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Such Lovely Skin
An evil video game
A lying Twitch streamer
A demon hungry for her secrets
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes.
The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback, and during an offline practice run, an NPC asks Viv for a secret. She decides to tell them the truth about her sister’s death since a game could never share her secret―in doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
No one believes Viv when she tells them about her evil doppelganger. Viv has lied to get her best friend’s sympathy and has spread rumors for attention, so why should anyone trust her now? The only person who believes her is Ash, a cute social outcast whom Viv once bullied. In trying to clear her name and kill the mimic, Viv discovers that her lies have hurt people who never deserved it, herself included.
A lying Twitch streamer
A demon hungry for her secrets
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes.
The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback, and during an offline practice run, an NPC asks Viv for a secret. She decides to tell them the truth about her sister’s death since a game could never share her secret―in doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
No one believes Viv when she tells them about her evil doppelganger. Viv has lied to get her best friend’s sympathy and has spread rumors for attention, so why should anyone trust her now? The only person who believes her is Ash, a cute social outcast whom Viv once bullied. In trying to clear her name and kill the mimic, Viv discovers that her lies have hurt people who never deserved it, herself included.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2024
About the author
Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
2 books103 followersTatiana Schlote-Bonne is a writer, weightlifter, and gamer. She has an MFA in creative writing from The Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa. Such Lovely Skin is her first novel.
Follow her on Instagram: thebuffwriter
Follow her on Instagram: thebuffwriter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
June 12, 2024
A fast paced and thrilling trip into the nightmare of watching someone wear your face and destroy your life. With its visceral descriptions and tense nail-biting atmosphere, this book will get under your skin in the best way possible.
October 5, 2024
Thank you to Page Street Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC copy
This was so fun!
I couldn't put it down once I started and I was done with it in a single sitting. Teens actually read like teens, it was fast paced, no filler, made me care about the characters enough to root for them but also feel a lot when reading the backstory. It effortlessly looked like a movie in my head. I'll be happy to pick up more books by this author in the future.
This was so fun!
I couldn't put it down once I started and I was done with it in a single sitting. Teens actually read like teens, it was fast paced, no filler, made me care about the characters enough to root for them but also feel a lot when reading the backstory. It effortlessly looked like a movie in my head. I'll be happy to pick up more books by this author in the future.
June 23, 2024
Demonic haunting but *make it Gen-Z*
I mean..lets go, press play baby! this was a fantastic YA horror that touched on important themes such as grief, guilt and identity whilst managing to be creepy, humourous, tense and touching all at the same time, I love horror that focuses on the darkside of social media and I thought this was an utterly unique storyline that was executed well, Viv was a relatable character and the depth of her authenticity is what made this such an engaging read, for me this was a story about facing our fears and ultimately letting them go lest they destroy our lives.
I mean..lets go, press play baby! this was a fantastic YA horror that touched on important themes such as grief, guilt and identity whilst managing to be creepy, humourous, tense and touching all at the same time, I love horror that focuses on the darkside of social media and I thought this was an utterly unique storyline that was executed well, Viv was a relatable character and the depth of her authenticity is what made this such an engaging read, for me this was a story about facing our fears and ultimately letting them go lest they destroy our lives.
September 14, 2024
Tell me a secret. Darker. And true.
If you want a fast-paced horror book with Stay Alive and The Ring vibes, this is for you.
Such 90s nostalgia!
⚠️
Story revolves around Vivian, a live streamer/horror gamer girl. She must figure out how to stop an evil doppelganger hellbent on tormenting and destroying her life. How did she come across it? By handing over her identity and darkest secret on a silver platter to a virus from hell. ⬇️
Introducing LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game. To escape you must:
Tell your deepest secret. The darker the better.
The problem is, you can't kill it for it is not alive to begin with. An undying evil that feeds on pain and guilt. It only moves on when it takes what it wants. Someone's sanity, pain, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street publishing for approving this arc. Ginkilig ko when I received the email. The moment I saw this cover, I knew I just had to read it. 🖤
If you want a fast-paced horror book with Stay Alive and The Ring vibes, this is for you.
Such 90s nostalgia!
⚠️
Story revolves around Vivian, a live streamer/horror gamer girl. She must figure out how to stop an evil doppelganger hellbent on tormenting and destroying her life. How did she come across it? By handing over her identity and darkest secret on a silver platter to a virus from hell. ⬇️
Introducing LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game. To escape you must:
Tell your deepest secret. The darker the better.
The problem is, you can't kill it for it is not alive to begin with. An undying evil that feeds on pain and guilt. It only moves on when it takes what it wants. Someone's sanity, pain, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street publishing for approving this arc. Ginkilig ko when I received the email. The moment I saw this cover, I knew I just had to read it. 🖤
August 1, 2024
"Severed finger added to inventory.
Alright. I glance at the clock: 10:19 p.m. Three hours in and we have no answers about saving my life, but we have a finger!"
The Ring meets horror video games in a twisted tale that’ll make you rethink posting everything online. Just remember… someone is always watching!
I’m not a gamer. Never have been and probably never will, but I love watching my husband play the most bizarre and horrifying games. What can I say? I love the adrenaline rush that comes from being scared. I never thought reading about horror-style games could be scary until this book fell into my lap.
Right from the start, I was certain that this book would captivate me and not release its hold from my throat up until the very end. It left me wanting to delete all my social media accounts and erase any trace of my existence online. It evoked a shiver of terror as I contemplated my own life. I must say, I was completely enamored with this book.
This story was absolutely stellar. The writing style was superb, and it gripped my attention with every page. I couldn't get enough. The characters' emotions screamed from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. I'm still thinking about it, and it gives me goosebumps. The drama, the horror, the love - it was all absolutely amazing.
The uneasy feeling of the horror that these pages contained even got to me. That pressure on my neck and the feeling of being watched had me turning off my phone. I was waiting for someone to whisper that I have such lovely skin...
'Such Lovely Skin' was the YA horror read we have all been waiting for. I've read nothing like this before and I love it! If you love close friendships, family relationships, and a horrifying mystery then look no further. I think the Scooby-Doo gang would even be terrified of this one.
Alright. I glance at the clock: 10:19 p.m. Three hours in and we have no answers about saving my life, but we have a finger!"
The Ring meets horror video games in a twisted tale that’ll make you rethink posting everything online. Just remember… someone is always watching!
I’m not a gamer. Never have been and probably never will, but I love watching my husband play the most bizarre and horrifying games. What can I say? I love the adrenaline rush that comes from being scared. I never thought reading about horror-style games could be scary until this book fell into my lap.
Right from the start, I was certain that this book would captivate me and not release its hold from my throat up until the very end. It left me wanting to delete all my social media accounts and erase any trace of my existence online. It evoked a shiver of terror as I contemplated my own life. I must say, I was completely enamored with this book.
This story was absolutely stellar. The writing style was superb, and it gripped my attention with every page. I couldn't get enough. The characters' emotions screamed from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. I'm still thinking about it, and it gives me goosebumps. The drama, the horror, the love - it was all absolutely amazing.
The uneasy feeling of the horror that these pages contained even got to me. That pressure on my neck and the feeling of being watched had me turning off my phone. I was waiting for someone to whisper that I have such lovely skin...
'Such Lovely Skin' was the YA horror read we have all been waiting for. I've read nothing like this before and I love it! If you love close friendships, family relationships, and a horrifying mystery then look no further. I think the Scooby-Doo gang would even be terrified of this one.
July 3, 2024
This is an excellent first novel from this author and it's frightening enough for adults but not gratuitously bloody or gory so it's also great for teens.
This is about a teen who dreams of fame and fortune from her horror game streaming channel on Twitch. Her younger sister died and she's hiding a dark secret about that, one that tears her apart with guilt and grief.
When she plays an indie video game before streaming it, something is unleashed which will put her and everyone she cares about in grave danger. An evil doppelganger reeks havoc causing broken relationships and a stressful home life.
But it doesn't stop there. There's nothing she can do and seeks help from an unexpected source and the only person who believes her. But she just might be putting him in the thick of the horror. And then things get much worse!
This novel feels like The Ring but with a technology boost if you will. This doppelganger is terrifying and it's only goal is destroying her life piece by bloody piece. And it's very effective.
The characters are diverse and act like teens would and with the added realism of modern day sites, apps, and terminology, this book will especially be enjoyed by those who do this kind of thing in real life. But even if you're not up to date with some of it, you'll find a fantastic, thrilling, and well written horror story that is sure to raise your hackles and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through the author and Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
This is about a teen who dreams of fame and fortune from her horror game streaming channel on Twitch. Her younger sister died and she's hiding a dark secret about that, one that tears her apart with guilt and grief.
When she plays an indie video game before streaming it, something is unleashed which will put her and everyone she cares about in grave danger. An evil doppelganger reeks havoc causing broken relationships and a stressful home life.
But it doesn't stop there. There's nothing she can do and seeks help from an unexpected source and the only person who believes her. But she just might be putting him in the thick of the horror. And then things get much worse!
This novel feels like The Ring but with a technology boost if you will. This doppelganger is terrifying and it's only goal is destroying her life piece by bloody piece. And it's very effective.
The characters are diverse and act like teens would and with the added realism of modern day sites, apps, and terminology, this book will especially be enjoyed by those who do this kind of thing in real life. But even if you're not up to date with some of it, you'll find a fantastic, thrilling, and well written horror story that is sure to raise your hackles and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through the author and Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
July 4, 2024
#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - thanks to the author and publisher 🫶🏻
Viv is a Twitch live streamer, her dream is to make a career out of playing video games. But one night while her parents are away, Viv, watching her younger sister, gets caught up in the competitive side of streaming. While she’s distracted something terrible happens.
Trying to cope with tragedy Viv decides to dip her toe back into streaming and finds a horror game called LOCKED IN! But once she starts this game she won’t be able to just walk away from it. Then Viv’s life gets turned upside down. Someone who looks just like her is causing all types of issues in her personal life. How will she ever be free and at what cost will she vow to keep her secrets secret?
What a heck of a debut book! Sign me up. Definitely will be reading this author again. The anxiety this book will give you. It’s exactly like a horror movie playing out in your mind as you read this book. It’s so good.
You also don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate this story, but if you are you might appreciate it a little more.
Grab your favorite blanket and snack and leave the lights on when you read this book. Trust me on that. I’m blown away by this author’s writing. It was just one terrible thing after another happening to Viv. What a rollercoaster of a read.
Viv is a Twitch live streamer, her dream is to make a career out of playing video games. But one night while her parents are away, Viv, watching her younger sister, gets caught up in the competitive side of streaming. While she’s distracted something terrible happens.
Trying to cope with tragedy Viv decides to dip her toe back into streaming and finds a horror game called LOCKED IN! But once she starts this game she won’t be able to just walk away from it. Then Viv’s life gets turned upside down. Someone who looks just like her is causing all types of issues in her personal life. How will she ever be free and at what cost will she vow to keep her secrets secret?
What a heck of a debut book! Sign me up. Definitely will be reading this author again. The anxiety this book will give you. It’s exactly like a horror movie playing out in your mind as you read this book. It’s so good.
You also don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate this story, but if you are you might appreciate it a little more.
Grab your favorite blanket and snack and leave the lights on when you read this book. Trust me on that. I’m blown away by this author’s writing. It was just one terrible thing after another happening to Viv. What a rollercoaster of a read.
August 12, 2024
WOW WOW WOW! All the stars! This book caught we way off guard and creeped me out BADLY. I love anything gamer related, and this story did not disappoint. Spooky games always have freaked me out and bravo to Tatiana for carrying that torch HAHA! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Please check this out September 17, 2024!
March 27, 2024
Thank you Macmillan for the gifted review copy!
For some reason I don’t read as much horror as I watch. That’s something I’ve been wanting to change. When I saw this book the other day I knew I had to read it. This was what I wanted The Ring to be. I’ve both read and watched The Ring and although I found the idea behind it really clever I wanted a bit more of the creepy factor. Such Lovely Skin delivered that for me.
I love that this was as twisted as any horror movie. The main character, Vivian, goes through (and does) some really wild things, and you always have the people around her who don’t believe her, because let’s be honest, it sounds absolutely insane, and I love that! It’s frustrating to get through, but you also kind of love it?
This was such a fun read, and a clever one at that. I loved the video game aspect. It’s creepy thinking about demonic spirits evolving as the world does. I love how that was handled here. Can’t wait until more people read this!
For some reason I don’t read as much horror as I watch. That’s something I’ve been wanting to change. When I saw this book the other day I knew I had to read it. This was what I wanted The Ring to be. I’ve both read and watched The Ring and although I found the idea behind it really clever I wanted a bit more of the creepy factor. Such Lovely Skin delivered that for me.
I love that this was as twisted as any horror movie. The main character, Vivian, goes through (and does) some really wild things, and you always have the people around her who don’t believe her, because let’s be honest, it sounds absolutely insane, and I love that! It’s frustrating to get through, but you also kind of love it?
This was such a fun read, and a clever one at that. I loved the video game aspect. It’s creepy thinking about demonic spirits evolving as the world does. I love how that was handled here. Can’t wait until more people read this!
September 21, 2024
Wow! Are you looking for the perfect skin crawling type book for spooky season? Look no farther! This will give you exactly the vibes you want. A troubled twitch streamer with a huge secret and... a demon? Yep, a demon who she let into her world by playing a horror game. Its crazy, uniquie and the writing is a bit juvinal at times, but it is coming from the veiw of a teenager. I guess "Is this really happening IRL?" would be something a teenager would say 😂 Past that, this book is a really quick and page turning read. I don't think there was much down time in the book so clearly it wasn't a easy one to put down!
September 17, 2024
1.5 ⭐️
The cover of this book is fantastic and totally piqued my interest. Between the amazing cover, clever title,and an evil doppelgänger plot I was certainly intrigued.
I didn’t anticipate how much of the plot would revolve around being a gamer, actively using Twitch, Discord. I realize Such Lovely Skin is geared toward a YA/NA audience but the language used throughout is drowning in emojis and slang initialisms ad nauseam. I felt like an active witness to the overall dumbing down of American youth and it’s just depressing. I had to throw in the towel at ninety pages and that’s not something I generally do.
The cover of this book is fantastic and totally piqued my interest. Between the amazing cover, clever title,and an evil doppelgänger plot I was certainly intrigued.
I didn’t anticipate how much of the plot would revolve around being a gamer, actively using Twitch, Discord. I realize Such Lovely Skin is geared toward a YA/NA audience but the language used throughout is drowning in emojis and slang initialisms ad nauseam. I felt like an active witness to the overall dumbing down of American youth and it’s just depressing. I had to throw in the towel at ninety pages and that’s not something I generally do.
September 3, 2024
This book had me hooked from the get-go. It revolves around a horror game, a Twitch streamer, and her deepest secret. What more could you want?
The pacing of this book was perfect, the writing phenomenal, and the story both heart wrenching and nightmare inducing.
Our MC Vivian has held on to her deepest darkest secret for months, finally releasing it to a NPC in her newly downloaded game. She thinks it’s an innocent game. No harm in spilling your guts to an online game character right?
What follows is a horrific story of her life being turned upside down while she had to sit by and try to piece together what’s left of herself.
This book had me wishing I would have read it with the lights on, and maybe even slept with the lights on. Every noise I heard had me opening my eyes, looking around my dark room.
I can’t wait to see where Tatiana goes—she’s a brilliant author and I’m so excited to see what she comes up with next.
The pacing of this book was perfect, the writing phenomenal, and the story both heart wrenching and nightmare inducing.
Our MC Vivian has held on to her deepest darkest secret for months, finally releasing it to a NPC in her newly downloaded game. She thinks it’s an innocent game. No harm in spilling your guts to an online game character right?
What follows is a horrific story of her life being turned upside down while she had to sit by and try to piece together what’s left of herself.
This book had me wishing I would have read it with the lights on, and maybe even slept with the lights on. Every noise I heard had me opening my eyes, looking around my dark room.
I can’t wait to see where Tatiana goes—she’s a brilliant author and I’m so excited to see what she comes up with next.
September 8, 2024
Thank you to Tatiana Schlote-Bonnie and Page Street for the ARC!
“Tell me a secret…”
Viv, an avid gamer, has spent the summer wracked with guilt over an accident that killed her little sister. She has kept the truth about the accident a secret, and is hoping that if she makes it big with streaming her video gaming, she can earn a decent enough living to support her parents to assuage her guilt. When she finds the perfect horror game to make her streaming comeback, an NPC asks her to tell it a secret…so Viv finally unburdens herself with the truth of her sister’s death. She could have never known that by doing so, she’s welcoming a demonic presence into her life - one that feeds on her guilt and pain. Soon disturbing things are happening, and no one believes her.
I cannot believe this book was a debut! It was absolutely perfect - the mystery, the horror aspect, and the emotional impact it left on me took my breath away. The story flowed flawlessly, at a quick pace that kept me thoroughly engaged. Viv’s flashbacks of what happened to her sister and subsequent feelings were so gut wrenching and permeated the entire story. The concept of facing your inner demons (both figuratively and literally!) was my biggest takeaway and I loved how the author worked that into every part of the story.
Though it was a YA book (which I don’t read often), it was easily relatable (even for an old lady like me - LOL!) I found the gaming/technology angle refreshing and different from anything I have ever read. The idea of a dark entity preying on your weakness really gave me food for thought too - how often do we trap ourselves out of guilt, fear, etc? I know I said it already, but this book truly was perfect - it had everything I love in a good horror/thriller story and lots of surprises too. I truly can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next, and I will be first in line to read it!!
“Such Lovely Skin” release September 17, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
“Tell me a secret…”
Viv, an avid gamer, has spent the summer wracked with guilt over an accident that killed her little sister. She has kept the truth about the accident a secret, and is hoping that if she makes it big with streaming her video gaming, she can earn a decent enough living to support her parents to assuage her guilt. When she finds the perfect horror game to make her streaming comeback, an NPC asks her to tell it a secret…so Viv finally unburdens herself with the truth of her sister’s death. She could have never known that by doing so, she’s welcoming a demonic presence into her life - one that feeds on her guilt and pain. Soon disturbing things are happening, and no one believes her.
I cannot believe this book was a debut! It was absolutely perfect - the mystery, the horror aspect, and the emotional impact it left on me took my breath away. The story flowed flawlessly, at a quick pace that kept me thoroughly engaged. Viv’s flashbacks of what happened to her sister and subsequent feelings were so gut wrenching and permeated the entire story. The concept of facing your inner demons (both figuratively and literally!) was my biggest takeaway and I loved how the author worked that into every part of the story.
Though it was a YA book (which I don’t read often), it was easily relatable (even for an old lady like me - LOL!) I found the gaming/technology angle refreshing and different from anything I have ever read. The idea of a dark entity preying on your weakness really gave me food for thought too - how often do we trap ourselves out of guilt, fear, etc? I know I said it already, but this book truly was perfect - it had everything I love in a good horror/thriller story and lots of surprises too. I truly can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next, and I will be first in line to read it!!
“Such Lovely Skin” release September 17, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
September 6, 2024
If you’re looking for your next spooky season read, do I have a treat for you! Such Lovely Skin is deliciously creepy and let me tell you if I hear the phrase “such lovely skin” my skin will be crawling. Also the aesthetic of this cover lived up to my every expectation.
I kept getting such strong Japanese horror movies of the 90s vibe while reading! (Think Ringu) That sense of darkness, isolation, scary monster you can’t escape anywhere! All the things I love in my darker reads.
I loved following Vivian on this journey and watching the shifts in her relationship with other characters as well as with herself. Dealing with grief and self-blame is something a lot of people can relate to and I particularly appreciate how those concepts were handled in this story! I also liked the fact that even though I’m not a gamer I was able to follow all aspects of the story with ease.
Halloween time is the perfect opportunity to grab this one!
A huge thank you to the author and Page Street YA for my ARC in exchange for an honest review! All enthusiasm shared is completely my own 😉
I kept getting such strong Japanese horror movies of the 90s vibe while reading! (Think Ringu) That sense of darkness, isolation, scary monster you can’t escape anywhere! All the things I love in my darker reads.
I loved following Vivian on this journey and watching the shifts in her relationship with other characters as well as with herself. Dealing with grief and self-blame is something a lot of people can relate to and I particularly appreciate how those concepts were handled in this story! I also liked the fact that even though I’m not a gamer I was able to follow all aspects of the story with ease.
Halloween time is the perfect opportunity to grab this one!
A huge thank you to the author and Page Street YA for my ARC in exchange for an honest review! All enthusiasm shared is completely my own 😉
August 15, 2024
Imagine the eerie tension of Stay Alive mixed with the chilling horror of The Ring, and you have 'Such Lovely Skin', a captivating YA horror novel that blends psychological suspense with the thrill of the gaming world. In this gripping story, Twitch streamer Viv finds herself battling an evil doppelganger after unknowingly making a pact with a demon inside a video game. As Viv grapples with the guilt from her younger sister’s tragic death, she must confront past lies and rumors while striving to defeat her malevolent twin.
This novel felt like an addictive video game I couldn’t put down — I had to literally tear myself away from it. Viv’s character resonated deeply with me, evoking memories of myself as a teen and the complex emotions surrounding grief and loss. As both a gamer and horror fanatic, I really appreciated the well-crafted references to gaming culture and the subtle nods to classic horror films and books.
Even if YA isn’t typically your go-to genre, don’t let that deter you from diving into 'Such Lovely Skin'. It's a suspenseful, fun ride and you will absolutely have a blast. This book was exactly the escape I needed, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Perfect for Fans of:
* Video Game Horror
* Cursed Objects/Artifacts
* Grief Horror
* Gamer Culture References
A huge thank you to Page Street YA, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. I’m eagerly anticipating Tatiana's next release after this remarkable debut!
This novel felt like an addictive video game I couldn’t put down — I had to literally tear myself away from it. Viv’s character resonated deeply with me, evoking memories of myself as a teen and the complex emotions surrounding grief and loss. As both a gamer and horror fanatic, I really appreciated the well-crafted references to gaming culture and the subtle nods to classic horror films and books.
Even if YA isn’t typically your go-to genre, don’t let that deter you from diving into 'Such Lovely Skin'. It's a suspenseful, fun ride and you will absolutely have a blast. This book was exactly the escape I needed, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Perfect for Fans of:
* Video Game Horror
* Cursed Objects/Artifacts
* Grief Horror
* Gamer Culture References
A huge thank you to Page Street YA, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. I’m eagerly anticipating Tatiana's next release after this remarkable debut!
September 27, 2024
ইয়ে মানে,এই বইয়ের এত ভালো রেটিং?
আমি মনে হয় বেশি বয়স্ক হয়ে গেছি,তাই এমন টিনেজ ধাঁচের বই আর মনে ধরেনা।
ভিভিয়ান ১৭ বছরের এক উঠতি স্ট্রিমার/গেইমার।তার অর্জনের ঝুলিতে আছে বেশ খানেক ফলোয়ার,হালকা পাতলা জনপ্রিয়তা,বেস্ট ফ্রেন্ড 'ব্রি',আর ছয় মাস আগের এক সিক্রেট।যে সিক্রেটটি এক ভিডিও গেইম সফটওয়্যারে শেয়ার করে গেইমটির মাধ্যমেই এক ডিমনকে সে নিজের জীবনে টেনে আনে।একটুও নতুন কোনো প্লট না।জাপানিজ রিংগুর প্লটও কাছাকাছি।
প্লট পুরানো হলেও,গল্প লেখার গুনে,সাজানো-গুছানোর গুনে এন্ড প্রোডাক্ট ভালো হলেও হতে পারতো,তা হয় নাই।গল্পের মূল চরিত্র ভিভিয়ান নিজেই মহা বিরক্তিকর।আমি ওর মা-বাপ হইলে টেনিদার মতো এক চড়ে কান কানপুরে পাঠায়ে দিতাম।
এবছরের নতুন যত থ্রিলার-ই পড়লাম,বেশিরভাগ-ই হতাশ করলো।
নতুন পাঠক,ন্যাদা ন্যাদা টিন পাঠকদের এই বই ভালো লাগলেও লাগতে পারে।
আমি মনে হয় বেশি বয়স্ক হয়ে গেছি,তাই এমন টিনেজ ধাঁচের বই আর মনে ধরেনা।
ভিভিয়ান ১৭ বছরের এক উঠতি স্ট্রিমার/গেইমার।তার অর্জনের ঝুলিতে আছে বেশ খানেক ফলোয়ার,হালকা পাতলা জনপ্রিয়তা,বেস্ট ফ্রেন্ড 'ব্রি',আর ছয় মাস আগের এক সিক্রেট।যে সিক্রেটটি এক ভিডিও গেইম সফটওয়্যারে শেয়ার করে গেইমটির মাধ্যমেই এক ডিমনকে সে নিজের জীবনে টেনে আনে।একটুও নতুন কোনো প্লট না।জাপানিজ রিংগুর প্লটও কাছাকাছি।
প্লট পুরানো হলেও,গল্প লেখার গুনে,সাজানো-গুছানোর গুনে এন্ড প্রোডাক্ট ভালো হলেও হতে পারতো,তা হয় নাই।গল্পের মূল চরিত্র ভিভিয়ান নিজেই মহা বিরক্তিকর।আমি ওর মা-বাপ হইলে টেনিদার মতো এক চড়ে কান কানপুরে পাঠায়ে দিতাম।
এবছরের নতুন যত থ্রিলার-ই পড়লাম,বেশিরভাগ-ই হতাশ করলো।
নতুন পাঠক,ন্যাদা ন্যাদা টিন পাঠকদের এই বই ভালো লাগলেও লাগতে পারে।
September 22, 2024
I enjoyed this book from the first chapter through the last! It was the perfect mix of reality (with a side of gut-wrenching grief) and terror (my heart pounded out of my chest) and I was on the edge of my seat anticipating what awful, potentially life-ruining thing would happen to Viv next! I found myself quickly attached to the characters, each for different reasons, and cheering them on with each crazy incident. Tatiana’s writing style and talent for describing everything from the characters to the video game to the settings makes you feel like you’re right there with them. And just when you think the worst is over, there’s more. It was truly hard to put down!
September 21, 2024
This was a quick, light, YA horror read. The idea isn't particularly novel: a demonic creature that feeds on people who have dark secrets, this time via a video game. I enjoyed the authentic twitch streamer protagonist with the appropriate lingo and references but this was honestly a bit too YA for me (too straightforward, not much exploration of either the experience of being half-Japanese in high school or grief). Decent but forgettable, honestly.
September 16, 2024
Thank you so much to Page Street YA for the eARC of Such Lovely Skin!
Such Lovely Skin gave me all of the vibes of an early ‘00s movie & it was a BLAST. For being a YA Horror, this one gets pretty dang dark & gruesome. The doppelgänger was actually terrifying & the writing made everything so easy to envision; creepy smiles, terrifying glitchy movements — it’s all here. Such Lovely Skin is so fast-paced & near impossible to put down, if sleep wasn’t necessary I would have easily had this read in one sitting.
I literally have no bad things to say, Such Lovely Skin was the perfect read, especially for those who miss the movies from the ‘00s like The Ring. Please pick this up & fall in love with it like I did 😅.
Such Lovely Skin gave me all of the vibes of an early ‘00s movie & it was a BLAST. For being a YA Horror, this one gets pretty dang dark & gruesome. The doppelgänger was actually terrifying & the writing made everything so easy to envision; creepy smiles, terrifying glitchy movements — it’s all here. Such Lovely Skin is so fast-paced & near impossible to put down, if sleep wasn’t necessary I would have easily had this read in one sitting.
I literally have no bad things to say, Such Lovely Skin was the perfect read, especially for those who miss the movies from the ‘00s like The Ring. Please pick this up & fall in love with it like I did 😅.
September 17, 2024
Y’all do not sleep on this book! It was the perfect amount of creepy and had me looking over my shoulder while reading 👀 The gaming aspect of the book was so dang fun. It had me reminiscing of the ✨good old days✨ when I had my Super Nintendo. Twitch has always been fascinating to me and seeing a BTS look thanks to Viv, our FMC, was amazing. I think we can all feel Viv when she worried about follower count and views. The doppelgänger is another layer of creepy. The idea of an evil “you” being out there is so so creepy to think about and gave me goosebumps. This book was just so freaking fun, so freaking creepy and so freaking unique. It also takes place in Iowa, which I love. So seriously just go check this one out
September 13, 2024
This one deserves allllll the stars!!! Holy creepy vibes!!! I was hooked from the start and did not put this one down!!! 🙌
And this is a debut novel?!?! 😱 After reading this, I will read anything this author puts out!!! Had me at the MST3K and Crime Junkie references! 🙌
New auto-buy author for me!! It’s YA, but I didn’t feel like I was reading YA! Highly recommend this one, my book peeps!!! 👏
Thank you so much to Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, NetGalley, and Page Street Publishing for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! Easily one of my top reads of the year!! ❤️
And this is a debut novel?!?! 😱 After reading this, I will read anything this author puts out!!! Had me at the MST3K and Crime Junkie references! 🙌
New auto-buy author for me!! It’s YA, but I didn’t feel like I was reading YA! Highly recommend this one, my book peeps!!! 👏
Thank you so much to Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, NetGalley, and Page Street Publishing for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! Easily one of my top reads of the year!! ❤️
September 9, 2024
Thanks to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Such Lovely Skin was a fast and fun read, centered around a great protagonist with a really solid / consistent POV.
I had no idea what this was about when I initially requested it (I liked the the title and cover) and usually stories where no-one believes a person experiencing supernatural stuff really stresses me out, but the confident writing kept me going with it. It's an impressive debut, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is a talent to watch for sure.
This will be a movie at some point, I'll sell my soul to Sega if I'm wrong!
Such Lovely Skin was a fast and fun read, centered around a great protagonist with a really solid / consistent POV.
I had no idea what this was about when I initially requested it (I liked the the title and cover) and usually stories where no-one believes a person experiencing supernatural stuff really stresses me out, but the confident writing kept me going with it. It's an impressive debut, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is a talent to watch for sure.
This will be a movie at some point, I'll sell my soul to Sega if I'm wrong!
September 5, 2024
I was so pleasantly surprised with this one! I loved the nostalgia with teenage life and dramatics, because it felt so relatable. The dynamics between the friends, parents, and crushes were definitely spot on. The personal growth had me tearing up and cheering for Viv all the way to the end, even with her teenage attitude. The mimic concept was so interesting with how it connected with the gamers/people. My only complaint is Diet Pepsi???? COME ON, DIET COKE, MY GURL.
September 4, 2024
This was a really pleasant surprise, and although I have one big complaint I’ll get to later, I have to admit that Such Lovely Skin spooked me, and I’m still thinking about it a few weeks after finishing. This is the most I’ve enjoyed a young adult novel since I was in the intended age range to be reading them—the imagery from one particular scene stood out to me and still pops into my head every now and then (though it’s probably worth mentioning that I’m terrified of doppelgängers which certainly helped.)
I enjoyed a lot of things about the author’s writing. She has a skill for pulling off very quick action sequences that many authors would overwrite and let drag, while still keeping the imagery clear, which is really impressive! I loved that she could borderline startle me with her writing; it was quite immersive. I read this over several days, but never really wanted to put it down and looked forward to reading it again, and all of that is made more impressive by this being both a young adult novel and a debut. Maybe it’s just me, but I was genuinely surprised by how much this creeped me out, especially compared to a lot of the adult horror I’ve read this year. For YA, this didn’t really hold back, and there’s a fair amount of blood, injury, death, etc. The story is fast-paced and never lingers in one place too long, and was overall just a lot of fun. I can see this working for YA & adult audiences alike.
I liked spending time with the characters and felt that they had enough character building to support the theme of grief and guilt. There was certainly room to build everything out more, and I do think the book itself could’ve been longer and benefited from it, but I also think that regardless, it’s an appropriate, maybe only slightly lacking level of depth and time spent on the theme for a YA novel.
As far as negatives, I think there was a side-plot that could have been handled with a more feminist tone/more tactfully in general, but I also sort of forgot that it was part of the book at all until sitting down to write this review, so it really wasn't a dealbreaker for me. The sexualization of female streamers was an interesting theme to bring up, but there really wasn't room for it to be properly explored in the short page count.
My only big criticism plot-wise is that I think the romance should’ve been cut. I feel like there’s always pressure for a romance subplot in YA, but it dragged this book down and added an unnecessary bit that took time away from the horror/grief themes. I think seeing Vivian spend time with Ash and realize some of her flaws that way would’ve been fine standing alone as the plot device, no crush on him needed. It was cute, but lacking.
Definitely deserving of 4 stars, and I’d probably consider that the end of my official review because my big gripe isn’t especially relevant to the overall quality, so I’m throwing it in at the end here if you want to stick around:
————————————
I’m kind of over books tricking me by advertising that they’re written by gamers, only for me to find that the gaming still makes no sense.
While I’m sure the author is a gamer just based on the Twitch/video game content, I am also absolutely sure that she has zero in-depth experience with Magic: The Gathering. And I cannot stress enough that that’s totally fine!! But I seriously wish that she had kept the focus on more stereotypically streaming-style games, because the games of Magic these characters play don’t make sense. There are a couple scenes with significant detail about the games, but every detail is incorrect or impossible on multiple levels, and it left me wondering: Why would you be so specific just to be so desperately wrong?
Magic is essentially Rules: The Game. We didn’t have to guess at how the game works, yet it definitely feels like that’s what happened here?? The vibe is “guesses made based on watching a recording of a CEDH game where nobody explains what they’re doing in depth and they all move at lightning speed” plus a bunch of buzzwords and recognizable card names.
Everything weird I noticed in the main scene about Magic:
1. Vivian plays on Arena with her best friend, and they say they’re playing “Historic Brawl”, which is a format that does not exist, because it was renamed “Brawl” in December 2023 at the same time as “Brawl” was renamed “Standard Brawl” to better reflect the formats.
2. They proceed to play mono-blue and Rakdos decks, which are both weird choices for brawl. But whatever! I can easily let that one go; it’s not like you can’t play those colors, they’re just generally suboptimal for the format! I love playing suboptimal/jank decks with my friends! Totally realistic.
3. BUT THEN.
4. THEN IT BEGAN.
5. It began when I noticed the characters referred to the decks as blue control and red and black aggro, and kept doing so. I would let this one go if they weren’t supposed to be extremely avid Magic players and gamers, but they are (the context is that they’re literally taking breaks in between homework to play rounds of Arena), so they’d probably be saying “mono-blue control” and “Rakdos”. (It’s also totally normal to list the colors out in conversation and not use official terminology, but in this case I think it’s weird that they not only never use any of the game terminology, but also frequently refer to nonexistent game mechanics. Dorks love details like this.)
6. For example, a character “summons” a planeswalker (and someone else “summons” a creature). “Summon” is not a mechanic and has been obsolete phrasing for “cast” since Sixth Edition, which came out in 1999. Generally speaking, you can play, cast, put, and create—and these are crucial distinctions because each one triggers other cards and mechanics differently (it’s okay, I want to beat me up too). Words have meaning and planeswalkers are cast :)
7. A character playing mono-blue somehow has a swarm of soldier tokens at one point, which really only exist in white, a color which neither player is running?? I cannot conceive of a way to get a multitude of soldier tokens without any white?? Or a reason you would want to when running mono-blue control??
8. Perhaps most perplexing is the highly specific and confidently incorrect explanation of what the mono-blue deck is doing: the best friend is going to use her Thassa, Deep Dwelling to blink Dream Eater and somehow send “all” the main character’s dragons back to her hand by doing so?? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
9. Thassa, DD can indeed blink a permanent, and blinking Dream Eater with her would in fact trigger Dream Eater’s ETB effect, but Thassa can only blink it one time, and that ETB effect only exiles one permanent. Therefore only one permanent could in theory be returned to your hand.
10. One permanent.
11. ONE (1) permanent.
12. Where are the rest of the “all my dragons” supposedly going????
13. Even aside from that, exiling a permanent doesn’t return it to your hand, it sends it to freaking exile. If it sent stuff to your hand, then Dream Eater would go back to your hand when Thassa blinked it, and blink would be a far less useful mechanic.
14. Also, you can’t even return token permanents (the ‘all my dragons’) to your hand in the first place, because they’re just permanents, not cards. That exiles them. And as we just covered, exile cannot return them to your hand either.
15. And finally, Thassa can only exile on the end step, which makes everything that happened after this impossible play doubly nonsensical because the friend must be on her end step for any of this to start happening, but then Viv just starts playing during her friend’s end step?? Viv responds with an instant, which is fine, but then she somehow attacks with her Lathliss, Dragon Queen during her friend’s end step??? You can respond during other people’s turns, but you can’t attack unless it’s your turn AND your combat step.
16. As a response to this nonsense play that doesn’t work to begin with, Viv “exiles” Dream Eater, but it’s not specified how—this is a huge problem for me because she’s playing Rakdos, and there is no spell in red or black that lets you exile other people’s permanents on the spot in the way the book posits. Magic isn’t built the way it’s represented here, and it wouldn’t be any fun if it was: archetypes, creature types (ahem, soldiers…), and certain abilities are constrained to specific colors to keep the game from being total chaos and providing actual benefits, drawbacks, and strategies to each color combination. That’s why the game is split into 5 colors + colorless.
17. I’m sure everyone has stopped reading this by now. Please authors just stop doing this to MTG I’m begging.
18. I hesitated over including this part of the review because this does come off as nitpicky and I do recommend the book, but it did genuinely bother me as a reader and also I eat rainbows for breakfast and this is sort of just how my reviews are.
TLDR, it was just so unnecessary to go wide on topics you’re unfamiliar with! Tell me everything about Twitch streaming and nothing else! That’s fine!! I have roughly the same technological prowess as my grandfather, who has used a computer exactly twice since 2010!! I am impressed by the sheer editing ability of putting a facecam over a stream and am not entirely sure how it’s possible (I wish I was kidding right now)!! I will be interested in your expertise!! Just please stop with this Magic thing, because it’s giving Adventure Time’s Card Wars parody.
Otherwise, this was very cool, and I recommend it for sure. If not for the romance subplot and gaming errors, I would honestly probably be calling this a 4.5; it just really worked for me. I’ll absolutely be following up with future releases from this author.
A sincere thank you for the ARC for review!
I enjoyed a lot of things about the author’s writing. She has a skill for pulling off very quick action sequences that many authors would overwrite and let drag, while still keeping the imagery clear, which is really impressive! I loved that she could borderline startle me with her writing; it was quite immersive. I read this over several days, but never really wanted to put it down and looked forward to reading it again, and all of that is made more impressive by this being both a young adult novel and a debut. Maybe it’s just me, but I was genuinely surprised by how much this creeped me out, especially compared to a lot of the adult horror I’ve read this year. For YA, this didn’t really hold back, and there’s a fair amount of blood, injury, death, etc. The story is fast-paced and never lingers in one place too long, and was overall just a lot of fun. I can see this working for YA & adult audiences alike.
I liked spending time with the characters and felt that they had enough character building to support the theme of grief and guilt. There was certainly room to build everything out more, and I do think the book itself could’ve been longer and benefited from it, but I also think that regardless, it’s an appropriate, maybe only slightly lacking level of depth and time spent on the theme for a YA novel.
As far as negatives, I think there was a side-plot that could have been handled with a more feminist tone/more tactfully in general, but I also sort of forgot that it was part of the book at all until sitting down to write this review, so it really wasn't a dealbreaker for me. The sexualization of female streamers was an interesting theme to bring up, but there really wasn't room for it to be properly explored in the short page count.
My only big criticism plot-wise is that I think the romance should’ve been cut. I feel like there’s always pressure for a romance subplot in YA, but it dragged this book down and added an unnecessary bit that took time away from the horror/grief themes. I think seeing Vivian spend time with Ash and realize some of her flaws that way would’ve been fine standing alone as the plot device, no crush on him needed. It was cute, but lacking.
Definitely deserving of 4 stars, and I’d probably consider that the end of my official review because my big gripe isn’t especially relevant to the overall quality, so I’m throwing it in at the end here if you want to stick around:
————————————
I’m kind of over books tricking me by advertising that they’re written by gamers, only for me to find that the gaming still makes no sense.
While I’m sure the author is a gamer just based on the Twitch/video game content, I am also absolutely sure that she has zero in-depth experience with Magic: The Gathering. And I cannot stress enough that that’s totally fine!! But I seriously wish that she had kept the focus on more stereotypically streaming-style games, because the games of Magic these characters play don’t make sense. There are a couple scenes with significant detail about the games, but every detail is incorrect or impossible on multiple levels, and it left me wondering: Why would you be so specific just to be so desperately wrong?
Magic is essentially Rules: The Game. We didn’t have to guess at how the game works, yet it definitely feels like that’s what happened here?? The vibe is “guesses made based on watching a recording of a CEDH game where nobody explains what they’re doing in depth and they all move at lightning speed” plus a bunch of buzzwords and recognizable card names.
Everything weird I noticed in the main scene about Magic:
1. Vivian plays on Arena with her best friend, and they say they’re playing “Historic Brawl”, which is a format that does not exist, because it was renamed “Brawl” in December 2023 at the same time as “Brawl” was renamed “Standard Brawl” to better reflect the formats.
2. They proceed to play mono-blue and Rakdos decks, which are both weird choices for brawl. But whatever! I can easily let that one go; it’s not like you can’t play those colors, they’re just generally suboptimal for the format! I love playing suboptimal/jank decks with my friends! Totally realistic.
3. BUT THEN.
4. THEN IT BEGAN.
5. It began when I noticed the characters referred to the decks as blue control and red and black aggro, and kept doing so. I would let this one go if they weren’t supposed to be extremely avid Magic players and gamers, but they are (the context is that they’re literally taking breaks in between homework to play rounds of Arena), so they’d probably be saying “mono-blue control” and “Rakdos”. (It’s also totally normal to list the colors out in conversation and not use official terminology, but in this case I think it’s weird that they not only never use any of the game terminology, but also frequently refer to nonexistent game mechanics. Dorks love details like this.)
6. For example, a character “summons” a planeswalker (and someone else “summons” a creature). “Summon” is not a mechanic and has been obsolete phrasing for “cast” since Sixth Edition, which came out in 1999. Generally speaking, you can play, cast, put, and create—and these are crucial distinctions because each one triggers other cards and mechanics differently (it’s okay, I want to beat me up too). Words have meaning and planeswalkers are cast :)
7. A character playing mono-blue somehow has a swarm of soldier tokens at one point, which really only exist in white, a color which neither player is running?? I cannot conceive of a way to get a multitude of soldier tokens without any white?? Or a reason you would want to when running mono-blue control??
8. Perhaps most perplexing is the highly specific and confidently incorrect explanation of what the mono-blue deck is doing: the best friend is going to use her Thassa, Deep Dwelling to blink Dream Eater and somehow send “all” the main character’s dragons back to her hand by doing so?? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
9. Thassa, DD can indeed blink a permanent, and blinking Dream Eater with her would in fact trigger Dream Eater’s ETB effect, but Thassa can only blink it one time, and that ETB effect only exiles one permanent. Therefore only one permanent could in theory be returned to your hand.
10. One permanent.
11. ONE (1) permanent.
12. Where are the rest of the “all my dragons” supposedly going????
13. Even aside from that, exiling a permanent doesn’t return it to your hand, it sends it to freaking exile. If it sent stuff to your hand, then Dream Eater would go back to your hand when Thassa blinked it, and blink would be a far less useful mechanic.
14. Also, you can’t even return token permanents (the ‘all my dragons’) to your hand in the first place, because they’re just permanents, not cards. That exiles them. And as we just covered, exile cannot return them to your hand either.
15. And finally, Thassa can only exile on the end step, which makes everything that happened after this impossible play doubly nonsensical because the friend must be on her end step for any of this to start happening, but then Viv just starts playing during her friend’s end step?? Viv responds with an instant, which is fine, but then she somehow attacks with her Lathliss, Dragon Queen during her friend’s end step??? You can respond during other people’s turns, but you can’t attack unless it’s your turn AND your combat step.
16. As a response to this nonsense play that doesn’t work to begin with, Viv “exiles” Dream Eater, but it’s not specified how—this is a huge problem for me because she’s playing Rakdos, and there is no spell in red or black that lets you exile other people’s permanents on the spot in the way the book posits. Magic isn’t built the way it’s represented here, and it wouldn’t be any fun if it was: archetypes, creature types (ahem, soldiers…), and certain abilities are constrained to specific colors to keep the game from being total chaos and providing actual benefits, drawbacks, and strategies to each color combination. That’s why the game is split into 5 colors + colorless.
17. I’m sure everyone has stopped reading this by now. Please authors just stop doing this to MTG I’m begging.
18. I hesitated over including this part of the review because this does come off as nitpicky and I do recommend the book, but it did genuinely bother me as a reader and also I eat rainbows for breakfast and this is sort of just how my reviews are.
TLDR, it was just so unnecessary to go wide on topics you’re unfamiliar with! Tell me everything about Twitch streaming and nothing else! That’s fine!! I have roughly the same technological prowess as my grandfather, who has used a computer exactly twice since 2010!! I am impressed by the sheer editing ability of putting a facecam over a stream and am not entirely sure how it’s possible (I wish I was kidding right now)!! I will be interested in your expertise!! Just please stop with this Magic thing, because it’s giving Adventure Time’s Card Wars parody.
Otherwise, this was very cool, and I recommend it for sure. If not for the romance subplot and gaming errors, I would honestly probably be calling this a 4.5; it just really worked for me. I’ll absolutely be following up with future releases from this author.
A sincere thank you for the ARC for review!
August 10, 2024
Fun new gaming horror novel!!! It was so fun as a Gamer Girl to recognize parts of the games I play and I loved the body horror. Not going to say TOO too much because I have a full review PLUS a surprise coming up on horrher.com that might just include the author 🤔 stay tuned!! 🎮👹
September 15, 2024
Wow,
Such Lovely Skin
by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is exactly the kind of book that pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go long after you’ve finished reading it. As someone who used to spend way too much time gaming in high school and getting caught up in online connections — and let’s be real, probably got a little too invested in my virtual persona — this book hit me in ways I wasn’t expecting. It brought back all those feelings and vibes from when I was happiest behind a screen and made me feel truly understood and seen (yet not seen).
The story follows Viv, a gamer who’s struggling with the guilt of causing her sister’s death and trying to make a comeback as a Twitch streamer. Right off the bat, Viv’s emotional journey was something I connected with. I mean, who hasn’t tried to distract themselves from their problems with social media, gaming, or some new project? The way Viv’s guilt seeps into everything, even a creepy horror game, made her feel so real. And when she spills her deepest, darkest secret to an NPC, thinking it’s no big deal, then ends up summoning a demon that mimics her? Chills. It’s a nightmare scenario but written in a fresh, modern take.
One of my favorite things about this book is how it blends real-life horror (guilt, grief, the pressure to be perfect online) with the supernatural. I loved the way the demon reflects Viv’s lies and how her struggle with her doppelganger represents how the lies we tell can come back to haunt us, literally and figuratively. It’s so relatable but also terrifying. Like, the next time I’m playing a game or even scrolling through Instagram, I’ll definitely be thinking twice about what I post or say.
And can we talk about Ash? The fact that Ash, someone Viv used to bully, is the only one who believes her adds so much depth to the story. It’s a reminder that the people we write off or hurt can end up being the ones who understand us the best. Their dynamic brought some real heart to the book, and watching Viv confront how her lies hurt others made her character development so much more powerful.
This book is perfect if you love horror but want something that makes you think. It’s a great mix of creepiness, humor, and heart. I couldn’t put it down and, honestly, I’m still thinking about how much our online lives affect us. If you’re into gaming, social media, or just want a horror story with some serious depth, you need to read Such Lovely Skin . Just ... be careful who you tell your secrets to.
(Thank you, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne and Page Street, for entrusting me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!)
The story follows Viv, a gamer who’s struggling with the guilt of causing her sister’s death and trying to make a comeback as a Twitch streamer. Right off the bat, Viv’s emotional journey was something I connected with. I mean, who hasn’t tried to distract themselves from their problems with social media, gaming, or some new project? The way Viv’s guilt seeps into everything, even a creepy horror game, made her feel so real. And when she spills her deepest, darkest secret to an NPC, thinking it’s no big deal, then ends up summoning a demon that mimics her? Chills. It’s a nightmare scenario but written in a fresh, modern take.
One of my favorite things about this book is how it blends real-life horror (guilt, grief, the pressure to be perfect online) with the supernatural. I loved the way the demon reflects Viv’s lies and how her struggle with her doppelganger represents how the lies we tell can come back to haunt us, literally and figuratively. It’s so relatable but also terrifying. Like, the next time I’m playing a game or even scrolling through Instagram, I’ll definitely be thinking twice about what I post or say.
And can we talk about Ash? The fact that Ash, someone Viv used to bully, is the only one who believes her adds so much depth to the story. It’s a reminder that the people we write off or hurt can end up being the ones who understand us the best. Their dynamic brought some real heart to the book, and watching Viv confront how her lies hurt others made her character development so much more powerful.
This book is perfect if you love horror but want something that makes you think. It’s a great mix of creepiness, humor, and heart. I couldn’t put it down and, honestly, I’m still thinking about how much our online lives affect us. If you’re into gaming, social media, or just want a horror story with some serious depth, you need to read Such Lovely Skin . Just ... be careful who you tell your secrets to.
(Thank you, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne and Page Street, for entrusting me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!)
September 18, 2024
I loved this so much that I’ll never be able to explain it. As far as YA goes, this is probably my top YA horror for the year, that’s right, the year. The author describes this as “picture the ring but with a video game” and it’s not that far off. This was absolutely wonderful and the plot was so good. I can’t recommend this more highly.
September 18, 2024
This book was everything! The story was interesting and kept me intrigued, I was flying through the pages so the paced was fantastic. It is an YA but please do not let that discourage you, it was creepy and 100% worth the read, hands down my favorite read of September so far.
September 24, 2024
4.5⭐️ rounded down.
What an emotional ride! Watching our protagonist and her family go through their grief was heartbreaking. I would’ve been sobbing at the end if I wasn’t in public on a ferry. 😅 I loved the horror game talk and how it felt like a walkthrough of gameplay at times. This book gives the Stay Alive horror movie feels I was wishing for. I was not prepared for how intense this was gonna get. The mimic was really out to ruin lives and I was shocked multiple times. Especially since it escalated so quickly! The scenes with the mimic are definitely spooky. My only complaint was the resolution felt a bit simple. Still a fantastic read!
What an emotional ride! Watching our protagonist and her family go through their grief was heartbreaking. I would’ve been sobbing at the end if I wasn’t in public on a ferry. 😅 I loved the horror game talk and how it felt like a walkthrough of gameplay at times. This book gives the Stay Alive horror movie feels I was wishing for. I was not prepared for how intense this was gonna get. The mimic was really out to ruin lives and I was shocked multiple times. Especially since it escalated so quickly! The scenes with the mimic are definitely spooky. My only complaint was the resolution felt a bit simple. Still a fantastic read!
September 5, 2024
Thank you to @thebuffwriter and @pagestreetya for my copy! So I am not a gamer, at all. I think the last time I played a video game was probably 15 years ago …but this one sounded so spooky! You also don’t need to be a gamer to appreciate this! It’s got The Ring vibes but make it Gen-Z!!
This story blends lots of dark and important themes such as grief, identity and most importantly guilt. Even though this is YA-the level of creep factor is extremely high. The motives of the characters were realistic and so dimensional I felt like they were real. This is another debut that knocked it out of the park! Leave the lights on for this one!
This story blends lots of dark and important themes such as grief, identity and most importantly guilt. Even though this is YA-the level of creep factor is extremely high. The motives of the characters were realistic and so dimensional I felt like they were real. This is another debut that knocked it out of the park! Leave the lights on for this one!
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