This was a new to me author and I loved this story. The cover was calling for me to read it and then it’s definitely one that you shouldn’t judge from the outside! So good!

This book has it all. Mystery, romance, superstition, horror, twists and turns!! Being from rural Arkansas, this book hooked me early. I loved the characters, the stories, and the writing. Please read this book!!

5/5 stars. Hikers have been coming up dead in the hills of the Ozarks. Dovie has the gift of hearing their bones sing and is able to find their bones to put them to rest. But are they really at rest? Dovie’s best friend, Lo, has his of gift. Teaming up they try to find out, why are so many people coming up dead?

I really liked this book. A supernatural thriller, it’s full of suspense, magic, and powers that will leave you wanting more. The characters are well thought out and you can feel their personalities and emotions through the pages. The twist at the end will have you in wow. #Netgalley #arc #goodreads

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down. It had me guessing, gasping, awing, thinking. I enjoyed every bit of it. Wish this could happen in real life, it could solve so many cases.

I was beyond excited about this book, When the Bones Sing, by Ginny Myers Sain. It's a Southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl who can hear the bones of the dead - excuse me, what!? ✨

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.

Even though there was a section that didn't appeal to me as much—mainly due to my own expectations and a hint of disappointment stemming from my hopeful anticipation—I can wholeheartedly say that I enjoyed every aspect of this book. Its intricate characters and engaging plot kept me captivated, and despite that personal misalignment, the overall experience was truly gratifying. This book is just SO unique, not to mention the title is perfect, and the cover is absolutely stunning - you will definitely want to add this to your TBR. The expected publication date is March 04, 2025.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for an ARC of this upcoming YA mystery/thriller. All thoughts are my own! 🖤

When the Bones Sing, by new to me author G. M. Sain, published by Penguin Group Putnam Books, is a fast paced thriller that leaves the reader breathlessly craving more. Complex, complicated and full of unexpected twists and turns. A wonderful goosebumps giving read, 5 stars.
Blurb: The past three years have been tough for a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their bodies are discovered.
17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie.
Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting them with their families.

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: ghosts, Southern Gothic, crime thrillers, the Ozarks

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 10/23 and will be posted to my review blog 11/7 and to Instagram 10/26.

First off, can I say how gorgeous this cover is? Sain always gets the most interesting covers, and I particularly like the style of Dark and Shallow Lies and the Italian edition of Secrets So Deep (edizione italiana) , so I was excited to see this cover got that treatment.

Dovie can feel the bones of the dead sing to her, and the only way to get a body to stop singing is to dig up that body. You'd think this would be helpful to the local police department, and indeed it is, particularly since more and more hikers seem to be turning up dead.

Something I liked about this setup is that the sheriff and his deputy not only believe Dovie, but also that they willingly camp out and follow her into the Ozarks to find those bodies. The lot may not always get along, Dovie in particular doesn't take too kindly to them tossing her grandmother's sweet tea, but there's a sense of trust and a shared burden there, and I liked that they didn't butt heads just because Dovie's a teenager.

Part of the reason the sheriff so readily believes Dovie is 1) she dug up her first body when she was 4 years old, and 2) the 'power' is passed down through the women in her family, so both her grandmother and mother were able to hear the bones as well. This, naturally, leads the other inhabitants of Lucifer's Creek to look at the family askance, just about the way you'd expect in any small town. I thought it was really interesting to see the way the traditional practices and older magical beliefs of the Ozarks came into play in this book. I don't really know a lot about the region, so I don't know how much Sain is relying on real beliefs people had/have and how much is made up, but I definitely liked reading about the hill people and the little magicks and charms people sought in their everyday lives.

Speaking of magic, it's actually kind of hilarious how much Dovie doesn't believe in magic or spirits or ghosts. She can sense bones and her grandmother and best friend, both of whom she loves and adores, believe in and practice magic, but she simply will have nothing to do with it. Okay, that's a little disingenuous, she'll participate somewhat because she loves them, but Dovie will also straight up say magic isn't real. Like...girl, you can feel and locate dead bodies, what do you think that is? (her answer is: a talent, like learning languages, lol). I do feel kind of bad for Lo though and wonder how he doesn't lose it being friends with Dovie all while she insists he can't really see ghosts.

The murder of the hikers is what really takes the main stage in the book. 24 hikers in three years is a lot, but it isn't until Dovie and her best friend, Lo, start looking at things more closely do they realize just how unusual it is. Like with any good mystery, they have a few false starts and end up pursuing the wrong suspect more than once before finally figuring it out. I think Sain did a really good job making the different twists believable and each suspect really did feel like they could have done it. I feel like sometimes with mysteries like this it's easy to tell when someone is a red herring suspect, but it was really well done here. I enjoyed trying to figure out who did it alongside the characters, and even had some guesses of my own.

Something that did feel a little odd to me though was the scene at the end with Dovie and the townspeople. People, especially those who are becoming fanatic in some way, are not just going to change their mind and be like 'oh, sorry, I was wrong' just because they were...well, wrong. I expected more to go down between the inhabitants of Lucifer's Creek and the Wilder-Clover clans, and it didn't feel right for things between them to just kind of slide into lukewarm territory.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this! I suppose it's less of a horror book and more of a crime thriller, with some light magic and mysticism thrown in.

**I received an ARC of this book thanks to the publisher G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley.**

This is the type of book that has you questioning anyone and everyone. Multiple times throughout we are given evidence that leads you to believe that this person is the one murdering the hikers and then SIKE there is a “reasonable” explanation. At some point everyone just becomes sus. Some parts of the book were dull and hard to get through, the passage of time was odd but I guess in the sense of most of the time Dovie was starved and sleep deprived it would make sense. Overall, it was a good read and I think this book is perfect for the specified age range of 14 and up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Dovie is only 17, but she's already seen more death than most. She has the ability to hear bones singing, a generational ability passed down through her mother and grandmother. Even though the town treats her family like pariahs because they're different, the police aren't above using her to find the hikers that keep going missing in the area.

Atmospheric and heavy, I found this to be a great fall read. There's an underlying edge of spookiness. Dovie is tough as nails, but doesn't believe in anything or anyone besides her family and her best friend. She's angry and closed off, but only because she's scared of being hurt or left behind.

I like that as the story unfolds Dovie begins to question things around her and reach for new answers. It's just a very good book that I can see myself reading again.

Folk magic, superstition, and the power of belief all ring through this rich tale of love, loss, and mystery. Beautiful setting and strong emotions with a bit of magic - and the story as beautiful as the trees.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of When the Bones Sing!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🥾 have ever hiked in the Ozark Mountains
👻 enjoy spooky stories
🌪️ love a book with lots of twists
♥️ would do anything for your person

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

The past three years have been tough for Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered.

17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up.

Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the monstrous Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting the dead with their families to give them some peace.

Lo doesn’t know peace, though. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they’re the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn’t buried with their bones; it’s hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Wow! I really loved everything about this story. The beginning threw us right into the action and didn’t really let up. The cast of characters is fairly small, so I didn’t have a super hard time figuring out who was behind everything, but I was having trouble understanding the why behind it. Dovie’s ability to find people was so cool and a really unique part of the story. I was definitely shocked by a few of the revelations though, and I even got confused during one point of the story near the end because it repeated itself and I thought the pages got mixed up. Overall, a really great read for spooky season! Make sure to preorder this one!

4.5/5 !
Wow what a story!! This was unlike anything I have ever read. Ghosts, magic, spells, curses, mystery, suspense, love - wrap it all up and you get this beautiful book!

Dovie has a gift, she can feel the bones of dead bodies sing to her. Which has been tough, because for the past three years in Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas in the Ozarks, more than 24 hikers have disappeared; and it’s Dovie’s job to find them.
Dovie’s best friend, Lo, has been haunted by the ghosts of the dead hikers. He must find out who, or what, is killing all these people and put an end to it.

I absolutely loved this story. The characters had a lot of depth to them and the reveal was so surprising! I thought I had it figured out several times but was of course wrong! The magic was surprisingly a lot of fun and I loved the ending how everything was beautifully wrapped up on so many levels.

I don’t normally go for books like this, about ghosts and magic, but can we talk about how stunning the cover is?!?! It really drew me in and the title was very fitting.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Ginny Myers Sain for the copy to read for a review.

The ending was some good closure of what the main character was feeling throughout the entire read. I liked how there was some twisty blame to draw out the book so, that it could keep pulling the readers in like a good old detective murder mystery. For this to be a YA, it was really close to being something that Lucy Foley would write. The writing styles are very similar. There was some young love attached, best friends through the years that turned lovers due to their strong presence for each other. They both dealt with some hurt and there were secrets among the families but, the way they found it was deeper than what they were allowing to let in, it turned out they really needed each other all along instead of pushing away. I overall loved this book and can't wait for anything more from this author.
Rating: 4.7 out of 5

Ginny Myers Sain has never written a bad book. Everything she writes is so eloquent, the prose is beautiful, the atmosphere is PERFECTION. Since they usually take place in the south, I can FEEL the sweat when I'm reading!

This book was another perfect novel from Sain. Tense. Atmospheric. A bit magical. I find her writing to be incredibly comforting, like a hug from a friend. The subject matter, while dark, is still perfection.

Wow! I loved When the Bones Sing! The book blurb got me curious, but the plot and writing kept me engaged. This book is one of those fun reads that pulls you in right away. I loved Dovie and Lo, and the mystery of the murdered hikers kept the story moving along while the little bit of the paranormal was just the cherry on top.

This author has always been and continues to be one of my favorite authors of all time. Her writing is so atmospheric and poetic, her books have become a comfort read of mine over the years (as weird as that is to say because of the content matter). The way she writes her settings transports me into the story almost like I'm there right alongside the characters. This book completely blew me away. I loved all of the characters, especially Dovie and Lo, they were so well written and unique. I loved the setting with its tiny little town and the eeriness of it all. I loved the paranormal and magical aspects so much, I wasn't expecting that going into this. And the twists, wow! They were fantastic and the ending wrapped up everything beautifully.

Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy for my honest review!

Wow. What a wild ride. This was a vacation read that I couldn't put down. Even when we were supposed to be getting ready I told the group to leave me alone because I had 40 more pages to go.

The characters were beautifully written. The despair of the MMC was heartbreaking. His mental health unwinding through the book gave me anxiety. Towards the end I didn't know what to expect or what to even think about his character and how he could or couldn't be involved in the plot. Beautiful.

The FMC you knew wanted to believe in magic but needed something to help her believe in again. At the end when she finally got back to her origins it was beautiful. She was haunted throughout the book by the loss of her mother and that loss followed her.

The twist in the book I felt in a way I was expecting something BUT NOT WHAT I GOT. I felt that the characters were traveling down this road but when the big reveal happened, I wasn't expecting THAT. I think that readers will really enjoy being that surprised. I know I did.

This book was such a fun read. I enjoyed every second of it.

Oh my! How grateful I am to have gotten a chance to read this ARC! This book had me all over with emotions! I could feel each chapter. From the bones singing to the spirits demanding justice with their presence. This book was such a masterpiece. It had me really thinking and trying solve the disappearances of the hikers. It was definitely a ride!

One of my favorite reads this year! This book has it all, dark, mystery, magic, murder, myths, and suspense. Just an amazing book, hit every mark for me.

It's magical and whimsical, filled with lovely romance and a creepy woods setting. Although I thought a lot of the mystery-solving elements were very repetitive, I really dug the climax and big reveal of who was doing the killing.

The three generations coming together in the end was lovely to see. Plus a romance that didn’t end badly was a plus.