Friday, January 30, 2026

"Scars of the Revolution" by Megan Soja

About the Book

Book: Scars of the Revolution

Author: Megan Soja

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: January 6, 2026

Some scars are born from duty, others from rebellion—theirs were carved by both.

Libby Caldwell has been in love with Isaac Harrison for years, ever since her late father befriended him. While her head knows there is no hope of sharing her life with a British soldier, her heart is much more difficult to convince, especially now that he is quartering in her home. With Boston under siege and battle looming, each day together forces her to recognize how deep her feelings truly are…and how forbidden.

Bound by duty to both his family and country, Isaac is determined to serve honorably in the King’s army, despite never wishing to be a soldier. But quartering with the widow and daughter of his old friend places another obligation on his shoulders—that of their well-being. The more time he spends with Miss Caldwell, the more that duty begins to feel like something personal, something he cannot allow.

As the siege of Boston tightens, Libby finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of espionage that could save the Patriot cause—and destroy any chance of a future with the man she’s growing to love.

Will betrayal and war keep their two worlds forever apart? Or will they look to the One whose love knows no bounds to bring them healing and a future?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the characters and their struggles were realistic. There were nice biblical faith elements woven throughout the book and both of them grew. This is the third book in the series and while I would recommend reading them in order, the other characters and events from previous books are mentioned, but you wouldn't be totally lost if you read just this book. I look forward to reading more books by Megan Soja.

About the Author

Megan Soja is a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.

More from Megan

One of the things I love about reading and writing Christian fiction, is being able to see God’s truth woven into the story. Even though the characters and their experiences are fictional, the truth of who God is and how He loves us is very real.

In Scars of the Revolution, my heroine, Libby Caldwell, wrestles with understanding God’s goodness in the face of loss and hardship. Libby is grieving the death of her beloved father, while also facing the siege of her hometown and the worsening fight between the Patriot colonists and the British Army stationed in Boston. Her growing love for one of the British officers further complicates matters, and makes it hard for her to discern what God is doing in her life.

Her questions and struggles reflect much of my own faith journey. When my husband and I lost our first baby just after birth, I spent months trying to reconcile what I thought I knew of God with the tragic loss we had experienced. I wasn’t angry at God, but I was utterly confused as to how to understand His goodness in the midst of something that felt anything but good.

It wasn’t easy, but when I look back now, I see how God led me through my grief into a deeper understand of His character and a stronger reliance upon Him. I can truthfully say, as Libby’s mother does in Scars of the Revolution, that it was “in the hardest times, when God has seemed utterly incomprehensible, that my faith has grown the most.”

If you have ever walked through a painful experience that made you struggle to understand God’s purpose or even doubt His love, I hope that Libby’s journey will inspire your own faith. Or maybe your experience is more like that of my hero, Isaac Harrison, whose life has revolved around duty for so long, that it is hard for him to comprehend a God who freely gives His love and forgiveness, even when we don’t deserve or cannot earn it. I won’t give any spoilers as to how Isaac’s understanding grows and changes, but I hope you’ll be encouraged when you read it.

Libby and Isaac’s story is one of love against all odds, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Bunker Hill and a complex web of espionage. But it is also a story of faith in the God who is able to turn our scars into something beautiful. I pray you will find that truth in the pages of Scars of the Revolution.

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, January 17

Bizwings Blog, January 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 18

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 18

Books Less Travelled, January 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 20

Texas Book-aholic, January 21

Betti Mace, January 22

Holly’s Book Corner, January 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 23

Connie’s History Classroom , January 24

Books You Can Feel Good About, January 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 26

Leslie’s Library Escape, January 27

The Bookish Pilgrim, January 27

Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Cover Lover Book Review, January 29

Pause for Tales, January 30

Blossoms and Blessings, January 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Megan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/nSWnS/scars-of-the-revolution-celebration-tour-giveaway

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Saturday, January 24, 2026

"My Maker & Me" by Pat Domangue

About the Book

Book: My Maker And Me

Author: Pat Domangue

Genre: Christian Living/Bible Study

Release Date: July 22, 2025

A six-week guided Bible study based on Isaiah 64:8, My Maker & Me helps Christian women discover God as their potter and understand His continual presence in their lives.

Through the unique perspective of viewing God and themselves through Scripture and the art of pottery, Christian women will learn how God intimately works to shape them into the beautiful vessels He created them to become, much like a potter shapes clay.

Many Christian women struggle with trusting God because they don’t know Him from the intimate perspective of their potter. My Maker & Me helps women grow in understanding God’s love and care for them especially when they face difficult seasons or walk through fiery trials. As their trust grows, they will also find security, purpose, and meaning even in the most difficult seasons of life. If they are struggling with who they are and discovering their purpose, they will gain a greater sense of their true identity and purpose, setting them up to embrace God’s plan for their life. Women committed to completing this six-week study will experience spiritual growth and personal transformation.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Why did you choose to write about this particular topic?
I chose to write about this topic because seeing a potter work with clay opened my eyes
to a side of God’s character I had never fully understood. Watching the potter’s
hands—intentional, steady, and constantly shaping—helped me see the biblical truth
that God works the same way in our lives. I wanted to understand that picture more
deeply, so I took the potter’s class, learned the process myself, and studied the
Scriptures that describe God as our Potter.
As a Bible study author and teacher to women, I knew women needed this message. So
many of us struggle with our identity and value, and we fear our hardships may mean
God displeasure or distance. However, through this journey, I began to see God’s
shaping us with intentionality, always loving, and always purposeful—even in fiery trials.

2. What is your writing area like?
I have a lovely home office with bookshelves filled with biblical commentaries, study
tools from seminary, and all the resources I’ve gathered over years of writing Bible
studies for women. A tall window overlooks my front yard, and the natural light makes it
a peaceful place to work and pray.
I tend to be pretty neat and function best with minimal clutter—until I’m deep into
research and writing. Then the books, notes, and study materials slowly begin to take
over my desk and the floor around me. I’ve learned not to fight it. Sometimes I’ll leave
everything spread out for a week or two because I’m so immersed in the writing that
moving anything feels like it might disrupt the flow or break my train of thought.
Once I reach a natural stopping point; I finish a message, a chapter, or a major section,
I gather all the books, stack the papers, return everything to the shelves, and start fresh.
That cycle repeats itself throughout every writing project: peaceful order, creative chaos,
and then order again. That seems to be my writing rhythm.

3. How do you balance writing time with other things?
I balance writing time by structuring my days around when I’m most creative. I have
specific days and set hours for writing, and I almost never do serious writing in the
afternoon. I am an early morning riser so I start my day with coffee and Jesus.
Afterwards, I write until I stop for lunch around 1 p.m. On rare occasions, when I’m deep
in a project and sleep eludes me, I’ll use those quiet night hours to finish what needs to
be done.
Afternoons are reserved for everything that doesn’t require the same level of
concentration—editing podcasts, handling ministry tasks, doing laundry, or cooking. By
then, I’m usually ready for a mental break anyway. Some afternoons I get to pick up my
grandchildren from school and enjoy time with them.
Evenings are for my husband and for rest. When he gets home from work, I shut
everything down so we can spend time together. We both enjoy exercising, so two or
three evenings a week we head to the gym and unwind before settling in for the night.

4. What types of research do you do?
As a Bible study author and teacher, most of my research centers on Scripture itself. I
spend a great deal of time in biblical commentaries, word studies, and the original
languages to ensure that what I teach is accurate and biblically sound.
My Maker and Me was the first study that took me outside of my office and into a hands-
on learning environment. I attended a pottery class so I could understand the full
process and art of pottery making—from preparing the clay to shaping, trimming, and
firing. That experience brought the biblical imagery of God as our Potter to life in a
powerful and unforgettable way.
It was a unique and meaningful research season, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I
hope future writing projects will offer similarly creative opportunities to learn and
explore.

5. Was there anything you found particularly interesting while researching?
One of the most interesting discoveries came from learning the art of pottery firsthand.
For the first time, my research took me outside of my office and beyond commentaries
into a highly active and creative environment. This was the first time my research was
an experience. Stepping into the potter’s studio brought the biblical imagery of God as
our Potter to life in a way I never expected.
As I watched and listened to the potter talk about the clay and handle it, I couldn’t help
but see God working with us. He explained the different types of clay and their unique
traits and characteristics. Even before the clay was shaped, still resting in the potter’s
hands—there was already a clear connection between the potter and the clay. He
valued that lump of shapeless clay.
Then the work began. He softened the clay and prepared it for shaping. I will never
forget that first day of class, watching the potter slam the softened clay onto the wheel
and then use great strength to center it before forming his creation. The clay was
squeezed, pressed, and stretched—each motion requiring the perfect balance of sheer
strength and careful gentleness to ensure the clay became exactly what he intended.
And every time I watched him do it, the same thing happened: a beautiful vessel
emerged from what began as a simple lump of clay.

About the Author

A resident of West Monroe, Louisiana, Pat Domangue has spent the past twenty years in women’s ministry inspiring and igniting a passion for Jesus through writing and teaching Bible studies for women. Pat has an advanced certification in Women’s Ministry, a bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Trinity Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana. She has published four Bible studies for women: Quest for Wholeness: Healing The Broken; Equipped & Empowered: Preparing Women for Spiritual Battle; DIG: Digging Into God’s Word, a how-to guide for studying the Bible; and her latest, My Maker and Me: A Six-Week Bible Study of Becoming God’s Beautiful Vessel. Pat has also produced and hosted a Christian women’s television program and radio shows, and she currently hosts H.E.R. Podcast, bringing healing and encouragement to women in real life.

More from Pat

My Maker and Me: A Six-Week Bible Study of Becoming God’s Beautiful Vessel

Have you ever watched a potter at work? Strong hands caress and move the clay, shaping it as it spins on the wheel. The potter leans close, eyes focused, applying just the right pressure to bring something beautiful to life.

That’s where my writing journey began — watching my first pottery demonstration and hearing the potter share the treasures he had discovered about God at that wheel. God had revealed Himself through the art and process of pottery, opening the potter’s eyes to see His intimate work in his life and the great value God saw in him.

As I listened, something stirred deep inside me. I wanted to know God like that — intimately, personally, as the Potter who shapes and molds my life. Within days, I was sitting in the potter’s class, craving to experience God in that same way. The potter guided us through every stage of creating pottery — from dry clay, to shaping damp clay on the wheel, to firing and glazing.

Each week, I carried what I learned from class into prayer, asking God to reveal Himself and show me how Scripture mirrors the process. Just as the potter shapes the clay, God shapes us into His beautiful vessels — molding us through seasons of pressure, waiting, and refining.

My Maker and Me was born from the revelation of Isaiah 64:8:

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.”

Through this study, women will discover the heart of the Master Potter who is intimately at work in their lives—shaping, refining, and transforming them into the vessels He created them to be.

A Season of Waiting and Shaping

One of my favorite sections of the study is Week 4: The Master’s Design. It explores how God uses waiting seasons not as wasted time, but as sacred shaping time. Even in the waiting, God is still working—molding and strengthening us to become His beautiful vessels.

Much like a potter allows the clay to rest before the next stage of forming, God allows us moments of stillness to prepare us for His next move. In those seasons, even when we can’t see or feel His presence, He is working—always with intention and love.

Writing this study wasn’t easy. God allowed me to live many of the lessons He was teaching me. I had my own moments of testing, trial, and surrender. Yet in every challenge, He revealed His faithfulness and assured me of His nearness.

An Invitation to the Journey

My prayer for My Maker and Me is that women everywhere will experience what I did—a deeper awareness of God’s hand at work in their lives. Whether you’re in a season of stretching, refining, or resting, I believe this study will help you see how the Potter is crafting something beautiful in you.

Come join me on this journey of becoming God’s beautiful vessel.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, January 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 17

Artistic Nobody, January 18 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 19

Guild Master, January 20 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 21

Fiction Book Lover, January 22 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 23 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 23

Blossoms and Blessings, January 24 (Author Interview)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 25

Stories By Gina, January 26 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 27 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 28

A Reader’s Brain , January 29 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 29

Giveaway

My Maker And Me Celebration Tour Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pat is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/Ft6nd/my-maker-and-me-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, January 23, 2026

"Freedom Rings" by Rachel Keith -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Freedom Rings

Author: Rachel Keith

Genre: Christian Middle-grade Animal Fantasy

Release Date: June 16, 2025

Freedom rings out. Who will hear it?

Tina the wolf and her adopted animal siblings narrowly escaped childhood enslavement and lead a quiet, secluded life together. But when they find out the usurping Authorities ravage their world of Neftar to capture more slaves, Tina feels that she and her squad are being called to free their fellow Neftarians.

As they plunge into their abolition quest, however, untold dangers arise—from betrayals, to life-threatening peril, to the discovery of Tina’s forbidden heritage.

Can Tina and her siblings fight for freedom, or will they be put to death for their rebellion… and for Tina’s outlawed bloodline?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. What is your favorite part about writing?
I love to see a story come to life! There’s nothing more fun about writing than finding you’re
spectating more than working. There are parts of stories that require some extra effort in order
to see them through, but oftentimes it’s simply typing while watching a scene or dialogue or
environment seamlessly come together. That’s my favorite part about writing.

2. What is your least favorite part about writing?
Oddly enough… my least favorite thing about writing is writing climaxes! Readers have told me I do a good job with climaxes, and yet I hate writing them. I always worry I’ll make them too short or too easy. There are some climaxes I enjoy writing, but usually, I get overwhelmed by them.

3. When did you become a writer?
I wrote my first story when I was six, and I’ve been writing all sorts of stories since then. When I was twelve, I created the characters and storyline that we know today as The Squad: Rising
series, and that’s when I became a serious writer.

4. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
Freedom Rings—and The Squad: Rising series as a whole—took me six years to complete,
since I wrote it when I was twelve and it needed a lot of editing and even total rewriting before I published Freedom Rings at age eighteen. But since then, my writing and storytelling has
improved dramatically. Nowadays, it usually takes me a month to write a 25k-word novella—and I will note that I don’t use AI for any of that!

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Bits of myself definitely show up in my characters. Tina the wolf, the main character, is basically a wolf-ified knockoff of myself, though the two of us still have plenty of differences. But even physically, we look similar (blue eyes; her orange fur and my red hair). The other characters have smaller bits of myself in them, as well. And Sy the cat, a secondary main character, has apersonality that embodies a lot of my mom’s enthusiasm.

About the Author

Rachel Keith created and finished the world of The Squad at an early age. Inspired to share her faith and glorify God through her passion of writing, she used her extensive knowledge of animals, artistry, graphic design, and fanaticism for a certain video game hedgehog to bring the world of Neftar to life.

When not writing, praying, or geeking out over her video games, Rachel draws custom betta fish portraits, pampers her unusual pets, jams to Christian radio, and reads. And reads. And READS.

Because there’s no such thing as too much of a great story.

Rachel lives in her native land of Nashville, Tennessee, with her menagerie, Bible, and animal encyclopedia.

More from Rachel

I’m Rachel Keith, an 18-year-old homeschool graduate from Franklin, Tennessee. I understand how difficult it is for homeschool families to find safe, clean, Christ-centered fiction that also resonates with young readers, and that’s why I wrote The Squad: Rising series. The series focuses on Tina, an anthropomorphic wolf in a vibrant world of anthropomorphic animals. She and her squad of adopted siblings see the oppression their world is facing, and together, they fight to free their world and establish peace. Though they face plenty of perils, they trust that The Most High will guide them. Each book includes fun resources, including an animal species guide and discussion questions! Inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog and The Chronicles of Narnia, this series—beginning with book 1, Freedom Rings—is a fun new trailblazing series for middle grade fantasy, especially for Christians and anthro lovers!

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 13

Simple Harvest Reads, January 14 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, January 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 15

Fiction Book Lover, January 16 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 17

Vicky Sluiter, January 18 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 19

For the Love of Literature, January 20 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, January 21

Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 22 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, January 23 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, January 24 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 24

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 25 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, January 26

Giveaway

Freedom Rings Celebration Tour Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize of a signed paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/DNsrJ/freedom-rings-celebration-tour-giveaway

"The Godchild" by S.C. Terlecky -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: THE GODCHILD

Author: S.C. Terlecky

Genre: YA Christian Dystopian

Release Date: December 9, 2025

When fifteen-year-old Ellie Wilder discovers a contraband journal hidden in her attic, her decision to read its contents rather than turning it over to TEAMMATE officials will destroy any chance of living a normal life. The good news? Andy Jacobs, the most popular boy in her school, now realizes she exists. The bad news? She might not exist much longer if TEAMMATE has anything to say about it. Now that she’s awakened from the encompassing lie of the world she lives in, how can she possibly warn others who are content to remain in a blissful Neverland? She’ll need to challenge her own beliefs, embrace her destiny, and put everything on the line or else the dying spark she’s uncovered in this hostile future will be extinguished—along with her life, forever.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1) Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I’m more of a hybrid these days. My first book, AMERICAN RELIC was nearly all
pantser. I was trying to learn how to write and ultimately proving to myself that I
could finish a book. It took the longest of all of my books—although its progress
was interrupted by college and other priorities along the way. I improved my
planning with each of my next two books, but my plotting is still not very
extensive. I like a one-page roadmap of where I want the story to go. I might
include themes and character traits I want to include but it’s really more “big
picture” and the writing occurs more organically or pantser-like as I go.

2) What is your favorite part about writing?
I love it when the puzzle in my mind comes together. It’s usually when I’m
thinking about writing instead of physically writing. I’ve created main characters
and problems and need a resolution. To me, it’s almost like solving an equation
or a riddle after thinking about it nonstop. It’s a jolt of energy to get back to the
writing part and hammer out the scene. Sometimes I get my characters into such
a fix there doesn’t seem to be a way out. I can get hung up on a scene for days
or weeks. I know where the story goes after, but how do I get them out of the
mess I put them in? Then I come to a moment of realization, where I’m able to
turn the story slightly, strengthen the theme, and hopefully create an entertaining
escape from the dead end I’ve created.

3. When did you become a writer?
It really became a dream of mine in seventh grade. Our class was required to
enter a VFW essay contest called, “What Makes America Great?” I put a lot of
time into that essay and was fiercely protective of it. My mom was a high school
English teacher and I wouldn’t even let her read it until after I turned it in. Looking
back, I should have had her proofread it because there were a few typos.
However, it had a lot of heart and emotion and ultimately won the local contest.
That’s when I really started believing in myself. I didn’t have a story to write quite
yet, but I knew it was something I wanted to do.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I’ve always had an active imagination going back to childhood. Visiting different
places seems to trigger it to this day. I start thinking, what if something like (insert
idea here) happened right where I’m standing. Once triggered, my creative side
takes over the challenge of crafting a story. As far as working out the details to
the idea, that seems to happen the most when I’m mowing grass, alone in the
woods, or working out at the gym. I can’t get the idea out of my head so it
bounces back and forth and eventually there’s that aha moment. That’s the time
when I’m running for my notebook to save the rough overview of what I’ve
mentally constructed.

5. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
I usually write in the early morning, before my girls wake up. It started out of
necessity—finding time in the middle of the day just didn’t work for me. But I’ve
come to realize I am way more productive the first few hours of the day. I’m not
really a night owl so late night writing wasn’t really a good option. Now I’ve just
accepted that if I want to do my best work, I need to set my alarm.

About the Author

S.C. Terlecky lives in Northeast Ohio with his two daughters and herd of cats. He enjoys a multitude of outdoor activities and reading stories each night to his girls. His previous works include American Relic and Canticle of the Spear. He loves strong storytelling, interesting characters, and concepts with lasting impact.

More from S.C.

The truth may set you free, but are you prepared for the cost?

When I set out to write my third novel, THE GODCHILD, I wanted to create something that would remain on the mind of the reader after the final page. There are a number of excellent young adult books that left a lasting impression on me in my younger years, and my desire was to contribute something truly moving for the next generation.

Drawing from some of my favorite classic YA dystopian fiction novels, there is often one theme in common—they focus on fighting an all-powerful, evil group of people with a smaller group of likeable underdogs who want to preserve some important, physically tangible aspect of living. It may be saving a faction of people from oppression by another faction like in Veronica Roth’s Divergent or Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. The story may highlight a need to break free from a world of total control like in The Giver by Lois Lowry or A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. They may even primarily focus on saving humanity from extinction like in James Dashner’s The Maze Runner. But how many add the spiritual implications of eternity alongside these important physical themes? This is where THE GODCHILD is meant to have a deeper reach into the reader. And when the tale is completely told, the chilling part of this story is that it’s not unbelievable—especially in today’s world.