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.

Thank you to netgalley for the early eARC of this amazing book for an honest review. When the Bones Sing literally had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. When the Bones Sing follows 17 year old Dovie who can hear the bones of those who have been killed. Dovie's small town has had 24 missing people who have gone up into their hiking trail but never came back. Her best friend Lo swears he can see the ghost of the dead hikers and they want him to figure out who is doing this to them. So Dovie and Lo set out to find the truth, but little do they know that there is a lot more to everything going on. I couldn't put this book down. I would take a guess on what could be happening and who or what is killing and then plot twist. If you love a dark gothic, spooky and thriller of story then this is for you! When the Bones Sing comes out March 4th, 2025. Everyone needs to read this book now!!

I guess I would call this Southern gothic. A teenage girl in the Ozark mountains can hear the bones of dead people calling her to find them. Hikers keep mysteriously disappearing and Dovie and her friends try to find out who is killing them. The author does a great job with the setting and atmosphere and the characters. The plot has some interesting twists and is very suspenseful.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC of this book.

A southern gothic about a girl who can hear bones sing and what does one do with this kind of power uses it to help guide the local Sheriff to dead bodies.

This story was an interesting story from an author I don’t know or haven’t read before! Will look at finding other things by this author. I am grateful for the early access, thank you to those that allowed it!

4,5☆

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc of this book. All opinions are completely my own.

This was sooo good! This had a similar kind of atmosphere and vibe that all of Ginny Myers Sain's books have and that I absolutely love. An isolated setting, magical elements mixed with mysteries, lovable and well-built characters, as well as a cute romance.

The plot of this was very intriguing and kept me hooked from beginning to end. I really loved the characters as well. The mystery was really good as well, and I loved all of the twists and turns that came with it. I couldn't guess the ending, but it was so fitting and perfect!

I really recommend this and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!

Content Warning: death, murder

I really love the atmosphere and setting of this book. It’s set in a small town in Arkansas, and the author does a great job of capturing the mysterious, and complicated that is the Ozarks. I love how the mix of the natural environment and the different types of people who came to live in the Ozarks are represented. There was definitely a Southern-gothic vibe to this book. I could hear the twang in the way the characters talked just by the way it’s written. There is the religious community and then the others that believe in simple spells and spirits. There is even talk about the Howler, a supernatural creature roaming the Ozarks. I think all of this contributed in giving this story a mysterious, creepy and tense feeling.

I did enjoy the mystery about the hikers that were going missing and ending up being killed. Dovie being a person who can find their bones is fascinating and Lo, who can see spirits just added to the vibe of the book. There is a little romance in this story but I don’t think that it was needed, I liked Dovie and Lo being best-friends enough. I didn’t need the mini love triangle that was thrown in.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery, I wanted more suspense and thrills, but I will say the truth that Dovie and Lo uncovers is pretty awful.

Final Thoughts:

My favorite part of this book is the atmosphere for sure! I love the Southern gothic vibes of the Ozarks – it’s mysterious and creepy and perfect for a story like this. I didn’t think the romance was needed but I did like Dovie and Lo’s friendship. Overall, I enjoyed the storytelling, just maybe wanted a bit more thrills.

When I see Ginny Myers Sain, it’s an instant read for me — there’s no question about it. Nobody does atmospheric YA mysteries quite like she does. Her stories always have some paranormal element (oh, and, plenty of unsolved murders) and yet each plot is uniquely structured, with characters that feel almost tangible.

WHEN THE BONES SING may not be my favorite book of hers, it was compelling enough that I read it rather quickly. I figured out who the killer was way too early, but not the why of it, which ended up being shocking, if not quite hard to believe — even in a book where magic clearly exists. My biggest gripe was the relationship between the protagonist and her love interest, which ends up being a main storyline point. I am fully a fan of enemies to lovers, which may be why I didn’t enjoy their dynamic as much, but also think it would have benefitted the story a bit more if Sain spent some more time developing the love interest beyond the somewhat shallow persona he’s given. Their relationship was almost fully in conflict with the typical writing advice to “show, not tell.”

Still, the mysteries here were top tier, even if some parts of it all were perhaps a little too easy to understand.

I love this authors books! They kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! This one was particularly atmospheric and mysterious. This book involves strong character development and thrilling moments!

"The first time I pulled a skeleton from the ground, I wasn't even four years old." With this chilling opener, Ginny Myers Sain's "When The Bones Sing" grabbed me by the collar and didn't let go. Set in the eerie town of Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, this book is a perfect blend of family drama and spine-tingling mystery that'll keep you up way past your bedtime.

Picture this: a small Ozark mountain town where hikers vanish without a trace, and nobody bats an eye. That is, until Dovie's best friend Lo comes back to town, stirring up more than just old memories. The atmosphere Sain creates is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I could feel the mist creeping through the trees and hear whispers on the wind as I turned each page.

Now, let's talk about Dovie and Lo. These two are like night and day, but their friendship? It's the warm, beating heart of this dark tale. Watching them dig into the mystery of the missing hikers had me holding my breath, especially as the trail led right back to their own pasts. Talk about skeletons in the closet!

And oh, the supernatural elements! Ghosts and a creature called the Howler added layers to the mystery that had me second-guessing every creak and shadow. I found myself constantly wondering what - or who - was really behind the disappearances.

Traipsing through the woods with Dovie and Lo was a thrilling ride from start to finish. The suspense had my heart racing, and the ending? Let's just say it answered my questions in ways I never saw coming.

If you're in the mood for a book that blends the small town drama with the chill of a good mystery, "When The Bones Sing" is your next must-read. Just maybe leave the lights on while you're at it.

Thank you, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Book and NetGalley, for my free book.

Journey into the dark heart of the Ozarks in this chilling and atmospheric Southern Gothic Horror for YA readers. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end, and I couldn’t get enough of the beautiful and selfless love shared by Dovie and Lo.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!