⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

This had an interesting premise but struggled to keep my attention. I did enjoy the descriptive writing and spooky elements. It also kept me guessing as to the “who done it.” Thank you to netgalley and Penguin group for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. It has all the right pieces, but for me, it just didn't quite land. Maybe I'm just tired of reading about the poor small towns struggling to survive and the protagonist that doesn't quite fit in. My last two books have fallen under that trope, and neither one held my interest the way I wanted them to. Also, everything that happened to Dovie and Lo to move the plot along seemed a little convenient and forced. It felt a bit disingenuous, like the plot was driving the characters instead of the characters driving the plot. I guessed the plot twists about halfway through the book, and I am not normally good at that. Overall, it was an ok book, just a bit predictable. Maybe I just was not in the mood 🤷🏼‍♀️

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest review.

Ginny Myers Sain delivers an eerie, atmospheric thriller with When the Bones Sing, a haunting blend of Southern Gothic, supernatural mystery, and small-town folklore. Set in the isolated town of Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, this novel weaves together chilling disappearances, ghostly hauntings, and a protagonist caught between skepticism and the undeniable power of the dead.

A Town Haunted by the Past

For the past three years, hikers have been vanishing without a trace in the Ozark mountains—until their bodies are unearthed, their bones crying out for justice. Seventeen-year-old Dovie comes from a long line of women who can hear those bones sing, though she refuses to believe in the magic that runs through her blood. All she cares about is helping the sheriff locate the remains and bringing closure to the families of the lost.

But when her best friend Lo begins seeing the shadows of the murdered hikers, their desperate whispers urging him toward the truth, Dovie is forced to reconsider what she thought was impossible. Something in the hills is responsible for these deaths—something that won’t stop until it’s uncovered.

A Lyrical and Unsettling Mystery

Sain’s prose is rich and evocative, wrapping the reader in the eerie, mist-laden atmosphere of the Ozarks. The sense of place is so vivid that the forest itself feels alive, hiding its own dark secrets. The tension builds masterfully, blending real-world fears—missing persons, isolation, unsolved crimes—with folklore elements, like the legendary Ozarks Howler, a creature rumored to stalk the trails.

Complex, Relatable Characters

Dovie is a strong yet deeply conflicted protagonist, torn between the logical world she wants to believe in and the supernatural forces she can’t escape. Lo, haunted by restless spirits, adds another layer of emotional depth, struggling with fear and responsibility as he tries to piece together what the dead are desperate to reveal. Their dynamic is both heartfelt and raw, grounding the story in friendship and determination even as the darkness closes in.

A Perfect Blend of Horror and Mystery

What makes When the Bones Sing so compelling is its seamless blend of mystery, folklore, and horror. The novel keeps readers on edge, unraveling its secrets bit by bit while delivering chilling, hair-raising moments that linger long after the final page. Fans of The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould and The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass will find themselves utterly captivated.

Final Verdict

Dark, immersive, and utterly haunting, When the Bones Sing is a must-read for anyone who loves supernatural mysteries drenched in atmosphere. With its gripping plot, deeply human characters, and chilling twists, this book will have readers racing through the pages while keeping one eye on the shadows.

I really enjoyed this book…a bit supernatural, a bit folklore, a bit romantic, a bit adventurous, with a bit of a suspenseful, dark Gothic feel to it.

First, and to me foremost, Sain excelled at her world-building here. I felt the dark but beautiful woods of the rural town of Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas tucked into the Ozark Mountains. The location itself felt like a character.

And speaking of characters I fell for Dovie and Lo hook, line and sinker. Their complicated and tragic pasts were so very vital to who they were, and I felt them on a personal level that made me care about and become invested in their story. I also loved the juxtaposition of reality to magic and how Dovie and Lo skirted/embraced the two.

The story at its most basic level is about friendship…those deep intertwinings of body and soul that are so visceral and intimate they are hard to describe to others (or even to ourselves).

I found this book very well done on every level.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for providing the free early arc of When the Bones Sing for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This was such a fun, creepy read! I loved the story and Dovie. How the story ebbed and flowed- somewhat predictable yet addictive at the same time. I couldn’t put it down and absolutely enjoyed every single page!

Dove is known for finding the bones of the dead, and she sets out to try to understand why exactly there are so many of them in her small Ozark town, hoping to put an end to it.

I love magic, supernatural, atmospheric stuff so this one was a win for me. The descriptive writing helped me feel the frantic energy and stress that the characters were experiencing. There aren’t that many characters introduced, so I started off thinking it was obvious who the murderer was, but I ended up being surprised and the twist was pretty wild. I finished the whole thing in one night, so it clearly held my attention and kept me wanting to see what happened next. And I thought the connection between Dove and Lo was really sweet.

17 year old Dovie continues her family’s legacy of feeling the bones of the dead when they sing. This power has come in handy for the past 3 years with the influx of the missing/murdered hikers visiting their small Ozark town. Enough is enough and Dovie and her friends embark on a journey to find who is responsible.
This was my first book by Ginny Myers Sain and I am hooked! Filled with drama, mystery, suspense and horror When the Bones Sing was impossible to put down. I loved the Ozark mountain town setting it enhanced the suffocating feeling throughout the book. I will say that this did feel more intense and scary than I was expecting with a YA book but overall I loved it. I think fans of Kate Pearsall, Erin A Craig and the Stalking Jack the Ripper series will love this book too!
Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC for an honest review!

My thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin Random House for the ARC of "When the Bones Sing" in exchange for an honest review.
Take my word for it, when these bones sing, they're louder than the Crawdads and the Herald Angels combined. And these skeletal leftovers are only one of the many scary supernatural elements that haunt this chilling, yet heartfelt thriller. Rich in atmosphere, it can raise your goosebumps even as your feel terribly worried and protective about the two main characters.
The bones belong to the bodies of dozens of brutally murdered and buried hikers who took to the woodsy trails among the Ozark mountains. In the nearby small Arkansas town, the only person who hears the plaintive insistent vibration of the bones is 17 year old Dovie. For the last few years, she's s taken up the gruesome task of following the sounds to lead the sheriff to the burial spots.
Though her community's filled to the brim with ancient superstitions and ghostly lore, Dovie doesn't think of her otherworldly talent as magic in any way, but merely an acquired trait handed down to her by her grandmother and mother. But among the suspicious townsfolk , she's an outcast they're wary of.......especially since she'll have nothing to do with the town's fire-and-brimstone preacher, Brother Turley.
What weighs even heavier on Dovie's mind is the delicate mental state of Lowan, her lifelong friend since childhood. Also steeped in uncanny local traditions from his grandmother Lo sees the restless, vengeful spirits of the murdered hikers, demanding he find their killer.
As Dovie and Lo's deep friendship develops into something more, they put themselves at terrible risk in hunting whatever fiend stalks the Ozark trails. Shocking twists erupt as these two young people, attuned to ghosts and monsters, face a climactic reckoning with the evil they've searched for. (And you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough. )
Had a wonderful time immersed in this book, which reads like an alternate Halloween version of 'Where The Crawdads Sing' . Suspense, chills, surprises.......and a boy and girl whom you want to envelop with huge caring hug. What's not to like? (Unless you're easily spooked......)

March 3 update: TikTok post for release
A teenage girl can ‘hear’ bones and lead the sheriff to bodies. Lately, there are a lot of bodies. The novel's strong voice drew me in immediately and kept me immersed in this unusual, dark world.

When the Bones Sing took me by surprise. It's much darker than I expected, in really good ways, and it's a rare book that acknowledges the aftereffects of trauma. The strong yet vulnerable main character, her tormented best friend, their outcast families, the generational burdens, and local lore brought to life in the vivid Ozarks setting made this a standout reading experience.

There's good depth and characterization here. The romance bits are sensual and sensitive, and don't overwhelm the plot .I enjoyed the suspense, thoughtful exploration of old beliefs, ghosts, friendship, and love. Honoring elders and the victims and their families made this a particularly moving read. I liked the depictions of hypocrisy toward pracictioners of herbal healing, spellcasting, divination, and dowsing.

Highly recommended for horror and supernatural thriller readers comfortable with crime scene details, danger, and disturbing material, and themes. Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the eARC for consideration. These are solely my own opinions. 

I'll post on TickTock closer to the release and add the link.

Twisty and suspenseful, this book gripped me with its plot twists. A murder mystery wrapped in folklore magic and generations of secrets. The ability to have so much history between characters with out revealing anything too early is beautiful, also the little bit of romance thrown in there is perfect. 100% recommended for anyone who likes spooky stories

Everything Ginny Myers Sain writes is an auto-read for me, and this book was another example of why! I didn't even read the description, my confidence in this author is 100%. I have every book she has written, and I was #blessed when I was approved for an ARC of her newest book, #WhenTheBonesSing 😍😍😍 For two days, I lived in the Ozark Mountains with Dovie and Lo; fully consumed into their lives, and emotionally tied to their souls. It was that deep. Magical realism × thriller, this book is perfect for absolutely everyone who wants to extend the reality of the world just that little bit, for the sake of an absolutely breathtaking experience. You will feel all of the feels. This book was everything I was looking for and more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #PenguinTeen and #netgalley for blessing me with the ARC of this amazing novel! 😘

Thank you to Ginny Myers Sain, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

Tropes:

"But sometimes you have to bleed.
Sometimes it's the only way to heal."

First, the cover of this book is so pretty. I know they say don't judge a book by its cover but I did with this one and knew I needed to read it based on its cover.

I liked Dovie. She didn't care what others thought. Even though they treated her like trash, she still kept her head held high. I have mixed feelings about Lo. I liked Nana and Pearl and how much they cared for both Dovie and Lo.

While I was able to figure out the whole "Howler" situation and identity, there was something else that I didn't see coming. However, I still have some questions regarding that.

I liked the whole premise of this book. I couldn't imagine having the same ability as Dovie. I also liked the writing. It kept me engaged and I found it hard to put down.

'When the Bones Sing' is about Dove, who can feel bones of the dead, and Lowan, who practices hill magic, trying to solve the mystery of the murdered hikers in their Ozark town.

This was an interesting story, mixing folklore and magical realism. The whole tone of the novel was very creepy and atmospheric, and the relationship between Lo and Dovie was at once both innocent and established.

I was immediately intrigued when I read the description of this book since it seemed so different from what I’ve been reading lately. I thought the mystery and paranormal aspects of this book were well done. I do feel like it lagged a little in the middle and I expected it to be more of a thriller. I was thrown off by the love story since it wasn’t marketed as a YA romance from what I saw, but overall I thought the main characters were endearing and I enjoyed their journey together as they worked to solve the mystery.

When the bones sing was a dark, poetic tale of magic, love and grief, shrouded in mystery and family secrets -and every minute of it was nothing short of perfect.

I can’t say much without giving something away but from the very first page, the story hooked me with its writing, its atmosphere and its beautiful plot.

Looking for a haunting young adult novel? This is for you.

Thank you to Penguin Group & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a 3.5 ⭐️ read for me!

Ginny has such a unique sense of writing and storytelling that I always enjoy, it just sucks you right in. I was captivated from the beginning of the book where Dovie starts digging for bones, and we spend the rest of the story following her and her best friend Lo try to solve the mystery of the Ozark Howler. Ginny did such a good job of building such a vivid setting for the book, I truly felt like I was in the Ozarks while reading it!

And while the story did hold my attention and I felt invested in it, it still didn’t check all the boxes for me. What I didn’t like was while reading I was trying to figure out if I was reading a romance book (Lo and Doves friends to lovers), a thriller (they’re trying to solve the mystery of the dead hikers) or a fantasy book (the Ozark howler was a cryptoid hunting down people). I also would have liked to see the ending not have been as rushed, it happened so quickly and then abruptly just ended.

Overall I definitely enjoyed this book!

Title: When the Bones Sing
Series: n/a
Author(s): Ginny Myers Sain
Genre: YA Thriller/Paranormal
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
Publishing Co.: Putnam’s Sons
Length: 352 pages/ 29 chapters
Rating: 4 ⭐️ / 🌶️

Trigger Warning/ Tropes:

*Ya Thriller
*Paranormal/Supernatural
*Murder/Death
*Mental Health

When the Bones Sing by Ms. Sain is a gripping and unique read, blending suspense, paranormal elements, and a chilling atmosphere. The protagonist, Dovie "Bird" Warner, is a fascinating character with her eerie ability to hear and feel the bones of the deceased. The setting in Lucifer Creek adds a layer of intrigue too, a place with its own dark secrets. The combination of a fast-paced plot and a spine-chilling ending certainly will be appealing for fans of thrillers with a supernatural twist.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book even though it's outside of my typical genre—absolutely a great recommendation for anyone looking to dive into something a little different!

Pre-order your copy now or pick up a copy Tuesday, March 4th!

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Putnam's Sons for an advanced copy of When the Bones Sing in exchang for an honest review.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Ginny Myers Sain sure knows how to write hauntingly beautiful stories.

When the Bones Sing is a southern gothic tale and it tugged at my heartstrings a few times.

I was able to picture the little Ozarks town so perfectly.

I found this story very unique and it kept me guessing. I did guess part of the big reveal at one point but most of it still took me by surprise.

17 year old Dovie has a supernatural ability where she can hear the bones of the dead sing. This ability leads her to find the bones of murdered hikers in her small Ozark town. In the past three years, many hikers have been murdered. With the help of her best friend, Lo, Dovie hopes to find the killer before she ends up the next victim.

This is the 2nd book that I’ve read by this author and I liked this one much more than the first book that I read by her. I thought this book was very atmospheric and engrossing. I loved the murder mystery and the supernatural elements. There were some predictable moments and I wasn’t a fan of the romance. Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read.

I think fans of YA supernatural mysteries will really enjoy this book.

3.5⭐️

This was a captivating story. The book is a Southern gothic mystery set in the Ozark Mountains, where 17-year-old Dovie navigates a world steeped in folklore and danger. Gifted with the unsettling ability to hear the bones of the dead sing, Dovie becomes entangled in a series of disappearances and murders of hikers along the Aux Arc Trail. The central mystery of it all twists and turns unexpectedly, building up to a chilling reveal that skirts the edge of horror.