Kelegeen
by Eileen O’Finlan
About Kelegeen
Historical Fiction
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc. (March 1, 2018)
Paperback: 433 pages
ISBN-10: 0228600294
ISBN-13: 978-0228600299
Kindle ASIN: B07B52K2TB
Ireland 1846
Meg O’Connor, daughter of poor Irish cottiers, eagerly anticipates her wedding to Rory Quinn. Her dreams of marriage and family vanish along with Ireland’s potato crop when Kelegeen’s inhabitants awaken one morning to find their sole source of food destroyed by blight.
At first Meg and Rory are able to use their skills, hers of sewing and his of wood carving, to provide for themselves and their families. But tragedy and a costly mistake end those means of survival forcing them into more dangerous ventures.
As An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger, continues to churn through Ireland ravaging the country’s peasantry with no let up in sight, Meg is compelled to make the most difficult decision of her life. What she chooses could be the salvation of the O’Connor and Quinn families or it could separate her forever from all she knows and loves.
About Eileen O’Finlan
Eileen O’Finlan calls her writing “history with a twist” because she is intrigued by the unusual and little known aspects of history – the stories on history’s margins, the things rarely taught in the classroom. For her, that’s where history really gets fun.
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, her family moved to Worcester when she was two. Four years later they moved to Holden where Eileen grew up and where she now resides with her 93 year old mother and two cats.
Eileen holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry. She works full time for the Diocese of Worcester and teaches online courses in Catholic studies for the University of Dayton, Ohio. She is proud to say that Pope Francis owns a copy of her debut novel, Kelegeen. Erin’s Children, the sequel to Kelegeen, will be released by BWL Publishing, Inc. in December of 2020.
Author Links
Webpage: https://eileenofinlan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eileenofinlanauthor/ ;
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17762333.Eileen_O_Finlan ;
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eileenofinlan ;
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnoxfrZpgvtHbAH74qM_vEQ ;
BWL Publishing, Inc. Author page: http://bookswelove.com/o-finlan-eileen/
Purchase Links: Amazon: – Barnesandnoble.com – Apple iTunes – Google Play – Kobo – Smashwords
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes. I was not financially compensated & all opinions are 100% mine
I know something of the potato famine but not enough to connect with this historical tone period and event. This book does an exquisite job or detailing the account from the perspective of fictional people who lived it. There are a couple of mild curse words, but that is the only offensive thing in this book.
I was quite intrigued with the Catholic faith that was woven intrinsically into the story. While I don’t espouse every Catholic belief, there were brief glimpses of genuine faith in the midst of this crisis. In fact. In so many ways, the despair and situations people faced then are reminiscent of our current situation.
The level of writing in this book is exceptional. I thoroughly enjoyed every story and the emotions run the entire gamut of human feelings. The characters are three-dimensional and relatable.
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 21 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW
May 22 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Literary Gold – EXCERPT
May 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
May 26 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 27 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
May 28 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – EXCERPT
May 29 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
May 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book– AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 30 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
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May 21 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW
May 22 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Literary Gold – EXCERPT
May 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
May 26 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 27 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
May 28 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – EXCERPT
May 29 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
May 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book- AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 30 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!
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4 Comments
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Hi Marilyn! I hope you enjoy reading Kelegeen. The sequel, Erin’s Children, will be released in December of 2020.
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I love reading any books concerning Ireland and its inhabitants. This will be a wonderful addition to our Irish books.
Marilyn -
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Thank you so much for the wonderful review and for helping to kick off my first ever blog tour! I’m glad you enjoyed Kelegeen.
Eileen O’Finlan recently posted…JOIN ME FOR MY FIRST EVER BLOG TOUR!
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