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Skin of Gold
Twenty-year-old November “Nova” Yu was thriving as a creative writing student at Columbia University—until she was sexually assaulted while studying abroad in South Korea. Now back home on Long Island, Nova is unraveling. She must fight for justice in a foreign legal system. Her scholarship is on the line. Her family doesn’t know how to hold space for her pain. And the only one who sees her is Dazy, an alluring, passionate young woman from her support group with secrets of her own.
With her, Nova can numb the pain of unsympathetic academic advisors and the ongoing criminal investigation through substance-fueled nights and moments of fleeting tenderness. But when escaping the pain becomes more dangerous than the pain itself, Nova is forced to confront what healing requires—and what survival really costs.
*Content This novel contains depictions of depression, PTSD, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Themes of sexual violence and domestic abuse are discussed, although there is nothing graphic for either on page. Please be advised that these topics are explored and proceed with your own discretion*
With her, Nova can numb the pain of unsympathetic academic advisors and the ongoing criminal investigation through substance-fueled nights and moments of fleeting tenderness. But when escaping the pain becomes more dangerous than the pain itself, Nova is forced to confront what healing requires—and what survival really costs.
*Content This novel contains depictions of depression, PTSD, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Themes of sexual violence and domestic abuse are discussed, although there is nothing graphic for either on page. Please be advised that these topics are explored and proceed with your own discretion*
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 12, 2025
Disclaimer : I was gifted this book as an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
As a survivor myself, this story was so important for me and deserved to be told. Im glad Caeli tackled the subject with poise and delicacy. It features heavy themes but nothing too explicit or voyeuristic.
It has its weaknesses and could have been more copy-edited for a self published debut.
But the story resonated a lot with me, and the struggles of Nova were mine. The depression, the substance abuse, her relatives’ inability to understand… all of it was perfectly depicted, in a very beautiful prose. Some line were an absolute delight!
As a survivor myself, this story was so important for me and deserved to be told. Im glad Caeli tackled the subject with poise and delicacy. It features heavy themes but nothing too explicit or voyeuristic.
It has its weaknesses and could have been more copy-edited for a self published debut.
But the story resonated a lot with me, and the struggles of Nova were mine. The depression, the substance abuse, her relatives’ inability to understand… all of it was perfectly depicted, in a very beautiful prose. Some line were an absolute delight!
October 23, 2025
Disclaimer: I’ve received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review.
This was definitely a strong debut that keeps you turning the page, wanting to learn more about Nova and her journey. While the book does deal with serious issues like sexual assault/harassment, self-harm, and substance abuse, it is not gratuitous, and the assault is not shown in any detail. We know when it happened and the events leading up to it, but that is it.
We meet Nova less than a week after her life has been completely altered after being assaulted while studying abroad in South Korea, as she struggles to navigate therapy and returning home to her family on top of all of the legal proceedings.
I found Nova to be a compelling character. While the choices she made had me cringing a bit while reading, you understand why she makes them, and what sets her on a self-destructive path, and you desperately want to pull her away from it.
For me, the highlight of the story was her dynamic with her family. It felt raw—especially her relationship with her parents. Nova’s mother puts her in therapy immediately upon returning home, including group sessions with other survivors. It’s clear this is not something Nova felt ready for, but it’s forced upon her regardless. This gives Nova the impression that she needs to be “fixed” and creates distance between the two, but of course, her mother is only doing what she thinks is best for her daughter. Their personalities definitely clash, causing a lot of tension, although the love they have for each other is still clear. When Nova wants someone to talk to and be there for her, her mother is distant and thinks she needs space.
There’s a similar dynamic between Nova and her cousin Cece, who always seems to say the wrong thing. One of the scenes I thought was the strongest is when Cece takes Nova to church, and the two have a conversation about God and why Nova feels they’ve abandoned her.
”Everything happens for a reason, Nova,” she says quietly.
I roll my eyes. “Give me a reason why I had to be raped.”
“I don’t know,” she says, driving down the quiet streets with her hands gripped tight on the wheel. “But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?”
“I don’t feel stronger.” I look out the window at the street lamps passing by. “I wonder what I did to deserve this?”
“Nothing, Nova. You didn’t deserve it. Sometimes, bad things just happen, and it’s nobody’s fault.”
“Everything happens for a reason or for no reason at all?” I frown, repeating her earlier words. “Which one is it, Cece?”
She takes a deep, rattling breath. “Why are you arguing with me? It’s not my fault this happened to you. I’m on your side.”
“Yeah, it’s no one’s fault,” I say flatly.
“I’m starting to think you don’t actually want to feel better, you just want everyone to feel sorry for you.”
I had to close my laptop when I read that because I was so angry reading about someone having the gall to say that to a fictional character. I genuinely can not begin to imagine even a fraction of the hurt and rage survivors must feel hearing that type of bullshit from the people they trust. That’s the point, though; everyone wants to help Nova, but no one really knows how, and people assume what she needs rather than ask her.
When it comes to the investigation, trial, and sentencing, the author did an excellent job at showing the cruel reality of the justice system, and how victims are forced to relive their trauma over and over again. There was one line that stood out to me about how Nova didn’t want to report what happened originally, but thought that doing so would be taking care of herself in the future in case she regretted not doing so. Even when the verdict is given, Nova still feels empty. What amount of time served is sufficient for taking away someone’s ability to feel safe in their world and in their body?
This was under 200 pages, making it a very quick read. There’s not much plot besides the court proceedings, so the story relies heavily on characterization to keep you engaged. While it does succeed in the important relationships, and you see the genuine care and affection between the characters, I did want more. I understand that this is difficult with such a short novel, but I wish we got to see more interactions between Nova and her brother, and that there were more moments with Dazy before everything seemed to fall apart. I’m not saying that as a criticism, but because what interactions we do see are well done, and I want even more of them.
Overall, I found this to be a compelling debut that kept me engaged throughout the story, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author releases next.
This was definitely a strong debut that keeps you turning the page, wanting to learn more about Nova and her journey. While the book does deal with serious issues like sexual assault/harassment, self-harm, and substance abuse, it is not gratuitous, and the assault is not shown in any detail. We know when it happened and the events leading up to it, but that is it.
We meet Nova less than a week after her life has been completely altered after being assaulted while studying abroad in South Korea, as she struggles to navigate therapy and returning home to her family on top of all of the legal proceedings.
I found Nova to be a compelling character. While the choices she made had me cringing a bit while reading, you understand why she makes them, and what sets her on a self-destructive path, and you desperately want to pull her away from it.
For me, the highlight of the story was her dynamic with her family. It felt raw—especially her relationship with her parents. Nova’s mother puts her in therapy immediately upon returning home, including group sessions with other survivors. It’s clear this is not something Nova felt ready for, but it’s forced upon her regardless. This gives Nova the impression that she needs to be “fixed” and creates distance between the two, but of course, her mother is only doing what she thinks is best for her daughter. Their personalities definitely clash, causing a lot of tension, although the love they have for each other is still clear. When Nova wants someone to talk to and be there for her, her mother is distant and thinks she needs space.
There’s a similar dynamic between Nova and her cousin Cece, who always seems to say the wrong thing. One of the scenes I thought was the strongest is when Cece takes Nova to church, and the two have a conversation about God and why Nova feels they’ve abandoned her.
”Everything happens for a reason, Nova,” she says quietly.
I roll my eyes. “Give me a reason why I had to be raped.”
“I don’t know,” she says, driving down the quiet streets with her hands gripped tight on the wheel. “But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?”
“I don’t feel stronger.” I look out the window at the street lamps passing by. “I wonder what I did to deserve this?”
“Nothing, Nova. You didn’t deserve it. Sometimes, bad things just happen, and it’s nobody’s fault.”
“Everything happens for a reason or for no reason at all?” I frown, repeating her earlier words. “Which one is it, Cece?”
She takes a deep, rattling breath. “Why are you arguing with me? It’s not my fault this happened to you. I’m on your side.”
“Yeah, it’s no one’s fault,” I say flatly.
“I’m starting to think you don’t actually want to feel better, you just want everyone to feel sorry for you.”
I had to close my laptop when I read that because I was so angry reading about someone having the gall to say that to a fictional character. I genuinely can not begin to imagine even a fraction of the hurt and rage survivors must feel hearing that type of bullshit from the people they trust. That’s the point, though; everyone wants to help Nova, but no one really knows how, and people assume what she needs rather than ask her.
When it comes to the investigation, trial, and sentencing, the author did an excellent job at showing the cruel reality of the justice system, and how victims are forced to relive their trauma over and over again. There was one line that stood out to me about how Nova didn’t want to report what happened originally, but thought that doing so would be taking care of herself in the future in case she regretted not doing so. Even when the verdict is given, Nova still feels empty. What amount of time served is sufficient for taking away someone’s ability to feel safe in their world and in their body?
This was under 200 pages, making it a very quick read. There’s not much plot besides the court proceedings, so the story relies heavily on characterization to keep you engaged. While it does succeed in the important relationships, and you see the genuine care and affection between the characters, I did want more. I understand that this is difficult with such a short novel, but I wish we got to see more interactions between Nova and her brother, and that there were more moments with Dazy before everything seemed to fall apart. I’m not saying that as a criticism, but because what interactions we do see are well done, and I want even more of them.
Overall, I found this to be a compelling debut that kept me engaged throughout the story, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author releases next.
January 3, 2026
Thanks to author Caeli Faye for the ARC copy of Skin of Gold. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.
First of all, be aware of the content warnings for this book, which include: depictions of depression, PTSD, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, alongside discussions of sexual and domestic abuse (never depicted in graphic detail in page). When it comes to my review, these will only be mentioned as necessary.
In "Skin of Gold" we are introduced to Nova Yu, a young creative writing student at Columbia University, abroad at South Korea, until she gets sexually assaulted. Now, back at home in Long Island, everything's and herself are spiraling: her scholarship on the line, her family unsure around her, and fighting with a foreign legal system doesn't help at all. Forced in a support group, the only person that seems to resonate with her is Dazy, a passionate young woman she meets there. Dazy takes Nova in a path of oblivion with alcohol, drugs and anything Nova is willing to accept. For as long as she can keep up with it, or realizes there must be some other ways to deal with it all.
So, I'd like to preface this review by saying that having been following Caeli on youtube for a while, I jumped at the opportunity to ARC-read her debut novella. I'd like to believe that this fact has not affected how I view the book nor how I reviewed it. But I did enjoy it and I'll be here for whatever Caeli has in store for next. That said, on to the proper review we go.
For a debut, this novella was quite solid in the exploration of its main theme: SA and how it affects people's lives; while Nova isn't a representation of the collective, she's definitely a realistic example of how a person can spiral after being attacked like that. The familiar aspect of it, how Nova feels a rupture in her relationship with parents, siblings and other close relatives, because no one knows where to stand anymore in relation to each other was probably the strongest point of the novella. Showing how, it not only affects, primarily Nova, but the people around that love her.
And they're trying, and it gets messy and Nova finds herself not being able to rely on them at moments, but it is honest and it evolves both in good and bad ways. Nova and her family felt quite real to me for as short as we know them, and it was my favorite aspect of the book. It even got me emotional towards the end, not gonna lie
Which makes it a bit bittersweet when I have to be harsher with the other part of the book: Nova's exploration of her sexuality in the aftermath of the assault and her developing relationship with Dazy. While I think that Nova's reactions to new physical contact are justified and coherent within the narrative presented to us in the novella, the way going through them, with Nova opening slowly but surely to touch (any type) again, in parallel with her relationship with Dazy, felt scarce, bit forced and not handle as well as the family part. In my opinion, at least.
Because, Dazy keeps secrets and, sure, she genuinely likes Nova and is sweet with her and respects her personal space, but she also influences Nova into alcohol, partying and drugs til the point of oblivion, of almost addiction and even convinces her to take part into nefarious activities. And Nova navigates romance with Dazy, which cool, she's re-finding herself after the violence suffered. But, I think that this aspect of the book was a bit overdone and repetitive: Nova contacted Dazy (or the other way around after getting to know each other some), they went to some place (a party, either girl's house) and got drunk/high.
And, at the end of the day, if Nova and Dazy's relationship is going to be a crucial part of the plot and the novella, I would have liked it to be explore in depth, not only the bad influences of Dazy over Nova into substances, but also the good parts. How, in a different context, maybe, Dazy could have been a good match for Nova. Or, if not, at least, how she wasn't only the "party girl" but far more, and then it is more bittersweet when they have to break up because Nova can't keep going like that. Just...more, you know? I understand that novellas don't offer much space for profound exploration of various topics at the same time, but still, one can dream, I guess.
Anyway. All in all, I think "Skin of Gold" is a solid debut, worth the chance and, with its lights and it shadows, a story of growth, of familiar love and finding oneself in a turbulent world and trying to find peace in difficult moments. It touches on themes still relevant for our society, unfortunately, and gives out hope for everybody. Hope y'all enjoyed the review and I'll see you in the next one!
First of all, be aware of the content warnings for this book, which include: depictions of depression, PTSD, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, alongside discussions of sexual and domestic abuse (never depicted in graphic detail in page). When it comes to my review, these will only be mentioned as necessary.
In "Skin of Gold" we are introduced to Nova Yu, a young creative writing student at Columbia University, abroad at South Korea, until she gets sexually assaulted. Now, back at home in Long Island, everything's and herself are spiraling: her scholarship on the line, her family unsure around her, and fighting with a foreign legal system doesn't help at all. Forced in a support group, the only person that seems to resonate with her is Dazy, a passionate young woman she meets there. Dazy takes Nova in a path of oblivion with alcohol, drugs and anything Nova is willing to accept. For as long as she can keep up with it, or realizes there must be some other ways to deal with it all.
So, I'd like to preface this review by saying that having been following Caeli on youtube for a while, I jumped at the opportunity to ARC-read her debut novella. I'd like to believe that this fact has not affected how I view the book nor how I reviewed it. But I did enjoy it and I'll be here for whatever Caeli has in store for next. That said, on to the proper review we go.
For a debut, this novella was quite solid in the exploration of its main theme: SA and how it affects people's lives; while Nova isn't a representation of the collective, she's definitely a realistic example of how a person can spiral after being attacked like that. The familiar aspect of it, how Nova feels a rupture in her relationship with parents, siblings and other close relatives, because no one knows where to stand anymore in relation to each other was probably the strongest point of the novella. Showing how, it not only affects, primarily Nova, but the people around that love her.
And they're trying, and it gets messy and Nova finds herself not being able to rely on them at moments, but it is honest and it evolves both in good and bad ways. Nova and her family felt quite real to me for as short as we know them, and it was my favorite aspect of the book. It even got me emotional towards the end, not gonna lie
Which makes it a bit bittersweet when I have to be harsher with the other part of the book: Nova's exploration of her sexuality in the aftermath of the assault and her developing relationship with Dazy. While I think that Nova's reactions to new physical contact are justified and coherent within the narrative presented to us in the novella, the way going through them, with Nova opening slowly but surely to touch (any type) again, in parallel with her relationship with Dazy, felt scarce, bit forced and not handle as well as the family part. In my opinion, at least.
Because, Dazy keeps secrets and, sure, she genuinely likes Nova and is sweet with her and respects her personal space, but she also influences Nova into alcohol, partying and drugs til the point of oblivion, of almost addiction and even convinces her to take part into nefarious activities. And Nova navigates romance with Dazy, which cool, she's re-finding herself after the violence suffered. But, I think that this aspect of the book was a bit overdone and repetitive: Nova contacted Dazy (or the other way around after getting to know each other some), they went to some place (a party, either girl's house) and got drunk/high.
And, at the end of the day, if Nova and Dazy's relationship is going to be a crucial part of the plot and the novella, I would have liked it to be explore in depth, not only the bad influences of Dazy over Nova into substances, but also the good parts. How, in a different context, maybe, Dazy could have been a good match for Nova. Or, if not, at least, how she wasn't only the "party girl" but far more, and then it is more bittersweet when they have to break up because Nova can't keep going like that. Just...more, you know? I understand that novellas don't offer much space for profound exploration of various topics at the same time, but still, one can dream, I guess.
Anyway. All in all, I think "Skin of Gold" is a solid debut, worth the chance and, with its lights and it shadows, a story of growth, of familiar love and finding oneself in a turbulent world and trying to find peace in difficult moments. It touches on themes still relevant for our society, unfortunately, and gives out hope for everybody. Hope y'all enjoyed the review and I'll see you in the next one!
November 11, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Skin of Gold as an arc, and I wanted to give a really in-depth review which is why it has taken so long to write this!
Overall, I felt that this was a fantastic debut. The author has a strong voice, and I feel like they were able to really convey the more sensitive and traumatic points of the story well, and give an honest and truthful account of what it’s like to go through these events. They accurately represented the headspace of someone who’s went through such a significant traumatic event, and what it’s like to try and put yourself back together and return to your life; to pick up the pieces of the life that you had beforehand. They portrayed this, as well as the actual trauma, very sensitively. I was really drawn into the story and I honestly felt sick thinking about everything our MC went through. The storytelling was vivid and realistic, and I overall really enjoyed this debut.
Some of the narrative choices got me a little bit lost - for example, between chapters it was not always very clear how much time had passed. I do feel like this was intentional, because if you were in an almost fugue state after a traumatic event, time doesn’t flow normally; it feels as if it passes very quickly or very slowly. However, I felt that it didn’t work the best narratively, and I felt a little bit confused and taken out the story sometimes.
I also wanted to talk about the use of drugs/substance abuse. Whilst I understood this was a crutch for our MC in order to cope with her trauma, I felt that the descriptions of the ‘highs’, and the ego death the character was experiencing didn’t really drive the story forward narratively. It was something that happened to them, but they didn’t take time to reflect on it at all once they were sober. I felt like we didn’t need to go into as much depth into the experience the character had while they were on drugs, and I also found myself skipping so these actions because they felt very repetitive.
With regards to the actual prose, I felt that there was some very flowery language used which just felt like too much. At the same time, I could see that they have a talent for using descriptive language in storytelling, but it just needed to be refined a little bit more, and I think it would’ve come across very well.
My only other drawback is that I wish we had a little bit more! I felt like the characters, especially our supporting characters, didn’t have as much room to breathe and grow, and felt a little rushed/underdeveloped. There was a really interesting mix of characters in this book and I would have loved more time with them to really flesh them out.
Overall, I did really enjoy reading this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next! I feel like they could write a really incredible fantasy book because their language is so descriptive, and they are able to create such vivid scenes, but I hope that the author has the time and space to really delve deeper into their characters and bring them to life more.
Overall, I felt that this was a fantastic debut. The author has a strong voice, and I feel like they were able to really convey the more sensitive and traumatic points of the story well, and give an honest and truthful account of what it’s like to go through these events. They accurately represented the headspace of someone who’s went through such a significant traumatic event, and what it’s like to try and put yourself back together and return to your life; to pick up the pieces of the life that you had beforehand. They portrayed this, as well as the actual trauma, very sensitively. I was really drawn into the story and I honestly felt sick thinking about everything our MC went through. The storytelling was vivid and realistic, and I overall really enjoyed this debut.
Some of the narrative choices got me a little bit lost - for example, between chapters it was not always very clear how much time had passed. I do feel like this was intentional, because if you were in an almost fugue state after a traumatic event, time doesn’t flow normally; it feels as if it passes very quickly or very slowly. However, I felt that it didn’t work the best narratively, and I felt a little bit confused and taken out the story sometimes.
I also wanted to talk about the use of drugs/substance abuse. Whilst I understood this was a crutch for our MC in order to cope with her trauma, I felt that the descriptions of the ‘highs’, and the ego death the character was experiencing didn’t really drive the story forward narratively. It was something that happened to them, but they didn’t take time to reflect on it at all once they were sober. I felt like we didn’t need to go into as much depth into the experience the character had while they were on drugs, and I also found myself skipping so these actions because they felt very repetitive.
With regards to the actual prose, I felt that there was some very flowery language used which just felt like too much. At the same time, I could see that they have a talent for using descriptive language in storytelling, but it just needed to be refined a little bit more, and I think it would’ve come across very well.
My only other drawback is that I wish we had a little bit more! I felt like the characters, especially our supporting characters, didn’t have as much room to breathe and grow, and felt a little rushed/underdeveloped. There was a really interesting mix of characters in this book and I would have loved more time with them to really flesh them out.
Overall, I did really enjoy reading this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next! I feel like they could write a really incredible fantasy book because their language is so descriptive, and they are able to create such vivid scenes, but I hope that the author has the time and space to really delve deeper into their characters and bring them to life more.
October 8, 2025
Disclaimer: I read an e-ARC of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review. My rating and thoughts are entirely subjective.
On the whole I think this was a well done, in-depth exploration of trauma and its consequences. The author further describes the book as a sapphic coming of age novel which in my understanding of those tropes, I don't think it is. There were elements of a sapphic relationship and it was about a young woman, but at its core Skin of Gold is all about dealing with trauma, the ups and downs (mostly the downs) of healing and therapy and, for a big part, the exploration of dysfunctional ways to deal with trauma. Which is cool, if that is what you're looking for.
Here are some thoughts I had:
Nova isn't really likeable. It's easy to have sympathy for her, but it was hard for me to care about her journey.
The writing switched between solid, well readable to overly purple and flowery and back; some passages were very well written, sometimes the imagery was great, but sometimes it was very hard to read, at least for me (granted, I'm not a native speaker); since there was little plot, it felt like the author was trying to make up for it by intense descriptions, however this type of prose clashes with the point of view, which is that of a traumatized, confused, young woman, I don't buy that she has a very lyrical view of the world
The plot felt a little underwritten, most of the time was spent in Nova's head, little happened to keep me engaged (which, again, isn't necessarily bad, just not what I thought this would be)
More of the support group would have been interesting
The sibling relationship had real potential but felt underexplored
Why did the therapist have to be so utterly incompetent that he didn't even stand a chance with her? This is a minor gripe and I think the point was being made that not every therapist is right for everyone, but he just seemed stupid and it made no sense to me
Lastly (CW substances): What really pushed me out of the story was the heavy, repeated, drawn-out sequences of substance abuse. I get that that's part of Nova's journey. But wow, she kept getting f-ed up on a thousand different things. Repeatedly. And it's just not something I'm interested in reading about when I'm not that attached to the story and the character in the first place.
Summary: This wasn't a bad book by any means, even if my rating and review might suggest otherwise. It was good for a self-published debut, if a little overdone in some parts and underdone in others. That's normal, I think. It just wasn't really what I was hoping to read and didn't match my tastes at all, hence the rating.
On the whole I think this was a well done, in-depth exploration of trauma and its consequences. The author further describes the book as a sapphic coming of age novel which in my understanding of those tropes, I don't think it is. There were elements of a sapphic relationship and it was about a young woman, but at its core Skin of Gold is all about dealing with trauma, the ups and downs (mostly the downs) of healing and therapy and, for a big part, the exploration of dysfunctional ways to deal with trauma. Which is cool, if that is what you're looking for.
Here are some thoughts I had:
Nova isn't really likeable. It's easy to have sympathy for her, but it was hard for me to care about her journey.
The writing switched between solid, well readable to overly purple and flowery and back; some passages were very well written, sometimes the imagery was great, but sometimes it was very hard to read, at least for me (granted, I'm not a native speaker); since there was little plot, it felt like the author was trying to make up for it by intense descriptions, however this type of prose clashes with the point of view, which is that of a traumatized, confused, young woman, I don't buy that she has a very lyrical view of the world
The plot felt a little underwritten, most of the time was spent in Nova's head, little happened to keep me engaged (which, again, isn't necessarily bad, just not what I thought this would be)
More of the support group would have been interesting
The sibling relationship had real potential but felt underexplored
Why did the therapist have to be so utterly incompetent that he didn't even stand a chance with her? This is a minor gripe and I think the point was being made that not every therapist is right for everyone, but he just seemed stupid and it made no sense to me
Lastly (CW substances): What really pushed me out of the story was the heavy, repeated, drawn-out sequences of substance abuse. I get that that's part of Nova's journey. But wow, she kept getting f-ed up on a thousand different things. Repeatedly. And it's just not something I'm interested in reading about when I'm not that attached to the story and the character in the first place.
Summary: This wasn't a bad book by any means, even if my rating and review might suggest otherwise. It was good for a self-published debut, if a little overdone in some parts and underdone in others. That's normal, I think. It just wasn't really what I was hoping to read and didn't match my tastes at all, hence the rating.
November 16, 2025
There are a lot of books where sexual assault is merely a plot point. Skin of Gold is the story of one woman’s mental and emotional health journey in the aftermath of one horrific night.
Nova Yu is deeply in pain, as she struggles to find her place in what was the normal life she use to have. She is not getting the support she needs from her family, friends, or even therapy and so turns to drugs to escape.
The author’s imagery is so descriptive, I almost feel like I know what it’s like to take these drugs. During these episodes she experiences some very low lows, but also brilliant moments of clarity. There are many pearls of wisdom embedded in random moments and conversations throughout the book.
This story gave me a perspective of what it might be like to experience something I don’t wish on anyone. But the pain, hopelessness, despair, and questions as to whether life is really worth living are feelings that many people can relate to, regardless of the type of trauma they are dealing with. For someone who might be in a dark place, perhaps this book can give them hope that maybe someday they can be okay too.
I am sad for Nova for her tremendous suffering; for her family, who don’t know how to support her; and for our society, where women have to be extra vigilant when they shouldn’t have to be. Overall this is a beautifully written book, delving into heavy topics with care, from a perspective that deserves to be heard.
Nova Yu is deeply in pain, as she struggles to find her place in what was the normal life she use to have. She is not getting the support she needs from her family, friends, or even therapy and so turns to drugs to escape.
The author’s imagery is so descriptive, I almost feel like I know what it’s like to take these drugs. During these episodes she experiences some very low lows, but also brilliant moments of clarity. There are many pearls of wisdom embedded in random moments and conversations throughout the book.
This story gave me a perspective of what it might be like to experience something I don’t wish on anyone. But the pain, hopelessness, despair, and questions as to whether life is really worth living are feelings that many people can relate to, regardless of the type of trauma they are dealing with. For someone who might be in a dark place, perhaps this book can give them hope that maybe someday they can be okay too.
I am sad for Nova for her tremendous suffering; for her family, who don’t know how to support her; and for our society, where women have to be extra vigilant when they shouldn’t have to be. Overall this is a beautifully written book, delving into heavy topics with care, from a perspective that deserves to be heard.
October 2, 2025
A very inspiring story. Usually, I don't like jumping between scenes, but here it adds dynamism and it makes it a huge page turner. The story itself seems personal, traps you inside young Nova's skin, and makes you live through the trauma with her.
I think that too many characters appear in this book and only a fraction of them are developed. Their personality is described with a few sentences and that's all we have for the whole time. Because of that they seem one-dimensional and not that interesting to follow, but for such a short book there is no way to have all these characters and develop them at the same time.
Another problem I have is a metaphorical, ornate language, which adds poeticality and aesthetic, but doesn't reflect the main character's emotions, in fact, it disturbs our connection with Nova's raw, traumatic experience. Moments of silence and understatements might have been more impactful than the overexplanation of her emotions and thoughts.
I feel like I'm getting too critical here but Skin of Gold is a really good debut and I can't wait to see the author's upcoming projects.
I think that too many characters appear in this book and only a fraction of them are developed. Their personality is described with a few sentences and that's all we have for the whole time. Because of that they seem one-dimensional and not that interesting to follow, but for such a short book there is no way to have all these characters and develop them at the same time.
Another problem I have is a metaphorical, ornate language, which adds poeticality and aesthetic, but doesn't reflect the main character's emotions, in fact, it disturbs our connection with Nova's raw, traumatic experience. Moments of silence and understatements might have been more impactful than the overexplanation of her emotions and thoughts.
I feel like I'm getting too critical here but Skin of Gold is a really good debut and I can't wait to see the author's upcoming projects.
October 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, it is a strong debut novel. The story delves deeply into what it feels like to have experienced a traumatic event and the aftermath of it, examining its impact on mental health and relationships through Nova, a sympathetic protagonist you cannot help but root for, even when she makes some rather irresponsible and unwise choices in her darkest moments. I also appreciated its critique of the justice system, portraying how it can be coldly indifferent to victims of these types of crimes and often does not delivers a satisfying or fair outcome. The sapphic romance subplot was a highlight for me, offering a warmth and much-needed levity amid the heavy subject matter present.
My only criticism is the choice of present tense for the prose. While it presumably aims to make Nova’s emotions feel more visceral and immediate, I found it jarring and felt it mismatched with the book’s genre and generally slower-paced, introspective tone. It would not have been any worse off if it was written in past tense, which would have been much better in my opinion.
Overall, I do recommend giving this one a read, a great literary novel with a YA/New Adult vibe. I look forward to seeing what the author works on next.
My only criticism is the choice of present tense for the prose. While it presumably aims to make Nova’s emotions feel more visceral and immediate, I found it jarring and felt it mismatched with the book’s genre and generally slower-paced, introspective tone. It would not have been any worse off if it was written in past tense, which would have been much better in my opinion.
Overall, I do recommend giving this one a read, a great literary novel with a YA/New Adult vibe. I look forward to seeing what the author works on next.
November 12, 2025
Disclaimer One: I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Disclaimer Two: I am admittedly not very well-read in the literary-coming-of-age genre, so there might have been some staples or tone things that were lost on me.
I had a couple problems with this book, but overall I think it is a solid debut. Sometimes the purple, metaphorical quality of the prose felt a little forced or misaligned with the voice of the POV character, and there isn’t as much actual ‘fighting of justice in a foreign legal system’ as I thought there’d be, but this isn’t a legal drama, its a story about trauma, 100%. I really liked Nova. I wish we got to *see* her becoming friends with Dazy a little more.
Also, its a very vignette-styled book. Sometimes that worked, sometimes I wished we’d been given a little more to sink our teeth into. But it was a good read at the end of the day!
Disclaimer Two: I am admittedly not very well-read in the literary-coming-of-age genre, so there might have been some staples or tone things that were lost on me.
I had a couple problems with this book, but overall I think it is a solid debut. Sometimes the purple, metaphorical quality of the prose felt a little forced or misaligned with the voice of the POV character, and there isn’t as much actual ‘fighting of justice in a foreign legal system’ as I thought there’d be, but this isn’t a legal drama, its a story about trauma, 100%. I really liked Nova. I wish we got to *see* her becoming friends with Dazy a little more.
Also, its a very vignette-styled book. Sometimes that worked, sometimes I wished we’d been given a little more to sink our teeth into. But it was a good read at the end of the day!
November 7, 2025
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is often hauntingly beautiful, but it's also inconsistent. It often felt like we weren't being included in all of Nova's thoughts and actions, as if we were being closed out similarly to her friends and family. It's entirely possible this was the author's intent, but it did unfortunately make the character difficult to connect with, which is important for me.
The writing is often hauntingly beautiful, but it's also inconsistent. It often felt like we weren't being included in all of Nova's thoughts and actions, as if we were being closed out similarly to her friends and family. It's entirely possible this was the author's intent, but it did unfortunately make the character difficult to connect with, which is important for me.
October 5, 2025
A wonderful book. I thought it to be really inspiring. It’s nice to see the depiction of someone healing after a traumatic event where it shows the not-so-pretty side of it. I really loved learning about Nova throughout the chapters and I really came to understand her. I definitely recommend this book! It’s a lovely debut.
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