Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Phewwwwww boy.

Portalmania is a short story collection where every story "rhymes" with the ones that come before and after. It feels like each story in some aspect shows the same family, just in different worlds and within different situations. The characters are never exactly the same, but by and large there is an asexual wife, a husband who really does like his now asexual wife, and some kids. That seems kind of demeaning to these character who are so much more that those descriptions, but you'll have to read the collection to see those other sides.

The stories almost always showcase a character who feels as though they don't belong on this planet. That life through a portal or in the stars was where they are meant to be and how these large emotions that are inherently distancing affect all the people around them, especially their family.

All in all a really good collection, that feels more cohesive than most which I think only enhances it.

A series of short stories that include the themes of portals and asexual protagonists. So not go on expecting a light-hearted romp, these stories contend with heavier themes and I found several to be thought-provoking and ones I'll likely continue to mull over later.

If you enjoy speculative fiction with challenging/hard to read topics, give this a try

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book was published on 5/13/25.

Debbie Urbanski’s Portalmania is a bold, unsettling, and thought-provoking collection of speculative fiction stories that explore themes of identity, escape, gender roles, and the unsettling nature of human relationships.

The central theme—portals as both literal and metaphorical pathways—creates a fascinating throughline across the stories. Some function as escapes, others as ominous warnings, and a few as reflections on societal and personal struggles. The stories range from eerie sci-fi narratives to deeply emotional explorations of marriage, asexuality, and coercion. LK-32-C stood out as a beautifully nuanced depiction of neurodivergence, while The Dirty Golden Yellow House had a gripping and almost surreal quality that lingered in my mind.

Urbanski’s prose is sharp and fearless, often breaking the fourth wall or presenting perspectives that challenge the reader’s expectations. While some stories felt repetitive in theme, the collection as a whole is undeniably compelling. The mix of dark humor, discomforting realities, and speculative elements makes for an absorbing read.

Final Thoughts: If you enjoy speculative fiction that isn’t afraid to ask difficult questions and make you a little uncomfortable, Portalmania is worth the read. Fans of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone will likely appreciate its eerie, thought-provoking nature.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the central conceit of this collection: so many of us are looking for escapes, or at the very least something different. I thought it worked especially well in LK-32-C, my favorite story (really a novella) in the collection, since the central character is most likely on the autism spectrum. I also really appreciated the asexual representation, as it both showed the expectations considered “normal” and what was considered “withholding” regarding the asexual partner. It was a thought-provoking and moving collection that made me want to read more by this author. I did feel like some themes felt repetitive vs. progressive, but it does seem like that was the author’s preference, which is obviously up to her.

Debbie Urbanski is a fantastic writer. I loved most of these stories and the way her characters reflected real, complicated people and sometimes broke the fourth wall. Would recommend and thank you for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for reaching out and suggesting I read this ARC. What a unique and strange collection of stories. Each story has its own version of a portal but the first story is the one that stuck with me the most. These stories are dark, interesting and at times reflective.

This was really weird but in a really fun way! I love weird books and short stories that just end up making me go "what the hell?" This was exactly that. This may not be for everyone but its definitely for me.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

First off, I loved the 60's campy cover.

This was a mixed bag for me, which I find often the case with short story collections. Several of the stories I really enjoyed (the LK-32-C series and The Dirty Golden Yellow House come to mind). The book was raw, in-your-face and honest, and sometimes hard to read. Genre-wise, these were all over the map, ostensibly tied together through the appearance of portals to other worlds. I liked the idea, but it wasn't always successful. There was an ongoing sexual theme throughout, regarding asexuality and sexual coercion/rape in marriages and relationships. Some of this was painful to digest, but necessary to some of the stories.

Overall, this was an interesting read. Would I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. In this book, portals appear in different locations, such as closets and schools, vents hold surprises, women’s bodies transform, the Earth breaks apart due to political divisions – portals become more than an escape, but also endings and desertion. The stories in this book run the gamut of the human experience, and asks bold questions in the process.

While not a personal fan of stories (they generally do not just work for me in particular), I appreciate the value of this author’s writing and thought it was a wonderful mix of different genres that were distinctive in their roles and settings, yet blended seamlessly. The book has some uncomfortable themes and points, but that is life and the experience of so many, and what allows us to grow our own selves as we question our own perceptions and beliefs. Books that can make you do this? Top notch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. At first, I was a bit confused but I kept reading and was quickly sucked in. Also the cover is stunning!!

*Portalmania* by Debbie Urbanski is a brilliantly surreal and thought-provoking exploration of identity, technology, and the blurred lines between reality and the digital world. With sharp wit and mesmerizing prose, Urbanski crafts a haunting and deeply compelling novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

I appreciated the role that portals play in the collection, and I did like some of the stories. However, the story which pitted a 'fascist' government against a 'leftist' government that rotated rule by days left a terrible taste in my mouth by showing these as two opposites, which were both 'extremes' instead of one that should be what we truly aspire for. Otherwise, I did enjoy the stories.

Urbanski has earned a fan with this collection of stories. A collection of stories all centering very heavy issues surrounding the domestic lives of women had me captivated. I thought I was just going to read a book of sci-fi short stories and didn’t expect the humanity that was present in this book. Urbanski’s ability to make me laugh out loud, then have my mouth drop in shock, to next feel utter confusion, and follow that by devastating realization that necessitates me staring at a wall in contemplation in the span of 5 paragraphs is a gift.

When I initially requested this book, I thought I was getting into a fun collection of sci-fi romps. It ended up being so much more than that. Each of the stories were unique, dark, some sad, some slightly confusing, but all of them were full of heart. There is something so extremely human about these stories and I found myself relating to the experiences and feelings of the characters. Also - I never read a book that breaks the fourth wall before, so that was a new and interesting experience for me as a reader. A story early in the collection was predictive of events happening right now; it was unsettling and so real. I appreciated the story notes in the back and was surprised when there was one more additionally story right after the notes and acknowledgements. It feels as though this collection was written and organized very intentionally - it's impressive. Thanks for the ARC!

PORTALMANIA
Debbie Urbanski
Thank you @simonbooks for gifting me this early copy! Out in May.

PORTALMANIA (PM) opens up feeling like a spooky twist on Black Mirror, then, just like the “monster” you meet early in its pages, the narrative of the collection slowly, deliberately materializes into a much more haunting sort of realism.

Urbanski, much like in her debut novel AFTER WORLD, is interested in the dark uncomfortable places. TWs are appropriate here for intimate partner violence/sexual coercion and assault in a marriage.

Her feminine characters tend to be complex, layered asexual women set to contrast with heterosexual (even hypersexual) men, flat in a way that is reflective of reality. She is interested in marriages between those of differing sexual orientations.

PM offers escape to people stuck in impossible situations—with portals. Sprinkled throughout these myth-adjacent stories are literal offworld portals—all different sizes of bizarre shimmering shapes and distortions allowing characters an opportunity to glimpse into and perhaps even leave the current horrors and hop into another life.

PM is heavy, yes, as it details struggles of women stuck in violent homes. Don’t get me wrong though, this collection has a bit of everything: there are monsters and witches, and a lovely, dry sense of humor, too.

(Y’all, the witch story is GOOD GOOD.)

These stories don’t “interconnect” as much as they form a sort of asterisk of intersections and repetitions. We are asked to feel uncomfortable. I did. I gained so much insight into how masculinity is perceived, how marriages change. I have seen my marriage differently since reading this work. I feel like I’ve gained a bit of wisdom I didn’t have.

Do not approach Urbanski’s work with presuppositions or expectations. They will be challenged. It’s made my reviewing of her work feel impossible, because it is one of the few bodies of work that I think really demands you as a reader just sit down, shut up, and listen. Interact, don’t compare. Come here to buckle in and learn something and leave your pride at the front cover. Peer into the portal. Then jump in.

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!

The thing that I really enjoy about this book is how confident it is. The themes are presented in such a bold way, even though they are taboo and usually avoided. The writing is also really good, the mixing of different perspectives in the same story creates a surreal and almost ominous effect. Each story is interconnected with the rest, so much so that it is difficult to say that I preferred one over the rest. I also appreciate how the author shares some of the creative process. I think it’s really cool to be able to revisit a story and rewrite it into something new. This does dive into some difficult topics, so I would definitely look for trigger warnings if you feel the need.

This story collection was dark and disturbing, but it gave me lots to think about. Some of the stories are about what happens in an ordinary town when portals to other worlds open up, personal portals that only that person can go through. Other stories are versions of a family where the wife comes out as asexual, what that might do to the relationship and how it moves forward when the husband isn't understanding. These stories feature discussion of marital rape and coercion, as well as marital obligation. I particularly enjoyed reading different versions of how this might play out. One story, "Long may the Land be Bright", started out political, and honestly, reading it in the first few days of the second Trump presidency, I had to stop reading. It hit too close to home and just hurt to read. I wanted to be honest about this one, but skipping it didn't detract from the value of the rest of the stories. I think "LK-32-C" was actually mentioned in her previous novel "After World", and explores autism. I really enjoyed "The Dirty Yellow Golden House" for it's style and voice. It, along with a few other in the collection were very meta in their reflection on writing, which I enjoyed.

Overall, an interesting odd collection. A little weird, a little heart-wrenching. A lot of thinking "What would I do if I was in this character's shoes".

Usually short stories aren't my thing but this set was pretty interesting. Some stories were slower than others but I enjoyed the overall theme.

Exceedingly dark, with unflinching portrayals of intimate partner violence and the isolating weight of otherness, Urbanski’s prose nonetheless shines as a compulsively readable beacon, propelling us from one uncanny world to the next.

The ever-present portals symbolize opportunities, threats, or escapes, their importance shifting depending on the characters’ perspective and circumstances.

The stories themselves are interlinked, featuring recurring motifs and situations. The characters even feel like carbon copies of the same person, with only subtle differences, as they navigate their respective worlds. These similarities lead to a sense of sameness across many of the stories, yet there is enough thematic variety to make this a bold and satisfying collection.

Favorite stories: “LK-32-C,” “The Dirty Golden Yellow House”