Picked this up for free, so tbh I didn't expect too much of it - but this was surprisingly good!
The plot was a tad thin, and I didn't feel for all the characters, but I loved the writing style and the setting. I will be picking up the next (paid) book in the series. ( )

He hissed the horses into a canter, then a gallop. The wind tried to rip the wig from Ahmose's head. She steadied it, and steadied herself with the other hand, gripping the rail near where Thutmose held the reins. "My name is Ahmose she shouted into the night".

The Sekhmet Bed by Libbie Hawker

From Wikpedia:

"In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , also spelled Sakhmet, Sekhet, or Sakhet, among other spellings, is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath formed the desert".

MY REVIEW:

The Sekhmet Bed.

I love all sorts of Historical Fiction but stories of Ancient Egypt are possibly my favorite. And I am always amazed by the depth of research done by the writer in writing these books. It's a little awe inspiring.

This is the story of the great royal wife, Ahmose who is married at a very young age to General Thutmose, a courageous and mighty general and future ruler of Egypt.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Ahmose has an older sister Mutnofret, who had been raised to believe she would be taking on the role of Royal wife.

But Ahmose is touched by the Gods. She can read dreams and she is given to Thutmose to lend respectability to his title of the ruler of Egypt.

Unfortunately, that causes a rift between the sisters that cannot heal and only gets worse with time. Mutnofret takes the position as second wife to Thutmose and she cannot forgive Ahmose for taking what Mutnofret believes is rightfully hers.

The situation is not helped by the fact that Ahmose has seen her best friend die while in child birth. This has traumatized her and she cannot bear the thought of laying with Thutmose and giving him an Heir.

As second wife, Mutnofret gives birth to several sons. Ahmose does eventually birth to a daughter..Hatshepsut.

The Gods want Hatshepsut to be named Heir by Thutmose. But when he is not able to accept the thought of a female ruler of Egypt, tragedy unfolds.

I found this book to be a quick but extremely well written and fascinating story of Ancient Egypt and of this Royal Family.

Everyone in the story is complex and have many sides to them. There is much that happens even though the book really is not that long.

Although this is book one in a series, it can be read as a stand alone as well. I liked this book alot. I did not adore it in the way I do with certain books hence the four rating. I am not sure why that is. All I can say is that I got pulled in but not as strongly as with other books. I still think it is a great read though.

What I liked most was the complexity of the characters and the descriptive writing about Egypt not to mention how educational the book is. It was not a furious page turner for me though, more like a slow burn although I did finish quickly.

It is a worthy read..great Historical Fiction and a solid choice for fans of this genre. ( )

A good historical fiction read that takes place in Egypt circa 1500 BC. It is the story of the parents of Hatshepsut and how she, a female, came to be pharaoh. Very well researched with a multitude of historical notes contained within. I read the Kindle version and there were about a dozen typos. 343 pages ( )

Great story, was a little slow to start but I can't wait to continue the story ( )

Novel of ancient Egypt. Thutmose becomes Pharaoh and marries the two daughters of the dead Pharaoh. The rivalry of the daughters, and the birth of the new woman-king Hatshepsut. Very well written. ( )