Veronica Nagorny's Blog

This is the first book of Maus, detailing all that happens in Vladek Spiegelman’s life both pre- and during-Nazi control, right before Auschwitz. It is told in a storytelling fashion through comics, with text on each page to guide the story along. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but the way Artie’s father speaks sounds almost exactly like the way Doctor Zoidberg does. You know, from Futurama? One of the best shows ever? No? Okay, I’ll be on my way.  I like how Vladek always blames Artie for mixing him up or taking him off course in his stories. It adds an element of family realism to the tale; a sort of “look what you made me do” that my Ukrainian-American family has as well. The use of mice and pigs as personified characters in this story creates an element of distance from the horrific narrative that is the Holocaust and the Nazi regime, but every few pages or so there is a thought that pops back into your head and you remember that these are real people, and that this really happened. I wonder why Vladek threw out Artie’s coat. I wonder, for someone who does not like to spend a lot of money why he threw out a coat just because it was “ugly,” instead of holding on to it. Learning about the Holocaust in previous years of schooling always took a toll on me. I try to see the best in people and I work hard to be kind to everyone and historic events like this, especially of this magnitude just break my heart. How can people be so judgmental? On page 118 Vladek has a heart issue and has to have Artie give him nitrostat which reminds me of my late grandfather, to whom I had to give nitroglycerin fairly often. The immigrant-centric nature of this book gave me many connections to my own immigrant family, so it felt as if I could somehow relate to where the story was coming from on a very minute level. In summary, this book is the story of Artie’s father Vladek and everything that led up to his arrival at Auschwitz. It shows the difficulties of being a Jewish person in that time. There were signs on walls and labels on their clothes, them being branded by the Star of David as if it’s something to be ashamed of.  This book is a good read for those who have already had some sort of introduction to the Holocaust and just want some more personal aspects to the narrative. It is not a good introductory level read for this subject, but for someone who knows a little bit about the nature of World War II, it will prove to be both informative and interesting. This is a biographical graphic novel. There’s a little bit of language and cartoon violence but none of it is too graphic. If mature children/preteens wish to read this book, I think they would be okay to.  This is a five star work. The illustrations are perfectly tailored, the story flows beautifully, and the story is so tragic I had a couple of heart palpitations during its reading. This book was assigned to me in one of my college courses this semester, as well as its second part. It has been on my To Be Read list since 2016, but I have been wary of picking it up simply because of the nature of the work. I loved Elie Weisel’s Night, but for some reason this book intimidated me more, despite the distancing effect of the animal drawings.  I like the art style. There is a certain element of innocence added in the cuteness of the mice that creates a greater sense of contempt for the things being done to them and others in the nation. The swastika on the front, though partially covered with a mouselike rendition of Hitler’s face, made (and makes) me uncomfortable, and I do not know if this is an issue of sensitivity or expected censorship.  On the copyright page of this book, there is a quote from Adolf Hitler, the perpetrator of the Holocaust himself. It says, “The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human.” I understand that this is included in the book to introduce the concepts and background of the history being discussed within, but it still made me uncomfortable. Before I actually began reading, having the swastika on the front as well as the quote by Hitler made me feel as though I were about to read Nazi propaganda. I wonder if that great discomfort I was given was an attempt by the author at creating a greater distaste for the antagonists of this book. “But this what I just told you — about Lucia and so — I don't want you should write this in your book.” “What? Why not?” “It has nothing to do with Hitler, with the Holocaust!” “But Pop — it’s great material. It makes everything more real — more human. I want to tell your story, the way it really happened.” “But this isn't so proper, so respectful. I can tell you other stories, but such private things, I don't want you should mention.” “Okay, okay, I promise.” And yet it is still in the book. I wonder what his father’s reaction was if/when he saw that, especially since Art had previously published another personal comic without his knowledge.  “His name was Jan…and I knew that I killed him. And I said to myself, “well, at least I did something” (Spiegelman 50). “At 7:00 it was a rule. All Jews had to be in their home, and all lights out” (Spiegelman 65). “He’s more attached to things than people!” (Spiegelman 93) I think this is because Vladek can no longer trust people, after what he has been through. A chair cannot suddenly up and pledge allegiance to a criminal regime like a person can, and chairs cannot lie. They either work, or they don’t. There’s no concealing involved in their existence, unlike people. Vladek: “I talked just now to Frank, what lives next door. He agreed he would fix with me over the weekend.” Artie: “That’s great!” Vladek: “Yes, of course, better it would be fixed today —  but at least somebody will help me!”Artie: “Just great” (Spiegelman 97). I have met quite a handful of people like that before. “A Jew! A Jew! Help! Mommy! A Jew!” Quick, their mothers came outside to see what was. I approached over to them. If I ran away they would see: “yes, it is a Jew here.” Artie: “Heil Hitler. Do not be afraid little ones. I’m not a Jew. I won’t hurt you.” Mothers: “Sorry, mister. You know how kids are. Heil Hitler” (Spiegelman 149). The fact that an entire group of people had to undermine their existence and pretend to be something that they certainly were not breaks my heart and leaves me aching, wondering if something like this would ever happen again. Why did they automatically assume that being Jewish would mean that person had intent to harm them? What do children know about Jewish people? Are they just feeding into the lies they’re being told? What happens if the post-9/11 Muslim fear in the United States turns into something similar? 
I will not ask any questions about this book until I have finished the second half, in case they will be answered in that reading. I shall now proceed to finishing that part of this story. 

Holly Jefferson is a widowed pastry chef, who owns a cake shop, appropriately named Cake with her friend Jesse. Her husband was a man of the woods, working with his hands between the trees. It has nearly been two years since his passing, but Holly still does not interest herself in the pursuit of new suitors, and rather busies herself with her business. An eccentric and wealthy new customer shows up in her order book, and he takes more from her than just cake and frosting. Without her having much of a say, he ends up weaseling his way into his life, and she lets him, but not without difficulties. But things don’t stay as sweet as cake usually is.  There’s one really sweet reveal near the end of the book that I wanted to include in my review but did not for sake of spoiling its firsthand sweetness for you. It’s something you've got to read on your own.  I think I would have loved all of this book if it fit my interpretation of what a relationship is. Something happened at the end of the book that left my eyebrows raised and my heart confused. I’d genuinely loved the book until that point, but when that thing happened, it all slipped away.  If you want a wholesome couple’s romance, this is not for you. This book is for the free-spirited, those who tend to want to move on, instead of linger and hold onto what has passed. If you are looking for a book that’s well-written with a little bit of steam here and there, something like a time-killer, this is a good book for that. If you want a good read that’ll give you all the feels, this isn't for you. And I have to say, I’m really disappointed. The ending was adorable, and the entire book sans The Thing was incredibly sweet, but it was ruined, just by that one Thing.  This is realistic fiction intertwined with romance. This book is not for children and should be read by mature young adults upward.  Up until the last few chapters, I was ready to give this book a five star rating, but that has unfortunately dropped to three.  The cover design on this title is incredible. The pink in the cake covering the woman’s face pairs well with the baby blue on the walls behind her, and the pastels in the other cakes on the shelves. It’s like a cotton candy swirl of a pleasant aesthetic. Using white for the title text with slight shading behind each letter helps it to stand out, both to someone just passing by or to the one giving the book a closer inspection. You can see the title stick out from the apron behind it, and the white of the letters combines with the shelves and most of the cakes in the background to create a sense of balance. It’s a great cover. I couldn't find any photographic or design credit inside the book, so I just have to give general praise to he or she who designed this work.  After completing the book, I think all I like about it is actually the cover, and the landscape visuals between the two covers. What originally attracted me to the book was actually the cover, and my liking of that aspect did not change.  As always, some quotes and snippets stand out to me in certain books. The following are those from this work.  The author writes the following dedication in this book, which I found incredibly sweet: “For my boys, who I love more than snow.” Seeing as the eastern coast of the United States, where I live, has been pounded by a winter storm bringing winds and inches upon inches of snow to the world outside, it’s a cozy and comforting notion to think of someone compared to the snow. The snow brings a clarity and crispness to the cold winter air. It justifies the below zero temperatures. It covers the pines and firs in sheets of pristineness, and creates an indisputable winter wonderland. Seeing that, and then seeing your husband, or wife, sons, daughters, family, and friends and saying you love them more than that, that is a powerful love indeed.  “My hair had been longer when the photo was taken, but the panic attacks had been easier to manage once I’d hacked off my loose straggly curls. Long hair was an avoidable hindrance when struggling for breath in bed at night” (Knight 11). At the height of my anxietyphobidepressive days, I cut off over two feet of hair to make room for a pixie cut for the first time in my life. Though I inevitably missed my long hair rather quickly, as sad as it sounds, it was a little bit easier to breathe and writhe in panic whilst there was no hair wrapped around my neck, choking me more than the worries ever could.  “…although Jess was unusually quiet I couldn't be sure if it was because he was sulking with me or mentally planning his outfit. Both probably” (Knight 59). Jess is me, during the moments my face contorts into one resembling a RBF. I look like I'm sulking, and I could be, but I’m also just as likely thinking of a thick slice of pizza with gooey cheese on top, or daydreaming about a squirrel I’d seen earlier that day, assigning it a name, occupation, and livelihood.  “Sure, he was going to be contending with some beautiful people, but Jess could make beautiful right out of nothing, and that was a talent that couldn't be bought” (Knight 59). My honey has this talent. It’s rare, and it’s amazing. My love can turn the grocery store into the funniest and most warmhearted place. My sweetheart can make vacuuming feel like dancing, a tango in the sunset breeze, us dancing down a boardwalk by the beach, when we’re actually just in the living room sucking up dust with synthetic forced air machines. It’s an amazing God-given talent. Jess and Josh both have it.  “On the other side of the enclosure, uniformly planted maple trees stood ablaze in angry bursts of oranges and scarlet—nature the arsonist” (Knight 89). I like to imagine nature here as an anime character, or perhaps a comic book hero/heroine. She/he’d stand tall, with the power to incinerate entire forests in her/his palm, just as soon as the decision is made. And of course, the oranges and scarlets find me remembering just months ago when it was autumn and those warm and beautiful colors coursed through the veins in my eyes, but I look outside now at the snow and appreciate the fact that I live in a place where I get to experience the beauty of all four seasons.  “Don’t find yourself grieving for an opportunity wasted, because no matter how much you love the ghosts, they don't keep you warm” (Knight 171). I thought this was an interesting perspective on loss and widowing. If you lived a good life, or even just simply had a good and true love with the one who is no longer, won’t the memories keep you warm? I know absolutely nothing can replace that touch, or hearing their voice in your ear directly instead of from a recording or in a dream, but if you really loved someone, enough to marry them, how could you move on like that?  Please do not take offense at the previous paragraph. My perspective on marriage and relationships does not match that of everyone else’s, and nor do I expect it to or want it to. If you’ve been married, but got divorced, as long as you're happy, that’s good. If your spouse or partner passed away and you’re never going to date again, as long as you're happy, that is also good. If you’ve been dating for years and are never getting married, good! If you’re in a polyamorous relationship or open relationship, as long as you're happy, good. If you’re asexual and/or aromantic and will never be in a relationship as long as you live, that too, is good! As long as you are happy and all is well and good, I am glad, and I have absolutely no judgment in my heart or mind for those who love differently than I do. Please remember that when I review books like this, I try to incorporate as much of my honest opinion as I can, which means some of my unpopular opinions. I would absolutely love to discuss this book one day with someone who sees love and relationships differently than I do. Perhaps that conversation will grant me a new perspective on this book, and give me the ability to hand back one of those stars that I docked.  “Martha’s expression turned from pained to panicked. “Have I pooed?”” (Knight 250). Ah yes, the miracle of childbirth.  “The happiness in the room was tangible, as if you could swing a butterfly net around and take some home with you” (Knight 253). If only feelings were like this. If only you could swing a net and bottle up a feeling and place it in a jar and label it with a date and time, so you can later revisit it and open up said jar when you need it most.  I would like to know if I misunderstood The Thing at the end of the book? If anyone else who has read this book would like to talk to me about it, please feel free to reach out to me.  I loved this book until the thing happened at the end. I’m praying that I misunderstood something and that what I thought happened didn't happen, because in my opinion, it ruined the whole book. That being said, however, it was beautifully written. The imagery was fantastic. The English countryside and glimpses into working life and wealthy life were exquisite. Everything was fantastic about the book except the plot.  For the sake of concluding this review, I will pretend The Thing did not happen. If only my car wasn’t broken down and at a shop 24 miles away, I could go get myself a slice of cake to end the reading of this book in the best way possible. Once my car is back, I’ll be on my way to a bakery, telling myself that since this book has been gone and done with, I’ve wanted nothing more than a slice of chocolate cake with my love sitting next to me. Jenny Colgan described this book as “warm, sexy, and addictive!” but I’ve got to add delicious in there as well.  I just wish the aftertaste was good, too. 
xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2018 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & NobleEmail: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 
Thanks for reading!

I liked this book! 

Cody can be gross at times, saying things like, “...no matter how nice her rack," but he makes up for it.

This book is very hot, not at all for kids.Her writing is sensuous and erotic without being perverted or forced. It flows like a healthy relationship; a very sexy one. There's no force or abuse or manipulation, and there's lots of steaminess. 

A little bit rushed. Sometimes things happened too quickly and I didn’t realize they were happening or what was happening for a while. But only at rare times. I suppose it’s because it’s a novella and not a novel. Or it could just be because I left wanting more. 

Is “cukes” short for cucumbers? Because I’ve never heard that and it made me giggle and I pictured cucumbers playing ukuleles; cukes on ukes. 

The dinner scene at Julie’s moms house is so stunning. I want my home to be like that already. Family, my man, dinner, Christmas decor, snow outside, the heater and fireplace roasting the room up, all dressed in cozy sweaters and red lipstick ( but only if they wanted to)! Picture perfect. I love the winter. Seeing my Joshua in the snow with his cowboy boots and handsome face; I just love it. And this book just made me want our christmassy home more. 

Cara Connelly, this is amazing. You had me hooked in a novella. If you ever want to write about Cody and Julie again, please let me be your focus group!!! 

There were so many good quotes in this book, both funny, and sweet, and some simply hot. 

“Absolutely,” Julie said agreeably. “So devoted to dear old mom that he still lives in her basement.”

“Ten seconds later, six foot two of Texan filled her door.”

“She hadn’t noticed just how bland until he’d walked in and started smiling all over it.” 

“Then he forked a cherry tomato into his mouth. Bit into it, and damn it, she could almost feel the squirt. Why in the world is that so sexy? Why do I want to lick the juice off his tongue?”

“Testosterone wafted off him like the aroma of bacon. Who could say no to bacon?”

“But the truth was, if she fucked like she kissed, he wasn’t going anywhere.”

“And except for politicians and serial killers, I don’t dislike a person based on their job.” 

“He was probably a Republican, for God’s sake. If they lived together for a hundred years, she’d never be able to finish his sentences.”

“He pulled away long enough to swing her up into his arms. ‘I can walk,’ she murmured, without conviction. He crushed her against him. ‘Save your strength, honey. You’re gonna need it.’”

“I’ll never hurt you, honey. You’re safe with me.” 

“It was good because we’ve got something here.” 

I’m obsessed with this series!!! Beacon Hill and Christmas AND snow and love?! I’m adding the rest to my wishlist right now.

Addendum: Okay, now I’m sad. I just saw that the series isn’t even about Cody and Julie. Where will I get my fill of the Boston babe and her tumultuous Texan? 

Regardless, I loved the book. 10/10 would read more.

...please give me more...


xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2017 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & NobleEmail: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 

Thanks for reading!

The Chicken Soup for the Soul series was kind of a guilty pleasure of mine as a child and adolescent, and now that I'm off on my own in college, I don't necessarily have to feel guilty about indulging in this pleasure. 

For some reason, sitting on the middle school library's floor reading these books felt like something I shouldn’t be doing but it felt amazing and I love them, so when I saw this copy at a library sale, I had to get it.I went to a Christian preschool and a Christian kindergarten but went to public school for the rest of middle and elementary school, and attended cyber school for the rest and, like I mentioned before, I’m now in college.I’ve always been extremely spiritual and believing in the paranormal, supernatural, the other side, life after death, and just all that kind of stuff but I didn’t start believing in God again until I met my fiancé last year. 

Reading this book, I have to tell you, I enjoyed it so much that many times I forgot to stop and write down quotes that I like because I just wanted to keep on going and going. I only realized I had no quotes to include in my review when I finished reading and sat down to write this. 

The Christian-ness is an important part of my identity and sometimes when I feature religious books on my Instagram I include the hashtag #liberalChristian and #ChristianAlly because my God loves all and I want people to know that despite the huge stereotypical thing that Christians don’t accept everyone, the majority of the religion is not like that, and that that’s not the case. I’m just glad that there’s other people in the world who share the same beliefs and morals as I do but also the same religion. I care for the homeless, I support the LGBT+ community, I am a feminist, and a proponent for racial, social, and every single kind of equality out there. The lanyard on which my keys hang is a GLSEN "I am an ally for LGBT+ students" one, after all. I am publicly for love, all kinds of love, and only love. I believe that the God I believe in loves all, no matter what. 

Sometimes I feel like I’m not a real Christian because I’m only just reading the Bible right now for like the third time in my entire life, and because I started properly "believing" so late in life I only picked up again when I was 19. I read the Book of Mormon in sixth grade to better understand my childhood best friend. See, I've always believed in the concept of God and spirituality and kindness, but I didn't really have a name to put to it until recently. 

But then I read books like this, and I feel a little better. But I'd feel better if every story was a modern Christian perspective. I wish there was a book about Christian people who go against the negative stereotypes. If anyone can recommend such a book to me, please let me know because I would absolutely love to read it. 

My biggest act of rebellion this past month was wearing a cross necklace to my atheist family’s house, and I still don’t know where to go from there. 

There is a belief, and I do not know if it exists outside of my house or not, but that belief is that believing in religion, any religion, makes you stupid or someone who doubts science or anything like that, but I truly believe in my heart of hearts that that is not the case. Science is real, (most) scientists are not phony, climate change is real, black lives matter, women and men are equal, LGBT+ lives are just as worthy as the rest of us, modern medicine is not blasphemous, and education is vital because you can't exist on faith alone. 

When I was in second grade I got my IQ tested and I scored a 145 so I was placed in the gifted program, and I was given all the accompanying issues with my brain that usually come with slight gifts: intense depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD, you name it, I've most likely got it. 

I’m really bad at any math above algebra, and I can’t understand scientific concepts but I can write an essay in 20 minutes and hand it in to get an A, and I can write a book of poetry in a week, a novel in a month, and write and illustrate a children's book in two or three weeks. 

My point here is that no matter how low my skills are in most "smart" areas (namely the sciences and math), I’m still not stupid and I can believe what I want to believe, and still live with the morals that I have, and love everybody the way I’ve always loved everybody, and accept everybody the way I always have. I am a Christian, I believe in God, and I am not stupid for being that way. I am a Christian, I believe in God, and I love and accept ALL PEOPLE. I am a Christian, I believe in God, and I will never ever make anyone feel less than others for their skin color, lack of religion, wealth, background, mental handicap, height, accent, ethnicity, opinions, sexual orientation, acne, literacy, demographic, difference in religion, voice, political background, popularity or lack thereof, weight, immigration status, ability level, personal tastes, physical handicap, poverty, social status, age, appearance, education level, online presence, or any other differentiating factor. Good people come from all backgrounds and come in all colors and shapes and sizes. That's what my God is about. And that is the religion I choose to pursue. 

I’m laying in my empty dorm room right now. It’s not really empty; just devoid of peopled life except for me. I don’t even have any plants in here, and I’m laying on the second bed staring at the ceiling as I dictate this to my phone because I can’t type as fast as I think on my phone, but can on the computer, though am lacking the necessary energy to get up. 

This essay has turned into the complete opposite of a book review but I think it was something I needed to get out and I think Goodreads is a pretty great place to choose for this. I can talk to people with various opinions and no judgment and no hatred so thank you for giving me a chance to rant.

I recommend this book because I love the series. Give any of these books a shot. 

I'm sorry for the long and deeply personal sort of essay this turned into, but it seriously needed to be said. Thank you for listening. If you got all the way down here, you are amazing and I love you. 

P.S. If you are struggling in any way at all, be it with religion, mental health, school problems, family issues, friend drama, closetedness, talk to me. Email me (veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com). Direct message me on Instagram (@nika.vika.nika). Just don't tweet me or message me on tumblr because I can't remember the last time I used either. I am here for every single one of you. I love you all.

xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2017 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & NobleEmail: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 

Thanks for reading!

If you like love triangles but want something more, pick up this book. This thing is like a love tesseract. 

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and the author signed it for me. The package included a bookmark and a mini sewing kit. (Marie Piper: if you see this, thank you so much!!) Judging by the cover, this is a romance, also known as one of my favorite things to read. Upon closer inspection I see that this is the third book in a series of which I have not read the first two, so my review and perception might be a tad skewed in regards to the theme of the series and not just the one book. Just a little heads up before I start the proper part of the review!

Callie Lee is a former prostitute who used to work the upstairs at a saloon in Cricket Bend. She has a son with a former flame, and is in mourning over another who has been lost and killed. She now owns the saloon, with no seediness upstairs. Just good old liquor and star-spangled swinging doors. Jasper Tanner has been in love with her for years, and treats her son as if he’s his own kin. He tries desperately to woo her, seemingly successfully, but would it stay that way? 


This is western historical fiction, centered around romance, set in saloon and gun-slinging times in the heart of Texas. 

Wee-woo! Wee-woo! Not for kids! Steamy and scandalous scenes underneath a willow tree should not be shown to young readers! (Everyone else, I recommend you read this book because those parts are very nicely written *wink*) There’s no outright explicity but it is heavily implied and very nearly mentioned, so I would say more mature to mature readers only for this one.

But seriously! Five stars! One for the steaminess, one for the characters, one for the beautiful town of Cricket Bend, one for the imagery that had me smiling at a bound stack of papers like a madman, and last but not least, one for Marie Piper’s splendid writing. I wish I started with book one so I could live the story from start to end instead of just the end of the trilogy. Oops. 

The cover is so pretty. I love the colors in the background; like the most vibrant sunset you could imagine. The oranges and reds in the sky play along with the word “embers” in the title. The couple’s embrace is sweet and sensuous, and the text/font works well with the cover as a whole. The design is beautiful. 

Some bits and chunks I liked: 

“Fishing,” Callie answered. “Jasper takes him out by the creek.”
“Do they ever catch anything?” 
“Usually about four or five pounds of mud.”

“All that [being reckless] didn’t make me happy. I needed a place to hang my hat, and I needed a porch on which to drink my coffee before I start the day.”

“Men were not reliable creatures. I wasn't in their nature. They were like dogs, always off sniffing at something. But Jasper, he was something else.”

“Jasper’s good looks came from a combination of gentle features and the biggest heart in all of Texas, and every piece of him she got to know made him look better and better to her.”

“Like her mother, she’d only ever wanted things, prestige, and didn't care about the things that really mattered in life. If she’d thought of them at all, she’d have been home with her husband instead of sneaking into a barn at night chasing Jasper.”

“I have never hit a woman in my life, Ellie, but if you don't shut up and go home I might change my entire life philosophy.”

At one point one of the male characters tells Callie that “men have needs, you know.” And she says, “women have them too.” YES MAMA! GO FOR THE KILL!

“And knowing that Porter is here, slithering around in the grass waiting to cause trouble, has me in mind to do some snake shooting.” 

Ooh, get ready to squirm: “He lifted her up and carried her over to Luke’s desk and set her down on it. ‘Here and now?’ Callie giggled as her eyes darted to the cells. Jasper smiled. ‘Not here and now. The next time I make love to you, there’ll be flowers and wine and you'll not doubt I mean it to be forever.’”

“You’re a disaster, but you're my best friend and I’m so happy for you.” 

“Jasper grew warm from head to toe at the memory of Callie laying before him in the jail. If that had been begging, he’d be happy to spend the rest of his life on his knees begging her.”

Completely unrelated to the rest of my review, but I found a typo in the book. On page 29, it says, “He was always where when Callie needed a hand” (Piper). I take it that “where” was supposed to be “there,” but I could be wrong. If so, firstly I apologize and second, please explain this line to me because obviously my reading ability falls short of it! 

The book made sense to me without having read the first two. I see that the Fires of Cricket Bend series is like a collection of standalones, based on how this title worked. There was introduction in the beginning, as well as background, evidently from the first two books. 

The writing is super cozy. Piper’s style is like someone you trust telling you a story they've heard for years and years. This world is obviously so real that you'd swear you were there. The conviction and power with which Piper writes helps establish a distinct connection with each of the characters, as well as the little town itself. And my oh my, does Jasper’s house sound absolutely cozy, with those pecan trees and a horse out back. 

Read this. If you like romance, read this. If you like romance books with plot and substance and something of a less trashy variety, read this. If you like saloon men and big old dresses and Texas western towns, read this. I highly recommend it.

xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2017 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & Noble
Email: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 

Thanks for reading!

Having won a Goodreads giveaway, I was sent a copy of this book from the author, signed personally. Receiving book mail is an amazing feeling in and of itself, but opening up the book’s front cover to see that the author had signed it, addressed to your name is something even sweeter. She wrote: “for Veronica, with love and gratitude,” but it is I who is grateful for receiving and having the opportunity to read this book. 
Ache. by Zen Mateo is a book of poetry. At the start of the book, there is an introduction which is just “love. above all, with love.” It’s fitting, as from there on the poetry is all about love, and its abundance and lack in her world. There’s lots of mention of blue, lots of night, and lots of hearts breaking and trying to mend. In the first few pages of the book, there is a poem about manicured fingernails and their shine, and somewhere near the middle of the book it turns to chipped fingernails; like a symbol for the depression and regression one can take over a short time. 
I think this book should be read by mature middle-grade readers and up, but is geared towards young adults. I recommend it to those who are hurting or love someone who is hurting and want to feel how they feel without adding more pain to their loved one’s bed of swords. 
The book is unique. The subject matter is not new or noteworthy, but the author makes it her own. I enjoyed reading it. The poems were either amazing (see next paragraph), a little less than amazing, and a few were not quite there. It wasn't hard, it wasn't long, and it only took me about three-quarters of an hour, admittedly with quite a few thinking breaks. And though it didn't take long to read, I have a feeling this book will linger in my mind for a long time. 
What attracted me to this book was its giveaway, but what hooked me once I started reading was the poem called “depression.” It is probably one of the most relatable and realistic portrayals and explanations of depression and the havoc it wreaks on a mind and those around it, and in such an easily understood manner. I would quote it here, but I believe it will be more powerful if you take the time to read it yourself. If you don't read this whole book, just read this one poem. 
The cover is cute. I like the simplicity and the watercolor in the background. 
Some of my favorite quotes from this book are the following:
“softhardwetdrysmoothrough” (muscle memory) 
“yours is still a name I wake up saying, but only from nightmares.” (ex-boyfriend) Such imagery! Such a novel concept. I love this line. 
“…can make you reach for a curling iron and a knife in the same night” (house party)
“and for this, I would swallow a lit match every morning” (on being a dancer)
“you asked, don't you need an umbrella? and I told you, I’m not made of sugar. and you asked, are you sure about that?” (spring)
P.S. I would have given page numbers but this book does not employ their use. 
I’m a sucker for poems and poetry, so it was fate that I won this giveaway. I truly enjoyed this book and will keep an eye out for anything else Mateo writes. She’s got talent. She really does. She has a way of saying things with so few words but you understand it like she’d transcribed it with the words in your own heart.
xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2017 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & Noble
Email: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 
Thanks for reading!

Thanks to my incredibly kind and thoughtful fiancé and his friend, I got to read and have an ARC of this book in October of 2016, when the book is only due to come out in February of 2017. I am currently sitting on my bed reading a book that isn’t even published yet. How cool is that? I may or may not have cried when he surprised me. Here’s a hint: I did.

I’ve received ebook ARCs before but I have never ever held an uncorrected proof in my hands until now. And it feels amazing! Holding a book feels good, holding your own book feels great, but holding a special edition or advance printing of a book feels orgasmic. Just me?

This is the first book I’ve read by Heather O’Neill, and I love the title and cover. Both are reminiscent of something Beatle-related, like Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I don’t know or think that the cover will change before being printed but I suppose we will have to wait and see. There’s a little bit on the cover that does say it’s an ARC, but that’s for official purposes. Okay, I will shut up about it being an ARC and will talk about the actual book. 

I was under the impression that this is a young adult work, but it is not. At all. This is a very mature book, and I am saying this from having read page one. Also, having said so, I’ve only read the first page and am hooked. 

The book takes place in a French-speaking orphanage, though it does not lay in the valleys and between the mountains of France but rather is nestled under Mont Royal in Montreal, Canada. 

I don’t know if this is an ARC thing or just the way this book is but I like how the chapters can sometimes start wherever the previous one finished. Not always, but it was the case for chapter three, for example. And seven.

I am so hooked by this book. I went to bed, woke up, and kept reading. It’s 7:39 in the morning as I write this and I’ve been reading for an hour already. It’s engrossing and beautiful. I love the writing style and the imagery, and the historical fiction setting is not as tedious as I usually find it. I’m actually enjoying it. 

A quote that broke my heart is the following from page 10: “If there was one thing responsible for ruining lives, it was love.”

I really like the name of chapter 4: “The Early Years of a Brilliant Idiot.”

This book does have a lot of disturbing content. Sexual assault, blunt and horrid rape and pedophilia, so it is not for the weak-hearted. I found myself cringing and looking away at times. But don’t get me wrong, it is incredibly well-written. Even the disturbing bits. 

I found a tidbit that painted a beautiful albeit melancholy picture. This is from page 231: “He rolled up a bit of tobacco and decided he would never find her. When he lit up the thin cigarette, it made a slight sizzling noise, like the sound of a writer’s manuscript being tossed into the fire.” Imagining a manuscript being tossed into the fire is so profoundly sad to think about. Maybe it’s because I can relate to the nature of the situation, being a writer myself but just the thought of something you worked so hard for and on being thrown away so simply breaks my heart. 

I really like the name of chapter 45, which is “Nocturne in Pink and Gold.” I suppose I like it so because it makes me think of rose gold, but just thinking and imagining pink and gold and nighttime is just an overall beautiful scene.

Here’s a quote I was going to include in my list of favorites below but I’d like to dissect it a little bit. “Rose logically had no desire to have a baby, but she wanted one just the same. Every time they made love, there was nothing on earth she wanted as much as to be impregnated. Everything in her body wanted it. She never said so, though.” The bit that got me was the end, where she never said so. She’s obviously madly in love with this guy as he is with her and she wants to create life with him, but I just wish she were comfortable enough to talk to him about it. 

As always, I make a list of favorite quotes I come across whilst reading. Here are the quotes I liked enough to pluck out of this book:

“The erection had brought him back from the dead.” Page 3
“It had purple lids over its eyes. It looked like it might be thinking about a poem.” Page 4
“There was a chicken coop where little round eggs appeared as if by magic every morning. Tiny fragile moons that were necessary for survival.” Page 7 
From the Book of Minor Infractions: “A little girl looked into the sun at an angle to make herself sneeze.” Page 9 
“She had a curvy, healthy figure that needed to be seen naked to be appreciated.” Page 14
“The cookie was delicious, but it tasted of death.” Page 15
“Sadness was nothing to be afraid of. You could laugh at it. It was as absurd as a sneeze. It lasted as long as the pain from the sting of a bee.” Page 26
“She wanted to hit him and have a bruise appear on her body.” Page 28 
“If a bird flies by, he drops what he is doing and just stares straight up at it.” “Perhaps he is so affected by beauty that he will risk a beating just to gaze upon it.” Page 53
“If there were a teacup left on the table, it would be filled with unhappiness.” Page 81
“Being a woman was a trap…The only time the world shows you any favor or cuts you any slack, is during that very brief period of courtship where the world is trying to fuck you for the first time.” Page 133
“She was proof that a woman could take as much from life as a man.” Page 162
“He stood up when he saw her, thinking she had a knack for appearing out of the blue when he wanted to see her the most. He could never get bored of her face.” Page 165
“They made love against the door with their clothes on.” Page 166
“…everyone was perfectly happy. If you ever experience such a feeling, you should probably realize that God will take notice. Something will be taken away.” Page 167
“This was so much like performances they had done when they were children. Except they didn't have to go back to an orphanage afterward and sleep in separate beds. They were adults. They could make love.” Page 237
“When [our child] tells us that it thinks there is a monster in the closet, instead of telling it that it is a fool, we will board up the closet with planks and nails.” Page 240
“”There’s the Pony with the Broken Leg.” “Don’t look at that constellation. It’ll make us too sad.”” Page 248
“If ever I’m standing in the way of your happiness, I swear I will throw myself right off a roof. All I want is for you to be happy. I’m broken, and you’re perfect. You come first.” Page 248
“When the tailor was done, there was a pile of measuring tape on the ground as if a mummy had just performed a striptease.” Page 281
“”Oh, I’ve always loved numbers,” Fabio said. “They behave so prettily, don’t you find?” Rose immediately made him wipe off his face paint and work as her accountant.” Page 285
“The audience was filled with a hundred nine-year-olds dressed in furs and fancy pearls.” Page 311
“Pierrot was lying on the bed, his arms spread out on either side of him. Rose had a bare foot on either side of his hips. She slowly descended. She seemed to be descending for five years. It was so lovely. He put his hands on her knees. He put his mouth on her cunt and gave it a kiss. Rose could put on some pretty little private shows.” Page 314
“They would be in Montreal, performing for an audience of one in a high chair. A baby makes the ordinary miraculous.” Page 333
“All children are really orphans. At heart, a child has nothing to do with its parents, its background, its last name, its gender, its family trade. It is a brand new person, and it is born with the only legacy that all individuals inherit when they open their eyes in this world: the inalienable right to be free.” Page 373
“Many of them, like him, would never grow old enough to understand that you only go from one hardship to another. And that the best we can hope from life is that it is a wonderful depression.” Page 380
“All the children in the city put candles in their windows that night. The Milky Way become for one night a tiny island in the Saint Lawrence River.” Page 381

And so with that, I have finished the book and completed my first ever read of a handheld ARC as opposed to an ebook. 

This book is beautiful. The beginning was extravagantly intriguing, the middle was hooking and captivating, and although there were about 50 slow pages before the true end began, the end was mesmerizing. The writing is so artistic and lyrical and flowing that it almost seems as though these aren’t words on a page for a book but rather lyrics on a staff for a song. 

Our protagonists are Rose and Pierrot, neither of which are their real names. They are raised in a Montrealian orphanage and find innocent companionship and love in one another. Both are natural performers and create magic when engaging in artistic endeavors together. 

As young adults they are separated but reunite and weave themselves back into each other’s lives. This book is a love story about lonely hearts. It’s about the love of a person, the love of heroin, the love for performing and art and music and singing, the love of lusting, and the love of life, despite how messy and unstable the whole of it is.

I got a Great Gatsby vibe from this book. It takes place during the Great Depression so I suppose the era in history connection is understandable, but you must know that The Great Gatsby is my favorite classic, so having this book be reminiscent of that only made me love it more. This is one of my new favorite books and I had placed it on that shelf about halfway through my reading of it. I strongly urge you to read this book once it is published or if you can get your hands on an ARC beforehand.

A five star read. Worth every second of strained nighttime reading, and a lonely heart will lose some of its melancholy upon completion of this story.

xoxo, Veronica Nagorny

THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS 
THIS BOOK ON GOODREADS
THIS BOOK ON AMAZON

by Veronica Nagorny 2016
InstagramGoodreads Profile Books on AmazonBooks on Book Depository Books on Barnes & NobleEmail: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 
Thanks for reading!

I hope you like books, because if not you should probably stop reading this, because this is about a book. This is Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, and it's poetry coupled with illustrations that perfectly exhibit the nature of the verse. There are four sections in the book; the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and the healing. I followed the poetess on Instagram for a while and once she came out with a book I decided I had to pick it up especially after one person on Amazon said that this is the one book every woman must have on her bedside table, and after reading it I have to agree. There's a lot in here that you wouldn't really think of otherwise and she puts so many things into such beautiful words that you just can't not read it. It's hard to explain but there's everything. When you're hurt, there's something for you. When you're broken, something. Always something. I recommend this book to anybody who is literally not a child. Women and men, and in between, I recommend this book because it can help you learn about yourself. Reading her words almost helps you listen to what your head has been saying to you and your heart has been saying to you, but you just couldn't figure out how to express that, and it reminds you of the fact that you're not alone. That's the best thing about this book; you find out you're not alone. When you're hurt, you're not alone. And if nothing else, you have these words. So, yeah. I like this book. I recommend it to anybody. It's definitely a 5 out of 5 stars or hearts or milk and honeys, whatever you want to give it.

Hi friends,

Chances are if you've clicked on this link you're in search of an answer to a particular question. To which I have no absolute way of knowing, but just in case I have been faced with similar seekers before, I've compiled a page of all of my links to social media and my books and shop. There is probably a much easier way to do this than to create a blog and make a single post on it, but hey, maybe I'll blog one day.

All the hugs.

SOCIETY6 SHOP
https://society6.com/veronicanagorny
Here you will find my illustrations (many of which feature slinky ducks) featured on comfy cozy products including mugs, blankets, shirts, cards, phone cases, wall tapestries, and more.

REDBUBBLE SHOP

http://www.redbubble.com/people/veron...

Here's another shop of mine, featuring my artwork on more products.

ETSY SHOP

I like to craft and doodle and you'll find that here.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NikaVikaNika
GOODREADS PROFILE
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Goodreads is a website I lurked on for years before properly joining, but now I have joined, and the bookish community is strong as ever and ever-growing! If you'd like to see, here are my shelves.
INSTAGRAM PAGES
https://www.instagram.com/nika.vika.n...
Instagram is the first social media (aside from YouTube but for whatever reason I don't consider YouTube a social media outlet, exactly. I'll get back to you on that when I figure out my reasoning) I joined and it's my favorite. I love pictures and art and people and other beautiful things and Instagram is simply full of those. I can share pictures and see pictures and I love it.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Veronic...
I love weaving words together, sometimes with little pictures by their side, and then taking those bits and making them into books. Here is where you'll find my Author Central page. 
BOOKS @ BARNES & NOBLE
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Ve...
I still cannot believe that I can search MY NAME on Barnes & Noble's website, the store where I can go and buy books (and have ever since Borders closed but that's a different story) by people like Edgar Allan Poe, Sharon Creech, J.K. Rowling, and Walt Whitman and MY ACTUAL BOOKS come up. *fangirls* If you'd like to see my books on Barnes and Noble and perhaps adopt one or two of them, this is the link for you.
BOOKS @ LULU
https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?c... 
This is the birthplace of my books, and the Original Place In Which They Could Be Found. 
BOOKS @ BOOK DEPOSITORY
http://www.bookdepository.com/author/...
This is a cool site. You can buy my books from the UK as well and have them shipped anywhere in the world. WHAT IS THIS LIFE?! 
BOOKS @ AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Nagor...
If Amazon is more your style when it comes to book-buying, here's where you can find me.
CHILDREN'S WRITER'S GUILD PROFILE
http://www.childrenswritersguild.com/...
Hey, it's me with my old haircut! 
EMAIL
veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
Hit me up!

Much love.

I picked this book up randomly at my local library. I was pressed for time since they had warned of the library's closing in five minutes and this book happened to be the closest to where I was standing. Boy, am I glad it was. 

We follow Joy's journey of healing and moving on. Her past was broken and flawed, so she therefore sees herself as such. With the love of her new family and friends she sees herself as human and someone capable of living and healing. 

It's so refreshing to read a book where the protagonist suffers tremendously with something like anxiety but isn't ostracized by their peers, as they are in most works of literature. In this book, I could relate to some things and I could learn from other things. The plot was intriguing and developed well. 

The author writes in a voice that made me feel like she was right here next to me telling this story. Thank you, Ms. Perry, for writing a five-star worthy book that made me laugh, cry, and FEEL. 

Some content in this book could be triggering for certain individuals. Just putting that out there. 


xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
THIS REVIEW ON GOODREADS THIS BOOK ON GOODREADSTHIS BOOK ON AMAZON
by Veronica Nagorny 2015 • Instagram • Goodreads Profile  • Books on Amazon • Books on Book Depository  • Books on Barnes & Noble
Email: veronicanagornycontact@gmail.com
I am always accepting book review requests. Please email me at the above address. If you are an author or publisher wishing to send me a book for review, please use the listed email address and I will be in touch with you to provide my mailing address. 

Thanks for reading!