Eric LaRocca is just amazing at the horror genre.
These stories get under your skin, so expertly written and disgusting in the best way!

Thank you for my copy!

A collection of 4 horror tales, all very different but impactful in their own way

This Skin Was Once Mine. Jillian returns home after 20 years as her father has suddenly passed, however, this trip home may uncover some dark secrets about her family and even her own nature...

Seedling. A young man is called home by his father as his mother has passed away. Upon arriving he realises his father is going to need more help than he first realised, and also, what is this mysterious injury on his hand....

All The Parts of You That Won't Easily Burn. Enoch enters a shop to buy his husband a knife for a dinner party. The shopkeeper has a strange request in exchange which will creep under his skin and change the way he looks at things...

Prickle. Two old men find their fun in seemingly harmless pranks in a park, however, these escalate to a devastating level

Great collection of stories, definitely was squirming at a few for different reasons. Liked that they were different themes as kept me wanting to read on

This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances is a masterful collection of short stories that blends body horror with psychological dread in a way that’s both terrifying and thought-provoking. Each story drags you into its unsettling world, with vivid descriptions that linger long after you've finished reading. LaRocca excels at crafting tension, and the horrors depicted are both visceral and deeply unsettling.

While I found the final story, "Prickle," to be good and effectively eerie, it felt a little lackluster compared to the intensity and impact of the other three stories. It left me with that familiar sense of unease that I appreciate in horror, but it didn’t quite reach the same chilling heights. Still, the collection as a whole is a must-read for fans of horror who enjoy both the grotesque and the psychological.

I'm a huge fan of Eric LaRocca but I didn't think it was his best here. None of the stories really grasped me or did anything interesting, but I did love the writing style as usual.

Depraved, gruesome, brutal, unsettling. I've come to really enjoy LaRocca and his particular taste for horror!

Another amazing horror collection from Eric LaRocca, again as with most of his collections I didn't love everything. But overall it was an amazing read.

Go to author and I will read whatever they put out. Bought a copy for my home library. Have enthusiastically recommended.

I read this book while on a plane to Florida. Read it from cover to cover, start to finish. There's something so exquisitely disturbing about the author's writing style and there are so many moments that have haunted me since reading the resounding last pages, a mile high in the sky.

A forerunner in modern horror. This book is perfect for anyone seeking something chilling this spooky season (and beyond)

I only shaved off a star in my rating because the subject matter might be too much for some people. And there's always the old question of how far is too far you know?

OK So I am a huge LaRocca fan! And if I could sit down and have dinner with this author I would. He is wonderfully twisted (I mean that in a good way) I just finished his one book "You've Lost A lot of Blood" and remembered I had this gem waiting in the wings so I did a double header and read "This Skin Was Once Mind and other Disturbances" I loved all the stories! Each one making you wonder "How does this guy sleep at night" lol - I would say go in this with the thought that you will feel uncomfortable in the best way possible and I can't wait to buy this in physical book form for my library! 4 solid stars!

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Gripping Exploration of Identity and Transformation**

*This Skin Was Once Mine* offers a compelling and thought-provoking look at identity and self-discovery. The author’s evocative prose and intricate storytelling pull readers into a narrative that explores the complexities of personal and cultural transformation. The characters are richly developed, and the themes are handled with depth and sensitivity. While some plot elements may feel predictable, the book’s emotional resonance and insightful reflections make it a powerful and engaging read.

**3.5 out of 5 Star Review: This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances by Eric LaRocca**

*This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances* by Eric LaRocca is a dark and unsettling collection of four stories that dive deep into the grotesque and the disturbing. LaRocca has a distinct style that fans of his previous works will recognize immediately, blending raw emotion with gruesome imagery to create tales that are both haunting and thought-provoking.

**Thoughts:**
The collection opens with the titular story, *This Skin Was Once Mine*, where we follow a woman returning to her childhood home after her father’s death. The narrative is steeped in themes of self-loathing, body horror, and family trauma, and it’s clear that LaRocca is a master at weaving these elements together. The story is intensely dark, with layers of subtext that leave the reader questioning what is real and what is imagined. However, the portrayal of the protagonist’s relationship with her father might be difficult for some readers, as it delves into uncomfortable and triggering territory.

The second story, *Seedling*, explores grief and the complicated dynamics between father and son in a way that is both symbolic and brutally literal. While the concept is intriguing, the execution left me feeling a bit unsure about the ending, which veers into the surreal and gruesome, perhaps a little too suddenly.

*All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn* shifts in tone, reading almost like a modern-day parable. The narrative is strange and unsettling, with a story that feels more like a dark fairy tale than the visceral horror of the previous entries. It’s an interesting departure, though it might not resonate with everyone, especially those who are sensitive to trypophobia, as this story features some unsettling imagery.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find the final story, *Prickle*, as compelling, and it was the only one I didn’t finish. It seemed to lack the same intensity and intrigue as the others, which was disappointing.

**Final Thoughts:**
*This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances* is a solid collection for horror readers who enjoy tales of body horror, trauma, and emotional turmoil. While not every story hit the mark for me, the collection is worth reading for the standout moments of discomfort and dread that LaRocca excels at creating. However, if you’re looking for something that breaks away from LaRocca’s established formula, you might find yourself wanting a bit more variety in both theme and execution.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Fans of LaRocca’s previous work will find plenty to appreciate here, but newcomers might want to brace themselves for the heavy themes and intense content.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an E-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I appreciated this small collection of short stories. They are all vastly different to one another with the core theme being horror. The morals and decisions that the characters make in this book are awful but to be expected. I felt like each story was entertaining in itself and gives you a taste of LaRocca's writing style. I do feel like it left something to be desired. I would read more of LaRocca's books.

LaRocca's short story collections always make me want to crawl out of my skin while simultaneously having the best time reading it. While I found the first story to be a little too long and it kind of threw my momentum off a bit, overall I still really enjoyed my time with this and definitely recommend it to lovers of their previous work. Thank you Netgalley and Titan books for my review copy!

Creepy, gorey and fantastically written. I couldn't put this book down, and was desperate to see what happened next.

Really decent set of stories. I’ve read most of what Eric Larocca has put out, and these were more of the same writing. Some tough, dark, emotional stories! He’s a favorite!

Eric LaRocca’s This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances is a collection of four dark, haunting, and psychologically intense stories that delve into the human condition with visceral, emotional precision. This collection is a testament to LaRocca’s ability to blend horror with deep, introspective themes.

The titular story, "This Skin Was Once Mine," follows Jillian as she returns to her childhood home after her father's death. The narrative is non-linear, exploring her struggles with mental health and the complicated relationship with her estranged mother. The story intricately weaves themes of identity, grief, and self-discovery, making it both heart-wrenching and compelling.

"Seedling" presents a chilling exploration of grief, depicting a father and son who are physically and emotionally affected by a wound that symbolizes their overwhelming loss. The story's vivid, haunting imagery captures the relentless and consuming nature of grief, although it sometimes feels a bit too on-the-nose compared to the other tales in the collection​.

In "All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn," LaRocca delves into themes of body horror and self-discovery through the story of Enoch, who finds a disturbing yet life-affirming kink. The story's blend of horror and introspection is both riveting and unsettling, exploring how pain and pleasure intertwine in the human experience​.

"Prickle" closes the collection with the story of two men who rediscover a sinister pleasure in tormenting others. The protagonists are complex and unlikable, yet LaRocca’s storytelling makes their motivations disturbingly understandable, creating a narrative that is as engaging as it is horrifying.

LaRocca’s writing is marked by its emotional depth and unsettling atmosphere. His stories are not just about horror but about the human experiences and traumas that lie beneath. While some stories may feel less assured than others, the collection as a whole is a powerful exploration of the darker sides of human nature.

This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances is a must-read for fans of psychological and extreme horror. LaRocca’s ability to evoke deep emotional responses through his dark narratives makes this collection both a challenging and rewarding read.

Don't read it at night or if you're feeling nervous because it's grippping, disturbing, and excellent.
Four stories, four different type of horror that brings to face ancestral fears, monsters, and your own fears.
Great job, the right type of disturbing read if you want something that will shake your mind.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Reader beware: this is a disturbing and devastating collection of four tales. Each one is unsettling in different ways--whether it is cosmic horror, body horror, or psychological suspense. Reading this is like peeling back layer after layer of terror....and you are in LaRocca's hands. What works so well is that with each story, you are also being peeled back to gaze at the darkest recesses of the human being and the human condition. A dazzling and disturbing offering from one of horror's most underrated writers.

3.5 stars for the overall collection

I love reading Eric LaRocca every summer. I have picked up a novella or short story collection by him for the last 4 years. It's a summer thing for me. I was so excited to pick this one up after rereading They Were Here Before Us (which is my personal collection from him). This is a four-novella collection and they are in the theme of snakes- shedding their skin to become new. Some of the stories are more obvious with their snake imagery like the title story, and others are more sinister or unsettling. As per all Eric LaRocca, this collection is not for the faint of heart and all his publisher even asked him to have a trigger warning page at the start (which I appreciated because the opening story is brutal).

Here are my star ratings:
5 stars: The Skin Was Once Mine
4 stars: Seedlings
3 stars: Prickle
2 stars: All The Parts of You That Won't Burn Easily

In all honesty, the only story I'm riding for is The Skin Was Once Mine because that was a phenomenal and unsettling story. Definitely stomach-churning, but visually, thematically, and horrifically stunning and gripping.

I sadly didn't like this horror short story collection as much as I've enjoyed some of LaRocca's other works.

I really liked the second short story, as that one leant into abstract horror and grief. I think LaRocca's strength is in their abstract horror.

The others felt a lot more stilted and dry in terms of writing style. And stylistically, that didn't work for me.

They also leaned into shock factor instead of developing a more deep rooted sense of horror, so it felt ineffective as a result.

For some of them I didn't really believe people would make the choices the characters did, which also made them harder to appreciate.