This was my first time reading a pre-colonial Philippines-inspired fantasy written by a Filipina-American. What a joy it is to be represented in the media!

A queen's powers are faltering, and there is a lack of confidence in the heir's ability to keep hers under control. This book had wonderful aspects of fantasy elements and romance. I did find the pacing to be awkward at times, and some disconnect with the characters overall. I was entertained with the twists and turns throughout, but was not fully invested until the latter half of the book. I am interested in picking up the next book in the series!

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook ARC!

This book had a lot of potential. I just couldn’t get into it and DNFd it. The female protagonist was annoying from the start and I just didn’t like her enough to keep going. She was childish and stuck-up. There was also a lot of tell and no show. There was not much world-building that would be expected with such a book. I think a lot of people will love this but as a high epic fantasy lover, this just didn’t land too well for me.

4.5 / 5 stars

Black Salt Queen is one of those fantasy books that hits you with a ton of new vocabulary right out of the gate and doesn’t feel the need to immediately insert a relative clause explaining the term for the unknowing reader. Now, even though I myself have the working memory capacity of a piece of bread, I really love this type of world-building, because it feels so organic. But it did mean that the beginning of the book was a bit of a struggle for me, since it not only introduced loads of vocab, but also loads of characters. But I’m soooo glad I fought through that first little bit cause the book ended up being really good. The first 60% were okay. The last 40% were phenomenal. I don’t know when I last felt such intense emotions over a book, I was so goddamn angry (but in a good way).

I really appreciate the level of nuance contained in the story. It’s not really a situation where you can conclusively say that either party are the ‘bad guys’, but you’re still left rooting a bit more for one side over the other. It’s just really well set up, both sides have good points and also both sides act sorta asshole-ish at points. A lot of the political issues brought up in the book were not resolved by the end, so I’m excited to see how those are handled in the sequel.

Also, one of the few instances where I’m fine with the gays getting buried, probably for the best.

Black Salt Queen is an epic pre-colonial Philippines-inspired fantasy full of romance, betrayal, rival family dynamics and so much more!!! I highly recommend this one to all fantasy readers, from lovers of Romantasy to fans of Game of Thrones! And did I mention this book has great bi rep and multiple POVs?!?

If you are looking for a romantic fantasy with political intrigue, bad ass women and lots of twists that had me literally gasping out loud, then you NEED it pick up Black Salt Queen! I can't wait to get my hands on book two!

First off, LOVE finding more Filipino fantasy books - specifically precolonial fantasies! Bansil crafts a rich world filled with uniquely Filipino details and it’s wonderful to explore. I love the matriarchy, the abundance of powerful women, and the fearlessness with which Bansil allows them to be imperfect.

I just really struggled to connect with these characters. Duja and Imeria were the most interesting of the main POVs we got, but I wish I could’ve heard more from Eti and Bulan! Laya’s emotional mood swings were so intense and impractical at times I felt tired after reading so many chapters from her perspective 😅 And ultimately? Despite the emotional climax of so much happening at the end, I felt as if I was held at a distance from these characters. Where normally I would’ve felt such scenes more intensely, it didn’t impact me like intended.

That cliffhanger though? You can bet I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel!

Although it starts slowly, once it gained momentum, it really got into it. A Philippines-inspired fantasy with an intriguing magical aspect, three-dimensional characters, romance and thrills! There is something for every one.

I am definitely pre-ordering the next one as soon as it is available.

In the majestic city of Mariit, overlooking the deep Untulu sea, stands Laya, the princess about to be queen. In a land filled with magic and rivalry, the struggle for power is all-consuming. Set in a Philippines-inspired world, Black Salt Queen explores many interesting themes such as the strength of women who don’t give up, how drugs can be perceived in different ways (tolls for power and/or for destruction), and how love makes us weak - but also brave. The writing is beautiful, I really enjoyed the world-building and the magic. After the first few chapters, I was hooked. The pace is medium-slow and it works perfectly here. I loved the flashbacks between Imeria and Duja. These stories of love and betrayal touched me and I slowly began to care for each character and their journey. I’m really looking forward to the sequel! If you like reading about complex women, betrayal and queer love, Black Salt Queen is the perfect book for you.

I was super excited to read this book. Queen reigning, matriarch of rival family, and a princess who loves the enemy's son. Promised to be filled with "passion, romance, betrayal, and divine magic". Sounds perfect, right?

But this book was so boring. Absolutely nothing interesting happened in the first 50%. We had pages upon pages of lush world building, history and politics, and a bit of forbidden young love, which such sounded so corny every time. The characters either felt too old (18 year old princess, and 13 year old princess who could have both have been 25), or the queen and the rival matriarch (who also both acted like 25 and not 45). I did enjoy the world building, and everything we learned, but I would have hoped something more fast paced to happen at the start of the book. And when things finally started to happen, we rushed trough so many things, I wished we could have slowed down.

However, one of the biggest things I did not enjoy in this book, was the male love interest of the princess, the other half of the forbidden love. He felt exactly like the guy in house of the dragon who wants Rhaeneyra to leave everything and run away. And who thinks himself as the perfect man, or god. Yuck. In a book full of feminist energy, and powerful women, I hated I had to read chapters from his pov.

This book could have been better for me, if I had been in the mood for something slower, as it is very beautifully written, and has a lot of important and amazing story lines. However, it was not for current me so: 2,5 stars rounded up.

Could not get into this.

Not my style of a book, but I really think this will find its intended readers.

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙣𝙤 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡.

Samantha writes a captivating political fantasy in Black Salt Queen, introducing us to the richly imagined island nation of Maynara. This debut novel weaves together divine magic, political intrigue, & family rivalries in a story that kept me thoroughly invested from beginning to end.

The story centers on three compelling women locked in a deadly power struggle. Each woman harbors secrets that could be their undoing, creating a tense web of vulnerability beneath their displays of power.

What sets Black Salt Queen apart is its foundation in precolonial Filipino culture, which Samantha brings to vivid life with gorgeous worldbuilding that feels both authentic and fantastical.. The political maneuvering reminded me of the intricate family dynamics in Jade City, while the elemental magic system evoked Avatar: The Last Airbender. There are even touches of Romeo and Juliet in the romantic entanglements that complicate the already fraught political landscape.

Samantha intricately balances passion, romance, and betrayal, showing how each character's greatest strength often becomes their most dangerous weakness.

The pacing occasionally stumbles, with some sections feeling rushed while others drag. More significantly, I found myself wanting to see the characters' divine powers in action more frequently. But that cliff hanger ending (!?) definitely hints we'll be getting more of that in book 2, which I'm already eagerly anticipating!

Black Salt Queen is a promising debut that explores power, family, and sacrifice. Samantha is definitely a voice to watch in this genre!

Thank you to Bindery Books & NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Read if you love:
⛈️forbidden love
☁️political intrigue
⛈️complex family dynamics
☁️elemental magic
⛈️multiple POVs

This is a fantastic debut focusing on the power struggles of both ruling a kingdom and the heart.

I enjoyed the magic, world building, and the fantastic trio of women who make up our MCs. The tension between the two families is very star-crossed lovers with a dark twist and my goodness was the last 30% a race to the finish!

The first 20% did take a while to get through but I could see the potential!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Much love to Bindery and Violetear Books for bringing this BIPOC queer work into the world!

A beautiful and brutal story of love, politics, and power in a magical land inspired by pre-colonial Philippines. BLACK SALT QUEEN is extremely well written, thrilling, and gutting. Cannot wait to read the sequel!

I really had high hopes for this book based on the description but unfortunately I don’t think it lived up to my expectations. This is the author’s debut novel and while it had some incredible moments of intrigue throughout I found the pacing to be off putting in several places, so much so that I debated stopping the book several times.

While I didn’t love this one I still enjoyed the incredible imagery the author created and the complexity of the characters in the story.

Even though this book wasn’t my favorite you might enjoy it if you like books written in multiple POV and if you like fantasy!

Thanks to NetGalley and binderybooks for the e-arc!

This is a story set in a vivid precolonial Philippines-inspired world where women who wield elemental magic vie for power. Surrounding this is a web of court intrigue, young love, sapphic heartbreak, and the impacts of colonialism, all of which were explored so beautifully through the gorgeous prose and intensely relatable and fascinating characters.

The characters in particular were such a highlight of this book and set it apart from other fantasy stories. The author has created such strong, complex women, giving the reader just enough insight into their motivations, hearts, and histories to keep them all so interesting and understandable. Throughout all the political dramas, revenge, and betrayals, the characters remained at the centre of the story and I found that no matter what happened I cared so deeply for all of them. Even side characters were written with such depth and made the world of this story come to life, adding the tension and layers that many fantasy novels focused on politics lack.

While the pacing may be a little slow for some, I loved how it allowed so much introspection and thoughtfulness and, in my opinion, it worked well for the story. If you are looking for a lush fantasy world to get lost in and complex female characters of all ages who will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading, I would highly recommend this. And with the sapphic lovers-to-enemies plotline of my dreams on top, this is a perfect pick for pride month!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this eARC in return for my honest review.

Black Salt Queen is a dramatic, messy, epic, and beautifully tragic tale of power, legacy, and survival. Set in a Southeast Asian inspired island kingdom, this novel swept me away with its tangled web of political intrigue, family loyalty, and the consequences of inherited power. After the first few chapters I was expecting high-stakes drama for drama’s sake story—but what I got was so much more: a deeply layered narrative that skillfully explores generational trauma, tradition, and identity.

The story centers on a brutal competition for the royal throne, but what truly elevates it are the unforgettable characters. Every relationship—from siblings, lovers, allies, to enemies—is rich with complexity, pain, and longing. Their storylines are intricately intertwined, rooted in the past and shaped by choices that echo across generations. Though some characters wield godlike powers, Bansil never lets us forget their humanity. They fall in love, make mistakes, and wrestle with the burden of legacy.

If you love court politics, chaotic family dynamics, and sapphic romances woven with angst and passion, this book delivers. The romantic arcs are tragic in the most beautiful way, adding emotional depth to the already high stakes.

The magic system isn’t overly complex, but it’s compelling—especially the hauntingly dangerous bloodline that grants mind control. Elemental and healing powers also play a role, but it’s the psychological and emotional consequences of these gifts that steal the spotlight.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I never knew where it was heading, except that it would be wild—and it absolutely was. Original, bold, and deeply engaging, Black Salt Queen brings a new and exciting story to the fantasy genre, and I’m already eager for the next installment.

4.5/5⭐️

I received a digital review copy from NetGalley, and I was absolutely thrilled to dive into this book. Having previously read one of the Fall 2024 Bindery titles, I’ve been eagerly anticipating their new releases, and this one did not disappoint.

The story unfolds on the enchanting island of Maynara, where the ruling family, the Gatdulas, wields divine power. However, their reign is under threat as the queen’s once-mighty strength begins to diminish. Her heir, Laya, grapples with her destiny, lacking the enthusiasm to ascend to the throne despite the weight of her lineage.

Into this turbulent mix steps Imeria Kulaw, a formidable woman determined to secure her son’s place beside Laya on the throne. As the leader of a rival family, she stands ready to risk everything to see her ambitions realized. The intricate web of relationships unfolds as we follow the intertwining paths of the queen, Laya, and Imeria. Each character grapples with their own broken hearts, unfulfilled desires, and dreams that hang in the balance.

This book is a captivating ride, filled with twists of betrayal that keep me hooked page after page.

THIS IS FEMALE RAGE COOKED TO PERFECTION!

𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 -- 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘴' 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘳𝘪 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.

Happy Pub Day to 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣 by Filipino-American author @sam_bansil ! Special thanks to @netgalley @bindery_books for this e-ARC! This book truly is a gem.

A multiple POV story rooted in pre-colonial Philippines, Black Salt Queen spotlights powerful female voices as they navigate the challenges of love, obsession, secrets, betrayal, and power struggles.

A queen slowly fading, consumed by her godly powers.
A headstrong princess gifted with the power to control wind and rain.
An old flame burning with vengeance.

Every twist and turn in the story unfolds with a rich blend of elements, masterfully balanced to create a powerful tale that leaves you breathless and longing for more.

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 -- 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥.
𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘻𝘢 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series. The ending was jaw-dropping! Some scenes keep replaying in my head even now. They were just so intense! This was definitely a 5⭐ read!

I instantly fell in love with this author's writing style, from the minute I started reading this book. Her words kept me engaged the entire time.

Samantha Bansil’s debut novel, where powerful women blessed with godlike powers are faced with their own ambition, duty to their nation, and callings of the heart. Black Salt Queen is set in a precolonial Philippines-inspired nation where female ambition, star crossed romances separated through generational strife, and divine magic are at the forefront. Told between multiple POVs of captivating and complex characters as they inch closer to taking control of their fate, and reckon with the potentially grave consequences of taking what they want.

If you are a fan of political intrigue, sapphic yearning, headstrong and complex characters / relationships, and a good serving of spice, look no further! Black Salt Queen is steeped in all of it and so.much.MORE!

This book made me feel the full breadth of emotions from having my eyes wide and holding my breath during tense moments, to kicking my feel and giggling during particularly spicy bits. I adored the characters as flawed and complex people and both hoped for their dreams and mourned their losses during the gripping, ever emotional ride that Bansil takes us through in her debut novel. I am just THRILLED that this is just the first installment of this amazing story, because Black Salt Queen certainly leaves you wanting more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wowzas, what an ending.
I was immediately sold on the premise of this book. A fantasy set in pre-colonial Philippines, magical powers, and political scheming.

This had Romeo and Juliet vibes, the Gatdulas (the ruling royal family) vs. the Kulaws (a rival, powerful family). Both families are led by powerful queens that have a very scandalous history. Lots of twists, betrayals and mystery in this.

The multiple POVs were done just right. We get POVs from Queen Duja who manipulates the earth, Laya, the Gatdula's heir. She's a powerful, self centered princess who controls the sky. She's not the eldest though, her older sis Bulan does not have any super powers... And is bitter about it. Eti, her younger, clever sister can manipulate metal. I loved Eti's chapters and she reminded me of Arya Stark.

The other POVs belong to Imeria Kulaw, the rival queen who has interesting powers of her own, no spoilers, but they're awesome. And her son Luntok, Romeo himself, who woos Laya and wants to marry her, though it's forbidden. Man, did I feel for poor Luntok.

This was a very character driven story, with the plot slowly moving along. It doesn't really hit until about 60%, but when it does, it delivers. Bansil took her time with the lush landscape and meticulous world building. The prose takes a bit to get used to, but gets better as the book progresses. I really liked the addition of the letters in the beginning of each part, they helped build the mystery/plot between the two queens.

It's a slow burn debut and I hope the second book focuses on building a stronger, action filled plotline.

Rating: rounded up to 4⭐'s