A lot of kid's book have a magical portal that takes them away to a new world. These portals exist in real life, but they're often darker and dangerous. Urbanski does a great job exploring this idea.

Captivating short story collection that focuses on a few common themes (namely, portals/other world & asexuality). Those themes might feel a bit overly repetitive at times, but the differences in genre & writing styles helped the stories feel unique. Some of the topics (e.g., rape, abuse) were occasionally challenging for me to read - it's certainly not a light book. But it's still one I'm glad I read

This is such a strange and beautiful collection. These stories share motifs and characters that give the overall reading experience a liminal quality. There is frequent exploration of the need to be elsewhere, the desire to find a world that wants you as you are, and the pain and rejection of having to stay where you are. The different perspectives throughout this collection were really interesting; I felt incredibly seen by some narrators and hated others, but each story was so impactful. The way that Urbanski talks about asexuality in her writing is wonderful in its authenticity and I respect her so much for not letting readers ignore its centrality to these stories.

Some personal favorites of mine were "The Dirty Golden Yellow House" and "A Few Personal Observations on Portals."

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book!

Immense thanks to Librarything, Netgalley and the author for providing me with a copy for review. I have wanted to read Portalmania for several months since I saw it in a Goodreads giveaway. The cover and synopsis immediately drew me in and I knew I needed a copy of my own. These stories definitely resonated with me. Touching on the subjects of autism, asexuailty, objectification of women, motherhood, otherhood, mental health, among so many other nuanced experiences, this collection is one I will go back to reference for years to come I am sure. All the star ratings to the author and everyone that brought this collection into the world. You have done women and humanity a greater service than most.

Content Note: (marital) rape, domestic violence, child abuse

The short stories in this collection are variations on a few themes. Portals and other ways to strange worlds are a part of all of them, but they also share a sharp, often uncomfortable look at what it means to be an asexual woman married to a man who not only wants to have sex but expects to get it. As a therapist myself, it is also almost a guide how not to approach asexuality with patients (the therapists here gave me a whole lot of creepy vibes). And finally, the story also deals with autism, once very overtly, in other stories more in passing. Even though the themes are so similar, often sharing more than one element, the stories feel very distinct and are each captivating in their own way. In short, it is a fantastic collection, although it is not always easy to stand reading about the very painful experiences of the characters here.

Read more about each of the stories at the link.

I really enjoyed Portalmania. It was genre bending. Lots of Sci-Fi, Horror and fantasy, but also speculative fiction and feminist.

All the stories had an easy flow and worked together for an overall narrative. Some of the stories hit better than others.

My favorites were LK-32-C, Long May The Land Be Bright and A Few Personal Observations on Portals. LK-32-C is about parenthood and parenting a child that isn’t like you. Long May The Land seems very relevant right now. A political piece where two leaders were voted in and serve on either odd or even days. And Personal Observations about personal portals and the need to keep up with the Jones’s.

Debbie Urbanski has a really distinct sci-fi voice, and it comes out in full force in Portalmania.

I started off enjoying this short story collection, all revolving around bizarre portal-y stories. The portals don't necessarily become characters though, except for side characters, and each story is more about society, how women are treated, toxic masculinity, and being different in general.

What I liked: There was representation of asexuality and neurodivergence, which is great! I enjoyed the first few stories (the first half of the book, probably) a lot and liked how the portal situations were different. I liked how unsettling a lot of the stories were, and how it felt like it was a Twilight Zone episode.

What I didn't like: The stories, especially their themes, began to get repetitive. It started to feel like there was nothing left to say, just more words to write. Toward the end, the stories are a bit more intense and deal a lot with husbands who suck, and it got to be really depressing to read, and I lost my enjoyment. The topics (like marital r*p*) are important and hard to read about no matter what, but it just didn't vibe with me properly. Yes, Urbanski suggests later on that that is a me problem. But in this case, I think it was a me problem in terms of taste. It was almost as if she was *trying* to be as uncomfortable as possible.

In conclusion: partially liked. This is heavy on triggers, so be careful with it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the e-ARC!

This book is a deceiving work of autofiction. You go into it thinking it's going to be a fun scifi-ish book about portals - but oh no. This is not what lies ahead. There are portals yes, but the author talks EXTENSIVELY about asexuality. It is a prominent theme in almost every story. That, and her comorbid apathy, sometimes even dislike, of the male gender.

The author addresses lots of difficult thoughts and emotions. Forcing the reader to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. She throws these issues in your face, prompting acknowledgement of the things that people /couples don't talk about. Strong themes of commitment and love, and the different ways 2 people can love each other and stay committed in nontraditional ways are prevalent.

Underneath it all, you can feel there is anger and a slight sadness that runs like a vein, snaking through the stories. This seems like a deeply personal collection of work to the author. I felt at times like I was traipsing through her journal, unseen.

There are 9 stories and a bonus story at the end in this book. I did not like all of them. There were 2 in particular, How to Kiss a Hojacki -and- LK-32-C that I really didn't care for. However, the way she writes, the attention that is brought to these uncomfortable truths and her prose - I couldn't give it less than 4 stars (even tho I almost DNF it toward the beginning). I was even leaning towards 5 there for a bit, but I think I'll hang out at 4 for now. If you like unconventional short stories that push boundaries and challenge what you think you know about love and relationships, read it. It's really worth it.

I was invited to read this collection of stories. It is not my typical type of book, but I decided to give it a shot. So glad I did!

This was a fun ride and I can honestly say I enjoyed it all!

I've been DYING to read this ever since I saw the cover come across my feed a few months ago on Goodreads and I'm so excited to be given the opportunity to read it.

And let me say it was so worth the wait.

Judging from the very small plot synopsis I saw initially, I thought this was going to be a collection of feminist sci-fi short stories. In a sense it is but it's so much more raw and powerful than I was expecting it to be. Tackling very heavy themes with out of this world metaphors--portals, AI, body horror.

The writing was and amazing and the use of inter-connected storylines kept me engaged the entire time. I also loved how the author incorporated themes of sexuality, womanhood, isolation, longing (for other worlds), escapism, even discussions on the current fragile political climate of the world.

Despite the heavy subject matters, I found this collection to be weird and compelling and I'm super interested in what Debbie Urbanski has written/will write in the future!

I love Debbie Urbanski and I love Portalmania.

That's all there is. These stories are perfect and weird and smart and I'll be coming back to these year after year.

That's it. That's the review. I loved every page, every person, every story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

(Actual: 4.5⭐, rounded up) Didn't know what to expect going into this and, after reading a handful of reviews, decided to just go in [mostly] blind.... looking back, I do believe that was the right call to make lol. I loved this anthology of stories! Not only were they all carried by such a unique voice and propulsive, nuanced prose, but they were also all rather ambitious, which I definitely appreciated. PORTALMANIA is a genre-bending mash-up of sci-fi, horror, and surrealism, all of which are dealt in spades; it is also thematically very reminiscent, imo, of the show Black Mirror, with relevant world trends & issues carefully woven into their respective narratives. I liked how this read seemed to become increasingly confident in embracing its much darker tones the further in you go; in general, loved it, and would recommend as something truly unexpected for your TBR!

Debbie Urbanski delivers a concise collection of portal stories that slip under the skin like a splinter. Each tale is deeply discomforting, but powerful in its eviscerating examination of marriage, sex, parenthood and consent. As with After World, Urbanksi's debut novel, I can't entirely say that I enjoyed this book. I found myself uncomfortable, upset occassionally, and frequently just sad. But I think all those feelings are things Urbanski is trying to work through with her short fiction. So ultimately, the collection accomplishes its purpose. Content warnings will be important when recommending this collection. The comparison to Her Bodies and Other Parties is apt, and I'll selectively recommend this.

I often find with short story collections there are some stories you relate to and enjoy more than others, however, after every story in this collection I found myself thinking "no, wait, this one's my favourite!" which is definitely a rare thing for me. It took me about 20 pages to understand what was actually going on but once I did, I genuinely could not put this down!

So much asexual representation which I so dearly appreciated as it is something that you rarely see, especially in fiction. Many of the stories act as a commentary on the asexual experience within our hetero/allonormative society, with an emphasis on compulsory sexuality and the idea that sex is a necessary aspect of romantic relationships.

The main theme of the book is escaping the social expectations and domesticity of everyday life through portals from this existence to another which I found to be an absolutely fascinating concept. Even those stories that don't explicitly feature portals still have the same theme of change and a desire to escape from the confines of societal norms.

Despite being quite dark in parts, I had fun reading this book - which I think is in part due to the writing style and the fourth wall breaks which I thoroughly enjoyed - and I would highly recommend!!

“He told me that there's a place in genre for fun stories that feel comfortable but, likewise, there needs to be a place for uncomfortable stories that challenge us as readers.”

Portalmania, a collection of short stories, was published yesterday (!)

The stories range in topic from marital abuse, portals as metaphors, special needs children, rifts as metaphors, asexuality, and wanting to escape. Some are difficult topics, but, as the quote above from “Story Notes” suggests, it is worth it to be challenged, and the author does it well, I think.

I will say that some of the material got a little muddled at the end—with multiple stories along the same themes, it’s easy to have that happen.

My favorite stories were How to Kiss a Hojacki and Long May My Land Be Bright.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

It’s always hard to rate short story collections, some stories resonate more than others, and Portalmania was no exception. The collection delivers a wild, dystopian take on our current reality, and honestly, it doesn’t feel that far off.

My favorite story was How to Kiss a Hojacki. Urbanski shaped it in a way that lets every reader walk away with something different, depending on their own life experiences. That kind of layered, open-ended storytelling is what makes short fiction stick. Easily the standout piece of the collection.

The girls, gays, and theys will fully appreciate this collection. ✨Urbanski understood the assignment.✨

Debbie Urbanski's Portalmania is a captivating collection that masterfully intertwines a variety of stories, each offering a unique lens into the intricacies of human life. The narratives navigate through diverse realms, yet maintain a cohesive thread that showcases Urbanski's talent for blending the fantastical with the profoundly relatable.

What stands out in Portalmania is its great mixture of stories—each one distinct, yet collectively painting a vibrant mosaic of human experiences, emotions, and existential ponderings. Urbanski’s prose is both imaginative and reflective, inviting readers to explore not just other worlds, but the depths of their own hearts and minds.

Portalmania Stories by Debbie Urbanski is a sharp, inventive collection that uses sci-fi and speculative elements to explore identity, grief, and transformation. Urbanski’s voice is both emotionally resonant and darkly funny, making this a smart, genre-bending read for fans of literary speculative fiction.

Happy Publication Day!

Debbie Urbanski delivers with this page-turning collection of short stories. Common themes cover the many definitions of portals, the endless search for oneself, and the mutability of love between parent-child and spouse relationships.

"I grew up. I met someone. I got a job. We bought a house. I tried loving my partner more than a portal. This is what adults grow up to do, correct? What I mean is wanting. I tried wanting her more than another world."

She provides unique and sometimes painful insight into the difficulties of raising a neurodivergent child (both from a parent and child perspective, which was beautifully approached), asexuality, and the rarely talked about history and statistics of marital rape and abuse. Not a light read by anyone's standards, but incredibly captivating and thought-provoking.

"There is no contradiction between loving someone and feeling burdened by that person; indeed, love tends to magnify the burden."

This collection of short stories is harrowing and emotional. Each story can be viewed through limitless lenses and interpretations, and I look forward to re-reading this. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Not all losses are sad. Some things we are meant to lose."

A collection of stories that really make you wish that you were part of this universe. Such superb little dynamites in each story, enough to keep you dreaming in this universe.