Published in 2014, this book tells the story of Margaryta, who leaves her hometown, Luhansk, expecting to return within a week. However, the situation in her city worsens, and she finds herself staying with friends and eventually accepting help from volunteers. This leads her to a sanatorium in Lutsk and later to a family in a small village in Volyn. The uncertainty, fear, and gratitude toward strangers inspired a short fictional story. “Stories from East to West” is a creative reflection on the war in Luhansk, told through three fictional voices: a “typical Luhansk woman” who had never left her hometown, a local activist, and a volunteer soldier defending his land. ATO—Angelina, Tolik, and Oksana—are united by war, which strips them of everything but gifts them friendship and a deep bond.  

In 2024, the book was called the first war story in Ukraine. Some argued it was premature to write about the war before its end. Despite this, the book stayed on the bestseller lists for two weeks at the “Ye” bookstore. It captured the raw emotions of the first Ukrainians who lost their homes but found their identity and resilience.