Impeccable History Brought to Life
I have been wanting to read Tracy L. Higley's books for awhile now. So when her newest book, The Queen's Handmaid, came up for review I didn't hesitate to request it. I wasn't disappointed.
The year is 39 BC when we meet Lydia. Cleopatra is the current Queen ruling over Egypt while Lydia is nurse to her son, Caesarion. Lydia is a beautiful, and unpretentious, young woman who knows nothing of her family or life outside the palace walls. Her heart belongs to Caesarion and her friend, Samuel.
Samuel, a Jewish man, has done his best to teach Lydia about his God and his heritage. He didn't have any children of his own, so he taught everything that he could to Lydia. When Herod arrives to visit the queen, things become complicated. Deciding that Lydia would be better suited to serve his future wife, Herod chose to take Lydia to Jerusalem with him.
Wanting to say goodbye to Samuel, Lydia discovers that he had been attacked and is close to death. Using the last of his strength, Samuel tells Lydia about the scrolls that he has been hiding; and instructs her to carefully hide and guard them until she could get them to the Chakkiym. They’ve cost Samuel his life and now Lydia is charged with smuggling them out of Egypt in order to get them into the proper hands in Jerusalem.
Lydia made the decision to accept Herod's offer because it was the perfect opportunity for her to get the scrolls out of Egypt. Arriving in Jerusalem wasn't an easy task, especially with the scrolls, which she wasn't even sure what was written in them. Uncertain of what exactly these scrolls held, Lydia knows her life is in danger. Not only that but she’ll be living in Herod's home where she'll have to deal with jealous servants, political tensions, fickle diplomats, as well as her own emotions. All she’s ever wanted was a place to belong... a family.
Tracy's storytelling is fantastic! She pulled me into Lydia's world, where I met people I fell in love with. People like Queen Mariamme, Simon, and, of course, Lydia. I also enjoyed her descriptions of the different scenes, from Egypt to Jerusalem to the palace interior, she made me feel like I was there standing beside Lydia with each turn of the page. Last but not least I liked how impeccably Tracy brought history to life, and that she included "The Story Behind the Story...and Beyond", where she separated fact from fiction; it was well worth reading.
About the Book:
From the servant halls of Cleopatra’s Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.
Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC
Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra’s palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm’s length. She’s been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.
But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to a family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.
Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.
Meet Tracy:
Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored many novels, including “Garden of Madness” and “So Shines the Night.” Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures.
Tracy invites you to stop by her website where you’ll be able to see her travel journals and more.
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Tracy L. Higley is celebrating the release of The Queen's Handmaid with a fun giveaway.
Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: "Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs."
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley
Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy's blog on April 21st to see if you won.
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Blessings,
**The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley was provided for me free by Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest review.
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