This book was such a fun ride!! In it you follow Viv a high schooler who aspires to be a famous Twitch streamer. ( I thought this aspect of the book would be cringe, but it's not I promise). Viv gets herself into a mess when she decides to play an Indie horror game where that asks her to tell her deepest darkest secret. At the start, you learn that three months ago Viv's sister passed away and she's holding a lot of guilt because she was somewhat involved in her death. Viv then decides to tell the game exactly what happened the night her sister passed, which unlocks an evil doppelganger that's out to destroy her life.
Horror is not the typical genre I go for but this was so entertaining and fast-paced. I even found myself enjoying the parts of the book that involved gameplay even though I am not a gamer by any means (I love the Sims and that's it). I was surprised to learn it is a debut novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes YA books.

Lovely concept about evil doppelganger. A twitch horror streamer play a video game gifted by an anonymous person, only to have the demon follow her out into real life. It is creepy and frustrating! The character is not really likeable but I like her character development. Such a refreshing concept but I wish the plot didn't dragged out and the romance is quite unnecessary.

One of the most haunting and scary novels that I’ve read in a long time. I was genuinely terrified to turn off the lights or check under my bed. I was having visions of seeing some creepy mimic near me.

I was hooked from the start! I did make the mistake of reading it before bed and gave myself nightmares 😂😭 Loved the character development throughout the novel! The pacing is also well done, I was engaged the whole way through even while half hiding my face behind a pillow 🙊

It’s a scary but also deep, emotional read with explorations of grief and guilt. This is such a unique horror novel and one of my faves of the month! And the ending was so perfectly done 😮 I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future and eventually add a physical copy to my shelves.

TW/CW: child death, grief, underage drinking, drunk driving (brief mention), blood, violence, suicide (brief mention)

I’ll be posting my review to IG and TikTok next week and adding the links once they’ve been uploaded!

NEW FEAR UNLOCKED.

This book got under my skin in the best way possible. I made the delightful mistake of reading this on a plane where I couldn't hold my knees to my chest and hide under a blanket, and kept picturing creepy doppelganger hands reaching out from under the seats. At one point, the stranger beside me was looking at me in concern so I can only image the freaked out expression I was making.

A spooky, heart-wrenching story about grief, fear, and guilt, this book managed an impressive balance of scary, tense, disturbing, hopeful, and authentic. I was hooked by every page, every paragraph, by Viv and her story, by the horror of a monster wearing your face and ruining your life, by the unexpected tearjerker ending. As a gamer and a horror fanatic, this book ticked every box for me and surpassed my expectations! I can't wait to add a physical copy to my bookshelf and reread when I need a good scare!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this fun debut gaming horror novel!!! Reading about games that I've played in the context of this creepy, soul-stealing book made it all the more real for me. The body horror was perfectly done, not too much that it was gore for gore's sake, but just enough that I felt squeamish. The sweet little teenage romance story fit perfectly in with the broader context of death and destruction, because only teenagers could fall in love in these dire circumstances. Can't wait to read more by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne!

A fun, pacey tale about a gamer, Vivian, who enters a video game only to having the demon follow her out into real life. On a deeper level, this story is about the way that guilt can seep into you, allowing demons to take hold of you, both metaphorically and literally. It touches on themes of responsibility, growing up, and the pressure of social media. You don’t have to be a gamer or even a YA reader to love this. Well done!

This book is a chilling YA horror where a Twitch streamer accidentally unleashes a demon while playing a creepy video game. As her life spirals out of control, she must face her darkest secrets and deal with the consequences of her lies. It's a fast-paced, spooky read that mixes the horrors of social media with a twisty, thrilling plot.

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 offers a suspenseful and engaging experience that will keep you engrossed from start to finish. 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 and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne for the advanced copy. I’m eagerly anticipating Tatiana's next release after this remarkable debut!

What an amazing plot and what an amazing execution!

Such lovely skin is a YA horror book. The story follows Vivian- a Twitch streamer with a horrible secret. One day while trying out a new game, she confessed that secret. Little did she know that it will empower a demon doppelganger who won't stop at anything.

The book is fast, action packed, funny at just the right times, has all the emotions and yet does justice to the horror genre. It is beautifully written and I just can't wait to see a movie inspired by it!

This is easily my favourite read of 2024 and I doubt anything will be better than this. If you miss out on this, you will regret it!

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!

A moving and terrifying look at grief and guilt, told through a supernatural lens. We follow our main character Viv as she is returning back to school and back into her social life and hobby/job as a Twitch streamer three months after her baby sister’s death. Viv plays an indie horror game that asks its player for a dark secret. Viv reveals that she is responsible for her sister’s death. Soon after, Viv starts seeing creepy things and getting in trouble for doing things and saying things that she never did or said. Viv has to figure out who or what is behind this with the help of her best friend Bri and classmate Ash.

This was so fast paced, reminding me of Taylor Adams’ novels No Exit and The Last Word just in their break-neck speed and relentless action (in a good way). I loved the Twitch streamer aspect and the video game references. This was zany, creepy, and genuinely frightening in parts, but also heartfelt and heartbreaking. I don’t read much YA anymore, but this was a solid read and I’m excited for what this author comes out with next. Also, the cover is stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I consumed this book in two days and it very quickly became a contender for my favorite read of the year. The premise had me hooked from the instant I found out about it, and in my opinion, it was executed really well! The pacing and buildup was great, the characters were developed and interesting, and I found myself really rooting for Viv to succeed. I remember getting chills at a pivotal part of the story when Viv started to lose the people around her, and I might have teared up a little at the end when she managed to confront the demon and finally told the truth to her parents.

At first, I did struggle a little bit with immersing myself because the voice is lot more dynamic than I'm used to, but that's definitely not a bad thing, and as the plot picked up, I grew to like the voiciness of the book. It was like I was in Viv's head, going on this (terrifying) adventure right alongside her and her friends :)

This was one of the most exciting, interesting books! Sometimes the concept of a book is really interesting but the play out isn't. This wasn't like that at all. It lived up to and far surpassed my expectations. I loved the horror of this. But the thing I love most is how Viv had her friends behind her and once they believed her, they stood by her side. What a fun and fabulous scary concept that isn't far off. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I would recommend this for spooky season or any season!

Really spooky but the writing seemed a bit slow for my liking. It was really an entertaining read and I absolutely loved Viv.

With this debut novella, in under 200 pages, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne has firmly asserted herself among the new horror greats.

This short book packs a bone-rattling horror punch along with a heartbreakingly uplifting message about guilt, self-forgiveness, the fragility of our human nature, and how, quite literally, "the truth can set you free". Not typically one for parables, this story had me literally unable to pull myself away from it. I even found myself neglecting social media, which for me, not unlike the main character, is not typical.

Such Lovely Skin is like The Ring (or Ringu) in the modern age of Twitch gamer streaming, with a bit of everything in it: from realistic young romance, friendships, and a very real sense of high school nostalgia (in all it's skin-crawling glory). Ultimately a story about love, friendship, and self-forgiveness, Such Lovely Skin will terrify you, intrigue you, indulge you and inspire you.

A wonderfully creepy, fast-paced YA horror novel that touches on some heavy themes - grief, guilt, self-loating, to name just a few - without it ever getting too heavy. It's tightly plotted and perfectly paced; once I picked this up, I did not want to stop reading!

Perfect for fans of The Ring and the Netflix movie Cam (seriously, that movie is so underrated!).

I LOVED this book. It’s like Ring with the MC being a horror gamer teenage girl. I loved the characters and usually YA can get annoying but this book was so well done! It’s defining going to be in my top reads of the year. I had one gripe about an unrealistic situation with the MC and her little sister that I don’t know how to say (without spoilers), but it wasn’t too bad. I’ve also been playing Outlast Trials lately, so this was such a perfect read!
4.5 ✨

I'm not a huge YA reader, but this book pleasantly surprised me. It was very creepy and the stakes felt higher than they often do when things are written for younger audiences. The concept of mimics/doppelgangers/evil twins could easily come off as cheesy, but I feel that the author did an excellent job with taking the subject and making it as terrifying as it could be. Aside from the scare factor, the way that grief and guilt are effectively discussed in this book felt moving and meaningful. I could see teens and younger adults benefiting from the advice to let go of guilt and shame before it literally destroys your life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for providing this arc for me to review!

I really enjoyed this read. I thought the pacing was great - made it hard to put down - and the plot moved well.

My main gripes were the lack of character development for all the secondary characters, the lack of consequences for any of Vivian’s actions, and the ending fell a bit flat considering all the build up.

I think Vivian’s actions were so manipulative, it just wasn’t realistic for everyone to just forgive her like that. She should have had to earn forgiveness from the people she wronged but she didn’t. The book could have done with being a bit longer in order to build that out.

The ending felt a bit anticlimactic - would have loved a bigger payoff for all the tension built.
But I liked the open ending of the epilogue, and overall this was a compelling read!