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Pork
"Ready?" Sandy asked.
Steven's heart hammered in his chest. He turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, a solemn look on his face. "Look, if something gets me in there, I want you to run and save yourself. Don't tell anyone. If you don't see me at school tomorrow, then you should alert people in town, okay?"
"Steven, you're making me scared."
"Just do as I say. Promise?"
Sandy's own palms started sweating as she tightened her grip around her inhaler. "Promise."
"Good. Now let's go."
High school is torture for Steven Walthurst, and home isn’t a whole lot better. The only place that offers respite is an abandoned tree house at the edge of town. But something lurks in the nearby woods, and the long line of elm trees has a clear message for Steven: keep out.
Then one day, Steven finds a little girl lying unconscious, perilously close to the woods. As the two get to know one another, Steven experiences real friendship for the first time—and gets closer than ever to knowing the darkness that skulks between the trees.
He dedicates himself to keeping his new friend safe, but the tranquility of their fragile hidden world doesn’t last long. When an act of cruelty pushes Steven to his limits, his secrets—and those of the dark woods—come close to unraveling, threatening to destroy the one thing making his teenage life bearable.
Can Steven save everything he’s built from crumbling under the pressure?
Steven's heart hammered in his chest. He turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, a solemn look on his face. "Look, if something gets me in there, I want you to run and save yourself. Don't tell anyone. If you don't see me at school tomorrow, then you should alert people in town, okay?"
"Steven, you're making me scared."
"Just do as I say. Promise?"
Sandy's own palms started sweating as she tightened her grip around her inhaler. "Promise."
"Good. Now let's go."
High school is torture for Steven Walthurst, and home isn’t a whole lot better. The only place that offers respite is an abandoned tree house at the edge of town. But something lurks in the nearby woods, and the long line of elm trees has a clear message for Steven: keep out.
Then one day, Steven finds a little girl lying unconscious, perilously close to the woods. As the two get to know one another, Steven experiences real friendship for the first time—and gets closer than ever to knowing the darkness that skulks between the trees.
He dedicates himself to keeping his new friend safe, but the tranquility of their fragile hidden world doesn’t last long. When an act of cruelty pushes Steven to his limits, his secrets—and those of the dark woods—come close to unraveling, threatening to destroy the one thing making his teenage life bearable.
Can Steven save everything he’s built from crumbling under the pressure?
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2016
17 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
R.S. Anthony
2 books77 followersRosemary Anthony writes suspense fiction with a twist. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Science Malaysia and recently made the jump from writing official documents to writing fiction novels. Blessed with 17 nephews and nieces, she finds the world of young adults to be a thrilling source of inspiration for her books.
Rosemary lives in a small town in Malaysia and travels as often as possible to learn more about foreign cultures. You can find out more about her books, giveaways, and new releases on https://www.facebook.com/rsanthony.au...
Rosemary lives in a small town in Malaysia and travels as often as possible to learn more about foreign cultures. You can find out more about her books, giveaways, and new releases on https://www.facebook.com/rsanthony.au...
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 10, 2016
This story is raw,gritty, intense and completely addicting. I absolutely loved the author's writing style. The ease with which thriller and dark themes were blended, to give the story a very unique feel, was worth celebrating, but then the author added in detail and background that just completely sucked you into the read, making it one I could not put down.
Yes, the book is filled with dark themes, know that in advance to starting. However, if this is an area that you feel deeply about and you enjoy thrillers, then I can promise this is a book you will not regret and not soon forget.
The characters were created beautifully. They were given background, details and personality. With this base, the author created characters you became attached to and wanted to see through the read. These were then built upon, and they grew and changed throughout the book, making it hard to put down.
The pace was perfect. It was exactly what I wanted and expected from the style and genre.
Overall, this was a brilliant read, especially for a debut book. I highly recommend it, but only of you are a fan of dark thrillers.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Yes, the book is filled with dark themes, know that in advance to starting. However, if this is an area that you feel deeply about and you enjoy thrillers, then I can promise this is a book you will not regret and not soon forget.
The characters were created beautifully. They were given background, details and personality. With this base, the author created characters you became attached to and wanted to see through the read. These were then built upon, and they grew and changed throughout the book, making it hard to put down.
The pace was perfect. It was exactly what I wanted and expected from the style and genre.
Overall, this was a brilliant read, especially for a debut book. I highly recommend it, but only of you are a fan of dark thrillers.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
May 31, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pork is the story of a teenaged boy struggling through the turmoil of an absent father, an alcoholic mother, and bullying. When he discovers a tree-house in the local woods, this becomes a refuge for him; although, he fears going any deeper into the dense trees, where he's convinced something lurks. One day, he finds a little girl lying unconscious. Steven helps and befriends her. Meanwhile, the bullies grow bolder and more aggressive. An act of malice leaves Steven reeling.
The characters are complex and three-dimensional. The narrative is written from third person close, and most of the time, each character shift gets its own section; however, there are a few instances of unannounced head-hopping. Also, on occasion, we are told something that the characters cannot possibly know at that point in the book, which confuses the POV further.
The world-building is done well, as are the plot and pacing. At times, Steven's character felt more like ten years old than fifteen, especially with his tendency for magical thinking, but the reasons for this become clearer at the end. The finale provides a twist that you don't see coming.
The narrative is passive in style and falls into unnecessary repetition frequently. It also has a tendency to tell what has just been shown, especially in dialogue, which is peppered with name dropping.
This is the kind of story that gives you moments of sadness, anger, and hilarity, and will entertain you from beginning to end. With its adult themes, I would say this is suitable for older readers. I love the book cover, which only heightens the suspense you feel throughout the novel. All in all, I'd say it's well worth your time.
Pork is the story of a teenaged boy struggling through the turmoil of an absent father, an alcoholic mother, and bullying. When he discovers a tree-house in the local woods, this becomes a refuge for him; although, he fears going any deeper into the dense trees, where he's convinced something lurks. One day, he finds a little girl lying unconscious. Steven helps and befriends her. Meanwhile, the bullies grow bolder and more aggressive. An act of malice leaves Steven reeling.
The characters are complex and three-dimensional. The narrative is written from third person close, and most of the time, each character shift gets its own section; however, there are a few instances of unannounced head-hopping. Also, on occasion, we are told something that the characters cannot possibly know at that point in the book, which confuses the POV further.
The world-building is done well, as are the plot and pacing. At times, Steven's character felt more like ten years old than fifteen, especially with his tendency for magical thinking, but the reasons for this become clearer at the end. The finale provides a twist that you don't see coming.
The narrative is passive in style and falls into unnecessary repetition frequently. It also has a tendency to tell what has just been shown, especially in dialogue, which is peppered with name dropping.
This is the kind of story that gives you moments of sadness, anger, and hilarity, and will entertain you from beginning to end. With its adult themes, I would say this is suitable for older readers. I love the book cover, which only heightens the suspense you feel throughout the novel. All in all, I'd say it's well worth your time.
August 12, 2016
Pork is an eerie thriller that is both entertaining and terrifying. The sharp writing helped to intensify the story well, and even though the beginning was a bit slow I couldn't help but yearn to finish this book. The reader quickly becomes engrossed with Steven, and it is hard not to fall into his position and imagine his experiences for yourself.
R.S. Anthony writes with the voice of an observer; a writer who deeply understands the human experience and what teenagers and children go through. She is able to understand how children are affected by their parents' actions, and that is a factor that deeply affected Steven throughout the novel. Anthony seemed to insinuate that by running away from his problems every day, Steven fell into a nightmare that the woods created for him. She encapsulated the rebellious teenage experience while also touching on the subject of bullying, and forced Steven to evolve throughout the novel due to the experiences that he suffered through.
P0rk is a great introductory novel into the thriller/horror genre, and would be a great novel for young adult readers to start with. Steven is highly relatable, and the novel is tame enough that timid readers won't be bothered. This novel is so much more than just a work of horror, it is also a brilliant take on teenagehood and how humans evolve during this time. Steven seems to get his wings in this novel, and it was delightful to watch him change as he progresses into early adulthood.
R.S. Anthony writes with the voice of an observer; a writer who deeply understands the human experience and what teenagers and children go through. She is able to understand how children are affected by their parents' actions, and that is a factor that deeply affected Steven throughout the novel. Anthony seemed to insinuate that by running away from his problems every day, Steven fell into a nightmare that the woods created for him. She encapsulated the rebellious teenage experience while also touching on the subject of bullying, and forced Steven to evolve throughout the novel due to the experiences that he suffered through.
P0rk is a great introductory novel into the thriller/horror genre, and would be a great novel for young adult readers to start with. Steven is highly relatable, and the novel is tame enough that timid readers won't be bothered. This novel is so much more than just a work of horror, it is also a brilliant take on teenagehood and how humans evolve during this time. Steven seems to get his wings in this novel, and it was delightful to watch him change as he progresses into early adulthood.
August 20, 2016
Intriguing!
The cover and the title caught my eye, so I just had to read it.
Very different from anything I've read before, but I was caught in the first chapter, and ended up reading the entire book in one afternoon. I guess you could say I was spellbound.
Wonderful characters, and you want everything to work out for the best, for them.
The ending caught me totally off guard. It seemed so abrupt, but it was not a bad ending, just not what I was expecting. Yes, I recommend it! Anything that I can't put down, I must give credit to.
The cover and the title caught my eye, so I just had to read it.
Very different from anything I've read before, but I was caught in the first chapter, and ended up reading the entire book in one afternoon. I guess you could say I was spellbound.
Wonderful characters, and you want everything to work out for the best, for them.
The ending caught me totally off guard. It seemed so abrupt, but it was not a bad ending, just not what I was expecting. Yes, I recommend it! Anything that I can't put down, I must give credit to.
May 1, 2016
This book caught me with the cover. I was interested to find out more in the pages. The eyes in the woods had me guessing the whole book. I was very excited to find out more and wanted to keep reading until the end. I did not figure it out. I would read more from this author. I expect more great stories in the future! * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
May 13, 2016
RS Anthony's "Pork" is a book that evokes almost every emotion throughout the read. This was a quick, enjoyable, thought provoking read and I thank the author for allowing me a free digital copy to read and review.
To read my full review on this and other book please visit my blog at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
To read my full review on this and other book please visit my blog at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
July 11, 2016
A study of abnormal behavior.
This book was a surprisingly different sort of story. It was not until the end that abnormalities suffered by the main character became apparent. I liked it and will be reading more of them in the future.
This book was a surprisingly different sort of story. It was not until the end that abnormalities suffered by the main character became apparent. I liked it and will be reading more of them in the future.
June 23, 2016
Pork
Liked the book. Ended on a short note. Would have liked to have to known more of the main character's life. Hopefully another book ? ---smiles
Liked the book. Ended on a short note. Would have liked to have to known more of the main character's life. Hopefully another book ? ---smiles
July 12, 2016
Good story!
It kept me wanting to keep reading. I would read more of this author's books. I think young people to older people would enjoy this boo.
It kept me wanting to keep reading. I would read more of this author's books. I think young people to older people would enjoy this boo.
September 22, 2020
Great young adult story
Great book for young adults. An afternoon read that keeps you interested and turning pages to finish. I would have liked to see an epilogue after the story ended.
Great book for young adults. An afternoon read that keeps you interested and turning pages to finish. I would have liked to see an epilogue after the story ended.
April 11, 2016
Genre: Horror/Thriller (it was for me at least)
Age: 18+
Recommendation: Yes, this one is a good mix between disturbing and thrilling. With heavy themes, this book is pretty cringe worthy.
Type: Stand-alone
Summary: +interesting plot +/-disturbing themes +descriptive -rushed ending +unpredictable +well built main (Steven).
Description:
“Ready?” Sandy asked.
Steven’s heart hammered in his chest. He turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, a solemn look on his face. “Look, if something gets me in there, I want you to run and save yourself. Don’t tell anyone. If you don’t see me at school tomorrow, then you should alert people in town, okay?”
“Steven, you’re making me scared.”
“Just do as I say. Promise?”
Sandy’s own palms started sweating as she tightened her grip around her inhaler. “Promise.”
“Good. Now let’s go.”
High school is torture for Steven Walthurst, and home isn’t a whole lot better. The only place that offers respite is an abandoned tree house at the edge of town. But something lurks in the nearby woods, and the long line of elm trees has a clear message for Steven: keep out.
Then one day, Steven finds a little girl lying unconscious, perilously close to the woods. As the two get to know one another, Steven experiences real friendship for the first time—and gets closer than ever to knowing the darkness that skulks between the trees.
He dedicates himself to keeping his new friend safe, but the tranquility of their fragile hidden world doesn’t last long. When an act of cruelty pushes Steven to his limits, his secrets—and those of the dark woods—come close to unraveling, threatening to destroy the one thing making his teenage life bearable.
Can Steven save everything he’s built from crumbling under the pressure?
This story will tug at your heartstrings as the characters experience friendship, abuse, mistrust, and deliverance.
Full Review:
Pork by R.S. Anthony is one of those books that leaves you feeling unsettled. It isn’t because it isn’t well written, because it most certainly is, it’s because the implications that the events in this book create are almost too much to stomach.
Steven is a lonely, emotionally disturbed teenager who can find no solace outside of a hidden tree house in the woods. With an alcoholic and sexually promiscuous mother and no father or friends, Steven is bullied daily and only desires to be left alone. One day after another one of his mother’s vodka induced physical assaults, Steven returns to his hidden paradise and finds a small girl lying next to the opening of woods. Half- dressed and filthy, Steven begins to care for the girl who calls herself Pork.
With a terrible home life as well, Pork is Steven’s first real friend. He takes extra care daily to help keep her safe and maintain his own home life. But when the unthinkable happens and his own safe place is threatened, Steven is forced to deal with all the unpleasant things in his life: his mother, the prying eyes of his school and the new territory that having a best friend with her own demons causes.
This book made me cringe. Anthony did a very good job of keeping me involved and her writing style fits this genre well. The main character Steven, is complex and disturbed. Touching on some very heavy topics like alcoholism, child sexual abuse, prostitution, bullying and violence, this book is for adults only. I can’t talk about the plot and the ending very much without spoilers, but I will say while is was both intriguing and uncomfortable,it felt a bit rushed. The way that everything is lined up makes for a really good reveal but it felt like it was wrapped up a bit too quickly. I didn’t expect the final events, although I had a small suspicion.
This book makes for an entertaining read, just prepare yourself to have a few WTF moments while enjoying the experience this novel brings.
Disclaimer: I obtained a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Thank you very much R.S. Anthony for introducing me to Steven.
Age: 18+
Recommendation: Yes, this one is a good mix between disturbing and thrilling. With heavy themes, this book is pretty cringe worthy.
Type: Stand-alone
Summary: +interesting plot +/-disturbing themes +descriptive -rushed ending +unpredictable +well built main (Steven).
Description:
“Ready?” Sandy asked.
Steven’s heart hammered in his chest. He turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, a solemn look on his face. “Look, if something gets me in there, I want you to run and save yourself. Don’t tell anyone. If you don’t see me at school tomorrow, then you should alert people in town, okay?”
“Steven, you’re making me scared.”
“Just do as I say. Promise?”
Sandy’s own palms started sweating as she tightened her grip around her inhaler. “Promise.”
“Good. Now let’s go.”
High school is torture for Steven Walthurst, and home isn’t a whole lot better. The only place that offers respite is an abandoned tree house at the edge of town. But something lurks in the nearby woods, and the long line of elm trees has a clear message for Steven: keep out.
Then one day, Steven finds a little girl lying unconscious, perilously close to the woods. As the two get to know one another, Steven experiences real friendship for the first time—and gets closer than ever to knowing the darkness that skulks between the trees.
He dedicates himself to keeping his new friend safe, but the tranquility of their fragile hidden world doesn’t last long. When an act of cruelty pushes Steven to his limits, his secrets—and those of the dark woods—come close to unraveling, threatening to destroy the one thing making his teenage life bearable.
Can Steven save everything he’s built from crumbling under the pressure?
This story will tug at your heartstrings as the characters experience friendship, abuse, mistrust, and deliverance.
Full Review:
Pork by R.S. Anthony is one of those books that leaves you feeling unsettled. It isn’t because it isn’t well written, because it most certainly is, it’s because the implications that the events in this book create are almost too much to stomach.
Steven is a lonely, emotionally disturbed teenager who can find no solace outside of a hidden tree house in the woods. With an alcoholic and sexually promiscuous mother and no father or friends, Steven is bullied daily and only desires to be left alone. One day after another one of his mother’s vodka induced physical assaults, Steven returns to his hidden paradise and finds a small girl lying next to the opening of woods. Half- dressed and filthy, Steven begins to care for the girl who calls herself Pork.
With a terrible home life as well, Pork is Steven’s first real friend. He takes extra care daily to help keep her safe and maintain his own home life. But when the unthinkable happens and his own safe place is threatened, Steven is forced to deal with all the unpleasant things in his life: his mother, the prying eyes of his school and the new territory that having a best friend with her own demons causes.
This book made me cringe. Anthony did a very good job of keeping me involved and her writing style fits this genre well. The main character Steven, is complex and disturbed. Touching on some very heavy topics like alcoholism, child sexual abuse, prostitution, bullying and violence, this book is for adults only. I can’t talk about the plot and the ending very much without spoilers, but I will say while is was both intriguing and uncomfortable,it felt a bit rushed. The way that everything is lined up makes for a really good reveal but it felt like it was wrapped up a bit too quickly. I didn’t expect the final events, although I had a small suspicion.
This book makes for an entertaining read, just prepare yourself to have a few WTF moments while enjoying the experience this novel brings.
Disclaimer: I obtained a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Thank you very much R.S. Anthony for introducing me to Steven.
July 5, 2016
More a family psychodrama than horror story or thriller.
Downloading free ebooks is the literary equivalent of roulette – when the download icon quits spinning, you’re never quite sure what you’ve got – and that’s the fun of it, I guess, especially when you discover a hidden gem.
R.S. Anthony’s Pork isn’t exactly one of those surprise diamonds, but it’s far from coal either. The story sets-up nicely as lonely teenager Steven stumbles upon an unconscious little girl in the woods. With the decidedly weird name, Pork, the little girl seems pretty obviously on the run from something ugly and, as Steven becomes her ersatz guardian, he becomes increasingly uneasy about what might lurk in the trees.
So … so far, so good.
To her credit, Anthony does do some amazing character work. Protagonists Stevie, Pork, Sandy, and even the little bird Mildred are a remarkably sympathetic group of misfits, and Anthony really tugs the heartstrings, building a genuine connection between reader and characters. The dysfunctional family dynamics are compelling and you can’t help but root for Steven (who despite a really rotten hand of cards still seems to have a heart of gold) as he tiptoes through a minefield of bullies, school psychologists, and crappy parents (and maybe something really scary in those woods).
Unfortunately, the characters end up victims of a disappointing plot. It’s hard to be specific without spoiling things, but after pages and pages of build-up, the finale is a fizzle as the story’s rather predictable final twist deflates the drama like a punctured balloon. Plot points which felt important --from Sandy’s sudden illness to the posters for other missing children -- end-up evaporating like smoke as they get rendered irrelevant by the twist, and Steven – remember that character with the heart of gold with took it upon himself to try to protect that little abused girl? -- pretty much gets thrown to the therapist's couch.
Maybe psychodrama isn’t just my cup of tea, but for the most part, I enjoyed this book. I just wish it could have stuck the landing and been a bit more satisfying in answering some of the questions in the plot.
Like ... I'm still not sure why the little girl was named Pork.
April 12, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author has a lovely writing style with clear, sparse prose that allows the story to breath. Bit by bit each character plays a part in unraveling the mystery of where Pork has come from.
My only gripe is I would have liked more of an emotional punch to the ending.
But overall a satisfying read.
My only gripe is I would have liked more of an emotional punch to the ending.
But overall a satisfying read.
December 19, 2016
It was ok
The story was decent, a quick cover to cover read for me. It was entertaining and held my attention. The ending with the big reveal felt rushed. The story ending needed to be developed and expanded more. I don't regret grabbing this book, free on Amazon at the time. I would try another book from this author
The story was decent, a quick cover to cover read for me. It was entertaining and held my attention. The ending with the big reveal felt rushed. The story ending needed to be developed and expanded more. I don't regret grabbing this book, free on Amazon at the time. I would try another book from this author
July 15, 2016
There is lots of sandwich making, eating sandwiches and talking about sandwiches going on here. I thought it was going to be a horror story based off of the cover art, but that wasn't the case. Not bad, just okay.
July 17, 2016
In all these reviews I see, they state this was kind of dark and a thriller. I didn't see that really. It was an enjoyable read though. It did end abruptly with and unexpected ending. But dark and thrilling is not what I would use to describe this book.
July 26, 2016
Loved This Book
Pork was so believable. Poor Stevie with the life he led just looking for a friend. He found one in Pork. Good reading all the way through. Looking forward to next book by Anthony.
Pork was so believable. Poor Stevie with the life he led just looking for a friend. He found one in Pork. Good reading all the way through. Looking forward to next book by Anthony.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews