Squeal

by Gitte Tamar

Forced to move from home to home throughout his childhood, Tom’s fantasy of a family member rescuing him from the foster care system dies after several years pass without as much as a phone call.

His life unexpectedly shifts in his early teens when his only remaining blood relatives, his grandparents, suddenly reappear. For the first time in his resentment-filled years of abandonment, Tom experiences a moment of optimism over moving to the family pig farm.

Tom’s change in fortune should bring him happiness, but something lurking deep inside him inhibits his ability to feel contentment. No matter how hard he tries to adjust, ordinary human emotions don’t resonate in his bones, and his grandparent’s lack of understanding of his difficulties infuriates him. Tom copes by forming an unusual connection with the farm’s pig herd. The swine’s cooing oinks and soft snouts, rubbing against his skin, soothes his nerves even on the most trying days.

On his eighteenth birthday, rather than give him a gift, the elderly couple lays out an ultimatum that threatens his future and the welfare of his beloved pigs. With his world collapsing around him, Tom makes an impulsive decision that changes his life forever and sets him on a path of dark self-discovery.

Genres: Horror

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2022

About the author

Brigitte, "Gitte," Tamar was born in a small rural Oregon town. Growing up, she was enthralled by scary tales featuring poetic tones and consistently gravitated towards writing darkened narratives. In the different storylines, Brigitte explores the harsh realities of social issues faced by today's generations. This includes the dark outcomes brought on by peer pressure, addiction, homelessness, mental illness, childhood trauma, and abuse. She feels it is essential to share narratives that refrain from sugarcoating the topics society tends to shy away from.

Reviews

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

You're thrown straight in at the deep end with this book and the horror doesn't really quit throughout.

Tom is a young man who already disrupted life us about to take a turn for the worse as his grandparents who run a pig farm and took him in after some years in Foster care, have decided to sell up forcing Tom to move on. But Tom loves the pigs and his life just the way it is. Needless to say his grandparents aren't his match in strength.

Following the dispatch of his family Tom runs the farm alone. But the farm is failing and unless he gets extra cash he will fail and lose his beloved animals.

What follows is a series of quite revolting events.

Squeal isn't necessarily a conventional horror book but it does have truly sickening scenes so if you're at all squeamish I'd read those bits quickly.

My only real problem with the book is that it became a little predictable for a while. However the end is good and well worth putting up with a bit of repetition for. I also count myself lucky to be vegetarian because, if weren't, I'd be off pork for life.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great book by Gitte Tamar, it had a great horror novel concept and worked really well for what I was looking for. The concept was great and I enjoyed what I read. I felt for Tom and thought his story was really well done.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were so much wrong with Tom throughout the story. But hey, I can't blame him for what he had become. Also, I can't defend his actions too. I'd say pretty much every character in this book is fucked up in the head. I liked the plot twist on the last chapter. Gitte Tamar, you wrote a great horror novel - gory, wild, monstrous - to the point I think pigs as bad lucks now. I've always thought pigs as cute creatures (don't ask me how or why) but the author apparently has changed my view of them. Congrats, you've instilled something in me to kinda "hate" pigs (sorry not sorry piggy, you scared me now).

*I received an ARC of this book in order to facilitate my voluntary and honest review.

[Maryanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was engaged straight away, chapter one hooked me in, and I wanted to know how this initial scene had come about. I wasn't disappointed and got pretty much all the answers I was waiting for. The ending I found super satisfying. I had a part of it figured out, but without giving too much away, there was still an unexpected moment that I really enjoyed. I did feel like some parts could've been condensed, and this would've been an amazing 5 star short story rather than a 4 star stand alone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thanks to SirenBooks for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Definitely check trigger warnings before going in to this horror book.The story is about a boy who had a rough childhood and what he becomes as he gets older , as the story goes on you learn the reason for his behavior. I feel that the author left out the explanation about the person that appears at the end and the history about where the animals came from.

[Norman Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't think of anything to say. I try to find something positives about everything I read, but I can't.