I was so excited when I received this book from a giveaway. I don't get arcs from publishers so it was an exciting win. The moment I saw this book it reminded me of Genuine fraud. The covers are very similar and both books tell a similar story. I guess that's probably part of the reason they changed the cover for this book. However I ended up enjoying this one a lot more.

The story is about Jo. She's a homeless girl whose lost her mother. She decides she's going to pull a con of impersonating this missing girl. She wants that sense of security. When she enters the Lovecrafts life as Vivienne Weir she becomes to learn not everything is as it seems. Everyone has their secrets. She begins to wonder if staying in this home is worth it. Does she stay or escape before it ends up being too late?

Right away I was drawn to the writing in this book. Even though this book was only divided into three parts I felt myself breezing through them. Kim knows how to keep you hooked. I didn't want to stop reading because I needed to know what was going to happen next. I usually have a problem with long chapters. If I'm not into a book I always find myself looking away. I need to know how long until the next chapter. This was not the case with this book. I found myself shocked to see how much I got through.

Another thing I liked about the book was the perspective. The whole book Jo is directly talking towards Temple. She has this almost obsessive fascination with her. She is always using you to talk about Temple even when she isn't with her. I thought that was an interesting way to go with the story.

Another thing I liked were the twists. This book had so many unexpected twists and turns. I had some theories as I started reading the book. I was off which is always nice. I liked being surprised by a book. It does make me excited when I do figure out certain things but I also don't like when it's too obvious. Kim does a great job of surprising you.

The only thing I feel like I didn't really like in this book were the characters. I wasn't a huge fan of Jo. I did feel bad for her and I was happy she finally had this family that cared about her but that's really it. Temple was very multiplicative and I felt Jo had to put up with her. The Lovecrafts were very loving and caring towards Jo. They accepted her which made me happy but there was more to it. There honestly was only one character I liked and they didn't come until later in the story. Thankfully the story was interesting and kept me wanting more that I was unfazed by the characters.

Overall I enjoyed this story. It kept me engaged the whole time. When I did have time to read the book I breezed right through it. It had a lot of nice twists which I wasn't expecting. I have another Kim Savage book on my TBR and I can't wait to check that out.

Babysitter Wanted meets The Roommate meets PLL!

A fascinating thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If I could create a tagline for this book, it would be Freak the Freak Out!

In Her Skin is a dark thriller that revolves around an opportunity that the con artist, Jo, sees and goes after. It is crazy & dangerous, but it will help her feel safe as she tries to escape her past. Nice food and clothes are also a huge plus, but is this family who they claim to be?

If I could pick a song to go with this story, it would have to be Perfect Illusion by Lady Gaga because everything is not what it seems, and sometimes we prefer pretty lies rather than ugly truths.

One thing that caught my attention is Kim Savage’s writing style in this book. She made Jo speak of a certain character using the word “You” rather than their name, whenever she thought about them. I am not sure if I liked it, but I also didn’t hate it. It is something that I have never seen before, and for that, I applaud the author for having the courage to try something so novel.

I really enjoyed this story, and I will definitely keep an eye on Kim’s fictional work.

I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in – literally – two sittings, and that’s honestly an endorsement all on its own. but also it was REALLY INTERESTING and I don’t know what to make of it like, at all and it’s WEIRD and DRIVEN BY GIRL ANTIHEROES and FULL OF SAPPHIC SUBTEXT and those are my top three literary things. so I think this review counts as positive, hm?

Let me try to explain what reading this book is like - it’s like throwing your mind into a fucked-up, manipulative, scary world, and not knowing which character to empathize with. But knowing all the while that you can’t put it down, that you’re totally engaged in the writing and the narrative.

The compelling thing about this story is that it is about a girl who has lied to an entire family, saying she’s their long-lost child, but you still can’t help but hope she won’t be caught. Jo is a character who we should by all means despise, but through it all, she is so hard not to empathize with.

Because the thing is that every character in this book is both awful and interesting. Yes, I’m referring to one of the most terrifying-but-compelling antivillains of all time. The whole crafting of this narrative and the casting of every character as dimensional creates an incredibly engaging book.

Look, In Her Skin is a thriller, and I can’t actually say much about it. I can only say that this book was weird, and mournful, and chilling , all at once, and I enjoyed it so much. An absolutely excellent read.

n her skin is fast paced and full of twists and suspense. If you're into dark ya than this book is for you! I really enjoyed the writing and even though the characters are unlikable I still really loved the book! You need to add In Her Skin to your tbr!

Jo Chastain has been taught from an early age to con the people around her. She has been on her own since her mother died and is about to run the biggest con of her life. She is going to impersonate a missing girl with the hopes of taking advantage of the rich family. What Jo discovers is that everyone has secrets and it is possible that Vivi wasn’t taken, but was murdered. Is Jo safe in this home or is she destined to go missing?

In Her Skin is a quick mystery with some teen drama thrown in. Savage has created a storyline that builds smoothly, but then stalls out toward the end. Overall the characters are enjoyable and the book finishes easily, yet the ending was not very satisfying. This would make a good read if you are looking for a quick diversion from some of the longer young adult novels or never ending series.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

For being so short this was a whirlwind of a psychological mystery. The writing took me a little getting used to but I really felt it fit the darkness of the story. This was not definitely not a happy story, with the unhealthy dynamics between the two main characters and the disturbing truths of street/gang life that is shoved uncomfortably in your face but it is certainly worth the read. I loved Gerry's character, even though he was only in it a short while. I thought this was a cross between "Uncanny" by Sarah Fine and "The Stranger Game" by Cylin Busby so if you liked either of those, you will probably like this.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I knew from the synopsis, that this was going to be a darker, grittier read, but wow! This was quite a twisted tale of a con that didn't got exactly go according to plan.

•Pro: Savage's writing in her last book was quite beautiful, but the style she employed here was very different, and perfectly fit this story being told from Jo's point of view. She was not refined or polished, and the writing reflected that, which I thought did a fantastic job of painting a complete picture of this young woman.

•Pro: Savage made an interesting choice of having Jo speak directly to Temple throughout the narration. It was different and really captured Jo's almost obsessive fascination with her.

•Pro: The book is divided into three parts - Vivi, Temple, Jo. I liked the way Savage set the focus in those parts, and it was a good way to partition the story.

•Con: This is just me, but I like breaks when I read. The Vivi section took up the majority of the book, and it did so as one continuous chunk. Though this was not something that bothered me, I have read enough reviews to know there are readers, who do not like the "telling versus showing" style. We spend a lot of time in Jo's head, but I feel it was a good choice because of the nature of this story.

•Pro: Jo was so damaged and broken, and Savage magnificently painted this picture. It helped me have some sympathy towards her BUT

•Con: There were like zero likable characters in this book. The plot was strong enough to keep me interested, but as a character driven reader, I sort of need a likable characters in a book to make it next level for me. There was one character I sort of liked, Wolf, but he had very little page time.

•Pro: The strongest thing about this book was the story. The whole concept of Jo slipping into the missing girl's skin and assuming her life had me captivated. Even the way it all started. How she picked her mark, did the research, and planned it all out. It was morbidly fascinating.

•Pro: I was surprised by the path this story took. The power struggle was interesting, and as the truth was slowly revealed, I found myself shaking my head in bewilderment.

Overall: A dark and twisted tale of a broken girl, who in a bid for survival, slowly loses pieces of herself.

"We push the door open and prowl the hall, stealthy, and you are funny, making exaggerated hush signs and tiptoeing. You're corny, and its cute, and you treat me like a dumb younger sister, and I sense that you're leading me into trouble but I am so okay with it, because trouble with you is fun, old fashioned, clean fun, stealing poems and spotting ghosts, and I am charmed."....


This young adult story features a 15 year old girl, Jo Chastain. As a homeless teenager, an opportunity presents itself to assume the identity of a missing girl, Vivienne Weir. A wealthy family, the Lovecrafts, were there when 9 year old Vivi disappeared, while her parents dined with the Lovecrafts. Jo finally has the life she wants, or so she thinks.

When the story takes a dark turn, Jo may find herself in danger of knowing the truth. Secrets discovered may not be good for Jo. She will have to decide if staying is the best option, or life back on the streets of Boston might be safer.

What happened to the real Vivienne? Does the Lovecraft family have the truth about that night? A truth they wouldn’t want uncovered? Is Vivi dead? Has Jo got herself in over her head? Can she convince Temple, Vivi’s childhood friend, that she’s really Vivi? Or will Temple’s doubting uncover Jo’s pretend life. A visitor from Jo’s past may also affect her ability to remain “Vivi.”

The story centered a little much on what Temple was to her as a friend. Temple’s antics kind of felt a little to unoriginal, or we’ve seen that behavior in one too many story lines. Rich teenager, sneaking out, theft, etc.

Full of suspense otherwise, and a clever broken girl. Jo needs a new life. She may have picked the wrong one. Overall a good read. Great ending!

Thank you Kim Savage, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

I enjoyed reading In Her Skin. There are very few novels that will keep me guessing about what exactly is going on. This book did. I did have a small issue following the book at first because of how it was written. It is almost entirely in 2nd person. But once I got used to it, it made for a very interesting read.

In Her Skin is set in Boston, MA. It is always interesting to see a city that you grew up near featured in books. I don’t know about you guys, but I tend to be critical. In Her Skin nailed Boston’s Back Bay area on the head. I could find nothing wrong. No inconsistencies, nothing. That made me like the book even more.

The plot of In Her Skin was very interesting but I did find some fault with it. Jo Chastain, a homeless grifter who is sick of living on the streets. She has researched the disappearance of Vivienne Weir. She was going to assume the identity of Vivienne, live with the family who had guardianship over her and live in comfort for the rest of her life. Or so she thought. Almost immediately, she realizes that there is something off about the Lovelaces and their daughter, Temple. She also realizes that the secrets that this family has could kill her.

I had a lot of pity for Jo throughout the story. She wasn’t homeless by choice. After her mother’s pimp (and Jo’s abuser) murders her mother, Jo is forced to run to Boston to escape him. She lived for 2 years in a homeless community. She had been taught, from an early age, how to con people. It was the only thing that she knew how to do and she did it well. Her decision to take on Vivi’s identity was done out of desperation. As was all her actions after she walked into the police station. She didn’t realize how dangerous her situation was until midway through the book.

Temple scared me. Not going to get into that part of the story but I don’t know how Jo could sleep in the same bed as her. Considering that Jo had an off feeling about her. One thing I have learned from reading thrillers…..always trust your feelings about certain characters. Because they will always be right!!

As creepy as this sounds, Jo was sexually attracted to Temple. Even thinking about that gives me the heebie-jeebies. I don’t know if their “relationship” ever went to the next step. The author was very vague about that. She was even more vague about Jo and sex in the book. There was the understanding that Jo and her on/off addict teen prostitute boyfriend, Wolf. Sex didn’t factor into the storyline and you know what, I loved it.

There are triggers that appear in the book. There is child sexual abuse, rape, teen prostitution and drug use. The author did a great job of introducing each subject in a way that wouldn’t overwhelm the reader. There was a lot left unsaid but enough revealed that you could fill in with your imagination.

The end of the book almost anti-climatic. I didn’t know how I felt about it. I actually almost felt let down with the events leading up to it.

Pros of In Her Skin:

A) Set in Boston

B) Great Suspense

C) Great Main Character

Cons of In Her Skin:

A) written in 2nd person the whole book

B) Temple

C) The end of the book

I would give In Her Skin an Older Teen rating. There is language, mild violence, and vague sexual references/situations. I wouldn’t recommend anyone under the age of 16 to read In Her Skin.

As stated above, there are triggers in this book. They consist of child sexual abuse, rape, teen prostitution and drug use. The author is never explicit while describing those triggers but a warning is needed.

I would reread In Her Skin. I would recommend it to family and friends with a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux (BYR), Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review In Her Skin.

All opinions stated in this review of In Her Skin are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

In Her Skin is a twisting turn-pager of a book, with a few slight shortcomings. The plot, wherein a damaged teen girl perpetuating a con realizes that she may be playing into a far more insidious con, is ultimately the strength of this novel. Where teen readers, particularly struggling readers, may find difficulty is in certain stylistic choices. Moments where a character refers to another in the second person can be confusing and strange. It's easy to tell what the author was trying to accomplish, but it sometimes muddles the narrative. Ultimately, it's a book with a particular reader out there. It sometimes feels as though it would benefit from a little more work. In some ways, the YA label may be responsible for muddying what this book is- it had the potential to be strong literary fiction if the writing was a little tighter. I'm much more likely to recommend this read to my mother who enjoys a good thriller over my students.

In Her Skin is the third novel from YA author Kim Savage, and centres on the story of a young homeless girl who takes on the identity of a missing schoolgirl in order to live with ‘family friends’ and get off the street. But her new home life may be more complicated than she imagined.

At first I thought In Her Skin was going to be a magical realism book, because it opened with the suggestion that Jo, our homeless con, could ‘take on’ the persona and characteristics of those she was imitating. For example, when she played a blind girl it actually affected her vision. This suggestion seemed to have been abandoned pretty early on in the book as Jo wasn’t any better at pretending to be missing girl Vivi than anyone else would have been. Pretty early on there were hints dropped that maybe Vivi’s disappearance wasn’t the way it was sold to the authorities, comparing her with the real-life case of Madeleine McCann, who allegedly also disappeared from an unsupervised room while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant. This meant that not only was the major conflict the fact that Jo was conning everyone into believing she was Vivi, but the second major conflict was ‘what actually happened to Vivi?’

I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters in this book. Jo seemed really bland, almost lacking in personality. For someone who was living on the streets and stealing identities, she was the good girl foil to reckless, heartless, manipulative Temple, Jo’s now adopted sister. It was almost like it might have been hard enough to get the audience to like a homeless con pretending to be a missing girl with dead parents, so Savage made her a ‘good girl’ who was afraid to break the rules. Of course, Jo’s biggest fear was that she would be found out and made homeless again, so she left behind her prostitute boyfriend Wolf without even a goodbye. My biggest issue was the fact that Jo was still living in the same city where she had already established herself as Jo, so not only could Wolf identify her, but so could people like the cops or welfare workers, but that was never a real concern.

I sound like I didn’t enjoy this book, but that’s not true. In truth, the book was just kind of blah. I certainly didn’t hate it or find it frustrating like Beautiful Broken Girls, and Temple was a fun, unhinged character to read about, but I really couldn’t say that I liked the book, even though I did enjoy Jo’s realisation that maybe her life was in danger. I also really liked reading about Temple’s parents but I think it might even be more enjoyable to re-read once the plot twist is discovered.

I think part of my frustration largely stems from reading an ARC that was nowhere near ready to be released to a reviewing audience, because there were so many words that should have been deleted to help a basic understanding. I won’t take any direct quotes because I did read an ARC but they were, for example, along the lines of ‘I walked rain down the street’ or ‘The small room right was painted purple’ or weird stuff like that, just random words in the middle of sentences that left me struggling to find the meaning. The editing clearly still had a long way to go, including proper nouns in some cases. It wasn’t on every page, or even every chapter, but enough to notice and get frustrated at.

I really loved Savage’s After the Woods, I was disenchanted with Beautiful Broken Girls, and I haven’t been convinced by In Her Skin, although I do think there is an audience for this book that maybe I’m just not a part of.

I have been going back and forth for a couple of days trying to decide how I feel about this book. Honestly, that's a good thing. Any book that makes me think about it when I am done reading it is a treat. I read "Beautiful Broken Girls" by Kim Savage before and enjoyed it, so I was pretty excited to get to read this book early thanks to NetGalley. I think the whole not-knowing-how-to-feel about a book is just kind of Kim Savage's jam. I think it's intentional. She wants her readers to think and be left with the book nagging at them.

"In Her Skin" picks up with lots of action and a main character that is really fun to get to know. Jo was taught all about the con life by her mother. Now, she cons on her own. The PERFECT con falls right into her lap, and Jo cannot resist presenting herself as the long-missing girl Vivi. And from there, everything gets twisted. I can't say too much, but holy cats. I loved the story line on this one. And the whole thing makes Jo grow so much as a person, I love it.

Okay, so why am I being so cryptic? WELL, there's a major plot twist which actually explains A LOT (nice job dropping weird hints in, Kim Savage) half way through the book. Here's the part I'm not a huge fan of.... it came halfway through the book. I really felt like the rest of the book could have been more action packed and condensed down into half of the pages it was. It's just one time where I felt that the author/publisher was really aiming for page count.

So, yes. Super cool, unsettling book. Very good for illustrating foreshadowing, body language, and character arcs. Also touched on many sensitive issues (sexual abuse, death of a parent, homelessness, mental illness). I will be thinking about this for quite some time.

While I appreciated the plot, I just could not get into it. I think this would be a good read for someone much younger than me. The cover is stunning, and I did like the characters. The linguistic's is what got me, and made it hard to follow along with the plot.

I thought I could trust you. You lead me to believe certain characters were going to do certain things. You conned me. You conned me. You conned me.

What a dark ride this was. Kim does a fantastic job with these characters. Jo and the Lovecraft's are well developed and will surprise you with their past and present actions. Nothing about this story is convenient and that's what makes it great.

Would I read another book by this author? Yes!

A unique story about accepting who you are. Jo is a strong character and the iron in her comes through beautifully. The story is delicately woven and keeps you on your toes. I couldn't put it down! If you enjoyed Savages Beautiful Broken Girls, this is a must read.

I've read similar stories before, and the best part of this was the Boston setting. Beyond that, predictable and not all that well done.