Review & Blog Tour: Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe

Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe

Book Description: Coming of age amidst the seething unrest of the Civil War era, feisty fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty infiltrates the Molly Maguires, a secret Irish organization, to rescue a lifelong friend. Under the guise of Dominick, a draft resister, Katie volunteers for a dangerous mission in hopes of preventing bloodshed. Katie risks job, family, and ultimately her very life to intervene. A series of tragedies challenge Katie's strength and ingenuity, and she faces a crisis of conscience. Can she balance her sense of justice with the law? Call Me Kate is suitable for readers from eleven to adult. The story is dramatic and adventuresome, yet expressive of daily life in the patches of the hard coal region during the Civil War era. This novel will appeal to readers of the Dear America series, as well as more mature readers who will enjoy the story's rich context and drama.

About the Author: Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts & reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Mary holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University, and Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade. Mary was born in Philadelphia, raised in Schuylkill County, and currently lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania with her husband, John. They are parents of two grown children, Melissa and John Garrett, cover illustrator of Call Me Kate. Digging into the past has given Mary newfound respect for her ancestors and a better understanding of history. Call Me Kate is the first in the author's trilogy of historical novels loosely based on the lives of the strong women who preceded her.

Here's What I Think: This book takes a different perspective than most books about this particular time period. It is a fresh take a story I thought I was familiar with. Additionally have it come from the point of view of a young person, who is not only going through the normal teenage issues of find herself, but also treading the dicey waters of war. I definitely found myself rooting for Kate early on as she is written so strongly by Roe. Actually the book could have been set in modern day where the younger generations are having to take on the financial burdens of their families as the world around them struggles to find a balance. The book takes into consideration many relationship dynamics and creates a very dramatic baseline. This was a very quick but intense read. In fact it was a little rushed for my taste but still complete.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive a copy of this book to review, I was in no other way directly compensated to publish this post. These are my real and honest opinions.