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They Take Your Skin
Willow Burrow; the most isolated town in America.
A small mining town tucked away against the base of the mountains, in the upper reaches of the United States. After a cave-in at the mine reveals a previously undiscovered, underground chamber, something is awoken from an ancient slumber. Cut off and being closed in on, the people of Willow Burrow will have to fight for their lives against the thing that has been stirred from the depths.
A small mining town tucked away against the base of the mountains, in the upper reaches of the United States. After a cave-in at the mine reveals a previously undiscovered, underground chamber, something is awoken from an ancient slumber. Cut off and being closed in on, the people of Willow Burrow will have to fight for their lives against the thing that has been stirred from the depths.
335 pages, Paperback
Published November 18, 2022
121 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 5, 2023
I devoured this book…. Seriously it’s the early hours of the morning and I JUST finished. There is no stopping once you start!
It’s horrifying, cosmic, and absolutely a throw back to body snatcher tales of old!!
The characters are pretty well developed, but Maggie was definitely the star of the show (my favourite and a good doggo!!).
“There is no person or creature in this world that has a more pure heart than a dog. They love unconditionally and totally, never once asking for anything in return. Time and time again, the human race demonstrates that we do not deserve them. Yet, they will always be there, by their master’s side, with more love to give than anyone would ever need.”
Also I had to giggle at the “Peeler” name of the creature 😆
It’s horrifying, cosmic, and absolutely a throw back to body snatcher tales of old!!
The characters are pretty well developed, but Maggie was definitely the star of the show (my favourite and a good doggo!!).
“There is no person or creature in this world that has a more pure heart than a dog. They love unconditionally and totally, never once asking for anything in return. Time and time again, the human race demonstrates that we do not deserve them. Yet, they will always be there, by their master’s side, with more love to give than anyone would ever need.”
Also I had to giggle at the “Peeler” name of the creature 😆
April 10, 2023
I’ve read two other books by J.R. Curtis. I don’t remember much about Satanico. Bloodletting was pretty good and introduced me to a subgenre of horror that I didn’t know I needed in my life, horror westerns. And now I’ve read They Take Your Skin. I have owned the kindle version for a while, but when the author offered Audible codes in exchange for honest reviews, I moved it up to the top of my TBR.
Before I get into my thoughts about the book, let’s talk about the Audible narration. Curtis tends to take his time setting up his stories. He is meticulous with his world building and while it can feel slow, it pays off when everything falls into place and all the action happens and you find yourself sucked into that world. Some narrators, like the man who narrated Bloodletting (John Gladden), are well suited to this descriptive style of storytelling. It’s a style that is difficult to get right, and unfortunately the narration of They Take Your Skin fell short for me. Sherry L. Neiman is a narrator I haven’t come across before, and while I did listen to the entire audiobook, I had to speed it up considerably to make it palatable. Her reading is painfully slow, lacking rhythm, and there were some pronunciation issues, particularly her pronunciation of one of the main character’s names (Guzman). I don’t expect perfect pronunciation of Spanish language names, but putting emphasis on the correct syllable goes a long way to looking like you made the effort.
That said, They Take Your Skin is the best J.R. Curtis book I’ve read yet. He recently released a new one that I haven’t read yet, but right now, this is my favorite thing he’s written. Since the big bads in this book are aliens, I’d classify this one as a sci-fi horror. This story takes place in a small mining town and follows the usual small town cast of characters. There’s the sheriff who is a little too big for his britches and the deputy who follows him blindly. There’s the troubled teen with the alcoholic father and the teacher who tries to reach him. There’s the old man who isn’t taken seriously until it’s too late. There’s the visitors who become instrumental in defeating the town’s dark secret. And of course, there’s the dark secret. In this case, the town isn’t hiding anything as they are unaware of what is lurking deep underground, and I feel like that makes this story unique. The descriptions of the aliens peeling the skins off their victims and then wearing those skins are visceral enough to make a person flinch but not in a gratuitous way. One character calls them peelers and the name catches on. There’s an old horror movie vibe (think Invasion of the Body Snatchers) about this book that I find really appealing.
Get it? A-PEELing? I crack myself up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. If I have one complaint, it’s that it can be a bit wordy. Verbosity can become tedious if you’re not careful. It’s one of the reasons I just can’t get into Stephen King. Other than that I really enjoyed this book. I think it would make a great movie. Not sure I’d listen to this narrator again, but I will read more Curtis.
Big thanks to J. R. Curtis for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. You can buy They Take Your Skin, by J. R. Curtis on Amazon for a couple bucks or read it as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Before I get into my thoughts about the book, let’s talk about the Audible narration. Curtis tends to take his time setting up his stories. He is meticulous with his world building and while it can feel slow, it pays off when everything falls into place and all the action happens and you find yourself sucked into that world. Some narrators, like the man who narrated Bloodletting (John Gladden), are well suited to this descriptive style of storytelling. It’s a style that is difficult to get right, and unfortunately the narration of They Take Your Skin fell short for me. Sherry L. Neiman is a narrator I haven’t come across before, and while I did listen to the entire audiobook, I had to speed it up considerably to make it palatable. Her reading is painfully slow, lacking rhythm, and there were some pronunciation issues, particularly her pronunciation of one of the main character’s names (Guzman). I don’t expect perfect pronunciation of Spanish language names, but putting emphasis on the correct syllable goes a long way to looking like you made the effort.
That said, They Take Your Skin is the best J.R. Curtis book I’ve read yet. He recently released a new one that I haven’t read yet, but right now, this is my favorite thing he’s written. Since the big bads in this book are aliens, I’d classify this one as a sci-fi horror. This story takes place in a small mining town and follows the usual small town cast of characters. There’s the sheriff who is a little too big for his britches and the deputy who follows him blindly. There’s the troubled teen with the alcoholic father and the teacher who tries to reach him. There’s the old man who isn’t taken seriously until it’s too late. There’s the visitors who become instrumental in defeating the town’s dark secret. And of course, there’s the dark secret. In this case, the town isn’t hiding anything as they are unaware of what is lurking deep underground, and I feel like that makes this story unique. The descriptions of the aliens peeling the skins off their victims and then wearing those skins are visceral enough to make a person flinch but not in a gratuitous way. One character calls them peelers and the name catches on. There’s an old horror movie vibe (think Invasion of the Body Snatchers) about this book that I find really appealing.
Get it? A-PEELing? I crack myself up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. If I have one complaint, it’s that it can be a bit wordy. Verbosity can become tedious if you’re not careful. It’s one of the reasons I just can’t get into Stephen King. Other than that I really enjoyed this book. I think it would make a great movie. Not sure I’d listen to this narrator again, but I will read more Curtis.
Big thanks to J. R. Curtis for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. You can buy They Take Your Skin, by J. R. Curtis on Amazon for a couple bucks or read it as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
January 19, 2024
It's a fun horror read. I wanted a somewhat more fleshed out story. I did enjoy the way the story flowed, and maybe a more complex plot or more detail would have detracted from my enjoyment. So, I am giving it a 4. To me, it was an interesting amalgamation of sci-horror. If that is a thing.
December 22, 2022
I have read all three of this author's books, and I have to say I am a major fan of all of them. This science fiction horror novel is in my opinion the best of his work, but I have greatly enjoyed them all.
The creatures in this book are disturbing, yet incredibly fun to read about and picture. I would love to see this book made into a film. It is reminiscent of The Thing (1982) starring Kurt Russell which is a major compliment being one of my favorite films off all time. I had great fun reading They Take Your Skin, and I am excited to see what J.R. Curtis brings us next!
I also recommend his other novel, the western horror Bloodletting. Curtis also wrote the great western horror novella Satanico and made a short film of it that can be found on Amazon. Both are great!
The creatures in this book are disturbing, yet incredibly fun to read about and picture. I would love to see this book made into a film. It is reminiscent of The Thing (1982) starring Kurt Russell which is a major compliment being one of my favorite films off all time. I had great fun reading They Take Your Skin, and I am excited to see what J.R. Curtis brings us next!
I also recommend his other novel, the western horror Bloodletting. Curtis also wrote the great western horror novella Satanico and made a short film of it that can be found on Amazon. Both are great!
December 20, 2022
J. R. CURTIS did it again 👌
That's my 3rd book to read from him the writing and the atmosphere you get from his writing is astonishing.
I finished this book in 2 nights I really passed my bed time schedule to know what's going to happen next it's really captivating.
The book is fast paced moving around different characters and different background stories.i enjoyed it so much
The way he builds his character in this book is great it will make you feel their struggles and connect to them.
The plot and the story line where the dangerous is lurking around you and you need to keep it hidden.
It's really well done!
While I'm reading I keep picture it as movie 🎥 it's really great idea for sci-fi horror movie.
There's some trigger warning ⚠️ that you need to be aware of it.
That's my 3rd book to read from him the writing and the atmosphere you get from his writing is astonishing.
I finished this book in 2 nights I really passed my bed time schedule to know what's going to happen next it's really captivating.
The book is fast paced moving around different characters and different background stories.i enjoyed it so much
The way he builds his character in this book is great it will make you feel their struggles and connect to them.
The plot and the story line where the dangerous is lurking around you and you need to keep it hidden.
It's really well done!
While I'm reading I keep picture it as movie 🎥 it's really great idea for sci-fi horror movie.
There's some trigger warning ⚠️ that you need to be aware of it.
December 5, 2022
J.R. Curtis does it again! He’ll have you on the edge of your seat in this sci-fi thriller that has a touch of humor in it. Curtis creates characters that are easily imagined and can be relatable. There’s a character that evoked so much anger inside me and that was his intention. He has made me hate characters for all the right reasons and hardly any author has done that for me. Can’t wait to see what Curtis does next!
April 4, 2023
Small town, sci-fi, good vs evil.
I flew through this book in a few hours; I just had to finish it in one sitting! The first third of the book was a bit slow, but then fast-paced and action-packed. I was invested in the characters (especially the dog) and the outcome. I can totally see this made into a film appealing to a wide audience, and I will definitely read more by this author.
I flew through this book in a few hours; I just had to finish it in one sitting! The first third of the book was a bit slow, but then fast-paced and action-packed. I was invested in the characters (especially the dog) and the outcome. I can totally see this made into a film appealing to a wide audience, and I will definitely read more by this author.
April 10, 2023
Although this one took me a while to get through, I still really enjoyed it. It started off pretty slow and picked up about halfway through. I like the author’s take on aliens. I would have liked to read about them more in detail. And perhaps add a little more gore to their killings and their overall way of living. Maybe there will be a second book that digs deep into these creatures?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
I feel like this would be great for TV or a movie. For me, I was getting lost in too many POV characters and so it got a little hard for me to keep track of. Still the overall plot was interesting and the end 1/4 was really visual.
June 9, 2023
This story took a while to grab my attention. The author introduces several seemingly unrelated characters in the first part of the book, so it was a bit hard to figure out where the story might be going. The premise of the book reminded me of old-time sci-fi movies/books and without any spoilers, the idea was a good one. A copper mine in a very remote town is the setting for the book, so when a sinkhole opens up, you have a feeling that something unsavory is going to come up out of that hole!
I would have liked to know more about the "monsters" in the book, but it was still pretty entertaining. Also, I never really related to any of the characters, so it was hard to care about them. The best character was Maggie, the dog. I would characterize this book as sci-fi horror, so if that is your type of book, you will probably enjoy this one.
The narrator nearly ruined this audiobook for me. Her pace was so slow that I had to speed it up in order to even begin to listen. I think I would have enjoyed the book more with another narrator with a faster pace and more emotion.
I would have liked to know more about the "monsters" in the book, but it was still pretty entertaining. Also, I never really related to any of the characters, so it was hard to care about them. The best character was Maggie, the dog. I would characterize this book as sci-fi horror, so if that is your type of book, you will probably enjoy this one.
The narrator nearly ruined this audiobook for me. Her pace was so slow that I had to speed it up in order to even begin to listen. I think I would have enjoyed the book more with another narrator with a faster pace and more emotion.
September 20, 2023
Wow
Not my usual choice of reading material, but this was an enjoyable, quick read. The ending and epilouge felt a bit rushed, but the story was good. Wish it went into a bit more detail and depth of the characters, even the creatures. Silently cheered when once unsavory charactor got what he deserved, saddened when a likeable character got what they didn't. Plenty of descriptive scenes that had me saying "wtf" . Overall had an action packed, sci-fi zombie/ alien invasion movie vibe. the tease at the very end leaves me hoping there's an opening for the author to continue the story, maybe with new characters or a new location. Definitely worth the read!
Not my usual choice of reading material, but this was an enjoyable, quick read. The ending and epilouge felt a bit rushed, but the story was good. Wish it went into a bit more detail and depth of the characters, even the creatures. Silently cheered when once unsavory charactor got what he deserved, saddened when a likeable character got what they didn't. Plenty of descriptive scenes that had me saying "wtf" . Overall had an action packed, sci-fi zombie/ alien invasion movie vibe. the tease at the very end leaves me hoping there's an opening for the author to continue the story, maybe with new characters or a new location. Definitely worth the read!
April 6, 2023
I love this author's writing style. This is my second J.R. Curtis book (the first being Bloodletting), and they're so compelling, creepy, and enjoyable. He is so talented in the way that he can be descriptive without giving too much detail. There is some gore, but not for the sake of being shocking. Everything he writes is important to the story, and damn do I love his stories. I typically am not a fan of alien stuff (I usually don't find it scary), but this one was horrifying. Such a fantastic sci-fi horror. I hope they make this into a movie someday.
January 16, 2023
After reading Bloodletting, I had to read this one! J.R. Curtis is an amazing author. The more I read his book, the harder it was to put it down. I will say, having dogs in books, and horror books is extremely stressful. I’m at least grateful Curtis gives updates on the dog and she lives at the end. I definitely recommend this book for fiction and horror lovers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
I really like this a lot. I’m usually not an alien fan, but the story itself was so engrossing that it wasnt off putting when it was revealed, that the monster was an alien. I enjoyed the story, the setting, and the characters. This gave me the exact small-town vibes that I was looking for. I would recommend this book to any alien lover, or alien, not so much lover, like me.
June 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this book even though a lizard forced me to buy it.
Only issue I had with it was that very little happened other than the characters being introduced until quite a way in. Loved the writing style and how easy it was to read the book. Will be looking at the authors other books now.
Only issue I had with it was that very little happened other than the characters being introduced until quite a way in. Loved the writing style and how easy it was to read the book. Will be looking at the authors other books now.
July 2, 2023
I took me about 50% in to become interested in the story, and then I think I was expecting a different kind of horror and not sci-fi horror. The small town in the middle of nowhere really left you feeling isolated when shit hit the fan. so, it was a bit of a letdown for me despite that I still really enjoyed this book.
August 9, 2023
BOH indie brawl runner-up list
This one is full of fun characters, most of them atypical of the people we meet daily.
One on the run from some goons in Vegas.
A stowaway on his truck.
A chic that digs caves so much that she studies them.
The list goes on.
Waking up evil from the cave / science fiction isn't my jam, but the characters made this one worthwhile
This one is full of fun characters, most of them atypical of the people we meet daily.
One on the run from some goons in Vegas.
A stowaway on his truck.
A chic that digs caves so much that she studies them.
The list goes on.
Waking up evil from the cave / science fiction isn't my jam, but the characters made this one worthwhile
December 30, 2022
I decided to DNF this book. Based on the blurb I really wanted to like it. But I have only gotten 21% into it, and nothing of any interest is yet to happen. When things start happening it may get really good, and I might give it another chance in the future, but for now I'm letting it go.
April 17, 2023
Couldn’t put it down
Not what I was expecting. I couldn’t put this book down, it was gripping and kept you reading to see what happened next. Wouldn’t mind seeing it as a short horror/syfy film.
Not what I was expecting. I couldn’t put this book down, it was gripping and kept you reading to see what happened next. Wouldn’t mind seeing it as a short horror/syfy film.
May 11, 2023
This was a great little thriller. The ending was pretty lackluster but the monsters were fun to imagine. Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought this was horror but it was not, definitely more of an action thriller. It was good though! Just don’t expect to be scared.
May 19, 2023
Lovely prose and a good story
This was a book I had heard good things about and was curious enough to make some time for. It's well written and has a few quirks that I enjoyed. I'll be checking out the author's other books.
This was a book I had heard good things about and was curious enough to make some time for. It's well written and has a few quirks that I enjoyed. I'll be checking out the author's other books.
October 19, 2023
They Take Your Skin - not related to a bad breakup.
An enjoyable read. Prefect for the Halloween season and the basis for a great campfire story. This is the first book I've read by author J.R. Curtis. I will check out current and future books.
An enjoyable read. Prefect for the Halloween season and the basis for a great campfire story. This is the first book I've read by author J.R. Curtis. I will check out current and future books.
December 11, 2022
Really addicting book!
I really enjoyed this book I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I think this book could be adapted into a really good scary movie!
I really enjoyed this book I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I think this book could be adapted into a really good scary movie!
March 28, 2023
Great cosmic, small town horror.
March 31, 2023
I love being surprised by a book and this one took me somewhere I didn't expect. I loved the setting and characters and the feel of this. Creatures of any kind are my jam, and this was a good one. Gruesome and creative and plain fun in a horrible way.
March 29, 2023
2.8 stars
Barely finished it
Barely finished it
April 23, 2023
I thought it was a good book. I read it in an afternoon. I do wish that politics would have been left out but I understand the point the author was making. Overall it is definitely worth reading.
July 20, 2023
This was a slow burn read, but the ending was great. Only one character I didn't like, the rest were great
September 15, 2023
Fantastic.
This was qn amazing story. It was different from anything I've ever read..there were a few creepy parts, but it hooks you on page 1 and never let's go
This was qn amazing story. It was different from anything I've ever read..there were a few creepy parts, but it hooks you on page 1 and never let's go
July 1, 2024
Exciting. What's in the mine? Well written. Everyone has has his own personality. Like all good monster stories, they seem to keep coming back.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews