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Such Lovely Skin
An evil video game
A lying Twitch streamer
A demon hungry for her secrets
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes.
The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback, and during an offline practice run, an NPC asks Viv for a secret. She decides to tell them the truth about her sister’s death since a game could never share her secret―in doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
No one believes Viv when she tells them about her evil doppelganger. Viv has lied to get her best friend’s sympathy and has spread rumors for attention, so why should anyone trust her now? The only person who believes her is Ash, a cute social outcast whom Viv once bullied. In trying to clear her name and kill the mimic, Viv discovers that her lies have hurt people who never deserved it, herself included.
A lying Twitch streamer
A demon hungry for her secrets
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes.
The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback, and during an offline practice run, an NPC asks Viv for a secret. She decides to tell them the truth about her sister’s death since a game could never share her secret―in doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
No one believes Viv when she tells them about her evil doppelganger. Viv has lied to get her best friend’s sympathy and has spread rumors for attention, so why should anyone trust her now? The only person who believes her is Ash, a cute social outcast whom Viv once bullied. In trying to clear her name and kill the mimic, Viv discovers that her lies have hurt people who never deserved it, herself included.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2024
165 people are currently reading
14552 people want to read
About the author
Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
3 books329 followersTatiana is the author of the horror novels Such Lovely Skin, The Mean Ones, and What Feeds Below (Fall 2026.) She has an MFA from The Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa. When she’s not writing, she’s either gaming, lifting weights, or teaching people how to lift weights. She is of Japanese, Mexican, and European descent, and lives in Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 731 reviews
March 9, 2025
Thank you to Page Street Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC copy
This was so fun!
I couldn't put it down once I started and I was done with it in a single sitting. Teens actually read like teens, it was fast paced, no filler, made me care about the characters enough to root for them but also feel a lot when reading the backstory. It effortlessly looked like a movie in my head. I'll be happy to pick up more books by this author in the future.
This was so fun!
I couldn't put it down once I started and I was done with it in a single sitting. Teens actually read like teens, it was fast paced, no filler, made me care about the characters enough to root for them but also feel a lot when reading the backstory. It effortlessly looked like a movie in my head. I'll be happy to pick up more books by this author in the future.
October 9, 2024
Everyone loved this and I'm just the loner here
TW/CW: Underage sex, depression, anxiety, drunk driving, drinking, smoking, grief, racism, death by suicide, sexual harassment, blood, violence
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes.
The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback, and during an offline practice run, an NPC asks Viv for a secret. She decides to tell them the truth about her sister’s death since a game could never share her secret―in doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
No one believes Viv when she tells them about her evil doppelganger. Viv has lied to get her best friend’s sympathy and has spread rumors for attention, so why should anyone trust her now? The only person who believes her is Ash, a cute social outcast whom Viv once bullied. In trying to clear her name and kill the mimic, Viv discovers that her lies have hurt people who never deserved it, herself included.
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Genre: Horror YA
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Creepy parts
2. Writing was good
3. Characters felt like teens
What I Didn't Like:
1. The constant ugh's & wtf's
2. Kind of boring
3. How nonchalant Viv is about killing her sister
4. So slow...
5. Weird romance inserted in
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Cover is odd because it has what looks like a ps4 game controller, but I guess she could use a controller for her desktop.
Take a drink everytime my dead sister is mentioned.
Why is it almost every ya book turns to the man in the story to help them solve a problem when it's a woman? Like she couldn't convince her friend what was going on, but instead only Ash could listen to her.
Now the demon is trying to torture Viv's life and the whole time I keep thinking if a demon had free time is this what they would do?
The whole "goths" doing creepy things makes me laugh. Then Ash puts on Shinedown and that's so creepy!!!
It's annoying that Viv has a demon after her and even sees herself streaming on Twitch, but rather than freak out at the situation she centers more on how many subscribers the demon is getting than she has. You'll hear how obsessed she is over and over.
The way that Viv talks about her sister's death and that she's responsible just seems so easy going. She doesn't really seem bothered about it she makes multiple jokes about it and continues to say it like it doesn't matter. I'm really starting to wonder if she even cared about her sister.
I love that the parents took away her phone and her laptop but they give it back to her during the day and take it away at like 7:00, but they left her desktop still in her room. So basically if they took away all the technology from the demon then the demon can't approach people? That's been the only way that the demon has been able to talk to people so far.
I know when a demon is after me I'd be worried about my viewer count and starting a relationship with a boy I thought was a goth loser, but now that I need his help he's so hot.
How the hell did a bunch of 17 year olds get an Airbnb you can't even rent a hotel at 17.
This reminds me too much of it follows but with a tech edge. They even go to see Lily a survivor of the demon who's off the grid. It reminded me of when it follows they go and see the guy in prison. It then proceeds to become this weird rom-com where two people have to pretend like they're dating but they really fall in love. So annoying of course Viv and Ash now are in love with each other and want to be together. Blah blah blah blah.
Oh look at that the demon says you can pass on the curse to someone else just like it follows.
Please get the hell out of here there is no way that a drowning child could be mistaken for choking on a button. They would do an autopsy. This is a suspicious death. They would see that there was fluid in the lungs when they pulled the button out. This is so ridiculous. All the things that have happened in this book this is the most unrealistic thing.
It's ridiculous cuz then brief finds out the truth from the dolphin gamer and finds out that really Riley drowned, but rather than ask her friend what happened that night she gets mad at her for not telling her the truth like they're 8 years old. Who would just concentrate on that situation and not want to know why she lied. We're supposed to believe these characters are 17 but they act in ways where it feels like they're literally 10 years old. (oh they decide to not pay the $3000 to know for sure what happened with their child)
Also also Viv is a piece of crap. She let's her sister drown and then tries to put a button in her throat to blame her mom for choking on it.
Don't worry about it because Liv gets away with this and everybody just forgives her. Including her parents who have been for months freaking out that it was the mom's fault that her daughter choked on a button. They aren't mad at Viv who wasn't paying attention to her sister and then puts a button in her throat to cover her tracks. I just don't know how this would go. Everybody is just so okay with that Viv covered the accidental death of her sister.
Also defeating the demon was so easy. All they had to do was stop giving it grief. And just acknowledge their faults while squeezing it. So lame and what a terrible ending.
Final Thoughts:
Honestly I just got really annoyed that this whole personality is her sister Riley died. It always comes back to it. I feel like every page it's mentioned on. Like we get it you killed your sister Riley is dead. Do we have to hear about it every page?
Did not have a good time with this one. Multiple things were off and told us though I've already watched and read this story before.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Page Street YA for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 12, 2024
A fast paced and thrilling trip into the nightmare of watching someone wear your face and destroy your life. With its visceral descriptions and tense nail-biting atmosphere, this book will get under your skin in the best way possible.
November 8, 2024
If you’re looking for something YA, fast paced, creepy af, and oddly heartwarming at the same time?? then I’d definitely think about picking this book up for your next read!
January 24, 2025
"such lovely skin. I want to wear it"
I will be the first to admit that I 100% judge a book by its cover so when I saw this I knew I had to read it. Pretty cover PLUS a demonic entity??? Yeah, hand it over. 👏🏽👏🏽
The story follows Viv, a horror game twitch streamer. Viv is trying to get back into streaming after struggling with the guilt of causing the accidental death of her sister. This is when she gets introduced to LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game, to escape she must expose her deepest darkest secret.
Little did our girl Viv know she was about to unleash a creepy evil demon that's running amuck causing chaos & ruining her life! For YA I really enjoyed my time reading this & seeing everything unfold. It has it's creepy moments but nothing too crazy.
My only gripe I have is I really didn't like Bri like ma'am please make up your mind. Are you mad or are we friends because the back & forth was annoying me? Other than that this was fast paced, well written & a fun read!
4.5/5 rounded up.
I will be the first to admit that I 100% judge a book by its cover so when I saw this I knew I had to read it. Pretty cover PLUS a demonic entity??? Yeah, hand it over. 👏🏽👏🏽
The story follows Viv, a horror game twitch streamer. Viv is trying to get back into streaming after struggling with the guilt of causing the accidental death of her sister. This is when she gets introduced to LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game, to escape she must expose her deepest darkest secret.
Little did our girl Viv know she was about to unleash a creepy evil demon that's running amuck causing chaos & ruining her life! For YA I really enjoyed my time reading this & seeing everything unfold. It has it's creepy moments but nothing too crazy.
My only gripe I have is I really didn't like Bri like ma'am please make up your mind. Are you mad or are we friends because the back & forth was annoying me? Other than that this was fast paced, well written & a fun read!
4.5/5 rounded up.
July 24, 2025
Horror is so hard for me to get into but the premise of SUCH LOVELY SKIN was too tantalizing to resist, and once I read the sample, I couldn't put it down. This is the first book I have read in ages that really nails gamer culture, and shows how so many teens turn to gaming because it provides them with an outlet for their grief and isolation, and how fucking validating it is to have a skill-based hobby where you get affirmation from peers-- not for your appearance, but for how well you perform. It was absolutely perfect rep.
And then, throw in a mimic that wants to steal your skin and your life, and a dark, soul-destroying secret, and, well, I just couldn't put this down.
Vivian, the heroine, is a biracial teen living in a small town. She has big dreams of being a pro-streamer but those dreams have taken her life over because she's pinned all her hopes on it. She's also got a secret: she killed her baby sister and no one else knows. While playing an escape the room horror game, it asks her for a secret, and she decides to tell the game what she's never told anyone.
I don't think I need to tell you that this was a big mistake. HUGE.
This is definitely one of those books that you have to read with the light on. Like BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG, I had to skim over some of the sections of body horror because they were so convincingly done. Schlote-Bonn works with her environments to maximalize horror by creating an atmosphere of dread and lead-heavy foreshadowing. Even by the time I got to 80%, I had no idea how this story was going to end.
I also liked how the author represented Vivian's grief. I saw some people criticizing Vivian for not appearing sad or traumatized enough by her sister's death, but that is a part of grief: there can be a numbness that comes from your mind trying to shield you, to blunt your emotions and keep you from falling apart while you still show up every day and try to function. I lost my father last year to cancer and didn't fully process what that meant for several weeks, because it was just such a fucking shock. My therapist tells me that there's no "right" way to grieve, and I appreciate books like this, that show that sometimes grief can be ugly, selfish, irrational, and numb. And, yes, terrifying.
4.5 stars
And then, throw in a mimic that wants to steal your skin and your life, and a dark, soul-destroying secret, and, well, I just couldn't put this down.
Vivian, the heroine, is a biracial teen living in a small town. She has big dreams of being a pro-streamer but those dreams have taken her life over because she's pinned all her hopes on it. She's also got a secret: she killed her baby sister and no one else knows. While playing an escape the room horror game, it asks her for a secret, and she decides to tell the game what she's never told anyone.
I don't think I need to tell you that this was a big mistake. HUGE.
This is definitely one of those books that you have to read with the light on. Like BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG, I had to skim over some of the sections of body horror because they were so convincingly done. Schlote-Bonn works with her environments to maximalize horror by creating an atmosphere of dread and lead-heavy foreshadowing. Even by the time I got to 80%, I had no idea how this story was going to end.
I also liked how the author represented Vivian's grief. I saw some people criticizing Vivian for not appearing sad or traumatized enough by her sister's death, but that is a part of grief: there can be a numbness that comes from your mind trying to shield you, to blunt your emotions and keep you from falling apart while you still show up every day and try to function. I lost my father last year to cancer and didn't fully process what that meant for several weeks, because it was just such a fucking shock. My therapist tells me that there's no "right" way to grieve, and I appreciate books like this, that show that sometimes grief can be ugly, selfish, irrational, and numb. And, yes, terrifying.
4.5 stars
September 14, 2024
Tell me a secret. Darker. And true.
If you want a fast-paced horror book with Stay Alive and The Ring vibes, this is for you.
Such 90s nostalgia!
⚠️
Story revolves around Vivian, a live streamer/horror gamer girl. She must figure out how to stop an evil doppelganger hellbent on tormenting and destroying her life. How did she come across it? By handing over her identity and darkest secret on a silver platter to a virus from hell. ⬇️
Introducing LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game. To escape you must:
Tell your deepest secret. The darker the better.
The problem is, you can't kill it for it is not alive to begin with. An undying evil that feeds on pain and guilt. It only moves on when it takes what it wants. Someone's sanity, pain, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street publishing for approving this arc. Ginkilig ko when I received the email. The moment I saw this cover, I knew I just had to read it. 🖤
If you want a fast-paced horror book with Stay Alive and The Ring vibes, this is for you.
Such 90s nostalgia!
⚠️
Story revolves around Vivian, a live streamer/horror gamer girl. She must figure out how to stop an evil doppelganger hellbent on tormenting and destroying her life. How did she come across it? By handing over her identity and darkest secret on a silver platter to a virus from hell. ⬇️
Introducing LOCKED IN: An escape room horror game. To escape you must:
Tell your deepest secret. The darker the better.
The problem is, you can't kill it for it is not alive to begin with. An undying evil that feeds on pain and guilt. It only moves on when it takes what it wants. Someone's sanity, pain, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street publishing for approving this arc. Ginkilig ko when I received the email. The moment I saw this cover, I knew I just had to read it. 🖤
August 1, 2024
"Severed finger added to inventory.
Alright. I glance at the clock: 10:19 p.m. Three hours in and we have no answers about saving my life, but we have a finger!"
The Ring meets horror video games in a twisted tale that’ll make you rethink posting everything online. Just remember… someone is always watching!
I’m not a gamer. Never have been and probably never will, but I love watching my husband play the most bizarre and horrifying games. What can I say? I love the adrenaline rush that comes from being scared. I never thought reading about horror-style games could be scary until this book fell into my lap.
Right from the start, I was certain that this book would captivate me and not release its hold from my throat up until the very end. It left me wanting to delete all my social media accounts and erase any trace of my existence online. It evoked a shiver of terror as I contemplated my own life. I must say, I was completely enamored with this book.
This story was absolutely stellar. The writing style was superb, and it gripped my attention with every page. I couldn't get enough. The characters' emotions screamed from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. I'm still thinking about it, and it gives me goosebumps. The drama, the horror, the love - it was all absolutely amazing.
The uneasy feeling of the horror that these pages contained even got to me. That pressure on my neck and the feeling of being watched had me turning off my phone. I was waiting for someone to whisper that I have such lovely skin...
'Such Lovely Skin' was the YA horror read we have all been waiting for. I've read nothing like this before and I love it! If you love close friendships, family relationships, and a horrifying mystery then look no further. I think the Scooby-Doo gang would even be terrified of this one.
Alright. I glance at the clock: 10:19 p.m. Three hours in and we have no answers about saving my life, but we have a finger!"
The Ring meets horror video games in a twisted tale that’ll make you rethink posting everything online. Just remember… someone is always watching!
I’m not a gamer. Never have been and probably never will, but I love watching my husband play the most bizarre and horrifying games. What can I say? I love the adrenaline rush that comes from being scared. I never thought reading about horror-style games could be scary until this book fell into my lap.
Right from the start, I was certain that this book would captivate me and not release its hold from my throat up until the very end. It left me wanting to delete all my social media accounts and erase any trace of my existence online. It evoked a shiver of terror as I contemplated my own life. I must say, I was completely enamored with this book.
This story was absolutely stellar. The writing style was superb, and it gripped my attention with every page. I couldn't get enough. The characters' emotions screamed from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. I'm still thinking about it, and it gives me goosebumps. The drama, the horror, the love - it was all absolutely amazing.
The uneasy feeling of the horror that these pages contained even got to me. That pressure on my neck and the feeling of being watched had me turning off my phone. I was waiting for someone to whisper that I have such lovely skin...
'Such Lovely Skin' was the YA horror read we have all been waiting for. I've read nothing like this before and I love it! If you love close friendships, family relationships, and a horrifying mystery then look no further. I think the Scooby-Doo gang would even be terrified of this one.
June 23, 2024
Demonic haunting but *make it Gen-Z*
I mean..lets go, press play baby! this was a fantastic YA horror that touched on important themes such as grief, guilt and identity whilst managing to be creepy, humourous, tense and touching all at the same time, I love horror that focuses on the darkside of social media and I thought this was an utterly unique storyline that was executed well, Viv was a relatable character and the depth of her authenticity is what made this such an engaging read, for me this was a story about facing our fears and ultimately letting them go lest they destroy our lives.
I mean..lets go, press play baby! this was a fantastic YA horror that touched on important themes such as grief, guilt and identity whilst managing to be creepy, humourous, tense and touching all at the same time, I love horror that focuses on the darkside of social media and I thought this was an utterly unique storyline that was executed well, Viv was a relatable character and the depth of her authenticity is what made this such an engaging read, for me this was a story about facing our fears and ultimately letting them go lest they destroy our lives.
July 3, 2024
This is an excellent first novel from this author and it's frightening enough for adults but not gratuitously bloody or gory so it's also great for teens.
This is about a teen who dreams of fame and fortune from her horror game streaming channel on Twitch. Her younger sister died and she's hiding a dark secret about that, one that tears her apart with guilt and grief.
When she plays an indie video game before streaming it, something is unleashed which will put her and everyone she cares about in grave danger. An evil doppelganger reeks havoc causing broken relationships and a stressful home life.
But it doesn't stop there. There's nothing she can do and seeks help from an unexpected source and the only person who believes her. But she just might be putting him in the thick of the horror. And then things get much worse!
This novel feels like The Ring but with a technology boost if you will. This doppelganger is terrifying and it's only goal is destroying her life piece by bloody piece. And it's very effective.
The characters are diverse and act like teens would and with the added realism of modern day sites, apps, and terminology, this book will especially be enjoyed by those who do this kind of thing in real life. But even if you're not up to date with some of it, you'll find a fantastic, thrilling, and well written horror story that is sure to raise your hackles and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through the author and Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
This is about a teen who dreams of fame and fortune from her horror game streaming channel on Twitch. Her younger sister died and she's hiding a dark secret about that, one that tears her apart with guilt and grief.
When she plays an indie video game before streaming it, something is unleashed which will put her and everyone she cares about in grave danger. An evil doppelganger reeks havoc causing broken relationships and a stressful home life.
But it doesn't stop there. There's nothing she can do and seeks help from an unexpected source and the only person who believes her. But she just might be putting him in the thick of the horror. And then things get much worse!
This novel feels like The Ring but with a technology boost if you will. This doppelganger is terrifying and it's only goal is destroying her life piece by bloody piece. And it's very effective.
The characters are diverse and act like teens would and with the added realism of modern day sites, apps, and terminology, this book will especially be enjoyed by those who do this kind of thing in real life. But even if you're not up to date with some of it, you'll find a fantastic, thrilling, and well written horror story that is sure to raise your hackles and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through the author and Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
July 4, 2024
#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - thanks to the author and publisher 🫶🏻
Viv is a Twitch live streamer, her dream is to make a career out of playing video games. But one night while her parents are away, Viv, watching her younger sister, gets caught up in the competitive side of streaming. While she’s distracted something terrible happens.
Trying to cope with tragedy Viv decides to dip her toe back into streaming and finds a horror game called LOCKED IN! But once she starts this game she won’t be able to just walk away from it. Then Viv’s life gets turned upside down. Someone who looks just like her is causing all types of issues in her personal life. How will she ever be free and at what cost will she vow to keep her secrets secret?
What a heck of a debut book! Sign me up. Definitely will be reading this author again. The anxiety this book will give you. It’s exactly like a horror movie playing out in your mind as you read this book. It’s so good.
You also don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate this story, but if you are you might appreciate it a little more.
Grab your favorite blanket and snack and leave the lights on when you read this book. Trust me on that. I’m blown away by this author’s writing. It was just one terrible thing after another happening to Viv. What a rollercoaster of a read.
Viv is a Twitch live streamer, her dream is to make a career out of playing video games. But one night while her parents are away, Viv, watching her younger sister, gets caught up in the competitive side of streaming. While she’s distracted something terrible happens.
Trying to cope with tragedy Viv decides to dip her toe back into streaming and finds a horror game called LOCKED IN! But once she starts this game she won’t be able to just walk away from it. Then Viv’s life gets turned upside down. Someone who looks just like her is causing all types of issues in her personal life. How will she ever be free and at what cost will she vow to keep her secrets secret?
What a heck of a debut book! Sign me up. Definitely will be reading this author again. The anxiety this book will give you. It’s exactly like a horror movie playing out in your mind as you read this book. It’s so good.
You also don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate this story, but if you are you might appreciate it a little more.
Grab your favorite blanket and snack and leave the lights on when you read this book. Trust me on that. I’m blown away by this author’s writing. It was just one terrible thing after another happening to Viv. What a rollercoaster of a read.
September 17, 2024
1.5 ⭐️
The cover of this book is fantastic and totally piqued my interest. Between the amazing cover, clever title,and an evil doppelgänger plot I was certainly intrigued.
I didn’t anticipate how much of the plot would revolve around being a gamer, actively using Twitch, Discord. I realize Such Lovely Skin is geared toward a YA/NA audience but the language used throughout is drowning in emojis and slang initialisms ad nauseam. I felt like an active witness to the overall dumbing down of American youth and it’s just depressing. I had to throw in the towel at ninety pages and that’s not something I generally do.
The cover of this book is fantastic and totally piqued my interest. Between the amazing cover, clever title,and an evil doppelgänger plot I was certainly intrigued.
I didn’t anticipate how much of the plot would revolve around being a gamer, actively using Twitch, Discord. I realize Such Lovely Skin is geared toward a YA/NA audience but the language used throughout is drowning in emojis and slang initialisms ad nauseam. I felt like an active witness to the overall dumbing down of American youth and it’s just depressing. I had to throw in the towel at ninety pages and that’s not something I generally do.
August 12, 2024
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!
November 28, 2025
Indie horror games are my kryptonite, I’m mad more people aren’t writing books about it!
February 22, 2025
unironically contained the word “noob” and it was downhill from there
October 10, 2024
I really enjoyed this horror novel! At times, I had to remind myself that it was a young adult book, and that the language used matched the age of the characters. I tried not to get annoyed that they were spelling swear words out with slang which made me feel elderly at times 👵🏼. I thought the story was a refreshing and modern take on a demon haunting and wish the author would write an adult horror novel!
November 15, 2024
I blew through this! What a wild ride. I loved the way the author fully incorporated grief, gaming, friendship - and feeling like you’re about to lose it all - into this story. This had me so tense! Well done
January 11, 2025
i’m surprised how many people like this because it was so poorly written. the characters sucked, the plot was meh. it just was not a good read! it was so painful at times to keep reading
dnf
September 9, 2025i really did try to give it a shot but i can’t 😭 i don’t love the writing and the plot wasn’t interesting enough for me. it’s not a bad book tho!
June 9, 2025
Wow… wow wow wow wow. This was a book like no other and truly had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. It’s like horror meets video games meets mystery, such a fantastic read.
September 3, 2024
This book had me hooked from the get-go. It revolves around a horror game, a Twitch streamer, and her deepest secret. What more could you want?
The pacing of this book was perfect, the writing phenomenal, and the story both heart wrenching and nightmare inducing.
Our MC Vivian has held on to her deepest darkest secret for months, finally releasing it to a NPC in her newly downloaded game. She thinks it’s an innocent game. No harm in spilling your guts to an online game character right?
What follows is a horrific story of her life being turned upside down while she had to sit by and try to piece together what’s left of herself.
This book had me wishing I would have read it with the lights on, and maybe even slept with the lights on. Every noise I heard had me opening my eyes, looking around my dark room.
I can’t wait to see where Tatiana goes—she’s a brilliant author and I’m so excited to see what she comes up with next.
The pacing of this book was perfect, the writing phenomenal, and the story both heart wrenching and nightmare inducing.
Our MC Vivian has held on to her deepest darkest secret for months, finally releasing it to a NPC in her newly downloaded game. She thinks it’s an innocent game. No harm in spilling your guts to an online game character right?
What follows is a horrific story of her life being turned upside down while she had to sit by and try to piece together what’s left of herself.
This book had me wishing I would have read it with the lights on, and maybe even slept with the lights on. Every noise I heard had me opening my eyes, looking around my dark room.
I can’t wait to see where Tatiana goes—she’s a brilliant author and I’m so excited to see what she comes up with next.
November 6, 2024
4.5 stars! Don’t sleep on this book yall. Don’t not read it because it’s YA. It’s a blast and it’s excellent
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcK2Bt6/
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcK2Bt6/
October 9, 2024
audio: 4.5 stars
plot: 4 stars
This was so much fun, fast paced and creepy! Picture the movie It Follows but make it with video games and the main characters are Gen Z teens😅
I usually don't really enjoy YA horror but this was actually creepy at times and touched upon themes of grief and guilt in a solid way. However, the amount of times the word "ughh" was muttered grated on my nerves😅 I don't usually get annoyed by using modern slang in books but this book kind of pushed it (ugh, irl, gtfo). Some conversations sounded like text chains😅
For a debut novel, this was really good and I think a YA audience would find this very entertaining!
plot: 4 stars
This was so much fun, fast paced and creepy! Picture the movie It Follows but make it with video games and the main characters are Gen Z teens😅
I usually don't really enjoy YA horror but this was actually creepy at times and touched upon themes of grief and guilt in a solid way. However, the amount of times the word "ughh" was muttered grated on my nerves😅 I don't usually get annoyed by using modern slang in books but this book kind of pushed it (ugh, irl, gtfo). Some conversations sounded like text chains😅
For a debut novel, this was really good and I think a YA audience would find this very entertaining!
December 17, 2024
“Tell me a secret.”
I really enjoyed this supernatural thriller. Yes, it was YA, full of twitch, TikTok, and the like. It also had heaps of complicated grief, secrets, and demonic encounters.
Who hasn’t lied in their lifetime? Especially if you’re a teen and worried about the repercussions of the truth. Maybe it was to a teacher about an assignment you didn’t do, maybe it was to your parents so you could secretly go to a party. For Viv, her truth around what happened to her baby sister is buried beneath the lies. This makes her a shining beacon for evil forces, and readers will follow along on a dark and bloody ride.
This was such an intense read, but be prepared for a lot of teen/gamer jargon.
I really enjoyed this supernatural thriller. Yes, it was YA, full of twitch, TikTok, and the like. It also had heaps of complicated grief, secrets, and demonic encounters.
Who hasn’t lied in their lifetime? Especially if you’re a teen and worried about the repercussions of the truth. Maybe it was to a teacher about an assignment you didn’t do, maybe it was to your parents so you could secretly go to a party. For Viv, her truth around what happened to her baby sister is buried beneath the lies. This makes her a shining beacon for evil forces, and readers will follow along on a dark and bloody ride.
This was such an intense read, but be prepared for a lot of teen/gamer jargon.
September 6, 2024
If you’re looking for your next spooky season read, do I have a treat for you! Such Lovely Skin is deliciously creepy and let me tell you if I hear the phrase “such lovely skin” my skin will be crawling. Also the aesthetic of this cover lived up to my every expectation.
I kept getting such strong Japanese horror movies of the 90s vibe while reading! (Think Ringu) That sense of darkness, isolation, scary monster you can’t escape anywhere! All the things I love in my darker reads.
I loved following Vivian on this journey and watching the shifts in her relationship with other characters as well as with herself. Dealing with grief and self-blame is something a lot of people can relate to and I particularly appreciate how those concepts were handled in this story! I also liked the fact that even though I’m not a gamer I was able to follow all aspects of the story with ease.
Halloween time is the perfect opportunity to grab this one!
A huge thank you to the author and Page Street YA for my ARC in exchange for an honest review! All enthusiasm shared is completely my own 😉
I kept getting such strong Japanese horror movies of the 90s vibe while reading! (Think Ringu) That sense of darkness, isolation, scary monster you can’t escape anywhere! All the things I love in my darker reads.
I loved following Vivian on this journey and watching the shifts in her relationship with other characters as well as with herself. Dealing with grief and self-blame is something a lot of people can relate to and I particularly appreciate how those concepts were handled in this story! I also liked the fact that even though I’m not a gamer I was able to follow all aspects of the story with ease.
Halloween time is the perfect opportunity to grab this one!
A huge thank you to the author and Page Street YA for my ARC in exchange for an honest review! All enthusiasm shared is completely my own 😉
August 15, 2024
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's a suspenseful, fun ride and you will absolutely have a blast. 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, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. I’m eagerly anticipating Tatiana's next release after this remarkable debut!
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's a suspenseful, fun ride and you will absolutely have a blast. 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, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. I’m eagerly anticipating Tatiana's next release after this remarkable debut!
March 27, 2024
Thank you Macmillan for the gifted review copy!
For some reason I don’t read as much horror as I watch. That’s something I’ve been wanting to change. When I saw this book the other day I knew I had to read it. This was what I wanted The Ring to be. I’ve both read and watched The Ring and although I found the idea behind it really clever I wanted a bit more of the creepy factor. Such Lovely Skin delivered that for me.
I love that this was as twisted as any horror movie. The main character, Vivian, goes through (and does) some really wild things, and you always have the people around her who don’t believe her, because let’s be honest, it sounds absolutely insane, and I love that! It’s frustrating to get through, but you also kind of love it?
This was such a fun read, and a clever one at that. I loved the video game aspect. It’s creepy thinking about demonic spirits evolving as the world does. I love how that was handled here. Can’t wait until more people read this!
For some reason I don’t read as much horror as I watch. That’s something I’ve been wanting to change. When I saw this book the other day I knew I had to read it. This was what I wanted The Ring to be. I’ve both read and watched The Ring and although I found the idea behind it really clever I wanted a bit more of the creepy factor. Such Lovely Skin delivered that for me.
I love that this was as twisted as any horror movie. The main character, Vivian, goes through (and does) some really wild things, and you always have the people around her who don’t believe her, because let’s be honest, it sounds absolutely insane, and I love that! It’s frustrating to get through, but you also kind of love it?
This was such a fun read, and a clever one at that. I loved the video game aspect. It’s creepy thinking about demonic spirits evolving as the world does. I love how that was handled here. Can’t wait until more people read this!
February 13, 2025
Honestly this may have just reignited my love for YA horror. Or maybe it just had a lot of things I love? When I’m not reading I’m usually playing horror games. One of my favorite horror tropes is games/technology as well. So this just hit really well for me.
I did have a few moments where the highschool drama kinda annoyed me, but it is YA so I can’t fault it too much for that. The decision making could be questionable as well but it was whatever! At the same time the drama is what kept this so fast paced and captivating. It’s like a train wreck you can’t look away from but in a good way.
It was a fun time, read really fast, and regardless of its flaws it had me truly sucked in. It kinda reminded me of a 2010 horror movie and I absolutely love that about it.
The scares weren’t over the top but it did have creepy moments and I loved the way the game was described. I didn’t mind the twitch/streamer lingo either!
Just very fun overall! I will def read the next book by this author.
The ending wasn’t surprising but I liked it either way!
Note: even though it’s YA, it is def older YA. There is underage drinking, sex, and language.also death of a child.
I did have a few moments where the highschool drama kinda annoyed me, but it is YA so I can’t fault it too much for that. The decision making could be questionable as well but it was whatever! At the same time the drama is what kept this so fast paced and captivating. It’s like a train wreck you can’t look away from but in a good way.
It was a fun time, read really fast, and regardless of its flaws it had me truly sucked in. It kinda reminded me of a 2010 horror movie and I absolutely love that about it.
The scares weren’t over the top but it did have creepy moments and I loved the way the game was described. I didn’t mind the twitch/streamer lingo either!
Just very fun overall! I will def read the next book by this author.
The ending wasn’t surprising but I liked it either way!
Note: even though it’s YA, it is def older YA. There is underage drinking, sex, and language.also death of a child.
February 27, 2025
4.5 stars
Is it perfect? No. Did I have a great time reading this? Damn right! It scratched an itch I didn't know I had.
If I had to criticize something, it'd be that I wish Viv had explained her decision to quit Twitch much better. Plus, her relationship with her parents could've been a bit better developed. It seemed like in the end they gave her a blanket apology, even though in their eyes she did so many messed up things. BobbitWorm was built up like he would be an important character in this, but as the story progressed it also forgot about him. But you know what? I don't care. I had a good time reading this. It was very creepy and bingeable. The teens felt like real teens and I loves the friendships. Ash felt like a boy I would've definitely had a crush on when I was in high school. I especially loved that that the author didn't shy away from giving Viv unlikable traits.
In short, all the stuff I loved outweigh the flaws. This was a good time.
Is it perfect? No. Did I have a great time reading this? Damn right! It scratched an itch I didn't know I had.
If I had to criticize something, it'd be that I wish Viv had explained her decision to quit Twitch much better. Plus, her relationship with her parents could've been a bit better developed. It seemed like in the end they gave her a blanket apology, even though in their eyes she did so many messed up things. BobbitWorm was built up like he would be an important character in this, but as the story progressed it also forgot about him. But you know what? I don't care. I had a good time reading this. It was very creepy and bingeable. The teens felt like real teens and I loves the friendships. Ash felt like a boy I would've definitely had a crush on when I was in high school. I especially loved that that the author didn't shy away from giving Viv unlikable traits.
In short, all the stuff I loved outweigh the flaws. This was a good time.
September 21, 2024
Wow! Are you looking for the perfect skin crawling type book for spooky season? Look no farther! This will give you exactly the vibes you want. A troubled twitch streamer with a huge secret and... a demon? Yep, a demon who she let into her world by playing a horror game. Its crazy, uniquie and the writing is a bit juvinal at times, but it is coming from the veiw of a teenager. I guess "Is this really happening IRL?" would be something a teenager would say 😂 Past that, this book is a really quick and page turning read. I don't think there was much down time in the book so clearly it wasn't a easy one to put down!
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