stayshomeandreads's reviews
537 reviews

I NEED A BOOK 4!!!

Debbie Urbanski is a singular voice in speculative fiction. Portalmania is her newest short story collection, and it has some stories that affected me more deeply than I thought possible for an SFF story collection like this. In particular, LK-32-C was one of the most moving portrayals of neurodivergence and parenting that I've ever read and How to Kiss a Hojacki was horrifying and so real. I thought that the theme of portal fantasy would get old quickly, but every single story in here was so fresh. A few worked significantly better than others, but overall each story was a fascinating read. I love Urbanski's direct, almost Vonnegut-like tone as she describes fantastical elements. On a personal note, I also love that so many of her stories take place in Western NY! I am very excited to see what this author comes up with next because there is truly no one else like her. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! 

A very sweet Japanese novella about reconnecting with lost loved ones at a magical cafe. If that sounds eerily similar to Before the Coffee Gets Cold, that's because it is. There are a few original twists in here, but overall it just felt to me like a retelling of that story. With that being said, this novella was well written, straightforward, and cozy. It shares the Japanese traditions of remembrance meals with readers from any culture in a heartwarming way. I also thought that the recipes after each chapter were a cute touch. I do wish that there had been more of an overarching plot, but if you just treat it like the (very short) short story collection that it is, it makes a lot of sense. 

**I received an ARC from Netgalley to review.

If you like endless Joss Whedon style quips in place of normal dialogue, this is the book for you