Before I get into the review for this anthology, I want to say a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the author for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review, Upon a Waking Dream is a 12 short story collection about Sci-Fi misadventures, magic, and what happens when you stumble into the chaos and wonder the world has for you. The stories range from a Flat Earther accidentally getting taken to another planet, to a woman’s life getting help from her imaginary friend who just happens to wear a toga and bunny slippers, to a girl discovering a house with an inside but no outside in the woods. Upon a Waking Dream is set to release on March 7th and is available for preorder now.

I’ll start with explaining my numbers a bit. I took a rating for each story and averaged it out for the overall book rating. The highest rated story for me was the first one, Letter from Glomsuet, which got a 4 star rating. The lowest rated story for me was around the middle of the book, Thirteen, which got a 2 star rating from me. I’ll explain the two star first. Overall, I liked the concept of this story which is set in a hotel where two characters meet and disagree about which floor is missing. Is the 13th floor unlucky so they skip it? Or is it really the number 6 like the man from the bar is suggesting? We watch the two of them explore the hotel with no clear answer. But the problem for me was two fold. I didn’t like the ambiguity (which is part of the reason most of these stories landing in the 3 to 4 star range) and it felt so short. I wanted more weird or creepy things to happen. I wish most of these stories had taken creepier turns really. But the story I enjoyed so, so much was Letter from Glomsuet. I can not explain to you how funny it was to see this Flat Earther get proven wrong and seeing how he changes based on his own experience. There’s also a hilarious turn at the end that really bumped this story up for me.

Overall, I think if you’re a Sci-Fi fan, a short story fan, or someone who enjoys being in on the joke before the main character, you’ll really like this one. I also really enjoyed the little bit of art from the chapter headings and the separation between major scenes. I think that will probably look amazing in this gorgeous book.

Pretty cover with good introduction makes me want to dive into it even more! The collection of the story and all the plot is written very good and it was delivered pleasantly! Had a great time reading this book, thank you net galley for the advanced reading copy of the book!

This was such a lovely collection of stories rooted in sci-fi, fantasy and magical realism.

As with all short stories, there are some I loved more than others. Some are heartwarming and whimsical (Inheritance and The House with an Inside and No Outside), others are shocking and sad (The Family Name). But all of them are beautifully done. There are some deeper messages in some tales, and some wonderful commentary about society in others. I could read a whole book about each of them - especially some like Thirteen which felt short and ended abruptly with no real explanation.

The afterword also provides context and background to the stories and her inspiration for them which I loved!

A fab collection I would love to read more of!

Upon A Waking Dream features 12 sci-fi/fantasy shorts. The stories are so short that they all seem to be a bit unfinished. I didn't feel a sense of completion when I read these stories - but maybe that's the whole point? The stories were interesting/cool and kept my attention through (they were very brief), and I definitely chuckled a few times. I would recommend this book to people who are into sci-fi writing and "far out" ideas.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I really loved this book. 12 short stories all kinda sci-fi based. They are all short and though provoking. I decided to read one a night for 12 nights and really enjoyed all the stories.

The writing was very good, I got a feel for the area in each story without it being too detailed and still felt a connection to the main characters even though their stories were short.

I really enjoyed the whole book but my favorite story was about the Time travelling pen. This was such a cool concept and I imagine myself wishing this were a true story.

Overall starting out, I had a rough time getting through the first couple of chapters, but after getting through and reading the short stories, I slowly began to really love each and every single one of them. I haven't ever really read a work like this but I greatly appreciate how full of life the stories were and how much everything fit! Each story gave you a different charm and sense of fulfillment!

I was given the opportunity to review this book via NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. Several of the short stories have stuck with me for several days after finishing the book. I really liked "The Man of Her Dreams" and "The House with an Inside but No Outside". I would recommend this book for those who like to read but don't have a lot of time to read an entire book in one sitting. The stories were engrossing enough that I was happy to read more than one at a time. I will be exploring more works by J.S. Bailey.

I really loved this collection of strange and unusual stories! I’m fairly new to the sci-fi genre and found these stories all highly entertaining! Thank you to NetGalley for an advance e- reader copy.

I had to DNF this book, the concept behind it was really cool and I’m sure the some of the short stories are interesting, but I just couldn’t get behind the writing style. It was very simple and I think it is probably better suited to young YA.

This collection of short stories was interesting and engaging. I love a book that I can devour one sitting, and this one fit the bill.

Bailey's creative mind takes us all over the universe, but humans and their varied experiences seem to be the focus of each story.

Some of these stories I really loved. Inheritance and The House with an Inside but No Outside are so cozy and bittersweet while others lean more philosophical, tongue in cheek, or even a little cheesy. However, Bailey always seems to avoid crossing over into cringey territory no matter how bizarre the stories get.

Overall, I found this collection to be a nice way to disconnect from reality and visit weird new worlds. My only complaint is that a few stories (Daily Log and Thirteen, for instance) felt more like snippets with no real substance. I don't feel like I got anything from reading those two in particular, but the rest of the stories were all strong and interesting in their own peculiar way.

I look forward to seeing what Bailey creates in the future.

In Letter from Glomsuet, Emilio, a Flat Earther who's been accidentally abducted by aliens, is writing to his former girlfriend Stacy to tell her about his new life and to apologize. I really loved the ironic ending of this piece

In The Man of Her Dreams, Chloe's idol, moviestarTom Suarez, has just died. She begins plotting to go back in time to seduce a young Tom Suarez. This story was an interesting exploration of "getting what you want."

In Jay, a dirty, mysterious stranger appears in town and helps solve a grisly mystery. This story is a reminder to be kinder to those around you.

In Daily Log from Outpost #602, Kwame and Porter have been assigned to a space outpost to listen for interstellar signals that never come-- until they do. This one...I could have done without.

In No Good Reason, Bill is a living punching bag for some reason. This is another one that I was on the fence about, but it was more engaging than the other super short pieces.

In How to Make Money Fast, Kyle plays along to retrieve lost property even though he's sure he's on a TV prank show. This was one of my least favorites, mostly because Kyle's actions didn't feel believable, and the ending was a little too sugary sweet for me.

In The Family Name, Edwin learns why there are so many boys and so few girls in a world that is obsessed with carrying on the family name. This is a brief but cutting commentary on the patriarchy.

In Larry, listening to her imaginary friend changes Molly's life. This one was simple but cute.

In Thirteen, Marsha has a disagreement with a stranger in the hotel bar about superstition. This was my least favorite story in the collection. It is very short, and it doesn't feel like a story as much as a strange snapshot.

In Inheritance, Gretchen's recently deceased grandmother leaves her a magical pen. This was one of my favorite pieces. Of all the stories, it gave me the biggest feels. I think all of us wish we could recieve a gift like this.

In The Last to Pass, Francis and Tanvi break down on a planet where the people have stopped aging. This story explores the repercussions of immortality.

In The House with an Inside but No Outside, Kenzie finds her grandmother's old friend and her grandaugther in a magical house in the woods. This was another favorite. It brought me straight back to childhood summers spent tromping in the woods playing make believe, and I'm here for it.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Such a weirdly delightful book. The short stories I've gotten accustomed to aren't usually of this genre, so it was pleasantly surprising to be so immersed in these hilarious yet sometimes thought provoking stories.

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. They remind me a little of Black Morror episodes so if you are a fan, you should read this.

This collection of stories by JS Bailey was a true delight.
Fun, quirky, thought provoking, and a little ominous, they make a great break from heavy long winded work.

What I liked: something about each story, some pulled you emotionally, some stumped you a bit, some made you wonder about potential outcomes…a couple shorter ones ended abruptly in ways reminiscent of the twilight zone, rather than having everything tied up beat with a bow like many models readers call for. I enjoyed the new languages or unique traits being kept simple but well thought, and Bailey certainly knows what descriptive phrases to add in the right place to build emotion without adding too much detail.

What I didn’t like: probably mostly that there just weren’t more of them…..if I had another critique it would be that I think I would have chosen a different order for the stories within the collection.

Overall a treat to read, i would be intrigued to read a longer work of Baileys now in contrast but they certainly know short story work.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, it’s not something I would usually select but I’m very glad it got the chance to read this. .

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of the Twilight Zone and this collection of Sci-Fi stories would quite easily find a home in the Twilight Zone. Some of these stories made me laugh, others made me a little bit sad, and there was one that had me scratching my head asking, "What the heck was that?!" I have never read this author before, but I will definitely be picking up more by J.S. Bailey.

My favorite stories were: "Letter From Glomsuet," "Jay," "Daily Log from Outpost #602" and "The Last to Pass"

If you are a fan of the Twilight Zone or just enjoy thought provoking stories with Sci-Fi vibes, then this collection is for you!

4.5 Stars!

#uponawakingdream #netgalley

What a truly delightful read! This is a collection of short sci-fi stories. This is whimsical (not rules based) sci fi.

The author does a great job at building out each world in fewer pages than you’d think.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I picked up this book because I enjoy fantasy but this is more sci-fi/speculative fiction than I had hoped. The stories were very reminiscent of The Twilight Zone in that they were strange yet accessible and generally tied up pretty neatly in the end. Overall I liked it, but there wasn't enough to really grab me and make me love it.

Upon a waking dream by J. S Bailey

Upon a Waking Dream is a short speculative fiction anthology set that mostly plays around sci-fi and some bordering the realm of supernatural fiction. Split into 12 short stories.

The Man of Her Dreams
I enjoyed the Tom and Cleo story. Cleo made an alternative universe to be with an actor she was obsessed with in the real world. What can go wrong when your dreams come true? It was a more enjoyable read than I first expected, and I highly recommend it to others.

Within these 12storeez they're all different and all have a quick and witty characters design and I find this very interesting.

I found this book to be slow. There wasn't enough of the action to keep me invested in it. I admit the idea was great, I just wasn't a huge fan of the writing style.

In this anthology of short stories, Upon a Waking Dream, J.S Bailey takes the reader through 12 different tales from 12 different people. As someone who enjoys science fiction and fantasy, this quick read was such a magical flight through the universes. I love the worlds, the languages created, and the world that I can picture in my mind. If you happen to be new to the science fiction genre, this would be a great read for you to test the waters. Thank you J.S Bailey for the opportunity to be an ARC reader I truly enjoyed getting to step into other worlds (at least for a short while). I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick adventure, who knows what you might find.

This is an utterly delightful collection of short stories that run the gamut from time travel to accidental alien abduction! I was so delighted reading these stories that I often doubled back to re-read one of the stories I'd already finished, including by reading them out loud to family members (who also loved them). These short stories were often filled with twists and turns that I did not see coming and kept me on the edge of my seat. I would absolutely recommend this collection of short stories to any lovers of Science Fiction or Fantasy.

I volunteered to read and review this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

#NetGalley #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #ShortStories #UponAWakingDream #JSBailey #2022 #ARC