REVIEW: “How My Sister Talked Me Into Necromancy During Quarantine” by Rachael K. Jones

Review of Rachael K. Jones, “How My Sister Talked Me Into Necromancy During Quarantine,” Small Wonders no. 3 (September 2023): 22-23 — Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Everyone has at least one pandemic bad decision in their closet, whether it’s sourdough starter gone green or ordering jellybeans by the kilo from amazon. This is the perfect story for anyone who wants to feel a bit better about their own bad decision, which probably pales in comparison’s to Becca’s decision to let her sister Lila live with her during lockdown. Short, sweet, funny — a great antidote to plague blues.

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REVIEW: “Once In As Many Lifetimes” by Luc Diamant

Review of Luc Diamant, “Once In As Many Lifetimes,” Small Wonders no. 3 (September 2023): 14-15 — Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

This story was one of those rare gems: A second-person POV which I didn’t dislike! This is in large part due to the fact that it’s also first-person POV, which makes it much easier for me to believe that the “you” is not addressed at me. Instead, what I, as the reader, get from this story is a glimpse into a private conversation (or rather, directed monologue), which is both heart-warming and utterly heart-breaking. I nearly ended up crying on the train at the ending.

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REVIEW: “So You Want to Eat an Omnalik Starfish” by Brian Hugenbruch

Review of Brian Hugenbruch, “So You Want to Eat an Omnalik Starfish,” Small Wonders no. 3 (September 2023): 12 — Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

So I didn’t particularly want to eat any kind of starfish, omnalik or otherwise, because I’m not really into seafood. And yet, this short, compact story managed to convince me otherwise, with beautiful language and just the right touch to tug at my heart (“urgent grief”, indeed). Well done!

(First published in Syntax and Salt 2020).

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REVIEW: “Possibly Just About A Couch” by Suzanne Palmer

Review of Suzanne Palmer, “Possibly Just About A Couch”, Clarkesworld Issue 205, October (2023): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

An absolutely beautiful story of a couch. It just was, it always was. With shades of the iconic Douglas Adams, I loved every sentence, every description, and every transition in here.

I have previously reviewed and loved other Suzanne Palmer stories, so I already knew it was going to be amazing. It was even better than that.

A concise history and future of the universe as we know it, from an exceedingly interesting and unique point of view.

I have only good things to say: read it as soon as you can! It’s only a little more than 2000 words, and more than worth the time spent reading it.

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