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SKIN - Discreet Cover: A Dark Retelling
Obsession was a five-letter word. Ten years in the making. And her name was Emily.
But the real question was who was I?
When my pretty little pet leaned forward, offered me a view of her cleavage, and tried to make a deal, I said why the hell not?
Five days. Thirty minutes. She could ask me anything to her heart’s content. Anything but my name. She had to figure that one out on her own.
It should have been easy enough. I was the man she stole from, whose life she ruined, whose future she destroyed.
I was the man she left behind and she was… mine.
SKIN is a dark Rumpelstiltskin retelling and book one in The Renegades Series. Each title is a standalone in an interconnected world while each story is a retelling of a fairy tale, nursery rhyme, fable, etc. The focus is dark romance so please heed the trigger warnings at the beginning of every book.
But the real question was who was I?
When my pretty little pet leaned forward, offered me a view of her cleavage, and tried to make a deal, I said why the hell not?
Five days. Thirty minutes. She could ask me anything to her heart’s content. Anything but my name. She had to figure that one out on her own.
It should have been easy enough. I was the man she stole from, whose life she ruined, whose future she destroyed.
I was the man she left behind and she was… mine.
SKIN is a dark Rumpelstiltskin retelling and book one in The Renegades Series. Each title is a standalone in an interconnected world while each story is a retelling of a fairy tale, nursery rhyme, fable, etc. The focus is dark romance so please heed the trigger warnings at the beginning of every book.
376 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2024
694 people are currently reading
2683 people want to read
About the author
Sybil Knight
18 books415 followersSybil is a career-driven Philadelphian native. A crime show enthusiast by day, and a BDSM club hopper by night. When she isn't working or writing, she is talking about working and writing. She is a single mom to her beta fish (Fish) and way too many dead houseplants.
Her stories range from gray to black, with darker themes throughout. She prefers heroines with a kick-ass mentality and the heroes who know how to rein them in. The mental and medical aspects of her books are well-researched, though they are given a humanistic approach and diagnoses aren't the focal points. She believes her characters don't need to wear labels in order to get her messages across.
Her books are mostly standalones, though her characters may interact and intersect worlds. Additionally, she works closely with and writes alongside author Dahlia Reign and some characters will appear in cameos in each of their publications.
Her stories range from gray to black, with darker themes throughout. She prefers heroines with a kick-ass mentality and the heroes who know how to rein them in. The mental and medical aspects of her books are well-researched, though they are given a humanistic approach and diagnoses aren't the focal points. She believes her characters don't need to wear labels in order to get her messages across.
Her books are mostly standalones, though her characters may interact and intersect worlds. Additionally, she works closely with and writes alongside author Dahlia Reign and some characters will appear in cameos in each of their publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
December 12, 2025
This book put me in a coma... twice
If you know me, or at least see my reviews, you know I read a lot. Reading gives me energy to deal with reality. Reading doesn't make me sleepy, it energizes me. So the fact that this book had me falling asleep so deeply I woke disoriented twice says a lot about what I think about it.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Blood chilling beginning
The beginning of this book was dark and shocking enough I had to stop and load up on soul points with a cuter read before going back to it.
The one-eyed, bad phantom of the opera replica, takes the spindly legged, anorexic girl and traps her in a maze-like basement. He proceeds to taunt and rape her, trying to break her as much as possible before he kills her.
Toothpick legs can't seem to remember who he is and why he would be so angry with her given that she's basically a vague grey splotch in most people's lives.
Her ignorance just enrages Alastor Moody's ugly twin more and just when he's about to kill her, she remembers.
↠ What this beginning did well was having me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know their connection. She either knew him and something happened to make her forget the maniac, or he's delusional and she actually doesn't know him. I couldn't wait to know which.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Exciting flashback
The book goes back ten years (that should've been my first red flag) and the puzzle pieces come together quite well.
The next door, neighborhood sociopath spends his life going from obsession to obsession and when it lands on the underfed, poor girl, he goes through the motions of learning everything about it (aka the obsession) waiting for it to pass as well.
When it doesn't, he's more intrigued than ever and using the pretty charms genetics gave him, he-wishes-he-was-as-intriguing-as-Dexter manipulates his way into generic-broken-doe-eyed-book-female-character.
Some bc tampering later, he's accomplished what he set out to do, mixing their DNAs.
↠ This part is still well done. It gave us motivations and backgrounds, shading light on the scenes we saw in the first part.
We now know he thinks she intentionally aborted the baby and that after he got into the accident that disfigured him he went no contact thinking his newly monstrous appearance would get him rejected.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Boring AF separation
After the accident, we come to the most mind-numbing, coma-inducing, insomnia-curing part of the book.
The explanation for their separation. Which boils down to him not becoming a doctor so becoming a saw-bone for the shady. Which pisses off an 'organization' that decides to 'give him a job'.
What's not very clear (and here is where other red flags start to pop) is wtf the organization that picks him is, what they do and why. It's all vague but instead of giving cool 'gothic, dark' vibes, it just gave lazy writing.
Then there's a long text of him stalking her, scaring off and eventually killing off the guys she tried to date. (Which some might say "oh, but he stays celibate! she's the cheater here" to which I would answer "she doesn't know he's still around. he ghosted her. for all she knows he could be married with a half-dozen kids")
Instead of giving signs it's Annie Wilkes' half-baked male twin that's been stalking her, miss-braincells-are-missing is just happy someone sees her enough to stalker (she's that invisible and that broken). Instead of making sure it's him she fears and thinks about, he just lets her go on thinking it's another dude for who know how long.
Because time makes no sense during the separation.
And don't even get me started on her side of things. Vague corporate shit and random office lingo piled on top of each other in the hopes of making the book a few pages longer.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ No pay off
So, we're back to the present.
She didn't get an abortion. Didn't know he was around. Basically remained the doe-eyed, brainless chit from the beginning.
This is where all that darkness is supposed to pay off, where the tenderness is introduced. If not grovel then passionate obsession instead of hateful unhinge-ness.
Except her treatment remains the same? In fact, it worsens.
Some very badly written woodsy primal chase scene later and we get a happy-to-be-chained-to-the-basement-for-the-rest-of-my-life idiot and a our-children-will-love-to-play-hide-and-seek-in-the-maze moron.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Final thoughts
This author doesn't understand the appeal of dark romance. It's not the toxic parts that are wrong, it just the simple lack of romance.
The tag of romance should be taken and changed to thriller.
There was no romance, not even the hint of it. The girl wasn't even in love with the boy when he was a regular, pretty stalker.
↠ They don't even say 'I love you' at the end.
I considered giving it two stars because of the beginning and the flashback, but ultimately I'm pissed off I was tricked into reading something that very clearly wasn't romance. Which is also the reason I'm not hiding my review under spoiler because I think it's important people know.
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・
・
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬
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If you know me, or at least see my reviews, you know I read a lot. Reading gives me energy to deal with reality. Reading doesn't make me sleepy, it energizes me. So the fact that this book had me falling asleep so deeply I woke disoriented twice says a lot about what I think about it.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Blood chilling beginning
The beginning of this book was dark and shocking enough I had to stop and load up on soul points with a cuter read before going back to it.
The one-eyed, bad phantom of the opera replica, takes the spindly legged, anorexic girl and traps her in a maze-like basement. He proceeds to taunt and rape her, trying to break her as much as possible before he kills her.
Toothpick legs can't seem to remember who he is and why he would be so angry with her given that she's basically a vague grey splotch in most people's lives.
Her ignorance just enrages Alastor Moody's ugly twin more and just when he's about to kill her, she remembers.
↠ What this beginning did well was having me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know their connection. She either knew him and something happened to make her forget the maniac, or he's delusional and she actually doesn't know him. I couldn't wait to know which.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Exciting flashback
The book goes back ten years (that should've been my first red flag) and the puzzle pieces come together quite well.
The next door, neighborhood sociopath spends his life going from obsession to obsession and when it lands on the underfed, poor girl, he goes through the motions of learning everything about it (aka the obsession) waiting for it to pass as well.
When it doesn't, he's more intrigued than ever and using the pretty charms genetics gave him, he-wishes-he-was-as-intriguing-as-Dexter manipulates his way into generic-broken-doe-eyed-book-female-character.
Some bc tampering later, he's accomplished what he set out to do, mixing their DNAs.
↠ This part is still well done. It gave us motivations and backgrounds, shading light on the scenes we saw in the first part.
We now know he thinks she intentionally aborted the baby and that after he got into the accident that disfigured him he went no contact thinking his newly monstrous appearance would get him rejected.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Boring AF separation
After the accident, we come to the most mind-numbing, coma-inducing, insomnia-curing part of the book.
The explanation for their separation. Which boils down to him not becoming a doctor so becoming a saw-bone for the shady. Which pisses off an 'organization' that decides to 'give him a job'.
What's not very clear (and here is where other red flags start to pop) is wtf the organization that picks him is, what they do and why. It's all vague but instead of giving cool 'gothic, dark' vibes, it just gave lazy writing.
Then there's a long text of him stalking her, scaring off and eventually killing off the guys she tried to date. (Which some might say "oh, but he stays celibate! she's the cheater here" to which I would answer "she doesn't know he's still around. he ghosted her. for all she knows he could be married with a half-dozen kids")
Instead of giving signs it's Annie Wilkes' half-baked male twin that's been stalking her, miss-braincells-are-missing is just happy someone sees her enough to stalker (she's that invisible and that broken). Instead of making sure it's him she fears and thinks about, he just lets her go on thinking it's another dude for who know how long.
Because time makes no sense during the separation.
And don't even get me started on her side of things. Vague corporate shit and random office lingo piled on top of each other in the hopes of making the book a few pages longer.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ No pay off
So, we're back to the present.
She didn't get an abortion. Didn't know he was around. Basically remained the doe-eyed, brainless chit from the beginning.
This is where all that darkness is supposed to pay off, where the tenderness is introduced. If not grovel then passionate obsession instead of hateful unhinge-ness.
Except her treatment remains the same? In fact, it worsens.
Some very badly written woodsy primal chase scene later and we get a happy-to-be-chained-to-the-basement-for-the-rest-of-my-life idiot and a our-children-will-love-to-play-hide-and-seek-in-the-maze moron.
───〃⋆⋅ ♰ Final thoughts
This author doesn't understand the appeal of dark romance. It's not the toxic parts that are wrong, it just the simple lack of romance.
The tag of romance should be taken and changed to thriller.
There was no romance, not even the hint of it. The girl wasn't even in love with the boy when he was a regular, pretty stalker.
↠ They don't even say 'I love you' at the end.
I considered giving it two stars because of the beginning and the flashback, but ultimately I'm pissed off I was tricked into reading something that very clearly wasn't romance. Which is also the reason I'm not hiding my review under spoiler because I think it's important people know.
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬
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September 14, 2024
[ 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 - captive X captor, masked men, stalker morally gray mmc, obsessive & toxic love, breeding and somnophilia kink ]
This was definitely something else.
It was soooo dark and twisted like OMG! The book had me hooked from the start. This isn’t your typical romantic relationship, it was so damn toxic.
Cohen is psycho and has a crazy obsession with Emily. He will literally do anything to have Emily stay with him and have his child, even if he has to hurt her to keep her in line.
Cohen wasn't morally grey he was pitch black! Also he was loyal and celibate for 10 freaking years!!!!
‼️no cheating, no ow drama‼️
This was definitely something else.
It was soooo dark and twisted like OMG! The book had me hooked from the start. This isn’t your typical romantic relationship, it was so damn toxic.
Cohen is psycho and has a crazy obsession with Emily. He will literally do anything to have Emily stay with him and have his child, even if he has to hurt her to keep her in line.
Cohen wasn't morally grey he was pitch black! Also he was loyal and celibate for 10 freaking years!!!!
‼️no cheating, no ow drama‼️
September 5, 2024
Skin Review
⛓🩸ʂƙıŋ 🩸⛓
ʙʏ: sʏʙɪʟ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ
𝒲ℯ𝓁𝒸ℴ𝓂ℯ 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀, 𝒫ℯ𝓉
Miss ma’am you did the damn thing. Let me just say this was my first Sybil Knight read and it will not be my last. I was fortunate enough to receive this eARC from the author and if I thought I knew what I was getting into I was DEAD wrong.
Skin is a dark rumpelstiltskin, in which our MMC is out for blood. His object of obsession & ultimate ruin is our FMC Emily. She stole something from him and he intends to make her pay. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳.
Emily insists she doesn’t know him, has no idea what this vendetta is about, but she’s quite clever in that fight or flight mode and makes a deal. Give her 5 days to discover what he needs her too. 𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵.
The shit goes down y’all that made me question if I was okay. I was feeling bad for this psychopath and not the FMC. He’s a level of unhinged that I have not come across in one character before. His obsession is not just that it’s about possession and ownership. About breaking her only to build her pack up, perfectly for him, like his pet, his doll, his toy. But he isn’t just obsessed… he’s addicted. Like a hit of her is all he needs to survive. She is his means to an end.
Sybil gave us everything here, kinks, revenge, plot twists that I was like 😱, vivid characters that we will get more of in other books. And a twisty, twisty tale wrapped up in a big black bow. I definitely know after reading this I will be grabbing more of her books. It was simply *chef’s kiss* and hot in a way that idk if I can look at myself in the mirror.
Add to cart, to TBR, to wherever. This book deserves all the hype. 10/10 would recommend especially if your soul is as dark and twisted as mine. Trust me you will adore it, but maybe question that moral compass of yours ;)
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥 🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🤔😱😏🥵😈🤤🥹😭😍🖤
✨Tropes: Alphahole, Revenge plot, Jealous/Possessive, Dark romance, morally black MMC, forced proximity, confinement/isolatjon, ƒιєѕту ƒмɕ, ԃυαℓ ρσν
😈Kinks: Dirty Talk, Domination, Finger Licking Good, ԃєցяαԃαтιση, voyeurism, Primal play, dub con, ηση ɕση ,🩸 play, breath play, вяєєԃιηց, knife play, restraints, spanking, O denial, ѕσмησρнιℓια
⚠️This book touches on dark themes, please please check the TW & CWs before diving in. You and your mental health matter.
⛓🩸ʂƙıŋ 🩸⛓
ʙʏ: sʏʙɪʟ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ
𝒲ℯ𝓁𝒸ℴ𝓂ℯ 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀, 𝒫ℯ𝓉
Miss ma’am you did the damn thing. Let me just say this was my first Sybil Knight read and it will not be my last. I was fortunate enough to receive this eARC from the author and if I thought I knew what I was getting into I was DEAD wrong.
Skin is a dark rumpelstiltskin, in which our MMC is out for blood. His object of obsession & ultimate ruin is our FMC Emily. She stole something from him and he intends to make her pay. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳.
Emily insists she doesn’t know him, has no idea what this vendetta is about, but she’s quite clever in that fight or flight mode and makes a deal. Give her 5 days to discover what he needs her too. 𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵.
The shit goes down y’all that made me question if I was okay. I was feeling bad for this psychopath and not the FMC. He’s a level of unhinged that I have not come across in one character before. His obsession is not just that it’s about possession and ownership. About breaking her only to build her pack up, perfectly for him, like his pet, his doll, his toy. But he isn’t just obsessed… he’s addicted. Like a hit of her is all he needs to survive. She is his means to an end.
Sybil gave us everything here, kinks, revenge, plot twists that I was like 😱, vivid characters that we will get more of in other books. And a twisty, twisty tale wrapped up in a big black bow. I definitely know after reading this I will be grabbing more of her books. It was simply *chef’s kiss* and hot in a way that idk if I can look at myself in the mirror.
Add to cart, to TBR, to wherever. This book deserves all the hype. 10/10 would recommend especially if your soul is as dark and twisted as mine. Trust me you will adore it, but maybe question that moral compass of yours ;)
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥 🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🤔😱😏🥵😈🤤🥹😭😍🖤
✨Tropes: Alphahole, Revenge plot, Jealous/Possessive, Dark romance, morally black MMC, forced proximity, confinement/isolatjon, ƒιєѕту ƒмɕ, ԃυαℓ ρσν
😈Kinks: Dirty Talk, Domination, Finger Licking Good, ԃєցяαԃαтιση, voyeurism, Primal play, dub con, ηση ɕση ,🩸 play, breath play, вяєєԃιηց, knife play, restraints, spanking, O denial, ѕσмησρнιℓια
⚠️This book touches on dark themes, please please check the TW & CWs before diving in. You and your mental health matter.
taboo-dark-romance
April 7, 2025What to Expect
⛓️ DARK AS F (check the TWs — seriously)
🍎 Obsessed, deranged, completely unhinged MMC
⛓️ Kidnapping
🍎 Non-con (throughout)
⛓️ Stalking
🍎 Breeding
⛓️ Masked men (briefly)
🍎 Captive–Captor dynamic
✨ My Thoughts ✨
Okay I am really going to try and not give too much away here! But there are some “spoilers ahead”
Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a dark romance. It’s pitch black, disturbing on a whole other level, and absolutely not romantic in any way.
The ending left me beyond frustrated. The FMC fights off and on to escape right up until roughly 99%…. and then, suddenly, she starts to “give in”? Then the epilogue jumps forward a year and now she’s married to him and known as the “negotiator”? What actually happened in that year? I needed that part of the story and it just wasn’t there.
I spent the entire book wanting her to escape. If you’re expecting even a hint of romance, this isn’t the book for you. The MMC forces himself on the FMC repeatedly. She tries to fight, mentally checks out during the assaults, and you watch her hope slowly die but that fight does make appearances throughout. That final shift from resistance to submission to apparently joining his world makes absolutely no sense without any explanation.
I don’t have any specific triggers, but I genuinely hated the MMC. He infuriated me.
If you’re going to read this, definitely check the TWs. And again , if you’re after romance, look elsewhere. This isn’t it.
If you want Pitch Black wtf did I just read - maybe check this out AFTER checking the TWs
⛓️ DARK AS F (check the TWs — seriously)
🍎 Obsessed, deranged, completely unhinged MMC
⛓️ Kidnapping
🍎 Non-con (throughout)
⛓️ Stalking
🍎 Breeding
⛓️ Masked men (briefly)
🍎 Captive–Captor dynamic
✨ My Thoughts ✨
Okay I am really going to try and not give too much away here! But there are some “spoilers ahead”
Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a dark romance. It’s pitch black, disturbing on a whole other level, and absolutely not romantic in any way.
The ending left me beyond frustrated. The FMC fights off and on to escape right up until roughly 99%…. and then, suddenly, she starts to “give in”? Then the epilogue jumps forward a year and now she’s married to him and known as the “negotiator”? What actually happened in that year? I needed that part of the story and it just wasn’t there.
I spent the entire book wanting her to escape. If you’re expecting even a hint of romance, this isn’t the book for you. The MMC forces himself on the FMC repeatedly. She tries to fight, mentally checks out during the assaults, and you watch her hope slowly die but that fight does make appearances throughout. That final shift from resistance to submission to apparently joining his world makes absolutely no sense without any explanation.
I don’t have any specific triggers, but I genuinely hated the MMC. He infuriated me.
If you’re going to read this, definitely check the TWs. And again , if you’re after romance, look elsewhere. This isn’t it.
If you want Pitch Black wtf did I just read - maybe check this out AFTER checking the TWs
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 27, 2024Dnf 6%. Not feeling it.
September 3, 2024
First and foremost, thank you Sybil for allowing me to be an ARC for Skin!
I love my dark and twisted reads and was looking forward to this one!
It 👏🏻did 👏🏻 not 👏🏻 disappoint👏🏻 (until the ending 🤔)
MUST READ TRIGGER WARNINGS!
Cohen is an unhinged crazy mf’er from the start! But when he acquires very hurtful information, he takes a turn for the worse and he becomes wicked and demented.
~ Cohen: “Emily wasn’t just a fixation; she was my ruin. In so many more ways than one. And she didn’t even know the power she held over me.”
Emily’s character was definitely the detached type for a MFC. She was unseen, in a way, misunderstood.
~ Emily: “Screw diamonds. Detachment was a girl’s best friend.”
Favorite part that made me go 🤔
“Why apples?”
“Because they’re a lot like people. We choose ʼem based on what we see on the outside, but it’s not until we peel back the skin that we’re forced to bear witness to how truly rotten they are. Take you, for example.”
I can definitely relate to that 👊🏻
This book is the first in the series and the ending was 😳🤔 wait, what? That’s how it ends??? Left me hanging and looking forward to the second book! Was really hoping for a bit more at the end. Only reason why I gave it 4 🌟
I love my dark and twisted reads and was looking forward to this one!
It 👏🏻did 👏🏻 not 👏🏻 disappoint👏🏻 (until the ending 🤔)
MUST READ TRIGGER WARNINGS!
Cohen is an unhinged crazy mf’er from the start! But when he acquires very hurtful information, he takes a turn for the worse and he becomes wicked and demented.
~ Cohen: “Emily wasn’t just a fixation; she was my ruin. In so many more ways than one. And she didn’t even know the power she held over me.”
Emily’s character was definitely the detached type for a MFC. She was unseen, in a way, misunderstood.
~ Emily: “Screw diamonds. Detachment was a girl’s best friend.”
Favorite part that made me go 🤔
“Why apples?”
“Because they’re a lot like people. We choose ʼem based on what we see on the outside, but it’s not until we peel back the skin that we’re forced to bear witness to how truly rotten they are. Take you, for example.”
I can definitely relate to that 👊🏻
This book is the first in the series and the ending was 😳🤔 wait, what? That’s how it ends??? Left me hanging and looking forward to the second book! Was really hoping for a bit more at the end. Only reason why I gave it 4 🌟
October 1, 2024
The beginning made me not want to continue (didn’t feel the chemistry, felt a little on-the-nose telling rather than showing) but won me over with the flashback that takes us to the events of the beginning, which is the present timeline. I don’t like prolonged flashbacks because I generally prefer one timeline over the other.
However, I already bought this after a GR friend recommended this to me and I am glad I gave it a shot!
I really enjoyed this. Hot and funny.
First fairy tale retelling/allusion that I felt was unique and creative. Rumpelstiltskin for a breeding kink? Yes please 🤯note the breeding kink doesn’t really factor into the hero’s dirty talk (he doesn’t do too much of that, unfortunately) but is played for great comedic effect when we get his POV, and how he thinks obsessively about having a child with her. Some unhinged thoughts normally thought by our hero Cohen 🤣
Ending was a little weak, could have been punched up (she resists him but then after he chases her down from escaping, she realizes she doesn’t want to escape lol). The epilogue was good 👍🏽
I want to read more of this series now! It’s giving teen slasher snark, and some Joker/Harley vibes in terms of the horror that you can expect.
However, I already bought this after a GR friend recommended this to me and I am glad I gave it a shot!
I really enjoyed this. Hot and funny.
First fairy tale retelling/allusion that I felt was unique and creative. Rumpelstiltskin for a breeding kink? Yes please 🤯note the breeding kink doesn’t really factor into the hero’s dirty talk (he doesn’t do too much of that, unfortunately) but is played for great comedic effect when we get his POV, and how he thinks obsessively about having a child with her. Some unhinged thoughts normally thought by our hero Cohen 🤣
Ending was a little weak, could have been punched up (she resists him but then after he chases her down from escaping, she realizes she doesn’t want to escape lol). The epilogue was good 👍🏽
I want to read more of this series now! It’s giving teen slasher snark, and some Joker/Harley vibes in terms of the horror that you can expect.
September 22, 2024
2.5⭐️
The potential was there for like the first 25 to 40% but then the flow of the story just doesn’t flow well after that.
Characters reasoning and reactions just didn’t make sense to me either, especially all the contradicting emotions that didn’t coincide with what was previously said at an earlier point in the story.
The way the story wraps up and ends felt very abrupt as well.
The potential was there for like the first 25 to 40% but then the flow of the story just doesn’t flow well after that.
Characters reasoning and reactions just didn’t make sense to me either, especially all the contradicting emotions that didn’t coincide with what was previously said at an earlier point in the story.
The way the story wraps up and ends felt very abrupt as well.
September 10, 2024
Full disclosure I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of SKIN.
I like to think I love some really truly dark romances, you know the ones of actual nightmares and not just your common morally grey variety? This one meets that mark. It will live rent free in that broken part of my brain 🧠 forever.
Cohen and Emily’s story is fantastic because boy did it feel believable. It never felt forced or lacking in credibility like some dark romances often pivot to in the end.
You know all those “dark” romance novels where the MMC bad boy is secretly a big softy and the ideal book boyfriend? Cohen is not that man. If you want any form of kindness from your ideal MMC you have the wrong book lol this is not a comfort/cozy book. But, this book will have you reading until all hours of the night, begging for one more chapter that will hopefully holds more answers.
SKIN is a standalone book in a new series called The Renegades. Thankfully SKIN truly is standalone. All questions feel answered to a satisfying degree yet I can admit it definitely has me daydreaming of the second books release.
Story line: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Suspense: 🔪🔪🔪🔪
I like to think I love some really truly dark romances, you know the ones of actual nightmares and not just your common morally grey variety? This one meets that mark. It will live rent free in that broken part of my brain 🧠 forever.
Cohen and Emily’s story is fantastic because boy did it feel believable. It never felt forced or lacking in credibility like some dark romances often pivot to in the end.
You know all those “dark” romance novels where the MMC bad boy is secretly a big softy and the ideal book boyfriend? Cohen is not that man. If you want any form of kindness from your ideal MMC you have the wrong book lol this is not a comfort/cozy book. But, this book will have you reading until all hours of the night, begging for one more chapter that will hopefully holds more answers.
SKIN is a standalone book in a new series called The Renegades. Thankfully SKIN truly is standalone. All questions feel answered to a satisfying degree yet I can admit it definitely has me daydreaming of the second books release.
Story line: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Suspense: 🔪🔪🔪🔪
October 13, 2024
Skin was WILD.
𝑬𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒙𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏; 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏.
Cohen was f--king unhinged and OBSESSED with Emily. Be warned, not much romance happens in this story.
𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇--𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝑬𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚.
Cohen's evil nature seems to have no limits as he mercilessly unleashes his cruelty upon Emily, showing no regard for her well-being or emotions. He is convinced she took something from him, yet Emily is clueless and doesn't know why he kidnapped her. She is held captive by this unhinged man, desperate to unravel what she is accused of taking. She strikes a deal with her captor and is determined to find out this lunatic's true identity.
𝑰'𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 💦 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚.
They do get a HEA, but damn, is it one twisted wild ride up until the very end.
I am curious about the next story, Lamb. It's a spin on Mary Had a Little Lamb, so I can't wait to read it.
𝑬𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒙𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏; 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏.
Cohen was f--king unhinged and OBSESSED with Emily. Be warned, not much romance happens in this story.
𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇--𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝑬𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚.
Cohen's evil nature seems to have no limits as he mercilessly unleashes his cruelty upon Emily, showing no regard for her well-being or emotions. He is convinced she took something from him, yet Emily is clueless and doesn't know why he kidnapped her. She is held captive by this unhinged man, desperate to unravel what she is accused of taking. She strikes a deal with her captor and is determined to find out this lunatic's true identity.
𝑰'𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 💦 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚.
They do get a HEA, but damn, is it one twisted wild ride up until the very end.
I am curious about the next story, Lamb. It's a spin on Mary Had a Little Lamb, so I can't wait to read it.
November 18, 2024
Genre: Dark Romance
Type: Standalone book 1 of The Renegades Series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
4.25 stars
Emily Shore wanted a normal life, but being marked as Cohen Michaels' target was about to throw her onto a path she never saw coming.
In the beginning, I felt the flow was a little off. Even though there were things that were not answered, the story ended up being interesting with intriguing characters.
I liked how Emily was not a damsel in distress. She had fiery streaks even though at times it turned out negatively for her. Cohen was determined and unapologetic, the way I like my heroes. The dynamics between all the characters captured my curiosity.
Skin is a story of revenge and obsession. It would appeal to readers who enjoy fairytale-inspired dark romance.
Books in the series:
⛓️🟰⛓️ . . . (F)BR with Twinsie CC . . . ⛓️🟰⛓️
For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:
For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.
Type: Standalone book 1 of The Renegades Series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
4.25 starsEmily Shore wanted a normal life, but being marked as Cohen Michaels' target was about to throw her onto a path she never saw coming.
In the beginning, I felt the flow was a little off. Even though there were things that were not answered, the story ended up being interesting with intriguing characters.
“You’re so fucking full of yourself.”
“So were you. So very full of me. Not all that long ago either. Is that your problem right now? You need to be full of me again.”
I liked how Emily was not a damsel in distress. She had fiery streaks even though at times it turned out negatively for her. Cohen was determined and unapologetic, the way I like my heroes. The dynamics between all the characters captured my curiosity.
Skin is a story of revenge and obsession. It would appeal to readers who enjoy fairytale-inspired dark romance.
Books in the series:
⛓️🟰⛓️ . . . (F)BR with Twinsie CC . . . ⛓️🟰⛓️
For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:
For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.
September 11, 2024
Do you like books that keep you hooked the whole time with who is stoking her, sending her gifts, sending her parts of her ex boyfriend 🫣... Yes I said it ... And yes parts of a man you thought left you with a one night stand and never called again. Well I guess you know why he didn't call right?
Emily: This poor girl goes through it all. Someone is watching her and thinking it is someone else completely but find out you were all wrong. Sending her messages at work, calls on her phone, stoking her at work. Watching and just waiting. Cat and mouse 🐀 game for sure! And a whole lot more is happening to this women.
This book has you on your toes the whole time. At times I was a little confused when it would go back and forth through the time lines but it all adds up at the end. And boy is this book spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ a little more spice then I would like in a horror/thriller book but it is written very well.
Cohen character is so well written. He is for sure my favorite character. You can really feel what he thought about Emily, the jealous he has and the obsession he takes it to away another level. This is my first obsession book and now I need more!!! From the moment he meets Emily he starts to plan out his life with her.... He is so blind by his obsession that nothing she say he will believe. 10 years of watching on the sidelines.... Waiting for the moment to come back in her life.
Retailing: Rumpelstiltskin but spicy
#smuttybookservices #darksmuttyfeels #whychoose #novella #ebooks #bannedbook #darkromanceauthor #smuttybookrec
#sybilknight #therenegades #skinme
Emily: This poor girl goes through it all. Someone is watching her and thinking it is someone else completely but find out you were all wrong. Sending her messages at work, calls on her phone, stoking her at work. Watching and just waiting. Cat and mouse 🐀 game for sure! And a whole lot more is happening to this women.
This book has you on your toes the whole time. At times I was a little confused when it would go back and forth through the time lines but it all adds up at the end. And boy is this book spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ a little more spice then I would like in a horror/thriller book but it is written very well.
Cohen character is so well written. He is for sure my favorite character. You can really feel what he thought about Emily, the jealous he has and the obsession he takes it to away another level. This is my first obsession book and now I need more!!! From the moment he meets Emily he starts to plan out his life with her.... He is so blind by his obsession that nothing she say he will believe. 10 years of watching on the sidelines.... Waiting for the moment to come back in her life.
Retailing: Rumpelstiltskin but spicy
#smuttybookservices #darksmuttyfeels #whychoose #novella #ebooks #bannedbook #darkromanceauthor #smuttybookrec
#sybilknight #therenegades #skinme
June 24, 2025
SKIN BY SYBIL KNIGHT.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Oh there was a list of trigger warnings for this book. And who doesn't love a trigger warning 🤣
The cover is gorgeous and stands out.
I have binge read this book so fast and I couldn't put it down.
This story was WILD.
Loved it.
I'm now going straight on to my ARC of LAMB which will be released on the 30th of June 2025.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Oh there was a list of trigger warnings for this book. And who doesn't love a trigger warning 🤣
The cover is gorgeous and stands out.
I have binge read this book so fast and I couldn't put it down.
This story was WILD.
Loved it.
I'm now going straight on to my ARC of LAMB which will be released on the 30th of June 2025.
September 11, 2024
This Rumpelstiltskin (Only at the start though) retelling book kept me up all night and I liked it a lot!
If you're looking for that morally grey MMC that is secretly soft for the FMC, this is not your book. Cohen is morally black and holds no kindness. He sees the FMC as his possession and treats her as such. I feel like this was a dark romance/horror romance, a bit of both. This story makes time jumps from the present to the past and back to the present again. I am not a fan of time jumps, but this was done well and I enjoyed getting to know more.
This book is a standalone in the Renegades series. You want to read the TW's for this one!
I can't wait to read Caspers story.
If you're looking for that morally grey MMC that is secretly soft for the FMC, this is not your book. Cohen is morally black and holds no kindness. He sees the FMC as his possession and treats her as such. I feel like this was a dark romance/horror romance, a bit of both. This story makes time jumps from the present to the past and back to the present again. I am not a fan of time jumps, but this was done well and I enjoyed getting to know more.
This book is a standalone in the Renegades series. You want to read the TW's for this one!
I can't wait to read Caspers story.
September 9, 2024
RATING: 4.5/5
The crease between my brows formed as I read “Skin” conveyed the intense darkness of the world Author Sybil Knight created. Though deemed a Rumplestiltskin retelling, “Skin” is even darker than the original version. And tells the story of r3venge, p0ssession, and d3gr4dation. It’s as if Sybil Knight started the story at its crest and kept going up from there—at least, that's how my racing heart felt. Readers are left with quite the epilogue, and I am eager to see what is next with the series.
The crease between my brows formed as I read “Skin” conveyed the intense darkness of the world Author Sybil Knight created. Though deemed a Rumplestiltskin retelling, “Skin” is even darker than the original version. And tells the story of r3venge, p0ssession, and d3gr4dation. It’s as if Sybil Knight started the story at its crest and kept going up from there—at least, that's how my racing heart felt. Readers are left with quite the epilogue, and I am eager to see what is next with the series.
December 10, 2024
NOTE: “MF, a group of masked men, but each will have their own HEA. My boys aren't good at sharing 👀”
on-hold
September 15, 2024DNF 12%
I might come back to this later.
I might come back to this later.
September 11, 2024
I would almost categorize this book as a dark horror romance and it is very loosely based on Rumpelstiltskin.
This book starts out with Cohen (MMC) having Emily (FMC) kidnapped. He's cruel and insensitive towards her saying that the reason he's like that is because she stole something from him (but he won't say what). They strike a deal where she gets 5 days to try and figure out his name.
I found Emily be strong and a surviver. There were a few decisions she made that I don't agree with but I think it stemmed from some things she suffered from in her past. Cohen was cold and treated her more as something he owned instead of someone he was with but I think this also was from all the trauma he went through. I felt for both of them.
The book kept me hooked from the start with the mystery and suspense, trying to figure out their story, and I didn't want to put the book down.
I really enjoyed how the story went from the present to the past where we understand things from both their views and then back to the present again.
The ending has left me with lots of questions but I think the rest of the books in the story will answer those. The MCs do get their be HEA in this book!
Overall: 4.25 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice/Heat: 4 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Cohen & Emily
Nickname: Little Pet
Darkness: 5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Type of book: MF, Fast Burn, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone
Title: The Renegades Series- Skin: Book 1
Epilogue: different character (not the MCs)
Ending Type: HEA
*OTT Possessive, dominant, loyal and protective MMC
*Eyes only for her
*Dub & Non con
*No cheating or sharing
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be extremely offensive or triggering to some - Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.
This book starts out with Cohen (MMC) having Emily (FMC) kidnapped. He's cruel and insensitive towards her saying that the reason he's like that is because she stole something from him (but he won't say what). They strike a deal where she gets 5 days to try and figure out his name.
I found Emily be strong and a surviver. There were a few decisions she made that I don't agree with but I think it stemmed from some things she suffered from in her past. Cohen was cold and treated her more as something he owned instead of someone he was with but I think this also was from all the trauma he went through. I felt for both of them.
The book kept me hooked from the start with the mystery and suspense, trying to figure out their story, and I didn't want to put the book down.
I really enjoyed how the story went from the present to the past where we understand things from both their views and then back to the present again.
The ending has left me with lots of questions but I think the rest of the books in the story will answer those. The MCs do get their be HEA in this book!
Overall: 4.25 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice/Heat: 4 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Cohen & Emily
Nickname: Little Pet
Darkness: 5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Type of book: MF, Fast Burn, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone
Title: The Renegades Series- Skin: Book 1
Epilogue: different character (not the MCs)
Ending Type: HEA
*OTT Possessive, dominant, loyal and protective MMC
*Eyes only for her
*Dub & Non con
*No cheating or sharing
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be extremely offensive or triggering to some - Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.
September 7, 2024
"You can run but you can't hide, pet."
If I could give this 100 stars, I would. I absolutely LOVED everything about this story. Both main characters were phenomally written and the unhingedness of Cohen was top tier. Emily had that sparky, fighting personality that I love in a FMC and she knew just how to push Cohen's buttons. I thoroughly enjoyed the timeline jumps that helped progress the story without giving away too much right away in thr beginning. I cannot wait for more stories from this work and this author!
If I could give this 100 stars, I would. I absolutely LOVED everything about this story. Both main characters were phenomally written and the unhingedness of Cohen was top tier. Emily had that sparky, fighting personality that I love in a FMC and she knew just how to push Cohen's buttons. I thoroughly enjoyed the timeline jumps that helped progress the story without giving away too much right away in thr beginning. I cannot wait for more stories from this work and this author!
September 4, 2025
This book was one wild ride!! I listened to the audio in 1 go. It definitely sucked me in and I wanted to know why he held her captive and had so much hate for her. Then in part 2 you flash back 10 years and get Emily and Cohen's back story. This book had alot of twists and turns I didn't see coming. it did go in blind and there wasn't triggers listed in the audio. So with that said I had no clue what was coming my way. Did I hate Cohen at some points ... yesssss!! shes very obsessed and unhinged!! He does alot of questionable things lol I didn't completely hate him by the end. I can't wait to read Lamb!
March 10, 2025
I'm not sure what to even say about this one 🙃🙃🙃 CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS😅 due to content I would say this is the darkest book I've ever read. There were a couple plot holes that weren't cleared up, but the story had so much going on either way it was fine. Next to the word Stockholm Syndrome in the dictionary, there should just be a picture of this book cover 🤣😭
5 🌟
3. 5 🌶
5 🌟
3. 5 🌶
September 20, 2024
I did not understand and expected the ending.
It seemed a little rushed…
It seemed a little rushed…
October 12, 2024
What my star reviews mean
⭐️ I would never read it again or DNF
⭐️⭐️ I found something bad, but it wasn’t terrible
⭐️⭐️⭐️ it was decent
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ good book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can’t stop thinking about
the book
I recently finished reading “SKIN” by Sybil Knight, and I have to admit, I was left feeling quite underwhelmed. While I appreciate the complexity that dark romance can bring to a story, the main male character really detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
For starters, he came across as more annoying than intriguing. His actions and attitudes seemed to overshadow the plot. I found myself rolling my eyes at some of his decisions, which made it difficult to connect with the story. It felt like the author was trying to portray him as a an obsessive character but instead, he just came off as frustratingly self-absorbed.
Now, I know that some readers might suggest that my struggle with this book is a sign that I can't handle dark romance. However, that's not the case. I've read similar books that tackle dark themes and feature complicated characters, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me.
In conclusion, while “SKIN” has its moments, the main male character's behavior made it hard for me to fully enjoy the story. I think this book may resonate with some readers, but for me, it fell short.
October 13, 2024
one single word worthless. I couldn’t even have energy to read this shit.
September 5, 2024
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
WOW WOW WOW WOW! This was my first book by Sybil and to say I’m obsessed with their work and now a huge fan is an understatement. I’m just mind blown lol. The attention to detail the author put in to every single element especially with medical terminology, the twists and turns was just impeccable. I felt like I was a detective trying to figure things out lmao. I kept coming up with so many theories and I was kept on my toes the whole entire book. I was ITCHING to keep reading, it was incredibly hard to put it down. This book is DARK, if that’s not your thing or you think it is, check the trigger warnings lol. Sybil has the most incredible way of writing that keeps you so captivated, seriously GENIUS. There’s Easter eggs too that if you don’t pay attention you’ll miss them and then they’ll click and you’ll be like 🤯. Emily and Cohen are both so incredibly broken and crazy but their crazies match each other. They have a toxic connection that screams red flags but it matches their freak. 😂 They were drawn to each other from the beginning even if it took one of them longer to truly comprehend it. The way the side characters are written into the book is so intriguing and has you asking so many more questions. If you THINK you know, you probably have NO idea. SKIN really gave me Dark romance thriller vibes and I am just obsessed. I really loved how the author left the end with so many questions and jaw dropping reactions for the rest of the series. This is a MUST read. 10/10 recommend.
SKIN is the first book in the Renegade series, be prepared for more unhinged characters. 😈
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
WOW WOW WOW WOW! This was my first book by Sybil and to say I’m obsessed with their work and now a huge fan is an understatement. I’m just mind blown lol. The attention to detail the author put in to every single element especially with medical terminology, the twists and turns was just impeccable. I felt like I was a detective trying to figure things out lmao. I kept coming up with so many theories and I was kept on my toes the whole entire book. I was ITCHING to keep reading, it was incredibly hard to put it down. This book is DARK, if that’s not your thing or you think it is, check the trigger warnings lol. Sybil has the most incredible way of writing that keeps you so captivated, seriously GENIUS. There’s Easter eggs too that if you don’t pay attention you’ll miss them and then they’ll click and you’ll be like 🤯. Emily and Cohen are both so incredibly broken and crazy but their crazies match each other. They have a toxic connection that screams red flags but it matches their freak. 😂 They were drawn to each other from the beginning even if it took one of them longer to truly comprehend it. The way the side characters are written into the book is so intriguing and has you asking so many more questions. If you THINK you know, you probably have NO idea. SKIN really gave me Dark romance thriller vibes and I am just obsessed. I really loved how the author left the end with so many questions and jaw dropping reactions for the rest of the series. This is a MUST read. 10/10 recommend.
SKIN is the first book in the Renegade series, be prepared for more unhinged characters. 😈
September 2, 2024
For the love of all that is holy read the authors note at the beginning and check your TW before diving into this. I did all of that as was still on edge the entire book.
That said, I did enjoy it. A far Rumpelstiltskin retelling?? Come on. I loved that story as a child. If she does the story with Bluebeard I’ll lose my mind. Another classic and favorite of eight year old me. 😈
Our MMC is not redeemable in a cute pantie dropping way. He’s a narcissist and entirely views Emily as a possession. As his to do whatever he pleases. He doesn’t love her. Atleast not as a separate entity to himself. He owns her in the way one would own a pen or a favorite hoodie. Remember that before you read this.
And you should if you like…horror romance. I think that’s the category this best fits into. We get a bit of the past and see their origin and what led us to where we are. It was amazingly dark and after so many dark romance books with an unhinged but still soft centered MMCs it was interesting to read one the opposite. This man is disturbed and I was intrigued and uncomfortable the entire three hours I devoured this book in. 🫣
They meet in college and he wants to just sleep with her and move on but he becomes fixated. An event happens that separates him and he focuses most of his energy getting her back and once he does he absolutely torments her. Remember. Check your TW.
What a start to my Halloween reading though. It’s gonna be a good spooky season. I just know it.
Thank you for letting me ARC read for you 😘
That said, I did enjoy it. A far Rumpelstiltskin retelling?? Come on. I loved that story as a child. If she does the story with Bluebeard I’ll lose my mind. Another classic and favorite of eight year old me. 😈
Our MMC is not redeemable in a cute pantie dropping way. He’s a narcissist and entirely views Emily as a possession. As his to do whatever he pleases. He doesn’t love her. Atleast not as a separate entity to himself. He owns her in the way one would own a pen or a favorite hoodie. Remember that before you read this.
And you should if you like…horror romance. I think that’s the category this best fits into. We get a bit of the past and see their origin and what led us to where we are. It was amazingly dark and after so many dark romance books with an unhinged but still soft centered MMCs it was interesting to read one the opposite. This man is disturbed and I was intrigued and uncomfortable the entire three hours I devoured this book in. 🫣
They meet in college and he wants to just sleep with her and move on but he becomes fixated. An event happens that separates him and he focuses most of his energy getting her back and once he does he absolutely torments her. Remember. Check your TW.
What a start to my Halloween reading though. It’s gonna be a good spooky season. I just know it.
Thank you for letting me ARC read for you 😘
September 8, 2024
‼️THIS IS AN ARC REVIEW‼️
4.5/5 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sybil Knight is a new to me author and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to do an ‼️ARC REVIEW. ‼️THANK YOU 🙏🏼
The way this book started had me asking “How did we get here?” “Are we going to get the back story?” Which in turn had me finishing this read so quick! 🥴🥴🥴
I highly advise readers read the trigger warnings before diving in. per usual I only skimmed and was surprised with how fast things took a turn. 🙊 THATS ON ME NOT THE AUTHOR.
That said, this was a twisted tail about an obsession gone wrong. The way the book started vs how the story unfolded was *chefs kiss*
It all made sense in the end. YET STILL LEAVING ME WITH QUESTIONS at the same time😅😅😅😅. The author note says “wanna know which next Renegade falls next?” And I immediately screamed OMG YES!
I highly recommend giving this a read.
⛓️BLURB:
Obsession was a five-letter word. Ten years in the making. And her name was Emily.
But the real question was who was I?
When my pretty little pet leaned forward, offered me a view of her cleavage, and tried to make a deal, I said why the hell not?
Five days. Thirty minutes. She could ask me anything to her heart’s content. Anything but my name. She had to figure that one out on her own.
It should have been easy enough. I was the man she stole from, whose life she ruined, whose future she destroyed.
I was the man she left behind and she was… mine.
4.5/5 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sybil Knight is a new to me author and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to do an ‼️ARC REVIEW. ‼️THANK YOU 🙏🏼
The way this book started had me asking “How did we get here?” “Are we going to get the back story?” Which in turn had me finishing this read so quick! 🥴🥴🥴
I highly advise readers read the trigger warnings before diving in. per usual I only skimmed and was surprised with how fast things took a turn. 🙊 THATS ON ME NOT THE AUTHOR.
That said, this was a twisted tail about an obsession gone wrong. The way the book started vs how the story unfolded was *chefs kiss*
It all made sense in the end. YET STILL LEAVING ME WITH QUESTIONS at the same time😅😅😅😅. The author note says “wanna know which next Renegade falls next?” And I immediately screamed OMG YES!
I highly recommend giving this a read.
⛓️BLURB:
Obsession was a five-letter word. Ten years in the making. And her name was Emily.
But the real question was who was I?
When my pretty little pet leaned forward, offered me a view of her cleavage, and tried to make a deal, I said why the hell not?
Five days. Thirty minutes. She could ask me anything to her heart’s content. Anything but my name. She had to figure that one out on her own.
It should have been easy enough. I was the man she stole from, whose life she ruined, whose future she destroyed.
I was the man she left behind and she was… mine.
November 22, 2024
SKIN is a dark Rumpelstiltskin retelling and book one in The Renegades Series. Each title is a retelling of a fairy tale within an interconnecting series and can be read as a stand alone. The focus is dark romance so please read trigger warnings before proceeding. This is a dark college romance that has a MMC that is a psychopath and a FMC that is a loner and likes the attention. Was I surprised with this book? Yes, but am I interested enough to read further? No, I think this book leaves more questions than answers and the ending was to abrupt.
TW: Dirty Talk, domination, degradation, voyeurism, primal play, dub con/non con, breath play, breeding kink, knife play, restraints, spanking, O denial, somnophilia, stalking, obsessive, possessive, birth control tampering, kidnapping, murder, hints of an eating disorder and miscarriage.
Cohen Michaels wants to be a surgeon and sets his sights on a quiet loner. He is used to getting everything he wants and moving on.
Emily Shaw keeps to herself and her nose to the grind stone. She wonders why someone like Cohen is interested in her.
When they fall into bed Cohen decides he wants to keep her and the best way to do that is impregnate her so, he pampers with her birth control.
Cohen ends up in a tragic accident that changes his life and blames her. He sets out for revenge and stalks her while coming up with a plan.
Once he has her again, he gives her 5 days with 30 minutes for questions each day to help her figure out who he is and if she doesn't, then her life comes to an end.
TW: Dirty Talk, domination, degradation, voyeurism, primal play, dub con/non con, breath play, breeding kink, knife play, restraints, spanking, O denial, somnophilia, stalking, obsessive, possessive, birth control tampering, kidnapping, murder, hints of an eating disorder and miscarriage.
Cohen Michaels wants to be a surgeon and sets his sights on a quiet loner. He is used to getting everything he wants and moving on.
Emily Shaw keeps to herself and her nose to the grind stone. She wonders why someone like Cohen is interested in her.
When they fall into bed Cohen decides he wants to keep her and the best way to do that is impregnate her so, he pampers with her birth control.
Cohen ends up in a tragic accident that changes his life and blames her. He sets out for revenge and stalks her while coming up with a plan.
Once he has her again, he gives her 5 days with 30 minutes for questions each day to help her figure out who he is and if she doesn't, then her life comes to an end.
September 10, 2024
This book took me pleasantly by surprise. At first I thought this was going somewhere else then it changed, and boy oh boy the back story of the two main characters is something else! I love the way this story is written into parts and keeps you on the edge of seats at all times!
Cohen is the MMC and he is one unhinged guy! His obsession is unlike anything else I've ever read and I can't decide how much I love and hate him at the same time. He is so toxic, smart, and sexy all wrapped into one evil human. He has no redemptions for his actions and is truly a despicable person.
Emily is our FMC. Seeing her form the eyes of Cohen makes makes her seem like she is something else. When you get to her POVs you see a different side. She doesn't think she is interesting at all. She just kinda floats through life like nothing special at all. Being nothing special and a realistic FMC makes her all the more special for me.
Now, let's talk about this writing. Sybil you out DID yourself with the writing. You capture me with the way you write. I cannot wait to read more from youm keep up the work because it FANTASTIC!
Quote:
" Maybe there was more to my obsession than science, but even I knew you shouldn't turn a lab rat into a pet."
*Please know this story is dark and depraved. If you have any triggers please research them before reading.
Cohen is the MMC and he is one unhinged guy! His obsession is unlike anything else I've ever read and I can't decide how much I love and hate him at the same time. He is so toxic, smart, and sexy all wrapped into one evil human. He has no redemptions for his actions and is truly a despicable person.
Emily is our FMC. Seeing her form the eyes of Cohen makes makes her seem like she is something else. When you get to her POVs you see a different side. She doesn't think she is interesting at all. She just kinda floats through life like nothing special at all. Being nothing special and a realistic FMC makes her all the more special for me.
Now, let's talk about this writing. Sybil you out DID yourself with the writing. You capture me with the way you write. I cannot wait to read more from youm keep up the work because it FANTASTIC!
Quote:
" Maybe there was more to my obsession than science, but even I knew you shouldn't turn a lab rat into a pet."
*Please know this story is dark and depraved. If you have any triggers please research them before reading.
June 26, 2025
Mai rar îmi provoacă o carte asemenea nervi. Nici măcar nu știu de unde să încep.
- în primul rând, scrierea are nevoie de o serioasă îmbunătățire și de o grămadă de pagini în plus. Și de mult realism, că îi lipsește în totalitate
- în al doilea rând, de ce e încadrată cartea asta la dark romance?? Dark e, total de acord, dar romance? Ăsta e romance? De când abuzul în toate formele ei e romance???? Protagonista spune clar că nu-l iubește. Și se vede că nu-l iubește, că e o victimă până la urmă, că are mare nevoie de ajutor. Ăsta e un horror dintre cele mai urâte, mai ales pentru o femeie
- nici măcar nu vreau să mă iau de faptele lui. A fost pur și simplu dezgustător și revoltător ce am citit
- voiam să o abandonez din primele pagini, după ce am văzut cum e scrisă, dar mi-am zis că merge ușor și că sigur se îmbunătățește pe parcurs. Vezi să nu!
- nu înțeleg nici de ce e retelling. N-am citit povestea originală, dar am aflat despre ce e și nu știu ce să zic. Nu prea seamănă, oricât retelling am avea
- până am ajuns pe la ultimele 60, 70 de pagini, am zis că merge cât de cât, că vreo două steluțe tot primește pentru că e o poveste ce avea potențial, deși nu era exploatat. Când le-am citit și pe astea... vai, ce-mi venea să țip de frustrare.
În concluzie, cu părere de rău, a fost una dintre cele mai aiurea cărți citite.
- în primul rând, scrierea are nevoie de o serioasă îmbunătățire și de o grămadă de pagini în plus. Și de mult realism, că îi lipsește în totalitate
- în al doilea rând, de ce e încadrată cartea asta la dark romance?? Dark e, total de acord, dar romance? Ăsta e romance? De când abuzul în toate formele ei e romance???? Protagonista spune clar că nu-l iubește. Și se vede că nu-l iubește, că e o victimă până la urmă, că are mare nevoie de ajutor. Ăsta e un horror dintre cele mai urâte, mai ales pentru o femeie
- nici măcar nu vreau să mă iau de faptele lui. A fost pur și simplu dezgustător și revoltător ce am citit
- voiam să o abandonez din primele pagini, după ce am văzut cum e scrisă, dar mi-am zis că merge ușor și că sigur se îmbunătățește pe parcurs. Vezi să nu!
- nu înțeleg nici de ce e retelling. N-am citit povestea originală, dar am aflat despre ce e și nu știu ce să zic. Nu prea seamănă, oricât retelling am avea
- până am ajuns pe la ultimele 60, 70 de pagini, am zis că merge cât de cât, că vreo două steluțe tot primește pentru că e o poveste ce avea potențial, deși nu era exploatat. Când le-am citit și pe astea... vai, ce-mi venea să țip de frustrare.
În concluzie, cu părere de rău, a fost una dintre cele mai aiurea cărți citite.
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