Daughter of the Salt King follows Emel, one of the 26 daughters of the Salt King, the ruler over the desert who monopolizes all of the salt in the desert. She has been trained as an ahiran, a courtesan who beds her father's political allies until she turns 23, when she will be cast out for being too old unless she can get one of her partners to marry her. After a tragic turn of events, Emel discovers a jinni trapped in her father's vessel, Saalim, who grants her whatever wishes she dares to ask for.

Thus begins their romance, along with their twin journeys toward emancipation.

This is a very slow book, largely character-driven without much action. That being said, it reads like a fairytale, with lush descriptions and a forbidden romance that seems doomed to fail. The book spends lots of time building up the various sister relationships, friendships, and the failures of the society that rots beneath the Salt King's tyranny. There are as many complex and bitter characters as there are nuanced and kind ones. In particular, I was fascinated by Sabra and just how tragic her life was.

I was mixed on the romance, since to me, Saalim's interest in her was a little off-putting when he revealed how he fell for her in the first place. He tells her that he was always there in her life, watching from the sidelines, watching her grow up. He was fascinated by her and would purposely thwart her prospective husbands out of jealousy. While he apologizes for it, I just find it really creepy, especially since he literally watched her grow up. I was prepared to accept the whole "immortal x mortal" age gap, but it's just extra awkward when Saalim was already half in love with her while she was still going through puberty. He didn't act on it until she was 22, but still, it was kind of icky. Their dynamic was sweet enough, with some cute quipping and mutual caring, even if it moved faster than I would have liked. The little twist at the end was expected but still satisfying.

The story really shines when it's weaving mythologies and legends, when it's painting an exquisite picture of the world. I enjoyed getting to see such "normal" things through Emel's inexperienced perspective, like pomegranates that gleam like rubies and the concept of snow. I never felt that the story dragged when it was creating such a vivid portrait of this desert oasis settlement where magic thrummed in the air, despite all of the darkness that lurked around the corners.

I'm really looking forward to the next book, although I didn't actually expect that there would be a sequel. I was surprised when the book ended on a cliffhanger because I'd initially thought that this would be a standalone, but here we are!

I was immediately drawn to this book because in my opinion there just are not enough books written about the Djinn or Jinni as referred to here. If you expect a palace filled with riches you will be sorely disappointed because the Salt King and his harem, children and army live in a tent city that is to my mind far from luxurious.
Emel is desperate to escape her life which is far from pleasant. She sneaks out whenever possible escaping the debauchery and twisted coercion that lies within. Whilst playing host to a would be royal suitor the King is attacked which leads Emel to discover his greatest secret, a Jinni who protects him but can this trickster Jinni also help Emel ?
I feel this book will be divisive although I personally enjoyed it. The Princesses have to be married before they hit twenty three or face being banished which whilst harsh means they can be quite competitive. The King is vile and offers whichever daughter is chosen by the possible future alliance as a plaything for three nights . Yes that is prostitution by modern standards which hits hard particularly as the story progressed. Emel and Saalim slowly begin a secret relationship of sorts as time ticks away and the secret rebellion against the King gather pace as old legends become reality leaving Emel reeling as reality changes beyond all reason .
As I have stated I really enjoyed this although at times it was a harrowing read but stay with it because it takes the reader on a journey that is intriguing and I definitely want to read the next book.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The Salt King rose to power by possessing a rare commodity, salt, making him the most powerful man in the desert. Using his daughters to seduce noblemen, he gains powerful allies through marriage. Princess Emel yearns for her freedom and the ability to choose her fate. She and her sisters are kept confined to the palace with less freedom than many of the slaves. During an attack on the King, Emel accidently releases the secret of her father’s power...a wish-granting jinni named Saalim. Wishing for her freedom seems ideal, but she soon learns Saalim's power is unpredictable and sometimes requires a steep sacrifice. While Emel contemplates how to ask for her wish, she begins to grow closer to Saalim. As her time runs out she must decide what her heart truly wants.

Wishes do come true!!! The Daughter of the Salt King is magical debut fantasy by author A.S. Thornton. The novel is set in a dessert palace where the ruler has gained his power by being the sole possessor of salt. The princesses aren't granted the privileges of wealth in this novel but instead are treated like prisoners, forced to be intimate with any suitor who chooses them. Their only escape is through a marriage proposal before their 23rd birthday. The main protagonist Emel is approaching her birthday and has yet to be chosen. When she accidently discovers her father’s magical jinni, she thinks she can finally be free. Of course wishes aren't always what you ask for and sometimes they have a price. This was beautifully written novel with a strong female protagonist, magic, a struggle for power, and of course romance. This novel may not appeal to some readers as a major theme is a woman's fate being determined by her beauty and/or sexual prowess. It also discusses themes such as abuse, murder, drug/alcohol use, prostitution, etc. That being said, I felt that the material was not graphic in nature and written in a tasteful way despite the themes. The writing was exciting and engaging to the point of me not wanting to put it down. I'm not sure if this was planned to be a stand-alone novel however the ending has me questioning a potential follow up novel...maybe I'll wish for it.

Ok I absolutely loved this! I'm a sucker for deserts and jinni and forbidden love and this had all three 🥰
Emel is one of many, many daughters to the Salt King whose only purpose is to sleep with any rich man that is interested and to marry off to one to help her father stay powerful.
Saalim is her fathers wish granting jinni whose powers are given to him by the Goddess. So essentially he is not granting the wishes but the Goddess us. Emel befriends him when she loses the only kind man who seemed interested in her and she starts to spend as much time with the jinni as she can.
I love their relationship and how it progresses. I love Emel's strength after everything she goes through; her whole life she essentially has had no say over her own body. That's why her relationship with Saalim is so great, its something she gets to choose for herself, even though its forbidden.
The writing is beautiful, the story is wonderful and exciting and I am looking forward to reading book two!

A poignant, marvelously written fantasy debut of one woman's fight for her own freedom. Emel is a daughter of the King, and from the outside may seem to have an easy life. The reality is far different. Along with her sisters and half-sisters, they are the ahira, waiting to be given in marriage to further her father's hold on the region. As ahira, they are required to bed the suitors as part of the selection process. In addition, the ahira are kept to a single tent, the palace area, not allowed in the village and if they are not wed by age 23, they are banished with nothing Emel detests her father the King and being an ahira, but it is her only path to freedom from the palace.
While her father's rule seems absolute, dissent is brewing and during an attack o the King, Emel frees a jinni, Saalim, who now has the power to grant her wishes. However, those wishes may have greatly unintended consequences. As Emel spends more time with Saalim, she begins to find a special, forbidden relationship blossoming between them. Saalim is able to show her places that she never believed existed and her wish for freedom for the both of them grows daily.
I was completely swept up into this desert world. The lives of the ahira, of the villagers, the tales of the Salt King and salts importance to everyone are so beautifully described and evocative. Emel's path to her freedom away from her father and the palace is full of self-discovery, loss, fear, love and determination. The wonderful descriptions of life at the palace, village and Saalim's home are lovely and intimate, as is the relationship between Emel and Saalim, as well as joyous and heart-breaking. I can highly recommend this debut novel to lovers of fantasy as well as romance.

Emel is the daughter of the Salt King. A king who gained his power and rule by the hand of a Jinni who grants his wishes. To hold onto his power the Salt King uses Emel and the rest of his daughters to seduce visiting noblemen to gain their hand in marriage and become powerful allies to the Salt King.

Emel learns of Saalim and the magic that binds him to her father. Emel discovers that wishes arent always what the seam and fate has a terrible hand of giving you what you wished for in the most dangerous ways.


Thank you Net galley for the advanced reader copy of The Salt king. When i requested this arc i had only read the first paragraph of the synopsis and i went into reading this ebook almost blind. I wasnt disappointed and i was pleasantly surprised of how quickly i fell under its charm. I loved exploring the desert, i felt anger at the Salt King for his abuse of his daughters, i felt hope for Emel who longed to leave her fathers clutches. And i felt joy at the forbidden love that grew between Saalim and Emel.

What i would say is that i would not class this as a YA for the simple fact that the scenes of sex and seduction are not suitable for younger ya readers. I also think it would be helpful for a glossary of the middle Eastern names to be written with a pronunciation guide at the start. It spend a few chapters stumbling over the names until my mind settled on a name that sounded like it might correct. Other than these two points i found nothing to fault.

I very much enjoyed The salt King 4 stars.

The cover does not do this book justice. For a debut novel, the author knocked it out of the park. I’m beyond impressed. This was an intense read, but in the best way possible.

I had no idea based solely on the synopsis the amount of depth this book would have. The themes it deals with regarding control, sacrifice, love and choice were so powerful. The author wove everything together so perfectly to create such an emotionally poignant story and characters that really pull at your heart and make you care for them.

I liked that Thornton’s characters were realistic. They had real flaws, fears and circumstances they had to deal with beyond the fantasy that was going on around them. Emel was a woman caught up in her father’s corrupt kingdom, controlled by him into giving herself to men in hopes she would one day marry and find an acceptable life for herself and secure alliances for her father’s kingdom. Her feelings of worthlessness, of being used, of having little choice and control were what made her a relatable character but her resilience and constant fight to seek joy and love in the midst of it all is what made me adore her. Her and her sisters. I particularly loved Tavi and Raheemah, but Thornton managed to make me love all the characters she put in her story (except for Omar, I wish there was an epilogue just where Saalim went and punched him in the face repeatedly). I enjoyed watching them grow throughout the book and seeing how they all came to see they all changed in different ways. Emel’s friendship with Firoz was such a sweet part of the story as well and it was great to see how they were always there for each other. You could really sense the bond they had and how much they meant to one another.

I have to say though the romance between Saalim and Emel is the best part of this whole book. I was already sold when I read that the love interest was going to be a jinni but my expectations were blown out of the water by Saalim. I don’t want to spoil too much but he’s definitely not your typical jinni. His story crushed my heart and his softness, respect and genuine care for Emel was touching. How he loved her so tenderly in showing her her value and giving her choices she had never had before. It made my heart melt. The whole message of them was just perfect. That love isn’t about objectifying but about sharing.

This is definitely a character driven book. Don’t get me wrong, the world-building is stunning and interesting but there’s more about this world I still could know than I do but with the characters I feel like I know them personally, that’s how well developed they were. The desert setting mixed with different cultural influences and the fantasy elements made for excellent storytelling . Every detail came to life in my head as I read and there was nothing I was scratching my head about, wondering where the pieces fit. Even the food made me hungry when Emel described it. The writing flowed effortlessly with lots of beautiful imagery and the story was paced well to where I never felt like it lagged or ran ahead at any point. The only reason this isn’t a five star review is for the ending. I felt like it was weirdly abrupt all of a sudden when it had been gearing up so nicely to a happy conclusion. Maybe it’s because I was under the impression this was a standalone but that last chapter ended up giving off the impression that there could be a sequel. If there isn’t going to be one then it makes the book feel unfinished. If there will be one then it’s practically perfect but there’s no indication.

Overall, I adored this story from first page to last. If you’re a fan of desert tales, jinni and heart-wrenching love stories with deep themes than I think you’ll like this book as much as I did. I can only hope that the author might grant my wish that there be a sequel to this excellent start.

TW: This is 100% an adult book. I wouldn’t say it’s explicit, sexually or otherwise but it does contain themes and scenes that could be triggering to some people. Since Emel and her sisters are given to men to bed there is talk of sexual technique throughout the book. There are moments of sexual violence and an uncomfortable scene between a father and daughter. Just want everyone to know what they could experience before reading.

What a captivating story about the impossible romance between a jinni slave and a princess whored out by her despot father, both trapped in lives of servitude and set in a world where people have never known anything beyond their desert homeland. From the very beginning, I was intrigued and found there was never a dull moment. I never wanted to put the book down!

I found this story to be very unique, with well-written, very human characters. Feelings of helplessness and confinement experienced by the main characters were very believable. I was especially moved at the parts where the main character discovered things that we take for granted everyday (as simple as flowers, stone buildings, the sea).

I only wish the last quarter wasn't so rushed. Towards the end, the plot went at hyperspeed and it just really threw me off, only because I wanted so much more from the book! The plot points were great and deserved more time and development. The restrictions in the jinni’s magic system was also a bit confusing at times, but I think it was still very interesting and loved how Thornton used that to play with time, teleportation and alternate realities.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. There NEEDS to be another book after this one! The world-building and lore was too wonderful to stop here!

OMG I can’t believe it ended like that! I need more! This was so much better than I even anticipated after previewing the first couple of chapters. Emel was such a unique heroine. But I loved her and I loved Saalim. There was such tension and suspense throughout the book that kept me going. I almost read the whole thing in one sitting (I would have too if I hadn’t had to get up for work the next morning). I viscerally felt Emel’s anguish over her choices; I thought the author did a great job evoking emotions.
I just need more of the story now!

Daughter of the Salt King was such a pleasant surprise! I didn't know what to expect from this book but I didn't expect to love it so much! With a compelling writing style, be ready to immerse yourself in a story made of magic and forbidden love, of strenght and sacrifice, a tale where the characters will do everything in their power to change and decide their fate. Do not expect action at every turn. It's a character driven story and you'll see their growth through the entire book. The romance was beautiful and well developed, and I adored Emel and Saalim's relationship. The ending was unexpected (I was so sure it was a stand-alone) and I wish I had the sequel already in my hands. A.S. Thornton's debut book is truly a little gem.

“Doing something despite what it cost you. Doing something hard when you could choose something easy. That is brave.”

I definitely recommend Daughter of the Salt King if you love books set in Arabia/Middle East with strong characters and a touch of magic.

4.5 stars

Emel is one of the 26 daughters of the salt king. She is an ahira, her only role is to sleep with any muhami (rich and powerful man) that wishes to marry a daughter of the salt king, and hope that he will like her enough to wed her and take her away from her golden prison. She has until she is 23 years old to get married, or she will be thrown out in the street. I liked that Emel is a confident woman and not a shy virgin. She endures and she is resilient, bright, and inquisitive, she fights for what she wants and does not give up on her dream for freedom and adventure even when it seems hopeless.

Saalim is a wish-granting jinni… basically a genie, but his magic comes from the goddess Masira, and he can grant as many wishes as his master asks for. After the only man to ever want to marry Emel dies, her dream of escaping her father seems far away and she befriends Saalim, enjoying his company instead of asking him to make all her trouble disappear. I liked the fact that he is not the one to decide how a wish is fulfilled, Masira decides and he has no choice on the matter. It gave him more depth as he feels remorse, sadness, and despair even sometimes, because of his position as a slave both to his master and to Masira.

<i>I love you for now, I love you forever.</i>

The setting of this book is a traditional desert setting, but I enjoyed it so much. The colorful clothing, the tents, the desert, and Emel’s longing to explore and to discover what lies at the end of the desert. It was exotic and magical. The way Emel was seeking knowledge about the world and thought that leaves changing colors and falling, or mountain covered in iced water were invented stories, but kept asking about it, added a special touch to the story. It helped us feel how she craved freedom and adventure. The fact that the story is written in the first person allows us to feel Emel’s emotions, to feel her anger at her father, or her happiness during her few stolen moments with Saalim.

The writing and the prose are also beautiful, and they helped create this magical and exotic setting. The descriptions and dialogues are well done, I was really immersed in Emel’s world and in her story. I just couldn’t put it down.

<i>“Doing something despite what it cost you. Doing something had when you could choose something easy. That is brave.”</i>

The romance is beautifully written, it is sweet and magical and well developed. It does not feel rushed or forced, I really enjoyed it. This story is also about being brave and strong even when you feel you have nothing left. Emel truly is an inspiring woman. She is trying to find herself and find a way to live and be happy instead of only surviving and waiting to be cast out or married to a stranger.

<i>“Sorry, Mama. I do not care what you envision for my future. I don’t want it.

Sorry, Father. Your thoughts of my worth don’t align with mine, and I will have the final say.

Sorry, sisters. You may find the easier path the one that has the fewer turns, but that is not the path I will choose. I can’t sacrifice myself for you or for anyone.”</i>

Thank you, Netgalley, for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All views and opinions are my own.

Let me preface this review by saying this is an adult novel. NOT YA. While tastefully done for the most part, the setting for the main female character lends itself to mature readers.

Emel is one of many daughters of the Salt King. Her sole purpose in life is to be chosen as a wife by someone from a neighboring area, therefore solidifying allegiances and securing his power; in addition, anyone coming to seek a wife is allowed to taste the goods before they decide on one. And then Emel goes and falls in love with her father's jinni that no one is supposed to know exists. Very inconvenient.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit though. A.S. Thornton is a new writer for me, but I would definitely look for more of her work in the future. Because this was an ARC, I did stumble across a few spelling errors and some sticky metaphors, but I'm sure at least the errors will be fixed before print.

I'd rate this book an R for sexual content (although surprisingly not super explicit) including what could arguably be considered rape, some mild language, some violence and gore, and an uncomfortable scene that nodded towards inappropriate sexual behavior in terms of incest although nothing more than petting. If sexual trauma is in someone's history and still to any degree raw, this is probably one story to avoid.

This book sucked me into a world of wonder, and cruelty and spat me out at the end wanting more.
My heart went out to Emily, but she was strong and weathered her trials.
I enjoyed every single page of this book and really hope that there will be a second book.

Daughter of the Salt King is one of my new favorites. I loved it. It is so well written and the atmosphere is perfect. It is the story of a woman named Emel and her life as the Salt King's daughter. The women are treated horribly and her dad is just a monster. Awful Anyway, she meets Saalim who is a jinni, and everything starts to change. I just loved this story and the relationship between Emel and Saalim. I can't wait to read more by this author.

An interesting read involving magic and jinn, where a king whores out his daughters in order to make alliances with others to extend his influence and power. Until one daughter discovers the truth behind her father's kingship and begins to question what she truly wants. Raised in the ways of pleasuring men, Emel wants to be married and leave her father's home. but everything changes in an instant. Emel still clings to her ways, choosing her father over the growing feelings she has for Saalim. It is difficult to break free after being conditioned from childhood about your role. As Emel begins to discover the truth, her thoughts and actions become treasonous. Emel will have difficult decisions to make, ones that will affect both her family and Saalim,
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this book in one fell swoop; it was wholly absorbing and dug its claws into me right from the beginning.

The story is written in the first-person style through the eyes of the female protagonist, Emel. Thanks to the prose, which wonderfully constructed Emel's accounts and emotions, I reacted viscerally to her experiences; there were moments I genuinely felt her rage boil inside me, her claustrophobia choke me, her stolen moments of happiness evoke a sense of ebullience, and when she was disconsolate, I, too, fell into the sadness. Through every beautifully crafted line, I was sutured into the reality and narrative of the story.

As a first-person narrative, this was character-centric; it was not bogged down by the inclusion of minutia necessary for larger world-building. Instead, we get a robust account of the characters, their interactions, and their experiences. I can imagine for those driven by narratives, this may be a challenging read, but I think it was a perfect and well-done encapsulation of the human condition. I loved that we followed one person’s experience and as such, learned and felt through them. Are there missing perspectives? Yes. However, this isn’t about that. This story is about one woman’s journey to freedom, and as such, we experience the trials and tribulations through her eyes.

Before I forget - how could I forget, I want to give an honorable mention to Saalim. I absolutely adored him and all his flaws. He was a realistic character who, although powerful, struggled with the consequences of choice. For me, his relationship with Emel was perfect and painful and, in the end, hopeful.

The ending had the conclusions necessary for the characters and enough vague hope for readers to be satisfied. However, I think there is an opening here for another installment, and I would gladly read it in a heartbeat.

If it was unclear before, I loved this book. I recommend this to anyone, anywhere. Do yourself a favor and read this, recommend this, and experience this.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for the early access ebook.</i>

This was a solid effort by a new author, but it didn't entirely work for me. The worldbuilding is Middle-East-inspired: a desert tribal leader with a harem and a bevy of cloistered daughters, mysterious rumors of a sea to the north, and stories about a jinni.

But there are so many things that don't make sense.

The king hides his daughters away from the world... but then also pimps them out (no, really... 3 nights at a time, with no commitment required!) to potential suitors. And if a daughter isn't chosen by a suitor by the time she's 23 (how's that for a randomly chosen age?), she is dumped on the streets to fend for herself.

Nothing like some emotional and sexual abuse to start things off with a bang.

Our heroine Emel is of course the most beautiful of the daughters and besides being frequently reminded how beautiful she is, there isn't much to her. She doesn't grow or change much over the course of the story.

We meet the jinni, and he carefully explains how Emel can think all the wishes she wants, but it's only the ones she speaks aloud that he can grant... but then for the rest of the book he constantly grants wishes that she only thinks.

Emel and the jinni fall into insta-love of course, and I was rooting for them for a while, but then he got all creepy. Turns out he'd been watching her for years... icky "if the nice guy pines for long enough he gets rewarded with the hot girl" vibes.

The editing was all over the place. A new non-English words were variously capitalized, underlined, or italicized to set them off from the rest of the text. (Just pick one format and stick with it, please!)

I wanted to start a drinking game for how often the word "okay" was used. It was such an anachronism in the story setting, and once I noticed it really stuck out. (I swear, there was one exchange that was practically "It's okay. I'm okay. Are you okay?")

Emel is a first-person narrator, but since the inside of her head wasn't very interesting, that made the story less interesting. Suddenly at the end the jinni gets a couple of first-person POV chapters, which was jarring. If there is more to the story than one person can tell, maybe the author should use a different technique than a first-person narrator.

So, overall: an interesting premise that was indifferently executed. Could have used a few more drafts and some additional editing to work out the kinks.

The story was very gripping. Read the book in just 2 days! The plot is very good considering it is a debut novel. But there were other problems. One being world building. There were some words and phrases that the characters simply wouldn't know as it is not set in the modern era. Other being character building. The plot twists and the ending were amazing but I just couldn't care about the characters. There were also some plot holes but I believe they might be resolved in the next book so I won't be considering it as a flaw. Overall a must read if you like desert stories!

This book was really absorbing. It's not like anything I've read before and I enjoyed the narrative quite a bit. Usually I can guess what's going to happen and while some things were obvious, there were enough surprises to keep me hooked. And I really loved the setting.

All that said, the book did leave me cold in some ways. I wanted more world building, more background. You get everything from the main character's perspective and while she's not a stupid girl, she is sheltered and ignorant. I don't necessarily mean I need other character's points of view, but I wanted to see more of the world than just what she saw. Her relationship with her mother, for example, was very one-dimensional and I wanted to know more about her mother's story.

I also didn't really like any of the characters. And that's fine, I don't think novels have to have likeable characters all the time. But the 2 main characters in particular are fairly selfish people, and I felt a bit detached from caring whether they got together or not.

The end is both satisfying and a cliff hanger. I am definitely intrigued enough to look forward to reading the next installment.
4 stars because even with the issues I had, I wanted to keep reading and that's the sign of a good book for me.

While I enjoyed the overall premise of this book, ultimately it suffers from overly simplistic writing (i.e. dialogue) and fairly superficial character development or growth. There is little understanding of why characters think, say, or behave the way they do except that it is what is written on the page. Subsequently, because this story does include some pretty awful characters who are violent, abusive etc..., becoming emotionally involved in how these situations affect both characters and story is difficult. Finally, the ending was not only fairly confusing (in terms of character choice) but also made little sense. The story seemed to just fall apart, as if the author could not quite figure out how to tie up all the various pieces of the story.