Vanessa Hall's Blog, page 38

The Bookworm’s Tag

Thanks so much to Faith on the Farm for tagging me! This one was super hard for me. Maybe it’s telling me I’m not enough of a bookworm.

Rules:

Thank and link to the blogger who nominated youInclude the tag graphic in your postAnswer the ten questions the blogger askedNominate between five and ten bloggersAsk your nominees ten book-related questions!Don’t feel bound to these rules(Most importantly) Have fun!

And without further adieu …

What are two books you would and have recommended over and over again?

Number one, the Bible. But in regards to fiction … I don’t really recommend that many books to people, but I’m pretty sure I have waxed on and on about A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White and Sarah Sundin’s Wings of Glory series.

What’s a fictional book that helped you understand God better?

Hmm … Al Lacy’s fiction books were pretty influential to me when I was young. Recently, though, I’ve been inspired by my sister’s latest release, especially the title. I see it often because I have a copy of it in my bedroom, and the title, Promises Unbroken, always reminds me that God’s promises will never be broken, that they’re eternal in spite of my failures.

What are two authors that you think have a very similar style of writing?

This one is super hard, so I came up with a detailed answer: Susan May Warren’s historical fiction and J’nell Ciesielski. Susan May Warren’s suspense novels aren’t like that at all, but both of these ladies’ styles are quite flowery and poetic in these contexts. But then again, they have their differences too …

Have you ever almost guessed every single plot twist in a book? What book was it?

I don’t think I could say every single plot twist. I’m not that smart. However, in a recent book I read, Anchor in the Storm, I saw the way the romance was going to go a hundred miles away. It was annoying.

What are two fictional characters who could almost sum up your personality?

This one’s really hard, too! One character would have to be Peter Holstein from Roseanna M. White’s A Name Unknown. Peter’s an author and generally very shy and just wants to write his books. And he doesn’t want anyone to know he writes. That resonates with me. He’s also not the toughest guy in the world, and (spoiler if you haven’t read the book) I’d be the type of person to throw a piece of fruit at a villain, too. Except I’d be sad to throw a good piece of fruit at someone instead of just eating the fruit …

And this second person is interesting – Libby Sinclair was another Roseanna White book, The Nature of a Lady. I recently reviewed this book, and I had major problems with it. And Libby also got on my nerves.

And I realized she was like me.

One of those moments, right? She just kind of let everyone walk over her and was desperate to avoid conflict. Me right there. So maybe I need to work on that? Anyhow, she was one of the few characters I’ve actually thought, yeah, she’s like me. Cringe.

Are you the person constantly getting more book recommendations than you could ever keep up with or are you the person always recommending tons of awesome books? Or something in-between?

Always getting more book recommendations than I can ever keep up with. I’m not the fastest reader in the world, and I don’t set aside enough time for reading. There’s so many good books out there, and I have yet to get to them …

Has a book ever made you appreciate something (or a food, in particular) more than you did before? What was it (the book and the “thing”)?

Recently, I read The Butterfly and the Violin, and all of the sufferings of the people in the concentration camp made me appreciate food and freedom and family.

What is a book that has made you both laugh and cry? (If you don’t have one, you could pick one for each, I suppose).

I was always cracking up at Sally in To the Uttermost. She was hilarious. Crying? Hmm … I really don’t cry over books all that often. (Sounds coldhearted …) But I’m pretty sure I teared up while reading To the Uttermost, too.

What’s one book (fiction or nonfiction) other than the Bible that you wish every single person on the planet would read?

This is so hard … I really loved Martin Luther’s Commentary on Galatians. It just beats justification by faith into your head, and as humans, we need that—our hearts are so prone to wander!

I’d also suggest Spurgeon ….

Would you consider yourself a bookworm? If so (or if not), how many books do you read each month?

Um … I feel like I’m going to get into trouble saying this, but no. I really enjoy reading, but I don’t read enough to classify myself as a bookworm. I average about a book a week, depending on what’s going on in my life at that point, so about four books a month. I feel like this is a terrible author confession.

Thanks again to Faith for tagging me!

I’m tagging Sisters Three, Tara @ Towers in the Plains, Madi @ Madi’s Musings, Joelle @ The Pen Inspired, and E. G. Bella.

And here are the questions:

What’s a book that reminds you of your childhood?What’s the longest book you’ve ever read?Who’s one of your favorite characters?How often do you read non-fiction vs fiction?What’s the most important thing you look for in a good book?Do you judge a book by its cover?What’s your preferred method of enjoying a story? Ebook, paper book, audiobook, etc.? Do songs remind you of certain books? If so, what book and what song was it?What is one of the most memorable lessons a fiction book has ever taught you?What is one of the best fiction books you’ve read in the past year?

Review of Log Off by Virginia Henderson

Log Off by Virginia Henderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


4.5 stars

One thing I love about Virginia Henderson’s books are the creativity of her plots. She takes normal, everyday occurrences (like logging on and off of a computer) and builds interesting, exciting books off of that! Log Off is the perfect example of that, and I loved seeing how the plot worked out!

I really enjoyed the three main different POVs in this book. Instead of having just two love interests, this book had two best friends and a slightly sketchy other character’s point of view. I enjoyed seeing Nicole and Jessica’s interactions with each other, and they acted just like any normal college kids. I think it can be very effective when the characters in the book are just normal people who are shoved into not-so-ordinary experiences. Mark was a mystery for a quite a while, and I didn’t know what to make of him. However, by the end of the book, I’d come around to liking him. There wasn’t much romance in this plot, but the tiny bit of a relationship took a twist I hadn’t been expecting, which was great!

The plot was full of action and so many twists and turns. I didn’t know what to expect. The plot definitely moved quickly, making this a fast read. I had to see what happened! One tiny thing that was a little bothersome was the confusion between Zek, Zak, and Zok. At first, their names were a little bit too similar, but by the end of the book, I was more used to seeing their names and had learned to differentiate them. That’s just a case of tired reader, and they did seem like the perfect villains with their matching fake names. And wow, talk about some bad dudes. I wouldn’t want to get on their wrong sides.

Throughout the book, I enjoyed seeing Jessica, Mark, and Nicole grow closer through their harrowing experiences. Though there wasn’t much overt Christian content, there was definitely a theme of thankfulness, second chances, and loyalty to one’s friends. This book was also very clean, which was great! Overall, Log Off was an exciting read, and I’m looking forward to finishing the series.

Many thanks to the author for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Virginia Henderson

Check out her blog and her Goodreads!

Originally from Ohio, I now reside in Texas with my folks and little sister. I’m a born again Christian and I want to give all the glory to God.

I love writing (obviously). I tend to lean toward suspense, thrillers, the occasional wholesome Christmas story and “what if” scenarios. Such as what if you were to check out a library book and someone unknowingly left a document in the pages that contained life-altering secrets concerning the government. That sort of thing.

Aside from writing, I’m always reading. I love the classics, historical fiction, fantasy, adventures, fairy-tale retellings, suspense, and any and all things Newsie related.

I very much enjoy plays and musicals, embroidery, road trip adventures with the fam, retro arcade games, and board games. I’m also very interested in weaponry (archery, swordsmanship, etc).

“Never Have I Ever …” Tag

And today’s another tag day! Thank you to Grace @ Of Blades and Thorns for tagging me!

Link and thank the blogger who tagged you. Thank you again, Grace! Include the graphic somewhere in the post (or make your own!)Answer the questions truthfully and honestly.Tag 3 bloggers. I hereby tag Callie @ An Unfinished Story, Maribeth @ A Writer’s Tale, and Hannah Foster!

Let’s get down to this, shall we?

Never Have I Ever…

…started a novel that I didn’t finish.

Hahaha. Is this a joke? ’Bout fifty times.

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…written a story completely by hand.

Nope. Typing is the only way. I never would’ve written more than two lines if I had to write it all by hand.

…changed tenses midway through a story.

Probably … accidentally, though. Bad grammar alert.

…not researched anything before starting a story.

Probably, yes. And then I realized I really needed to research a lot.

…changed my protagonist’s name halfway through a draft.

Hmm … does it count if I changed it on the third draft?

…written a story in a month or less.

I think so? I used to write a lot. And quickly. And now I haven’t written anything on my new project for coming up on four months now. Ouch.

…fallen asleep while writing

Nope. I can’t do that. I try not to write past 11 PM, or else I can’t sleep. Too much plotting and writing in my head while I’m trying to fall asleep.

…corrected someone’s grammar IRL/online.

Yeah … my poor family.

…yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of my novel.

Probably. I’ve recently been doing all caps at the tops of scenes I’m editing, and it’s not always yelling. Sometimes it’s just something like, “Bro, delete this scene. This is useless.”

…used “I’m writing” as an excuse.

I don’t know. Probably, but I don’t think I can remember an exact time I did.

…killed a character that was based on someone I know in real life.

I don’t think so. Most of my characters are weird amalgamations of people if they’re based on anyone, but I don’t think any of those people have ever died. And I don’t usually have the guts to kill main characters, anyway. My villains aren’t usually based on people in real life, either.

…used pop culture references in a story.

I don’t think so. Unless Irish love songs are pop culture references. Oh yeah, there was that one time I talked about country music and mentioned Johnny Cash and some other country singer. So yes!

…written between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

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I want to say no. Unless plotting counts.

…drank an entire pot of coffee while writing.

Not a coffee drinker. If it has enough milk and honey in it, I can stand it, but I rarely drink the stuff. Now, tea? Or kombucha? Oh yeah, I can get onboard with that stuff. I enjoy having a few cups of tea in the afternoon when I’m writing. (Or supposed to be writing.)

…written down dreams to use in potential novels.

No. My dreams are so stupid, they should never be in a book.

…published an unedited story on the internet/blog/Wattpad.

No unedited stories are released to the world. That’s terrifying.

…procrastinated homework because I wanted to write.

Oh yeah. I try not to do this, but sometimes you just need to write instead of finish an assignment. Right?

…typed so long that my wrists hurt.

Yep. Tendonitis and all of that fun stuff, but I think wrist curls and not playing the piano as much helps.

…spilled a drink on my laptop while writing.

No, but I do have my tea mentioned above near my laptop. That is scary.

…finished a novel.

Yes! Multiple, actually, though only one is edited enough to be seen by anyone other than my family members.

…laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene.

Probably. I’m quite infamous for talking to myself and cackling. My family has to put up with my insanity, which they do quite well.

…cried while writing a scene.

Mm … probably? Not outright crying. I definitely cried when I was writing the acknowledgements for Unknown, though that’s not really a scene.

…created maps of my fictional worlds.

I’m not even close to that cool. I should have, because there was that one time, long, long ago, when I had my characters in this setting: “50 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina.” And I promise they weren’t supposed to be in the middle of the Atlantic.

…researched something shady for a novel.

Hahahaha! All the time. And I always feel awful looking up how long a person could live with this type of injury, or how does one treat this type of injury? Or how do you poison someone without them knowing it? Or the research about torture … ugh. That’s the worst, man. Moral of the story: don’t plot yourself into a corner where you have to go through too gnarly of research.

Thanks again for the tag, Grace!

Review of Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin

Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sarah Sundin is one of those authors who is an “automatic read” for me. Even though I don’t love all of her books, I usually enjoy them. This one was no exception!

The relationship between Lillian and Arch was nice to read – their romance was slow for the first part of the book, and Sarah Sundin writes romance like no other. Many of her romances are just sweet – not nasty and all about physical stuff. This one was definitely one of those sweet ones. I loved the scene where Lillian and Arch went ice skating! Another element I enjoyed with their relationship was the fact that they were both flawed and weak, and they both realized that and grew from that knowledge.

The mystery element of this book was better than the first one in the series. I feel as if this mystery were a little simpler, and that’s good for me, because I can get confused if I’m tired or read too quickly. Or if my mind just wanders during one scene, and that’s the scene where everything’s explained. Anyway, this mystery wasn’t entirely predictable, but it was much easier to connect the dots. I will say that one part of this plot was very predictable – especially if you’ve read a lot of this author’s books – and I was annoyed before it even happened. This incident affected most of the second half of the book, so I was over that whole deal.

The moral/themes of this book were relatively strong – trusting the Lord to be an Anchor in the midst of storms (the title, right?), being strong in the Lord even when we’re weak, and trusting the Lord to use you in different ways than you’ve expected. Although the Gospel wasn’t a huge part of the book, there were definite Christian morals presented, and both of the characters were Christians.

This wasn’t my favorite Sarah Sundin book, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I’m looking forward to finishing the series!

Official Release of Unknown!

Today, Unknown is officially available on most purchasing platforms, including Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and Apple Books! Check out this link to purchase an e-copy!

He knew there was a cost. He just didn’t know how great it’d be.

Gabriel Kelly returned to Russia for one reason—to bury his parents. After ten years in the United States, he hadn’t expected to return to his childhood home in the face of tragedy. However, after short days in Moscow, he begins to consider if the same call that cost his parents’ lives is now upon him.

Sofia Rykova’s dreams finally came true when she became a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. One night, though, an old crush walks back into her life, making her wonder if there is more to life than ballet. Gabe Kelly is just as she remembered, just as she longed for—yet religion stands between them.

Unknown to Gabe and Sofia, danger lurks closer than either would have guessed. The deaths of Gabe’s parents grow more suspicious by the day, and Gabe and Sofia are drawn into the midst of a plot neither can escape. Will obedience to God’s call—in spite of their fears and desires—result in a price too steep to bear?

Russia: A Christian Nation?

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When I first wrote the books in the Grace Sufficient series, I hadn’t really researched religious freedom or churches in Russia. Most of my research was directed toward the Soviet years, because I assumed there would be more restrictions during that time. Little did I know that religious liberty is being attacked this very day in Russia.

In Moscow, there are fewer than 30 Baptist churches, while the city’s population is 20 million. In the broader scope of things, there’s one evangelical church for every 31, 346 people in Russia,[1] and only around 4% of the people are evangelical Christians.[2] Some statistics place that number even lower.[3] 80% of people are Orthodox[4], but that is no comfort, for Orthodox doctrine teaches a salvation that is not the salvation of the Bible.

Adding to this problem, a law was put into place in 2016 that attacked religious freedom. “While freedom of religion is constitutionally guaranteed in Russia, the relevant legislation names Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country’s four traditional, protected religions. Others with smaller presences in Russia, including denominations like Baptists, have been subjected to increased scrutiny in recent years.”[5] This law, nicknamed the “Yarovaya law,” bans most missionary endeavors with the risks of fines.[6] Obviously, this is a horrible threat to the spread of the Gospel as Christians are persecuted.

In Unknown, the church and Gabe’s missionary endeavors are unaffected by this law. However, after I learned about this terrible situation, I decided to add this reality to the plot of the second book in the series (as it occurs a few years later when this law has been enacted.) While Gabe Kelly, his parents, and the church in Unknown are completely fictitious, there are many faithful brethren scattered throughout the country of Russia who are seeking to share the Gospel and disciple believers in spite of fines and other persecutions. I hope you join me in praying for our brothers and sisters as the labor as God has called them, sowing the Gospel seed and reaping the harvest that the Lord provides – no matter the cost.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:36-38

[1] International Mission Board, August 2021 edition of “Prayerpoints: A Praying People Impacting a Lost World.”

[2] https://nabonmission.org/a-letter-to-prayer-supporters/

[3] https://joshuaproject.net/countries/rs

[4] https://www.bimi.org/countries/russia.php

[5] https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-charges-baptist-pastor-in-a-sign-that-its-religious-clampdown-could-be-spreading/29901315.html

[6] https://www.religiousfreedominstitute.org/cornerstone/2016/8/30/russias-new-anti-missionary-law-in-context

Why Grace Sufficient?

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I’m terrible at naming things.

Characters, books, series titles … you name it. When I decided to publish Unknown, I knew I had to come up with a series title. And of course, I was at a complete loss.

I thought about naming the series something to do with Russia, because that’s one of the huge underlying factors that tie all of the books together. Or maybe something about the church that ends up being quite central to the series? (But at that point, the church didn’t even have a name.)

So you can see I was in quite the conundrum.

For weeks or even months I thought off and on about what I should title the series, and nothing really sprang to mind. At this point, I should’ve prayed a lot more.

Then, thank the Lord, a title came to me.

Grace Sufficient.

Now, this name has a lot of special meaning to me. First of all, this is the title of the first “real” book I ever wrote. (Yes, those Civil War books that will only be known by vague references and will never be seen on the internet. I’m sparing you guys, I promise.) So that holds a very special place in my heart, because even with its flaws, that was the launch of my serious writing endeavors.

But second of all, and most importantly, the verse from which that phrase comes from has been very impactful in my life.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Throughout many parts of my life, the Lord has brought this verse to me and reminded me of the precious promise that His grace is enough, no matter my feelings, sins, infirmities, doubts or fears. And it seemed an appropriate and fitting title for this series—a series that I truly need God’s grace to write and edit. For in my weakness, His strength in made perfect in spite of my infirmities.

As I thought of each book, I realized that God’s grace was sufficient in each character’s life, though in differing circumstances. In Unknown, God’s grace strengthens Gabe to endure suffering and grief, and the Lord’s grace in Jesus rescues Sofia from her sins. In the second book of the series, God’s grace carries the characters through utmost despair and shame. In the third, grace enables the characters to serve God and to stand strong in spite of a painful past. In the fourth, God’s grace overwhelms a character’s grievous, wicked sins. And finally, in the fifth, the grace of God overwhelms the lies a character has believed for so long.

I’m so excited to share these books with you and for you to read these stories I love so much, but most of all, I want each and every one of you to know that the Lord’s grace is sufficient. His grace is sufficient to save you and strengthen you and finally to bring you home to heaven. Nothing shall ever separate a believer from His love (Romans 8:38-39), and His grace is more than enough for you in every situation.  

His grace is sufficient.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

The Beginnings and Story of Writing Unknown

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Well, this story begins very long along, in a distant land … just kidding. It does seem like a very long time ago when I first started writing Unknown back in late 2018. I’d just come off of writing a trilogy of Civil War books (what I consider my first “real” and finished books.) For some reason, I decided I wanted a change of pace and chose to write something in a modern setting.

And then somehow, I decided to set it in Russia. And why’s that?

I wish I had the answer! I think it was a combination of things – a semi-obsession with spies (I really need to get off of that kick … I think maybe I’ve escaped, but all of the Civil War books also had spies. *sigh*) And what better place for a spy than Russia, right? Also, at that point in my life, I was becoming a serious armwrestling fan, and that sport is really big over in Russia and Eastern Europe.

So it all came together.

Or not.

Originally, my male protagonist, Gabe, was going to be a spy. The thought of that is incredibly laughable at this point, because that man would not be a good spy. Like never. I’m glad that didn’t come to pass … yet the whole spy thing didn’t disappear completely (mini-spoiler for the following books in the Grace Sufficient series.)

Sofia, my female protagonist, was always a ballerina, and at some point, Gabe became the son of missionaries to Russia. A bit of a change, there, huh? No more spying for that guy. I’m pretty sure that was Kristina’s suggestion, so she gets the credit here. (Side note: she gets a lot of credit, because she’s patiently listened to my ramblings about writing for so many years. She’s the best. )

So that’s how it began in 2018, and I merrily wrote the story, never knowing it’d be my first published book—or the drastic changes that would come about at a later date.

When I decided to publish (more on that here), I realized Unknown needed major help. The plot was convoluted, the characters not as established as I’d like, and there were myriads of writing issues. I didn’t know how to write a modern-day book (or really any book at the point I’d written it), and everything just sounded so weird and awkward in my attempt to sound “cool” or something. Yeah, it was bad.

So then came the major edits – basically a rewrite. Poor Gabe became way less angelic, Sofia became a much more hardened ballerina, the plot was tightened up, and the writing (hopefully) stopped sounding awful. I added in a sub-plot to tie in with another plot, deleted sappy scenes, and changed orders of events. I changed several character’s names – even poor Sofia’s name from Sophie (though a remnant of that clings on in the book) to Sofia to make her sound more authentically Russian.

So there were many, many changes to this book until it became what it is today. Originally, this book was meant to be a stand-alone novel. And then it became two, then three … and I still couldn’t stop writing about my beloved Russian friends.

More on that in a bit.

Calling All Reviewers!

I now have free digital copies of Unknown for anyone who’d like to read and review it! Just click on the link below and fill out the form if you’re interested, and I’ll send a copy of the book your way!

https://forms.gle/YLExh74mMyeShoW29

If you don’t have a Google account or would rather contact me another way, feel free to just leave me a message in the comments or through my “Contact” page.

He knew there was a cost. He just didn’t know how great it’d be.

Gabriel Kelly returned to Russia for one reason—to bury his parents. After ten years in the United States, he hadn’t expected to return to his childhood home in the face of tragedy. However, after short days in Moscow, he begins to consider if the same call that cost his parents’ lives is now upon him.

Sofia Rykova’s dreams finally came true when she became a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. One night, though, an old crush walks back into her life, making her wonder if there is more to life than ballet. Gabe Kelly is just as she remembered, just as she longed for—yet religion stands between them.

Unknown to Gabe and Sofia, danger lurks closer than either would have guessed. The deaths of Gabe’s parents grow more suspicious by the day, and Gabe and Sofia are drawn into the midst of a plot neither can escape. Will obedience to God’s call—in spite of their fears and desires—result in a price too steep to bear?

Launch Week for Unknown

Welcome to the launch week for Unknown! I am so excited to share this story with all of you guys. This week’s blog posts will be all about the book, including signups if you’d like to read and review a free copy of it (coming tomorrow!) I’ll be talking about my inspiration and original ideas for Unknown, along with the reason behind the series name and all kinds of interesting extraneous – though hopefully interesting – information. And of course, feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below … no spoilers, though.

If you haven’t seen it already, here’s the synopsis!

He knew there was a cost. He just didn’t know how great it’d be.

Gabriel Kelly returned to Russia for one reason—to bury his parents. After ten years in the United States, he hadn’t expected to return to his childhood home in the face of tragedy. However, after short days in Moscow, he begins to consider if the same call that cost his parents’ lives is now upon him.

Sofia Rykova’s dreams finally came true when she became a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. One night, though, an old crush walks back into her life, making her wonder if there is more to life than ballet. Gabe Kelly is just as she remembered, just as she longed for—yet religion stands between them.

Unknown to Gabe and Sofia, danger lurks closer than either would have guessed. The deaths of Gabe’s parents grow more suspicious by the day, and Gabe and Sofia are drawn into the midst of a plot neither can escape. Will obedience to God’s call—in spite of their fears and desires—result in a price too steep to bear?

As I said before, I am so excited to release this book. The official release will be in a day or two, and I can’t help but praise the Lord for this opportunity He’s given me! Thank you to each and every one of you who have offered support and encouragement along the way.