What do you think?
Rate this book
Grace Sufficient #1
Unknown
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?
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?
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 13, 2021
21 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Hall
6 books159 followersVanessa Hall is an author, teacher, musician, and homeschool graduate. Her debut novel, Unknown, was published in 2021. Outside of writing, she spends her time teaching music, playing music, and working out. Above all else, though, she is a sinner saved and held fast by the abounding grace of Jesus Christ.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 29, 2024
Unknown is currently available for free! Get it here: https://books2read.com/u/49nnDk
Characters: I loved Gabe and Sophie! Poor Gabe’s grief over his parents’ deaths was presented so well—he wasn’t one of those annoying characters who loses his whole family and is completely fine the next day. And Sophie (or Sofia) was such a determined ballerina! She had a great character/spiritual arc. And the side characters were amazing—Daniil, Gregor, Evgeny (my Yev), Ana, Sergei, and Sasha. I’ve got to say I hated Dmitri! But he worked great as the villain.
Language: Clean.
Moral: I love Christian fiction books that are actually Christian. This book had a number of epic themes: God’s calling on a person’s life, missions, salvation, God’s will, trusting God in hard times, glorifying God, and many more.
Plot: Unknown had such a cool plot. I mean, when you have Russia and suspense, it’s bound to be good. Not to mention, I love any book that has arm wrestling scenes! Anyway, plenty of suspense, plot twists, developing relationships, great characters, and amazing morals kept the plot moving.
Romance: Clean. Just a few kisses.
Writing: Vanessa’s got a great writing style that fit this book so well. It didn’t feel rushed, but it didn’t drag either. The details were enough to let me see what was happening but weren’t so many that I got lost.
Overall: I love this book! It’s such an entertaining, suspenseful read, and I’d recommend it to readers of Christian fiction and romantic suspense. And I need the second book! Now!
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: I loved Gabe and Sophie! Poor Gabe’s grief over his parents’ deaths was presented so well—he wasn’t one of those annoying characters who loses his whole family and is completely fine the next day. And Sophie (or Sofia) was such a determined ballerina! She had a great character/spiritual arc. And the side characters were amazing—Daniil, Gregor, Evgeny (my Yev), Ana, Sergei, and Sasha. I’ve got to say I hated Dmitri! But he worked great as the villain.
Language: Clean.
Moral: I love Christian fiction books that are actually Christian. This book had a number of epic themes: God’s calling on a person’s life, missions, salvation, God’s will, trusting God in hard times, glorifying God, and many more.
Plot: Unknown had such a cool plot. I mean, when you have Russia and suspense, it’s bound to be good. Not to mention, I love any book that has arm wrestling scenes! Anyway, plenty of suspense, plot twists, developing relationships, great characters, and amazing morals kept the plot moving.
Romance: Clean. Just a few kisses.
Writing: Vanessa’s got a great writing style that fit this book so well. It didn’t feel rushed, but it didn’t drag either. The details were enough to let me see what was happening but weren’t so many that I got lost.
Overall: I love this book! It’s such an entertaining, suspenseful read, and I’d recommend it to readers of Christian fiction and romantic suspense. And I need the second book! Now!
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
August 26, 2021
YOU GUYS.
THIS WAS SO GOOD.
Unknown was awesome. It had started a little slow for me since I wasn't too sure what was going on (as in, plot-wise). But after a few chapters in, I got hooked, and my curiosity grew. Especiiiiially when there was something mysterious happening surrounding the death of Gabe's parents. :D I absolutely loved the content of the story; it was faith-filled with much character development, including many intrigued and stressful moments that got me flipping the page fast. The pacing never once felt bogged down or slow. It was just right, giving much space for the characters and the story to develop well.
I was also so impressed by the writing. It. Was. Immaculate. *chef's kiss* PURE IMMACULATION. I ain't no expert on writing and stuff but the writing was so good. And I don't want to rush into talking about characters all randomly, buuuuuuut, I got to.
BECAUSE GABE.
OH, I LOVE GABE.
The author KILLED his character. No, I don't mean kill kill as in murder, but she nailed him. Like, after reading so, sooooo many fictional heroes in novels, I've come to realize that they are literally all the same (!!!!!!!!) with such predictable thoughts and behavior that make them incredibly cliche and dull. So I don't normally notice heroes unless they really strike me as characteristic and "personalized". And that was Gabe. She crafted his character so well, and I just loved his POV because of his personality (and not to mention his deep-abiding faith in God!). His character was so well-rounded with such depth and realism, and I loved it.
Same goes with Sofia. I didn't love her as much as Gabe, but she was very well developed with such personality and character. I loved loooooved her journey to Christ, even though it felt albeit a wee bit sudden since I didn't really see it coming yet. My heart broke with hers, and there were a couple of times I teared up with her.
Next up, the Christian content.
CAN I HEAR AN AMEN?!
Y'ALL.
SO. GOOD.
Unknown was filled with Christian content and messages, sharing a lot about how God's grace is sufficient for us (like the series name! Ah, love it), and that we are saved by Him. I simply loved it. There was one point in the story when something happened (that I shan't mention cus, yk, spoilers...), and I could feel the author's heart reaching through Sofia and Gabe's story. With so much faith-filled content, it was the basis of the story, and seeing the character's actions and choices – though hard as it was – was encouraging as a reader and it amazed me.
It really was superb. I was deeply encouraged by the characters and the depth of their faith. It never occurred to be unbelievable or the plot "convenient". It was just perfect with much development of thought in characters that made everything so realistic and believable.
I loved every single thing in here. I didn't desire anything more; I was perfectly satisfied. I loved the suspenseful touch to the novel, the pacing, and the circumstances that always felt something had to be solved, but we don't know what (well, sorta). It felt mysterious, and with that suuuuuuuuper cute romance that was to die for (not literally, though), I couldn't stop reading and had to know what would happen next with the peeps.
Super well done. Unknown gets alllllll the stars from me!
THIS WAS SO GOOD.
Unknown was awesome. It had started a little slow for me since I wasn't too sure what was going on (as in, plot-wise). But after a few chapters in, I got hooked, and my curiosity grew. Especiiiiially when there was something mysterious happening surrounding the death of Gabe's parents. :D I absolutely loved the content of the story; it was faith-filled with much character development, including many intrigued and stressful moments that got me flipping the page fast. The pacing never once felt bogged down or slow. It was just right, giving much space for the characters and the story to develop well.
I was also so impressed by the writing. It. Was. Immaculate. *chef's kiss* PURE IMMACULATION. I ain't no expert on writing and stuff but the writing was so good. And I don't want to rush into talking about characters all randomly, buuuuuuut, I got to.
BECAUSE GABE.
OH, I LOVE GABE.
The author KILLED his character. No, I don't mean kill kill as in murder, but she nailed him. Like, after reading so, sooooo many fictional heroes in novels, I've come to realize that they are literally all the same (!!!!!!!!) with such predictable thoughts and behavior that make them incredibly cliche and dull. So I don't normally notice heroes unless they really strike me as characteristic and "personalized". And that was Gabe. She crafted his character so well, and I just loved his POV because of his personality (and not to mention his deep-abiding faith in God!). His character was so well-rounded with such depth and realism, and I loved it.
Same goes with Sofia. I didn't love her as much as Gabe, but she was very well developed with such personality and character. I loved loooooved her journey to Christ, even though it felt albeit a wee bit sudden since I didn't really see it coming yet. My heart broke with hers, and there were a couple of times I teared up with her.
Next up, the Christian content.
CAN I HEAR AN AMEN?!
Y'ALL.
SO. GOOD.
Unknown was filled with Christian content and messages, sharing a lot about how God's grace is sufficient for us (like the series name! Ah, love it), and that we are saved by Him. I simply loved it. There was one point in the story when something happened (that I shan't mention cus, yk, spoilers...), and I could feel the author's heart reaching through Sofia and Gabe's story. With so much faith-filled content, it was the basis of the story, and seeing the character's actions and choices – though hard as it was – was encouraging as a reader and it amazed me.
It really was superb. I was deeply encouraged by the characters and the depth of their faith. It never occurred to be unbelievable or the plot "convenient". It was just perfect with much development of thought in characters that made everything so realistic and believable.
I loved every single thing in here. I didn't desire anything more; I was perfectly satisfied. I loved the suspenseful touch to the novel, the pacing, and the circumstances that always felt something had to be solved, but we don't know what (well, sorta). It felt mysterious, and with that suuuuuuuuper cute romance that was to die for (not literally, though), I couldn't stop reading and had to know what would happen next with the peeps.
Super well done. Unknown gets alllllll the stars from me!
January 16, 2022
Update 1/15/2022:
I may or may not have binge read the entire book today...I was just thinking about it the other day and just had to read it again. I still absolutely love it:D!! And now I'm even more excited to read the second. Can't wait for it to come out!
Original review:
Okay so I loved Unknown so much. Like seriously. Take a suspense story and stick it in an unbelievably cold Russia...add a bit of ballet and a little Baptist church and you've got an amazing book. Period.
Let's talk about the characters first. I loved them all!! Sophia. Ahh she's just so great. She was so real and imperfect, and sweet strong. She's perfect for Gabe :D and yes Gabe. I love my Gabe. He is perfection. It's horrible of all these authors to rip their readers' hearts out and then stop them on the ground then put them through a food processor. That's what I feel like Vanessa Hall did to my heart XD I swear I cried like...a lot. But despite how hard things got, Gabe never gave up hope and held onto his positivity. And he let himself grieve, which I think is important too. But he recognized that life is still full of amazing things despite grief and sorrow and pain. Next is Evgeny. We didn't see a whole lot of Yev, but I definitely like what I've seen so far!! Needless to say, I am sooooo looking forward to reading more about him!! *Happy sigh* okay. And Daniil, Sergei, and Ana were all wonderful characters who were such great friends to Gabe. If only I had a friend like Daniil. Who doesn't want a Russian arm wrestler to hang out with? :P Last but not least. Dmitri *shudder* Dima. Oh how I HATE this man. He is an evil little viper and I kind of wanted to strangle him! But all good stories need good (evil) bad guys, right? Right.
The plot was super interesting too! Like I said above...Russia, ballet, little Baptist church, suspense. Somehow that all fit together so well to create an interesting, entertaining plot! I feel like the first part of the book was mostly setup and character development which made it just a *tad* bit slow, but I didn't mind. I liked it a lot still. The last half though. Oh my storms. I literally could NOT put it down! Everything got so intense and suspenseful I was absolutely 100% enthralled! It was absolute torture to set I aside to be productive for a while. But the ending was satisfying. I'm glad things wrapped up well instead if having something horrendous like a cliffhanger. Seriously. Those are the worst.
All in all, Unknown was an amazing adventure, that I'm SO glad I was able to have the opportunity to read and review. Thank you for writing a wonderful book, Vanessa, and I can't wait to read more of your work in the future :D
I may or may not have binge read the entire book today...I was just thinking about it the other day and just had to read it again. I still absolutely love it:D!! And now I'm even more excited to read the second. Can't wait for it to come out!
Original review:
Okay so I loved Unknown so much. Like seriously. Take a suspense story and stick it in an unbelievably cold Russia...add a bit of ballet and a little Baptist church and you've got an amazing book. Period.
Let's talk about the characters first. I loved them all!! Sophia. Ahh she's just so great. She was so real and imperfect, and sweet strong. She's perfect for Gabe :D and yes Gabe. I love my Gabe. He is perfection. It's horrible of all these authors to rip their readers' hearts out and then stop them on the ground then put them through a food processor. That's what I feel like Vanessa Hall did to my heart XD I swear I cried like...a lot. But despite how hard things got, Gabe never gave up hope and held onto his positivity. And he let himself grieve, which I think is important too. But he recognized that life is still full of amazing things despite grief and sorrow and pain. Next is Evgeny. We didn't see a whole lot of Yev, but I definitely like what I've seen so far!! Needless to say, I am sooooo looking forward to reading more about him!! *Happy sigh* okay. And Daniil, Sergei, and Ana were all wonderful characters who were such great friends to Gabe. If only I had a friend like Daniil. Who doesn't want a Russian arm wrestler to hang out with? :P Last but not least. Dmitri *shudder* Dima. Oh how I HATE this man. He is an evil little viper and I kind of wanted to strangle him! But all good stories need good (evil) bad guys, right? Right.
The plot was super interesting too! Like I said above...Russia, ballet, little Baptist church, suspense. Somehow that all fit together so well to create an interesting, entertaining plot! I feel like the first part of the book was mostly setup and character development which made it just a *tad* bit slow, but I didn't mind. I liked it a lot still. The last half though. Oh my storms. I literally could NOT put it down! Everything got so intense and suspenseful I was absolutely 100% enthralled! It was absolute torture to set I aside to be productive for a while. But the ending was satisfying. I'm glad things wrapped up well instead if having something horrendous like a cliffhanger. Seriously. Those are the worst.
All in all, Unknown was an amazing adventure, that I'm SO glad I was able to have the opportunity to read and review. Thank you for writing a wonderful book, Vanessa, and I can't wait to read more of your work in the future :D
September 5, 2024
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Allow me to draw some breath! I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, and honestly didn’t expect to love it, but I was blown away.
The characters, though. I loved Gabe’s spirituality and kindness. Sofiya was a very relatable character and very sweet. At first I disliked Evgeny but I quickly grew to love him. He was such a supportive person and somehow very sweet in spite of his dark streak! The villain was horribly villainy and so well done. Elena was awful but when softened she was pitiful. Daniil was awesome, and Sergei, Ana, & the other christians all great in their own ways. Oh, and we mustn't forget Gregor! He was a splendid character too. (Can he come back? pleeeease? I want him redeemed!!)
This is a romantic suspense set in contemporary Russia. Having a very soft spot for Russia somehow (actually I know why, it’s probably entirely because of The Singing Tree & Through Russian Snows), I loved it! The writing style was exceptionally good and well edited, especially for a debut novel and an indie author.
As for plot, the first 60% had me begging for stuff to happen and then the remaining 40% had me begging for things to stop. The opening half wasn’t slow, though—it was building tension and raising action while crafting characters, setting, and themes. Then the second half was a rollercoaster… and honestly painful! I was on the edge of my seat, quite unable to guess what would happen next. And the way all the clues and everything fit in together—superb. And I loved the humour!
Romance, y’all. You know I am not a fan of modern romance. Especially when it’s a Christian and an unbeliever. BUT. This was great—and I do NOT say that lightly. First off, he thought she was saved at first—and when he found she wasn’t, HE FOUGHT HIS ATTRACTION!!! (Yes, it deserves exclamation points and all caps.) Second, the romance wasn’t built on looks! While they were attracted to each other, they fell in love with each other’s characters, and I am all for it, peeps. Third, they were willing to sacrifice for love and didn’t have any stupid quarrels or misunderstandings (a waaaaay overused trope). And fourth, while there was some hugging, touching, and kissing, it was 100% undetailed. Like, “he kissed her.” And “his words blew harshly over her head.” No smelling, no electricity, no lip-admiration, nothingggg. I could gush about this forever but I’ll stop. Regardless to say, THIS is basically the romance I am looking for, guys!
Theme & message. I was amazed. The way the author tackled the themes of forgiveness (why it’s important and how we can do it), grace (sufficient for literally anything we undergo), trusting God no matter what, being willing to sacrifice everything/die for Christ, and surrendering one’s life to God’s calling—just phenomenal. I haven’t read this deep of modern Christian fiction in a while and I needed those messages.
Contentwise, this was clean. At the beginning I was worried about Evgeny + Sofia’s relationship (I was worried he was a bit of a predator), but it quickly proved to be sweet friendship. There were no inappropriate details on the ballerinas or danseurs. Even the part of the villain having lots of women & dates was clean and hadn’t a hint of anything inappropriate. No inappropriate thoughts when the MCs were together (I don’t agree with unmarried men & women being alone together, but I appreciated how Gabe left a door open when he & Sofia were in an apartment together). There are more details on the content list below, but overall this was a clean, non-detailed read.
The bottom line? Excellently well written romance & suspense with amazing characters and deep themes. Highly recommended, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
Content list: perfectly non-detailed kissing, hugging, handholding between the romantic couple; also between a ballerina & her male partner. Alcohol, drugs, swearing mentioned but condemned. Violence, but not graphic or gratuitous. There is an attitude of dislike, distrust, & disrespect towards the police, and many of them are presented as corrupt and bought over; but some are proven good, and it’s probably accurate—I just started getting irritated by how many people were going bad, haha.
A Favourite Quote: Lord, You can’t do this. You can’t. And why couldn’t He? He was God, the Creator, the only holy, good, righteous One. He had all right in heaven and on earth to do as He chose. But ... But what? Weren’t God’s Ways higher, better than her own? That even with all her planning, all her attempts at getting what she wanted, she fell short? That in the hour of greatest need, she couldn’t do anything for the man she loved? A sob jerked out. Then You alone can save him, Lord. You alone. Please do so. I can’t do anything. I never could, even when I thought I was. Only You are sovereign and in control. In control, even when everything was spiraling so out of control.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “They’re doing the best they can.”
Evgeny snorted, his hand massaging his knee, the ice discarded on the ground. “Doubt it. They look as if they missed at least half of their training days.”
… “Can we go home now?”
“No. I’m going to sleep here all night.”
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
The characters, though. I loved Gabe’s spirituality and kindness. Sofiya was a very relatable character and very sweet. At first I disliked Evgeny but I quickly grew to love him. He was such a supportive person and somehow very sweet in spite of his dark streak! The villain was horribly villainy and so well done. Elena was awful but when softened she was pitiful. Daniil was awesome, and Sergei, Ana, & the other christians all great in their own ways. Oh, and we mustn't forget Gregor! He was a splendid character too. (Can he come back? pleeeease? I want him redeemed!!)
This is a romantic suspense set in contemporary Russia. Having a very soft spot for Russia somehow (actually I know why, it’s probably entirely because of The Singing Tree & Through Russian Snows), I loved it! The writing style was exceptionally good and well edited, especially for a debut novel and an indie author.
As for plot, the first 60% had me begging for stuff to happen and then the remaining 40% had me begging for things to stop. The opening half wasn’t slow, though—it was building tension and raising action while crafting characters, setting, and themes. Then the second half was a rollercoaster… and honestly painful! I was on the edge of my seat, quite unable to guess what would happen next. And the way all the clues and everything fit in together—superb. And I loved the humour!
Romance, y’all. You know I am not a fan of modern romance. Especially when it’s a Christian and an unbeliever. BUT. This was great—and I do NOT say that lightly. First off, he thought she was saved at first—and when he found she wasn’t, HE FOUGHT HIS ATTRACTION!!! (Yes, it deserves exclamation points and all caps.) Second, the romance wasn’t built on looks! While they were attracted to each other, they fell in love with each other’s characters, and I am all for it, peeps. Third, they were willing to sacrifice for love and didn’t have any stupid quarrels or misunderstandings (a waaaaay overused trope). And fourth, while there was some hugging, touching, and kissing, it was 100% undetailed. Like, “he kissed her.” And “his words blew harshly over her head.” No smelling, no electricity, no lip-admiration, nothingggg. I could gush about this forever but I’ll stop. Regardless to say, THIS is basically the romance I am looking for, guys!
Theme & message. I was amazed. The way the author tackled the themes of forgiveness (why it’s important and how we can do it), grace (sufficient for literally anything we undergo), trusting God no matter what, being willing to sacrifice everything/die for Christ, and surrendering one’s life to God’s calling—just phenomenal. I haven’t read this deep of modern Christian fiction in a while and I needed those messages.
Contentwise, this was clean. At the beginning I was worried about Evgeny + Sofia’s relationship (I was worried he was a bit of a predator), but it quickly proved to be sweet friendship. There were no inappropriate details on the ballerinas or danseurs. Even the part of the villain having lots of women & dates was clean and hadn’t a hint of anything inappropriate. No inappropriate thoughts when the MCs were together (I don’t agree with unmarried men & women being alone together, but I appreciated how Gabe left a door open when he & Sofia were in an apartment together). There are more details on the content list below, but overall this was a clean, non-detailed read.
The bottom line? Excellently well written romance & suspense with amazing characters and deep themes. Highly recommended, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
Content list: perfectly non-detailed kissing, hugging, handholding between the romantic couple; also between a ballerina & her male partner. Alcohol, drugs, swearing mentioned but condemned. Violence, but not graphic or gratuitous. There is an attitude of dislike, distrust, & disrespect towards the police, and many of them are presented as corrupt and bought over; but some are proven good, and it’s probably accurate—I just started getting irritated by how many people were going bad, haha.
A Favourite Quote: Lord, You can’t do this. You can’t. And why couldn’t He? He was God, the Creator, the only holy, good, righteous One. He had all right in heaven and on earth to do as He chose. But ... But what? Weren’t God’s Ways higher, better than her own? That even with all her planning, all her attempts at getting what she wanted, she fell short? That in the hour of greatest need, she couldn’t do anything for the man she loved? A sob jerked out. Then You alone can save him, Lord. You alone. Please do so. I can’t do anything. I never could, even when I thought I was. Only You are sovereign and in control. In control, even when everything was spiraling so out of control.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “They’re doing the best they can.”
Evgeny snorted, his hand massaging his knee, the ice discarded on the ground. “Doubt it. They look as if they missed at least half of their training days.”
… “Can we go home now?”
“No. I’m going to sleep here all night.”
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
December 6, 2021
*4.5 stars
Okay, that ending just tore my heart to pieces. I think there are a few pieces of it over there. XD All that to say, my mind is blown, and if y'all are wanting a coherent review, it ain't comin' right now.
Full review:
Reasons why you should read this book :
~It's set in RUSSIA. Yes, I have an undying love for books with Russian characters and suspenseful settings. That alone was the main reason why I KNEW I just HAD to read this story. Though as a side note, I will admit I was kinda wanting... well, more. More glimpses of the Russian culture and lifestyle.
~I LOVE GABE!! Aaahh, man, he was SO awesome of a character. He had real flaws and goals, we felt his doubt, we felt his questioning, we felt his pain, and we just can't help but cheer him forward. I loved how he wasn't the "perfect Christian" but how we saw him struggling in his faith. I connected to him instantly because I have felt the same questions and have walked the same spiritual journey to a certain degree. I feel a lot like how one of my Goodreads friends had said in her review about how Gabe wasn't your typical male protagonist. He just felt REAL. It was wonderful!
~Gabe and Sofia were ADORABLE. I loved their love for each other. *fangirl squeals*
~THE SUSPENSE WAS SO AMAZING AND SPOT-ON AND JUST AAAAHHH I AM JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From almost the beginning, Hall hooked us with questions and mystery and we NEEDED the answers. And you know I love a book when I get hooked really early in the story!
~This is probably gonna sound weird but I just really liked and appreciated the way Gabe's grief was portrayed in the story. I think it's such an important topic, and Hall didn't shy away from the questions, doubt, and pain that grief brings while still shining God's Light, love, and healing through it.
~The Christian message!!!! Just YESSSS!!!! I felt very moved and inspired after reading this book!!! LOVED IT!! As a note to my readers, because I know I have lots of different people who read my reviews with different beliefs, convictions, ideas, etc. So while some of my other recent reads that some consider being "preachy" fiction, I never actually felt like they were. Like my reads from Grace Johnson and Kirstina Hall never FELT preachy, but this one did feel very much a preachy novel. Which I didn't have a problem with at all. I enjoy preachy fiction just as much as I enjoy those that aren't, however, I know some of my readers don't, so just a heads up this book is very much a Gospel-filled, Holy Spirit-moving novel!!!!! Which as I said, I REALLY enjoyed it, so you might be surprised. ;)
~THAT ENDING. Can't say too much because of spoilers but oh my goodness, I was LITERALLY leaning on the edge of my seat at it. *happy sigh* LOVED IT
The Not-So-Awesome Parts :
~Okay, this is really just a very little, picky thing that's entirely an opinionated thought, and I'm sure y'all have more interesting things to do than listen to my rambling nonsense, so feel free to skip to the end. ;) It just felt like there were some times when the characters seemed very focused on the Baptist denomination being the best. Now, don't get me wrong. I have grown up in a Baptist church all my life. My family has all been Baptist, I've even got some Baptist preachers down the line in my family. However, I just don't believe in denominations and don't believe one denomination is more superior to the other. ("So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." 1 Corinthians 12:25) I believe in following JESUS, not man. I don't think that the author was trying to say a denomination was superior, it was just how it came across a few times. So this is a minor qualm and didn't affect how much I enjoyed the book.
Will I read the sequel?:
You bet!!! For the moment, I'm pretty content with the book's ending but I have a feeling that'll change when the sequel's released!
Overall:
Unknown was an engaging, page-turner that fans of suspense with a bit of romance and a whole lot of Jesus will enjoy and be fully enthralled by Vanessa Hall's stunning debut!
If you enjoy All Fall Down, Promises Unbroken, and Not If I Save You First I'd DEFINITELY give Unknown a read!!!!!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*
Okay, that ending just tore my heart to pieces. I think there are a few pieces of it over there. XD All that to say, my mind is blown, and if y'all are wanting a coherent review, it ain't comin' right now.
Full review:
Reasons why you should read this book :
~It's set in RUSSIA. Yes, I have an undying love for books with Russian characters and suspenseful settings. That alone was the main reason why I KNEW I just HAD to read this story. Though as a side note, I will admit I was kinda wanting... well, more. More glimpses of the Russian culture and lifestyle.
~I LOVE GABE!! Aaahh, man, he was SO awesome of a character. He had real flaws and goals, we felt his doubt, we felt his questioning, we felt his pain, and we just can't help but cheer him forward. I loved how he wasn't the "perfect Christian" but how we saw him struggling in his faith. I connected to him instantly because I have felt the same questions and have walked the same spiritual journey to a certain degree. I feel a lot like how one of my Goodreads friends had said in her review about how Gabe wasn't your typical male protagonist. He just felt REAL. It was wonderful!
~Gabe and Sofia were ADORABLE. I loved their love for each other. *fangirl squeals*
~THE SUSPENSE WAS SO AMAZING AND SPOT-ON AND JUST AAAAHHH I AM JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From almost the beginning, Hall hooked us with questions and mystery and we NEEDED the answers. And you know I love a book when I get hooked really early in the story!
~This is probably gonna sound weird but I just really liked and appreciated the way Gabe's grief was portrayed in the story. I think it's such an important topic, and Hall didn't shy away from the questions, doubt, and pain that grief brings while still shining God's Light, love, and healing through it.
~The Christian message!!!! Just YESSSS!!!! I felt very moved and inspired after reading this book!!! LOVED IT!! As a note to my readers, because I know I have lots of different people who read my reviews with different beliefs, convictions, ideas, etc. So while some of my other recent reads that some consider being "preachy" fiction, I never actually felt like they were. Like my reads from Grace Johnson and Kirstina Hall never FELT preachy, but this one did feel very much a preachy novel. Which I didn't have a problem with at all. I enjoy preachy fiction just as much as I enjoy those that aren't, however, I know some of my readers don't, so just a heads up this book is very much a Gospel-filled, Holy Spirit-moving novel!!!!! Which as I said, I REALLY enjoyed it, so you might be surprised. ;)
~THAT ENDING. Can't say too much because of spoilers but oh my goodness, I was LITERALLY leaning on the edge of my seat at it. *happy sigh* LOVED IT
The Not-So-Awesome Parts :
~Okay, this is really just a very little, picky thing that's entirely an opinionated thought, and I'm sure y'all have more interesting things to do than listen to my rambling nonsense, so feel free to skip to the end. ;) It just felt like there were some times when the characters seemed very focused on the Baptist denomination being the best. Now, don't get me wrong. I have grown up in a Baptist church all my life. My family has all been Baptist, I've even got some Baptist preachers down the line in my family. However, I just don't believe in denominations and don't believe one denomination is more superior to the other. ("So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." 1 Corinthians 12:25) I believe in following JESUS, not man. I don't think that the author was trying to say a denomination was superior, it was just how it came across a few times. So this is a minor qualm and didn't affect how much I enjoyed the book.
Will I read the sequel?:
You bet!!! For the moment, I'm pretty content with the book's ending but I have a feeling that'll change when the sequel's released!
Overall:
Unknown was an engaging, page-turner that fans of suspense with a bit of romance and a whole lot of Jesus will enjoy and be fully enthralled by Vanessa Hall's stunning debut!
If you enjoy All Fall Down, Promises Unbroken, and Not If I Save You First I'd DEFINITELY give Unknown a read!!!!!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*
February 12, 2023
This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. It was so well written. I would compare the style to Dee Henderson’s with more faith content (and well done at that.)
This is a suspense/somewhat intense story, but it was very realistic, and, boy, a few times I was holding my breath because I just wanted to help the characters out and warn them (no spoilers, you’ll get it if you read it—which you should :))
I cannot say enough about the Christian content. It was so genuine and personal. Also, the grief and trauma aspect were so well done... Sometimes In book, bad things happen and the characters seem to just bounce back, which is not really entirely always realistic. This story had action, but also so much heart. There was also a clear gospel given. So much to love about how that was all done! And the growth we see in Gabe. He was just a great character from start to finish.
The romance was very clean. (Spoiler: A couple not descript kisses, not focused on the physical.)
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
This is a suspense/somewhat intense story, but it was very realistic, and, boy, a few times I was holding my breath because I just wanted to help the characters out and warn them (no spoilers, you’ll get it if you read it—which you should :))
I cannot say enough about the Christian content. It was so genuine and personal. Also, the grief and trauma aspect were so well done... Sometimes In book, bad things happen and the characters seem to just bounce back, which is not really entirely always realistic. This story had action, but also so much heart. There was also a clear gospel given. So much to love about how that was all done! And the growth we see in Gabe. He was just a great character from start to finish.
The romance was very clean. (Spoiler: A couple not descript kisses, not focused on the physical.)
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
February 4, 2022
Stars: 4.5
Synopsis: Returning to his childhood home of Russia should’ve been a time of joy, reunion, and happy memories for Gabriel Kelly. Should’ve been...but for the that that he’d returned to bury his parents. As the days pass, the shadowy circumstances surrounding the deaths of his missionary parents pull Gabe in along with all those around him, drawing them into a world of danger they’re wholly unprepared for.
Man, I am ashamed of myself. I finished this back in August and I’m just now reviewing it in February. (Please don’t kill me, Vanessa. I didn’t mean to, honest.) Fortunately, that means if I had any qualms with this book, I can’t remember them beyond what I jotted down in my journal...and basically everything I jotted down was positive.
I reckon that just goes to show how good of a novel Unknown is.
When I first heard that this was a romantic suspense about ballerinas in Russia and the mob, I could have squealed. Already, Unknown was destined for greatness in my mind. And, boy, lemme tell ya...the ballet aspect was so beautiful. Russia was, as you can imagine, so lovely, and I quite honestly want many more Russian-set novels. And the mob. Y’all who know me well know I love anything even remotely mafia-related.
The entire premise was so engaging and unique—I didn’t want to put this down, and I know I’ll never find another story quite like it. And Hall pulled it all of so well! The action and suspense was so fast-paced and had me gripping the edge of my seat, and the way she paced everything was, well, en pointe! *winks* (I had to throw in a ballet pun. I just had to.) What was especially good was that the plot seemed so realistic and authentic. For example, she didn’t make Gabe a trained special forces officer and give Sophie a nursing license so that they could handle everything thrown at them perfectly—nope, Gabe and Sophie were completely normal people who handled the situations in a normal and realistic manner as pertained to their characters rather than the plot.
I loved that. I love it when I can pick up a suspense and feel genuinely immersed in the story, as if I myself am the one on the run for my life. When the story is about a cop or EMT or some unheard of trained professional something, I simply can’t get into the story. The characters know it all, have all these fancy terms, and do everything according to the playbook instead of coming to life like their own individual people—like real cops, EMTs, and trained professionals are.
So, yes, making the hero a would-be American missionary and the heroine an orphaned ballerina was a smart decision on Hall’s part...not only in regards to the plot, but to the characters themselves.
Gabe, for one, was precious. He was sweet and tender to a fault, but in an authentic way, and I loved how Hall portrayed him. Same goes for Sophie—she was so unique and interesting. Together, they made a rather smashing pair. I’ll admit, the romance was subtle and took second fiddle to the suspense, but not in a way that lacked development or made that subplot (and the characters) fall flat. Nope, there was hot air in both balloons, baby. (Don’t...don’t ask me what that means. I just made it up because…well, just because.)
Of course, the faith elements were *chef’s kiss* absolutely lovely! Both Gabe and Sophie had definable arcs—Gabe in accepting Christ’s call to missions and Sophie to repentance—and their respective journeys were so real and inspiring. You gotta love a story that doesn’t leave out accurately portraying the Christian walk and salvation in Christ!
I’ll be honest, there were a few Calvinist views presented that I didn’t agree with (I’m not a Calvinist...but I’m not Arminian either...long story), and it really bothered me how Hall seemed to totally disregard the Orthodox Christians in Russia. I know Orthodox Christians aren’t Baptists and they don’t do everything just so according to the Southern Baptist’s Guide to True Christianity (please note, not a real guide), but there are Orthodox Christians in Russia who truly believe in God and follow Christ. So even though I totally understand and admire Gabe for standing up for what he’d been taught and for spreading his beliefs, I do think his Russian brothers and sisters could’ve been acknowledged, even in just some small way.
Other than that, have I any qualms? No, no I do not. The story itself was absolutely amazing, which such a vibrancy and flavor that most romantic suspense lack, and such a presence of God that was so touching.
Oh, and have I mentioned yet that Vanessa Hall is a fabulous writer?
Well, she is.
Funnily enough, I can see a similarity between her prose and her sister Kristina Hall’s, and when I started this, I kind of expected the similarity to be stronger (I don’t know why...I guess because they’re sisters and critique partners), but Vanessa’s writing certainly has its own style. (To be honest, you can tell through her blog posts and even her emails how her writing voice differs from her sister’s.) They’re both straightforward and uncomplicated in the way they write, with a decided balance between narrative and dialogue, action and emotion, but Vanessa’s prose has a more descriptive flair to it that fit the characters and the themes rather well, if you ask me!
Technically speaking, not a typo in sight! Gotta love a clean, high quality self-published novel, am I right?
I’m right.
Long story short, romance lovers, suspense cravers, contemporary readers...all of ya, y’all come and read Vanessa Hall’s Unknown! Her debut novel is an epic adventure that caters to almost anyone’s tastes, with a perfect blend of action and romance, a heaping tablespoon of faith and love, and a dash of hope that makes for a lovely read! I dunno ‘bout y’all, but I can’t wait for the sequel, Unworthy!
(Oh, and the next time I procrastinate writing a review, could someone please remind me that these things are literally only a thousand words long and only take me about thirty minutes to an hour to write? Thank you.)
Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Synopsis: Returning to his childhood home of Russia should’ve been a time of joy, reunion, and happy memories for Gabriel Kelly. Should’ve been...but for the that that he’d returned to bury his parents. As the days pass, the shadowy circumstances surrounding the deaths of his missionary parents pull Gabe in along with all those around him, drawing them into a world of danger they’re wholly unprepared for.
Man, I am ashamed of myself. I finished this back in August and I’m just now reviewing it in February. (Please don’t kill me, Vanessa. I didn’t mean to, honest.) Fortunately, that means if I had any qualms with this book, I can’t remember them beyond what I jotted down in my journal...and basically everything I jotted down was positive.
I reckon that just goes to show how good of a novel Unknown is.
When I first heard that this was a romantic suspense about ballerinas in Russia and the mob, I could have squealed. Already, Unknown was destined for greatness in my mind. And, boy, lemme tell ya...the ballet aspect was so beautiful. Russia was, as you can imagine, so lovely, and I quite honestly want many more Russian-set novels. And the mob. Y’all who know me well know I love anything even remotely mafia-related.
The entire premise was so engaging and unique—I didn’t want to put this down, and I know I’ll never find another story quite like it. And Hall pulled it all of so well! The action and suspense was so fast-paced and had me gripping the edge of my seat, and the way she paced everything was, well, en pointe! *winks* (I had to throw in a ballet pun. I just had to.) What was especially good was that the plot seemed so realistic and authentic. For example, she didn’t make Gabe a trained special forces officer and give Sophie a nursing license so that they could handle everything thrown at them perfectly—nope, Gabe and Sophie were completely normal people who handled the situations in a normal and realistic manner as pertained to their characters rather than the plot.
I loved that. I love it when I can pick up a suspense and feel genuinely immersed in the story, as if I myself am the one on the run for my life. When the story is about a cop or EMT or some unheard of trained professional something, I simply can’t get into the story. The characters know it all, have all these fancy terms, and do everything according to the playbook instead of coming to life like their own individual people—like real cops, EMTs, and trained professionals are.
So, yes, making the hero a would-be American missionary and the heroine an orphaned ballerina was a smart decision on Hall’s part...not only in regards to the plot, but to the characters themselves.
Gabe, for one, was precious. He was sweet and tender to a fault, but in an authentic way, and I loved how Hall portrayed him. Same goes for Sophie—she was so unique and interesting. Together, they made a rather smashing pair. I’ll admit, the romance was subtle and took second fiddle to the suspense, but not in a way that lacked development or made that subplot (and the characters) fall flat. Nope, there was hot air in both balloons, baby. (Don’t...don’t ask me what that means. I just made it up because…well, just because.)
Of course, the faith elements were *chef’s kiss* absolutely lovely! Both Gabe and Sophie had definable arcs—Gabe in accepting Christ’s call to missions and Sophie to repentance—and their respective journeys were so real and inspiring. You gotta love a story that doesn’t leave out accurately portraying the Christian walk and salvation in Christ!
I’ll be honest, there were a few Calvinist views presented that I didn’t agree with (I’m not a Calvinist...but I’m not Arminian either...long story), and it really bothered me how Hall seemed to totally disregard the Orthodox Christians in Russia. I know Orthodox Christians aren’t Baptists and they don’t do everything just so according to the Southern Baptist’s Guide to True Christianity (please note, not a real guide), but there are Orthodox Christians in Russia who truly believe in God and follow Christ. So even though I totally understand and admire Gabe for standing up for what he’d been taught and for spreading his beliefs, I do think his Russian brothers and sisters could’ve been acknowledged, even in just some small way.
Other than that, have I any qualms? No, no I do not. The story itself was absolutely amazing, which such a vibrancy and flavor that most romantic suspense lack, and such a presence of God that was so touching.
Oh, and have I mentioned yet that Vanessa Hall is a fabulous writer?
Well, she is.
Funnily enough, I can see a similarity between her prose and her sister Kristina Hall’s, and when I started this, I kind of expected the similarity to be stronger (I don’t know why...I guess because they’re sisters and critique partners), but Vanessa’s writing certainly has its own style. (To be honest, you can tell through her blog posts and even her emails how her writing voice differs from her sister’s.) They’re both straightforward and uncomplicated in the way they write, with a decided balance between narrative and dialogue, action and emotion, but Vanessa’s prose has a more descriptive flair to it that fit the characters and the themes rather well, if you ask me!
Technically speaking, not a typo in sight! Gotta love a clean, high quality self-published novel, am I right?
I’m right.
Long story short, romance lovers, suspense cravers, contemporary readers...all of ya, y’all come and read Vanessa Hall’s Unknown! Her debut novel is an epic adventure that caters to almost anyone’s tastes, with a perfect blend of action and romance, a heaping tablespoon of faith and love, and a dash of hope that makes for a lovely read! I dunno ‘bout y’all, but I can’t wait for the sequel, Unworthy!
(Oh, and the next time I procrastinate writing a review, could someone please remind me that these things are literally only a thousand words long and only take me about thirty minutes to an hour to write? Thank you.)
Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 5, 2022
Having gone on two mission trips to Russia and fallen in love with the people in the churches I ministered with there, this book held a special interest for me. I found some of that reflected in Gabe, especially when he was interacting with the people from his parents' church. The hospitality, the real warmth under the stoic shell--that definitely resonated with my experience. Of course, Gabe had a much more intimate perspective than I did, being able to converse in Russian instead of going through a translator, which probably lent to my feeling that the dialogue felt "American" at points--of course if you're translating everything everyone says, you can give the sense of it the way an American would say it, not the way a Russian would translate it to an American. (: Also--this is totally a personal thing, but--the fact that the one Russian in the story who shared a name with someone I met in real life ended up being a bad guy just twisted that knife in my heart a lot more than it already would have been, which was a lot to start with! XO (Like I said, I highly doubt anyone else will have that specific experience...)
But anyway--Gabe's grief and loss were really well done, and I felt his pain and uncertainty in so many places. And even though he blamed himself for not doing more, I really liked that his faith hadn't lapsed or fallen away after he returned from his parents' mission field. I would really love to see more fictional heroes who *aren't* dealing with some kind of major faith crisis, even in the midst of terrible grief. Sophia's ballerina life was so interesting, and I loved seeing things through her perspective--from how she viewed her work to the way she described her moves in ballet terms at times, even when she wasn't actually dancing. Evgeny I liked and was intrigued by and am definitely looking forward to more of his story. Daniil I loved. Also Sergei and Ana. And the old lady at church whose name I've forgotten... XD
The plot definitely got way more intense than I was prepared for. (I mean, suspicious deaths...I should have been prepared, but I didn't expect things to escalate to quite the level they did!) That's not necessarily a criticism or a bad thing; I just didn't know there were so many ways to escalate an already dire situation! I did really like the fact that Gabe wasn't going out and playing amateur detective to get himself in trouble, though. And when the good guys did things unintentionally that exacerbated the danger, they were things that totally made sense and weren't provocative from their perspective. That said, there's some serious violence, bordering on torture, involved, and while it's not graphic, it's not glossed over either, so if that's something you're sensitive to, just be aware of it.
Anyway, even though it was a little different from what I was expecting, I enjoyed the book a lot and look forward to reading the next one!
Content--violence and threats, including beatings and gunplay; mentions of injuries, blood, and deaths, including murder; mentions of drinking; mentions of noticing, touching, and kissing (not descriptive), including as part of an act in a ballet; mentions of cursing (no words)
But anyway--Gabe's grief and loss were really well done, and I felt his pain and uncertainty in so many places. And even though he blamed himself for not doing more, I really liked that his faith hadn't lapsed or fallen away after he returned from his parents' mission field. I would really love to see more fictional heroes who *aren't* dealing with some kind of major faith crisis, even in the midst of terrible grief. Sophia's ballerina life was so interesting, and I loved seeing things through her perspective--from how she viewed her work to the way she described her moves in ballet terms at times, even when she wasn't actually dancing. Evgeny I liked and was intrigued by and am definitely looking forward to more of his story. Daniil I loved. Also Sergei and Ana. And the old lady at church whose name I've forgotten... XD
The plot definitely got way more intense than I was prepared for. (I mean, suspicious deaths...I should have been prepared, but I didn't expect things to escalate to quite the level they did!) That's not necessarily a criticism or a bad thing; I just didn't know there were so many ways to escalate an already dire situation! I did really like the fact that Gabe wasn't going out and playing amateur detective to get himself in trouble, though. And when the good guys did things unintentionally that exacerbated the danger, they were things that totally made sense and weren't provocative from their perspective. That said, there's some serious violence, bordering on torture, involved, and while it's not graphic, it's not glossed over either, so if that's something you're sensitive to, just be aware of it.
Anyway, even though it was a little different from what I was expecting, I enjoyed the book a lot and look forward to reading the next one!
Content--violence and threats, including beatings and gunplay; mentions of injuries, blood, and deaths, including murder; mentions of drinking; mentions of noticing, touching, and kissing (not descriptive), including as part of an act in a ballet; mentions of cursing (no words)
December 11, 2021
Wow! This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. I just kept reading and reading unable to pull myself away from the world I had been drawn into. The story moved at great pace, not too face but not slow or boring. It was the perfect balance of suspense enough to make me dying to know what happened next!
Gabe, oh I loved his character! And Sofia! Ack, wow!
The ballet to me felt so real and well done, I don't do ballet but I liked all the detail Vanessa added.
Having the book set in Russia was so cool, I would have liked a few more Russian words thrown in here and there but that's just me, I have a thing for lanagues, not learning them just reading them...hahaha...
But wow! This is a book I will be reading again, I loved it!
Kayti
(I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.)
Gabe, oh I loved his character! And Sofia! Ack, wow!
The ballet to me felt so real and well done, I don't do ballet but I liked all the detail Vanessa added.
Having the book set in Russia was so cool, I would have liked a few more Russian words thrown in here and there but that's just me, I have a thing for lanagues, not learning them just reading them...hahaha...
But wow! This is a book I will be reading again, I loved it!
Kayti
(I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.)
Read
July 29, 2024Free on Amazon!!
https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Sufficie...
https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Sufficie...
October 3, 2021
The first thing that grabbed me about this book was the well-written synopsis, including several elements I rarely read about: missionaries and ballerinas. I enjoyed both the vivid Russian setting and the sl0w-build suspense of the plot. Despite knowing more than the main characters as the reader, I never found the book boring or predictable, and it was nice to have something other than the typical Christian fiction backdrops.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is merely personal taste. I don't tend to enjoy extremely missions-centric works of Christian fiction, and since this followed a missionary's son and dealt with several young converts, there were many elements of sermons, quoting Scripture, blatant evangelizing, and coming to faith--all great elements. Those just aren't my favorite parts of a Christian's journey to read about in fiction, nor ones I connect with very much. This particular book was rife with them, as is natural for a mission-centric book. As long as you find such content engaging instead of a bit of an emotional disconnect from the characters, I would 100% recommend this.
Overall, it makes for a great debut from Vanessa Hall with characters I rooted for, both sweet and suspenseful elements, and an engaging flow events from beginning to end.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is merely personal taste. I don't tend to enjoy extremely missions-centric works of Christian fiction, and since this followed a missionary's son and dealt with several young converts, there were many elements of sermons, quoting Scripture, blatant evangelizing, and coming to faith--all great elements. Those just aren't my favorite parts of a Christian's journey to read about in fiction, nor ones I connect with very much. This particular book was rife with them, as is natural for a mission-centric book. As long as you find such content engaging instead of a bit of an emotional disconnect from the characters, I would 100% recommend this.
Overall, it makes for a great debut from Vanessa Hall with characters I rooted for, both sweet and suspenseful elements, and an engaging flow events from beginning to end.
August 20, 2021
"Unknown" captures the world of Russian ballet in an exciting way. Not only does the author give us glimpses of performances, but also delves into the sacrifices and struggles of the dancers. It's a mix of the theatrical world with mystery and murder, which makes for an exciting page-turning plot. I was hooked from the beginning.
The characters were well-developed and I felt like I knew them, along with their thoughts during their darkest moments. The addition of the Biblical scripture references gave more meaning to what Sofia and Gabe were challenged with due to their faith in God. I admired Gabe's trust in the Lord even though he faced terrible circumstances.
It is a very enjoyable story that kept me engaged to the end. It is filled with trust, deception, mystery, and forgiveness. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
I received a copy from the author and voluntarily choose to review it. All opinions are my own.
The characters were well-developed and I felt like I knew them, along with their thoughts during their darkest moments. The addition of the Biblical scripture references gave more meaning to what Sofia and Gabe were challenged with due to their faith in God. I admired Gabe's trust in the Lord even though he faced terrible circumstances.
It is a very enjoyable story that kept me engaged to the end. It is filled with trust, deception, mystery, and forgiveness. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
I received a copy from the author and voluntarily choose to review it. All opinions are my own.
August 28, 2021
Vanessa Hall did a fantastic job on her debut novel. From the plot to the characters to the writing style, it was so well done.
I was super intrigued by the fact that this book takes place in modern day Russia. I cannot say how accurate it was to life there, but for the most part it felt pretty well researched. I have never read a book in which a ballerina was one of the main characters so that was also intriguing and different for me. And since I know next to nothing about ballet, I can't tell you if that was well done or not either.
The characters were very well written and enjoyable. The emotions and grief Gabe went through felt very realistic, especially in the way he didn't just get over the death of his parents really quickly, but continued to grieve throughout the book. I was curious to see how things would go with him and Sofia since she was not a Christian at the beginning, but I think that was handled pretty well. Even the side characters were intriguing enough that I would love to read more about them, especially Evgeny.
I always like it when a novel is very clearly Christian without being too preachy and I think Vanessa did a good job with this as well. The Christian themes were all throughout the book and I loved how much the church was a part of this story. I also appreciated the struggles that the Christians had to face and work through such as grief, what is God's will, trust, faith, and eternity.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
I was super intrigued by the fact that this book takes place in modern day Russia. I cannot say how accurate it was to life there, but for the most part it felt pretty well researched. I have never read a book in which a ballerina was one of the main characters so that was also intriguing and different for me. And since I know next to nothing about ballet, I can't tell you if that was well done or not either.
The characters were very well written and enjoyable. The emotions and grief Gabe went through felt very realistic, especially in the way he didn't just get over the death of his parents really quickly, but continued to grieve throughout the book. I was curious to see how things would go with him and Sofia since she was not a Christian at the beginning, but I think that was handled pretty well. Even the side characters were intriguing enough that I would love to read more about them, especially Evgeny.
I always like it when a novel is very clearly Christian without being too preachy and I think Vanessa did a good job with this as well. The Christian themes were all throughout the book and I loved how much the church was a part of this story. I also appreciated the struggles that the Christians had to face and work through such as grief, what is God's will, trust, faith, and eternity.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
November 21, 2021
Vanessa Hall makes creating a story look easy. The well-crafted, multi-storied plot of her debut novel, Unknown, flows seamlessly, and I loved (!!!) the atmosphere she created. I could feel the Russian winter (as much as my Southern roots allowed), and I had a perfect image in my mind of ballerina Sofia’s life within the Russian ballet. She was by far my favorite character, and her conflicted relationship with her brother gave this book the edge it needed.
Hall’s story came with a strong evangelical message, something that will appeal to readers of Christian romance/suspense, genres that follow a very specific evangelical formula. I gave it four stars because the theme (for me, and this is solely my opinion) tended to overwhelm the plot and character development, particularly in regards to Gabe, the main character. I had a hard time with his storyline in regards to Sofia and the need for her to be “saved” before they could be together. Let me be clear: I do NOT disagree with the Biblical message that you shouldn’t be unequally yoked; however, the message (for me) became overpowering at times, and I would have preferred to see other character nuances/different relationship building to balance it.
With that said, however, I applaud Hall for writing a book that so clearly adheres to her values and beliefs. It’s a hard thing to do in the public sphere, so bravo to her for (again) crafting a beautiful story that’s clean and uplifting and devoted to a salvation message.
Hall’s story came with a strong evangelical message, something that will appeal to readers of Christian romance/suspense, genres that follow a very specific evangelical formula. I gave it four stars because the theme (for me, and this is solely my opinion) tended to overwhelm the plot and character development, particularly in regards to Gabe, the main character. I had a hard time with his storyline in regards to Sofia and the need for her to be “saved” before they could be together. Let me be clear: I do NOT disagree with the Biblical message that you shouldn’t be unequally yoked; however, the message (for me) became overpowering at times, and I would have preferred to see other character nuances/different relationship building to balance it.
With that said, however, I applaud Hall for writing a book that so clearly adheres to her values and beliefs. It’s a hard thing to do in the public sphere, so bravo to her for (again) crafting a beautiful story that’s clean and uplifting and devoted to a salvation message.
October 13, 2021
Unknown, by Vanessa Hall, is a gripping mystery set in modern-day Russia. The main characters are the son of missionaries and a rising star in the world of ballet. The characters are well-developed and very much alive, and the story is filled with elements that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
The story progressed at a comfortable pace, introducing new characters and hidden agendas as needed. The on-stage and back-stage ballet setting was unfamiliar, yet fascinating, for me. The close relationships shared by the church members provided a strong element of comfort and safety. And a few unexpected people helped keep the mystery moving. The faith element is overt and a driving force in the development of the story.
Unknown is the author's debut novel, and it offers the promise of more great writing to come from her. In fact, it is book one in her Grace Sufficient series, so there should be another related story on the horizon. I recommend this book to fans of Christian fiction.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of her book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.
The story progressed at a comfortable pace, introducing new characters and hidden agendas as needed. The on-stage and back-stage ballet setting was unfamiliar, yet fascinating, for me. The close relationships shared by the church members provided a strong element of comfort and safety. And a few unexpected people helped keep the mystery moving. The faith element is overt and a driving force in the development of the story.
Unknown is the author's debut novel, and it offers the promise of more great writing to come from her. In fact, it is book one in her Grace Sufficient series, so there should be another related story on the horizon. I recommend this book to fans of Christian fiction.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of her book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.
February 8, 2022
Got a copy of this from the author so that I can read+review its sequel, Unworthy. (*coughs* Yesterday. Is it clear I really enjoyed this?)
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
December 29, 2021
(Note: this review contains very slight spoilers, but nothing that you wouldn’t expect while reading the book. :) )
Russia, ballet, missionaries, thriller genre…everything about the synopsis for Unknown caught my interest. The book started out with a bang, and the pacing stayed strong throughout the whole story. Pacing is a really hard thing to nail, so I was very impressed!
I love how the author wrote the characters. Every character reacts believably to events, and their individual stories are intriguing. (The villain’s story was so heart-wrenching.) Also, I found myself wanting to know more about many of the side characters, like Evgeny, Sasha, and Gabe’s stubborn neighbor. I’m eager to explore their stories more in future books!
The Christian characters truly are lights in the darkness. Their faith affects and directs every aspect of their lives. No, they’re not perfect. They make mistakes. They stumble and fall. In this way, they are relatable. But by God’s grace, they get back up again and move forward. They actively do their utmost to follow Jesus and pray without ceasing. Their lives are not fairy tales, but they have hope because of the One in whom they believe.
Relatable, authentic characters are great and are so important. But I’m going to be old-fashioned and say that I also love characters who don’t stop at being relatable and truly grow into role models. Gabe’s struggles with trust and grief, as well as Sofia’s struggle with pride and selfishness, were so convicting and compelling. And their character arcs are beautiful as they learn to rely on the One who gives them strength. Their problems don’t disappear, but they do grow and change into admirable people.
Personally, I did think Sofia’s conversion would have been a little more compelling if she had had a longer character arc before coming to Christ (maybe at about 70% of the book instead of 50%, for example). She did seem to fall into very Christian behavior immediately, which is not a bad thing in the least, just a bit unrealistic. Additionally, while it was extremely admirable that Gabe fought his attraction to Sofia at first because she didn’t share his faith, I would have liked him to have waited a little longer before entering into a relationship with her since she was still a very new Christian.
Another very small thing is that I would have liked a little more description of the setting. While reading, I didn’t get as clear of a picture in my head as I like to. It could be just me, though. Throughout the book, the prose reads very well, creating a smooth narrative that flows nicely.
I was fascinated by how the author blended the stories of the church and the ballet by overlapping Gave and Sofia’s lives. And there was another beautiful nugget as Sofia danced towards the end of the book: all art, all creativity should glorify God and point others to Him.
Overall, Unknown is a strong debut and a well-constructed piece of Christian fiction, intriguing and full of compelling thematic material. If you love action, suspense, and exemplary characters, you will enjoy this book! I am looking forward to reading more about Evgeny and Sasha in the next book in this series!
Content: violence, some drinking by side characters, a few non-descriptive kisses
*I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*
Russia, ballet, missionaries, thriller genre…everything about the synopsis for Unknown caught my interest. The book started out with a bang, and the pacing stayed strong throughout the whole story. Pacing is a really hard thing to nail, so I was very impressed!
I love how the author wrote the characters. Every character reacts believably to events, and their individual stories are intriguing. (The villain’s story was so heart-wrenching.) Also, I found myself wanting to know more about many of the side characters, like Evgeny, Sasha, and Gabe’s stubborn neighbor. I’m eager to explore their stories more in future books!
The Christian characters truly are lights in the darkness. Their faith affects and directs every aspect of their lives. No, they’re not perfect. They make mistakes. They stumble and fall. In this way, they are relatable. But by God’s grace, they get back up again and move forward. They actively do their utmost to follow Jesus and pray without ceasing. Their lives are not fairy tales, but they have hope because of the One in whom they believe.
Relatable, authentic characters are great and are so important. But I’m going to be old-fashioned and say that I also love characters who don’t stop at being relatable and truly grow into role models. Gabe’s struggles with trust and grief, as well as Sofia’s struggle with pride and selfishness, were so convicting and compelling. And their character arcs are beautiful as they learn to rely on the One who gives them strength. Their problems don’t disappear, but they do grow and change into admirable people.
Personally, I did think Sofia’s conversion would have been a little more compelling if she had had a longer character arc before coming to Christ (maybe at about 70% of the book instead of 50%, for example). She did seem to fall into very Christian behavior immediately, which is not a bad thing in the least, just a bit unrealistic. Additionally, while it was extremely admirable that Gabe fought his attraction to Sofia at first because she didn’t share his faith, I would have liked him to have waited a little longer before entering into a relationship with her since she was still a very new Christian.
Another very small thing is that I would have liked a little more description of the setting. While reading, I didn’t get as clear of a picture in my head as I like to. It could be just me, though. Throughout the book, the prose reads very well, creating a smooth narrative that flows nicely.
I was fascinated by how the author blended the stories of the church and the ballet by overlapping Gave and Sofia’s lives. And there was another beautiful nugget as Sofia danced towards the end of the book: all art, all creativity should glorify God and point others to Him.
Overall, Unknown is a strong debut and a well-constructed piece of Christian fiction, intriguing and full of compelling thematic material. If you love action, suspense, and exemplary characters, you will enjoy this book! I am looking forward to reading more about Evgeny and Sasha in the next book in this series!
Content: violence, some drinking by side characters, a few non-descriptive kisses
*I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*
September 7, 2021
WOW. *lets out long breath* Where do I begin? I just finished this amazing book, and, as I knew I'd be, I was sad it even had to end. Unknown by Vanessa Hall truly kept me on the edge of my seat. It's a gripping, beautiful story of revenge and healing, betrayal and forgiveness, despair and hope.
CHARACTERS
Gabe, the main character, is a devout yet wonderfully, relatably imperfect Christian. Throughout the story, he struggles with despair, fear, anger. He's handsome and popular and charming yet honest and stubbornly bold. He was awesome. Like, really awesome!!! You don't have to wonder why Sofia falls in love. *winks*
And Sofia herself is fascinating! A determined ballerina, beautiful, with an subconscious longing for someone to trust and love. Her character arc was really well-timed, gradually building in a believable and wonderful way.
Daniil is the best sidekick character EVER. Despite his sort of Herculean strength, he has a caring heart and is endearingly protective of his friend Gabe. I love him!!!!
Dmitri... wow. His character was amazingly crafted. That's all I'll say on that. No spoilers, but that character arc was well written.
WRITING
Incredible writing. It was so vivid, immersive, engaging all senses and finding ways to describe commonplace actions in new ways that I really loved and appreciated. Strong verbs, technical details for added realism... overall it was fabulous. (This is *very* picky, but I did think the greetings could have been shortened or cut several times - it was realistic dialogue, but it could be glossed over by readers because it was a predictable pattern we encounter everywhere in our lives. Again, realllly picky, but just a thought I had.)
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is portrayed unashamedly, making it a refreshingly essential part of the story. It wasn't saccharine or cheesy, but realistic and God-honoring. You can't but come away from this book encouraged and strengthened in your own faith. There were a few times where the prayers DID bore me, but I'm glad I didn't gloss over them. Each did me good. This book also didn't shy away from the reality of hell, which I SO appreciated because that reality tends to be shoved under the rug nowadays.
ROMANCE
Slowburn, sweet, and light. I loved it. The slowburn-ness of it was wonderfully rather tormenting at times when I just wanted to scream at the characters to clear up a misunderstanding or something. (Again, wonderfully so.)
PLOT
Almost forgot. The plot. AMAZING. It twisted in ways I never expected. SO, so suspenseful, dramatic, yet held fast to a sense of realism throughout. Many times I was simply bursting with news of the latest cliffhanger and trying not to give it away to my sister. A few parts were a little confusing, but overall I always got the sense of what was going on. The ending was beautiful and satisfying (that last part with Daniil was SO funny - if you read it, you know what I mean... hopefully).
HOW I WOULD RATE IT AGE-WISE
Personally, I'd rate this as around 13+, not for any inappropriateness, but for real-world thematic content (including drugs, violence, that sort of thing). It was totally clean (... and totally awesome lol). It's what I'd call a Christian YA novel. (Is it actually labelled that? I'm not sure.)
OVERALL
I had SUCH fun reading this book. It was ahhh so good, and completely and absolutely deserves 5 stars. I want to thank Vanessa Hall for the opportunity to read and review this book!!! It made my life a little brighter.
CHARACTERS
Gabe, the main character, is a devout yet wonderfully, relatably imperfect Christian. Throughout the story, he struggles with despair, fear, anger. He's handsome and popular and charming yet honest and stubbornly bold. He was awesome. Like, really awesome!!! You don't have to wonder why Sofia falls in love. *winks*
And Sofia herself is fascinating! A determined ballerina, beautiful, with an subconscious longing for someone to trust and love. Her character arc was really well-timed, gradually building in a believable and wonderful way.
Daniil is the best sidekick character EVER. Despite his sort of Herculean strength, he has a caring heart and is endearingly protective of his friend Gabe. I love him!!!!
Dmitri... wow. His character was amazingly crafted. That's all I'll say on that. No spoilers, but that character arc was well written.
WRITING
Incredible writing. It was so vivid, immersive, engaging all senses and finding ways to describe commonplace actions in new ways that I really loved and appreciated. Strong verbs, technical details for added realism... overall it was fabulous. (This is *very* picky, but I did think the greetings could have been shortened or cut several times - it was realistic dialogue, but it could be glossed over by readers because it was a predictable pattern we encounter everywhere in our lives. Again, realllly picky, but just a thought I had.)
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is portrayed unashamedly, making it a refreshingly essential part of the story. It wasn't saccharine or cheesy, but realistic and God-honoring. You can't but come away from this book encouraged and strengthened in your own faith. There were a few times where the prayers DID bore me, but I'm glad I didn't gloss over them. Each did me good. This book also didn't shy away from the reality of hell, which I SO appreciated because that reality tends to be shoved under the rug nowadays.
ROMANCE
Slowburn, sweet, and light. I loved it. The slowburn-ness of it was wonderfully rather tormenting at times when I just wanted to scream at the characters to clear up a misunderstanding or something. (Again, wonderfully so.)
PLOT
Almost forgot. The plot. AMAZING. It twisted in ways I never expected. SO, so suspenseful, dramatic, yet held fast to a sense of realism throughout. Many times I was simply bursting with news of the latest cliffhanger and trying not to give it away to my sister. A few parts were a little confusing, but overall I always got the sense of what was going on. The ending was beautiful and satisfying (that last part with Daniil was SO funny - if you read it, you know what I mean... hopefully).
HOW I WOULD RATE IT AGE-WISE
Personally, I'd rate this as around 13+, not for any inappropriateness, but for real-world thematic content (including drugs, violence, that sort of thing). It was totally clean (... and totally awesome lol). It's what I'd call a Christian YA novel. (Is it actually labelled that? I'm not sure.)
OVERALL
I had SUCH fun reading this book. It was ahhh so good, and completely and absolutely deserves 5 stars. I want to thank Vanessa Hall for the opportunity to read and review this book!!! It made my life a little brighter.
October 24, 2021
You never know what to expect when you start a book by an author you have never read and at first I wasn’t sure if I was going to get into this one. Oh, but I did. Only a few chapters in and I knew something terrible was going on and paths were crossing that could not end well.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was the faith element. So many times a book is called Christian but we don’t here the Gospel. Not the case in this book. It plays a central role in our characters stories.
I highly recommend this very interesting read. Give Vanessa a try if you like romantic suspense, you won’t be disappointed.
A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was the faith element. So many times a book is called Christian but we don’t here the Gospel. Not the case in this book. It plays a central role in our characters stories.
I highly recommend this very interesting read. Give Vanessa a try if you like romantic suspense, you won’t be disappointed.
A copy of this book was given to me. All opinions are my own.
December 28, 2021
Unknown was an intriguing story! I was very impressed with this debut novel and felt immersed in the culture and setting of the story.
I felt for Gabe as he navigated life after his parents’ murder and tried to figure out what God wanted him to do with his life. His parents’ death served as a bit of a wake up call for him, opening his eyes to the possibility that God might want him to remain in Russia. However, Gabe had no idea that danger was just around the corner for him.
Sofia lived a life focused on her career as a ballerina and anything religious seemed like foolishness to her. Her day to day life felt very realistic in the competitiveness she dealt with, as well as trying to overcome various injuries without losing her spot in the ballet.
There was a good balance between the danger, faith thread, and romantic aspects of the story. I really enjoyed this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
I felt for Gabe as he navigated life after his parents’ murder and tried to figure out what God wanted him to do with his life. His parents’ death served as a bit of a wake up call for him, opening his eyes to the possibility that God might want him to remain in Russia. However, Gabe had no idea that danger was just around the corner for him.
Sofia lived a life focused on her career as a ballerina and anything religious seemed like foolishness to her. Her day to day life felt very realistic in the competitiveness she dealt with, as well as trying to overcome various injuries without losing her spot in the ballet.
There was a good balance between the danger, faith thread, and romantic aspects of the story. I really enjoyed this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
October 4, 2021
I grew up on high fantasy and science fiction. Being the reader naturally drawn to the fantastic, I was honestly not sure how I would respond to this book.
But I am so incredibly glad I read it!
Unknown is an amazing, character driven story that unfolded better than any Hallmark cookie cutter movie could provide. You see enough suspense, action, and tender moments to enjoy the whole book immensely. Scripture is woven artfully through the book driving the plot just as much as the setting itself!
I highly recommend Unknown for all readers!
But I am so incredibly glad I read it!
Unknown is an amazing, character driven story that unfolded better than any Hallmark cookie cutter movie could provide. You see enough suspense, action, and tender moments to enjoy the whole book immensely. Scripture is woven artfully through the book driving the plot just as much as the setting itself!
I highly recommend Unknown for all readers!
February 13, 2023
Heart-pounding, thought-provoking story!
Unknown is a heart-pounding, thought-provoking story that I couldn't put down! Whew, mysteriously dead missionaries, gunshot wounds, and an evil drug lord make for lots of suspense. The details during the ballet scenes transported me to the stage with the characters. All characters are well developed. Faithful even while mourning Gabe and unbelieving Sophia have great stories to tell, and hilarious Daniil is the friend everybody needs. I highly recommend this book for mature teens and adults who love quality Christian fiction.
Unknown is a heart-pounding, thought-provoking story that I couldn't put down! Whew, mysteriously dead missionaries, gunshot wounds, and an evil drug lord make for lots of suspense. The details during the ballet scenes transported me to the stage with the characters. All characters are well developed. Faithful even while mourning Gabe and unbelieving Sophia have great stories to tell, and hilarious Daniil is the friend everybody needs. I highly recommend this book for mature teens and adults who love quality Christian fiction.
September 2, 2021
Excellent. This story is about following Christ through everything. You will hear the Gospel - several times! This felt so real.
September 5, 2021
I can be a little picky about my romantic suspense, but Unknown had just the right balance! Plenty of suspense, but also a sweet, nicely paced romance that didn't ignore the Bible's teaching on relationships. The suspense/mystery was really well crafted—easy to follow, and woven naturally into Gabe's parents' ministry. And this book didn't stint on Christianity, either! I found myself wishing I had Gabe's strong, though realistic, faith and his ability to share the gospel with others. I don't think I've ever read a story where the hero and heroine meet through a gospel tract and invitation to Bible study! I loved it!
It was fascinating to read a story about an American missionary and a Russian ballerina. *mini spoiler* I was afraid at first that Sofia's newfound faith would mean instantly giving up ballet and becoming a missionary herself, so although I wasn't entirely comfortable with some of the passionate scenes the ballet required, I was pleased to see the emphasis on learning to honor the Lord right where you are. We need Christians in every area of life! *mini spoiler over* Speaking of ballet, I'm eagerly anticipating Evgeny's story. I also enjoyed meeting Gregor and would like to see more of him. (Please?) Gabe was easy to relate to—a very human hero. As far as the suspense went, he was sometimes almost too human, I think. Stuff just…happened to him, and he didn't always happen back as heroically as I would have liked. But I suspect it was a lot truer to real life than my way would have been, so this is just me being picky. I really felt for Sofia throughout the whole climax sequence. (Kindle pages don't flip fast enough.)
Along with everything I learned about ballet, I didn't know armwrestling was such a thing in Russia. Very cool. As a whole, Moscow didn't strike me as much different from any American city, so it was fun to have those cultural notes. (Plus Gabe's friendship with Daniil was a nice addition.) The Russian setting was interesting to me, because my pastor has worked with some Christians who left Russia and the surrounding areas because of religious oppression. Overall, this was a great debut novel with lots of suspense, strong Christian themes, and a unique setting. I'm looking forward to more from Vanessa Hall!
It was fascinating to read a story about an American missionary and a Russian ballerina. *mini spoiler* I was afraid at first that Sofia's newfound faith would mean instantly giving up ballet and becoming a missionary herself, so although I wasn't entirely comfortable with some of the passionate scenes the ballet required, I was pleased to see the emphasis on learning to honor the Lord right where you are. We need Christians in every area of life! *mini spoiler over* Speaking of ballet, I'm eagerly anticipating Evgeny's story. I also enjoyed meeting Gregor and would like to see more of him. (Please?) Gabe was easy to relate to—a very human hero. As far as the suspense went, he was sometimes almost too human, I think. Stuff just…happened to him, and he didn't always happen back as heroically as I would have liked. But I suspect it was a lot truer to real life than my way would have been, so this is just me being picky. I really felt for Sofia throughout the whole climax sequence. (Kindle pages don't flip fast enough.)
Along with everything I learned about ballet, I didn't know armwrestling was such a thing in Russia. Very cool. As a whole, Moscow didn't strike me as much different from any American city, so it was fun to have those cultural notes. (Plus Gabe's friendship with Daniil was a nice addition.) The Russian setting was interesting to me, because my pastor has worked with some Christians who left Russia and the surrounding areas because of religious oppression. Overall, this was a great debut novel with lots of suspense, strong Christian themes, and a unique setting. I'm looking forward to more from Vanessa Hall!
November 30, 2021
Unknown is a gripping romantic suspense with fleshed out characters and plenty of twists.
Most romantic suspense novels I’ve read feature at least one character who is in law enforcement. Unknown differs from that, which is a change I did not mind. In fact, Gabe’s uncertainty whether or not he can trust the cops added to the suspense. And then the villain’s scenes had me flipping pages to see what he would do next.
But while the villain added to the suspense, he never took away from the main characters. In fact, I think I would have enjoyed the novel just as much if it had been a regular romance between a missionary and a ballerina. Their character arcs made the book. Gabe’s struggles to have the faith of his parents is something I think many Christians can identify with. And I enjoyed Sofia’s faith journey and watching as she realized ballet couldn’t offer her ultimate fulfillment.
I especially appreciated Gabe’s struggle with his attraction to Sofia, an unbeliever. I think this was handled well and realistically, which made the resolution all the much sweeter.
The setting was a new one for me, but Hall did a great job orienting me in this place I’ve never been. She had plenty of descriptions that helped set the mood and gave me plenty of fodder for my imagination.
Overall, Unknown is an exciting read with great characters and well-written spiritual elements.
(Note: I received a complimentary copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Most romantic suspense novels I’ve read feature at least one character who is in law enforcement. Unknown differs from that, which is a change I did not mind. In fact, Gabe’s uncertainty whether or not he can trust the cops added to the suspense. And then the villain’s scenes had me flipping pages to see what he would do next.
But while the villain added to the suspense, he never took away from the main characters. In fact, I think I would have enjoyed the novel just as much if it had been a regular romance between a missionary and a ballerina. Their character arcs made the book. Gabe’s struggles to have the faith of his parents is something I think many Christians can identify with. And I enjoyed Sofia’s faith journey and watching as she realized ballet couldn’t offer her ultimate fulfillment.
I especially appreciated Gabe’s struggle with his attraction to Sofia, an unbeliever. I think this was handled well and realistically, which made the resolution all the much sweeter.
The setting was a new one for me, but Hall did a great job orienting me in this place I’ve never been. She had plenty of descriptions that helped set the mood and gave me plenty of fodder for my imagination.
Overall, Unknown is an exciting read with great characters and well-written spiritual elements.
(Note: I received a complimentary copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
January 17, 2022
Let me just say that this book caught my attention simply by the title. I really really enjoyed this book. It gave a lot of good spiritual lessons while also having an engaging plot. I love the sincerity in Sofia’s struggle with her faith as well as Gabe’s struggle with God’s goodness in difficult times. I appreciated that the author did not downplay the intense struggle they both went through. It made the characters very relatable. Sofia’s introversion was very well portrayed. The romance aspect, I think, was handled very well in that it did not take over the story but it was also interesting and engaging.
The plot was very well put together. I enjoyed how the different characters played into the story (trying to be vague so as not to spoil the plot lol). I was very engaged in the plot, and I really appreciated how the author implemented spiritual lessons as well as a character’s salvation 😁.
By the way, I love Gabe’s opinion on salads😆.
Overall, I think this was a very well-written book, and I would highly recommend this book to those who love mystery plots or are just looking for good Christian Fiction books
September 9, 2021
There’s going to come a time when you and I look around us, and we’re not going to understand - but the Lord understands.
Gabe doesn’t understand - how could his parents be dead…shot in a random burglary? Dad and Mom were church planters in Moscow. They certainly would not be involved in anything illegal or questionable. This just did not make sense!! Solving this mystery would require him to stay, far away from his job in Virginia Beach - but did he really want to stay in Moscow?
This wonderful story of faith and courage will keep you enthralled right up to the last words. Will the mystery of these deaths require more death before it is solved?
I received a copy of this first book in the Grace Sufficient series as a gift. My impressions and comments were in no way solicited.
Gabe doesn’t understand - how could his parents be dead…shot in a random burglary? Dad and Mom were church planters in Moscow. They certainly would not be involved in anything illegal or questionable. This just did not make sense!! Solving this mystery would require him to stay, far away from his job in Virginia Beach - but did he really want to stay in Moscow?
This wonderful story of faith and courage will keep you enthralled right up to the last words. Will the mystery of these deaths require more death before it is solved?
I received a copy of this first book in the Grace Sufficient series as a gift. My impressions and comments were in no way solicited.
October 9, 2022
This was a fantastic Contemporary Christian fiction book. This first in a series is also the author's debut novel. As a homeschooled Baptist + homeschooling Mom, I loved how clearly the author shared the Gospel in this book! What a testimony of God's amazing grace, and that His Free gift can be accepted by someone choosing to read this book! It's incredible how the Lord uses each of us differently to spread His Word. I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
January 17, 2024
Wow.
Definitely my favorite of the series.
Definitely my favorite of the series.
September 15, 2022
Check out my review on YT: https://youtu.be/qvufVK6LcOs
Oh boy! This was a ride of emotion and suspense. My first book from this author and she did not disappoint. I've been meaning to read this forever! I want to say the author kindly sent me review copy, but I ended up just buying the eBook. I think. I could be wrong, lol. It's been way too long.
Let's start with the characters. My first read where the MC was a ballerina, and it was simply beautiful. Even though I know absolutely nothing about the sport/art, the ballet scenes, especially in the first chapter, were poetically beautiful. It made me want to watch a ballet. The dance terms were over my head due to my lack of knowledge. Sofia and Gabe were so perfect for each other! Gabe was just so respectful, kind and genuine. His faith was something else! Dmitri was a top-notch villain Daniil was a great sidekick and Ana and Sergei were sweet. Elena was a snot. I didn't know what to think of Evgeny at first. He came off as a snobbish diva but by the end, I think he mellowed out.
The suspense made this for me. The way the character's lives were unknowingly *wink wink* linked was amazing. I was so ready for everything to hit the fan and when it did...I was pleased. The action and violence were just enough. And the Russian setting was really cool!
The Godly messages were phenomenal. So much of this dealt with loss and grieving while still clinging to faith. There were tons of scripture recited and praying. Salvation and forgiving enemies played a big role too.
The romance between Gabe and Sofia were super squeaky clean. God was front and center in their relationship.
There were only a few things I didn't care for. It was a bit repetitive sometimes when it came to the character's thoughts and prayers. I got bored reading near the end but that's due to reading non-stop during a five-hour road trip. Lastly, there was just a lot of apologizing. Understandably, there were family deaths, and injuries that one would naturally say "oh, I'm so sorry," But even still, there was a lot of it between Gabe and Sofia.
All in all, 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this and am so glad I finally got to read this! I already got book two and am stoked for it! If you enjoy ballet, Christian suspense, and Russian settings, totally check this one out!
Oh boy! This was a ride of emotion and suspense. My first book from this author and she did not disappoint. I've been meaning to read this forever! I want to say the author kindly sent me review copy, but I ended up just buying the eBook. I think. I could be wrong, lol. It's been way too long.
Let's start with the characters. My first read where the MC was a ballerina, and it was simply beautiful. Even though I know absolutely nothing about the sport/art, the ballet scenes, especially in the first chapter, were poetically beautiful. It made me want to watch a ballet. The dance terms were over my head due to my lack of knowledge. Sofia and Gabe were so perfect for each other! Gabe was just so respectful, kind and genuine. His faith was something else! Dmitri was a top-notch villain Daniil was a great sidekick and Ana and Sergei were sweet. Elena was a snot. I didn't know what to think of Evgeny at first. He came off as a snobbish diva but by the end, I think he mellowed out.
The suspense made this for me. The way the character's lives were unknowingly *wink wink* linked was amazing. I was so ready for everything to hit the fan and when it did...I was pleased. The action and violence were just enough. And the Russian setting was really cool!
The Godly messages were phenomenal. So much of this dealt with loss and grieving while still clinging to faith. There were tons of scripture recited and praying. Salvation and forgiving enemies played a big role too.
The romance between Gabe and Sofia were super squeaky clean. God was front and center in their relationship.
There were only a few things I didn't care for. It was a bit repetitive sometimes when it came to the character's thoughts and prayers. I got bored reading near the end but that's due to reading non-stop during a five-hour road trip. Lastly, there was just a lot of apologizing. Understandably, there were family deaths, and injuries that one would naturally say "oh, I'm so sorry," But even still, there was a lot of it between Gabe and Sofia.
All in all, 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this and am so glad I finally got to read this! I already got book two and am stoked for it! If you enjoy ballet, Christian suspense, and Russian settings, totally check this one out!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews