Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for this free audiobook.

I loved this one! I found this book to flow nicely and kept my interest. I would say it was more mystery than horror. I liked that it also had a nice unexpected twist at the end which I really appreciated. I'd recommend this book!

A wonderfully spooky house and a great mystery.

Carina has just arrived in Jamaica and she's starting a new nanny job. But she's started as Joy, a lie and secrets Carina is trying to hide. She's trying to embody Joy, the way she's out-going and easy to be around. She has great experience with kids and is hoping this will be an easy new job.

However, the first day she meets everyone, she comes back to her room and has a message on her bathroom mirror. Run. As the house continues to push against her, she decides to figure out what is going on before it tires to push her to go back home - something she can't do.

I was instantly sucked in. Carina was easy to like but also, my heart broke for her reasons for running and her secrets. Sure, she isn't perfect but she's made mistakes and is trying to do better. I loved meeting everyone who worked around the house and how each person contributed to the house but also helped Carina feel welcome. It felt claustrophobic, this island and house and how Carina's secrets are holding her back. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. I did this as an audio book and the narrator did a wonderful job of keeping me sucked in and giving a great voice to Carina. I loved this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was kinda slow to start but I'm glad I pushed through cause this book really got going about a quarter of the way through. The ending was also solid and had a pretty good twist. Overall this was a solid work but not my favorite.

This was so interesting! Especially considering it is a debut? Great work. It does sort of remind me of We were liars, but that is to be expected as that is the only other YA thriller/horror I’ve read. I listened to it and the narrator was amazing. Also it was so refreshing to read something taking place in Jamaica (now I want to visit it so bad)! I didn’t see the twist coming and I wouldn’t guess it! I really enjoyed the characters they all had unique personalities and well well crafted.

Honeysuckle and Bone is a great paranormal mystery. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. I really enjoyed the Jamaican cultural aspects that were weaved throughout the story. I think that it made for a unique setting and setup. The twist was really good and I didn't necessarily see it coming. For a debut this was really, really good. I can't wait to see what Trisha Tobias does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Carina Marshall takes a nanny job in Jamaica to try to reinvent herself. While in Jamaica, she experiences unusual things which leads her and her friends in search of answers. The story was very slow, and nothing happened until 60% in. Now the ending, I did not expect that plot twist. I loved the narrator, Laura Edwards. She did a beautiful job changing her voice for other characters, bringing the story to life.

This book was incredibly original. I have never read a book set in Jamaica and that highlighted the culture and how much of it has been taken from America and almost washed out what it means to be Jamaican. Especially seeing this from a narrator who is Jamaican but doesn’t know anything about their culture.

I really enjoyed the growth we see in Carina. She has been through the wringer and yet we see her process and grow throughout the book in a meaningful way.

The mystery of the story itself was a bit lack lustre. I felt like though the conclusion was amazing, we could have used more meat in the middle. Maybe more of the sleuthing and research aspect, less of the ghostly business.

Overall a great read if you enjoy a paranormal mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a good book! I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t stop listening to it . I enjoyed the writing style. The characters worked so well together and the plot was great.

The gothic setting of the mannor, the inexplicable things that keep happening, and the dark secrets that everyone seems to be keeping will have you reading just one more chapter well after your bedtime.

I honestly could not figure out Catrinas secrets before they were revealed. I thought I could see the twist coming from a mile away, but I was so wrong. On both of the major twists!

Im not sure I’ve read any stories about Jamaican lore before. I think I might need to find more!!

The narrator fit perfectly with the characters and story. Not that I have any experiance with Jamaican accents, but it seemed to roll off her tongue. She was very enjoyable to listen to.

Thanks to Dreamscape Select and Netgalley for the audio arc! 😘

4⭐
A girl who's on the run from her own dark (recent) past, 'gets' a job as a nanny for a very wealthy and prestigious family in Jamaica, but she soon discovers that even paradise could be haunted.

Absolutely enjoyed this book - ate it up! So fast-paced, plus the drama & twists made this an enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media Sweet July Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Carina Marshall is an 18 year old who goes to Jamacia for a few months to be an au pair for a wealthy political family. She has plenty of secrets of her own. She becomes friends with the other young people working the estate. Carina feels she is being haunted or is it her imagination? Solid debut and I look forward to reading more from Trisha Tobias.

Laura Edwards did a fantastic job narrating the book.

A all people who dream of a young woman leaves an unhappy past behind, to take a job as an au pair for a wealthy family on Jamaica. At first glance, everything seems wonderful, the people are friendly, the island is beautiful and there’s a handsome man interested in her. But not all is as it appears and danger lurks just out of sight.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy to review!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the gothic elements of this story (mysterious house and family, haunting secrets) and the setting. The plot really pulled me in and I ended up devouring this book! I would have loved to hear more of the Jamaican lore, but overall this was a great book if you love mysteries.

» I can’t give this enough praise🙌🏻
This story was so unique, warm, and chilling, and heartfelt.
I loved this, I loved the narration, the cultural support, the characters, the twist.

» This unsettling haunting reminded me softly of the movie Skeleton Key.
The similarities of being an inhome worker with a secret; and the mystery of the house and all the unspoken questions, made me get involved in this so much more.

» The audio to this was 🤌🏻✨
The ending😩, this might just be my favorite read yet.

It took me a few chapters to fully get into this book, but I decided to stick with it because of its intriguing focus on Jamaican folklore and the vibrant setting—and I’m so glad I did. This is a story about self-discovery intertwined with uncovering long-buried secrets.

Our main character, Carina, is messy and imperfect, but by the end, she’s incredibly relatable and easy to root for. As a young adult struggling to find herself while navigating the complexities of the adult world, her journey feels authentic and engaging.

I especially enjoyed reading about Carina settling in with the other young staff members and the dynamics of their budding friendships. Her partnership with Aaron as they teamed up to solve the mystery of their resident ghost added a fun and captivating element to the story.

Overall, this is a unique and enjoyable read with a rich cultural backdrop and a compelling mix of mystery and personal growth.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF the audiobook version of Honeysuckle and Bone. While the plot and storyline were compelling and piqued my interest, I couldn't connect with the narrator's style, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story.

That said, I enjoyed the premise enough to plan on picking up a physical copy to give it another try. I’m looking forward to diving back into the world and characters in a format that works better for me!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book. I’m hopeful it will shine even more in print!

“Honeysuckle and Bone” is Trisha Tobias’ debut YA novel.

Thank you Dreamscape Select and Netgalley for review copy of the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Carina is a teen girl on the run that is hired as nanny for a rich and prestigious Jamaican family. It’s not long before inexplicable and scary things start to happen and Carina realizes that someone (or something) is after her. The book is full of mystery and has a gothic thriller vibe with a lot of suspense combined with Jamaican folklore about ghosts. I liked the found family side of the book and the Young Birds group.

The audiobook is narrated by Laura Edwards and she managed to switch easily from a character to another with different accents.

The ending was interesting and surprising for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was fantastic! I loved learning about the Jamaican heritage woven into the story—it made the setting so rich and immersive. The audio was a standout, especially with the accents that brought the characters to life.

Carina is a perfectly messy, angsty teenager, which fits the YA vibe so well. The twist was completely unexpected, and the ending tied everything together in such a satisfying and emotional way.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape, for the gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

3.75⭐️

I’m trying to put my thoughts into words but finding it difficult. The description of the book pulled me in easily and I was expecting an “edge of your seat” spooky thriller but I found it a bit “fluffy” However, that’s ok as it was enjoyable! This was definitely a YA book with appropriate with the low spice and teenage behavior.

I listened to the audiobook which the narrator did an ok job as long as you sped it up. At 1x speed it was painfully slow where it would have been impossible to connect with the story.. I’ll admit that listening to that narrator I questioned the choice due to the characteristics of her voice but after some research I found that she was a person of color herself which was a relief as I some of the accents needed made me uncomfortable with how they were recited. Anyway, I had to put it at 1.75x speed rate to make it listenable.

The story itself was interesting. A bit repetitive and predictable but I enjoyed hearing about the Jamaican Lore and the ceremony of it all. I will say that it was a bit far fetched, not the ghost content but a teenager up and leaving the country, presenting to be someone else and all that went with it was completely unbelievable but again entertaining enough.

This book is out now so if you’re looking for something a little different go check it out!

I am thankful to have gotten the ALC for free from Dreamscape Select and Sweet July Books through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias is a captivating blend of ghost story, Jamaican culture, and mystery. The narrative weaves together the haunting presence of a ghost with a deep exploration of grief and loss. The journey to uncover the ghost’s identity is both intriguing and emotional, pulling at the heartstrings, especially toward the end. I received an advance audiobook from Zando - Sweet July Books for free, and I’m sharing this review voluntarily. Highly recommend this moving and unique story!