When the Bones Sing is a mesmerizing and emotional young adult thriller that masterfully combines mystery, horror, and a touch of the supernatural. The book’s strongest element is its hauntingly beautiful prose, which creates a vivid, atmospheric world—a mysterious small town in the Ozarks with a chilling, southern gothic vibe.

The story follows Nora as she navigates an eerie setting and a captivating plot. It’s more than just a typical thriller; it explores deeper themes of loss, trauma, and identity, giving the narrative a rich emotional depth. The slow-burn mystery keeps readers hooked, with unexpected twists that will have you questioning everything until the very end. The main characters, though some may find them underdeveloped, are at the heart of an emotional journey that feels both intimate and epic.

While some readers might find the pacing slow or the plot at times frustrating, those who appreciate a moody atmosphere and a psychological mystery will be completely swept away. This book is a powerful read that will stick with you long after you’ve finished it.

When the Bones Sing absolutely mesmerized me from start to finish. The prose is hauntingly beautiful, painting a world that feels both intimate and epic, and the characters are so vividly drawn that I found myself living alongside them. The blend of magic, mystery, and emotional depth is seamless, making every page a discovery I didn’t want to end. I was completely swept away by the story’s power and heart, and it left me thinking about it long after I turned the last page.

Ginny Sain Myers is a go-to author for my library. She's up there with Karen McManus as a must-have for students who are reluctant readers. This title is no different.

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain is a chilling YA thriller that blends mystery and horror with deep emotional themes. The town’s eerie atmosphere and Nora’s emotional journey keep you hooked, as she grapples with grief, identity, and the supernatural. Sain's exploration of loss, trauma, and memory add depth, making it more than just a typical thriller. If you enjoy a slow-burn mystery with psychological twists, this one's definitely worth the read. I really enjoyed it's atmosphere right from the start. The small, mysterious town and the eerie vibe kept me intrigued and the twists were unexpected. I found myself questioning everything until the end. It’s a perfect mix of suspense and depth. When the Bones Sing definitely stuck with me long after I finished reading.

I cannot express just how much Ginny Myers Sain got me again. I don't know why I am surprised because even when I think I have everything figured out, I've forgotten a key player that makes everything shift and suddenly I'm not sure what's going on. I love that you have to pay attention to everything and that this is set in a relatable setting. It makes it just that much creepier on a subtle level. i cannot express how much I look forward to reading her books.

The idea of hearing the bones of the dead sing is definitely unique and has a lot of atmospheric potential, especially set in the mysterious Ozark. The writing creates a moody southern gothic vibe that I appreciated.

That said, the story didn’t quite hold my attention. The plot felt slow and at times dragged, and the mystery was more frustrating than compelling. The characters, especially Dovie and Lo, didn’t feel fully developed, which made it harder to connect with their journey.

While the supernatural elements were interesting, the overall pacing and lack of strong surprises made the book a bit of a slog for me.

Thank you for a copy of this ARC!

This was a bit too paranormal for me and I found myself skimming towards the end. It was a bummer because it started off where I was hooked and ultimately it fell off.

When the Bones Sing is a southern gothic supernatural young adult thriller that takes place in a small Ozark town and follows a teen girl who can hear the bones of the dead. The book had me captivated from the beginning and I could not stop reading this one once I started it. It was written well with a great setting and interesting characters. This was filled with witchy and magical things that were so interesting. I enjoyed the mystery of the book which was the horrifying serial murders. Overall, I highly enjoyed this read and would recommend it to any young adult reader or to those who like horror or mystery reads. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/ G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for this read in exchange of my honest review of When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain.

Ginny Myers Sain does it again! She’s quickly become one of my favorite authors and When the Bones Sing is no exception to her amazing storytelling.

I didn't love this one, but I feel like it's a case of, "it's not you, it's me." I've struggled to really connect with YA books lately, so it takes a really good one to pull me in. The author used too many analogies for my taste and I felt like there just wasn't enough 'horror'for a book that's supposed to be horror.

With that said, the premise is unique and captivating, the atmosphere is vivid and eerie, and there are some truly memorable characters.

Even though it wasn't my favorite, I do recommend it, especially if you're a fan of YA.

I love this authors ability to create an atmosphere. It’s really what keeps me coming back to her books time and time again. This one kept me engaged the entire time.

Very good story easy to read no shocking twists it was pretty easy to figure out what was coming but I still enjoyed it. I love magical realism and places that come to life off the page.

Idea of feeling bones calling out from their grave was interesting and I wanted to find out more, however the characters were dark and desperate and full of angst and I just couldn't like them. Too much dwelling on feelings and not a lot of action. Did finish the book but no interest in reading more.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and I thank them, the author and publisher for making it available.

𝕋ℍℝ𝕀𝕃𝕃𝔼ℝ 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝔽𝔼𝔸𝕋𝕌ℝ𝔼

Special thanks to @penguinteen @ginnymeyerssain & @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.
This one has been on my TBR for way too long. I loved her last book, and so of course I HAD to grab this because disappearing persons and magic, what could be better?

𝙎𝙔𝙉𝙊𝙋𝙎𝙄𝙎
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.

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Mar 4, 2025

ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ Do you believe in magic?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #ginnymeyerssain #whenthebonessing #penguinteenpartner #netgalley
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If you want to jump into spooky season with a hauntingly atmospheric mystery this is for you. Set in a small town in the mountains a string of hikers keep going missing only for their bones to be recovered at a later date in increasingly intense locations. What is going on in this town and who in the world is killing these hikers?! Read to find out

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain
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A southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl who can find dead bodies. When the bones call to Dovie she has to find them so they can be laid to rest. But how are all these people dying out on the hiking trails? Or is someone killing them?
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What I liked:
-I did like the mystery of how these hikers were dying. I was not quite able to predict the ending.
-There were definitely gothic vibes.
-Family drama and best friend drama.
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3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I liked this one but not as much as Dark and Shallow Lies.

This is the second book I have read by Jenny Meyers Sain and I am convinced that I would enjoy whatever she writes. I LOVE books set in the Ozark/Appalachian south. This one is witchy, and mysterious. Full of murder and intrigue. Outcasts, and family. It's rich in folklore and tradition, and I ate. It. Up.

When The Bones Sing is a gothic, supernatural murder mystery/thriller with an interesting premise and a unique concept of magic.

Dovie is a 17 year old girl who comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of dead bodies sing, an ability that is called upon by the local police to help find the bodies of more than two dozen hikers who have disappeared off the Aux Arc Trail in the Ozark Mountains in the last 3 years and thought likely dead.

The setting of the Ozark Mountains was completely a new one for me and I actually did an online search to know more about this mountain range that covers three states. The supernatural vibes, superstitions and magic surrounding it and the town of Lucifer's Creek in the book gave a perfect atmospheric, dark and chilling setting to the story.

The twists and the secrets that kept peeling off at regular intervals kept the book well paced and not one scene, dialogue or moment felt wasted. There were few characters but they all were well etched out and had a role to play in the story. I liked both Dovie and Lowell and how they support and help each other with the burden of their magic and responsibility. This is one of the few times I felt both the physical setting and characters played an equal part in telling the story.

I loved this book (and the cover picture 😍) and I am now interested in checking out the author's previous works.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and the author Ginny Myers Sain for the digital ARC of the book.

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read #WhenTheBonesSing by #GinnyMyersSain in return for a fair and honest review.

Dovie comes from a long line of woman who have always been able to hear the bones of the dead speak to them, yet Dovie doesn't believe in magic. Its a hard thing to deny though when the bones have been singing to her so loudly and incessantly for the last few years.

Hikers keep disappearing off the trails in the Ozarks and no trace of them are found. At least not until Dovie follows the sound of their bones singing and is able to reunite them with their loved ones. Some think a creature in the mountains is responsible for the deaths of all of these people but Dovie thinks that is a foolish thought, only something human could be behind these senseless deaths.

Lo Dovies best friend feels like there are things in the shadows following him. Things that want to know how they passed and why. The shadows want those responsible held accountable.

Dovie and Lo have to find a way to put all of this to rights before any more death comes knocking.

This book did not catch my interest, like I had hoped.

The writing was definitely on par with a YA novel.

It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but I won't be recommending it.