Eric LaRocca is one of my favorite authors. The way he blends horror with everyday life issues is nothing short of amazing. This collection is not an easy read, and I truly appreciate that a warning was given at the very beginning by the author that this book would be difficult, however, do not let that stop you from what is one of the greatest reading experiences you might ever have.

If you have never read this author, you should, and if you're a long time fan like me, you will definitely want to add this one to your reading list.

Eric LaRocca is back with another horrifyingly enchanting novel and with four heart-pounding shorts, you’ll be kept on the edge of your seat as you cry, scream, and gasp out loud.

One of my favourite aspects of LaRocca’s novellas is the atmosphere and how it comes alive between the pages. Especially if you imagine the scenes in your head like a movie. Whether you’re being traumatised by a paternal relationship- This Skin was Once Mine- or feeling the despair creep closer and closer- Prickle- you’re guaranteed an immersive experience.

As a horror lover I appreciate that LaRocca doesn’t pull punches. These stories are gory, claustrophobic, and the characters are downright unhinged and I ATE IT UP. I also love what LaRocca is doing for queer horror, they’re changing the game and I LOVE IT.

I think This Skin Was Once Mine was a very unique and fresh look at body horror. I especially enjoyed the last story because really, what’s more horrifying than reverse evolution, as Mr Spirro so eloquently put it.

My one criticism is mainly to do with one story I couldn’t get through. It just wasn’t for me. Personally I think the last story could have been one of the longer ones. It had more potential.

Overall: this was a hit for me and I cannot wait to read more by Eric LaRocca.

<b> *Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*</b>

Four darkdarkdark short horror tales, that come with their own warning from the author about making sure you want to subject yourself to the book before you start. I have to admit, I did find the first story, the title story, a bit claustrophobic. Still there’s that one plus “Seedling,” “All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn,” (which I could swear seemed vaguely familiar to me) and “Prickle.” I haven’t always loved LaRocca in the past but this collection gives me a new appreciation for him. Some good stuff for horror aficionados.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is still the best thing Eric has ever written, but the last story in this collection, "Prickle," may be the second-best thing he has ever written.

Keep em coming Eric

Jason Cavallaro

I’m ashamed that this was my first time reading this authors work. It was exactly everything that I love. Horrific, gross, captivating, yet has substance. I’m typically not a short story gal but this collection may have changed that. Seedling was my least favorite of the 4, but I’d still have rated it a solid 4 stars on its own. BRB running to read the entire backlist

This is Eric LaRocca at his absolute best, he is circling the drain of human depravity and emotion with these four stories and I was hypnotized by the storytelling. Two of the stories in this collection were all out five stars - This skin was Once Mine (impeccable) & All the parts Of You That Won't Easily Burn (incredible) - but even Prickle (what a way to end a story) & Seedling (sad & sensitive) were top quality, so overall a very strong 4.5 rating. A pure heady mix of the true ugliness of human nature and emotional longing. Intoxicating is the best way to describe the writing because although it was downright filth and mess in places, I was obsessed by LaRocca's way with words. He has such a talent for lifting the veil on the bizarre and throwing you into the deep end of the festering bog that can be humanity.

I love Eric LaRocca and I have come to expect really gruesome, alarming horror from him. This is no different. All of the stories share a theme of claustrophobia and until you finish the book and look back on it you won't realise how accurate that is. I'm still thinking about these stories weeks later which for me is rare and a sign of real success.

Weird, wild and brilliant, this collection blew me away!

Here, Eric pushes the boundaries of...nearly everything. Body horror abounds and his style and content is immediately recognizable as Eric's. In exactly the way early Clive Barker works are easily recognizable. I was thinking about Barker a lot as I was reading this book. Is Eric the next Clive? Maybe. He might even be better.

There are 4 stories in this collection, each one more bizarre than the last. All of them engaging, all of them fascinating, all of them creepy as hell. Stories about relationships...some with parents, some with lovers, some with old friends. All of them, fully developed and like little tidbits of horrific bliss.

I'm not going to go into each story, if you've read Eric LaRocca's books before, you know what you're getting. If you haven't, they should be a complete surprise for you, and this book is a great way to introduce yourself to his work. Pay attention to Eric's foreword and be sure you want to tackle this before you begin.

If you do, you're in for a real treat. Eric's imagination has no limits and his stories are all over the place. Weird as his characters and tales sometimes are, I always find a way to relate to them. They feel real. Their thoughts are recognizable as thoughts that you, yourself, might have. Well, some of them anyway.

I've been reading Eric LaRocca since he first arrived on the horror scene. This man's words speak to me, and I am so eager to have more of them. I feel like maybe I got in on the ground floor of what is sure to be a long and successful career, and I couldn't be more pleased.

"All this for a knife?" That is the final question from ALL THE PARTS OF YOU THAT WON'T EASILY BURN, the last story in this splendid collection. My answer is "YES!"

My highest recommendation!

*ARC from publisher and author, via NetGalley.*

I really enjoyed this book! It is, of course, not for the faint hearted or the squeamish but I’m neither of those things so I enjoyed it! I think This Skin Was Once Mine is my favorite story of the bunch, my least favorite being All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn. They all had shock value and some sort of depravity and each story held its own weight within the collection. I enjoyed this and I appreciate Netgalley and Titan Books so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

As usual LaRocca wrote an anthology of unsettling and weird horror stories.
The third story was a bit too long to keep its character, but the fourth and last could build up a lot of tension and delivers a nice ending.
3,5 stars.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 5*
Characters: 4*

Included short stories:
This Skin Was Once Mine: 3*
Seedling: 4*
All the Parts of You That Won't Easily Burn: 5*
Prickle: 5*

What a fanstic, horrific collection of short stories. There is some serious body horror going on, and can easily see this being triggering for a lot of peole. Do not take the warning at the start of the book lightly.
The main story was actually my least favourite, more concentrating on a family drama with a very unusual twist. My favorite was Prickle, what the hell did I just read?!
Quickly going to aquire the other collections of his, this was a fantastic WILD ride!

After reading the author letter in the front of the book with trigger warnings for graphic child abuse, I've decided this book isn't for me. I will still promote it's upcoming release (I love this author) but won't be leaving a review. Thanks so much for offering it to me.

If you’ve read this author before, you know exactly want to expect.: shocks, gore, body horror, and, most important, excellent writing! I throughly enjoyed this new collection and will recommend the book to other horror readers on release day. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!

Interesting collection, but I wasn't a fan of every story. The author has a very distinct, gripping writing style. I can appreciate that. Horrors readers might be interested in this one.

A good collection of short stories full of body horror, gore, twists, and uncomfortable situations. If you've read "Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke", you already know what to expect from LaRocca.

My favorite stories here are "This Skin Was Once Mine" and "All the Parts of You That Won't Easily Burn", but all the others were also entertaining to read.

LaRocca's storytelling style is so well-suited to these short collections (The Trees Grew, Things Have Gotten Worse) of novellas and short stories. These "disturbances" allow the reader a certainty that LaRocca will bring the best material at hand for a truly terrifying 200 (or so) pages.
The author has a way of wheedling under the surface layer of skin and dwelling there, itching like, oh I don't know, a piece of glass, and causing this niggling discomfort. Part of that is LaRocca's lush and often inviting prose. It softens the blow long before the hammer is set to drop, and as any reader of LaRocca's work will know, often the hammer is too big, with too many strange and sharp edges for its impact to be blunted.
Every story within brings something special to the table, but perhaps my favorite was "All the Parts of You That Won't Easily Burn". A relatively simple, if strange, idea that is examined so thoroughly, the reader cannot help but shift in their seat as LaRocca continues to unravel the layers. Also worth mentioning is the final story, "Prickle" where the escalation becomes nearly unbearable.
It is a collection full of taboo topics, the author themself warns you in the introduction, and though you, the reader, are in the most capable of hands, you might want to take that warning to heart.

Even more demented and heart-wrenching than ever, Eric LaRocca is a distinctive artist and these four novelettes are proof that he isn’t afraid of putting a lot of heart on the page even if the pain quickly follows.
Every story is like a little splinter of glass in your skin… and maybe we like it there.

Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for approving my request. What a delightfully disturbing book! Eric LaRocca has been on my list of to-read authors, and he absolutely did not disappoint. He packs a punch in these 4 short horror stories, each one so different than the next. Loved his writing style. And the ending of that last story 🤯

LaRocca will always succeed in making my skin crawl, and I don't know why it makes me always want to go back for more. There's something addictive in his approach and style that I can never quite put my finger on. But once again he delivered an excellent collection of stories that unlocked new fears in my brain. So. thanks I guess?

Eric wields his words with knife like precision cutting the reader deep with his unflinching examination of obession and human depravity in The Skin was Once Mine and Other Disturbances, disecting human nature and forcing us to look at the ugly parts in this unrelenting visceral experience, this was a fantastic collection of stories from beginning to end, I really enjoyed Seedling which was an evocative and metaphorical look at grief and the ripple effects of healing, also, please, can we take a moment for the ending of the last story, I am SHOOKETH! Eric never fails to mesh shocking gruesome body horror with emotional elements which results in impactful stories that stay with you long after you've read them, a true gift to the horror literary world I always enjoy his work, thankyou the publisher for the ecopy and I also received a physical arc in the post today which was a surprise I didn't think I was getting one hence me sprinting to netgalley like the book fiend I am 🤣 thankyou titanbooks!