Title: Seventeen Names for Skin

Author: Roland Blackburn

Release date: August 31st, 2020

A while back I read ‘To Wallow In Ash & Other Sorrows’ by Sam Richard. From reading this stunning collection, I ended up chatting with Sam and he asked if I’d be keen at all to review any of the other Weirdpunk Books releases. I wasn’t really familiar with the press, but one look at the three covers he sent me had me sold. That was before I’d even read the synopsis.

Through a random draw (in actuality it was whichever one was on my Kindle first!) I started off with ‘Seventeen Names for Skin’ by Roland Blackburn. This is a new to me author, but I believe he’ll be having a book arrive through Bloodshot Books at some point here in the future.

What I liked: The synopsis/plot behind this is absolutely bonkers and I was invested from page one. Snow works as a piercer at a local Tattoo shop. After some prodding, she goes to get a check-up at the doctor. While there, they find an advanced/aggressive brain tumor, which has left her with only weeks or even days left to live. So, she does what anyone would do. She hires a hitman on the dark web to kill her so that her retired, disabled father can get the insurance money.

I KNOW. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

From here, Blackburn injects a surprising twist, one that causes Snow to spontaneously transform into all forms of beasts. And as things escalate, we get a couple of really great additional story lines, plot points that I wish I could share but due to the agreed upon universal BAN ON SPOILERS IN REVIEWS, I simply can’t.

Blackburn has a fantastic writing style. The story hummed along and with each incident with Snow, I wanted to know more and more. Snow also has a very kind and caring BFF in Raven and their interactions were great. He really nailed the banter and I loved how Raven was along for the ride, no matter what oddity arrived.

The ending on here was great. Really well done and I enjoyed watched Snow evolve with the continued changes as the story moved along.

What I didn’t like: Minor here, but earlier in the book, Snow goes to a anonymous group meeting for people who ‘change.’ Raven found it online so she gets Snow to attend and see if it helps here. The characters she meets there were a bit superficial in that I didn’t really remember their names and when they return later I was confused at first as to who the heck they were.

Why you should buy this: Weirdpunk Books is a publisher on the rise. I loved this book and already dove into the second of the three Sam emailed over. This one crackled with the excited energy of somebody at their first heavy metal concert. When the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, Blackburn had me eating out of the palm of his hand. This was a really great read and one that I hope more people discover.

Easy 5/5