Pearl

I'm never looking at pigs the same way again that's for sure.
Same as horses, and cows but for different reasons 

Rating: 3.14 leaves out of 5-Characters: 4/5 -Cover: 3/5-Story: 3.5/5-Writing: 5/5Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy-Fantasy: 3/5-Horror: 1.5/5-Thriller: 2/5Type: EbookWorth?: KindaHated Disliked Meh It Was Okay Liked LovedThis was such an ODD as hell book. Think of Sharknado kind of weird. It isn't bad but it isn't the greatest either. I can say that I was pulled in because I wanted to see where the madness went. It is worth the read at least once!

4.5 Another hard one to rate, I really really love Josh Malerman's writing, this book was as creepy and tense as the other ones I have read from him. However, while reading it it did feel a bit like a lecture on animal rights, and I am not personally into media like that. All in all creepy and good just a little too heavy handed for my taste.

this book wasn't bad by any means, but most of what i liked about it get reminiscent of other stories i've read. i definitely felt like there were too many characters and too much going on with each. while i recognize how that plays into the plot, it was just a bit frustrating to actually read. i also didn't like how pearls powers ‘evolved' so to speak. the horror just exited the realm of sense and i was more confused than scared. i really enjoyed the first half but the second half dropped the ball a bit unfortunately. it was a pretty solid book i'll probably never think about again.

I received a free eARC of Pearl by Josh Malerman from Del Ray via NetGalley. I was very excited to read this book, originally published in a limited release under the title ON THIS, THE DAY OF THE PIG, in its new wide release. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this title as much as I hoped to. In Pearl, the title character (a pig) has telepathic abilities and influences people to do things. Terrible things. I struggled to connect with the premise. While the book did contain some interesting and unsettling scenes, fundamentally I just don't find pigs to be that scary and had trouble buying into a pig that “sat on its ass” (a FREQUENT description of Pearl's abnormal behavior) as a creepy villain or monster. Frankly if I had not received this book as an eARC I might have DNF'd it. I'm kind of glad I didn't because I do think the book picked up a bit as it went, but I think this is far from Malerman's best. ⭐️⭐️

Last year, when Pearl dropped, I had been on a quest to read as many Josh Malerman books as possible. There is a sharp edge to the horror he creates, an assault on the reader's psyche that may or may not be too far. Malerman has a deft understanding of what makes some readers climb the walls and tear at their hair in dismay. Opening one of his books is thrilling and slightly terrifying because you never know which part of your abused mind he will assault.
Then he created Pearl.
“GO TO THE FARM JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN AND YOU'LL HEAR IT.
A VOICE. INSIDE YOUR HEAD.
OR IS IT?
COME TO ME...
Pearl never minced on the edges of horror; this is Malerman stretching his metaphorical razor-tipped claws and sinking them into your unsuspecting brain. Pearl is the stuff of childhood nightmares.
Pearl is a pig; if you know anything about pigs, know they are crazy intelligent, massive in size, and will eat anything. They tick all the “other” boxes compared to humans. Pearl is also a pig with only one good eye, but this psychotic pig sees everything. And Pearl uses his mind to wreak havoc and control everything.
Pearl by Josh Malerman is gory and psychotic. It touches on that part of the primal brain that hides in the corner, quivers from things bigger and worse than you, and is up to no good. The pig is a wonder of creation, so subtle, Malerman's prose is unadorned, but explains just enough to allow the author's imagination to take over.
If you read this story, and I wholeheartedly believe you should, you are going to go through some shit—because Pearl is going to get you.
5 out of 5 gore smeared stars