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KIYA Trilogy #1
Hope of the Pharaoh
When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…
The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.
Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.
The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.
Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2013
458 people are currently reading
2665 people want to read
About the author
Katie Hamstead
24 books216 followersBorn and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush," and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student. Now she lives in Idaho with her daughters and their collection of animals.
When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels available, and is published through REUTS Publishing and Soul Mate Publishing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a mother. She now works as a Special Education Paraprofessional to help support her family while she studies Education and English. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student. Now she lives in Idaho with her daughters and their collection of animals.
When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels available, and is published through REUTS Publishing and Soul Mate Publishing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a mother. She now works as a Special Education Paraprofessional to help support her family while she studies Education and English. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
September 23, 2013
2.5 stars
This review is for a free copy of the book courtesy of Curiosity Quills via NetGalley
This book was historically inaccurate, so please if you don't know anything about the period don't rely upon this one.
the author chose for her story the Amarna Period, which is a period that the successors of Akhenaton attempted to wipe out of history, destroying the city and the temples, carving out the Pharaoh's name and that of his wife, Nefertiti, moving their mummified bodies into unmarked tombs, making it very difficult to find them or find enough about their history.
Archaeologists have worked hard into trying to build out from what they found a history of the period, which still changes as more discoveries are made, and makes the Amarna period mysterious. And that's why maybe the author chose this period, because she can build her story around this mystery, where its difficult to be accurate anyway.
Yet as I was reading I was a annoyed at how many times I was bothered by the inaccuracies and the allowances made to bring this story to life.
The story begins with Naomi, a jew, who offers herself instead of her sisters to be taken as the Pharaoh's concubine, she is then taken from Thebes to Amarna, during the trip the Commander, Horemheb, asks her to be wary of Nefertiti and to be his eyes in the harem (and I'm calling it harem, because that's what it was in the book), Naomi is smart, strong and virtuous. As soon as she arrives to Amarna, she is taken to be prepared to be Pharoah's wife, she is cleaned, her hair is shaved, and her name is changed to Kiya, all the while commenting on how Nefertiti must not like her to treat her like this. Kiya enters the Pharoah's Harem and the struggle starts with Nefertiti, yet at the same time all the other women there, (other wives and concubines) like her instantly and see her as their leader and savior from Nefertiti. On her first day there, she opposes Nefertiti on how she schedules the women to go visit Akhenaton, she says that it is immoral and perverted that he sees more than one at the same time, and that she will not do it, she is then given the task of organizing a new schedule, on her FIRST day.
Kiya spends her days studying with Horemheb, she meets Akhenaten regularly and forms a more than friendship with the Jew Bodyguard. All the while dodging Nefertiti's attempts on destroying her, and unravelling her secrets and evilness. Telling us all the while that Jews are so much better than anybody else, and better looking. I got tired if how many times I had to read about " our people" "our women" "our men" who BTW fall in love quickly but very strongly.
I didn't care much for Kiya, despite the fact that most women liked her and all three main male characters fell in love with her, she was not a very likable character, and a bit confused as well.
Historically Kiya's origians are unknown, what is known is she was a favored wife whom Akhenaten build a temple to honor, she disappears from history before Akhenaten's death. There might be evidence that she fell out of favor.
Also DNA tests has proved that she was not Tutankhamen's mother.
Nefertiti is portrayed as the bad guy, and you don't see any redeeming quality in her. We are told from the beginning that she is not a good person, we don't really need to form our own opinion on the matter.
Whatever was found about this period showed how important she was and how high her statues was, her likeness was shown on almost everything that survived the period along side the Pharaoh, and sometimes on her own, she was also shown doing things that Queens don't normally do, like fighting the enemies.
But the Nefertiti in this book is just a jealous woman, who cares for nothing expect the crown, she would sneak into another wife's room to physically harm her and harm any male issues of her husband, Nefertiti in the book was a weak, spiteful woman who did nothing except harm the other wives in the harem and punish them. Where was the powerful queen, beloved of the Pharaoh and quite possibly his co regent. Her relationship with Akhenaton was not presented well, all the interaction they have with each other is of her complaining to him about Kiya, and then we are told by the others how much he cares for her, then you read about him talking against her behind her back. There was no evidence at all of any feeling between them.
Nefertiti is here shown with Akhenaten and their 6 daughters
Which brings us to Akhenaton. When we first meet him we are told of his strange appearance, how ugly and unappealing he is. As the book progresses, we see his so called madness, in his fear of the dark, in his need for someone to sleep with him during the night, in sudden rage spells, and poor health, time and again we are reminded by every other character of how sickly he is, how he doesn't have many years to live, they all seem to be waiting for him to die any day, YET, this is the husband who entertains three different wives (not at the same time) every night!? And he is nice to all of them, and slowly Kiya gets to care a little bit if not love this strange looking man.
But he doesn't seem to have any authority, it's like he is one of the harem women instead of the King!
There is hardly any parts of him interacting with others or performing his duty as Pharaoh.
And this the pharaoh who changed a religion and tradition of thousands of years.
I think perhaps Horemheb was the only character written in a way that might present the real historical commander who ruled Egypt and wiped from history Akhenaton and his religion.
This could have been a book about any harem in any country.
In fairness the writing style was quite good, the author could weave a good story and describe the setting beautifully, if I was not aware of the history I would have enjoyed this book much more. I would check out her next book when it comes out.
This review is for a free copy of the book courtesy of Curiosity Quills via NetGalley
This book was historically inaccurate, so please if you don't know anything about the period don't rely upon this one.
the author chose for her story the Amarna Period, which is a period that the successors of Akhenaton attempted to wipe out of history, destroying the city and the temples, carving out the Pharaoh's name and that of his wife, Nefertiti, moving their mummified bodies into unmarked tombs, making it very difficult to find them or find enough about their history.
Archaeologists have worked hard into trying to build out from what they found a history of the period, which still changes as more discoveries are made, and makes the Amarna period mysterious. And that's why maybe the author chose this period, because she can build her story around this mystery, where its difficult to be accurate anyway.
Yet as I was reading I was a annoyed at how many times I was bothered by the inaccuracies and the allowances made to bring this story to life.
The story begins with Naomi, a jew, who offers herself instead of her sisters to be taken as the Pharaoh's concubine, she is then taken from Thebes to Amarna, during the trip the Commander, Horemheb, asks her to be wary of Nefertiti and to be his eyes in the harem (and I'm calling it harem, because that's what it was in the book), Naomi is smart, strong and virtuous. As soon as she arrives to Amarna, she is taken to be prepared to be Pharoah's wife, she is cleaned, her hair is shaved, and her name is changed to Kiya, all the while commenting on how Nefertiti must not like her to treat her like this. Kiya enters the Pharoah's Harem and the struggle starts with Nefertiti, yet at the same time all the other women there, (other wives and concubines) like her instantly and see her as their leader and savior from Nefertiti. On her first day there, she opposes Nefertiti on how she schedules the women to go visit Akhenaton, she says that it is immoral and perverted that he sees more than one at the same time, and that she will not do it, she is then given the task of organizing a new schedule, on her FIRST day.
Kiya spends her days studying with Horemheb, she meets Akhenaten regularly and forms a more than friendship with the Jew Bodyguard. All the while dodging Nefertiti's attempts on destroying her, and unravelling her secrets and evilness. Telling us all the while that Jews are so much better than anybody else, and better looking. I got tired if how many times I had to read about " our people" "our women" "our men" who BTW fall in love quickly but very strongly.
I didn't care much for Kiya, despite the fact that most women liked her and all three main male characters fell in love with her, she was not a very likable character, and a bit confused as well.
Historically Kiya's origians are unknown, what is known is she was a favored wife whom Akhenaten build a temple to honor, she disappears from history before Akhenaten's death. There might be evidence that she fell out of favor.
Also DNA tests has proved that she was not Tutankhamen's mother.
Nefertiti is portrayed as the bad guy, and you don't see any redeeming quality in her. We are told from the beginning that she is not a good person, we don't really need to form our own opinion on the matter.
Whatever was found about this period showed how important she was and how high her statues was, her likeness was shown on almost everything that survived the period along side the Pharaoh, and sometimes on her own, she was also shown doing things that Queens don't normally do, like fighting the enemies.
But the Nefertiti in this book is just a jealous woman, who cares for nothing expect the crown, she would sneak into another wife's room to physically harm her and harm any male issues of her husband, Nefertiti in the book was a weak, spiteful woman who did nothing except harm the other wives in the harem and punish them. Where was the powerful queen, beloved of the Pharaoh and quite possibly his co regent. Her relationship with Akhenaton was not presented well, all the interaction they have with each other is of her complaining to him about Kiya, and then we are told by the others how much he cares for her, then you read about him talking against her behind her back. There was no evidence at all of any feeling between them.
Nefertiti is here shown with Akhenaten and their 6 daughters
Which brings us to Akhenaton. When we first meet him we are told of his strange appearance, how ugly and unappealing he is. As the book progresses, we see his so called madness, in his fear of the dark, in his need for someone to sleep with him during the night, in sudden rage spells, and poor health, time and again we are reminded by every other character of how sickly he is, how he doesn't have many years to live, they all seem to be waiting for him to die any day, YET, this is the husband who entertains three different wives (not at the same time) every night!? And he is nice to all of them, and slowly Kiya gets to care a little bit if not love this strange looking man.
But he doesn't seem to have any authority, it's like he is one of the harem women instead of the King!
There is hardly any parts of him interacting with others or performing his duty as Pharaoh.
And this the pharaoh who changed a religion and tradition of thousands of years.
I think perhaps Horemheb was the only character written in a way that might present the real historical commander who ruled Egypt and wiped from history Akhenaton and his religion.
This could have been a book about any harem in any country.
In fairness the writing style was quite good, the author could weave a good story and describe the setting beautifully, if I was not aware of the history I would have enjoyed this book much more. I would check out her next book when it comes out.
November 21, 2012
Disclaimer: I was the Acquisitions Editor for this book.
I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this book is.
The female lead, Naomi, is strong and powerful, and doesn't back down. She's exactly what we all want to see in fiction, but didn't feel anything like the author was forcing her to be someone she wasn't. Her actions were always believable and fitting.
The love in this book isn't limited to one couple - in fact, love is shown to us in so many different people throughout KIYA. Different people, different types of love, different degrees of love; yet all of them powerful, well thought-out, and gripping.
I can't wait for KIYA to release so we can share this amazing story with the world.
I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this book is.
The female lead, Naomi, is strong and powerful, and doesn't back down. She's exactly what we all want to see in fiction, but didn't feel anything like the author was forcing her to be someone she wasn't. Her actions were always believable and fitting.
The love in this book isn't limited to one couple - in fact, love is shown to us in so many different people throughout KIYA. Different people, different types of love, different degrees of love; yet all of them powerful, well thought-out, and gripping.
I can't wait for KIYA to release so we can share this amazing story with the world.
January 10, 2016
As the new year has begun I've been making an effort to clear off some of the many free and inexpensive books off my Kindle list. Some of them have just been dumped entirely because whatever caught my eye in the first place no longer holds true and the others I'm trying to give a read and review before deciding if they stay or go.
With that long explanation Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh is a book I've looked at several times, but hadn't picked up until recently. I decided that I wanted something a little different and the Egyptian setting and pseudo historical bent sounded fun. This is the first in a trilogy in the classic sense of a continuing story, not a series in the same world or years apart, but one book leads into the next, etc. Hope of the Pharaoh tells the story of a Hebrew girl named Naomi who takes her sister's place as the wife of the Pharaoh because she believes that her timid younger sister wouldn't survive palace life.
This story sort of qualifies as historical fiction. There was a Kiya during the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti and there is still some question over the heritage of King Tut who followed Akhenaten. The period isn't well documented so it leaves a lot of space for imagination and the author took advantage of that, which was fun. However, and there must be a however here, it didn't feel like there had been a lot of research done into the accuracies of Egyptian life at that time and certainly not into Hebrew life. It felt a lot more like Egypt as seen through the Ten Commandments or other Hollywood portrayals. I never got a feel for the food and the more specific culture and rarely did we see the Pharaoh doing anything...well...Pharaohie. Instead the focus was all on his genetic deformations (which is historical) and on his role as a husband and master of the house. The Hebrew references had her partaking in restrictions and observances which weren't brought to the Hebrew until after the time of Moses and this time period was too soon for that, though a few generations after Joseph of the famed coat of many colors. I did a lot better when I considered it a fantasy "Egypt" instead of trying to ground it in the reality.
Plotwise the book works for me. Naomi comes to the capital, is prepared to be a wife and then faces intrigue and politics which threaten her life and that of the children she hopes to have. It's an interesting imagining of how 312 wives and concubines manage to get along while sharing one man and how kingdoms pass from one to another.
Now the big place where it didn't work for me, and this kinda pains me to say, is the characters. I can't think of anyone that I really felt was well rounded and well developed. Yeah, almost everyone had interesting aspects, but those paled beside the problems. Kiya is not likeable, no matter how EVERYONE except the 'bad' guys seems to immediately take to her. All the men lurve her and there's a full on Love Quadrangel going on between her, the Pharaoh, a guard and the General of the city and I don't know why any of them really think she's all that wonderful. They call her clever, but she really isn't, and we're continually reminded how she's beautiful and bigger and stronger than the other women which is supposed to be a bad thing except that it's totally...not. Her devotion to her religion is something which comes and goes when it's important to the plot and seems to be more about socialization and family than real belief and dedication. All in all I found her wishy washy and unreliable as a narrator and a person. And Nefertiti was portrayed much like the Wicked Witch of the West. I was just waiting for her to start with the cackling and the 'I'll get you my pretties' kind of lines. She was unrelentingly evil and jealous and awful, and stupid...all traits which seem very out of step with maintaining her status as the number one wife of Pharaoh. He said she couldn't be punished because of her royal blood, but I couldn't believe that due to how far she went to maintain her place. No one would have blamed him except her co-conspirators who were just as guilty. So all in all, I wanted characters who were LIKE these characters but more well rounded and realistic put into this plot.
Now, a couple of other nits to pick. I like the writing in general. However, there are a LOT of modern phrases and attitudes which show up all through this book. I'd be sinking into the narrative and then something would pop out of Kiya's mouth which would totally throw me out of the story because it sounded like a girl at the mall, not a woman in ancient Egypt, particularly an outsider in a strange land and among a strange people.
My other nit... The Pharaoh was receiving 3-4 women a night, every night and performing his duty with each of them. And later in the story he was seeing Kiya during the day as well as his nightly jaunts. All I can think is that he must have had access to some kind of super Viagra because most men cannot manage three times in a night once, much less every night with some quickies during the day too.
In the end will I pick up the next book? Eh, maybe. I don't feel driven to know what happens to Kiya at this point and I really don't care which of the men she ends up with because I don't believe any of the relationships. I didn't have to force myself to finish or give up, so it still gets a three star and I may pick up the next one on sale for some summer day, the books read quickly, but I'm not rushing to Amazon right now.
Content: There are a couple of violent and bloody scenes, descriptions of women giving birth, and a mild sex scene as well as domestic violence. Kiya gets shoved around a lot including when she's pregnant.
With that long explanation Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh is a book I've looked at several times, but hadn't picked up until recently. I decided that I wanted something a little different and the Egyptian setting and pseudo historical bent sounded fun. This is the first in a trilogy in the classic sense of a continuing story, not a series in the same world or years apart, but one book leads into the next, etc. Hope of the Pharaoh tells the story of a Hebrew girl named Naomi who takes her sister's place as the wife of the Pharaoh because she believes that her timid younger sister wouldn't survive palace life.
This story sort of qualifies as historical fiction. There was a Kiya during the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti and there is still some question over the heritage of King Tut who followed Akhenaten. The period isn't well documented so it leaves a lot of space for imagination and the author took advantage of that, which was fun. However, and there must be a however here, it didn't feel like there had been a lot of research done into the accuracies of Egyptian life at that time and certainly not into Hebrew life. It felt a lot more like Egypt as seen through the Ten Commandments or other Hollywood portrayals. I never got a feel for the food and the more specific culture and rarely did we see the Pharaoh doing anything...well...Pharaohie. Instead the focus was all on his genetic deformations (which is historical) and on his role as a husband and master of the house. The Hebrew references had her partaking in restrictions and observances which weren't brought to the Hebrew until after the time of Moses and this time period was too soon for that, though a few generations after Joseph of the famed coat of many colors. I did a lot better when I considered it a fantasy "Egypt" instead of trying to ground it in the reality.
Plotwise the book works for me. Naomi comes to the capital, is prepared to be a wife and then faces intrigue and politics which threaten her life and that of the children she hopes to have. It's an interesting imagining of how 312 wives and concubines manage to get along while sharing one man and how kingdoms pass from one to another.
Now the big place where it didn't work for me, and this kinda pains me to say, is the characters. I can't think of anyone that I really felt was well rounded and well developed. Yeah, almost everyone had interesting aspects, but those paled beside the problems. Kiya is not likeable, no matter how EVERYONE except the 'bad' guys seems to immediately take to her. All the men lurve her and there's a full on Love Quadrangel going on between her, the Pharaoh, a guard and the General of the city and I don't know why any of them really think she's all that wonderful. They call her clever, but she really isn't, and we're continually reminded how she's beautiful and bigger and stronger than the other women which is supposed to be a bad thing except that it's totally...not. Her devotion to her religion is something which comes and goes when it's important to the plot and seems to be more about socialization and family than real belief and dedication. All in all I found her wishy washy and unreliable as a narrator and a person. And Nefertiti was portrayed much like the Wicked Witch of the West. I was just waiting for her to start with the cackling and the 'I'll get you my pretties' kind of lines. She was unrelentingly evil and jealous and awful, and stupid...all traits which seem very out of step with maintaining her status as the number one wife of Pharaoh. He said she couldn't be punished because of her royal blood, but I couldn't believe that due to how far she went to maintain her place. No one would have blamed him except her co-conspirators who were just as guilty. So all in all, I wanted characters who were LIKE these characters but more well rounded and realistic put into this plot.
Now, a couple of other nits to pick. I like the writing in general. However, there are a LOT of modern phrases and attitudes which show up all through this book. I'd be sinking into the narrative and then something would pop out of Kiya's mouth which would totally throw me out of the story because it sounded like a girl at the mall, not a woman in ancient Egypt, particularly an outsider in a strange land and among a strange people.
My other nit... The Pharaoh was receiving 3-4 women a night, every night and performing his duty with each of them. And later in the story he was seeing Kiya during the day as well as his nightly jaunts. All I can think is that he must have had access to some kind of super Viagra because most men cannot manage three times in a night once, much less every night with some quickies during the day too.
In the end will I pick up the next book? Eh, maybe. I don't feel driven to know what happens to Kiya at this point and I really don't care which of the men she ends up with because I don't believe any of the relationships. I didn't have to force myself to finish or give up, so it still gets a three star and I may pick up the next one on sale for some summer day, the books read quickly, but I'm not rushing to Amazon right now.
Content: There are a couple of violent and bloody scenes, descriptions of women giving birth, and a mild sex scene as well as domestic violence. Kiya gets shoved around a lot including when she's pregnant.
October 23, 2013
4.5 stars!
I simply adored this book! Ms. Hamstead did an amazing job writing about ancient Egypt and keeping the plot and characters interesting until the very end. It's written in first person narration.
Kiya, also known as Naomi, is an interesting heroine. Her character shines throughout the story and she strong willed. She's also a Hebrew. Pharoah’s commander Horemheb tries to take her sisters to become concubines, Naomi offers to go in their place. She soon is renamed Kiya.
I couldn't help but to fall in love with Horemheb. Horemheb is the Pharaoh's commander. Akhenaten trusts him and Horemheb is known for being ruthless. He befriends Kiya soon after taking her away from her home to marry Akhenaten. I found myself wanting her to be with him in the end.
The other man that Kiya takes notice of is Malachi. He's one of the guards and he is also a Hebrew. He takes interest in Kiya and falls in love with her. His character wasn't as interesting as Horemheb's but he still made for an interesting part of the story.
Queen Nefertiti's character didn't disappoint. Nefertiti had jealousy issues and plotted against Kiya until the very end of the book.
I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't read this book earlier. It was enjoyable and it didn't take me long to read. If you like ancient Egyptian romance, this one is for you! I haven't read many of them but I give this one two thumbs up.
***ARC graciously provided by Curiosity Quills Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
I simply adored this book! Ms. Hamstead did an amazing job writing about ancient Egypt and keeping the plot and characters interesting until the very end. It's written in first person narration.
Kiya, also known as Naomi, is an interesting heroine. Her character shines throughout the story and she strong willed. She's also a Hebrew. Pharoah’s commander Horemheb tries to take her sisters to become concubines, Naomi offers to go in their place. She soon is renamed Kiya.
I couldn't help but to fall in love with Horemheb. Horemheb is the Pharaoh's commander. Akhenaten trusts him and Horemheb is known for being ruthless. He befriends Kiya soon after taking her away from her home to marry Akhenaten. I found myself wanting her to be with him in the end.
The other man that Kiya takes notice of is Malachi. He's one of the guards and he is also a Hebrew. He takes interest in Kiya and falls in love with her. His character wasn't as interesting as Horemheb's but he still made for an interesting part of the story.
Queen Nefertiti's character didn't disappoint. Nefertiti had jealousy issues and plotted against Kiya until the very end of the book.
I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't read this book earlier. It was enjoyable and it didn't take me long to read. If you like ancient Egyptian romance, this one is for you! I haven't read many of them but I give this one two thumbs up.
***ARC graciously provided by Curiosity Quills Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
June 23, 2013
This book blew me away! I've always been interested in Egyptology but never a student of it (if that makes sense), and I usually find historical fiction dusty and dull. But "Kiya" is the sort of character-driven story that keeps you turning the pages until there aren't any more, and then you wonder when the sequel is coming out. It has enough historical detail in there to set the scene but not so much that you're bogged down in it and lose sight of the story.
There's romance, intrigue, betrayal, more romance ... wow. Just wow. I just finished it, and I'm lost for words.
There's romance, intrigue, betrayal, more romance ... wow. Just wow. I just finished it, and I'm lost for words.
March 28, 2014
Words cannot describe how much I adore this book and the series (I'm well into book 3). I've always loved stories of ancient Egypt and their history fascinates me, so I was eager to try KIYA. Once I started reading, I could not put this down! Naomi/Kiya, is a strong, smart strong young woman who faces many challenges and stands up for her beliefs. She is reserved and cautious at just the right times, yet powerful when she stands up for herself and others. I found myself cheering for her every time she defied and went after Nefertiti. She is such a good, loyal person, it's no wonder three of the story's men fell in love with her. The relationships are all so unique and wonderful that I'M torn about who I want her to end up with!! I highly recommend this series to anyone that loves YA or NA, historical fiction or just a good clean book.
On a final note, this is a work of fiction so if you're looking for historical facts and accuracy, this may not be your best source. (Personally, I was amazed with the intricate details and descriptions Hamstead incorporated in her world-building.) But if you are looking for a beautiful story with highly realistic setting, rich culture and well researched customs then read KIYA and lose yourself in her world!
On a final note, this is a work of fiction so if you're looking for historical facts and accuracy, this may not be your best source. (Personally, I was amazed with the intricate details and descriptions Hamstead incorporated in her world-building.) But if you are looking for a beautiful story with highly realistic setting, rich culture and well researched customs then read KIYA and lose yourself in her world!
September 19, 2013
Loved it! Didnt stop reading all night! Couldnt put my kindle down for a minute. Drama, intrigue, love, murder and mystery. It gets better at the end too!
May 20, 2016
The young Hebrew girl Naomi volunteers to become one of Pharaoh Akhenaton’s (1380 BC – 1334 BC) wives in order to spare her sisters from being taken in her stead. With almost a hundred wives and even many more royal concubines, life in the royal palace is very hectic. I can imagine that the domestic pressures could have a role in the Pharaoh’s early death at forty-six. Pharaoh Akhenaton’s first wife, Nefertiti (1380 BC – 1336 BC) causes consternation within the royal household. Just prior to the marriage, Naomi is given the Egyptian name of Kiya and, as was the Egyptian custom of the time, she was shaved, made up and dressed in a wig and traditional robes, making her at least look like an Egyptian. An immediate and absolute hatred develops between Kiya and Nefertiti, adding to the unrest in the palace. Kiya and Malachi soon feel a mutual attraction and their love could easily cost them their lives. Life and the intrigues in court are interesting and diverse but somehow fall short of their potential.
When I started this story I had high expectations. Pharaoh Akhenaton’s son Tutankhamen is far better known than his father and their lives and times hold the interest of many people today.
This story is a marathon in futility. From the first chapter, I was disappointed. The writing and dialogue are both adolescent and pedestrian. Without the difficult names and strange dress, the conversation and actions could easily be contemporary. The author has chosen documented historical figures and proceeds to do her best to make them completely unbelievable. The alleged facts of this tale are spurious and an insult to the readers. I view it as nothing short of a rape of antiquity. I found myself struggling to finish the book; often putting it down in dismay and frustration. I didn’t expect the story to be written on papyrus, in hieroglyphics, but I was hoping to be transported to a time and place far removed by the Twenty-first century. I daresay that this appears to be reality – TV in a literary form. This is the first volume in the Kiya Trilogy but I doubt that I will read the others.
When I started this story I had high expectations. Pharaoh Akhenaton’s son Tutankhamen is far better known than his father and their lives and times hold the interest of many people today.
This story is a marathon in futility. From the first chapter, I was disappointed. The writing and dialogue are both adolescent and pedestrian. Without the difficult names and strange dress, the conversation and actions could easily be contemporary. The author has chosen documented historical figures and proceeds to do her best to make them completely unbelievable. The alleged facts of this tale are spurious and an insult to the readers. I view it as nothing short of a rape of antiquity. I found myself struggling to finish the book; often putting it down in dismay and frustration. I didn’t expect the story to be written on papyrus, in hieroglyphics, but I was hoping to be transported to a time and place far removed by the Twenty-first century. I daresay that this appears to be reality – TV in a literary form. This is the first volume in the Kiya Trilogy but I doubt that I will read the others.
September 20, 2017
2.5 stars and DNF at 39% because this was so young adult and juvenile that I couldn't handle it. Maybe I completely misinterpreted the marketing for this book, but I thought this would be a historical fiction about Ancient Egypt, right? Something along the lines that Kate Quinn or Michelle Moran would write with its rich historical interpretations. Instead, this was maybe one step higher than the juvenile annoyance that was
Reawakened.
THE GOOD
The plot flowed quickly.
THE BAD
The more I write and consider this book, the more I dislike it. 😡😤 The insta-lurve, the unlikely banning together of the harem behind Kiya, the sloppy and nonexistent world building...but the true unforgivable was painting these historical figures like a crew of teenagers on the set of some subpar high school soap opera. Shallow character developments and lazy expositions...😡😡
One thing I cannot comment on with firm confidence is the accuracy to history. Who's to say whether King Tut's parents behaved like this or not, but from my nonexistent experience, my gut tells me the author took these characters and saw it as a chance to write a young adult, fan fiction love triangle story. 😡😡
THE VERDICT
The more I write, the more I dislike this book. And I did dislike it. 😡😡😠
THE GOOD
The plot flowed quickly.
THE BAD
The more I write and consider this book, the more I dislike it. 😡😤 The insta-lurve, the unlikely banning together of the harem behind Kiya, the sloppy and nonexistent world building...but the true unforgivable was painting these historical figures like a crew of teenagers on the set of some subpar high school soap opera. Shallow character developments and lazy expositions...😡😡
One thing I cannot comment on with firm confidence is the accuracy to history. Who's to say whether King Tut's parents behaved like this or not, but from my nonexistent experience, my gut tells me the author took these characters and saw it as a chance to write a young adult, fan fiction love triangle story. 😡😡
THE VERDICT
The more I write, the more I dislike this book. And I did dislike it. 😡😡😠
October 10, 2013
So, Hamstead started right in the action. The story begins with Naomi, a Jew, who offers herself instead of her sisters to be taken as the Pharaoh's concubine. From there, the plot unfolds. Danger, desire, decision . . . KIYA (the new name Naomi is forced to take) has it all! And it was nice to read about another young heroine with moral standards who stuck to her guns, no matter what the cost, in order to protect those around her.
The only thing I didn't like about the story was the villain, Nefertiti . . . she was too unlikable for my taste. I like to have the bad guy, or girl, to have at least one redeeming quality, and I didn't see one in this evil queen.
Just FYI, I don't typically pick up historical novels . . . but I know some people complained about the historical accuracy of this book. Well, I'm no History-Nazi. To me, obsessing over history details (especially ones that can't be proven) take the magic out of a book . . . I get enough of that educational crap at the school where I teach. HA!
The real crux of the matter was . . . did this book entertain me? YESSS!
Maybe the dialogue wasn't always convincing for the time. Doesn't change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kiya's voice. The novel was beautifully written, with the combo of dialogue and narrative woven effortlessly within the story, compelling me to turn the page well past my bedtime! I really can't wait for the sequel!! Bravo, Katie!!!
The only thing I didn't like about the story was the villain, Nefertiti . . . she was too unlikable for my taste. I like to have the bad guy, or girl, to have at least one redeeming quality, and I didn't see one in this evil queen.
Just FYI, I don't typically pick up historical novels . . . but I know some people complained about the historical accuracy of this book. Well, I'm no History-Nazi. To me, obsessing over history details (especially ones that can't be proven) take the magic out of a book . . . I get enough of that educational crap at the school where I teach. HA!
The real crux of the matter was . . . did this book entertain me? YESSS!
Maybe the dialogue wasn't always convincing for the time. Doesn't change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kiya's voice. The novel was beautifully written, with the combo of dialogue and narrative woven effortlessly within the story, compelling me to turn the page well past my bedtime! I really can't wait for the sequel!! Bravo, Katie!!!
April 21, 2013
I absolutely recommend this story. If you want a good read with the mix of history, love, Egypt and a smart heroine, this story is for you.
The blurb:
To save her younger sisters from being taken to the cruel life of the palace, Naomi intervenes and gives herself to be a wife of the erratic Pharaoh Akhenaten.
In the palace, Naomi finds herself thrust into the intrigues of the royal family, and has her name changed to Kiya. She becomes beloved by the Pharaoh, who declares that she will bear him his heir. But the Great Queen Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Naomi and even brings her fidelity into question, which could cost Naomi her very life.
Naomi must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. And if she does bear an heir, she will have to fight to protect him as well as herself from Nefertiti who is out for blood.
I found myself while reading feeling Naomi every step of the way, understanding her decisions and seeing Egypt through her eyes was a unique experience.
The author does a wonderful job of being true to the history of Egypt and build a very interesting plot intertwined with it.
I read this early but the book will be out on April 30.
The blurb:
To save her younger sisters from being taken to the cruel life of the palace, Naomi intervenes and gives herself to be a wife of the erratic Pharaoh Akhenaten.
In the palace, Naomi finds herself thrust into the intrigues of the royal family, and has her name changed to Kiya. She becomes beloved by the Pharaoh, who declares that she will bear him his heir. But the Great Queen Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Naomi and even brings her fidelity into question, which could cost Naomi her very life.
Naomi must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. And if she does bear an heir, she will have to fight to protect him as well as herself from Nefertiti who is out for blood.
I found myself while reading feeling Naomi every step of the way, understanding her decisions and seeing Egypt through her eyes was a unique experience.
The author does a wonderful job of being true to the history of Egypt and build a very interesting plot intertwined with it.
I read this early but the book will be out on April 30.
August 11, 2017
Too YA for me.
October 22, 2013
Cover Gushing Worthiness: I’m going to be honest, I really don’t like the cover of this book. It’s quite tacky and reminds me of a B Movie poster. I think when you have ancient Egypt as a premise in a book, you’d be able to create a beautiful cover. Final verdict on the cover: a thumbs down from me.
Review:
I can’t attest to the historical accuracy of this book because my knowledge on ancient Egypt is limited. I’m much more familiar with the contemporary history of Egypt. Regardless of the historical accuracy or inaccuracy of this book, the time period itself should have sparked an interest, sadly it did no such thing for me.
Set in the times of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh follows Naomi- a girl from a respectable Jewish family who volunteers to become one of the Pharaoh’s wives, fearing her younger sisters would not be able to survive palace life. At the Palace Naomi who becomes Kiya encounters the Queen Nefertiti -the favourite wife of the Pharaoh who sees her as a threat. Amidst conspiracies, assassination attempts Kiya becomes the love interest of three men, including the Pharaoh. Will Kiya be able to survive the intricacies and dangers of royal life and give birth to a male heir?
The plot of this book is certainly promising, at least it was for me because I don’t think I've read any books that take place in ancient Egypt, but the failure to execute the plot well stopped me from enjoying this book. The failure for me lies in the use of First Person point of view. It just didn't work for me and it didn't help that I disliked the narrator Kiya. I found her voice to be annoying and irritating. One of the main problems that I had with this book was the believability when it came to certain events that took place. The best example that I can give is during Kiya’s pregnancy. During her pregnancy, Kiya is pushed a few times and falls onto the floor and I simply could not suspend my disbelief because there’s no way a pregnant woman could fall so many times and not experience complications during the pregnancy or have a miscarriage. It was just too unbelievable. There’s a love triangle, which as you could expect I dreaded. My qualms about it lie with the character development. With all my problems with this book, I have to give credit to Hamstead for her descriptive writing and world building. Hamstead’s descriptions were both beautiful and horrific. There were times when some of them were graphic and became difficult to read, but I think that’s part of an author’s job; to make the reader explore unfamiliar and complicated emotions. The world of ancient Egypt was fascinating. Unfortunately that’s where the positives end for me.
I honestly can't say many good things about the characters in Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh because I found most to be one-dimensional and poorly developed. As I mentioned before I did not like Kiya. I found her to be quite self-absorbed and arrogant. I felt as if she was vying for attention most of the time. I didn't feel much pity for her as the story progressed ; in the beginning I did though. Kiya also could be quite a hypocrite and that frustrated me. Even more so was that she expected others to feel pity for her even in the moments of her own hypocrisy. Furthermore I couldn't quite understand why the male characters in the story were enamoured with her in the first place and vice versa.
I did feel sorry for Akhenaten though. I think he was probably the most complicated character in the story; caught between physical deformities and insecurities as well as mental insecurities. He was an admirable Pharaoh in the way he handled people and I thought his actions at the end of the book were noble.
My biggest disappointment lies with the portrayal of Queen Nefertiti. She was incredibly one-dimensional and comes off as a cold-hearted and calculating woman. I think her portrayal could have been so much better in that she could have been a more complicated character like Akhenaten. I didn't hate the way she was expected to be received by readers. I think she was doing what she had to do as a mother to protect her own children. Sure her children may have inherited her negative qualities and would have been part of her schemes, but she did what she had to do to protect them. I think what bothers me even more about this portrayal is that as a historical figure Nefertiti deserves better characterization. I think there were so many ways to play around with her character and none of that was done. She was just your stereotypical Queen Villain who couldn't handle her jealousy issues when it came to younger women.
Between the two love interests Commander Horemheb and the guard Malachi, I think the latter was underdeveloped. I saw no reason as to why Kiya should be attracted to him or he to Kiya. There was nothing defining about him other than the fact that he was good-looking and was Jewish. He could have been so much more and the lack of development frustrated me. Commander Horemheb on the other hand was a bit more developed than Malachi. I could see his attraction, but I failed to understand how Kiya couldn't spot his advances. They were quite noticeable.
The secondary characters were rather forgettable and I found them equally annoying and frustrating as Kiya and I can’t say that they were memorable.
The ending of Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh was what gripped me towards the end. All palace intrigues come to light and the ending left me somewhat interested in the sequel KIYA: Mother of a King
Overall I didn't enjoy Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh like I hoped I would. I enjoyed the descriptions of ancient Egypt in this book, but the characters fell flat for me in the end. This book had so much potential, but the use of first person narration failed it.
My Rating: 1.5 or 2/5
Would I recommend it? No
Review:
Yes, little princess, I can see your future. In fact, today it begins with a brave choice. Your choice will shape the course of this land, and although many may try to erase your legacy, you will be recalled for thousands of years to come.
I can’t attest to the historical accuracy of this book because my knowledge on ancient Egypt is limited. I’m much more familiar with the contemporary history of Egypt. Regardless of the historical accuracy or inaccuracy of this book, the time period itself should have sparked an interest, sadly it did no such thing for me.
Set in the times of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh follows Naomi- a girl from a respectable Jewish family who volunteers to become one of the Pharaoh’s wives, fearing her younger sisters would not be able to survive palace life. At the Palace Naomi who becomes Kiya encounters the Queen Nefertiti -the favourite wife of the Pharaoh who sees her as a threat. Amidst conspiracies, assassination attempts Kiya becomes the love interest of three men, including the Pharaoh. Will Kiya be able to survive the intricacies and dangers of royal life and give birth to a male heir?
The plot of this book is certainly promising, at least it was for me because I don’t think I've read any books that take place in ancient Egypt, but the failure to execute the plot well stopped me from enjoying this book. The failure for me lies in the use of First Person point of view. It just didn't work for me and it didn't help that I disliked the narrator Kiya. I found her voice to be annoying and irritating. One of the main problems that I had with this book was the believability when it came to certain events that took place. The best example that I can give is during Kiya’s pregnancy. During her pregnancy, Kiya is pushed a few times and falls onto the floor and I simply could not suspend my disbelief because there’s no way a pregnant woman could fall so many times and not experience complications during the pregnancy or have a miscarriage. It was just too unbelievable. There’s a love triangle, which as you could expect I dreaded. My qualms about it lie with the character development. With all my problems with this book, I have to give credit to Hamstead for her descriptive writing and world building. Hamstead’s descriptions were both beautiful and horrific. There were times when some of them were graphic and became difficult to read, but I think that’s part of an author’s job; to make the reader explore unfamiliar and complicated emotions. The world of ancient Egypt was fascinating. Unfortunately that’s where the positives end for me.
I honestly can't say many good things about the characters in Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh because I found most to be one-dimensional and poorly developed. As I mentioned before I did not like Kiya. I found her to be quite self-absorbed and arrogant. I felt as if she was vying for attention most of the time. I didn't feel much pity for her as the story progressed ; in the beginning I did though. Kiya also could be quite a hypocrite and that frustrated me. Even more so was that she expected others to feel pity for her even in the moments of her own hypocrisy. Furthermore I couldn't quite understand why the male characters in the story were enamoured with her in the first place and vice versa.
I did feel sorry for Akhenaten though. I think he was probably the most complicated character in the story; caught between physical deformities and insecurities as well as mental insecurities. He was an admirable Pharaoh in the way he handled people and I thought his actions at the end of the book were noble.
My biggest disappointment lies with the portrayal of Queen Nefertiti. She was incredibly one-dimensional and comes off as a cold-hearted and calculating woman. I think her portrayal could have been so much better in that she could have been a more complicated character like Akhenaten. I didn't hate the way she was expected to be received by readers. I think she was doing what she had to do as a mother to protect her own children. Sure her children may have inherited her negative qualities and would have been part of her schemes, but she did what she had to do to protect them. I think what bothers me even more about this portrayal is that as a historical figure Nefertiti deserves better characterization. I think there were so many ways to play around with her character and none of that was done. She was just your stereotypical Queen Villain who couldn't handle her jealousy issues when it came to younger women.
Between the two love interests Commander Horemheb and the guard Malachi, I think the latter was underdeveloped. I saw no reason as to why Kiya should be attracted to him or he to Kiya. There was nothing defining about him other than the fact that he was good-looking and was Jewish. He could have been so much more and the lack of development frustrated me. Commander Horemheb on the other hand was a bit more developed than Malachi. I could see his attraction, but I failed to understand how Kiya couldn't spot his advances. They were quite noticeable.
The secondary characters were rather forgettable and I found them equally annoying and frustrating as Kiya and I can’t say that they were memorable.
The ending of Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh was what gripped me towards the end. All palace intrigues come to light and the ending left me somewhat interested in the sequel KIYA: Mother of a King
Overall I didn't enjoy Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh like I hoped I would. I enjoyed the descriptions of ancient Egypt in this book, but the characters fell flat for me in the end. This book had so much potential, but the use of first person narration failed it.
My Rating: 1.5 or 2/5
Would I recommend it? No
May 31, 2013
More reviews at Mrs. ReaderPants.
REVIEW: Okay, I had no idea that King Tut's lineage was a mystery among historians. I thought Nefertiti was his indisputable mother, and I had no idea there was any doubt about that. Doing a little research after I read the book, I found that while DNA evidence supports the pharaoh Akhenaten as King Tut's father, his mother's identity is less certain. Kiya takes that uncertainty and runs with it, serving up a page-turning story about a lesser-known "mother" for King Tut. What a cool premise for historical fiction! The story is interesting and at times, difficult to put down.
Too adult? I disagree with the book's YA classification. Though Kiya is only eighteen, she is several times considered "too old" to marry Akhenaten. People just didn't live as long back then, and at 18, Kiya is clearly an adult. Also, Kiya is a married woman who has intimate relations with her husband several times, becoming a mother in the process.
Further, as with royal families throughout history, Akhenaten's lineage is full of incest (to keep the royal bloodline "pure"). Akhenaten's three oldest daughters are wives #2, #3, and #4, which is mentioned several times. The reader can only assume then, that Akhenaten had intercourse with his daughters. There are allusions to orgies, which is a big part of the story when Kiya has to make the list of which wives and concubines get to spend the evening/night with Akhenaten. With a whopping 312 wives and concubines, their nightly visits are scheduled in groups. All these things may be historically accurate, but in my opinion, the concepts are far too mature for a YA label.
I also wish the author or publisher had included a "Notes" section at the end, giving some insight on the historical events surrounding the real Kiya. I finished the book and was dying to know what was based on fact and what was fiction. Did Hamstead base Kiya on one of the other mummies found in King Tut's tomb? Was she real? What about the DNA tests in 2010? I was so curious about all this Egyptian stuff after I finished that I researched it for at least an hour after I finished. So cool! Historical fiction usually has a section at the end about the history behind the story, and in Kiya, this section is conspicuously absent.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Kiya is a fast-paced, intriguing story about a fascinating period in Egyptian history. Readers will undoubtedly be hungry to discover the facts about Nefertiti, Akhenaten, Kiya, and King Tut after reading this book. An excellent choice for adults and mature teens who understand that "that's just how things were back then."
STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: No way we can get this--too mature.
READALIKES: Cleopatra's Moon (Shecter)
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 4/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Engrossing: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Appeal to teens: 3/5
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: high; incest, harems, concubines, polygamy, orgies, virginity check--details are not graphic
Violence: mild
Drugs/Alcohol: none
July 29, 2016
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
First off, please don’t judge Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh by the tacky cover. The story is so much better, I promise.
Since so little is known about the real Kiya (we don’t even know if she really was Tutankhamun’s mother), I’m willing to suspend my disbelief at the premise of her being Hebrew. Okay, fair enough. Most theories place her as Nubian, but they’re just theories and I thought the whole premise of Naomi offering herself to Akhenaten to save her sisters was just too good to pass up. After being presented with an Egyptian name, Naomi embarks upon a dangerous journey through the intrigues of a dysfunctional court and an even more dangerous harem.
Now, this great premise would have been ruined if Katie Hamstead’s characterization wasn’t as strong as it is. Naomi/Kiya carries the whole story on her shoulders as she learns to feel affection for and maybe even love Akhenaten, a man she was always taught was evil. She also makes friends and enemies in the harem, the most notable being her rival, Nefertiti. Or rather, Nefertiti considers Naomi her rival and the lengths she goes to in order to preserve her place as Great Royal Wife are incredible. Whenever I picture the real Nefertiti, I can’t help but imagine her as the vain, ridiculously beautiful, scheming woman Katie Hamstead has portrayed. Other notable characters of the time like the ruthless, but oddly considerate Horemheb feel spot-on to me. The characters don’t always appear to be consistent, but the big reveals throughout the story show that they were acting believably the whole time.
The details of ancient Egyptian life are generally accurate, although Katie Hamstead used the modern name of Amarna to refer to Akhetaten. But Akhenaten’s fits, the fact he discarded the old religion in favour of one god and his utter lack of desire to make war are well documented and I couldn’t spot any glaring factual errors. In writing about Akhenaten, Katie Hamstead had quite a bit of leeway as there are very, very few records from the time. Still, I can’t complain about the historical accuracy.
As for the plot, it was quite fast-paced for historical fiction and kept me reading into the early hours of the morning, far past when I should have gone to bed. It was really that good. Naomi was just a fascinating character and her confusion about Malachi and Akhenaten, her hot-cold friendship with Horemheb and the constant threat of Nefertiti’s jealousy kept me on my toes the whole time. Some of the plot twists were predictable, but others (especially at the end) I didn’t see coming. Especially the big reveal at the end involving a certain male character.
It’s that big reveal that makes me want the next book this instant. Although we know generally what happens to Akhenaten and Naomi’s son Tutankhamun from history, I just can’t get enough of Naomi. She’s definitely one of my new favourite characters and I’ve just found a new author to watch because if Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh is any indicator, we can expect great things from Katie Hamstead.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
First off, please don’t judge Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh by the tacky cover. The story is so much better, I promise.
Since so little is known about the real Kiya (we don’t even know if she really was Tutankhamun’s mother), I’m willing to suspend my disbelief at the premise of her being Hebrew. Okay, fair enough. Most theories place her as Nubian, but they’re just theories and I thought the whole premise of Naomi offering herself to Akhenaten to save her sisters was just too good to pass up. After being presented with an Egyptian name, Naomi embarks upon a dangerous journey through the intrigues of a dysfunctional court and an even more dangerous harem.
Now, this great premise would have been ruined if Katie Hamstead’s characterization wasn’t as strong as it is. Naomi/Kiya carries the whole story on her shoulders as she learns to feel affection for and maybe even love Akhenaten, a man she was always taught was evil. She also makes friends and enemies in the harem, the most notable being her rival, Nefertiti. Or rather, Nefertiti considers Naomi her rival and the lengths she goes to in order to preserve her place as Great Royal Wife are incredible. Whenever I picture the real Nefertiti, I can’t help but imagine her as the vain, ridiculously beautiful, scheming woman Katie Hamstead has portrayed. Other notable characters of the time like the ruthless, but oddly considerate Horemheb feel spot-on to me. The characters don’t always appear to be consistent, but the big reveals throughout the story show that they were acting believably the whole time.
The details of ancient Egyptian life are generally accurate, although Katie Hamstead used the modern name of Amarna to refer to Akhetaten. But Akhenaten’s fits, the fact he discarded the old religion in favour of one god and his utter lack of desire to make war are well documented and I couldn’t spot any glaring factual errors. In writing about Akhenaten, Katie Hamstead had quite a bit of leeway as there are very, very few records from the time. Still, I can’t complain about the historical accuracy.
As for the plot, it was quite fast-paced for historical fiction and kept me reading into the early hours of the morning, far past when I should have gone to bed. It was really that good. Naomi was just a fascinating character and her confusion about Malachi and Akhenaten, her hot-cold friendship with Horemheb and the constant threat of Nefertiti’s jealousy kept me on my toes the whole time. Some of the plot twists were predictable, but others (especially at the end) I didn’t see coming. Especially the big reveal at the end involving a certain male character.
It’s that big reveal that makes me want the next book this instant. Although we know generally what happens to Akhenaten and Naomi’s son Tutankhamun from history, I just can’t get enough of Naomi. She’s definitely one of my new favourite characters and I’ve just found a new author to watch because if Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh is any indicator, we can expect great things from Katie Hamstead.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
May 23, 2013
Talk about a historical epic! KIYA portrayed the era of Akhenaten perfectly, with a famous cast of characters and a deeper look into one of the unsung heroes of the time.
I loved Kiya's character. She's only known in history as the mother of King Tut and this book made her into a real, remarkable person. She was incredibly strong and very admirable. Honestly, the only thing I can say about her is that she was totally awesome.
There was a side note of romance that served more as great development for Kiya's character than a major plot point. It gave her another reason to survive and thrive.
The historical character were portrayed so well. They were true to the real people while expanding them for the purposes of the story. I really appreciated that because I love Ancient Egypt and I wouldn't take kindly to someone messing with the major players of Egyptian history.
The plot spanned several years, but it was very well paced. I was hooked throughout the entire book. The political intrigue of such a turbulent time in Ancient Egyptian history provided thrills to spare. And the ending was a perfect wrap up, leaving an opening for history to complete. And I think that most people would be able to guess how it continues.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh was an epic historical read. Everyone, literally everyone, should read it.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for a copy!
I loved Kiya's character. She's only known in history as the mother of King Tut and this book made her into a real, remarkable person. She was incredibly strong and very admirable. Honestly, the only thing I can say about her is that she was totally awesome.
There was a side note of romance that served more as great development for Kiya's character than a major plot point. It gave her another reason to survive and thrive.
The historical character were portrayed so well. They were true to the real people while expanding them for the purposes of the story. I really appreciated that because I love Ancient Egypt and I wouldn't take kindly to someone messing with the major players of Egyptian history.
The plot spanned several years, but it was very well paced. I was hooked throughout the entire book. The political intrigue of such a turbulent time in Ancient Egyptian history provided thrills to spare. And the ending was a perfect wrap up, leaving an opening for history to complete. And I think that most people would be able to guess how it continues.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh was an epic historical read. Everyone, literally everyone, should read it.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for a copy!
May 25, 2014
In Kiya, Hope of the Pharaoh, Egyptian soldiers visit a Hebrew village to find a new wife for the Pharaoh. The Egyptians desire one of Naomi's younger sisters, but Naomi bravely volunteers herself in order to protect her sisters' virtue. When she arrives at the palace, she continues to show strength and bravery, as she stands up for the other wives and concubines, fights the tyrannical first wife, and stays true to her religious beliefs despite threat of death.
I usually do not read historicals, but I'm so glad I made an exception for Kiya. I was immediately fascinated by the world she created and rooted for her characters. I loved stepping into a different world and was impressed by all the detail, such as social norms, culture, food, clothing, and marriage traditions. However, a world is nothing without its characters, and this book has fantastic ones. Naomi/Kiya is a wonderful strong, female character. She is courageous, moral, and easy to root for. I also found the Pharaoh's character to be complex and fascinating. I expected him to be more of a traditional "bad guy" type, but he was very layered and unusual. And the love story between Naomi and Malakai was noble and heartwarming. When he told the story of Rachel and Leia, I admit to tearing up a bit.
I'm so excited to read the rest of the series! Well done Katie Hamstead!
I usually do not read historicals, but I'm so glad I made an exception for Kiya. I was immediately fascinated by the world she created and rooted for her characters. I loved stepping into a different world and was impressed by all the detail, such as social norms, culture, food, clothing, and marriage traditions. However, a world is nothing without its characters, and this book has fantastic ones. Naomi/Kiya is a wonderful strong, female character. She is courageous, moral, and easy to root for. I also found the Pharaoh's character to be complex and fascinating. I expected him to be more of a traditional "bad guy" type, but he was very layered and unusual. And the love story between Naomi and Malakai was noble and heartwarming. When he told the story of Rachel and Leia, I admit to tearing up a bit.
I'm so excited to read the rest of the series! Well done Katie Hamstead!
May 2, 2013
I’ve never been partial to historical fiction, romance or otherwise. From what I have read in the past, I find it tedious and a little boring, with too much emphasis on setting and explanation about historical events.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh was neither tedious, nor boring!
Hamstead has effortlessly woven history into fiction, and I found myself enthralled from the very first page.
The character development in this novel is amazing. Kiya is a strong heroine. She is loyal, brave, and headstrong—which often gets her into trouble—and she follows a great journey of self-discovery and development. I found myself becoming sympathetic to Kiya’s situation, and admired her unwavering loyalty in her beliefs.
The world building is also equally amazing. I know very little about Egypt and I’ve never been there, but I had no trouble picturing ancient Egypt and what it may have been like at that time.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh has everything: romance, intrigue, jealousy and betrayal. It is an immensely enjoyable read.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh was neither tedious, nor boring!
Hamstead has effortlessly woven history into fiction, and I found myself enthralled from the very first page.
The character development in this novel is amazing. Kiya is a strong heroine. She is loyal, brave, and headstrong—which often gets her into trouble—and she follows a great journey of self-discovery and development. I found myself becoming sympathetic to Kiya’s situation, and admired her unwavering loyalty in her beliefs.
The world building is also equally amazing. I know very little about Egypt and I’ve never been there, but I had no trouble picturing ancient Egypt and what it may have been like at that time.
KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh has everything: romance, intrigue, jealousy and betrayal. It is an immensely enjoyable read.
February 27, 2016
I waited FAR too long to read this book. It sat in my TBR pile for ages (along with a heck of a lot of other books). As soon as I read the first page, I was swept in. This is an engaging, fast read. The MC is very endearing (although at times a bit dense -- but I won't give away spoilers). Taking this as a historical romance (and not a PBS documentary on Egypt) I realize that perhaps some of the many details aren't 100% accurate of the time period, but I enjoyed the sprinkling of what I expect involved hours and hours of research on the habits and rituals and clothing and hair styles of the time period depicted.
Yes, there is a bit of a love triangle, so if you're prejudiced against them (which I really don't understand, but so be it) then find something else to read. I found it added spice to the mixture.
The ONLY problem I have is that this is a first in the series. Although I'm delighted to read more, I sigh at the fact that my TBR pile has only gotten TALLER.
Yes, there is a bit of a love triangle, so if you're prejudiced against them (which I really don't understand, but so be it) then find something else to read. I found it added spice to the mixture.
The ONLY problem I have is that this is a first in the series. Although I'm delighted to read more, I sigh at the fact that my TBR pile has only gotten TALLER.
November 15, 2013
This story depicts Kiya as being a Hebrew and taken from her people to be one of Akhenaten's wives in hope that she will bear him a son and heir to the throne. Along the way she must try to outwit her fearsome rival and great wife, Nefertiti; has a secret crush for a palace guard and a friendship with Horemheb who might have ulterior motives. All this while trying to stay true to her heritage and staying one step ahead of the plots to get rid of her.
I enjoyed the way the story was written and I got to know each character and either loved or hated them. Ahkenaten is portrayed as kind and loving if somewhat unstable. Nefertiti as a hateful and jealous wife. Naomi/Kiya is kind, loving and loyal and Malachi is the protector. I also enjoyed Kiya's interactions with the other various wives and concubines.
I am looking forward to the sequel!
I enjoyed the way the story was written and I got to know each character and either loved or hated them. Ahkenaten is portrayed as kind and loving if somewhat unstable. Nefertiti as a hateful and jealous wife. Naomi/Kiya is kind, loving and loyal and Malachi is the protector. I also enjoyed Kiya's interactions with the other various wives and concubines.
I am looking forward to the sequel!
June 3, 2013
What a fun book! I've long been a fan of Ancient Egypt. This charming historical fiction really digs into the politics of being one of many wives. While it has plenty of loving going on, it's done as tastefully as possible for the subject matter. I appreciate it not being done as a romance, which would have made it unbearable.
I enjoyed the story from the beginning. It is a gem of historical fiction, centering heavily on the characters and setting them against a modern parallax which drew me in and held my attention through to the end. Having always found Akanaten fascinating, the perspectives offered by Katie Hamstead were refreshing and insightful.
I recommend it!
I enjoyed the story from the beginning. It is a gem of historical fiction, centering heavily on the characters and setting them against a modern parallax which drew me in and held my attention through to the end. Having always found Akanaten fascinating, the perspectives offered by Katie Hamstead were refreshing and insightful.
I recommend it!
June 19, 2013
As someone that has always been iterested in Ancient Egypt and studied the art of the Amarna period, I was very curious to see how Katie Hamstead would take this story. I was pleasantly surprised and had to finish this book as soon as possible!
I really enjoyed her incorporation of known elements and the way she weaved them into her story. Of course, we will never know much about this controversal period in Egyptian history. I think that she has done a great job in creating a novel that will spark readers into further study of this time and the many intrigues surrounding the Pharaoh Akhenaten. My heart warmed with every introduction of persons of notoriety - Horemhem, Ai, Tiye, and more.
I really enjoyed her incorporation of known elements and the way she weaved them into her story. Of course, we will never know much about this controversal period in Egyptian history. I think that she has done a great job in creating a novel that will spark readers into further study of this time and the many intrigues surrounding the Pharaoh Akhenaten. My heart warmed with every introduction of persons of notoriety - Horemhem, Ai, Tiye, and more.
April 21, 2013
I love historical fiction and this did not disappoint. I read this for Katie whilst still in its early draft stages and enjoyed the characterisations, the intrigue, the romance and the drama. For anyone who wants to read a novel with romance and drama without the explicit sex and violence, this is for you.
May 13, 2013
What a great story! So many twists and turns - love, war, intrigue and cat fights. I especially enjoyed Kiya's can-do attitude and ability to stick to her guns even in the face of death. The whole idea of her coming to love her genetically-deformed-crazy-man-husband was really interesting too. Made me want to research egyptian history. Those dudes were messed up!
January 31, 2018
I have been waiting to get my hands on a copy of this book for ages . I kept putting off buying it and I have to comment it seems to hold its value in book stores and even amazon.
Historically and factually the book may by be accurate . But as novel set in this era . It was amazing. I read it in over the course of one day and couldn’t put it down! I loved the perspective of Kiya. Most novels set in the time of Akhenaten refer to Nefertiti and the plot doesn’t pay much attention to the lesser wives. I loved the characters , the relationships and most of all kiya I think her personality was written perfectly !
Can’t wait to read the next book
Historically and factually the book may by be accurate . But as novel set in this era . It was amazing. I read it in over the course of one day and couldn’t put it down! I loved the perspective of Kiya. Most novels set in the time of Akhenaten refer to Nefertiti and the plot doesn’t pay much attention to the lesser wives. I loved the characters , the relationships and most of all kiya I think her personality was written perfectly !
Can’t wait to read the next book
July 1, 2014
I was given a copy of “Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh” by author Katie Hamstead in exchange for an honest review. I’m also participating in the virtual book tour hosted by Booksniffer Book Reviews.
*****
Naomi and her sisters have snuck off to the temples of Akhenaten. Having been forbidden from entering the temples due to them Hebrews, Naomi can’t resist the way they lure her in. Once she finally enters the majestic temples of the sun-god, she finds that there are people hiding in the shadows. Thieves have sought refuge in hopes of not being discovered by Akhenaten’s men.
Rushing back to town, the sisters find that a crowd has gathered and chaos has taken over the town folks. The sisters are instantly seized by Akhenaten’s men and dragged into the center of the gathering. It’s when Naomi’s youngest sisters have been picked to be sent to the king, the strong-willed and out spoken Naomi steps forward. Offering herself up for the king instead of her sisters, Naomi has been swept off to the awaiting ships.
It’s when she is travelling aboard the ships, she encounters her first Horemheb. The trusted commander of his army, Horemheb offers up his protection and friendship in exchange for information. He’s devoted to protecting the king from his wife Nefertiti and those who are conspiring to kill the king. In exchange for information of what goes on inside the wives chambers, Horemheb will give her protection and guidance to win the heart of the king.
With Akhenaten desperate for a male heir, he has sent Horemheb to find him a wife that will provide him a son. When he brings back Naomi, he discovers that she is a Hebrew and that she needs to be cleansed and her name changed. Sweeping her off to the priests, she is stripped, head shaved, bathed and renamed Kiya. After 30 days, she is presented to the king and Nefertiti. Having being named the 6th wife in his line of wives, Kiya learns quickly she is going to need to be quick on her feet when it comes to Akhenaten’s first wife.
Nefertiti is jealous of how her husband has become so taken by this woman. She is interfering with her daughter’s succession of the throne. Setting her sights on Kiya, Nefertiti will do whatever it takes to destroy Kiya.
It’s through the boldness of Kiya that she quickly wins the hearts of the other wives and becomes the strongest of them all in the battle of Nefertiti and her daughters. It’s when Kiya proves that not only is she beautiful, but smart, Akhenaten sets her up with Horemheb to learn more languages and to translate scrolls.
It’s through her lessons that a strong friendship is formed and Kiya learns what it will take to win the heart of the king and promote her through the ranks of the wives. If she is going to survive, she will need to learn to adapt quickly. Through the protection of the guards, she learns that there are other Hebrews in the king’s ranks. Malachi, is from her village and knows her family. A strong bond also brews between the two and secrets are shared.
It’s through her friends and allies that Kiya becomes the strongest and sought after wife of all his wives. Kiya becomes not only a protector but also a hero to the other women. With her tenacious will to succeed, she helps change and improve the arrangements amongst all the women.
*****
This was an excellent book. I have always loved learning about the Egyptians and how they worshiped various gods. We honestly don’t know much of the wives of Akhenaten, but with Kiya, the author took a huge chance in developing Kiya and her story.
It’s hard to say who actually was the mother of Tut, but in Kiya, I fell in love with the second most powerful wife. We witness the behind the scenes struggle that all woman had with giving birth to a son. If they child was fortunate to be born, then surviving after the first few days was always the next biggest concern.
We always hear from archeologist how much Akhenaten adored his wife and thought of her as an equal. However in this extraordinary novel, we learn that this isn’t the case. He has grown tired of how Nefertiti treats his wives. The way that she threatens, abuses and destroys the other women starts to wear on the king and queen’s relationship.
If this story was actually true, it would really make this mysterious relationship so much more interesting. It’s a shame that we don’t know all that much of the ancient pharaohs and their families. We haven’t even begun to understand what all they were actually about behind closed doors.
This was one great story that I know I will be wanting to read the following installments. The author did a fabulous job creating such strong characters. The writing was superb and flowed so well. From the beginning to the end, I was so transfixed by the life of Kiya that I was sad when the story ended.
*****
Naomi and her sisters have snuck off to the temples of Akhenaten. Having been forbidden from entering the temples due to them Hebrews, Naomi can’t resist the way they lure her in. Once she finally enters the majestic temples of the sun-god, she finds that there are people hiding in the shadows. Thieves have sought refuge in hopes of not being discovered by Akhenaten’s men.
Rushing back to town, the sisters find that a crowd has gathered and chaos has taken over the town folks. The sisters are instantly seized by Akhenaten’s men and dragged into the center of the gathering. It’s when Naomi’s youngest sisters have been picked to be sent to the king, the strong-willed and out spoken Naomi steps forward. Offering herself up for the king instead of her sisters, Naomi has been swept off to the awaiting ships.
It’s when she is travelling aboard the ships, she encounters her first Horemheb. The trusted commander of his army, Horemheb offers up his protection and friendship in exchange for information. He’s devoted to protecting the king from his wife Nefertiti and those who are conspiring to kill the king. In exchange for information of what goes on inside the wives chambers, Horemheb will give her protection and guidance to win the heart of the king.
With Akhenaten desperate for a male heir, he has sent Horemheb to find him a wife that will provide him a son. When he brings back Naomi, he discovers that she is a Hebrew and that she needs to be cleansed and her name changed. Sweeping her off to the priests, she is stripped, head shaved, bathed and renamed Kiya. After 30 days, she is presented to the king and Nefertiti. Having being named the 6th wife in his line of wives, Kiya learns quickly she is going to need to be quick on her feet when it comes to Akhenaten’s first wife.
Nefertiti is jealous of how her husband has become so taken by this woman. She is interfering with her daughter’s succession of the throne. Setting her sights on Kiya, Nefertiti will do whatever it takes to destroy Kiya.
It’s through the boldness of Kiya that she quickly wins the hearts of the other wives and becomes the strongest of them all in the battle of Nefertiti and her daughters. It’s when Kiya proves that not only is she beautiful, but smart, Akhenaten sets her up with Horemheb to learn more languages and to translate scrolls.
It’s through her lessons that a strong friendship is formed and Kiya learns what it will take to win the heart of the king and promote her through the ranks of the wives. If she is going to survive, she will need to learn to adapt quickly. Through the protection of the guards, she learns that there are other Hebrews in the king’s ranks. Malachi, is from her village and knows her family. A strong bond also brews between the two and secrets are shared.
It’s through her friends and allies that Kiya becomes the strongest and sought after wife of all his wives. Kiya becomes not only a protector but also a hero to the other women. With her tenacious will to succeed, she helps change and improve the arrangements amongst all the women.
*****
This was an excellent book. I have always loved learning about the Egyptians and how they worshiped various gods. We honestly don’t know much of the wives of Akhenaten, but with Kiya, the author took a huge chance in developing Kiya and her story.
It’s hard to say who actually was the mother of Tut, but in Kiya, I fell in love with the second most powerful wife. We witness the behind the scenes struggle that all woman had with giving birth to a son. If they child was fortunate to be born, then surviving after the first few days was always the next biggest concern.
We always hear from archeologist how much Akhenaten adored his wife and thought of her as an equal. However in this extraordinary novel, we learn that this isn’t the case. He has grown tired of how Nefertiti treats his wives. The way that she threatens, abuses and destroys the other women starts to wear on the king and queen’s relationship.
If this story was actually true, it would really make this mysterious relationship so much more interesting. It’s a shame that we don’t know all that much of the ancient pharaohs and their families. We haven’t even begun to understand what all they were actually about behind closed doors.
This was one great story that I know I will be wanting to read the following installments. The author did a fabulous job creating such strong characters. The writing was superb and flowed so well. From the beginning to the end, I was so transfixed by the life of Kiya that I was sad when the story ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
I liked it a lot......a heroine you can get behind and a villian you can really hate. Got a little long towards the end, but a book I'd recommend if you like historical fiction.
June 12, 2017
Fascinating
This story held my attention thru out each page. I will continue the trilogy and expect to enjoy it as well.
This story held my attention thru out each page. I will continue the trilogy and expect to enjoy it as well.
June 11, 2017
Kiya: Hope of the Pharoah
What a quick and easy read! She makes you feel as if you are in Ancient Egypt. Can't wait to read the next book in this series
What a quick and easy read! She makes you feel as if you are in Ancient Egypt. Can't wait to read the next book in this series
June 3, 2017
Loved it
How exciting, riveting , fast paced a true look into the Egyptian royal family. The intrigue, the jealousies, the back stabbing. Yet it was touching. Cannot wait to read the othets.
How exciting, riveting , fast paced a true look into the Egyptian royal family. The intrigue, the jealousies, the back stabbing. Yet it was touching. Cannot wait to read the othets.
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