{Book Review} Milk Kisses & Other Stories: Ross Jeffery

Milk Kisses & Other Stories: Ross Jeffery

Reviewed By Steve Stred

It has been fantastic watching my friend Ross put out such well-received work. From his stories back in ‘Lost Voices,’ up to his novels and now his upcoming collection and novella – Ross keeps knocking it out of the park.

When it was announced that he had a Demain Short! Sharp! Shocks! coming out, I was double excited, as Demain Publishing always does a stellar job.

What I liked: The three stories within this mini-collection are all devastating, bleak and incredibly emotional.

We open with ‘Pareidolia’ a story of a writer clacking away on his keyboard in an old bar. He learns a bit about the history of the town, its links to witches and from there we get an unexpected shift. It was great. Ross did a really nice job of setting the scene and doing a lot with a little.

‘Milk Kisses’ is the highlight of the three for me. I’d actually read this one sometime in the last few years when Ross had asked my thoughts on it. This one will leave the reader in tears. Following a mother dealing with postpartum depression, we are left stunned by how the story unfolds. Devastating.

The final story, ‘Hemangioma,’ tells the tale of a young man with a growth on his body. This is a truly unnerving read and Ross does a great job of really repulsing the reader as it plays out.

Jeffery delivers three gruesome stories that all really do a great job of unnerving and affecting the reader.

What I didn’t like: Some readers may struggle with the fact that all three stories are told in 1st person POV. If you don’t enjoy that, there’s no escaping it here, but I would suggest you still give it a try. Secondly – ‘Milk Kisses’ is firmly rooted in postpartum depression, so that would be a trigger warning area for some.

Why you should buy this: Jeffery crafts stunning stories and the three shared here are fantastic. I’m always excited when we get a new offering from Ross, and his Demain release doesn’t disappoint.

Great stuff!

Milk Kisses & Other Stories

MILK KISSES & OTHER STORIES – three creepy offerings from Bram Stoker nominated author, Ross Jeffery.

In PAREIDOLIA a writer desperately searching for inspiration travels to a small town to investigate local lore and soon finds himself embroiled at the centre of an unfolding nightmare.

MILK KISSES: A single mother must come to terms with the cruel hand that she’s been dealt and soon realises that you don’t have to be a house to be haunted.

And finally, HEMANGIOMA, where a young boy discovers the thing lurking beneath his flesh is far more than what it first seems.

(with a cover by Adrian Baldwin)

You can buy Milk Kisses & Other Stories from Amazon UK & Amazon US