Such Lovely Skin

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.