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Human Scars on Planet Skin
Turr is fighting back for what was stolen from her: her body and her children living on it.
After the humans tried to colonize her, Turr was forced to resort to mass violence to reclaim her skin. But in fleeing the planet, the humans left behind a chemical disaster—the dead zone.
To bring peace and life back to herself, Turr sends out a desperate plea to two shroom people: Invidia and Clyra. Invidia, though surrounded by death, is tasked with learning how to breathe life back into the land. Clyra must lead a group of broken failed experiments through the forest, following a trail of visions. Death and uncertainty face them at every turn, but only when they’re all together can the planet truly begin to heal.
Human Scars on Planet Skin will leave you haunted by the stark realities of upsetting the balance of life, aching against the sorrow unmitigated death brings, and shivering against the horrors of being trapped within your own body. More than anything, it will leave you comforted, knowing hope always exists in the life around us, no matter how dark our surroundings may seem.
After the humans tried to colonize her, Turr was forced to resort to mass violence to reclaim her skin. But in fleeing the planet, the humans left behind a chemical disaster—the dead zone.
To bring peace and life back to herself, Turr sends out a desperate plea to two shroom people: Invidia and Clyra. Invidia, though surrounded by death, is tasked with learning how to breathe life back into the land. Clyra must lead a group of broken failed experiments through the forest, following a trail of visions. Death and uncertainty face them at every turn, but only when they’re all together can the planet truly begin to heal.
Human Scars on Planet Skin will leave you haunted by the stark realities of upsetting the balance of life, aching against the sorrow unmitigated death brings, and shivering against the horrors of being trapped within your own body. More than anything, it will leave you comforted, knowing hope always exists in the life around us, no matter how dark our surroundings may seem.
282 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2025
15 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
Effie Joe Stock
22 books90 followersEffie Joe Stock is the author of The Shadows of Light series, creator of the world Rasa, and head of Dragon Bone Publishing. When she’s not slaving away in front of her computer, you can find her playing music, studying psychology, theology, or philosophy, playing fantasy RPG video games, riding motorcycles, or hanging out with her farm animals. Her publishing journey only just beginning, Stock looks forward to the release of her third fantasy book along with other Dragon Bone titles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 25, 2025
Update: I got my first proof copy yesterday. The paperback is gorgeous. Have I mentioned that it's illustrated? I reread it with a highlighter and finally got to mark up all the things I've been DYING to annotate. This is a real book, and it's a book I'm SO proud of. I can't wait for you to read it.
Update: My edits are done. Human Scars on Planet Skin is almost ready for endorsers and ARC readers. The fact that people will soon be reading this book is INSANE. Very few people have read this. It feels like a secret between Effie and I. A secret that will not be ours for much longer.
Update: It's cover reveal day! What do you think? We've finished our last round of self-edits and we send this off to an editor next month. The Kickstarter has launched, the cover is getting shared, and we're officially on track to publish in September 2025. I am SO proud of this story.
Update: I finished a MASSIVE rewrite yesterday and now I'm reading through the book and doing little tweaks. The rewrite took so much energy and I was beginning to worry that I hated this story, but I'm actually more in love with it than ever before. This is truly the sci-fi of my dreams.
Introducing Human Scars on Planet Skin!
Sci-fi horror is a genre I’ve always wanted to work with, but I didn’t want to do it alone. I’m so grateful to have Effie as my partner in crime. This was a learning experience for both of us. We had a lot of fun building a sentient planet that’s home to mushroom people (and other plant/insect ‘people’) and I’m excited to welcome you all into this world.
Add to your goodreads TBR. A lot will be happening with this in the upcoming months.
Update: My edits are done. Human Scars on Planet Skin is almost ready for endorsers and ARC readers. The fact that people will soon be reading this book is INSANE. Very few people have read this. It feels like a secret between Effie and I. A secret that will not be ours for much longer.
Update: It's cover reveal day! What do you think? We've finished our last round of self-edits and we send this off to an editor next month. The Kickstarter has launched, the cover is getting shared, and we're officially on track to publish in September 2025. I am SO proud of this story.
Update: I finished a MASSIVE rewrite yesterday and now I'm reading through the book and doing little tweaks. The rewrite took so much energy and I was beginning to worry that I hated this story, but I'm actually more in love with it than ever before. This is truly the sci-fi of my dreams.
Introducing Human Scars on Planet Skin!
Sci-fi horror is a genre I’ve always wanted to work with, but I didn’t want to do it alone. I’m so grateful to have Effie as my partner in crime. This was a learning experience for both of us. We had a lot of fun building a sentient planet that’s home to mushroom people (and other plant/insect ‘people’) and I’m excited to welcome you all into this world.
Add to your goodreads TBR. A lot will be happening with this in the upcoming months.
March 23, 2025
I received an ARC of this text in exchange for an honest review.
Much like Invidia's psychedelic abilities, this novel was a trip. It was advertised to me via Bookstagram, and since I was so intrigued by the premise, I jumped on the opportunity to secure an ARC. Once I actually started reading it, I found very quickly that this probably wasn't the ideal text for me as someone who is quite particular about literary mechanics. However, I also enjoyed the theming, the atmosphere, and the sense of found family throughout the story. This resulted in a slew of conflicted feelings upon my conclusion.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is told through multiple perspectives written by two authors. The planet narrates the prologue and epilogue; everything else that comes between switches between two shroompeople on said sentient planet. Invidia is dealing with mass death and something akin to survivor's guilt as they find they must rebuild their former garden city. Clyra and their crew are escaping one of the human labs after years of experimentation and torture. These two shrooms eventually connect and strive in their respective ways to help their planet to heal.
The authors definitely have a knack for imagery, as I enjoyed the limited body horror and the descriptions of the setting. I wish the characters had been described more clearly aside from the gore so that I could get accurate pictures of them in my head, but I also do think this would have been a touch easier if there weren't so many different-looking fantasy species and creatures to worry about. Despite this, most of the characters' personalities were able to shine through and be differentiated through the exploration of deep, sometimes dark themes. On the other hand, the articulation of such themes was also extremely blatant. I could tell that the authors were putting their feelings directly onto the page, which made dialogue feel a little clunky and obvious. Yes, these were fantasy creatures on another planet, but I continually found myself thinking "no one actually talks like that." Furthermore, with such directness came some feelings of repetition. Like yes, the humans suck and they will keep sucking through the end of the text. And indeed, grief can feel cyclical, but books also don't have to be a 1:1 translation of real life. I have heard it said that books should be like reality but slightly better and more polished...this was like real life without the polishing, making it feel like high school exchanges or a diary at times.
I probably could have overlooked all of this if not for the conflicting POVs. One of the shroompeople is depicted with 3rd-person POV. The other character is done with 1st person. This was not only jarring and confusing but also just unnecessary, in my opinion. Without paying attention to this factor, I had already noticed a lot of vague pronouns throughout, but this made me feel even more uncertain of what I was reading at times.
One more thing that wasn't my favorite about this book was that it didn't have a ton of direction. The premise of the humans leaving drives the chapters forward as opposed to a concrete motivation or conclusion. Therefore, I was continually asking the text what was coming next and why I should stay invested, essentially. Fortunately, the shroompeople do eventually come together and gain their purpose in restoring Turr, but this comes much later in the story than I would prefer. Of the two perspectives, I think Clyra's was better in this way because at least they were traveling and had unique obstacles to encounter outside of the mind of one creature. Granted, that also didn't mean that Invidia didn't face turmoil...it was just very insular and all of her secondary characterization had to come from memories or hallucinations.
This all may sound very critical for an ARC, but my expectations for this cool concept were not fully met, and I have to express my honest thoughts. I wish that this had maybe gone through a few more rounds of revisions to add more context and clarity (and to become more aligned on POVs). But I did genuinely like the worldbuilding, the characters, and the horror elements when present. Props to the authors for coming up with a unique concept...I know a lot of people will really like this one!
Much like Invidia's psychedelic abilities, this novel was a trip. It was advertised to me via Bookstagram, and since I was so intrigued by the premise, I jumped on the opportunity to secure an ARC. Once I actually started reading it, I found very quickly that this probably wasn't the ideal text for me as someone who is quite particular about literary mechanics. However, I also enjoyed the theming, the atmosphere, and the sense of found family throughout the story. This resulted in a slew of conflicted feelings upon my conclusion.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is told through multiple perspectives written by two authors. The planet narrates the prologue and epilogue; everything else that comes between switches between two shroompeople on said sentient planet. Invidia is dealing with mass death and something akin to survivor's guilt as they find they must rebuild their former garden city. Clyra and their crew are escaping one of the human labs after years of experimentation and torture. These two shrooms eventually connect and strive in their respective ways to help their planet to heal.
The authors definitely have a knack for imagery, as I enjoyed the limited body horror and the descriptions of the setting. I wish the characters had been described more clearly aside from the gore so that I could get accurate pictures of them in my head, but I also do think this would have been a touch easier if there weren't so many different-looking fantasy species and creatures to worry about. Despite this, most of the characters' personalities were able to shine through and be differentiated through the exploration of deep, sometimes dark themes. On the other hand, the articulation of such themes was also extremely blatant. I could tell that the authors were putting their feelings directly onto the page, which made dialogue feel a little clunky and obvious. Yes, these were fantasy creatures on another planet, but I continually found myself thinking "no one actually talks like that." Furthermore, with such directness came some feelings of repetition. Like yes, the humans suck and they will keep sucking through the end of the text. And indeed, grief can feel cyclical, but books also don't have to be a 1:1 translation of real life. I have heard it said that books should be like reality but slightly better and more polished...this was like real life without the polishing, making it feel like high school exchanges or a diary at times.
I probably could have overlooked all of this if not for the conflicting POVs. One of the shroompeople is depicted with 3rd-person POV. The other character is done with 1st person. This was not only jarring and confusing but also just unnecessary, in my opinion. Without paying attention to this factor, I had already noticed a lot of vague pronouns throughout, but this made me feel even more uncertain of what I was reading at times.
One more thing that wasn't my favorite about this book was that it didn't have a ton of direction. The premise of the humans leaving drives the chapters forward as opposed to a concrete motivation or conclusion. Therefore, I was continually asking the text what was coming next and why I should stay invested, essentially. Fortunately, the shroompeople do eventually come together and gain their purpose in restoring Turr, but this comes much later in the story than I would prefer. Of the two perspectives, I think Clyra's was better in this way because at least they were traveling and had unique obstacles to encounter outside of the mind of one creature. Granted, that also didn't mean that Invidia didn't face turmoil...it was just very insular and all of her secondary characterization had to come from memories or hallucinations.
This all may sound very critical for an ARC, but my expectations for this cool concept were not fully met, and I have to express my honest thoughts. I wish that this had maybe gone through a few more rounds of revisions to add more context and clarity (and to become more aligned on POVs). But I did genuinely like the worldbuilding, the characters, and the horror elements when present. Props to the authors for coming up with a unique concept...I know a lot of people will really like this one!
August 20, 2025
This is a fantasy x sci fi x splash of eco-horror?? that invites readers to reflect on their relationships with others and the world that homes them.
Turr is a sentient planet invaded and colonised by humans, and her inhabitants (including shroompeople - exactly what it sounds like 🍄) don’t know if their world will ever heal. This story switches between the perspective of Invidia in the peak of the human’s occupation of Turr as sickness ravages her inhabitants, and Clyra in the days following the humans’ departure. When the humans leave, Turr is awake, furious, and will do anything to protect and reunite the children that have survived.
This is the fourth book I’ve read by Luscombe and he never fails to hurt and promptly heal. I haven’t read any Stock before but I am looking forward to consuming more very soon. The way the two storylines weave together threw me from hopeless to hopeful and back again. I love that this book gives us the answer to: so, what happens now? after the problem is “resolved”. Human Scars explores the ongoing trauma and devastation that survivors live with after an attack from invading forces, and the importance of friendship and community before, during and after the worst has happened. Even when that means dragging your probably-dead friend across a planet for company (don’t talk to me about it 😭) and trusting your instincts.
Turr totally immersed me (I want to go frolic in a swamp) in her fury and despair alike, and I wanted to *gently* hug every single character’s decaying body. Despite a short page count, I grew really attached to Invidia especially and the visceral imagery of these rotting babies is branded into my brain, so thanks. This is a must-read genre-bender.
Turr is a sentient planet invaded and colonised by humans, and her inhabitants (including shroompeople - exactly what it sounds like 🍄) don’t know if their world will ever heal. This story switches between the perspective of Invidia in the peak of the human’s occupation of Turr as sickness ravages her inhabitants, and Clyra in the days following the humans’ departure. When the humans leave, Turr is awake, furious, and will do anything to protect and reunite the children that have survived.
This is the fourth book I’ve read by Luscombe and he never fails to hurt and promptly heal. I haven’t read any Stock before but I am looking forward to consuming more very soon. The way the two storylines weave together threw me from hopeless to hopeful and back again. I love that this book gives us the answer to: so, what happens now? after the problem is “resolved”. Human Scars explores the ongoing trauma and devastation that survivors live with after an attack from invading forces, and the importance of friendship and community before, during and after the worst has happened. Even when that means dragging your probably-dead friend across a planet for company (don’t talk to me about it 😭) and trusting your instincts.
Turr totally immersed me (I want to go frolic in a swamp) in her fury and despair alike, and I wanted to *gently* hug every single character’s decaying body. Despite a short page count, I grew really attached to Invidia especially and the visceral imagery of these rotting babies is branded into my brain, so thanks. This is a must-read genre-bender.
February 26, 2025
Human Scars on Planet Skin was such an incredible book to write. It's everything I wanted it to be: emotionally healing and comforting, set in a beautiful sentient world with cute plant and insect characters, absolutely bodily and botanically horrifying, and so much more.
I cannot wait for it to release and find its target audience because I know they're absolutely going to love it. <3
I cannot wait for it to release and find its target audience because I know they're absolutely going to love it. <3
July 23, 2025
„Human Scars on Planet Skin“ is an unusual read that captured my attention from the very first pages. The author’s writing style stands out in bringing the world of the planet Turr to life. The worldbuilding here is impressive. Five years before the narrative begins, humans invaded Turr, only to be driven away by the planet itself. Yet their legacy remains in the form of Dead Zones - places of destruction and decay.
At the heart of the story are two memorable protagonists: Clyra, a former laboratory experiment, and
Invidia, a shroomperson. Turr does not only host regular creatures, but also a sentient, mobile version who interact and communicate.
The real strength of the novel lies in its intense atmosphere. The descriptions of a decaying, wounded planet are so evocative you can almost feel the environment closing in. As the planet falls apart, both Clyra and Invidia grapple with loss, fear, and uncertainty—but there are also pockets of hope, friendship and love. What struck me most is how quickly I became invested: despite the novel’s peculiarities, I connected deeply with the characters and felt their struggles.
I recommend the book to anyone who loves bold, imaginative science-fiction with a strong emotional core and strikingly original worldbuilding.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
At the heart of the story are two memorable protagonists: Clyra, a former laboratory experiment, and
Invidia, a shroomperson. Turr does not only host regular creatures, but also a sentient, mobile version who interact and communicate.
The real strength of the novel lies in its intense atmosphere. The descriptions of a decaying, wounded planet are so evocative you can almost feel the environment closing in. As the planet falls apart, both Clyra and Invidia grapple with loss, fear, and uncertainty—but there are also pockets of hope, friendship and love. What struck me most is how quickly I became invested: despite the novel’s peculiarities, I connected deeply with the characters and felt their struggles.
I recommend the book to anyone who loves bold, imaginative science-fiction with a strong emotional core and strikingly original worldbuilding.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2025
I love the premise of this book, it’s so unique and adorable in an “end of the world as we know it” kind of way. I love the idea of sentient shroompeople and their connection with a sentient planet as she tries to recover after humans destroyed her. My favorite character was probably Invidia because their status as a hallucinogenic mushroom rendered them an unreliable narrator—and I love those.
I wanted to adore this book, but I really struggled with it. I love the authors and the idea, so I was so excited to read it. To me, it seemed like there was more of a focus on making a statement about humans destroying nature than telling a story. I wasn’t quite sure what the goal was for any of the characters and this made it difficult to stay invested, as adorable and unique as they were.
I did enjoy the ending, though, because I felt like everything finally came together!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wanted to adore this book, but I really struggled with it. I love the authors and the idea, so I was so excited to read it. To me, it seemed like there was more of a focus on making a statement about humans destroying nature than telling a story. I wasn’t quite sure what the goal was for any of the characters and this made it difficult to stay invested, as adorable and unique as they were.
I did enjoy the ending, though, because I felt like everything finally came together!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 24, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I feel like I lived an entire life through the characters in this book. I felt like this book was written specifically for me. The only thing missing was foxes! XD I love books that share more than one POV, I hate what humanity has done to our planet, and I wish so much to be able to destroy humans and connect with earth.
I'm nervous to say too much out of fear of spoiling anything but the mood was cozy, horrific, hopelessness, and hopefulness. I loved every aspect of it, I adored Invidia and their struggles, and I loved following Clyra and their group. I love that all the Shroompeople use they/them pronouns! I mean it makes sense, of course, but I loved that the authors thought of that!
There were so many quotable moments, the authors' writing styles are both beautiful and heart wrenching. This book filled my heart in a way so few books do. I like a lot of books, but this one I love and cherish.
This is one of my new all-time favourite books and I can see myself going back to it again and again as needed when I need a strong reminder of what life is about and how to remember to keep going when times are tough, as they so often are!
I feel like I lived an entire life through the characters in this book. I felt like this book was written specifically for me. The only thing missing was foxes! XD I love books that share more than one POV, I hate what humanity has done to our planet, and I wish so much to be able to destroy humans and connect with earth.
I'm nervous to say too much out of fear of spoiling anything but the mood was cozy, horrific, hopelessness, and hopefulness. I loved every aspect of it, I adored Invidia and their struggles, and I loved following Clyra and their group. I love that all the Shroompeople use they/them pronouns! I mean it makes sense, of course, but I loved that the authors thought of that!
There were so many quotable moments, the authors' writing styles are both beautiful and heart wrenching. This book filled my heart in a way so few books do. I like a lot of books, but this one I love and cherish.
This is one of my new all-time favourite books and I can see myself going back to it again and again as needed when I need a strong reminder of what life is about and how to remember to keep going when times are tough, as they so often are!
August 9, 2025
TW: d*ath, grief, environmental horror, body horror, gore, body dysmorphia
Effie and Nathaniel are brilliant authors on their own but them working together is absolutely amazing! Human Scars on Planet Skin is a unique book about grief, bodily autonomy, and healing. Invidia and Clyra's journeys are separate yet intertwined and filled with wisdom and heart.
Invidia's journey through denial and grief personally broke me and I know it will help me reassemble the pieces.
Clyra's journey through self doubt and struggles with reconnecting with Turr was heartbreakingly beautiful.
This story about adorable mushroompeople going through horrible trauma and struggling to find a life on the other side is absolutely amazing, horrifying and yet filled with a sweet undercurrent of hope.
I was surprised to see my name in Effie's acknowledgements and thank you so much! It means a lot to me. 🥹🥹🥹🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Effie and Nathaniel are brilliant authors on their own but them working together is absolutely amazing! Human Scars on Planet Skin is a unique book about grief, bodily autonomy, and healing. Invidia and Clyra's journeys are separate yet intertwined and filled with wisdom and heart.
Invidia's journey through denial and grief personally broke me and I know it will help me reassemble the pieces.
Clyra's journey through self doubt and struggles with reconnecting with Turr was heartbreakingly beautiful.
This story about adorable mushroompeople going through horrible trauma and struggling to find a life on the other side is absolutely amazing, horrifying and yet filled with a sweet undercurrent of hope.
I was surprised to see my name in Effie's acknowledgements and thank you so much! It means a lot to me. 🥹🥹🥹🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
March 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this unique book. It's in a similar vein as AVATAR, but the planet and her people are able to fight for themselves without the help of a human. I think that's a really nice distinction between this and AVATAR. In some places, the writing felt a little strange, but that also adds to the eerie and alien tone. I can't recommend this enough.
July 31, 2025
I received an ARC copy of this book, and am writing a review of my own free will!
I don't think I fully knew what to expect when I signed up to be an ARC reader for this book. I knew that I'd loved Nathaniel Luscombe's book Moon Soul, and while I was unfamiliar with Effie Joe Stock, I was excited to see what this story, with such a unique and fascinating premise, had to offer.
Boy, was I right to be excited.
This story was absolutely magnificent. The concept of a living planet is BRILLIANT, and it was executed in such a masterfully beautiful way. And oh, the PLOT. You truly felt the devastation that Turr and the main characters went through. Stock and Luscombe didn't shy away from the horrors of what each perspective went through, but addressed the darkness and the visceral pain, and the reactions to it. The book definitely had a slightly horror-ish element to it, depicting all the ways the humans destruction changed Turr and the shroompeople.
But the whole message of the story is that even in death, life returns and persists. And no one is alone. And that was so beautifully explained. Each perspective came to their own epiphanies in a simply lovely way, showing the connection between Turr and the main characters, and giving beautiful lessons that are deeply important!
Overall, this is a marvelous story, and I won't be forgetting it any time soon!
I don't think I fully knew what to expect when I signed up to be an ARC reader for this book. I knew that I'd loved Nathaniel Luscombe's book Moon Soul, and while I was unfamiliar with Effie Joe Stock, I was excited to see what this story, with such a unique and fascinating premise, had to offer.
Boy, was I right to be excited.
This story was absolutely magnificent. The concept of a living planet is BRILLIANT, and it was executed in such a masterfully beautiful way. And oh, the PLOT. You truly felt the devastation that Turr and the main characters went through. Stock and Luscombe didn't shy away from the horrors of what each perspective went through, but addressed the darkness and the visceral pain, and the reactions to it. The book definitely had a slightly horror-ish element to it, depicting all the ways the humans destruction changed Turr and the shroompeople.
But the whole message of the story is that even in death, life returns and persists. And no one is alone. And that was so beautifully explained. Each perspective came to their own epiphanies in a simply lovely way, showing the connection between Turr and the main characters, and giving beautiful lessons that are deeply important!
Overall, this is a marvelous story, and I won't be forgetting it any time soon!
August 13, 2025
Just finished burning through the ARC ebook I got via backing this at Kickstarter.
What an amazing piece of work! The quirky description of mushroom people trying to heal their sentient planet from human-made destruction caught my attention. But this book is SO much more. Thoroughly enjoyed all the smiles and tears it made me feel.
This is not (just) about quirky mushrooms, this is about hurt, trauma, healing, hope, companionship, defeat, loss, coping and living to see another day.
My only (low key) regret is not getting a printed version with all the beautiful artwork.
What an amazing piece of work! The quirky description of mushroom people trying to heal their sentient planet from human-made destruction caught my attention. But this book is SO much more. Thoroughly enjoyed all the smiles and tears it made me feel.
This is not (just) about quirky mushrooms, this is about hurt, trauma, healing, hope, companionship, defeat, loss, coping and living to see another day.
My only (low key) regret is not getting a printed version with all the beautiful artwork.
June 16, 2025
I was so excited to read this book, and it didn’t disappoint. I love the themes, the heart-wrenching grief, and the sob-inducing ending. This was every bit of what I expected and more.
October 3, 2025
I loved this book. It was very emotional, both sad and hopeful
October 25, 2025
A beautifully sad story. But with hope, and a clear message. The ending was everything 🩷.
April 22, 2025
I received an ARC copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I’ve learned by now to always expect something fascinating when I see Effie Stock or Nathaniel Luscombe on the cover. Seeing them together just set me up to be blown away and they did not disappoint.
A story at its heart about healing from trauma, using the story of sentient mushroom people who are trying to reclaim their living planet after humans did what humans do.
It’s as uniquely amazing and fascinating as it sounds. There is such a unique culture to thee people and what I love is the theme of healing and discovery—what do you do when everything, even your culture, is taken from you?
You rebuild. You find yourself all over again. You remember the connection you never realized you had or you rediscover the ones you lost. You love. You live. And that in itself is an act of defiance. Of courage. Of hope.
That is the message of this book. Hope. Defiance. Connection. Healing. It’s a long journey, a difficult one. But it’s through that journey that we remember our own worth and realize that is something that can never be stolen.
Yeah. You’re going to get a lesson in trauma recovery and philosophy with this story and you’ll be the better for it.
I’ve learned by now to always expect something fascinating when I see Effie Stock or Nathaniel Luscombe on the cover. Seeing them together just set me up to be blown away and they did not disappoint.
A story at its heart about healing from trauma, using the story of sentient mushroom people who are trying to reclaim their living planet after humans did what humans do.
It’s as uniquely amazing and fascinating as it sounds. There is such a unique culture to thee people and what I love is the theme of healing and discovery—what do you do when everything, even your culture, is taken from you?
You rebuild. You find yourself all over again. You remember the connection you never realized you had or you rediscover the ones you lost. You love. You live. And that in itself is an act of defiance. Of courage. Of hope.
That is the message of this book. Hope. Defiance. Connection. Healing. It’s a long journey, a difficult one. But it’s through that journey that we remember our own worth and realize that is something that can never be stolen.
Yeah. You’re going to get a lesson in trauma recovery and philosophy with this story and you’ll be the better for it.
October 5, 2025
One of the most unique books I've ever read, managing to be both cozy and horrific. I love everything about it and can't wait to read more from this duo.
We have a sentient planet where humans are the bad guys, and shroompeople who have an almost spiritual form of communication with their planet that is somehow biologically on point. I love that mix.
Invidia's POV is a raw insight into mental illness, trauma, and struggling to let go of things that no longer serve them while facing the possibility that they are the last one left alive. I vibed with them the most.
Clyra's voice is more gentle, a kind budding leader who is sometimes overwhelmed but always kind. They are overcoming a life of painful experiments, and following a vision to go into the dark zone of the planet to rescue Invidia while keeping their friends alive.
I loved how it wrapped up, and loved being in these authors brains. Cannot recommend highly enough!
We have a sentient planet where humans are the bad guys, and shroompeople who have an almost spiritual form of communication with their planet that is somehow biologically on point. I love that mix.
Invidia's POV is a raw insight into mental illness, trauma, and struggling to let go of things that no longer serve them while facing the possibility that they are the last one left alive. I vibed with them the most.
Clyra's voice is more gentle, a kind budding leader who is sometimes overwhelmed but always kind. They are overcoming a life of painful experiments, and following a vision to go into the dark zone of the planet to rescue Invidia while keeping their friends alive.
I loved how it wrapped up, and loved being in these authors brains. Cannot recommend highly enough!
May 10, 2025
4 stars. I've never read horror before, and barely ever heard of botanical horror, so this was a wild leap out of my comfort zone. Having really appreciated Nathaniel Luscombe's previous writing, though, I wanted to try this out. To my surprise, I was deeply invested. It's such a strange combination of disturbance and comfort.
The trigger warnings plainly tell of gore and grossness. There's rot and decay of living plants and dead humans, there's bugs, there's throwing up, there's physical damage. The first few chapters, especially, were pretty "gory," and any chapter dealing with human corpses. I was also bothered by how hated humans were, how they were presented as greedy monsters who wrecked everything, were endlessly cruel, and could never, even by accident, do anything right. Again, the trigger warnings mention this, so I wasn't really surprised. I wasn't a big fan, either, or how the planet was like a being, taking care of things, basically being treated as "Mother Earth." Then again, this is an imaginary planet, with sentient plant life, and a wholly secular book. I feel like some of it could be allegorical but it didn't seem like the whole thing was to be taken as an allegory.
Alongside all that, though, I really appreciated the themes of anxiety; seeking purpose; fighting alone for the right; caring for each other; hating one's body; grieving and healing; setting boundaries/leaving toxic environments; and learning to thrive, not just survive. There was a lot of truth, and a lot of reflection—all of which I really enjoyed. And I liked the characters, too. I've never read anything with a they/them character before so sometimes I was a bit confused, but for the most part I kept everyone straight and I enjoyed hanging out with them all.
Overall, it's an odd, unusual little book but strangely comforting...
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
The trigger warnings plainly tell of gore and grossness. There's rot and decay of living plants and dead humans, there's bugs, there's throwing up, there's physical damage. The first few chapters, especially, were pretty "gory," and any chapter dealing with human corpses. I was also bothered by how hated humans were, how they were presented as greedy monsters who wrecked everything, were endlessly cruel, and could never, even by accident, do anything right. Again, the trigger warnings mention this, so I wasn't really surprised. I wasn't a big fan, either, or how the planet was like a being, taking care of things, basically being treated as "Mother Earth." Then again, this is an imaginary planet, with sentient plant life, and a wholly secular book. I feel like some of it could be allegorical but it didn't seem like the whole thing was to be taken as an allegory.
Alongside all that, though, I really appreciated the themes of anxiety; seeking purpose; fighting alone for the right; caring for each other; hating one's body; grieving and healing; setting boundaries/leaving toxic environments; and learning to thrive, not just survive. There was a lot of truth, and a lot of reflection—all of which I really enjoyed. And I liked the characters, too. I've never read anything with a they/them character before so sometimes I was a bit confused, but for the most part I kept everyone straight and I enjoyed hanging out with them all.
Overall, it's an odd, unusual little book but strangely comforting...
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
August 27, 2025
Thank you BookSirens and Nathaniel Luscombe for an advance reader copy of this book
This book was not what I expected, but what I needed to read. It touched me deeply and I’m sure it will never fully leave my heart.
I was not ready to feel so much, and read it with tears coming up nearly each chapter. It explores heavy topics that many authors don’t touch, or go through too quickly, but that are so necessary to talk about.
The grief of characters was my grief, their terror was mine to feel and their hope has sprouted my own.
I’ve read many books about a colonization of other planets recently, and they were all from humans’ perspective. This one is a rare gem, a topic we have all seen before, but from a different angle. And it was like a bucket of ice water at first.
At the start I felt lost and didn’t know what was happening and what to expect. And only in the end I realized how much of a writer’s genius it was! I felt exactly what the characters felt. Absolutely brilliant!
Would recommend it to any science fiction lover. You may not want to read it, but you need to, just like I needed it too.
This book was not what I expected, but what I needed to read. It touched me deeply and I’m sure it will never fully leave my heart.
I was not ready to feel so much, and read it with tears coming up nearly each chapter. It explores heavy topics that many authors don’t touch, or go through too quickly, but that are so necessary to talk about.
The grief of characters was my grief, their terror was mine to feel and their hope has sprouted my own.
I’ve read many books about a colonization of other planets recently, and they were all from humans’ perspective. This one is a rare gem, a topic we have all seen before, but from a different angle. And it was like a bucket of ice water at first.
At the start I felt lost and didn’t know what was happening and what to expect. And only in the end I realized how much of a writer’s genius it was! I felt exactly what the characters felt. Absolutely brilliant!
Would recommend it to any science fiction lover. You may not want to read it, but you need to, just like I needed it too.
January 14, 2026
Unique, authentic and full of heart, Human Scars on Planet Skin is a delightful read that balances horror with cosiness. The tone and worldbuilding stand out from anything I've ever read, the prose is clean, and the message of healing in a broken world will always be pertinent.
I love it when reading evokes a feeling, and this one made me feel like I was out in the woods with a peppermint tea, working through all the bad things in a safe, free space. Strongly recommend!
I love it when reading evokes a feeling, and this one made me feel like I was out in the woods with a peppermint tea, working through all the bad things in a safe, free space. Strongly recommend!
January 1, 2026
A truly stunning read that touches the love I have for Mother Nature. It takes courage to write something like this, and it also clearly took thought, dedication, awareness, co-authoring (which was very seamless), and a love for Nature and it’s little shroompeople. This was exactly the read I wanted to end my year with.
April 27, 2025
I tried not to make this review very long but I had so much to say about it. It gets a clear 5 stars because it's on my reread every Earth Day/randomly when I'm thinking about nature/want to feel something list. As someone who hasn't gotten into the fantasy horror genre; I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this story as much as I did. I've already recommended it to my friends and family who I feel would recognzie the significance of the themes spread throughout the story.
I found myself connecting to the characters as the story shifts through two POVs chaper by chapter (Invidia and Clyra are lovely). Within the first 100 pages I was already tearing up on occasion and found myself really thinking about my own thoughts about different things that I won't spoil. As the reader I was able to follow their separate paths that in the end intertwined. They were able to make a statement about several concepts while telling a deep story. And whether it was intentional or not; I felt like the way the characters spoke was individualized. They each had their own way of speaking and it was nice to read the difference.
The imagery is what really got me. I love when I can picture the pages in my mind, and I was able to do just that. I saw the shroompeople doing their daily activities, talking to each other, dealing with their feelings. I have a picture of Turr in my head and the changes that she went through. It didn't feel like the details were excessive which was nice too.
It was different; with the very different POVs, character goals, writing style, etc. But that made it into what is clearly a great novella that is meant to make a point in a way that has you thinking about things differently. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves nature or wants to see what I consider a realistic interpretation of how actions impact others. If there's a physical copy in the works once it does release; it'll be one I add to my shelf immediately (specifically in the MUST reread for the vibes section)!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found myself connecting to the characters as the story shifts through two POVs chaper by chapter (Invidia and Clyra are lovely). Within the first 100 pages I was already tearing up on occasion and found myself really thinking about my own thoughts about different things that I won't spoil. As the reader I was able to follow their separate paths that in the end intertwined. They were able to make a statement about several concepts while telling a deep story. And whether it was intentional or not; I felt like the way the characters spoke was individualized. They each had their own way of speaking and it was nice to read the difference.
The imagery is what really got me. I love when I can picture the pages in my mind, and I was able to do just that. I saw the shroompeople doing their daily activities, talking to each other, dealing with their feelings. I have a picture of Turr in my head and the changes that she went through. It didn't feel like the details were excessive which was nice too.
It was different; with the very different POVs, character goals, writing style, etc. But that made it into what is clearly a great novella that is meant to make a point in a way that has you thinking about things differently. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves nature or wants to see what I consider a realistic interpretation of how actions impact others. If there's a physical copy in the works once it does release; it'll be one I add to my shelf immediately (specifically in the MUST reread for the vibes section)!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 3, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a book about love, hope and what it takes to heal. A raw and beautiful story of what it’s like to reconnect with your roots, to take control of your own identity, heal from the past and be hopeful about the future.
I heard somewhere that “humans ruin everything they touch” and this book proves it. They make their homes on Planet Turr, ruining her skin, resources and children. After having enough of their mischief, she lets loose her anger and eject them from her surface. What follows is a healing journey as she and her children deal with the aftermath of the humans’ destruction.
There’s no doubt that reading this book is hard, no doubt you need a big heart to swallow the words written in these pages. Words that speak too close to home. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, yet couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I read it slowly, enjoyed every chapter and ended up loving it. I knew it’d be a masterpiece when I opened the first page, knew I’d find something close to my heart.
It’ll take me a while to get over it because of the scar it left on my heart, just as the humans left their scars on planet Turr.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a book about love, hope and what it takes to heal. A raw and beautiful story of what it’s like to reconnect with your roots, to take control of your own identity, heal from the past and be hopeful about the future.
I heard somewhere that “humans ruin everything they touch” and this book proves it. They make their homes on Planet Turr, ruining her skin, resources and children. After having enough of their mischief, she lets loose her anger and eject them from her surface. What follows is a healing journey as she and her children deal with the aftermath of the humans’ destruction.
There’s no doubt that reading this book is hard, no doubt you need a big heart to swallow the words written in these pages. Words that speak too close to home. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, yet couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I read it slowly, enjoyed every chapter and ended up loving it. I knew it’d be a masterpiece when I opened the first page, knew I’d find something close to my heart.
It’ll take me a while to get over it because of the scar it left on my heart, just as the humans left their scars on planet Turr.
August 31, 2025
THE WAY I AM CRYING OVER MUSHROOM PEOPLE IS DIABOLICAL. I LITERALLY CANT.
But I will give you my review of this book because I MUST YAP.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a genre bending horror, sci-fi, dystopian, eco horror, hopeful, gut wrenching, ball your eyes out book. I’ve read other books by Effie and Nathaniel so when they started sharing about this book on social media and said that they were working on together, I knew I’d love it. I backed this book on kickstarter and I am so glad that I did!! My experience with this novel is unforgettable and it needs a special place on my bookshelf ASAP.
For some quick critiques: like I said I have read other novels by both authors of this book and I felt like their writing wasn’t as strong in this book compared to what I’ve seen in their other works. I wanted more explanations and some themes / messages of the book felt a little repetitive, but that’s just me. Obviously I rated it a 4.75 star rating so I still loved it and had an absolute blast with this book!
Human Scars on Plant Skin follows two Shroompeople on their home planet Turr and their individual journeys in the wake of humans invading and scaring their planet. Turr is a sentient planet who can communicate with her creations living on her skin. I absolutely loved this sci-fi world building and the beautiful nature described in this book. Our two main characters, Clyra and Invidia, were the perfect protagonists for this story. Their struggles were real and harsh. Their journey to find hope and healing was realistic and inspiring. Even losing that hope at times along the way and needing support from their friends or from Turr herself. This is a horror novel, so if you don’t like horror maybe this isn’t the book for you. Beautifully described but totally gut wrenching depictions of the aftermath of the humans and Turr fighting them off are rampant in this book. It was scary in the best ways, with comfort and hope mixed in to balance it out. If you like cozy horror, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!!
I cried a few times but for sure cried over the ending of this book. It was so full of emotion and creativity that I don’t know if I can fully put everything I feel about it into words. I will be suggesting this book to all of my weird mushroom loving besties from now on and until I return to the dirt. 🖤🍄
Representations: Nonbinary mushroom people / main characters. Found family. Change being good.
Trigger warnings: Body horror and dysmorphia. Plant and environmental horror. Dissociation. Grief and trauma surrounding death. Frightening imagery. Scenes involving decay and corpses. Colonization. Insects.
But I will give you my review of this book because I MUST YAP.
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a genre bending horror, sci-fi, dystopian, eco horror, hopeful, gut wrenching, ball your eyes out book. I’ve read other books by Effie and Nathaniel so when they started sharing about this book on social media and said that they were working on together, I knew I’d love it. I backed this book on kickstarter and I am so glad that I did!! My experience with this novel is unforgettable and it needs a special place on my bookshelf ASAP.
For some quick critiques: like I said I have read other novels by both authors of this book and I felt like their writing wasn’t as strong in this book compared to what I’ve seen in their other works. I wanted more explanations and some themes / messages of the book felt a little repetitive, but that’s just me. Obviously I rated it a 4.75 star rating so I still loved it and had an absolute blast with this book!
Human Scars on Plant Skin follows two Shroompeople on their home planet Turr and their individual journeys in the wake of humans invading and scaring their planet. Turr is a sentient planet who can communicate with her creations living on her skin. I absolutely loved this sci-fi world building and the beautiful nature described in this book. Our two main characters, Clyra and Invidia, were the perfect protagonists for this story. Their struggles were real and harsh. Their journey to find hope and healing was realistic and inspiring. Even losing that hope at times along the way and needing support from their friends or from Turr herself. This is a horror novel, so if you don’t like horror maybe this isn’t the book for you. Beautifully described but totally gut wrenching depictions of the aftermath of the humans and Turr fighting them off are rampant in this book. It was scary in the best ways, with comfort and hope mixed in to balance it out. If you like cozy horror, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!!
I cried a few times but for sure cried over the ending of this book. It was so full of emotion and creativity that I don’t know if I can fully put everything I feel about it into words. I will be suggesting this book to all of my weird mushroom loving besties from now on and until I return to the dirt. 🖤🍄
Representations: Nonbinary mushroom people / main characters. Found family. Change being good.
Trigger warnings: Body horror and dysmorphia. Plant and environmental horror. Dissociation. Grief and trauma surrounding death. Frightening imagery. Scenes involving decay and corpses. Colonization. Insects.
September 1, 2025
“The Garden City isn’t gone forever, just waiting to be found again.”
Human Scars On Planet Skin is a sci-fi/eco-horror that tells the bittersweet story Turr, a sentient planet that was invaded and colonized by humans, in the aftermath of a cataclysmic event. We see the aftermath through the eyes of two of the planets Shroompeople—Invidia, a psycadellic Shroom that must work through the denial of her trauma to learn how to breath life back into Turr, and Clyra, a former experiment of the human scientists who must lead her group from the lab where they experienced so much trauma to reconnect with Turr in the new world.
The exploration of how grief and trauma manifest differently for each individual that experiences them was an element that I did not expect, but has stuck with me long after finishing this book. Clyra shows us how one can push their own grief aside in the name of caring for others, but that it is done at the expense of our own healing. Invidia’s journey with denial and her literal hallucinations to try and convince herself that everything is fine is heartbreaking but tenderly addressed. These sweet Shroompeople showed us that, even with our best efforts, nothing can go back to the way things were after such trauma—one must build something new. Things will look different, and everyone who starts the journey with us may not be there in the same capacity at the end of our journey, but we will be able to move forward with hope.
I was grateful that, while the humans are the clear instigators of this trauma, the story didn’t focus on them. What mattered were the stories of those affected, the stories of the survivors. We have tried to teach eco-responsibility from the perspective of “being kinder to our planet,” I think it’s important to have a story that gives us insight to the trauma we leave in our wake.
While the themes and hopes of the authors are a bit on the nose, particularly at the ending, I found this to be a strangely cozy tale of horror that will stick with me for a long time, and I look forward to the next works from both authors.
Thank you to the author, Book Sirens, and Dragon Bone Publishing for an ARC of this book!
Human Scars On Planet Skin is a sci-fi/eco-horror that tells the bittersweet story Turr, a sentient planet that was invaded and colonized by humans, in the aftermath of a cataclysmic event. We see the aftermath through the eyes of two of the planets Shroompeople—Invidia, a psycadellic Shroom that must work through the denial of her trauma to learn how to breath life back into Turr, and Clyra, a former experiment of the human scientists who must lead her group from the lab where they experienced so much trauma to reconnect with Turr in the new world.
The exploration of how grief and trauma manifest differently for each individual that experiences them was an element that I did not expect, but has stuck with me long after finishing this book. Clyra shows us how one can push their own grief aside in the name of caring for others, but that it is done at the expense of our own healing. Invidia’s journey with denial and her literal hallucinations to try and convince herself that everything is fine is heartbreaking but tenderly addressed. These sweet Shroompeople showed us that, even with our best efforts, nothing can go back to the way things were after such trauma—one must build something new. Things will look different, and everyone who starts the journey with us may not be there in the same capacity at the end of our journey, but we will be able to move forward with hope.
I was grateful that, while the humans are the clear instigators of this trauma, the story didn’t focus on them. What mattered were the stories of those affected, the stories of the survivors. We have tried to teach eco-responsibility from the perspective of “being kinder to our planet,” I think it’s important to have a story that gives us insight to the trauma we leave in our wake.
While the themes and hopes of the authors are a bit on the nose, particularly at the ending, I found this to be a strangely cozy tale of horror that will stick with me for a long time, and I look forward to the next works from both authors.
Thank you to the author, Book Sirens, and Dragon Bone Publishing for an ARC of this book!
July 15, 2025
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a story of survival and inner strength. The story starts when Turr the sentient planet on which this story takes place decides to fight back against the Humans forcing them to flee. However this has devastating consequences causing further damage and destruction.
From the very first chapter I was invested in the lives of all the characters. I felt their pain, anger, hopelessness as well as their hope and intrinsic need to survive and help others.
We follow our main characters who are sentient mushrooms as they try to overcome the horrors they have faced due to Humans. We see them struggle with grief and the destruction of everything they once knew.
Our first POV is Invidia who is struggling to deal with death that surrounds them and struggles with inner turmoil and a lack of purpose. We follow them as they heal and discover their true purpose with the help of Turr.
Our second POV is Clyra who was captured and experimented on by humans. We follow them and their friends who escaped their human prison as they try to reintegrate back into the wild while dealing with the lasting effects their imprisonment had on them. They have all suffered in different ways both emotionally and physically but are determined to make the most of their freedom and help save their planet.
This story explores the need for connection, understanding, compassion and appreciation. I felt every emotion possible while reading this book and felt deeply connected to the characters, I have never read a book quite like it and it will stay with me for a very long time.
I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this as an Arc.
From the very first chapter I was invested in the lives of all the characters. I felt their pain, anger, hopelessness as well as their hope and intrinsic need to survive and help others.
We follow our main characters who are sentient mushrooms as they try to overcome the horrors they have faced due to Humans. We see them struggle with grief and the destruction of everything they once knew.
Our first POV is Invidia who is struggling to deal with death that surrounds them and struggles with inner turmoil and a lack of purpose. We follow them as they heal and discover their true purpose with the help of Turr.
Our second POV is Clyra who was captured and experimented on by humans. We follow them and their friends who escaped their human prison as they try to reintegrate back into the wild while dealing with the lasting effects their imprisonment had on them. They have all suffered in different ways both emotionally and physically but are determined to make the most of their freedom and help save their planet.
This story explores the need for connection, understanding, compassion and appreciation. I felt every emotion possible while reading this book and felt deeply connected to the characters, I have never read a book quite like it and it will stay with me for a very long time.
I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this as an Arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
‘The humans stole everything from us. We deserved to revel dangerously in our freedom.’
Assigning a genre to this book is a tough ask, largely because it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Human Scars on Planet Skin is science fiction, eco horror, grief horror, Gaian revenge, trauma coping, and philosophical. It’s amazing that so much is contained in 230 or so pages.
Told in different POVs - first person as well as third, with a large cast of supporting actors - there are two main themes: some see the world as dying, some see it as enduring, and ultimately neither is wrong. It just depends on how long a view you’re taking.
I enjoyed how utterly removed any human experience was from the narrative, and that it was about how nature endures, adapts, and can eventually recover in the wake of human damage. The sentience of the planet is good, as is the reflection that even the smallest human action (to humans anyway, such as escape) can leave a detrimental legacy (the dead zones).
The book is a beautifully written allegory for how we can work through trauma, physical as well as mental or emotional, and come to something new. We may not look like we used to, as one of the characters notes, but we can still be beautiful.
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Assigning a genre to this book is a tough ask, largely because it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Human Scars on Planet Skin is science fiction, eco horror, grief horror, Gaian revenge, trauma coping, and philosophical. It’s amazing that so much is contained in 230 or so pages.
Told in different POVs - first person as well as third, with a large cast of supporting actors - there are two main themes: some see the world as dying, some see it as enduring, and ultimately neither is wrong. It just depends on how long a view you’re taking.
I enjoyed how utterly removed any human experience was from the narrative, and that it was about how nature endures, adapts, and can eventually recover in the wake of human damage. The sentience of the planet is good, as is the reflection that even the smallest human action (to humans anyway, such as escape) can leave a detrimental legacy (the dead zones).
The book is a beautifully written allegory for how we can work through trauma, physical as well as mental or emotional, and come to something new. We may not look like we used to, as one of the characters notes, but we can still be beautiful.
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 2, 2025
ARC Review-
Human Scars on Planet Skin centers around the destruction of planet Turr, and what happens when she decides to take back her skin from the humans with their technology and toxicity. Besides the prologue and epilogue which are solely dedicated to Turr, each chapter focuses on the alternate viewpoint of two sentient shroomspeople, Invidia and Clyra. While they have commonalities, they each experience the destruction of Turr and process the paths to reconciliation in completely different manners. This was to date, one of my most interesting and unique reads! I was hanging on by a thread throughout the duration of the story, eagerly reading to find out what was going to happen to Turr, Invidia, and Clyra alike. This story had so much heart and spirit packed within its pages, boasting of a tale on grief, healing, hope, and starting over. While the characters were shroomspeople and the planet was essentially alive, there were so many synchronicities between the story and real life. I found the characters to be lovable, raw, and gritty, each charging forward on their own paths forward. This is the first story in a while that made me feel something profound and out of the ordinary. It’s a story that will stick with me for quite some time, and I honestly cannot say enough positive things about it, would recommend over and over!
Human Scars on Planet Skin centers around the destruction of planet Turr, and what happens when she decides to take back her skin from the humans with their technology and toxicity. Besides the prologue and epilogue which are solely dedicated to Turr, each chapter focuses on the alternate viewpoint of two sentient shroomspeople, Invidia and Clyra. While they have commonalities, they each experience the destruction of Turr and process the paths to reconciliation in completely different manners. This was to date, one of my most interesting and unique reads! I was hanging on by a thread throughout the duration of the story, eagerly reading to find out what was going to happen to Turr, Invidia, and Clyra alike. This story had so much heart and spirit packed within its pages, boasting of a tale on grief, healing, hope, and starting over. While the characters were shroomspeople and the planet was essentially alive, there were so many synchronicities between the story and real life. I found the characters to be lovable, raw, and gritty, each charging forward on their own paths forward. This is the first story in a while that made me feel something profound and out of the ordinary. It’s a story that will stick with me for quite some time, and I honestly cannot say enough positive things about it, would recommend over and over!
August 7, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This dual POV of 2 lifeforms on a living, sentient planet, after the planet itself ejected the humans who had come to colonise with no care for what was here beyond what they could take, however whilst ejecting humanity an ecological disaster occurs.
From this point we see primarily the days after the cataclysm as Invidia and Clyra both begin their journey to help create a new balance for the world.
The imagery here is top notch and visceral, adding a gruesome vibe to the corruption the world suffers from, and flashbacks to points just before humans arrived as well as just after help cement the characters initial purpose in the world, with the 2 leads then struggling to figure out what to do, and going on very different mental paths, one from defeatism to acceptance, the other starting off accepting before having their faith shaken.
On top of that this also deals with theme of grief, loss and acceptance in a really smart way, which at times can make this an uncomfortable read, as it should in this instance.
Overall, good writing, excellent world building along with strong themes and imagery made this a good read overall, although I suspect this may not be for everyone
This dual POV of 2 lifeforms on a living, sentient planet, after the planet itself ejected the humans who had come to colonise with no care for what was here beyond what they could take, however whilst ejecting humanity an ecological disaster occurs.
From this point we see primarily the days after the cataclysm as Invidia and Clyra both begin their journey to help create a new balance for the world.
The imagery here is top notch and visceral, adding a gruesome vibe to the corruption the world suffers from, and flashbacks to points just before humans arrived as well as just after help cement the characters initial purpose in the world, with the 2 leads then struggling to figure out what to do, and going on very different mental paths, one from defeatism to acceptance, the other starting off accepting before having their faith shaken.
On top of that this also deals with theme of grief, loss and acceptance in a really smart way, which at times can make this an uncomfortable read, as it should in this instance.
Overall, good writing, excellent world building along with strong themes and imagery made this a good read overall, although I suspect this may not be for everyone
August 16, 2025
The authors accomplished the impossible: They made horror cozy, grief safe, and fictional shroompeople real.
I attribute this to two things: (1) Vivid descriptions and (2) emotional processing.
(1) The sensation of touch was just as strong as the visual imagery. I could feel the shroomcaps in my hands.
“When they touched their headcap, their hand came back covered in smashed, rubbery flesh.”
(2) The driving force of the plot is the emotional journey. This really contributes it to feeling like a gentle read, despite the elements of horror and darkness.
“…losing myself in the sound of a world tearing itself apart so it could finally put itself back together again.”
In general, I loved the premise (and title!!) of this book. What a unique concept: The shroompeople, the very beings responsible for decomposing dead things, have to deal with insurmountable grief.
“Mushrooms bloomed from his eyes, nose, and ears.”
If you’re looking for a story with atmosphere and meaning that doesn’t shy away from hard topics, this is the book for you!
P.S. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I can’t wait for the illustrated paperback to arrive! It’s truly a work of art.
I attribute this to two things: (1) Vivid descriptions and (2) emotional processing.
(1) The sensation of touch was just as strong as the visual imagery. I could feel the shroomcaps in my hands.
“When they touched their headcap, their hand came back covered in smashed, rubbery flesh.”
(2) The driving force of the plot is the emotional journey. This really contributes it to feeling like a gentle read, despite the elements of horror and darkness.
“…losing myself in the sound of a world tearing itself apart so it could finally put itself back together again.”
In general, I loved the premise (and title!!) of this book. What a unique concept: The shroompeople, the very beings responsible for decomposing dead things, have to deal with insurmountable grief.
“Mushrooms bloomed from his eyes, nose, and ears.”
If you’re looking for a story with atmosphere and meaning that doesn’t shy away from hard topics, this is the book for you!
P.S. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I can’t wait for the illustrated paperback to arrive! It’s truly a work of art.
September 1, 2025
Human Scars on Planet Skin is a wonderful genre bender, combining eco/plant horror, sci-fi, grief and healing. We see our characters go through their own journeys of grief, while also carrying the weight of the world, and coming to accept and handle both in the end.
Clyra was especially relatable. They are struggling with their own fears and pain, but is also holding onto all of the pain of their friends as the rock/healer/leader. This is not a roll they asked for, the others put this responsibility on them as they have shown themself to be capable and empathetic.
I would recommend checking this one out for anyone who wants to read a unique take on sci-fi, or those feeling despair about the current state of climate change who might need a little bit of hope.
Thank you to Book Sirens and the authors for providing an early copy in exchange for an unbiased review!
Clyra was especially relatable. They are struggling with their own fears and pain, but is also holding onto all of the pain of their friends as the rock/healer/leader. This is not a roll they asked for, the others put this responsibility on them as they have shown themself to be capable and empathetic.
"I can't help but notice that some of them come to you with their problems. They must trust you." [...] "I don't know why they expect me to be able to fix things. I'm just as scared as the rest of them."
"It's even harder for me because I feel like I have to hold their hurt alongside mine."
I would recommend checking this one out for anyone who wants to read a unique take on sci-fi, or those feeling despair about the current state of climate change who might need a little bit of hope.
Thank you to Book Sirens and the authors for providing an early copy in exchange for an unbiased review!
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