already available so I could tell everyone I know to get the book today itself!
You can expect friends to lovers but I would tell you not to expect much romance from the book. I really appreciate it when romance is not forced onto the characters especially when the characters are not ready to be serious about their relationship.
Yes, the ending is quite satisfactory and you will like how things go despite all the chaos they faced in their crazy harrowing journey.
One of the most enjoyable thrilling YA books I read this year.
TW for gory descriptions of mrdr/dead bodies.
Thank you, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the ARC.
Wow! I am quite impressed with the book. I really love it when the characters are honest about themselves and their feelings, especially when it comes to high stakes YA fantasy. The writing exactly provides this for which I am really quite happy with.
The writing is really fast paced and not a word wasted I say!
Dovie can feel the skeletons of mysterious dead bodies until she united them with their loved ones.
Shadows keep haunting her best friend, Lo, until he has to find answers for the mrdered hikers.
More people are disappearing for the past few years and now they have to do something about it using their gifted (or are they cursed?!) abilities to find the truth and prevent further harm.
I just couldn’t stop reading the book and it is perfect for the spooky season! Wish the book was already available so I could tell everyone I know to get the book today itself!
You can expect friends to lovers but I would tell you not to expect much romance from the book. I really appreciate it when romance is not forced onto the characters especially when the characters are not ready to be serious about their relationship.
Yes, the ending is quite satisfactory and you will like how things go despite all the chaos they faced in their crazy harrowing journey.
One of the most enjoyable thrilling YA books I read this year.
TW for gory descriptions of mrdr/dead bodies.
Thank you, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the ARC.
February 3, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
When the Bones Sing is a paranormal serial killer murder mystery set in a remote village in the Ozarks called (appropriately) Lucifer's Creek. Dovie doesn't believe in magic or ghosts, but she has inherited an ability to feel vibrations from the bones of the deceased and has been helping the local sheriff find the bodies of all the hikers that keep going missing in the woods near their town. Her best friend Lo is being haunted by the ghosts of the dead, or so he says, and believes they need to find the killer and put a stop to the murders in order for the dead to find peace.
It's a quiet, melancholy sort of book with a strong sense of place and characters who are deeply hurt but have still managed to survive. The mystery is pretty twisty and did not end up being what I expected. And yes, there is a romance subplot too. It's about the messiness of family, the difficulty of faith, and what it's like to be an outcast in your own community. It was lovely. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
When the Bones Sing is a paranormal serial killer murder mystery set in a remote village in the Ozarks called (appropriately) Lucifer's Creek. Dovie doesn't believe in magic or ghosts, but she has inherited an ability to feel vibrations from the bones of the deceased and has been helping the local sheriff find the bodies of all the hikers that keep going missing in the woods near their town. Her best friend Lo is being haunted by the ghosts of the dead, or so he says, and believes they need to find the killer and put a stop to the murders in order for the dead to find peace.
It's a quiet, melancholy sort of book with a strong sense of place and characters who are deeply hurt but have still managed to survive. The mystery is pretty twisty and did not end up being what I expected. And yes, there is a romance subplot too. It's about the messiness of family, the difficulty of faith, and what it's like to be an outcast in your own community. It was lovely. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 26, 2024
I don't give five star reviews easily. As a writer it's hard for me to distance myself from the craft of fiction and get totally immersed in the story. That's never the case with a novel by Ginny Myers Sain, and When the Bones Sing is no different. Total immersion effortlessly from page one.
Seventeen year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic or the supernatural. The legend of the Ozark Howler means nothing to her. She and her family are even pariahs of the local church, the culture of which pervades every day life in small town Lucifer Creek, Arkansas. Despite all this, local law enforcement officials have recognized Dovie's unusual--and definitely supernatural--talent for hearing the song of the dead. When hikers start to go missing on the nearby Aux Arc trail, they wait patiently for the bones to start rattling in the night so that Dovie can locate the macabre source of the music.
Dovie's not the only one who is haunted by the disappearances, though. Her best friend and twin flame, Lo, is convinced he is being followed by the ghosts of the missing hikers. He knows the only way to finally silence them is by solving their murders and bringing the killer to justice before anyone else can become the next victim.
Ginny Myers Sain is a genius when it comes to using setting as a character in her novels, and When the Bones Sing is a masterclass in the technique. It's not just Dovie and Lo telling the story here, it's the Arkansas Ozarks, too. The hills and streams and valleys all have their own voices and magic, and they won't be ignored. Every detail of the Ozarks is true to life--I should know, it's literally my backyard--and although Lucifer's Creek is fictional, I hope readers will fall in love with the Ozarks and all the real spooky locations here.
This is one of those books that I would give anything to read for the first time again. I wish I could go back to try to figure out all the twists and turns, because even though I *thought* I had everything figured out, I was floored by the ending. I absolutely did not see it coming.
If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods looking to recreate the vibes of Lucifer's Creek and the Ozark National Forest, I highly suggest visiting Eureka Springs, Devil's Den State Park, Hawksbill Crag, and Mount Magazine! Arkansas isn't called the Natural State for nothing!
My thanks to Ginny Myers Sain and Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC of When the Bones Sing in exchange for an honest review. Being a part of the #WhenTheBonesSingArArcTour was such a privilege!
Seventeen year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic or the supernatural. The legend of the Ozark Howler means nothing to her. She and her family are even pariahs of the local church, the culture of which pervades every day life in small town Lucifer Creek, Arkansas. Despite all this, local law enforcement officials have recognized Dovie's unusual--and definitely supernatural--talent for hearing the song of the dead. When hikers start to go missing on the nearby Aux Arc trail, they wait patiently for the bones to start rattling in the night so that Dovie can locate the macabre source of the music.
Dovie's not the only one who is haunted by the disappearances, though. Her best friend and twin flame, Lo, is convinced he is being followed by the ghosts of the missing hikers. He knows the only way to finally silence them is by solving their murders and bringing the killer to justice before anyone else can become the next victim.
Ginny Myers Sain is a genius when it comes to using setting as a character in her novels, and When the Bones Sing is a masterclass in the technique. It's not just Dovie and Lo telling the story here, it's the Arkansas Ozarks, too. The hills and streams and valleys all have their own voices and magic, and they won't be ignored. Every detail of the Ozarks is true to life--I should know, it's literally my backyard--and although Lucifer's Creek is fictional, I hope readers will fall in love with the Ozarks and all the real spooky locations here.
This is one of those books that I would give anything to read for the first time again. I wish I could go back to try to figure out all the twists and turns, because even though I *thought* I had everything figured out, I was floored by the ending. I absolutely did not see it coming.
If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods looking to recreate the vibes of Lucifer's Creek and the Ozark National Forest, I highly suggest visiting Eureka Springs, Devil's Den State Park, Hawksbill Crag, and Mount Magazine! Arkansas isn't called the Natural State for nothing!
My thanks to Ginny Myers Sain and Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC of When the Bones Sing in exchange for an honest review. Being a part of the #WhenTheBonesSingArArcTour was such a privilege!
January 7, 2025
Unfortunately, this novel did not work for me. After weeks of trying to get into it, I skimmed to the end. Which is so disappointing. A southern-gothic featuring a girl who can hear the bones of the dead? Sounds fantastic. But a fantastic only gets you so far.
When the story started to focus more on a romantic plotline, I lost interest. And then the story just kept dragging on.
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.
When the story started to focus more on a romantic plotline, I lost interest. And then the story just kept dragging on.
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.
January 31, 2025
Another great southern gothic supernatural story from Ginny Myers Sain. I liked this book quite a bit because the narrator was a fun character. I may have found it odd that a girl who can feel the song of a dead person’s bones is so absolutely certain magic doesn’t exist, but it made her quirky and special. Dove has been able to feel the song of bones since she was four just like her mother and her grandmother before her. The other locals in the small town hills she lives in look at her with distrust but still ask her to go out and find the bodies of the missing hikers. And it’s strange but no one seems to be asking quests about how many there has been (23 in the last few years alone). As Dove and her best friend Lo try to figure out what is happening to the missing hikers they learn more about themselves and each other than they were bargaining for. Great book and a super quick read. I liked the mystery but wished it was a little more twisty than it was. Overall still a fun story.
November 25, 2024
I had really high hopes for this one. The opening showed so much promise with the main character, Dovie, able to feel the pull of bones like a song that won't leave her until she unearths the dead but then the plot swung into the romance between her and Lo and the book just dragged. There was so much potential and it all went away
April 4, 2025
✨4.5 stars✨
April 14, 2025
I was totally hooked on this excellent YA Supernatural Mystery.
Dovie can sense where bodies are buried; it's something Clover women have been able to do for generations. In tiny Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, a lot of bodies have cried out to be found - more than 20 in just the last three years. Something is clearly going on; locals say it's the Ozark Howler, but Dovie doesn't believe in monsters or magic. With her deeply troubled best friend Lowen Wilder, himself descended from mountain witches, and the brother of one of the deceased, the three teens are determined to find out who's killing hikers. The suspects are many:
Is it the preacher, or one of his cult-like flock?
Is it the inept sheriff, or one of the deputies?
Is it a stranger?
Is it Ira, the town father?
Is it Dovie's own father, who's been seen walking the woods at night?
Could it be Lo or his grandmother, practicing witchcraft?
Could the Ozark Howler be real?
I considered every possibility before figuring it out when it got obvious. The paranormal mystery and setting (a poor, small mountain community) are my happy place, and even though this is YA, I was entertained and engaged. I found it hard to put down and recommend it.
Dovie can sense where bodies are buried; it's something Clover women have been able to do for generations. In tiny Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, a lot of bodies have cried out to be found - more than 20 in just the last three years. Something is clearly going on; locals say it's the Ozark Howler, but Dovie doesn't believe in monsters or magic. With her deeply troubled best friend Lowen Wilder, himself descended from mountain witches, and the brother of one of the deceased, the three teens are determined to find out who's killing hikers. The suspects are many:
Is it the preacher, or one of his cult-like flock?
Is it the inept sheriff, or one of the deputies?
Is it a stranger?
Is it Ira, the town father?
Is it Dovie's own father, who's been seen walking the woods at night?
Could it be Lo or his grandmother, practicing witchcraft?
Could the Ozark Howler be real?
I considered every possibility before figuring it out when it got obvious. The paranormal mystery and setting (a poor, small mountain community) are my happy place, and even though this is YA, I was entertained and engaged. I found it hard to put down and recommend it.
December 17, 2024
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group in exchange for an honest review.
"Holy sh*t," Xan whispers. "What the f*ck is happening?" - this quote from the book sums up my thoughts exactly
Potential to be a creepy missing person story with a touch of magic, but this book was all over the place...nothing really fit together and there were so many pointless twists that it really made the story drag. It seemed like the author couldn't decide which ending to go for so threw in a bunch of red herrings that made no sense.
Dovie was annoying and I found myself only mildly sympathetic to her or Lo. WTF were the cops doing the past three years...no investigating at all until a teenage girl says she can hear the bones?
Also, I could've done without the dozens and dozens of references to the disgusting, sulfuric, rotten egg smell of the creek. It seemed like there was a least one in every chapter. We get it - it smells gross!
"Holy sh*t," Xan whispers. "What the f*ck is happening?" - this quote from the book sums up my thoughts exactly
Potential to be a creepy missing person story with a touch of magic, but this book was all over the place...nothing really fit together and there were so many pointless twists that it really made the story drag. It seemed like the author couldn't decide which ending to go for so threw in a bunch of red herrings that made no sense.
Dovie was annoying and I found myself only mildly sympathetic to her or Lo. WTF were the cops doing the past three years...no investigating at all until a teenage girl says she can hear the bones?
Also, I could've done without the dozens and dozens of references to the disgusting, sulfuric, rotten egg smell of the creek. It seemed like there was a least one in every chapter. We get it - it smells gross!
November 24, 2024
Listen here, Ginny Myers Sain, I've got a bone to pick with you (see what I did there? BONE. Punny. LOL). Just what do you think you're doing? Going and messing with my heart like that. You're setting the bar so high that no one will be able to reach it.
I loved Dark and Shallow Lies so much that I made it a traveling book in my Facebook book club. My expectations for When the Bones Sing were already high, and Sain did not disappoint. All aspects were executed with phenomenal precision - world building, character development, writing style, pacing, and plot. You'll find an abundance of decadent creepiness within these pages. It's written so well that it's almost believed, and the idea is wholly original. Sain will be a solid auto-buy author for me from now on. This was my most anticipated read of 2025, but I was lucky enough to score a copy from Bookish First, so it became one of my few favorites of 2024. This copy will also live on as a traveling book, and earned a spot on my all-time favorites list. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
If you enjoyed When the Bones Sing, you might like these titles: Small Favors by Erin A Craig, Wake by Lisa McMann, Behold the Bones by Natalie C Parker, Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood, and That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost.
If you love active book communities, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh Book Club (on Facebook)! Games, giveaways, discussions, reviews, bingo, swaps, pen pals, traveling books, and a lot more!
I loved Dark and Shallow Lies so much that I made it a traveling book in my Facebook book club. My expectations for When the Bones Sing were already high, and Sain did not disappoint. All aspects were executed with phenomenal precision - world building, character development, writing style, pacing, and plot. You'll find an abundance of decadent creepiness within these pages. It's written so well that it's almost believed, and the idea is wholly original. Sain will be a solid auto-buy author for me from now on. This was my most anticipated read of 2025, but I was lucky enough to score a copy from Bookish First, so it became one of my few favorites of 2024. This copy will also live on as a traveling book, and earned a spot on my all-time favorites list. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
If you enjoyed When the Bones Sing, you might like these titles: Small Favors by Erin A Craig, Wake by Lisa McMann, Behold the Bones by Natalie C Parker, Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood, and That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost.
If you love active book communities, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh Book Club (on Facebook)! Games, giveaways, discussions, reviews, bingo, swaps, pen pals, traveling books, and a lot more!
February 5, 2025
Frankly I’m just a bit confused. For better or worse, the reason behind the murders was CRAZY but I don’t feel like it was fully developed. The love triangle was a bit meh because I was rooting for the unlucky side lol.
The narrator was good! I enjoy hearing the southern twang via audio from time to time.
I received a free ALC from PRH Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.
The narrator was good! I enjoy hearing the southern twang via audio from time to time.
I received a free ALC from PRH Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.
May 23, 2025
Reading Update History: !!!! O my. . . .at 90% breathless and can't do anything else but follow this . . .
100%. . . .phew. made it through. Instant End Rating: 5 stars gasping for breath (all had been holding their breath for very long time. . . .)
This author is new to me - and this book is in the YA category - which I discovered after reading it - so that explains some of the over-the-top-ness in the narrative of tumbling action upon action moments. Our protagonist is Dovie Warner, who at 17 years of age has a quirky talent of divining buried bones (they sing to her, cause a vib-y experience). Our setting is Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, adjacent to a dark and atmospheric woodland by the Aux Arc Trail. Between the trees and shrubbery lurks a creature wreaking havoc called the Howler, and bodies are planted like green beans throughout the woodland. Who could resist this? Certainly not this reader.
I do, as do many others in the readers-of-mysteries category, indulge myself with the pastime of "calling it." That is to say the process of at some part in the read (the earlier the better) one predicts the solve, the ending. It may be necessary to readjust from time to time but it's an overall WIN when the predicted solve is confirmed at the book's conclusion. In this book I determined early on who it was - but was premature, requiring three reconsiderations, ending in a final fail. That's the reason for 5 stars. Initially I was firm on 4 stars, but getting one over on me like that earned the final star. Additionally, I stopped everything to read from 70% to the end. And there you have it - evidence of a great read!
*A sincere thank you to Ginny Myers Sain, Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #WhentheBonesSing #NetGalley 25|52:2d
100%. . . .phew. made it through. Instant End Rating: 5 stars gasping for breath (all had been holding their breath for very long time. . . .)
This author is new to me - and this book is in the YA category - which I discovered after reading it - so that explains some of the over-the-top-ness in the narrative of tumbling action upon action moments. Our protagonist is Dovie Warner, who at 17 years of age has a quirky talent of divining buried bones (they sing to her, cause a vib-y experience). Our setting is Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, adjacent to a dark and atmospheric woodland by the Aux Arc Trail. Between the trees and shrubbery lurks a creature wreaking havoc called the Howler, and bodies are planted like green beans throughout the woodland. Who could resist this? Certainly not this reader.
I do, as do many others in the readers-of-mysteries category, indulge myself with the pastime of "calling it." That is to say the process of at some part in the read (the earlier the better) one predicts the solve, the ending. It may be necessary to readjust from time to time but it's an overall WIN when the predicted solve is confirmed at the book's conclusion. In this book I determined early on who it was - but was premature, requiring three reconsiderations, ending in a final fail. That's the reason for 5 stars. Initially I was firm on 4 stars, but getting one over on me like that earned the final star. Additionally, I stopped everything to read from 70% to the end. And there you have it - evidence of a great read!
*A sincere thank you to Ginny Myers Sain, Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #WhentheBonesSing #NetGalley 25|52:2d
May 19, 2025
4.5⭐️ rounded up
I enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. It was one of the most unique books I’ve ever read! I mean… a girl who hears bones sing? Count me in!
The atmosphere was SO WELL done!!! I felt very immersed in the gothic Ozark supernatural vibe. The author worked really hard on the descriptive language and painting a picture for the readers, which I loved.
On a similar note, the writing style was honestly perfection to me. The author didn’t use the mainstream English language, but instead used more of a regional dialect, which added to my love for this story. I kept thinking, “the author really has a way with words,” while reading many of the sentences in this book.
The love story wasn’t the “typical” YA love story, because it felt much deeper than that. The romance isn’t the main focus in this book, so I did find myself wanting MORE of Lo and Dovie, but I felt satisfied enough. (especially with the epilogue) I wanted to love Xander, but the entire time I was yelling at him to move aside so Lo and Dovie would finally kiss😭🤣
Favorite quote:
“We don’t need to write about each other on paper,” I tell him. “Our secrets are written on each other’s bones.”
Safety info:
- no spice (one light fade to black scene in epilogue)
- I think dual v but never clearly stated (childhood bffs to lovers)
- no OW
- OM- love triangle. On page kisses between FMC and OM and MMC witnesses one of these. FMC and OM only kiss and she likes him but doesn’t love him like she does the MMC. The OM kind of opened her eyes that the MMC is her true love and she won’t feel anything that deep for anyone else. Once FMC and MMC kissed, she gave OM a quick kiss on the lips goodbye as something to remember her by… (I think MMC saw this last kiss too)
- FMC gave OM her first kiss, no info on first kiss for the MMC but it was likely with the FMC.
I enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. It was one of the most unique books I’ve ever read! I mean… a girl who hears bones sing? Count me in!
The atmosphere was SO WELL done!!! I felt very immersed in the gothic Ozark supernatural vibe. The author worked really hard on the descriptive language and painting a picture for the readers, which I loved.
On a similar note, the writing style was honestly perfection to me. The author didn’t use the mainstream English language, but instead used more of a regional dialect, which added to my love for this story. I kept thinking, “the author really has a way with words,” while reading many of the sentences in this book.
The love story wasn’t the “typical” YA love story, because it felt much deeper than that. The romance isn’t the main focus in this book, so I did find myself wanting MORE of Lo and Dovie, but I felt satisfied enough. (especially with the epilogue) I wanted to love Xander, but the entire time I was yelling at him to move aside so Lo and Dovie would finally kiss😭🤣
Favorite quote:
“We don’t need to write about each other on paper,” I tell him. “Our secrets are written on each other’s bones.”
Safety info:
- no spice (one light fade to black scene in epilogue)
- I think dual v but never clearly stated (childhood bffs to lovers)
- no OW
- OM- love triangle. On page kisses between FMC and OM and MMC witnesses one of these. FMC and OM only kiss and she likes him but doesn’t love him like she does the MMC. The OM kind of opened her eyes that the MMC is her true love and she won’t feel anything that deep for anyone else. Once FMC and MMC kissed, she gave OM a quick kiss on the lips goodbye as something to remember her by… (I think MMC saw this last kiss too)
- FMC gave OM her first kiss, no info on first kiss for the MMC but it was likely with the FMC.
October 11, 2024
‘From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead.’
Mannnnnnn. Sain just has this way, I swear. Her writing style is so damn delectable, I can’t get enough. I want to crawl inside her books, sprawl out and luxuriate in her words and all over the pages.
When the Bones Sing is riddled with witchy & magical things. And whispers of a legend, the Ozark Howler, what locals believe is the harbinger of death. There’s also a chilling mystery with gruesome serial murders and creepy Arkansas mountains where things lurk in the dark. There’s grief and pain but also love and eventually something a little like a balm.
Impossible to put down until you get to the truth.
Sain is a go-to for me. I will read anything she writes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group PYRG | GP Putnam’s Sons books for YR for this arc in exchange for review.
Pub date: 3.4.25
June 26, 2024
When the Bones Sing was a pleasing YA paranormal tale. The world building was nicely handled and both Dovie and Lo came across well as characters, both of them growing through the course of the story. It was a fairly simple, easy read, but it was an entertaining story and I didn't guess the true culprit behind the killings until close to the reveal, so it was well structured in terms of the mystery too. The paranormal elements added to the story without overpowering the human interactions and emotion, and I would certainly pick up other books by this author in the future. I am giving it a solid four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2025
3.25 stars
The story started off well, piquing my interest but I think in the middle it dragged a bit. Towards the end I didn’t care much who the murderer was, the revelation wasn’t very special either. Didn’t like any of the characters much except for Nanna. There certainly was potential, but I didn't like the execution much.
Characters 6
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 6
Execution/Pace 6
Execution/Setup 6
Enjoyment/Engrossment 6
Narration 7
The story started off well, piquing my interest but I think in the middle it dragged a bit. Towards the end I didn’t care much who the murderer was, the revelation wasn’t very special either. Didn’t like any of the characters much except for Nanna. There certainly was potential, but I didn't like the execution much.
Characters 6
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 6
Execution/Pace 6
Execution/Setup 6
Enjoyment/Engrossment 6
Narration 7
February 26, 2025
Dovie Warner has a gift. But some people may call it a curse. You see, Dovie has the uncanny ability of divining for the dead. She can feel the thrumming of the bones from the deceased, and has assisted the local law enforcement discover the many missing hikers in the Ozark mountains.
But there's something sinister about the missing. In three years, twenty-three bodies were found, each buried in a shallow grave. And it's up to Dovie and her friend Lowan Wilder to uncover the mystery behind the grisly murders and lay the dead to rest.
I didn't particularly care for the author's first novel. But When the Bones Sing had an interesting premise. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read it.
The characters are unusual and reflect the unique legends of the Ozark mountain people. Almost like the Appalachian legends. They were all interesting and were fully developed into the folksy and country like residents of the area.
The story is a murder-mystery with a gothic supernatural twist. Its creepy premise of divining for the dead put an unusual spin on the narrative.
With numerous plot twists and a surprising finale, When the Bones Sing is author Sain's newest novel that shouldn't be missed. Five stars.
I received a DRC from Penguin Group through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
But there's something sinister about the missing. In three years, twenty-three bodies were found, each buried in a shallow grave. And it's up to Dovie and her friend Lowan Wilder to uncover the mystery behind the grisly murders and lay the dead to rest.
I didn't particularly care for the author's first novel. But When the Bones Sing had an interesting premise. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read it.
The characters are unusual and reflect the unique legends of the Ozark mountain people. Almost like the Appalachian legends. They were all interesting and were fully developed into the folksy and country like residents of the area.
The story is a murder-mystery with a gothic supernatural twist. Its creepy premise of divining for the dead put an unusual spin on the narrative.
With numerous plot twists and a surprising finale, When the Bones Sing is author Sain's newest novel that shouldn't be missed. Five stars.
I received a DRC from Penguin Group through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 4, 2025
4.75 rounded up to 5 stars. This is probably my favorite book by this author.
March 8, 2025
3.5⭐️
what and intriguing murder story! i was certain i knew exactly where this was going and was SHOCKED when i found out how off i was. i enjoyed the writing and loved the relationship between Dovie and Lo.
what and intriguing murder story! i was certain i knew exactly where this was going and was SHOCKED when i found out how off i was. i enjoyed the writing and loved the relationship between Dovie and Lo.
March 8, 2025
Rating: 1.5
I really liked Dark and Shallow lies, so I was looking forward to this one. But it was shockingly terrible. The premise was really the only good thing about it. The main character had the ability to find dead bodies, but for some reason still didn't believe in magic or anything spiritual. And her friend could see ghosts, but she didn't believe him, to the point where it felt like she was being condescending about it. And, for some reason, a love triangle popped up at around 70% into the story. With a guy who was supposed to be there because he wanted to find out what happened to his brother. But it seemed like he was mostly focused on obsessing over the main character. Everything about this book was ridiculous.
I really liked Dark and Shallow lies, so I was looking forward to this one. But it was shockingly terrible. The premise was really the only good thing about it. The main character had the ability to find dead bodies, but for some reason still didn't believe in magic or anything spiritual. And her friend could see ghosts, but she didn't believe him, to the point where it felt like she was being condescending about it. And, for some reason, a love triangle popped up at around 70% into the story. With a guy who was supposed to be there because he wanted to find out what happened to his brother. But it seemed like he was mostly focused on obsessing over the main character. Everything about this book was ridiculous.
March 26, 2025
ended up DNF’ing this. I just couldn’t get into the writing style or the way the characters spoke at all. Gutted, as I only brought this last week and thought it was going to be a 5 star.
March 14, 2025
3.5/5 stars, rounded down
“A feeling that feels like music.” That’s the way I described it to Nana when I was little. Like all my bones were humming. She nodded and kept wrestling my messy, dark hair into neat braids. “Like somebody’s playin’ a your bones like a flute. That’s the way it used to feel to me and your mama.”
When the Bones Sing is a young-adult paranormal thriller with a supernatural twist by the author of Dark and Shallow Lies,. Like her previous novel, our story is set in a small town in rural America – this time the aptly named Lucifers Creek in the Ozarks – where a series of disappearances has sparked rumors of something supernatural being afoot. We follow 17-year old Dove, blessed or cursed with the ability to physically hear the bones of the deceased. Alongside her best friend Lo, who’s plagued by hauntings of his own, she sets off in search of answers to the local mystery, guided by the singsong of the bones at the root of it.
What I Liked:
With her previous work, the author already showed off her talent of writing highly atmospheric rural towns, and that talent is on display here too. In terms of atmospheric and scenery: this was top-notch from the start. The mystery, mixed with the slight magical/paranormal elements provide an immediate hook and a constant incentive to continue the story. The ending had some problems (some elements felt a little rushed and underdeveloped), but the ride was enjoyable.
Overall, this felt very similar to Dark and Shallow Lies, so it’s an easy recommendation for fans of that book.
What I didn’t Like:
I didn’t have any major gripes with this book, and yet I was left feeling extremely underwhelmed throughout. This felt incredibly similar to the authors previous work, to the point where I felt it was written along the exact same beat-plot, and I felt I was reading a rehash of something I’d already read before. At the end of the day, this is a very middle-of-the-road YA paranormal mystery: it’s great if that’s the thing you’re looking for, but if you’ve already read a bunch, don’t expect this to rock your world.
Obligatory “I’m not the target audience”, as I’m not a 17-year old girl, but I still feel many YA books can translate well to adults. This might not be one of them. I cringed at some of the dialogue, the love-triangle and the all-too-present trope of every adult being an idiot so the teens can step in to save the day. Be aware if these tropes bother you.
Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
“A feeling that feels like music.” That’s the way I described it to Nana when I was little. Like all my bones were humming. She nodded and kept wrestling my messy, dark hair into neat braids. “Like somebody’s playin’ a your bones like a flute. That’s the way it used to feel to me and your mama.”
When the Bones Sing is a young-adult paranormal thriller with a supernatural twist by the author of Dark and Shallow Lies,. Like her previous novel, our story is set in a small town in rural America – this time the aptly named Lucifers Creek in the Ozarks – where a series of disappearances has sparked rumors of something supernatural being afoot. We follow 17-year old Dove, blessed or cursed with the ability to physically hear the bones of the deceased. Alongside her best friend Lo, who’s plagued by hauntings of his own, she sets off in search of answers to the local mystery, guided by the singsong of the bones at the root of it.
What I Liked:
With her previous work, the author already showed off her talent of writing highly atmospheric rural towns, and that talent is on display here too. In terms of atmospheric and scenery: this was top-notch from the start. The mystery, mixed with the slight magical/paranormal elements provide an immediate hook and a constant incentive to continue the story. The ending had some problems (some elements felt a little rushed and underdeveloped), but the ride was enjoyable.
Overall, this felt very similar to Dark and Shallow Lies, so it’s an easy recommendation for fans of that book.
What I didn’t Like:
I didn’t have any major gripes with this book, and yet I was left feeling extremely underwhelmed throughout. This felt incredibly similar to the authors previous work, to the point where I felt it was written along the exact same beat-plot, and I felt I was reading a rehash of something I’d already read before. At the end of the day, this is a very middle-of-the-road YA paranormal mystery: it’s great if that’s the thing you’re looking for, but if you’ve already read a bunch, don’t expect this to rock your world.
Obligatory “I’m not the target audience”, as I’m not a 17-year old girl, but I still feel many YA books can translate well to adults. This might not be one of them. I cringed at some of the dialogue, the love-triangle and the all-too-present trope of every adult being an idiot so the teens can step in to save the day. Be aware if these tropes bother you.
Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 26, 2025
4.75⭐️ 📖 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏
🎧 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦.”
Thank you so much PRH Audio for gifting me this copy of 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈! 𝑮𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏 knocked this one out of the park! This is the third story I’ve read from her and this is hands down my favorite so far! It’s dark, spooky, and an emotional experience brought to life with the narration done by 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈.
What I love most about her writing style is the level of imagery she’s able to invoke in each of her stories. I truly felt like I was inside this story, solving this mystery with Dovie. The concept and the type of ‘magic’ shown in this story was really unique!
Just when I thought I had this mystery solved, there were multiple plot twists that I honestly DID NOT see coming. Dovie’s bond with Lo was so special!
“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦.” 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘹. “𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬.”
The mystery and suspense were so well done and I was really satisfied by the way the ending unfolded. There is a bit of a love triangle going on which was a surprise!
“𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘴. 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤.”
This audiobook was PHENOMENAL. I truly could not image consuming this story any other way. The narration by 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, is so dang good. Her voices are EVERYTHING.
If you love paranormal suspense stories, you HAVE to add this book/audiobook to your TBR!
𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✨ 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵
🔍 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 & 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦
👻 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭
🤭 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦
👹 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 & 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
🤐 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴
👀 𝘗𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴
🎧 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦.”
Thank you so much PRH Audio for gifting me this copy of 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈! 𝑮𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏 knocked this one out of the park! This is the third story I’ve read from her and this is hands down my favorite so far! It’s dark, spooky, and an emotional experience brought to life with the narration done by 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈.
What I love most about her writing style is the level of imagery she’s able to invoke in each of her stories. I truly felt like I was inside this story, solving this mystery with Dovie. The concept and the type of ‘magic’ shown in this story was really unique!
Just when I thought I had this mystery solved, there were multiple plot twists that I honestly DID NOT see coming. Dovie’s bond with Lo was so special!
“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦.” 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘹. “𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬.”
The mystery and suspense were so well done and I was really satisfied by the way the ending unfolded. There is a bit of a love triangle going on which was a surprise!
“𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘴. 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤.”
This audiobook was PHENOMENAL. I truly could not image consuming this story any other way. The narration by 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, is so dang good. Her voices are EVERYTHING.
If you love paranormal suspense stories, you HAVE to add this book/audiobook to your TBR!
𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✨ 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵
🔍 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 & 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦
👻 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭
🤭 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦
👹 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 & 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
🤐 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴
👀 𝘗𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴
August 17, 2025
Rating: 4⭐️
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this one. Not as much as a couple of the author’s other books, though. This one was a littler slower paced compared to the previous books. But, the author has insane way of creating a creepy, atmospheric setting that really immerses the reader. I felt like I was in the Ozarks with the main characters. I got chills reading this story with how creepy it was. I was able to guess what was going to happen, but I liked seeing how it all unfolded. I also enjoyed seeing the change the character go through. Lots of revelations in this one but they’re presented in such a strategic way that works perfectly for the story.
If you’re a fan of Holly Jackson or Natasha Preston, you’d really enjoy Ginny Meyers Sain’s novels! And they’re all perfect for spooky season!
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this one. Not as much as a couple of the author’s other books, though. This one was a littler slower paced compared to the previous books. But, the author has insane way of creating a creepy, atmospheric setting that really immerses the reader. I felt like I was in the Ozarks with the main characters. I got chills reading this story with how creepy it was. I was able to guess what was going to happen, but I liked seeing how it all unfolded. I also enjoyed seeing the change the character go through. Lots of revelations in this one but they’re presented in such a strategic way that works perfectly for the story.
If you’re a fan of Holly Jackson or Natasha Preston, you’d really enjoy Ginny Meyers Sain’s novels! And they’re all perfect for spooky season!
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