The Queen's Handmaid

Secrets of the Lost Empires #0

by Tracy L. Higley

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 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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Biblical Fiction, Historical, Christian, Egypt

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2014

About the author

Tracy Higley has been attempting to time travel through the pages of books since she was a child. She started her first story at the age of eight, and has since authored nearly twenty books, including the acclaimed Seven Wonders Series, and the Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge. She earned a Master’s Degree in Ancient and Classical History, and has traveled to Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Italy, and Turkey, researching her books and falling into adventures. Peruse her travel journals and learn more fascinating history at www.tracyhigley.com.

Reviews

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is rich in history and drama. It follows the story of Egyptian Queen, Galilean Governor, a beautiful servant girl, and how their stories come together with prophecy, self-discovery, and revelation. The author does an excellent job of making you feel you’re there.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can tell when you're reading a historical fiction novel or in this case a biblical historical fiction novel that the author has done their due diligence and written something so exceptional, you honest wonder how long the research must have taken. In the case of The Queen's Handmaid from best-selling author Tracy L. Higley, she writes the little known fictional story of Herod, the Galilean governor with his eye on conquering as many kingdoms as possible. Using all his influence he begins to form alliances with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt and Mark Anthony, second in command of Rome. Herod hoped that each of these alliances would lead him to gain more control of the surrounding lands he had already acquired and had hoped that with his marriage to Mariamme he would have an heir to his throne. But Herod the Great would soon face his challenges beginning with Cleopatra who would not give up any control to anyone including members of her own family if she felt threatened. She would have them executed without a second thought.

Lydia is Cleopatra's handmaid who cares for her children at first until she is introduced to Herod. He sees the intelligence and value she possesses and hires her as a handmaid for his soon-to-be wife. Only Lydia is living with a task she must accomplish in her lifetime and one that requires her to locate a man in the temple courts of Jerusalem and provide him with a set of sealed scrolls from the prophet Daniel. She must not divulge this information to anyone and her mentor Samuel was murdered before he could complete the task. Since he left no sons behind to carry on, he has tasked Lydia with helping to usher in future for the nation of Israel. Only if Samuel was murdered for having the scrolls in his possession, so can Lydia.

As things begin to unravel with being in Cleopatra's household, Lydia knows it will only be a matter of time before Cleopatra has her killed as well. Lydia has always proved a threat to Cleopatra not by her words or actions, but by her calm demeanor and how people are immediately drawn to her. Even Cleopatra's own children find solace and comfort in Lydia than with their own mother. So when the opportunity presents itself to flee from Cleopatra and leave secretly with Herod, Lydia realizes that it will not only be for her benefit but also move her closer geographically for finding the one person she can give the scrolls to before they find her. But even Herod has his secret spies working in his own family to ensure their own personal interests and survival, is Lydia any safer with Herod than she is with Cleopatra?

I received The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my honest review and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. I am a huge fan of Tracy Higley's literature because of her ability to write the reader into the story. You are just reading it, you're there as part of the story in the background as a silent observer. You can see and feels things so vividly, pictures aren't required. Her ability to utilize the character of Lydia to bring the characters of Cleopatra and Herod to life in a unique way. Based on factual information, she shows you just how manipulative they each were to obtaining their goals and how they played upon others to achieve their selfish aspirations even at the cost of those they loved. It was sad to see how far greed got carried away in their own life and even though they each thought they were in control, they were really being played by others around them without knowing it. Hands down this one gains a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and can't wait for more from Tracy in the near future.

[Freda Mans-Labianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book about Cleopatra or her handmaid, you might be disappointed. This story is about Lydia. Yes, she was Cleopatra's handmaid at one time, but not always. Lydia was so much more than a simple handmaid anyway. I really liked Lydia a lot. Her character alone was worth reading the book for.
Most of the book was just okay for me though to be honest. At one point, though I know it's a work of fiction, it almost felt like I was studying for history and reading from a textbook. The last 100 or so pages the story really picked right up and all of the pieces of the puzzle came together, making it a much better story.
This was my first time reading from this author before and I know it won't be the last. There was something solid in her style of writing that appealed to me in the end.


3.5/5

[Jaye Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen’s Handmaid is the second book I’ve read by Tracy Higley. Honestly, I enjoyed City on Fire a bit better than this book. I don’t think I was truly able to get into it until about the last third to quarter of the book when the plot really picked up. It took place over quite a long period of time—several years. I think this may have somewhat distanced me from the characters since such large chunks of time were skipped. And it felt as though it lacked the action was I was hoping for.

All that said, it was still a fascinating read. I have not read much about this particular time period. It brings in many historical figures—Cleopatra, Herod, and Marc Antony just to name a few—and they are very prevalent characters in the story. Many of them even have POV scenes. That alone is fascinating. And I love how she tied the story in with the magi at Jesus’s birth.

Though it felt (to me) as if it dragged a bit, and I had a little trouble warming up to the characters, I very much recommend the book, if only for the amazing history involved in it. If you’re looking for fiction that really gets into the details and way of life of the time period, Tracy Higley is the one to go to. She does an amazing job of setting the scene and making you feel like you’re really there without going overboard on boring description. It was definitely worth my time to read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers free in exchange for my honest review.

[Cintia · Rating 1 out of 5]

BORED TO TEARS.

Seriously, this could be the most boring book I’ve ever read. I rarely give one star, normally reserving it for when I truly don’t have anything good to say about a book, and this, sadly, is one of those cases. Every time I put it down, it pained me to think that I had to go back to it, I literally did it grumbling. But I’m too stubborn to leave unfinished books, even when I truly wanted to drop this one every few pages, and never pick it up again. The Queen’s Handmaid has the merit of being the only book that ever kept me up at night in a bad way, because I just wanted to finish it to be over with it, or I would have to bear another day of trudging through this story.

A quick disclaimer: in this review, I won’t be delving into this story's historical or biblical accuracy, because I simply don’t know enough about those topics as to make a valid point. With that said, let’s dive in.

This book wasn’t a nightmare, but a sedative. It is probably one of the slowest I’ve ever read, and after four hundred pages of absolute boredom, I have a few things to say. The Queen’s Handmaid feels more like a history book than a novel, and precisely, it should have the opposite effect. Simply put, if I wanted a history lesson, that’s what I would have read, but I grabbed a novel instead. As I passed the pages, I often had to re-read chunks of information and paragraphs because my mind wandered, and if your thoughts are clearly more interesting than the words you are reading, I think that speaks volumes. One of the first confusing things I found was the dialogue between royalty and servants, as it felt informal, and way too modern for the time period. Perhaps it’s just me, but I think that, in other stories, if a servant talked to a royal the way it happens in this book from time to time, they would probably be executed, or at least severely punished. And although, yes, Cleopatra executes this Andromeda girl on the spot for that, we don’t ever see something like that again (by the way, that scene was also the one that made me think this book would be different than it turned out to be after a few chapters).

The second thing that bothered me may sound very technical, and it has to do with show vs. tell. For those who don’t know, a quick explanation: showing means vivid, impactful moments to get the readers invested in the story, for them to remember the important things and connect with the characters and the plot, while telling basically means stating facts, and providing information**. In this book, there’s a telling abuse. Most of the worthwhile content is delivered as facts and historical data, like the battle in Masada. Perhaps it’s just me, that, as a fantasy reader, I’m used to be in the center of the fight and experience everything firsthand, but here, we see the entire battle from Lydia’s point of view, and although the telling isn’t wrong, I can’t feel anything, it’s like watching a very boring movie filled with dialogue in a moment in which I should only be seeing and hearing the clash of swords and shields, the screaming... It’s a siege, for God’s sake! Also, there’s too much telling on the time jumps. In a moment, we are here, and in the next, one or two years have passed. E. g., we get a very intense scene with Lydia in the temple as the battle rages on around her, and in the next page, it’s the same place, only a year later, and the author has skipped all the good stuff, like Herod and Mariamme’s wedding, for example, and I do like a royal wedding in historical fiction from time to time, I mean, imagine the picture that could be painted with the right words! But no, there’s nothing about it.

In this story, lots of things happen for no reason, and that’s especially noticeable after Lydia leaves Egypt. The author dedicates five whole chapters to their stay in Rome, and I felt that the whole thing could have been easily removed from the book, and absolutely nothing would have changed. Nothing comes from Lydia serving Octavia, nor from the insinuated attraction between her and Varius, the poet, so why making me read all these chapters to no point? Because there isn’t one, no matter how hard you try to find it. The whole Rome part got me completely lost with so many names and characters, and I ended up bored sick with the political negotiations between Herod and Marc Antony. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to show these things, but there’s a point in which enough is enough, you can’t rely on your readers’ patience forever. The only thing that happens during those chapters that is worth reading is Riva being attacked by the man we later find out had been sent by Salome to find the scrolls. But asides from that, nothing changes in the general plot, I could have just skipped the five chapters, and it would have been exactly the same.

If we are talking about pointless scenes, after the Rome part, the one that definitely made me want to flush the book down the nearest toilet was the childbirth scene. So, Mariamme has decided that she wants to escape her husband, so she, Lydia, and Simon get on a cart and secretly leave Jerusalem, but in the nearest inn, Mariamme goes into labor, and then finds out Herod is coming back alive to the city, so she has to go back too. And I was like, "why on Earth, why??" Why did I have to read that? The exact same thing could have been told without changing locations, and without exhausting the reader, perhaps saying that Mariamme was about to leave the palace, and then her water broke, and so on. But no. They left, but they had to return anyway, so why making them leave in the first place? Seriously, it made absolutely no difference to the story that she had her baby here, or there. But it did make me angry. What a waste of page time!

Can we talk about the “romance”? Because it really disappointed me. As I said before, at first it seemed the love story was going to be between Lydia and Lucius Varius Rufus, the Roman poet, but aside from letting us know that Lydia is attracted to passionate men, it’s just another piece of the novel that could have been cut from the book and nothing would have changed. After him, she meets Simon, who serves Herod as a soldier, and although we see that something grows between them, this book is so boring that even the supposed romance fell flat. They don’t have enough chemistry, there was nothing for me to root for their relationship, and their first kiss just left me with a puzzled expression on my face, over this:

“And in the kiss something was unleashed within her that had little to do with the way of a man with a woman, and everything to do with the way of an Israelite passionate for her people and her land.” (Chapter 19)

Seriously? You kiss the man you are falling in love with, and that’s what you are thinking? If you ask me, I normally would say it’s the other way around. But, see what I mean? For things like this, their moments together are ripped from everything that could be remotely romantic between them.

But the last point is the worst. First, Samuel dies before giving further explanations about what he wants Lydia to do, that is finding this Chakkiym people, but it bothered me that he was literally dying, and he kept talking and talking without giving any piece of real, useful information! He didn’t let Lydia interrupt him, but he talked non-stop without getting to the point! Man, you are dying, please say what you mean to say once and for all! *Deep breath* As I said, this book was a huge trial to my patience. After Samuel dies and Lydia leaves Egypt, she spends literally years of her life searching for the Chakkiym, never finding them where she was supposed to, doing what she was told, praying to reach her goal, etc., and we only find out who and where they are in the very last chapter! After that, there’s not even a resolution, because she still doesn’t find them! This seriously pissed me off. After year after year of searching and waiting for Lydia, and painfully boring chapters for me, I don’t even get a resolution? What kind of ending is that?

Finally, a quick word on the character building. Lydia is a cardboard character, and I didn’t fully like her. Everyone loves her, she doesn’t have any faults, and everyone who gets to know her can’t help but loving her *eye roll*. No one is like that, as far as I know, and although I was mildly surprised by Lydia’s parentage and royalty, I was too bored to care. At the point in which that’s revealed, I just wanted to be over with the book once and for all. My point is that she, and the rest of the good ones, are very good, nothing is ever their fault and they possess every virtue. That’s their essence, and they don’t feel even remotely human, because no human being is just a big pool of goodness and love. On the other hand, the villains, like Cleopatra, Herod and Salome, are bad, and only bad, they are never humanly vulnerable or show any concern in regards of those around them, their only worries are about their power and the things that could threaten it, and for me, that’s not enough. The worst of them was, definitely, Salome, she’s the witch in every fairytale, she’s nothing more than pure evil. Both her and Herod are not far from the stereotypical villain who creates suffering for no reason, and sometimes it felt like the only thing they had left was to twist a handlebar moustache and tie a woman to the train tracks to fully complete the villainy chart.

Phew! That was long, and without covering the details (please don’t make me). I just want to add that this is definitely a no for this author. I tried, and I just couldn’t. If all of her books are like this one, I think I’ll pass. Sorry.

**For a deepening on show vs. tell, I recommend watching Jenna Moreci’s vlogs on the topic, here:
- Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wckhf...
- Tell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inDU_...



*If you like what you read, you can find me in my blog for more reviews and other articles: http://abookandateacup.blogspot.com.ar/*

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breathtaking in scope, this historical piece takes us back to when Cleopatra was still ruling the Nile and Rome was still in all its glory. Told through the eyes of a handmaid, this tale of suspense, finding one's true purpose, and faith is inspiring and intriguing. The political intrigues and backdrop are fascinating enough on their own but author, Tracey L. Higley, goes above and beyond creating the perfect story. Lydia serves first Cleopatra in Alexandra, then Herrod's wife in the Holy city. Before she fled Alexandria with Herrod, her mentor entrusted her with a sacred set of scrolls to be given to a secret man in Jerusalem. For years she carries this secret burden trying to fulfill this destiny but something always manages to thwart her attempts; war, death, duty, the list is never ending. Lydia must learn to trust herself and her friends if she is ever to complete her mission.

For fans of historical intrigue, romance, and biblical history. I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 39 BC, this is the story of Lydia, a young woman, who is given several scrolls by her Jewish guardian, Samuel, that had been written by the Prophet Daniel about the coming Messiah. The road to delivering them to a specific person in Jerusalem is littered with mishaps that end with Lydia becoming handmaid to first: an aging Cleopatra and her son then followed by Herod's wife, Mariamne. Her second position leads to a friendship with an important man in Herod's household: Samuel. Will Samuel become more than a friend and will he be able to help her deliver the scrolls to the right person?

Excellent Biblical fiction in a little known time period. Higley's research is obvious throughout the novel as she brings the time period and characters to life.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Also, became more and more clear this was Christian fiction. I don't know how that happened to me.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Queen’s Handmaid—I couldn’t put it down! The story flows beautifully, the writing is strong and engaging, and the characters felt so real that I found myself thinking about them even when I wasn’t reading. This book took me on an emotional journey—I laughed, I cried, and I was completely immersed in the world the author created.

That said, while this is part of a trilogy, I felt satisfied with how the story wrapped up and don’t feel the need to continue. I appreciate that the book stands well on its own. My only minor critique is that I wasn’t expecting the strong religious themes. While it didn’t detract from my enjoyment, I can see how others might view this as a faith-based novel. That’s great for those who love that aspect, but it’s not really my thing.

Overall, this was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with rich storytelling and well-developed characters.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent historical novel set in the middle eastern conflicts just before the time of Christ. The fictional story is compelling and it is set in the middle of well researched history. I definitely recommend following it up with her post about the story behind the story for a look at what was based on real history and what she made up for the sake of the story.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy L. Higley in her new book “The Queen’s Handmaid” published by Thomas Nelson takes us into the life of Lydia.

From the back cover: A jealous Egyptian Queen. A lascivious Galilean Governor. A beautiful servant girl. Theirs is a story of prophecy, self-discovery and revelation.

The year is 39 BC. All of Alexandria awaits the arrival of Herod, the Galilean governor with his eye on the Judean kingship. The handmaid of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, receives a troubling visit from her aging mentor.

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 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.

I enjoy history and when you tell history side by side with Church history then the book is a winner. Tracy L. Higley has truly given us a winner with “The Queen’s Handmaid”. Cleopatra, Herod, Julius Ceasar and the prophecies of Daniel. All of these stories are told through the yes of Lydia, a servant girl, who has been chosen to return the scrolls to Jerusalem. Get ready there are politics, executions, escapes, liaisons, schemes and conniving that will make your head spin. And the characters. Ms. Higley has given us great characters who live and breathe on the pages and draw us into their lives so that we root for the good guys and do not want the bad guys to win. “The Queen’s Handmaid” is great fun. It is history, a thriller, adventure and a romance all rolled up in an extremely entertaining ball.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Hallie (Hallie Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orphaned at birth, rejected and left brokenhearted, Lydia grows up as a servant in Cleopatra’s Alexandrian palace, solely devoted to serving and pleasing the royal family. But her entire life changes when Herod the Great arrives in Egypt and her dying mentor, with his final breaths, entrusts her with a dangerous mission. Now, appointed with delivering the secreted writings of the prophet Daniel to those watching and waiting for the promised King of Israel, Lydia accepts a position as the handmaid to Herod’s future queen, Mariamme, and finds herself immersed in the turmoil of ancient Judea. Amidst the scheming women of Herod’s political family, Lydia’s task to protect and deliver her treasure becomes a daunting challenge, for dark forces war anxiously to destroy all hope of the coming Messiah. Will Lydia see the truth into the correct hands, or will the corruption and violence of Herod’s court find her first?

Lured by my enjoyment of So Shines the Night, I eagerly journeyed once more into the past via Tracy L. Higley’s The Queen’s Handmaid. This time exploring the era just a few decades before the birth of Christ, Higley brings infamously well-known characters – Herod the Great, Cleopatra, Marc Antony among many others – to life vibrantly among the pages of this well-researched yet imaginative narrative. These appalling and fascinating depictions mix with political intrigue, forbidden romance, heartbreaking tragedy, a search for worth and belonging, and moments of lighthearted humor to create a thoroughly engaging work of historical fiction. Unable to stop reading, I turned page after page with bated breath until I knew with certainty how Lydia fared amongst the consuming and corrupting politics and its figureheads of the time. This novel is a definite recommendation to anyone with an interest in historical, biblical fiction. I cannot help but thank Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers for providing me with a free copy of this book and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

http://pagebypagebookbybook.blogspot....

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Queen's Handmaid" was interesting and left me with mixed feelings which is why I'm giving it a 3.5 stars!

The history that is woven through the pages is what really held my interest and intrigued me! I did not realize all that had been taking place politically and even spiritually before the time of Jesus! I knew things were chaotic at times, but I didn't fully realize how much the Jewish nation longed for the Messiah until reading this! After seeing how things were in just Herod the Great's rule I understand a lot more about the ideas of the people concerning the Messiah and how that related to Jesus!

I have noticed throughout Tracy's novels that there is always an "evil" character who worships false gods with power coming from that worship. It usually makes me rather uncomfortable, but this was the first time that I truly appreciated her including this aspect of the story! Reason being is because she showed the true power of God and how He is so much more powerful then evil/darkness! I was left very humble in knowing that like Lydia God has given all His children a divine purpose that cannot be defeated by Satan even though he will try to stop it!

What led me to ultimately having mixed feelings about this story though is how much time passed! There was a period of 4-5 years passing by in the middle of the novel that left me feeling disconnected with the main character! It wasn't until the near ending that I really felt a connection with Lydia again, but I felt like I had missed so much of her life! The romance was also an interesting mix that didn't quite sit with me because it sometimes felt confusing and then rushed (not consistently though)!

Overall I would recommend "The Queen's Handmaid" because it did have a great spiritual message as well as a very eye-opening story to real historical events!

[Renn Shearin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley was an interesting and passionate novel that explored the lives of Herod and his family as well as the changing times of Israel, Rome, and Egypt. Lydia has the 'privilege' of being the handmaiden to three different high ranking women: Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, the Caesar's wife, and Queen Mariamme of Israel. The plot line is well written and includes elements of tragedy, romance, mystery, and danger. There are few minor changes to the timeline of many of the historical events that happen in this novel, but these only occur in order for the novel to be a reasonable length. I was saddened by many of the true and terrible events that happen by both Cleopatra's hands and Herod's. Mariamme had a very unfortunate life under Herod's rule, and this book definitely made me more aware of this. Lydia also had her own struggles, but I enjoyed watching her work through those situations, begin to trust and to follow God, and as she tried to save those she was with and whom she loved. I also really liked the man who entered her life as well as their relationship and how each was drawn into a stronger relationship with the Lord. Overall, I found The Queen's Handmaid to be an excellent historical novel that drew me in and gave me a better understanding of life in Israel during Herod's reign. I received this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot express how captivatingly beautiful this tale was and how the storyline will stay with me for a long time to come. This book has got to be the best book I've ever read by Higley and I've simply adored her other ones! This book definitely deserves a high spot on my favourites list!
And not to mention how the author spun historical accuracy of such amazing detail into the story so that not only do you walk away with a love of the characters and the story, but you also walk away with a whole new understanding of that time period. All the Herods and kings and weird family ties- it all makes sense now, thanks to this delightfully pleasurable history book! I will definitely be speaking of this book to others and keeping it on my self for a long time to come, someday to share with a daughter I might have, to teach her Biblical history in a delightful way, as I have learned more of from this emotionally wrapping book. (Oh yes- I cannot end this review without saying that I cried more in this book than I have in any book for more than two years. I was just so brought into the book that when Lydia cried, I cried, and I even cried internally at Simon's internal crying) I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good history lesson and loves their Bible as much as I- and Tracy Higley- do.

[Amanda | District Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Queen's Handmaid is the story of Lydia, a servant for Cleopatra. Although she is an orphan, she was taken in by the kind Samuel. When Samuel dies of a knife wound, he entrusts her with a dangerous but important secret - the secret writings of the prophet Daniel - and her life is changed forever. Her mission is to deliver this information to the King of Israel or Judea. After a trip to Rome, she flees Cleopatra's regime to Jerusalem, where the new King of Judea rules.

As the new handmaid for Queen Mariamme, she has to navigate dangerous political currents and deliver the scrolls to the right people before the return of the Messiah is ruined.

...That's about as far as I got. Basically as soon as the plot got religious pretty quickly.

I really tried to get through this one. And if you know me, I make it a mission to finish every book I read. But I just couldn't do it. The unexpected religious element threw me off. Try as I might, I couldn't get invested in the storyline. The characters simply did not interest me at all.

Which is my failing, not the book's. I would like to thank the publisher for the review copy. If you're interested in historical fiction with a religious theme, this might just be the book for you.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book began with such amazing promise, and I was truly anticipating this story since I know very little about the time period of Cleopatra et al. And for the first third of the book, I read it with great interest. I was not truly sold on the protagonist, but I was anticipating the action and historical account.

Unfortunately, although this book is exceptionally clean (no profanity nor bedroom scenes), I became increasingly bored with the story. It took a strange turn that truly made no historical sense, at least in my opinion. I was amazed that there was some kind of somewhat happy ending. I would have preferred a more realistic historical account--even if it meant a tragic ending. Additionally, although this is a Christian book, Christ was not born as of yet. It is clear that there are some devout Jews, but I didn't even see their faith displayed like it should have been.

I have to admit that I gave this book three stars because most of it is historically accurate, and it is a clean book. Other than that, I am not a fan of this book. I know it could have been better, and I truly wish it had been.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Lydia's story. A very captivating tale with a lot of history. I thought Simon was a great character. It was funny how Lydia wasn't cowed by him. As a result got to know a side of him that few saw. Mariamme was the only sane royalty in the palace.
I loved how Lydia was protected when Salome tried her witchcraft on her, that was awesome!
There was so much in this story, joys but also a lot of grief. I was holding my breath a little towards the end. I wasn't sure how it was going to end, but things came out right (well most things, but you can't change history). The very end made me sit back and think. I would really like to find out more about the chakikim (not sure I spelled that right). Great book!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. The back tagline was a little off though.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I GIVE THANKS TO ARC and GoodReads for providing me a copy of this book for my honest review.

The story is about an Orphan, Lydia, who is a handmaid to Cloepatria in Alexandria, Egypt, in 39BC. She has a mentor and friend, Sam, who teaches her of the one God. However, he is killed and upon dying he gives her a pendant from her mom, and the missing scrolls of the prophet Daniel. He tells her to take them to a man waiting for them at the temple in Jerusalem.

Herod after his visit in Egypt, and a stop at the court of Marc Anthony. In Rome, takes Lydia to Jerusalem. LYDIA must leave Egypt and goes wiIth Herod to be handmaid to his wife, Marriame in Jerusalem. There she learns of her mother and where she belongs in the hierarchy of the times.

.There is an extensive historical coverage of this era in Epypt, Rome and Jersualem.. It describes the kings, and relations, and wars. I enjoy history books. However, there are so many players and conquests, and relationships all occurring during this period of time. I had to stop several times to connect the dots. The writing is very good and the research to create this must have taken a while. The one thing I miss is how Lydia survives thru it all in more detail.

She meets two men, Simon and David who want to protect and help her complete her mission. But, she has trouble trusting herself and giving love and trust to those who help her. The story also includes love, want of power and finding one's destiny.

I recommend reading this book but if you like historical fiction but be aware of all the twists and turns that occur thru this story. Give it a read!
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[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always a book written by Tracy Higley is very well researched, and she launches us the reader into the time and place she is writing about wholeheartedly, with her descriptive narrative, her books are a pleasure to read. This book is about Lydia, a young orphan brought up in Cleopatra's court in Egypt, who did her best to serve and feel needed until she is forced to leave, when her mentor with his dying breath gives her an enormous responsibility. He entrusts her with the scrolls from the writing of the prophet Daniel which she is to see delivered into the hands of a special sect in Jerusalem. She leaves Egypt, travels to Rome with Herod, who is aiming to become the next king of the jews in Israel, even though he himself is not a Jew! It seems very ironic to read such a book at this moment in time, and to read about the wars going on between the Jews seeking to take over their promised land, and killing those already living there, and seeing them living in poverty and hunger which is a reflection of what is presently happening still. Lydia ends up serving a second queen the wife of Herod, who befriends her and loves her like a sister. She is hellbent on seeing the scrolls safely delivered and starts believing totally in the one true god. Lydia suffers many losses, and fears for her life many a time, as she is loved as much as she is hated, and seems to be surrounded by wicked jealous women, be these servants as well as Salome, Herod's own sister. This is a very intriguing book but it seems history just keeps repeating itself to the detriment of the victims of greed!

[Debra Clewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an epic tale, I will say, of Biblical proportions. It quickly became obvious that the author, Tracy Higley, was experienced in Ancient History, and it was confirmed when I read her bio which states she has a Masters in the subject. Tracy has spent much time in the ancient lands of the Old Testament and woven a riveting and fascinating tale, especially for someone like myself who loves history and the ancient characters. Whilst many of the characters are fictional, several are drawn from their historical descriptions, and it is easy to either love or detest them.
Full of intrigue, political alliances, murders, mystery, treachery, wicked schemes and corruption, this is page-turning reading. In amongst all the depravity and too much loss of life, a tale of positivity arises with the determination of young Lydia and those to whom she pledges her love and allegiance.
The task given to her by her Jewish mentor at his death seems insurmountable. Who or what are the Chakkiym, to whom Lydia is to return some secret scrolls? What happens when she escapes from Cleopatra, to become the handmaid to Herod’s betrothed, Mariamme? And what does Lydia eventually discover about her true identity and destiny? I’ll be reading more of Tracy’s books in the future.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the incense road trilogy of novellas. It is a fictional version of the events that occurred in the time before the biblical Three Wise Men who followed a star were even born. Whether you are religious or not, this book is very well imagined and written and the story is intriguing. A servant girl, destined to go wherever the royal queen or king she is currently in the service of, destines her to go, Lydia knows she is special in some way because the old man who had been like a grandfather all her life, told her so. He gives her an important task that she must keep secret at all costs. Starting with a secret night escape from Cleolatra's palace and a tearful goodbye to the son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, who she has raised and loved, to her final flight, many years later from the mad King Herod and his equally mad and evil sister, Salome, this book is as much a thriller as any modern day story of survival against terrifying forces. I wish I had read it before the first novella, Star of Wonder, but it didn't matter really. It's a great read.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a terrific book. There was so much history set in the time between Old and New Testaments, I was reeling. I honestly don’t know how much of the history is accurate because little of it is in the Bible except Herod, but Josephus wrote about it and it’s certainly in history books.

Much of it was about a handmaid called Lydia who began as Cleopatra's handmaid, but because she was getting attention Cleopatra was out to kill her, so she fled with Herod to Jerusalem. She also had a mission given to her by her Hebrew tutor to deliver some extremely valuable scrolls to a man on the temple steps on Yom HaKippurim, a task she failed to deliver year after year.

When she reached Jerusalem, she was given to Herod's intended as her handmaid. She had a very interesting life which got more and more interesting as the book continued.

I won’t give more away. Sort of opened ended as the history of the Jewish people is about to heat up, which will continue in the next book.

So well written, truly. I love the way Ms. Higley writes! I’m looking forward to the next book.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Tracey Higley. After reading a give away ebook I knew I had to read some of her paperbacks, and I’m glad I did. Right now I’m reading through the Old Testament with all the kings who did good or did evil and I was prepared for what a evil king Herod turned out to be. The author gave me a lot of behind the scenes history, not pretty, through the eyes of the queens handmaid. She first belongs to Cleopatra and then is taken to be with Herod’s first wife Mariamme. Before she leaves Egypt her oldest friend and mentor is murdered and as he’s dying he gives her some ancient scrolls that must be taken secretly to Jerusalem. In this time no one is safe, life holds no value whether you are a servant or royalty, and everything is about political power…

[DEBBIE AGUILAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Higley is a New Favorite !!

The Lost Empires Series is Wonderful !! I have read 10 books in the series, and stayed up till 3am to finish "The Queen's Handmaid " I fell in Love with Simon & Lydia ! Two souls That God Had Destined Lydia & Simon go thru so much together yet yet afraid to love & be hurt . Lydia was abandoned as a baby and everyone that she ever got close to or loved had a Destiny to die. Can The One God Yahweh bring these two people together to fulfill a prophecy. False king of Judah Herod and his evil sister Salome' kill left & right to stay in Power. Cleopatra and Marc Anthony are in this story interwoven. I really enjoyed the intrigue of the fantasy - love the redemption All woven into this series. A Must Read !!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well done historical fiction set in Egypt, Rome, and Israel in the early days of Herod the Great. I'm used to having Herod described as a cruel, friendless despot. This book presents him as a slick politician maneuvering his way into power, and sowing the seeds that later became despotism.

The author has done extensive research into the cultures and politics of the era. Her character development is excellent. If you're interested in historical fiction of the ancient world, this one is difficult to put down.

[Teri Easterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Lydia’s story that spans Cleopatra’s Egypt to Rome to Jerusalem in the inter-testament time. There is lots of royal intrigue, difficult travel, escapes from danger, war, and over it all the Jewish hope for a redeemer Messiah. Many think the time is drawing closer for his coming.

Lydia holds a key piece of an intricate puzzle. She has no idea of her heritage as she serves Cleopatra, a Roman princess, and then Herod’s wife. Her awareness of the One True God and His plan for her grows throughout the story.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well researched story that took place when king Herod came to power. The character growth that the main character and several side characters showed was impressive, and made them come to life in my mind! I loved the way the ending provided a closing as well as a hint of what was to come in the next book! The romance wasn’t the main focus, but it was still clean and uplifting, and there was nothing else other than the violence that went along with the political climate of royalty in that era.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first fiction book in a long time to suck me in entirely and keep me reading.
It was so good.
Transports you straight back to the time just before Jesus was born. Time of Cleopatra, Marc Antony and Herod the Great. It felt like I was right there.
I loved Lydia's character, she had all the spunk and humility that one should have. She was brave and kind. She truly wanted to know more about God.
This is a must read and I can't wait to read the next book.