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!

Book:
SUCH LOVELY SKIN by Tatiana Schote-Bonne
Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for the ARC (Sept 17)

Review:
5⭐
Creepy. That's really the only way to describe SUCH LOVELY SKIN. It was undeniably creepy.
SUCH LOVELY SKIN follows Vivian who is reeling from a tragic accident. When she downloads a game, and tells it her darkest secret, the bad gets worse: a demonic presence has latched onto her, and it'll stop at nothing to ruin her life.
SUCH LOVELY SKIN had me hooked from page one---the grief felt by Vivian, the longing to stay a homebody because of her guilt---I just felt like it was described so well. Then came the chapters that followed. Chapter 5 was when I really started to believe the reviews I had read: this is creepy, with a original horror movie vibe (a few of the scenes had me thinking A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Kruegar and what he can do) From there, the creepiness grew. Seriously, I never read horror because it takes a lot to creep me out, to scare me, but this book had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation. Literally I read this book in a few hours. There were times when I just couldn't help but gasp at the craziness that was happening.
Throughout SUCH LOVELY SKIN, I was rooting for Vivian, hoping someone would believe her. I was shocked, and I was at a loss for words. This book definitely hits the points needed for a horror story that may or may not have the capabilities of freaking someone out.

This was a surprise because YA horror doesn’t often keep my attention. I caught 90% of the game references which had me feeling worthy of some horror gaming street cred which is probably much of why I liked it. Also, to date myself, I watched the Ring in the theatre in college and this had the same eerie vibes. Nostalgic, yet currently relevant. Well played.

SUCH LOVELY SKIN by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Pub date: Sept. 17, 2024
Publisher: Page Street YA
Rating: 4.5 / 5


Chat, you ever play a video game that asks for your deepest secrets and unintentionally release a demon who steals your identity and drives you to the brink of insanity?

17-year-old Vivian is a horror game Twitch streamer looking to reboot her channel after a family tragedy. The perfect way to end a hiatus? Playing LOCKED IN, a new indie game that promises unparalleled frights. Once Vivian has played the game, uncanny things start happening in her life. The strange soon turns terrifying as lies, blood, and secrets are shed. Viv has an evil doppelganger who preys on her misery. And it will stop at nothing to devour and destroy everything Vivian loves.

SUCH LOVELY SKIN is a fantastic, horrific, and deeply emotional debut from author Tatiana Schlote-Bonne. Schlote-Bonne is truly gifted at crafting an atmosphere of terror and playing on the conventions of streaming and gaming culture. The story moves with a quick pace to build up tension and suspense, and perfectly intertwines teen angst with grotesque and chilling moments of horror. Viv's battles against her demonic doppelganger keep the reader invested just as much as her personal growth– with her relationship to herself, her parents, and friends. This book is perfect for readers wanting a cybernetic scare reminiscent of The Ring and Truth or Dare, with a vulnerable and hopeful arc of forgiveness and acceptance at the heart of the story.


(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review!!

This was an interesting look at demonic presence and doppelgängers. Viv is someone you want to hate but at least she gets redeemed in the end. I felt like maybe things were a little too easy for her, however. She never really had consequences for her actions. People forgave her too quickly and her life didn’t really change too much with what she had gone through. With the big and serious issues she was having and the things her other self was doing, I would expect way more. And Ash seemed way too forgiving as well. I didn’t really like his character at all the way he was written. Too much of a stereotype and just a huge pushover. The horror elements were pretty cool and I liked the vibes of it, though.