I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and Penguin in exchange for my honest review. This YA mystery/thriller had some excellent twists. I figured a few out but definitely not all of them. I liked the paranormal element a lot. The setting of a small town in the Ozarks in Arkansas was perfect for making things even creepier.

📖 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑴𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦.”

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.

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.”

If you love paranormal suspense stories, you HAVE to add this book to your TBR!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✨ 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵
🔍 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 & 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦
👻 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭
🤭 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦
👹𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 & 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
🤐 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴
👀 𝘗𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴

GSM doesn’t miss! I’ve read one last breath, secrets so deep, and dark and shallow lies, and she is one of the few authors the I know is always going to be a 5 star read. Always atmospheric, always a little supernatural, and always queer representation. I cannot say enough good things about When the Bones Sing. Read it !

"When the Bones Sing" is a suspense novel with supernatural elements, likely aimed at younger readers, perhaps YA? The story, set in the Ozark Mountains, heavily relies on myths and folklore associated with the area. The mystery and eerie feeling dominate the beginning of the book, giving a sense that "something is not right here." We get to know several characters, all of whom have supernatural abilities. The main character, Dovie, hears skeletons sing, making her the police's best helper when hikers go missing in the area. More and more hikers are unearthed, and in the end, it's up to Dovie and her best friend Lo to face the evil and uncover the murderer once and for all.

The beginning of the story is definitely the strongest part of this book. I loved the atmosphere, the tension, and the expectations mixed with eerie mysticism and superstition. As the story unfolds, I found the pace became a bit too fast, and I missed some of the slow buildup that set the mood at the start. The book turns into an action-packed thriller, with several mysteries solved along the way. It's easy to read, well-written, and addictive. Unfortunately, I felt the author packed "too much" into the story, and it lost some of its southern gothic charm along the way. But all in all, a quick read that engaged me. I give it 3.5 stars.

Such a great thriller. I loved the setting, it reminded me a bit of the setting from Where the Crawdads Sing and I love those vibes. The bones singing is such a unique thing I’ve never seen in a thriller. Everything came together perfectly at the end. Would definitely recommend this one

Ginny Myers Sain is such a great YA author. She manages to write these great YA mystery/thrillers that are on the horror side. And they’re all brilliantly written. These books all also have a paranormal aspect.

This particular book takes place in a rural town, and there are mysterious deaths and disappearances of hikers. Our main character Dove can sense the bones of the dead.

This story talks about how people view outsiders/how if you are different or don’t conform to the norm you can be ostracized.

This book had multiple layers to it, from friendship, to family to the overarching mystery plot that ties these aspects together.

Myers Sain delivers a well written YA horror/mystery book that will appeal not only to the target audience of teens, but also to adults. There’s something to be said for this authors ability to write across ages.

This was an absolutely wild ride from beginning to end, and I was obsessed with the whole theme of this book. I loved the paranormal aspect of this book, and I thought it worked really well with the whole book especially the mystery aspect. It all folded together beautifully.

I really enjoyed this story, it immediately draws your attention and makes you want to keep reading. It’s a quick read, I finished it in a day once I really got started. I found the characters to be intriguing and lovable. The mystery of it all played out beautifully, I felt the timing was perfect. It wasn’t something you figured out too quickly on your own.

I appreciate the authors writing style, they set a scene beautifully and write the characters in such a way that you’re drawn to them all with a pretty good understanding of their personality. I didn’t see there were any one dimensional characters there just for the sake of it. I didn’t see any glaringly obvious writing errors or plot holes, this could be because the author does a brilliant job of immersing you in the story.

I found the concept to be fascinating and nothing I’ve heard of before. I feel there could definitely be more to their story.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is my first book by Ginny Myers Sain, and it has made me a fan. I have had Dark and Shallow Lies on my TBR list for some time now, and after reading When The Bones Sing, I'm immediately running to read that book! When The Bones Sing is a wonderfully captivating read, so eerie, dark, and mysterious. It is set in a mountain town in the Ozarks and follows two families who have had strong ties with each other for generations. Both families have this unique power that connects them to the dead. Our two youngest main characters, Dovie and Lo, are both able to connect with the dead and once mysterious deaths start happening to campers, it is their job to step in and figure out what is going on. Lo, unfortunately, is more affected by these deaths than Dovie is. He is haunted. He sees the ghosts of the campers, while Dovie is called to them when their bones sing.
I did not expect this book to be this good! The setting is wonderful and so atmospheric, and the plot is surely one of a kind. The author has this beautiful way of writing that not grabs you from the very beginning and leaves you in a chokehold the entire read through. This story is very gripping, and I enjoyed every minute of it! 4.5 stars, rounded up!
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Ginny Myers Sain for this ARC! I can wait to have this on my shelf when it isn't published 3/4/25!

Wow this was packed full of analogies and I loved it! It added so much extra depth to the way the bones sing. What would you do if you knew bones sang to you and you could/had find the dead to stop the song? Dovie and Lo are an exceptional friendship built on the bones of their ancestors and their own personal ghosts. I enjoyed the story and the plot however I could’ve done without the romantic plot as I don’t feel it really added anything extra to the story it was just kind of there.

*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

A southern supernatural thriller about a teen girl who can hear the bones of the dead and now must find out who the killer in her town is before she becomes the next victim. Dovie is a 17-year-old girl who lives in Lucifer's Creek, Arkansa, a small town hidden in the mountains. Dovie has always had the ability to sense bones, and has spent her teen years guiding the local sheriff to the bones of victims, reuniting the dead with their families.... but when her best friend Lo discovers murdered hikers.... its up to Lo and Dovie to find the killer before either of them or anyone else in the town ends up killed. This was a fun souther gothic and the mystery was interesting. I liked the magic that was put into the story and how it was involved in the mystery. This is a fun atmospheric read that I definitely would recommend for autumnal reading!

Release Date: March 4 , 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Ginny Myers Sain's latest novel is a southern gothic affair that combines folklore with Sain's signature speculative fiction. It's set in a small town in the Ozark Mountains in Nebraska, from which more than 20 people have disappeared in the past few years, and follows Dovie, who has accidentally fallen into an integral role in the recovery of these people because their bones literally sing to her. I thought that Dovie's ability, though arguably oddly specific, was so intriguing, and liked that Sain took some time to explore how it impacts Dovie socially, emotionally, and psychologically. It becomes clear pretty quickly that it is both a blessing and a curse.

Things reach a fever pitch when Dovie's former best friend Lo stumbles his way back into her life and claims that he's being haunted by the ghosts of the lost hikers, who are all murder victims. Dovie is torn between wanting to believe her friend and her skepticism surrounding ghosts. As someone who has good reason to believe in ghosts I sometimes find skeptic characters in paranormal/speculative fiction to be eye roll-inducing, but it was in line with Dovie's character so it didn't bother me as much here. Some of the townspeople believe that the murders are the work of a cryptid, the Ozark howler, which I didn't know anything about so it was interesting learning the folklore and seeing how it tied into the story.

I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK. A girl who can hear the bones of the dead singing to her? Say no more. Ginny Myers Sain has perfected eerie gothic romance. I flew through this book it in a day because I couldn’t put it down. The world building was complex enough to draw you in, but straightforward enough to be easily understood. The only aspect I wasn’t a crazy about was the love triangle, but that is purely personal preference and doesn’t reflect on my opinion of the authors writing. The ending was bonkers, and even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t have been able to guess the twists and turns. This was the first book I have read by Ginny Myers Sain and it certainly will not be my last. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Read this book if you like:

*Southern, gothic vibes
*Creepy cryptids
*Paranormal mystery

** Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC! **

The setting of this book was amazing. It played so well into the plot and the vibes of the book and really just held everything together so well. The story was twisty and I enjoyed how the supernatural elements played out, there was always the question of does this have a more logical explanation or is it beyond our understanding. It was particularly interesting to have the main character Dovie not believe in the supernatural despite her own powers. I enjoyed the main characters though I disagreed with some of their decisions but that often happens in gothic horror. They were otherwise well rounded characters and mostly went about their investigation in a logical manner. I did find the twists a bit predictable but still really enjoyed seeing how everything came together in the end.

Thank you @penguinteen #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

Wowza! I loved this one way more than I expected. Where to start? I loved the Arkansas Ozark setting. Ginny does a wonderful job setting the stage in this small woodsy, eerie, creepy town. In addition, our main character, Dovie has the most incredible ability to find dead people. Sadly, more and more people have been going missing with no rhyme or reason and every time Dovie gets brought in to find them because the bones sing to her. Yep. That’s right! So she can sense where the people have been murdered and buried. Ummm cool right? Dovie and her best friend Lo set out to find out what is really happening to these people. Is it a monster like the local lore says? Or is it some other darkness or person wreaking havoc in this small town?

I cannot say enough good things about this book! It’s so dark, creepy and simply haunting. Ginny did a spectacular job creating so many questionable characters that left me thinking that I had it figured out only to be wrong! Yes! I love when that happens! The ending was wild and stress inducing which I’m here for! This book is the perfect blend of atmospheric storytelling, mystery, paranormal activity, and a haunting experience overall. I simply just loved this story! Plus…how gorgeous is that cover?!

3⭐️

Ginny Myers Sain's books are always beautifully atmospheric and I was excited to read her newest one. A girl who can hear the bones of the dead? Sign Me Up. But this ended up just being okay for me. The story dipped it's toe into the supernatural with Dovie's families powers and some other entities, but I wish it dug further into the supernatural aspects. Especially with Dovie's weird insistence that she wasn't magic and that hearing the bones sing was just a 'skill' her family had, it just lead to more questions regarding what was supernatural or not.

I was able to predict the killer pretty early on in the story but I did enjoy the red herrings put in place to lead you away from that assumption. I liked the relationship between Dovie and Lo, but I feel like there was absolutely no need for the failed love triangle in this. At not point was it believable that Dovie would pick this stranger over Lo and it just felt forced. I also liked Dovie figuring out what trigger's the bones to sing in her family. Overall this just left a lot to be desired for me.

Thanks Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing this ARC to me!

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain is an enjoyable YA paranormal mystery set in a small mountain hill town. Where teenager Dovie has the ability to feel the bones of the dead calling to her yet she doesn't believe in magic. Dovie alongside her best friend Lo have had enough of hikers being murdered in their woods and are determined to stop who ever is behind it.

While I didn't 100 % love the writing at times, I did love the characters and setting. Dovie's entire life is steeped in magic but for some reason she has trouble believing in ghosts. I wanted to give her best friend Lo the biggest hug in the world, that poor boy, he is haunted by the dead. The two of them together were best friend / soul mate goals. I love the unconditional love and bond hey had between . I also adored both their grandparents and Dovie's dad grew on me the more we got to know him.

Overall I really enjoyed When the Bones Sing. A YA story filled with unbreakable bonds, soul mates, mountain legends, lore, folk healing, mystery , hidden secrets and a satisfying ending.

3.5 ⭐️
“Sometimes evil carries the bible.”
Seventeen year old Dovie can hear the bones of the dead “sing” to her so it’s no surprise that she is helping the local police of her small town solve a string of disappearances/murders. This was a very interesting YA paranormal southern gothic mystery thriller. I could easily picture myself in Ozark which at times was a little creepy because of the gothic suspense aspect. I will say the love triangle vibes felt very under developed. That could’ve been built up more or just leave it out because I don’t think it really added any significant value to the story.

This book transported me to the hills and streets of small-town Arkansas with its vivid and sensory writing, which allowed me to literally feel the heat and smell the sweet scent of the Ozark Mountains mixed with the distinct scent of Lucifer's Creek. I had the impression that I had met all of the odd and inquisitive people who lived with secrets and sorrows so close to themselves that their choices and actions left ghosts that resided in every shadow. In addition to this, Nana and Granny's knowledge of Southern Lore, Ozark Legends, and Mountain Magic captivated me with a magical world that left me wondering how myth and man would coexist in the world of Dovie and Lowain. 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.

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.

It also takes place in the Ozarks where I live, and I LOVED reading about that!

The premise of this one sounded so creepy and chilling. I just couldn't get into it, the writing wasn't for me. I wasn't enjoying it so I had to DNF.