"Schlote-Bonne’s debut [...] has all the markings of her future as a master storyteller. VERDICT This debut shines brightly on shelves full of oncoming spooky season releases. Keep one eye on future novels by the author, and be sure to purchase this one."
—SLJ, starred review
"Classic horror imagery is paired with a flawed protagonist who reckons with the guilt and grief caused by her habit of lying and her obsession with streaming. [...] A fast-paced supernatural mystery ideal for fans of horror games."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Schlote-Bonne’s debut novel moves fast and doesn’t slow down. Fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s and other horror games will undoubtedly binge this jump scare–filled story."
—Booklist
“In mixing demonic scares, personal trauma, and online (and in-person) gaslighting this tense but fun novel feels like our very unsure, ambiguous now. I inhaled Such Lovely Skin, and now I'm even more afraid of everything.”
—Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts
"Ultra-thrilling."
—TV Guide
“Perfectly creepy and utterly transfixing, I devoured Such Lovely Skin in a single sitting. A masterfully crafted story of spine-tingling tension, terrifying jump scares, and heart-wrenching moments. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.”
—Diana Urban, award-winning author of Under the Surface
“A wonderfully tense book that takes a long hard look at the worst parts of us. There is nothing scarier than a demonic entity who will hurt the people you love in order to hurt you, and there’s a reason it wears your face.”
-Rin Chupeco, author of The Bone Witch
“A fast paced and thrilling trip into the nightmare of watching someone wear your face and destroy your life. This book will get under your skin in the best way possible.”
—Liselle Sambury, author of Delicious Monsters and Blood Like Magic
“Fans of J-horror and video games will absolutely devour this one. Visceral, twisty, and terrifyingly real.”
—Catherine Yu, author of Direwood and Helga
“Impeccably paced and immersive. Surveillance, guilt, and a need to belong collide with blood-curdling demonic terror. Utterly compelling!”
—Katya de Becerra, author of When Ghosts Call Us Home
“Equal parts a tragically beautiful story of overcoming grief, and a heart-pounding horror that demands to be read with the lights on, this book is utterly un-put-downable.”
—Meredith Tate, author of The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly
★ 09/13/2024
Gr 10 Up—One late night before streaming on Twitch, Viv stumbles upon a new game called "Locked In," and she knows that horror games always bring out new viewers. Testing it out before going live, she is soon confronted by a shadowy figure who asks her to reveal a dark secret. Guilt still weighing heavily on her over her involvement in a recent accident that left her little sister dead, Viv decides to share the secret no one else knows, because video game characters could never share it with anyone. Or could they? When a demonic doppelgänger of Viv begins ruining her relationships, she must confront not only her own darkness but also come to terms with all she has done to her friends and relatives. Schlote-Bonne's debut shows an ability to match modern YA language with classic suspense and horror and has all the markings of her future as a master storyteller. The characters are relatable yet give off vibes that make them stand out. Long after closing the book, readers will be left to confront their own pasts, as the story cannot help but make one focus inward. VERDICT This debut shines brightly on shelves full of oncoming spooky season releases. Keep one eye on future novels by the author, and be sure to purchase this one.—Adam Fisher
2024-06-15
The game knows her darkest secret—and it might be trying to kill her.
Wracked with guilt over her little sister’s recent death, 17-year-old Vivian Reynolds leaps at the opportunity to play an online escape room horror game called Locked In that was anonymously emailed to her. In hopes that her return to streaming will help financially support her parents, Viv starts a practice playthrough by herself to test the waters. When the game asks her to confess a secret, Viv admits that she killed her sister. Uncanny events follow in the aftermath of her surreptitious confession, resulting in her parents and peers losing trust in her. With the help of Ash, a fellow social outcast, Viv becomes sure that a demonic clone is trying to ruin her life by committing heinous acts in her name. Told in Viv’s first-person perspective, the story has an eeriness that’s complemented by quippy jokes and gaming references. The plot twists are numerous and satisfying, helping to build suspense as readers try to figure out the mystery. Classic horror imagery is paired with a flawed protagonist who reckons with the guilt and grief caused by her habit of lying and her obsession with streaming. Viv’s mom is white, and her dad is Japanese American; Ash reads white.
A fast-paced supernatural mystery ideal for fans of horror games. (content warning)(Horror. 15-18)
