This book did not catch my interest, like I had hoped.

The writing was definitely on par with a YA novel.

It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but I won't be recommending it.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
👻 Southern gothic horror
📙 Folktales
🏛️ Small towns
🔮 Generational magic

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, has been plagued by murdered hikers for three years. Dovie has a special talent for locating the bodies when law enforcement is unable to. Lowen is haunted by the ghosts of all the dead hikers. As they start digging into the murders, long-hidden secrets start to emerge, and they realize how much danger they are actually in.

𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This is my second Ginny Sain book I’ve read and it did not disappoint! She has a talent for writing southern atmospheres and always keeps me guessing throughout the story. As a Louisiana girl, parts of this story felt so reminiscent of home that it felt like I was actually there. 4/5⭐.

3.5… there is a lot going on. A lot, a lot for such a tiny back woods town. That being said, it kept me interested and entertained. I do love a good southern Gothic paranormal thriller! Huge thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I would definitely love to read more books by this author.

I'm not a fan of horror. But there's just something about Ginny's books that I love. It's not heavy on the horror, and yet her writing not only gives me a story to unfold but just the right amount of thrills to pull me in and keep me glued (and not running to drop the book and turn on the lights).

Anyway, it's safe to say she's got me hooked.

Dovie was just a child when she first wandered into the woods and found a bone. Now, she's basically an adult and still finding bones. Though, today her dad isn't scooping her up and dragging her off. Instead, she helps the sheriff with late night adventures throughout their small town to help find those who've been lost. Only when the bones sing, does she know how to find them.

It's not a bad thing, Dovie's gift and giving families closure when loved ones are found. Her dad is still not the biggest fan of all this but her nana understands. So right now, this is Dovie's life.

As Lo returns home, that's when things start to pick up pace a little and not long after they are both on the hunt for who or what is murdering these hikers.

This is a great read for those who like light horror. Ginny creates the perfect suspenseful moments leading up to the end and I just couldn't get enough of this book.

Well - wow! Just wow. The concept was captivating, I mean a teenager that can hear the bones of the dead? Well that's wow!
The book was atmospheric, intruiging with an amazing plot.
But no matter how paranormal and tense this book had been, you shouldn't forget this is ya, so at some points Dovie was a bit much for me personally (but she's 17een so perfectly describes for a teen her age, it was just me and my preference)

🌕🖤 Book Review: When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain 🖤🌕

Eerie, poetic, and drenched in Southern gothic atmosphere, When the Bones Sing is a haunting tale of grief, buried secrets, and the mysterious threads that connect the living and the dead. Ginny Myers Sain weaves magic into every word.

What it’s about:
In a small town cloaked in superstition, Blue Reynolds is haunted by the death of her sister—and by a strange, mournful singing only she can hear. As she searches for answers, Blue uncovers long-forgotten stories, a town steeped in silence, and a truth that refuses to stay buried.

Tropes & Themes You’ll Love:
🌑 Southern gothic atmosphere
🦴 Haunting family secrets
🌊 Magical realism
💔 Grief & healing
🔍 Slow-unraveling mystery

Sain’s prose is lush and lyrical, her storytelling immersive and chilling. If you loved The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina or Bone Gap, this is your next unforgettable read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#WhenTheBonesSing #GinnyMyersSain #SouthernGothic #HauntingReads #MagicalRealism #YAThriller #Bookstagram #LyricalProse #DarkMystery #GriefAndMagic #BookReview

This book so beautifully combined the deep lore ingrained in the Ozarks, with magic, and creepy thriller mystery vibes, with a dash of romance. I was hooked at the beginning, and this book didn’t let me go until the end, and even then I found myself wanting to stay in the setting of the world, and with the characters.
I was on the edge of my seat for a good chunk of this book. It kept me constantly wondering and trying to figure out what was going to happen, and when I thought I figured it out it would throw me off. I really really appreciated the twists and turns this book took.

3.5 rounded up to 4. This book was a bit predictable at times, which didn't take away from the thrill of it. I really enjoyed the atmospheric read and the sprinkles of magical mystery. I did feel very immersed in the small Ozark town. There were slow moments and fast moments that kept my interest overall. I didn't find anything ultimately surprising, but it was an enjoyable read overall!

This was so good! I also loved the previous book that Ginny wrote that came out a year ago or so. And it was just as good, if not better! I cannot wait to read what she comes up with next!

3.5 stars rounded up. Something terrifying is happening in the Ozark hills of rural Arkansas. Such a creepy setting lends to a suspenseful and dark thriller with hints of the supernatural. This was well written and kept me engaged all the way through to the action packed ending. I didn't even realize it was classified YA until after finishing but I think readers of any age would enjoy it. My thanks to Penguin for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for the ARC! When the Bones Sing is haunting in all the best ways—lush prose, eerie Ozark atmosphere, and a mystery that gets under your skin. Dovie’s gift is chilling, and her connection to the bones adds depth to every page. The folklore, family legacy, and creeping dread make this a standout in the Southern gothic YA space. If you love your thrillers with ghostly secrets and soul-deep tension, this one delivers.

"From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead."

Ginny Myers Sain writes consistently good YA horror and When the Bones Sing is no exception. This was good, almost great.

Thanks to the Random House and Netgalley for this eARC.

Ginny Myers Sain’s "When the Bones Sing" is a haunting and immersive tale that pulses with atmospheric intensity and emotional depth. Known for her ability to craft evocative settings and complex characters, Sain delivers another Southern gothic mystery that lingers in the reader’s mind long after the final page.

Set against the backdrop of a Louisiana town steeped in folklore, the novel thrives on its eerie and poetic descriptions of place. The setting itself feels alive—swampy, haunting, and humming with the whispers of the past. Sain expertly weaves the supernatural into the ordinary, making the world of "When the Bones Sing" unsettling yet entirely believable.

The protagonist, Sloan, carries the weight of family secrets, personal grief, and the terrifying realization that the past refuses to stay buried. As she navigates a town unwilling to confront its own history, Sloan becomes the conduit for long-forgotten voices—some whispering warnings, others crying for justice. Her emotional journey is as gripping as the mystery itself, making her a compelling and deeply relatable character.

Sain’s storytelling has a cinematic quality—lush, sweeping, and filled with a tension that builds with each chapter. The novel’s supernatural elements are handled with the perfect blend of ambiguity and certainty, allowing the reader to teeter between skepticism and belief. The ghosts of "When the Bones Sing" are not just spectral figures; they are memories, guilt, and unanswered questions that refuse to fade.

For readers who revel in gothic fiction, eerie settings, and layered narratives, "When the Bones Sing" is a mesmerizing experience. It’s a book that grips you with its mystery, moves you with its emotional depth, and haunts you with its lingering whispers. Sain continues to prove that she understands the delicate art of crafting stories that feel both timeless and contemporary—a true talent in modern gothic fiction.

Reading Update History: !!!! O my. . . .at 90% breathless and can't do anything else but follow this . . .
100%. . . .phew. made it through. Instant End Rating: 5 stars gasping for breath (all had been holding their breath for very long time. . . .)

This author is new to me - and this book is in the YA category - which I discovered after reading it - so that explains some of the over-the-top-ness in the narrative of tumbling action upon action moments. Our protagonist is Dovie Warner, who at 17 years of age has a quirky talent of divining buried bones (they sing to her, cause a vib-y experience). Our setting is Lucifer's Creek, Arkansas, adjacent to a dark and atmospheric woodland by the Aux Arc Trail. Between the trees and shrubbery lurks a creature wreaking havoc called the Howler, and bodies are planted like green beans throughout the woodland. Who could resist this? Certainly not this reader.

I do, as do many others in the readers-of-mysteries category, indulge myself with the pastime of "calling it." That is to say the process of at some part in the read (the earlier the better) one predicts the solve, the ending. It may be necessary to readjust from time to time but it's an overall WIN when the predicted solve is confirmed at the book's conclusion. In this book I determined early on who it was - but was premature, requiring three reconsiderations, ending in a final fail. That's the reason for 5 stars. Initially I was firm on 4 stars, but getting one over on me like that earned the final star. Additionally, I stopped everything to read from 70% to the end. And there you have it - evidence of a great read!

*A sincere thank you to Ginny Myers Sain, Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #WhentheBonesSing #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the paranormal bits of this book! It added such a creepy vibe to the book that made the whole book eerie. The mystery in this book was great and I did not see that ending coming. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more books from this author.

I throughly enjoyed this book. It was mysterious, paranormal and romance which was a great mix.

How it all wrapped up in the end was really great. The k!ller was a little predictable but that didn’t make the story bad. I would definitely recommend this to others

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setting as well as the twists in this book. The characters were well-developed and there was enough mystery to keep you guessing and turning pages.

Another captivating, atmospheric novel from Ginny Myers Sain! I will read anything she writes at this point. Her novels really transport me into the setting and give me the chills!

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain
When the Bones Sing offers a beautifully written, slow-burning horror that lingers in the mind. Sain’s prose is lyrical and evocative, though the pacing is deliberate and may test the patience of readers looking for fast scares.

When the bones sing is a supernatural thriller about a teenage girl Dovie who can hear bones sing to her. For the past three years more than a dozen people have disappeared in the Ozark mountains.
Dovie and her friend Lo are investigating their disappearance.
The writing is really fast paced and interesting. I really enjoyed reading the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.