Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Book Review: A Light of Her Own

A Light of Her Own by Carrie Callaghan

Publication Date: November 13, 2018

Amberjack Publishing

Hardcover; 320 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Biographical

In Holland 1633, a woman’s ambition has no place.

Judith is a painter, dodging the law and whispers of murder to become the first woman admitted to the prestigious Haarlem artist’s guild. Maria is a Catholic in a country where the faith is banned, hoping to absolve her sins by recovering a lost saint’s relic.

Both women’s destinies will be shaped by their ambitions, running counter to the city’s most powerful men, whose own plans spell disaster. A vivid portrait of a remarkable artist, A Light of Her Own is a richly-woven story of grit against the backdrop of Rembrandt and an uncompromising religion.

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Review: I was totally taken by the subject matter of this book. I love learning more about women in history. Judith Leyster is the only woman to be admitted to Holland's Haarlem Guild. A female painter that very little is known about.

The time period is 1633 and the Netherlands.  This is a time period where women didn't have careers and they definitely didn't have careers in the arts. This is a man's world and women have no place in it, except in the usual place.

Judith and Maria are two very different women. They aren't very likable, because their respective personalities are all a bit extreme. Judith who is a real person, would have to be hard to like, but even if you don't feel a connection to her, you know that she is the way she is because she has drive and ambition, even if it comes with a price. As the story progresses you see that Judith pays a high price for her ambition.

Maria has her own problems. She's very devout, to the point of obsession. She has a strong case of Catholic guilt. (Strong is actually a pretty mild way to describe Maria)

There's also a mystery involving linseed oil that is hurting the painters. That mystery ties the two women together as their friendship was breaking apart.

I was quickly drawn to this story and I loved every minute of reading it.

Rating: 5 flowers

About the Author

Carrie Callaghan is a writer living in Maryland with her spouse, two young children, and two ridiculous cats. Her short fiction has appeared in Weave Magazine, The MacGuffin, Silk Road, Floodwall, and elsewhere. Carrie is also an editor and contributor with the Washington Independent Review of Books. She has a Master’s of Arts in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

For more information, please visit Carrie Callaghan's website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook,  Twitter and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, November 12
Feature at Naomi Finley's Blog
Review at A Bookaholic Swede

Tuesday, November 13
Review at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, November 14
Interview at A Bookish Affair

Thursday, November 15
Review at Broken Teepee

Friday, November 16
Review at View from the Birdhouse

Sunday, November 18
Review at Carole's Ramblings

Monday, November 19
Review at Just One More Chapter
Feature at What Is That Book About

Tuesday, November 20
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, November 21
Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Friday, November 23
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Monday, November 26
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Tuesday, November 27
Review at What Cathy Read Next

Wednesday, November 28
Review at Pass Me That Book

Thursday, November 29
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, November 30
Review at Donna's Book Blog

Monday, December 3
Review & Interview at Reading the Past

Tuesday, December 4
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Wednesday, December 5
Review at I'm Shelf-ish

Thursday, December 6
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Friday, December 7
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 signed hardcovers of A Light of Her Own! To enter, please see the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 7th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Light of Her Own