Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 7

Day 7 - July Book - A Single Drop Of Perfect & Other Stories by Jessikah Hope Stenson

A Single Drop Of Perfect 
Carla’s on the cusp of adulthood. As her final weeks in the family home draw to a close she struggles to keep a grip on her true self. With her boyfriend hundreds of miles away, Carla battles with loneliness, finding comfort in unexpected places and experiencing moments of perfection that can never be replicated. 
What Isla Did 
Isla was young, brave and creative. She is remembered as a golden girl and their beloved daughter, but no one can be perfect. 
The Lemon And The Lake 
June and Max are exploring the gorgeous countryside of Granada. However, where there’s perfection, there’s horror. 
Wounds 
Helen’s new husband Steven brings his dog Wilf into the family home. When Helen’s eight year old daughter Maisie finds herself in hospital, suffering from a vicious dog attack, Steven has a lot to answer for. Moral and ethical questions arise when Helen is determined to have Wilf put down in spite of Steven’s desire to keep is beloved pet alive. 
The Edge Of A Smile 
Walking home at night, university student Heidi is accompanied by a stranger named Bryony. Both of them have secrets which will destroy the other.

My Thoughts

I had read very few (if any) short story collections before reading A Single Drop Of Perfect as honestly they'd never really appealed to me. When I had the chance to read A Single Drop Of Perfect I read the synopsis and it really caught my interest and I knew I wanted to read it. I'm so very glad I did. as I stated in my review (here), "A Single Drop Of Perfect is a collection of five short stories and I think each one is definitely its own drop of perfect."

I really think that each story is as strong as it's predecessor and I really related to a lot of the characters. The two stand out stories for me at the time, Wounds and What Isla Did, are still my two stand out stories now. Though I remember all of the stories very clearly considering how many months ago (and how many books I have read since) that I read them. Both of the stories involve children, so it may be that I'm a mum that they took hold of me more than the others. 

Even though this was Jessikah's debut book, you genuinely can't tell with the quality and maturity of the writing. I said at the time I was looking forward to what came next from Jessikah and I have since enjoyed her debut thriller which I absolutely loved! (My review for Trace This Scar is here).

This book encouraged me to start reading short stories and short story collections meaning I have discovered some new authors and have really enjoyed reading some shorter, quicker reads. It feel very satisfying to read something so interesting but finish it so quickly. 

Tomorrow I'll be back with day 8 and my stand out book from August. Do you enjoy short stories? Have you got a favourite collection that you'd recommend?


About The Author

Jessikah Hope Stenson is a 20 year old author, book blogger and journalist. She currently studies English at the University of Exeter where she is also the Editor-In-Chief of PearShaped Music Magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys slam poetry, listening to Paramore and curling up with a good book.