Well that was a cluster fuck of a book. I really wish this was longer so the story could really develop and I could actually care for the characters

4.5
Wow, I was lucky enough to get the arc from netgalley, so thank you.
I loved this book, the only thing I didn't like was it was a little slow in some areas but I wanted more, I would have read a 500 page book about these characters, I just loved the horror side but also on a deeper level, the main character finding herself and remembering her childhood.

Pam Kowolski Is A Monster! by Sarah Langan is a novella about a woman dead set on taking down her famous psychic former classmate. After realizing Pam Kowolski is a successful psychic, our narrator Janet decides to take her down in revenge for a past moment in high school when Pam made her miserable.

Langan's future isn't necessarily one I would want to live in, but it's easy to see how we could go from where we are now to where everyone is in Pam Kowolski.

This is a near future novella that follows an unreliable narrator. I don't often love the unreliable narrator trope but in Pam Kowolski this is incredibly well done. The novella really covers how faulty our own memories can be and how a memory can take on it's own life over time until what really happened and what a person remembers are two entirely different things. In particular, this novella focuses on the way that trauma can shape memory and what lengths a person might go to in order to bury traumatic and painful moments.

The characters in this novella were unlikable in a likable way, and the growth from the start to the finish for our unreliable narrator felt very realistic as she put in effort to uncover the truth about Pam Kowolski and the incident in high school that led her to hate her so thoroughly.

This is a great and quick read for all horror fans and I'd highly recommend you check it out.

Thanks to Sarah Langan for writing this, RDS Publishing and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending it my way, and NetGalley for being the vehicle with which I received this ARC.

Lots to digest in this short story! Set in the early 2030s, there's a feeling of dread and ennui that lingers throughout the entire story, perhaps due to the fact that our future currently feels largely ambiguous. I'm not sure how to feel about this story, but I enjoyed the journey of reading it. Would recommend!

Buckle up, horror freaks, because Sarah Langan’s Pam Kowolski Is a Monster! is a wild-ass novella that’ll leave you questioning your own damn memories while laughing at the absurdity of it all. At a lean 120 pages, this little beast packs more punch than a spiked piña colada at a high school reunion. Langan, a seasoned pro at unsettling the shit out of her readers, delivers a surreal, creepy, and unexpectedly poignant tale full of psychological horror and dark comedy. Let’s dive into this unhinged gem, dissect its guts, and figure out why it’s both a bloody delight and a bit of a frustrating tease.

Sarah Langan’s no newbie to the horror game. With a resume boasting novels like The Keeper and The Missing, she’s carved out a niche for stories that creep under your skin, blending domestic unease with cosmic terror. A three-time Bram Stoker Award winner, Langan’s got a knack for making the mundane feel like a goddamn nightmare. Her background in environmental science and public policy sneaks into her work, grounding her horror in real-world anxieties—think crumbling ecosystems or societal decay, but with a side of existential dread. In Pam Kowolski, she leans hard into psychological horror, proving she can still fuck with your head in novella form. This isn’t her first rodeo, and it shows.

Meet Janet Chow, a washed-up journalist in her forties who’s about as successful as a one-star Yelp review. Once a high school hotshot with dreams of Pulitzer glory, she’s now slumming it in a dead-end warehouse job, surrounded by ignored emails and a roommate she’d rather see in a ditch. Janet’s life is a shitshow, and she’s got one person to blame: Pam Kowolski, her high school nemesis who supposedly screwed her over with some vague, cruel act Janet can’t quite pin down. Fast-forward to 2031, and Pam’s no longer a nobody—she’s Madame Pamela, a TikTok-famous psychic raking in millions by predicting the end of the world. Naturally, Janet smells a scam and a chance to revive her career by exposing Pam as a fraud.

What starts as a petty revenge plot spirals into a fever dream of repressed memories, nosebleeds, suicides, and a world that’s maybe, just maybe, unraveling at the seams. As Janet digs into their shared past, interviewing old teachers and classmates, she realizes her grudge might be built on shaky ground. Pam’s doomsday visions start feeling too real, and reality itself gets wobbly. Is Pam a monster, or is Janet’s own fucked-up head the real villain? By the time Pam’s hyped-up “Big Reveal” livestream looms, you’re not sure if you’re rooting for Janet to take her down or just hoping they both survive whatever cosmic shitstorm’s coming.

Langan’s novella is a masterclass in unpacking trauma, memory, and the lies we tell ourselves to keep going. Janet’s an unreliable narrator par excellence, her recollections of high school warped by years of resentment and self-loathing. The story’s central question—are things as we remember them?—hits like a brick to the face. Memory here is a slippery bastard, a funhouse mirror that distorts truth until you’re not sure what’s real. Langan uses Janet’s obsession with Pam to explore how trauma can rewrite our past, turning us into our own worst enemies.

Symbolism’s thick on the ground. Pam’s psychic empire, with its apocalyptic promises, feels like a middle finger to a world obsessed with influencers and instant gratification. The “Big Reveal” is a twisted stand-in for our collective doomscrolling, where we’re all waiting for the next big catastrophe to drop. Nosebleeds and suicides pepper the story, visceral reminders of a reality that’s cracking under pressure. Even the near-future setting—2031, with its AI creepiness and societal decay—screams “we’re fucked” without ever preaching. Langan’s too smart for that shit. The contrast between Janet’s bitter cynicism and Pam’s glossy success symbolizes the gap between who we are and who we wish we’d become—a gut-punch for anyone who’s ever felt like life kicked them in the teeth.

If there’s a takeaway from Pam Kowolski, it’s that monsters aren’t always who you think. Janet’s hell-bent on painting Pam as the villain, but the deeper she digs, the more she’s forced to face her own flaws. Langan’s not here to coddle you with clear heroes and villains; she’s saying we’re all capable of being dicks, especially when we’re hurting. The novella’s heart lies in its plea for empathy—maybe Pam’s not a fraud, maybe Janet’s not a failure, maybe we’re all just fumbling through trauma’s aftermath.

There’s also a sly jab at our obsession with fame and truth. Pam’s psychic schtick thrives because people want to believe, even if it’s bullshit. In a world drowning in misinformation and viral stunts, Langan’s asking: what’s real, and does it even matter when we’re all so desperate for meaning? It’s heavy stuff, but she wraps it in enough snark and gore to keep it from feeling like a lecture.

Langan’s prose is a goddamn delight—crisp, conversational, and dripping with attitude. She writes like your coolest, most cynical friend who’s seen some shit but still cracks jokes. Janet’s voice is sardonic as hell, peppered with millennial snark that makes her both infuriating and relatable. Lines like “her best accomplishment? knowing exactly how long she can ignore an email before people think she died” had me cackling. Langan’s got a gift for blending humor with horror, so one minute you’re laughing at Janet’s petty grudges, and the next you’re wincing at a gruesome suicide.

The pacing’s relentless, barreling toward the climax like a runaway train. At 120 pages, there’s no fat to trim—every scene earns its keep. Langan’s descriptions are vivid without being overwrought; she paints a near-future world that’s unsettlingly plausible, with just enough techy weirdness to keep it spooky. The surreal elements—think reality-bending visions and psychic fuckery—are handled with a light touch, letting the horror sneak up on you. It’s not jump-scare cheap; it’s the kind of dread that lingers like a bad hangover.

This novella’s got balls. Janet’s a brilliantly flawed protagonist—petty, bitter, and so human it hurts. You want to shake her, but you also get why she’s such a mess. Langan nails the unreliable narrator trope, making Janet’s unraveling memories the story’s beating heart. The horror’s layered, blending psychological torment with cosmic stakes, so it works whether you’re here for the creeps or the feels. The dark humor’s a standout, cutting through the bleakness like a machete. And that cover art? Chef’s kiss—love that Lichtenstein shit.

The world-building’s another win. Langan sketches a near-future dystopia that’s chilling because it’s so damn believable—AI, social decay, an embrace of magic over science, and a society hooked on spectacle. Pam’s psychic empire feels like a natural extension of our influencer-obsessed culture, and the “Big Reveal” hype nails our morbid fascination with disaster. It’s smart without being smug, a rare feat.

Alright, let’s not blow smoke up Langan’s ass. The biggest gripe? That ending.

Holy abrupt, Batman—it’s like the story trips over its own feet and faceplants. After all the buildup, the “Big Reveal” and its fallout feel rushed, leaving too many questions dangling like loose threads on a cheap sweater. What’s Pam’s deal? Is the world actually ending? Why the hell are there so many nosebleeds? A few extra pages—hell, even 30—could’ve tied things up without spoon-feeding us. As it stands, the non-ending feels like a cop-out, especially when the rest of the novella’s so tight.

Some readers might also find Janet too much of a prickly bitch to root for. She’s judgmental, selfish, and not exactly charming, which can make the first half a slog if you don’t vibe with her voice. The horror, while effective, doesn’t always land as hard as it could—Langan teases some truly fucked-up shit (suicides, reality cracks), but she doesn’t always linger long enough to make it stick. It’s like she’s afraid to go full Event Horizon when we’re begging for it.

Pam Kowolski is a Monster! is a batshit fun novella that’ll have you laughing, cringing, and double-checking your own grudges. Sarah Langan’s at the top of her game, delivering a story that’s as funny as it is unsettling, with a protagonist who’s equal parts infuriating and heartbreaking. It’s a quick read that punches above its weight, tackling big themes—trauma, memory, the lies we live by—while keeping you hooked with snark and scares. The near-future setting and psychic shenanigans are creepy as hell.

But that ending? Fuck me, it’s a letdown. I’m not opposed to ambiguity, but in this case, the abruptness robs the story of the boom it deserves, leaving you with more “huh?” than “holy shit.” Still, this is a must-read for horror fans who love their scares with a side of wit and don’t mind filling in some blanks. If you dig unreliable narrators, surreal vibes, and a world that’s maybe two tweets away from apocalypse, grab this bad boy. Just don’t expect all the answers—or a clean getaway. It’s a wild, weird trip that’s almost excellent but stumbles at the finish line. Pour yourself a piña colada and dive in, you masochist.

Janet Chow, once a high school overachiever, is now a washed-up journalist with nothing to her name but a pile of ignored emails and a grudge that just won’t die. Pam Kowolski.

Thank you Netgally for the gifted copy

I am rating this book a 4.75/5. I WANTED MORE.

I was absolutely obsessed with the story. I laughed, was in shocked and also felt bad for some of the characters. I will now be wary of people drinking Piña Colada.

Congratulations Sarah on your book, I will definitely read more of your books!

This one took a few beats to warm up for me, but when it did, I definitely enjoyed the ride! The main character felt full and real to me, and this really is a one-character novel (novella?) as Janet comes to terms with a horrific event from her childhood. I love a good character, and her foil -- the viral TikTok psychic was brilliant. I'm struggling a little why this wasn't a solid homerun for me, and I think it's because once the author showed us she was going to GO there (the nosebleeds and suicides), I wanted her to sit in the horror a little longer and fill it out a little more so that we were held in place by it, much like how people couldn't stop watching the suicide videos. As it was, I felt like this slight novel slipped by too quickly and instead of ending with a huge BOOM of a resolution, it petered out before I was really all the way IN it. (Much like this review - sorry! This was a hard one to pin down for me!). In summary: I solidly LIKED it, but I didn't LOVE it as much as I think I could have and wanted to if the main character had been more firmly trapped in the horror of what was happening around her and then DID something to change it (or at least her place in it).

This was clever and haunting, and I absolutely could not finish it. I made it to 80% and I was too afraid to finish it (I am in fact a big coward). I think this was a very cool book and if you're down to be afraid, this is the book for you!

2.5

I initially requested this because the synopsis had me sold. It sounded like a revenge story which slowly got weirder and weirder and in the end I felt like I had absolutely no idea what this was.

My main issue was the writing style! I can say the writing and me were definitely not best friends throughout this reading experience. Which left me struggling to get into this and immerse myself in the experience because the writing felt so jarring to me. I couldn’t connect to anything going on and I found the main character to be increasingly infuriating.

I will say I think some people will absolutely love this, unfortunately it just wasn’t for me :(

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read in exchange for an honest review!

Sarah Langan, I was not familiar with your game.

I've had one or two books by this author on my TBR for awhile now, and now I can't believe I didn't get to them sooner, because this was so great. It's exactly the type of writing style that I devour. It was short enough to finish in one day and I would have read it in one sitting if I could have. It really took a turn (a few turns) that I wasn't expecting, it got weird and heavy and a bit surreal, and I loved every page of it. I also wasn't expecting to have this book make me tear up over trauma and friendship but it got me good.

Despite being a relatively short read, Pam Kowolski is a Monster! Packs a punch. This novella follows Janet, Pam's former classmate and self-imposed archenemy. Her life hasn't turned out the way she wanted tit o, and she hardly has a thing to show for it. However, Janet is certain that this is somehow all Pam's fault because she had done something cruel to Janet in high school. Now, many years later, Janet is surprised to realise that the same Janet Kowolski she's despised all this time is the same TV psychic Madam Pamela she's seen on screen many times. This revelation spurs Janet into action. How could Pam be so successful when she'd never realized her dreams of becoming a journalist? Janet is determined to finally write an article worth acclaim and take down Pam Kowolski at the same time... because Pam's a monster... isn't she?

I was so fascinated with this book. Janet is not a feel-good protagonist. She is bitter and carries one hell of a chip on her shoulder. She was meant for big things, and yet she's just a college dropout in her forties. In her head, she feels as though she can pinpoint everything going wrong to something mean Pam did to her in high school. Janet convinces herself that if she can expose Pam as the fraud she knows she i, then her life will somehow reverse course. However, the more Janet digs into the mystery of psychic Madam Pamela, the less things are as they seem. Janet reaches out to old teachers and people who knew Pam then and now in hopes of finding out some hidden truth. All the while, reality seems to be unraveling around her and it's all tied to Pam and some big reveal she plans to show the world.

I found Janet to be so interesting. She remembers things about her life and others in a way that does not meet the reality she uncovers. She wants to disprove Pam’s psychic abilities as a sham. The more she digs, however, the more Janet starts to believe.

I enjoyed the concept of this story, although the overall outcome of it left a lot to be desired. Janet was a fairly unlikeable character throughout the novel - she was judgmental and selfish. I thought the storyline was unique and I liked where the story was trying to go, however, I think that the ending was underwhelming. Janet’s character was redeemed by the final page, but, with all the exposition, the finale didn’t quite work as hard to wrap it up. The story was well-woven, it just wasn’t an exciting ending. It was slightly disappointing given the plot.

I rarely give out five-star reviews, but this novella was an absolute banger. It has unexpectedly become one of my favorite reads this year. I've already pre-ordered my physical copy.

The story is told from the perspective of would-be journalist Janet Chow. Bitter and dissatisfied with her life, Janet is reflecting on where she went wrong when she sees her old class mate on TV. Norm-core Pam Kowalski is now a celebrity psychic living a life of fame and fortune. Janet sets her sights on revenge, determined to bring down her old rival and revive her journalism career by exposing Pam as the fraud she is. Janet must revisit their youth and shared childhood memories to build her case. Along the way she starts to wonder if the truth is much scarier than Janet expected.

This story is creepy, heartfelt, and wonderful. I highly recommend. Thank you to RDS Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

this was phenomenal. a story that unexpectedly had me in a choke hold. a story about trauma, odd supernatural elements, and friendship that made me genuinely emotional. the writing was great, it felt like the perfect length for what it was. thank you to the publishers for the ARC!!

If you're a a fan of Ainslie Hogarth, Mona Awad, or Jen Beagin then Pam Kowolski Is a Monster is the perfect book for you.

We follow Janet Chow, 20-ish years after high school, who once had dreams of becoming a whisleblowing journalist but now works a menial dead-end warehouse job. One night while watching television, she comes across a show about a psychic that claims to be able to channel the dead and offers reunions for grieving families. But wait she looks familiar.... is that Pam Kowolski from high school!? Pam is the girl that ruined Janet's high school life and Janet is ready for some revenge. Her form of revenge? Writing a hit piece on why Pam Kowolski is a monster and a fraud.

What a strange amazing ride this was. I love surrealist literature so when I read the plot blurb I was immediately like "Yep sign me up" and I'm so glad that I was able to read this. It starts off as a surrealist revenge trip but then executes one of the best genre shifts I have ever read in my life. It becomes much more weirder and darker and it happens so naturally that I didn't even notice it really.

I don't want to say too much since I believe going into this novel knowing as little as possible is the best way of approaching this. It's a short read but it kept my engagement the whole time and I can't wait to revisit it and check out Sarah Langan does in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
I love the cover art for this text. This was a quick read and I was pulled in right away. Mystery, surrealism, repressed memories, and an unreliable narrator. The weird lit girlies are going to love this. Janet made for an interesting MC in all of her complexities and exploration of past hurts. The ending was abrupt. I wanted more of a conclusion; something more definitive that brought all of the story's intriguing ideas together. I also wanted to hear more from Pam once Janet finally came face to face with her again. Overall, I recommend checking out this novella when it releases on May 21st!

This novella certainly packs a punch—my heart raced at concerning speeds through the last third and I had nightmares all night. So thanks but no thanks for making me drag myself through life on this fine Monday!!

Though at times it leaned towards flowery and sentimental when the narrator was trying to be emotionally affecting, particularly at the start, overall this was really enjoyable prose. Pam Kowolski is a Monster! is fast-paced, intriguing and funny but also bleak and spooky. Glossing over the human and technological disasters happening in the background is enough to add to the dire atmosphere. In fact one thing I loved was the near-future setting, familiar enough but allowing for small (and ominous) technological advances that seemed uncomfortably possible. The build-up towards the end was really effective, perhaps it was inevitable that the ending would feel abrupt. There's not a lot of resolution, which doesn't bother me that much, but I would imagine it might disappoint some readers.

I was reminded of Rogue and Patricia Wants to Cuddle, not sure why exactly since Pam Kowolski has little to do with any of them so maybe ignore me. I’d recommend this to those who want a quick fix of horror and love a deplorable narrator.

Pam Kowalski is a monster. Initially, it feels like a revenge story, but it slowly spirals into something much weirder—and I loved every second of it. It’s unhinged, weird, and gory, sprinkled with humor. The plot twists aren’t jaw-dropping, big revelations, but rather small, unexpected moments that left me stunned, making the read even more enjoyable.

Sarah Langan did a wonderful job with this story—it was way better than I imagined. Also, I love the cover!

So, if you enjoy dark comedy, gore, and horror, this 120-page novella is for you.

Thanks NetGalley and Sarah Langan for giving me a copy of this book to read.

Sarah Langan really gave us something special here. We meet Janet, who feels deeply wronged by Pam Kowalski. Janet's bite-sized, unhinged journey for revenge also comes with some unexpected heart. Are things always as we remember them? Or are we victims of our own hells we create in our heads? Sarah combines humor & some dark themes into a mind-bending, weird read and I loved it. We stan a petty queen hehe. There is a lot to unpack in this novella and I will be thinking about it for awhile. Thank you to Raw Dog Screaming Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Definitely give this a read when it publishes May 21, 2025!