This is an amazing little story. I wasn't scared but I was glued to the pages for the whole thing and it was definitely unsettling. I have enjoyed all of Huff's books I have read so far but I can easily say that this is the best release yet. Very good take on a body snatcher type story. Dude I can't say enough how great this book is.

I absolutely loved this short cosmic horror novella and will absolutely be going back to read Landlocked in Foreign Skin. The alien/cosmic beings at the center of this story are scary as hell but also really interesting and create a lot of empathy at the same time. There isn’t a single moment of wasted space in this book and the way Huff makes each of these characters so distinct while also being a part of this collective is really great. I was surprised by how emotional some of the moments involving Paul and his wife were as well, and it is the humanity and kindness of Paul to Melanie that really highlights how little there is in this world right now.

Grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!<3

This was truly one of the weirdest books I've read in a while.

The fast-paced story follows a (several) creature(s) called "Mirror Person", and focus primarily on (not) Paul, a strange, emotional, otherworldly being that can mimic human forms. This being takes on the life of a traveling salesman named Paul Cattaneo and lives as him for six years, until it's forced to deal the disturbing reality of how its species reproduces. The book explores themes of identity, humanity, and existential dread, mixing intense body horror with surprising emotional depth.

It was funny, sad, violent, gross, and although confusing at times, somehow still easy to follow? I couldn’t stop reading, and it’s definitely a book I’ll be thinking about for a while.

this was my first time delving into the horror genre so i wasn't sure what to expect. this was strange and a bit weird but in a very intriguing and interesting way. i had a great time reading!

the pacing was great, as is the premise. this novella follows a mirror person (who has the ability to mimick humans) and his disgust with his own species and his inner monologue of trying to hold on to his morals even when he begins to loose himself during his heat.

never read anything like this before but would recommend!

My Name is Not Paul is a novella following Paul - who is actually a Mirror Person wearing Paul's skin and has a different name entirely. Paul absolutely hates what he is and tries his hardest to pretend to be human, but as soon as something called a Heat hits - it will be undeniable that he is anything but.

The best part of the book for me was the unraveling of who and what the Mirror People are. Slowly discovering why they are the way they are was the highlight for me, as well as finding out more about the Old Ones and bringing the entire picture together. I felt this was the most satisfying part of the story.

Paul was an interesting character - he's both empathetic but also uncaring, at times confrontational yet easily swayed. I'm unsure if I like him or not. But I also get the impression he's not supposed to be likeable - what with the amount of manslaughter that occurs casually at his hand. I do feel that it was particularly interesting how the Mirror People normally are extremely in tune with human emotions to the point they are affected from miles away and yet during Heat they are completely cut off and therefore have none of their normal compunctions about killing them. That duality creates an intriguing morally grey character who is extremely unpredictable.

The writing also suited the story, though i feel that some of the metaphors and similes for the first 25% of the book weren't as good as the latter half of the story. My favourite in particular was near the end when a character is described as baptising themselves in gasoline which, trust me, with who that character is, goes so hard as a line.

I think my only "criticism" is that the writing could do with another edit just to tighten it up a bit. There are a few errors (around page 28ish) and i think the beginning could be a bit punchier. The start felt a bit disorientating due to how we are just dumped into the scene with little build up. Other than that I really enjoyed the story as a whole!

Would definitely recommend for anyone wanting a short sci-fi creature horror, that reads like a bite-sized annihilation/tender is the flesh mashup!

This was a interesting read love the themes it was giving out also was just surprised how good of a read as I didn't think it would be my kind of thing.

This story is about Paul, except his name isn’t Paul & he’s not actually human. He’s a Mirror Person- an eldritch bug like creature. Seven years ago, he stumbled upon Paul’s dead body & decided to inhabit it, wearing it as a “Skin Suit”. Not Paul desperately wants to be human, but every seven to ten years his species goes into heat & his time is running out.

From the very first pages on this novella, we’re thrust into Not Paul's head as he’s trying to live his day to day life as a human. We quickly learn he’s essentially isolated himself from his “siblings” & is battling his natural instinct to reproduce. Now his time is up, he’s in heat & out of control.

I loved the premise of this novella. It’s unlike anything I’ve heard or read before. It’s original, trippy, a little bloody & so bizarre. The writing is good & the descriptions of the gory bits were great. However, I really struggled with the overall execution. For the first half of the book I felt really confused, which may or may not be the Authors intent, & it kept me from enjoying it until the last half so for that I’m landing on a 3 star.

I look forward to diving into more of Drew’s other works in the future.

I could not finish the book. I guess it's not my cup of tea sorry 🙏. The story started off promising. The plot was intriguing but it could not hold my attention for too long. I kind of felt disoriented cz half if the time I didn't get what was going on. I tried to finish it but couldn't.

I really loved the premise for this novella! And the execution was fantastic as well. It takes you through the mind of a creature trying to pose as Paul, battling his innate instinct to reproduce with his developed empathy. We the reader also feel just as insane as he does, and it is truly such an interesting experience. The descriptions are well done and tastefully gory but not overly so in that it feels indulgently violent, everything has its purpose. I personally would have preferred some deeper personal angst with a sense of isolation, but the fact that "Paul" does have a community of siblings who go through the motions as he makes the story that much more eerie.

Pub date: 18 Nov 2025

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A bizarre, unsettling, and strangely hilarious horror novella. If you’re into stories that blend body horror, existential dread, and moments of dark humor, this one delivers. The narrative messes with your sense of what’s real, what’s human, and what’s horrifying. The pacing is tight, the imagery is vivid without being overwrought, and every scene serves a purpose. It’s lean, strange, and unforgettable.

I am not sure if it is how I consumed this book but it read even quicker than a novella normally does. It felt akin to a short story!

My Name Isn't Paul is such a wild, suspenseful, and fun (if you love horror) read. It was funny, trippy, weird, kinda gross, but I love all of that in a horror. This felt like a story that Stephen King and Guillermo Del Toro would love and rave about.


The Story is about Paul, who is not really Paul, he's a insect like creature that began his life eating a corpse from the inside out, wears a skin suit, and has filaments that can severe ahead or help send calmness into other people. After losing his friend tragically, he has a break down as his body is entering heat and loses himself trying to not be a "stupid bug"


I love how the author takes us into Paul's head, how it feels like you're losing your mind too as a reader, seeing things through the perspective of the earth invader trying to make it through. I love the pacing, how there's enough for me to imagine everything playing out, but sticks to the point with no filler. I'd def recommend this novella to other horror lovers.