This was a really poignant collection of short stories. The central themes of loss were explored in really thought provoking ways even though all the stories didn't hit for me. My favorite stories were definitely the titular 'How to Lose at Longing', and 'Speedo'. Along with the central theme of longing, there's a caribbean aspect to most of these stories. A lot of stories dealt with immigration, and didn't shy away from difficult topics. The characters in most of the stories felt real, and i empathized with the impossible positions many of them were put in. I do feel like I didn't fully understand some of the stories, particularly the last story was a pretty unexpected shift that I still don't fully get. Overall, this collection gave me a lot to think about.

Thanks to Netgalley and A. R. Phillips Press for the advanced copy!

this was fantastic. It's my favorite Junji Ito work so far. I was skeptical of the concept when I started, but my skepticism was unwarranted.

Some of the body horror genuinely made me gasp and cringe. It was so unnerving. I also grew to really like the protagonist, Kirie. All the different ways that the spiral infected the town and the people was super interesting and well thought out. I don't think i've encountered anything like it.

Mermaids are sooo back baby. This was a great YA romance book with fantasy. The book centers on two brothers who get wrapped up in a curse, and a love story, all to save their town. It's hard not to fall in love with the setting of this book, a small seaside town in Greece. Hristos and Aleksandros sibling relationship feels real - they argue and fight and laugh. Colla is a really fun, driven protagonist. Her world underwater is so enchanting. My only criticism is that I wish the book's pacing had been a bit smoother. I felt like it took a bit too long for the stakes to be introduced. I loved the foreshadowing in this book, and even with the foreshadowing I never thought the book would crush me like it did.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a story about love, and the lengths one will go for it.