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mellamaron's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
If you are here expecting a book like “Eliza and her Monsters”, please leave. This is a horror story; it is not a feel good book about fandom with an HEA.
What is it then, you ask?
Katzenjammer is a haunting horror that flows beautifully between two timelines. We see the “current” time where the students of the School are changing, turning into monsters. Each time we meet a new character in the current timeline, we see them in the past - a normal contemporary timeline before the students were stuck in the school. Both timelines are told in short abrupt chapters and both are so compelling, I can’t pick a favorite.
Cat is a lovely protagonist. She is a girl who is different; people make fun of her lazy eye and her weird paintings. We meet Jeffrey, her best friend, who is a kind-hearted charismatic odd boy who enjoys spending time with her.
All of the characters we meet are interesting - when reading, it’s like these names stuck. Sometimes when I read, I go “wait who was this?” But in this book, I knew. When something connected in my head I went “oh my gosh, it’s XXX”
There are many triggers in this book, the one that happens most is violence: intense violence. I would recommend you look up the triggers before reading this book. I won’t list them all here as there is a particular trigger that is a spoiler…. So please look it up before reading if you have issues with violence triggers.
I really loved Zappia’s writing in this book: it felt sinister and compelling. I truly felt like I was in a horror video game - trying to hide from the toys in Five Nights at Freddy’s or Emily Wants to Play. If you don’t like those psychological horrors, please do NOT read this book.
What is it then, you ask?
Katzenjammer is a haunting horror that flows beautifully between two timelines. We see the “current” time where the students of the School are changing, turning into monsters. Each time we meet a new character in the current timeline, we see them in the past - a normal contemporary timeline before the students were stuck in the school. Both timelines are told in short abrupt chapters and both are so compelling, I can’t pick a favorite.
Cat is a lovely protagonist. She is a girl who is different; people make fun of her lazy eye and her weird paintings. We meet Jeffrey, her best friend, who is a kind-hearted charismatic odd boy who enjoys spending time with her.
All of the characters we meet are interesting - when reading, it’s like these names stuck. Sometimes when I read, I go “wait who was this?” But in this book, I knew. When something connected in my head I went “oh my gosh, it’s XXX”
There are many triggers in this book, the one that happens most is violence: intense violence. I would recommend you look up the triggers before reading this book. I won’t list them all here as there is a particular trigger that is a spoiler…. So please look it up before reading if you have issues with violence triggers.
I really loved Zappia’s writing in this book: it felt sinister and compelling. I truly felt like I was in a horror video game - trying to hide from the toys in Five Nights at Freddy’s or Emily Wants to Play. If you don’t like those psychological horrors, please do NOT read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Vomit
booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Thank you storygram tour for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cat has become a monster. She and other students are stuck inside their high school, some are also changing into monsters while others stay human, all the while something is hunting them down. They don’t know what, but Cat’s memories are the key to why they are all there and more importantly, a way out.
I’m going to start this off with this book is not for everyone. It deals with A LOT of very heavy topics(see cw bellow) but it made you think and feel and cry. It was heart breaking and realistic. It isn’t the story that many of us want to read right now but one that I personally believe needs to be told. Especially with the topics that are covered.
Cw:
Bullying
Gore
Violence
Animals killed
Classist
Hanging
Sexual assault
Trauma
Mental health
Eating disorder
This is a spoiler for the plot but must be mentioned.
Spoiler
Underage pornography mentioned
School shooting
Cat has become a monster. She and other students are stuck inside their high school, some are also changing into monsters while others stay human, all the while something is hunting them down. They don’t know what, but Cat’s memories are the key to why they are all there and more importantly, a way out.
I’m going to start this off with this book is not for everyone. It deals with A LOT of very heavy topics(see cw bellow) but it made you think and feel and cry. It was heart breaking and realistic. It isn’t the story that many of us want to read right now but one that I personally believe needs to be told. Especially with the topics that are covered.
Cw:
Bullying
Gore
Violence
Animals killed
Classist
Hanging
Sexual assault
Trauma
Mental health
Eating disorder
This is a spoiler for the plot but must be mentioned.
Spoiler
Underage pornography mentioned
School shooting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Classism, Sexual assault, Violence, Gore, Animal death, Gun violence, and Body horror
Minor: Eating disorder
ninjamuse's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It’s been a long time since a horror novel scared the pants off me. And YA horror, when I’m getting less and less hooked by teen fiction as the years go on? That is a sign of a great book, right there.
Katzenjammer is surreal and claustrophobic and tense, to the point where I wanted to keep reading but couldn’t, because tension overload and fear of nightmares and all that. The stakes and the horror keep ratcheting up and every time I thought I had a handle on the the world of School and how horrific everything was going to get, I was not prepared. Like, to the last page I was unprepared. “Body horror” + “trapped in high school” + “she's slowly remembering everything” doesn’t even scratch the surface. This is so real and angry and beautiful and creepy and pointed and terrifying and I’m going to be thinking about this book for a while as I unpick all the layers. I want to scream from the horror and from how good it was, all at the same time.
Damn, but Zappia knows how to write.
Please, please check content warnings on this one, everyone, please. This was A LOT, and I haven’t even been in school recently.
(Releases June 28. Thanks for the publisher and my work for providing me an advanced copy.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Bullying
Moderate: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
thebeesknees79's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I received an eARC from @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. That is the very first thought that came to mind upon finishing this book.
Let’s talk about plot real quick, without many spoilers. This is a twisted horror novel set in a living, breathing, terrifying school. Cat has a hardened cat mask for a face, and is struggling to figure out why her and others are trapped in this beast.
Now I’d like to share my thoughts. This is a raw, haunting, grotesque (in the best possible way) depiction of something we’ve dealt with time and time again. Zappia has crafted an absorbing world that you don’t want to be in but have to see your way through. This book is poignant, relevant, and treated with such care that everyone needs to read it. I’ll be honest, I figured out about halfway through most of what was going on, but I didn’t even care. I HAD to know how it played out, that’s how engrossing the author’s craft truly is. Damn. This book was solid!
Wow. That is the very first thought that came to mind upon finishing this book.
Let’s talk about plot real quick, without many spoilers. This is a twisted horror novel set in a living, breathing, terrifying school. Cat has a hardened cat mask for a face, and is struggling to figure out why her and others are trapped in this beast.
Now I’d like to share my thoughts. This is a raw, haunting, grotesque (in the best possible way) depiction of something we’ve dealt with time and time again. Zappia has crafted an absorbing world that you don’t want to be in but have to see your way through. This book is poignant, relevant, and treated with such care that everyone needs to read it. I’ll be honest, I figured out about halfway through most of what was going on, but I didn’t even care. I HAD to know how it played out, that’s how engrossing the author’s craft truly is. Damn. This book was solid!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Bullying, Violence, and Gore
markedwithanm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Mass/school shootings, Death, Gore, Body horror, and Gun violence
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Self harm, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Eating disorder
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