Original review posted on Goodreads 1/31/25:

I really struggled with the pacing of this story; 40% of the way through nothing major had really happened, and what had transpired wasn't really anything to write home about. I know with a paranormal mystery you don't want to reveal everything RIGHT away, but the tension wasn't ramping up; it was a lot of little samey-samey "oh no, bull imagery is threatening her! Wait, it's gone." moments interspersed with the monotony of Carina's nanny job and her giving herself pep talks about keeping it together.

I skimmed for the next almost-40% of the book until we finally got to the flashback/backstory about what happened between Carina and Joy, and then all the other secrets tumbled out after it in rapid-fire fashion. But when I look back on what was revealed in that last 20% of the book, almost NONE of that connected to the first 40%. If your story's secrets have a lot to do with this family in particular, why are they barely present in half of the book? Carina had one back-and-forth conversation on-page with Mrs. Hall on her first day, and the only time she really interacted with Mr. Hall was her welcome dinner, which was mostly recapped for us after the fact. And perhaps I missed the reasoning in my skimming, but it was incredibly convenient that Joy happened to get this nanny job with the ONE family in Jamaica that Carina had a connection to.

I was interested to see Jamaica as the setting, but aside from brief flashes here and there, there wasn't much local "flavor" that made me feel like we were there, aside from the characters' patois dialogue, descriptions of the tropical flowers in the garden, and mentions of the duppy haunting Carina. Carina herself comments multiple times about how she's been spending so much time at this very white-washed, sanitized house that she hasn't gotten to experience the REAL Jamaica, and like, girl: same!

Ultimately, this really felt like a debut novel, and one that could have used more retooling. An editor to get in there and point out the pacing issues and cut the fat off the tedious parts to get to the meat of WHY am I reading YOUR specific ghost story? What's grabbing me in your words and stopping me from putting this down? Unfortunately...not much.

18-year-old Carina who has a shadowy past, finds herself in the enigmatic Blackbead House. Tasked with caring for the Hall family's children, Carina quickly discovers that this luxurious façade hides dark secrets. Trisha Tobias crafts a suspenseful narrative woven with Jamaican culture and folklore, creating an atmospheric read that keeps you on edge. Carina’s flawed yet relatable character development, alongside the engaging dynamics with Ora, Simone, and Josh, injects humor and warmth into the story.

This book surprised me. I was turning pages so fast ready to read what happened next. After reading this book I’m definitely ready to read more from the author.

Honeysuckle and Bone follows a young woman heading to be an au pair for a wealthy family in Jamaica. Carina isn't who she says she is and is running from something in her past. She is pretending to be her friend and just wants to do her job and get paid.

I struggled to relate to Carina because you don't have much in the way of character background until almost the end of the book. She came off as very fake, which makes sense in the end but was a struggle for me.

I didn't realize it was considered young adult, which is fine, but maybe that is why some of the deeper story was missing? This is a debut novel for the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Trisha Tobias, and Zando/Sweet July Books for the opportunity to read it. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.

Very nice young adult debut. I liked the storyline and the characters. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

For a debut novel this was quite intriguing. Carina the FMC has gone to Jamaica but not as herself. She poses as a nanny for a wealthy family and as we can imagine secrets come out and ghost are afoot. I loved how the story read very mysterious. It lead me to think more secrets where being hidden then their actually was. I quite enjoyed Carina because I felt she could resonate with girls in real life very well. Idk that many would run away to Jamaica but hey a girl can dream.

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias is a must-read! If you enjoy a good dramatic YA mystery, this book is for you! It has an FMC that you will find nerve-wracking immediately! There's a weird family, impending drama at every event, and certain demise. But that's not all! There's also lurking danger, crazy adventures, jaw-dropping discoveries, a major scandal, and a budding, somewhat forbidden, romance. I was clutching my imaginary pearls reading the last 100 pages. I don't typically read YA novels and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I highly recommend it. Go get it!
#HoneysuckleAndBone #NetGalley

3.75 ⭐️

🌈 Rainbow Ratings:
Representation: 8
Atmosphere: 7
Intrigue: 7
Narrative: 8
Build-up: 7
Originality: 8
Wow Factor: 7

I truly enjoyed Honeysuckle and Bone! In this atmospheric YA novel, Carina Marshall escapes to Jamaica for a fresh start as a nanny to the Hall family, but soon discovers that Blackbead House—and the people in it—harbor chilling secrets. As mysterious occurrences threaten her new life, Carina must uncover what’s haunting her before it’s too late.

This book was a fun mix of thriller, horror, romance, and mystery. I appreciated how interconnected the story felt and loved that all my questions were answered by the end. The narrative was unique and well thought out, weaving key horror tropes into a fresh and engaging plot. While parts of it felt a little slow, the story was crafted in a way that kept me hooked until the very last page.

Thanks to the author and Hear Our Voices Tours for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Check out my IG (@blackgirlbujos) for a cover recreation inspired by the novel.

Some of my favorite quotes:
"Not everything that have sugar sweet."
"Shame should be a moment I pass through, not a home that I live in."

Now listen… horror isn’t my thing, but I’m trying. The cover grabbed my attention, and the synopsis was mysterious. With that being said, this read more like a paranormal thriller novel… and I’m not mad at that.

I’m not familiar with Jamaican mythology or lore, but this has definitely intrigued me, and I want to learn more. Carina is an 18-year-old who is trying to figure out life. She’s a bit messy, but I mean, she’s eighteen. No one has life figured out at that age. Fleeing a bad situation, life gets real for Carina as her past comes back to haunt her. With Aaron’s help, Carina has to figure out what is happening in this house before it’s too late.

The pacing wasn’t great, and it took some time to get into this story; however, once the story picked up, it was hard to put down. The characters were well-developed, and there was an interesting plot twist. There were moments of wondering how I felt about Carina. She makes some questionable decisions but also shows growth as the story goes along. I also loved that you saw the growth of the secondary characters, and they all had chemistry. I was a fan of Aaron and Carina. There was a bit of a triangle, but that was handled pretty well.

Tobias does an amazing job of immersing the readers in an immersive setting in Jamaica. As someone who has never been there, she had me ready to book a flight. I loved how she tackled the colonial impact on Jamaica. Since this is Tobias’s debut novel, some things could be improved upon. However, she does a phenomenal job of being authentic and handling such human emotions. This story has a high “re-readable” factor for me.

The mystery, the mystery!

This one for sure is a page turner! I am horrible at trying to figure out the mystery but I tried lol and failed.

Carina traveled from New York to Jamaica to work as a nanny for a well known family. While working for the family she is starting to uncover secrets while keeping a secret of her own. Her guilt, however, tries to get the best of her. She will discover that her new friends may be able to help with the guilt and a little more.

Even though this is a thriller, it still made me want to start planning another trip to Jamaica.

Thank you to my tour group and publishers for this ARC! The book is already out but this was super fun and had the perfect amount of suspense and humor to keep my interested.

Twisty and eerie. I love how atmospheric this setting was and the audiobook narrator kept me glued to my seat and my attention at a 10! Is this a debut? This was great either way.

Unfortunately, I DNFed this book at 20% in. The setting's description were beautiful but the setup for the plot was a little slow and I could not get past the way the teens talked and texted. They used what I assume are authentic Jamaican phrases and slang, but all the improper grammar and words I didn't know in the dialogue and text messages bothered me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This book caught my attention when I saw it tagged as an atmospheric, Gothic horror. Throw in the Jamaica setting and I knew it was one I needed to read.

Unbeknownst to Carina's parents, she has headed to Jamaica for the summer to work as a temporary au-pair for the Hall family, a prominent family tied up in Jamaican politics. Carina is running from her past and obtained the job under fraudulent circumstances, but she quickly falls into routine and makes friends with the other young individuals employed by the Halls. However, nothing can explain the mysterious things happening at the Hall residence. Carina is haunted by a duppy whom she believes is trying to kill her. But is the duppy someone from the past Carina is clearly running from, or someone completely different trying to send Carina a message?

First of all, let me say I found it totally fascinating learning more about Jamaican folklore and traditions. I had no idea what a duppy is (fyi - it's a word of African origin for a ghost or spirit and in Jamaica, often in the form of something which howls through the night). While this was a YA book, it read a bit older to me but if you pick it up, still prepare yourself for some usual teenage angst. However, that didn't take away from the mysterious horror which we all know was what I really signed up for. I ending did provide me with a twist and even though I think it took a heck of a coincidence for it to happen, it was still quite entertaining.

If you are looking for a book featuring something different, then consider picking this one up. I love horror of all kinds, and this was a great atmospheric read.

I kept putting this book down and coming back to it, just to put it down again. I never could really get into the story. I was so excited based on the description but it just wasn't drawing me in unfortunately. Ultimately now I have decided just to DNF it.

Definitely a great coming of age story and figuring out who you want to be. It’s also filled with a ghost story that leads to the big secret. The setting is lush and gorgeous.

Spice: Mild
My Review:
This book has the best opening chapter I have ever read, and I’ve read a lot of books! It perfectly set the tone and mood for everything that followed. The atmosphere of the book was deliciously creepy and I loved how relentlessly the twists kept coming. Carina is a very unreliable narrator and the reader is kept in the dark on a lot of her secrets until late in the book. She was also what I guess you could call a “morally grey” character, but honestly she just felt very human. She made some choices that had very complex repercussions and there wasn’t really a right way forward. While I did find the ending a bit rushed and wish we had more time to process the fallout, the emotional side was very realistic and I could really connect with Carina’s growth. Personally with mysteries I don’t enjoy when the supernatural elements interfere with the plot as it causes me to have to suspend my belief, but I still liked how the Jamaican folklore was worked in! Overall, very impressive storytelling and as this is the author’s debut I already can’t wait to see what she puts out next. Happy Reading 😊

Thank you to @netgalley and @misstrishatobias for providing me with an eARC!

This is an all around amazing book. I love how the bits and pieces of the protagonists life and why she is in Jamaica are revealed. I love the relationships and the setting. I fully felt this book in my soul.
The ending was wonderful!

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and I'm so lucky that I got to read an early copy of this story. Also, that cover is stunning and it helps to set the tone of the book in a great way. This was such an interesting look into a society that I don't know much about--Jamaican social classes, wealth and privilege. I was enthralled by the look into a society in which I don't reside, and I loved the story that developed through that. The folklore woven in, the setting and the characters were all really well realized and made for a compelling story. This was a great book, with an interesting plot but also filled with important commentary and discussion. I really loved this, and I cannot wait for more from this author. One of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it was a hit! I can't wait to get our physical copies in at the branch.

Carina is on her own and in a country her mother has forbidden her to go. However, she is running away from the recent events of her life and feels the need to start over in a place she can be someone else.

Without too many spoilers, we quickly learn Carina has swapped places with her friend Joy as an Au Pair to a prestigious family. We also learn Joy's family came from money where Carina's was more on the level of lower middle-class. At first we don't know how or why she has swapped places, we just know something has happened at home and Carina may or may not deserve the hate she is receiving online.

Once in Jamaica, she tries to make a fresh start with the group of young people on the estate, but some are suspicious that she rarely talks about herself but seems to be curious about others. She also starts to have feelings for one of the guys, but in her mind he is off limits since her new friend, Ora, has a crush on him already.

The mystery arises as Carina feels followed by a ghost, or as the book calls it, a duppy. She feels as though she is burning at times, and there is writing on her mirror and other unexplainable events. I was continuously curious how the events would play out and I consumed this book in about 2 days.

For a while, I was a bit frustrated with the main character and the way she acted. However, I did have to remind myself, Carina is about 17 years old and going through some incredibly tough things. Overall, I was pleased with this book, and found it to be a good, semi-paranormal sort of drama. I am not certain I put this into gothic or horror but to each their own, I suppose.