Honeysuckle and Bone is a haunting, beautifully lyrical debut that grips you with raw emotion and refuses to let go. Trisha Tobias crafts a story rooted in identity, generational pain, and fierce love, all wrapped in prose that aches with truth. This one lingers—like a whispered secret you can’t forget.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sweet July Books and Trisha Tobias for this ALC of the audiobook!

You're never the only one with a secret...

"Today, I'm a mystery. I decide what's revealed, who I get to be."

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias

Carina Marshall needs to get away. She runs to Jamaica to take her friend's nanny gig with a wealthy and prestigious family. No one knows where she is, and no one knows her secret. She may not be the nanny the family asked for, but can be the nanny the children deserve. When strange occurrences start happening, and a figure starts to stalk her and cause her trouble, she feels haunted. This feeling isn't foreign to her, though. Carina Marshall is used to feeling haunted. Eventually, this haunting figure tries communicating with her, and a mystery starts to unfold itself. Carina thinks she is the only one who can solve the mystery and help this haunting figure. The question is, who will believe her? Will anyone help her? Can she figure it out before the ghosts of her past catch up the ghost of her present?

"Dead are dead. Nice if they want to be, mean if they want to be. But you guys play games with them. We live with them, we respect them. We fear them."

Oi vey... this one was interesting! I'm starting to think I should be a detective because I figured it out! (well, kind of) I really liked the setting and background of this story. It shows a true dichotomy of the Jamaican values and culture in contrast to those of Carina's American values. Trisha Tobias keeps her readers on their toes with the suspense, especially regarding the question of what truly happened to Carina in order for her to run as far as she could. She also is able to craft an ambiance of a presence, giving us intricate detailing to assist in us imagining what it feels like to be haunted by this entity. The ensemble of the Young Birds, who work on this property, doing this-or-that job brings forth an ample amount of characters, a little bit of drama, and helps advance the story.

"Nevermind that dense heat I feel all around the property, that honeyed scent on the air... I don't know. The vibes are kind of, strange?"

"For the first time in a long time, I'm okay. Good, even. If I stick to my plan, I'll stay that way. Because I didn't come this close to freedom to fall apart."

As a reader, I felt the anxiety, confusion and paranoia palpably through Carina's POV. I remember what it felt like to be 18 years old, feeling the world was out to get you and the only thing you could do was run and hide it out. I know what it feels like to not be believed for the sake of whatever another's reasons may be. I know what it feels like to not be taken seriously. I know how it feels to try to find your place, find yourself and trying to mold your self to mirror another. Well done, Trisha. Well done.

"Justice is a bitch. This disturbed, haunted life is what I'll have now, probably until the day I die."



Blurbs:

"I've built a pen for the monster within, tried to put a muzzle on her, tried to tame her. And who has the monster become? Do I recognize her? Do I see me?"

"I did everything right. Everything I could to cover my tracks and kill the version of me I no longer wanted to claim. But still, that bitch lives."

"It will torment. It will addle my brain until I can't tell truth from lie. It'll turn the kids into playthings, dolls in a dollhouse of it's own making..."

"There's so much about us that goes unseen, no wonder we're all so lonely."

"... And it feels the mansion is studying me, even though the nights have been comfortably quiet. But, I have been on edge since I arrived..."

"Am I paranoid or perceptive? Do I see everything that goes on?"

"[They] probably dress themselves in chicken blood and make deals with demons. How else you explain the wealth?"

I want to thank Netgalley and the author and for gifting me the audio book. This was an interesting read. It was okay.. I didn't love it but didn't hate it. The characters were okay and I think I would read another story from this author.

I am now on an ALA committee and cannot leave a real review. Thank you for your patience. Sorry for the inconvenience This is NOT a rating. This just a place holder because I had to.

This was great! I was thoroughly mesmerised by this spooky, eerie, almost whimsical YA horror that felt somehow cosy and quiet, but also intense and excruciating at the same time. The atmosphere is sticky and curious, and the author describes the sensation of everything becoming all too worrying and claustrophobic so very well. Carina was a great protagonist, such a teenager with messy, hard edges but still with a gentleness that you can't deny and makes you feel so strongly for her. I will definitely be recommending this novel to others!

I'm wavering on how exactly where I land, but I think I'll settle on a 3.5, rounded up.

This one is all about the atmosphere. Think creepy, gothic house that's closing in. I do wish the creepiness had been turned up to add tension to the story, but I think the direction the author ended up going in worked out for the story. Highly readable, Honeysuckle and Bone is a book I'd definitely recommend.

🍯HONEYSUCKLE AND BONE🦴 by @misstrishatobias is a YA mystery steeped in Jamaican lore! Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers, @zandoprojects and @dreamscape_media for the e and audio-ARCs.

🌴🌴🌴

An 18 year old just out of H.S. is heading to Jamaica to be an au pair for the summer for the prestigious and politically connected Hall family. The only problem is that she is not who the papers that got her the job says she is.

🌴🌴🌴

This was definitely a solidly YA read. I have some mixed feelings about it but mostly enjoyed it. I really liked the gothic atmosphere, landscape descriptions, duppy lore and the mystery. However, I just could not stand the main character! I think that was partly intentional - she is a young, anxiety-ridden person just trying to survive and keep her secrets up. But she certainly struggles to tell the truth and has an uncanny ability to rationalize or excuse her bad decisions. She survives on half-truths and easily conjured lies. She also struggles to mind her business, but that is pretty true of most citizen sleuths so I will give her that one! All in all I found her character pretty selfish so it was hard to enjoy following her story.

I did however love the gothic Jamaican folklore vibes so I would give this one a 3 star.

Honeysuckle and Bone tells the story of Carina Marshall, who is looking to start fresh in Jamaica under a new identity. Unfortunately, past hauntings follow her, creating a duppy (Jamaica's version of a ghost) that won't leave her alone. Throughout the story, she spends time figuring out who the Duppy is and puts it to rest for good.

I experienced this book via audio, with Laura Edwards as the narrator. It took 11 hours and 7 minutes to get the job done, and honestly, I think I should have stuck to reading it physically. Edwards's overall performance wasn't bad, but she was too bright sounding for the story, which changed how I envisioned it. When I first started reading Honeysuckle and Bone physically, I felt the deep, dark, gothic-like flow of things, but after listening to the narration, I would have never known it was considered a horror story.

I don't have strong feelings for the book. The story was a little all over the place for me. I didn't care for most of the characters—especially the protagonist, Carina. But the ending made it all worth it to me. I don't know how we got there, but it was a twist I didn't see coming.

I didn't love or hate it, but I sense that I will reread it in the future.

Harassed online and escaping from something in her recent past, main character Carina Marshall has arrived in Jamaica to reinvent herself. Assuming the identity of a wealthy friend, Joy Carter, Carina is to take on a job as an au pair for the wealthy and powerful Hall family.

The Halls' estate, Blackbead House, is luxurious, beautifully furnished, and appears poised and glamourous, much like the lady of the house, Mrs. Hall, who has strict requirements for Carina's work and care of her children. Carina needs this job, and is happy to comply.

Carina gets along well with her charges, and is welcomed by the staff, particularly Aaron, who tends the grounds. She also begins noticing tension amongst the family, but doesn't want to look too closely at anything, particularly as she has her own secrets, including the one she told her parents, where she was supposed to be driving across the US, and not on her own in Jamaica, the place her mother, though from, had no desire for Carina to visit, particularly as she had a sister who disappeared while in the country.

Then, Carina begins to be haunted, and learns that there had been another woman previously employed, but who left and is nowhere to be found. Carina, unwilling to suffer constantly, begins digging into the Halls, the disappearance of the person who formerly held her position, and into local traditions as a way to understand how to dispel the ghost.

Though a little on the slow side, and a tad repetitive initially with Carina's internal monologue and self-flagellation, this was a diverting story. I loved the numbers of secrets, and the tensions and angers amongst the Hall family. I did think that there were some coincidences, and the ending was a little too swiftly wrapped up. But Carina's messiness and her not always well thought out actions felt believable, even when I found them a little irritating. But, she's still maturing, and trying to figure out who she is, so her thoughtlessness and lying worked, as well as her increasing determination to get to the truth.

I liked the hauntings; they were wonderfully described, and a little chilling.

I listened to this book, and Laura Edwards does a great job of voicing Carina and all her emotions, as well as the other characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the mystery of Honeysuckle and Bone, the paranormal events, and the new friendships made. It was twisty and creepy. I also loved the atmospheric setting in Jamaica and the the folk lore. Carina is a hot mess and I guess a lot of teens are, especially when their best friend dies. (Although I would argue that she was not a great BFF). I will purchase it for our library and recommend it to students that like creepy twisty thrillers.

☆3.5☆

⇝ Young Adult
⇝ Mystery
⇝ Horror
⇝ Thriller
⇝ Fantasy
⇝ Paranormal
⇝ Standalone


Main Attention ~ Carina
A teenager with a secret past accepts a job as a nanny for the prestigious Halls family in Jamaica without informing anyone in her life—hoping for a fresh start after a dark past. However, her plans quickly unravel when she realizes the beautiful mansion she now calls home might be haunted—and the ghost seems determined to drive her away from her only chance at redemption.

I didn’t really like Carina from the start, and my dislike for her only grew as the story progressed. She had a talent for making bad decisions and then justifying them in the most frustrating ways. It especially annoyed me when she would acknowledge that something was a terrible idea, list the reasons why, and then immediately talk herself into doing it anyway. Also, what's with that beast thing? That reminded me of Harry's jealousy described in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when he started having feelings for Ginny.

However, I absolutely loved the narrator. She did an amazing job giving each character a distinct tone, and I especially enjoyed the Jamaican accent—it added so much to the atmosphere of the story.


Other Voices~
I liked most of the young birds and the Halls' kids. They were such an enigma by themselves and were often hilarious and heart-touching. I'm actually not sure if I like Aaron or not because I found Carina not to be a reliable judge of character. He always helped her out even when he didn't have to, but I'm not sure if that was out of the goodness of his heart or just because he wanted her. I didn't get how he still like Carina after expressly stating he can't stand dishonest people. But every time Carina lied, he justified it being "intelligent" which truly made me roll my eyes.


Musings~
I loved the plot an the Jamaican setting. That and the narrator were the main reasons I kept on with the audiobook even when I didn't like the main characters. Though there was character development, I did not feel like it was good enough. I expected more from Carina and from the Young Birds too, who just left her off of hook so easily after knowing her secrets.


Parting Thoughts~
This book had a pretty amazing plot, but I think the characters need a little more work. Otherwise, I think I might be open to reading more from Trisha Tobias.

3.5 stars Rounded Up

I have not read many books with a Jamaican setting so this was a real treat! It had me looking up the flora (honeysuckle) fauna (hummingbirds) and foods mentioned in the book.

It was billed as horror but the horror element was very mild and I doubt it would keep anyone up at night. I may just be desensitized, but I got more of a Scooby Doo vibe than a Haunting of Hill House vibe. It is definitely YA

Carina was a believable enough character and I was heavily invested in her background. Why was she there and why was her conscience eating her alive? I loved the other characters too. The Young Birds group seemed like people you would want to meet. The narrator for the audio version did a stellar job bringing each of them to life.

The big reveal was NOT predictable at all, and that is part of the reason I bumped up to a 4 instead on down to a 3. If the pacing would have been a bit better, I think it would have been a solid 4! Definitely something I would recommend to the YA readers I know. It wraps everything up with a message of forgiveness and I think that is a message many need to hear.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select | Sweet July Books for providing the
audio ARC

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!

I enjoyed this story on the whole, the paranormal part was great, I love a dramatic ghost and I liked the inclusion of Jamaican lore/practices. The main character can be realllllly annoying at times but it's important to remember she's 18 and who wasn't entirely dramatic and self involved at that age. "I can't feel bad forever" it's been two months babe, you can feel guilty for a little bit.

New beginnings are just an au pair job away... but what if your past doesn't want you to leave? Meet Carina, who takes a chance on a fresh start in Jamaica working for the wealthy Hall family. But when strange things start to happen, will she be able to uncover the truth behind the mysterious events or is her past coming back to haunt her? Join Carina and her new friends as they unravel the mystery together.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, with its beautiful Jamaican setting and intriguing mystery. While it's a YA novel, I think the young adult tone can make it harder for older listeners to fully connect with Carina, whose self-destructive tendencies are relatable but not always likable.

That being said, the story starts slow but picks up pace around the halfway mark and introduced some spooky paranormal elements that kept me engaged. If you're a fan of tropical settings and fun, supernatural mysteries, this might be just the ticket!

My review is posted on instagram, goodreads, and amazon on 1/30/25

Though I enjoyed this story, I did not enjoy the audiobook. Something about the narrators voice felt unrealistic to the characters. With that aside I enjoyed the story. It felt very mysterious and it get grabbing at me to find out what would come in the next chapter.

Unfortunately this was not my cup of tea. It sounded so interesting and like something I would enjoy, but it just didn't work for me at all. I was not able to continue, nothing was truly happening and it just was boring to me. I had to DNF.

This book was a bit long. I felt it drug out longer than it needed to. Overall the story line was good for a ghost story but a bit predictable in my opinion.

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias is a YA paranormal mystery with all the mess, teenage angst, young love, and, of course, we can’t ignore the ghost in the room. If you’re like me and love a book with a strong setting, this one delivers. The story takes us to a vivid and captivating Jamaica, and even amid the spooky happenings, the tropical warmth and beauty shine through. Honestly, I can’t blame Carina for choosing to go there 👀.

The audiobook narration by Laura Edwards is a standout. She truly brought Tobias’s characters to life, and her skill with accents was impressive. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work. Edwards added so much dimension to the storytelling, enhancing the slow-burning tension and drawing me further into the narrative.

This is one of those page-turners where ghosts aren’t the only thing haunting the characters. As Carina navigates her journey of reinvention and escape, secrets start unraveling, making the story messier and even more entertaining. Now, as this is a YA read, there are aspects of Carina that felt deeply relatable to my younger self. She’s grieving, fumbling, and figuring out who she is—and honestly, aren’t we all in some ways ?

There are definitely moments when you want to shake your head at Carina’s choices, but there are just as many where you find yourself rooting for her to uncover the truth and claim the resolution she deserves. If you’re a reader who loves haunted houses, messy YA drama, and a good mystery in the mix, Honeysuckle and Bone is worth picking up.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the audiobook! This started off a little bit slow for me but about 40% through I needed to know what the heck was going on and what was going to happen next! The narrators “accents” for different characters started to get a bit confusing, especially for the other girl characters who had Jamaican accents they all sounded the same so I couldn’t honestly tell the difference and started getting the names/characters confused. Besides the accents, which I wasn’t a huge fond of, the story in the end was twisty and once it unraveled it unraveled quickly!! I was not expecting the ending at all, especially because if Corina never went to Jamaica, which was honestly a fluke, she would have never found out the truth. The reason for her going to Jamaica seemed a bit forced & fake, but other than that the story was good. This is definitely YA, but that didn’t change my opinion of the story at all!

Young adult gothic supernatural thriller set in Jamaica- say less!!!

Carina Marshall escapes online harassment (no spoilers here but there is some DRAMA) by becoming a nanny for the wealthy Hall family.
Mysterious haunting events begin to threaten her new life, including supernatural occurrences.

Read for:
Reinvention and second chances
Identity and belonging
Secrets and supernatural intrigue
Atmospheric Jamaican setting
Suspenseful narrative with multiple potential sources of threat


This was a captivating supernatural coming-of-age story with rich character development. Loved it! Great narration too, the accents really made me feel like I was in Jamaica.