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Nemesis and the Swan: A Review by Veronica Jorge

March 22, 2024 by in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as , , , ,

Nemesis and the Swan


by


Lindsay K. Brandy

Blackstone Publishing 2020

ISBN 978-1-09-405947-1

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Nineteen-year-old Helene languishes in a squalid French prison tormented by questions she cannot answer. Why was she arrested? Who could have made a wrongful accusation against her? And if so, why?

Together with Helene, we attempt to unravel the mystery of her imprisonment as we follow the journey of her life that led to this moment.

As a child, Helene, an aristocrat in revolutionary Paris, absorbed ideas of liberty and an egalitarian society from her governess. Words and ideas that created in her heart a different life from the one she had been living, and which she thought possible if only given the chance.

Perhaps such idyllic hopes and dreams are what caused her to fall in love with a commoner.

But how to deal with an unstable mother who cares nothing for her? Or a father, who although affectionate, views her as a means of securing his own wealth and maintaining his lifestyle via an arranged marriage for his daughter to a rich but base man?

To complicate matters further, she discovers a murder mystery within her family that may put her own life at risk.

When an acquaintance, who may be able to help set her free, visits her in prison, Helene pours out her fears and reveals all about her life. But in such perilous times, how can one know who to trust? What awaits her next? Freedom or the guillotine?

A riveting tale of the revolutionary days in Paris told from the perspective of a young woman, the author asks us to consider the importance of examining the way we each draw lines between good and bad, right and left, and us and them.

Nemesis and the Swan is a book you will want to read again and again, and again.

Veronica Jorge  

See you next time on April 22nd!

BLACK FOOD: STORIES, ART & RECIPES FROM ACROSS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

Buy now!
INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

REFUGEE

Buy now!
REFUGEE

THE WITCH WHISPERER

Buy now!
THE WITCH WHISPERER
UPROOTED: THE JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR II

THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

Buy now!
THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

DISTANT RELATIONS

Buy now!
DISTANT RELATIONS

FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

Buy now!
FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

THE ONLY ROAD

Buy now!
THE ONLY ROAD

THE LAST GOODNIGHT

Buy now!
THE LAST GOODNIGHT

MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

Buy now!
MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

Buy now!
FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

Buy now!
FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

Buy now!
FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

Buy now!
FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

MY FRIEND JACKSON

Buy now!
MY FRIEND JACKSON

THREE TREATS TOO MANY

Buy now!
THREE TREATS TOO MANY
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?

SECRET RELATIONS

Buy now!
SECRET RELATIONS

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Buy now!
FOREIGN RELATIONS

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

THE ALLIANCE

Buy now!
THE ALLIANCE

A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS
THE RELUCTANT GROOM AND OTHER HISTORICAL STORIES
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN PICKED UP A PENNY

THE SCRIBE OF SIENA

Buy now!
THE SCRIBE OF SIENA
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

SEVERED RELATIONS

Buy now!
SEVERED RELATIONS

A BIRD WILL SOAR

Buy now!
A BIRD WILL SOAR

NEMESIS AND THE SWAN

Buy now!
NEMESIS AND THE SWAN
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A Bird Will Soar by Alison Green Myers: A Review by Veronica Jorge

February 22, 2024 by in category Book Reviews by Veronica Jorge, Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as , , ,

A BIRD WILL SOAR

ALISON GREEN MYERS

Schneider Family Book Award

Dutton Children’s Books,  2021   

ISBN 978-0-593-32567-4

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Once in a while you come across a book, that after reading it, makes you pause and think, even marvel because you’ve encountered life from an entirely new perspective.

Alison Green Myers’, debut novel, A Bird Will Soar, is such a book. And a recipient of the prestigious Schneider Family Book Award given by the American Library Association for excellence in the portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth.

Axel, an autistic boy, feels most at home in nature. It is his peaceful place to think and make sense of his parents, and the garden of people in his life that grow up around him and become family. Axel also discovers that he can learn about people by bird watching. His favorite is the eagle. When family calls, the eagle focuses on the nest and never abandons it. So, he wonders why his father left. The eagle also knows just how high it can fly. Something Axel wishes his mother would let him discover about himself: to trust him and give him room to navigate using his own intuition and instincts.

When a tornado hits, Axel’s predictable world is turned upside down. His home is damaged and uninhabitable, locking him out of the safe space of his own room. Fallen trees have made his beloved woods unsafe to visit. The eagle’s nest with its young that he has been observing has been blown out of the tree by the fierce winds. And his estranged father has returned home. All of Axel’s knowledge and hopes are put to the test. 

Can he care about his father as much as he does about the eagle? “To feel something so strongly for another living thing.” (page 93). Will his gut instincts lead him to make the right choices and decisions? Will he finally learn just how high he can fly?

A Bird Will Soar is insightful and captivating. Alison Green Myers masterfully takes us into Axel’s mind revealing this unique character’s thoughts, feelings, and coping mechanisms. The book is also a beautiful exploration of the symbiotic and beneficial relationship between humans and nature.

If you read and were intrigued and entertained by the novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, you will be enthralled and elevated by, A Bird Will Soar.

Buy the book and start soaring!

Veronica Jorge

See you next time on March 22nd!

Books Reviewed by Veronica Jorge

BLACK FOOD: STORIES, ART & RECIPES FROM ACROSS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

Buy now!
INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

REFUGEE

Buy now!
REFUGEE

THE WITCH WHISPERER

Buy now!
THE WITCH WHISPERER
UPROOTED: THE JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR II

THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

Buy now!
THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

DISTANT RELATIONS

Buy now!
DISTANT RELATIONS

FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

Buy now!
FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

THE ONLY ROAD

Buy now!
THE ONLY ROAD

THE LAST GOODNIGHT

Buy now!
THE LAST GOODNIGHT

MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

Buy now!
MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

Buy now!
FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

Buy now!
FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

Buy now!
FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

Buy now!
FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

MY FRIEND JACKSON

Buy now!
MY FRIEND JACKSON

THREE TREATS TOO MANY

Buy now!
THREE TREATS TOO MANY
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?

SECRET RELATIONS

Buy now!
SECRET RELATIONS

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Buy now!
FOREIGN RELATIONS

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

THE ALLIANCE

Buy now!
THE ALLIANCE

A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS
THE RELUCTANT GROOM AND OTHER HISTORICAL STORIES
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN PICKED UP A PENNY

THE SCRIBE OF SIENA

Buy now!
THE SCRIBE OF SIENA
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

SEVERED RELATIONS

Buy now!
SEVERED RELATIONS

A BIRD WILL SOAR

Buy now!
A BIRD WILL SOAR

NEMESIS AND THE SWAN

Buy now!
NEMESIS AND THE SWAN
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Lost and Found by Veronica Jorge

January 22, 2024 by in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as , , , ,
 Winter. 
 Lifeless, asleep, dead.
 All is gone. Lost.
 Until the last frost melts away. 
 A sprig peeks up through the earth and winks at the sky. 
 Buds and flowers appear bearing gifts of fruitfulness.
 Year after year, spring arrives; ever the same, dependable, faithful.
 Life renews.
  
 Time passes.
 Distance separates.
 But vibrant colors burst through the faded tapestry of memories.
 Friendship. Never-ending, never-waning.
 Ever alive. 

Veronica Jorge

See you next time on February 22nd!

Books Reviewed by Veronica

BLACK FOOD: STORIES, ART & RECIPES FROM ACROSS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

Buy now!
INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL

REFUGEE

Buy now!
REFUGEE

THE WITCH WHISPERER

Buy now!
THE WITCH WHISPERER
UPROOTED: THE JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR II

THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

Buy now!
THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN

DISTANT RELATIONS

Buy now!
DISTANT RELATIONS

FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

Buy now!
FIVE BELLES TOO MANY

THE LAST MILE

Buy now!
THE LAST MILE

THE ONLY ROAD

Buy now!
THE ONLY ROAD

THE LAST GOODNIGHT

Buy now!
THE LAST GOODNIGHT

MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

Buy now!
MIGUEL’S BRAVE KNIGHT

FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

Buy now!
FOUR CUTS TOO MANY

FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

Buy now!
FORGIVING MARIELA CAMACHO

FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

Buy now!
FORGIVING STEPHEN REDMOND

FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

Buy now!
FORGIVING MAXIMO ROTHMAN

MY FRIEND JACKSON

Buy now!
MY FRIEND JACKSON

THREE TREATS TOO MANY

Buy now!
THREE TREATS TOO MANY
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?

SECRET RELATIONS

Buy now!
SECRET RELATIONS

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Buy now!
FOREIGN RELATIONS

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

THE ALLIANCE

Buy now!
THE ALLIANCE

A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A DRAKENFALL CHRISTMAS
THE RELUCTANT GROOM AND OTHER HISTORICAL STORIES
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN PICKED UP A PENNY

THE SCRIBE OF SIENA

Buy now!
THE SCRIBE OF SIENA
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

SEVERED RELATIONS

Buy now!
SEVERED RELATIONS

NEMESIS AND THE SWAN

Buy now!
NEMESIS AND THE SWAN

A BIRD WILL SOAR

Buy now!
A BIRD WILL SOAR

2 2 Read more

A Year Is An Ocean by Veronica Jorge

December 22, 2023 by in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as , ,

As the year draws to an end, preparing to close its final chapter, I think of the beach.

It might seem perfectly normal to those of you living in sunny climates, or to snow bunnies hastening away from the cold. But to those of us in areas that have already seen our first snow, it might sound strange.

To me, beginnings and endings can be like the ocean.

Like a rushing tide, every New Year, we rush toward new goals and hopes.

Sometimes shrinking back in fear, or drifting away into distant doubts and difficult memories.

Sturdy ocean rocks, like strong foundations, enable us to stand secure. And even walk on water, like faithful friends that make us believe we can do the impossible.

Our footprints in the sand are washed away like our past failings and errors. While a merciful new year, grants us another chance at life.

The 1960s song, Try to Remember, written by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, plays in my mind. Emotion tightens my throat. My heart forms a prayer for the coming year.

May no one weep. Not even the willow.

Veronica Jorge

See you next time on January 22, 2024! 

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Not What It Seems by Veronica Jorge

November 22, 2023 by in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as , ,
Female hand with colorful bouquet of autumn leaves. Closeup.

Not What It Seems


by


Veronica Jorge

Memories swirl in the air around my head.


Light flashes and flickers illuminating my thoughts.


Emotions spread a warm blanket over me and shield me

from the wind.

Joy dances around my feet.


Worries scurry away.


It seems I’m just raking leaves.


But I’m really counting my blessings, one by one.

See you next time on December 22nd!


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