Bibliographic Information:
Title: Such Lovely Skin
Author: Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
ISBN: 9798890030764
Publisher: Page Street YA
Copyright Date: 2024
Format/Genre: Hardcover; Horror; Debut title (Such Lovely Skin: NoveList Plus - Powered by EBSCOhost, n.d.).
Awards and Honors: None
Reading Level/Interest Level: 9th Grade and up (Title Detail: Such Lovely Skin, n.d.)
Plot Summary: Viv is a teenager who accidentally killed her little sister. She didn’t do it on purpose, but she was supposed to be watching over her, and instead she was streaming herself playing video games on Twitch. When she discovered her sister drowned in the bathtub she lied about it to her parents. And now the guilt is eating her up. Her parents are struggling, and Viv thinks she can make things right if she starts Twitch streaming again and can make a bunch of money to make things right for the family. She starts playing a brand-new horror video game, and while playing it for the first time (before streaming) one of the NPCs asks her to tell it a secret she has never told anyone. Viv tells the NPC the secret about killing her sister, and this actually invites a demonic doppelganger into her life. She tries to tell everyone that this is happening, and no one believes her. Until she is able to track down a girl named Ash, and they find someone else who this has happened to.
Author Background: Tatiana Schlote-Bonne received her degree from the University of Iowa, and it was actually in nonfiction writing! She’s a gamer (like Viv!) and she likes to lift heavy weights. Such Lovely Skin is her debut novel. And by the way, her last name is pronounced Shh-Low-Tee Bone-Ay (About, n.d.-d).
Critical Evaluation: This book is written in the “creepypasta” style that is popular with kids and teens, and Schlote-Bonne even throws in a bunch of gaming lingo. The fact that she is a person who streams herself playing video games on Twitch will hugely resonate with young adults, as they are most likely doing the same thing, or they are watching someone do it on YouTube. This is a very solid debut novel, especially for someone who majored in writing nonfiction!
Creative Use for a Library Program: This would definitely be one of the books included in my “Spooky Season” reading program. I would also try to find other YA horror novels that are based on the same type of characters to share with the teens, either based on doppelgangers or horror novels that are video game or tv related (like the next post you’ll see in my blog!).
Speed-Round Book Talk: Viv killed her little sister. Like she didn’t “kill” kill her, but her negligence led to her little sister’s death. And then she lied about what happened to her parents. But she decides to start Twitch streaming her video game escapades again, hoping a little money will make things better for the family. Well, the video game she picks to play unleashes a demon doppelganger into her life, and now it’s creating all sorts of havoc. What is she going to do to get people to believe her – and get rid of it??
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Not a lot in here for people to challenge. Some cuss words and a child’s death – maybe the demon doppelganger. This is one that I would simply call out the collection development policy and call it a day. For a horror novel it is somewhat tame, it is written for the YA market, and the language used in the book is relatable.
Reason for Inclusion: Read the blurb in Booklist about it, saw the cover, and knew I needed to read this one. Pretty simple. And the fact that the author writes in language that teens will understand and relate to is a huge plus!
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