ARC Review: In Her Skin

About The Book:

  Title: In Her Skin 

  Author: Kim Savage 
  Pub. Date: March 27th, 2018 
  Publisher: FSG 
  Pages: 304

  Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary 

  Rate: 4/5 stars 

Synopsis :

Sixteen-year-old con artist Jo Chastain is about to take on the biggest heist of her life: impersonating a missing girl. Life on the streets of Boston these past few years hasn’t been easy, and Jo is hoping to cash in on a little safety, a little security. She finds her opportunity in the Lovecrafts, a wealthy family with ties to the unsolved disappearance of Vivienne Weir, who vanished when she was nine. 

When Jo takes on Vivi's identity and stages the girl’s miraculous return, the Lovecrafts welcome her back with open arms. They give her everything she could want: love, money, and proximity to their intoxicating and unpredictable daughter, Temple. But nothing is as it seems in the Lovecraft household—and some secrets refuse to stay buried. As hidden crimes come to the surface, and lines of deception begin to blur, Jo must choose to either hold onto an illusion of safety, or escape the danger around her before it’s too late.

Review:

In Her Skin is a delightful addition to the already amazing year we are having for book releases. This story follows Jolene Chastain as she impersonates Vivi, a girl who disappeared from her neighbor's house years prior. When Jo realizes Vivi's parents died in a plane crash but long after her disappearance, she bets she'll be able to fool whoever was put in custody of her. Which just so happens to be her neighbors - and the very house she went missing from. She will be able to fool Mr. and Mrs. Lovecraft, but can she convince Temple, her childhood best friend?

"Jolene Chastain doesn't need rescuing.
But Vivienne Weir might." 

Jolene Chastain is one tough girl. She doesn't rely on anyone to take care of her, and she's lived on the streets since her mother was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. She thinks all she needs is money, but she hasn't felt the love a family. I loved her character and thought her development throughout this book was fantastic. However, my favorite character was Temple. She was mysterious and rivaling Jo in duplicity. A smart girl with a wild streak, I would have appreciated a deeper look inside her thoughts of 'Vivi' and their relationship as children. Characters aside, In Her Skin is surprisingly creepy and shocking at every turn - so don't let that pretty cover fool you!

This book is perfect for those who want to make the transition into some adult material, because I definitely think this book has a ton of crossover appeal. I haven't read any of Ms. Savage's other books, but I'm definitely thinking about picking them up because this book was such an exciting and fast-paced read. If you are planning to order some spring 2018 releases, you should add In Her Skin to your list. 

Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing this book
in exchange for my honest review

- Jocelyn