Black Salt Queen

You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Book 1 of Letters from Maynara
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Jun 03 2025 | Archive Date Not set

Talking about this book? Use #BlackSaltQueen #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

There can be no victory without betrayal.

Hara Duja Gatdula, queen of the island nation of Maynara, holds the divine power to move the earth. But her strength is failing and the line of succession gives her little comfort. Her heir, Laya, is a danger—a petty and passionate princess who wields the enormous power of the skies with fickle indifference. Circling the throne is Imeria Kulaw—the matriarch of a traitorous rival family who wields recklessly enhanced powers of her own—with designs to secure a high-ranking position for her son and claim the crown for her family. Each woman has a secret weakness—a lover, a heartbreak, a lie. But each is willing to pay the steepest price to bring down her rivals once and for all.

Filled with passion, romance, betrayal, and divine magic, Black Salt Queen journeys to a gorgeous precolonial island nation where women—and secrets—reign.

There can be no victory without betrayal.

Hara Duja Gatdula, queen of the island nation of Maynara, holds the divine power to move the earth. But her strength is failing and the line of succession...


Advance Praise

“Black Salt Queen is a superbly gripping tale of love, mortality, and the intergenerational effects of trauma. With lush and evocative prose Samantha Bansil brings to life a Filipino fantasy world of mythic proportions that is bursting with historical and cultural details. If you want intrigue, passionate romance, and a delicious dose of yearning, Black Salt Queen is a must read.” –Gabriella Buba, author of Saints of Storm and Sorrow and Daughters of Flood and Fury

“Complex matriarchs in a vivid setting. A marvelous addition to the growing multitude of voices in Filipino fantasy fiction.” —K.S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-yaro

“Richly immersive with political intrigue as sharp as a blade, Black Salt Queen is a triumph of a debut. This precolonial Philippines-inspired fantasy is a vivid portrayal of love and power, and what happens when one is forced to choose between them. Skillfully epic yet splendidly intimate.” —Maddie Martinez, author of The Maiden and Her Monster (Tor, 2025)

“Samantha Bansil crafts the perfect storm in Black Salt Queen. Crackling with magic, the prose is as soft as a summer rain but packs the punch of an unrelenting monsoon. The plot—steeped in equal parts love and betrayal—is utterly addicting. Moreover, the three main POV characters offer a clever and varied exploration of femininity, motherhood, and power. This book kept me reading late into the night and never wanting to leave Maynara.” —S. Hati, author of And the Sky Bled

“Black Salt Queen is a superbly gripping tale of love, mortality, and the intergenerational effects of trauma. With lush and evocative prose Samantha Bansil brings to life a Filipino fantasy world of...


Marketing Plan

  • Social campaign with over 5M direct reach plus paid promotions
  • National print, broadcast, and online media campaign including radio and podcast interviews
  • Extensive review copy mailings to booksellers, media, and influencers
  • Netgalley and Goodreads promotions
  • NYC launch event with broad influencer and media attendance
  • Social campaign with over 5M direct reach plus paid promotions
  • National print, broadcast, and online media campaign including radio and podcast interviews
  • Extensive review copy mailings to booksellers...

Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781959411987
PRICE $18.95 (USD)
PAGES 416

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 3 members


Featured Reviews

When it came to publishing my second book under my imprint, Violetear Books, I knew I wanted to build on the themes we established with our debut. I love stories of power, corruption, love, betrayal, and discovery. I love unapologetic characters who will do whatever it takes to achieve what they want, even if it means betraying those they love most.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading Black Salt Queen multiple times throughout its journey from draft to completion, and each time I find myself discovering new layers to love. Samantha Bansil has created a story that feels alive in every sense of the word. Inspired by precolonial Philippine culture, this fantasy is steeped in rich history, vibrant traditions, and a matriarchal power structure where women and secrets rule. The world is so immersive, every inch beautiful and brimming with tension and magic, that you can’t help but lose yourself in its depths.

What truly hooked me, though, were the characters. Each one is so deeply complex, so unapologetically human, that they feel like living, breathing people. The multiple POVs weave together seamlessly, offering a mosaic of perspectives that highlight the intricate relationships and stakes in this lush, dangerous world. At the heart of it all are two romances: a sapphic love story between two rival mommies that is bittersweet and heartbreaking, and a heterosexual that captures the fragility and intensity of young love. These relationships unfold amidst schemes and betrayals, weaving seamlessly into the broader narrative and reminding us of the strength and fragility of love.

From the fierce rivalries to the quiet, tender moments, Black Salt Queen explores themes of power, loyalty, and the blurred line between love and hate with incredible prose. Sam’s writing is electric, pulling you into a whirlwind of betrayal, passion, and ambition. Every time I finished, I found myself longing to revisit the characters, the story, and the vivid world that feels more real than the city I live in.

This is the kind of book that stays with you, the kind that you think about long after the final page is turned. The twist of an ending will leave your mouth agape. Sam has crafted something truly extraordinary, and I can’t wait for you to experience it. Black Salt Queen is a love letter to bold, complex women and the secrets they wield in a world brimming with magic and intrigue.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: